Shelley led Luke into the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau building.
On the way to meet the "New Detective," Shelley gave Luke a brief introduction to the building.
The first floor of the Secret Intelligence Bureau was the office area for ordinary Imperial Secret Agents.
The basement housed a training area, with the dungeon below it.
The second floor was the office area for clerical staff and management.
The third floor housed special departments, such as the confidential archives and the tactical briefing room.
Besides this Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau headquarters, there were many safe houses, interrogation rooms, and secret prisons scattered throughout the city.
"Detective Chief, there are 128 public Imperial Secret Agents working here, and 289 undercover Imperial Secret Agents.
"Once you officially become our Detective Chief, you'll be able to access their files and formally carry out the duties entrusted to you by the Empire."
Luke followed Shelley as she walked.
If you didn't know this was the Secret Intelligence Bureau, it looked like an ordinary commercial company.
One that didn't do any business.
Most of the agents here seemed to have nothing to do. They drank tea, read newspapers, and got together to shoot the breeze.
Even when they saw Shelley, they made no effort to rein themselves in. Shelley probably spent her days doing the same things.
The Cape District was a forgotten place. The Empire's administrative power had dwindled to a minimum here, and the district had developed its own unique, unofficial way of operating.
Even a powerful department like the Secret Intelligence Bureau couldn't help but sink into the same malaise in the Cape District.
Luke said, "Let's verify my identity now and get the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau running properly as soon as possible."
"Yes, Detective Chief."
Shelley led Luke to the second floor.
The second floor was one large, open-plan office where all the Secret Intelligence Bureau's clerical staff worked, making it easy for the Detective Chief to assign tasks and request files.
Beyond the main office were several private offices used by the Detective Chief and the Secret Intelligence Bureau's management.
As soon as Luke and Shelley entered the office, they heard someone roaring from an office at the far end.
"Is this how you people work? Why hasn't Black Mamba come in yet? Can none of you verify my identity without her?
"Send someone to find her immediately. I want to see her within half an hour!"
Someone hurried out of the Detective Chief's office.
It was Pisco.
He looked terrible, evidently having been scolded by the "New Detective" for quite some time.
When he saw Shelley, Pisco finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Boss, you're finally here. And... sir..." Pisco saluted Luke, then leaned toward Shelley and lowered his voice. "The 'New Detective' arrived this morning. He's been waiting all this time."
"I'm here now, aren't I? Come on, let's help our 'New Detective' finish his last task."
Shelley had no doubts about Luke's identity by now.
He'd been earnestly preparing to take office all the way here. That kind of confidence couldn't be faked.
He'd even accepted his first assignment.
Find a son for Old Helm, the hot dog vendor!
Luke followed Shelley and Pisco into the Detective Chief's office.
Several people stood inside.
Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man with an air of arrogance. He wore a suit... much like Luke's, a gentleman's hat in much the same style, and a pocket-watch chain of the same color. He held a swagger stick and tapped it against the desk.
Shelley couldn't help glancing at Luke.
She was sure Luke hadn't met this "New Detective" today. Was his similar outfit a coincidence, or had he known the "New Detective" would take office dressed like this?
The "New Detective's" movements had always been under the control of their "Real Detective Chief."
Seeing two unfamiliar faces enter, the New Detective asked irritably, "Who are you?"
He'd been waiting here all morning, and his impression of his new workplace was very, very poor.
Shelley walked up to the desk, saluted the New Detective, and said, "Good day, sir. I'm Black Mamba."
"You're Black Mamba?"
The newly arrived New Detective knew very little about the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau. He hadn't expected the captain of the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau's Special Task Force, codenamed after a viper, to be such a beautiful woman.
The New Detective's anger quickly subsided. He decided he might be able to start a pleasant new life in the Cape District after all.
"I asked them to verify the cipher on my letter of appointment, but they all said to wait for you. It seems they have great faith in your authority and ability. I'm sure we'll work very well together.
"My letter of appointment is right here."
Using the swagger stick in his hand, the New Detective pushed a document across the desk and brazenly eyed Shelley's enticing figure.
"Yes, I'll verify the letter of appointment right away. I look forward to working with you."
Shelley picked up the letter of appointment from the desk.
Serial number: OEOFT3694457. Correct!
New Detective's codename: Meteor. Correct!
That information was all in plain sight. The last step was to verify the cipher.
In the upper-right corner of the letter was a line of text concealed by a special alchemical coating. Removing the coating revealed a set of cipher words.
The document's authenticity could be confirmed by decoding and interpreting it with the cipher.
Shelley examined the alchemical coating carefully. It hadn't been tampered with.
Next, she used a spell to remove it.
As expected...
"Fox, turtle, pinefish, yellow flag, foil stone, square table."
Every cipher word was correct.
These were the cipher words written personally by Her Highness the Grand Princess.
Besides Her Highness the Grand Princess, if anyone else knew the cipher in advance, it could only be because Her Highness had told him.
Perhaps the Grand Princess had written this letter of appointment while he was in her arms.
Shelley entertained the wicked thought as she followed procedure and used the cipher to decode the letter of appointment.
Every security detail checked out.
"Sir." Shelley respectfully placed the letter of appointment on the desk. "I've finished verifying it. It was written personally by Her Highness Agatha, the Grand Princess, appointing Meteor as Detective Chief of the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau in Raging Wave City, with full responsibility for the district's intelligence work."
With the appointment confirmed, the New Detective finally let out the breath he'd been holding.
"Now that my appointment has been verified, I'm officially your Detective Chief from this moment on.
"Now..."
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
A hole appeared in the New Detective's head, and he fell backward into his office chair.
His eyes remained open, staring blankly at his subordinates.
Everyone in the room was looking at Shelley. She held her gun steadily, aimed at the New Detective's corpse.
Smoke still curled from the barrel.
Someone cried out, "Black Mamba, do you know what you're doing? Are you trying to rebel?"
"Black Mamba, this is the Detective Chief Her Highness the Grand Princess sent us!"
Facing her horrified colleagues, Shelley spun the gun once and slid it back into its holster.
"Everyone, don't panic. I've only carried out Her Highness the Grand Princess's orders and disposed of an 'Envelope.' The real Meteor Detective Chief of the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau... is right beside me."
Before you continue