Thursday morning, North Borough, Indo Port. Saint Selina Church.
A group wearing regulation tight-fitting uniforms and carrying regulation silver swords entered the underground area. Their leader was a man in his forties, over two and a half meters tall. He had rugged features and was quite handsome. His only flaw was his thinning hair, which was well on its way to a bald spot.
Unlike the others, he wore a silver sword at his waist and carried a knight's lance across his back, its length exceeding even his height.
Four men and two women followed a little behind the Half-giant into a spacious room.
Bookshelves lined the room, filled with case files and related documents. A long table stood in the center.
A black-haired, brown-eyed woman of twenty-three or twenty-four sat beside the table. She seemed not to notice the newcomers as she tipped back a bottle of Raki.
At the sight, another man over two and a half meters tall coughed from behind the leading Half-giant. "Siltana... His Excellency Oaken is here!"
Siltana hurriedly set down the bottle. After a belch, she stood and offered an awkward greeting. "Your Excellency Oaken, Captain... you're here..."
She was not afraid of being caught drinking on the job. After all, it was standard practice among Indo's public servants...
What worried Siltana was that she had abandoned her previous assignment without permission. His Excellency Oaken might call her to account. She quickly took a stack of documents from a shelf and said ingratiatingly:
"Your Excellency Oaken, Captain... everything you need is here."
The Half-giant called Oaken was clearly familiar with Siltana's habits. Seeing her so attentive, he smiled.
"Siltana, how did you end up guarding this place? I recall assigning you to accompany Nashali, Duke Graycastle's youngest daughter..."
"That young lady goes to