"Screech..."
The car braked sharply and came to a stop.
Richard opened the door and got out. He found another car parked ahead, its license plate familiar, but no one was inside.
He glanced at the flower bed beside him and immediately spotted his paternal aunt's husband sitting there, smoking.
Inquisitor Dark... no, Arbiter Dark now.
During the Abyss Angel incident, thanks to Kallen, Inquisitor Dark had earned substantial credit without having to share it, rising straight from lowest-rank inquisitor to arbiter.
As a son-in-law of the Guman Family, he was still "marrying above his station" even with this position, but things were much better than before.
Still, arriving outside his father-in-law's home this time, he had sat in the flower bed first, just as he always did, to settle himself.
Sometimes, people did not cling to so-called habits because they could not change them, but because they were reluctant to let go of their past selves.
"Uncle?"
"Oh, Richard." Dark stood and patted off his backside. "Morning."
It was the small hours, so saying good morning was not wrong, just a little incongruous.
"Uncle, did you need something?"
"Yes, I came to see your grandfather. I wanted to ask him to arrange something for me."
"What's so urgent that you had to come now? Oh, is my grandfather home?"
"He's back. I saw him outside the Church Administration Building. He's home now. They must have changed shifts, and the meeting over there ended too. Are you off duty now?"
"No, I came back to ask Grandpa for something too."
"What is it?"
"The volunteers. Kallen's in charge of choosing the names. He won't let me sign up unless Grandpa agrees."
"Uh..." Dark scratched his head.
"Uncle, are you coming in with me?"
"No, no. On second thought, my business