Isaac understood what "sunrise" meant. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he quickly lowered his head to keep from losing his composure.
The bald man-Director Patrick-came up the stairs. When he saw the two crouching in the hallway, he paused and glanced back and forth between Carlo and Isaac before finally settling on Carlo.
"Mr. Schuster?"
"Good afternoon, Parker." Carlo stood up.
"It's Patrick..." Patrick frowned.
Apparently, it wasn't just him. The boss even shortened the director's name... Isaac felt better about being called "Asa."
Wait, no. Something's off!
A strange feeling arose in Isaac's mind. He stared at Patrick for a few moments before realizing where it came from.
Patrick had just furrowed his brow, but the area was completely bare.
That was right. Director Patrick not only had no hair on his head or facial hair around his mouth, he didn't even have eyebrows.
Director Patrick turned to Isaac, who stopped staring and hurriedly stood up. "Good afternoon, Director."
Patrick looked Isaac up and down, then turned back to Carlo. "A new recruit?"
"This is the new recruit in Section Nine, Isaac Lessing. I brought him to show him around, and to welcome you while we were at it and admire your 'radiant image.'"
"Cough, cough-" Isaac choked.
Patrick glanced at Isaac again and understood. "Mr. Schuster."
"Mm-hmm."
"You brought another new recruit to watch the 'sunrise,' didn't you?"
"Well, I do have an eye for spotting bright points."
Isaac saw Patrick clench his fist and then loosen it.
In the end, Patrick turned back to Isaac. "Since Mr. Schuster brought you here, you must have some exceptional qualities. Work hard. The Joint Investigation Bureau needs fresh blood."
Then he glanced at Carlo again. "Don't crouch in the hallway next time. It doesn't look good."
"No can do. Nowhere else has the same visual impact."
Isaac: "..."
He watched Director Patrick clench his fist again and worried a little that the director might lose control and punch the boss's head apart.
Fortunately, Patrick finally unclenched his fist and silently went up to the third floor.
Isaac watched the gleaming bald head disappear around the turn in the stairs, then lowered his voice. "That man..."
"William Patrick, the Joint Investigation Bureau's actual director."
"So it's really all right to... joke like that?"
"What could happen? It's not like he can dock my bonus."
Isaac was at a loss for words. He glanced toward the stairs again. "But Director Patrick seems..."
"His head is smooth, shiny, and dazzling. I know."
Isaac was left speechless again. He followed up on the subject. "So is there some special reason for it? Most people only lose the hair on their heads at worst. They wouldn't lose even their eyebrows..."
"Because he's a supernatural too," Carlo said. "He can turn the skin on his body into molten gold and release intense heat. Ordinary attacks can't hurt him, and he can set anything he touches on fire. The downside is that it burns off his clothes and body hair first. Apparently, his hair stopped growing after he awakened his ability, so you get the picture: visually, he's a smooth, naked man glowing and radiating heat, and a golden one at that."
Isaac pictured the scene and decided it was better not to dwell on it.
Still, he hadn't expected the Joint Investigation Bureau's director, who was "only responsible for appearances," to be a supernatural.
Keeping an organization like the Joint Investigation Bureau running required more than the grand duke's support; it also took considerable political skill and management ability. But judging by Carlo's description, Patrick's combat ability didn't seem low either...
Carlo led Isaac downstairs. When they reached the first floor, he didn't head toward the lobby, but turned into another hallway. "We're going to the logistics department to apply for some equipment for you."
Isaac followed him. "Equipment?"
"Right now, aside from that revolver, you're basically going into battle barehanded. If you run into any real trouble, you'll have a hard time even protecting yourself. The Joint Investigation Bureau has a basic equipment allowance for nonstaff personnel too. It's nothing fancy, but it's better than nothing."
Isaac followed him to a corner, where Carlo seemed to pause and consider which way to go before continuing and stopping in front of a door.
He pushed it open. Inside the office, several rows of iron shelves stood against the wall, stacked with boxes of supplies. A man wearing glasses sat behind a desk.
Hearing the door open, the man looked up. When he saw Carlo, his expression changed. "Mr. Schuster... what brings you here?"
"I'm here to apply for equipment."
The man turned to Isaac. "Uh, a new recruit?"
"A nonstaff employee. He's just finished registering, so give him a basic set of equipment first."
"Well, if he's only registered and hasn't been approved yet, wouldn't that... wouldn't that be against regulations?" The man hesitated.
"Tsk, against regulations?" Carlo clicked his tongue. "Since you follow the rules so closely, I suppose I should tell your department head that I wasn't the one who took those missing packages of desserts last month?"
The man immediately opened a register in cooperation and looked kindly at Isaac. "Name?"
What's with this guy...? Isaac gave his name, and the man asked for details such as his height.
After filling out the form, the man looked at Carlo awkwardly. "Mr. Schuster, equipment applications need the department head's signature before they can be approved. I really can't hand anything out privately right now."
Carlo didn't press the issue. "Then just register it for now. We'll talk after your department head signs it."
"I'll submit the application as soon as possible." The man looked relieved, then added solicitously, "Mr. Schuster, is there anything else you need?"
"No, that's all. Get back to work."
After they left and had walked a few steps, Isaac lowered his voice. "Boss, you've taken quite a few things from the Joint Investigation Bureau, but judging by what just happened, it doesn't seem like you come to this office very often?"
"I really haven't been here much," Carlo said. "After all, having to come to the office and apply for things is too much trouble. I prefer a more direct approach."
"Just helping yourself to them?"
"Yeah. I figured those things were just sitting there anyway. If I take them, they can still be put to use."
"...The people in logistics are pretty accommodating, then."
"Of course. I'm a benefactor to the logistics department. They won't hold it against me."
"A benefactor?"
"Because they owe me a favor." Carlo kept walking. "The Joint Investigation Bureau's supply management is neither particularly strict nor particularly lax. Every monthly inventory turns up a few missing items that aren't very important. Some are lost through normal use, while others just disappear without a trace. That's when someone has to take the blame."
"So..."
"That's right. Whenever the people in logistics are missing any supplies that aren't very important, they just report that I took them. Everyone knows I help myself to things all the time anyway, and it saves them from writing long reports explaining where the supplies went. I've taken the blame for them so many times. I've sacrificed myself for others like this, so shouldn't they be grateful to me?"