The Story Of A Protoss - Chapter 49 Bureaucracy

[Protagonist]

The inner hall of the guard station was neatly decorated with banners and signboards. Some sparsely distributed couches and chairs offered a resting space for those who had to wait for their appointment. Located next to the tables are some shelves filled with books and other reading material. Most likely for those who get easily bored.

What I was unable to see from the outside were the many doors on the inside.

Once we got inside the many doors were intimidating. From the outside, the building did not look like it was particularly big or anything. As big as a three-story house is.

From the inside, I could finally see the extensive hallways that stretched into the distance only to end in a sharp turn.

The walls were occupied by neatly interspaced doors, leading into the private consulting space of the various guards and officials. Or something like that. Mirielle had explained it just now but I was not very attentive.

When we entered, Mirielle directly took a sharp turn to the right, away from the hallways and the waiting guests of the guard station. Another aspect that I overlooked was the fact that an outmost part of the hall, on the right side, was empty. Only a single hallway stretched into the distance.

“This looks bigger from the inside. How did they do that and why?”

It was clear on the first glance that the building was bigger on the inside.

Just the hallway in the middle, the biggest one, with the ‘General Affairs’ sign above it was almost half as big as the building itself. And as high as a two-story building!

The question was not really addressed to anyone in particular but Dua directly went near my ear and explained it.

“Do you remember the Spatial Passage in the inner garden, young Miss?”

“Of course I do.”

“These spatial runes are similar to Mythical Treasures in this world but spatial awareness and runes, glyphs or spells exist. A lot actually. The sole problem almost no mage can find a solution for is Direct Spatial Movement. One point to another.

A task such as Spatial Enlargement, on the other hand, is much easier to accomplish. As you can see from this building. I think they enlargened it by five in height and around 132 in length.

But I might have expressed myself in a wrong way. Spatial Movement is possible. No question. It is just that the approach people take to achieve this goal is very complicated and different.

Milady explained it this way:

The runes she herself uses form a shortened distance by utilizing the existing spatial movement to create a ‘road’ that supports the actual traveling unit. It is comparable to trying to go up a ninety-degree cliff with a horse-drawn carriage while a storm is ravaging directly above one. The ‘path’ is basically a road that leads one in circles but still constantly up. That’s why you can get motion sickness when walking through it.

Now I’m off the subject! As I said. Spatial Enlargement was used here because of the various visitors this city has. Sometimes Demons or Elves visit. Sometimes merchants from the kingdom or some tribes.

At the beginning this guard house was really just a three-story building but what do you think happens when a member of the Giant Tribe visits? They won’t be able to get through the door, cannot use the hallways and cannot enter the rooms.

Because of such ‘accidents’, they hired the Mistress to lay down Spatial Runes. Originally they did not want to make it so big but Mistress used the new Spatial Runes she got to adjust the ones from this world. The result is higher efficiency and effectiveness.”

Somehow I think Dua likes to talk. Not that I would complain. A good talk is often a nice way to spend your time. Anyway. The Spatial Runes Madelyn laid down must be hidden behind various enchantments. I cannot feel any energy here. Of course, I can feel the regular energy that is always present but I cannot find any mass of energy that would indicate a rune or glyph.

“Thank you.”

Thanking Dua for the information I turn my head back to our guide, Mirielle.

During Dua’s little-deviated explanation, we reached the end of the hallway.

In front of us stood an absolutely unimpressive door.

I mean literally bland. It is not like a door has to be extravagant but the sign I glimpsed a look of on the way here made me expect something different.

‘Guard Captain’,

is what it said. The person we wanted to visit. The person who controls the whole guard corps responsible for this city is what Mina told me in the carriage.

But the door answers a lot of questions.

Based on the things I saw on my way here and outside I can already guess some aspects of the guard captains character. Not completely but to some extent.

His vanity is almost non-existent or it only affects his private life.

The building is neat and tidy. No useless trinkets or whatever. The receptionists are pretty but not pretty and dumb, the ones you would get in a cliche novel where the protagonists has to first wipe out a stack of cash or a VIP-Pass or come with like the mayor of the city to get respected.

The guards are equipped with functional weapons and perfectly made armor. The armors are not in the least bit gaudy or uselessly decorated.

There is a heavy focus on paperwork in this building and the building itself is completely structured and organized.

While I cannot be sure I sure think that the Captain is a neat person who likes to have his work in an orderly fashion with a clear focus on efficiency. It means that the captain will, probably, be impartial and get the work done quickly.

As I am once again lost in thought, Mireille had approached the door and knocked thrice.

After waiting for a bit, another woman opens the door.

The woman is dressed in black, a big surprise, and carries a brown leathery folder in her arms.

She is quite tall and has a stern look on her face. A big pair of glasses rests atop her nose.

Her hair is neatly tied into a bun behind her head. From my point of view, it does not look like she is wearing a lot of make-up. Something for her lips but that’s it.

An exemplary secretary straight out of a picture book.

She looks over our group and settles her gaze on Mina. Based on the short breakdown in her stern facade I guess they know each other. Hopefully on good terms.

“The captain already expects you,”

as she continues her assessment of our group she starts to speak. I just don’t know to who.

“Since you are a tad bit early the captain is still busy. You can come in and wait for a few minutes and your escorts can wait outside? It’s a bit too small for fifteen people.”

With a glance at my Maid Squad, she changes her invitation to a question.

Well, I do think fifteen people are a few too many for just a registration. Furthermore, it doesn’t look like there is a lot of space behind the door.

After an affirmative nod from both Mina and Dua, we entered the room while the others had to wait outside. As we entered the door the secretary woman waved her hand towards the wall on the right side of the door.

Curious about why she did I turned around and was fast enough to see how a row of chairs was moving out of the wall. From the floor, a pair of tables rose up and stood at an approximate distance of a meter to each other. After the chairs stopped next to the tables my maids directly sat down and began to chat.

The secretary once again waved her hand at the wall to the left and somehow a door appeared.

No. Not just like that. Now that I think about it…that door had always been there. I just did not think of it as important. But why? There is nothing in this hallway aside from some flowerpots and simple paintings. A door would stick out!

Right now I am still too inexperienced and too new to the world so I have to accept it.

I think that the door has been enchanted with runes but I cannot be sure. Maybe a spell was cast onto the door. I just don’t know.

While I was watching the floating chairs and tables sprout from the ground and wall, the secretary had moved through the door and was waiting for me. Feeling her gaze on me I hung my head down. I was embarrassed about getting so excited and confused that I forgot my surroundings.

I hurried and entered the room as fast as I could. I quickly surveyed the room and quickly sat down.

Seeing me behave like a small child seems to be a very entertaining pastime as Mina and Dua are visibly trying to hold back their laughter.

I’m not embarrassed! I am not blushing!

Ah God! I am definitely blushing! I can see it on their faces. I am definitely behaving like a child.

This whole emotion business is getting annoying. When she revealed the door I would have been surprised yes but I would have simply registered it and then went on. I would not have been so surprised. If I don’t get some benefits out of this I’m gonna go crazy.

Since I had sat down and I know needed a distraction from the whole affair, I took a second look around the room. The room itself was held in a mix of white and an ice-blue color. It was a very nice mix as it filled the room with a very relaxing atmosphere. Paired with the cold air inside the room it made for a perfect waiting area.

Aside from the seat, I was sitting on there was a pair of couches near one of the walls with a table in front of them. The couches half circled the table and a decanter with some form of refreshment was placed on top of it. Five pairs of crystalline cups were placed upside down around the refreshment.

Up to now the crystalline cups were the fanciest object I could find.

Behind the couches, alongside the wall, a row of shelves was filled with all sorts of books and weird instruments. Some cubes, a metal arm, some gem-like object that looked like a single touch could shatter it, an orb that looked like a miniature planet and a big map pasted right next to the bookshelf.

The map is the one thing that interests me the most right now. I jump down from my chair that is located right next to the couches with its back to the door. Mina and Dua follow me with their eyes and quickly realize that I want to take a look at the map on the wall.

They turned back to the table and each took a cup and proceeded to fill them with whatever is inside the decanter.

What flowed out of it was a kind of light orange drink. It quickly spread a nice and soothing smell of sweet fruit with a hint of sourness. It truly made me wonder as to why the smell did not spread out of the open decanter.

While I turned my attention to the map I can hear the secretary behind me say something to Dua,

“I can get you something hard if you want me to.”

Hard?

“You know that I am on duty so I cannot drink.”

Dua’s answer still left me clueless.

(Hey Nasir, what is something hard? And why can’t Dua drink during her duty?)

*Answer*

Hard, in this case, does not describe a solid object. In relation to the consumption of liquids, there is a difference between the composition of said drinks. For example, the drink Mina and Dua are drinking right now seem to be some sort of Fruit Juice made by extracting the natural liquid part inside a fruit through the application of force by pressing and rotating the fruit on top of a rounded object with interspaced retractions. Mostly called a juicer. This process can be automated but the result is a refreshment that serves to cool the host’s body and relax their mental state after, for example, an exhausting day.

In this category of ‘refreshments,’ there are other types of refreshments used for the purpose of relaxing or partying. Such drinks contain ‘alcohol’. Alcohol has an intoxicating property that causes a ‘laid back’ and entertained attitude in the reach of lesser consumption. At one point alcohol will cause anger issues and excessive tendencies which can result in almost any kind of behavior.

Alcohol is furthermore poisonous as the consumption of even very low amounts on a regular basis can cause extensive damage.

The ‘Hard’ describes liquor or other alcoholic drinks that have a higher alcohol concentration which results in a stronger, burning taste and a faster intoxication after repeated consumption.

‘Duty’ refers to Dua’s job to keep the host safe and healthy. Should she consume alcohol her ability to do so will be influenced. This is the case for almost all people which is why the consumption of alcohol is forbidden during most jobs.

The host is recommended to avoid alcoholic substances.

*

(I think you are similar to Dua. You both seem to like to talk.)

Aside from Nasir’s extensive explanation, I had used the time while I was listening to take a close look at the map. The map was quite big. Around a meter in both directions.

As I expected, the map showed the town and a part of its surrounding area from the top.

A bright red spot seemed to mark the position of the guard station while several green and blue spots marked different buildings and areas. Thankfully there was a legend right below the map.

The legend consisted of numbers and letters up to weird symbols.

I first checked the numbers.

Number 1 belongs to a shop called [Jackson’s General Store]. I think the name is indicative as to what they offer.

Number 2 is a blacksmith. There was a symbol of a hammer and an anvil right next to it. Also indicative for what services they offer. The shop itself is called [Brook&Baller]. It also seems to house another shop that is called [Millie’s Leatherwork]

Number 3 is not a shop but a library. The name is simply [Public Library] and in something like brackets […in honor of the Order] was added. I guess the library was financed by the Order.

I’m a genius.

Number 4 is again a shop. A mystique shop. [Mildren’s Awesome Magic Items] is either a fraud or really sells magical items. I would think that he’s the real deal, despite the fact that his name is somehow very childish since he is featured on a map in the central guard station. I doubt they would indicate where to find a fraud and they would at least mark it differently. With red for example.

Number 5 is called [Ming’s Tailor]. They seem to sell clothes of all kinds.

The other shops and locations on the map are not as important. Some more general stores in different locations of the town, three marketplaces, another magical shop, and several tailors and other shops. The previous five shops were marked with a green dot and their name was placed directly above the dot.

The other places were marked blue and had a description with their name above it.

Below the map, in the legend, I could see the difference.

The green dot describes shops that are affiliated with the city manager and the guard stations.

They are also checked by the city manager and found to be the best in product quality and price.

Aside from the green and blue dots, there was one dot that was different.

The dot was black and had an extensive description right above it.

[Rias Auction House]

was written right above it. I did not expect the town to have an auction house. As far as I know, auction houses are mostly situated in large towns similar to the capital of a country or kingdom.

On the other side, this town is a trading hub so it would be weird for there to not be an auction house.

Furthermore, it is called ‘Rias’ Auction House. It does not seem to belong to a larger organization and was probably founded by the city government.

Madelyn did tell me that there were many people involved in the management so I’m sure that they would have the funds and the interest in having items auctioned. Auctions are often able to get more money out of items.

Aside from that, there is not really anything interesting on the map. Of course, it describes several places that are worth visiting for people new to the town. It also shows the various areas where you would be able to find an Inn etc.

Finished with the map I can hear the secretary speak right after turning to Mina and Dua relaxing on the couch,

“It seems like the captain is finished and can see you know. The door behind me will lead you there.”

Seems like we will meet the Guard Captain now.