Chapter 421 – Becoming An Enforcer.

“So everything is fine?”

“Yes, there are no sudden monster attacks, no nobles snooping around, and also no thieves. The Paladins also haven’t tried to abduct Agni…”

“Awooo?”

Before Elodia could continue, Roland observed a large nose make its way onto the holographic display. His helmet was sitting down on the table and projecting an image of his wife. She was using a modified crystal ball which produced a somewhat fisheye effect. He could see her clearly if she stood at a certain angle, but when Agni approached, it just made his nose look gigantic.

“You want to say something to your master, Agni?”

“Worf!”

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes, I did…”

He replied while smiling at the big wolf sticking his head through the window to look at the crystal ball Elodia was using. After giving the magical object a little lick, his conversation with his wife resumed.

“If you’re asking this much then… Are you not telling me something?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“It’s as if you’re trying to find an excuse to come back here, is everything alright there?”

“Sure, if everything is fine… I… uh, have to go now… Love you.”

“If you say so, and I love you too.”

Roland sighed as he terminated the connection with his wife. It hadn’t even been a week since he had arrived at the magical institute, and doubts were already creeping in. Elodia had been correct; he was seeking any excuse to quickly return home and play the hero. Roland was somewhat reluctant to commence his duties as an enforcement officer within the academy. Today marked his inaugural day on the job, and he needed to head there promptly to avoid being late, as he had been the last time.

‘I guess she is right; I’m starting to look for excuses now…’

As Roland made his way back to the Enforcement Department, an unease lingered within him. Despite the magical wonders that fascinated him throughout the academy, there was an underlying sense that the school concealed more than met the eye. His sister Lucienne’s mysterious injuries and the peculiar behavior of her friend Margaret occupied his thoughts.

Initially inclined to dismiss the matter, Roland, as an adult, recognized that these school days would soon fade into distant memories. Involving himself in his family’s affairs was something he wished to avoid, and perhaps his sister bore some of the responsibility for the recent incident. There was insufficient evidence for him to pass judgment, so he considered the possibility of investigating this issue further. The place that could offer him aid was just around the corner.

“Good morning.”

“Ah, you must be the new Assistant Professor. Department Head Thorn briefed me about you. I hope you have familiarized yourself with our rules.”

Upon Roland’s arrival at the Enforcement Department, he met one of its members. The Department leader, a busy man, typically conducted brief interviews with new hires before sending them on their way. Unlike a noble, the man lacked a house name. This might have been advantageous for the students, as he appeared less inclined to collaborate with nobles and grant them leniency based on their higher status.

“Yes, I’ve memorized all the rules and duties within the booklet.”

“Great, I won’t have to explain much then.”

The person nodded while standing up. The man he was talking to appeared to be in his forties. He had a stern expression, and his eyes held the weight of experience. The office they were in was sparsely decorated, with a large map of the academy hanging on one wall, marked with areas of concern and incidents. It seemed like a command center for managing the safety and order within the magical institute.

“Your first assignment is to patrol the training grounds. There have been reports of students sneaking in at night and engaging in activities they shouldn’t be. We suspect it might be related to unauthorized magical experiments or practices.”

“I understand, is there anyone in particular that I should watch out for?”

Roland inquired about his first mission as the training grounds had been mentioned. He had overheard his sister and the other girl talking about them.

“Not at the moment. We don’t have specific names, but keep an eye out for any unusual behavior. Report anything suspicious immediately.”

“There were no specific names?”

This was somewhat strange, and Roland had noticed the discrepancy in Lucienne’s story. She claimed that a teacher had saved her from monsters, but this Mage Enforcer seemed unaware of the event. Several possibilities crossed Roland’s mind – either the person who saved Lucienne didn’t file a report, or someone had deliberately prevented the information from reaching the Enforcement Department. There could also be another possibility of this person not being an actual faculty member at all. Nevertheless, the incident had been kept silent for some reason, indicating that this might not be such a straightforward issue.

“Can I confirm something?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“If I encounter any students wandering within the Training Grounds, I am within my rights to detain them all, correct?”

“Certainly. Detain them, and they will be punished according to the Institute’s rules, no one is above them.”

“Mhm…”

“You will find your robe in that room. Please wear it whenever you are on enforcing duties so the students can easily identify you. The room also contains records of present and past incidents. It’s the place you will need to bring any evidence for your reports, so please familiarize yourself with it. Now then, good luck on your first day.”

He nodded, and the man gave him a few last parting words before leaving. The somewhat stern voice held a smidge of animosity; it didn’t seem like this man approved of him being here. Given that he was new on the job, akin to a police officer, this wasn’t anything unusual. Building trust would take time, but there was also an underlying issue. In any organization, multiple groups and factions were common. It wasn’t unusual for this man to be wary of Roland having ulterior motives or connections to individuals he couldn’t easily offend.

‘Workplace politics, I hoped to never have to be a part of such a thing ever again…’

Roland was not a stranger to such dynamics, having experienced similar situations in his previous world where he attended school and worked in a computer part repair store. In that environment, certain workers were granted more leeway and faced lighter consequences for the same mistakes. Matters worsened if one of the individuals was related to the store owner, placing the burden on other workers to compensate for their shortcomings.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

‘I should get this over with and resume my research, the library is closed during the night hours so this won’t be much of a setback.’

First, he headed towards the changing room where a peculiar enforcement department robe was waiting for him. There were no lockers here, instead, each enforcer had to open a specialized safebox with the help of their unique mana pattern. After placing his hand and popping it open he found an enchanted robe with a faint shimmer, indicating some sort of spell. It bore the symbol of the Enforcement Department, a crossed sword and wand over a shield, signifying the combination of magical and combat skills required for the job.

‘I never thought I’d be having to be a hall monitor at this stage in my life…’