I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 79 Exile
The magic lamp in the guards' rest room shone steadily but offered no warmth. After a long while, Deva shook her head: "But that's no excuse for withholding information. I don't believe this little gang can compare to the council's tax corps, where there are archmages stationed."

“You’re right. Those mages can kill this worthless gang as easily as stepping on an ant, just as easily as they would kill me if they knew I was the one who betrayed them. Not to mention, if they knew they were going to be destroyed, the energy these people unleash might not threaten those high and mighty lords, but it would be enough to destroy you, me, and many civilians. Do you understand?”

The old guard took out a crumpled cigarette case from his waist: "I'm old now, I don't have that kind of ambition anymore, I just want to live out the rest of my days peacefully. As for the rest, you've been here for a month now, and I haven't heard of any serious crimes, isn't that good enough?"

Deva shook her head: "But just because we didn't see it doesn't mean it didn't happen. The black market steals the country's taxes, and lawless professionals kill people at night. The more we compromise, the more arrogant these people will become. Harua has not declined to this extent."

“Harua is powerful, but this is White Stone City.” The old guard sighed. “Deva, you come from a big city. I’ve heard that many mage towers in Yarakh can even fly in the sky. Is that true?”

“Of course.” Deva nodded without hesitation. “But they don’t usually fly. They say it consumes a lot of energy. There aren’t many Nether cores that are still active in the world. Nowadays, flying mage towers either cost a lot of money or use mental energy. Apart from newly promoted archmages, very few people do it.”

“Yes, but in White Stone City, there’s only one flying mage tower at the Northwest Academy, fifty miles away, and it hasn’t flown in a long time.” The old guard looked at the lights above his head and said after a while, “Go back and rest first. Anyway, your magic items can take effect at any time to find evidence. It’s not too late to investigate tomorrow. This old man’s energy can’t keep up with you young people anymore.”

"...May you be blessed, madam." Deva got up and left, returning to her quarters in the guard unit.

The dormitories provided by the police station are not bad, but they are usually only used by people on the night shift to rest.

As one of the few female guards, after her arrival, the guard captain, who always complained about insufficient funds, specially approved the purchase of a new bed and decorations to welcome this young paladin from the capital.

"It's a pity there are too few people with ambition like you." The captain sighed. "There is never a shortage of adventurers passing through here, but they are just passing through. After collecting their commission, they go to other places to make a living. Not many are willing to stay here."

Deva didn't take it to heart at the time, but if she hadn't been angry with her family, why would she have come to this famously remote place?

However, the people here are very nice. The occasional petty thieves she encounters are just right for her, a newly graduated paladin. According to the captain, her internship will end next month, and she will become the vice captain by the end of the year. Becoming the captain the year after that and managing dozens of people will be no problem at all. The leaders of the guard bureau also praised her hard work and implied that she could be promoted if she was willing to stay.

Judging from the conversation just now, she doesn't seem to know much about this city, which explains why the captain paired her with Uncle Martin, who, despite his average skills, is very experienced and well-connected.

She initially thought this was a complementary strength, but now it seems that she is the one who truly needs to improve.

But is this really right?

The girl tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. She took out the communication gem to send a message to her mother, but then realized it was too early and the timing wasn't right.

She drifted off to sleep in bed and woke up at 7 a.m. Yawning, Deva washed up and got ready to go out for breakfast, but she didn't expect to see the captain who had been waiting for her.

A hint of regret flickered in the captain's eyes, but a gentle smile graced his face: "You're up? Have you eaten?"

"No." Deva sensed something was off, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. She took off her hat and greeted the captain, "Captain, were you waiting for me?" "Yes." The captain pulled out a badge. "Given your recent excellent performance, the security department has decided to shorten your probationary period and promote you to a full-fledged officer. Congratulations."

Deva felt no joy upon hearing this; instead, she sensed something was amiss: "Captain..."

"Wait, your appointment isn't over yet." The captain patted the gift box on the table: "Given your excellent character and outstanding abilities, after deliberation by several leaders of the Guard Bureau, it has been decided that you will be sent to Beer Town, 15 miles from Northwest College, to serve as the interim captain. There you will have the treatment of a vice captain and full command authority. We hope that you can continue to shine in Beer Town and bring justice and peace to all the surrounding villages."

Even though she had only recently graduated, Deva sensed something was wrong and hurriedly said, "Captain, isn't this too sudden? I still have a case to finish."

"Don't worry, Old Martin has already explained everything clearly. We will be cracking down on gangs in the lower city soon. Anyone who reports information will be rewarded, and those arrested will be thoroughly interrogated. We will not let a bad guy go free, nor will we harm an innocent person. You must trust your colleagues' abilities."

Deva wanted to say something, but ultimately lowered her head: "I will obey orders, Captain."

"From now on, you'll be the acting captain, strictly speaking, on the same level as me. Just call me by my name." The captain said, taking out a money bag: "Here's 500 silver coins, a subsidy from the guards for your trip to Beer Town. There's another carriage to Northwest Academy at the East Gate before 8 o'clock. Once you get there, just tell the driver you want to go to Beer Town and wait for the next one."

“Now?” Diva felt her heart break. “I haven’t packed my things yet.”

"Then let's do it as soon as possible. The captain of Beer Town is very old and has been applying for retirement, but there has always been a lack of suitable personnel there. Your shrewdness and strength make you the perfect candidate for that position. As a paladin, you can also work as a judge to help those simple-minded villagers who don't understand the law."

Don't worry, just do your job well there. As long as you don't cause any problems within two years, you'll definitely be promoted to a full team leader, and transferring won't be difficult then. You'll also have one day off each week, so come over to relax and chat; everyone will welcome you.”

“Okay.” Deva’s eyes were a little red. Seeing this, the captain shook his head and said in a low voice, “I hope you can understand my difficulties. If it really doesn’t work, you can talk to your family and transfer, but I can’t help you any more. By the way, go back and change your clothes later. Otherwise, if you change when you get to Beer Town, you might not have enough authority. Most of the people in those mountainous areas don’t know how to behave properly. Your official rank and strength are the key to intimidating them.”

"Thank you, Captain." Deva didn't say much. Although it was her first time working, she wasn't stupid. She understood everything from the captain's words.

Deva didn't have many belongings in her dormitory; most of her personal items were in her own spatial bag. She waved goodbye to the people who came to see her off and looked towards the upper city area.

This city, where she had lived for a month, felt so unfamiliar to her for the first time.

Riding in the police's farewell carriage, they hurried and finally caught the last carriage just before 8 o'clock. Deva said goodbye to the driver and boarded the enchanted carriage, but her eyes widened as soon as she saw the first person.

"It's you?"

"what?"

(End of this chapter)