Roderick's voice was deep and gravelly, sounding as if it had been scraped over sandpaper.
Faced with those cold, piercing eyes, both Byrne and Selena instinctively tensed up. Aurelia, however, acted as if she owned the place; she hopped onto the desk, stretched her lithe body, and looked Roderick straight in the eye.
"Alright, I've brought them to you. The rest is in your hands."
Roderick stood up immediately and bowed to the black cat. "Understood. Safe travels, Ma'am."
This gesture completely defied Byrne and Selena's expectations. A black-robed Team Leader radiating such intense pressure was showing such profound respect to a cat. To Byrne, this scene—dripping with contrast—added a layer of the absurd to the mysterious Bureau of Heresy Research.
Aurelia let out a satisfied meow, flicked her tail, and vanished into a blur of shadow. Only after the cat was completely gone did Roderick straighten up and resume his seat.
He snapped his fingers.
A second later, two chairs situated far from the desk were seized by an invisible force and shoved forcefully across the floor to stop right in front of him.
"Sit, you two. No need to be so stiff."
This display of power startled Byrne. It wasn't just the visual effect; what truly shocked him was that the Team Leader had used psychic power to do it.
A member of the Bureau of Heresy Research, using psychic power so brazenly?
In the mainstream understanding of the Imperium, unsanctioned psykers were entities dancing on the edge of heresy. A single slip-up could lead to Warp corruption, turning them into a source of total destruction. It wasn't just Byrne; Selena had noticed the anomaly as well. They exchanged a look, doubt clear in their eyes.
Roderick seemed to read their minds. The corners of his mouth beneath the hood quirked into a faint smile.
"It seems you've noticed. Correct, I am a psyker. And including the two of you, everyone who joins the Bureau of Heresy Research is a psyker."
I hid it perfectly—when did he realize? Wait, 'you'... so Selena is also a—
Byrne snapped his head toward Selena. She looked equally aghast, her hands gripping her knees tightly. Clearly, the news had hit her just as hard.
Roderick continued:
"In the Bureau, we don't judge a person as a heretic based on what power they possess, but rather on how they use it. Our duty is to identify the threats that truly endanger Kolor—Chaos cultists, Warp infiltrators, heretical preachers who twist the truth, and our own corrupted brothers. As for psychic power or genetic modification... so long as those powers serve to protect Kolor, there is no need to reject them."
Byrne countered, "But Imperial Law clearly dictates that psykers must be monitored by the Adeptus Astra Telepathica or the Inquisition. How can the Bureau—"
Before he could finish, Roderick spoke plainly.
"Because we are a branch of the Inquisition established right here on Kolor. However, compared to the Inquisition's 'thunderbolt' methods, we specialize in clandestine investigation and precision strikes. Marcus's test was designed to screen for your survival skills in desperate straits, your judgment, and your sense of cooperation—essential qualities for any qualified investigator."
Byrne fell silent.
Heh. So that's it. Defeating magic with magic. Defeating psykers with psychic power.
The fog in Byrne's mind cleared slightly, but it was replaced by a fresh wave of wariness. He had heard of the Inquisition's reputation—a group of people who would use any means necessary to achieve their ends. Joining such an organization... he didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse.
Sigh. Out of the tiger's mouth and into the wolf's den. Why is it so hard just to stay alive?
Byrne shook his head, pushing the thought aside for now. Thinking of the black cat that had led them there, he couldn't help but ask, "Um, Team Leader Roderick, if I may... that cat just now..."
"She isn't a cat," Roderick said. "That was merely one of Aurelia's avatars. She is our Director. She usually presents herself as that black cat; very few have ever seen her true form. Privately, we call her Director Meow."
Director Meow?
Byrne almost burst out laughing. He quickly covered it with a cough. He couldn't reconcile the dignified title of "Director" with a heterochromatic black cat that walked with a dainty feline gait. But considering Roderick's deference and the spatial powers Aurelia had displayed, he had to admit that "Director Meow" was definitely no ordinary cat.
Selena seemed to relax a little too, the tension of having her psyker status exposed softened by the ridiculous nickname.
Roderick, likely used to the reactions of newcomers regarding the Director, didn't elaborate. He cleared his throat and got down to business. He tapped the desk lightly, and a drawer slid open on its own. Two thin pamphlets flew out, landing precisely in front of them.
Byrne looked down. The covers were black, bearing only the Inquisition's sigil without any text.
"Since you have passed the dual screening, as of today, you are Apprentice Investigators for the Seventh Action Group. Here, strength dictates everything; nothing else matters. This is the Code of Conduct for Heresy Investigators. Browse through it; I will highlight the core clauses."
"Apprentice Investigators?" Byrne pressed. "Does that mean we haven't officially joined yet?"
"You could put it that way. Official status depends on your performance during your first mission. Your Captain will make that call. The Bureau has an action group in every city on Kolor, and each group is divided into six squads. Your Captain is currently handling a legacy case; I'll arrange for you to meet tomorrow. You can ask him about the mission details.
"Remember, as investigators, your primary duty is to remain hidden. Your role as a Tax Collector will be your public identity. All investigative actions must be conducted in the shadows. Do not expose the Bureau's existence, and under no circumstances are you to leak Bureau information to outsiders."
Byrne didn't open the pamphlet yet. He asked directly, "What happens if our identity is accidentally exposed during a mission?"
Roderick shook his head.
"There are no accidents. Exposure is a severe failure of duty. If it comes to that, you will have only two choices: eliminate all witnesses, or undergo the Bureau's 'Purification Protocol'."
Roderick spoke the words "Purification Protocol" casually, but the weight of them made both Byrne and Selena's hearts sink. They both knew that behind that mild-sounding phrase lay a ruthless, absolute execution.