Chapter 97: Burrying the hatchet (2/2)

”Let's make it the best dinner I can cook!” the girl motivated herself, casting yet another glance in the direction where Layn went some time ago.

In the meantime, Layn finally managed to reach his destination, fully ignorant about Irea's plan for after his return.

”Well, let's get this over with,” Layn said to himself, putting the huge bottle of booze in his other hand before knocking on the doors.

”Wait a moment!” After a short moment, a voice sounded from the insides of a small but tidy mansion. A few moments later, the doors suddenly sprung open, revealing a bare-chested prefect.

”What do you want?” The prefect asked after the momentary confusion when he realized who just visited him.

”Don't judge. My girl forced me to have a drink with you.” Layn answered before lowering his head in anguish. ”Help a brother out. I may be powerful but there are things… Things that even I fear.” Layn intentionally increased the dramaturgy of his words, turning the entire thing into a silly act.

”A… ah…” Stunned by the unexpected appearance and even less expected explanation, the prefect took a step back before slamming his forehead with his hand.

”I understand. Come on in.” He said as he took yet another step to the back before turning around in order to let Layn pass.

Stepping inside, Layn looked around the place. Even though the house stood in the desert where every resource was scarce, there was no hint of poverty or any lack in it. The walls were covered with pictures, the floor had a nice rug on it. In other words, at least the entrance to the prefect's mansion was on the same level as what Layn said in the middle of the city he saw in his current timeline!

”Come on, take a seat,” the prefect invited Layn in. Yet, noticing how the atmosphere continued to thicken, he sighed before lowering his head a bit. ”Listen, I won't try to interrogate you now. In fact, there is no point in interrogating you in the first place.” The man said while shrugging his arms. ”I believe you already know this, but we never recovered their bodies. I was just simply following the only lead we had…”

'What the hell is going on?' Layn asked himself while taking upon the man's offer and sitting down. While his hands busied with uncorking the sizeable bottle, his mind continued to spin at its maximum speed. 'Why does he reveal those kinds of secrets to me? Is this another trick?' Layn took a longer look at the man, before realizing that his initial guess was wrong.

”Wait, you were that desperate?” Layn asked as soon as the realization struck him. 'He just had to solve some kind of case! He is not after me in particular.' This thought instantly changed the way that Layn looked at the prefect.

”Desperate? Yeah, that's a pretty fitting description.” Grabbing the neck of the bottle, the man didn't hesitate to take a huge gulp of the strong liquid. He hesitated as soon as he swallowed it.

His cheeks turned red, his entire face started to sweat.

”Uhuh…” The man whined before taking a few long breaths to calm himself down. ”That's a strong one!” He said in a praiseful voice.

”Why were you so desperate then? And why my testimony doesn't matter anymore?” Layn asked for clarification. Even if he knew the motives behind the man's decision, it didn't mean he knew what that decision entailed.

”I initially went after you, because you got rid of Kerren. Without him around, there is hardly any crime during the off-season months, here.” The prefect hugged the bottle as he explained. ”Without him around, I could no longer ramp up my achievements so I kinda wanted to take revenge on you.”

For some reason, the man didn't mind admitting to abusing his authority a bit. But for some reason, Layn just couldn't bring himself to hate that man.

”But there is no way for me to prove that you were involved in his death. For all the governor knows, he could lose his life to some stray monsters.” The man shook his shoulders before turning his eyes away. ”And here I am, with my job completely pointless, bothering the few customers that the shops of the camp could have in this dead period.”

Listening to the man's complaints, an idea suddenly appeared in Layn's head. A smile blossomed on his lips as he leaned over the table and looked the prefect in the eyes.

”Tell me, since you are dissatisfied with the current state of things at your work…” Layn gulped down his saliva, before taking a breath and calming himself down. Only once his emotions returned to their usual state did he finish his offer. ”How about working for me?”