I was awoken from my sleep when the smallest pact of sunlight touched my face the next morning. Usually, I am a deep sleeper, but that's because I have dreams to keep me company. For the first time in a while, I had a dreamless sleep, which must have been a side effect of the tea Asher gave me. I turned over to face the door that leads out into the shop/clinic, and I saw a plate of bacon and eggs and a small cup of coffee on the coffee table. I think Asher made some breakfast for me. How nice of him. 

As I got up to eat, I could hear noises coming from the front. I tried to listen in on the conversation while I ate my food and put on my armor. I could hear Asher’s voice, but I didn't know who the other person was.

"You need to stop overworking yourself, Arilius," I heard Asher saying with the same worried tone he gave me.

"Asher, I cannot control what goes in and out of my office. All I know is it is my job to make sure the work is done," the voice sounds so tired, like they don't want to fight anymore. "Please just hand it over."

"Fine, but you know that this is only a temporary solution. You can't keep suppressing your magic Arilius. It's good for you, and you know the side effects."

Arilius? There's no way that the person in there is my new boss. I lean into the doorway in case the person says something to confirm their identity.

“Tell that to Natalia. She's the one who keeps getting random summons to the capital,” the voice sounding more annoyed.

Yep, there's no doubt about it. This is my new boss Arilius… But when I lean into the doorway, the more I end up losing my grip and fall on my face, right in front of them. I have made a fool of myself. Way to go Andromeda.

Asher rushed over to me. "Andromeda, are you ok?" he said.

"I'm fine; I was uh getting ready to leave," I reply, trying to play it off.

"Asher, when did you get this new eavesdropper?" Arilius asks in a disgusted tone, clearly not happy.

"Ari, be nice she just came into town. She walked a long way to get here."

I clear my throat. "Uh, General Andromeda reporting for duty, sir," I held out my hand, trying to recover my first impression.

They roll their eyes and scoff. "At ease, Acer, you will have ample time to annoy me further tomorrow. I expect you to be in my office at eleven am sharp. Don't give me any more paperwork than your transfer has already given me." 

“Uh yes, general!” I say to them, but in response, they only roll their eyes at me. 

With that, I see them turn to the door and leave. But then I remembered I still needed to ask them a question about my colleagues, and I said a quick goodbye to Asher and chased them down.

I only have to walk just a little bit to find them. I could hear their heavy footsteps on the pavement. I call out to them to get their attention. They stop in their tracks. They turn to face me, swinging their loosely tied-up hair flung to the side, still looking graceful. 

They respond to me even more annoyed at me and say, "What could you possibly want now, Acer?"

“I remembered a question I needed to ask you, I was going to save it till the meeting tomorrow, but since you are here, do you mind if I ask you now?” 

"Alright, ask before I lose my patience,” they sound like they already have lost their patience with me.

“The former General Jessica Averinus currently has resided in town for the past five or so years, and I was wondering if I was able to convince her to come out of retirement so that she could join me on this case? I already have the necessary paperwork for her to sign-” I was cut off.

"Hang on. You are telling me that Jessica lives here and has been for a while without me knowing?" They blurted, clearly more annoyed.

“Yes, but only I and two other people knew where she was. Her retirement was not a pretty ordeal. And she did not want people knocking down her door trying to get her to go on hunts.”

"The famous former general lived here all this time, and she never bothered to leave her house?"

“That was her plan, but I don't think she's doing okay like that anymore.”

They think for a moment, then they rub their eyes and sigh, "Fine, IF you can get her to show her face tomorrow with the appropriate paperwork, then she is allowed to join this case.”

“Thank you so much, general!”

“Don't thank me just yet. You have to actually get her out of her house first. Oh, also don't tell anyone what you saw at Asher.”

I look at them with an almost stupid smile and say, “Something happened at Ashers? I have no idea what you are talking about, general.” 

They smile and nod at me before we part ways. I was off to the Leviathan, the only inn and bar in town that I know of, which at the top lies the apartment of Jessica.