Chapter Text
A man, who was dressed in stylish, expensive clothes was walking towards the Dawn Winery. He was one of those knights that everyone recognised despite the fact that he did not like to show his face around like other froody knights. Everyone knew him, everyone respected him, they trusted him. New recruits would give everything they had to give only to work under him. They admire him, they love him, they laugh at his jokes, smile when he walks by, throw parties to drink to his name. It is a great honour to everyone in the nation that he is a part of the knights.
Since it was the harvest time, the Ragnvindr family were temporarily staying at the winery instead of the Ragnvindr manor. The master of the house, Crepus Ragnvindr, had asked permission for both of his sons his son and his ward to have a leave just for this season. Of course, like the alcoholic wine enjoyer he is, Grand Master Varka thought of those captivating wines he would drink in the next year, and he approved the request. Who knows? He may have given the permission only because of the value he put on the Ragvindr family.
While he was walking towards the winery, Eroch stopped. He took a deep breath and searched his pockets. It took a while, but he found what he was looking for. Holding an envelope in his hands, without paying much attention to whether he damaged the already lifted seal on it, he opened the envelope. He pulled a letter and an extra piece of paper, which, mind you, looked like a fancy personal message with Grand Master Varka’s own handwriting, from the envelope. He put the letter back in the envelope and back in his pocket. After that, he had a look at the other fancy paper and then, suddenly, he started to angrily tear it up, threw it on the ground, and crushed it with the heel of his boot. His eyes expressed his intense anger with passion.
When Eroch arrived at the winery, a smile suddenly appeared on his face. He greeted the employees and asked one of the maids to deliver word of his arrival to Master Crepus. Before even a minute had passed, the outside door of the winery opened and a different maid, saying that Master Crepus was waiting for him inside, escorted him to the Master's office.
After the two respected men exchanged greetings as a matter of formality, Eroch opened his mouth. He wanted to get straight to the point:
“Grandmaster Varka specifically asked me to deliver this letter to Sir Kaeya,” he said and gave the envelope to Crepus. Even if Eroch saw Crepus's eyebrows furrow slightly at the sight of the broken seal, he made no comment.
“So what exactly is the letter about? If Grandmaster Varka personally requested that someone as busy as the one and only Inspector of the Knights deliver it in person, it must be quite important,” Crepus said while glaring to the Inspector.
“Important is a way to put it.”
After a brief silence, Eroch continued. “Recently, rumours have been circulating about Ursa the Drake—yes, from ancient legends — reappearing on Mond. However, don't let the word "rumour" fool you; adventurers and merchants have been attacked. Grandmaster Varka specifically requested Sir Kaeya to work directly under me for this investigation.”
“Directly under the Inspector? The investigation team won't conduct this investigation?”
“You can ask Varka when he visits. After all, he visits the winery all the time, doesn’t he?”
Crepus looked away, his eyes were shining with guilt.
“So the rumours are true,” murmured Eroch. Crepus snapped his head up.
“I don’t see why what's between me and the Grandmaster is any of your business. Please see yourself out,”
“As a former friend – ”
“Please sir, see yourself out,”
Eroch looked quite disturbed, but as usual, he recovered quickly and put on his disturbing smirk again.
“Well then, may the winds of Mond always be with you, Master Ragnvindr,” after saying that he walked out of the Master's office. The moment Eroch closed the door, Crepus sat on his seat, held his head between his hands, sighed and called for a maid. One of the new maids entered the office after pausing to think if she should knock on the door or not – she didn’t. She bowed her head and said;
“Have you called a maid, Master Crepus?”
“Yes,” Crepus tried to remember the maid's name, but a migraine was starting to form under his eyes. It has been getting really painful to just think lately. Crepus decided to continue his talking before the air in the room got any more awkward.
“Can you fetch Diluc for me?”
“As you wish, Master Crepus” The maid got out of the office in a little too much hurry to not realise it.
Crepus sighed again.