Zane having that kind of power made those identities sound plausible enough...
But what Jane truly wanted to know wasn't those titles. What she wanted was the source of Zane's strength. An ordinary human couldn't possibly be this powerful. That was the information she sought.
Yet now, it seemed Qingyi didn't know either...
As her thoughts drifted, the strange feeling in Jane's heart faded. She suddenly realized she didn't actually know Zane at all. Or rather, it felt like he was a different person in front of everyone—always cloaked in mystery...
Qingyi, unaware of Jane's inner thoughts, noticed her dazed look and spoke softly.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. He's still waiting for me—I can't keep him waiting too long."
"Yes, Senior, please go ahead."
Jane nodded. Qingyi turned and left, her figure disappearing from view within moments.
Jane stood still for a moment, then finally turned and walked away as well.
...
After the rain, the skies cleared. Warm sunlight spilled down, bringing a rare touch of warmth to New Eridu. The snow had long since melted away, and thanks to the city's drainage system, barely any puddles remained on the roads.
Traffic flowed steadily through the streets, and under the rare clear skies, more people were out and about than usual.
Zane and Qingyi chatted idly as they went. Staring straight ahead, Qingyi suddenly asked about Jane.
Hearing this, Zane saw no reason to hide anything.
"Honestly, I'm not too sure either. Her attitude toward me is strange... like we're old acquaintances, but we've hardly spoken before."
Qingyi had no particular opinion about this, and Zane didn't dwell on it either. He was just sharing in passing.
Still, Qingyi was left a little puzzled, recalling what Jane had told her. If Zane explained too much, Jane might slip up—but he had no idea Jane had approached Qingyi as well. So, with no such concern, he only made a simple statement.
Before long, Zane returned to the Tanuki House, while Qingyi headed back to New Eridu Public Security. Things had quieted down a lot lately, but the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team still needed someone on duty.
Inside the Tanuki House, Nekomata was busy as usual. With more than twenty cats of all sizes in the café, she was the one who normally took care of them all.
"Zane, you're back, meow! Come lend a hand!"
Nekomata greeted him naturally. Wrinkling her nose, she shoved a heavy bag of cat litter into Zane's arms, then went to open a new bag in the corner and refill the litter machine.
"These little troublemakers really do eat a lot... and poop just as much."
Feeling the weight of the bag, Zane let out a small sigh before stepping outside to dispose of it in the street bins.
When he returned, he and Nekomata worked for a while longer until everything was finally taken care of. Nekomata then flopped onto the sofa, bouncing twice before sprawling out.
"Why do you look so drained?"
Zane poured himself a drink, glancing at her curiously. Normally, even when things piled up, she was still bursting with energy.
Nekomata looked up, casually taking the glass from his hand. After a sip, she spoke.
"Hare's House has been way too busy lately... Nicole keeps accepting commissions because of the fees. Those are fine, really... but then there are the probes from officials and certain groups, not to mention impossible requests to 'wipe out Hollow Disasters.'"
She shook her head, her ears drooping slightly. When she'd joined Hare's House, she thought life would be easier than her stray days.
But once she got tied up with Zane's actions, Hare's House' fame exploded, and business grew at breakneck speed...
That left her—and veterans like Billy and Anby—completely overworked. Even though they'd expanded their network to grow Hare's House, they were still stretched thin.
Zane glanced at his empty hand, fell silent for a moment, and went to pour himself another glass.
"For Nicole, I suppose it's a bittersweet kind of thing. From what I've seen, your commission fees are pretty impressive..."
After the municipal scandal, the more obvious troublemakers had quieted down. On top of that, the researchers had practically vanished lately. For now, Hare's House was safe.
It felt like they'd made it through the hardest part and were finally starting to "enjoy" the rewards.
"What's there to enjoy... Well, unlimited mackerel, sure. Hare's House has grown, and our pay has gotten a lot better. Speaking of which, after the expansion, Billy even set aside a whole room just for Starlight Knight and Monica merchandise. He treats it like treasure, meow..."
Nekomata waved dismissively, then stood and stretched, her two tails swaying behind her.
"Alright, Zane, I'm heading out!"
Dropping her arms, she raised one again, flexing it with confidence.
"Once I finish those two commissions with Anby today, I should have time to swing by tonight..."
Cats need their fun, after all. And if there isn't time, well—you make time
"Good luck, then."
Zane chuckled softly. At his words, Nekomata nodded and soon slipped out of sight.
Once she was gone, Zane tidied up a little more around the Tanuki House before preparing to go find Shin and update her on the situation.
Just as he was about to leave, the Tanuki House phone rang. Zane picked it up, and a familiar voice came through.
It was Shin.
Hearing what she had to say, Zane raised an eyebrow.
The underground sector of Mars District had been attacked?
And a large stockpile of vital supplies had been lost?
"Alright. I'll head over right away."
Zane's voice was calm as he hung up the phone. After making his preparations, he set off for Mars District.
...
Beneath Mars District.
"Damn... this is brutal. They tore apart the whole area. That's bound to cause a stir."
Zane, dressed in casual clothes, looked up at the massive hole in the ceiling. The passageways and facilities had been reduced to rubble—making it nearly impossible to descend from above.
"Who knows? Everything was normal yesterday. One storm later, and now it looks like this."
Shin's expression was grim. Wearing her Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe uniform, she gazed out over the devastation.
"One storm later..."
Zane narrowed his eyes. A thought from last night surfaced in his mind.
The storm is coming, and the winds are rising.