On the tree nearby sat a few birds—really small ones, like sparrows and even smaller species. Harmless-looking, unremarkable.
But that wasn't the strangest part.
The strangest part was that they were sitting there *at night*.
These were birds that usually returned to their nests as soon as evening fell, seeking shelter and safety from nocturnal predators. Yet here they were, perched silently outside Kaya's window in the dead of night, watching.
That was suspicious. Very suspicious.
"They're not real birds," Kaya said flatly. "Or they're being controlled. Either way, that's how he's been watching us."
Sparrow's face went pale. "You mean... those birds have been spying on us this whole time?"
"Exactly," Kaya said, her voice laced with cold fury. "The broker didn't need trackers or recording devices. He used beastmen—bird beastmen who could blend in perfectly as common wildlife. We never even thought to look."
Cutie's expression hardened. "Clever."
