Ja'nan was the type of city that would remind anyone of home, really. I think I throw that term around a lot because Aurea Islands truly feels like home. It didn't feel country, but not like a bustling city either.
Just a real, quiet, quiet, city. Not like Royalia's nobles and political pressure, or like Komarine's whole global trade ports. Not like Bortabelle's trauma but yet a recovering atmosphere.
Ja'nan, was quiet. Tranquil.
Calm.
I finished the rest of the pastry, would've been a shame to just leave it there especially when Jonah gave it to me entirely for free. It tasted good, but paled in comparison to the carnivorous delicacies my body had grown accustomed to from Sultan.
Jonah patted himself off, as he and I stood before what appeared to be a department store. Construction—as it was lodged between multiple of buildings. Would've been easy to miss if you weren't looking for it specifically.
"Did we really have to fly through the sky?" Jonah asked, getting used to the ground. The tip of my tail gently tapped him on the shoulder.
"Of course. Teleportation Runes would've documented where we went. Meaning…Sultan would've known. Up in the sky, no one can see us."
"Yeah, yeah. You're like—the only beasthuman I know that can fly." Jonah admits.
I deadpan in return. Well, yeah. Because I'm not one. That's the thing, man.
We walk, Jonah is back to his regular suit as before. Not the same one he fought me in with—no. A gray cobalt color compared to his midnight one from before. He must really love suits, or just looking snazzy.
He opened the door, but it didn't budge. Didn't move. He stepped to the side, and peered into the windows. With the click of his tongue, he turned towards me.
"They're closed,"
"Closed…?"
"Yeah, closed. They're only closed when…they might conduct another attack."
I nod. Which would make sense. Sultan's next debate would be held in Komarine, surprisingly. But that wasn't until a few more days. Getting ready now had to be of all the more priority.
"Then, why didn't they invite you again?"
Jonah snapped his fingers, "I was here for a one-time thing, not a multi-orchestrated assignment. As far as I know, they're willing to go in this without me."
"Does that mean they were the ones who hired you?"
Jonah doesn't say anything.
"I don't tell who or who doesn't. Rule number one."
Okay, fair guy. Be bound to rules you have to respect. Wasn't going to do much with that information anyways.
I get closer to the double doors, and press my hand against it. Feeling the direct material and alloy used. Glass, yeah. Great. Exactly what I needed.
Looked to my right, no one was there. Then to my left, no one. Even went as far as to look behind me, and no one. Sensed for any mana signatures around me, and the only small one I noticed was Jonah…still cosplaying as an Initiate.
Shifting my body to the right just slightly, my tail went ahead, the tip of it strike the door quickly, piercing the door and breaking the glass. Jonah fixed a shocked face, as my tail went further into the door, and turned by the handle.
The sharp tip toyed with the lock until it gave way with a muted click. My tail retreated back to my side, and I opened the door.
"H-how…?" Jonah was at a loss for words, not knowing what or how to describe what he just saw. Of course, I wouldn't either. I'm not sure if beasthumans can do what I did, though.
"C'mon. Less gawking, more walking." Waving him on forward, he shook his head out of his thoughts and we both entered the small construction building.
It was nothing I haven't seen before in real life. There was no magical pressure, though. No heat. No noise. Just the still air of something abandoned…or something waiting.
Lights were shut off, but it wasn't for the sunlight outside, and the windows it would've been pitch black. It wasn't large like a warehouse, where you had multiple aisles of just…construction stuff—no.
If anything, it played off as simple retail store. Two small aisles, a cashier, and just mostly what you needed sometimes plastered amongst the walls.
I turned to Jonah, "This is the outpost?"
He nodded, "It should be. I don't know, I got there arriving with my Teleportation Magic. It didn't…look like this though."
"But all you know is that it's here."
"Yeah, take a look."
His hand seeped into his suit, into the inner pocket, and came out with a business card. He handed it to me, and my tail stabbed it before looking at it with my own eyes.
Yeah…this is the place. But this also insinuates that…somehow Jonah got here and it wasn't like this.
Are we dealing with secret rooms, maybe? Possibly. I tried to sense for any distinct mana again, but there was none. Absolutely none. No Illusion Magic, and since I've got a taste for Jonah's Illusion Magic which is on a far higher tier than I thought it would be—
—it just means that this is something far more intricate.
"Hm…" A low hum resonates to pair with my thinking. I walk from aisle to aisle, trying to find anything out of the ordinary. It would be funny if I just happened to pull a book from a shelf, and bingo, secret room.
No, actually.
I could try to blow this place to smithereens, but I would do more than just take away the building. Might blow away the whole block while I'm at it. So, yeah, let's hope we might not have to come to that conclusion.
Jonah must've realizied what was going on, because he departed from me and scoured the room. There was doors, one led to the bathroom, and other a staff room, but as you could assume, that one was locked.
It was a thick, opaque door as well. Wooden. Could break through it, but that just proc's more questions if we get caught. I broke the door at the entrance so it could look like a robbery, if I break the staff room, then immediately if they were smart enough, could narrow it down not to be one.
I might want to steal the cash, too. Show Vaniti she's not the only one with money, but I'd feel bad if I did. Is it really terrroists working this entire store? Or is it just a front?