Thankfully, the parachutes were simple enough to use with just three minutes of instruction.
All I had to do was grab the dangling handles on my chest, push them forward with all my strength, and—done.
No matter how disoriented I was, this wasn’t complicated enough to mess up.
But jumping out of an aircraft thousands of meters above ground wasn’t an easy thing to stomach, no matter how straightforward the mechanics were.
When I landed on a rooftop behind Raven, my legs trembled uncontrollably, like a newborn calf trying to stand.
If we were going to do something like this, couldn’t you have warned me so I could mentally prepare?
I deserved a medal for holding back the urge to use telekinesis during that freefall.
“Whew. Looks like we avoided getting spotted by the police since this is the outskirts. Come here, part-timer. I’ll take off your bag.”
“….”
Even though I was mad, now wasn’t the time to complain. I needed to focus on helping Greg as soon as possible.
But I won’t forget this. Someday, I’ll definitely get my revenge.
While silently vowing payback, I let Raven remove the parachute bag from my back.
He stashed it alongside his own in a nearby hidden spot.
Carrying something that bulky while moving through the city would’ve been too cumbersome.
I approached the edge of the rooftop and gazed out over Belmond.
The cityscape was nothing like Nighthaven.
Instead of vibrant neon lights and unique skyscrapers, Belmond was a concrete jungle filled with dull, monotonous buildings.
Not a single shadow below hinted at the presence of any non-human residents.
So this is a city where only humans live. Completely different from Nighthaven.
A strange chill settled in my chest, as if the vibrant dreamlike quality of Nighthaven had been abruptly replaced with this stark reality.
“Part-timer, there’s a ladder over here. Let’s head down.”
“….”
“Tch. What’s with the long face? You’re scared now that we’re here?”
His words didn’t quite capture what I was feeling, but I shook my head firmly, holding onto the railing.
How could I possibly explain the unsettling strangeness of seeing a world so unlike what I knew?
The best I could do was pretend it was nothing.
Perhaps realizing this, Raven placed a reassuring hand on my head and spoke calmly.
“Don’t worry about Greg. That guy’s tough enough to survive getting shot straight in the chest. I doubt he’s in immediate danger. Probably just caught up in some complicated mess.”
“….”
“I’m just saying—don’t waste your energy worrying too much. When we find him, you’ll want to look confident, not awkward.”
Looking at his clumsy attempt to comfort me, I couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle.
He’s trying to cheer me up, isn’t he?
For someone who usually avoided sentimental gestures, Raven was making an effort.
Not wanting to ignore his words, I stretched my shoulders and squared them resolutely.
Right. I’ve come this far—I can’t afford to hold anyone back.
Throwing my arms up triumphantly, I signaled I was ready to go wherever Raven led.
Seemingly pleased, he smirked and turned.
“Alright, let’s rescue the ‘abandoned cat’ someone left behind.”
“…?”
Who are you calling an abandoned cat?
Frowning, I playfully pounded his back with my fists.
Unbothered, Raven casually walked toward the ladder, ignoring my light punches.
Thanks to the plane ride, we arrived while it was still early evening.
First, we stopped at a clothing store to change into less conspicuous outfits.
Raven’s simple suit wasn’t out of place, but a maid uniform and mask drew far too much attention.
He handed me a plain, fur-lined hoodie. “This should work. It’s simple and won’t draw any attention. Perfect for a kid your size.”
“…!”
“And I’ll just throw on a basic coat over this.”
Changing out of the maid uniform, I donned the hoodie and pulled the hood up, effectively hiding my mask.
I carefully folded the maid outfit and placed it in a paid locker at the station, making sure it was stored safely.
Losing it would be devastating—it was a gift from Greg, after all.
“Alright, this should keep us from standing out,” Raven said, adjusting his hat.
He pulled out his terminal and began tapping the screen, looking unusually focused.
Curious, I leaned closer.
“We’re hacking into the Belmond police comms,” Raven explained. “This way, we can monitor incidents in the city and figure out where Greg might be.”
“…?”
“How? Before David joined the office, this kind of thing was my job.”
Hacking the police?
I clapped my hands, impressed by his ingenuity.
“Well, it’s nothing special,” he said, brushing off the praise. “I’m just using a tool a friend gave me—it’s not like I’m some expert. This is basic stuff.”
With the police comms hacked, we began scouring the city for signs of Greg.
Unfortunately, the process was painstakingly slow. Most incidents we came across were trivial, with no trace of Greg or even any non-human presence.
Even so, Raven and I pressed on, determined not to give up.
By late evening, hunger finally forced us to pause.
We stopped at a food truck to grab a quick meal: a hot dog stuffed with thick smoked sausage for me and a hearty taco for Raven.
The warmth of the food seeped into my chilled body, restoring some of my energy.
“Maybe we need to search deeper into the alleys,” Raven muttered, crumpling his taco wrapper. “Greg’s not on any official lists, and no one’s seen an uncollared non-human. He must be hiding somewhere less obvious.”
Hearing his thoughts, I tossed my hot dog wrapper into a bin and nodded.
He led the way into a darker, quieter part of the city, where the air felt damp and unpleasant.
Just as I began to despair over our lack of progress, Raven abruptly drew his gun and fired into the wall ahead.
Thwump!
The silencer muffled the shot, but the sound of impact was clear.
Almost immediately, a pained groan came from beyond the wall.
Wait—how did he know?
Wide-eyed, I watched as Raven hoisted me over the wall with ease.
On the other side, a man lay clutching his stomach, writhing in pain.
Raven set me down gently, rested his gun on his shoulder, and smirked.
“Quit whining. I used rubber bullets,” he said. Then his eyes narrowed. “You’re a non-human, aren’t you? And no collar, either.”
The man on the ground was a werewolf, his bushy sideburns unmistakable.
A non-human in a city like this, without the required magic-restraining collar—he couldn’t have been more suspicious.