Alt Conglomerate, Office.
Jonas sat behind the spacious, elegant desk in his office, lightly holding an exquisite coffee cup. The office was lavishly decorated, with several new paintings on the walls and an orderly assortment of printed books and ornaments on the shelves.
The coffee gave off an enticing aroma. Wisps of steam mingled with the scents of books and leather in the office. Jonas gently blew on his coffee, then took a small sip, savoring this moment of peace. Its bitterness and rich flavor slowly spread through his mouth, bringing him a unique sense of satisfaction.
A trace of relaxation showed in his eyes. As the coffee's warmth gradually melded with his own, his thoughts grew clearer and sharper.
"The sofa and office chair have been replaced again, and they've added more bookshelves. It looks like an old-fashioned British study... If there were a fireplace, with an endless snowy plain outside, it would be perfect."
Just as Jonas was musing over this, a call came through his Communicator.
It was Amau Sueko.
"What's wrong, Sueko? Having fun over in the Slums?"
Jonas answered the call and spoke casually.
He still remembered Amau Sueko calling a few days ago to say she was taking Celine and Shigure Ryoko out for some fun. He hadn't given it much thought.
Celine alone could demolish an entire large neighborhood. They simply hadn't let her act.
"Jonas, we've reached a conclusion in our investigation of the Slums."
Amau Sueko's voice was clear and steady. Her fingers slid across her Communicator as she prepared to transmit the intelligence file.
"I'm sending you our investigation report. Please check it." As she spoke, an encrypted electronic file began traveling through a secure network channel to Jonas's Communicator.
Why was she still being so businesslike?
Jonas felt a