Despite becoming an investor, with the amount of paperwork and formalities involved, by the time Sayan actually visited the base the only ones present were Xue Jiang and Maya.

"Where is he?" Sayan demands.

"Well..." Ella starts.

"What?"

"He's off on his first mission."

"What?"

And indeed, Orfo and Arek were off on a mission to...

"You said something is blocking the sewers?" Arek asks as he and Orfo stride down the sidewalk.

"Yup."

"Why are we being called for a city maintenance job?"

"Because Maya sensed magical fluctuations in this area, which means it's more than a simple maintenance job."

"...Huh." There are several moments of silence. Then Arek once again opens his mouth.

"You mean some magician's out there blocking the sewers?" His voice is laced with skepticism, and Orfo shoots him a mild look.

"You never know; besides, it may not be a...person."

"What do you-" But before Arek has a chance to ask further, they're greeted by an overenthusiastic mustached policeman with a significant paunch. 

"Welcome, welcome, you're the special consultants?"

Special consultants? Arek blinks, but Orfo takes the title in his stride. 

"Correct, that's us."

"Wonderful! Come right this way..." The officer happily starts chattering, and Aurther pokes his head out curiously. Arek casually presses him back into his head. The officer seems to take for granted that two young men are "special consultants," but there's no guarantee he'll act the same for the mongoose. The two walk forward, and the policeman leads them forward. Suddenly Arek pauses, his nose twitching. He frowns, and Aruther starts chattering.

"You smell it too, huh, little buddy?" Arek murmurs.

"What was that?" Orfo asks.

"Nothing..." Hopefully, it's nothing. Arek thinks. Several moments later, his conjecture is unfortunately proven true when Arek sees a hint of green slime by the side of the pavement.

"Orfo!" Arek calls.

"Hmm?" Orfo asks, turning back.

"Look at this."

"What..." Orfo comes by Arek and blinks. "What's that? Slime? Do we have a slime on our hands?"

"Yeah. But not just any type of slime. This one..."

"What?"

"Well, it's something I saw in my previous world. Anyway, we have to evacuate everyone in the area."

"You know how to get it out?"

"Yeah, but I can't have people in the way."

So that's what they do. Arek finds, to his surprise, how much authority BTW has, as the policeman doesn't even ask when Orfo explains to him. The area is quarantined off and temporarily blocked off with the excuse of a gas leak. Unfortunately, despite all the measures taken, they miss one person who is passed out drunk nearby. It's Alejandro, Arek's old classmate, and supposed friend. Alejandro wakes up just in time to see the massive octopus person entangled with a constantly changing, revolving clump of green slime land mere feet from him before rolling away, continuing their entanglement. 

The poor fellow is scared awake. Leaping to his feet, he runs away hysterically. At this time, Orfo is chanting spells from underground; otherwise, he'd have wiped the fellow's mind. 

"Monster...monster!" Alejandro screams, out of his mind. Running blindly, he somehow finds himself in a graveyard where there stands a group of people in gray cloaks. Upon seeing the cloaked figures surrounding a fire and chanting like a cult, he immediately pisses himself and passes out in fear. One of the taller cloaked men looks at him in disgust. 

"Useless bum." If Arek were there, he'd have recognized the voice as his uncle.

"But maybe he could be made useful." Another voice sounds, and into the firelight steps a familiar man. It's none other than the Mr. Lighte whom Arek previously met at the company.

"Yes, Sir." Arek's uncle replies, deferring to the man.

"Well, what do you think, Lord?" Mr. Lighte asks. A voice answers him, it's surprisingly young.

"Perhaps..." Just a hint, but the voice is melodious sounding. "Anyway, keep him for now." 

"Yes, Sir!"

Although the person in the shadows that Mr. Lighte differentially calls Lord isn't visible, one can see the slightest whisp of golden in the firelight.

Meanwhile, in another location, Sayan is once again discussing with a certain Monk.

"And what are you calling me again?" Mr. Long's annoyed voice sounds.

"You said to go to him, but he's left!"

"So what? Don't you have a little patience? And why do you keep calling me, anyway?" 

"You told me - "

"Jesus, now you're blaming me?" Mr. Long snaps.

"Aren't you Buddhist?" Sayan demands.

"What's that got to do with - oh, for crying out loud! I'm not your therapist, why do you keep coming to me?!" Mr. Long roars.

Sayan is silent.

"Sigh...what do you want, man?"

"I want..." Sayan pauses, his gaze off into the distance. It's as if he can see that tiny, pearly white chubby child calling him brother, brother, following him around like a tail despite his indifference. After waiting nearly half a day, Mr. Long opens his mouth in impatience, but then Sayan finally speaks.

"...I just want my brother back..."

This time it's Mr. Long's turn to be silent, and slowly a curious expression comes on his face.

"Is that all you want? You want Arek to come to you?"

"Yes."

"Fine, then come to my temple."

"My schedule is booked until -"

"Yet you have the time to call me practically every other day."

Sayan doesn't respond.

Finally, Mr. Long sighs. "Alright, alright, when are you free?"

Sayan calls his secretary in and after a momentary conversation to check his schedule, he returns to the phone.

"The next opening is in a month."

"What?! Why is it that long now?!"

"You can confirm the exact date with my secretary, he'll be calling you."

"Mr. Spearen-Sayan, wait, hey-"

Click.

"Damn, rich bigshot thinking you're so hot just because you have money, huh?!" After a few moments of grumbling, Mr. Long pauses, and the strange look returns to his eyes.

"Well, a month isn't bad, though...gives me time to prepare." He smiles oddly and stands to leave the room.