"A-Aren't you scared at all?"

I looked up from the files on my lap, surprised that Manako had broken the silence. Since she had picked me up earlier that morning, she had been relatively quiet, only responding with a polite greeting and a few terse one-word replies to my attempts at conversation. Although the unexpected sound of her voice slightly took me aback, I decided not to press her for more discussion and instead focused my attention on my studies of raptors.

"Kinda?" I answered with a shrug and a hint of uncertainty. "I mean, I don't think she will actively try to hurt me."

Manako nervously glanced out the window, her hands anxiously fidgeting in her lap. "But this is your first time encountering one of the more... aggressive species, right?"

I let out a sigh as I scratched my cheek nervously. "From what I understand, raptors prefer to show their pride rather than be aggressive. But even if something were to go wrong, you'll be there to take care of it. So I shouldn't worry too much."

I significantly glanced at the suitcase that wasn't a tranq gun between her legs to emphasize my point.

Manako bit her lip. "Well, if you say so...."

Admittedly, I was trying to appear more confident than I felt. There was always the chance that I'd make some small mistake that would cause the raptor to become aggressive or say something that would make me lose any credibility I had in her eyes. But these risks came with the job, and I knew that. Besides, if I couldn't handle this case, I had no place trying to talk down Draco tonight.

I hoped my confidence would motivate and inspire Manako, but unfortunately, she was uninterested. I was well aware of the extraordinary abilities of a monoeye sniper--you didn't make it into MON without being a powerful fighter. I wanted to see her capabilities in action, but I hoped it wouldn't be today.

It was clear that she had deep-seated self-esteem issues. It wasn't just because of her eye. I had tried to make an effort to look her in the eye when we talked, but I couldn't be sure if I had enough charm to break down her walls. I knew she would open up when she felt ready.

The car abruptly stopped, and we both hastily got out. We stood in front of a tall apartment building on the eastern side of the town, between the suburbs and the city. Even though it was pretty intimidating, I could understand why a creature like a raptor would be uncomfortable in such a confined space.

I filed away that thought for further consideration, then glanced at the bob-cut girl beside me. "Are you ready?" I queried.

Manako nodded stiffly, and we were off. Unfortunately, none of the elevators were in service, so we had to take the challenging route and trudge ten flights of stairs. It was unfortunate as I struggled with my suitcase; my breath labored with every step. Manako, however, had no problem, her strength carrying her suitcase up the stairs quickly, not a single bead of sweat on her brow.

"Um... we can take a break?" Manako offered when I paused on the seventh flight. That only made me feel more embarrassed.

"Just... a sec..." I breathed, my chest heaving. Christ, I needed to get in better shape. If I remember correctly, the business with Polt and her gym was coming up real soon here, so I think I'll tag along for that and hopefully make more frequent visits to Sports Club Kobold in the future.

After regaining my composure (albeit a bit embarrassed by the situation), we eventually arrived at our destination. A pale door stood before us, with a rusted '103' nailed to the top. A light bulb flickering on and off above us gave off an air of unease. Nothing about the scene in front of us instilled confidence In me.

"This must be the spot," I murmured, examining the address scribbled on the paper. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for the journey ahead.

The door swung open just as I was raising my hand to knock, revealing someone I hadn't expected to answer the door. Long, luxurious brown hair cascaded over a haughty, dusky-skinned face, her eyes gleaming like burnished obsidian under the flickering light bulb. Her wings, with light brown, spotted plumage that shaded to dark brown at the edges, looked even more extensive than Papi's, even folded as they were. Wickedly curved talons, thick and large enough to easily tear my arm from its socket, clicked menacingly against the aging wood floor. Everything about her figure was a study of harsh angles and restrained strength, as if she was conserving energy for something.

"If you're going to just stare at me like a deer in the headlights, you might as well just go," the raptor harpy coldly declared, her gaze piercing me with mistrust.

"My sincerest apologies," I quickly said, shaking my head in dismay. "I am Akihiro Bando, a liminal counselor from the Cultural Exchange, and this is my associate, Manako."

She bowed hastily. "I-It's a p-pleasure to meet you!"

The raptor snorted in disbelief. "So you're my shrink, huh? Of course, my host was too lazy to do it himself..." She rolled her eyes, a look of disdain on her face. "Whatever. Just call me Preya."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Preya," I warmly said as I glanced around. "Do you know if your host is home?"

Preya shook her head. "No, I have no idea where he could be. He's either at work or out day drinking again. I never know with him!"

I frowned, my brows furrowing deeply in disapproval. "So... he just leaves you here, alone, all the time?" There was a hint of anger in my voice as I started to dislike this man, honestly.

Preya answered disdainfully, "Like I care," as she walked back inside, her talons leaving deep gashes on the floor. "If you want, you can come in," she added.

As I exchanged glances with Manako, who appeared to be incredibly anxious about the whole ordeal, I stepped inside and instantly regretted my decision.

The place was an absolute dump. Beer cans and discarded microwave trays were strewn about the floor, the air was thick with dust and a faint buzzing sound, and I could have sworn I saw black specks of gnats darting around the room. It was indeed a sight to behold.

How was this place even registered with Cultural Exchange? Did they verify the homes on the exchange program list to ensure that they meet the requirements for the exchange program?

Oh, right, Smith had carelessly dumped Miia on Kurusu's doorstep without even ensuring that the place was suitable for living. It was apparent that this organization desperately required immediate reforms to be implemented.

Manako whispered nervously at my side, her eyes darting around the unfamiliar apartment. "I don't like it here," she said, her voice shaking. She paused, then continued hesitantly, "Would it be okay if I, um, cleaned a little to make it feel more like home?"

"As much as I'd like to say that you should never meddle with someone's living space, I think that should be disregarded when the place is already in disarray," I said with disdain. It was in no condition for anyone, let alone a liminal that required as much space as a raptor. "In that case, it should keep you occupied while I'm away with Preya."

Manako hesitantly replied, "O-Okay," as she quickly set her suitcase on the table. As she began to look for trash bags, I approached the direction Preya had gone. The apartment, if cleared of all the clutter, could've been a decent size, but it would still be quite cramped for more than one person. It was a pretty dismal example of what human life could be like for a curious liminal.

I eventually stumbled upon the raptor crouching on a shredded bed, deep gashes cutting through the fabric with frayed pieces of cotton sticking out. It was the only sleeping area I could locate, so I assumed it belonged to her host.

"You know..." I started, making a show of looking around the ratty room. "I think I will advise you to move somewhere else."

Preya raised a questioning eyebrow and peered at me through her bangs. "You came to this conclusion all by yourself? I'm glad to see that the Cultural Exchange Program has finally come through," she said with a hint of sarcasm.

Well, I could hardly blame her for being bitter.

"Taxpayer's money is hard at work here," I replied. I wasn't sure if I had been paid by taxpayer money, but that was something else to figure out. "I'm going to assume you summoned me here rather than your host?"

Preya asked, tapping her chin with a noticeably less dexterous wing than Papi's, "What is the phrase humans use to express when they are correct? Is it 'bing-bong'?"

"Bingo!" I corrected, fanning myself vigorously. "It's stuffy in here. Hold on for a second; I'll open a window and get some air moving."

Preya suddenly tensed up upon hearing my words, although she remained silent. I was too preoccupied with raising the window to give it much thought.

"There we go!" I sighed with relief as I gave the object one final push, and it slid smoothly into place. Wiping my hands on my jeans, I turned to face her with a smile. "That's all taken care of - now let's talk about what we discussed before..."

Preya's wings were unfurling, showcasing her beautiful, spotted brown coloration. She was indeed an impressive sight to behold, and if she were to stretch her wings out to their full length, her wingspan could have easily been an estimated six meters or more.

Why was she spreading her wings in the first place? Was it to take flight, to show off, or was it for some other reason?

"Um...Preya?" I tentatively asked, my forehead covered in a sheen of sweat. "What are you up to?"

Her response sent shivers down my spine.

She purred hungrily, her dark face curling into a smirk of anticipation as she said, "Hunting."

Oh no.

Before I had time to react, a brown blur rushed past me and sent me falling to the ground. The chaos and screaming (mostly from me) intensified as I frantically searched for something to hold onto to help me regain my balance. To my horror, I eventually found myself clutching Preya's leg.

"FUCKING HELL!" I hollered when Preya burst through the window with me in tow.

And so there I was, being carried away into the distant azure sky, desperately clinging to a raptor whose angry expression made it clear that it was not pleased to have me as a passenger.

To be continued!