One thing is to have courage in general, as a character trait. And quite another is to have the courage to commit not entirely right actions.

Trying to convince himself that he was doing the right thing, Legoshi underwent somewhat obscure metamorphoses. On the one hand, he wanted to buy Haru a nice, expensive ring to finally propose. However - and even for him it was obvious - the money he had would not be enough for something expensive. Yes, he could postpone it for a couple more months, but… something ruthlessly pounded in the back of his head: there's no more time to delay.

His legs carried him towards the black market. Tonight he also had to go to the clinic… but now the wolf simultaneously made a firm decision and reproached himself for finding an easy way out. Of course, the wolf could be deceived. He could end up with something stolen or even stripped… well, off a body. Unfortunately, Legoshi didn't see any other way out.

He had long known about the pawnshop, where not only valuable items accepted as collateral were traded, but also information. Gouhin had visited here several times for various tips. The business owner and sole seller, a chameleon named Drongo, always insisted that psychics hurt sales and shared his information free of charge. But only with one animal in the whole market. For others… there was a price. Not always money - after all, the pawnshop remained a pawnshop. However, Drongo successfully conducted deals of almost any caliber and, most importantly, remained in demand. Thanks to this, he managed to survive both the riots last year and the advent of a new force in the market.

And… Legoshi really hoped that the chameleon would give him some advice.

Drongo was just serving a client when he noticed the wolf. His eye shot towards the entrance, while the other firmly held the cash being counted. The buyer, a shady-looking raccoon in a trench coat and a cap despite the warm weather, turned around, then immediately shook his head again. Legoshi, without even intending to, looked imposing. After taking the money, the visitor disappeared.

"Young Legoshi! Welcome," Drongo now looked at him with both eyes, bowing almost imperceptibly. "Are you here on Gouhin's behalf or on your own initiative?"

"Hello, Drongo-san. I… just me."

"What a surprise. Do you want to leave something or, on the contrary, buy something?"

From a distance, it might have seemed that Drongo was squinting mockingly, but that was just the way his eyes were. Besides, the lizard had every right to call Legoshi "young", he himself had recently turned eighty. At least, that's what Gouhin said.

"To buy," the wolf nodded. "I need a ring. A good one."

"You insult me, monsieur! I don't sell bad ones," the slender reptile pointed to the display cases. There were indeed rings, necklaces, bracelets, chains, lovingly cared for, made of gold, silver, and various degrees of expensive stones. Drongo usually kept watches, electronics, and other valuable items by the right wall, and he refused to deal with weapons altogether.

Legoshi walked along the glass exhibition halls, each of which was neatly illuminated, like in the best salons, with jewelry displayed. The pawnshop did not recognize any costume jewelry - only precious metals and stones.

…but he didn't know what would suit Haru. No, he had memorized her finger size by heart, but that didn't help in making a choice. Although the sharp eye of the owner noticed which stands the wolf was looking at.

"I assume this is for your equally young girlfriend," he said.

"Yes."

"And she… let's say, petite?"

To avoid further inquiries, Legoshi straightened up and looked at Drongo from his height, taking a step towards him. In a subdued voice, he said:

"I need an engagement ring, Drongo-san. For the girl I want to propose to. Her size is four-S. With a stone. But not very expensive."

"Colored stone or not?"

"I would like a diamond… but they are terribly expensive."

"Only natural ones are expensive, from such sources as De Beers' diamonds," the chameleon reassured him, twirling his flexible tail in a loop. He adjusted the hem of his dark vest with golden stitching, then leaned forward decisively and pulled out several pedestal boxes. He pointed to them with his hand:

"Here. All size four for small-sized animals."

"And which of them… well, were not brought by the owners?"

"How should I know?" the merchant shrugged. "Any merchandise, the redemption period of which has expired, I restore and put up for sale. Do you think customers told me what exactly they took out of the pocket of a distracted passerby and what they found in the chests of a prematurely departed grandmother? Mon cher, this is the black market! If I asked such questions, I would lose part of my clientele. Perhaps even part of my limbs. And I cherish them, you know."

He waved his fingers in the air, as if in proof.

"Sorry, Drongo-san," Legoshi said reluctantly. Then he remembered the gang and asked even quieter: "And… do you have any information on the Back Alley Market?"

The chameleon replied with a stone face:

"No. Or someone will pay me for a carefree life somewhere in the Pacific Islands until the end of my days - I'm afraid that's the price of this information, young Legoshi."

"Understood. Forget I asked."

The wolf looked at the ring. Small, just right for her delicate fingers, it contained a tiny diamond, wrapped in two elongated golden leaves. It seemed that there were veins in them made of another metal. White gold?

"This. How much?"

"Fifty thousand."

The wolf's back chilled. He only had forty with him. And that… part of it was money for food and a small contribution to the "future" reserve fund. If he spent it all, then he would have to live on the edge until the salary came, depriving Sisu of treats occasionally bought at nearby bakeries.

"I can't. Is there… something cheaper?"

"Legoshi… this is a pawnshop, not one of the boutiques on Hishitori, you can and should haggle here," Drongo shook his head, amazed at the naivety of the young carnivore, then laughed: "But cheaper than forty-five, I still won't give it, otherwise I'll lose respect for myself. There's a silver one with cubic zirconia for eighteen. There's…"

"No, it's too massive," the wolf sighed and looked at the rings again.

He didn't want silver either. Actually, the choice wasn't very large – three pedestals, two with four rings each and one with three.

The door clicked quietly. The jeweler was meticulously oiling the hinges and didn't like any noisy jingles at the entrance – he always liked to repeat that gold loves silence. Wrestling with the choice, the wolf didn't pay attention to the new visitor until he heard a painfully familiar voice:

"I see someone's gloomy tail. And it seems I've seen it somewhere before."

Drongo's voice, on the contrary, became colder:

"Monsieur Melon. What do you want?"

"Calm down, Drongo."

"Melon?" Legoshi looked at him in dismay, raising his head. "What are you doing here?"

"Just came to chat with an old friend," the hybrid said contemptuously, licking his carnivorous fangs. "And it's not about you, grey tail, but about this scaly gentleman. Let's just say… I need a conversation a little more candid than last time."

"I might risk asking again," Drongo said in a frosty tone, emphasizing each word, "How can I be of assistance? Specifically?"

"Oh, let's do that later. When we're alone. Don't you want to offer me some tea?"

The chameleon stood motionless for five or six seconds, measuring him with his gaze, then gave in and nodded:

"Right now. Which one?"

"Any," Melon lazily replied. And he sat in an old green armchair by the entrance. He looked at the wolf, shook his head, and snorted, grinning:

"Did you come to sell a kidney to old Drongo?"

"What? Does he buy organs?"

"If you find a good distribution channel, this trickster will buy anything that's lying around. Although, I think your kidney is worth a few measly pennies."

"Probably," Legoshi shrugged. And almost unaffectedly, maintaining composure, he returned to the rings.

But the hybrid wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Hey. Is this for your little bunny?"

"And if it is, what about it?" the wolf snapped unfriendly. Melon shrugged:

"Nothing. You'll eat her someday."

"Exactly the kind of advice I didn't need from you…"

"Don't listen to who says it, listen to the words themselves," the retired maniac and former leader of the Shishigumi tapped his ear with a smirk. One of them. "Anyway, it's up to you."

Legoshi was momentarily distracted and looked thoughtfully at him. The animal who knew the black market well. The gang… stealth… masks.

Masks. He had once been in a place with Yahya. And there, everyone wore masks. An underground club, full of alcohol, debauchery, and loud music – everything that the wolf didn't like so much. Well, maybe a drop of debauchery that he had managed to taste. But, notably, Melon was there too.

And, depending on his erratic mood, he could give a tip.

"Melon…"

"And here I was, wondering when you'd finish devouring me with your eyes."

"Do you remember our story?"

"Full of tragic love and loss?"

"That club," ignoring the mockery, Legoshi continued, "where the Sublime and I chased you. Remember? Nightclub."

Melon lazily tilted his head and looked up at the ceiling:

"M-m-m… what was it called? 'Eclipse'? The one that belonged to Hikoro Reiu? It was a glorious place. Too bad the idiots smashed it when they decided to 'destroy the black market'."

Not content with just sarcasm in his voice, with the last words the beast made quotation marks with his fingers. Both of them knew well that the black market was alive and well.

Legoshi lowered his head and sighed:

"Got it."

"Well, well, don't make that wet dog look. Liked it? Didn't think that was your kind of rest…"

"No! I just… wanted to find out something."

"Don't beat around the bush," Melon said, squinting maliciously. Legoshi blurted out:

"Do you remember those masks we wore? I would like to know where they are now… and, if possible, if they can be bought."

Louis would probably approve of this strange decision. He must.

"Masks?" Melon said in surprise, crossing his legs. "You know… although the club is smashed, Hikoro, the former owner, is a stingy bastard. As luck would have it, I know him. And if they survived, they're probably at his place."

"Great! I'd be very grateful if you give me the address…"

"Actually, I'll be there tomorrow anyway. I can check."

"And what are you doing on the black market?" the wolf ventured to ask. His interlocutor chuckled:

"Not your business. Just like why I'm going to Hikoro's. Need to."

"Got it. So… how can I contact you about the masks?"

"Stop apologizing at every step. If they're there – which I doubt – I'll leave them at Gouhin's."

"Thank you… you're very…"

"'Kind'?" the hybrid smirked. "I surprise myself. Oh, here's tea from my debtor. Thanks," he took the cup and placed it on the miniature table nearby. Drongo wasn't behaving as usual – he was no longer as relaxed, standing with a grim expression as if awaiting orders. Legoshi wanted to inquire what the elderly lizard owed Melon, but his self-preservation instinct, usually quiet, intervened this time, forcing him to keep his jaws shut. Drongo turned one eye towards him and almost hissed, "Forty. Now get out."

He clearly feared Melon. Even the presence of the wolf, who had fought the hybrid – albeit not able to secure an outright victory – did nothing to calm the merchant.

"I'd like to choose a box…" Legoshi began, but a quick hand gesture in front of his face interrupted him.

"Second drawer down, to the right. Choose any. Leave the money on the counter."

Following Drongo's instructions, and selecting a beautiful box made of white and red velvet, Legoshi very cautiously placed the ring inside and left all his money on the glass. Neither Melon nor Drongo paid him any attention as the wolf left the pawnshop – the hybrid, with an actor's grace, sipped tea, playing with his tail and thoughtfully gazing at the reptile, while the owner seemed to be willing to trade anything just to close up shop for a week and go to those islands at his own expense.

The door remained silent.

Frowning, Haru knocked again – and once again received no answer. But yesterday, Legoshi had supposedly gone home from the club, which meant he should have been home today.

Or… did she forget something?

Damn it. The surprise didn't work out.

Haru took out her phone, and, biting her lip, started typing a message to the wolf, but heard from behind:

"Hello. Are you looking for Legoshi?"

Haru turned around, slightly startled. Standing behind her was a small sheep with lush and well-groomed wool, a couple of inches taller than her. She slightly tilted her head, waiting for a response.

"Yes, hello," Haru smiled. "I'm Haru. Do you know him?"

"Yes, I live in the adjacent room. My name is Sebun. Wanted to ask Legoshi for help with shopping, but… seems he's not here," the sheep sighed with annoyance.

Haru's scalp pricked unpleasantly. Why was that…

Alright. He's kind. He just helps the neighbors. Keep it together. Besides, judging by her voice, she's in her thirties, maybe even close to forty. With a sweet smile "for the customers," Haru offered, "Would you like me to help?"

"No, it's okay!" Sebun waved her hands. "Haru-san, don't worry about it. I just wanted to bake some more and then treat the tenants."

"Oh, you have your own kitchen? With an oven?"

"Yes… I caught a glimpse of Legoshi's room. Very… concise."

"No, seriously, I really have nothing to do. Legoshi didn't know I was coming, and I have the day off…" Haru sighed. The sheep's mood slightly dampened:

"Oh. I'm sorry… well, if you want, Haru-san. I think we could carry more together anyway."

"Lead the way, Sebun-san. I only saw that small shop on the corner."

Sebun shook her head negatively:

"No, they don't have everything we need there. Let's go to the supermarket, it's about a block and a half from here. It supplies the surrounding houses quite well. Shall we switch to more friendly mode?"

"Haru," she immediately extended her hand in a manner typical of males. Sebun laughed and shook it:

"Sebun. Thirty-three years old, working at Metal Mouse."

"Hehe, I forgot to bring my resume. But… honestly, I thought you were older."

"I hope it's a compliment to my wise expression," she replied with a hint of irony. "And you're Legoshi's acquaintance?"

"Yeah," Haru nodded, amusingly twitching her ears. "Just a year older than him."

"He has funny acquaintances. And while a whole pack of dogs didn't surprise me, some other animals leave me puzzled."

Sebun glanced curiously at Haru, but she shrugged, and the sheep began to descend the stairs, sharing gossip along the way:

"No, I don't want to blame him for anything. He's a very kind grey wolf, a good neighbor… but a Komodo dragon?"

"Ah, that's probably his…" Haru absentmindedly said and then realized that not everyone was aware that Legoshi was of mixed blood. "An old family friend."

"I heard they're dangerous…"

"Forget it, Sebun-san. If Gosha hurts anyone, he'll gnaw himself in the torment of conscience."

"Just Sebun. I may be an old lady, but we agreed to less… official manners," she smiled and pushed the door open. Nodding to the right, she said, "This way."

"We used to study together," Haru decided to share a part of their history, wondering how much Sebun knew. It seemed the tenants loved Legoshi, although some might have spread various rumors about him. Well, and that donation he gave to restore Hidden Condo couldn't have hurt his reputation. However, Sebun seemed to be familiar with the wolf personally. More than that, quite closely.

Haru suddenly remembered how at the beginning of their relationship story, Juno pursued her in the school corridors. Would she look at this kind sheep with big expressive eyes the same way? Well, no. Just neighbors.

"I understood that Legoshi is friends with many herbivores," Sebun nodded in response and slowed her pace slightly until they were side by side. She looked quite fashionable overall - even in the store, she wore a small, albeit loose dress, low heels, opted for a regular shopper bag, and had lipstick on her lips. Haru, on the other hand, dressed for an active walk - she wanted to take Legoshi to the park and try out what it's like to play with a ball. She was wearing dark green stretch jeans and a sleeveless vest with a beautiful high collar.

"Oh yes. His best friend is a deer. The second, though, is a labrador, also an amazingly good-natured creature."

"Labradors are all the same. Big kids, diligent, obedient," Sebun rolled her eyes slightly. Then she looked around and asked Haru a bit quieter, "And you… I mean, do you know if he has a girlfriend?"

Haru gave her a sharp look, but replied, "Well, we're close friends, so…"

"I just thought he didn't. Until recently. The night…" the sheep made a dramatic pause. "It was terrible. I tried to fall asleep, but those sounds… you know, we have very thin walls. I wanted to knock on the door and ask them to stop, but I mentally insisted that Legoshi always behaved perfectly. And I wouldn't disturb… their privacy. And judge for yourself - it would be embarrassing for both me and them! I imagine knocking on the door and being stared at disapprovingly by two pairs of wolf eyes…"

Haru, gradually getting more color - although she wasn't prone to excessive embarrassment - suddenly giggled after "wolf eyes" and turned away, biting back a smirk. Then, deciding that the kind neighbor didn't deserve the nocturnal torment, she tried to put on a normal expression and turned to Sebun:

"Sorry."

"Oh, no, don't worry," she waved lightly and winked. "I would never tell Legoshi in my life, except… well, to his friends. It wasn't regular, so… And you don't need to apologize for a friend."

Haru remained silent, looking at her.

"You weren't the source of my insomnia, after all," the sheep said, squinting cutely.

The rabbit, though, continued to be silent.

Sebun, frowning, looked at her:

"You're not…"

Unable to resist, the rabbit bit her lip again and turned away, not giving herself away with a single laugh. However, Sebun's thoughts had already revolved around the very possibility that her brain had initially dismissed. She cautiously asked:

"Haru… how close are you and Legoshi as friends?"

"I apologized, right?" Haru said, looking off to the side. But some tiny piece of her heart wanted to laugh maliciously, with flashes of lightning and thunder in the background. Ha-ha-ha, yes, it's me! Don't believe it?!

Sebun said in disbelief:

"Impossible…"

"I really want to apologize for the inconvenience caused," Haru said.

"Are you teasing me, Haru?"

The bunny scrutinized the ground very carefully, then, to Sebun's horror, a wicked smile appeared on her lips:

"Oh, no. It was…"

"I heard," Sebun quickly said, blushing slightly and staring straight ahead.

Impossible. As in, she's still alive and not… well, she's intact?

"And Legoshi will apologize too, a little later. But for now, I'll help you with the baking."

Baking a large loaf in a tiny oven…

Sebun raised her hand and decisively slapped herself on the forehead. Change the subject. Quickly. Anywhere.

"Are you studying, Haru? College, university?"

"I work as a senior manager in a supermarket."

"Really? Nowadays, teenagers rarely go to work right after school," Sebun nodded respectfully. "And immediately a senior manager?"

"Just the other day. I used to be a regular salesperson in the floristry department, now I'm in charge of it."

"And Legoshi works… for the sake of Rex, everything's so serious with you guys?"

Haru smiled dreamily:

"He promised to marry me. It will be a damn strange family. And, Sebun-chan, just to clarify - no, he doesn't eat meat and doesn't feel hungry."

"Is it so obvious that I wanted to ask about that?"

"No, you're not the first or the only one. Frankly, I'll have to put up with such warnings for the rest of my life," Haru grimaced. "But I love him."

"I… honestly, don't know what to say," Sebun's voice betrayed a slight envy. "I wish you both happiness and luck. Society just doesn't swallow such things easily. First, it monotonously chews them over."

"And we know that. You mentioned that supermarket?"

"Yeah."

"Well, get the shopping list out. Should I take a cart?"

Sebun nodded:

"Just the smaller one. We won't carry everything from the big one."

She liked the brisk rabbit. Although she momentarily stunned her with an apology… but Sebun had encountered various oddities in life and woke up relatively easily. Maybe she even felt a slight envy towards souls that came together despite everything.

Should she invite that bear for tea, the writer from two hundred and eighth?

Knees trembled at the thought. A shiver of unexpected fear ran down her spine, leaving only one thought in her head: "HE WILL EAT YOU."

But in the store, she came alive again and acquired a benevolent mood.

"So… we need flour, we have sugar at home. It wouldn't hurt to get two or three jars of jam…"

"And what do you want to do, anyway?"

"Do you like cooking?" Sebun looked at her new acquaintance with interest. Haru shrugged:

"I often helped my mother. But when I helped, the portions were truly large. After all, we are rabbits. Although personally, I'm not a fan of overly sweet pastries."

"I don't add much sugar either. The main sweetness will come from the jam, I thought of making a sweet dough and spreading a thin layer of jam on it, then rolling it into spiral buns and baking."

"Sounds delicious."

"Then you go for milk and yeast, Haru-chan, and I'll look for flour, jam, and maybe some cinnamon. Although no, we already have cinnamon at home."

"Still not reconsidering about the big batch?"

"Yeah. But a liter of milk should be more than enough, four small blocks of yeast."

The rabbit nodded briskly and headed along the aisles. Calculating the simple recipe in her mind, Sebun leaned over the spice shelves, sorting through the jars diligently. Maybe cardamom or even ginger? Although no, ginger would just interfere. And certainly not worth combining it with jam. Taking a couple of vanilla pods from a glass jar with a black label, she went to the shelves with flour, pushing the cart in front of her.

Despite the fact that there weren't too many items on their shopping list, the girls still came out of the supermarket loaded from head to toe. On the way, Sebun also wanted to buy cabbage, fresh apricots, juice, a couple of mandarins… in short, Haru's help turned out to be invaluable.

Probably, Legoshi would carry what they could barely manage in four hands by himself, while scratching his head, yawning, but it's unlikely that she could chat as well with him as with Haru. Sebun smiled.

"Will you help me with baking, Haru-chan?"

"Of course!"

It might not be enough for the whole house, but giving some to a few neighbors and taking some downstairs to the concierge - definitely yes.

Today the sheep was determined. And she also bought a small bottle of wine, which she hoped to open with her new acquaintance right after the great kitchen battle.

Facing a threat beyond our understanding, we should ask only one question – are we ready to fight on.

Gouhin hadn't planned this event, he hadn't planned anything at all – until one of his old patients, a wolf as black as coal, burst in on him, alarmed, reporting that there was a "natural psycho" lurking in the slums. Gouhin knew well what to do with psychos. They needed to be caught and gradually accustomed to a life without meat, helping them endure the withdrawal. However, after spending several nights observing this beast, Gouhin realized – it wasn't that simple.

Firstly, the supposed patient was a bird. Which meant he could simply fly away at any moment. And although the bear had never seen him in flight, he rightfully assumed such a possibility – both of his upper limbs were uninjured. Secondly, he didn't belong to the subgroup of meat psychosis. Of course, for birds, the symptoms were described differently, but the doctor had had a couple of feathered guests in his lifetime. This one demonstrated a still deviant, but not falling under the description manner of behavior.

And, thirdly, he was sometimes accompanied. When the condor was not alone, he was accompanied relentlessly by a medium-sized honey badger, who, while not the calmest and most peaceful creature himself, seemed to make the psycho feel calm in his company, which was thought-provoking. Sometimes it was other animals who clearly felt anxious at the sight of the bird.

Putting it in completely non-medical terms, the guy had clearly lost his marbles. And the bloody rampage that occurred over two displeasing honey badgers – although it was carried out by the condor – also added to the concern. At that moment, Gouhin couldn't intervene, he hadn't brought any weapons with him, and the psycho… seeming initially like an easy target, after the fight looked much more dangerous than before. The old panda backed off.

And, grumbling to himself for his indecisiveness, he called Legoshi.

"For heaven's sake, normal black tea!" San exclaimed with exaggerated emotion, watching the wolf unpacking the groceries. "Did I tell you that I love you?"

It seemed Gouhin hadn't asked him anything like that, but the wolf always brought something to the clinic on his own initiative.

Of course, Legoshi had to take a few thousand from their modest untouchable reserve, which he had been saving for their future with Haru, to make it to the next paycheck, but he didn't regret it. The ring was worth it. And if not for that reserve, he would have had to go to his grandfather…

"No, you didn't," Legoshi shook his head. The alpaca chuckled:

"And I won't. But I'm definitely delighted with you."

"I would have bought it myself if I were you," the doctor grumbled, entering the kitchen. His careless assistant shrugged:

"Money needs to be paid. I have a deep and irreversible psychological trauma…"

"Yes. Chronic greediness and stinginess."

"He's offending me again," San complained to Legoshi. The latter turned to the bear:

"Gouhin-san…"

"What? Do you want to tell me something about assistant training?"

"You're doing great. Keep it up," Legoshi hid his smile, unloading a paper bag from the bakery, which smelled enticingly of fresh pastries.

"Betrayal!"

Even the grim Gouhin smiled faintly and said:

"And you thought you'd win him over to your side?"

"No big deal, no big deal. Sooner or later, tyranny will be overthrown."

"Read fewer history textbooks before bed."

"As if I used to have plenty of opportunities to read them before. Or anything else," defiant San retorted. Their interaction resembled a conversation between a father and a grown-up, yet still living at home son, out of habit. Except for the fact that San literally worked for the doctor. And unlike Legoshi, full-time.

"Jokes aside, gentlemen," warned Gouhin, having acquired a glazed pretzel and nibbling it dryly. "What I'm about to tell you is very dangerous and fraught with trauma if we don't prepare for it properly."

Surprisingly, even San fell silent. Legoshi was all ears and eyes, but kept his mouth shut, stirring his tea. Nodding satisfied, the bear continued:

"For me, time doesn't go backward, unfortunately. And now I feel like I'm losing my grip. I'm cautious, not taking a fight I could win. I want to act for sure. So, to corner this gentleman, I'll need your help. Here."

With these words, he laid a photo on the table, taken in twilight. A tall and skinny condor in baggy clothes, staring at something beyond the camera's viewfinder.

"I caught him when he was staring at the old sparking sign on the corner near the turtle meat shop. Strange. And very dangerous. He doesn't hesitate to tear with his beak in a fight, carries a small knife with him, which he wields lightning fast. And he's completely off his rocker."

"A bird… Old man, you could crush him with your weight alone."

"He killed two trained fighters right before my eyes in less than a second," the bear rebuked San.

"So, sneak up stealthily and hit him with some narcotic in the neck…" San shrugged. Gouhin asked a bit more sternly:

"Do you know what he's addicted to? And what will induce narcolepsy in him, and what will kill him on the spot? We've discussed this a hundred times – I won't kill if there's another option. Legoshi, you get your regular bonuses plus twenty percent. San…"

"Twenty percent added to my monthly?"

"Fat chance. But… this time – okay," Gouhin sighed. The wolf glanced at him:

"Gouhin-san, it seems you're really worried this time."

Reluctantly, he said:

"Yes. I can't figure out his companions' situation. Especially that strange honey badger in a leather jacket."

"A honey badger?" Legoshi raised his ears in surprise.

If they were talking about the same honey badger Louis mentioned…

"Was anyone else with him? Among his subordinates?"

"Subordinates?"

"There's a good chance that this honey badger and the leader of the Slaughterhouse are one and the same person."

Gouhin leaned back in his chair, thoughtfully twirling the pretzel between his fingers:

"So that's it… damn it. Then we'll have to wait for the moment when he's alone. And only then take him for sure, so that the Slaughterhouse doesn't suspect anything. Can you stay here overnight this week, Legoshi?"

"Yes, of course. I'll make sure they don't worry about me. We'll just catch him, and the job is done, Gouhin-san?"

"I don't think it's that simple. Especially in light of the new data."

"What data?"

"The ones you just told me, weirdo. We need to act with maximum stealth. Pick the time to catch him alone and carefully check the surroundings – is there anyone from the Slaughterhouse nearby. Remember our rooftop walks?"

"Yeah," Legoshi nodded. The most memorable detail was the muzzle, but he did indeed train the already silent wolf in stealthiness.

"Great. So… San, will you change the bandage for the llama in the fifth ward?"

"Of course."

"Good. I'll administer meloxicam to the neighbor and check on yesterday's wolf… "

Legoshi perked up his ears:

"Wolf?"

"Yes, psychosis symptoms, although mild. Surprisingly, he approached me himself, but even with a reinforced door, I still assigned him to a room," Gouhin pragmatically noted. "While you're at it, go down to the basement where we trained, and change clothes."

The wolf got up from the table and smiled almost imperceptibly:

"Want to see if I've gotten rusty in a month?"

"And stretch," grumbled the doctor. "San isn't fit for a strength duel."

Waiting for Legoshi to leave, the alpaca retorted offendedly:

"Well, yeah, but San is great as a punching bag."

"You're too agile for a punching bag, kid. After the bandage change, head down to the basement, a little variety of opponents won't hurt. Oh, and don't forget, tomorrow you have a trip for medications."

San sighed:

"Let's be honest, old man – for drugs. Just because you use them for noble purposes doesn't mean they're harmless."

"My clinic isn't on the list of official institutions, unfortunately. And those so-called dangerous pharmaceuticals are handed out with a huge fuss, " Gouhin remarked, pushing the chair in. "So yes, we're on the black market, and we have to use alternative channels, fortunately, our acquaintance hybrid has some connections."

"You've seen Shi. Maybe it's better to ask him?"

"I don't want to ask for anything. Especially from that golden boy."

"Stubborn old bear. You realize he also… well, like me?" San hesitated, Gouhin shook his head:

"Your origins and your life are very different. It would be foolish not to take that into account."

"It's foolish to think he doesn't have his own problems."

"Among which there doesn't necessarily have to be a problem of illegal drug delivery to a certain Gouhin's clinic."

"Medications delivery," Gouhin repeated expressively, smirking. "Yes, I could demand a favor from him for Juno, but what will happen to the world if we all switch to commodity-money relations?"

San guessed randomly:

"Will it turn into a black market? Well… we're already living in it here."

"And our task is to reduce this infection from within. Not to let psychos out on the streets and minimize the consequences of their actions. Think like a doctor, San."

"But I'm not a doctor."

"You're my assistant. And who knows what will happen in the future if you diligently study," the bear looked cunningly at him.

The alpaca just stubbornly shook his head. But he didn't say a word.