You found him yet?』
『We're currently looking hard for him... According to the workers at the site, the object was inspected today, and I can confirm that the inspection is completed.』
『I asked, have you found the object yet? Not if he had been inspected.』
『Uh, I'm sorry... Well, they've searched the examination post, but have not yet found him.』
Asterios turns away. It is quite an interesting situation. He had been on a lot of audits, but this is the first time he have ever witnessed an accident like this happen in real time. It isn't pleasant but is certainly amusing.
『How long does it take to catch the escaped object?』
『Probably within a day, at the most. There aren't many places he can go anyway.』
『Well, that's quite a delay.』
Asterios's large eyes gleam, his ears perk up. The jet-black beast is a natural hunter. He has no patience for anything that flees or struggles before him.
『And I think this is a pretty bad accident...worthy of a report to the other councilors.』
『Ah...ah, no, please...I'm sure it'll be taken care of in no time...』
『Milk-producing humans had escaped. Didn't you say they are living in satisfactory conditions?』
Asterios returns the bull's words in a dry tone, then let out a low growl before continuing.
『An object escaping in the middle of an audit? That sure is going to make a lot of noise. The press will love it.』
『That's...』
The bull reacts as if it is about to be mauled by Asterios. The icy voice is frightening, but there is nothing to say because everything he says is true. It is a big deal that a milk-producing male had escaped, and it is only a matter of time before the company's image will suffer a serious blow if he is to slip out of the factory.
『You want me to turn a blind eye?』
『Uh, ah...? T-that's...if you're willing, sir...』
Asterios glares at the bull, his eyes blazing despite his benevolent-sounding words. The bull's tail twitches pathetically, making a small sound of distress as he feels the hot glare of the powerful. Asterios, the stern, rigid, argumentative, never-say-die man really just said that? The bull can't tell if the question is a trap, or if he is being truly genuine. All he knows he has to keep his good attitude here.
『Boo, please...we can't have all of our factory workers on the streets... And I too, have a wife and a child to feed...』
『Hm, then let's make a bet with me.』
『Pardon...? A bet...?』
『Yes, a bet. This factory is far too large to search for in a short time, so the more help you can get, the better. If your loyal subordinates find the human first, I'll call it a day.』
『...』
『But, if I find the human first...I'll make sure this year's festival offerings come from this factory.』
『Ah...ah...?』
The bull's eyes widen. Despite his best efforts to lighten the situation, it instead escalates.
Each year, a sacrifice is made in gratitude to the eleven city council members who govern the city-state. This factory had given away its sacrifice last year, so everyone here thinks they will be safe for the next seven years, but they are wrong.
What happened to those who were sacrificed? No one knows.
When the bull does not answer but keeps trembling in fright instead, Asterios opens his mouth again in a low, mocking voice.
『I am one man, you are hundreds. Are you afraid you cannot defeat one man?』
『No, it's not that...』
Inside, the bull thinks it's not fair.
Asterios, the city councilor is a jackal. Large, jet-black, agile, and brutal. He is a born hunter. When it comes to stalking prey, bulls are no match. It will only take a moment for him to find the escaped human.
『You go ahead, I'll walk slowly. A word of advice: you'll find him faster if you're honest about it.』
Asterios paws at the ground with his hard hoove, urging the timid bull to move. There is a good chance they won't find the human anyway.
Once the bull trudges away, Asterios looks around at the glass cages around him and approaches the empty one. There is a serial number stamped on it but is not important in finding the runaway human. What's important is his scent.
The glass cage is filled with the scent of the man who was supposed to stay here. The jackal lowers his eyes for a moment, then plunges his long snout into the glass cage and breathes in slowly.
The faint scent of human body odor mingles with the sweetness of milk.
『Gruhrr....』
He growls, revealing a pair of golden eyes. Then the lean, handsome jackal pokes his head out of the glass cage and cast his eyes around once more. Even outside the glass cage, he can smell the scent of the escaped human, though very faintly.
『This is gonna be fun.』
Other councilors won't be too opposed to the bet he had made. Bulls are always popular anyway, and no one will complain if the offerings overlapped with last year's.
He can bet his councilor's badge that this will be far more beneficial than wandering around the factory listening to a dull ash-colored bull giving boring speeches. Asterios paces leisurely, thinking about the escaped human.
He is probably regretting his escape by now.