Retrieval.

In the back of the mansion a woman in a maid outfit waited. Looking to her right he saw Gaius and the others come and questioned their presence.

“May I know who you are and why you are here? This is masters private residence, normal people aren't allowed.”

Akihiko halted before the maid and put himself between her and Gaius. Ryuunosuke stayed behind Gaius, in guard.

“My lady, I am but a humble necromancer that has been allowed to visit this abode.” Began Gaius. “I find my guide displaced and would be honoured if you would substitute her.”

The maid bowed to him and spoke without raising her head.

“Then you must be a man of great importance. May I ask if you know what the tremor was?”

“Indeed beautiful. It was just a rat hunt.”

The maid rose her head and stopped smiling before grunting.

“Finally you are here, I was sick of having to play this role. Come, we have no time to waste. Who is the ward breaker?”

Akihiko lowered his hood and waved.

“That'd be me.”

“Then come with me, the others should follow behind.”

Gaius and Ryuunosuke nodded in acceptance and entered the house.

While they were walking the corridor they found other servants, but the maid managed to explain their presence as the truth, visitants who had lost their guide. As they were passing through a room Gaius halted.

“Wait. What is this place?”

“The master's bedroom.”

“I can feel a presence, a youkai.” He concentrated. “A nekomata if I am right.”

“Bad news.” Commented Akihiko while frowning. “The nekomatas are the youkais preeminent clan, they're the leaders. Either the Blues kidnapped one or they have an alliance. Neither of those are good.”

At those words the maid casted a spell as silently as possible.

“That should mask us for a while. How do we deal with this?”

“Are there wards Akihiko?”

“Yes. Good ones to that, these are rigged to set an alarm off if they are broken or something passes through them.”

“What kind of wards are they? Maybe I can get them to ignore us.” Suggested Ryuunosuke.

Akihiko neared the door.

“That won't work, there are two. One stops people without authorisation from entering. The second records supernatural signatures of those who cross the door.”

“I can change my signature to that of my surroundings so I can go through the second one. If Ryuunosuke changes the first to let me pass I can go through.” Proposed Gaius.

“But can you get the cat through with you later?” Inquired the maid.

They turned to Akihiko.

“Hmm. I think the ward goes both ways, but you only need one authorisation for both.”

“That is a security liability.” The maid was worried since the lack of security could mean something worse waiting inside.

“It may have been to cut costs. Wards this detailed aren't cheap.” Explained Akihiko.

“Then are we in agreement?” Asked Gaius.

Once he got their consent he signaled Ryuunosuke.

“Ward allow Gaius and the nekomata within the room through you.”

Gaius then opened the door and looked to Akihiko to see if there was any change in the wards. Akihiko shaked his head so he breathed in and went through the doorway.

The room was lavishly decorated while still being minimalist. There were few furnitures and adornments but those were of high quality. The room was divided into two by a curtain. In the part they was visible a bed, a desk, and a few bookshelves could be seen.

Gaius looked around the room but didn't find anything. He headed to the bed before he turned around and charged through the curtain. In there he found a dresser and a cat. He quickly grabbed it but it began to squirm in his grasp.

“Let me go! Why are you keeping me here? I have no value!”

Gaius didn't relax his grip and whispered in its ear.

“Let me guess, you were kidnapped and think I am one of them.”

“Aren't you?” The cat perked up when it thought it might get out.

“Yes I am.”

The nekomata hung its head low when its goes where dashed.

“Please let me go. I am just a branch family member I have no political value.”

“Then you are here not of your own will?”

“Obviously.”

Gaius let it go and stood up.

“Then I actually am not one of them, let's get you out of here.”

The cat was stunned but followed Gaius out of the room.

“Then why did you lie?”

“I needed to make sure you weren't an enemy. Why were you there?”

“No idea. I think he just wanted a nekomata familiar since he bought me recently.”

They were already out of the room and Ryuunosuke asked a question.

“Bought?”

“I was caught when I sneaked out to play and sold in the black market. Are we getting out now?”

“No.” Answered the maid. “We have a mission to complete. We need to get to the work office and retrieve something.”

“That sucks. Sigh.”

They kept going on until they reached a door.

“The safe is in here. Can you break this wards without alerting someone?”

“No. They are even better than those in the bedroom.”

While Akihiko Gaius and the maid were discussing a plan Ryuunosuke examined the walls.

“Are these warded?”

Akihiko began to speak before stopping and thinking again.

“Very lightly. It is just a ward that keeps a sound caged in. If it is broken through any means an alarm will sound, so we can't break through the wall to get in there.”

Gaius widened his eyes before smiling.

“Let me try something. Reiko!”

The familiar appeared and posed in Gaius’ shoulder.

“Can you get through this wall?”

Reiko trilled and dived to the wall, managing to go through it.

“Good. I can enter.”

The maid nodded.

“Then it is easy. Just rip the safe and bring it with you here.”

“Won't they be alarmed?” Asked Ryuunosuke.

“Yes, but I can get it out fast and you guys can remain in here with your cover unbroken.”

“I see. So there-”

Before Akihiko could continue sounds of battle began to sound.

“Shit, the distractions are already here we must hasten our pace.”

“But the escape experts isn't-”started Gaius but Akihiko interrupted him.

“It's her. There were never five, that was false information in case we were captured.”

“Indeed. Once you get the safe out I will bring it to the outside. I can teleport outside this space and to the guys in the street. You guys will remain here, I recommend battling the distractions to make them believe your cover.”

The infiltrators nodded before the nekomata shouted.

“What about me?! Can you teleport me too?”

The maid was left speechless before shaking her head.

“Don't worry, we will get you out. I can just offer to buy you.” Said Gaius.

“I'm not property.”

“For them you are.” Akihiko kneeled to pet the nekomata.

“Alright, I get it. Don't patronise me.”

The plan made Gaius went through the wall. Soon after that a loud siren sounded and he broke through the wall.

“Here! Get out now!”

The maid took the four cubic metres big safe and dissapeared.

“We must run now.” Said Akihiko putting his hood on and signalling Ryuunosuke to do the same.

The others nodded and run to the pond but on the way they found three men carrying several bags with them.

Gaius entered his act.

“Gentlemen. I see you are carrying the goods to a safe place, well done.”

The man in the front nodded.

“Yes we are doing that.”

Vissarion tilted his head in confusion.

“But if you were you wouldn't say something like that. You would question my presence here, which means…”

He smiled before jumping back and shouting.

“Akihiko, Ryuunosuke! Get them!”

The undead sprang to action trying to stop the thieves. One took out a sword and went to melee, the other began to conjure a big spell.

“Shit they're onto us. Futaba! Get the goods out of here! We will deal with them.”

One of the thieves took the goods and began to run while the others engaged.

“Are you sure you can deal with us.” Said Vissarion cockily.

The fight seemed equal but in fact Vissarion undead were holding back. They pretended to fight for a while longer but the others didn't realise. This state of affairs continued until guards were attracted by the commotion.

Gaius whispered.

“Reiko, get them out.”

At those orders the blue bird appeared and blocked both the guards and undead with his freezing breath, blocking the hallways with walls of ice. By the time Vissarion broke through it the intruders had disappeared.

The guards divided, some going after the thieves and the others staying with Vissarion.

“Who are you?!”

“Vissarion Pulos. A guest, I misplaced my guide and decided to wander on my own when I encountered those scoundrels.”

“Well then. You will come with us.”

The guards led Vissarion outside the pocket dimension and to the back of the building, where they encountered Rossi and a few important guests.

“Clark! What is going on?”

“Mister Pulos. I see you are here, Namba was worried when she didn't find you.”

Vissarion turned to the right and saw Namba staring at him.

“Hey miss bouncy breasts. I see you go out of the mansion. But that didn't answer my question Rossi.” His face turned serious. “What is going on?”

“The Waning Moon attacked. We are evacuating the priority guests. But the real question is, where were you?” Rossi came close to Vissarion trying to intimidate him, before one of the guards that had brought Vissarion whispered in his ear.

“I see. I thank you for trying to stop those thieves. But why did you leave Namba?”

In answer Vissarion raised the nekomata.

“This guy. When I performed a divination to find firm buttocks I detected this little guy. Since I hadn't seen a nekomata before I decided to go see it. Can I buy it?”

When Rossi saw the cat his eyes widened in fury.

“Who is the idiot that risked the youkai’s enmity by capturing a nekomata?”

“Me thinks it was the master of the mansion, since I found it in his bedroom.” Answered Vissarion.

“Then Fudo needs to answer some questions. Bring it with you, I want nothing with it.”

“Good, I'm naming you Tiddles.”

“Unhand me barbarian! I am not a product for you to buy!”

“Yes you are.” Once he was done saying this Vissarion knocked the cat out.

“How are we leaving?”

Rossi just smiled. The next second a light surrounded Vissarion and his undead and he found himself in the parking lot again.

Gaius sighed.

“All of that was nerve wracking. Come on, let's go back home.”

The three got back on the limousine and headed to the Waning Moon.