The shabby apartment

"Ah, forget it," Zail exclaimed a sigh as he decided to shrug it off, "It's better not to fight with a future tenant."

Hecathe smirked as he nodded once again, "You're right. It's better to make more friends rather than enemies."

Only after saying it out loud did Hecathe realize that he was also a hypocrite for preaching something that he clearly didn't follow. Just an hour ago, he had already made an enemy when he entered this city. In fact, two enemies if he were to consider both that dog and its owner who was also dressed like Hecathe in a cloak and mask.

If Zail hadn't stepped down from the argument then Hecathe was sure that this man would have become the third enemy he made in this city of Ocasia.

"Sir, is that your way of asking me if I'm willing to become a friend?"

"Eh?" Hecathe's face slowly cringed up as he realized what this man was trying to ask.

Zail chuckled as he spoke up before Hecathe could say anything, "I'll take your silence as a 'yes' then."

Hecathe was a bit surprised to see that this man was still willing to consider being friends even after knowing that his thinking was worlds different from Hecathe's thoughts.

They were clearly not going to get along well but Hecathe still nodded and said nothing more as he accepted the man's friendship.

After walking for a while, the streets started getting less crowded to the point that there was nobody walking around them.

Hecathe gulped in worry as he questioned, "Are you sure that you don't want to kill me in an abandoned alley somewhere?"

Zail chuckled as he shook his head and responded, "Sir, as much as I'd like to do that, killing you would be difficult for me so you can rest assured that I have no such plans in mind."

"..."

Why did the former half of that sentence make Hecathe feel the opposite of assured?

"Sir, didn't I already tell you? The apartment is a bit far away from the city center and is a lot less populated. Because of this, it's hard for my aunt to find any tenants. The only ones who come looking are either trying to save money or like to live in seclusion and do not want to be disturbed by other people."

And somehow, Hecathe was both of them.

Since he hadn't brought a lot of money with him, he needed to save up money and he also needed to find a place where there was nobody else around so that his chances of being found out could be reduced.

"I hope you don't mind," Zail added with a bit of worry.

Hecathe shook his head as a response, "That doesn't bother me. The lesser people there are around, the more satisfied I would be."

Zail looked to be amused as he chuckled but for some reason, Hecathe felt that the man's chuckle sounded a bit too mischievous.

"Then you can rest assured, you're going to be really satisfied~"

Hecathe gulped as he suddenly had a bad feeling in his stomach and after walking for a few more minutes, that foreboding he felt had somehow been right.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Hecathe muttered as he could almost imagine a tumbleweed rolling in front of them.

The building looked to be pretty big and it was enough to house more than twenty tenants easily, however, with the outward visual presentation of the building, Hecathe was sure that all those twenty possible tenants would turn around and run without even discussing the rent of the building.

The walls were supposed to be white but it seemed that the house owner hadn't painted these walls ever since the building was first made. Some parts were black, some were grey while some parts of the wall had visible cracks on them.

"It might look a bit shabby but the rooms inside are much more comfortable to live in," Zail tried to defend the outward unfriendly appearance of the building.

"Are you sure about that?" Hecathe asked as his eyes narrowed down on the man.

For a building that looks like this from the outside... It need not even be said that Hecathe had no expectations from the interior.

"I'm sure! I'm sure! I also live here and I can assure you that there's nothing that would make you suffer inside. It's comfortable and cheap. Simply the best apartment that you can book for the cheapest price."

Hecathe gulped as he nodded and decided to take a chance.

If the interior was alright then Hecathe would ignore the outside and rent this place but if the interior was also as haunting as the exterior then Hecathe wouldn't even think twice before turning around and going back to search for other apartments.

"Lead the way," Hecathe ordered with a sigh.

"Yes, sir! Follow me," Zail responded happily as he stepped forward and gestured for Hecathe to follow.

Hecathe pursed his lips together and looked at the man's moving back as he suddenly wondered if this man was really not planning on murdering Hecathe today.

Hecathe frowned as he tried to see if there were any mutants nearby.

Thanks to Alphius's rare power to control mutants, Hecathe just needed to think about it and the answer would easily be given to him.

There were mutants in the proximity and it would take them no more than just two minutes to reach Hecathe if he were to call them at this moment.

Hecathe sighed as he lifted his foot and followed after Zail who had opened the main gate which immediately broke down and came off.

"Umm..." Zail put the door aside and chuckled awkwardly as he informed, "The door comes off sometimes. My aunt is still trying to get that fixed."

Hecathe pursed his lips into a thin line and said nothing about it as his eyes glanced at the broken door for not more than just a few seconds.