Chapter 9: The Shadow Beneath the Ground

Section 9: The Shadow Beneath the Ground

The flap of wings cut through the silence.

A large Pidgeot flew over the town hall before descending slowly in a spiral. Its brown and cream feathers reflected the sunlight, and its sharp eyes scanned the street even before its rider touched the ground.

A man jumped off its back with ease, without any apparent effort. His dark coat fluttered for a moment before settling on his shoulders, and his upright posture exuded a natural authority.

The mayor of Jadielle had arrived.

Beside me, the old man didn't move immediately. His features remained frozen, but his gaze spoke for him.

They knew each other.

And it wasn't a cordial relationship.

The mayor cast a brief glance in our direction, without saying a word, before entering the town hall. His footsteps echoed against the marble floor, and the door closed behind him with a calculated softness.

The old man inhaled slowly, then turned to me.

"I'll go," he said simply.

I didn't try to stop him. There was nothing to say.

But in his last look, I understood that this story was just beginning.

---

The door opened with a muted silence as I entered the town hall.

The receptionist's face tightened when she saw me return so quickly.

"You're back?"

I nodded with an innocent expression.

"I forgot to ask something earlier."

Behind me, I heard the mayor moving further into the building. An opportunity.

My fingers brushed against the Pokéball at my belt.

If I wanted to see that shovel, I had to divert his attention.

Distraction.

"Can my Pokémon stay here?" I asked innocently to the receptionist.

She hesitated, but I had already released my Pokéball.

A flash of light, and Rattata appeared, its sharp gaze scanning the room.

Almost immediately, it jumped onto the counter, knocking over a stack of papers in the process.

"Rattata!" I exclaimed, feigning panic.

The receptionist jumped and rushed to prevent the papers from scattering.

That was enough.

Without waiting, I slipped behind the counter and merged into the hallway where the mayor had gone.

---

Every step had to be calculated.

The hallway was quiet, but not empty.

Behind a slightly ajar door, I heard the mayor's voice, calm, controlled. He was speaking with someone.

I crept along the wall until I reached a storage room.

The smell of dust and wood filled the air.

And there, against the wall, half-hidden behind old crates…

A shovel.

I approached slowly, examining it from a new angle.

Its handle was worn, but this was no ordinary shovel. Etched into the tarnished metal, an inscription had been worn away by time.

But that wasn't what caught my attention.

Right next to it, nailed to a wooden box, was an emblem.

A dark, imposing stylized "R."

A shiver ran through me.

I knew that symbol.

And if this shovel was connected to that organization, then what had been buried here might not just be simple corpses.

I slowly closed my fingers before releasing a measured breath.

I couldn't stay any longer.

Without a sound, I left the room and made my way back to the entrance of the town hall.

Rattata was still perched on the counter, the receptionist trying to gather the last scattered papers.

I recalled my Pokémon into its Pokéball and gave an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that."

She sighed but didn't respond.

I left, my thoughts swirling in my mind.

I had seen what I wanted to see.

But now, I needed to understand what it meant.

And most importantly... who, in Jadielle, still wanted