257 The Price of Finding Someone: Let's Have Some Fun ❤
"Is that so..." Hikigaya rubbed his chin, wearing a thoughtful expression.
Although being an Interpol officer meant there could be times when top-secret missions needed to be carried out, if someone reported their safety every day...
Hikigaya placed both hands firmly on Yor's shoulders and locked eyes with her seriously: "Miss Yor, don't panic yet. Think carefully—can you confirm that Yuri reports his safety to you every single day?"
Hikigaya's words seemed to possess a certain magic, gradually calming the agitated Miss Yor.
"Even when he's on a classified mission and can't disclose the details?" "Eh... Yes. Yuri usually informs me in advance if he's going to be on a mission. Even during missions, he would occasionally send a message to let me know he's safe." "So, something must have happened to Yuri."
"I see, I understand." Hikigaya nodded.
At this point, it was quite clear that something unexpected had likely occurred, making it impossible for Yuri to check in for two days straight.
Miss Yor had helped him out with some tricky issues and was still working for him.
Yuri, though sharp-tongued, was a softie at heart—and also his "brother-in-law."
Hikigaya couldn't just abandon the two of them.
He closed his eyes and carefully recalled everything that had happened since he met Yuri.
Suddenly, he asked, "Miss Yor, do you know what mission he was on?" "Yuri said he came to Tokyo for a secret mission. His disappearance is probably related to that. Did he mention anything to you?"
Prompted by Hikigaya, Yor regained her composure and recalled what Yuri had said at the airport.
"He said he was here to investigate a killer with the codename Princess of Thorns, and also a transnational crime organization made up mostly of white-haired members."
"Princess of Thorns? Isn't that you, Miss Yor?" "..."
"Then Yuri's disappearance must be connected to that white-haired crime organization." "An organization... mostly made up of white-haired members..."
Hikigaya Hachiman's face twisted strangely.
That description—and the definition of criminal activity—it all pointed suspiciously toward the Honebami Clan.
He exchanged a glance with Yor, and they both saw the doubt in each other's eyes.
"Could it be that woman?" Yor's voice turned cold and sharp, full of murderous intent.
If Honebami Miroslava was responsible—even though they had cooperated a few times—Yor wouldn't hesitate to cut her down.
Not even Hikigaya Hachiman could talk her down; this was Yor's bottom line.
"No, in this case, we should just call and confirm it."
Hikigaya tapped his temple.
"Please trust me, Miss Yor. In matters like this, I won't take sides. If the Honebami Clan is responsible, I'll help you. And if it's a lie—I'll see right through it."
"Alright then, I'll leave it to you, Hikigaya-kun."
Without even realizing it, Yor's delicate hands had somehow found and gripped Hikigaya's large, reassuring hands for comfort.
Ring, ring... The call connected quickly. Honebami Miroslava sounded lazy on the other end: "Yo, Hikigaya Hachiman. What brings you calling me at this hour?"
Hearing her voice, Yor immediately became agitated and wanted to question her.
But Hikigaya knew Miroslava was not someone you could confront head-on.
She was the type to "ignore softness but respond to firmness," yet paradoxically also "submit to pressure but resist it too."
If Yor pressed her too aggressively, it would not only fail but might make things worse.
He gave Yor a look, signaling her to calm down and leave the matter entirely to him. He took a deep breath and asked, "Miss Honebami, I have something I need to ask."
"Go ahead. What is it?"
Miroslava seemed to be in a good mood—after all, she was preparing to transfer to Hyakkaou Private Academy next week to begin her revenge against Hikigaya and Jabami Yumeko.
Hikigaya carefully chose his words: "Has any Interpol agent investigated the Honebami Clan in the last few days?"
"...Huh?"
The unexpected question made Miroslava pause. She had assumed the call was about personnel information at Hyakkaou Academy, not something related to Interpol.
Still, since it was Hikigaya asking, she thought it over seriously. "No. The Honebami Clan is handled by someone I know. No one from any official organization has contacted us recently."
"I see..." Hikigaya turned to look at Yor and nodded, signaling that Miroslava wasn't lying.
"Why the strange question?" "To be honest, Miss Honebami, Miss Yor's younger brother, Yuri Briar, is a veteran Interpol agent.
He came to Tokyo a few days ago to investigate a transnational crime syndicate composed mainly of white-haired members. But two days ago, he went missing."
"Because of the 'white-haired' clue, I immediately thought of the Honebami Clan. But from our conversation just now, I believe it wasn't you."
"So... I need your help now, Miss Honebami."
Hikigaya chose to be honest.
In a city like Tokyo, with its tangled web of underground forces, no intelligence network was more effective than the one controlled by the Honebami Clan.
If he wanted to find Yuri Briar, the quickest way wasn't through official channels—but through the yakuza underworld.
There was a brief silence. Then Miroslava spoke again.
"Let me be frank, Hikigaya Hachiman. You never wanted my friendship. Even when you come to me asking for help, you don't bother to show any sincerity."
"But now, you're saying: 'Miss Honebami, I need your help to find someone in Tokyo.'"
"You don't respect me. You don't treat me like a friend. You won't even call me Miroslava." "Isn't that right, Hikigaya Hachiman?"
What a troublesome woman. Hikigaya frowned deeply.
Truth be told, he himself hadn't figured out how to deal with Honebami Miroslava.
She wasn't like Momobami Kirari —Miroslava might do genuinely irrational things in pursuit of physical pain.
That danger, like a volatile landmine, was exactly why Hikigaya avoided her unless absolutely necessary.
But now... he had no choice. "Miroslava, I need your help."
"Hmph. Too late." "But if you don't want friendship, let's call it a transaction instead."
Miroslava's tone returned to a playful one. Maybe everything she had said before was just bait to reel Hikigaya in.
"Please state your terms."
"A moment of complete control—don't worry, I'll be quick and gentle~" Miroslava's flirty tone didn't need to be explicit for her meaning to be understood.
This condition made even Miss Yor uncomfortable.
She opened her mouth but said nothing.
But realizing this might be her only chance to find her brother, she stayed silent. Even at 26 or 27 and still a virgin, she understood Miroslava's implication all too well.
Her guilt toward Hikigaya surged again.
He had offered her a high-paying bodyguard job, acted alongside her in front of Yuri, and now was about to "sell himself" just to help her find her brother…
She owed him too much. She clenched her fists silently and swore: if Miroslava went too far, she would teach her a lesson. And no matter what happened to Yuri, afterward she would stay by Hikigaya's side, faithfully and forever.
"...Alright." Hikigaya replied slowly.
Even though he felt mentally reluctant, this wasn't the first time.
Close your eyes and endure—just consider it as being "claimed" by Miroslava again. Once you got over it, there was no loss for him!
"Deal. Wait for my update."
With Hikigaya agreeing to her unreasonable condition, Miroslava promptly hung up and began investigating Yuri Briar's whereabouts.
After everything was done, Hikigaya suddenly remembered— When it came to finding someone, it wasn't just the Honebami Clan that had resources.
Didn't Hyakkaou Academy have someone useful too?
He called Yumeko and explained the situation.
"So, you want me to contact Ikishima?" "Can you, Yumeko?"
Ikishima Midari, the only daughter of the Ikishima Clan's boss—one of the few factions in Tokyo that could rival the Honebami Clan.
If he was going to search for someone, he might as well activate every possible connection!
"Of course. After everything Miss Yor has done for you, it's the least we can do."
Yumeko hung up and dug through her contacts, finally finding Ikishima's number.
"Ikishima-san..." "Hehe, Lady Yumeko finally needs me~ But since this involves using my family's resources, I can't just give orders, can I~?" Ikishima's tone was casual, but Yumeko instantly caught her meaning.
"What's your condition, Ikishima-san?"
"I want to play with you properly—don't worry, I'll be gentle~"
A gamble... is it?
Yumeko let out a breath of relief. If Ikishima had asked for something outrageous, she'd be troubled. But if it was just a gamble—then that was no problem at all.
"Deal. Then please start the search as soon as possible."
"Relax~ Lady Yumeko, there's no one in Tokyo the Ikishima Clan can't find~"
258 The Sword of Damocles
Tokyo. Following a message from Honebami Miroslava, the underground machine named the Honebami Group rapidly kicked into motion, searching for the missing Yuri Blair.
Members of the Honebami Group, dressed in uniform, began a door-to-door manhunt, even forcibly breaking into surveillance rooms at places where Yuri Blair might have appeared, combing through footage from the past two days.
With this massive human search effort, after a full day, the most likely location of Yuri Blair was reported to Honebami Miroslava.
Staring at the results displayed before her, Miroslava frowned deeply. "Isn't this place under the jurisdiction of the Mushibami family?" "You're sure this was Yuri Blair's last known appearance?" "Confirmed, Lady Miroslava," her deputy said. After hesitating for a moment, they added cautiously, "If we want to ensure the target's safety, it would be best to negotiate with the Mushibami family quickly. Their methods can be... extreme."
The Mushibami and Honebami families are like the two halves of a yin-yang symbol—jointly responsible for intelligence within the Hundred Bites.
When facing external threats, they stand united, but once that pressure is gone, they return to internal power struggles.
There's cooperation, but also competition.
Thinking about the person who got kidnapped—Yor's younger brother—Miroslava felt a shiver run down her spine. If something were to happen…
The only reason she was previously able to subdue Yor was by catching her off guard, having the advantage of surprise and preparation.
If Yor were to focus on her now, the situation would be completely reversed.
As one half of the Hundred Devouring families intelligence network, Miroslava was obligated to work with the Mushibami family to deal with the dangerous threat that is Yor Blair.
"This is bad…"
Having pieced together the full picture, Honebami Miroslava felt no trace of the joy she once had about securing Hikigaya Hachiman.
With a grim expression, she dialed the number of Mushibami Erimi.
"Moshi moshi, Mushibami speaking." Miroslava got straight to the point: "Mushibami Erimi, you have him, don't you?" "Eh? Who?"
"The man you caught two days ago. His name is Yuri Blair. Hand him over to me," Miroslava said coldly.
Her relationship with Erimi was never friendly.
"Ohhh, that guy…" Erimi replied in a playful tone, "He was snooping around investigating us. I'm currently extracting information from him. No need to thank me—it's our job, after all."
"He's dangerous, Mushibami. Don't say I didn't warn you. If anything happens to him, your own safety won't be guaranteed."
"Hmm hmm, no need to worry about me, Honebami. Yuri Blair is a very important bargaining chip in my hands~ If you want him back, have Hikigaya Hachiman come see me tomorrow at school for a chat."
That malicious voice came through the phone before it abruptly disconnected.
Miroslava took a deep breath to suppress her rising anger. After thinking carefully about how to explain this to Hikigaya, she dialed his number again.
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Beep— It had been a grueling day.
Miss Yor, after being persuaded by Hikigaya Hachiman, finally brought herself to eat something to meet her basic physical needs. In the quiet living room, Hikigaya's phone rang.
"How's it going, Miroslava? Any news?" "Yes," Miroslava replied in as calm a tone as possible. "It's confirmed—Yuri Blair is currently in the hands of the Mushibami family.
His life isn't in danger for now, but Mushibami refuses to release him.
She wants to talk to you in person at school tomorrow."
Mushibami— Hikigaya raised an eyebrow. He had already heard about the Mushibami family's intel from Kirari. A family specialized in interrogation. They'd better hope they haven't gone too far…
His eyes instinctively shifted to Miss Yor's face. Seeing that cold, murder-filled expression, he swallowed hard.
To calm her down, he asked, "Where is the Mushibami base?" "Don't do anything rash, Hikigaya. Or you either, Yor," Miroslava warned, her heart sinking—things were heading in the worst possible direction. "I know you're both anxious, but please stay calm."
"If the Mushibami family wants to negotiate, that means Yuri is still safe. I can promise that much. But if Yor shows up at their base before then… things will get very complicated." "So please, trust me just this once. Tomorrow, Yuri will be safely returned." "Address."
This time, Yor didn't seek Hikigaya's opinion.
It was about her brother—her reason was on the verge of collapsing. She cut in over the conversation and demanded:
"Give me the address. I'll wait outside their base tomorrow. If I don't hear anything from Hikigaya… I'll kill everyone in the Mushibami family."
Miroslava fell silent. She didn't doubt Yor's words.
If it was that woman… unless the Mushibami family vanished entirely, bloodshed was inevitable.
"If you attack them, the antidote from the Yinbami family might be cut off too. You won't survive that, Yor." "I don't care." "…Understood. I'll send the address shortly." "If tomorrow's result is unsatisfactory to either side, go ahead. I won't hold back either. As the other half of the Hundred Devouring families intelligence, we Honebami must protect the Mushibami. I hope you understand that." "Fine." Yor snatched the phone and ended the call.
Hikigaya comforted her, "Don't worry too much, Yor. If necessary, I can ask the Momobami family head for help. I'm on pretty good terms with her.
If it's her order, the Mushibami probably won't dare go too far."
Yor shook her head.
"You've already done more than enough for me, Hikigaya-kun. This is my conflict with the Mushibami family. I'll resolve it my way."
"If tomorrow, you find out Yuri is dead or they propose something outrageous and unacceptable, tell me."
"I'll wipe every last one of them from this world." Goosebumps broke out on the skin hidden under Hikigaya's long sleeves—a biological response to mortal threat.
Though her voice remained gentle and elegant, the chill in Yor's eyes was enough to signal true danger.
"Understood. Wait for my good news, Miss Yor."
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"I want to resign as Student Council President and hold a new election." Student Council meeting room. Sitting on her throne, Momobami Kirari made a shocking declaration.
All the other members stopped what they were doing.
Nishinotouin Yuriko asked with a confused face, "Are you… serious?" "To hold a new election just as student council members are being defeated one after another by Hikigaya Hachiman… With all due respect, abandoning the throne at this point is the height of foolishness." She squinted at Kirari, questioning the logic of her decision.
"Now, now, don't say that, Yuriko-chan," said Runa, licking a lollipop lazily. "After all, Hikigaya-kun is part of our student council now. Even if he defeats the others, it won't hurt our reputation."
"On the contrary, the President stepping down might rekindle the desire for gambling—among both regular students and those of our rank.
Everyone wants to sit on the throne of power, right?"
Kirari rose from her seat and slowly walked toward the massive wall-mounted aquarium, gently placing her hand on the glass.
"Yuriko, I didn't expect you to speak out against me. How interesting." "The more foolish it is, the more reason to do it."
"Hyakkaou Academy is my creation—my Eden. A closed world governed by survival of the fittest, a beautifully cycling system." "But now… this Eden has become stagnant, like a pool of dead water. Except for the one person who can stir it—Hikigaya-kun—no one else brings me joy."
"So I must descend personally and stir these stagnant waters."
Among everyone present, only Hikigaya Hachiman understood Kirari's true intention.
With a serious expression, his eyes turned toward the door.
"To prepare for the arrival of the Hundred devouring family members, I resign as Student Council President. The one who wins in the end shall become the new President."
At that moment, Juraku Sachiko stood with arms crossed and said: "The President's words enlightened me. The current Hyakkaou Academy really does feel dead—it's hard to get excited about anything."
"So I've decided to hand over my position as the Student Council Disciplinary Chair to Hikigaya Hachiman." "From this moment forward, Hikigaya Hachiman is the new Disciplinary Chair."
"Whoa, whoa, are you serious?" shouted Ikishima Midari in disbelief. "Hikigaya Hachiman is just a first-year who's only been here a few months, and you're giving him such a key role?"
Juraku brushed her silver-white hair behind her ear. "Isn't this exactly what the President wanted?" "Hyakkaou Academy needs someone who can stir up the waters."
"Heh, Sachiko, you understand me," Kirari smiled with satisfaction. "Now that I've stepped down, the responsibility of running the council falls to Hikigaya-kun and the Vice President."
"As for the Treasurer, since Manyuda is hospitalized, the position will be temporarily handled by first-year Sumeragi Itsuki."
In the eyes of regular students, appointments to the highest realms of power were decided so casually by Kirari's words.
As for Hikigaya, the one in question, he didn't seem particularly moved. He simply accepted the role of Disciplinary Chair as if it was natural.
This had been his agreement with Juraku Sachiko from the beginning. If anything, it was long overdue.
"Now then… it should be about time."
Kirari Momobami looked toward the door. From the entrance of the student council meeting room came the sound of a knock.