If not for Grandmother...
I'd be dead.
Amane's heart pounded with lingering fear, mixed with a deep sense of frustration.
She hadn't let her guard down, not even for a second, yet she still failed to react in time.
It felt like knowing there was a trap ahead but being utterly powerless to avoid it, a hopeless dead end.
As these emotions churned within her, Amane glared fiercely at Morrow.
Morrow, however, completely ignored her existence. Throwing the scalpel earlier had only been to bring the confrontation to a swift end.
"Her reaction was too slow, so I had no choice," he said bluntly, meeting Tsubone's gaze, a mix of surprise and scrutiny, as he deliberately withdrew his hostility. "But I knew you'd catch it."
"!!!"
Amane stiffened, a vein pulsing on her forehead, yet she couldn't refute his words.
Tsubone nodded slowly, agreeing with Morrow's assessment.
Seeing her grandmother's reaction, Amane clenched her fists silently, the frustration gnawing at her even more.
"One question," Tsubone said, her sharp gaze locked onto Morrow's eyes. "How do you know Rhythm Echo?"
"A friend taught me."
Morrow answered without hesitation.
He had rehearsed this exchange in his head multiple times, so his response came naturally.
Tsubone detected no lie.
Given the circumstances, this was the only plausible answer.
And that so-called "friend" could only be Kalluto.
They had rushed here after receiving word from the clinic's doctor, already aware that someone had brought Kalluto in for treatment.
Undoubtedly, that person was the young man standing before them.
"We are the Zoldyck family's butlers," Tsubone stated, retracting her razor-sharp aura now that the confrontation had ended. She saw no reason to hide their identities.
Morrow raised an eyebrow, an act, of course.
—--
A few minutes later...
The three of them stood in a room on the clinic's third floor.
On the bed, Kalluto remained unconscious, eyes still shut.
Morrow stood by the bedside, glancing at Tsubone before speaking calmly, "I know I can't protect Kalluto from you. But until he wakes up, I can't let you take him."
"Hoh. A contradictory statement," Tsubone mused, her gaze flickering up before settling on Morrow, who was only slightly taller than Amane. "Admirable courage, young man."
"So you're agreeing?" Morrow asked.
Tsubone chuckled. "I have no reason to refuse."
With that, she turned to Amane, who gave a slight nod and retrieved a small medicine bottle from her pocket.
Tsubone's eyes shifted back to Morrow, her tone deliberate. "Do you need an explanation?"
"No. It's a specialized treatment for internal injuries, right?" Morrow glanced at the bottle in Amane's hand.
Given the Zoldyck family's notoriously brutal training methods, it was no surprise they had extensive experience in recovery and healing.
A medicine specifically for internal and external injuries wouldn't be unusual.
His emphasis on "internal injuries" was just a minor test.
Tsubone nodded.
Her reaction confirmed Morrow's suspicions.
These two butlers had come prepared, and they knew Kalluto's most severe injuries were internal. At this thought, Morrow tentatively asked, "You're aware of Kalluto's injuries, so was it the doctor at this clinic who informed on us?"
...
Tsubone was quite surprised and chuckled, "Young man, you're clever. But I hope you won't hold it against the doctor afterward. Informing was a choice she had to make under those circumstances."
"I'm not that petty, nor do I care about such things. For me, as long as Kalluto is alright, that's all that matters."
Morrow's original intent was simply to understand why Tsubone and Amane had suddenly appeared.
If it was the clinic doctor who informed, then it all made sense.
Moreover, the only way to cross continents so quickly was indeed through Tsubone's ability.
If he remembered correctly, that ability was called "Rider's High," which allowed her to conjure her body into various vehicles like jet planes or heavy motorcycles.
However, once transformed, she couldn't operate it herself and needed the aura of a driver to serve as the energy source for the vehicle.
That's why she usually brought her granddaughter Amane along for long-distance travel.
Hearing Morrow's words, both Tsubone and Amane couldn't help but glance at him, thinking to themselves that this young man's relationship with Kalluto seemed deeper than they had anticipated. No wonder Kalluto had taught him the Rhythm Echo technique.
Amane composed herself and gently fed the liquid from the medicine bottle into Kalluto's mouth.
Only after confirming that Kalluto had swallowed the medicine did she carefully withdraw her hand.
Time passed slowly.
The first light of dawn broke on the horizon.
On the hospital bed, Kalluto's eyelids fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes, finally waking up.
Upon waking, his reaction was calm.
Because he knew that if he could still wake up, Morrow must be by his side.
Turning his head slightly, Kalluto saw Morrow standing by the bed, but he also noticed Tsubone and Amane, which surprised him somewhat.
"How do you feel?" Morrow asked with a smile.
Kalluto sat up and said, "I'm fine."
As he spoke, he looked at Tsubone and Amane behind Morrow, his eyes carrying a hint of inquiry.
But Morrow didn't give him a chance to ask, suddenly saying, "Give me your account."
"What for?" Kalluto turned to Morrow.
Morrow took out his phone and said, "To split the spoils, of course. Half of those 30 billion is yours."
"3 billion is my payment," Kalluto replied calmly.
Morrow shook his head and said seriously, "30 billion is the result of our successful collaboration. Don't waste my time, Kalluto."
At the end, his tone grew slightly firmer.
Kalluto pressed his lips together and, no longer insisting, obediently recited his account number.
Morrow then transferred 15 billion along with the final payment for the job.
"Done."
After the transfer was complete, Morrow put away his phone and said solemnly, "Kalluto."
"Hmm?" Kalluto was slightly taken aback and looked at Morrow curiously.
Morrow said earnestly, "Before June next year, I'll need your help to find someone. Of course, i'll pay."
"Alright," Kalluto agreed without even asking who it was.
Morrow smiled. "Then i'll be off."
After a pause, he added, "Some things should always be done within one's limits. Try not to overdo it."
"Hmph, don't bother seeing me out," Kalluto retorted, turning his back to Morrow.
Morrow chuckled, nodded at Tsubone, then strode out of the room.
After Morrow had been gone for a while, Kalluto suddenly threw off the covers and got out of bed. Under the surprised gazes of Tsubone and Amane, he ran to the window to watch Morrow leave.
Tsubone's expression softened slightly as she asked, "Kalluto, did you teach that young man Rhythm Echo?"
"What?"
Kalluto turned around, looking puzzled.
Tsubone paused, as if realizing something, and narrowed her eyes. "That young man knows Rhythm Echo."
"Huh?"
Kalluto froze.
During that day's battle, this young Zoldyck assassin had been completely suppressed and hadn't seen Morrow use Rhythm Echo.