Sushi, fried chicken, yakitori skewers, oden...
Although the portions of each item weren't large, it was indeed quite a rich supper.
Hayashi Yoshiki and Eri Kisaki each opened a bottle of beer.
"How are you feeling today, Yoshiki?"
"I'm very happy, Auntie Eri."
"That's wonderful then."
Hearing this, Eri Kisaki seemed somewhat relieved. She looked into Hayashi Yoshiki's eyes, resting her elbow on the table and supporting her cheek with one hand, while picking up her beer glass with the other.
"Cheers."
She smiled, her eyes crinkling.
"Cheers."
The two glass cups clinked together, white foam swaying with the liquid.
Eri Kisaki picked up an oden skewer and tasted it.
She seemed to be in a particularly good mood, probably feeling that something she hadn't eaten in a long time was still delicious.
Hayashi Yoshiki also savored it.
"The fried chicken from this place is always delicious, it just got a little soft from sitting out too long."
"Yes, but it's still very tasty."
"Auntie Eri, have you encountered any difficult cases recently?"
"Nothing difficult, but I've had a lot of urgent requests lately. To focus on them, I had to turn down several subsequent consultations."
"Being a lawyer is tough."
"It is, but if you put it that way, Yoshiki, you're the same. You were cooped up in your room creating for a while, it must have been tiring too..."
Eri Kisaki said this, holding her beer glass, her bright eyes smiling: "You should get some good rest after your new work is released. Don't you consider going somewhere to have fun?"
"Hmm, I will rest for a while, but as for where to go and play..."
Hayashi Yoshiki hadn't really thought about it.
Saying he was cooped up in his room creating was actually giving himself too much credit... He merely adapted The Kindaichi Case Files into novels, but plagiarism is plagiarism. In his heart, he neither felt smug nor feigned guilt.
For him, writing mystery novels was merely a convenient means to an end.
Hayashi Yoshiki's contemplation made Eri Kisaki a little concerned.
Her voice unconsciously softened further:
"Don't just stay at home all the time. Occasionally, you should make more friends and go out to have fun."
"I have that thought."
"Right? Yoshiki, you must have been approached by many girls outside. As long as they're good girls, Auntie fully supports it, you know."
"...Unfortunately, I haven't met anyone who catches my eye yet."
"As expected, handsome guys have high standards."
"..."
Hayashi Yoshiki was speechless.
Eri Kisaki rarely made such playful remarks.
She was always very serious and somewhat unapproachable in front of others, but she was very gentle with Hayashi Yoshiki...
The reason, surely, was because of Hayashi Yoshiki's deceased parents in this world—from what Hayashi Yoshiki understood, his mother and Auntie Eri were very close cousins.
Eri Kisaki poured beer into her glass again.
The two chatted about trivial matters, and the atmosphere between Auntie and nephew was intimate. Then Hayashi Yoshiki suddenly asked:
"By the way, Auntie Eri, do you know about invisible ink?"
"Invisible ink?"
Eri Kisaki was first stunned, then pondered, "Are you talking about that special ink that leaves no trace when writing, and only becomes visible under a UV light?"
"Yes, where can I buy this ink?"
"A regular stationery store should have it. I remember it was quite popular among elementary school students for a while."
"Okay."
"Why are you suddenly asking about this? Is it a setting you'll use in your next new work?"
Eri Kisaki said with a laugh, then added: "There also seem to be some inks made from chemicals; I'm not too clear about that. If you need it, I can help you ask around. But if you're not picky about the usage conditions, you can actually use milk too."
"I know about milk."
Hayashi Yoshiki also said with a smile: "Using the property of protein denaturation at high temperatures, writing with milk and then holding the paper over a lighter will make the writing visible."
"Exactly. So if you just need high temperature to reveal the writing, many materials can work."
"I'll try them all."
Hayashi Yoshiki nodded in agreement.
It was already a little past eleven after finishing supper tonight. It was getting late, so Hayashi Yoshiki got up to help Eri Kisaki clean up.
"Alright, that's enough. Yoshiki, you should also get some rest early," Eri Kisaki saw Hayashi Yoshiki to the door.
"Hmm, I should get a good night's sleep tonight."
"That's right, see you tomorrow."
"Good night, Auntie Eri."
"Good night."
Under Eri Kisaki's gaze, Hayashi Yoshiki returned to his rented apartment across the hall.
Although he had some alcohol tonight, it didn't affect him much.
After closing and locking the door, Hayashi Yoshiki's heart was peaceful.
Auntie Eri was indeed a very charming woman...
He thought, taking a carton of milk from the refrigerator and returning to his bedroom.
—It was time to start a new experiment.
The invisible ink he just asked about was an idea he had long had.
According to the rules of the Death Note, any tool that can leave text on the notebook will work, such as cosmetics or blood.
But for the notebook to take effect, the writing must be clear and distinct.
Words written with invisible ink are typically invisible, so they cannot trigger the Death Note's effect according to its rules... But if the hidden writing becomes clear through high-temperature baking, would the Death Note's effect be triggered? This was a situation well worth testing.
Hayashi Yoshiki sat at his computer desk, tore a page from the black notebook, and picked up a pen without hesitation.
He wrote the target's name—
Killing someone with the Death Note caused no more ripple in his heart than grinding mustard seeds would.
Hayashi Yoshiki was not Light Yagami.
He didn't want to be Kira, nor was he interested in becoming the god of a new world.
He just wanted to do as he pleased.
—To get everything he wanted, to eliminate everything he found an eyesore, a stable but interesting and free life, that was the direction he wanted to go.
"Those who are confident in controlling their own lives can even dominate the lives of others."
His handsome face was calm and serene.
The aura emanating from him at this moment was a death-like stillness.