Lancer's resolute answer, followed immediately by his exhausted demeanor, left Touka momentarily speechless. But perhaps this was for the best—it allowed her to quietly calm down and reorganize her emotions.
Even though he doesn't suspect anything yet, I should probably say something to distract him…
Just as Touka was about to speak, a shrill, old-fashioned ringtone abruptly interrupted. After a brief moment of surprise, Lancer quickly answered the call. He'd once been completely addicted to smartphones, incapable of living without them, but since coming to this world, he'd totally kicked that habit. After all, with how close he'd come to being a spawn-kill, not working hard meant certain death. Because of this, his phone now only had contacts from work colleagues—and at this hour, it could only mean a work emergency.
"Hello? Mado-san? Yeah, I'm outside. Pick me up? No, no need, I'll come right away."
No doubt it was work-related. Although Mado Kureo had offered to send someone to pick him up, Lancer immediately declined. Even if this place hadn't been exposed yet, it was best to minimize risk by having fewer people know about it.
"This is for the coffee and dessert."
Lancer slipped his coat back on, placed the exact change he'd prepared beforehand into Touka's hand, and quickly headed for the door. But right before stepping out, he suddenly paused and turned back briefly.
"I just got a notice from my superior—there's a dangerous Ghoul from another ward roaming the area tonight. When you go home, avoid walking through any isolated alleys."
After offering this brief advice, he hurried out without another glance. Outside, he immediately hailed a taxi and left toward the meeting point, leaving Touka staring blankly at the empty plates and cups in front of her.
Every time Lancer left Anteiku, he carefully reviewed everything he had said or done. After all, the last thing he wanted was to reveal that he already knew their true identities. His final warning to Touka was intended precisely to reinforce this impression—after all, a CCG Investigator would never knowingly caution one Ghoul against another.
Mentally congratulating himself for his cleverness, Lancer replayed the upcoming "plot" in his mind once more.
When he heard that the infamous "Binge-Eater" might appear in the 20th Ward, he knew that the gears of fate had finally begun turning. But more than excitement, he felt cautious anxiety.
Up until now, in more than a month of working, his opponents had mostly been ordinary, nameless Ghouls. But from the moment the "plot" began, countless S-, SS-, even SSS-rated monsters would start showing up.
For him, these were opportunities—but if he wasn't careful, he might easily be crushed beneath those merciless gears. Ever since narrowly surviving that initial spawn-kill and his first mission, he'd learned one crucial lesson:
Never underestimate Luck E—even the smallest oversight could mean Game Over.
As Lancer temporarily pushed these feelings aside, Touka silently cleared the table, staring vacantly through the window.
Why did that man hold such resolute views about "Ghouls," yet appeared completely drained afterward? He clearly didn't seem like someone who enjoyed killing, yet he'd exterminated so many Ghouls. And if that was truly the case, why had he gone out of his way to warn her before leaving?
Touka, who'd always considered herself worldly enough thanks to her efforts to blend into human society, found herself genuinely confused for the first time in a long while.
Just then, a gentle hand patted her shoulder softly.
"Kirishima, it's getting late. It doesn't seem like any more customers will come in today—you should head home first."
Looking at Yoshimura-san's slightly weary face, Touka hesitated briefly before deciding to voice her confusion to him.
Indeed, if there was something she couldn't figure out alone, it was best to seek guidance from someone more experienced in life.
After hearing Touka out, Yoshimura-san didn't immediately answer. Instead, he thoughtfully organized his words before gently offering his perspective.
"What he said… I can't entirely agree with, but most of it was indeed true."
Yoshimura's eyes slowly opened from their usual calm squint.
"For you, me, and everyone else here at Anteiku, his words undoubtedly invalidate our efforts. After all, since we came here, none of us have actively attacked humans. But so what? Ghouls who behave as we do are the minority. To humanity as a whole, 'Ghoul' simply means 'enemy.'"
His expression gradually grew serious, and his voice took on a solemn tone.
"What he said is true. No matter how hard we try, we cannot change the fundamental hostility between humans and Ghouls. As long as our kind continue feeding on humans, reconciliation will remain impossible."
"Kirishima, I know you have a close friend at school, and I'm glad you do. In fact, I encouraged you to form bonds with humans myself. But never forget your true identity. If our true selves are exposed, it will inevitably lead to disaster—for us, and for those humans around us."
By the end, Yoshimura's serious expression had turned complicated.
Although the original "plot" never explicitly revealed it, as a powerful yet peaceful Ghoul, Yoshimura himself once had human friends. Yet now, he stood completely alone, testament enough to how his own story had ended. It was precisely because of this bitter experience that he took every opportunity to caution Touka.
Yoshimura's words deepened Touka's already troubled mood. Thinking about her friend, about all her efforts recently, she suddenly felt overwhelmingly exhausted.
"Manager… is it possible for us… to coexist peacefully with humans?"
"Perhaps… The greatest divide between us and humans is 'food.' If one day we manage to overcome this difference, perhaps then we might truly coexist peacefully…"
Yoshimura's words offered Touka a faint glimmer of hope, yet many other things remained unsaid. Even if there came a day when Ghouls could survive entirely on "artificial food," they would still carry the stigma of having consumed humans in the past. They would forever remain "others," rejected by society. Even if such a food were invented tomorrow, it might take at least a century for the two races to truly live in harmony.
Unless… unless something were to happen that forced humans and Ghouls into cooperation…
But that was probably impossible, wasn't it?
Watching Touka regain a bit of her lost determination, Yoshimura allowed himself a faint, bittersweet smile—one hidden from anyone else's view.