Since Rikai couldn't drink outside the Garden like he could inside it, Byakuya took him to a nearby convenience store to buy some soft drinks.
"So you became a ghoul investigator at such a young age, Rikai."
Byakuya made casual conversation, already knowing everything.
"Mm... All of us from the Garden become investigators around my age."
Rikai nodded.
"The Garden, huh... Come to think of it, Arima-san is from there too, isn't he?"
"Yes. And Arima-san is the goal I'm striving toward. Though with my abilities, there's probably not much hope..."
Rikai spoke honestly.
He didn't just admire Arima—he saw him as a beacon of hope.
"Don't say such discouraging things before anything's been decided. Even if you can't match Arima-san's strength, you can still do the same things he does."
Byakuya didn't offer empty comfort—like telling Rikai he'd eventually catch up to Arima. That would've been unrealistic.
Kishou Arima represented the peak of what a half-human could achieve. Apart from Furuta, who had later transplanted Rize's kakuhou...
"Mm!"
Rikai nodded, feeling the words made sense.
[Ding! Host's relationship with Rikai Souzu has further improved. Reward: 10 Fusion Points!]
Byakuya noticed the system seemed to be triggering rewards more frequently now. This kind of minor interaction wouldn't have earned points before.
Afterward, they returned to the izakaya.
Byakuya, Suzuya, Koori Ui, and Shinohara drank and chatted while Rikai sipped his soft drink.
Given tomorrow's early start, they kept their drinking moderate.
Their tolerances were all fairly decent. Even Suzuya, drinking for the first time, only got slightly tipsy. The moment Shinohara noticed the flush on Suzuya's cheeks, he cut him off to ensure he'd be fine for work tomorrow.
...
By the time Byakuya returned home that night, he was still perfectly clearheaded.
He'd called Tsukiyama Shuu to meet him outside.
"Did something suddenly come up? How may I serve you, Amaha-sama?"
Tsukiyama's tone was gentlemanly and deeply respectful.
"There is one matter I need to discuss with you—regarding the Ghoul Restaurant."
Byakuya got straight to the point. "I've been assigned to the Ward 20 Branch, and my subordinate and I are specifically tasked with investigating 'the Gourmet'—which is you. Unfortunately, my subordinate has remarkably sharp instincts. She's already deduced your connection to the Ghoul Restaurant. Tomorrow, I'll be heading to Ward 7 with her to investigate."
He now had a certain level of trust in Tsukiyama—otherwise he wouldn't be sharing this information so openly.
It wasn't complete trust, but with his current strength, he didn't need to be overly cautious.
That said, avoiding premature conflict with the Washuu Clan was still preferable. It wasn't that he feared their power—he simply had more opportunities to farm Fusion Points while working within the CCG.
His ultimate goal remained the Eye of the Moon Plan. Before that plan was complete, obstacles like the Washuu Clan could be dealt with whenever convenient.
For now, accumulating Fusion Points was paramount. Climbing to Special Class within the CCG would maximize his gains.
His current interaction with Tsukiyama was the final test. He wanted to see how Tsukiyama would react to this information—what attitude he'd take, what actions he'd choose.
If Tsukiyama passed this test, Byakuya could confidently share information about the Akatsuki organization with him. For now, building Akatsuki required Tsukiyama, Matsumae, and Kanae.
"I see. Your subordinate sounds quite capable, Amaha-sama..."
Tsukiyama said, "I have an idea. Lean closer, if you would..."
He proceeded to share his plan with Byakuya in a hushed voice.
"Alright. We'll go with that for now. I'll contact you if anything else comes up."
Byakuya nodded slightly.
Afterward, Tsukiyama vanished into the shadows, and Byakuya headed home.
"Busy day at work? You're back so late."
It was already past ten o'clock. Rize approached as soon as Byakuya entered, sniffing him carefully.
"I smell Tsukiyama on you. What did you need him for?"
Byakuya summarized the day's events.
"So your new subordinate is a smart, intuition-sharp, pretty young woman?"
Rize zeroed in on only the details that interested her.
"Wait... I never said she was pretty..."
Byakuya felt a twinge of exasperation. "Anyway, I'm heading to Ward 7 tomorrow to investigate the Ghoul Restaurant. The plan I discussed with Tsukiyama is related to that. I'll probably be home late again tomorrow."
"Mm."
Rize nodded. "Kurona, Nashiro, and the two Tsukiyama servants are already asleep. Want something to eat? I could make it myself."
"I already ate earlier. I'm not hungry right now..."
Byakuya offered an apologetic smile.
"Is that so? Never mind, then."
Rize's expression remained neutral.
But a flicker of disappointment passed through her eyes.
"Though I am curious about your cooking. Tell you what—I'll probably be home late tomorrow too. I'll look forward to it then."
It wasn't just that he'd noticed her disappointment. He was genuinely curious what kind of meal Rize would prepare for him.
Hopefully not something from the dark side of cuisine...
"Hmph~ Then you'd better look forward to it."
Rize let out a small huff, her face brightening with unmistakable joy.
...
Get 20+ chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"