"So that's how it is."
The saleswoman immediately smiled and apologized to Yoshimura Eto. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't think it through well enough. I'll take you to the fitting room."
The saleswoman then led Yoshimura Eto to the fitting room.
Ihei Byakuya waited where he was.
After quite a while, Yoshimura Eto finally finished changing into the full set of new clothes.
There was a mirror outside the fitting room, and Eto admired her reflection in the mirror.
She slowly turned around once in front of the mirror, and it seemed she was quite satisfied with how she looked in the new outfit.
"Let your family take a look too. That person over there should be your older brother, right?"
At that moment, the saleswoman spoke to Yoshimura Eto.
Family...
Hearing that, Yoshimura Eto fell silent for a moment.
"Yes."
But she still nodded and admitted it.
After all, given the identity she was pretending to play right now, she was supposed to call him "Byakuya-oniichan."
Then, under the saleswoman's gentle push, Yoshimura Eto came to stand before Ihei Byakuya.
"Byakuya... how do you feel about it?"
Yoshimura Eto's hands were slightly, unnaturally pinching the sides of her coat, as if she were a little embarrassed.
Although having this half-human brat staring directly at her did make her a little uncomfortable, most of the shyness she showed was intentional for Byakuya to see.
"Looks good, but it seems you prefer this mature and elegant style of clothing."
Ihei Byakuya commented.
In his memory, ever since the 14-year-old Yoshimura Eto first entered human society, and even many years afterward, she always preferred mature and elegant fashion styles.
And now, at only 12 years old, Yoshimura Eto already had that taste.
Of course, all of this applied only to Yoshimura Eto's human-facing side.
If it were her during the Aogiri Tree period, her entire body would be wrapped in white bandages. That was her appearance as an Aogiri Tree officer, and also her ghoul side...
"I just don't like those little kid clothes."
Yoshimura Eto explained.
It was one of her rare truthful statements.
"You say it like you're not a little kid yourself."
Ihei Byakuya immediately teased.
"..."
Yoshimura Eto almost wanted to say don't lump me together with those little brats, but she calmed down instantly.
She must not talk too much. The more she spoke, the easier it would be to expose herself.
"Then we'll take this set. After that, pick another one."
Ihei Byakuya said.
Yoshimura Eto nodded and went to choose clothing again.
There were very few girls who could resist pretty new clothes they liked, and Yoshimura Eto was no exception.
...
During checkout, the saleswoman's face was blooming with smiles.
Yoshimura Eto also wore a happy smile.
Only Ihei Byakuya's wallet became a little thinner again.
But he did not feel distressed about it. Money could always be earned again, and the salary of a third-class Investigator was already more than enough for him.
"These two sets of clothes seem expensive?"
When leaving the clothing store, Yoshimura Eto held shopping bags with her new clothes in both hands.
Despite her petite figure and slender arms, as a half-ghoul her physical strength was frighteningly strong.
However, since Ihei Byakuya needed to pretend he didn't know Eto's real identity, he still had to act the part.
He took everything Eto was holding with one hand and said, "They're indeed not cheap, but there's no need to worry about the cost of necessities like these."
Money...
Thinking of this, Yoshimura Eto felt that in human society one really needed money to survive.
If she had no money, she would not even be able to afford food. But how to earn money was a huge problem for her.
Could it be that she had to rely on this half-human brat from now on...?
Although Yoshimura Eto had intended to make use of Ihei Byakuya from the beginning, she had never wanted to treat him as a "money dispenser." Her core goal in using Byakuya was the Washuu Clan...
So she still wanted to be self-reliant. She just didn't know how yet.
"Byakuya, can I earn money too?"
At the moment, the only person she could ask was Byakuya.
"You want to work to earn money? But at your age, there is no place willing to hire you."
Ihei Byakuya replied, "Even students close to adulthood face a lot of restrictions when working. You're only 12 years old..."
"Then is there any job that doesn't have age restrictions? Besides, aren't you only 16? Why do you have so much money?"
Yoshimura Eto asked next.
"Because I'm a Ghoul Investigator. I get paid a salary, and dangerous jobs like this offer even higher pay."
Ihei Byakuya explained.
"As for jobs without age restrictions..."
Byakuya had only spoken halfway when Yoshimura Eto cut him off.
"Isn't that the CCG Investigator job you mentioned?"
"That's true, but actually, the CCG usually has age limits too. I'm more like a special exception..."
Ihei Byakuya naturally could not casually reveal the secret of the Sunlit Garden.
Even though Yoshimura Eto knew of the Sunlit Garden's existence, Byakuya had to treat Eto as if she were a normal human girl.
"Then how can I join the CCG?"
Yoshimura Eto pressed further.
As they discussed this topic, she suddenly realized that if she truly joined the CCG, it might be a surprisingly good option.
Because in that case, she could carry out her revenge plan against the Washuu Clan even better...
At this moment, Yoshimura Eto had not yet realized that her life had reached a turning point.
"...?"
As a transmigrator, Ihei Byakuya perceived this instantly.
The reason future Yoshimura Eto created Aogiri Tree was because she experienced a failure at age 14.
At the time, she could already perform Kakuja transformation and possessed SSS-rated strength, but she was still far weaker than her future self during the One-Eyed Owl Suppression Operation.
At 14, she repeatedly attacked CCG branches and even killed Special Class Investigator Urie Mikoto. But during one attack on a CCG branch, she was severely injured by Kuroiwa Iwao, who was still a First Class Investigator then.
Her Kakuhou suffered a fatal wound.
After that, feeling she was far too powerless alone, Yoshimura Eto created the ghoul organization Aogiri Tree.
But now, perhaps because of Ihei Byakuya's influence, Yoshimura Eto's life had shifted.
Just to earn money, she had actually developed the idea of joining the CCG...
Ihei Byakuya was both surprised and felt it was within reason, because doing so would indeed allow Yoshimura Eto to infiltrate the CCG and still carry out her revenge against the Washuu Clan...