"Associate Special Class Mado..."
For some reason, at that brief moment just now, Ihei Byakuya vaguely had the feeling that Associate Special Class Mado thought he was not living up to expectations.
Mado Akira not only did not respond, she directly turned around and left, leaving Ihei Byakuya alone here.
"At this point, why are you still saying such stupid things? If I really wanted to kill you, I would have done it long ago."
Ihei Byakuya said to Minami Uruka in a somewhat helpless tone.
From the very beginning, he had never intended to kill [Pumpkin Head]. Even that expressionless man Arima Kishou found it difficult to personally do such a thing.
"But I will hand you over to the CCG for handling. As for how the CCG intends to deal with you, that is no longer something I can interfere with."
Byakuya added this sentence.
This was equivalent to going through the proper procedure.
After all, the existence of [Pumpkin Head] could not be concealed. If he privately sheltered [Pumpkin Head], then he would be violating the CCG's Ghoul Countermeasures Law.
Although Ihei Byakuya did not plan to work for the CCG and the Washuu Clan forever, staying in the CCG for now was indeed an excellent choice for him to grow stronger as quickly as possible.
"All right... Before that, I still have one final regret that has not been fulfilled. Ihei-kun, can you agree to it?"
Minami Uruka said.
"Go ahead."
Byakuya's answer like this could be considered tacit approval of Minami Uruka's request.
"Tomorrow, I will wait for Ihei-kun under that cherry blossom tree..."
After leaving this sentence behind, Minami Uruka's figure also disappeared into the night.
"..."
Ihei Byakuya's expression showed slight astonishment.
Under that cherry blossom tree...
Could it be...
...
The next day.
Ihei Byakuya arrived as promised.
Under the cherry blossom tree at the school.
Minami Uruka seemed to have been waiting here for him for a long time.
When they met, Minami Uruka smiled faintly, and both of their reactions were very calm.
"Let's just sit here."
The two of them leaned against the cherry blossom tree and sat down.
"Ihei-kun, thank you..."
Minami Uruka naturally and skillfully leaned against Ihei Byakuya's shoulder. After all, it was not the first time she had done this.
"Thank me for what? I have been using you all along, and I even hurt you before."
Ihei Byakuya felt slightly puzzled.
"I know. But... Ihei-kun did not treat me as an anomaly. That is also a fact, isn't it?"
Minami Uruka said calmly, "I have long grown used to and become tired of fighting and killing. At least by Ihei-kun's side, I can show my true self without any concerns. Just that alone is already enough for me."
"..."
Ihei Byakuya was momentarily speechless.
"However... what I truly wanted to say to you today is actually... I.. Love you."
Minami Uruka said with a flushed face.
"I..."
Ihei Byakuya was about to respond when Minami Uruka pressed a finger against his lips.
She shook her head. "Being able to say this sentence to Ihei-kun is already enough for me. It is better not to respond to me..."
She did not want to hear Byakuya's reply, because whether it was acceptance or rejection, it would be a cruel thing for her.
Once she was locked into the infamous ghoul prison Cochlea, she might never come out for the rest of her life. That would be pain and torment for both sides.
If Byakuya intended to reject her, she wanted to hear it even less.
It would be better to let Byakuya keep his response hidden in his heart like this.
After that, neither of them spoke again.
Minami Uruka even peacefully fell asleep under the cherry blossom tree, resting on Byakuya's shoulder.
Until Ghoul Investigators sent by the CCG Headquarters barged into the school and took her away.
This time, Minami Uruka did not resist at all. She only turned back to look at Byakuya for a while longer, just to engrave the appearance of the one she loved into her heart.
...
Only a few days later, the judgment result regarding Minami Uruka came out.
Ihei Byakuya was directly summoned to the CCG Headquarters by Bureau Director Washuu Yoshitoki.
The CCG Headquarters was located in Ward 1. Ward 1 was also a place full of hidden dangers, with many dangerous ghouls.
Although that was what the original setting stated, in Byakuya's impression as a transmigrator, any ghoul with actual screen time did not seem to come from Ward 1.
Perhaps because the CCG Headquarters was established there, they had all been suppressed. Or perhaps the so-called dangerous ghouls referred precisely to the Washuu Clan, the mastermind behind the scenes.
"Byakuya, it is rare for you to come back. Sit wherever you like."
Washuu Yoshitoki invited the returning Ihei Byakuya to sit at the tea table in his office to have tea.
"Thank you, Bureau Director."
Ihei Byakuya spoke out of courtesy.
"What are you being polite for?"
Washuu Yoshitoki smiled. Then his expression became somewhat more serious. "The reason I called you back this time is mainly about that [Pumpkin Head] in Ward 13..."
"I have roughly understood the matter between you and [Pumpkin Head]. You have feelings for that young girl, correct?"
Washuu Yoshitoki asked very directly.
"..."
Ihei Byakuya was silent for a moment. He immediately guessed the intention behind Bureau Director Washuu asking him this.
His next reply might have a very important impact on Minami Uruka's judgment result.
"There is no need to be shy. You can have someone you like. We support that. Moreover, I think that young girl's aptitude is not bad either."
Washuu Yoshitoki said with a smile.
Because the Washuu Clan precisely needed the half-human branch families under them to continuously produce mixed-blood offspring, and half-humans precisely needed to mix blood with ghouls.
"If I answer yes, you plan to lessen her punishment?"
Ihei Byakuya asked directly.
"Lessen what? Just release her. After all, who made the rules of this world... you should know that very well."
Washuu Yoshitoki said calmly.
That is right. It was the Washuu Clan who made all of this.
In the original work, the Washuu Clan could make an exception for Arima Kishou and waive all punishment for the SS-rated one-eyed ghoul [Centipede] Kaneki Ken.
He even transformed and became CCG Investigator Sasaki Haise. That was more than just an exception.
So doing something like this now was nothing more than simple and normal.
After all, Ihei Byakuya's performance in this mission, consecutively slaying two A-rated ghouls and additionally capturing the A+ rated ghoul [Pumpkin Head] alive, had already exceeded the Washuu Clan's expectations of him. They had begun to value him even more.