Another "prodigy," huh...
Hearing that word, Takizawa's expression twitched slightly.
He'd been quite accomplished during his Academy days, but bad luck had placed him in the same year as Akira Mado.
The result? He'd become the perpetual runner-up, staying in second place right through graduation.
Akira had graduated top of her class; Takizawa had been second.
That history had left some psychological scars.
But while he might feel competitive about Akira, he wouldn't dare challenge a Squad Zero member like Hairu, especially one from the Garden.
Takizawa didn't know much about the place called the "Garden," but he'd heard rumors. It was supposedly a mysterious facility that trained elite prodigies for CCG. Every young man and woman who emerged from there could skip the Academy's basic training entirely. Kishou Arima himself had come from there.
"Come to think of it, didn't Amaha-san also join Squad Zero? No wonder he'd be partnered with Ihei-san."
Takizawa mused.
"That makes sense, though I seem to remember Amaha-san's subordinate was supposed to be someone else..."
Houji still couldn't recall who it was.
"Maybe you're misremembering, Houji-san?"
"Mm... could be I'm just getting old."
...
Intelligence on Grey Straw was still being gathered.
The Grey Straw member that Byakuya and Hairu had captured was still being transferred to Cochlea. He should arrive soon, but between processing and interrogation, results would take about two more days.
Of course, Byakuya and Hairu weren't idle during this time—they were conducting their own Grey Straw investigation.
After their last experience, Byakuya now made sure to remind Hairu to bring her Quinque whenever they went out on duty.
"I wouldn't forget something like that. You're overthinking it, Amaha-senpai."
Hairu waved her Quinque briefcase.
"True. Your real problem last time was being too impulsive. We're lucky we didn't run into any strong ghouls, or things could have gotten dangerous."
Byakuya continued his cautioning.
Not that Hairu would take it to heart so easily.
"Put your Quinque in my bag for now. I'll hand it to you if we need it."
Byakuya had already stowed his own Quinque in his backpack.
"Mm."
Hairu obediently handed her briefcase over. Then something seemed to occur to her. "By the way, Amaha-senpai, are you still a student?"
"More or less. I'm only on temporary leave—I can go back anytime."
Byakuya said.
Being a First Class Investigator now, Kamii University gave him plenty of leeway. His CCG work took priority.
"That sounds nice. I've never been to school... I wonder what it's like..."
Hairu sighed wistfully.
As a half-human raised in the Sunlit Garden, all she'd ever known was combat training.
"You could try applying to headquarters. Balancing school with CCG work isn't bad, actually."
Byakuya suggested.
Of course, he was just making conversation.
Half-humans from the Sunlit Garden were bound to the Washuu's will with little freedom of their own.
Nimura Furuta was the one exception. Somehow, despite being a V Organization logistics operative, he'd managed to attend Kamii University for four years before joining CCG.
Perhaps his father, Tsuneyoshi Washuu, had shown him some favoritism as an unacknowledged illegitimate son. Tsuneyoshi had been quite fond of Furuta during his childhood, often reading books with him in private. But due to Washuu "tradition," father and son couldn't acknowledge each other in front of other clan members.
So it wasn't surprising that Tsuneyoshi would grant Furuta some privileges.
From another perspective, it showed that even Tsuneyoshi Washuu—the Washuu patriarch himself—was constrained by clan "tradition." Both Furuta and Rize Kamishiro deeply resented these fundamentally unfair Washuu "traditions."
"I could try, but they probably won't approve."
Hairu said it lightly, knowing it was hopeless.
"..."
Byakuya kept his thoughts to himself. He'd be overthrowing Washuu control sooner or later anyway. When that happened, these half-human children from the Sunlit Garden would finally be free.
They patrolled Ward 21's streets, searching for any leads on Grey Straw.
Both wore Squad Zero's distinctive white combat uniforms, though this wouldn't alert Ward 21's ghouls—as long as they kept their Quinques out of sight.
Since almost no ghoul who'd encountered Squad Zero had survived, the local ghouls wouldn't recognize the uniform's significance.
Aside from that time Byakuya had defeated and then allied with Eto, Kishou Arima had never failed a mission—especially not when the Washuu wanted someone "cleaned."
"Amaha-senpai, after work today, could you take me back to that shop from before?"
During their patrol, Hairu brought up post-work desserts.
"Sure..."
Byakuya replied with mild exasperation.
At least Hairu wasn't trying to run off and buy sweets right now. She understood that came after work.
Just then, Hairu stopped walking.
She turned to look at a shipping container nearby. "There's... a strange smell coming from in there..."
"Yeah, something rotting. Let's check it out."
Byakuya had noticed it too—the stench of decomposing human remains.
They approached the container, only to find it locked from inside.
"No choice then~ Amaha-senpai, mind passing me my Quinque?"
Hairu was ready to force it open.
"Mm."
Byakuya retrieved her Quinque from his bag and handed it over.
Hairu triggered the biometric release immediately, and the briefcase transformed into a longsword-shaped Quinque.
The S+-rated Rinkaku Quinque: Aus.
...
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