Time flew by, and two months passed in the blink of an eye.
Late that night, the fatigue after exercise had just begun to set in.
Amano Hiro held Rize in his arms. As sleepiness gradually deepened, the phone screen beside the pillow lit up silently.
It was a message from Eto.
[Hiro, the launch begins tomorrow]
In the darkness, a smile appeared at the corner of Amano Hiro's lips. His fingers quickly tapped on the screen.
[Okay]
Early the next morning, before the sky had fully brightened, Amano Hiro quietly woke up.
He gently withdrew the arm wrapped around Rize's waist and sat up to begin dressing.
The faint rustling of fabric sounded especially clear in the quiet bedroom.
"Mm." Rize beside him was awakened by the small movement and turned over with sleepy eyes. "Hiro, are you going out?"
Amano Hiro leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead, his voice gentle. "Sleep a little longer. I'm going out for a while."
Rize nodded drowsily and curled deeper into the blanket. "Mm. Be careful on the way."
The venue of Takatsuki Sen's new book launch was packed with people.
Broadcast vans from major media outlets had already surrounded the entrance so tightly that not even water could pass through.
Cameras like long guns and short cannons were all aimed neatly at the carefully arranged stage in front.
Reporters rubbed their hands together and repeatedly checked their prepared questions. The moment the launch ended, they intended to seize exclusive interviews as quickly as possible.
At exactly nine in the morning, the venue suddenly fell silent for a moment. The main character finally appeared.
Takatsuki Sen, Eto, had completely changed her usual lazy image.
She tied her long hair neatly into a ponytail and wore a well tailored professional suit.
Black stockings wrapped around her slender legs, and a pair of black high heels added a mature and capable aura.
Her steps were calm as she walked straight toward the stage.
As a top tier writer famous across the entire country, the online livestream of this launch had already attracted countless viewers.
The moment she appeared, dense flashes erupted like a rainstorm, nearly drowning her figure in blazing white light.
Eto stopped before the microphone and calmly swept her gaze across the dense crowd and cameras below the stage.
"Hello everyone. I am Takatsuki Sen."
Her voice spread clearly across the entire venue through the speakers. "Thank you all for coming to my new book launch. Today, besides my new book, there is an even more important matter I must tell everyone."
She paused. The hall was silent enough to hear a pin drop.
"In truth.. I am a ghoul."
At the moment the words fell, she gently lifted her face. One crimson kakugan suddenly lit up under the gaze of everyone present.
Its eerie glow even overshadowed the flashing cameras.
The entire venue exploded into chaos.
The media section instantly erupted. Gasps, discussions, and the scraping of chairs collided into a single uproar.
The public watching through online broadcasts were equally stunned.
Crowds gathered in front of giant street screens burst into incredulous noise.
However, the expected panic did not spread. After the initial shock passed,
most people's first reaction was not fear but intense curiosity and confusion.
Why?
Why would this beloved and famous author choose to reveal her identity as a ghoul at the peak of her career?
Everyone, including the members of Aogiri Tree watching the screen, the people at the coffee shop, Arima Kishou,
and even investigators who suddenly stood up inside CCG headquarters, were waiting for her next words.
Eto seemed completely unaware of the disturbance below the stage and continued speaking clearly.
"The world I hope for is one that is kinder to both ghouls and humans.
A world where both ghouls and humans can live and survive normally."
She raised the new book in her hand, The One Eyed King. The cover reflected faint light under the stage lamps.
"This work was written for those like me, those lonely kin who were mistakenly born into this world and can only greedily crave flesh and blood. I sincerely hope this work will move humans. And also touch my fellow ghouls."
After finishing this carefully prepared speech, she bowed deeply toward the entire venue.
Then she turned decisively and walked toward the backstage area.
"Please wait. Takatsuki Sen-sensei."
"What exactly is going on?"
"Sensei, please answer our questions."
"Do you really believe humans and ghouls can coexist?"
"Sensei, please talk about your ideals."
The reporters finally recovered from their shock and surged forward like a tide, breaking past the barrier line and thrusting microphones ahead desperately.
At this moment, almost none of them showed fear toward a ghoul. Only near madness curiosity about the truth and her ideals remained.
The curtain at the backstage entrance fell, separating Eto from the outside world.
But her voice, her kakugan, and her declaration had already spread throughout all of Tokyo through the live broadcast signal.
Eto walked quickly into the backstage area. The moment she looked up, she saw Amano Hiro leaning leisurely against the wall as if he had already been waiting there.
"Hiro." She walked over with a relaxed smile after completing an important task. "The speech was okay, right?"
Amano Hiro smiled and nodded, approval in his eyes. "Very good. The first step of the plan was executed beautifully."
He paused, his tone shifting into calm instruction. "Next, it is time for the second step."
Eto tilted her head and revealed a sly smile of understanding. "Alright. Then I will have to suffer for a few days."
"Don't worry." Amano Hiro patted her shoulder, his tone carrying teasing and promise between comrades.
"The organization will not forget your contribution of going to jail for the club."
At that moment, hurried and dense footsteps came from the direction of the backstage entrance. The CCG investigators had reacted quickly and already arrived.
Amano Hiro listened for a moment and turned to Eto. "They are here. I will leave first."
Before leaving, he lowered his voice to remind her, "Do not forget the thing I gave you. If nothing happens after three days, come out."
Eto nodded firmly, her expression serious. "Mm. Got it."
Amano Hiro's figure blended into the shadows and quietly disappeared through another passage on the other side of the backstage area.
Almost at the same time, the curtain was violently pulled open. Several fully armed investigators rushed in with guns drawn.
Blinding beams of flashlight instantly locked onto Eto, who stood calmly in place.
The CCG investigators did not yet know that the elegant female writer before them was the One Eyed Owl who made them tremble in fear.
Therefore, the force sent was not elite Special Class investigators, but only a First Class Investigator leading several team members to execute the arrest.
The leading investigator stepped forward and declared formally. "Takatsuki Sen, you are now under arrest on suspicion of being a ghoul."
The handcuffs reflected cold light under the lamps. Several team members tensed their bodies, ready to respond to possible resistance at any moment.
However, Eto only smiled faintly.
There was no panic in that smile, nor any provocation. Instead, it carried an almost calm composure.
She elegantly extended her hands forward, wrists together, cooperating as if she were merely trying on a piece of jewelry.
"Please go ahead."
The mission went unusually smoothly, but an order was an order.
With a metallic click, the cuffs locked onto the hands that had signed countless bestselling works.