บท 42: Chapter 63&64
Chapter 63: The Crisis Approaches
In a deserted alleyway, Eye Patch Kurumi's shadowy figure slowly emerged from the shadows cast by the nearby wall.
Seeing Kurumi leaning against the wall, waiting for her return, Eye Patch Kurumi wiped imaginary sweat from her brow, looking thoroughly exhausted as she reported, "Plan A failed.
I couldn't force him to officially recruit me into the Special Abilities Department, so I had to proceed with Plan B."
"Did it work?"
"Of course it did." Eye Patch Kurumi gave a smug smile, giving a thumbs-up. "Now, I'm a nominal member of the Special Abilities Department…though I have no actual authority."
"That's alright, as long as you managed to get in."
Kurumi sighed with relief, a burden lifted from her shoulders, and a smile broke across her face. "With this, we're one step closer to completing Side Mission One. I honestly didn't expect you to finish your mission before Bandage Kurumi."
They had gone through all this planning and spent so much time summoning doppelgängers; now that Eye Patch Kurumi had successfully joined the Special Abilities Department, they were one-third of the way to completing Side Mission One.
The next phase would involve focusing on the Armed Detective Agency and helping Bandage Kurumi, who was undercover within it, gain Dazai and his companions' trust to complete the mission.
As for Side Mission Two, which required defeating Guild members, that was still unachievable, as the Guild had yet to appear.
For Side Mission Three, concealing her identity as a visitor from another world, Kurumi couldn't guarantee success.
After all, the Armed Detective Agency housed a monster-level detective and someone practically holding the "script" in his hands.
For now, she could only maintain her mysterious identity.
"But even though Sakaguchi acknowledged me as a nominal member of the Special Abilities Department, he probably doesn't truly see me as one," Eye Patch Kurumi said with a hint of worry. "If the system interprets this as playing semantics, we might not get mission credit."
"Probably…no problem," Kurumi replied, uncertain. "The system didn't issue any warnings, so it should mean our actions are valid."
"I hope so."
Joining the Special Abilities Department could be interpreted in two ways.
The first was straightforward: becoming a genuine member, tasked with assignments from above.
The second was what Kurumi had attempted a verbal agreement that the department's head recognized her as part of the organization, albeit without authority and without committing to its duties.
When they decided on the latter approach, Eye Patch Kurumi hadn't been entirely confident. But with someone as stubborn as Sakaguchi, sneaking in through unofficial channels seemed impossible. Whether it counted as success would only be clear upon mission evaluation.
"Alright, let's give Koyo a call and update her."
With that, Kurumi took out her phone.
Koyo had played a significant role in luring Sakaguchi out. Without her help, Kurumi couldn't have tracked him down.
Now that her plan had succeeded and delivered satisfactory results, it was only fair to inform her.
The call connected.
"Hello, Miss Tokisaki."
However, the voice on the other end was not who Kurumi expected. The calm, steady voice was one she recognized well. Her expression grew colder, and the smile faded from her face.
It was Ogai Mori.
Why was he the one answering the phone? Had Koyo's involvement with her somehow crossed Mori's line?
Originally, the plan to lure out Sakaguchi was a reward Mori had intended for Kurumi once she secured Atsushi Nakajima. But after Kurumi's discussion with Koyo, Koyo had chosen to conceal her actions from Mori for the sake of Kyouka Izumi's future, allowing Kurumi's plan to proceed ahead of schedule. If this had come to Mori's attention, even Koyo, a high-ranking member, might not escape punishment.
And now, with Mori present where Koyo was, it was clear he knew everything. By intercepting the call, he indicated he had already restricted her.
So, what was Koyo's current status?
She likely wouldn't face death. With the Port Mafia already short-staffed, especially after Dazai's departure, losing another senior member would worsen the manpower shortage. And while Koyo's transgression didn't warrant execution, some form of penalty was inevitable.
Kurumi wasn't fully aware of the organization's rules, so she couldn't gauge Koyo's exact predicament. Nor could she discern Mori's stance on herself. If he intended to burn bridges with her over this, she would need to prepare a backup plan.
"Mr. Mori…"
Though her gaze was cold, Kurumi's voice remained elegant and smooth. "I should have reached Miss Koyo's line, so why is it you answering the call?"
"Koyo is currently unavailable, so I must take her place."
"Oh? But just a few minutes ago, I was speaking with her. Why the sudden unavailability?"
"She misunderstood my instructions during an assignment, resulting in significant consequences," Mori said calmly. "However, I would not abandon an old comrade over such an incident. Rest assured of that."
Kurumi chuckled dryly.
"But Miss Tokisaki, your capabilities have truly exceeded my expectations. Who would have thought that after such a short time with us, you would have bonded with one of our most seasoned officers?"
"Shouldn't women help each other out?"
"But going against the rules remains inadvisable. Don't you agree?"
Despite everything going so smoothly, Mori's sudden maneuver left Kurumi feeling uneasy. However, judging from his tone, it didn't seem as though he intended to break ties with her. If that was the case, she could keep up the act a bit longer.
"Well then, what do you plan to do, Mr. Mori?"
"If possible, I'd like you to come to my office soon."
Before hanging up, Mori left her with one last sentence.
"We need to clarify a few things that have been…ambiguous until now."
Chapter 64: Ogai Mori's Reasoning
After hanging up the phone, Ogai Mori sighed deeply, picking up his half-filled glass of red wine and drinking most of it in one go, showing an unusual lack of restraint.
It seemed he was using the drink to relieve both the irritation in his mind and the ache in his head.
This head of Yokohama's largest underworld organization was drinking during daylight.
"Is Miss Tokisaki truly causing you so much trouble, Ogai-sama?"
Sitting next to Mori was Koyo Ozaki, dressed in a light cherry blossom-colored kimono adorned with elegant hair ornaments.
She swirled her glass, savoring the deep, bitter aroma of the wine.
Her demeanor was utterly calm, as if she was unconcerned about her own predicament.
"You know her abilities, don't you?" Without turning, Mori replied, his tone laced with caution. "She's the kind of genuine monster no one can afford to overlook."
"Yet we already have one monster in our organization, don't we?"
"True. But in my opinion, compared to Miss Tokisaki, Chuuya is almost harmless."
Mori's slender fingers tapped against his wine glass, producing a crisp sound, though his eyes remained dark and contemplative. "In some ways, Miss Tokisaki is an even more dangerous monster than Chuuya a presence I would rather not provoke."
Koyo Ozaki was silent for a moment, then sighed, seemingly troubled. "This time, it was my own lapse in judgment. I acted impulsively and helped her achieve her goal."
"Heh, I'm rather curious as to what she promised you to make someone as rational as you act out of emotion."
"It's… about that child."
"That child? If I recall correctly, her name is Kyoka Izumi?"
Mori thought for a moment, then nodded as he recalled the girl's background. "The girl whose parents were both killed by a rampaging ability, later discovered in Yokohama by Akutagawa… I see, so you see a bit of your past self in her."
"Precisely."
"Come to think of it, that child was someone I placed under Miss Tokisaki, hoping she might serve as a spy," Mori mused with a chuckle.
"But who would've guessed that not only would Kyoka Izumi be won over by Miss Tokisaki, but you, too, would be swayed, becoming a tool for her own ambitions. How unpredictable life can be."
"This isn't your fault, Ogai-sama. It was my decision alone," Koyo replied apologetically. "I acted on my own, which caused an oversight in your plan."
"No, no. In fact, I should thank you. Without your unauthorized actions, I wouldn't have had the chance to glimpse a piece of Miss Tokisaki's scheme."
Koyo Ozaki looked at Mori, unsure if he was being sincere. His tone, however, was devoid of sarcasm, so she asked, "Why do you say that?"
"At first, Miss Tokisaki requested that we lure Ango Sakaguchi out for her. As payment, I asked her to bring Atsushi Nakajima from the Armed Detective Agency to fulfill the Guild's bounty."
"For Miss Tokisaki, that should be a simple task. However, despite the time that's passed, she has yet to act. Instead, she partnered with you to achieve her aim without fulfilling her side of the bargain.
"So the question is, why is she reluctant to capture Atsushi Nakajima?"
Koyo Ozaki pondered this, frowning. Indeed, for someone with Tokisaki's abilities, capturing a single person would be trivial.
Even a skilled operative like herself, trained in infiltration and assassination, would struggle to escape Tokisaki if she were the target, and Atsushi Nakajima, who hadn't even fully mastered his ability, would stand no chance.
"Considering that this task should be effortless for her, why would she avoid completing it?"
Ozaki mulled over the question, then cautiously shared her speculation. "Could it be that she wants the Port Mafia and the Guild to come into conflict so she can benefit?"
"Would the Guild actually retaliate if we failed to complete the mission?" Mori questioned.
"Well… I suppose not," Koyo admitted, "At most, they'd be disappointed with us."
"With that disappointment, the Guild would likely come to Yokohama themselves to capture Atsushi Nakajima," Mori said, a sly smile forming as he felt he was on the verge of unearthing Tokisaki's plan.
"Your meaning is that Miss Tokisaki has delayed the task to draw the Guild to Yokohama?" Ozaki realized, her eyes lighting up in understanding.
"This is merely a hypothesis," Mori admitted.
"Ogai-sama isn't certain?"
"I'm not a detective; I can't be one hundred percent confident in my deductions," Mori chuckled, finishing his wine. "Still, if my theory is correct, it'll be proven soon enough."
"Is this the reason you intend to meet with Miss Tokisaki? If you confront her too directly, it might provoke her."
"Koyo, we may not seek out trouble, but we don't fear it either," Mori said calmly. "Perhaps you've been so absorbed in playing the role of mother recently that you've forgotten why you serve this organization.
Shall I remind you that we are the Port Mafia, an organization notorious for its violence?"
Koyo Ozaki stiffened. Mori's words rang true; in her concern for Kyoka, her thinking had indeed shifted. A year ago, she wouldn't have been as cautious.
"Well… your concern isn't entirely unwarranted. I'll overlook this slip of the tongue," Mori continued with a slight glance her way. "Just as you suspect, I don't intend to antagonize her. But neither do I plan to be anyone's puppet. If Miss Tokisaki wishes to disregard the rules and turn the tables, we'll not be intimidated."
"I understand."
"Based on the time, I expect Miss Tokisaki will arrive soon."
Mori glanced at his expensive watch and instructed, "Koyo, you may leave now. On your way out, ask Chuuya to come in."
"Chuuya?"
"I must ensure my own safety, after all. I'm merely a doctor," Mori said with a slight shrug, feigning innocence.
"Only a monster can stand against another monster, don't you agree?"
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