Chapter 10
Because he didn't want to end up like the protagonist and become a Ghoul.
He wasn't sure if he would die from that kind of surgery; the organ rejection was an obstacle that was hard to get around.
At the same time, he felt that knowing the plot was useless; after all, the anime or manga only presented one side of the story.
But his situation was reality.
The uncertainty of reality was truly exaggerated.
There are 24 wards in Japan, and the plot only unfolded in a few of them; the darkness in other places wasn't shown in the anime.
Besides, according to the episodes he watched, the mastermind behind Kamishiro Rize being crushed and the protagonist becoming a Ghoul was no small fry.
And that doctor who performed the surgery.
"Why are you being so moody?" Takatsuki Sen, sitting beside him, asked curiously. "Are you angry about what just happened?"
Just now, Minato had gotten into an argument with several manufacturers over the distribution of profits.
If it hadn't been for Takatsuki Sen holding him back, she highly suspected that Minato might have picked up his shoe and slapped those guys in the face with it.
Minato shook his head and said, "No, the argument just now was just the standard procedure."
Basically, every time Takatsuki Sen published a book, Minato would argue with the partners for a while.
On the surface, they would argue until they were red in the face.
But in private, both sides would set a time and place to meet, smiling and renegotiating.
Then they would reach a balance point that both sides could accept.
"Standard procedure..."
Takatsuki Sen felt awkward.
She recalled Minato's experiences in the past, where he would have a huge fight with the partners and then proceed to cooperate like brothers.
The speed of the change surprised her greatly.
Apparently, this was the same routine.
But she didn't know how to comment on this "standard procedure."
"Then what are you thinking about?"
"The issue with the 20th Ward."
Minato pointed to a large section of the promotional plan for the 20th Ward on the form.
For a long time in the future, he would have to stay in the 20th Ward to cooperate with those guys on promotions.
"The 20th Ward?" Takatsuki Sen looked at the locations for the various events and said, "It seems many of the investors this time are from the 20th Ward. What's wrong? Is there a problem?"
"It's hard to say."
Minato glanced at Takatsuki Sen and sighed.
He didn't want Takatsuki Sen to go to the 20th Ward; it would become very chaotic there later.
But he didn't want to leave Takatsuki Sen here either, because without him by her side, her safety couldn't be guaranteed.
"The economy, education, and cultural standards there are quite good," Takatsuki Sen said, puzzled. She thought Minato was worried about the sales of her new book. "It seems I have quite a few readers there, too."
There are many prestigious schools in the 20th Ward, and Takatsuki Sen, the award-winning genius girl writer, is very popular among students.
She also frequently receives letters from readers there.
"It's not about the sales," Minato said. "It's a certainty that your book will be a bestseller; I just don't know to what extent. What I'm worried about is something else."
"Something else?"
Takatsuki Sen blinked her eyes, very curious about what "something else" Minato was referring to.
"Safety issues; it's not very stable over there."
"Is it?" Takatsuki Sen was surprised. "Isn't it one of the most stable wards in all of Japan?"
Takatsuki Sen was not wrong; besides the CCG and the Ghouls living there, her father was also there.
The stability of the 20th Ward could be said to be unmatched by few other places.
"Only for now," Minato didn't continue. "Anyway, I'll take care of the issues over there. You should just stay at home for the time being."
Minato felt that even if he didn't participate in the plot, he still had to go and take a look.
At least he wanted to know the identity of that doctor and where Kamishiro Rize was taken afterwards.
What kind of secrets were behind all of this?
Minato felt it was necessary to investigate.
"What is this..."
Takatsuki Sen suddenly looked at Minato with disdain.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that all of a sudden?"
Minato didn't know what he had said wrong that made her look at him like that.
"Are you planning to dump me and find a partner in the 20th Ward? Or do you already have one?"
"What are you talking about?"
Minato was speechless. He reached out and flicked Takatsuki Sen on the forehead.
"Ow, that hurts!"
Takatsuki Sen covered her forehead, looking pained.
"Stop pretending, I didn't use any force." Minato glanced at Takatsuki Sen, who was acting well.
"Hmph."
She turned her head away, seemingly unwilling to pay attention to Minato.
Minato sighed and said, "You know my situation, how could I possibly have anyone in the 20th Ward?"
Minato and Takatsuki Sen's previous activities were mainly in the 11th Ward, occasionally visiting other areas; they had been to the 20th Ward, but hadn't stayed for long.
"Hmm, hmm, hmm."
Takatsuki Sen nodded as if she understood.
"Not angry anymore?"
Takatsuki Sen smirked. "Why would I be angry? Could it be that Mr. Minato thinks I like you? Or does Mr. Minato already consider yourself my boyfriend?"
"..." Minato felt like he had lost again. "Tsk!"
"You clicked your tongue."
"No, you heard wrong."
"Is that so? Hehe."
---
Chapter 12
One night a few days later.
Just moments ago, Aogiri Tree had completely wiped out the other factions in the 11th Ward.
Takatsuki Sen, having finished everything, was sitting on a pile of Ghoul corpses, tossing a red apple.
At the same time, she received another piece of information.
"This is quite a coincidence." Takatsuki Sen's tone was very dangerous.
Just now, she received news from Yamori that Kamishiro Rize had escaped to the 20th Ward.
In addition, there was news that she had escaped from the Washuu Clan.
Tatara, who was on the side, asked, "Are we going to the 20th Ward?"
Takatsuki Sen walked down from the pile of corpses; wrapped in bandages, no one could tell what her expression was.
"Let's go take a look; there's nothing left to develop here in the 11th Ward."
Due to the intertwining of various reasons, Takatsuki Sen seemed to turn her gaze toward the stable 20th Ward.
Perhaps Minato was to blame for this.
After Minato finished handling the matters in the 11th Ward, he planned to go to the 20th Ward first to scout the situation.
He also wanted to see if the developments there were really the same as the plot he knew.
But there was a big problem here.
That was that the 20th Ward was just too large, and it was truly difficult for Minato to find that coffee shop run by a Ghoul.
With no other choice, he had to spend a bit more money to find someone to help him check.
After spending a considerable amount of funds, he finally found this Antique Coffee Shop.
Considering this shop was a Ghoul's den, Minato didn't rush in, but stayed outside the shop, carefully peeping.
There were five members in the shop.
According to the intelligence, a purple-haired woman and a certain black-haired college student had been appearing frequently at this shop.
If nothing went wrong, they were Kamishiro Rize and the protagonist of this series, Kaneki Ken.
Minato arrived just in time; the plot hadn't fully unfolded yet.
He could use this to find out what he wanted to know.
"Just..."
"So many pretty girls."
Minato suddenly heard a voice he was very familiar with.
That voice was, as always, full of playfulness, but he heard more anger in it.
Minato was startled and immediately turned around to look.
He saw a woman wearing big-framed glasses and a beret, wrapped up tightly, looking at him.
"I recognized you at a glance, you are not... ah, ptooey!"
He recognized at a glance that it was Takatsuki Sen.
"I... didn't I tell you to stay in the 11th Ward?!" Minato looked at Takatsuki Sen, who had changed into casual clothes, in surprise. "Why are you here?"
Takatsuki Sen crossed her arms and looked at Minato with disdain.
"Why am I here? I should be asking you, Mr. Minato!"
"Me?"
"Yes, you dumped me in the 11th Ward and ran here yourself, only to peep at the female staff in someone else's shop."
Takatsuki Sen looked exactly like a jealous little girl at this moment.
However, her eyes were not very kind.
Minato thought she was angry, but that was not the case.
She was wondering why Minato would find this coffee shop.
At the same time, she was also thinking about how much Minato knew about this coffee shop.
After all, her father was also in this shop. If Minato knew the other party's identity, the fact that she was a Ghoul could not be hidden.
Minato knew her Mana.
It was not yet time for him to know her identity.
"Uh..."
Hearing Takatsuki Sen's words, Minato had a headache.
How should he talk to this person?
Minato said helplessly, "Can you listen to my explanation?"
"Go ahead, I'm listening."