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Chapter 12
The terrifying single kakugan seemed as though it wanted to devour the two Ghouls before it.
All the staff present felt a mountain-like pressure descend upon them.
"One-eyed!"
Koma Enji and Irimi Kaya, who were facing Takatsuki Sen, froze.
"This should be our first time meeting, right?"
Takatsuki Sen stirred her coffee with a spoon, a smile of unreadable meaning on her face.
There was bitterness in it.
And resentment.
The person before her was Takatsuki Sen's father—the man who had killed her mother and abandoned her.
She no longer even wanted to use the name Eto Yoshimura.
The manager of Anteiku Coffee Shop, Yoshimura Kuzen, an old man who had always remained calm and composed, showed a trace of shock on his face for the first time.
"Eto."
The old man seemed somewhat at a loss.
He had seen through much of the world's truth, but when facing his own daughter, all of that experience seemed meaningless.
"Eto..."
Takatsuki Sen repeated the name softly before laughing self-deprecatingly.
"It's been a long time since I've heard that name."
Ever since she met Minato, she had gained a new name—
Takatsuki Sen.
The name Eto Yoshimura truly hadn't been called by anyone for a very long time.
Takatsuki Sen took out a photograph.
It was a picture of Minato.
"Who is he?"
Yoshimura Kuzen took the photo, confusion evident in his voice.
"Minato."
"My editor."
"A fool."
When she spoke about him, the smile on Takatsuki Sen's face became noticeably more genuine.
"I see."
Yoshimura Kuzen looked at the man in the photograph with a complicated expression.
"He must have had a difficult time these past years."
"If possible, I hope you'll all pay attention to him."
"Don't let anything happen to him while he's here."
"And don't reveal your identities to him."
Takatsuki Sen picked up the coffee before her and took a small sip.
The taste was acceptable.
Though she never particularly liked coffee.
Hearing her words, Yoshimura Kuzen looked surprised.
"Is he... very important to you?"
Takatsuki Sen looked deeply at him and nodded.
"Yes."
"Hoo..."
Yoshimura Kuzen let out a long breath.
"Understood."
"I'll warn the Ghouls in this area."
Takatsuki Sen nodded.
"One more thing."
"Don't get too involved with Kamishiro Rize."
"She escaped from over there."
Since her old father wanted to spend the rest of his life peacefully here, Takatsuki Sen was willing to offer one final warning.
Hearing that name, Yoshimura Kuzen's eyes sharpened.
"That's all I came to say."
"Goodbye."
Takatsuki Sen drained the remaining coffee from her cup and stood up.
"Wait."
Yoshimura Kuzen stepped out from behind the counter and called after her.
Takatsuki Sen stopped.
"If possible..."
"Bring him with you next time."
The old man's voice sounded weak.
"I'd like to get to know this gentleman."
"There is no need."
Takatsuki Sen's tone turned cold.
"There is no reason for you two to know each other."
After saying that, she walked away.
Yoshimura Kuzen stared at the closed door.
Leaning against the counter, he looked as though all his strength had left him.
The other employees exchanged glances.
It was their first time seeing the manager like this.
"Manager... who was she?"
Kirishima Touka looked toward the door before turning back.
The kakugan Takatsuki Sen had revealed moments ago had genuinely shocked everyone present.
Especially with the recent rumors surrounding the One-Eyed King.
Yoshimura Kuzen smiled bitterly.
"That was my daughter."
"Daughter?!"
Aside from Yomo Renji, everyone else exclaimed in surprise.
Yoshimura Kuzen nodded.
Looking at the cup Takatsuki Sen had left behind, he sighed softly.
"She's grown up."
He had imagined countless times what it would be like for her to walk into his café.
Just like her mother, Ukina, once had.
With a gentle smile.
With warmth in her eyes.
But reality was never that simple.
This child had no intention of acknowledging him as her father.
Yoshimura Kuzen understood.
Nor had he expected anything different.
As long as she was happy now—
That was enough.
He looked down at the photograph in his hand.
Minato.
This man was probably the greatest source of happiness in his daughter's life.
For her future...
He didn't mind intimidating every Ghoul in the area.
"This..."
The other staff members looked at each other but chose not to ask further questions.
After all, this was the manager's family matter.
"But..."
"I feel like I've seen that guy somewhere before."
Koma Enji scratched his head.
"It's strange."
"I obviously don't know him."
"But he feels familiar."
"Here."
Yomo Renji tossed a magazine onto the counter.
On the cover was a portrait of Takatsuki Sen.
Since she was visiting the 20th Ward for her new book promotion, the magazine publisher had replaced their usual cover with her image.
Using the gimmick of a "genius beautiful girl novelist," sales had skyrocketed.
"!"
Kirishima Touka and the others widened their eyes.
"That's her!"
"Takatsuki Sen!"
Koma Enji looked shocked.
"A famous author is actually a Ghoul..."
Irimi Kaya exclaimed.
Kirishima Touka stared at the cover with envy in her eyes.
She still longed for life among humans.
She even wanted to ask Takatsuki Sen how she had managed to do it.
Yoshimura Kuzen picked up the magazine.
He had purchased it days ago.
All these years, he had quietly kept watch over his daughter's life.
"I'll leave the rest to you."
---
Minato walked out of the unpleasant establishment with several investors, their arms slung around one another's shoulders.
A place that would make Takatsuki Sen furious if she ever found out he'd been there.
Leaning back in the car, Minato took a sip of water to sober himself up.
"Why do these kinds of shady business practices exist here too?"
He shook his head helplessly.
Doing business in Japan felt no different from doing business back home.
The details were different.
But the methods were exactly the same.
For a moment, Minato wondered whether he should hire a secretary.
That way, someone else could handle all the drinking.
But after thinking about it, he immediately dismissed the idea.
That girl would definitely get angry.
"Forget it."
"I'll just go back and sleep."
The staff member accompanying him asked:
"Should we head straight back to the hotel?"
As the saying goes:
Don't drink and drive.
Don't drive after drinking.
Minato had always been strict about traffic laws.
He was about to nod—
When he suddenly spotted a very familiar figure.
Takatsuki Sen.
His eye twitched.
He rubbed his eyes.
Then looked again.
Still Takatsuki Sen.
"..."
"This girl."
"Didn't I tell her to stay in the hotel?"
Minato immediately opened the car door and stepped out.
At the same time, he pulled out his phone and dialed her number.
Walking up from behind, he watched as Takatsuki Sen answered.
"Hello?"
Her voice sounded cheerful.
"Is something the matter, Mr. Minato?"
"Did you miss me?"
Minato's expression darkened.
"Are you still at the hotel?"
"Of course."
"I've been very obediently listening to Mr. Minato."
Takatsuki Sen lied without the slightest blush.
Perhaps this was the self-cultivation of a novelist.
Had he not been looking directly at her, he might have believed her.
"Oh?"
"You're still at the hotel, huh?"
Minato sneered.
"Then pick up the pillow on the bed."
"And tell me what's underneath it."
"You have three minutes."
"..."
Takatsuki Sen's smile froze.
There was such a move?
Wait.
Wasn't this the sort of thing wives did when checking on husbands during business trips?
How had it somehow become applicable to them?
"What?"
"Can't do it?"
"Well..."
Takatsuki Sen's brain immediately started working.
Then she suddenly came up with a solution.
"I'm in the bathroom right now."
"It's inconvenient."
"How about I send Mr. Minato a photo instead?"
Based on her understanding of Minato—
There was no way he would actually—
"Sure."
Minato answered instantly.
The moment those words left his mouth, Takatsuki Sen fell completely silent.