24th Ward.
Hoito Roma had already been brought to Aogiri Tree's base in the 24th Ward by Eto Yoshimura.
At this moment Eto's entire body was once again wrapped in white bandages, with a red cloak draped over her shoulders.
She was the only one watching over Hoito Roma.
"Ah, Finally back?"
Hearing the sound of footsteps approaching from a distance, Eto immediately knew Uchiha Byakuya had returned.
"How's her condition?"
Byakuya, wearing his red tiger-print mask- had also altered his appearance.
"I've restrained her using RC Suppressant, was just waiting for you to get back."
Eto replied.
Having raided the CCG multiple times, it was only natural for her to acquire some RC Suppressants along the way.
Roma lay on her side, both hands and feet tightly bound by Eto.
The RC Suppressant robbed her of the strength needed to break free.
So, in reality, Roma had been awake for a while; she simply gave up struggling.
"'Gypsy', That's your codename, isn't it?"
Byakuya spoke.
"Or should I go with; 'First King of the Clowns'?"
Very few people knew the truth about Hoito Roma.
In fact, only the Washuu Clan and V were aware of her real identity.
Otherwise Washuu would have never personally intervened to capture her all those years ago.
To the CCG's general investigators, even those of Special Class Rank; Hoito Roma was nothing more than an SSS-rated extermination target.
Hearing Byakuya's words, Roma finally reacted.
She rolled over and sat up, her gaze instantly filled with surprise.
How does this guy know that I was the one who founded the Clowns?
Very few people possessed knowledge of this and yet she had never met this masked ghoul before.
Evidently, Roma didn't recognize that the "One-Eyed King" standing before her was the same black-clad investigator who had defeated her in Cochlea.
She even mistook him for the One-Eyed Kakuja she had seen earlier in the underground tunnels.
Simply because both had a single Kakugan.
The main reason for this misunderstanding was that, by the time had Roma woken up, the only person she saw around was Eto, wrapped in white bandages.
"What exactly do you people want?"
Roma asked directly,continuing right after, "Do you guys just want to force me into joining Aogiri Tree?"
"That's right, either serve Aogiri Tree or die."
Byakuya stated calmly.
"So I have no choice, huh?"
Roma smiled, unfazed.
"Well, let me say this upfront; even though I was the first King of the Clowns, I've been locked up in Cochlea for years; I doubt any of the current Clowns will even listen to me."
She simply assumed that their real goal was to absorb the Clowns into Aogiri Tree.
So she made sure to clarify this first.
She wasn't even lying; Roma had no idea how many generations of Kings had come after her.
She didn't even recognize most of the new Clown recruits.
"Understood."
Byakuya didn't press the issue.
His only concern was completing the system's mission.
Besides, bringing Roma into Aogiri Tree still had its advantages.
She could definitely be useful.
This woman was at least an SSS-rated ghoul.
Her combat ability was still worth considering.
And most importantly; Roma had personally met the First One-Eyed King of the underground.
Adding in to that, she also knew some hidden secrets about the Washuu Clan.
"Alright then, I guess I have no choice; I'm willing to serve Aogiri Tree."
Roma barely put up a struggle.
"So... can you untie me now?"
After all, resistance was meaningless.
"Eto..."
Byakuya called out.
"Alright~"
Eto immediately walked over and began untying Roma.
"Nee-chan, you're so cruel."
Roma put on a pitiful expression. "You tied my wrists and ankles so tightly, it really hurt, you know?"
With her somewhat cute appearance, making this kind of face only made her seem more pitiful.
"..."
"Be grateful I didn't chop off your hands and feet."
Eto's voice was cold.
"Eh?! Don't be so brutal!"
Roma reacted with exaggerated shock.
"Enough, Eto."
Byakuya intervened.
In reality, he just wasn't interested in watching Roma's acting.
However Eto seemed to misunderstand his intention.
"..."
She fell silent and no longer bothered speaking.
With her face hidden beneath the bandages, no one could see her expression.
Eto had assumed Byakuya's words meant he was siding with Roma.
So she...
"So? What do you want me to do next?"
Roma's demeanor was still cheerful and lively, as if she hadn't just been captured and forced into submission.
Byakuya thought for a moment before replying:
"For now, you'll work at Anteiku in the 20th Ward; if necessary; protect the ghouls there, that will be your new role."
He wasn't worried about Roma causing trouble at Anteiku.
With her current combat strength, she stood no chance against someone like Yoshimura Kuzen.
Not to mention; Yomo Renji, Koma Enji, and Irimi Kaya were all SS-rated ghouls as well.
As for Uta, whether he would stay at Anteiku permanently was still uncertain.
But since Renji was there, Uta would surely visit from time to time.
"Alright, alright~"
Roma readily agreed.
[Ding! Mission Three Completed!]
["Defeat the First King of the Clowns, SSS-rated 'Dodgy Mother' Hoito Roma, and recruit her into Aogiri Tree."]
[Mission Reward: 100 Attribute Points!]
As for how to actually get into Anteiku, that wouldn't be a problem for Roma.
She could figure it out herself; there was no need to ask Byakuya for help.
Now, Byakuya had achieved another one of his goals.
Since both he and Arima had been assigned by the CCG and V Organization to investigate Aogiri Tree in the 24th Ward; they were required to venture inside the Ward at least once a week.
This however barely affected their daily lives.
If anything, it actually made it easier for Byakuya to slack off while in the 24th Ward.
Each time he could simply use the labyrinth-like terrain as an excuse to fool both the CCG and V.
In the original story this was exactly how Arima handled it as well.
"Takatsuki-sensei."
"It's time to eat."
Byakuya had already finished cooking dinner.
Yet Eto was still lying on the bed and hadn't gotten up.
Previously she had been willing to learn how to cook with him but this time she refused.
"Before, you still called me 'Eto.'"
"Now you're back to 'Takatsuki-sensei' again?"
Eto's voice was noticeably colder than usual.
Byakuya felt like somehow, her tone was a bit more distant than the day before.
Was it just his imagination?
Or had he unknowingly done something to upset her?
Was it really just because of the name thing?
After all, he always used to call her "Takatsuki-sensei" before.
Byakuya was confused; he couldn't quite figure out what was on Eto's mind.
"Alright then, I'll just call you 'Eto' from now on."
To him; "Eto" was easier to say anyway.
He had only been calling her "Takatsuki-sensei" out of habit.
Eto looked up from the bed, "That's more like it."
She replied.
However, her tone didn't improve much.
Byakuya was even more puzzled now.
Perhaps she was just in a bad mood for no particular reason?
It wasn't until they sat down together to eat that Eto suddenly spoke again.
"And someone had the nerve to say they weren't a lolicon before."
She poked her food and looked over at Byakuya, "And yet, they got completely mesmerized by that 'clown.'"
The 'clown' she was referring to was obviously Hoito Roma.
"You mean Roma?"
Byakuya instantly denied it.
"No, no, no; that woman isn't a loli; her actual age is older than both you and me combined."
He continued, "Even if you insist on calling her a loli; I'm still not a lolicon."
"A lolicon is a lolicon."
Eto completely ignored his explanation.
"Wait a second, I think you're misunderstanding something."
Byakuya was baffled.
"When was I ever 'mesmerized' by Roma? I don't remember that ever happening."
"Oh really?"
Eto listed her 'evidence.'
"You seemed pretty eager to bring her into Aogiri Tree."
"And before, you even spoke up for her."
"Isn't that proof enough?"
Byakuya fell silent.
At last he finally understood.
"So this was all a misunderstanding?"
With a sigh, he explained.
"The only reason I recruited her was to strengthen Aogiri Tree; nothing more, besides, I sent her to work at Anteiku."
Byakuya looked straight at Eto, "If I actually had any interest in her, I wouldn't have assigned her that kind of job."
Of course, he couldn't tell Eto about the system's mission.
"Oh really?"
Eto remained skeptical.
She wasn't going to believe such a simple explanation that easily.
In fact, she actually suspected Byakuya had done this to ensure Roma could protect that other girl; Uruka Minami.
"It's the truth. As for 'speaking up' for her, you misunderstood that too; I just didn't feel like watching her over-the-top acting anymore."
Byakuya continued explaining.
"Oh~"
Eto replied absentmindedly.
She still didn't seem convinced.
However, after thinking it over calmly; she realized Byakuya's attitude toward that 'clown' was indeed rather indifferent.
Plus Roma's attitude really didn't seem like she meant anything special.
"Well, that's all I can say."
Byakuya spoke with a hint of helplessness.
"Got it, let's set that 'clown girl' aside for now. Next time; take me to meet Uruka Minami, preferably within the next few days."
Eto was no longer as concerned about Roma but Uruka Minami was another matter entirely.
"Alright, how about tomorrow? It just so happens that tomorrow isn't one of the days Kishou and I have to investigate the 24th Ward."
Byakuya agreed.
After this conversation, Eto's tone returned to normal again.
She was no longer cold.
Byakuya finally realized; there really had been a reason for her mood.
It was just a rather ridiculous one.
She actually thought he had a thing for Roma.
First of all, he really wasn't a lolicon.
Secondly, he absolutely couldn't accept someone older than his own mother!
That night, aside from their usual late-night writing edits, nothing else happened between them.
Ever since Eto first stayed over here, she had barely ever returned to the 24th Ward at night.
After all, a soft bed was far more comfortable than that cold and dreary place.
Deep into the night, Byakuya was fast asleep.
Then suddenly; he felt something on his waist and stomach.
His sharp instincts immediately made him wake up.
However, he quickly realized it was just Eto's hand resting on him.
Only then did he relax.
"Takatsu-Eto?"
Byakuya almost said "Takatsuki-sensei" by reflex.
He immediately corrected himself.
Eto, however; didn't respond.
"Eto?"
Byakuya lowered his voice and called again.
Still, no response.
It seemed she was already asleep and that in her sleep; she had unconsciously used him as a pillow.
This was nothing unusual.
Byakuya chose not to wake her.
It wasn't a big deal.
There was no need to disturb Eto's rest over it.
The next morning, Byakuya was the first to wake up.
He very carefully moved Eto's hand aside and went to wash up.
Because of this; Eto had no idea what had actually happened last night.
To fulfill Eto's request to meet Uruka Minami, Byakuya asked Arima for her address.
As it turned out, Uruka Minami had already moved from the 13th Ward to the 20th Ward.
She rented a place near Anteiku to make it easier to receive their support.
By now she had also joined the "corpse retrieval" team along with Renji Yomo and the others, together they collected unattended bodies of people who had committed suicide.
After all; Japan's suicide rate was incredibly high and many of these people chose to end their lives in places where no one would usually find them.
And so Byakuya and Eto accompanied Arima to Minami's home.
"Excuse us~"
Eto's voice was lively as she greeted warmly.
It was the same tone she had used when meeting the Kirishima family.
"Welcome!"
Uruka Minami smiled brightly.
"Kishou-kun, Uchiha-kun, and this is...?"
She was genuinely happy.
After all, it was rare for Kishou to visit her home but this petite, adorable green-haired girl; she had never seen before.
Still, she seemed like someone easy to get along with.
"She's..."
Byakuya was about to introduce Eto when he suddenly realized; telling Uruka Minami her real name wasn't exactly a good idea.
After all; "Yoshimura Eto" was too easily linked to "Yoshimura Kuzen."
Which in turn could lead to questions about her connection to the cafe's manager.
To avoid any unnecessary complications; Byakuya chose not to reveal her real identity.
With a completely natural tone, he said:
"She's my friend, her name is-"
But before he could finish- Eto suddenly interrupted.
With a subtle smile and a playful tone; she looked at Uruka Minami and said:
"Hello~ My name is Uchiha Eto, nice to meet you~"