"A wise choice, Lady Seitenshi," Mahiro replied with a faint smile.
Truthfully, he didn't care about Civil Security rankings. He had long known everything worth knowing.
Even classified documents had been cracked and accessed long ago.
As for empty fame, he wasn't particularly concerned either.
If anything, Seitenshi's actions spared him many unnecessary interactions.
"That's good to hear. However, Mr. Mahiro, after the banquet concludes, please do not leave the Holy Palace. There are some words I wish to share with you."
Hearing Seitenshi's whisper, Mahiro glanced at her with mild surprise.
Meanwhile, Seitenshi gracefully stepped forward and announced the commencement of the Tokyo Area's victory celebration banquet.
With the commendation ceremony over, his role was effectively done.
Thus, he descended below, holding a wineglass as he ate and drank.
Originally, the banquet's attendees shouldn't have been limited to just him. Rentaro, his fellow agency employee, was also qualified to participate—unfortunately, the guy was still hospitalized.
He likely wouldn't be discharged for another month.
As for Senju Kayo, another participant, aside from her personal dislike for such events, she was also bogged down by the pile of tasks left behind by her hands-off boss.
Indeed, Kayo had officially joined Arcadia, alongside the children rescued during the great battle.
After all, for him, it was merely a matter of tracing their informational bodies and enduring the pain of their tragic lives.
Saving these Cursed Children was something he was quite passionate about.
Of course, that didn't include the child codenamed Hummingbird—he wasn't kind enough to rescue enemies.
Moreover, joining Arcadia was entirely voluntary, and none refused on that front.
After all, as Cursed Children, they had heard much about this utopia.
As for the last member of the agency, Tendo Kisara, the president, was currently devouring food with elegant grace as if she hadn't eaten for days...
"President Kisara, didn't you say earlier that this ceremony was cutting into Seitenshi-sama's precious administrative time, so I should keep quiet and wrap it up quickly...? But now it seems that wasn't the case at all, was it?"
"You just wanted to eat, didn't you?"
Despite already being quite wealthy, why was she still like this? Could this be Kisara's true nature?
"How could that be?!"
Hearing his words, Kisara abruptly raised her head and hurriedly explained, "I was thinking of Seitenshi-sama's best interests!"
"Yeah, yeah, but could you at least swallow what's in your mouth before speaking? And look at you—your face is covered in food."
Mahiro couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. He reached out to wipe the cream from the corner of Kisara's mouth and promptly popped it into his own.
And when Kisara saw this... whoosh...
It was as if steam burst from her head—her face instantly turned bright red.
"M-M-M-M-Mahiro-kun, y-y-y-you... I-I-I-I..."
She had completely lost the ability to speak.
If not for the inappropriateness of the occasion, she probably would have flailed her arms in panic.
"What about me?" Mahiro asked, puzzled. "You didn't expect me to just leave the cream there, did you? Or wipe it on my clothes? Or on the table?"
"But you didn't have to put it in your mouth! That was just on my—"
Kisara wanted to say this, her face burning, but the next moment, her expression instantly paled, turning solemn as she recognised a grave gaze behind him.
Turning to look, he saw Tendo Kikunojou standing beside Seitenshi, who was surrounded by a crowd of guests not far away.
The flames of hatred had already ignited in Kisara's eyes—so intense that the fork in her hand had unknowingly bent under her grip.
What terrifying grip strength.
"Hey, you don't need to be this angry right now, do you? Didn't you already make that old man suffer a major setback this time?"
Mahiro patted her shoulder, snapping Kisara out of her vengeful trance.
She stared at him with a complicated gaze before lightly closing her eyes and shaking her head.
"No, the ones pushed forward this time—Minister Kutsukake and those who signed the petition—were just scapegoats. And this kind of petty skirmish can't possibly deal any real damage to the Tendo family."
Tendo Kikunojou had his subordinates retrieve the [Legacy of the Seven Stars] from uncharted territory and even hired Hiruko Kagetane to tacitly allow the summoning of a Stage Five Zodiac Gastrea—all to remind people of the terror of the Gastrea and push forward the [Residency Revocation Act], stifling Seitenshi's proposed [New Gastrea Act].
Though somewhat abstract, this would have led to the mass extinction of Tokyo Area. But that was the reality.
That old man, much like Kisara, was a vengeful spirit—only their targets differed.
Even though numerous unforeseen events occurred during this revenge plot, nearly derailing it and leading to the actual destruction of Tokyo Area.
And after the scheme was exposed, Tendo Kikunojou acted even more decisively—simply pushing out the pre-prepared scapegoats and cutting all ties cleanly.
Moreover, nearly all of these individuals committed suicide on the very day they were arrested.
"So, I need more concrete evidence, something that can completely overturn the Tendo family's weapons."
"Is that so? In that case, I have a suggestion. Why don't you start by looking into the Monoliths?"
"What do you mean?" Kisara looked at him in confusion.
"Haven't you noticed? This whole incident is filled with anomalies. A Stage One Gastrea suddenly appeared, attacked the convoy transporting the legacy, swallowed the box, and then fled into Tokyo Area under Hiruko Kagetane's pursuit. Normally, the magnetic field emitted by the super-varanium alloy is lethal to Gastrea. How could a mere Stage One possibly enter? Doesn't that strike you as suspicious?"
Hearing this, Kisara's silence gradually turned to shock, her eyes widening as if she had thought of something terrifying.
"Mahiro-kun, are you saying...?"
"Keep it to yourself. It's just speculation."
With those words, Mahiro went back to eating and drinking at the banquet.
Kisara was smart—just a little hint was enough for her to spot the blind spot, and her ability to act was strong, as evidenced by the Scorpio incident. To gather so much information in such a short time... Though someone might have been helping her behind the scenes.
But that didn't matter. Watching an avenger put on a grand revenge show was quite entertaining, wasn't it?
By the time the banquet ended, the sun had already set.
After informing him, Kisara returned to the office, leaving him alone in the Holy Palace. Under the guidance of a servant, he was led to Seitenshi's bedroom.
It was like some kind of inviolable sanctuary—no guards stood outside the door, only the maids who attended to her.
"Long time no see, Mahiro-san. You're very punctual."
Inside the room, Seitenshi, seated by the bed, straightened her posture and smiled gracefully, her hands resting elegantly on her dress.
Mahiro, on the other hand, casually pulled over a chair and sat across from her, giving her a strange look.
"Long time no see? We just said goodbye at the banquet ten minutes ago."
"No. I meant meeting here."
"Well, if you put it that way, I suppose you're right."
Aside from the first commission, all subsequent designated requests had taken place in Seitenshi's bedroom. Kisara had known this for a while, which was why she hadn't chosen to stay in the Holy Palace.
His close relationship with Seitenshi was also a result of what had happened over the past year.
Back then, Seitenshi had just completed her first year on the throne. Due to her rising prominence, she had faced numerous assassination attempts, each of which he had thwarted.
It was precisely because of this that his rank had risen so quickly.
And it was also why Seitenshi had managed to solidify her standing among the various factions.
"Anyway, forget the small talk. Why don't you tell me why you asked me to stay? It's getting late, and I'm a bit hungry... Unless Seitenshi-sama intends for me to serve you tonight?"
"Mahiro-san, you're as fond of jokes as ever. You already ate quite a bit at the banquet."
Though subjected to frivolous teasing, Seitenshi showed no trace of embarrassment or anger. Instead, she covered the corner of her mouth with her silk-gloved hand and laughed softly.
"Not denying the sleeping service suggestion? Well, I suppose even the illustrious Seitenshi, now sixteen years old, might have such needs. But! My prices are quite steep."
"Mr. Mahiro, what are you talking about?"
Seitenshi smiled faintly, displaying her captivating beauty as she effortlessly brushed aside his teasing remark.
While many regarded her as nothing more than a sixteen-year-old puppet figurehead, there was no doubt this "figurehead" possessed some substance after all.
"...Alright, enough joking around."
Mahiro wiped the smile from his face and got straight to the point: "It's indeed getting late. What's this about? Judging by your demeanor, it must be another commission, right?"
"Yes."
Seitenshi also stopped joking and nodded seriously. "Mr. Mahiro, President Sogen of the Osaka Region will be making an unofficial visit to the Tokyo Region the day after tomorrow."
"And then?"
"Tonight, Lord Kikunojou is flying to another region for a visit and won't be in Tokyo during this period."
"So? Are you planning to have me eliminate that old fool Tendo Kikunojou to help you fully control the Tokyo Region? Or do you want me to take out Saitake Sogen for you? If that's the commission, I'll take it. Of course, the price would be steep—ten million yen per head."
Mahiro spoke without the slightest hesitation.
He said this not only because he genuinely would accept such commissions, but mainly due to the atmosphere in the bedchamber. Apart from being entirely white like Seitenshi herself, the enormous room was illuminated only by a three-pronged candelabra. In such dim lighting, aside from secret lovers' trysts, the only thing that came to mind was assassination.
"Please refrain from such tasteless jokes."
Seitenshi's brow furrowed slightly—clearly, this was far less acceptable to her than the earlier sleeping service jest.
"I understand that Lord Kikunojou and President Kisara share irreconcilable enmity, and some of the things he's done behind my back have indeed crossed the line. But he truly acts for the sake of the Tokyo Region. Moreover, if President Sogen were to die in the Tokyo Region, the next president—the current Osaka Region's vice president—would undoubtedly succeed him and view the Tokyo Region as an enemy. It might even lead to outright war."
"So, your answer is no?"
"That goes without saying."
"Fine."
Seeing Seitenshi adopt such an uncharacteristically serious attitude, Mahiro shrugged. "No means no, then."
"Please don't make such jokes again. They're truly in poor taste, and I might actually get angry."
Having calmed down again, Seitenshi shot Mahiro a glare before folding her hands primly in front of her once more.
"Though honestly, Your Highness Seitenshi, you just missed a golden opportunity to completely dominate the Tokyo Area."
"Are we still on this topic?"
"...I'll stop. You go ahead."
Sensing Seitenshi's genuine irritation, Mahiro wisely chose to hold his tongue, gesturing with an inviting hand for her to continue.
"Very well. Now it's my turn to speak."
His attitude earned a satisfied nod from Seitenshi. Perhaps because Mahiro was finally willing to listen properly, an indescribable joy flickered across her features, her lips curving into a faint smile.
"The main request this time is for you to accompany me during the talks as my bodyguard, providing support by my side."
"?"
Mahiro slowly formed a question mark in the air with his finger. "You're hiring me as a bodyguard again? I figured as much, but let me just say—that old fox Tendo Kikunojou must have assigned you guards already, right? For meeting President Sogen, what you really need is someone who can play the political game. Unfortunately, that's not me."
This time, he genuinely didn't want to take on bodyguard duties.
He knew the sniper in the shadows—Tina—would make her appearance, but he could easily neutralize her covertly without compromising Seitenshi's safety.
More importantly, Arcadia was entering its final phase.
Most of the Cursed Children in the Tokyo Area had already been gathered, with other regions following suit. He planned to visit foreign countries to bring back more of those children.
Accepting this commission would tie him down completely.
"You're absolutely right, Mr. Mahiro. More than a bodyguard, I might indeed need someone who can match President Sogen politically. And Lord Kikunojou did assign me guards, but... their intentions aren't pure."
Seitenshi's soft voice carried through the dim candlelit room.
The cool night breeze drifted through the window, causing the silk curtains to sway gently. The candle flames on the three-branched holder flickered in the wind, making the light in the room waver between brightness and shadow.
In the faint candlelight, Mahiro caught—for the first time—a trace of barely perceptible disgust and deep conflict on Seitenshi's porcelain face.
Then, she slowly rose from the bedside and walked to the window. With slender, snow-white fingers resting on the sill, she closed the window before gazing up at the star-studded night sky.
"Mr. Mahiro, as a Civil Security Officer, you must be well aware. In the near future, the world's top Civil Security Officers will be dispatched by their respective governments to carry out assassinations and sabotage here—all for the most vital resource this land possesses: Varanium."
"And this very land beneath our feet, the Tokyo Area surrounding Mount Fuji, produces fifty percent of the archipelago's Varanium."
"…So, I have no idea when I might die from an assassination attempt. If not for your presence over the past year, I might have already died like my mother. And now that my body is capable of bearing children, the attendants of the Holy Chamber keep urging me to produce an heir as soon as possible. So—"
"So, that old man didn't just assign you a bodyguard, but also a partner to help you bear a child and continue the Holy Chamber's bloodline?" Mahiro finished her sentence calmly.
Seitenshi pressed both hands against her flat stomach. Though she smiled, the sorrow in her expression was unmistakable.
She shook her head.
"I don't know what Lord Kikunojou's intentions are, but that person certainly harbors such thoughts. I don't like it."
"Aren't you afraid I might have the same intentions?"
"You wouldn't." Seitenshi gazed at him with deep, melancholic eyes. "Mahiro-san, I know you enjoy making all sorts of jokes, but you're kind-hearted, unafraid of authority, and have no greed for power… And if it were you—if you were the one to father my child—I might even accept it."
Seitenshi was serious.
At least, that's what her eyes conveyed.
Though her words carried uncertainty at the end, her tone was firm.
Mahiro pursed his lips slightly, his gaze steady.
At that moment, he finally understood why he had been so drawn to Seitenshi.
It wasn't just because of her lofty status, her saintly purity that made him want to stain that pristine white with his own colors.
It was also because of a sense of déjà vu.
She reminded him of Mayumi—or rather, the heirs of the Ten Master Clans, the Eighteen Assistant Houses, and the Hundred Families.
Like them, she had no freedom in marriage, no choice in love.
So, they all settled for the next best thing: choosing someone they didn't dislike to continue their bloodline.
"Alright, in that case, I'll take the job."
"Really?"
"Of course. Whether it's being your bodyguard or fathering a child with Seitenshi-sama, I'll do it all."
"As expected, even in this situation, Mahiro-san can still joke."
A faint smile curled at Seitenshi's lips, and the sorrow that had weighed on her heart moments ago dissipated.
But Mahiro shook his head.
"No, this time, I'm serious."
That said, he didn't actually do anything to Seitenshi.
Instead, he spent the night in another room of the Holy Palace, guided there by a maid.
The next day, at Seitenshi's introduction, he met the security team Tendo Kikunojou had left for her—the security squad led by Takuto Yasuwaki.
The encounter, however, was far from pleasant.
Just as Seitenshi had described with disgust, the man was truly repulsive.
His face was plastered with a fake smile, his eyes brimming with greed as if Seitenshi were already his possession, and beneath it all, a barely concealed icy hostility directed at Mahiro.
That last point alone was enough to seal his fate.
As expected, after Seitenshi left the venue, just as he was about to go out for breakfast, Takuto Yasuwaki and his gang blocked his way and dragged him into the restroom.
"Yotsuba Mahiro, right? The one who took down the Zodiac Scorpio? Pfft, you just used underhanded tricks. If I had that kind of secret weapon, I could've done it too!"
Takuto Yasuwaki snorted, his face full of disdain.
He then threatened:
"Listen up, Tendo-sama entrusted Seitenshi to me, so stay the hell away from her! And don't even think about joining this security detail, or I'll break all four of your limbs!"
Such a textbook way of talking.
Moreover, this method couldn't help but remind him of his school days, when bullies loved dragging people into the restroom to torment them.
Just like now.
Thinking this, Mahiro couldn't help but sigh and say:
"Is living not good enough for you? Life is already so short, yet you insist on taking shortcuts."
----------
For advance chapters join my Patreon.
[email protected]/Aarvan