There were plenty of smart people in this world, but there were also plenty of brainless ones.
Takuto Yasuwaki clearly belonged to the latter—an arrogant fool who thought he could act recklessly just because he had Tendo Kikunojou backing him.
No, calling him a fool would be an insult to fools.
"What did you say?!"
Hearing this, Takuto Yasuwaki flew into a rage and raised his fist, aiming to punch Mahiro in the face.
But suddenly, his fist inexplicably froze mid-air, and his entire body became immobile.
"What's wrong? Not going to continue?" Mahiro murmured softly, faint wisps of psion light swirling around him.
"Bastard, what did you do?! Hey, you guys, get him!"
Takuto Yasuwaki shouted.
But no one responded.
His underlings had already turned into ice sculptures, their bodies covered in frost.
No—that wasn't frost. More accurately, they had crystallized.
Cocytus—a freezing of the mind, manifesting as crystallization of the flesh.
"Join them in the River of Forgetfulness, sinking for eternity."
Like a demon's whisper, the words brushed against his ears. Takuto Yasuwaki felt an icy chill seep into his soul, and gradually, his consciousness froze forever in that moment.
His body, meanwhile, vanished without a trace under the effect of Mist Dispersion, leaving behind only the lingering stench of burnt flesh in the restroom.
Takuto Yasuwaki's security team had been wiped out.
But to Mahiro, this was nothing more than a trivial matter—far less important than breakfast.
By the time the Holy Palace noticed Takuto Yasuwaki's disappearance and began frantically searching for him, Mahiro had already left the premises.
However, just as he stepped outside the Holy Palace's iron gates, a bicycle wobbled unsteadily toward him.
"Ding-a-ling~"
"Ding-a-ling~"
Tina Sprout had woken up unusually early today.
Because the mission required preliminary reconnaissance of the target location, even though her owl genes meant she was only active at night, she forced herself to push through.
Getting up from the comfortable soft bed in the apartment, she grabbed the jar on the bedside table, took a handful of caffeine pills, and stuffed them into her mouth, chewing vigorously.
After freshening up, she changed into her favorite pretty dress and stepped out in a refreshingly crisp state.
To avoid drawing attention, she didn't make a grand exit—just hopped onto her beloved bicycle.
But for some reason, the bike seemed to be malfunctioning today, acting a bit unruly, which eventually led to losing control.
She kept circling around an intricately designed fountain, unable to stop...
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free.
It was as if the fountain had some inexplicable gravitational pull, like a black hole.
Could this be some new high-tech weapon developed in the Tokyo area?
How terrifying...
Tina didn't dare stop, pedaling frantically in endless circles.
After who knows how long, the bicycle suddenly went out of control again.
The good news was that she didn't crash into the fountain and managed to escape the Möbius strip-like black hole surrounding it.
The bad news? She crashed into someone.
A kind big brother, who actually helped stop the disobedient bicycle.
He saved me...
"A hero... of justice... I've never seen one before in my life."
Mahiro: "..."
Where should I even begin with this?
All I did was stop a wobbly, out-of-control bicycle and pluck the silly girl off it—and now I'm a hero?
This counts as justice?
Guess the Tokyo area can't even measure up to a bicycle.
But seeing the girl now—wearing an oversized sleep shirt, slippers, her unkempt platinum-blonde shoulder-length hair a mess, staring at him with her mouth half-open in a daze—Mahiro suddenly lost the urge to snark.
Not to mention, the girl he was holding by the scruff like a kitten seemed about to fall asleep again.
"Hey—wake up, we've arrived!"
Giving his hand a little shake, Mahiro forcibly rebooted the drowsy girl. The blonde stared at him blankly, her lips slightly parted, before finally speaking after a long pause.
"Ah... it's the hero of justice... my savior, we meet again... But why are you holding me in mid-air?... If you could put me down, I'd be sure to thank you properly."
"Tch—"
Meet again, my foot! Did you fall asleep again?!
Mahiro took a deep breath, repeatedly reminding himself not to retort—because retorting meant losing.
Still, it was impressive how this dazed girl managed to string together such a long sentence while half-asleep.
In the end, it all dissolved into a weary sigh as he set the girl down on the ground.
Seeming to feel the solid ground beneath her feet again, Tina's eyes widened slightly, letting out a soft "Oh~" of amazement, as if she had just discovered a new continent.
Then she tilted her head up, her sapphire-blue eyes gazing at him.
"...Th...thank you... my savior... hero... sir..."
But just like how some people can't stay cool for more than three seconds, the moment she uttered the first word, her eyelids began to droop, her head gradually lowering as she nodded lightly, as if battling the god of sleep. Her words came out like dreamy murmurs.
No, to be precise, she had indeed fallen asleep again.
Mahiro had heard of people sleeping with their eyes open, but this was the first time he'd seen someone sleep while standing.
"Hey, wake up. No more sleeping."
This was the second time Mahiro had to rouse the girl.
But this time, the moment he lightly patted her back, her body immediately slumped forward.
Luckily, he was quick enough to catch her, preventing her from becoming a "Fragrant Concubine Lin" falling from the sky.
At this moment, Tina slowly stirred awake once more.
"Ah... you saved... me again... my... great savior?"
As her eyes fluttered open and landed on his face, Tina's lips parted in a dazed smile, curving happily. "To think... you'd save me... three times in one day... Could you be... the Savior, sir...?"
"Never mind, I've lost the will to retort..."
His eye twitched involuntarily before he sighed and began the routine questioning.
"Alright, tell me—what are you doing here?"
Nearly ten seconds later, the girl finally snapped out of her daze and shook her head. "...Don't know...?"
"Do you at least know where this place is?"
"...Don't know?"
"Then why did you come here?"
"Don't know...?"
Three "don't knows" in a row, each phrased like a question—anyone else would've been furious by now. But Mahiro pressed on tirelessly.
"What about your name?"
"Don't know... Ah, no... I know this one... My name is... Tina. Tina Sprout."
Though this time she didn't phrase it as a question, she still nodded earnestly at the end, confirming she hadn't misspoken.
Just how airheaded could one person be...?
But for a fleeting moment, hesitation flickered in her eyes as she spoke her name.
"Alright, little Tina."
Mahiro placed a hand on the girl's smooth golden hair and instructed, "This isn't a place you should be. Go home now."
With that...
But before he could leave, Tina grabbed the hem of his coat again.
"Is there something else?"
"...You haven't told me...your name, Savior Big Brother?"
As she spoke, Tina tilted her head adorably, though in her current dazed and confused state, it looked more vacant than cute—just pure blankness.
"Alright, my name is Mahiro. Yotsuba Mahiro. Got it?"
"Ah...so it's Big Brother Mahiro. Tina remembers now."
Tina stared at Mahiro with her mouth slightly agape, but her smile bloomed as bright as a flower.
"Now that I've told you my name, I'm off. I've wasted so much time here that I haven't even had breakfast yet."
"Wait...I have one more request..."
Just as Mahiro was about to leave again, Tina suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve, pleading, "Big Brother Mahiro...could you take me home?"
Troublesome.
But he didn't refuse. Instead, he bent down to look at the girl's grimy little face and asked, "Where do you live, little Tina?"
Tina wearily drooped her eyelids and shook her head in all directions before pressing a finger to her chin, answering slowly, "...I...forgot..."
"Tch."
Maybe it was a deliberate prank, or maybe her foggy little brain hadn't fully woken up yet.
Either way, Mahiro had no intention of leaving her here.
First, he took her to a nearby park bench, wet a handkerchief under a faucet, and carefully wiped her dirty little face clean, hoping to sober her up a bit.
"Sit still and don't move around."
She lifted her chin and closed her eyes, letting Mahiro handle her.
"Big Brother Mahiro...you're so skilled at this..."
"Because I'm used to it."
Taking care of girls like this—though awkward at first—had become second nature over time.
Once cleaned up, Tina's true appearance finally saw the light of day.
Her face was adorable, different from Shizuku's emotionless demeanor. Perhaps because she wasn't fully awake, she exuded a vague, endearing cluelessness.
Yet, her beauty could rival Asaka's.
Like Kaguya and Alice in Gensokyo—one representing Eastern beauty, the other Western.
If she grew up, she'd definitely be the type to bring ruin to nations and cities.
Mahiro was certain of that.
"Thank you, Big Brother Mahiro."
Tina stood up and bowed politely.
But strangely, she remained in that bowed position without lifting her head, her heavy eyelids nearly shutting.
"Hey—careful, you'll fall."
Instinctively, Mahiro reached out to steady her.
Tina suddenly looked up and hurriedly reached into her pajama pocket, pulling out a bottle labeled in English.
Just as she opened it and was about to grab a handful of pills, Mahiro snatched it away.
In her current state, she didn't even notice her hand was empty, still dumbly shaking her palm and muttering, "Huh? Did I already finish them...?"
Only then did she realize the bottle was now in Mahiro's hands.
"...Can I have it back, please?"
"No."
Mahiro refused. "Kids shouldn't take stuff like this. You won't grow properly."
"But..."
"I know you're a nocturnal Cursed Child, but even with your strong regenerative abilities, you shouldn't consume this stuff. It's addictive."
"How does Mahiro-niisan know my identity...?"
"A young girl this groggy early in the morning—I can't think of any possibility other than being a Cursed Child."
Hearing this, Tina half-opened her eyes and let out a small gasp.
"So... you understand me better than I understand myself."
As soon as she finished speaking, her eyelids began drooping again, and she murmured, "But... without this, I'll fall asleep very quickly..."
"If you don't mind, you can rest your head here and sleep for a while." Mahiro patted his thigh as he made the suggestion.
Tina: "..."
At first, Tina hesitated, but her overwhelming drowsiness—coupled with the lack of caffeine—eventually wore down her resistance.
She even forgot about her mission.
Allowing Mahiro to adjust her position, she finally leaned sideways against his firm thigh.
"So warm... even more comfortable than my apartment's pillow..."
With these dreamlike words as her final utterance, Tina gradually drifted into slumber.
Meanwhile, Mahiro reclined against the park bench, basking in the gentle sunlight and spring breeze.
The warm spring air carried a hint of coolness—comfortable, soothing.
So soothing that even he felt like taking a nap.
But that wouldn't do. He hadn't even eaten breakfast yet.
So he first made a few calls to inform acquaintances of his situation, then ordered takeout.
Time passed, and afternoon faded into near-evening.
Tina finally awoke from her deep sleep.
As her eyes fluttered open, she saw a somewhat familiar yet strikingly handsome face and didn't immediately process it.
After a moment, memories returned, and she pushed herself up from his lap.
"Had a good sleep?"
"Yes, thank you very much, Mahiro-niisan... your technique was excellent. I felt very comfortable..."
Tina stood up from the bench and bowed deeply to express her gratitude.
Though not fully recovered, she felt sufficiently refreshed.
Moreover.
This had been the most comfortable, most peaceful sleep she could remember having in her entire life.
The only regret was that she'd completely forgotten about her reconnaissance mission...
Not that it mattered. Her master had other informants. They could always proceed with Plan B—targeting Seitenshi's travel route.
"Now that you're rested, I really should get going. Sitting here all day... even my legs are starting to go numb."
Mahiro didn't comment on her ambiguous phrasing. Instead, he muttered to himself while standing up and stretching his lower body.
But just as he prepared to leave, Tina tugged at his sleeve again.
"What's wrong? Want me to walk you home?" he teased.
"N-no." Tina shook her head. "Could you give me your phone number? To thank you for letting me sleep, I'd like to repay you later."
"No need. It was just a small favor."
He was about to say this when Tina added, "Please."
"Fine."
Mahiro sighed in resignation and gave her his number.
But after jotting down the number, Tina added:
"Then, can I try calling you right now?"
"Is that necessary?"
"Because Mahiro might have given me a fake number."
"..."
Could you at least direct that vigilance somewhere more appropriate?
Mahiro sighed as he watched Tina, her back turned to him, fiddling with her phone. His own phone rang shortly after, and he answered it casually.
"Moshi moshi? Satisfied now?"
"Mmm... There's one more thing I forgot to tell you. I... actually remember where the apartment is."
A faint smile crossed Tina's lips.
She leisurely folded her phone and thanked him again. "Thank you for indulging me all day. I had a wonderful time."
It seemed this little farce had become a happy memory for her.
Without even waiting for Mahiro's response, she spoke again:
"Until we meet again, Mr. Mahiro."
With a polite bow, she wobbled away on her bicycle, leaving the park behind.
Watching her figure gradually disappear into the distance, a faint smile tugged at Mahiro's lips.
"As long as you're happy, Miss Tina."
A car roared past at high speed from the adjacent lane, its engine screeching.
The temperature had dropped, bringing a slight chill.
Tina staggered along the street, only realizing when the speeding cars turned on their headlights that night had fallen.
The sky was pitch black, the moonlight bright.
Night had arrived.
Tina's owl factor began to take effect—every cell in her body awakened, her mind sharpened, and her body brimmed with vitality.
Just then, her phone rang.
"Master."
"Report as scheduled."
"Understood. I have successfully infiltrated the Tokyo area. I will return to the apartment first before retrieving the item at the designated location."
"Any abnormalities?"
"A minor inconvenience, but nothing serious."
Tina pressed a hand to her chest, closed her eyes, and spoke slowly. "Because a kind person helped me three times."
"Didn't I tell you to avoid unnecessary contact with others? To prevent information leaks, you must use aliases whenever possible."
"...Yes, I know."
"Tina Sprout. What is your mission? Repeat it to me."
Tina lifted her head, gazing at the moon.
Her consciousness was fully alert now, and she recited mechanically:
"Eliminate the leader of Tokyo—Seitenshi."
...
Tina returned to her temporary residence.
It was a dilapidated apartment, the white paint on the door long peeled away, revealing rusted metal beneath.
The walls inside were riddled with cracks, and the air was thick with the musty stench of mildew.
Her master believed that the people living here were of mixed backgrounds—adding a child to the mix wouldn't draw attention, making it the perfect hideout for Tina.
The concealment was flawless, though comfort was nonexistent.
Once this mission was over, she would leave. She just had to endure until then. Comforting herself, Tina slipped off her slippers.
Standing before the full-length mirror left by the previous tenant, a flush spread across her cheeks.
Had she really spent the entire day dressed like this in front of him?
Next time, she would make sure to dress properly.
With that thought, Tina removed her pajamas and stepped into the shower.
She was well aware that she was merely a tool, meant to leave the Tokyo Area swiftly after completing her mission.
But this time, she wanted to delay just a little.
To see that person one more time—the handsome older brother who hadn't shown the slightest hint of disgust or disdain, even after guessing her identity as a Cursed Child.
Because it was the first time in her life someone had treated her with such kindness.
So.
Though the thought was far too extravagant, she wanted to leave behind one more small, happy memory to treasure in her heart.
Even if they could never meet again after this...
After bathing and changing clothes, Tina left the apartment once more, following her master's instructions over the phone and arriving at a dock not far from Tokyo Bay.
The massive glacier frozen within Tokyo Bay, comparable in size to land, was less than a kilometer from her current position.
She could even clearly feel the biting cold against her skin and see the waves crashing against and eroding the icy cliffs.
This was a newly established dock after Tokyo Bay had frozen over.
Most arms companies and cargo ships now departed from here.
And now, Tina stood before a shipping container deep within the dock.
"Master, I've arrived."
Tina raised her IC card and opened the encrypted container door, but the moment she stepped inside, she froze in shock.
"What do you think, Tina?"
"...It's incredible, Master."
The container before her was practically an armory.
Small firearms and sniper rifles aside, the walls and shelves were lined with rocket launchers, autocannons, and even anti-tank rifles.
Further inside, stacks of explosives and corresponding large-caliber ammunition were piled up.
Enough to wage a small war.
"...Master, I don't believe we need this many weapons just to eliminate the leader of the Tokyo Area."
Tina walked deeper into the container and picked up a large-caliber anti-materiel sniper rifle from the shelf—its barrel nearly as thick as her arm.
"Indeed, you're right. But this time, there's one more target."
"Who?"
"Yotsuba Mahiro."
"...!"
The moment she heard that name, Tina's eyes widened slightly. The first thing that flashed through her mind was that handsome face always adorned with a gentle smile.
Could it be... that older brother?
Because of her dazed state at the time, she hadn't clearly remembered his surname—only the name Mahiro.
But she quickly dismissed the thought.
"Yotsuba Mahiro, IP rank 134, a former police officer who killed the Scorpion, currently employed at Tendo Civil Security. Tina Sprout, aside from Seitenshi, you are to eliminate that person as well."
"Yes, I understand."
Tina replied expressionlessly.
But inwardly, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
So it was just someone with the same name...
Of course. Why would her master order her to kill someone who had no grudges against them and offered no benefit?
And that person... was so kind, so handsome, exuding the aura of a noble young master—there was no way he could be a police officer...
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