After leaving the abandoned factory, Rize casually removed her mask.
When there was no need to wear a mask, she still didn't like the thing.
"Rize... it seems you've experienced quite a lot during the time I wasn't around..."
Shachi suddenly remarked with emotion.
"Indeed, quite a lot has happened. Especially meeting this heartless man."
Rize said offhandedly.
"Ahem..."
Byakuya coughed lightly, his commanding presence from earlier now gone.
After all, that presence had been deliberately cultivated. Or more precisely, he wouldn't act that way toward people close to him.
"Heartless man..."
Shachi paused for a moment. "So you really have grown up."
Though he himself had never had a lover, that didn't mean he didn't understand such matters.
The moment Rize used the words "heartless man," he understood why Rize had become completely different around that person.
It made sense—Rize was no longer that little girl from before. She had reached that age...
At that moment, Byakuya removed his white mask and addressed Shachi. "Kamishiro-san, pleased to meet you. My name is Amaha Byakuya."
There was no need to conceal his identity in front of Shachi. After all, Shachi was Rize's adoptive father, not some random member of Aogiri Tree.
He was someone who could be trusted—at the very least, Shachi definitely wouldn't side with the Washuu, nor would he betray Byakuya.
"I see. So Uchiha Madara isn't your real name."
Shachi nodded slightly.
At the same time, he began sizing up Byakuya like a father-in-law examining a suitor.
"That's right. However, there are times when I'd appreciate it if you could address me as Uchiha Madara, Kamishiro-san."
Byakuya said.
"Mm. This old man isn't so muddled as to forget that. You can rest assured on that point."
Shachi nodded.
"By the way, does Rize still hunt so indiscriminately now?"
Shachi suddenly asked.
He still couldn't forget Rize's hunting habits. After all, he himself had been captured because of Rize's reckless hunting.
Of course, he wouldn't blame Rize for that. His main concern was that Rize might be caught by the CCG or even the Washuu because of it.
"Here we go again. So naggy..."
Rize immediately replied.
"..."
Shachi couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Rize was still the same as always.
But he felt no displeasure—rather, a hint of nostalgia.
After all, he had long grown accustomed to Rize's attitude. Even when he had been angriest in the past, he had never done anything to Rize.
"You can rest assured, Kamishiro-san. Rize no longer hunts humans."
At that moment, Byakuya answered.
"Is that so? She no longer hunts humans?"
Shachi found this hard to believe.
If Rize had simply become more moderate, he might have believed it.
But for Rize to completely stop hunting humans—that seemed impossible to him...
"That's because Byakuya is my only 'prey' now."
Rize said directly.
"...What do you mean?"
Shachi didn't immediately grasp her meaning.
"It means I now satisfy my hunger with his flesh and blood. You wouldn't understand how delicious he tastes..."
As she spoke, Rize greedily licked her moist lips.
Shachi frowned slightly. "You actually do that to him? But isn't he a ghoul?"
He was confused about two things. First, doing such a thing to the one you loved. Second, Rize evaluating a ghoul's flesh and blood as "delicious"?
"That was before, though. For some reason, I'm not as interested in his flesh and blood anymore."
Rize said casually.
Then her gaze met Byakuya's. "But regarding the 'ghoul' part, I'd like to ask you properly—what was going on with those kakugan earlier?"
"It's actually quite simple. You can think of me as a plus version of Kurona and Nashiro. Besides not being one-eyed, my characteristics are similar to theirs."
Byakuya explained with a calm expression.
He spoke complete nonsense with a perfectly straight face—his demeanor and tone were so flat and serious that he didn't seem to be making anything up at all.
This was unavoidable. He certainly couldn't casually reveal the truth about the Mangekyo Sharingan. Using "kakugan" as cover was the best choice.
"Indeed..."
Rize thought for a moment and actually found Byakuya's explanation reasonable.
Apart from having only one kakugan each, Kurona and Nashiro possessed ghoul regeneration abilities, kagune abilities, and various other capabilities, yet they smelled completely human—and more delicious than ordinary humans.
This matched up perfectly with Byakuya's peculiarities, and also fit his claim of being an "upgraded version"—stronger abilities, and more delicious. That was essentially it.
As for the difference between one kakugan eye and two, experiments with artificial one-eyed ghouls had succeeded. Upgrading a "one-eyed" with similar characteristics to two kakugan eyes didn't seem entirely impossible.
Just like that, Rize was completely taken in by Byakuya's deception.
Shachi didn't comment on any of this. He didn't particularly care about such matters anyway—he simply accepted what Byakuya said as truth.
"But you still hid your half-ghoul identity from me..."
Rize's tone carried a hint of grievance.
Clearly, she was displeased that Byakuya had kept this from her.
"Actually, that's only because I've always thought of myself as human."
Byakuya smiled somewhat awkwardly. That was the only explanation he could give.
"Fine."
Rize didn't pursue the matter further.
Rather, she felt she shouldn't be dwelling on such things. It was all Byakuya's fault that she had unknowingly become like this.
"Are you two living at Anteiku now?"
Shachi asked.
He had heard some regular Aogiri Tree members mention the Binge Eater's whereabouts—at Anteiku in Ward 20. He was just confirming now.
"More or less."
Byakuya nodded.
"That works out. I can visit an old friend while I'm at it."
The "old friend" Shachi spoke of was naturally Yoshimura, the manager of Anteiku. He and Yoshimura were old acquaintances.
This also showed that Yoshimura had always been aware of everything. For instance, just hearing the surname "Kamishiro" would tell him a great deal—he simply chose not to interfere when unnecessary.
Just then, Shachi suddenly thought of something and asked with a serious expression, "By the way, how far has your relationship progressed? For instance... am I going to be a grandfather?"
...
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