Tokyo: After years of stagnation, the heiress of the yakuza arrives.

Inside the lobby.

When Miyazaki Ritsuko returned to the house, she thought Shimotsuki Takari would be organizing the consultation records from earlier.

When she entered, she found Shimotsuki Takagi sitting on the sofa, looking like she was questioning the meaning of life.

Shuangyue Gaoli was still holding a pen in her hand.

The notebook lay open on my lap.

The records above were densely packed. The first half was relatively neat, but the second half was obviously distorted. The last few lines even contained sloppy handwriting such as "Why is this happening?", "No, should I ask her or should she ask me?", and "How did this child manage to come back to the same conclusion?"

Ritsuko Miyazaki was stunned.

"Xiao Gao?"

Shuangyue Gaoli did not respond immediately.

She sat there, her eyes somewhat vacant, as if she had just undergone a reverse analysis in the realm of the mind.

Ritsuko Miyazaki felt a pang of anxiety.

"Xiao Gao, are you alright?"

Shuangyue Gaoli slowly raised her head.

"Ritsuko-neechan."

"Um?"

"Xiaoqing just asked me why I think single-parent families will inevitably make children lonely."

Ritsuko Miyazaki: "..."

Xiao Qing, how could she be so sarcastic...

Shuangyue Gaoli looked down at the notebook, her voice very soft.

She also asked me whether I was worried about Ellie or about the past version of myself that was abandoned.

The living room fell silent.

For a moment, Ritsuko Miyazaki didn't know what to say.

Shuangyue Gaoli closed her eyes.

She hadn't been stumped by a question like this in a long time.

She is a doctor.

She was used to sitting across from others, listening, analyzing, guiding, and slowly untangling their tangled emotions.

But Kiyoshi Miyazaki is not an ordinary patient.

She wasn't even a patient.

She simply sat there quietly, watching Shimotsuki Takagi, and waited for her to finish asking her question before returning it to her in the calmest tone.

It was not an attack.

It's not revenge.

It's just precise.

Precise as a scalpel.

Shuangyue Gaoli originally thought she had dealt with the past cleanly enough.

Scumbag.

betray.

Pregnancy before marriage.

She raised Ellie alone.

Those things have become medical records, professional knowledge, self-treatment experience, and the reasons she later used to protect Ellie.

But Miyazaki Kiyoshi's words made her realize that some things hadn't disappeared.

She simply covered it up with the words "professional" and "mother".

Ritsuko Miyazaki sat down next to her and gently pressed the back of her hand.

"Feel sorry."

Shuangyue Gaoli shook her head.

"It's not Ritsuko's fault."

She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

"I think I understand why Xiaoqing doesn't like people treating her as a problem that needs treatment."

Ritsuko Miyazaki looked at her.

Shuangyue Gaoli gave a wry smile.

"Because sometimes, the person sitting across from her may not know herself better than she does."

Ritsuko Miyazaki remained silent.

She suddenly didn't know whether she should feel fortunate or not.

Thankfully, today wasn't a formal consultation day.

Thankfully, Shido Kuroba was there.

I'm also glad that Xiaoqing didn't really reject everyone.

After a moment, Shuangyue Gaoli looked down at her notes and slowly closed her pen.

That's all for today.

"Um."

"Don't rush things."

"it is good."

Neither of them said anything more.

Because they all know it very well.

Today, the person who was actually being treated might not just be Miyazaki Kiyoshi... It's another day of being outmaneuvered by the department head.

So many years have passed, and Shimotsuki Takari may have overcome the self that was once consumed by internal strife, but she cannot overcome the all-seeing Minister!

A confrontation in youth leaves a shadow of youth; a confrontation in middle age... transforms into a shadow of middle age.

……

the other side.

Shido Kuroba and Kiyoshi Miyazaki returned to the club activity site.

It's still near an upscale residential area.

It's still a survey on stray cats.

Kuroba Shido was still in charge of taking notes, while Miyazaki Kiyoshi was in charge of observing and correcting his wording, which didn't quite sound like a normal investigation report.

"Orange and white, with a round body, suspected to be a regular customer at feeding point number one. It moves slowly but has an arrogant look in its eyes, and is a landlord in the cat world."

Kiyoshi Miyazaki: "Change it to a slightly overweight body type, normal mobility, and low alertness."

Kuroyuki said, "Minister, the description of the cat landlord is very vivid."

"Delete it."

"Okay."

He lowered his head and made changes.

Not far away, a small gray cat emerged from behind a bush, walking a little unsteadily.

Miyazaki Kiyoshi's gaze stopped.

"Wait a moment."

Shido Kuroba looked up.

"Um?"

Miyazaki Kiyoshi looked at the gray kitten.

"Its right front paw is injured."

Kuroba Shido followed her gaze.

The kitten was very thin, its fur was a bit messy, and it was hesitant to put its right front paw on the ground. It would stop and lick itself every two steps, and there was some mud on its body that it didn't know where it had gotten from.

Kuroba Shido looked at the cat, then at Miyazaki Kiyoshi.

"Minister, let's go."

Miyazaki Kiyoshi looked at him.

"you go."

The black-feathered warrior asked, "?"

"Why me?"

Miyazaki Seiryo said calmly, "You have experience."

What experience do I have?

"You've taken in a cat."

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

This can be considered experience?

He rescued a litter of kittens on a whim before being forced into a gangland shootout; it was a side quest that came as a bonus at the start of the Tokyo Universiade.

Moreover, the kittens from that litter were later taken away by Aoko Jingu.

In the end, it wasn't about saving the cat.

That was the prelude to sending me into the Shingu family instance.

Just as Shido Kuroba was preparing to continue fighting for his right to reasonable rest as a disabled person, he suddenly remembered something.

Kiyoshi Miyazaki has obsessive-compulsive disorder related to cleanliness.

It's not that you can't touch her.

I don't really like uncertain dirty things, especially injured stray cats, which may have blood, mud, fleas, bacteria, and random Tokyo nature blind boxes.

Kuroba Shido glanced at the medical gloves and small towel that she had prepared in advance.

silence.

"Minister, you've prepared everything so thoroughly, why don't you go yourself?"

"You are more suitable."

"Suitable for dirty and strenuous work?"

"Suitable for communicating with abnormal individuals."

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Minister, that doesn't sound like a compliment.

The kitten watched them warily and took a step back.

Kuroba Shido crouched down, trying to slow down his movements as much as possible.

"Suckling." It's a pity I didn't have the King of Kings with me, otherwise I could have had a classic King of Kings interview segment!

Kiyoshi Miyazaki: "..."

Black Feather said, "Hey, come on, Cat Bro, give me some face. I'm not going to take you to the 'eggs' today, just take a quick look at your legs."

Kitten: "Meow."

"Look, it responded to me."

Kiyoshi Miyazaki: "It's warning you."

"Your Excellency, there needs to be some trust between humans and cats."

"You are not a cat."

"I am the human form of Ultraman, and I have a high degree of species compatibility."

Kiyoshi Miyazaki: "..."

The kitten backed away a little more.

Shido Kuroba reached into his pocket and pulled out half a rice ball.

Miyazaki Kiyoshi's eyes flickered slightly.

"Didn't you already have lunch?"

"This is reserve food."

"When should it be on standby?"

"For use while you're alive."

Kiyoshi Miyazaki: "..."

Shido Kuroba broke off a small piece of rice and placed it on the ground.

The kitten was wary at first, then sniffed around and slowly approached.

As it lowered its head to eat its rice ball, Shido Kuroba moved quickly, covered it with a towel, and gently picked it up.

The kitten's fur stood on end instantly.

"Meow!"

"Don't move, don't move, Cat Bro, calm down, I'm a good person!"

"Meow!"

"Minister, help! It seems it doesn't approve of me as a good person!"

Kiyoshi Miyazaki approached, put on gloves, and looked down to examine the kitten's paws.

She moved very carefully.

Even through gloves, fingertips are kept away from wounds as much as possible.

"There's a scratch, not deep, probably from being cut by a sharp object."

Kuroba Shido held the cat, his expression serious.

"Should we call an ambulance?"

Miyazaki Kiyoshi looked up at him.

"veterinary."

"Oh, right, the veterinarian."

"There is a partner hospital nearby."

"Minister, you even prepared this?"

Miyazaki Kiyoshi did not answer, but took out disinfectant wipes and a small gauze for temporary bandaging from his bag.

Kuroba Shido watched as she bent down to tend to the kitten's wound, and suddenly fell silent.

She does have obsessive-compulsive disorder related to cleanliness.

But she didn't ignore it just because it was dirty.

Just deal with the discomfort and get the job done.

This is so Miyazaki Kiyoshi.

I don't like chaos.

But we won't deny the existence of chaos just because we don't like it.

The kitten struggled a few times, then, seemingly realizing that the two people meant no harm, it gradually calmed down.

Kuroba Shido looked down at it.

"Your Excellency, I think it needs a name."

"unnecessary."

Why?

"Rescue records do not require names, only numbers."

"Too cold-hearted."

"The name will influence subsequent judgments."

"Then let's call it a number."

Kiyoshi Miyazaki: "..."

Kuroba Shido said seriously, "The name 'Number' is very good. It's cool, professional, and has a touch of science fiction."

Kiyoshi Miyazaki: "..."

Kitten: "Meow."

"You see, it agrees too."

"It doesn't exist; that's just your imagination..."

As the two were talking, Shido Kuroba's cell phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.

buzzing.

Kuroba Shido's body stiffened.

My phone vibrated.

Tokyo is under high-risk alert.

He held the cat in one arm and struggled to pull out his phone with the other.

The caller ID is displayed on the screen.

Aoko Jingu.

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

at the same time.

The Jingu family.

The air in the spacious study was almost too quiet.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows is a meticulously manicured courtyard. Sunlight streams in through the glass, falling on the dark wooden floor and creating patches of cool, indifferent light.

Jingu Aoko sat behind her desk with several documents spread out in front of her, originally dealing with some internal affairs of the Jingu family.

When she stopped writing, the whole room seemed to pause for a moment.

The girl's face was expressionless, her eyebrows and eyes were still as exquisite as if they had been carefully drawn. Her long black hair fell to her shoulders, making her skin look very fair. The noble and imposing aura of the Shingu family was stronger than her appearance suggested.

She leaned back in her chair and slowly crossed her legs.

Black stockings extended from the hem of the skirt to the tips of the shoes, their lines clean, yet their posture was not frivolous; instead, they exuded a nonchalant sense of danger.

It's like a beautiful knife casually placed on a table.

Even if it's not drawn, no one would mistake it for just an ornament.

Right now, however, Aoko Jingu was clearly not in a good mood.

On the carpet next to her, Yoshiko Jingu was lying there enjoying herself.

To be precise, they were labeled as enjoying a life of luxury.

She lay there in a very peaceful posture, her hair a little messy, her eyes vacant, as if she had just been physically sent into a brief period of post-coital bliss by her dutiful daughter.

Da Mei stood to the side, wearing gloves, and expressionlessly punched a thesis defense squishy robot... Ora Ora Ora!!!

As for why it has become like this...

the reason is simple.

Just now, Miko Kamiya started exerting her strength again.

such as……

"That kid Shido is too good-looking. He's the dangerous type who easily attracts attention, and he's also a master at living off women. He has no bottom line. If you don't listen, he's already selling his soul somewhere, Qingqing, you don't know..."

"Young girls these days are very proactive. Maybe Kuroba is already being targeted by someone outside, like some kind of girl named Saki, Saki, Saki..."

"Oh, poor little Qingqing, she really has turned into little Qingqing..."

Jingu Yoshiko felt inexplicably sentimental and saddened; the old mother was sad, the old mother shed tears…

Aoko Jingu: "..."

good news.

Great, the effort was successful!

bad news.

That's too good!

Aoko Jingu immediately put down the documents, and Yoshiko Jingu immediately enjoyed the moment.

Now, Yoshiko Jingu lay on the carpet, pretending to be dead while secretly pricking up her ears.

Because Aoko Jingu dialed Shido Kuroba's number.

The moment the call connected, Aoko Jingu's tone was very flat.

"Honey, where are you?"

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

This response... it sounds like a girlfriend checking up on you! Don't do that, the minister will be angry...

"I'm outside." He thought it, but if he actually said that, he'd be dead meat. He'd better be honest and try to lie for now.

Aoko Jingu: "Where is outside?"

Kuroba Shido looked up at Miyazaki Kiyoshi.

Kiyoshi Miyazaki, wearing gloves and preening for the kitten's paws, glanced up at him after hearing the voice on the phone.

That glance was very calm.

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Damn it, it's Conqueror's Haki!

Just one glance was enough to make my legs tremble, and I couldn't resist pulling out the distinctive flag of France!

Kuroba Shido coughed. "I'm participating in community volunteer relief work."

Aoko Jingu: "..."

Lying on the ground, her face turned into a meme, Jingu Yoshiko's ears perked up even more.

Da Mei paused her elbow strike on the squirrel, glanced at it... squeak?

Aoko Jingu leaned back in her chair, her voice unreadable: "Community volunteer relief work?"

Kuroba Shido said very sincerely, "Yes, bringing warmth to society, helping the vulnerable, and promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and nature are all very positive activities."

"Darling, do you even believe what you're saying?" Aoko Jingu suddenly smiled, sending chills down everyone's spines!

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

broken.

This vicious woman won't fall for the "spiritual victory" approach.

He quickly adjusted his tactics: "At least the core idea is real, Qingzi. I don't know if you've ever heard the saying, 'I think, therefore I am.' Simply put, it means that whatever I think I'm doing is what I am doing. What I'm actually doing isn't important; what's important is what I'm thinking about..."

Aoko Jingu: "Turn on the camera."

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Still starting with tongue twisters, still not taking pressure, damn it, everyone in the corner is a liar, they're all so smart, what's the point of strategizing, and they even have side quests... they'd be more like side quests if they were cut!

Hey!

"what?"

Aoko Jingu repeated, "Turn on the camera."

Shingu Miko's eyes lit up, and she almost jumped up from the ground.

Here it comes!

The classic scene of the Empress checking on her husband.

That's fantastic! That's exactly the kind of teeth she wanted to see!

Kuroba Shido looked down at the cat in his arms, then at Miyazaki Kiyoshi beside him, and finally at his phone.

Turning on this camera poses an extremely high risk.

Not opening it would be riskier.

Since death is inevitable either way, I might as well choose a death that seems somewhat explainable.

He reluctantly clicked on the video call.

The screen lights up.

Aoko Jingu's face appeared on the phone screen.

Refined, indifferent, unhappy.

Shido Kuroba was so startled that he almost dropped his phone on the spot.

It's not fear.

The main point is to respect death.

"Turn the camera around."

Aoko Jingu's voice was very flat.

Kuroba Shido slowly turned the camera towards the gray kitten in his arms.

The gray kitten's right front paw was wrapped in gauze, which he had wrapped in a towel. Its eyes were wary, but also a little bewildered.

"Look, this is truly rescue work."

Aoko Jingu stared at the screen for two seconds.

There are indeed cats in the picture.

There are indeed signs of injury.

Kuroba Shido said in a somber tone, "This cat has injured its leg. Out of humanitarian spirit, I provided it with temporary first aid. We will now take it to the veterinarian for professional treatment."

"You're so kind?" Jingu Aoko asked suspiciously, but her tone was noticeably softer than before.

"Bundled!" Kuroba Shido stood at attention!

Especially when she met Shido Kuroba before, there was a cat element involved. Shido Kuroba liked cats and went to rescue them. Although it was a bit against his character, it was still acceptable in the past.

This hurdle has been overcome.

Jingu Aoko looked at him, her tone still calm: "Get to my house before six o'clock tonight."

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

He looked with difficulty at the minister standing beside him. The minister stood there, staring at him, saying nothing, yet it seemed as if he had said everything.

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Holy crap! Just write a decent novel already! What are you doing, writing all this stuff all the time? Ugh...

Kuroba Shido seriously suspected that he was being controlled by some powerful force, that his fate had been manipulated, that he had been transported here, and that he was now half-dead in this inexplicably unfolding guillotine.

It's just like those idiotic authors in online novels who have nothing better to do than force themselves to make the protagonist suffer...

Hey!

Hey, give me the script, okay?

"Um, well... Aoko, I still have some things to finish tonight, how about tomorrow...?"

Jingu Aoko: "Six o'clock, tonight. I don't want it to happen a third time, or... are you out there fooling around with other women?"

The Black Feather Warrior said, "???"

Holy crap, when did this vicious woman start acting like this?

"The cat needs to be taken to the vet..."

Aoko Jingu: "Bring the cat over here."

Kurobashi said, "Isn't that inappropriate? The Shingu family is such a noble place, it would be easy for Cat Brother to feel inferior if he went there."

Aoko Jingu: "Then you should feel inferior along with me."

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Damn it, that filthy woman! Just you wait, your Uncle Black Feather will sneak into the enemy ranks, develop his strength, and then... revenge is a dish best served cold!

Have a really good time!

This is the consequence of offending your Uncle Kuroba!!!

On the other end of the phone, Yoshiko Jingu felt the time was ripe.

She sprang to her feet and shouted into the phone, "Shido, bring Dahei over too! Let Daimi have a friendly spar with it!"

The study fell silent instantly.

Jingu Aoko slowly turned her head.

Shingu Miko's expression froze.

The short-haired woman who had been waiting outside in the corridor silently took a half step back... Oh no, something bad has happened to the master!

The next second, a heart-wrenching scream came from the phone, like a pig being slaughtered for the New Year!

"Ahhh! Little Qingqing, have you forgotten that I'm your mother?! I was just trying to give you more reasons to meet! Ahhh, stop hitting me, stop hitting me, I was wrong, waaaaah..."

The Black Feather Warrior said, "???"