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

"Ahhhhh—"

"squeak--"

The screams of a man and a rat rang out almost simultaneously, echoing back and forth along the corridor of the private room. The first half belonged to the female waitress who had just pushed the door open, while the second half belonged to Big Black, who had been forcibly turned on by the first half. Although the two voices were different, the terror contained within them was highly consistent.

The waitress's tray fell to the ground with a thud, the empty plates she was about to clear away shattered into pieces, and she staggered back several steps, her lower back slamming heavily against the wall.

Big Black also jumped up from the cushion.

Big Black, who had just been lying there eating and drinking his fill and sleeping peacefully, was now on all fours with his head pointed as if he had just completed some kind of sewer martial arts breakthrough. The light blue bow on his back swayed with his body, and his black bean eyes were fixed on the human who had suddenly appeared at the door.

The waitress was terrified.

Big Black was also terrified.

Neither side understood why the other was there.

"Old rat!"

The waitress finally realized what was happening and, leaning against the wall, screamed again: "There's a huge black rat in the private room!"

There was silence outside for two seconds.

Immediately afterwards, a flurry of footsteps echoed down the corridor.

"where?"

"Inside!"

"How is that possible? We checked all the private rooms today!"

"It's even wearing a bow!"

"What is it?"

Two waiters, a cleaning staff member, and the duty manager who had just passed by appeared at the door one after another. Following the trembling finger of the waitress, they all stared at the big black thing on the cushion.

Big Black: "..."

The human population has increased.

And each one is very large.

Danger level +1 +1 +1...

The duty manager paused, his professional smile fading: "Close the door first, don't let it get into the kitchen."

"squeak?!"

Although Dahei couldn't understand complete human language, the actions of "closing the door" and several people blocking the exit were very intuitive, especially since the cleaning staff was holding a mop and another waiter picked up a small broom from the edge of the corridor used to clean up charcoal ash.

Danger!

very dangerous!

Big Black turned and ran, its four short legs thrashing wildly on the cushion. First, it darted along the wall to under the table, and then it crawled into the food cart that had been used to serve yakitori.

"It ran away!"

"stop!"

A group of people rushed inside at the same time. The waitress tried to block the left side with a tray, while the cleaning staff placed the mop across the right side. The duty manager picked up an empty cardboard box from the side of the table, preparing to cover the big black thing from the front.

Surrounded on three sides.

There is nowhere to escape.

A serious expression appeared in Dahei's black bean eyes.

Having followed its boss around Tokyo for so long, it has seen great beauty, scared elephants unconscious, lived in sewers, and dodged rat poison...

He had even received death threats from Kuroba Shido regarding intravenous injection of muscle dragon and martial arts breakthroughs using nuclear wastewater, but being surrounded by a group of strangers with brooms, mops, and cardboard boxes was still a first for him.

Especially when the eldest brother isn't around.

Big Black can only rely on himself.

The duty manager moved slowly: "Don't hit it, try to capture it alive."

Big Black pricked up its ears.

Capture alive?

In other words, they won't die immediately after being captured?

Big Black relaxed a little.

"After catching them, contact a professional pest control company."

Big Black: "???"

His black bean eyes suddenly widened!

Humans are masters of codes!

He was even breathing heavily when he spoke!

"squeak--!"

Big Black let out an even more piercing scream, its body suddenly leaping out from under the food cart and breaking through the gap between two pairs of shoes. The waitress jumped up in fright, slapping her small broom down haphazardly, but instead of hitting Big Black, it landed with a thud on the duty manager's shoe.

Duty Manager: "..."

Waitress: "..."

"I'm sorry, manager!"

"Catch the mice first!"

Big Black had already rushed to the other side of the private room, its paws frantically sliding on the smooth floor. The whole mouse was running and drifting sideways, with its light blue bow fluttering in the wind behind it. Finally, before the mop blocked the way, it successfully squeezed into the narrow gap between the oven and the wall.

Safety.

Big Black lay in the crevice, only half of its increasingly pointed head showing, its breathing gradually becoming steady.

Several waiters gathered around.

"Here."

"Block the exit with something."

"There's still a gap on the other side, don't let it escape."

Big Black: "..."

Safety duration: one second.

The humans quickly split into two groups: one group waited at the front with cardboard boxes, while the other group went around to the side of the oven, ready to use mop handles to drive it out from inside.

Big Black looked left and right, and the face of his boss quickly appeared in his mind.

If Shido Kuroba were here, he would definitely pretend that Daikoku is the shop's pet, then ask for a free meal voucher under the pretext of management negligence, frightening customers, and emotional distress. If that doesn't work, he would lie on the ground and pretend that his leg hurts to attract everyone's attention, and then let Daikoku run away with the rest of the chicken breast.

It's a pity the boss isn't here.

I have to do it myself.

The mop handle slowly extended from behind, and the big black body moved forward accordingly. The cardboard box was already prepared in front, and as soon as it came out through the gap, it would be completely covered.

Big Black had no choice but to turn around and squeeze into the narrower gap to the side.

The head went in.

Go in with your shoulder.

The first half of the body went in smoothly.

It got stuck in my stomach.

Big Black kicked the ground with all its might with its hind legs, its belly was squeezed out of shape by the sides, but its body seemed to be firmly fixed by some unseen force, and it could not move forward no matter what it did.

This morning I ate a nutritious bento box prepared by Onodera Zannen, and for lunch I had chicken breast, apple, nuts, bread and ice cream. In the evening I ate a "what-bird" set meal with Kuroba Shido. Just now, while everyone was away, I secretly finished off the last bit of unseasoned grilled rice balls on the plate.

The food wasn't wasted.

They all grew in the key positions.

Big Black got stuck.

"It can't get in!"

"Get the box!"

Several people's eyes lit up.

The cardboard box was lifted from the front, while the mop handle gently touched Big Black's rear end from behind. Big Black was so frightened that its tail straightened and its two hind legs kicked the ground frantically, but its body remained completely still.

The eldest always says it eats too much.

Dahei didn't believe it before.

Now I believe it.

late.

"squeak--!"

As the cardboard box drew closer, Big Black squirmed anxiously, its light blue bow being pushed aside. The despair that only an adult mouse would feel when facing family responsibilities gradually surfaced in its black bean eyes.

My wife is still at Amamiya Kaoru's house.

Xiao Hei was there too.

There might be a little black baby inside Big Black's wife's belly.

Although the eldest brother is unreliable, always wanting to inject it with muscle dragons, make it drink nuclear wastewater, and train it to perform on the streets, at least it still gets a little bit of food every day.

We must not get caught.

We absolutely cannot get caught by the pest control company!

The waitress had already squatted down and slowly aimed the cardboard box at the big black head, while another employee stood beside it holding a broom to prevent it from suddenly breaking free and attacking.

The light in Big Black Bean's eyes gradually became serious.

If all else fails...

The only option was to abandon the stomach and run away!

"Spare the rats among your men!"

A woman's voice suddenly came from the end of the corridor.

Everyone stopped moving at the same time.

The waitress turned around.

Big Black also stopped kicking.

A few seconds later, Yoshiko Sawamura, sporting slightly crooked yellow tiger ears, rushed into the private room in her high heels, followed by Ritsuki Sawamura, whose face was dark.

Yoshiko Sawamura was outside confirming the address for the low-temperature transport of the bluefin tuna with the manager when she heard the scream. She hadn't reacted yet until the words "huge black rat" and "wearing a bow" entered her ears one after another. A memory that had been temporarily suppressed by food and sushi in the depths of her mind finally resurfaced.

At the zoo.

Panda Pavilion.

There was indeed a large black rat perched on the shoulder of the strange boy with a crooked mouth, slanted eyes, and a cane.

Later at a fast food restaurant, Onodera Zanne received a photo of a rat with its limbs outstretched, seemingly suffering from heatstroke. Sawamura Yoshiko even inquired about the situation.

What did Onodera Zanne say at that time?

Its name is Big Black.

It's not an ordinary pet.

She is a very important member of Shido's family.

During the call just now, Onodera Zannen seemed to have mentioned that Daikoku has a light blue ribbon tied to its back from a zoo activity, and its head is getting more and more pointed. It usually likes to stay in Shido's pocket or on his shoulder.

black.

Very big.

Pointed head.

Light blue bow.

Everything matches perfectly!

Before she could catch her breath, Yoshiko Sawamura grabbed the cardboard box the waitress was about to drop, and used her other hand to block the broom: "Wait a minute, this isn't an ordinary rat!"

The private room was quiet.

The duty manager tentatively inquired, "Is it one of your pets?"

"no."

"That is?"

"From a friend."

After Yoshiko Sawamura finished speaking, she suddenly felt that something was wrong.

She didn't know that guy named Shido at all.

Strictly speaking, we only ate together, and throughout the meal, the other person kept their head down, their mouth was crooked and their eyes were slanted, and they didn't say much.

But Onodera-kun is already considered a friend.

My friend's favorite person keeps a pet mouse...

Rounding down.

It's also a friend's mouse!

The logic holds true!

Yoshiko Sawamura became more assertive, squatted down in front of the gap, and tentatively asked, "Big Black?"

The big black dog, who was frantically shrinking its belly, froze.

His black, beady eyes looked up and landed on Yoshiko Sawamura's face.

Yoshiko Sawamura's eyes lit up instantly: "Look, it's reacting! Its name really is Daikoku!"

Everyone: "..."

It's a black rat called Big Black.

This name isn't entirely uncreative; it just fits the naming style of some parents who, upon seeing black, are too lazy to think further.

Ritsuki Sawamura finally caught up from behind and saw the large black creature stuck in the gap with only half of its body showing. Her previously irritated expression paused for a moment.

"Auntie, do you recognize it?"

"I saw you today!"

Yoshiko Sawamura pointed to the bow on Daikoku's back: "That's the Daikoku that Onodera-kun mentioned, a very important member of Shido-kun's family. He even went to the zoo with them today!"

Riki Sawamura paused slightly.

Shidou-san.

It's that Shido guy again.

She glanced at Big Black.

Big Black also glanced at her.

However, now is not the time to investigate the coincidence of the names. Big Black's belly is still stuck in the gap, and its hind legs are already trembling slightly from the continuous exertion.

The duty manager hesitated: "Ms. Sawamura, even if it's a pet owned by someone we know, the presence of rodents in the restaurant requires sanitation. We must confirm that it hasn't entered the kitchen or come into contact with the food."

"Don't worry, it's always in the private room."

Yoshiko Sawamura pointed to the table: "Besides, this private room was registered for pets. I think I heard the waiter mention earlier that it was a purebred aristocratic fancy rat."

Duty Manager: "..."

He looked down at Big Black.

No matter how you look at it, it's a Tokyo black rat whose unusually strong physique is a result of its overly privileged living conditions.

Where are the nobles from?

Is it possible for someone of noble lineage to possess uranium in their body?

When Dahei realized that the people around it had stopped covering it with cardboard boxes, it finally relaxed slowly and shrank back, but its belly was still firmly stuck.

Yoshiko Sawamura stared at it for a long time before asking, "Is it unable to get out?"

The waitress replied softly, "It seems like he ate too much and got stuck."

Big Black: "..."

Staining.

A blatant stain!

This is muscle gain after a breakthrough in martial arts, and it has nothing to do with being fat!

Yoshiko Sawamura tried to reach out and pull Daikoku out of the gap. Daikoku immediately became alert and pulled all four legs back in. Even though it couldn't move, it still looked like it was ready to run away at any moment.

"Don't be afraid, I don't eat rats."

Yoshiko Sawamura held up a finger and shook it, her tone as gentle as if she were coaxing a frightened child: "I just bought a bluefin tuna. If you're really hungry, eat the fish first."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

Can these two ingredients be compared in the same recipe?

Big Black still didn't relax.

Yoshiko Sawamura thought for a moment, then suddenly turned to look at the table, where there was still a takeout container that the waiter hadn't had time to clear away, with a small piece of unsalted chicken breast inside.

She took the chicken breast and placed it in front of Big Black Nose.

The big black nose twitched.

The wariness in Black Bean's eyes began to waver.

food.

No seasoning.

Can eat.

Daikoku looked up at Yoshiko Sawamura, then at the chicken breast, and then at the brooms, mops, and cardboard boxes around him that had stopped waving.

A few seconds later, it finally slowly released its paws, allowing Yoshiko Sawamura to carefully support its body, while another waiter moved the oven slightly outward.

The gap widened.

The big black belly successfully escaped and landed with a thud inside the coat that Yoshiko Sawamura had prepared beforehand, but its two paws precisely grabbed the chicken breast before it landed.

Chew, chew, chew.

Big Black survived.

Yoshiko Sawamura squatted in the messy private room, with a large black rat with an increasingly pointed head and a light blue bow tied to its back inside her coat. Around her were a group of restaurant staff carrying brooms, mops, cardboard boxes and trays.

Both sides fell silent again.

Big Black lowered its head and ate the meat.

Yoshiko Sawamura looked down at the mouse.

Ritsuki Sawamura stood expressionlessly behind, suddenly realizing that her experience tonight had evolved from having dinner with an old lady to buying bluefin tuna, attacking a fish's immediate family member, and rescuing a strange man's pet mouse in the middle of the night.

And it seems the matter is far from over.

Where is Dahei's owner?

……

A dozen minutes later.

"Get out of the way!"

"Get out of the way!"

"The house mouse is critically ill; idlers stay away!"

At the entrance of the yakitori restaurant, a figure rushed in quickly, leaning on a crutch. His good leg exerted tremendous force, while his injured leg swayed back and forth with his body. He was like a whirlwind that had lost a wheel, running wildly down the corridor.

Kuroba Shido rushed to the door of the original private room, braced his hands on the door frame, and gasped for breath.

"Big Black!"

no respond.

The private room was left in a mess.

The table is crooked.

The cushion flipped over.

The food cart crashed into the wall, and several empty plates shattered on the ground. The cleaning staff had already collected most of the debris, leaving only a few streaks of dust that hadn't been wiped away in time, as well as the gap in the wall that the big black belly had forcibly widened.

the most important is.

Big Black is gone.

Kuroba Shido stood at the doorway, his expression gradually freezing as his cane slowly slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a thud.

"Big Black..."

His voice trembled.

The body swayed.

The next second, Kuroba Shido collapsed to his knees with a thud, bracing himself on the cushion with his hands, and cried out in utter despair, "No, this isn't real! No—!"

The waiters in the corridor all turned their heads.

Kuroba Shido's eyes were red-rimmed, and his hands trembled as he stroked the cushion where Daikoku had just lain, as if the last warmth of a certain mouse lingered there.

"How could you just leave like that!"

"Your wife and kids are still waiting for you at the teacher's house. Your boss hasn't taken you to drink the purest nuclear wastewater yet, hasn't given you the latest muscle-building injection, and you haven't even had a chance to pay me back for the food you ate today!"

waiter:"……"

The last sentence sounds even more sorrowful.

Shido Kuroba lowered his head, his mind uncontrollably filled with the beautiful moments he had shared with Daikoku since they met.

First time meeting.

The Daikoku family lived in a hole in the wall. They would steal food from Kuroyuu Shido when he wasn't looking and rummage through the trash cans.

Not good.

Let's try another one.

Kuroba Shido brings back discounted rice balls every day. The two of them, one human and one mouse, depend on each other for survival. He eats outside while the Kuroba family eats inside, and they share the food harmoniously.

Thinking about it carefully, the Daikoku family never paid rent, and the rice balls they ate were all paid for by Shido Kuroba.

It's still not good.

Let's try another one.

Dahei once deliberately starved himself for the sake of his wife and children. In the end, he lay next to rat poison and almost experienced a memory of his rat life. When Kuroba Shido found him, he was heartbroken and personally rescued him.

The reason why Dahei fainted from hunger was because Kuroba Shido had been eating out for several days in a row and hadn't brought any food home.

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

This part doesn't seem worth thinking about too much.

Keep changing.

Big Black lived with him in a dilapidated house, crawled through the sewers with him, and struggled to survive with him in the lower rungs of Tokyo.

However, it was Daikoku who found the sewer dwelling first. Kuroba Shido was an outsider who forced his way in, and in the end, he even tried to charge Daikoku's family rent in the form of food based on the size of their living space.

wrong.

Neither is correct.

Shido Kuroba closed his eyes, trying to add a warm and gentle filter to his memories.

At the zoo, Dahei accompanied him and his senior to see the pandas, penguins, and elephants. The two of them and the mouse spent a warm and happy day together.

The next second, the elephant was so frightened by the big black elephant that it fainted on the spot.

Then Shido Kuroba threatens Daikoku that if it gets caught by the zoo, he'll keep it to perform and scare elephants to pay off his debt. It will work during the day and play a rare species in the rat enclosure at night, with its wife and kids visiting it once a month.

Later, in order to avoid the Sawamura mother and daughter, Kuroba Shido had Daikuro fake heatstroke, with his limbs twitching, foaming at the mouth, and sticking out his tongue, in an attempt to deceive his senior. In the end, Onodera Zanne stood by and watched the whole rat fraud training course.

Kuroba Shido slowly opened his eyes.

No.

There isn't a single truly warm and beautiful memory.

He and Dahei have known each other for so long, and all they've done is steal food, exploit each other, research how to train street performers, and think about how to forcibly transform an ordinary rat into a sewer war god using nuclear wastewater and a muscle dragon.

Kuroba Shido knelt on the ground, the tears that had just welled up in the corners of his eyes gradually disappearing, and the grief on his face slowly turned into an indescribable silence.

It turns out that Big Black didn't leave.

The beautiful memories they shared never existed.

Doesn't this seem wrong?

In the corridor, a waitress had been standing by for a long time, first looking at Kuroba Shido, then looking down to check the reservation record on her phone.

"that……"

Shido Kuroba did not react.

The waitress tentatively inquired, "Excuse me, are you the owner of that black fancy mouse from earlier?"

Shido Kuroba suddenly looked up.

"What black fancy rat?"

The waitress was startled: "It's that big one, with a pointed top, and a light blue bow tied at the back..."

"A purebred aristocratic fancy mouse!"

Kuroba Shido pushed himself up, his dejected expression vanishing instantly: "Uranium element bloodline certification, three generations of my ancestors have lived in the heart of Tokyo. Although it looks a bit like an ordinary rat, that's because its original coat pattern is quite rare. It's definitely not some random big black rat picked up from the sewers!"

Waitress: "..."

It seems to be the owner.

Both the rat and the person possess a strange, irreplaceable quality.

"Where's Big Black?"

Kuroba Shido grabbed his cane and looked around: "Were they taken away by your pest control company? Which direction did they go? What's their license plate number? Is it too late to chase them?"

"We did not contact the pest control company."

"Is that the kitchen?"

"He didn't go into the kitchen either."

"Did they add some kind of hidden menu item?"

The waitress's politeness gradually became strained: "No, it was taken away by that Ms. Sawamura."

Shido Kuroba froze.

Ms. Sawamura.

There's only one possible explanation for this surname in tonight's yakitori restaurant.

The waitress continued to explain, "It was the lady wearing the yellow tiger ears. She seemed to recognize your pet and even called out Big Black's name correctly. Later, the lady with long pink hair also stayed by your side. The two of them waited for you for a while, but you didn't come back."

Yellow tiger ears.

Long pink hair.

Yoshiko Sawamura.

Ritsuki Sawamura.

All matched.

The expression on Shido Kuroba's face returned to calm at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Good news: Big Black wasn't killed, nor was it added to the "what kind of hidden menu" of the meal.

Bad news: Big Black has fallen into the hands of the evil little pink-haired girl and her crazy old lady.

This can no longer be considered completely safe.

It can only be said that the Tokyo food hygiene crisis has escalated into a crisis of the Tokyo pretty boy's identity being exposed.

"They took Big Black away?"

"Yes."

"Nothing else was left behind?"

"They left their contact information."

The waitress took out a temporary record card from her pocket. It had Yoshiko Sawamura's name, phone number, and room information that the hotel front desk could transfer to on her behalf. The handwriting was a bit messy, and there was a black mouse with a pointed head drawn next to it.

Shido Kuroba took the card.

silence.

The waitress politely reminded, "Ms. Sawamura said that if the pet owner returns, they can contact her at any time, and she will take care of bringing Dahei back safely."

"Thanks."

Kuroba Shido looked down at the phone number, his voice becoming unusually weak: "Let me have some peace and quiet to deal with these complicated family diplomacy issues."

Although the waitress didn't understand what the missing mouse had to do with family diplomacy, she nodded and left, reminding him not to continue kneeling in the spot where the debris hadn't been completely cleaned up.

The private room fell silent again.

Shido Kuroba sat down on the overturned cushion, holding the contact information in both hands, and began to analyze the current situation.

First, contact Sawamura Yoshiko directly.

No.

Once she dials using her own phone number, even though her great mother's thought process is quite novel, it doesn't mean she'll never look at the phone number. Especially with Ritsuki Sawamura right next to her, if the little pink-haired girl takes the phone and casually checks the account, profile picture, or linked information, the fragile identity barrier between online Shido Kuroba and his offline classmate Shido will instantly crumble.

Second, contact them using Ritsuki Sawamura's chat account.

That won't work either.

This is tantamount to directly telling the wicked little pink-haired girl that the crooked-mouthed, slanted-eyed man who went to the zoo with the gentle senior today, bought couple tickets, had his arm linked with hers, and then had dinner with a beautiful female teacher in the evening is her longtime online friend, Kuroyu Shido.

There was no build-up.

There is no buffer.

One shot, and it's dead.

The probability that the little pink-haired girl will immediately enter her enraged state is at least 99.9%, with the remaining 0.1% being that she hasn't reacted yet and will enter it five seconds later.

Third, borrow the restaurant's phone.

Surface safety.

It's actually useless.

Whenever Yoshiko Sawamura asks for the name of Daikoku's owner, he has to choose between remaining silent, lying, or self-destruction. Even if his vocal cords continue to deform and his mouth and eyes become crooked, he will still be unable to avoid meeting in person when he finally gets Daikoku back.

Fourth, let Kaoru Amamiya go and get it.

Kuroba Shido thought for a few seconds and quickly rejected the idea.

Amamiya Kaoru is an honest person.

He can handle normal questions, but when faced with someone like Yoshiko Sawamura who can ask about everything from his age to his address...

If you start by asking about the pregnancy of the black woman, and then ask the social terrorist about which bed the black man usually sleeps in, the old man will probably not last three minutes before he tells you everything clearly: where the student currently lives, where he used to live, when he moved, and who he has lived with.

As for Shimotsuki Airi...

We absolutely cannot go.

The little brat is vengeful. If Yoshiko Sawamura were to bring out two desserts and ask if Shido Kuroba is a bad guy, the elementary school student might immediately list out all the evidence of his crimes, such as stealing chicken meatballs, stealing bird cookies, monopolizing children's pudding, and bullying minors.

Danger.

All ordinary routes are fraught with danger.

Kuroba Shido held the card in his hand, his gaze gradually deepening.

There is one last option.

Pay the price to achieve the desired outcome!

Asking your senior for help is like making a pact with the devil.

Moreover, he is a devil who will not specify the exact cost in the contract, but will only gently tell him "Shido-kun, don't worry".

Shido Kuroba fell silent for half a minute.

Ultimately, they made a decision that went against their ancestors' wishes!

Damn it, let's do it!

Kuroba Shido took out his phone and opened Onodera Zannen's chat window.

The finger hovers above the input box.

First time entering.

[Senior, are you asleep?]

delete.

It's too much like a late-night relationship hotline.

The second input.

Senior, I want to make a deal with you.

delete.

Like organ trafficking.

Third input.

【Senior, I left Dahei with Aunt Jiazi. I can't contact her directly right now. Could you please help me bring Dahei back?】

Kuroba Shido stared at this passage for a long time.

The information is clear.

The objective is clear.

No further explanation was given.

The identity of Riyue Sawamura as a netizen was not revealed.

send.

Less than three seconds after the message was sent, Onodera Zannen replied.

【it is good. 】

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

You agreed too quickly.

They didn't even ask why Daikoku ended up in Sawamura Yoshiko's hands, nor did they ask Kuroba Shido why it was inconvenient to contact him directly, nor did they take the opportunity to make any demands.

This is more dangerous than simply setting a price.

Free things are the most expensive.

The free help from senior students is so expensive that it may require a lifetime of installment payments to repay.

Kuroba Shido typed quickly.

Why didn't the senior ask why?

[Shido must have his reasons for not being able to explain.]

Upon seeing these words, Shido Kuroba did not feel relieved; instead, he became even more vigilant.

gentle.

understand.

I won't ask any further questions.

These things combined have formed an invisible, enormous fishing net. If Kuroba Shido takes a step forward out of emotion, the next time his senior suggests "just come in and sit for a while," "just stay for a meal," or "just try a couple's anniversary activity," he will seem immature even if he refuses.

No.

The boundaries of the contract must be clearly defined.

Kuroba Shido's fingers moved rapidly.

In exchange, I can grant my senior a request, but it must be legal, cannot harm anyone, cannot restrict my personal freedom, cannot ask me to enter her private residence, cannot ask me to stay overnight, cannot interfere with my normal schooling, cannot be transferred to a third party, cannot be split into multiple requests, and cannot bypass the above restrictions by "the necessary steps to complete the request." It is invalid after one use.

send.

Kuroba Shido checked it again.

rigorous.

comprehensive.

At the same time, loopholes were closed for illegal detention, luring into a house, long-term overnight stay, endless nesting, requests for transfer, and necessary procedures.

This is no ordinary promise.

This is a soul contract safety clause written by a handsome young man from the lower class in Tokyo, based on his years of survival experience.

The chat window remained silent for a few seconds.

Onodera's echo reply.

【it is good. 】

There's still only one word.

Kuroba Shido's eyelids twitched... Wait a minute, shouldn't he have declined or something?

Why did you agree so readily?

Holy crap, did he fall for it?

[Did you read the restrictions carefully, senior?]

Look carefully.

Are you sure there are no objections?

【No.】

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Kuroba Shido stared at the screen, his unease growing stronger.

Faced with so many restrictions, a normal person would at least complain.

There wasn't a senior student.

This suggests two possibilities.

First, Onodera Zanne was simply helping out and had no intention of making any request.

Second, these restrictions cannot stop her from doing what she really wants to do.

Kuroba Shido prefers the second option.

But the contract has already been signed.

It was too late to withdraw.

A few seconds later, Onodera Zannen sent another message.

I'll contact Aunt Yoshiko and ask her to take care of Daiko to me first. Shido can go back and rest.

It was followed by a gentle smiling emoji.

Kuroba Shido looked at that smile.

In a daze, he seemed to see a gentle, beautiful demon with long black hair standing on the other end of the contract, carefully putting the paper with his name on it into a drawer, then raising his eyes and softly telling him not to be afraid.

Big Black is safe for now.

Kuroba Shido has successfully fulfilled his request to his senior.

The rat was rescued.

Hostage +1.

……

late at night.

The lock on the luxury apartment door clicked softly.

Kuroba Shido walked in from outside, leaning on his cane and carrying the takeout box that Amamiya Kaoru had given him. His hair was messy from the night wind, and his coat pockets were empty. He looked like he had just gone through a brutal war that lasted seven days and seven nights.

The smart lights turn on automatically.

Kuroba Shido did not check the shoe cabinet or confirm the door lock as usual, nor did he open the takeout box to count the remaining food, nor did he express his feelings about using capitalist sugar-coated bullets in his 87-square-meter luxury apartment.

The cane was leaning against the wall.

The shoes were halfway off.

Kuroba Shido dragged himself into the living room, finally collapsing onto the sofa, burying his face in the cushions, his arms hanging limply at his sides.

"It's over..."

The sound came out muffledly.

"Not only did they fail to bring their younger brother back, they also sold themselves..."

The apartment became quiet again.

At the junction of the ceiling and the wall, an inconspicuous little black dot slowly rotates. The camera follows Shido Kuroba from the entrance hall all the way into the living room, clearly recording the entire process of him collapsing on the sofa in a daze, half-dead.

Data passes through a hidden network.

A few kilometers away.

Kiyoshi Miyazaki sat at the table in his room, with the book in front of him still barely turned, and his phone screen showing live footage of the apartment.

She looked at Kuroba Shido, who was lying motionless on the sofa.

The clothes are intact.

There was no blood.

The injured leg was not re-injured.

The phone, wallet, cane, and packing box are all there.

But this person returned in an even more desperate state than after being pinned to the ground and trampled by Aoko Jingu.

A hint of doubt appeared in Miyazaki Kiyoshi's cold eyes.

"What's wrong with him?"