After a night's sleep, the embarrassment of the previous evening was quietly pretended away.
For the time being, Asou Akiya had yet to tell Chuuya and Ranpo that he had purchased a new house. However, there was no hiding such things from the sharp-witted Ranpo. During breakfast with the family, he immediately exposed the matter.
"Akiya! When are we going to visit the huge house you bought?"
Edogawa Ranpo tapped his bowl excitedly, his entire face practically spelling out, I want to see it!
[What did this brat figure out now?]
Asou Akiya pondered the question. He was certain he had never revealed any information about Sunset Manor. It had been Nishida Shibashi who dealt with Senma Furuyo, the woman who would eventually commit murder for the sake of the treasure. Moreover, the traces of Senma Furuyo's disappearance had been so unnervingly thorough that the government had suppressed the case as an ability-user crime. That meant it would be nearly impossible to uncover any clues through television, mobile phones, newspapers, or any other channels through which information circulated.
He did not want Ranpo to learn too much about the darkness lurking beneath the surface.
Even if the person he had ordered killed was only a potential criminal, and even if he himself could hardly be called a good person, he still wished for the children to see the brighter, nobler side of him.
Money was a tool meant to help people find happiness and live free from worry.
One should never lose sight of what truly mattered.
Asou Akiya picked up a fried egg with his chopsticks and placed it into Ranpo's bowl. Then he poured Chuuya a second glass of milk.
"Not this week," he said. "Once the place has been cleaned up properly, I'll take both of you there."
Edogawa Ranpo carefully separated the egg yolk from the white and dropped the yolk into Chuuya's bowl.
Veins immediately bulged on Nakahara Chuya's forehead.
Half-lidding his emerald-green eyes, Ranpo drawled, "Is it a really big secret~?"
Asou Akiya knocked him lightly on the head.
"What are you squinting your eyes for when nothing's wrong with them?"
Ranpo clutched his head and protested, "I'm practicing how to be an ordinary person! But I don't have Akiya's glasses, so I don't have a sealing artifact! I have to squint if I want to stop myself from seeing things too clearly!"
Asou Akiya was rendered speechless.
After finishing his milk, Nakahara Chuya wiped his mouth with a napkin before asking, "Akiya-san, you bought a house?"
Asou Akiya smiled. "That's right. It'll be for vacations in the future."
Nakahara Chuya hesitated before speaking.
"If it's too far away... I might not be able to go."
Lately, because he often failed to return to the Suribachi City and instead stayed at the villa, wearing the clothes that Akiya-san and Randou-san had bought for him, the way his companions looked at him had gradually begun to change.
Deep down, Chuuya did not want to drift apart from them like this.
Edogawa Ranpo muttered from the side, "Idiot."
Chuuya accepted the insult readily. Fine, call him an idiot. Even so, he still had it better than Ranpo, who didn't have any friends.
Edogawa Ranpo immediately shouted, "Idiot! You big idiot!"
Randou suddenly spoke up.
"Ranpo-kun, be quiet. Where are your manners?"
Having disturbed the adults at the table, Ranpo promptly fell silent and wilted.
Although Akiya was the one responsible for earning money in this household, the only adult Ranpo genuinely didn't want to offend was Randou-san.
The refined bearing of a French gentleman clung naturally to Randou, and the two children in the household secretly imitated him from time to time. Japan in this era was still too far behind compared to the great powers of Europe and America. Even Ranpo, whose confidence had recently skyrocketed, wanted to become a little more attractive himself—to walk through the world and be treated with respect.
"Is Chuuya worried about his companions?" Asou Akiya looked at the boy who was becoming more and more like a pampered little orange cat, warmth filling his heart. He had never forgotten about the Sheep. "I'll help you resolve that problem this year as well."
Nakahara Chuya stared at him blankly.
"How are you going to resolve it?"
Asou Akiya answered with a single word.
"School."
"That way, you'll be able to see each other regularly."
A chill shot straight up Chuuya's spine.
For orphans, that word represented both a dream and a nightmare.
The two descriptions weren't contradictory at all.
Because going to school meant losing the freedom to do whatever they wanted.
"Th-That..." Chuuya faltered. "Is that really possible?"
"Drop the 'really possible,'" Asou Akiya corrected him with a smile. "My dear, if you plan on entering the underworld in the future, you'd better have a decent educational background. Society values academic credentials everywhere you go. If a top student from the University of Tokyo were willing to join the Port Mafia, their salary and status would be much higher. The organization would never assign someone like that to run errands or handle menial work at the bottom of the hierarchy."
"..."
Nakahara Chuya, who had never attended school a single day in his life, stopped breathing for a moment.
Edogawa Ranpo immediately seized the opportunity to boast.
"Akiya went to school, and Randou-san definitely went to school too! I attended a private elementary school back in my hometown, and after coming to Yokohama, I even went to the police academy!"
Chuuya lowered his head in shame.
Was he really the only person in the family without any academic qualifications?
"I-I'll go discuss it with them."
The Sheep: Danger!
The street punks of society were about to suffer a merciless beating delivered by schools and homework assignments.
They went to work in Akiya's car, and as usual, Randou hitched a ride with his lover. It wasn't just because Akiya's driving was steady and comfortable. More importantly, it allowed them to spend a little more time together.
Randou switched on the soft music playing through the car's speakers.
"Now that you've become a Sub-Executive, you seem much more confident, Akiya."
He could attest to that based on their relationship in bed.
In the past, Akiya had never once entertained the idea of sending children to school.
"My current mindset is somewhat similar to the one you had after awakening your ability, Randou," Asou Akiya said. Using the perspective of a prospective executive to describe the mentality of an ability user, he spoke with his usual refined gentleness. "It suddenly feels as though the sky has opened up and the sea has stretched endlessly before me. Even if I make a mess of things, I'm confident that I can handle the consequences afterward."
Leaning against Asou Akiya as though they were merely having an innocent conversation, Randou asked, "I've heard that once Japanese men gain power and status, they like to keep mistresses outside the home."
Asou Akiya: Thank you. You've already drained me dry. I don't have any energy left for that.
With deep sincerity in his voice, Asou Akiya replied, "In my heart, Randou is the best lover anyone could ask for."
Besides, the people most notorious for cheating are the French!
Have a little self-awareness, Randou!
Seeing how easily Akiya answered the question, Randou's sense of security increased dramatically. He wrapped both arms around Akiya's right arm and held it close.
"Akiya belongs to me," he declared. "The only things you're allowed to sleep with are me and the things that belong to me."
"...Okay."
Asou Akiya felt the French cat's affectionate clinginess as Randou nestled against him, soft and warm. Inevitably, his thoughts drifted back to the image of Randou kneeling on one knee before him, speaking those words in all seriousness...
For the rest of our lives, please take good care of me.
Arthur Rimbaud... will this wandering breeze choose to rest by my side?
His grip on the steering wheel faltered for a brief moment. Asou Akiya quickly corrected the car's course, narrowly avoiding another accident.
This was a brand-new car!
He absolutely could not reenact the tragic scene of slamming on the accelerator and driving straight into a wall.
"Randou, I have to go to Bankoudou tonight. I won't be home early, so you're in charge of looking after things at home."
"Oh."
It was decided. Today, once again, would be a day of making use of his convenient human tool as a part-time housekeeper.
Ever since acquiring Illuminations, Randou had found that everything had become incredibly convenient. He had rapidly grown lazier as a result and no longer had to worry about accidentally buying intimate products that didn't suit his tastes.
Asou Akiya drove the car into his private underground parking garage. Turning sideways in his seat, he leaned over and kissed Randou.
"Be good."
Randou immediately became obedient and gentle for Akiya's sake.
Cat kiss.jpg.
Taking the initiative to visit Natsume Souseki at Bankoudou was something Asou Akiya had been looking forward to for a very long time.
Of the three conditions required for becoming Natsume's disciple, he had already fulfilled two.
He had successfully guided Ranpo onto the right path, and he had become a Port Mafia Sub-Executive.
Only the third condition remained—the one Natsume-sensei had never explicitly stated.
Asou Akiya did not believe the final requirement would be especially difficult.
Who was Natsume-sensei?
He was one of Japan's great educators in the real world.
He would never demand that Akiya accomplish some impossibly difficult task for no reason. Each of the requirements had tested both his character and his abilities, their true purpose being to help him continue to grow.
What Asou Akiya had not anticipated, however, was that Natsume Souseki was already standing there, waiting for him.
The middle-aged man smiled at him.
This was the highest praise he could offer. Recognition earned through Asou Akiya's ability to create wealth, and through the courage he had displayed in proving the worth of an ordinary man without supernatural abilities.
"Akiya," Natsume Souseki said, "have you prepared yourself to accept the third requirement?"
"I'm ready."
A surge of emotion rose within Asou Akiya as he stood before him, dressed in his black suit and black overcoat.
Although Natsume Souseki had entertained the idea of taking on a disciple for some time, what ultimately convinced him that he could not afford to miss this unusual "diamond" called Asou Akiya was the young man's sincerity.
This was a student willing to trust his teacher.
A student capable of accepting criticism from his teacher.
A student unafraid to face dangerous challenges.
And, most importantly, a student who strove every day to become a better version of himself.
Any teacher who encountered Asou Akiya would inevitably feel at least a flicker of the desire to guide him.
Otherwise, Natsume would never have begun teaching him ahead of time.
Time waited for no one...
Natsume Souseki had already submitted his retirement application to the government. The day of his official retirement was not far away. As things stood, this period represented the moment in his life when the influence, reputation, and favors he had accumulated over decades could exert their greatest effect.
"As for the questions you wish to ask me," Natsume Souseki said, "we'll discuss them later. That hasn't changed."
"But for now..."
"I have a task for you."
"The government has encountered a young ability user who is both dangerous and exceptionally intelligent. This ability user is from Tokyo, Japan. Although the family behind him belongs to a branch line, the main family to which his close relatives belong possesses considerable political influence within Japan."
"Recently, those backing him have been recommending him as a central figure in a certain project. If they succeed, the government will invest a tremendous amount of ability-related resources into him..."
Asou Akiya held his breath as he listened to the briefing preceding the assignment.
Without allowing any personal feelings to color his tone, Natsume Souseki continued, "You've always been a member of the Mafia. It's only natural that your methods tend toward violence and chaos."
"But this time, I need you to stand on the government's side."
"I want you to guide this person into joining the government on our behalf and determine the true extent of the danger he has concealed beneath the surface."
"Based on your assessment, I will make crucial adjustments to this plan," Natsume Souseki said. "In certain situations and on certain matters, I will cast my vote either in favor or in opposition."
He looked at Asou Akiya steadily.
"This is the second-to-last concern weighing on my heart before retirement."
"Can you resolve it for me?"
That way of putting it was... unexpectedly interesting.
Before he could stop himself, Asou Akiya blurted out, "Then you still have a number one concern left?"
Natsume Souseki answered with full vigor, his voice firm and resonant.
"Yokohama."
"Yokohama is my greatest concern."
"If you can restore peace and stability to Yokohama overnight, then how about this? I'll acknowledge you as my teacher instead."
Asou Akiya immediately wilted.
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible!
There was no way he could make Natsume-sensei become his disciple!
Natsume Souseki rested both hands atop the handle of his cane, one layered over the other. His neatly trimmed mustache framed a sharp, penetrating gaze. Dressed in the attire of a British gentleman, he wore the same iconic appearance with which he had made his debut in the third season of Bungou Stray Dogs.
He looked every bit the wise man.
Yet at the same time, he was also a solemn and earnest middle-aged man awaiting retirement within the year, carrying the burdens of a lifetime upon his shoulders.
"My first and foremost disciple," he declared, "must be someone capable of bearing heavy responsibilities and inheriting my ideals."
"No matter whether you choose the path of light or the path of darkness, I hope you will always retain a measure of kindness and a sense of righteousness within your heart. Do not betray the convictions you began with. Conduct yourself in such a way that every decision you make can withstand criticism and reproach."
"Use your ability to see the bigger picture to grasp the whole situation and find a peaceful way out for Japan, which is trapped deep within this quagmire."
"...That's a bit too much, isn't it?"
An overwhelming urge to flee rose within Asou Akiya.
He was just an ordinary person—a small figure in the grand scheme of things.
Did they really have to take things this far?
He refused to believe that Fukuzawa Yukichi's apprenticeship in the original story had come with standards this outrageously high.
Natsume Souseki glared at him, his mustache practically bristling with indignation.
"Is it really that difficult?"
Asou Akiya pulled a miserable face.
"Yes. It is."
A smile finally appeared on Natsume Souseki's face as he revealed the truth.
"Because I thought so highly of you, I haven't accepted any disciples for the time being. Once this is over, however, I will treat all of my disciples equally."
"And every one of them will be given strict requirements."
Asou Akiya sucked in a sharp breath.
You're planning to drag all three of us into this at once? Me, Fukuzawa Yukichi, and Mori Ougai?
No wonder Ranpo still hadn't managed to track down Natsume Souseki's whereabouts. Instead, he had been running all over the place with Fukuzawa Yukichi, and there wasn't even a shadow of the Armed Detective Agency to be seen!
A single cat was a far more terrifying creature than a single dog!
Did Natsume-sensei even realize that, in this moment, he no longer resembled a kindly old educator devoted to teaching others, but instead radiating the aura of a great demon king?!
Natsume Souseki regarded him with a gentle, benevolent gaze.
"People," he said leisurely, "can accomplish all sorts of things once they're pushed hard enough."
In Natsume Souseki's eyes, Asou Akiya had become a newly discovered lucky cat.
In Japan, calico cats symbolized prosperity and good fortune.
The future had worthy successors after all.
Asou Akiya: "..."
Bearing the immense pressure generated by his calico cat of a teacher, Asou Akiya found himself with so many complaints that he no longer knew where to begin.
In the end, he accepted the third requirement for becoming Natsume's disciple.
Bending at the waist, he offered a formal bow in advance as a disciple. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he asked, "Natsume-sensei, may I know the background of this ability user beforehand?"
The man known as the most powerful ability user in Japan looked at him with satisfaction.
"Tokyo."
"The Shibusawa family."
"The current head of the family is Shibusawa Eiichi, a man known as the 'Father of Japanese Enterprise,' the 'King of Japanese Finance,' and even the 'Second Karasuma Renya of Japan.'"
"The young ability user you're going to meet is his distant grandson."
"His name is—"
"Shibusawa Tatsuhiko."
The moment that name left Natsume Souseki's lips, Asou Akiya froze in place.
At that moment, Asou Akiya felt as though a wisp of his soul had drifted out through his mouth.
He stood there in a daze, utterly absent-minded.
[Honey, what am I supposed to do if the corpse I ordered arrives ahead of schedule?]
[And it's still alive!]
[It's warm!]
Shibusawa Tatsuhiko—who, in the original timeline, had not yet been killed by the Beast Beneath the Moonlight—was seventeen years old this year and would turn eighteen in May.
He possessed strikingly beautiful features and an indifferent expression. In the photograph Natsume Souseki handed over, he appeared as a white-haired, crimson-eyed youth.
The "Transcendent Cultivation Plan."
At this moment, it was obvious what he represented.
He was the ability user into whom Japan intended to pour its entire fortune.
Shibusawa Tatsuhiko's ability—
"Draconia."
Its manifested effect allowed him to create a mist-covered territory.
It posed no threat to ordinary people. However, within the mist, it forcibly separated ability users from their abilities. Those abilities would then take human form, becoming manifestations consumed by an overwhelming desire to kill before turning upon their original owners in mutual slaughter.
The ultimate result was the large-scale deprivation of abilities.
In this respect, it bore an astonishing resemblance to Verne's ability from the "Seven Traitors."
Verne had been capable of stripping away abilities and devouring them to evolve further, eventually attaining an invincible state upon Standard Island.
Likewise, Shibusawa Tatsuhiko, who could freely generate mist domains and move within them at will, possessed the potential to become the next Verne.
The ambition of the Japanese government revealed itself in an instant.
What they sought was a Transcendent capable of standing against nation-level abilities.