[Your imagination is really something. In your minds, am I really that terrifying and heartless of a person?]
"How did you finish so fast? You didn't torture him a little longer?"
Kurano Kiriha was surprised to see Saiki come out so quickly. Even torture and interrogation usually took a long time—she never expected it to be over in just a few minutes.
[I'm not that cruel!]
"Where's Shiromaru Chi?"
[He's behind me.]
Saiki pointed with his finger behind himself.
Shiromaru Chi walked out step by step, his eyes still filled with fear as he looked at Saiki.
"Shiromaru Chi, you..."
Shiromaru Chi: "From now on, I will absolutely never have thoughts of invasion again. I will never think of starting a war. This time was my fault. I swear on my life that I will never do anything like this again."
Kurano Kiriha ∑（〟〇О〇） Really... really!?
"You... what exactly did you do to make him turn out like this?"
Kurano Kiriha found it unbelievable and asked Saiki.
This old bastard wasn't easy to deal with. Now Kurano Kiriha seriously suspected that the soul inside this body might have already been swapped for someone else's.
[I didn't really do anything. Anyway, he won't have any more ideas about starting a war from now on.]
"I... I see. That's good then."
Seeing that Saiki had no intention of explaining, Kurano Kiriha didn't press further.
[But you're the commander of the invasion, so what peaceful method are you planning to use for the invasion? You're not thinking of blending into surface life, helping clean up the city as a volunteer, gaining their trust, or something like that, right?]
"You even know that?!"
(What a weird way to invade.)
Kurano Kiriha thought about it and realized—since this guy could read minds, it was normal for him to know.
"You could say that. Anyway, don't worry. As long as I'm around, war won't happen."
[I actually trust you quite a bit on that. Especially with that old man helping you now, right?]
Saiki patted Shiromaru Chi on the shoulder.
The latter shuddered violently and quickly said, "Of course, absolutely. From now on, I'll support the commander and properly persuade those radicals. I won't let any strange ideas come up."
Saiki nodded in satisfaction.
[Mm, good, good.]
...
"Do you need me to send you back to the surface?"
Kurano Kiriha had already brought Saiki back to the starting area.
[No need. But aren't you going to come out yet? That weird middle-aged guy hiding in the shadows.]
Saiki looked behind Kurano Kiriha and said,
[You've been following for a while now, haven't you?]
"Weird middle-aged guy?"
Along the way, Kurano Kiriha had been carefully checking the time and looking left and right, but she hadn't noticed anyone. Yet if Saiki said someone was there, then someone definitely was. Sure enough, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
It was a middle-aged man with sideburns and a chin full of beard, exuding an air of authority.
"Clan head!..."
"Seriously, at work it's fine, but here you can just call me father."
Karama and Korama, seeing their clan head arrive, quickly greeted him.
"Clan head!"
"So this is Kiriha's friend from the surface, huh?"
Kurano Kiriha stepped in front of Saiki. "Yes, Father. He came to the underground world suddenly because of some matters and is about to leave right now. Please don't make things difficult for him."
Kurano Kiriha [I hope Kusuo doesn't silence him by killing him.]
(In your mind, what kind of person am I exactly?)
"Don't worry. I have no intention of forcing him to stay. I just came out to say a few words."
[Mm, I know. Otherwise you wouldn't have followed for so long.]
Kurano Kiriha introduced him to Saiki. "This is my father, also the clan head of the underground world's underground people—Kurano Daiha."
"Hey there, young man!"
Kurano Daiha showed a kind smile.
[Hello, I'm Saiki Kusuo.]
Saiki looked at the faces of Kurano Daiha and Kurano Kiriha.
(This father and daughter don't look alike at all.)
"You're probably thinking we don't look alike at all right now, aren't you?"
[No.]
Of course Saiki couldn't admit it!
"It's normal for you to think that. Kiriha takes after her mother more in appearance."
[So, do you have something to talk to me about?]
"Strictly speaking, nothing much. I was just a little curious seeing you come out of Shiromaru Chi's headquarters completely unscathed."
Kurano Daiha: "You're the one who repelled those radicals ten years ago and secretly went up to the surface to stop the invasion, right!"
[That's right.]
Saiki didn't hide it.
"Indeed it was you. When that group came back, they were like madmen, just shouting about a pink-haired monster up there saying we must never attempt invasion again."
(Pink hair, pink hair—why do these people keep thinking about pink hair?)
Saiki's expression soured a little. Though he had used hypnosis to make them see himself enlarged thousands of times, it shouldn't have gone this far.
"I was just worried you might do something to Kiriha, so I came to check. But now it seems... mm, you're not the type to kill mercilessly. Still, I'd really like to know how you view us underground people!"
Kurano Daiha stared seriously at Saiki.
He always felt the person in front of him had the power to destroy their underground people entirely and wasn't someone to provoke lightly.
[I don't really have a view. You're all people who appeared on this planet too. As long as your invasion plans don't affect me, it's none of my business. If they do affect me, then that's a different story.]
"So what kind of invasion method won't affect you?"
[Just do it the way your daughter does—with that almost foolishly peaceful invasion method.]
"Foolish?"
Kurano Kiriha raised an eyebrow slightly, feeling a bit annoyed.
Kurano Kiriha [Where's it foolish? This is clearly the best method!]
"If that's how you see it, then I'm relieved."
[If there's nothing else, I'll be going.]
"Oh, goodbye. And thank you—for what happened ten years ago."
Kurano Daiha's eyes showed gratitude.
[It's nothing. After all, you're also someone who doesn't want war. Just manage those overly radical people properly.]
Saiki thought Kurano Daiha was thanking him for stopping the underground people's war plans ten years ago.
"I wasn't talking about that, but thank you for that too."
Saiki turned back again to look clearly at the man in front of him and suddenly remembered—he had seen this middle-aged guy ten years ago too.
(So that's who it is.)
[You're welcome.]
Saiki used teleportation and vanished from the spot in an instant.
"Father!"
Kurano Kiriha looked at Kurano Daiha, who was still standing there stunned.
"You okay?"