Unfortunately, Akashi's BGM-stopping ability could only affect a single person, and even then, only for two hours.
How great would it be if he could freeze time for multiple people in a large area?
With a faint smile, Akashi stepped forward and gazed at the flushed little loli, Haibara.
He couldn't help himself—he pinched her cheeks, tugged gently at her ears, and ruffled her soft brown hair.
Honestly, it felt amazing.
Haibara, who was usually so proud and guarded, now looked serene—there was no trace of resistance or rebuttal.
This moment… was simply perfect.
Akemi stared in astonishment at her little sister's unconscious expression, her mouth slightly open in shock.
Her lips parted as if wanting to feed her something.
She couldn't help but ask:
"Is time really frozen? Is this the succubus's magic?"
Akashi quickly clarified, "Don't overthink it. This only works on girls. It's useless against the organization."
Hearing that, Akemi's hopeful expression dropped a little.
Though disappointed, it wasn't too much to ruin her mood.
She reached out and gently patted Haibara's head.
"Still… this is incredible."
"But Akashi, using this skill on Shiho without her permission… That's quite rude! As her big sister, I can't just let this slide!"
Akashi glanced at her sideways.
"Oh? And who was the one planning to drug her little sister just moments ago?"
"Wasn't I just following your lead?"
"And anyway, I'm older than you. What kind of sister calls her older brother 'little brother'!?"
Akemi flushed, embarrassed, before smacking him lightly on the head with her small hand.
"Shut up. I'm the big sister now."
"You haven't visited me in days, and now you're using weird powers on Shiho? That's a pile of crimes. Sit down! You're getting punished!"
Dressed in a maid costume, Akemi seemed completely immersed in her role. She was determined to play the strict elder sister disciplining her naughty younger brother—all that was missing was a whip in each hand.
Akashi looked at the oddly grooved punishment stool and frowned.
Then, slipping into the act, he took a seat with a fearful expression.
"But… is it really okay with Ai-chan watching all this?"
Akemi folded her arms and said, "Didn't you say she's frozen in time?"
"Let her see! Let her see how I discipline my wayward little brother!"
"And stop making irrelevant comments!"
Wow.
So perverted… I like it.
Akashi couldn't help but think Akemi might be slowly transforming under his influence.
At this point, even Haibara had been involuntarily included in their play.
Yet looking at her—frozen, lonely, unable to even blink with those pitiful blue eyes—Akashi felt a twinge of guilt.
Wait.
He suddenly remembered a prop he had—
Concentric Lock!
Concentric Lock : A one-time item that links two individuals' feelings, creating mutual empathy for a limited time.
Without hesitation, the succubus shota pulled it out and activated it.
Two pink rings, visible only to him, appeared in midair. Slowly, they floated down, settling over Akemi and Haibara.
Link established.
With this, their emotions were now connected—shared like a telepathic link.
Perfect.
Akashi grinned proudly.
Little did he realize the massive emotional overload this would inflict on little loli Haibara.
Meanwhile, back at the Cat's Eye Café, after seeing Akemi and the others off, Hitomi headed down to the basement again.
She couldn't shake the feeling—what exactly was going on between her eldest sister and that mysterious kid?
Why had they been down there so long?
"Jewelry business? What kind of jewelry takes this long?"
As she pushed open the trapdoor to the underground stairs, she was met by a sealed alloy door.
Hitomi frowned.
Weird.
Her sister had never locked herself in for this long before.
Could something have happened?
Could that kid have harmed her?
She knew that the basement wasn't just a weapons vault—it also held all kinds of stolen treasures.
Such dazzling treasures...
Maybe that kid was a trap to lower the eldest sister's guard!?
If she hadn't returned in time, her sister might've actually been in danger!
Hitomi's anxiety grew the more she thought about it. She quickly ran upstairs to find her younger sister, Ai Kisugi.
Ai was practicing in her room when she heard Hitomi's rushed explanation.
Immediately, she panicked.
Ai began rummaging through drawers and boxes until she pulled out two large cases.
One held engineering gear: a compact drill, a shovel, a miner's hat, a dust mask—everything one might need for urban infiltration.
The other was filled with prepped explosives.
The two sisters, now geared up like rogue contractors, prepared to sneak into the underground base through the drainage pipes. They'd pinpoint the weakest structure and blast it open if needed.
However, just as they descended the stairs—
A slightly hoarse voice called out:
"What are you two doing?"
"I don't recall any of Dad's collections requiring explosives lately."
Startled, the two girls turned around.
Leaning casually against the secret door was their eldest sister, still in her elegant purple dress—like an orchid blooming in a quiet valley.
Ai immediately passed the blame:
"Second Sister said you might have been killed by Akashi and were lying dead down there! She told me to blast it open!"
Hitomi squinted and glared at Ai.
"So you're hoping I'd just drop dead?"
"You little brat—!"
Hitomi lunged at Ai, hands around her neck.
"I never said you were dead! But the basement door never opened, and with all the recent locked-room murder cases in Tokyo, I got worried!"
"I care about you, you know! Why do you always twist my words?!"
This is how rumors start.
They mutate with every retelling.
Ai broke free and darted upstairs.
"This is your fault, Second Sister! You scared me with your words, and I misunderstood!"
"I'm not talking to you anymore—I'm going back to training!"
Hitomi glanced at her angry eldest sister, then said.
"I'll go supervise her."
And with that, the two girls left, still carrying their tools and explosives.
Once they were gone, Rui collapsed into the sofa with a long exhale.
Thank goodness they didn't actually go down there.
If they had—her image would've been completely ruined.
Die down there?
Ha. I really almost did.
As memories of what had just happened flooded back, a satisfied smile crept onto her lips.
Still, there was work to be done. The base needed cleaning.
Rui forced herself to stand and made her way toward the underground again.
But just getting down the stairs was a challenge.
A short walk, yet each step felt like her legs had turned to jelly.
She trembled with every movement, taking an eternity just to reach the bottom.