On August 2, the operation at the veterinary hospital was finally over.
Shibusawa's butler, who had worked with the veterinarian and nurses to put on an elaborate act, wiped the sweat from his brow. To keep the cat from hating him forever, he'd reluctantly followed the vet's advice and "been forced" to hand the cat over.
When the chinchilla cat was brought back out, its eyes were wide open, unable to close because of the lingering anesthesia.
It looked utterly pitiful...
It had been neutered.
The butler's conscience gave a painful twinge.
The veterinarian, long accustomed to scenes like this, said matter-of-factly, "I've performed well over a thousand of these surgeries. It's a clean, straightforward procedure. I guarantee he'll be perfectly fine."
After all, the butler had paid a premium surgical fee, so the hospital had used the best medications and equipment available.
Once he'd finished speaking, the veterinarian took a sealed specimen bag from a nurse and, with a mischievous grin, asked, "This is what we removed. Would you like to take it home as a souvenir?"
The butler winced and refused to look at the censored-worthy contents inside the bag. Instead, he gently stroked the motionless chinchilla cat, his heart aching.
"No... I'm not the one who's raising him."
The veterinarian blinked in surprise.
"Not you? Then what was that whole master-and-servant act for?"
The butler replied, "I'll still come visit him from time to time."
The veterinarian then went over the post-operative care instructions. Since wealthy clients were treated like royalty, the hospital had thoughtfully printed everything into a booklet, which he handed to the butler to pass along to the cat's real owner.
"So... what about the cat?" the butler asked hesitantly. "Should I take him home now?"
"For the next three or four days, there may be some post-operative side effects. Vomiting is fairly common, so just keep an eye on him. There's no need to leave him at the hospital for observation," the veterinarian explained casually.
"Understood."
Using the cart he had purchased, Shibusawa's butler wheeled the listless cat back.
Dressed in a traditional Western butler's uniform with immaculate white gloves, he wore a worried expression the entire way. The cat was kept comfortably under air conditioning, chauffeured in a private car, and spared every unnecessary bump and jolt.
Timing his arrival with Asou Akiya's return home, the butler delivered the cat back to his young master's teacher.
Asou Akiya received a chinchilla cat that had just lost his balls.
"..."
Seeing how pitiful the cat looked, Asou Akiya couldn't help but say, "Randou, we'll have to take good care of him."
Randou looked at the fluffy white cat, who let out weak little meows, and felt his heart soften just a little.
The most adorable ones were always the poor little things.
"All right. Since we'll both be out during the day, let's bring him to work with us."
"Huh? We're keeping him in my office?"
"Mm."
With the matter settled, Asou Akiya pulled out his phone and ordered a cat cage and a cat tree, planning to install them in a row inside his executive office.
That evening, the whole family gathered around the cat while Asou Akiya sat on the sofa reading the care booklet.
Edogawa Ranpo crouched beside the cat, watching quietly.
"So pitiful."
Nakahara Chuuya nodded as he looked at the chinchilla cat lying flat on his back.
"I don't even dare touch him."
He looked as fragile as a scoop of ice cream.
A warm scoop of ice cream.
Asou Akiya read aloud from the booklet, "After the surgery, it's best for the owner to stay with the cat at all times to prevent him from licking the wound or urinating while still groggy from the anesthesia. The owner should clean him promptly to prevent infection. If the cat keeps crying because the pain is too severe, administer a painkiller."
Asou Akiya noticed the chinchilla cat trying to curl up and immediately called out, "Don't let him move!"
Before Nakahara Chuuya could pin down the cat's legs, golden cubes materialized out of thin air, enveloping all four of his paws and holding him firmly in place.
Randou used his ability to restrain the cat, then tilted his head.
"That should do it."
"Whoa!" Chuuya exclaimed.
Remembering that he possessed a gravity ability himself, Nakahara Chuuya was eager to give it a try. Ever since Fukuzawa Yukichi had helped him gain control over his power, his mastery of his ability had improved considerably. In this household, no one discouraged the use of abilities. Asou Akiya even encouraged him to apply them to everyday life.
Edogawa Ranpo rolled his eyes. "Chuuya, are you trying to crush all his bones?"
Chuuya immediately deflated. "I'll definitely be able to do it someday..."
"Someday," Ranpo replied. "But not today."
Then he eagerly turned to his guardian.
"Akiya, where's the cat sleeping tonight? Your room is way too warm. It won't be good for him while he's recovering."
Asou Akiya sighed. Even the children in the house knew that Randou refused to turn on the air conditioner.
"...Who has time to watch him?"
"Him!"
"Me!"
Edogawa Ranpo pointed at Nakahara Chuuya, while Chuuya eagerly volunteered himself.
It was obvious which of the two was more considerate.
Asou Akiya handed the care booklet to Chuuya and said solemnly, "I'll leave tonight to you."
Deeply encouraged, Chuuya beamed. He was finally able to help shoulder some of the adults' burden!
That night— "Meow—! Meow! Meooow!!!"
Once the anesthesia wore off, the house was filled with the cat's miserable cries, and Nakahara Chuuya spent the entire night unable to sleep.
The soundproofing in the house was excellent, everyone else slept just fine.
The next morning, Nakahara Chuuya stumbled out of his room with a yawn, only to be greeted by Edogawa Ranpo's teasing. He paid it no mind and handed the well-cared-for chinchilla cat over to Asou Akiya before he left for work.
The moment Asou Akiya saw Nakahara Chuuya's utterly exhausted expression, he affectionately pinched his cheek.
"As a reward, I'll attend your school's parent-teacher conference the next time they hold one."
"...?!"
"If I can't make it, Randou can go instead."
Asou Akiya smiled at Randou, who nodded in agreement. Looking after the cat had made him realize that although Ranpo was adorable, Chuuya, who knew how to take care of others, carried himself with a maturity that was far more gentlemanly.
"I don't mind acting as Chuuya-kun's parent," Randou said, "as long as he doesn't call me by the wrong title."
Nakahara Chuuya immediately blushed bright red.
"Randou-san..."
"Next time you don't get a perfect score, don't ask me to sign your test. Ask Akiya instead."
With his usual elegant voice, Randou mercilessly crushed Nakahara Chuuya's heartfelt emotion.
Hearing that, Asou Akiya looked puzzled.
"But I've taught him before. How could he not get full marks on elementary school work?"
Randou replied, "He was probably daydreaming in class."
Nakahara Chuuya stared into the distance with lifeless eyes.
Edogawa Ranpo seized the opportunity to earn some favor. "My grades are excellent!"
Nakahara Chuuya whipped around indignantly. "Mine aren't bad either!"
The two children in the house immediately started bickering again, throwing the household into chaos. Nakahara Chuuya mourned the loss of his only-child status, forced to spend every day with this childish "older brother."
Those are my dad and mom! Not yours! You shameless freeloader!
As if reading his mind, Edogawa Ranpo stuck out his tongue and made a face.
"Bleh!"
Ranpo-sama will always be your big brother!
After Asou Akiya's promotion to Executive, he smoothly took over the subordinates and territory that had once belonged to Nishida Shibashi. No one dared object to his decision to keep a cat.
His newly renovated executive office had already been furnished with a cat tree and a cat cage.
The chinchilla cat was too weak to stay inside the cage and struggled to crawl back out.
So Asou Akiya settled him into a cat bed on the floor instead, worried he might fall if he climbed somewhere high.
From that day on, Asou Akiya's office was filled with the sound of little meows.
Happiness~
Seeing that everything had been settled, Randou smiled.
"Let's give him a name."
Asou Akiya rubbed his hands together, ready to search through one of those online lists of pet names on his phone.
"What should we call him?"
Randou answered with a single name.
"Ryuuji."
Asou Akiya fell silent.
Leaning close to his ear, Randou whispered, "Isn't it a lovely name? Now that we have a chinchilla cat at home, there'll be no need for another chinchilla cat as a substitute."
What could Asou Akiya possibly say to that?
His wife was the best.
"That's a wonderful name!"
At the Armed Detective Agency, Fukuzawa Yukichi learned that Ranpo's family had adopted a cat.
His gaze drifted away, his thoughts unsettled. After a long moment of contemplation, he said, "Ranpo, I'd like to visit Akiya-dono this evening."
Edogawa Ranpo readily agreed.
"Sure!"
He tossed aside the jigsaw puzzle, having no interest in playing something so childish with Yosano Akiko.
"Akiko, let's go buy some cat treats!"
"Cat treats?"
In less than two months, Yosano Akiko had become much more cheerful than she used to be.
She had been completely won over by Edogawa Ranpo's brilliance and had become something of a devoted admirer. Fukuzawa Yukichi had also played an important role in her recovery. The silver-haired middle-aged man gave her an indescribable sense of security—one that surpassed the cold, rational Mori Ougai's by a hundredfold, a thousandfold.
Yosano Akiko said, "I don't have any money..."
Edogawa Ranpo pulled out his wallet. Inside was Akiya's supplementary bank card.
"I do!"
As if casually hinting at something, Edogawa Ranpo remarked, "I went to the pet store yesterday and found out they have all kinds of pet treats. Cats like them even more than dried sardines."
Without realizing it, Fukuzawa Yukichi's fingers tightened. Hidden inside his sleeve was a small packet of dried sardines.
Edogawa Ranpo deliberately raised his voice.
"We didn't get to find out yesterday whose cat bed was more popular. That chinchilla cat is still recovering from surgery, but in a couple of days we'll know the answer!"
Thinking of the cat bed he had personally helped choose, Fukuzawa Yukichi nodded to himself.
For the next few days, he would visit every single day.
Even if he had to do it behind Ranpo's back.
Edogawa Ranpo clicked his tongue inwardly.
Honestly... what a hopeless cat-loving old man. He'd even sacrifice himself for a cat!
The ringing of a phone interrupted Edogawa Ranpo and Yosano Akiko just as they were about to head out. After thinking for five seconds, Edogawa Ranpo answered the call.
Just as he had expected, it was from the Kudo family.
Kudo Yusaku was inviting Edogawa Ranpo and Nakahara Chuuya to spend their vacation in Hawaii.
It was already August.
Nakahara Chuuya's school would begin its summer break the next day.
Edogawa Ranpo turned down the invitation from the other end of the line.
"I don't have time. I can't go!"
He turned to look at Yosano Akiko, who was no longer living in fear.
The little butterfly.
"Ranpo-sama already promised to play with Akiko."
"...!"
Yosano Akiko felt herself being healed once again.
Among all the children her age she had ever known, only Ranpo was truly different—truly extraordinary. With a single glance, he had seen through the silent cries and terror buried deep inside her heart, and then he had reached out and rescued her.
Summoning her courage, Yosano Akiko said, "Ranpo-san, it's okay. You should go."
Edogawa Ranpo cut off her insincere words.
"A promise is a promise! That's a grown-up's rule, and I'm taking it seriously!"
"I'm sorry..."
"There's no need to apologize. You're a dummy, Akiko."
Far away on the island of Hawaii, Kudo Yusaku heard the conversation between the boy and the girl over the phone. Shaking his head, he lowered the handset and turned to the eagerly expectant Shinichi.
"Ranpo-kun doesn't have time."
Six-year-old Kudo Shinichi looked crestfallen, the little cowlick on top of his head drooping.
Kudo Yusaku smiled faintly before offering him a new glimmer of hope.
"It seems Ranpo-kun has made a new friend in Japan and promised to spend time with her. If you're willing for our family to invite another girl as well, I think he might agree."
Kudo Shinichi immediately straightened up.
"I am!"
After giving it some thought, Kudo Yusaku dialed another number.
The person he called was Asou Akiya.
"Good afternoon, Akiya-san. This is Kudo Yusaku..."
Five minutes later—
After a thorough discussion, the two guardians finalized the plans for an overseas vacation.
Asou Akiya agreed to a trip to Hawaii during the summer break.
As for the fact that Ranpo wasn't a student and therefore had no summer vacation? In the eyes of a parent, a child starting work early was a sign of ability. Taking time off to enjoy a holiday was only natural!
If there was a problem, he would solve it himself.
Asou Akiya made up his mind to wait until the chinchilla cat had fully recovered, then take everyone along to Hawaii.
The moment the idea occurred to him, he put it into action and immediately began writing a leave request.
As for the result—
The Port Mafia Boss: "..."
You've taken so many days off this year. Haven't you already used up all your annual leave?
Inside the boss's office, the Port Mafia Boss, Inayama Kigoro, who had regained his health and looked ten years younger, wore a dark expression as he reluctantly approved the vacation.
"Akiya-kun, how long are you planning to be away?"
Standing calmly in front of the desk, Asou Akiya replied, "Ten days."
The Port Mafia Boss wanted to scold him out of habit, but when the words reached his lips, they suddenly felt meaningless.
Now that Inayama Kigoro's body was free from illness and pain, his soul felt as though it were clinging to a single sheet of thin paper—adrift, rootless, and filled with an unsettling sense of insubstantiality.
"Akiya-kun... Since you're here, why don't you stay for a while and reminisce with me in my office?"
Only then did Asou Akiya finally raise his eyes to look at him.
Before this moment, it had been a long time since Asou Akiya had paid any attention to the Port Mafia Boss's condition.
Whether the man was "living" well or not had nothing to do with him. Nor was he petty enough to order him around to do housework. The cleaning of the villa had long since been handed over to professional housekeeping staff.
Asou Akiya said, "Boss, do we still have anything left to talk about?"
Inayama Kigoro let out a hearty laugh—the first in a long time. The last time he had laughed so freely had been when he exposed the British merchant's conspiracy and chose his country and Yokohama over the profits that had been laid before him.
When life and death no longer weigh on the heart, and power and status become no more than passing clouds, anyone can come to see through the illusions of the mortal world.
"Do you hate me, Akiya-kun?"
"No."
"Then why don't you even want to look at me? Me remaining in this position should be exactly what you wanted."
"...Is there anyone else here?"
"No. The new guards have already withdrawn. I gave them instructions that whenever you and I are alone together, there's no need for anyone to remain inside the boss's office. They only need to seal off the sound."
Inayama Kigoro explained the security arrangements inside the office.
Asou Akiya let his mask fall away, his expression growing colder and colder.
It was the same expression he had worn when he killed the man.
"Inayama, what puzzles me is how you can still laugh."
"So you've stopped using honorific language?"
"There's no need."
He had killed the man with his own hands. How could he still show him respect?
"Akiya-kun, you're quite the rebellious person. You simply never showed it before..." Inayama Kigoro said, like an old man who had finally found peace in his twilight years, with none of the brutality he once possessed. "I know I already died. The one living now is nothing more than a puppet under your control. But thanks to the fact that you haven't imposed too many restrictions on me, I can still think. I can still experience emotions as though I were alive."
"As for everything I did while I was alive, I know I was wrong. That's all in the past now." Inayama Kigoro voiced the question that had troubled him most since his death. "Why don't you want my position, Akiya-kun?"
Asou Akiya found the question almost laughable.
"What's so good about sitting where you are?"
Inayama Kigoro answered, "Power. Status. Wealth. The authority to decide whether others live or die."
Asou Akiya replied, "Could you decide whether you lived or died?"
Inayama Kigoro fell silent.
Yes.
That was the greatest flaw of all.
If a person couldn't even control their own life and death, how could they possibly occupy the position where they were most likely to lose it?
After a moment of thought, Inayama Kigoro asked, "Couldn't Randou help you?"
The moment Asou Akiya heard Randou's name, the frost in his eyes finally melted.
"He would help me... But how could I ever let him go that far?"
One of the reasons Asou Akiya had brought Randou into the Port Mafia and allowed him to follow the original storyline was to temper him—to ensure he never lost the combat instincts he had possessed as Arthur Rimbaud, only to be defeated in the future.
It was meant to strengthen him, not shackle him. Asou Akiya would never confuse the two.
"I've never intended to confine my life to Yokohama," Asou Akiya said calmly. "Yokohama is too small. You all fight and scheme over nothing more than the power to rule this one city."
His answer lay far beyond anything the Port Mafia Boss had imagined. Having never truly spoken from the heart while Inayama Kigoro was alive, the two finally came to understand one another on a deeper level.
"After I turn thirty, I plan to travel the world. I want to see the scenery in every country, taste their food, and only return to Yokohama for a while once I've had my fill."
The more Asou Akiya spoke, the more he found himself looking forward to that future.
Inayama Kigoro had spent his entire life obsessed with power. Even the part of him that had never once longed for freedom fell silent.
But this... was someone who was truly free.
He had misjudged his strategist. He had underestimated him.
He had bound this man to the land of the Port Mafia, forcing someone whose talents should have shone openly in the legitimate world to hide his brilliance instead.
Having said all he wished to say, Asou Akiya realized that talking with the dead... wasn't quite as unpleasant as he had imagined.
Once more, he looked at Inayama Kigoro with eyes that seemed to see straight into the future.
"Stay in that chair, pretend you're still alive until the next person comes to kill you, and then— Scare them half to death by coming back from the dead."
Asou Akiya's lips curved into a gentle yet sly smile.
Mori-sensei.
This is your senior brother's surprise for you.
Asou Akiya had no desire to stay any longer. He was eager to return and share the vacation plans with his lover and the children.
But after quietly listening to everything he had said, Inayama Kigoro asked one final question in a hoarse voice.
"Akiya-kun... Have you ever truly been loyal to the Port Mafia?"
"..."
Asou Akiya rested his hand on the doorknob. Before pushing the door open, he answered without turning around to face his former superior.
"How can a job that doesn't even treat people as human deserve my loyalty?"
The door swung open.
The soundproof barrier was gone, and with it the freedom to speak without restraint. The black-haired executive stepped outside, and his final words drifted back into the room, sounding no different from the declaration of a loyal subordinate.
"That said... I've never liked betraying anyone."
From the very beginning, Asou Akiya had never once intended to stage a coup and seize the position for himself.
The seat of the Port Mafia Boss came with a curse of its own.
To be abandoned by everyone close to you.
Or to end your life by throwing yourself from a rooftop.
He had no desire to become a dutiful, dedicated boss.
As long as he could live without betraying himself or the people beside him, that was enough.
He returned to his executive office.
Asou Akiya checked on the chinchilla cat resting in his bed to recover, then took a moment to call and ask how Shibusawa Tatsuhiko was doing. Learning that Tatsuhiko had opened his own studio, Asou Akiya gave the idea his wholehearted support before saying,
"Tatsuhiko, I received the cat you sent me. He's such a pitiful little fellow. In a few days, I'll be taking him overseas with us on vacation. If you have time, would you like to come to Hawaii?"
Shibusawa Tatsuhiko glanced at the blazing sun outside and answered listlessly, "It's too hot."
Hawaii's weather in August hovered around thirty degrees Celsius.
He disliked being out in the sun.
"Sensei, I can make swimsuits for all of you. Would you and everyone else like some?"
"...Ah, then I'll be counting on you."
Asou Akiya reflected on it for a moment. He had taken on a disciple, yet he had hardly taught him anything.
What a bargain!
A disciple who came with his own money and expert tailoring skills was simply the best!
On August 10, Asou Akiya borrowed the Port Mafia Boss's private jet. Bringing along Fukuzawa Yukichi and Yosano Akiko, the entire family happily set off for a vacation in Hawaii.
During the flight, with Asou Akiya's help, Fukuzawa Yukichi finally got to pet the chinchilla cat once.
The price was that, from then on, the cat refused to let him come within a meter of him.
Fukuzawa Yukichi's emotion was beyond words.
"I... touched... a... cat..."
A long-haired one!
A beautiful white chinchilla cat!
Edogawa Ranpo and Nakahara Chuuya witnessed a side of the normally composed swordsman they had never seen before.
Hiding behind her seat, Yosano Akiko asked, "What's wrong with Fukuzawa-san?"
Asou Akiya leisurely ate some fruit. Spearing a slice of watermelon with a fruit fork, he held it up to Randou's lips. Randou accepted it while watching the spectacle with amusement, chewing it slowly and gracefully.
Asou Akiya remarked offhandedly, "He's reached the pinnacle of his life."
Curled up on Asou Akiya's lap, the chinchilla cat busily groomed his fur. He was obsessively clean and clearly disliked the lingering scent of Fukuzawa Yukichi on himself.
He felt like he had become smelly.
Seeing Asou Akiya feeding Randou, the chinchilla cat instantly grew jealous and let out a plaintive meow.
He wanted some too!
Randou said calmly, "His wound hasn't fully healed yet. He can only drink water."
Asou Akiya withdrew the watermelon that every cat seemed to love.
"All right. I'll feed Ryuuji next month."
The flight was long, so Randou put on the massage eye mask Akiya had bought for him and rested his head against the man's solid shoulder, refusing to look at the chinchilla cat, who was practically dying of temptation over the watermelon.
A mere cat thinks it can compete with me for affection? Be careful, or Illuminations might just swallow you.
Hmph.
Hawaii, United States.
They spent a wonderful ten-day vacation meeting up with the Kudo family and enjoying themselves to the fullest.
Only the chinchilla cat had to remain in the hotel's air-conditioned room, unable to go outside and bask in the sun.
"Meow..."
The chinchilla cat let out a gloomy little cry.
On the beach, Randou threw himself into Asou Akiya's arms beneath the warm sun.
Neither of them had the slightest interest in joining the children's detective game anymore.
Mysteries? What was so great about solving mysteries compared to being in love?
"Let's go explore the seabed!"
A cat? What cat? They had already forgotten all about him.
Illuminations enveloped the two of them, shutting out the surrounding temperature and water pressure. Together, Asou Akiya and Randou "dived" beneath the sea to admire the breathtaking underwater world.
In that dazzling, uninhabited ocean, Randou gave his soul free rein.
The romantic French beauty wrapped himself around his lover.
"One more time."
×5.
Beneath the surface of the sea, golden light shimmered even more brilliantly than the sunlight itself.
Not far away, aboard a luxurious British cruise ship—
The golden holiday season had drawn countless wealthy travelers to Hawaii, and naturally, ability users from every nation were among them. Under the watchful eyes of the American government, several "dangerous individuals" had appeared at the island resort.
One of them was a British Transcendent who had chartered an entire luxury cruise ship and a private island.
Leaning casually against the railing, he basked in the gentle caress of the sea breeze. Dressed in lavish, old-fashioned finery, he radiated an ostentatious confidence, as though he stood forever beneath a spotlight, naturally enjoying the splendor bestowed upon him by Aphrodite herself.
He was the very incarnation of love and beauty, radiating dazzling charm wherever he went.
Then, quite by chance, he caught sight of the golden light beneath the sea.
The radiant young man instantly lost interest in admiring the scenery alone. Brushing the long golden hair draped over his shoulder back behind his ear, he looked over with great curiosity.
"A mermaid? No, it's a spatial ability. It certainly... seems like an ability perfectly suited for dates."
...
The British Transcendent, born the same year as the French Transcendent Arthur Rimbaud and only four days older than him, rested his chin on one hand.
A gorgeous smile curved across his lips as he said coldly,
"Captain, sail the ship over there and make them get lost."
Beautiful fairy-tale creatures deserved his tolerance.
But as for humans "polluting the ocean"—
The Briton, who had only recently broken up with his previous boyfriend, strongly condemned such behavior.
I'm here on vacation, not to watch ability users show off!
We should care about the environment!
...
Collected Poems of Oscar Wilde
Life is one fool thing after another whereas love is two fool things after each other.
—Oscar Wilde.