As for the Washuu Clan's fate, Chika barely cared.
Her status within the clan had always been low. Especially after the Kanou half-ghoul experiment incident—if she returned to the Washuu Clan, she'd likely face a grim fate.
So she'd long stopped caring about what had once been her family.
"P-Pregnant?!"
Kanae's face turned completely red.
"I... I want a baby too."
Mayu suddenly spoke up.
"Ooh! Is Mayu-chan already competing for the Second Lady position?!"
Chika's excitement intensified, her eyes practically sparkling.
"That won't do, little Mayu. You're still too young."
Rize gently advised with a smile.
Whether Rize had ulterior motives was unclear, but as she said, little Mayu was indeed still quite young.
"I'm not too young. I'll develop a figure like Rize-nee's childbearing hips soon."
Little Mayu replied with complete seriousness.
"...That's not what I meant..."
Rize felt somewhat speechless.
Byakuya sensed that little Mayu might have been influenced by a certain someone...
Otherwise, why would she say something like "childbearing hips"?
He addressed Chika beside him. "I appreciate that you spend time with little Mayu, but please don't teach her strange things."
Though little Mayu had occasionally made surprising comments before, the frequency was increasing. It was hard not to suspect Chika was filling her head with weird ideas...
"Sorry, sorry. I'll be more careful."
Chika's response confirmed Byakuya's suspicions.
Afterward, Chika pulled Mayu aside and whispered, "What Rize-san and the others mean is that little Mayu is still too young right now. In another year or two, it'll be fine."
"Mm-hmm."
Little Mayu nodded.
One willing to say outrageous things, the other willing to listen.
Even though Chika had just said she'd be more careful, she still couldn't behave.
"..."
Though Byakuya could hear them, he couldn't be bothered to deal with her anymore.
"Rize-san, may I touch it? Your belly..."
Nashiro seemed curious about the baby inside Rize.
"Of course."
Rize naturally wouldn't refuse such a request from Nashiro.
"Thank you."
Nashiro placed her hand on Rize's stomach.
She could feel the slight swell of Rize's belly but nothing else.
"There doesn't seem to be any movement?"
Nashiro was confused.
Since she didn't know much about this, she'd assumed that once someone was pregnant, you could feel the baby moving.
"Of course not—it hasn't been that long yet. But if you press your ear against my belly, you might be able to hear the fetal heartbeat."
Rize smiled.
"Fetal heartbeat?"
"Mm, the sound of the baby's heart beating."
Rize explained.
"Oh, let me try."
Nashiro immediately pressed her ear to Rize's belly.
Given Rize's current stage of pregnancy, a normal human ear shouldn't be able to detect the fetal heartbeat yet—that would require professional medical equipment.
But as a half-ghoul, Nashiro's sensory abilities, including hearing, far exceeded a normal person's. Even without equipment, she could hear the baby's faint heartbeat.
"It's real!"
Nashiro was delighted.
The birth of a new life gave her a magical feeling that was hard to put into words.
"I want to try too..."
Kurona spoke up.
Then Kurona also pressed her ear to Rize's belly.
One on each side, both sisters gathered around Rize.
"Kurona should be able to hear it too, right? Isn't it amazing?"
"Mm, I can hear the baby's heartbeat too."
...
"I'm attending the CCG promotion ceremony today. Matsumae, Kanae—please look after Rize."
Before leaving, Byakuya instructed Matsumae and Kanae.
Today happened to be their day off from the café, so they could stay home with Rize.
"Yes, Master can rest assured."
Matsumae nodded.
"Take care on your way, Master."
Kanae also spoke up.
"Mm."
Byakuya nodded.
Then he traveled directly through the Kamui dimension to the ceremony venue.
Since Byakuya arrived early, the ceremony hadn't started yet, and many participating investigators were still absent.
"Director, you're here so early."
Marude came to greet Byakuya.
"Marude-san, you look energetic."
Byakuya replied.
"Of course! I'm hosting this promotion ceremony, after all. I have to be energetic! Hahaha—"
Marude laughed heartily.
With the former Bureau Director Yoshitoki and General Chairman Tsuneyoshi both deceased, no one else could host today's ceremony, so the most senior Marude had to fill in.
"However... that Matsuri kid has already returned to Japan. According to protocol, his name should be on the list for promotion from First Class to Associate Special Class. What do you think, Director Amaha? Should we just let him advance?"
Marude asked with some concern.
As the Washuu Clan's last surviving member, Matsuri was difficult to trust...
Given the current situation, it would be perfectly normal for Matsuri to face various forms of suppression—even being hunted down as a remnant of the Washuu Clan.
"Follow the original protocol. Handle things as they should be handled. No need to single him out."
Byakuya said calmly.
"Understood."
Marude nodded.
With the new Director's approval, he could finally make a decision about handling Matsuri.
As if on cue, Matsuri appeared at that moment—though surrounded and monitored by several investigators.
When Matsuri had returned to Japan, CCG investigators had immediately "welcomed" him and kept him under surveillance since.
Kuki Urie and the others were the investigators assigned to monitor Matsuri.
"We were just talking about someone, and he shows up."
Marude spoke bluntly.
Though Marude's words were somewhat provocative, Matsuri's face showed no obvious reaction.
The man before them, not yet thirty, wore a suit. At 179cm, he was tall, with his hair slicked back and glasses on. His features carried the same inherent authority as his grandfather Tsuneyoshi—the kind that commanded respect without anger.
...
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