When Yukinori Shinohara and Juuzou Suzuya entered the building, the lobby felt unusually quiet.
Juuzou glanced around lazily.
"…It's quiet again today."
His thoughts were still stuck on the parfait he hadn't finished earlier.
"That's a good thing, Juuzou."
Shinohara gently patted his shoulder.
"As investigators, our job is to keep people safe."
Despite saying that—
A faint weight settled in his chest.
As one of the Special Class investigators, he understood the reality better than most.
The rapid expansion of Aogiri Tree.
The surge of ghoul attacks across multiple wards.
Most investigators were already deployed across the city.
Which made the 20th Ward branch feel strangely empty.
Just then—
A staff member approached.
"Investigator Shinohara."
"The author Sen Takatsuki has been waiting for some time."
She glanced uncertainly at Juuzou.
"And… this young man?"
"Don't worry."
Shinohara waved casually.
"Juuzou is my assistant."
"Please lead the way."
Interview Room
Soon—
They entered a small meeting room.
A young woman stood up to greet them.
It was Eto Yoshimura, disguised under her public identity as the novelist Sen Takatsuki.
"Hello, Investigator Shinohara."
She smiled warmly.
"Thank you for accepting this interview."
Shinohara nodded politely.
"Good afternoon."
But before the conversation could continue—
Eto suddenly leaned forward.
Her attention had shifted completely.
"…Wow."
She stared excitedly at Juuzou.
"How did you make those stitches?"
Her finger pointed at the distinctive cross-shaped stitches on his arm.
Juuzou instinctively shrank back.
Shinohara stepped forward immediately.
"Ahem."
"That's private."
"Sorry, sorry."
Eto laughed lightly.
"I got carried away."
She returned to her seat.
"Let's begin."
The three sat down.
"I'm currently writing a book about ghouls."
Eto explained eagerly.
"So I wanted to ask a few questions."
Shinohara's expression became slightly cautious.
"I can only answer questions within permitted limits."
"Of course."
Eto quickly pulled out a notebook.
"Then I'll start."
Her first question came immediately.
"…Is it possible to artificially create ghouls?"
Shinohara blinked.
Clearly surprised.
"I'm not sure I understand."
"What exactly do you mean?"
Eto twirled her pen thoughtfully.
"For example…"
"Transplanting ghoul organs."
"Ghoul blood."
"Or genetic material…"
"…into a human."
"Would that turn them into a ghoul?"
As she spoke—
Her eyes briefly flickered toward Juuzou.
Shinohara folded his arms.
Thinking carefully.
"…I don't know."
"I'm a frontline investigator."
"Research like that belongs to the laboratory departments."
In his mind—
Humans and ghouls were simply two separate species.
The idea of transforming one into the other had never crossed his mind.
"I see…"
Eto murmured.
She scribbled something quickly in her notebook.
"Unknown."
"Possibly theoretical."
Shinohara added firmly:
"Personally, I believe deliberately creating ghouls would be pointless."
"That's fair."
Eto nodded lightly.
Then she suddenly turned toward Juuzou.
"And what's your name?"
Juuzou blinked.
Then instinctively looked at Shinohara for guidance.
But before he could answer—
Eto had already stood up.
"Thank you for the valuable information."
She bowed politely.
Then drank the rest of her coffee in a single gulp.
"…Good coffee."
As she placed the cup down—
She suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, right."
"There's a café in the 20th Ward with excellent coffee."
"Ah!"
Juuzou's eyes lit up immediately.
"Anteiku!"
"The desserts are amazing too!"
"That's the one."
Eto nodded.
Then her voice lowered slightly.
"There's actually a rumor about that café…"
Later — Outside the CCG Branch
After the interview—
Eto left with a mysterious smile.
Her footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
But Shinohara remained seated in the room.
The coffee in front of him had already gone cold.
He stared at it silently.
"Uncle Shinohara?"
Juuzou tilted his head.
"What are you thinking about?"
"…Nothing."
Shinohara stood up.
"Let's go."
The two left the building.
Outside—
The evening sky had darkened.
Streetlights illuminated the streets of the 20th Ward.
But Shinohara slowed his pace.
Eto's final words echoed in his mind.
"There's a rumor about that café…"
"…that everyone who works there…"
"…is a ghoul."
Juuzou had ignored the comment.
But Shinohara had heard it clearly.
He thought about Anteiku.
And about Ren Kiryu.
The calm young man in the alley.
The composed café worker.
The strangely familiar figure.
He stopped walking.
Closing his eyes.
Fragments of information surfaced in his mind.
The witness of the Aoba Alley incident.
The surveillance footage from Cochlea.
The monstrous crimson figure known as Carnage.
Two completely different images.
But what if…
There was a way for a ghoul to perfectly disguise themselves as a human?
Eto's earlier question echoed again.
"Is it possible to artificially create ghouls?"
Why had she asked that?
Where had she heard the rumor about the café?
The scattered clues slowly connected.
Until a terrifying hypothesis formed.
Ren Kiryu… might be the culprit.
Once the thought appeared—
It refused to disappear.
"Uncle Shinohara?"
Juuzou looked at him curiously.
"You look pale."
Shinohara opened his eyes slowly.
His expression had turned serious.
"Juuzou."
"We're going back to headquarters."
"Eh?"
Juuzou frowned.
"But I'm hungry."
"Soon."
Shinohara had already started walking.
"There's something we need to report."
This information had to reach
Yoshitoki Washuu.
The young man named Ren Kiryu.
The café called Anteiku.
And the suspicious rumors surrounding them.
If his deduction was correct—
That peaceful café might actually be a ghoul sanctuary.
Or worse.
The hidden nest of the monster known as Carnage.
Shinohara pushed the thought aside.
But as an investigator—
He knew one thing clearly.
No matter what the truth was—
He had to uncover it.
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