December 26th.
Symboli Sirius's investigation of the Tokai Family territory had finally come to an end. She could head back now.
Sitting alone on the train, she mulled over everything she'd uncovered these past days.
She knew there were plenty of details worth paying attention to—but her mind kept circling back to just one thing.
"So Tokai Natural once ran away from home…"
Muttering the detail Tokai Roman had told her, Symboli Sirius frowned.
Her instincts told her there was a lot buried in that event.
But it had happened too long ago; even Tokai Roman couldn't recall much of it.
She shook her head hard, trying to fling those thoughts out of her mind, then finally looked toward the scenery outside the train window.
After transferring once, she eventually returned to the area near Tracen Academy.
Standing outside the Academy walls, Symboli Sirius didn't choose to go back immediately.
Instead, she walked in another direction.
Toward the shopping street.
Compared to the family-task Rudolf had assigned her, Sirius felt it would be better to first check on something else.
She walked slowly along the road outside Tracen Academy.
There was no need to rush.
She knew the restaurant would still have plenty of customers at this hour.
If she went in just like that, she might end up causing trouble.
But…
Standing at the entrance, she confirmed there were no Uma in the restaurant.
Only then did Symboli Sirius push open the door.
"Welcome."
Tokai Natural put down the magazine in her hands—and only then noticed that her new customer was Symboli Sirius.
Tokai Natural froze for a second, then stood up. "Would you… like something to eat?"
There was still a faint tremor of fear in her voice, but far less than before.
Sirius sat down across from her and spoke calmly. "Do you have a menu?"
"Yes."
Tokai Natural placed a laminated hand-drawn menu in front of her.
Symboli Sirius had watched this menu evolve several times over the past few months. She didn't comment; she simply picked it up and began reading.
Before long, she made her decision. "This one."
She pointed to a dish on the menu before lifting her gaze to Tokai Natural.
That look alone told Tokai Natural that Sirius was here for more than just a meal.
Because unlike certain tea-sipping regulars who dropped by every day, Symboli Sirius only came when she needed to confirm something.
Realizing this, Tokai Natural didn't ask further. She simply looked at the chosen dish and nodded. "Okay. It'll be quick, just a moment."
She turned away and began working on the chicken wings.
Her movements as she deboned the wings were smooth and precise. Watching her work, Symboli Sirius let her gaze travel around the small shop.
The atmosphere was nice, but being a newly opened restaurant, at eleven in the morning it was nearly empty.
Older customers rarely tried new places, so the shop had targeted Tracen Academy's Uma from the very start.
Thus…
Watching Tokai Natural move, Sirius thought for a few seconds, then finally spoke:
"Shopkeeper."
"Mm?"
She didn't call her by name or surname—choosing a deliberately distant form of address.
"What do you think… a child who runs away from home would do? Where would they go?"
A question asked indirectly.
"A runaway child…?"
Tokai Natural immediately registered the true intent behind Sirius's words.
"Yeah. There's a sickly younger kid in the family who ran away. I'm the one who has to deal with it, but unfortunately I don't have any experience with things like this, so I figured I'd ask around."
Using roundabout phrasing to conceal the real question.
Symboli Sirius looked straight at Tokai Natural.
"Sorry… I'm not sure either. My own kid isn't grown yet. I don't have experience with that sort of thing, so…"
Tokai Natural's apologetic tone didn't bother Sirius.
The answer itself didn't matter.
Because the real answer Symboli Sirius wanted… she'd already gotten.
So she let out an exaggerated, helpless sigh. "In that case, I'll just have to search all the possible places one by one. What a pain."
"Finding a kid really is troublesome… but I don't think you need to worry that much. If they get hungry, they'll eventually come home."
Tokai Natural set a beautifully browned chicken wing in front of her. "And besides, this kind of thing shouldn't be handled by a student, right?"
"Family matters leave me no choice."
Sirius cut herself off there, picking up a pair of disposable chopsticks and digging in.
The chicken wing, pan-seared once, tightly wrapped a carrot baton where the bone should've been.
It was a taste Symboli Sirius had never experienced before.
"It's really good. If I could, I'd want to hire you."
Only after finishing did Sirius say something so unrealistic.
Her words were nothing more than a wistful wish, so Tokai Natural simply responded softly, "The restaurant will stay open. You can come anytime."
She gave Sirius a small, gentle smile—no need for anything more.
Symboli Sirius, knowing perfectly well her wish could never come true, didn't press further. She took the damp towel Tokai Natural had placed nearby, wiped the sauce from her lips, and stood up.
"How much?"
"1,200 yen."
Sirius said nothing more. She took out a bill and a few coins, set them on the table, and left the restaurant.
Clean, crisp movements—no wasted actions.
Only after stepping outside did Symboli Sirius finally return to the thought Tokai Natural's answer had sparked.
"She doesn't remember running away from home…?"
Contemplating the potential implications, Sirius didn't return to Tracen Academy. She intended to continue her investigation.
As for that urge—after investigating the Tokai Family—to plant a fist squarely in Symboli Rudolf's face?
That could wait until after she confirmed what had really happened to Tokai Natural.
Because the damage Tokai Natural had suffered in the whole affair was far greater.
And so Sirius's priorities had shifted.