However, just as Rize was about to help Byakuya settle scores with Tsukiyama, a letter arrived at Anteiku.
Irimi checked the envelope. "The sender is... Tsukiyama Shuu?"
Hearing Tsukiyama's name, Byakuya knew Touka's disappearance was definitely his doing.
"Irimi-san, may I see it please?"
Byakuya said immediately.
"The letter actually says it's addressed to you, Amaha-kun."
Irimi handed it over.
Byakuya quickly scanned the contents.
As expected, Tsukiyama had knocked out and kidnapped Touka. And besides Touka, he'd also captured Ken Kaneki.
Tsukiyama explained his reasoning: knowing Kaneki was Byakuya's friend, and that Touka was on fairly good terms with him, using them as leverage would be most effective.
In truth, Tsukiyama didn't have many options. Rize, Koma, and Irimi were out of the question—he couldn't capture them without getting killed himself. Between the unfamiliar Fueguchi mother and daughter and Touka whose strength he knew, he chose Touka.
According to the letter, both were currently unharmed, but Byakuya was required to come alone today in exchange for their freedom—otherwise their safety couldn't be guaranteed.
"So he wants me to come alone..."
Now Byakuya fully understood Tsukiyama's intentions.
Tsukiyama probably had traps set up to ensure he could be captured.
"So what now? Should I secretly follow you?"
Rize asked.
"No need. I'll go alone and see what tricks he's playing."
Byakuya said calmly.
He knew the Tsukiyama family's capabilities well. The most troublesome were their S and SS-rated servants—not a significant threat to him. He had nothing to fear.
Afterward, the Anteiku staff learned that Touka's disappearance was connected to Tsukiyama.
"So... is Oniichan going alone to rescue Touka-neechan?"
Hinami asked with concern.
"Yes. That's the only way to ensure Kirishima-san and Kaneki's safety."
Byakuya nodded.
"Alright... please be careful, Oniichan!"
Hinami said worriedly.
"Amaha-san, we're entrusting Touka to you."
Irimi said.
"We're going to owe Amaha-san another favor."
Koma added.
"Not at all. This is something I should do, since the situation arose because of me."
Byakuya said.
Rize wasn't worried about Byakuya's safety. Yoshimura wasn't either—only they had witnessed Byakuya's performance during the Ward 11 Aogiri Suppression Operation.
...
Byakuya arrived at the designated location from the letter—an abandoned underground garage in Ward 19.
Entering the garage, he stayed alert to his surroundings.
After going deep enough, he spotted Tsukiyama Shuu.
This time, Tsukiyama wasn't alone—two people flanked him.
One was a purple-haired servant with somewhat long hair, longer bangs on the right side, wearing a mask that only covered the upper half of his face above the nose.
Byakuya recognized this as Tsukiyama's servant "Kanae"—real name Karren. Originally from the German Rosewald ghoul family, she'd fled to the main Tsukiyama family after the Washuu-led German CCG annihilated her clan, changing her name and identity.
Yes, "changing identity" meant this person was a girl disguised as a boy.
Probably S-rated at most.
The other person beside Tsukiyama was a woman in a maid outfit wearing a similar mask.
But this was no ordinary servant—this was the Tsukiyama family's SS-rated ghoul, Matsumae.
![Left: Matsumae. Right: Kanae]
The Tsukiyama servants were all formidable. In the original story, Hairu Ihei was killed in the Tsukiyama Family Extermination Operation—partly due to carelessness, but also because she faced both the conservatively S-rated Mairo and the SS-rated Matsumae simultaneously.
Before being caught off guard and killed, Hairu had been dominating both an S-rated and an SS-rated ghoul—she already possessed Special Class-level strength, despite still being First Class at the time.
Seeing that Tsukiyama had brought both Kanae and Matsumae, Byakuya figured Tsukiyama thought he had this in the bag.
But clearly, Tsukiyama was unaware of his feats during the Ward 11 Aogiri operation. His estimate of Byakuya's strength probably hadn't progressed past the Ghoul Restaurant incident—otherwise he wouldn't have brought only Kanae and Matsumae.
"Where are Kaneki and Touka Kirishima? Where are they?"
Byakuya asked, as he hadn't spotted them yet.
Tsukiyama then ordered Kanae: "Bring them out for Amaha-kun."
Since Matsumae had confirmed only Byakuya had come, he wouldn't release them so easily otherwise.
"Yes, sir!"
Kanae complied immediately.
Shortly after, Kaneki and Touka—bound and gagged—were brought out.
"Amaha-kun, exchange yourself for them, and I'll let them go."
Tsukiyama smiled faintly.
"Fine. Untie them first, and I'll come over."
Byakuya began walking toward Tsukiyama's side, showing good faith.
"Release them."
Tsukiyama ordered Kanae.
Kanae swiftly freed Kaneki and Touka from their restraints, then shoved them toward Byakuya.
"Why did you come alone?"
The moment she could speak, Touka anxiously questioned Byakuya.
Byakuya didn't answer that question, instead saying: "Kaneki-kun, Kirishima-san, I'm sorry you got caught up in my affairs. Please leave now—those people won't bother you anymore."
"Wh-what's even going on here...?"
Kaneki was still confused.
He only remembered being invited out by Tsukiyama-san that morning, then having something pressed over his mouth, and losing consciousness.
When he woke up, he was tied up in this underground garage, completely immobilized.
Hearing what Amaha-kun just said, this seemed connected to him somehow?
Though still confused, the frightened Kaneki quickly fled.
Maybe if he called the police for Amaha-kun after getting out, there'd still be time to save him.
"Tsukiyama-san, I'm the one who told Amaha-kun to come alone. Otherwise I would've killed you. It seems Amaha-kun values you quite highly—I really caught the right people."
Tsukiyama looked smug. "Such enviable friendship—perhaps even some romance in there~"
...
Get 20+ chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"