Tojo Aoi arched a brow; her neat bangs and jet-black eyes made the kneeling man feel as though he were conversing with a life-sized doll: "So… he's a Ritualist now?"
Still kneeling, he answered, "Yes! Word arrived the day before yesterday—traces of a ritual were found around Mr. Chenzhu. The object appears to have been some kind of stone…"
"Drop it. Spending effort there is pointless."
She yawned again, and the man looked worried.
"Who could have guessed the 'Lying Ghoul' ritual object would be a bottle of Water? What can you learn from a lousy rock? Focus on the other matter: find the official organizations and the private mystery cults; sort them into Chaos and order for me."
"Yes, ma'am!" the young man answered solemnly, then added with fervor, "Would you like me to supply the corpses? You're so young and high-ranking that you draw attention in the company. I could handle it easily."
Tojo Aoi gave a half-smile. "Since it's the 'Lying Ghoul,' it feeds on the corpses of liars. Don't trouble yourself—there are plenty of young bodies in the bars…"
She licked her lips, tongue flicking nimbly across her teeth.
"Still, the price is rather steep. I can detect whether anyone who touches me is lying—but I can never lie myself. If I'm proven to have spoken falsely, I'll go—"
She clapped her hands once and spread them: "Pop!—shattered into seven or eight pieces."
Tojo Aoi, frowning in distaste, looked exactly like a girl begrudging an unfair gift; to the man, his god's displeased expression was terrifying.
He ventured carefully, "The greater the Ability, the greater the 'price.' You taught me that."
"But I hate eating corpses, hate needing physical contact to spot lies—and most of all, hate never being able to lie. Isn't that… a bit much to ask of a girl in her prime!"
Watching her feigned coquetry, the man felt only dread, for apart from her tone nothing in her face or posture suggested 'cute' behavior.
She was like a puppet, reciting endearing words with no expression, her gaze fixed on him; a chill shot from crown to sole, every pore standing on end.
He hastily lowered his head, eyes glued to his fingers, and began counting the hairs on the back of his hand—his trick for avoiding 'distortion': never look straight at the twisted.
"You've gained a great deal," he soothed gently. "Just be careful—never lie, or at least never be caught. Such a powerful Ability, and it's only the 'Origin Point.' Once you reach 'Super-Sequence…'"
"Your second Ability will be unimaginably mighty!"
He kept his voice low, yet Tojo Aoi still heard the feverish hunger for mystery.
Like a drowning man clutching a straw, he clung to hope, his feelings a tangle of devotion and dread.
Tojo Aoi ignored his fervor, looking down at her subordinate. "So how do I reach the second stage? You know the answer. Though 'Origin Point' is the first step into the extraordinary, most people never advance beyond it."
"Only large organizations like the authorities can nurture a 'Super-Sequence.' And I'm Chaos; if I move openly, I'll be exposed at once."
She toyed with a fingernail, then pressed two fingers to the corners of her mouth, lifting them into a smile: "We're the villains, after all."
"But Chaos is stronger—far—"
"No thanks. I don't fancy being arrested as a cultist." She ended the discussion. "The stronger the path, the heavier the price. Let's leave it at this for now."
"Still, if Mr. Chenzhu makes a move…"
"Yes! I'll inform you at once!"
Tojo Aoi nodded with satisfaction, her eyes heavy as she looked at the man. "You must keep this secret for me. The cost of 'a lie cannot be seen through' is too fatal. If others find out, I will die."
The man nodded solemnly and reminded Tojo Aoi, "Please use vague phrasing with me as well. Do not give definitive answers."
"You're different; you're the person I trust the most."
"Please be prudent! Tojo-sama is far too naive! Because of your age, you are too easily deceived! Therefore, you must treat your Ability with the utmost caution!"
The man seemed uneasy about Tojo Aoi, offering his reminders with a face full of fanaticism.
Tojo Aoi nodded impatiently. "Alright, alright, I get it. Thank you. Now, please take care; make sure you do what I've instructed. Eh? Is there something else?"
Noticing the man hesitating to speak, Tojo Aoi watched him with curious, blinking eyes.
"This... your friend. Her name is Sen Getsusa, right?" The man had been kneeling on the ground for a long time, yet his straight back didn't waver, and his hands were placed steadily on his knees.
Tojo Aoi replied with a smile, "That's right, Sen Getsusa. Are you investigating her?"
Though her tone remained playful, the man keenly sensed a certain danger in the girl's words.
It was like a dozing crocodile suddenly snapping its eyes open and staring intensely, its four limbs tensed and ready—at the next word, this beast would devour its prey.
He wisely blurted everything out in one go: "Shensuke-sama has recently had some project collaborations with Councilman Tanaka. The orphanage where Miss Sen Getsusa used to live..."
"The project includes that place?"
The man nodded.
Without realizing it, he began to sweat.
A stinging gaze swept back and forth across him. This tangible killing intent came from a girl who looked as exquisite as a porcelain doll.
"It's actually a very large plot of land, and it just so happens that the orphanage where Miss Sen Getsusa lived is included. How do you think this should be handled..."
"Who is responsible?"
"Councilman Tanaka instructed that the Yukinoshita Family be responsible for the early demolition and part of the later construction. That family offered the most profit. I think they are looking for political backing, since the current Family Head of the Yukinoshita Family is a prefectural assemblyman."
Tojo Aoi didn't speak after listening. She picked up a silver pen and spun it between her fingertips. The light brushed against the pen's body, reflecting a cold, metallic luster.
"You don't need to worry about it anymore. I'll handle this matter."
"Understood."
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