Chapter 47&48
Chapter 47: Boss's Call
Meanwhile, while Bandaged Three was racking her brains to outwit the detectives, Tokisaki Kurumi herself sat comfortably on a soft sofa, leisurely sipping tea brewed by Kyouka Izumi.
She exuded the air of a scheming mastermind, with little concern about how things were playing out. She had already done all she could in the plan to infiltrate the Armed Detective Agency through her clone; now, it was up to Bandaged Three to navigate things on her own.
To stay informed, she had even stationed a few clones around the agency's perimeter to monitor the situation. If Bandaged Three's true identity was somehow exposed, these nearby clones would have ample time to attempt a rescue.
Yet, despite her precautions, Kurumi wasn't overly worried about her clone's safety. It wasn't that she didn't value Bandaged Three's life or that the mission's success was unimportant. Rather, she trusted her own acting skills.
Bandaged Three, being one of Kurumi's earlier clones, lacked her maturity and cunning; in essence, she was still like a child. No one would see her as a threat. During their previous battle, Kurumi had even orchestrated a scene portraying Bandaged Three's willingness to sacrifice herself rather than involve others, further paving her way into the agency.
The Armed Detective Agency had only one criterion for membership: the resolve to sacrifice oneself to save others. On this point, Bandaged Three already qualified. And, with the added finesse of the "hard-to-get" act they devised, Bandaged Three wouldn't have to request to join the agency; instead, the agency would extend the invitation themselves, avoiding suspicion.
The only remaining challenges were Dazai Osamu and Edogawa Ranpo. Yet, based on her research and understanding of these two, Kurumi believed her plan was sound. As long as Bandaged Three stayed in character, her chances of being accepted were high.
"Did something good happen?" Kyouka, noticing Kurumi's faint smile, asked with curiosity.
"My plan is already halfway complete. Now, all that's left is waiting," Kurumi replied nonchalantly.
"Oh." Kyouka nodded, not pressing for details. Although Kurumi had taken her in as a "younger sister," Kyouka understood her place. She was grateful that Kurumi had revealed the truth about her parents' death, but she never forgot who Kurumi truly was.
Kurumi was no ordinary person. She was a lieutenant in the Port Mafia's guerrilla unit, a formidable figure who had bested Akutagawa Ryunosuke, and someone Mori Ougai himself approached with caution. Simply put, Kurumi was not one to trifle with.
As a trained assassin, Kyouka adhered to the principle that assassins only take orders and remain silent. She didn't pry into matters that didn't concern her.
"With the Detective Agency in check for now, the only remaining obstacle is the Special Abilities Division."
To complete her first side quest perfectly, Kurumi needed to join three groups: the Port Mafia, the Armed Detective Agency, and the Special Abilities Division. For most Spirits, accomplishing all three would be an impossible feat, but for Kurumi and her clone abilities, it was within reach.
Currently, her main body was in the Port Mafia, Bandaged Three was about to join the Armed Detective Agency, and that left only the elusive Special Abilities Division.
Joining the Special Abilities Division through formal channels would be nearly impossible, so Kurumi had decided to take an alternative approach: she would seek out Ango Sakaguchi, the head of the Division's Yokohama branch.
This wasn't something Kurumi needed to worry about personally. Mori Ougai had already assured her that he would arrange for a meeting with Sakaguchi soon. Now, all she had to do was wait.
As Kurumi idled, her Port Mafia phone abruptly rang. This was her work phone, so no one outside the organization would have the number; it could only mean Mori Ougai needed something.
"Could it be that he's already arranged the meeting with Sakaguchi?"
With that thought, Kurumi answered.
"It's me, Tokisaki Kurumi. How can I help?"
"I need an explanation." Mori Ougai's low, steady voice came through. Unlike his usual tone, this time Kurumi detected a hint of displeasure.
Kurumi's mind quickly raced, wondering if she had made some misstep to warrant such a call from Mori himself. Outwardly, she remained calm.
"What explanation?"
"Come to headquarters."
With that, Mori abruptly hung up.
Kurumi frowned, puzzled. Was it possible he had somehow noticed her reluctance to apprehend Atsushi Nakajima?
It didn't seem likely. No one in the Port Mafia could read minds, and Mori had no reason to suspect her hidden agenda. And she hadn't been to headquarters recently, so it was unlikely she'd inadvertently offended anyone.
Yet speculating wouldn't solve the mystery. If Mori Ougai had summoned her, she had no choice but to go. Although she didn't fear Mori, and technically he couldn't command her, he was still her superior on paper; respecting that was only practical.
Maintaining a good relationship with the Port Mafia was still necessary for now.
Kurumi set her teacup down and prepared to head to headquarters. In an instant, her usual black dress was replaced by her Spirit attire, a red-and-black ensemble that materialized like a conjured illusion.
"Kyouka, I need to go to headquarters for a bit," Kurumi said as she rose. "Mori has some business with me. I'm not sure how long it'll take."
"Is it dangerous?" Kyouka, having overheard the conversation, asked earnestly. "I could come along."
"No need to worry. I don't know what's going on yet, but I can say for sure it's nothing dangerous."
Kurumi patted her on the head reassuringly.
"No need to wait up for me for dinner; just eat on your own."
Chapter 48: "I Have Wine, Do You Have a Story?"
Ten minutes later, at the Port Mafia headquarters on the top floor of the boss's building.
Kurumi Tokisaki emerged from the shadows created by the sun and the walls in the corner, walking forward with a smile to face Mori Ogai. He sat at his desk, expressionless, as if her dramatic entrance had long ceased to surprise him.
In contrast, someone like Ryunosuke Akutagawa would need permission and undergo multiple screenings just to see Mori. Even other Port Mafia executives had to go through formalities. But for Kurumi, the rules never seemed to apply.
Ogai sighed inwardly, reflecting on this irregularity. If, someday, the Port Mafia and Kurumi were to end up as enemies, he wondered how long he could count on his own survival given her uncanny abilities.
There were only two ways to avoid Kurumi becoming an adversary: kill her outright or keep her close and appeased. He had tried the first option before, harboring hopes that Ryunosuke might defeat her, but those hopes had been quickly dashed. It would likely take the full strength of every Port Mafia ability user, including the formidable Chuuya Nakahara, to take her down. But even then, Kurumi might escape.
Given these circumstances, Ogai had decided not to consider the elimination option any longer. He had personally approved her entry into the organization. Now, the only viable choice was to accommodate her as best as possible.
With that, Mori's cold demeanor softened slightly, and his previously menacing expression eased a bit.
"Summoned at your request, Mori-san. Here I am," Kurumi said with a polite bow.
"You should know why I called you here," Mori said coolly.
"To be honest, I haven't the slightest idea," Kurumi replied, unfazed.
"Alright... I know you're playing dumb. You may think you have this under control, but I still need a reasonable explanation."
"An explanation? Of what?" Kurumi's expression grew puzzled.
Instead of explaining further, Mori pulled out a report and laid it on the table. The report was dated today, accompanied by a photograph.
"This report was delivered by the intel unit twenty minutes ago," Mori said, gesturing to the document, signaling for her to read it.
Obliging, Kurumi picked it up and scanned its contents. As she read the narrative about her battle with Bandage Three, her confrontation with the Armed Detective Agency, and the scene of Bandage Three being taken in by the agency, a look of realization dawned on her face.
The Port Mafia had evidently obtained footage from the police department, making it clear they were aware of the events. The accompanying photograph was an aerial shot taken by a drone, showing Bandage Three sitting with the Detective Agency members in discussion.
"So, it's about that... I didn't expect you to find out so soon," Kurumi said, sounding somewhat surprised.
"Nothing in this city can escape our eyes," Mori replied without a hint of pride, as though it were simply a fact. "So, will you tell me what exactly happened?"
Though surprised by the Port Mafia's swift discovery, Kurumi didn't seem flustered. She had anticipated that the mafia would eventually learn about Bandage Three's situation. After all, she was in the Detective Agency, which frequently interacted with the Port Mafia; it would be hard not to notice an additional person around.
Kurumi had already prepared a plausible story to explain the situation.
"Well, since the cat's out of the bag, I suppose I have no choice," she said with a sigh. "To be honest, it's an embarrassing tale. I hadn't intended to share it with anyone."
Hearing her response, Mori's eyes narrowed slightly, piecing together implications based on what he knew of her abilities. A troubling theory formed in his mind.
"Could it be…" Mori cast a glance at her shadow, almost as if he expected it to respond.
"Congratulations, you guessed correctly, though no prize is awarded," she confirmed with a playful smirk.
"Seeing that young girl rescued by the Armed Detective Agency gave me this hunch," Mori sighed deeply. "I didn't expect... she really is one of your clones."
When Mori first saw the photo of the girl, something about her felt familiar, but her different attire and the bandages covering her left eye the most recognizable feature had prevented him from immediately realizing her identity as Kurumi's clone.
Only when Kurumi mentioned how embarrassing the situation was did he put it all together.
The idea of a clone rebelling against the original... Mori could understand the embarrassment.
The inability to control even a mere clone? Of course, that would be humiliating.
Thinking about it, Mori imagined if he himself had clones and one turned against him he wouldn't exactly want that incident broadcasted, either.
"On that note," he asked, "is it really possible for your clones to betray you?"
"My clones are all as distinct and full of personality as I am. Each one of them is a version of Kurumi Tokisaki with her own independent thoughts not mere puppets on strings."
"Then why would one of them betray you?"
"Hmm... well, that's a long story."
"I have plenty of time," Mori said, adopting a listening posture. "Perhaps I could pour you a glass of my finest wine to sip as you recount it."
This was a rare opportunity to gather information on Kurumi Tokisaki.
The longer the story, the better. If luck favored him, he might catch glimpses of Kurumi's past. That would be invaluable to him and the Port Mafia.
So far, Mori had pressured the intelligence unit numerous times to investigate Kurumi's background. Yet, after nearly a week, they remained empty handed.
They had even enlisted the help of foreign intelligence organizations, but the results were equally fruitless.
An ability user as powerful as she was, it seemed, had appeared out of nowhere, leaving no trace of a past life.
But now, the chance to learn about her had arrived. Mori was determined not to let it slip away.