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The ghoul that Byakuya dispatched yesterday was added to his official record, including a detailed report of his use of his quinque.

However, his rank as an Investigator won't be promoted to first class just yet.

He only eliminated a B rated ghoul, and he would need to take down several A rated ghouls to solidify his promotion to First Class Investigator.

To reach the rank of Associate Special Class, he'd need to eliminate at least one S rated ghoul.

Ideally, he should also participate in a large-scale purge operation, where he could earn commendations for exceptional performance. That's the most reliable path to promotion.

A record with only B rated ghouls lacks substantial merit—unless he takes down dozens, or even hundreds, to amass a notable record.

"For now, you're granted an administrative leave to relax a bit. But remember to keep your quinque close by" Sakai advised Byakuya.

"Understood. I'll keep that in mind" Byakuya replied with a nod.

This "administrative leave" allows him to temporarily step away from duties to rest, and he still receives pay during this time. However, he is required to attend scheduled psychological counseling sessions.

…

After leaving the CCG, Byakuya returned to his job at Shoeisha as usual.

Normally, after completing a ghoul investigation, he wouldn't need to continue undercover at Shoeisha. However, since he still had to handle the publishing details for Eto's work, he decided to remain at Shoeisha.

The CCG rarely interferes with the personal lives of its investigators outside of mission duties, so remaining at Shoeisha wasn't an issue. Still, his attendance couldn't be guaranteed daily.

Given his special status as a CCG investigator, Shoeisha also wouldn't make things difficult for him.

Despite his encounter with a ghoul the night before, Byakuya went to Shoeisha the next day to clock in for work as if nothing had happened.

As he clocked in, he remembered that the system also required a check-in…

[Ding! The host has completed the daily check-in, earning 1 attribute point!]

[Note: Checking in for 7 consecutive days will yield an additional 5 attribute points, 15 days will yield 10 points, and 30 days will yield 20 points…]

Although initially he doesn't gain many attribute points from check-ins, the numbers will increase steadily over time.

Due to his position as an investigator, Byakuya brought his quinque to the office, concealing it in an extra layer of packaging to avoid drawing attention from civilians.

…

Today, Byakuya's duties included reviewing the digital manuscript of Dear Kafka and making annotations, as well as managing the publishing process for Eto.

Thanks to his mangekyo, he could read the manuscript at lightning speed without missing a single detail. However, since he needed to add extensive annotations, it still took a significant amount of time.

By the end of the day, he had finished reading and annotating the entire manuscript, a novella totaling about 200,000 to 300,000 characters—ideal for a single-volume publication.

After work, and following dinner, Byakuya called Eto.

"Miss Takatsuki, I've carefully reviewed and annotated your manuscript. Could you come over tonight to discuss it?" he asked.

"Sure, but I don't know your address…" Eto replied.

"I'll text you the details" he replied before sending her his addres

…

About half an hour later, a light knock sounded on the door, followed by Eto's voice.

"Mr. Byakuya, it's me…"

As expected, it was Eto at the door, and judging by the timing, she must have walked.

Byakuya quickly opened the door. "Please come in, Miss Takatsuk, Pardon my humble abode"

Before she arrived, he'd already hidden his quinque briefcase in the closet to prevent Eto from seeing it.

"It's no problem…"

Eto, familiar with human customs, removed her shoes upon entering.

"Oh, I forgot to prepare an extra pair of slippers", Byakuya realized suddenly.

He had only been in this world for a couple of days, and it slipped his mind that in Japan, people often have specific indoor footwear.

"That's alright. I don't mind going barefoot" Eto said.

"Very well. Let's take a look at the annotated manuscript"

He brought over a chair beside his desk, inviting Eto to sit. Due to her petite frame, her feet couldn't reach the floor, and she swung them absentmindedly.

For two and a half hours, they discussed revisions and decided on some initial changes.

Since it was already late, Byakuya decided to call it a night.

"It's already ten. Let's continue tomorrow or whenever you're free. It's quite late, would you like me to walk you home, Miss Takatsuki?"

Though he knew she was capable of protecting herself, he felt it necessary to maintain his cover as a concerned editor.

He expected her to decline, as it was simply customary politeness.

But to his surprise, Eto accepted.

"Sure…"

"Alright, then. Let's go."

Byakuya kept a calm expression and tone, not wanting to reveal any signs of surprise.

…

By this hour, the streets were mostly empty, with hardly anyone in the narrow alleys. After all, people were afraid of becoming a ghoul's next meal, as many ghouls were hiding among the human population.

While some ghouls are peaceful, most see humans as nothing more than food.

As Byakuya and Eto walked, he didn't carry his quinque, but he had Kamui as a last resort if necessary.

Just then, a drunk man staggered toward them. His movements were clumsy, and he could barely walk straight. As he laid eyes on Eto, he leered at her with drunken lust. "Hey, pretty girl… hiccup! Join me for a drink!!"

"Sure" Eto replied casually, turning to Byakuya. "Thanks for walking me this far, Mr. Byakuya. I'll take it from here"

Clearly, she saw the drunk as her next meal.

"Hehehe…"

The drunk let out a disturbing, lecherous laugh, not noticing Eto's cold, murderous intent.

Byakuya, however, sensed it instantly. He wasn't about to let her do this.

Smack!

He slapped the drunk, stunning him, and then quickly grabbed Eto's wrist, leading her away.

This way, he avoided revealing his strength and saved the drunk's life.

Though he found the drunk's behavior repulsive, he didn't think it merited death. A slap would suffice as punishment, and he didn't want Eto to accumulate any more sins.

With her slight build, Eto had no choice but to follow as Byakuya led her away.

A look of surprise crossed her face. 'What on earth is this human doing?'