The "Cash Machine"

After running for quite a while, Byakuya finally stopped once they could no longer hear the drunken man's curses.

He stood there, hands on his hips, catching his breath and deliberately acting as if he were just an average guy with average stamina.

Eto also tried to appear slightly worn out, playing along just as Byakuya was.

After resting for a moment, Eto couldn't help but ask, "Just now...why did you...?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm your editor! I can't just stand by and watch you do something so careless with your health. If you're really short on cash, I can help you out with more funds."

Byakuya replied quickly, having already thought of an excuse.

"..."

Eto was silent for a moment. "I understand. In that case, could you help me out with another 10,000 yen?"

She hadn't actually been after the money. She had planned to lure the disgusting drunk to a secluded spot to kill and eat him.

As a ghoul, eating human flesh was essential for maintaining her strength and could help her recover faster from her injuries. The wound on her kakuhou was still a serious issue.

But now, since Byakuya had ruined her plan, she could only ask for funds instead.

However... she couldn't remember the last time someone cared about her like this. It was a surprisingly pleasant feeling...

"...Wait, I just gave you 10,000 yen yesterday! You need more already?" Byakuya was taken aback.

"Well, I accidentally spent a bit too much"

Eto responded confidently, "If you don't want to, don't worry about it. I'll just go back and find that man from before."

"On second thought, let's not do that" Byakuya handed her another 10,000 yen bill.

Eto accepted the money with a subtle, mischievous smile. She suddenly felt like she had found herself a "Cash Machine"

Still, she planned to be careful not to scare him off.

Eto didn't have high hopes of making much money through book sales.

At least, though, the initial funding for Aogiri Tree was now secured.

Meanwhile, Byakuya had no idea that Eto now saw him as a cash machine.

He didn't mind, though. As a CCG Second Class Investigator, he earned over 400,000 yen a month, plus extra commissions for completing missions.

Considering his job's dangerous nature as part of a government agency, CCG investigators earned fairly high salaries.

If just 10,000 yen could keep Eto from preying on the drunkard, he thought it was worth it.

"We're almost there. Mr. Byakuya, you can leave me here."

In reality, her base was still some distance away, but she couldn't let him follow her all the way there.

"Alright then, see you later, Miss Takatsuki"

"Goodbye…" Eto replied softly.

...

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[Ding! The host has completed the sign-in and received: 1 attribute point!]

In the days that followed, Byakuya continued his usual work at Shoeisha while spending time at home revising Eto's manuscript with her.

The first draft of Dear Kafka had already undergone an initial refinement.

Eto worked on these edits using Byakuya's computer at his home. It's called the "first draft" because it's normal for a work to go through several, even dozens, of revisions.

Of course, these revisions are purely based on the author's wishes, not forced by the editor.

It wasn't long before Byakuya's administrative leave ended. During this time, he attended three counseling sessions, where he showed no signs of mental distress, leading to his leave being shortened.

He had no complaints about this; in fact, he preferred it, since he wasn't interested in staying idle.

...

That evening, Eto arrived at Byakuya's house as usual. At this point, she didn't need him to call her, after dinner, she would simply come over on her own.

They were preparing a refined second draft.

Each revision was carefully backed up, and the original draft had been saved as well.

While a big reason for Eto's contact with Byakuya was to secure funds, she also valued her work deeply. She truly enjoyed the creative process.

As they discussed the work, she found herself surprisingly attentive to his insights and feedback.

Before they knew it, it was nearly ten o'clock.

As Eto was preparing to leave, she suddenly asked, "By the way… Mr. Byakuya, after reading my manuscript, do you have any detailed thoughts?"

"You want me to share my thoughts..." Byakuya reflected for a moment. "The writing is excellent. While it contains many poetic descriptions, it doesn't feel dry or tedious."

"But behind the narrative, you can sense an underlying sadness, resentment, emptiness, loneliness... an array of dark emotions"

"The protagonist seems completely hopeless, with no trust or expectations in anyone. Although companions appear occasionally, by the end, they're always left alone…"

Thanks to his Mangekyo Sharingan, Byakuya could remember everything he read perfectly. He could also detect the core and deeper meaning within the text more keenly.

"...You're right. That's pretty much what I intended" Eto said, surprised at how thoroughly he understood her writing.

It made sense he'd become an editor at such a young age. He couldn't be more than twenty and clearly had talent for this work.

"It's hard to believe, actually. If I remember right, Miss Takatsuki, you're around middle-school age, and yet you write with such a profound, dark tone… as if you've experienced hardships that most people can't even imagine"

In fact, Byakuya knew that Eto had grown up in the chaotic 24th Ward—a place without any CCG headquarters or branches.

In that lawless place, survival depended on strength, and the fastest way to grow stronger was through cannibalism.

This method, where ghouls consumed each other, was how Eto, at only fourteen, became an SSS rated, feared One-Eyed Owl.

The horrific experiences Eto had endured in the 24th Ward over the years were beyond what most people could fathom.