A woman named Aya who claimed to be from Public Security. Seeing her take down that Kaijin, it was clear she was at least aligned with the Heroes.
However, taking down a monster didn't automatically make her our ally.
"What does Public Security... want with me?"
While I was trying to gauge the situation, Mika, who had been lying limply in my arms until a moment ago, slowly pulled away and stood up.
"Mika, are you okay?"
"Yeah... I can't keep leaning on you forever."
Mika stood up to show she was fine, but her legs were unsteady. She looked like she could barely stay upright.
Even though I voiced my concern, she responded by worrying about me instead. She had likely forced herself to her feet so that Public Security wouldn't fixate on me.
"...Since it's awkward to talk while standing, shall we move elsewhere?"
Seeing Mika clearly wobbling, even Aya seemed a bit concerned. She suggested moving to a different location.
We accepted her proposal and followed her to a nearby cafe. Once we were settled into a booth, Aya immediately picked up a menu and scanned it.
"Since we're here, why don't we order something? You both must be exhausted. How about something sweet?"
"Enough with the pleasantries. What do you want?"
As Aya leisurely flipped to the dessert page, Mika pressed her to get to the point.
Finding her suggestion rejected, Aya shook her head with a small sigh and pressed the call button on the table to summon a waiter.
"One iced coffee and two orange juices."
"Hey, don't just decide for—!"
"Don't worry, it's my treat, of course. Ah, that will be all for the order."
The waiter, who had looked bewildered by Mika's aggressive demeanor, quickly retreated to the kitchen after taking Aya's order.
A short while later, glasses of orange juice were placed in front of Mika and me, while a glass of iced coffee was set before Aya.
"Spit it out already. I don't have time for this."
As Aya reached for her coffee and took a slow, satisfied sip, Mika tapped her left index finger rhythmically against the table, hurrying the conversation along.
"Well then, let's get down to business."
Aya set her coffee on the table and pulled something out of the black bag she had placed beside her. She set it down where we could both see it clearly.
"Do you recognize this?"
"That's...!"
What sat before us was a syringe shaped like a handgun. The attached cylinder was filled with a vibrant blue liquid.
"Kaijin Genome...!"
Mika’s expression shifted instantly. Though the color of the liquid was different, she knew exactly what it was.
The Kaijin Genome—a substance that granted power to its user at a terrible cost. It was the very thing Mika had been hunting.
"But the color is different."
It was undoubtedly the Kaijin Genome, but the hue was unlike anything I had seen before. At my observation, Aya responded.
"This is called Blue Blood. It appears to be a diluted version of the Kaijin Genome, mixed with special chemicals. You can think of it as a mass-produced, low-grade variant."
The Kaijin Genome itself was a weapon designed to mass-produce monsters. Apparently, Blue Blood was an even cheaper, more accessible version of that.
"The effects are weaker than the standard version, but the side effects are even more severe. This troublesome product has recently started circulating in this area."
"No way..."
"Yes. We suspect that the ones selling this are the Himatsuri-gumi—or to be more precise, a certain faction within the organization."
Hearing Aya's words, Mika hunched her shoulders and looked down. She hid her face from us, biting her lip as she wrestled with a sense of utter helplessness.
"Mika Himatsuri-san, would you care to make a deal with us?"
"A... deal?"
"We in Public Security will resolve all the problems you're currently facing. We'll arrest the ringleaders and their associates, and we'll eradicate the Blue Blood distribution routes. Everything will be handled in total secrecy. Naturally, we won't allow any of this information to reach the public."
To the current Mika, these words were a temptation sweeter than honey. Stifling the urge to reach out for the offer, she stared Aya down with a glare.
"And the conditions?"
"The dissolution of the Himatsuri-gumi within three years, and the surrender of the Onikagura in your possession. If you agree to these terms, we will storm the headquarters immediately and put an end to everything. We’ll treat you strictly as a victim. You’ll be able to live the rest of your life as an ordinary citizen."
"You...! Don't screw with me!"
Mika slammed her hand onto the table, making it shake. Aya’s conditions effectively demanded that Mika surrender everything she held dear.
"I would think those are very favorable terms."
"In what world?! You're asking me to sell out everything I have!"
"It seems you still don't grasp the reality of your situation."
"What?"
"Listen closely. As you are now, you have no way to resolve this. No matter how hard you struggle, your wish will not be granted."
The ideal outcome would be for Mika to reclaim the Himatsuri-gumi and settle everything herself.
However, the fact remained that the Himatsuri-gumi had already aligned themselves with the Syndicate Shadow, and both the Heroes and Public Security knew it. Even if all the internal problems were solved, they wouldn't escape legal consequences. Since she had succeeded her mother as the second-generation leader, Mika would be forced to take the fall for everything.
Society would never permit the survival of an organization that teamed up with the Syndicate to distribute the Kaijin Genome. The public backlash against a leader who couldn't control her own organization would be unimaginable.
"Regarding this matter, not only us in Public Security, but the Heroes have already begun to move as well. They recently suffered a massive blow to their reputation after their own 'hound' turned on them, so they're putting everything they have into this to restore their image. No matter how much you refuse, it won't be long before we take action anyway."
So that was why Sora and Kokoro had been so busy lately. They were chasing this case.
The mystery of why my neighbors were never home had been solved in an unexpected way, proving that Aya wasn't lying.
"Whether you accept the conditions or not, the dissolution of the Himatsuri-gumi is, unfortunately, inevitable. And the Onikagura is currently being targeted by various organizations. Since it's been deemed impossible for a single individual to protect, the state will eventually confiscate it regardless. The end result remains the same no matter what you do. Given that, I believe it's obvious which path you should choose."
On one hand, she could go down as a victim of the incident; on the other, as the person responsible for failing to stop it.
One of those endings was coming, and it was clear which one was better.
"I... I...!"
Mika couldn't answer.
The Himatsuri-gumi and the Onikagura. Both were precious treasures left behind by her beloved mother. Mika had fought with everything she had to protect them. She couldn't just throw them away.
"There's one thing I'd like to ask."
Seeing Mika unable to speak, her teeth gritted in frustration, I stepped in and directed a question at Aya.
"What is it?"
"Why even offer Mika a deal?"
"...What do you mean?"
"If the outcome is going to be the same regardless, you should just take action instead of wasting time making proposals to her."
The dissolution of the group, the confiscation of the sword—if both were already set in stone, there was no reason to negotiate here. They should have just made their move.
"You guys can't move yet, can you?"
The reason she was making this proposal was that she needed Mika's consent. Most likely, neither Public Security nor the Heroes currently had enough hard evidence to legally storm the Himatsuri-gumi Headquarters.
They needed Mika's cooperation to bypass the red tape.
"...You're quite sharp. As you say, we haven't grasped any decisive evidence yet."
Public Security was a state institution; they had to follow the law. No matter how suspicious the group was, they couldn't just break in without proof.
The Heroes were also under intense public scrutiny right now. They needed to project the image of a clean, law-abiding organization, so they couldn't afford any heavy-handed, illegal investigations.
They had approached Mika because a formal request for help from a victim would allow them to act immediately.
It seemed they wanted to wrap this case up as quickly as possible.
"However, both the Heroes and my office are investigating in earnest. Finding evidence is only a matter of time."
I didn't know much about Public Security, but I knew the Heroes were capable. With Sora on the case, they were definitely taking this seriously. They would find something soon.
"But that means there's still time."
It wasn't happening this second. There was still a window for Mika to think.
"...Very well. I'll withdraw for today."
Aya returned the Blue Blood sample to her bag and placed two business cards on the table instead.
"Contact me at any time. But remember, you don't have as much time left as you think."
Aya picked up the check from the table, paid for our drinks as well, and left the cafe.
I was left alone with Mika, who sat with her head down, her hands clenched so tightly her knuckles were white.