[Ding! The host has successfully completed "Quest 1: Encourage the Kirishima family to join either Anteiku or Aogiri Tree" earning a reward of 20 attribute points!]
At that moment, Byakuya heard the system notification.
It was easy to guess that Yomo must have convinced the Kirishima family to go to Anteiku.
Ultimately, it was Byakuya's actions that facilitated this outcome.
Yomo would undoubtedly mention both him and Arima, leaving Arata and Hikari with no other choice if they wanted to protect their family. Given the precarious situation of ghouls in the 4th Ward, they had few alternatives.
"I sent those two to Anteiku immediately after saving them. They should be out of danger now" said Eto.
"Thank you for your hard work" replied Byakuya, speaking to Eto while preparing dinner.
"It's no trouble at all. By the way, do you need my help? I've never cooked myself before, though."
Eto offered.
"I think you should give it a try" Byakuya said with a hint of curiosity, wondering what Eto's cooking might turn out like.
"Are you serious? Don't regret this later" Eto teased.
"No worries. Worst case, I'll help eat it" Byakuya replied calmly.
Encouraged by his nonchalance, Eto decided to give it a shot. She stepped into the kitchen, her strawberry-patterned slippers padding softly on the floor.
Byakuya suggested she start with something simple.
Eto's knife skills turned out to be impressive, though that wasn't surprising. Byakuya refrained from interfering, allowing her to experiment freely.
Soon, Eto had finished preparing a dish. Visually, it looked acceptable — at least not a culinary disaster.
Dinner was ready.
Byakuya and Eto sat at the table.
"Itadakimasu" they both said before beginning their meal.
Eto tasted her own cooking first, chewing thoughtfully, only to find the flavor unsatisfactory.
"It doesn't taste good. It's nowhere near as good as what you make" she admitted, a bit disheartened despite it being her first attempt.
Byakuya also took a bite and offered his honest opinion: "It's not great. You used too little salt, and it's unevenly distributed. The vegetables are slightly overcooked, but for a beginner, it's a decent effort."
His feedback was fair; the dish was edible, though far from delicious.
"Don't bother trying to comfort me. That just makes it feel like you're pitying me" Eto remarked, unimpressed by his gentleness.
"You've got it wrong. As long as it's made by Miss Takatsuki, I wouldn't complain even if it tasted worse. So there's no need for pretense," Byakuya replied earnestly.
Eto blinked in mild surprise. "You're such a hopeless lolicon, aren't you?"
"Wrong. I've never been into lolis" Byakuya retorted firmly.
"Come on now, Mr. Lolicon, you can't fool anyone" Eto teased, a playful grin on her face.
Despite her banter, Eto felt a warm, sweet sensation in her chest from Byakuya's words.
After dinner, the two relaxed.
"How's the situation in the 24th Ward?" Byakuya asked.
"It's going smoothly. The competitors there aren't particularly strong, and the Aogiri Tree has grown to over 200 members" Eto reported. "Once we've fully taken control, we can begin expanding into other areas"
"Good. But there's no rush to expand territories yet. I have a plan..." Byakuya began, preparing to discuss their next move. "I intend to attack Cochlea, under the guise of the 'One-Eyed King'"
"Aren't you worried they'll recognize you?" Eto asked with concern.
"No. As of now, the Washuu Clan and V are unaware that I'm a mutated half-human. A bit of disguise, like last time, and they won't suspect a thing," Byakuya reassured her calmly.
"Alright. Together, we should be able to completely take over Cochlea" Eto said, her confidence growing.
Previously, she had failed to breach Cochlea's defenses due to limited manpower within Aogiri Tree. Though she had managed to release some S rated ghouls, the most critical cells housing SS and SSS rated ghouls remained untouched.
However, Byakuya interrupted, "No, I'll need you to lead a portion of Aogiri Tree in 13rd Ward to divert the CCG, the Washuu, and V's attention. I'll lead a separate team to raid Cochlea in 23rd Ward"
"...Alright" Eto agreed, though she reminded him, "But be careful. Cochlea's defenses have never weakened."
"I will. Let's move in a couple of days" Byakuya concluded.
After a moment's pause, he added, "By the way, when you went to Anteiku, did you meet Yoshimura?"
"No. I'm not ready to face him yet" Eto admitted, her expression tinged with melancholy. "Even if I saw him, I wouldn't know what to say..."
"Fair enough. When you're ready, we can visit together. Yoshimura makes excellent coffee" Byakuya offered gently.
"Is that so..." Eto's tone shifted as she picked up on a detail. "Wait, does that mean you've been there already?"
"Yes. When Minami sought help, Arima and I accompanied her, and we had some coffee" Byakuya explained matter-of-factly.
"Minami? Oh, you mean Uruka Minami, the ghoul, right? Speaking of which, you should introduce me to her sometime. It'd make gathering material easier" Eto said, her curiosity piqued.
Yet, deep down, she couldn't help but notice Byakuya's apparent concern for Minami, stirring a faint sense of jealousy within her.