"You can think we're whatever you want us to be."
Yoshimura Eto said with a smile.
"...You two aren't actually married already, are you?"
Yoshimura Kuzen asked.
It wasn't entirely impossible.
Ghouls didn't follow human customs like legal marriage age. After all, they didn't have the same rights as humans; things like official marriages weren't even an option for them.
So if Eto and that young man had secretly gotten married, it wouldn't be surprising at all.
"And if I said we were? What would you do?"
Eto asked deliberately.
"I wouldn't do anything… I'd just think it's a little soon..."
Yoshimura Kuzen smiled, though it looked a bit awkward. "But if it's true, then of course, I give you both my blessing."
He never considered himself a qualified father, so he didn't feel he had the right to interfere in Eto's life decisions.
At the very least, if Eto was doing well, and if this was what she wanted, then in his eyes, it was ultimately a good thing.
"Actually, I was just messing with you. We're not married yet; he wouldn't have the guts."
Eto stopped joking and spoke seriously. "Besides, with what happened to you and Mom as a precedent, and with V and the Washuu Clan to worry about, it's too much of a hassle."
"..."
Yoshimura Kuzen fell silent again.
What had happened between him and Ukina had clearly left a deep impression on Eto.
"But I heard Uchiha-kun is a CCG Investigator. I never expected you to get this close to an investigator."
Yoshimura Kuzen sounded a bit surprised.
"Because he's someone worth trusting."
Eto simply said.
Even though she was speaking to her father, she had no intention of revealing too much about Byakuya.
She respected Byakuya's wishes; unless he was willing to tell Yoshimura Kuzen himself, she wouldn't say anything.
"I see..."
Yoshimura Kuzen nodded slightly.
"I'll go call him up in a bit. You can talk to him yourself."
Now that she had reunited with her father, there wasn't much she really wanted to talk about.
Aside from casual conversation like before, all she could do was complain or vent her frustrations.
But she didn't want to do that.
"Alright."
Yoshimura Kuzen did want to have a conversation with the young man.
A short while after Eto went back downstairs, Byakuya came up.
"Manager."
Byakuya greeted.
"Uchiha-kun, my daughter has troubled you all this time."
Yoshimura Kuzen said with a smile.
"Not at all. Eto is smart and capable; she's never really given me any trouble."
Byakuya replied.
"I'll be counting on you in the future as well… Please, save my daughter."
Yoshimura Kuzen pleaded.
He could tell that Eto and this young man weren't just close; their relationship was clearly unusual. They must have formed some kind of alliance.
Given certain events that had happened, he had reason to believe this.
For instance, Yomo Renji and Uta had both been saved by Eto after fighting against this young man.
"I'll do my best, since it's a request from a senior."
Byakuya nodded.
"Senior?"
Yoshimura Kuzen didn't immediately understand why Uchiha Byakuya had called him senior.
"That's right. After all, I'm a Cleaner for V as well. Wouldn't that make you my senior, Manager Yoshimura?"
Byakuya openly revealed his identity.
Because soon, he was going to completely sever ties with the Washuu Clan.
The moment he helped Furuta and Rize break free from the Washuu, that would be the moment he turned against them.
So revealing his identity to the Manager now didn't really matter.
"..."
Yoshimura Kuzen's expression showed clear shock.
He hadn't expected this young man to be V's current Cleaner, let alone that he would so casually expose himself.
A sense of caution immediately arose in Kuzen; he couldn't be sure if this young man was still loyal to V.
If Byakuya reported the truth about the One-Eyed Owl to V, the consequences would be dire.
"You… whose side are you really on?"
Yoshimura Kuzen asked in a deep voice.
"Eto's, of course. Otherwise, she would have doubted me a long time ago."
Byakuya made his stance clear, his gaze sharp. "In other words, I intend to overthrow the Washuu's rule."
"...No wonder Eto is so close to you."
Yoshimura Kuzen suddenly understood. "But you must also realize how dangerous this is."
As a fellow Cleaner, Byakuya undoubtedly knew just as much as he did.
In fact, Byakuya's situation was even more dangerous than Eto's.
The Washuu and V didn't necessarily want Eto dead; they wanted to capture and control her. A naturally born half-ghoul was of great value to the Washuu Clan.
Their countless experiments on human-ghoul hybrids were proof of that.
But Byakuya was both a CCG Investigator and a Cleaner for V. His origins were clearly within the Washuu bloodline, even if he wasn't a direct descendant, he had to be a branch family half-human.
The Washuu Clan would never tolerate a traitor.
That was exactly what happened to the first One-Eyed King; in the end, he was exiled and pushed underground.
"I made up my mind long ago. I fully understand what the consequences will be."
Byakuya's expression remained calm.
There wasn't a trace of fear on his face.
Yoshimura Kuzen was both shocked and ashamed.
To him, the Washuu Clan was an invincible force. That was why he had never dared to fight back.
He had even thought that Eto was walking down a doomed path but he had no right to say anything to her. All he could do was plead with Byakuya to protect her.
But now, it was clear.
Both Eto and this young man had already made their choice. There was no turning back.
"If there's anything this old man can do, just tell me."
Since things had reached this point, Yoshimura Kuzen decided he would do whatever he could for them.
At the very least, as Eto's father, he had to fulfill his duty this time.
"If Eto is ever in danger; protect her."
For now, that was the only thing Byakuya could ask of him.
He didn't want the Manager or Eto to face the Washuu directly; it was far too dangerous.
He was the only one who could protect himself in that situation.
"No problem."
Yoshimura Kuzen had already made up his mind.
Even if it cost him his life, he would protect Eto to the very end.