"Mhm… let me ask them about the situation first."
Kikyo Kushida looked at the pair of sisters, thought for a moment, and instead of leading Kirishima Touka and the others away immediately, she walked over to the two of them.
This place was the territory of a yakuza group called the Innami-gumi, and the Innami-gumi was also the creditor of Miyamori Kasumi, who was Hiratsuka Shizuka's close friend.
However, after she had taken a few harassing phone calls, the overlapping screams and wails of the Innami-gumi members had already faded into silence, leaving only scattered severed limbs and the thick stench of blood.
Right now, aside from their own people, Kirishima Touka, Fueguchi Hinami, Yasuhisa Nashiro, Yasuhisa Kurona, and the Kanzaki sisters, the only ones still alive were two trembling girls.
Of course, she had brought people here to repay Kasumi's debt, not to skip the debt and deliberately wipe them out. Things had turned out this way purely because the Innami-gumi members didn't know their place and, upon seeing them, assumed they were little lambs who had wandered into a wolves' den.
As it happened, bringing so many people to handle the debt issue was, on one hand, for her own protection, and on the other, precisely to deal with these guys.
Starting a fight proactively would be hard to explain, but fighting back in self-defense should be fine, it was just that her method of fighting back was a bit aggressive.
What surprised Kikyo Kushida, though, was that after a quick look into them, she found that this yakuza group called the Innami-gumi was utterly rotten and held no value worth recruiting.
If she made trash like this her underlings, she would definitely get scolded. The little bit of authority she had just gotten would be transferred to that Hayasaka Ai, and she would be reduced to nothing more than a little maid who could only push hips.
"What are your names? Why are you here? Were you brought here by the Innami-gumi because of debts?"
Kikyo Kushida came before the pair of sisters, sizing them up as she questioned them.
"No, that's not… I'm Yakumo Rio of the Yagumo-gumi. This is my younger sister, Yakumo Miyu. Our maternal grandfather is the head of the Yagumo-gumi."
Hearing Kikyo Kushida's question, Yakumo Rio instinctively hugged her sister Yakumo Miyu tighter in her arms. But when she saw Kirishima Touka, whose back had sprouted those strange wings and who had slaughtered all the yakuza members like a monster, saunter over as well, her voice immediately trembled as she answered quietly.
"The reason Miyu and I are here is that the Innami-gumi made a demand of us…"
The Yagumo-gumi was another yakuza group, currently locked in a turf war with a newly emerging yakuza organization.
Unfortunately, Yakumo Rio and Yakumo Miyu's grandfather had suddenly collapsed. With no one to command the overall situation, the Yagumo-gumi fell into disarray, to the point that at the next yakuza meeting, their territory would be carved up like fish on a platter.
Yakumo Rio and Yakumo Miyu had lost their parents at a young age and had been sheltered by their grandfather, kept away from yakuza affairs. But because of this, when this crisis hit, they had absolutely no idea what to do.
And it was at that moment that the Innami-gumi, which had some past ties to the Yagumo-gumi, stepped forward and said they could help mediate at the yakuza general assembly and preserve the Yagumo-gumi's territory, but only if she and her sister offered their bodies.
"How foolish… Still, now that the Innami-gumi is gone, you must be pretty troubled too."
Kikyo Kushida finished listening to Yakumo Rio's explanation, let out an undisguised laugh, and after waiting a moment, spoke her mind.
"If you are willing to offer everything to my Master, then we can help you resolve the remaining trouble."
An interest as huge as seizing territory, how could two girls offering their bodies possibly be enough to make anyone give that up? The Yakumo sisters must have truly been sheltered to believe such words.
If the Innami-gumi really could persuade the other yakuza groups to give up carving up the Yagumo-gumi's territory, the more likely outcome would have been turning the Yagumo-gumi's territory into their own.
Still, naive as they were, she liked naive girls like this.
She had no concern for the Yakumo sisters' past; she only cared whether they were useful.
If Yakumo Rio were too clever, it would actually be harder to convince her to join the Service Club.
"Unlike the scum of the Innami-gumi, everything of yours would belong to the Master, but our Master won't force you to do anything for him."
To avoid being misunderstood by Yakumo Rio, Kikyo Kushida added another line.
"You only need to worry about that if you want to earn the Master's favor."
In the Service Club, being allowed to serve the Master was a true reward.
Not only was it a pleasure for body and mind, an experience of ultimate bliss, but it also increased one's strength without any side effects. Getting the Master to casually favor you a couple of times when he was free wasn't so easy.
Well… she couldn't say it was completely without side effects. The only side effect, she felt, was how easy it was to end up liking the Master more and more.
That competitive atmosphere in the Service Club these days was entirely because everyone loved the Master's favor and wanted to earn more of his rewards. Ordinary struggles for benefits wouldn't cause such intense competition.
"Everything is the Master's… No problem! I am willing to offer everything to the Master."
Yakumo Rio quietly listened to Kikyo Kushida's demands, a flash of shock in her eyes.
Master? So all these girls were someone's underlings? Or slaves? Still, she didn't hesitate and agreed without a second thought.
Having watched the head of the Innami-gumi, Innami Kouzo, who had been threatening them, get brutally killed before her very eyes, why would she doubt these people's strength?
All these people before her were very beautiful and cute girls, and they were all subordinates of that Master. If she joined them, surely it couldn't be worse than the situation she had been in before… probably.
"Mm. You won't regret it. I'm Kushida Kikyo, currently the head maid by the Master's side, in charge of managing the Master's personal maids. These are the Master's subordinates; for this mission, they're responsible for protecting me and handling the mess here."
Kikyo Kushida nodded. Once she confirmed Yakumo Rio was willing, she stopped being vague and directly told her some information.
"Later, I'll take you to meet the Master. If the Master agrees to help you, Touka and the others will likely be the ones helping you seize the territory and eliminate the surrounding threats."
In the Service Club, there were many magical girls and demi-humans, but among the members suited for this kind of work, the ghouls who had once fought against humans were indeed the most appropriate.
"Ah? You can help us resolve the rest of the problem? Just now… Just now, Head Maid Kushida, didn't you say…"
Yakumo Rio froze, suddenly feeling something off about Kikyo Kushida's words.
"You and your sister can join us and receive our protection. Even if your Yagumo-gumi fights for territory, your personal safety will be guaranteed. But what you want is to protect the Yagumo-gumi's territory, right? Do you expect others to constantly handle the threats and competition that your own faction brings, without you having to pay any price at all?"
Kikyo Kushida glanced at the naive Yakumo Rio and cut her off without any mercy.
Now that she knew Yakumo Rio didn't have as much resistance to the idea of offering herself, she no longer planned to take things slowly with her.
It would be fine if these two were presented to the Master together as trophies from an external mission, but if not, it would definitely eat into her recruitment quota.
"I understand. I'm very sorry."
Yakumo Rio quietly lowered her head at those words, her hands holding tightly onto Yakumo Miyu, who looked like she wanted to speak but held back.
Indeed, they sisters had no reason to demand others give so much for them for nothing.
She just hoped she could bear it all on her own, without dragging her sister Miyu into it.
"Time to go. The police are on their way. Someone must have called in after hearing the screams from here."
Yoshimura Eto, who had been on lookout duty, walked in from outside with a book in hand, as if not noticing the heavy atmosphere. A faint smile on her face, she cheerfully reminded everyone.
"Okay. What about them? Leave them here?"
Kirishima Touka looked toward the yakuza princess sisters, Yakumo Rio and Yakumo Miyu.
"Take them along. Otherwise, we'd have to ask Inoue Takina for help."
Kikyo Kushida waved a hand dismissively.
Although the bodies left in that messy scene weren't the Yakumo sisters' doing, if they were abandoned here now, they would probably be taken in for questioning.
Lycoris had a lot of authority. Through Inoue Takina, the Lycoris representative, they could get the police to release people directly, but why bother someone else when they could just leave?
Hearing Kikyo Kushida's arrangements, the twin sisters Yasuhisa Nashiro and Yasuhisa Kurona exchanged a glance, then directly led Yakumo Rio and Yakumo Miyu away, following Yoshimura Eto.
Kirishima Touka and Fueguchi Hinami brought along Kanzaki Sayaka and Kanzaki Moemi, who had come with them.
Kikyo Kushida, unable to hide the delight on her face, walked at the very back with Yoshimura Eto.
She had thought this trip was a waste, the Innami-gumi annihilated, Miyamori Kasumi's debt essentially resolved, but from her perspective, she had just gone on a field mission with no extra gains.
Now, she had unexpectedly found a pair of sisters with yakuza backgrounds. Through them, she could keep tabs on the situation in this area and make doing anything much more convenient.
A normal person like her had turned the tables and become the superior of yakuza princesses.
As for someone backing out when it was time to serve the Master, like Kanzaki Sayaka? She wasn't as easygoing as Shion. If they dared go back on their word, she would make Yakumo Rio and Yakumo Miyu understand the meaning of cruelty.
"..."
Sensing Kikyo Kushida's burning gaze from behind, the Kanzaki sisters, who were being escorted along by Kirishima Touka and Fueguchi Hinami at the front, felt like needles were stabbing their backs.
The younger sister, Kanzaki Moemi, was better off. She had already become a personal maid, and last time she had even observed the process of the Master assisting Kirishima Touka and the others alongside Fueguchi Hinami.
Next time, she might even get to serve the Master together with Hinami.
If her older sister could earn the Master's forgiveness, then the two sisters could serve the Master together with Hinami and Touka. The older sister, Kanzaki Sayaka, didn't have that same confidence. Whenever she recalled the scene when she had agreed to become the Master's personal attendant, she felt restless with anxiety.
Back then, she had refused a task from the head maid, Shion. Kushida Kikyo wasn't Shion, but she was also a head maid who served Hachiman. It would be perfectly normal for her to target her to curry favor with Hachiman.
Kirishima Touka, Yasuhisa Nashiro, and the others turned a deaf ear to Kikyo Kushida's use of public office for private gain. They barely had the time to worry about their own problems. As failed vampire variants with incomplete awakenings, they used to hide in the dark corners of society, terrified of being discovered, terrified of being hunted.
Ultimately, it was after Ursula approached them that they steeled their resolve to seek Hachiman's protection.
To be honest, their lives had been far more miserable than the Yakumo sisters'. The Yakumo sisters, as yakuza princesses, had lived so comfortably before; the current crisis was only over a turf war.
"The police are after us? To react this fast… Wait, no… are those Doves?"
Kirishima Touka sensed people pursuing them from behind. Just as she was about to speed up with everyone and shake off the pursuit, a blonde woman carrying a white case suddenly appeared at the intersection ahead. Her expression immediately changed, and the blood-red ukaku wings unfurled from her back on instinct.
As vampire variants, failed products of experiments meant to awaken bloodlines and extend lifespans, ghouls appeared similar to ordinary people on the surface, but in reality had to hide desperately to avoid being discovered by humans.
And Doves, that was the name for ghoul investigators. Because they wore a badge shaped like a "dove" on their chests, they were called "Doves." The cases they carried contained quinque weapons capable of dealing effective damage to ghouls.
When ghouls and investigators met, there was no communication whatsoever. Only battle.
Seeing the blonde investigator appear ahead, Kirishima Touka knew that the ones behind them were investigators as well.
If this were before, she would have absolutely thought about immediately putting on her mask and using the speed of her ukaku to break through the encirclement and flee the scene.
Unlike most ghouls who relied on combat instinct and physical ability, investigators trained in special academies were rich in combat experience and technique. Ordinary ghouls were no match for standard investigators at all.
Furthermore, the investigators had the government backing them with endless reinforcements. No matter how many ghouls there were, once surrounded and unable to break out, death was certain. Not to mention, her ukaku was a speed type, unsuited for direct frontal assaults.
However… things were different now.
Kirishima Touka stood in front of Fueguchi Hinami, Kanzaki Moemi, and the others, her uncovered eye turning scarlet. Her boots slammed into the ground, and at the same moment the pavement shattered, her entire figure appeared instantly before the blonde investigator blocking the way.
"?"
With no time to speak, the blonde investigator saw the brilliant, blood-red ukaku unfurl before her. Her pupils shrank as she barely managed to bring the quinque weapon she had just opened up in front of her body.
But in the next second, she felt an uns toppable impact surge through her hands.
Bang!
"Guh…"
Kirishima Touka stood in place, frozen in a posture of wanting to press the advantage, staring blankly at the blonde investigator she had sent flying into the wall with a single ukaku strike, blood spraying from the woman's mouth. She couldn't help but look down at her own red ukaku.
After receiving Hachiman's awakening assistance, she knew her strength had increased substantially, enough that she wouldn't be completely helpless anymore when surrounded by multiple investigators.
But she hadn't expected it to be this easy… she didn't even need to run…
She had only been an S-rank ghoul before. The number of assistance sessions she had received so far was nowhere near what those magical girls in the Service Club had gotten; she hadn't even fully awakened her bloodline yet. What would she become once she truly awakened it?
Would she become stronger than an SSS-rank ghoul? Stronger than a Special Class Investigator?
Her emotions in turmoil, Kirishima Touka touched the black collar on her neck and turned her head to look at the battle on the other side.
While Kirishima Touka shielded Fueguchi Hinami and took the initiative to face the blonde investigator who had charged out to block their path, the twin sisters Yasuhisa Kurona and Yasuhisa Nashiro also turned around to deal with the investigators, cases in hand, who were chasing up from behind.
However, unlike that reckless blonde investigator who had detoured and tried to block them alone, the pursuers from behind were greater in number.
Led by a female Special Class Investigator, they had all sorts of long-range attack weapons and defensive armaments, holding both numerical and tactical advantages against ghouls.
Of course, for the twin sisters Yasuhisa Kurona and Yasuhisa Nashiro, who were perfectly in sync with each other, it just took a bit more time to resolve, nothing too difficult.
"Requesting backup! Requesting backup!"
"How is… SS-rank? Or SSS-rank?"
"SSS-rank ghouls spotted, suspected Aogiri-gumi members…"
Faced with the ferociously overwhelming twin ghouls, the investigators who had just arrived on the scene were instantly dealt a devastating blow.
They couldn't understand why so many powerful ghouls had appeared all of a sudden when this was supposed to be just a routine patrol mission.
Watching the investigators, who couldn't even finish their call for backup before being trampled underfoot, their blood flowing freely as they fell unconscious, Yoshimura Eto, who apart from knocking out the lead Special Class Investigator, Aura Kiyoko, had largely been a spectator without lifting a finger, smiled cheerfully and stopped the Yasuhisa sisters.
"Don't kill them. Teaching them a lesson is enough."
"..."
After kicking unconscious a certain pink-haired investigator who was still trying to struggle to her feet, Yasuhisa Nashiro and Yasuhisa Kurona silently fixed their gazes on Yoshimura Eto, waiting for her to give them an explanation.
Actually, they too had once been investigators from an academy. In such an overwhelmingly one-sided fight, they wouldn't necessarily brutalize the investigators to death.
Now they were people of Master-onii-san and no longer involved in the fight between ghouls and investigators. They wouldn't kill recklessly either; it wouldn't be good if they accidentally earned Master-onii-san's disapproval.
Still, hearing Yoshimura Eto say something like this, both were a little curious and puzzled.
Yoshimura Eto was different from them, wasn't she? Why would she be the one telling them not to kill?
"Have you forgotten that Sobu High is expanding?"
Seeing they hadn't grasped her meaning, Yoshimura Eto asked with a grin.
"They're the investigators on the enrollment list?"