Having said that, Uesugi Ryu reached into the bedside drawer and pulled out a small, intricately crafted earpiece.
He lightly placed it on his left ear.
As a small amount of mana drained from his body, a narrow field of vision slowly flickered to life before his eyes.
On-screen appeared two large ravens, their forms hefty and imposing. They were nestled affectionately under each other's wide wings.
Uesugi Ryu's face darkened instantly.
"What the hell are they doing? Left and right embrace like a damn playboy?!"
Meanwhile, on the other side of the link, Mephisto seemed to sense that something was off. It paused for a moment, then instinctively reached for its own ear, where a similarly small earpiece sat.
After hastily shooing away the petite raven-wives at its side, it quickly blurted out:
"Ryu-nii, listen, I can explain!"
"I already sent a few underlings to tail that Takatsuki Sen's editor. The guy named Shiono. Shinji too, ravens are watching both of them! I wasn't slacking, I swear!"
"I'm just... managing operations remotely! There are lots of ravens here, and I've been working to persuade them one by one!"
Uesugi Ryu's lips curled into a helpless smile.
"Didn't expect Mephisto to learn outsourcing so quickly..."
Still, he didn't press the issue. There were, after all, a lot of ravens in the Tokyo area.
If Mephisto could successfully bring them under control, it would certainly be a great help to him.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Go ahead and 'play' for a bit, but come back for dinner."
Uesugi Ryu said this lightly, then ended the connection.
Mephisto let out a sigh of relief.
Its gaze suddenly locked onto a man below.
"So... that's one of those creatures called ghouls, huh? I wonder if they taste any good..."
It muttered softly, then spread its wings and melted into the shadows.
Behind it, the two female ravens who had just been snuggled up to it stood stunned on the rooftop edge.
Where's our tall, handsome husband gone?!
...
Elsewhere, at the hospital.
"Uesugi-san, the main bureau sent two medical experts. They'll be performing a check-up on you tomorrow."
"After all, battling ghouls is extremely dangerous, some hidden injuries are inevitable. You'll be discharged tomorrow, so they want to run one last full exam beforehand."
The nurse placing down a large tray of food at Uesugi Ryu's bedside said this gently.
Uesugi Ryu nodded expressionlessly, though his senses instantly picked up a hint of conspiracy.
"A check-up? Now, of all times? Not earlier, not later, but right before discharge?"
"Do they think I'm stupid?"
It was most likely V and or the Washuu family pulling strings. They still didn't trust him, and were suspicious of his identity. This so-called "check-up" was merely a pretense.
This time, they were probably sending someone from either the main branch or a direct cadet branch to confirm things in person.
If Uesugi Ryu had been a half-human, maybe V would have accepted him as a dog. But too bad, he was neither, and he had no interest in playing pet.
"Miss Saionji, do you happen to know the names of those two medical experts?"
Uesugi Ryu asked casually, raising an eyebrow as if just making small talk.
Saionji Yuko had just finished arranging the last of the food on the table. She gently wiped the faint traces of sweat beading on her forehead.
After all, Uesugi Ryu's appetite was absolutely monstrous. Preparing bento meals for him usually required at least enough to feed ten people.
Just carrying them all was exhausting in itself.
She thought for a moment, then replied in her usual unhurried tone:
"Hmm... I think one of them has the surname Ihei, but I'm not sure about the other."
Having said that, Saionji Yuko couldn't help but glance at Uesugi Ryu with admiration.
"But seriously, Uesugi-san, you're amazing!"
"You're a top-tier First-Class Investigator and yet you can eat this much and still keep such a perfect physique. It's really impressive!"
Uesugi Ryu didn't answer, he just smiled quietly.
These boxed lunches are barely enough to feed birds. Ten servings? He could eat twenty.
Seeing that Uesugi Ryu had no intention of responding further, Saionji Yuko also didn't press. She lightly pointed to the table now almost buried under elaborate bento boxes.
"Please enjoy. I'll take my leave now."
With that, she turned toward the door.
"Thanks, Saionji-san."
Uesugi Ryu replied politely. Once her figure fully disappeared through the door, his expression gradually sobered.
"Ihei, huh? Of course..."
That surname was all too familiar to him.
The little pink-haired Ihei Hairu was a half-human from the Sunlit Garden, her family, the Ihei clan, was also a branch of the Washuu.
Uesugi Ryu let out a quiet sigh.
"How troublesome... but with Mephisto around, I'm not that worried."
Unless they sent Arima Kishou himself, no regular half-human could resist Mephisto's hypnosis.
...
Knock, knock.
A soft knocking came at the door, followed by Mado Akira stepping inside.
Uesugi Ryu looked up slowly, his eyes falling on the familiar silhouette by the entrance. When he saw her face, the corners of his lips lifted into a faint smile.
"Akira. You came."
"First-Class Uesugi."
Mado Akira walked into the room, carrying a bulging paper bag. She walked straight to the table and placed it down.
The bag was clearly filled with something heavy, and a rich, savory aroma began wafting from its slightly open top.
Uesugi Ryu narrowed his eyes slightly and rested his chin on one hand, teasing her with a faintly amused tone:
"You're till calling me First-Class Uesugi? This isn't the branch office, you know."
Mado Akira was just about to unpack the food but at his words, her hands paused.
The room fell into a brief silence. Only the sound of their breathing could be heard.
After a few seconds, her eyes, previously downcast, lifted slowly. She looked at Uesugi Ryu sitting across from her. Her lips trembled faintly as she spoke, clearly unused to it:
"Ryu..."
Uesugi Ryu burst into laughter upon seeing her bashful expression.
"Now that's more like it."
Mado Akira rolled her eyes at him and ignored his teasing, instead beginning to unpack the food.
"My father is visiting Special-Class Investigator Shinohara in the room next door. He should be over shortly."
Hearing this, Uesugi Ryu froze slightly, his expression darkening with a tinge of melancholy.
"So Mado-san came too, huh..."
He quieted down after that, turning his attention to the dishes she had laid out, each one familiar.
"I asked Hoji-san for recommendations. He told me this place is one of the most authentic spots in town. I hope it suits your tastes."
Uesugi Ryu looked over the food and a glimmer of nostalgia flashed in his eyes, though he didn't hold out much hope for the flavor.
"No matter how good the restaurant, it's still nothing like 'Mom's cooking'... It's not authentic at all."
Mado Akira, meanwhile, pointed at one dish with a touch of regret in her tone:
"Mapo tofu. I really like this one, but it's not spicy enough this time."
She gave a small sigh as she shook her head.
Uesugi Ryu twitched at the corner of his mouth.
You call this 'not spicy enough'? I've seen her spice tolerance, it's demon-level insane.
"Come eat. Oh, by the way, how's the specimen thing going?"
He handed her a pair of chopsticks and suddenly remembered to ask about the owl specimen.
Mado Akira smiled and answered casually:
"I made it myself. It just needs a bit of preservative."
Uesugi Ryu nodded.
"Figures. You've always been interested in Quinques. Making a specimen with that thing is probably child's play for you."