"Now that you mention it, Byakuya and the One-Eyed Owl do seem to have that kind of relationship too."
Kureo suddenly realized that Byakuya and Eto were also ambiguously involved.
"The One-Eyed Owl... using that name for her still? She's a human now, you know."
Kasuka said immediately.
"You're right, I should break that habit."
Kureo would involuntarily use "One-Eyed Owl" in private, though he was mindful when speaking to Eto directly.
"Do you still hate her?"
Kasuka asked.
Kureo was silent for a moment. "...No, not anymore. I can't hate her, and there's no need to. After all, you've come back."
"That's good. I was worried you'd still be hung up on what happened back then."
Kasuka visibly relaxed.
"If you hadn't come back, then yes, I would have remained hung up on it—I just wouldn't have shown it."
Kureo said frankly.
"So, let's just stop thinking about all that and treat it as if it never happened."
Kasuka said with a smile. "I'm sure Byakuya brought Eto-san back so that we could reconcile with her."
"Speaking of which... it really is incredible that he has the power to bring back the dead, and I'd been dead for over ten years..."
Kasuka suddenly marveled.
"Who knows? He's always been like this, constantly showing sides you'd never expect."
Kureo said.
"So? Are you done? It's not polite to stay in here when we have guests."
Kasuka asked.
"Mm, let me put this stuff down first."
With that, Kureo rose and walked out with Kasuka.
"Byakuya, and Eto-san, you're here."
Kureo came out to greet them.
"Mado-san, it's been a while."
Byakuya greeted him back.
Then Kureo sat down across from Byakuya and Eto.
"How have things been? Work going smoothly? And Eto-san, how's your new book coming along?"
Kureo made simple conversation.
"Being Director-General is easy enough most of the time, but troublesome when anything major comes up."
Byakuya chuckled.
"I've got ideas for my new book now, but I'm surprised you knew I was working on one, Mado-san."
Eto was somewhat taken aback.
"Akira told me. And while I don't usually read much, I did try reading your Dear Kafka not long ago. It's hard to imagine you wrote that..."
Kureo said with feeling. "Later, I came to understand that you have the same mind and emotions we do."
It was because he'd noticed something—that Eto had started operating as the One-Eyed Owl in the same year she'd signed with Shoeisha Publishing.
So, driven by curiosity, he'd read Eto's first work, Dear Kafka, wanting to understand a half-ghoul's inner world from as objective a standpoint as possible.
He'd always believed ghouls were ugly creatures, skilled at disguise, and their pretense of human emotions disgusted him...