Adachi District Ayase Apartment, 601.
"I'm home."
Aozawa opened the door and called out inside.
The warm light illuminated the living room, where Morimoto Chiyoda lay lazily on a sun lounger.
By the standard that the less clothing one wears, the higher their combat power, the dark purple bikini with flower patterns she wore must have been a battle garment with a fighting power of over three hundred million.
Her face was covered with a pure white mask, and a mobile phone on a stand in front of her played a beauty blogger's short video.
Morimoto Chiyoda would never recklessly waste her youth and figure. She got up at six every morning to make a nutritionally balanced breakfast, followed by yoga and jogging to train her deep muscles. Then she would shower, care for her hair and skin, and put on makeup. After breakfast, she would also do gymnastics. When going out, she always carried a parasol, applied sunscreen, and sprayed perfume. She would definitely go to bed at nine-thirty every night. These were her daily rituals. She never slacked off when it came to her beauty and maintenance.
"Well, I thought for a moment that someone was going to end up homeless tonight, fighting with vagrants over a park bench to sleep on."
Morimoto Chiyoda gently massaged her temples, her tone very cool. The public safety in Adachi District didn't allow minors to wander around late at night.
Aozawa knew she was somewhat angry. He didn't respond directly but closed the door behind him and said with a smile, "There was a horrific vengeance murder case in Kita-Senju just recently. Did you hear about it?"
Morimoto Chiyoda didn't even lift an eyelid and replied nonchalantly, "The internet is already in an uproar. How could I not know?"
"Don't you have any inclination to take action when such a case happens in your jurisdiction?"
"Are you kidding me? I'm a career-track Inspector. Why would I lift a finger for such a trivial matter?"
"With more than a dozen people dead, in Japan, that's no longer a trivial matter."
"It doesn't matter how many of those Pachinko parlor trash die. I couldn't care less," Morimoto Chiyoda responded with an indifferent tone. She despised Pachinko, as well as horse racing, and harbored enormous malice toward legally permitted associations. In her eyes, no matter how nicely packaged the reasoning, the underworld was the underworld, and it could never be anything good. In the end, the foundation of the underworld is built upon exploiting the average citizen. To expect them to change for the better was nothing but a delusion.
Aozawa was used to her trenchant remarks, unbecoming of a career-track Inspector. As he headed towards the refrigerator, he asked, "So, what's your take on Iwaai Takehiro then?"
"He doesn't need my evaluation. The internet praises him to the skies, calling him 'the Saint Heir of the new era,' the man who proves that Paradise truly exists." Morimoto Chiyoda recalled those online comments, a hint of mockery in her bright eyes. "Various churches are very excited online, treating Iwaai Takehiro as a miracle performed by God on earth. They vigorously promote on social media that they must protect Iwaai Takehiro's sacred body. The police officers who went to investigate the case were blocked by fanatical followers from several churches, making it impossible to get close to the scene."
Morimoto Chiyoda remembered the scene from the short video she had just watched, where believers and police confronted each other, and her mood soured.
First of all, she didn't despise religion. Mortal reverence and belief in gods wasn't a bad thing. However, she loathed those who treated religion as a business, blindly deceiving the common folk. Unfortunately, all the high-ranking members of these churches were of the same ilk. The truly faithful were always at the bottom. Or rather, only those who didn't believe could assume high positions in the church. It was a rather ironic reality.
"Miracle... Haha." Aozawa felt a mischievous thrill of success inside, and couldn't help laughing out loud.
Morimoto Chiyoda said with some annoyance, "Are you mocking me?"
"No, I was just thinking of something amusing."
"What's so amusing?"
"Uh, coming home to find such a beautiful woman like you lying there, bikini-clad, is definitely a visual feast worth celebrating."
Aozawa popped the tab and took a swig of Coke. GLUG.
Morimoto Chiyoda's eyes showed a hint of skepticism. She gave a light "Hmph!" of disbelief and retorted, "I certainly didn't teach you to lie."
She wasn't foolish. She naturally sensed that Aozawa was hiding something from her but chose not to press the issue. Teenage boys always have some topics that they can't discuss with adults. As for her swimsuit attire that seemed suitable for a summer beach, this wasn't the first time, so naturally, it wasn't going to elicit praise.
"Remember to brush your teeth and go to bed after you finish your Coke."
"You don't need to remind me. I'm going to take a bath."
"The bathwater in the tub is still warm—you should soak in it. Don't waste it." Morimoto Chiyoda, saying this, stretched languidly on the sun lounger like a cat.
Aozawa tilted his head up slightly, a hint of appreciation in his gaze, and casually asked, "How did you know I would come back on time?"
"Just a guess." Morimoto Chiyoda removed the facial mask, revealing cheeks as smooth as a peeled egg.
She believed in her authority at home, which allowed her to accurately predict the time Aozawa would return. If he dared to return later than she'd calculated, letting the bathwater grow cold, it would mean a storm was coming. A woman's fury can be quite terrifying.
Aozawa said nothing and guzzled down the rest of the Coke in one go. If he were in his twenties, someone would surely say, "Oh boy, that's not healthy at all, bad for the stomach." For a teenager, it doesn't matter a bit—this is the way young people drink Coke.
「A night passed in silence.」
Six in the morning, sharp.
Aozawa woke up on time.
Classes at Brilliant High School started at nine. He wasn't supposed to get up so early, but he had joined the Kendo club and therefore had to partake in the Kendo club's training. Morning activities were inevitable. He had to get up at six, finish breakfast by six-thirty, jog to school, and start the Kendo club's training, which lasted until ten minutes before class started. Such rigorous training was, of course, in preparation for the Jade Dragon Flag competition.
He was the only one in the entire Kendo club who persisted. Even now, having acquired a superpower, Aozawa wouldn't be complacent. He knew all too well that only a strong will could control superpowers. And to have a strong will, one must develop good habits of self-discipline. Only those with weak willpower seek various reasons to reward themselves. The strong reward others.
Aozawa dressed neatly, opened the bedroom door, and said, "Good morning, Chitose."
"Mm." Her soft nasal hum was so tantalizing.
Morimoto Chiyoda was doing yoga in the spacious living room area. The light beige yoga outfit clung to her body, showcasing her flexibility. The splits were nothing to her, but her real skill was evident in the one-legged spinal stretch.
She looked so incredibly full and shapely.
Aozawa, his blood boiling, couldn't help but wonder if her body had any bones at all. It felt like she could unlock all sorts of novel positions. He wondered which lucky bastard would get her in the future. Oh, if it were him, then that would be fine.
Aozawa retracted his gaze, slightly bent forward, and walked on tiptoes toward the washroom.
Morimoto Chiyoda smiled faintly at the corners of her mouth. You little rascal, did you think I wouldn't notice something was off?