The flashing lights on the bar's stage blurred his vision. Sonoda Shigeru snapped out of his dead memories as the loud music in his ears gradually came back into focus.
He reached for the bottle on the table and tilted it back, only to have just two drops of alcohol fall into his mouth.
Clicking his tongue in irritation, the brown-haired man got up and walked to the bar to order another bottle of whiskey.
The bartender handed him a full bottle with great respect. After working here long enough, everyone knew that Mr. Kanda didn't like mixed drinks—he preferred to drink straight from the bottle.
Although Sonoda Shigeru's official title was a bodyguard for the "Timekeepers" bar, his status was nearly equal to that of the bar's owner.
For the Star Religious Sect, this wasn't a big deal.
After all, they had no shortage of money—what they lacked were people, especially sorcerers.
So far, Sonoda Shigeru was the only sorcerer who was truly loyal to the Star Religious Sect. Other than him, whenever they needed a sorcerer, they had to use money to hire those who weren't under official control—most of whom were notorious curse users.
As the only sorcerer working under the Star Religious Sect, they naturally made sure he was well taken care of.
"Um..."
Just as he was drinking like usual, lazily watching the different kinds of people in the bar, a clear and pleasant voice reached his ears.
"I noticed that your bar doesn't seem to have a live singer. Could I perform here as a temporary singer?"
He turned his head and saw a short-haired girl with a guitar case on her back, asking the bartender.
Sonoda Shigeru's eyes widened slightly.
The girl's outfit was simple—a slightly loose, light-colored sweatshirt and dark sports pants. She wore only light makeup, yet she still outshined all the heavily made-up women in the bar.
Even though he had seen plenty of beautiful women in this bar, in front of this short-haired girl, all those who were once admired like blooming flowers now seemed like nothing more than background decoration.
On the live performance stage of the Timekeepers bar, there was no singer—only the speakers playing steamwave music.
"Uh..." The bartender hesitated and glanced at Sonoda Shigeru, who was sitting in the corner of the bar.
He was just a bartender—he couldn't make decisions about hiring a singer.
Seeing his hesitation, Yukinoshita Haruno spoke again, "Even if it's just for one song, that's fine. I don't need payment. If you can't decide, could I at least speak to the manager of this bar?"
"You can go ahead and sing. We'll pay you the normal rate."
A firm answer came—but not from the bartender.
Yukinoshita Haruno turned her head toward the speaker.
It was a man with messy brown curls that looked like they hadn't been taken care of in a long time. His face was gaunt, with prominent brow bones and deep-set eyes, dark circles beneath them making him look like an addict.
But despite his unsettling appearance, Yukinoshita Haruno's smile remained steady. She gave a polite bow and said, "Thank you for your generosity."
As he watched her figure, Sonoda Shigeru's eyes lingered for a moment.
If his daughter were still alive, she would probably be about this age now.
"This man is a sorcerer." Hayashizaki's voice echoed in her mind.
The girl's eyes flickered slightly as she turned calmly to the bartender and said, "Give me a..."
What do you want to drink? She paused for a moment and asked in her mind.
After getting an answer, Yukinoshita Haruno spoke. "A shot of vodka with ice, mixed with blue cola. Thanks."
The bartender froze for a moment, then carefully studied her delicate face before cautiously asking, "May I ask how old you are? Are you of legal age?"
"Just turned twenty." The girl lied without changing her expression.
It was obvious she was lying, but when Sonoda Shigeru, sitting nearby, gave him a slight nod, the bartender still went ahead and made the vodka as she ordered.
"Thanks."
After thanking him, Yukinoshita Haruno took the glass and looked at the icy blue liquid inside, hesitating slightly, with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
She picked up the glass and took a small sip, her soft pink lips touching the rim. Her bright eyes immediately widened.
The sharp burn spread through her mouth instantly, making her face flush red. As the liquid went down, a fiery heat surged through her throat, burning all the way into her chest.
After the initial sting, the strong vodka blended with the sweet blue cola, creating a unique taste in her mouth.
Yukinoshita Haruno instinctively coughed twice and quickly switched to Hayashizaki.
See? She's definitely lying. That reaction is a dead giveaway—it's obviously her first time drinking.
The bartender thought to himself, but in the next second, he noticed something strange.
The short-haired girl, who had looked a little flustered just a moment ago, suddenly seemed like a completely different person—calm and collected.
Watching "Yukinoshita Haruno" down the vodka in one go and even look like she was enjoying it, the bartender started to doubt himself.
Was she really just pretending?
"Another one." Hayashizaki pushed the glass toward him.
"Uh, won't drinking too much affect your performance?"
"Who do you think you're looking down on?"
"N-No, I didn't mean—"
Just a moment ago, she seemed like such a friendly girl. How did one drink suddenly change her personality completely?
The bartender mumbled to himself as he made another drink for Hayashizaki.
Just as Hayashizaki was about to take another sip, Sonoda Shigeru's phone suddenly rang.
After glancing at the caller ID, he didn't seem too concerned. He simply turned slightly away and answered the call. "What is it?"
"The Order has a mission for you." An old man's voice came from the phone.
"Go on." Sonoda Shigeru's expression changed slightly, and he responded in a few short words.
"The Star Vessel has appeared. She is going to merge with Master Tengen to stop him from evolving into a higher-level being. Your mission is to eliminate the Star Vessel before she merges and bring her body back to the Order."
"Most likely, the Star Vessel will have guards protecting her. But don't worry, you're not the only one assigned to this. We've also hired other sorcerers to assist you."
"I've sent the Star Vessel's information to your email. Make sure to check it."
There was a brief silence. The brown-haired man's aura seemed to shift ever so slightly.
"Understood."
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