"So that means... big brother, you're a ghoul investigator?"
Yoshimura Eto asked.
In this world's Tokyo, CCG ghoul investigators were practically known by everyone.
Since they were government officials specialized in combating ghouls, and because ghouls were so terrifying to ordinary people, ghoul investigators naturally had great public recognition.
"Yeah, but I'm just an unimpressive Third-Class Investigator."
Ihei Byakuya gave a self-mocking smile.
Within the CCG's investigator ranking system, there were lower three ranks and upper three ranks.
The lower three were Third-Class Investigator, Second-Class Investigator, and First-Class Investigator.
The upper three were Senior Investigator, Associate Special-Class Investigator, and Special-Class Investigator.
Below Third-Class, there was actually the position of "Investigator Assistant," which was basically someone who did miscellaneous tasks and didn't even count as being in the internship phase.
Right now, Ihei Byakuya was the lowest-ranked Third-Class Investigator, essentially still in his internship period, and he didn't even have a "Quinque."
Only Second-Class and above qualified to participate in the related examinations, and only after passing could one be equipped with one.
"But I feel like you're really strong."
Yoshimura Eto said.
"Just average. I just haven't had the opportunity to get promoted yet."
Ihei Byakuya explained naturally.
He didn't mention even a single word about the mysterious power of the Gura Gura no Mi.
Earlier, he had fought multiple B-rated ghouls alone. Judging from that performance alone, he was already at least on the level of a First-Class Investigator.
According to how the CCG deployed personnel, for missions to exterminate S-rated ghouls, they would at minimum assign an Associate Special-Class Investigator. If the target was SS-rated, they absolutely needed a Special-Class Investigator to lead to ensure safety.
Meanwhile, A-rated ghouls corresponded to Senior Investigators. B-rated ghouls corresponded to Second-Class to First-Class Investigators.
A Third-Class Investigator didn't even have a Quinque. At best, they could sit at the same table as a C-rated ghoul that hadn't yet awakened its Kagune.
In the CCG's danger classification, any ghoul that could release a Kagune was automatically at least B-rated.
Of course, these were general situations, there were exceptions.
For example, Arima Kishou in his youth was still only a Second-Class Investigator, yet he could sever both arms of the SSS-rated [Non-Killing Owl]. And there was Senior Investigator Mado Kureo, who refused to be promoted to Special-Class...
So Ihei Byakuya's current position clearly did not match the strength he had displayed.
"I see..."
Yoshimura Eto continued asking, "By the way, big brother, what's your name?"
"Ihei Byakuya. And you?"
Ihei Byakuya answered without hesitation.
Even though saying it would expose his identity as a half-human.
But whether it was revealing himself as a CCG investigator in front of Yoshimura Eto or revealing his identity as a half-human from a Washuu branch family, neither mattered much.
Because Yoshimura Eto always knew who the real enemy was, and such things couldn't be hidden anyway.
A human showing up in the 24th Ward, using mysterious powers to crush ghouls, if he wasn't a CCG ghoul investigator, he could only be a half-human from a Washuu branch family.
There were basically no other possibilities.
That was likely the reason Yoshimura Eto insisted on clinging to him...
"Eto... I don't have a surname."
Yoshimura Eto did not reveal her full name. Instead, she used the excuse of having no surname to gloss over it.
As for hearing that Byakuya's surname was "Ihei," it didn't seem to surprise Yoshimura Eto at all. She showed no particular reaction.
"I was raised by my foster father since I was little. I've never met my biological parents."
Yoshimura Eto added a further explanation.
"Alright, then I'll call you... Eto?"
Ihei Byakuya said.
"Then... should I call you Byakuya-oniichan?"
At this moment, Yoshimura Eto truly looked like a weak, pitiful little girl.
Since they were speaking in Japanese, what Yoshimura Eto used was the term "oniichan."
As for Ihei Byakuya's Japanese ability, of course it had been granted by the system from the very beginning.
Yoshimura Eto's acting was simply too good. If Ihei Byakuya weren't a transmigrator, she could have played him in the palm of her hand...
Hearing her say "oniichan," Ihei Byakuya immediately felt goosebumps rising.
That word had too much destructive power, especially coming from Yoshimura Eto's mouth.
Even knowing full well that she was anything but harmless, an ordinary person would still struggle to withstand that impact.
"Ahem..."
Ihei Byakuya coughed to cover his embarrassment. "You should just call me by my name..."
"But... isn't calling you Byakuya-oniichan normal? Or should I call you... papa?"
Yoshimura Eto wore a face of innocent confusion.
In reality, it was simply her mischievous side acting up, she was unable to resist teasing Ihei Byakuya.
After all, by common sense, anyone who couldn't handle being called "big brother" would definitely be unable to handle "papa."
But as a transmigrator, how could Ihei Byakuya be judged by common sense?
"That's not bad, actually."
Perhaps influenced by the previous user of the Gura Gura no Mi, Whitebeard, Ihei Byakuya instead found it acceptable.
"..."
This immediately left Yoshimura Eto completely speechless.
After that, Yoshimura Eto never mentioned the term "papa" again and instead addressed Ihei Byakuya directly by name.
Because her past gave her an instinctive rejection toward that word.
Abandoned by her biological father when she was just a baby, and her foster father later murdered by enemies, both her real and foster fathers had become permanent wounds deep in her heart.
Having gone through such things, how could she truly be willing to casually call someone else "papa"?
As for teasing Ihei Byakuya earlier, she naturally acted as though nothing had happened.
...
After resting enough, Ihei Byakuya prepared to continue searching for the exit of the 24th Ward.
Before setting out, he reached out a hand toward Yoshimura Eto.
Although the latter had treated everything as if nothing had happened and hadn't actually called him "papa," it seemed like Byakuya had taken it seriously...
"..."
Yoshimura Eto hesitated for a moment but still reached her hand out.
Ihei Byakuya gently held Yoshimura Eto's small, cold, soft hand, just like leading a daughter.
They had only taken a few steps when Yoshimura Eto already sensed something was wrong, but by then it was too late.
She hadn't expected her own joke to backfire on her.
Walking behind Ihei Byakuya, Yoshimura Eto rolled her eyes. Even she could have moments of such helplessness...
"Forget it. At least his wariness has been eliminated. I can't let him get a free advantage for nothing. Next, let me make good use of you... little half-human brat of the Washuu family..."