Kirishima Touka, a girl most people saw as attractive but otherwise unremarkable. Yet her true identity was "Rabbit," a Ghoul notorious in the 20th Ward. Unlike most of her kind, however, she was a Ghoul who strove to blend into human society. She just hadn't expected that, while working in the café as usual, she would encounter such an unexpected guest.
"Welcome~"
Alongside her practiced greeting, her gaze was immediately drawn to the badge pinned on the chest of the man in front. It was unmistakably a "Silver Osmanthus Medal." As a Ghoul, she couldn't possibly not recognize that badge—it was worn exclusively by those executioners of the CCG.
It wasn't as though no Investigators had visited the café before, but seeing one with such a medal was a first. Memories of her past surged up instantly, making it difficult to suppress her hatred toward Investigators. But just as her emotions nearly slipped free, a gentle hand landed on her shoulder.
"My apologies, gentlemen. This girl isn't used to serving Investigators, so she's a bit nervous. We have plenty of seats available right now—how about one near the window?"
Accompanied by a warm voice, a mature woman with sleek black hair stepped gracefully from behind Touka. Realizing she'd momentarily lost her composure, Touka quickly bowed, intending to follow Irimi-san's lead and play along with the excuse.
"My apologies."
"No worries~ No worries~ It's perfectly normal under the circumstances. Right, Lancer?"
Before Lancer could respond, Amon Koutarou, standing just behind him, smoothly answered for him. But Lancer shot Amon a strange look. In his memory, Amon wasn't exactly the talkative type—what had gotten into him today?
Meanwhile, Amon felt a flare of frustration beneath Lancer's puzzled stare.
I'm here playing wingman for you, kid—what are you still spacing out for?!
Eventually, following Irimi-san's suggestion, the two Investigators sat near the window, each ordering a coffee and dessert.
Given the public setting, neither spoke about "work." Instead, as Lancer's "senior," Amon made small talk about everyday life. Lancer answered naturally enough, but his gaze continued discreetly roaming the café.
Only Kirishima Touka and that waitress…? How long until the main plot begins?
All Lancer knew about this world came after Kaneki Ken's transformation into a Ghoul. But recently, he hadn't heard anything resembling that plotline occurring yet.
Despite how much Lancer's strength had grown recently, his ability at spying was obviously lacking. Not only did Amon notice his restlessness immediately, even Touka and Irimi, busily working, caught his suspicious glances—especially Touka, who felt particularly scrutinized.
"Irimi-san, you don't think we've been discovered, do you?"
While briefly stepping into the back, Touka nervously whispered her concerns to the taller woman, who merely smiled and shook her head gently.
"Touka~ You're worrying too much. He may be an Investigator, but without an RC Scan Gate, there's no way to expose us. Just act naturally, treat them like normal guests. Remember, you're not a Ghoul right now—you're just an ordinary girl."
Unlike Touka, who'd never directly served Investigators before, Irimi had worked here for years. She'd seen all kinds of customers. Yet, considering Lancer's rather undisguised stare, a peculiar suspicion arose in her mind…
But when they returned, only Lancer remained at the window seat, sipping coffee alone. Amon Koutarou had vanished without a trace.
Neither woman asked any questions, merely observing him carefully. An Investigator's presence was enough to keep them cautious, after all.
Fortunately, Lancer himself paid the bill and left soon after Amon's departure. Only then did Touka truly breathe a sigh of relief. Having an Investigator—a badge-wearing Investigator, no less—nearby made her deeply uneasy.
Not long after Lancer left, Yoshimura Kōzen, the café's owner, returned.
Although Irimi had already reassured her, Touka immediately informed Yoshimura-san about their "special guest."
"A very young Investigator already carrying a medal? Then it must be him…"
Yoshimura's words caught Touka by surprise, and she stared at him with startled curiosity. Yoshimura smiled gently, then calmly explained:
"Tonight, I was exchanging information with an old acquaintance. He mentioned precisely the person you described. Recently, the most famous Investigator in the 20th Ward has been him. He officially joined the ranks just over a month ago, but ever since then he's been relentlessly hunting Ghouls. Today, he was promoted to Rank 2 Investigator due to his achievements. For us Ghouls, he's a rather dangerous individual."
Without a doubt, Lancer's extensive Ghoul hunting, not just within the 20th Ward but even in neighboring wards, had caused quite a stir lately. By rights, any Ghoul living in the 20th Ward would have heard his name by now. But Touka differed from most others—she hadn't joined any Ghoul organizations and currently spent most of her time quietly at Anteiku. She avoided contact with other Ghouls as much as possible, so she'd never even heard of Lancer before now.
Yet after hearing Yoshimura's explanation, her expression darkened considerably.
If merely being a Ghoul put her at odds with the CCG, then the circumstances of her father's death had instilled genuine hatred toward Investigators deep in her heart.
My father never attacked humans! All we ever wanted was to live quietly, unnoticed among them…
Though she believed she'd grown stronger, Touka's eyes still reddened whenever she recalled those painful memories. Yoshimura, who'd always looked after her, could only gently pat her shoulder. Some scars could only be faced alone.
But just as everyone assumed the matter had passed, the "unexpected" occurred.
Lancer—the Investigator who'd visited Anteiku the day before—appeared again the very next day.
His familiar attire of black suit and white suitcase immediately gave away his identity. But unlike yesterday, the café today wasn't staffed only by Touka and Irimi. Today, everyone was present.
Yet Lancer, already mentally prepared, betrayed no signs of unease. With an expression as neutral as ever, he walked directly up to Kirishima Touka—
"One coffee, one dessert."