The living room remained tense.
Karasuma Renya leaned back slightly, his fingers resting atop his cane as his gaze settled on Keith.
"…Then tell me," Renya said calmly,
"what are you going to do about Yusaku Kudo?"
Every eye turned toward Keith.
Ethan.
Jodie.
Akemi.
Shiho.
Hidemi.
All waiting.
Keith's answer came immediately.
"Nothing."
Silence.
"…Nothing?" Jodie repeated, disbelief slipping into her voice.
Akemi frowned.
Shiho tilted her head slightly.
Hidemi looked confused.
Even Ethan stiffened.
Keith didn't change expression.
"For now," he added.
Ethan frowned deeply.
"Then why reveal him at all?"
Keith looked at him.
"Because," he said evenly,
"after the first cleanup, Zoo is no longer invisible."
He continued calmly.
"Secret agencies know."
"Syndicates know."
"They've seen Zoo's fingerprints."
Ethan's eyes widened slightly.
"…You're saying—"
"They'll attack," Keith finished.
"Zoo's safe houses. Their businesses."
"They'll tear through everything except the core."
Renya's eyes sharpened.
"The containment," he said.
Rum nodded grimly.
"The herbs," Rum added.
"The research materials."
"If Zoo successfully develops APTX-4869—"
"They'll crawl out of the pit," Keith said.
"Yes," Rum agreed.
"That's the only way they survive."
Keith turned his gaze slowly toward Shiho.
"Shiho."
She straightened instantly.
"What happens," Keith asked calmly,
"if we alter the formula?"
"Add ingredients that look similar—
but are chemically different?"
Shiho's eyes narrowed.
She thought for only a moment.
"…Short term?" she replied.
"No issues."
"And long term?" Keith asked.
She inhaled.
"…Cellular collapse," she said quietly.
"Accumulated damage. Irreversible."
"They'll die."
Keith reached out and gently patted her head.
"That's my princess."
Shiho puffed her chest unconsciously, cheeks faintly pink.
"…Hmph."
Akemi stared at her sister in shock.
Renya let out a slow breath.
"So," he said,
"we let the world crush Zoo…"
"And poison their escape route," Keith replied calmly.
Renya smiled.
A sharp, satisfied smile.
"…Beautiful."
Keith then turned toward Rum.
"How many spies remain after the first purge?"
Rum stiffened.
"…One hundred and fifty."
A pause.
"…I take responsibility."
Renya waved a hand lightly.
"I understand now," Renya said.
He looked at Keith.
"That's why you said—
you would remove the Black Organization entirely."
Keith nodded.
"Why maintain an organization," he said evenly,
"when over sixty percent of it is compromised?"
"Removing it," Keith continued,
"is cleaner."
Silence followed.
Not disagreement.
Acceptance.
Keith then looked back at Renya.
"Look at the bright side," he said calmly.
Renya raised an eyebrow.
"I made you biologically thirty again," Keith said.
Renya chuckled.
"…That much was obvious."
"You can live properly now," Keith continued.
"No decay. No pain."
He shifted his gaze to Rum.
"And Uncle Rum."
Then Ethan.
"And Uncle Ethan."
"I can return your youth as well."
"For once," Keith said softly,
"you can stop fighting."
Rum stared at him.
Then nodded slowly.
"…I would like that."
Ethan smiled faintly.
"…So would I."
The room felt lighter.
Not because danger had passed—
But because control had returned.
Renya looked at Keith with deep approval.
"You don't rush," Renya said.
"You don't rage."
"You let your enemies destroy themselves."
Keith inclined his head slightly.
"That's the Runcandel way."
Outside—
The world believed Zoo was cornered.
Inside—
Keith Argus Runcandel had already decided its fate.
And Yusaku Kudo—
Was still writing stories.
Unaware that his final chapter
had already been outlined.