Giving the company to Shinomiya Kaguya would certainly give her a safety net, allowing her to support herself even if she left the Shinomiya Family. But at the same time, it was also a form of abandonment—the old man clearly had no intention of letting Shinomiya Kaguya inherit the family business.
Although Shinomiya Kaguya had obtained a company, he had obtained the chance to inherit the Shinomiya Family!
Compared with the Shinomiya conglomerate, whose total assets amounted to two hundred trillion, what did a mere construction company amount to?
"Fine."
Shinomiya Kaguya furrowed her brows slightly, but she had no intention of arguing with Shinomiya Unkō.
Since it was his order, she would simply do as he said.
Although they were siblings, there was no unnecessary interaction between them.
Not long after Shinomiya Kaguya left.
Darkness silently enveloped the office. Having already experienced this once before, Shinomiya Unkō remained calm:
"The Construction Team is on its way. What should the Shrine be called?"
Koyuki hesitated.
Kira Yoshikage had only told her to come here. He had not told her what to do!
Or was she supposed to decide for herself?
After hesitating for quite some time, Koyuki picked up a pen and wrote a line on the paper:
Twilight.
The word had no particular significance.
If she had to explain it, she probably just disliked twilight.
As the light grew ever weaker, twilight before nightfall was actually more frightening than the depths of night.
Because twilight often represented the extinction of hope.
Chapter 54: Tracking—We're Professionals
"Um~"
Gotou Hitori pushed open the door to the Light Music Club's clubroom and cautiously poked her head inside.
"Ah, Bocchi-chan!"
Tainaka Ritsu waved with a bright smile:
"Want some snacks?"
"Snacks? Where are the snacks?"
Hirasawa Yui poked her little head out from beside Gotou Hitori, her eyes shining.
"Here you go~"
Kotobuki Tsumugi held a seemingly very expensive porcelain plate covered with delicate pastries.
Hirasawa Yui was instantly attracted. As if bewitched, she walked over, picked up a pastry, and took a bite.
"Is it good?" Kotobuki Tsumugi tilted her head.
"It's delicious!"
Hirasawa Yui's eyes curved into crescents as she nibbled at the pastry like a hamster.
The young lady looked toward the girl at the doorway, who seemed to be trembling slightly, and smiled gently:
"Bocchi-chan, would you like one?"
"I..."
Gotou Hitori drew her neck in, looking somewhat timid.
"Come on, Bocchi-chan!"
Tainaka Ritsu stepped forward with a bright smile, pulled Gotou Hitori to the table, and brought a pastry to her lips.
"Ah, th-thank you..."
Gotou Hitori spoke in a small voice.
"No need to be so polite~"
Tainaka Ritsu waved her hand casually. "We're all clubmates, aren't we?"
Gotou Hitori parted her lips slightly, but soon lowered her head again.
The black-haired girl with straight hair keenly noticed that the girl seemed troubled and asked with concern:
"Goto-san, is there something you want to tell us?"
"Huh?"
Hirasawa Yui put down the pastry in her hand and put on a serious expression.
"Ah, well..."
Gotou Hitori hesitated for a long while before saying softly:
"Kira-kun..."
"Kira-kun?"
Akiyama Mio had only caught the name and looked confused.
"Kira-kun said he needs to work part-time, so he can't participate in club activities..."
"I see." Kotobuki Tsumugi looked somewhat disappointed.
Akiyama Mio explained to the still-confused Hirasawa Yui:
"Come to think of it, Kira-kun seems to have been forced to join a club because of the teacher's demand. Tuition at Shuchiin Academy is very expensive, so it can't be helped if he has to work part-time in his spare time..."
"Is that so?" Hirasawa Yui looked as though she understood, but didn't.
"No way!"
Tainaka Ritsu slammed her hand on the table and stood up:
"Even if he has to work part-time, he should still have time to attend club activities, right? Can't he spare an hour a day—or even half an hour?"
Akiyama Mio looked helpless:
"Ritsu, don't force other people just because you feel like it."
"In any case."
Kotobuki Tsumugi offered a gentle word of comfort:
"How about we first find out what Kira-kun's situation is?"
"Agreed!"
Hirasawa Yui was the first to raise her hand.
Tainaka Ritsu said excitedly:
"Then let's start with the place where Kira-kun works part-time!"
"Kira-kun is also a member of the Light Music Club. We have to find a way to get him to join us!"
"Then,"
Akiyama Mio took a sip of black tea.
"Does anyone know where Kira-kun works part-time?"
"..."
Tainaka Ritsu blinked and turned her gaze toward Gotou Hitori:
"Bocchi-chan, do you know?"
"Ah, I don't..."
Although they sat in front of and behind each other, they had had no interaction before today—not even a conversation.
Peace could be translated as harmony, but it could also be translated as tranquility.
Tranquility was a state of life, as well as an attitude toward life.
And that was also Kira Yoshikage's attitude toward his own life.
To maintain the peaceful life he had obtained with such difficulty, he could do anything by any means necessary.
He had done so more than once in his life.
And now was no different.
The "deity" beneath the Swamp at Shuchiin Academy had been killed, breaking the balance that had originally existed.
The Evil Spirits that had once been afraid to approach now dared to form groups and tour the school.
This was undoubtedly a tremendous threat to his peaceful life!
To deal with this crisis, Kira Yoshikage had chosen to make Koyuki the new kami—
As long as a new kami was born, a new balance could be established.
Everything would return to the way it had been, and his peaceful school life would remain undisturbed.
Perfect.
Ding-dong!
The train doors slowly opened, and Kira Yoshikage boarded the train with the crowd.
Not far away, a short-haired girl with twin tails was looking down at her phone.
If nothing unexpected happened, she would miss this train.
"Maki, hurry up! The train doors are closing!"
The urgent urging through her earphones made the girl roll her eyes:
"I know, I know! But seriously, why did you make me do this sort of thing?"
Shijo Maki grumbled softly, but her body obediently followed the others onto the train.
At the same time, inside a black luxury car outside Shuchiin Academy, Koyasu Tsubame, seated in the back, explained:
"Kira-kun has seen us before. If we handled this ourselves, he would definitely notice."
Kashiwagi Nagisa, sitting beside Koyasu Tsubame, spoke softly:
"Kira-kun doesn't want to be recognized. Otherwise, he wouldn't have avoided me."
As she spoke, Kashiwagi Nagisa reminded her:
"Remember to keep your distance from Kira-kun, and don't look directly at him..."
Shijo Maki muttered:
"Is it really necessary to be this careful?"
"It is."
Kashiwagi Nagisa's tone was extremely serious:
"Kira-kun isn't an ordinary person. Maki, try not to talk to yourself either. He'll hear you."
Shijo Maki rolled her eyes. Was it really that exaggerated?
What she did not know was that Kashiwagi Nagisa's certainty that Kira Yoshikage was no ordinary person came not only from the thing she had seen at the bottom of the lake, but also from her father, Kashiwagi Masao.
Kashiwagi Masao had only one daughter, Kashiwagi Nagisa, and had always granted her every request. So when Kashiwagi Nagisa asked about the details of that incident, Kashiwagi Masao did not hesitate. He told her most of the truth.