“Oh my? You’re here again?”
“……”
How was I supposed to react to hearing that from a hospital nurse? It wasn’t as if this were my favorite neighborhood coffee shop.
Once when I was a child and nearly killed by a Ghoul; once when I got beaten senseless by my father while trying to raise Eto; once when I almost died at the hands of a Ghoul Investigator; once when I fell asleep half-naked because Eto wasn't home, only for my pet cat, Toto, to crawl into my underwear and claw my most vital parts in a catastrophic accident; and now, today.
That makes five admissions to the same hospital.
By now, when I'm wheeled in, the doctors don't even look surprised. They just wear a look of weary familiarity, as if saying, Ah, him again.
I could understand it if I were someone who did dangerous work alongside Ghoul Investigators, but when it's someone who looks completely ordinary, rumors are bound to spread.
I've heard that among the hospital staff, there's even talk that I might be possessed by some kind of spirit.
Does raising a Ghoul girl count as being possessed?
“Well, at least you’re still alive. That’s a relief.”
“Yeah.”
Hitokawa, lying in the bed next to mine, chimed in.
Honestly, he was so wrapped in bandages that if it weren’t for his voice, I might not have realized he was right there.
My injuries were severe, but Hitokawa had truly danced on the edge of life and death. I heard his heart had even stopped once during surgery due to hypovolemic shock.
The fact that he was awake and talking was practically a miracle.
“Tough job, being a Ghoul Investigator.”
“Not as tough as being a Ghoul dad.”
We traded jokes, managing a few weak grins despite the pain. Internally, I felt a wave of relief.
When Hitokawa first discovered Eto’s identity, I had braced myself for the possibility that we would never be able to go back to this. But here we were. I truly couldn't ask for more.
As we were chatting, the door flew open and someone marched in.
“Hitokawa-kun! I heard you’ve awakened!”
We both flinched simultaneously. The man entering was Hajimoto Shinichi.
He was Hitokawa’s superior and a seasoned Ghoul Investigator.
There's no way he heard that 'Ghoul dad' joke, right?
Given the timing, it was impossible, but I still felt a prickle of anxiety. At this rate, would my next argument with this man be about Eto?
“Hitokawa-san! Your performance this time was truly outstanding! Not only did you wipe out a small Ghoul cell and rescue Takaki Koma-kun, but you even took down the S-rated Ghoul, the Artist! Such a feat is rare even in the legendary early careers of Special Class Investigators! Your promotion next year is practically guaranteed!”
“N-no, it was only because Koma helped me……”
“Ohhh! Takaki-kun! As expected of the son of Takaki Senior! To contribute to the subjugation of a Ghoul as a civilian! You have a natural aptitude for this. Why not join the ranks of the Ghoul Investigators? I'll personally prepare a recommendation letter for you!”
“Ah, haha…… Thank you, but I’ll have to decline.”
Faced with Hajimoto's overwhelming enthusiasm, we avoided eye contact and looked away.
He would never dream that a Ghoul had played the most pivotal role in this success.
After Hitokawa had collapsed, I had called for help from the nearest police box and sent Eto home. If anyone found out a child had been present at the scene, she would have been subjected to endless, unnecessary questioning.
In terms of actual contribution, Eto deserved the most credit—she had incapacitated two Ghouls and created the opening necessary to bring down the Artist. But since her existence had to remain a secret, we were the ones reaping the rewards.
I shot a look at Hitokawa.
Treat Eto to something later.
Hitokawa replied with a look of his own.
With what? Should I go dig up a corpse for her?
Hmm. How about a vacation paid for with your salary?
You know investigator pay is peanuts once you subtract the pension, right?
While we were communicating in silence, Hajimoto continued.
“Ah, that reminds me—regarding Shinaoto Minami, whom I mentioned previously.”
Both Hitokawa and I turned toward him. Hajimoto's expression turned grim.
“As you suggested, I searched the second basement level, but there was no one there. Only torn bandages and broken glass bottles were scattered about. Her current whereabouts are unknown.”
“So she really did bolt, that woman……”
Hitokawa sighed, as if he had expected as much.
I felt the same. While we were fighting the Artist, I had sensed that she had made her escape.
The strange part was that she had actually helped us—providing human flesh for Eto and dropping hydrochloric acid on the Artist.
“Why would she help us?”
“Who knows. Maybe she was moved by your words and decided to turn over a new leaf?”
I thought about it for a moment before speaking.
“……I can’t imagine that.”
“……Yeah. Neither can I. She left way too strong an impression of being a complete lunatic.”
Hajimoto checked his watch; he clearly had other duties to attend to.
“Well then, Hitokawa-kun, Takaki-kun. Rest well and recover quickly.”
“Yes. Thank you for visiting.”
I watched him leave the room, but just as he was about to exit, he nearly collided with a small figure attempting to open the door.
“Ah.”
“Oh dear. Sorry for startling you. Did you bump into the door, little one?”
“No. I’m fine.”
It was Eto. She had come to visit us.
The moment he heard her voice, Hitokawa sucked in a sharp breath, his entire body tensing. I looked from the door to Hitokawa and realized why.
He knew what Eto was now. To anyone else, this was just a polite exchange between an adult and a child, but to him, it felt like a high-stakes gamble.
After all, it was a Ghoul Investigator and a Ghoul.
“Did you come to visit?”
“Yes.”
“Well then, have a lovely visit.”
“Yes, goodbye.”
Only after Eto had politely seen Hajimoto off did Hitokawa finally exhale in relief. He turned to me, looking bewildered.
“Did you feel like this every time I talked to Eto?”
“Yeah. Well, you’ll get used to it.”
“Getting used to this feels like my identity as an investigator is crumbling……”
Maybe so.
Eto opened the door and stepped into the room. The moment she saw me, a bright, sun-like smile lit up her face.
“Dad!”
“Hey, Eto. You've been eating well while I was gone, right?”
“Yes! And I've been making sure Toto eats too!”
“Good girl!”
I reached out and patted her head as she approached. Hitokawa watched us as if he were witnessing some alien phenomenon.
“What is it?”
“On the surface, it's just a sweet father-daughter moment…… but the context of the conversation hits completely differently now.”
“Ah, don’t worry. Eto’s food is just a bit of flesh from people who committed suicide.”
“Don’t just casually drop that!! I’ve accepted you two, but give me some time to process it!!”
“I told you, you'll get used to it.”
“I don't want to get used to it!! *Cough, cough!*”
Getting worked up while still recovering was clearly too much for him. After a fit of coughing, Hitokawa collapsed back onto his bed, completely drained.
“Uncle Hitokawa, you should really work on your temper. It's bad for your health.”
“Shut up. Whose fault do you think this is……”
“Oh, right. I brought some apples. Should I peel one for you?”
Ignoring Hitokawa’s grumbling, Eto pulled an apple and a paring knife from a paper bag.
“You know how to peel them?”
“Yes! I practiced at home.”
With a confident nod, Eto pulled up a chair and began to peel the apple.
The rhythmic sound of the blade slicing through the skin, accompanied by Eto’s soft humming, filled the room. It brought a sense of warmth to the sterile space, which otherwise smelled only of alcohol and bandages.
I closed my eyes, basking in the peace, then glanced at Hitokawa.
“Fighting for the sake of others is all well and good, but moments like this aren't so bad, are they?”
“Yeah. ……I should hurry up and get married so I can have a kid too. I'm so jealous I could die.”
Hitokawa seemed to have found the same peace, answering me in a quiet, subdued tone.
It felt as though I had reclaimed a piece of my life I thought was gone forever.
For the record, the apple Eto peeled was delicious.
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