Dimensional Kaguya Ōtsutsuki

"Would you mind if I sit across from you?" Rize Kamishiro walked gracefully over, her demeanor ladylike, and smiled politely as she asked.

"There seem to be plenty of empty seats, though," Kaguya mumbled, her words somewhat muffled as she chewed on her sandwich.

"Apologies," Rize said with a hint of regret, her tone soft. "You resemble a friend of mine, so I felt a sense of familiarity when I saw you. But if it bothers you, I can find another seat." As she spoke, her delicate face took on a sorrowful look, her expression appearing genuinely downcast.

"It's not a matter of bothering me or not," Kaguya said, sipping her coffee casually. "If you want to sit here, go ahead."

"Thank you so much," Rize said, bowing slightly in gratitude before sitting across from Kaguya.

Kaguya couldn't deny her curiosity about Rize Kamishiro, though at the moment, eating was her top priority. Nothing else interested her as much. Oddly, it seemed Rize hadn't recognized her. They had met before, so logically, there should have been some impression.

Perhaps Rize was regarding her as prey now.

Could it be that Rize had lost some memories during her previous state of mental instability?

It didn't seem entirely impossible.

"Excuse me for asking, but may I know your name?" Rize inquired hesitantly.

"When asking for someone else's name, you should introduce yourself first," Kaguya replied.

"Oh, my apologies. My name is Rize Kamishiro," Rize said hurriedly, sounding flustered. "I was being rude earlier. I'm very sorry."

"Liuli," Kaguya said evenly.

"Liuli," Rize repeated, her eyes lighting up. "What a beautiful name. If I'm not mistaken, you're a ghoul investigator, right?"

"Hm. What of it?" Kaguya asked, her tone intrigued.

Those unaware of Rize's identity would easily be fooled by her striking beauty and gentle demeanor. Many had fallen victim to her charms, only to be devoured. That she had now set her sights on Kaguya amused her.

"That's wonderful," Rize said, sounding delighted. "I've always been fascinated by investigators. I admire your work and was hoping you could share your thoughts on ghouls."

Kaguya's gaze shifted involuntarily to the book in Rize's hands.

The Black Goat's Egg.

Wasn't that Takatsuki Sen's work?

It was surprising that Rize Kamishiro would enjoy such literature. Of course, it might also be a calculated move to lure unsuspecting individuals into her trap—like Ken Kaneki had been.

"This—"

Before Kaguya could finish, a familiar figure strode over and seized her wrist, dragging her toward the private rooms of the café.

"Come with me."

From behind the counter, where she was wiping a coffee cup, Kaya Irim glanced at Rize, still seated at the table, and said softly, "I'd advise you not to do anything rash. You're playing with fire."

"Playing with fire?" Rize's demeanor shifted, her previously pure and elegant expression replaced with a seductive smile. "Not at all. I'm merely flattering the future queen—no, the current queen."

"That's a bit two-faced of you," Irimi replied with a faint smile. "Be careful not to outsmart yourself. If you fall into the trap, no one will save you."

"Don't speak so harshly," Rize chuckled softly. "Alright, I admit I'm being a bit disingenuous, but I just want to taste that wonderful flavor again. Ever since I savored her taste, no other food has interested me."

"As expected." Kaya Irim sighed helplessly.

"Don't worry, I have my limits. I won't go too far," Rize said with a sweet smile, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Darling, is there anything else to eat? I think I'm hungry again."

In the hallway outside the café's guest rooms:

"Hey, hey, what are you doing?" Kaguya asked, bewildered. "I only ate a little food. There's no need to be so stingy. Don't worry, I'll pay you back once I get my salary."

"It's not that," Touka Kirishima said angrily as she turned to face her.

"Then why are you so upset?" Kaguya asked, even more puzzled.

"From now on, don't have any dealings with that woman," Touka said seriously, standing right in front of Kaguya.

"Why?" Kaguya asked, utterly baffled.

"There's no why. Just stay far away from her," Touka said firmly. "She's not a good person. Be careful not to get tricked."

Kaguya blinked, then understood what Touka meant.

It seemed Kaya Irim and Yoshimura Kuzen had more or less guessed Kaguya's true identity, though they hadn't explicitly pointed it out. Kaguya also had no intention of revealing it, as her investigator identity was still useful. However, it seemed they hadn't informed Touka about this, so she remained completely unaware of Kaguya's true background.

Seeing Touka's serious expression, Kaguya decided to tease her.

"She doesn't seem like a bad person, does she?" Kaguya said hesitantly.

"Do bad people walk around with 'I'm a bad person' written on their faces?" Touka snapped irritably.

"But I don't think I have anything worth her trying to scam me for," Kaguya shrugged. "I'm eating on credit here, after all."

"Credit? More like freeloading," Touka snorted disdainfully.

"Hey, hey, I never said I wouldn't pay you back. Don't be so stingy," Kaguya retorted.

"Who knows," Touka said, turning away. "I've already warned you. If you still fall for it, don't blame me." With that, she walked off without looking back.

This girl actually has a decent heart, coming to warn me, Kaguya thought to herself.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I just don't want you dying and leaving the debt unpaid," Touka's voice called out from afar, making Kaguya's eyelid twitch.

Fine. I was overthinking it. There's no way this girl could be that sweet.

By the time Kaguya left the café after eating her fill, the sky had turned to dusk. The sun was sinking below the horizon, and the twilight glow was fading, leaving only a faint light at the edge of the sky.

It really was a beautiful day, Kaguya thought to herself.

As she walked through the alleys on her way home, two masked figures suddenly appeared before her, blocking her path.

"You are..."

Kaguya was somewhat startled as she gazed at the two masked figures in front of her, their faces hidden beneath hoods.

It had been a long time since anyone had tried to rob her—how peculiar.

Still, she decided it would be better to deal with this quickly. Although she had just eaten, she had heard that a new dango shop had opened at the plaza. It was supposed to be delicious, and if she delayed too long, the queue might leave her empty-handed.

"Look, if you—"

Before Kaguya could finish her sentence, the two figures darted forward like arrows, their speed so swift it left no time for reaction. At the same time, a pair of crimson kagune tails emerged from their backs.

Kaguya paused, slightly taken aback. She hadn't expected ghouls to still be lurking, especially attacking so brazenly.

Ever since her negotiation with Arima and the establishment of the pact between humans and ghouls, any ghoul acting outside the accord was considered a major breach of the rules. The penalties were severe enough to deter even the most reckless. Over time, such incidents had dwindled, as most ghouls had come to understand their new place in society.

Furthermore, the area surrounding the Anteiku café had been declared a neutral zone. This designation allowed both investigators and ghouls to coexist in fragile peace. Any ghouls seeking refuge here were required to respect strict conditions.

Logically, such direct attacks should no longer be occurring. So why now?

Kaguya stepped back sharply, dodging their assault with ease.

The two ghouls followed closely, their movements fierce and swift. They swung their kagune tails at Kaguya with deadly precision, displaying considerable power. Their aggressive attacks suggested they weren't ordinary ghouls but rather formidable fighters.

But to Kaguya, they were merely an interesting warm-up.

A smirk curled on her lips as she dodged their strikes effortlessly. Her body moved with fluid grace, weaving through their attacks like a shadow. With a swift step forward, she clenched her fist and swung her arm, landing solid blows on their stomachs.

Thud!

Thud!

The two ghouls were sent flying backward as though struck by a cannonball, crashing heavily to the ground.

Kaguya smiled smugly, considering this a good post-meal workout. She had deliberately held back, using only a fraction of her strength to prolong the fun.

Wait.

Why weren't they getting up?

Perplexed, Kaguya approached them. Her eyelids twitched, and her mouth quirked in confusion.

Pathetic.

The two lay sprawled on the ground, clutching their stomachs and groaning in pain, unable to move.

Who would have guessed they'd end up like this? Kaguya hadn't even used one percent of her strength.

Even the weakest ghouls wouldn't collapse this easily. How had these two ended up in such a sorry state?

Clearly, she had misjudged them. They were nothing but weaklings.

Well, it would be better to deal with them swiftly. Attacking humans wasn't something that could be left unpunished, even if it was just an incompetent attempt.

Kaguya approached the pair, raising her hand to finish them off.

Just then, a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Sister! Sister, are you okay? Please don't scare me, Sister!"

A third figure—a young ghoul—emerged from the shadows and ran toward one of the fallen women. Her anxious voice was clear and melodious, filled with panic. She dropped to her knees beside the prone ghoul, shaking her gently.

This voice was unmistakably feminine, and if the woman on the ground was her sister, then both attackers were likely female. Judging by her tone, they were also quite young.

Unconsciously, Kaguya lowered her hand.

Suddenly, noticing Kaguya, the white-haired girl spun around, spread her arms wide, and shielded her sister. Her reddened eyes brimmed with defiance as she bit her pink lips, staring at Kaguya with unyielding determination.

This girl was surprisingly beautiful, with short, white hair framing her face, deep amber eyes, and long eyelashes trembling slightly. Her pale complexion made her look as fragile. Despite her evident fear—her body quivering faintly—she stubbornly stood her ground.

"Y-you… run! Don't mind me!" The girl lying on the ground weakly spoke, her voice strained.

"No, I won't! I'll stay with you!" The white-haired girl shouted, biting her lip, her voice choked with sobs.

"Sister, go! Run, quickly!" The prone girl grabbed her sister's arm, her face flushed with a sickly redness as she struggled to speak. "Don't worry about me!"

But the white-haired girl shook her head desperately, clinging tightly to her sister's hand. Large tears streamed down her face.

"If we die, we'll die together!"

Sigh…

Kaguya scratched her head, exasperated. Clearly, she was the victim here, but now she felt like she was being cast as the villain, as if she'd done something unforgivable.

"Hey, step aside. Let me take a look," Kaguya said, stepping toward them.

"D-don't come any closer!" The white-haired girl stood her ground, weakly blocking Kaguya's path. She bit her lip and shouted furiously, "If you get closer, I'll kill you!"

If you could kill me, you'd have done it already. What a fool.

Kaguya internally rolled her eyes.

"Ha."

Seeing Kaguya inching closer, the white-haired girl could no longer hold back. She clenched her teeth and rushed toward Kaguya, swinging her fist with all her might.

However, this seemingly aggressive attack was laughably feeble to Kaguya—nothing but child's play. Even an average investigator could handle such an attempt with ease.

Kaguya sidestepped effortlessly, evading the strike, and reached out to grab the girl's wrist. With a swift twist, she had her restrained in no time.

"Let me go! Let me go!" The white-haired girl struggled desperately, but her arms were firmly pinned, rendering her efforts futile.

"Listen," Kaguya said calmly, "if you don't want your sister to die, you'd better behave."

The struggling girl froze upon hearing this.

Kaguya nodded in satisfaction. If this girl continued to interfere, even Kaguya would find it tiresome.

That's right—Kaguya planned to save these two sisters. Somehow, leaving them to suffer felt wrong, as if she'd truly become a villain.

Of course, this decision had absolutely nothing to do with their pretty faces.

"There we go," Kaguya said. "You wouldn't want your sister to die, would you?"

"Please, I'm begging you! Spare my sister—she's the only family I have left in this world!" The white-haired girl bit her lip, turning back to plead tearfully. "If you let her go, I'll do anything you ask!"

To her, Kaguya's earlier words had undoubtedly come across as a threat.

"Ha…"

Kaguya sighed, speechless.

Not only had she failed to clarify the situation, but the misunderstanding had also deepened further.

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