Chapter 65: Erena's Visit

The explosive news regarding the Fuji TV incident had completely captivated the entire Kanto region, and the fervor soon spread to the Tohoku and Kansai regions. With their complaint hotlines jammed, Fuji TV reluctantly edited together a "Three-Hour Blockade Live Broadcast Special," which aired during prime time and pulled in a 25% viewership rating, instantly crushing the ratings of all other networks.

Executives at the other four major commercial television networks cursed Fuji TV’s veteran Kameyama for cashing in on a tragedy and having zero shame, but deep down, they were consumed with envy, wishing desperately that one of their own female anchors would sacrifice herself for the network's future.

However, none of this concerned Soya Uesugi. The Metropolitan Police Department informed him that he did not need to participate in the post-incident press conference and generously granted him and Ereina Ikeda three days of compensatory leave.

After his date at noon that day, Soya spent the evening heavily engaging in princess-connecting with the girl from Musashino University in Hokkaido.

Being in a great mood, Soya was much more generous this time. True to his previous promise, he specifically bought her two pairs of brand-new Haruta uniform penny loafers, along with an SK-II skincare set. Knowing that Princess Connect tended to go through stockings quickly, Soya also gifted her several pairs of new Atsugi autumn and winter thick tights, ranging from 50D to 120D.

After enjoying a thoroughly satisfying entire day, Soya felt much better, the lingering discomfort from triggering the Soul Death Pact gradually dissipating.

Where there is life, there is death; what regrets could a warrior possibly have?

Having spent a whole day releasing his stress, Soya returned to his student apartment that night and took one last lingering look at the cozy little nest he had lived in for over four years, feeling a complex mix of emotions.

At that moment, his phone rang again.

It was a call from Ereina Ikeda.

"Have you slept enough?" Ereina's opening line was full of aggression. This woman made no mention of the fact that she had spent the entire night glued to her phone until dawn, slept through most of the day, woke up to work out with several sets of rigorous exercises, cleared her mind, and immediately wanted to find Soya again. "What about the day off you promised to owe me?"

"Master Ereina, I'm moving tomorrow," Soya said softly, hearing the spoiled undertone beneath the tall beauty's aggressive tone. "The moving company is coming tomorrow, so I might..."

"Eh? You're moving? A new home? Where to? Do you need my help?" Ereina, predictably interested in Soya's new place, immediately pressed on.

"Uh, I don't think that'll be necessary. The moving company will handle the heavy lifting." Soya thought about it and decided that Ereina had indeed performed well during the Fuji TV case. Moreover, he had laid his hands on her once, and since Ereina had only punched him once, it could already be considered an act of extraordinary mercy.

In truth, Soya thoroughly loathed the twisted logic of "hit them because you love them," and harbored an extreme aversion to the "tsundere/savage girlfriend" persona. His personal logic was simple: if you hit me, I hit you back, regardless of whether you're a man or a woman. Since it was meant to be a samurai duel, don't be a coward; let's put our samurai honor on the line and beat each other to a pulp.

Still, Ereina's punch had definitely been pulled—it only hurt for a moment before fading completely—while his own actions had undeniably crossed the line and taken massive advantage. Soya figured they were even.

"Well, to celebrate my housewarming and fulfill our previous promise, why don't you come see my new place tomorrow?" Soya paused for a moment, and upon sensing the weight and disappointment radiating from the other end of the line, he quickly added, "Didn't I say before that I'd treat you to an amazing little tempura restaurant?"

"Alright, see you tomorrow morning then." Ereina repeated, "By the way, where is your place?"

***

Wednesday, the day after the conclusion of the Fuji TV incident and the second day of Soya's leave.

Late September in Tokyo brought crisp autumn skies. At seven in the morning, Soya was still fast asleep in his room. The morning light filtered through the gap in the curtains, casting a brilliant glow, while the man inside sprawled haphazardly across the bed.

Late last night, both Senior Mai and Superintendent Minami had sent messages to Soya.

Senior Mai had proactively asked her junior whether Fuji TV had approached him to design a program, mentioning that she had asked around and found that the little shop run by Grandma and Grandpa Konno was still open.

Senior Mai, are you actually serious about this?

Faced with the invitation from his goddess senior, Soya naturally had no reason to refuse. However, both of them were extremely busy with work, so they had only reached a verbal agreement for now. As for when they would find the time and when Fuji TV would officially extend an invitation, that remained to be seen.

If chatting with Mai Shirakawa was just casual conversation, the message from Minami Watanabe, the face of the Metropolitan Police Department, carried much more weight.

She informed Soya that the MPD had reached a formal cooperation agreement with Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Starting today, Soya would officially take on a concurrent position at the MPD as a field consultant for the Forensics Division of the Criminal Investigation Department, with a monthly salary of 150,000 yen.

"From now on, I will be your primary liaison for all matters concerning the MPD. Soya-kun, I look forward to working with you," Minami Watanabe stated concisely.

"Did anyone bother to ask for my opinion on this, Ms. Watanabe?" Soya immediately called back to confirm that Tokyo Medical and Dental University had indeed sold him out.

"Heh. Soya-kun, whether you're a doctor or a police officer, you are fundamentally a public servant serving the citizens. Why draw such a clear distinction?" Minami's reply sounded positively like a little demon. "I trust that with Soya-kun's abilities, joining the MPD will allow you to serve the country even better."

"I haven't agreed yet," Soya replied, sending a sticker of a stubborn bull.

"If you don't agree, your only remaining option is to resign!" Minami sent a mischievous grinning emoji. "Or... Uesugi-hanshi, where is my box of sweets from Echigo-ya?"

"Is this how things are always handled at the MPD?" Even though it was a threat, Soya couldn't find it in himself to feel annoyed by the way the MPD young lady handled things. "Ms. Watanabe, you really are quite wicked."

"Soya-kun cannot yet appreciate the disadvantages of refusing to cooperate with our MPD, but I guarantee you will immediately feel the benefits of cooperating with us." Minami always left her sentences half-finished. "Don't you want to come and experience it?"

After chatting for a while, the two of them realized they had probably met when they were children.

Soya's mother, Tomoko Uesugi, and Minami's mother, Michiko Watanabe, were Mahjong buddies. In fact, they likely knew each other back when their mothers were still known as Tomoko Saionji and Michiko Mori. Both high-society matrons came from prestigious families, with Minami's mother holding an even higher status.

As toddlers, Soya and Minami might have crossed paths, though neither of them retained any memory of it.

Yet once the topic was broached, the conversation flowed effortlessly, continuing in fits and starts deep into the night.

Consequently, at seven o'clock sharp the next morning, Soya was jolted awake by heavy, rapid knocking on his door.

An intruder had arrived!

Roused by the knocking, Soya dragged himself out of bed with extreme reluctance. Blinking his hazy, sleep-heavy eyes, he fumbled his way to the door and pulled it open.

Indeed, Ereina Ikeda had arrived—at seven in the morning!

Originally, Soya and Ereina had planned to meet somewhere outside, but Ereina had insisted that since he was moving and she had never seen where he lived, she badgered him until he finally agreed to give her his current address.

And she had shown up at seven in the morning!

Realizing he was in trouble, Soya slumped his head forward, forced his eyes open to look at the tall beauty standing quietly in the doorway, and mumbled softly, "So early, Master Ereina. Why get here at this hour? I was still sleeping."

Ereina stood gracefully in the doorway, her pretty face flushing at Soya's words. Although they had agreed she could arrive anytime before nine, she had woken up at five in the morning. The mere thought of visiting Soya's home had chased away all sleep. After squeezing in an extra two sets of strength training and deep squats, she had rushed over in a hurry.

Naturally, she couldn't let Soya discover these little inner thoughts. Ereina's lips twitched slightly as she suppressed a triumphant smile, feigning nonchalance. "What? Not welcome?"

"Welcome, welcome, of course you're welcome." Soya rubbed his slightly messy hair, his words saying welcome while his facial expression and tone conveyed the exact opposite. He reluctantly stepped aside to signal that she could enter.

The tall beauty beamed with delight upon receiving permission. She had wanted to see Soya's living environment for a long time. Without wasting a word, she slipped past Soya's defenses, a gentle wave of her sunflower perfume trailing behind her as she stepped inside.

Yet the moment she entered, the man turned right back around and collapsed onto the sofa. Ereina felt a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, and quickly grabbed his wrist. "Uesugi! Are you seriously planning to let me sit here all by myself while you go right back to snoring?"

Hearing this, Soya had no choice but to muster his energy and turn his head. "No, but at least let me wash my face and wake up... Huh?"

The moment the man clearly registered Ereina's outfit, he instantly woke up.

Ereina Ikeda stood right before him, her delicate and pretty face carrying a hint of haughtiness. Her stern expression lacked the gentle warmth of ordinary women, instead projecting a resolute determination. Her bright, piercing eyes gleamed with a cool brilliance, though the moment she looked at Soya, that severe edge instantly melted away as she consciously straightened her posture.

Today, the tall beauty wore a light brown mocha-cigar-scented British-style brown shirt jacket paired with a plaid skirt. The form-fitting clothes clung tightly to her graceful figure, while her long, slender legs were encased in 40D ultra-sheer black matte stockings. Her legs were smooth, well-proportioned, and pulled perfectly straight, and she stepped into a pair of gray low-cut high heels, accentuating her stunning physical curves to the absolute limit.

Her brisk, dashing chin-length hair was tucked neatly behind her ears, and her hands were crossed over her full chest. Standing straight and proud, she radiated an aura of absolute command. The only slight pity was that, aside from her sexy black-silk-clad legs exposed to the air, the rest of her mesmerizing figure was concealed beneath her clothing, though the subtle contours through her shirt hinted at the fullness of her breasts, the roundness of her hips, and the slenderness of her waist.

She hadn't worn her usual suit trousers and leather shoes; she had even specifically put on a pair of pearl earrings.

Soya was no longer sleepy. "Come, come, sit down for a bit. The moving company isn't coming until nine."

Seeing the man snap to attention, Ereina let her triumphant smile show in a blind spot where Soya couldn't see.

Having made a minor sacrifice by wearing the stockings he liked, Ereina continued her invasion of his private domain. Soya's caught-off-guard, completely unprepared reaction was precisely what she loved to see most.

She adored seeing Soya—who was always full of brilliant schemes, calm analysis, and absolute authority in public—look entirely unprepared and half-asleep in front of her.

Gently kicking off her newly bought shoes to reveal her petite ankles bound in sheer stockings, the heels pressing against the matte surface to hint at a pale flesh tone beneath, Ereina stepped lightly and expectantly into the man's territory. With a touch of curiosity, she instinctively scanned her surroundings upon entering.

Aside from her father's room, she had rarely entered another man's private quarters outside of work contexts, and a dazed sense of unfamiliarity washed over the tall beauty's face.

Soya's apartment wasn't very large, and its decor and furnishings exuded a sharp, cool color palette. There were no typical feminine trinkets, and since he was preparing to move, a vast majority of his belongings had already been packed into boxes, leaving only the messy bed to give the place any sense of human habitation.

The air was filled with his scent. The refreshing pine fragrance made Ereina's two black-silk-clad legs feel slightly weak, and she hurriedly averted her sharp, light-brown gaze in a panic until Soya emerged from the bathroom. "Everything's packed up, huh?"

Soya had washed his face and felt much clearer. "Sorry, the place is a complete mess."

"It's fine. You should have told me earlier, otherwise I could have come earlier to help you tidy up." Ereina carefully sat down on the sofa, fascinated by everything in Soya's home.

"Huh? Master Ereina, have you been using such clumsy excuses to trick other pure-hearted boys into letting them bring you into their rooms?" Soya tilted his head, looking genuinely curious.

The smile vanished from the tall beauty's face as veins throbbed on her forehead. "You know, Soya, if anyone else spoke to me like that, their joints would already be dismantled."

"Aren't we partners? I wouldn't dare say this to anyone else." Soya sat down on the sofa as well, let out a yawn, and then stealthily shifted his gaze downward.

Glancing past the glass table, his eyes drifted down to Ereina's legs. The hem of her British-style plaid skirt fell just an inch above her knees. Her calves, encased in black matte stockings, were long, straight, athletic, and supple, pressed tightly together. A pair of delicate feet in sheer stockings were tucked inside her slippers, and the reinforced toe design of the matte stockings offered a hazy glimpse of the bright red pedicure she had applied today—healthy and magnificent.

"You!" Noticing Soya's downward gaze, Ereina self-consciously pulled her feet back in embarrassment. "Fine! I kept my promise and wore the tights for you, but where is this tempura you promised?"

"???" A question mark appeared over Soya's head. He tilted his head in utter confusion. "When did I ever beg you to?"

"???"

Meeting Soya's teasing gaze, Ereina suddenly realized that he hadn't begged her at all!

Ah!

Crap, she had received compliments the few times she wore stockings and let her imagination run wild, ending up believing her own wishful thinking!

A flush of red heat rushed up Ereina's neck. She jumped up in embarrassment, hurriedly reached out to block his line of sight, and snapped defensively, "I'll take them off right now!"

Take them off—she definitely had to take them off! She actually hated wearing stockings!

Just as Ereina rushed hurriedly toward the bathroom, Soya leisurely called out, "You really look great wearing them like that. Next time, I'd love to see gray ones. Is that okay?"

As his words trailed off, Ereina's footsteps grew even more flustered. Completely flummoxed, she bolted into the bathroom, only emerging a few minutes later.

She hadn't changed out of the stockings.

The tall beauty secretly relished Soya's straightforwardness.

She began to look forward to today's activities. "So where is your new home anyway?"

"Still in Bunkyo Ward, Sakatabashi. It's about a half-hour walk from here. We'll take a cab," Soya leaned back against the sofa. "I haven't figured out how to arrange the furniture in the new place yet. Master Ereina, would you mind helping me brainstorm?"

"Hmph~ Of course!"

Composing herself, Ereina pulled a housewarming gift for Soya out of her bag—a pack of facial tissues.

Soya opened the window, and the two of them waited together for the moving company to arrive.

The autumn breeze gently brushed past the curtains, and the bright morning light spilled across the apartment floor. Ereina turned her head, catching Soya's cool, resolute silhouette reflected in her eyes.

What a truly wonderful day for moving.