Chapter 51: I Am Here to Help You

On the display table stood a nearly half-meter tall, oval-shaped stone ornament resembling a raw mineral specimen—this was how Otada introduced it to his guests, claiming it was the studio’s mascot and not for sale.

Otada needed to emphasize countless times that it was not for sale, because the “raw mineral” was strikingly eye-catching. Its weathered exterior bore several palm-sized flaws, revealing the material encased within.

That material, judged by appearance alone, was a translucent yellow gemstone akin to topaz. The gem’s color was clear and bright, unmarred by any cotton-like impurities; just the exposed fragments of jade from the damaged parts could fetch tens of millions of yen. If the whole piece matched this quality, it would be worth at least hundreds of millions.

Even those unfamiliar with minerals and jade could discern its value, so it was not uncommon for people to ask Otada whether he was willing to sell this priceless specimen.

Of course, he was not.

Yet the unexpected intruder stood right beside his precious “not-for-sale” item, turning to look at him upon hearing Otada’s footsteps.

The yellow gemstone emitted a faint fluorescence in the pitch-dark warehouse—though the glow was weak, it was enough to illuminate half the intruder’s silhouette, allowing Otada to recognize him.

“Is that… Yuki?” Otada asked, hesitating. “Did you follow me?”

He was certain he had never revealed his whereabouts to Yuki, yet this person he had just met in the small garden now appeared at his own residence—no matter how he thought about it, the answer was clear.

He had been followed.

Yuki considered for a moment, then shook his head in denial.

“No, not at all,” Yuki replied with a smile. “As I said before, this is overtime.”

He’d been working overtime a lot recently.

“Overtime?”

“Yes, Aegis received an investigation request. Residents nearby have been hearing strange noises, disturbing their sleep day and night, so I came to look around the area.”

Otada swallowed hard at this.

Yuki, seemingly unconcerned, continued to scrutinize the “raw mineral specimen” before him with keen interest. After all, he had read the script; all he had to do was come near the client’s home and look for a half-ruined, abandoned warehouse nearby, and he’d found it quickly.

“Because the incident occurred nearby, I wandered in to take a look. I didn’t expect this warehouse to be your studio, Uncle Otada. Sorry—did I startle you?”

“No, not at all…”

For a moment, Otada didn’t know what to say. Should he accuse Yuki of trespassing? Yet he had secrets of his own, and hearing that Aegis had received the investigation request only made Otada want to pack up and flee.

Then regret struck—he’d finally found a place to settle, hoping to live peacefully here, but now… he wondered if he could ever find another studio for such a low rent.

“Speaking of which, since you live around here…” Yuki ran his hand over the oval “raw mineral specimen,” feeling the warmth beneath his fingertips, then turned to smile at Otada. “Have you heard it as well?”

He paused deliberately, waiting for Otada’s response, but seeing him stand there silently, Yuki announced the correct answer:

“The low rumbling of the Black King.”

Otada’s pupils contracted sharply.

“What are you… talking about…!”

Yuki’s smile, illuminated from below by the specimen’s fluorescence, appeared twisted and eerie.

Otada was still trying to keep up appearances, forcibly suppressing his tumultuous emotions and feigning surprise and confusion. But to “Yuki,” who had already read the script, the act was overdone—nervous, helpless, practically broadcasting his guilty conscience.

“At this point, playing dumb isn’t going to work, Uncle Otada,” Yuki said, unwilling to let him slip away so easily. He circled to the other side of the display table, his gaze still fixed on the “mineral specimen.” Though hatching wouldn’t happen for some time, the connection between the Black King and his partner, Otada, was so close that it was a ticking time bomb—ready to explode at any moment.

“I’ve already spoken plainly. Do you really think I’m just guessing, only testing your reaction, and happened to hit the mark?”

Otada was torn—should he nod and admit it?

He knew the young man before him worked for a security company that not only handled regular operations but frequently assisted police investigations.

Yuki said Aegis had received a request, but hadn’t mentioned the client. Was it the Foreign Affairs Unknown Division?

Otada felt an even stronger urge to escape.

As if sensing Otada’s thoughts, Yuki continued, “It was the nearby residents who commissioned Aegis, but… they’ve also reported it to the police. The police are just slower, haven’t started investigating yet.”

The implication was clear: once the police began, they’d quickly find their way here.

Even someone like Yuki—a bodyguard by trade and investigator on the side—had managed to locate Otada so swiftly; it would be foolish to doubt the abilities of professional detectives.

“No need to worry, Uncle Otada.”

Yuki stepped away from the display table.

Seeing him move away from the Black King’s egg, Otada was about to breathe a sigh of relief, only to watch Yuki approach the desk and fix his gaze on a brown sketchbook.

Recognizing it, Otada’s anxiety spiked once more, while Yuki, like a hunter who had found his prey, turned to Otada with a cheerful smile.

“I’m here to help you.”