Shiro felt flicted.

  He had always been deeply curious about the unknown, with a strong yearning for mystery.

  The Suzuki Zaibatsu had already reached the peak of what a business empire could achieve. There was little room for further expansion.

  Having nearly quered the corporate world, Shiro found himself drawn to mysteries, things beyond human uanding, beyond the reach of wealth and logic.

  Now that he had stumbled upon some clues, he didn't want to let them slip away.

  But at this moment, frustration weighed on him.

  If he couldn't find a direct e between Shinomiya Kaguya and Sanzenin Nagi, therail leading to the supernatural would vanish before his eyes.

  As for any potential threats?

  That was ughable.

  He wasn't looking to make enemies, only to uhe truth.

  As the sayi, businessmen do not csh with officials, and in the presence of true power, officials wouldn't dare challehe unknown.

  Even the gover had to be respectful toward them, bes to eability.

  This, in itself, was a form of prote.

  That realization only fueled Shiro's desire to explore the supernatural.

  But now, his iigation had hit a dead end.

  He felt stu a frustrating limbo—so close, yet so far.

  And without a way to firm the liween Shinomiya Kaguya and Sanzenin Nagi, there was no way forward.

  For now, he had no choice but to put his curiosity aside.

  A deep sigh escaped him.

  "This is probably the closest I've ever been to unc a real mystery."

  "But in the end… I'm still just oep short."

  Despite his disappoi, Shiro was a businessman through and through.

  He knew how to adapt, how tute his emotions.

  "Fine. If I 't find the sourow, I'll just wait."

  "As long as I keep tabs on Shinomiya Kaguya and Sanzenin Nagi, the opportunity will e again."

  He still had patience.

  ---

  Sonoko pced the photo ba the table.

  "Dad, when did you even start getting into all this weird stuff?"

  Her father leaned back, crossing his arms.

  "Your mother and I have already quered the business world."

  "Am I not allowed to take an i in other things?"

  "I never said that."

  Sonoko shook her head.

  In fact, she had the same curiosity about the unknown.

  Maybe it really was in their blood, father and daughter, sharing the same is.

  The only difference was that she had already seen things firsthand.

  She knew more than he did.

  But she couldn't just e out and tell him.

  For now, it had to stay a secret.

  "Anyway, Dad, let's talk business."

  "A friend of mily came into possession of something valuable. He wants to sell it, but he doesn't have the right els. He asked me to help."

  "…???"

  Shiro gave his daughter a long, scrutinizing look.

  That sounded… off.

  Was she seriously saying what he thought she was saying?

  That basically sounded like.

  "Sonoko, are you telling me you have a friend who o offload stolen goods?"

  Even Tomoko frowned.

  "Sonoko, what kind of pany are you keeping?"

  "No! Absolutely not!"

  Her mother's sharp stare made Sonoko quickly crify.

  "When have I ever hung out with people like that?"

  As someone who had always been rational in serious matters, Sonoko's parents knew she wasn't the type to be easily deceived.

  That realization made them resider.

  Shiro was the first to speak.

  "Alright. Let's hear it, what exactly is this 'something valuable'?"

  "The stolen maple leaf gold s from the Italian rang."

  "…The ohat were just reported in the oday?"

  Shiro narrowed his eyes.

  The Italian robbers had been arrested that very afternoon.

  And now, Sonoko was telling him she knew someone who already had the maple leaf gold s?

  It almost sounded like she had goreasure hunting with them.

  "It wasn't obtaioday," Sonoko crified.

  "He told me he had the gold s for a few days now."

  "If he didn't already have them, why would he even e to me?"

  Tomoko remained unvinced.

  "And you agreed to help this friend?"

  Instead of answering directly, Sonoko put a fio her lips.

  "'t talk about that."

  "But my friend is very capable. He mao find the gold s long before anyone else."

  "I was curious how he did it, so I asked."

  "Now I know. But I 't tell you."

  "That was reement."

  Shiro felt something stir inside him.

  That same instinct, the ohat had helped him make tless business decisions, the ohat had always led him to success.

  And that instinct told him.

  This was it.

  This was the answer he had been looking for.

  Slowly, he looked at Sonoko.

  "Sonoko."

  "You're sure you know the truth?"

  "I'm sure."

  "And you're choosing not to tell me for a specific reason?"

  "…Yeah."

  Then, in a fsh of intuition, he asked.

  "Is it because of the supernatural?"

  "Yeah—Wait, what?!"

  Sonoko's eyes widened as she realized what she had just said.

  Crap!

  Shiro held his breath.

  Then, a slow grin spread across his face.

  The thing he had been desperately trying to uncover…

  Had been right in front of him the whole time.

  "Dad! That was a trick!"

  Sonoko gred at him, indignant.

  Shiro, however, was in a great mood.

  "All's fair in war, Sonoko."

  "You let yuard down, so I took my ce."

  "And besides—"you knew I was ied in this stuff, but you still kept it from me."

  "If you want my help now, don't expect me to hold back."

  Leaning bato the couch, he gave her a smug smile.

  "Here's the deal."

  "I won't pry into what you're involved in."

  "I won't iigate your friend."

  "But the moment you tell me, you will."

  "And iurn."

  "I'll take care of exging those maple leaf gold s for you."

  "Deal?"

  He wasn't in a rush.

  Now that he knew his daughter was a direct link to the supernatural, all he had to do was wait.

  Sonoko hesitated, puffing out her cheeks in frustration.

  She had walked right into that one.

  But…

  She couldn't refuse.

  She needed her father's help to hahe gold s.

  "…Fine."

  With a relut sigh, she accepted the deal.

  Even though she was still ahat her dad had tricked her.

  She had to admit.

  That was exactly the kind of thing she would have dooo.