After Kirigaya-san left, I waited for him to return, and he came back carrying my bag. "I am terribly sorry for keeping you waiting. I brought this back for you." "Thanks." Upon receiving the business bag, I placed it between myself and the back of the pipe chair. "And, excuse me, but what might this be?" As Kirigaya-san asked, he took a brown envelope from his pocket and placed it on the desk. "Hmm? Oh, this?" It's the one that was in the mailbox this morning. "It is addressed to Yamada Tadashi-san." "It's regarding my grandfather. Actually, my grandfather passed away the other day. I'm living in my grandfather's house now. So, I was thinking of calling the Timer Association during today's lunch break to inform them of his passing. I got a bit too busy around noon, so i didn't get to it, but I'm thinking of calling them tomorrow." During the day, I was so busy hustling about that I ended up forgetting Miriam's lunch and the envelope. "Is that so... Mr. Tadashi has passed away..." Hmm? "Did you know him?" "You could say that…" Mr. Kirigaya took a business card holder out of his pocket and placed a card in front of me. I picked it up and looked at the business card. On it written was his name Kirigaya Wataru, along with the name Timer Association. "Uhhh, Kirigaya from the Timer Association..." "It is read as Wataru." Huh... What?! "Um, by any chance, is this the Timer Association?" "Yes indeed." No way! They are not the police at all! "Um, didn't you say you're police?" "I said it was something similar." You did, but... This changes everything all at once. If you're not the police, then this is a kidnapping, isn't it? "Umm..." "It's indeed very difficult to explain. However, saying it's something similar to the police is accurate. In fact, there are occasions where we cooperate with the police in dealing with cases." I don't get it... “Haah?” "Well, going into details would make for a long story, so let's save that for another day... More importantly, is it true that Tadashi-san has passed away?" "Yes. Since he was already 90 years old, I've heard it was due to old age." "Is that so... I had been thinking for the past few months that we hadn't been able to get in touch..." So an acquaintance after all? "And, about my grandfather?" "Ah... Well, yes. Yamada-san, do you have time right now?" After he asked, I checked the clock, it was already 8:30. "Ah... I'm sorry. I have work tomorrow, and I have my kid to look after..." Actually, I'm getting hungry. I want to eat simmered fish. "That's right. If it's okay with you, could we perhaps have a detailed conversation on another day?" More talking...? Well, but, it seems like it has something to do with grandfather.

"Yes. It's alright." "If that's the case, would it be alright for me to come over perhaps next Saturday? If you would allow me to offer incense sticks for him..." The Buddhist altar of my grandfather and grandmother is in my room. "Yes, certainly. I think my grandfather would be pleased as well." I don't know the relationship, though. "Then, I will come around noon or so." "You know the place, right?" Kinda required when sending an envelope, after all. "Yes. And I apologize, but I will need to keep this with me." After saying that, Kirigaya-san put the brown envelope into his pocket. "Yes. It is for my grandfather, after all." "Excuse me. That will be all for today. Thank you very much for your cooperation at this late hour. Let me take you home." "No, I'll take the train home. I'm sure you're busy, Kirigaya-san." "No, no. I'm also going straight home, so it's perfectly fine." Ah, I see… Miriam and I rode in the car that brought us here and were driven back to our home. "Well then, that's it for now. Thank you for today. And please, I look forward to our meeting on Saturday." After saying that from the driver's seat, Kirigaya-san drove off. After seeing him off, I went into the house. "I'm home!" Upon saying that, I could hear the sound of hurried footsteps rushing towards me from inside. "Welcome home!" Ruri, with a relaxed expression, greeted me. "Sorry for being late. Ah, I'm exhausted. I got caught up in something weird." "Seriously, meow." We are heading towards the living room. "Something weird? Ah, I'll get all prepared right away, so please wash your hands and change your clothes." So, after Ruri told me to, I washed my hands and then changed into my home clothes. And then, when I returned to the living room, dinner was waiting for me, so I sat down. Furthermore, Miriam was already eating something. Upon taking another look at the meal, tonight's dinner consists of white rice, miso soup, simmered fish, and something with spinach. "Thank you" "No, what would you like to drink? We have tea, beer, and non-alcoholic beer available." Hearing a little girl say non-alcoholic beer... The sense of discomfort is intense. "Tea would be nice." "Right away!" Upon requesting tea, Ruri begins to prepare it with a happy look. And then, after she placed the tea in front of me, I took a sip and started eating the meal. "Both the tea and the meal are delicious, aren't they?" "Thank you. So, what happened?" Ruri asks. "On the way back, Miriam found a demon. We defeated it, but then we somehow got taken away by some strange people." The strangest part was the high school girl. "Huh? Are you all right?" "Probably. The person who took us away seems to be an acquaintance of my grandpa. So, he wants to talk while coming to offer incense this coming Saturday at noon."

"An acquaintance of Tadashi-sama... Hmm, was he a trustworthy person?" "Who knows? But since they know our address, I decided it wouldn't be wise to outright refuse. For now, I'll listen to what they have to say." Because I handed over my business card, they also know my workplace. "I see... Just to be safe, should I put up a protective barrier around this house?" A protective barrier? That's the one Monika was talking about, huh? "You shouldn't, meow." Miriam, who likely finished eating, steps on my foot to stop me. "Why? With a demon here, isn't that reassuring?" I think so too. "No, that girl called Kichi and Kirigaya said they were wizards, but that building from earlier had a lot of wizard reactions, meow. Probably, that place is a gathering of wizards, meow." For real? "Is the Timer Association that kind of place?" I decide to take a look at the business card I left on the kotatsu table. "Can i have a look too, please?" Because Ruri asked, I handed over my business card. "Hmm, there's nothing particullary magical about it... uh, let's see." Ruri went to the computer at the edge of the living room, turned it on, and began to do something with it. "What are you doing?" "Ohh just an internet search... it doesn't yield any results." In this day and age and there's no information on the Internet about it? "They were saying something about having connections with the police, meow." "Now that you mention it, they said they are something similar, didn't they?" "The police... those people showed up at the devil's place?" "Right. I did defeat a demon in the toilet, but then a high school girl and Kirigaya-san showed up right away." It really was immediate. "Could it be, is there an organization that deals with regulating such demons? When it came to dealing with the demon, Tatsuya-san was already there. That's why they want to interrogate you." That could be it. "I've never heard of such an organization, though…" "Could it be a secret organization?" That's kinda cool, isn't it? "We can't too frank to him right, meow? Depending on the type, demons can't be seen by ordinary people, after all." "I see... In that case, what about our upcoming meeting?" "Right now they are focusing on you, meow. Some wizards can detect magical power, you know. You're leaking a bit of magic, so it's likely, meow." Magical power... "What about Miriam?" "I'm a high-ranking demon, meow. They won't find out about me, meow." So you were a high-ranking one... Indeed, this fur is of superior quality... "Well, never mind. Let's decide after talking with him. You don't need to put up a barrier... Thank you for the meal." Since I've finished eating, I put my hands together in gratitude. "I have prepared the bath for you, so please go ahead and take a bath. Don't worry about cleaning up; I'll take care of it." "I would feel bad, I'll help out." It's just too much hospitality. "It's okay... please do your best again tomorrow." Ah... after all that's happened, it's still only Monday, huh...