Tokyo Ghoul: Starting with Kamui!

After making up her mind, Yoshimura Eto retraced her steps.

Fortunately, the passenger and driver were still busy arguing with the police, and she hadn't gone too far. Taking advantage of the distraction, she quickly slipped the wallet back through the car window, returning it to its original place.

Then, as if nothing had ever happened, she walked away with an air of complete indifference.

"I've already returned the wallet. So, when do you plan on signing me?"

Standing before Uchiha Byakuya once again, Eto asked directly.

She wanted to test him—to see if he was serious or if he had just been toying with her.

"If you have no other plans, we can head back to the publishing house right now and sign the contract."

Byakuya answered without hesitation.

"Oh...?"

Eto was slightly surprised. So he's actually serious?

At that moment, Byakuya pulled her manuscript from his bag.

"Your manuscript is with me. Do you want me to keep holding onto it, or would you rather take it back?"

Eto's gaze fell upon the stack of pages in his hands—only to realize that he had carefully packaged them. The manuscript was now neatly secured to prevent the pages from scattering and to ensure its preservation.

This simple act told her more than words ever could.

She could feel his sincerity.

Her trust in Uchiha Byakuya rose slightly.

"You can hold onto it."

She answered after a brief pause.

"Alright."

Byakuya nodded and tucked the manuscript back into his bag.

With that, he turned and started walking back toward Shoei Publishing, while Eto silently followed behind.

From the outside, she looked like nothing more than an obedient, adorable young girl.

No one—absolutely no one—would ever suspect that this petite, harmless-looking child was, in reality, the SSS-rated Ghoul, The One-Eyed Owl.

No one… except Uchiha Byakuya.

Because he knew everything.

The two soon arrived at Shoei Publishing.

As Byakuya entered the office to retrieve the contract, Shunji Shiono happened to take notice of his actions.

"Uchiha-san, have you already found a writer you want to sign?"

Shiono asked, curious.

"Yes, it's the writer of the manuscript you gave me earlier. I see a lot of potential in her."

Byakuya replied calmly.

"Oh, I see... wait, what?!"

It took Shiono a second to process before his eyes widened.

"You're serious? But that's a middle schooler! And your contract slots during your internship are limited—every choice is crucial if you want to pass the evaluation!"

His words weren't meant to be discouraging—if anything, it was well-intended advice. From his perspective, Byakuya was about to waste one of his valuable contract slots.

If the manuscript turned out to be a commercial failure, it could severely hurt the company—and completely tank Byakuya's internship evaluation.

But what Shiono didn't know was that Yoshimura Eto was standing just outside the office.

She had heard everything.

The dismissive attitude from the same short-sighted editor still left her frustrated… but there was one thing he said that caught her attention.

So my manuscript… could actually affect this new editor's future?

"I understand, and I appreciate your advice, Shiono-senpai... but I trust my instincts."

Byakuya's voice was firm, unwavering.8

"...Alright then. Good luck."

Faced with Uchiha Byakuya's unwavering determination, Shunji Shiono saw no point in arguing further.

Well, he was just a rookie—it was normal to be idealistic.

Who hadn't been full of youthful ambition at some point?

Reality would beat it out of him soon enough.

Still… how old was Byakuya again?

Shiono suddenly remembered—this kid was only eighteen.

That was exceptionally young for an editor. He was probably some kind of rare prodigy… but still too young.

After preparing the contract, Byakuya left the office and found a quiet place to meet with Yoshimura Eto.

Now seated across from her, he handed over the contract.

"Take your time and go over the details."

He began the signing process.

"Alright..."

Eto flipped through the pages, scanning the contents.

It was her first time seeing a publishing contract, and she found it surprisingly interesting.

But as she continued reading, her expression subtly shifted.

She had just discovered something.

Publishing required both the publisher and the author to share the costs.

And she… only had two coins to her name.

Of course, this was a standard contract. There were other types of agreements, but those weren't worth mentioning for now.

For example, some authors chose to self-publish, covering all costs themselves.

Shared-cost publishing and self-publishing were the most common methods.

Eto had never really looked into this before—she had simply assumed that writing could directly earn her money.

"If you have any concerns, feel free to ask."

Byakuya's Mangekyō Sharingan-enhanced perception immediately caught the subtle change in her expression, so he addressed it proactively.

"The contract says I have to pay part of the publishing cost… but I don't have any money."

Eto stated her biggest problem outright.

"No money, huh...?"

Byakuya pretended to think for a moment before casually offering,

"That's not really an issue. I can cover your share of the cost for you."

Eto blinked in surprise.

She hadn't expected him to go this far for her.

Up until now, she had been ignoring the fact that her manuscript could potentially hurt his career.

Because she desperately needed the money.

But now… his sincerity and genuine kindness were making her rethink things.

"Thank you... but are you sure? I overheard that guy earlier. If this fails, won't your job be at risk?"

"It's fine. I have complete confidence in both your manuscript and your potential. And I trust my own judgment."

Byakuya's voice was firm, filled with absolute certainty.

Of course, he knew exactly how talented Eto was.

In the future, she would undoubtedly become a top-tier author.

And even if this job didn't work out, he didn't care—he only needed the mission rewards from the system.

Besides, his real job was with the CCG.

His placement at Shoei Publishing was just part of an undercover investigation.

Until his mission was complete, there was no way the CCG would let him get fired.

"Alright. I understand."

Since he wasn't worried, Eto decided not to dwell on it either.

She had no reason not to sign the contract.

A short while later, the contract was officially signed.

Byakuya extended his right hand toward Eto.

"Yoshimura-san, I look forward to working with you."