Starting With The Sefirah Castle In The Anime World-Chapter 168: The Latecomers

It was over.

Through his Vision, Ren observed as the police wrapped up the scene.

Aside from the female gang leader who had been taken down, the four other male robbers had been restrained in handcuffs.

And along with the criminals, the police also escorted four children out of the supermarket.

Kudo...

He couldn't help but wonder—who else would be this restless, running around in the middle of the night?

Of course, it was him.

Earlier, when he stood outside the supermarket, Ren had questioned who could possibly be messing around this late.

And now, the answer was clear.

"What are you doing?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Ren shook his head slightly.

"Just checking whether the police have handled the situation."

"Huh?"

Yoko blinked in confusion and turned to glance behind her.

They were several blocks away from the supermarket now—how could he see anything?

"You're not even trying to act anymore, huh?"

"You were so good at pretending before."

Ren sighed helplessly.

"Some things are bound to be revealed. There's no point in hiding them forever."

"And besides, I never told you anything, you just figured things out yourself."

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There were things Ren would never disclose on his own.

But if Yoko guessed them, then his response was simple—he'd just pretend not to know what she was talking about.

"Hmm... Whatever."

After staring at him for a while, Yoko put her curiosity aside.

She didn't need all the answers right now.

As long as she was able to figure out some of his secrets, that was enough for now.

She wasn't going to be just another clueless woman in his life.

Bit by bit, she'd uncover the truth.

For now, she was satisfied.

At the very least, she'd wait until she got what he had promised her, then she'd start asking more questions.

"I'll pretend I don't know anything for now."

"But when the time comes, you'll tell me little by little, right?"

Ren nodded slightly.

Hearing his confirmation, Yoko let out a small sigh.

"Ha... I'm going to be really busy once I start my own studio."

"Not only do I have to be my own boss, but I also have to be my own artist."

"I even need to learn how to market myself, see how the agents do it."

"What about your previous one?"

"My previous agent..."

At the mention of him, Yoko let out another sigh.

"Mr. Yamagishi is great at his job, but he's too good at making decisions for me."

"And he's loyal to the agency, not to me."

"The medication they sent me—it came through his hands."

"I don't think Mr. Yamagishi was unaware... but..."

Ren immediately recalled Yamagishi Eiichi, the agent in question.

In the original storyline, this agent did cause quite a bit of trouble for Okino Yoko.

As an agent, he was undeniably skilled at protecting his artist and securing deals.

But he was also someone who liked to make decisions on his own, rather than giving Yoko a say in her career.

And that was a problem.

Ren believed an agent should be someone who presents choices, not someone who makes them.

Yamagishi Eiichi clearly failed in that regard.

"So, you're planning to be your own agent?"

"Yeah."

Yoko knew it wouldn't be easy.

She had no experience in handling an agent's work, nor did she know what kind of challenges she'd face.

"Until I find someone I can trust, I'm not planning to hire another agent."

"At worst, I'll have my friend's agent help out."

"Besides, I doubt I'll be lacking in resources in the industry moving forward."

"...That's true."

Ren had to agree.

As long as Shinomiya was backing Yoko, she would never have to struggle for resources.

Countless artists would kill for the kind of opportunities she'd soon have at her fingertips.

Agents were typically responsible for managing an artist's workload and daily affairs.

But if Yoko didn't need to worry about securing jobs, then all she really needed was someone to help her filter out the offers that suited her best.

"Ha~~"

After walking for a while, Yoko started feeling the effects of the cool night air.

"Well... I can't keep going. I'm getting sleepy."

The breeze had finally settled her restless thoughts.

And after watching such an eventful scene tonight, it felt like everything had reached a natural conclusion.

Well, the more important reason was—if they kept walking forward, they'd reach the commercial district.

And that, Ren wanted to avoid at all costs.

There was no way he was willing to experience being stared at by strangers again—especially not while still wearing dinosaur pajamas.

"Heading back?"

"Yeah, I'm going home."

Okino Yoko knew she'd be able to sleep well tonight.

She had clarified something important.

She had established her stance.

Their relationship wouldn't change overnight, but...

For now, this was the best possible outcome for her.

On their way home, they chose a quieter route.

At least this way, they wouldn't have to deal with so many onlookers.

Just like always, they didn't do anything unusual.

They simply said their goodbyes and returned to their respective apartments.

After closing the door behind her, Yoko leaned against it, placing her hands gently over her chest.

"Hmm~ Am I really going to end up dating a high schooler?"

"Well~ I'm only 22, and he's 16... The gap isn't that big."

Six years wasn't that big of a deal.

And just like that, she brushed aside the thought.

"Besides... there are way bigger concerns than just our age gap."

Her mind drifted back to the mysteries surrounding him.

The abnormal things he could do.

If she ever got close enough to uncover those truths, then age would probably be the least of her concerns.

After all, once she truly stepped into his world, she would inevitably learn secrets that were far more important.

Yoko didn't believe that the "relationship" Ren had mentioned before was as simple as it seemed.

Perhaps, when she was finally faced with the full truth, their six-year age gap wouldn't even matter anymore.

"Well~ I should focus on my own goals first."

"I'll think about everything else later."

"...Maybe I'm just another latecomer compared to her."

(To be continued.)

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