16: Chapter 15: Little Natsume, What Do You Run For?
16: Chapter 15: Little Natsume, What Do You Run For?
The booth fell silent.
Suffocatingly silent.
Neither of the two people sitting there spoke.
Eventually, Li Ze moved.
He glanced toward the curtain separating the booth from the rest of the restaurant.
The soundproofing probably wasn’t very good…
“Relax.
“It’s late enough that the restaurant is almost closed.
“There aren’t many customers left.
“The restroom is on the other side.
“Nobody has a reason to come to this corner.
“I know the owner personally, and they know my habits.
“They won’t disturb me at this hour.
“So if you have secrets…
“You can speak freely.
“Nobody will overhear us.
“Of course, if you start shouting as loudly as that drunk earlier, there’s nothing I can do.” Tazuna’s gentle tone told Li Ze that this booth was suitable for discussing secrets.
Now Li Ze was the one troubled.
Tazuna appeared to have handed him control.
But if he simply refused to answer and left…
She might continue investigating.
Yet if he admitted everything immediately…
That felt frustrating.
Thinking back over her earlier questions…
Li Ze had internally mocked them.
That’s your evidence?
If I simply deny it, the whole argument collapses.
This isn’t how you bluff someone.
Who could’ve imagined the real killing blow was waiting at the end?
All the earlier questions…
Had she just been entertaining herself by watching him squirm?
“Tazuna.
“I’d like to make a phone call.” “Oh?
“You want to call Mika?
“She should already be asleep at this hour.” Tazuna casually mentioned a name.
Mika?
Mika…
Why does that sound familiar?
Li Ze searched his memories.
He couldn’t freely browse his past like some magical memory palace.
But the human brain was strange.
One association could bring back countless fragments.
“Mika…
“Isn’t that Grandma’s name?” The answer made him frown.
If anyone knew the most about his secret…
It would be the welfare home’s elderly director.
After all, she’d personally helped establish Natsume Reiko’s identity records.
It was natural that she might have inferred certain things.
But Grandma…
Did you seriously sell me out?
Then Li Ze thought about the old woman’s character.
“Evidence?” He asked.
“Tazuna, you saying that doesn’t prove anything.” “Natsume-kun.
“Your reaction already proves quite a lot.” “People can fake reactions too.” In the age of capital and legal departments…
Verbal agreements meant almost nothing.
Even in workplaces, instructions from superiors should ideally be recorded through email.
Nobody knew when a boss might later deny what they’d said aloud.
Tazuna wasn’t some naïve girl from the racetrack.
She understood what Li Ze meant.
“I understand.
“Scroll down.
“The next video contains the proof you’re asking for.
“I originally thought it wouldn’t be necessary.
“Mika was the one who insisted I record it.” Li Ze said nothing.
He followed her instructions and opened the next video.
The elderly director appeared on screen.
He remained still.
Patiently watching.
Tazuna also allowed him to do so in silence.
For a while…
The only sounds in the booth came from the recording…
And the faint sizzling of oil on the grill.
A long time later…
The video reached its final second.
Li Ze finally understood everything.
The elderly director…
Had once been a Trainer.
She and Tazuna Hayakawa were old acquaintances.
Very close friends, in fact.
So she’d told Tazuna what she’d observed.
And asked her to help Li Ze.
In other words…
Li Ze could trust Tazuna.
“Now you believe me, right?” Tazuna accepted the phone Li Ze handed back.
“I believe what you’re saying.
“I’ll admit it.
“Your guess is correct.” With Grandma vouching for her…
Li Ze temporarily chose to trust the Green Demon.
He had arrived in this world alone.
If he refused to trust anyone at all…
That would be exhausting.
He had no desire to experience what it felt like to stand against the entire world.
“You’re really cautious.
“You only nodded after seeing this much evidence.
“And even now…
“You’re still being slippery.
“You refuse to say it directly.” Li Ze smiled.
She’d seen through his little trick.
Yes.
He’d admitted that Tazuna’s guess was correct.
He hadn’t said the words: Natsume Sawa is Natsume Reiko.
If something unexpected happened later, he’d still have room to retreat.
He could claim he’d misunderstood which “guess” she meant.
“Also…
“Earlier you were calling me Tazuna.
“Why are you suddenly back to Miss Hayakawa?” Tazuna didn’t continue pressing him on the issue.
Instead, she changed topics.
Seeing that she wasn’t going to torment him further, Li Ze relaxed.
“You and Grandma are from the same generation.
“Calling you simply Tazuna seems inappropriate.
“Honestly, even Miss Hayakawa might be too disrespectful.
“Maybe I should call you Grandma Tazuna instead—” “Seriously, Natsume-kun.
“Do I look that old?
“I’m still such a young woman.
“How could you bear to call me Grandma?” Li Ze replied, “Tazuna, age and seniority are different things.” “But women remember grudges involving age very clearly.” Tazuna smiled.
This wasn’t even subtle anymore.
It was a blatant threat.
Li Ze inhaled deeply.
“Big Sister Tazuna.” “Good boy.
“Now let’s talk business, little Natsume.” Tazuna looked extremely satisfied.
“So…
“Are you prepared to join Tracen Academy?” “What do you think I should do, Big Sister Tazuna?” Li Ze smoothly kicked the question back to her.
He was still conflicted.
So he might as well hear what his newly acquired “big sister” thought.
Tazuna smiled.
“You really hate losing out, don’t you?
“Already asking your big sister for help?
“Fine.
“I can’t accept that ‘Big Sister’ for free.
“I heard you rented an abandoned training ground belonging to an old Uma Musume academy.” “Yes.” Li Ze nodded.
He’d only finalized the deal a few days earlier.
“Where is it?” Li Ze gave her the location.
Tazuna considered for a moment.
“That place…
“If I remember correctly, it has a dirt track.
“Still, it’s enough for basic training.
“Little Natsume, your situation is unusual.
“I’m guessing you don’t want Natsume Reiko to be your default form most of the time.” “Correct.” As a man, Li Ze naturally had some curiosity about a woman’s body.
But he wasn’t a cross-dressing enthusiast.
He had no interest in spending most of his life female.
As for cuddling with Uma Musume…
He could think about things like that later.
Tazuna’s brow relaxed.
“Then I recommend the auditing-student system.
“The subsidy is smaller, but it’s much more flexible.
“With your ability, little Natsume, you can earn money through races instead.
“But that raises another question.
“Your purpose.” Tazuna looked directly at him.
“Little Natsume…
“What do you run for?” It was the most important question she’d asked all night.
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