I am a female swordsman.

Huang Quan swirled his wine glass, a perfect smile curving his lips. "Ghouls, very similar to humans, yet their origins are unknown. They share a high degree of similarity with humans; in fact, they possess emotions..."

As he spoke, Huang Quan took a sip of red wine.

"It's hard to understand, but I can understand their desire to live."

Huang Quan used to wield her sword to survive; this was the beginning of her swordsmanship, but not its entirety. If she were to kill simply to survive and eventually become a demon, it would be only a matter of time.

Ghouls are intelligent beings; they must think after they've filled their stomachs. They ponder what meaningful things they can do after surviving, and what else ghouls can do. For example, there was Ms. Irimi Kaname; Yomi chose to keep the fact that she saved her life a secret, wanting to see for herself.

Take a look...

What will become of her, an investigator, and Irimi, a ghoul? Whether it's good or bad doesn't matter; what matters is the process. Yomi remembered Dr. Fueguchi, who stood in front of her for her family, Irimi holding her hands, and the one-eyed girl crying before she transmigrated.

"Ghouls, there's no need for us to listen to them, is there?"

Yamen's words startled Huang Quan, who was lost in thought. The burly man was looking at Huang Quan with a complicated expression.

The atmosphere seemed somewhat stagnant and oppressive as their eyes met.

In the end, it was Mado Kureo who broke the oppressive atmosphere by tapping on the table. In Mado's view, it was not a bad thing that his two disciples liked to think, but it would be a loss if it affected their behavior.

"For the sake of humanity, that is enough."

Huang Quan smiled but didn't speak. Her face, which had been slightly pale from her injuries, was now an unnatural flush from the few sips of wine. Yes, as long as it's for the greater good of humanity, any despicable act can be forgiven, right? Huang Quan knew that all too well.

Kotaro Amon seemed to have something he wanted to say to Yomi, but after glancing at his mentor, he chose to remain silent.

As long as ghouls can only feed on humans, the banner of righteousness will never fall!

The distracting thoughts that had been swirling in her mind were gently brushed away, and Yomi, who always maintained a pure and clean sword heart, easily severed all her distractions. No matter what kind of ghoul she faced, her sword would not hesitate; the sword demon Yomi would never waver.

Enjoy the upscale and luxurious banquet dance floor while gazing at the beautiful Tokyo night view.

There were no police sirens in District 20 tonight.

Back home, Huang Quan slept soundly, without nightmares or pleasant dreams. It was as if she had returned to the familiar womb, exceptionally peaceful and comfortable. But as Huang Quan closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, a blood-red figure vaguely appeared above her, its crimson energy swirling and flowing before quietly disappearing into the [Panming Sword].

………………

Ward 20, Gana General Hospital.

The sun was shining brightly, and the cheerful chirping of birds filled the air. Perhaps because it had just rained a few days ago, the sky was exceptionally blue, and even the clouds were just a few fluffy white ones, like hemispherical blue gems hanging in the sky.

It's so beautiful, so beautiful that it makes you want to destroy it.

With her hands tucked into her trench coat, Huang Quan felt the cool autumn breeze blowing through her hair, and she transformed back into the sword demon who terrified ghouls.

"This is my ID. May I ask where the college student who was hospitalized a few days ago because of the ghoul incident is now?"

Show your identification and ask where Kaneki Ken is.

Since the CCG headquarters had granted Yomi a few days' leave, and Mado had explicitly told her to go out for a while but not to approach the 20th Division branch, Yomi took this opportunity to visit Kaneki Ken. Regardless, Yomi felt guilty for not being able to protect Kaneki Ken, who was just a civilian at the time.

"Please follow me." The nurse looked a little nervous after checking the identification.

Are you afraid of me?

Out of habit, Huang Quan asked a follow-up question. The beautiful nurse's aura clearly indicated that she was an ordinary person, and it was probably her first time seeing a ghoul investigator.

“Please forgive me! After all, facing something like a cannibalistic demon…” Nurse Taguchi’s face paled, and she couldn’t continue. Huang Quan nodded understandingly and didn’t press further.

This is normal.

I've encountered similar situations when I'm on duty before. After all, White Dove deals with ghouls, so it's natural for others to be afraid. It's common sense to keep your distance from White Dove, just to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

"How is that college student doing?"

"Kaneki recovered remarkably well. He was almost dead when he was brought in, but thankfully Dr. Kanou made the quick decision to operate on him, otherwise he would have died." Nurse Taguchi's expression brightened when she mentioned Kaneki, as if she was very happy to have snatched a life from the jaws of death.

Huang Quan was also affected by this and his mood became cheerful.

"But Kaneki-kun has a problem with loss of appetite. How can he recover if he doesn't eat properly?"

"Oh...is that so?" Huang Quan's crimson pupils, hidden behind her sunglasses, contracted sharply before quickly returning to normal. However, a hint of wariness had already crept into her heart. "Don't worry, I'll persuade him to eat properly."

"Thank you so much!"

"You are welcome."

Anorexia? Is it simply anorexia, or is he unable to eat human food? Was Kaneki Ken transformed into a ghoul as in the original storyline? If so, it seems that the original ghoul storyline cannot be explained by accident; it was deliberate. Behind the scenes, someone or more people intentionally transplanted ghoul organs into humans!

'Unforgivable!!'

Despite her serene and elegant demeanor, a murderous intent quietly rose within Huang Quan's heart. She could never forgive such an act of deliberately turning humans into ghouls, no matter the reason.

As they passed a ward, Nurse Taguchi secretly winked at someone inside. The person in the white coat, having escaped death, immediately fled the hospital.

Chapter Forty-Five: The Fragrance of Roses

"Senior Huang Quan...!"

When Kaneki saw Yomi, carrying a sword pouch, being led into the ward by a nurse, he almost instinctively dropped the book he was reading. During his time in the hospital these past few days, Kaneki had gradually noticed strange changes in his body. Before he could even think about it further, Yomi showed up at his door!

Nurse Taguchi wisely withdrew.

Looking at Jinmu, who appeared to be recovering from a serious illness, Huang Quan clearly sensed a certain aura emanating from him.

If it was just speculation before, now that they met, they were almost certain. Kaneki Ken actually had that very scent that Yomi hated, and the original owner of that scent was none other than [Oogami] Rize Kamishiro! A hint of killing intent flashed through Yomi's mind, and she was already considering how to deal with Kaneki Ken!

"I hope you won't mind that I've taken so long to visit.

"No! No! I'm already so happy that Huang Quan-senpai came to visit me..." Kaneki Ken, who was initially very excited and happy, said, but his voice gradually became softer.

He longed for the beautiful and powerful Yellow Springs!

In the veil of torrential rain that day, Kaneki Ken saw Yomi, the sword demon in her demon form. She looked down on everything like a queen, taking everything for granted as if it were beneath her feet. Her power was something Kaneki could only dream of. He felt like a drop of water, while the dazzling Yomi was the sun. The closer he got to her, the faster he would dissipate.

"I heard from the nurse that you haven't been eating properly lately."

"Hmm, I do dislike it a little."

"Kaneki-kun, could it be that you've become..." Yomi deliberately drew out the last syllable, watching Kaneki's suddenly tense and unnatural expression. "...You've become a little kid who needs to be coaxed to eat? That won't do. Acting cute isn't suitable for you, Kaneki-kun."

Huang Quan took off his sunglasses and looked out the window at the scenery.

Her alluring scarlet eyes exuded a unique charm, and those eyes, which were said to resemble the scarlet pupils of ghouls, were exposed to Kaneki without reservation.

"What a nice view……"

No! It should be said that Huang Quan's eyes are no longer associated with ghouls at all; instead, they possess a completely different kind of beauty. The scarlet lenses are distinctly layered, and if you look closely, you can even see the pink tinge on their surface, making them crystal clear like gemstones.

"I accept this compliment."

"Oh! I'm so sorry! It was my rudeness!!"

Suddenly realizing how rude it was to stare into Huang Quan's eyes and mutter to himself, Kaneki quickly apologized.

Huang Quan was quite happy to accept this sincere praise, which was devoid of any ulterior motives.

After all, she was still human. Those eyes had once been the object of fear and reprisal, but now they were being praised. It was a very subtle feeling. Huang Quan wasn't one to mince words; she happily and generously accepted Kaneki's praise and stood up.

Then he bowed deeply to the unfortunate Kaneki lying on the hospital bed!

"Senior Huang Quan?!" Faced with Huang Quan's sudden bow, the astonishing whiteness of her chest trembled violently. Kaneki, a pure and innocent virgin, blushed and nervously looked away at this visually stunning sight.

His thought was...

'Huang Quan's seems to be even bigger than Rize's.'

"Please forgive me, Kaneki-kun. As a ghoul investigator, I failed to save you in time when you were kidnapped by ghouls, causing you to suffer this fate." Yomi wasn't shameless enough to say that Kaneki Ken was originally supposed to become a ghoul, and that his current transformation into a ghoul had nothing to do with her, using this excuse to comfortably convince herself.

A mistake is a mistake, and Huang Quan isn't so desperate as to lack the courage to bear the consequences.

"If it weren't for Senior Huang Quan, I might have died long ago, so please don't blame yourself anymore." Kaneki, whose personality was originally rather gentle, quickly comforted her when he saw Huang Quan bowing so deeply and speaking so sincerely, without ever blaming her.

"Anyway, Kaneki-kun, if you need any help, please feel free to contact me."

"OK……"

Kaneki answered hesitantly, and his initially anxious heart gradually calmed down as he looked at the composed and confident Yomi.

It is instinctive to admire and follow the strong.

As long as Kaneki Ken could see Yomi's figure, he would feel no longer lost. It was as if he could borrow courage from Yomi. Compared to Yomi's past experience of being misunderstood and isolated by almost everyone, his own predicament seemed insignificant. Kaneki put aside his distracting thoughts and happily chatted with Yomi.

He really is lonely.

When Kaneki was injured and hospitalized, apart from his friend Hideyoshi Nagachika visiting him once, he was surrounded by unfamiliar faces of medical staff.

The gradual changes occurring in his body inflicted double torment on him, both physically and mentally. Although he was inevitably afraid of Yomi, who was a ghoul investigator, Kaneki was more unwilling to face the suffocating loneliness than the danger to his life.

Both of them were interested in fine literature, so they chatted about the Tagore poetry collection that Kaneki had in his hand.

Most of Tagore's beautiful poems are imbued with romanticism.

Love, friendship, and light.

While reading and savoring the text, Huang Quan could always sense a deep sadness between the lines, but the emotions Tagore wanted to convey were positive and optimistic. For Kaneki Ken at this moment, it was nothing short of salvation from falling into a dark abyss, and he, like Huang Quan, could understand this emotion.

"The world has kissed me with pain, and I will repay it with a song."

Because I have been treated kindly by others, I want to treat others kindly in return, even if I am going through a period of misfortune and hardship. This kind of kindness is not wrong.

"...Even in the harshest winter, never forget the fragrance of roses."

"Senior, isn't this a line from Tagore's poetry collection?" Kaneki was stirred by the unfamiliar verses that Huang Quan suddenly recited. To not forget the fragrance of roses even in the coldest winter—what an admirable quality!

"Yes, but he was also a great poet."

Huang Quan chuckled to herself. She actually recited the poem she remembered before she transmigrated. But this should suit Kaneki quite well.

Unbeknownst to Kaneki, something subtly appeared deep within Yomi's eyes.

If it were the kind-hearted Kaneki, perhaps he could provide the answers to Yomi's recent doubts. But in this twisted world, are those answers right or wrong? What exactly are ghouls and humans to each other? Yomi has unknowingly become qualified to ponder such questions.

Author's Note:

P.S.: A book club has been created; the group number is 738756705. It's also mentioned in the description. Please treat this doll well!

Chapter Forty-Six: Crushing the Past

"What did you say? You want to become as powerful as me?"

When Yomi finished her visit and was about to leave, Kaneki Ken solemnly made this request. Yomi's originally calm and natural expression suddenly became extremely serious. In Kaneki's words, it was like a tiger that was sniffing a rose suddenly baring its fangs. The sharp feeling against his throat made him mistakenly think that he had said something wrong and angered Yomi.