I became the Lord of the Eternal World in Tokyo.

It looked like it was about to smash its head against the window frame.

In the nick of time, a slender yet strong arm wrapped around his chest and scooped him up.

Ririko pouted, looked down at Uesugi Tetsuya, whose face was paler than paper, and sighed helplessly, "This is endless. Fine, I'll carry you out."

"I didn't expect you guys to call the police too. Luckily you're not afraid of losing face... otherwise, those two unconscious guys wouldn't have been able to get back."

Before Uesugi Tetsuya could reply, he felt himself being gently flipped over and landed on Ririko's flat, sturdy back.

His chin rested limply on the girl's shoulder; if he looked down, he might have seen some scenery he wouldn't normally see.

But Uesugi Tetsu was just thinking in a daze.

Why does this feel so familiar...?

With his head spinning more and more, Uesugi Tetsu couldn't think too much and had no choice but to be carried by Ririko to the gate of the abandoned school without even breaking a sweat.

In the light drizzle, a van with its hazard lights on, following traffic rules, was parked there.

The car door opened, and then muffled conversation could be heard.

One was nervous and unfamiliar, while the other was relaxed and familiar.

"Inspector Nanjo, yes, two people came out of there."

"Phew... but there are five people in total."

Nanjo Manami, sporting a neat short haircut, exhaled a smoke ring, patted her new patrol chief on the back, causing Shizuma Mafuyu, who had only recently graduated, to flinch.

"Mafuyu, go ask where the other three brats have gone."

"Okay, okay."

Then, Uesugi Tetsu heard Ririko chatting away with a strangely familiar female voice for several minutes.

He felt himself being carried a short distance, and heard someone speak.

"—Nice to meet you, I am Nanjo Manami."

"You are safe."

Upon hearing these two sentences, Uesugi Tetsuya suddenly looked up and gazed at Nanjo Aimi, who was leaning against the car door.

But after looking up, Uesugi Tetsu opened his mouth and then didn't know what to say.

This is also normal.

Since it was his first time meeting this police officer surnamed Nanjo, there was nothing to say.

The latter took the cigarette from between his lips and teeth, slightly taken aback: "What's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing..."

Uesugi Tetsu shook his head and was carefully placed into the back seat of the van by Ririko.

The other two unconscious brothers and the girl were carried back one by one by Ririko and Shizuma Mafuyu, and neatly piled up in the trunk.

The van started.

Uesugi Tetsu leaned weakly against the car window, staring blankly at the misty drizzle outside. He felt his childhood friend nudge his waist with her elbow and ask softly,

"Hey, Uesugi-kun... you look really pale. If you're scared, why don't you come stay at my house tonight?"

—Because Uesugi Tetsu's parents died in a car accident a long time ago, he now lives alone at home.

—And because her great-grandfather from the Tokugawa family passed away a few years ago, her parents had to return to the family to fill some vacancies.

Currently, there are only two people in their Tokyo home, including Ririko.

With that in mind, Ririko said those words.

"Yo."

In the passenger seat, Nanjo Manami glanced at the rearview mirror and chuckled, "A young couple living together before even finishing high school? But before that, we need to take a statement first."

Ririko nodded generously: "Of course I will cooperate with you, Inspector Nanjo."

.

Soon, the van stopped in front of the police station.

Still feeling a bit dizzy, Uesugi Tetsuya was helped into the recording room by Ririko and sat down.

Then he saw a girl sitting upright directly opposite him.

"Hello, Mr. Uesugi. I'm Mafuyu Shizuma, and I'm in charge of taking your statement." Mafuyu Shizuma bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you!"

Next, Uesugi Tetsu told everything in detail, without hiding anything.

The whole process took less than 30 minutes.

Snapped.

Shizuma Mafuyu closed the booklet in her hand and bowed to him again.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

Once the statement was taken, Uesugi Tetsu could have left.

But he remained seated in that hard chair, staring blankly at the new Metropolitan Police Department recruit opposite him, as if he hadn't heard what Shizuma Mafuyu had just said.

I don't know why, but suddenly I felt a soreness in the tip of my nose.

"Mr. Uesugi? Mr. Uesugi?" Shizuma Mafuyu reached out and waved her hand in front of his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing."

Uesugi Tetsu shook his head, stood up, and extended his hand to Shizuma Mafuyu: "Thank you, Officer Shizuma."

The latter blinked, smiled, and reached out to grasp Uesugi Tetsu's hands.

"You're welcome."

……

After leaving the police station, Uesugi Tetsu was naturally taken home by Ririko in a daze.

dong dong dong.

At the door, he saw Ririko actually reach out and knock.

Uesugi Tetsuya was taken aback: "Does someone live here?"

Before Ririko could nod, the door was opened.

A rather mature and clear female voice came from behind the door: "Little sister, why are you so late..."

The female college student, wearing a white T-shirt and with her hair in a high ponytail, yanked open the security door and stopped talking when she saw Uesugi Tetsu behind Ririko.

His expression was subtle.

Uesugi Tetsu could feel the female college student in front of him glance at him, then at Ririko, before finally asking,

"Who is this……"

"Sister Xing, don't you know?" Ririko put her arm around Uesugi Tetsuya and grinned at her. "Uesugi Tetsuya, my childhood friend."

Upon hearing this introduction, Tokugawa Hoshi narrowed his eyes and carefully examined Uesugi Tetsu.

A moment later, she turned to the side.

"Anyway, you should come in first, it's already very late."

She closed the door, and only after Uesugi Tetsuya changed his shoes did he see a rough, calloused hand extended in front of him.

"Hello, Uesugi-kun. I'm Ririko's third older sister. I'm in Tokyo for a tournament and I'm staying here for a while."

Uesugi Tetsu shook hands with her.

Upon hearing the words "coming to Tokyo to play a match," he instinctively looked up and asked, "Are you here to play in a seeded match?"

"what?"

Tokugawa Hoshi raised an eyebrow.

"What the hell? It's the National Kendo Championship."

Ririko chimed in from the side, a hint of envy in her eyes: "Sister Xing already won the national championship last year, and she wants to defend it this year."

The girl thought that Uesugi Tetsuya was surprised by the title, so she patted his shoulder and spoke loudly.

"Since we were little, Xingjie has often stayed at my house, it's just that you two have never met her."

Because the Jade Dragon Flag ceremony will begin in two or three months, Sister Xing's visit here is partly to provide me with guidance.

Tokugawa Hoshi shrank his neck and raised his hands: "Don't flatter me, old man... By the time you get to my age, your swordsmanship will probably have me pinned to the ground and beaten to a pulp."

A few minutes later, Uesugi Tetsu sat on the sofa, watched the TV turn on, took a sip of the barley tea that Ririko had brought him, and then noticed that she had casually spoken up.

"By the way, Uesugi-kun, if nothing unexpected happens, I'll be going to Tokyo University."

She blinked: "As a kendo specialist."

Uesugi Tetsuya, who had just finished half of his cheap barley tea, put down his teacup and gave her a thumbs-up.

"That's very good."

Not far away, sitting at the dining table and watching the two of them, Tokugawa Hoshi clicked his tongue twice.

—My sister has already made it clear, how come this guy still doesn't understand?

—Is this made of wood or stone?

When Ririko went to her room to change, Tokugawa Hoshi sat down beside him, coughed, and asked,

"Hey, Uesugi-kun, how are your grades going these days?"

Uesugi Tetsu, who was leaning back on the sofa watching the latest anime episode that had been released an hour ago, replied without hesitation.

"It's alright..."

Tokugawa Hoshi frowned and continued, "Don't you want to apply to Tokyo University?"

"If you're asking whether I want to or not, then of course I do," Uesugi Tetsu replied earnestly, setting his teacup aside. "But there's only a little over a year left, and there's no way to salvage my grades..."

"A man can't give up so easily!"

Tokugawa Hoshi slammed his hands heavily on Uesugi Tetsu's shoulders, looking directly into his calm, indifferent eyes, and said, "Come on! Give me your parents' phone number, I'm going to give you a good thrashing..."

"Sister Xing".

Suddenly, Ririko's voice came from not far away, interrupting Tokugawa Hoshi's words.

"Uesugi-kun's parents have long since..."

She didn't say anything more.

But Tokugawa Hoshi naturally understood as well.

She loosened her grip, lowered her head, and sighed.

"Feel sorry."

"It's fine."

Uesugi Tetsu shook his head.

For some reason, he actually had little affection for his so-called parents, or rather, he had almost no memory of them.

Of course, Uesugi Tetsu was still very grateful for the huge sum of money they left behind, enough for him to live comfortably until he was 120 years old.

An awkward silence fell over the living room.

Ririko clapped her hands first and said, "It's so late, Uesugi-kun and Hoshi-nee must be hungry, I'll go make some midnight snacks!"

After saying that, she strode over to the refrigerator, skillfully took out the ingredients, and then went into the kitchen...

Chi Chi Chi.

The sound of the gas stove being turned on rang out.

After a long silence, Tokugawa Hoshi spoke softly: "Uesugi-kun, if you want to pursue our Ririko, even Tokyo University might not be enough."

Regardless, she is a member of the Tokugawa family.

After waiting quietly for her to finish speaking, Uesugi Tetsu replied,

"Ririko and I are just childhood friends."