From the very beginning, she had been casting expectant glances at Aoto.
She was hoping to hear the answer she longed for from Aoto.
However... at this mont, a trace of loneliness uncontrollably crossed her eyes.
Because Aoto remained silent.
Aoto’s mind... had not fully recovered from being "stunned."
He had not yet completely digested the shock caused by "Cat Monk is Mukiwa," and had already received the request to "jointly resolve the ’Street Killing Incident.’"...
Feeling his head swelling slightly, Aoto bent his right index finger and rubbed his brow lightly with the second joint of that finger.
A Street Killing Incident targeting Hieda specifically...
What does such a thing have to do with —Aoto heard this "voice" erging in his mind.
This "voice" went on to tell him: Going with Miss Kinoshita to handle this incident that the Magistrate’s Office won’t care about... there’s no benefit in that at all.
Even if they successfully resolve this incident in the end, there would be no achievents to earn, what rits could co from lending a hand to Hieda?
It’s nothing but toil without reward.
The tone of this "voice" grew louder and louder.
Finally, it beca so loud that Aoto’s heartbeat involuntarily accelerated by a few beats.
What this "voice" said... was not without reason.
Yes, not without reason indeed.
Why go through the trouble of intervening in sothing irrelevant, ti-consuming, and lacking any benefit for oneself?
But—right at that mont, a question quickly followed in Aoto’s mind:
Handling this "Street Killing Incident," what benefit does it have for Miss Kinoshita?
...
...
Seeing Aoto still not speaking, Mukiwa couldn’t help but purse her red lips, the loneliness in her eyes gathered more and more.
Suddenly, Aoto unexpectedly spoke:
"...Miss Kinoshita, why do you want to involve yourself in this matter? People avoid Hieda like the plague, and not even the Magistrate’s Office will concern themselves with them. Yet, you want to actively help them."
Upon hearing Aoto’s question, Mukiwa was montarily stunned.
Then, she replied without hesitation:
"Hieda are human too. I just want to do my best to lend a hand to those in distress, nothing more!"
After speaking, Mukiwa blinked, her eyes flashing with a resolute light—as if stating an obvious truth.
This was the first ti Aoto saw Mukiwa with such an expression.
"..." Aoto gazed back at Mukiwa without expression.
After a while, a strange smile appeared on Aoto’s face.
"Ha... It seems your earlier words about ’aspiring to beco a hero who can do sothing practical for the people’ weren’t just talk."
"I understand now."
Aoto took a deep breath, then solemnly nodded.
"So then—let do what little I can."
"?!" Mukiwa’s eyes widened in surprise.
She opened and closed her mouth a few tis, seemingly wanting to say sothing, but what she wanted to say never turned into words.
Behind the black face covering, a joyful smile quickly spread—her smile was worth a thousand words.
"Miss Kinoshita, when do you plan to start investigating this ’Street Killing Incident’? Tonight? Or do you want to wait until later?"
"I plan to set off tonight," Mukiwa quickly replied as she ca to her senses. "That ’Man-Slayer Group’ might show up again tonight."
Aoto nodded: "Alright, then let’s go."
"Ah, wait a mont."
Mukiwa took a small cloth bag that she had been carrying on her back.
"Here, for you."
She unfurled the bag—it contained a set of black clothes, along with a black face covering and a fox mask.
"What’s this?" Aoto asked in surprise.
"These are clothes I prepared for you in advance," Mukiwa said with a smile. "You can’t go completely undisguised, letting people discover that Mr. Tachibana Aoto from the Magistrate’s Office is a friend of the Cat Monk, right?"
...
...
"How is it? Does it fit?"
"Hmm? Just right." Aoto tightened his belt, then stretched his arms to check the snugness of the clothes.
The set of clothes Mukiwa gave him was the sa type as the thief’s outfit she was wearing—the sa style, black from head to toe.
"Mr. Tachibana, would you prefer to wear the face covering or the mask?" Mukiwa handed over both the face covering and the mask to Aoto. "I prepared both because I wasn’t sure which you’d prefer."
Aoto looked up and glanced at the face covering and mask in Mukiwa’s hands.
The mask Mukiwa had prepared was a completely black, reasonably well-made black fox mask that only revealed the eyes.
"Did you only bring this one mask?" Aoto asked casually.
"To hide our identities as much as possible, both masks and coverings should be black, and of all the masks I could find, only the black fox mask is entirely black," Mukiwa explained. "So I only brought this mask."
Aoto nodded, acknowledging Mukiwa’s explanation with his actions.
Then, without much hesitation, he picked up the black fox mask.
"You chose the mask?" Mukiwa blinked, "I thought you might opt for the lighter face covering."
"Well, it’s a personal preference of mine." Aoto said while deftly fitting the black fox mask onto his face.
Since playing "Persona 5," Aoto had developed an unusual fondness for masks.
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