Yuu Hoshimiya soon walked to Mary's table and chuckled, "Girl, why are you holding a photo of me?"
Hearing this, Mary realized she had inadvertently displayed the newspaper photo of Yuu for the world to see.
In the room upstairs, Masumi Sera heard the voice through her tiny earpiece and mentally groaned.
Could it be this coincidental? Teacher Hoshimiya went to find food and actually found my mom!
"A foreign little girl... do you understand Japanese?" Yuu asked gently.
Mary hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded.
Yuu sat down and smiled, "Then you won't mind letting big brother take a look at the paper, right? After all, you're the only one in the restaurant with a copy."
Even though Mary Akai was actually twice his age, she currently looked like a middle schooler.
Facing Yuu calling himself her "big brother," Mary felt a strange sensation but couldn't really object.
She looked around and saw she was indeed the only one with the paper.
She sighed internally; it really was the newspaper that had drawn him over.
Since things had reached this point and Yuu didn't seem to have discovered anything yet, Mary regained her composure and handed over the paper.
She decided to play along and test him while maintaining her identity as a child!
Yuu pretended to read the news.
"Reporters are so efficient nowadays. What happened this morning is already reported in the afternoon. The coverage is somewhat fair, I suppose."
Mary rolled her eyes—Fair?
Aside from praising Yuu, the report only mentioned the Takeuchi family scandal; there wasn't a word about the Diet members or the political corruption.
Yuu folded the paper, placed it on the table, and looked at Mary with interest.
A girl around 1.4 meters tall, fair skin, doll-like features—she looked like an exquisite porcelain doll.
"Child, what is your nationality? You don't look mixed. American? British?"
"British. Are you really Consultant Hoshimiya? I'm your fan!"
Mary's voice was mature, but she tried her best to fake girlish curiosity.
Yuu countered, "Don't I look like my photo? Or am I even more handsome in person?"
Mary muttered "Narcissist" to herself but kept up the act.
"Wow, amazing! It really is the Consultant himself!"
Upstairs, Masumi Sera was stunned; she had never seen her cool, glamorous mom act like this.
"Wait... you look remarkably like someone I know!"
As he spoke, Yuu's large hand gripped Mary's shoulder, his gaze becoming sharp as he leaned closer to her face.
Mary and Sera both panicked—Had he discovered their relationship already?
Yuu's large hand stroked Mary's pale blonde hair, his eyes shifting to her petite earlobe.
His voice was rich and gentle, like warm winter sun piercing through the cold.
"Heh, if I didn't see that your ears weren't pointed, I would have thought you were an elf who accidentally fell from heaven."
Yuu usually didn't need pick-up lines, as his body and face did all the heavy lifting.
But now that the sweet talk was out, even a MI6 ace agent like Mary, whose true self was a mature beauty, found it hard to stay unmoved.
Sera, listening through the transmission, felt her face flush and her heart thump like she'd downed a massive gulp of warm wine.
The snaggle-toothed girl was completely dazed.
Is this what being flirted with feels like? Teacher Hoshimiya's voice is too attractive!
Why does it feel like my heart is racing? Sera looked at her arm; she actually had goosebumps.
Down in the restaurant, Mary heard his words and couldn't help but look into Yuu's eyes—they were deep like the stars, and his smile was incredibly captivating.
For a moment, she was in a trance, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.
However, Mary's mind was very mature, and she quickly calmed herself.
She shifted her shoulder to dodge his hand and took off her sunglasses. "Consultant, touching a girl so lightly upon first meeting is quite rude."
Yuu shook his head, pretending to be disappointed. "What an un-cute little girl."
Mary's brow twitched.
Little girl. No one had called her that in a very long time.
Yuu ignored her reaction and signaled a waiter to come over.
"One beef curry and a bowl of tonkotsu soup. Little one, what do you want? Since you're my little fan, I'll buy you this meal!"
Mary didn't refuse and told the waiter, "The same as him."
The waiter took the order and bowed out.
Gazing at Mary's exquisite face, Yuu asked again, "Little one, we've known each other for a bit now. What's your name?"
Mary's mind raced as she replied, "You can call me 'The Sister from Outside the Domain!'"
Hearing this, Yuu instinctively curled his lip into a smirk.
Seeing Mary say this in person gave him a strange sense of dark humor.
He wondered if Mary would eventually be so embarrassed she'd try to dig a hole with her jade-like toes once she learned the truth.
"Your family gave you such a weird Japanese name? That's interesting. I've never heard anyone call themselves that."
Yuu suppressed his laughter and feigned curiosity. "'The Sister from Outside the Domain'... Domain, Territory... Sister... SIS... Secret Intelligence Service? Hehe, little one, do I need to tell your parents? Don't play spy games too much!"
As he spoke, Yuu reached out and ruffled Mary's pale blonde short hair. It was incredibly fluffy and felt wonderful to the touch, much like ruffling Ai's hair.
Mary was frozen, her pupils contracting as she stared blankly at Yuu.
She wasn't surprised that he could solve her riddle.
But the speed... she couldn't understand it. She was utterly shocked.
Upstairs, Masumi Sera stood up abruptly, her eyes shining.
Teacher Hoshimiya really didn't disappoint me.
However, even though he solved it, he thought it was just a trivial code. That wouldn't do.
The waiter arrived with the food, and Yuu invited Mary to start their lunch.
After finishing, Yuu said, "Little one, even though you won't tell me your name, you're far too pretty for me to just leave. I have to see you back to your room so no one kidnaps you."
"There are a lot of bad clubs and companies around here. If you get snatched, they'll make you film 'movies' (AV)."
"Honestly, where are your parents? How could they leave you here alone?"
Mary was speechless; her parents had gone to heaven long ago.
But this was becoming difficult. Yuu wanted to take her to her room, but she was an unregistered guest.
Room 3009 was booked under Masumi Sera's identity; she didn't have her own room.
Mary had a thought and said, "I'm not going back. They said they wanted their 'private time' together."
"Consultant, why don't you show me around the hotel? I heard there's a concert hall on the 10th floor, an amusement area on the 18th, and an indoor pool on the 36th! I haven't been to any of them!"
Yuu pretended to hesitate. "But..."
The fact that Yuu had solved her "Sister from Outside the Domain" riddle so casually had piqued Mary's curiosity to the max.
She wanted more contact with him, so she proactively started to act spoiled.
"Brother Yuu, please just say yes!"
Saying those words made Mary cringed inwardly; her face turned red again.
It had been years since she had acted cute; she was truly out of practice.
Upstairs, Masumi Sera was breaking out in a cold sweat.
Mom acting like this is absolutely terrifying.
Yuu sighed as if he were giving in. "Fine. I have some time this afternoon. I'll keep you company for a bit."
He stood up and took Mary's soft, small hand, leading her out of the restaurant.
Mary's instinct was to pull away, but she immediately remembered she was playing a fan and had to let him lead her.
But after a few steps, she couldn't stop herself from coughing.
The cough was raspy and sounded painful to the ears.
Yuu frowned, memories of the series surfacing.
Apparently, after Mary shrank, she had a chronic, severe cough, sometimes even coughing up blood.
The specific cause was unknown and difficult to treat—much like Fujiko's amnesia.
"Conan-logic" science couldn't fix it, but that didn't mean magic couldn't.
If Yuu could fix Fujiko's memory, Mary's cough was a piece of cake.
A cough was usually just a lung or tracheal issue. Yuu used a silent perception spell and confirmed her cough was caused by an internal lung injury.
He couldn't stand seeing a beauty suffer, and this was the perfect chance to farm Mary's favorability.
He asked, "Little one, have you ever injured your lungs?"
His right hand formed a secret seal. He claimed it was a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) acupressure technique, but he was actually using a healing spell.
Yuu pressed firmly on the Feishu acupoint on Mary's back. Magic filled with life energy poured in, instantly providing her with immense relief.
Mary quickly stopped coughing.
Her emerald eyes were full of shock and suspicion as she stared at Yuu.
Unfortunately, this was an old injury that had lingered for years; it wouldn't be cured so easily.
Actually, Yuu could have healed her completely right then, but that would ruin his next plan.
Dealing with a calculating woman like Mary required some strategy to reach his goal.
Since her motives for contacting him weren't pure either, Yuu felt zero guilt.
Mary's emerald eyes were filled with shock. This old injury was four or five years old.
She had seen countless doctors, and even world-class specialists were helpless against this condition.
The coughing fits were life-threatening, especially at night.
The situation had been dire back then; Mary had taken the APTX drug out of desperation. Luckily, she had survived by shrinking, and she considered herself lucky to only have this chronic issue left.
Now, with a single touch from Yuu, her body felt warm and her throat felt miraculously clear.
Mary couldn't help but ask, "Brother Yuu, do you know medicine? Why does my back feel hot, like something is flowing inside?"
Yuu nodded. "It's a TCM technique. By finding the right pressure points, you can target specific ailments."
"But little one, your cough just now sounded very raspy. Your condition is quite bad."
Acupoints!
The well-traveled Mary had some knowledge of the subject. Combined with the strange sensation she just felt, she believed him about eighty to ninety percent.
Hope flared in her emerald eyes as she pressed, "Brother Yuu, can you cure me then?"
Upstairs, Masumi Sera listened intently.
Yuu ruffled Mary's head. "I can cure it, but given your condition, it'll take at least four or five sessions to fully recover."
"But I'm a busy man. I don't have that much time. Little one, you should find a doctor. Eat some fragrant pears when you can; you'll heal eventually."
Mary shook her head. "Hospitals can't fix me. I've seen many doctors, and the medicine is useless."
"I want you to help me!" Mary stared at Yuu with a fixed gaze.
She truly didn't want to suffer this torture anymore, especially waking up in the middle of the night with a dry, agonizing cough. It was unbearable.
Yuu tilted his head.
"This is a bit of a headache. Little one, I only agreed to show you around. Now you're making more demands? You shouldn't push your luck. Big brother... is very busy."
Mary hurriedly spoke up, "I'll commission you to treat me! How much money do you want?"
"It's not a matter of money. I have very important things to do. I have to deal with a group of bad guys in black suits and black hats!"
At these words, Mary's pupils contracted sharply. Upstairs, Sera immediately ran to the balcony and covered her ears, trying to hear better.
The Black Organization!
Are they coming here?
Panic surged in Mary's heart. She almost felt like calling her daughter to switch hotels to somewhere even more remote.
Yuu knelt down and, while Mary was dazed, pinched her plump, rosy cheeks. The feel was excellent.
He smiled gently, "So, I can only help you after I've dealt with those bad guys. You can't be in a rush."
"Oh? Why the long face? Fine, since you're my fan, I'll give you one treatment session right now!"
But Mary's attention was entirely on the Black Organization. She asked in a child-like tone, "What do those bad guys look like?"
Yuu took Mary's hand and walked forward, chuckling. "I can't tell you that. I don't know if you can keep a secret. If you let it slip and they hear about it and run away, that would be bad."
"After all, I've waited a long time for this opportunity."
Hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Mary's emerald eyes.
It seemed the intel they gathered was correct; Yuu Hoshimiya was indeed working with the FBI. However, the Organization hadn't discovered his betrayal yet and even valued him highly.
In that case, the man's arrogance was not without reason.
After all, there were many undercover agents in the Organization, but few could climb as high as Yuu without being exposed under Gin's watchful eye.
Speaking of which, the injury to her lung was courtesy of Gin.
Yet the man before her was playing Gin like a total fool...
Mary kept scrutinizing Yuu. Sensing her gaze, he turned and gave her a smile.
For some reason, that smile felt "burning." Mary's face turned red, and she quickly looked away.
No matter how Mary tried to lead the conversation after that, Yuu never mentioned the Black Organization again.
He played the role of a perfect companion, taking Mary to the concert hall and the game room.
Mary, for her part, did her best to play a little girl, acting as cute and innocent as possible.
But it was too hard for her. Although she had been small for years, she always had Sera with her.
She only had to play the mother role, ordering her daughter around while staying out of sight.
She didn't need to interact with others, so she never had to sell her dignity by using a baby voice or acting like a child.
The flaws in her act were massive, but Yuu cooperatively pretended not to notice.
During the trip, Mary remembered her phone was on speaker, connected to her daughter's earpiece.
Realizing her embarrassing "cute" voice had been heard by Sera, she frantically cut the call.
Her image was ruined! How could she discipline her daughter after this!
Mary looked like she wanted to die, while Sera, back in the room, was giggling while saving the entire call recording.
Mom's dark history—GET!
Next, Yuu didn't take Mary to the indoor pool on the 36th floor. Instead, he took her to a floor with hotel rooms.
As it happened, Yuu saw a passing manager and stopped him.
He pulled a card from his wallet and stated his requirement.
The manager recognized the highest-level card of the Suzuki Group and immediately led the way with deep respect.
He brought Yuu to a business suite and opened the door for Yuu and Mary.
The manager inserted his universal card into the power slot and then rushed downstairs to process the check-in for Yuu.
Just a small perk of being a billionaire.
Mary recognized the card and raised an eyebrow.
It seemed the other intel was also correct: this Consultant was "involved" with the Suzuki family, likely having affairs with both the mother and daughter who held power.
Wait... why did he bring me to a room?
Mary backed away instinctively. "Brother Yuu, what are you doing bringing me here?"
"My mom said I'm a minor and can't be alone with a man."
Yuu chuckled, "Little one, what are you thinking? I have to leave soon, but since I promised to heal you, I took this room."
"If you don't want the treatment, I'll leave now."
Hearing this, Mary grew anxious and grabbed Yuu.
"I want it! I want the treatment!"
"Then take off your clothes."
"HUH???" Mary's emerald eyes went wide.
"If you want the best results from the acupressure, there can't be any obstacles. Naturally, you have to undress. All of it."
Seeing the blush slowly dye Mary's face, Yuu laughed.
"You're just a little girl, barely thirteen or fourteen. You haven't even developed yet. What are you so shy for?"
Mary looked hesitant, her small hands clutching the hem of her sweater, but she made no move.
After waiting for a while, Yuu feigned being troubled.
"What a headache. Since you're so shy, I'll treat you next time. You can come to my house in a few days; here is my address. I'm leaving now."
With that, Yuu turned toward the door.
Just as his hand reached for the knob, Mary's voice, tinged with embarrassment, came from behind him.
"Please wait!"
Yuu turned around, his pupils contracting sharply.
Standing by the bed, Mary was flushed red, her upper body bare. Her arms were crossed over her chest to block the key areas, the picture of "shielding while wanting to show."
This girl was way too good at hiding her assets! She was perfectly developed! A literal "loli-face, giant-breast"!
At thirteen or fourteen, she could already rival Ran. Foreigners truly do develop early.
"Treat me!"
Hearing this, Yuu let go of the door handle and walked back into the room.
Mary's skin was exceptionally white, even whiter than Ai's.
Ai was mixed British-Japanese, while Mary was pure British, so her skin was as white as snow.
Now, this blonde "western horse" in a middle-schooler's body lay obediently on the bed, her face crimson as she waited for the treatment.
Mary's eyes were misted over. She hadn't been topless before a member of the opposite sex in many years.
Even though this was a child's body she'd gained after taking the APTX drug, she was still extremely uncomfortable.
Yuu spoke up, "Don't worry. A doctor has the heart of a parent. I'll do my best to help you."
As he spoke, his large hand pressed down on Mary's left breast.
Mary's brow twitched. A doctor's parent-heart my ass! She was about to snap.
But Yuu's face leaned in, his eyes staring intently at the healed scar on her left breast.
"A gunshot? It went through your left chest and pierced your lung. That's why you can't stop coughing."
Sensing his hot palm, Mary couldn't help but blush.
But seeing Yuu's serious expression, she suppressed her anger and nodded obediently.
"Mmm!"
Yuu frowned slightly. "This is strange. If this was a gunshot, it's far too small!"
His index and middle fingers spread the skin around the scar. "This is a 3mm caliber bullet. There are no 3mm calibers on the market!"
"And this wound is clearly four or five years old. Four or five years ago, you were only six or seven."
"If you were shot when you were very small, as the wound healed and you grew, the scar would grow with you. It's the same logic as the vaccines we get as kids."
"In other words, the actual original wound was less than 3mm—almost invisible. How is that possible? Where in the world is there a gunshot that small? A wound like that wouldn't even hurt someone!"
Mary was left dumbfounded by this string of questions. She had no idea Yuu could deduce so much just by looking at a scar. The shyness on her face faded significantly.
Mary complained silently in her heart: Is this what you should be focusing on?!
Should I tell you that after I was shot and had just recovered, I was tricked by that woman Vermouth?
Then she force-fed me APTX 4869 with a mouth-to-mouth kiss and pushed me into a river.
Luckily her luck was good. Not only did she not die as Vermouth intended, but she also experienced regressive aging, regaining her youth.
It was because she took the APTX drug while drifting in the river that her body shrank, causing the original 7mm gunshot wound on her chest to shrink down to two or three millimeters.