Upstairs—
inside Fanny's room.
Alya placed her device on the wooden table.
A cable connected it to a small charging crystal.
A soft blue light blinked on the screen.
Fanny leaned closer.
Watching it with curiosity.
"How long before it's fully recharged?"
Alya looked at the indicator.
"Hmm..."
"Maybe an hour or two."
Fanny's ears twitched.
"Wow."
Alya smiled.
"Amazed?"
Fanny nodded.
"Of course."
"I've never seen such an advanced device."
Alya gently patted the transparent screen.
"This is only the beginning."
Fanny tilted her head.
"What do you mean?"
Alya smiled confidently.
"You'll see in the future."
"I still have plenty of ideas I want to build."
Fanny looked back at the device.
Then at Alya.
"You really love inventing, don't you?"
Alya laughed softly.
"It's the one thing I'm best at."
The charging light blinked again.
Quietly filling the room as the two continued watching the device recharge.
Behind Malfoy's bar—
the open field had become a training ground.
Saito tightened his grip on his sword.
Across from him—
Kaito lowered his stance.
"Ready?"
Saito grinned.
"Always."
In an instant—
Kaito leaped into the air.
He came down with his knife aimed at Saito.
Clang!
Saito raised his sword and blocked the strike.
The two pushed against each other for a brief moment.
Then Kaito flipped backward.
As he landed—
he flicked several knives into the ground around the field.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
Without warning—
Kaito vanished.
He instantly appeared beside one of the knives.
His blade swept toward Saito's side.
Saito twisted his body aside.
The knife missed by inches.
Saito immediately counterattacked.
His sword cut through the air.
Whoosh!
But Kaito had already disappeared.
He reappeared beside another knife several meters away.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"You're getting faster."
Saito rested his sword on his shoulder.
"So are you."
Before the words had even finished—
Kaito vanished again.
This time appearing at another knife.
Launching yet another attack.
After hours of training—
Saito and Kaito sat on the grass behind the bar.
Both were catching their breath.
Saito wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Where are those two?"
As if answering him—
Malfoy walked over carrying two cups of wine.
"There you go."
Saito smiled.
"Thanks, sir."
He accepted a cup.
Kaito did the same.
The two quietly took a drink.
A few moments later—
footsteps approached.
Bomb and Rin appeared from around the corner.
Together they carried a neatly folded flag.
Malfoy looked at it curiously.
"What's that for?"
Saito immediately stood up.
"Good timing."
He walked over to Bomb and Rin.
Carefully took the flag from them.
Then turned toward Malfoy.
"Here, Sir Malfoy."
Malfoy accepted it.
He slowly unfolded the cloth.
His eyes widened.
It was the Blue Scarf flag.
The blue emblem stood proudly in the center.
"...Wow."
Saito smiled.
"Now..."
He looked at the bar.
Then back at Malfoy.
"Your bar is truly under our protection."
Malfoy held the flag tightly.
For a moment, he couldn't find any words.
Then he smiled warmly.
"Thank you, Sir Saito."
Saito scratched the back of his head.
"No need to thank me."
"As long as that flag is flying..."
He looked toward the road leading into Jaha Town.
"...everyone will know this place belongs to Blue Scarf."
Inside the bar—
Malfoy carried the flag to the front entrance.
He carefully tied it to a wooden pole.
A gentle breeze blew past.
The Blue Scarf flag unfolded.
Its fabric fluttered proudly above the doorway.
At that moment—
Fanny came downstairs.
She stopped the instant she saw it.
"...Wow."
She looked up at the flag.
"So this is your flag."
Saito smiled.
"Yep."
He folded his arms.
"Whenever trouble comes..."
He glanced at the flag waving outside.
"...just know we're there to help."
Fanny looked at the flag again.
Then nodded quietly.
"I understand."
Malfoy smiled at both of them.
"Understood."
Just then—
the front door opened.
A few customers entered the bar.
"Morning."
Malfoy immediately returned to work.
"Welcome!"
"I'll be right with you."
He walked behind the counter and began serving drinks.
Kaito watched the flag flutter outside through the window.
Then looked at Saito.
"Well."
"We have one territory here now."
Saito nodded with a satisfied smile.
"Yep."
"Our first place outside the village."
He took another sip of his drink.
"Let's make sure it stays standing."
The Blue Scarf flag continued fluttering above the bar.
Then—
Bomb stepped through the front door.
His expression was serious.
"Saito."
"We have a problem."
Saito looked up from his drink.
"What is it?"
Bomb nodded toward the entrance.
"Come outside."
Saito stood.
Kaito followed beside him.
The three walked out of the bar.
Rin was already waiting near the road.
Saito looked ahead.
A group of police officers stood several meters away.
He scratched his head.
"Oh."
"Just the police."
Rin didn't look away from the group.
"No, Saito."
"There is one that's not normal."
"I can feel it."
Saito's expression became more serious.
"What do you mean?"
Before Rin could answer—
an elderly man stepped out from the middle of the formation.
Broad shoulders.
A long white beard.
His presence alone made the surrounding officers seem insignificant.
He stopped a short distance from the Blue Scarf crew.
Then called out,
"Blue Scarf Saito."
The entire crew stiffened.
Rin narrowed his eyes.
"...Yes."
"Lieutenant Jirin."
Kaito frowned.
"Crap."
"Why is he here?"
He glanced toward Saito.
"Did Norway tell on us?"
Saito kept staring at the old lieutenant.
The old man smiled.
Then—
Saito's eyes widened.
"...Wait a minute."
He pointed at Jirin.
"Grandpa?"
Silence.
Everyone froze.
Kaito blinked.
"...Wait."
"What?"
Bomb slowly turned toward Saito.
"...What did you just say?"
Rin's eyes went wide.
Even Alya looked completely confused.
Across the road—
Jirin's squad exchanged shocked looks.
"Did he just say Grandpa?"
"Lieutenant Jirin has a grandson?"
The murmuring spread through the ranks.
Jirin simply laughed.
"Hahaha!"
He looked proudly at Saito.
"So..."
"You're still being a gangster, I see."
Saito sighed.
Then raised one hand toward his crew.
"Stand down, guys."
Kaito hesitated for a second.
Then nodded.
Bomb lowered his fists.
Rin rested his scythe on his shoulder.
Alya relaxed.
Even Fanny looked back and forth between the two in disbelief.
Saito folded his arms.
"So."
"Why are you here?"
Jirin smiled warmly.
"To visit you, of course."
Saito raised an eyebrow.
"Just to visit?"
Jirin chuckled.
"Can't a grandfather check on his grandson once in a while?"
The Blue Scarf crew stared at Saito.
Still trying to process what they had just learned.
Kaito rubbed his forehead.
"...Captain."
"You never told us your grandfather was a police lieutenant."
Saito scratched the back of his head.
"You guys never asked."
Bomb let out a long sigh.
"That's... actually a fair point."
Jirin laughed again.
The tension that had filled the road moments earlier disappeared completely.
Only confusion remained.
Saito let out a long sigh.
Then looked at the Blue Scarf crew.
After that, he turned back to Jirin.
"...Let's go inside."
"We'll talk there."
Jirin smiled.
"With pleasure."
Saito stepped aside and gestured toward the entrance.
"After you, Grandpa."
Jirin nodded and walked toward the bar.
His squad remained outside.
One of the officers spoke quietly.
"Should we follow him, sir?"
Jirin waved a hand without looking back.
"No."
"Wait here."
"Yes, Lieutenant."
Inside the bar—
Malfoy looked up from the counter as Saito and Jirin entered together.
He blinked.
The customers also fell silent, curious about the elderly officer walking alongside the infamous Blue Scarf captain.
Saito pulled out a chair.
"Have a seat."
Jirin sat down comfortably.
"Thank you."
Saito took the seat across from him.
Kaito, Bomb, Rin, Alya, and Fanny gathered nearby, all still staring at the old lieutenant.
None of them had expected the feared police officer...
to be Saito's grandfather.