The same mistake shouldn't be made more than three times, and you shouldn't start playing mahjong from the North. My principle is to be as flexible as an inchworm. As I no longer want to experience an unhealthy recreational activity such as a high-speed drive through One Han City, I choose to back down for now. Surprisingly, Kutsuji doesn't take the chance to tease me further. Instead, he smiles and taps the helmet in my hand. [Kutsuji]Put it back on. I'll take you for a real drive now. I dubiously sit back on the back seat of his motorcycle. This time, Kutsuji drives at an obviously slower speed, and the breeze blowing on my exposed skin feels cool and pleasant. But I start to feel the motorcycle slowing down before long. Finally, we stop by the side of the road. [player]What's wrong? He falls silent for a few seconds before turning to look at me. [Kutsuji]I'm out of gas. After gloating at his misfortune for 30 seconds, I look around us and suddenly realize that we're in the suburbs and have no way to get back. [player]Since you ran out of gas at such an awkward timing, do you think we will be able to get back to the city today? [Kutsuji]You don't need to panic. I know someone around here who can give us some gas. I follow Kutsuji, who is pushing the motorcycle, and we bicker the whole way as we try to blame each other for the predicament we are in. After walking for about fifteen minutes and turning at the fork in the road, I see a familiar-looking driving school. What a coincidence! This is the place Nadeshiko took me to before. This is obviously Kutsuji's destination. Judging from how he greets everyone here familiarly after entering, he seems to come here often as he is quite familiar with everything about the driving school. The person who refuels Kutsuji's motorcycle for him happens to be the driving instructor who greeted Nadeshiko and me last time. His eyes sweep back and forth between Kutsuji and me twice, then he laughs and starts teasing me. [Driving Instructor]Why aren't you here with little Nadeshiko this time? [player]I was forced to come here this time, really. [Driving Instructor]Haha, now that you know all the top students of our school, you have no excuse for being a bad driver in the future. [player]Ahaha... The driving instructor seems to have some misunderstanding about what it means to be a good driver. Based on what I know about Kutsuji and Nadeshiko, the only difference between them is that one bravely faces the punishment of traffic laws, while the other keeps testing the boundaries of traffic laws. After refueling, Kutsuji and I bid farewell to the people here and set off for the city. This time, Kutsuji is very disciplined and drives me back honestly without speeding or taking a strange route. [player]Why are you so familiar with the people at the driving school? [Kutsuji]Hmm? [player]I thought everyone at Strix taught themselves how to ride a motorcycle. [Kutsuji]Well, you're not wrong about us being self-taught. [Kutsuji]But we're law-abiding people. We know that it's necessary to get a driver's license first before we can ride a motorcycle. Even Strix isn't capable of issuing people driving licenses. [player]According to the movies, aren't information dealers all experts at making false documents? [Kutsuji]It's illegal to use false documents. [player]Geez! The fact that you're suddenly obeying the law makes me think that you have a flexible moral bottom line. [Kutsuji]It's good to be flexible. Anyway, if you really have the need, Strix can make you a full set of false documents. [player]...I don't think it's likely I'll ever need to use this kind of service. [player]Do the people at the driving school know you're the leader of Strix? [Kutsuji]Hmm... Do you think information dealers print a stack of business cards and give them out to everyone? [player]Oh, you don't do that? I think about it for a moment. Quite a few people around me know about Strix and how to get in touch with them, which made me think they have been marketing themselves well. [player]...I don't have any more questions. You can drive quietly now, and please take me to the destination safely, thank you. [Kutsuji]Hah! After Kutsuji returns to the urban area, he takes me to a teahouse near Countless Springs. I'm quite familiar with the scenery in these parts now since I've been here twice recently. Kutsuji leads me into the teahouse from the back door and goes straight to a private room on the second floor. [player]Why did you suddenly want to come here? [Kutsuji]It's to show you a brilliant performance, of course. I sit by the window and immediately understand what he is referring to when I look out the window. The window of this private room faces the street where the main entrance of the teahouse is located, and a grand geisha parade is taking place right now. [Kutsuji]Every once in a while, Countless Springs selects an auspicious day for the most popular geisha to wear her exclusive costume. She will walk from the entrance of Countless Springs to the end of the street and then return to Countless Springs. This is called the geisha parade. [Kutsuji]One reason it is held is to highlight the unparalleled beauty of Countless Springs's geisha. Another reason is that Countless Springs owns all the businesses here, and only the most popular geisha is qualified to manage Countless Springs and take over these businesses. [Kutsuji]So this parade also symbolizes an inspection tour of their own businesses and is a demonstration of their sovereignty. [Kutsuji]Kurone Toujou has been the manager of Countless Springs ever since she conquered everyone with her talent and beauty when she was still a young girl more than ten years ago. [Kutsuji]She is also the geisha who is in charge of the geisha parade every time it is held now. I watch the parade while leaning against the window and listening to Kutsuji's explanation. In the middle of the crowd is a splendidly-dressed woman, but I can't see her appearance clearly due to the distance and because she is wearing a veil that seems to be made of a beaded curtain. Kutsuji casually taps the window frame and gives me a reminder. [Kutsuji]That's Kurone Toujou. Kutsuji taps the window frame rhythmically along with the music below and seems immersed in the performance. When Kurone Toujou walks directly below us, he suddenly turns his head to look at me. [Kutsuji]I'm thinking of telling you something before we continue with the transaction. [player]What is it? [Kutsuji]I'm guessing that you must want to know why I got you to participate in the auction and everything else that happened after that, right? [player]Yeah, because I felt like I didn't get any particularly valuable information. [Kutsuji]No, the fact that you went is already a piece of valuable information. [player]What do you mean? [Kutsuji]What if I told you that you would be able to meet Kurone Toujou no matter which flower arrangement you managed to get? [player]Is it because all three flower arrangements are hers? [Kutsuji]No, it's because she wants to meet you. [player]Huh? [Kutsuji]At first, I made this guess based on the information I gathered, but your actions afterward helped me verify my guess. Kutsuji's words make the question mark in my head grow larger. Based on my interaction with Kurone Toujou, I can't figure out why she would want to actively approach me. [Kutsuji]Our previous transaction is still valid, but I can change its terms for you. From now on, you have two options. [Kutsuji]Your first option is to ask me about Ciri like we agreed, and I will tell you what she's been up to recently. [Kutsuji]Your second option is to ask me about Kurone Toujou for yourself, and I will tell you selected pieces of information that are useful to you. [Kutsuji]I'll give you some time to think it over. I hope you'll make the decision that satisfies your true inner needs. I think deeply for a moment after hearing Kutsuji's words. Emotionally and rationally, I should ask him about Ciri's matters since that was why I approached him in the first place and the matter I was entrusted with. On the other hand, I really want to know Kurone Toujou's reason for doing that. Now that I think about it, there seems to be a deeper layer of meaning to the things we talked about on that day. Some things that I consider ordinary and mundane might not be as simple as I thought. I think about it for a long time but have difficulty deciding. Sara and Ryan's worried expressions appear in my head one after the other, but I can hear Kurone Toujou's soft and pleasant voice in the background. [Kutsuji]You know, you can be a little selfish sometimes. No one would blame you for that. In that case, my decision is...
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