In a world blessed by a god, tragedy is not destined to occur.

With this belief, Hyakki’s dream, filled with rippling water, seemed to be gently smoothed out by an invisible hand. The river that once symbolized abandonment now transformed into a heart lake radiating a soft white light.

Growing up, people had illuminated his darkness with kindness.

In this life… he had never truly despaired.

The next day, when Dazai woke up on time, he opened his eyes to find the puppet boy still asleep, his face resting on the pillow, looking rather cute. Upon closer inspection, Hyakki’s gray-brown eyes held no sign of a restless soul, only the tranquility of peaceful sleep. The soft hum of the air conditioner filled the bedroom, and the gentle rise and fall of the curtains created a serene atmosphere. The Kusuo had provided Dazai’s residence, turning it into a cozy little nest for the two of them.

Money provided material security.

Power provided the deterrence needed for an undisturbed life.

In other words, the thinly paid Special Ability Division wasn’t suitable for Dazai; undercover work in the Kusuo was the best choice. The Kusuo could give Dazai what he urgently needed.

Dazai quietly got out of bed, changed clothes, donned a white shirt and black trousers, and skillfully tied his tie.

He put on his shoes, got out of bed, and bent over to look at Hyakki.

“You sleep so soundly.”

He didn’t wake Hyakki, as a peaceful sleep meant he was no longer afraid of his dreams.

Then.

He placed a kiss on Hyakki’s cheek.

“Good morning, Hyakki.”

What is love? He didn’t know, but he did know that his feelings for Hyakki were intense and wonderful.

The desire for Hyakki to live better unexpectedly ignited a sense of mission in Dazai. It wasn’t that you can’t live without me, but rather… I can’t find the meaning of life without you…

Dazai closed the door, locked it, turned on the bedroom monitor, and then went to wash up.

Not a single step could be taken lightly.

After Dazai left to work for Mori, Hyakki, having overcome his psychological shadow from Saiki Kusuo, slept until late morning. Feeling the prosthetics on his body, he was filled with warmth. His prosthetics symbolized Jukai’s love and encouragement for him, something money could never buy. The man who once contemplated giving up on life had survived for Hyakki’s sake, enduring countless unseen hardships along the way.

“…God… sir…”

Hyakki used the nearly forgotten Japanese grammar to address the legendary god of coffee jelly.

【Thank you very much.】

Who else but Kusuo could have delivered items from another world for his sake in this modern world?

Kusuo’s kindness was a trustworthy beacon.

At home, while having breakfast, Kusuo removed the antenna-like suppressor from his left side and nodded. It wasn’t in vain to use this method to restore Hyakki’s goodwill; his favorability had skyrocketed.

【You’re welcome. I’m just making up for the mistake I made last time.】

Therefore, there’s no need to thank him.

Kusuo’s actions were uninfluenced, entirely driven by his own heart. Even if Dazai hadn’t brought Hyakki to see his mother, Kusuo would have had the desire to help after meeting Hyakki.

At the dining table, Kusuo’s father, Kuniharu, yawned and said,

“Kusuo dream, take me to work later.”

【…】

Kusuo’s face remained indifferent.

Instead of using his superpowers on his shameless father, Kusuo decided to do a good deed by helping someone in need.

Fortunately, Kurumi smiled as she helped by scolding Kuniharu, nearly chasing him away with a broom, thus preventing him from taking advantage of Kusuo’s “teleportation” ability. Kurumi’s gentleness was reserved for her son, while her husband faced the fierce side of the household leader.

Across the distance between Yokohama and his home, Kusuo communicated with Hyakki in his heart.

**[I went to your past world. I couldn’t bring your foster father back. There’s a creature chasing me through time and space. I can return safely, but I can’t guarantee your foster father’s safety during the time travel.]**

**[A creature of time and space?]**

**[Have you seen a dog? It’s like that, but not really.]**

**[The Hounds of Tindalos?■■■■■■■■■???]**

**[What are you talking about?]**

For the first time, Kusuo’s usually monotone inner voice hinted at curiosity.

This was a creature even he and his brother, Sosuke, were helpless against.

Meanwhile, within the Kusuo, Hyakki lay on his stomach, recovering from his back wound, with his prosthetic arms placed on Dazai’s bed. Dazai hadn’t returned them, forcing Hyakki to rest obediently.

Upon hearing why his foster father couldn’t come, his heart tightened as he recalled the higher beings from the Cthulhu Mythos, particularly those capable of traversing dimensions at will. Their master, Mh’ithrha, was the only Outer God to openly defy the hierarchy and perpetually target Yog-Sothoth without being obliterated by the One Who Is All. This wolf-like Outer God and its hounds presented a dire threat to time travelers.

Every intern at the Time Travel Bureau was required to study various mythologies, with the Cthulhu Mythos being particularly critical due to its inherent dangers. The Hounds of Tindalos, known for hunting time travelers, had countermeasures meticulously listed as mandatory knowledge to prevent tragic deaths among members.

**[Those creatures… they specifically target time travelers, don’t they?]**

**[Yes.]**

**[I’ve heard of them…]**

Hyakki struggled to sit up, wanting to share his knowledge with Kusuo. Despite the difficulty in supporting his upper body, he realized that Kusuo might be targeted by these vicious hounds.

He couldn’t let the god of the two-dimensional world get bitten by a dog!

**[The Hounds of Tindalos reside at the farthest end of time, completely different from our dimension. These hounds possess an immortality trait, and their master is a wolf-like evil god. When they encounter a time traveler, they relentlessly pursue them across time and space until their target is dead.]**

**[They have a unique connection with angles of time, and the way to deal with them is to trap them in a room with angles no greater than 120 degrees.]**

**[Oh, and the room must be inscribed with the Elder Sign…]**

The Time Travel Department’s method of dealing with the Hounds of Tindalos was particularly ruthless, born from a deep-seated enmity. The Elder Sign, a sigil from the Cthulhu Mythos, required special activation and had immense power against higher beings and gods from the mythos—a sight akin to feces in their eyes.

By trapping the hounds in a circular room filled with Elder Signs, one could keep them sealed for years until the signs lost their potency.

Alternatively—

The sealed room could be uploaded to the Time Travel Bureau and the hounds within sacrificed to Yog-Sothoth, one of the Cthulhu Mythos’ three Pillar Gods. This process was complex but ensured the hounds’ demise.

Not long after, an “invisible” Kusuo teleported into Dazai’s bedroom.

The room’s alarm blared!

Kusuo noticed the infrared beams on him, revealing a circular protective barrier. He brazenly broke into Dazai’s room and picked up the immobile Hyakki from the bed.

**—Borrowing him for a day.**

These words appeared on the bedroom wall.

Hyakki, making anxious noises, tried to alert Kusuo. He added another line.

**—Don’t worry, Dororo. I’ll be right back.**

With a teleportation, the two vanished.