45 - Starts

Lucien and Uta exited estate and went to their separate targets. Uta would return to his HySy ArtMask Studio to wait for evening and Lucien went to the 20th Ward, Nerima Ward. He wanted to visit Anteiku to observe everything. He knew that entire story started there when Kaneki Ken saw Kamishiro Rize in that place.

When Lucien arrived at the street where Anteiku was located it was already noon. He leisurely walked through the autumn street, where leaves of trees were already in nice yellow color and outside air was relatively cold.

After some time of walking, he found very ordinary looking two-story building. Instead of ordinary looking it would be better to say it was relatively plain building and the only thing which was decorating the building was ivy that was scrambling through the entire second story of the facade.

Even though it was looking like any other building, without any specialty or uniqueness, it was the heart of ghouls of the 20th Ward. Bearing the same name as the cafe, Anteiku was one of the most powerful organizations in Tokyo. Because the 20th Ward was a so-called docile ward, CCG was neglecting the existence of this place and organization.

Lucien entered the cafe and saw the cozy place. The cafe was one of smaller ones and thus it created more friendly and warmer atmosphere than rest of bigger cafes. Lucien sat behind the empty table and looked through the window. Because this place was, we could say somewhat hidden, not many people visited. As Lucien was spacing out as he was admiring the beauty of the autumn of nature, he registered that somebody was standing behind him.

He turned around and noticed familiar figure. Kirishima Touka was a slender teenage girl, with purple hair cut into a bob and long bangs that reach her chin, covering the right side of her face. She looked very attractive and cute in some way. As other waiters of Anteiku, she wore her waitress uniform consisting of a white shirt rolled up to her elbows, a black vest, a red tie, and a black skirt down to her lower thighs. On top of that skirt, she also wears a brown skirt that reaches her upper thighs. She also wears tight red leggings.

When she noticed him as he was examining her, she had a slight blush on her face. Even though most of her time she seemed rather cold, this time she seemed very cute. She was aware of that and was also aware of that Lucien was staring at her. It wasn't an everyday practice that such a handsome foreign young man was staring at her. But she quickly returned to her duties of the waitress.

"Good afternoon sir, have you already chosen?"

Asked Touka. Lucien didn't choose anything cause he was only looking at the trees but he knew that coffee at Anteiku was one of best, so he wasn't particularly worried about what to drink.

"One cappuccino, please. And If could I ask, what is your name lady?"

Ordered Lucien his favorite coffee drink and at the same time, he asked for her name, cause he officially didn't know her. Touka wrote down the order before she heard that he was asking how she was called.

"Kirishima Touka."

Said after some short time of thinking about smiling man before her.

"Lucien Etras di Aeon."

Introduced Lucien himself and he bowed and kissed her hand in a polite manner. Even though she was caught by surprise from his actions she quickly assumed that this was a form of greetings. She was a very intelligent person so she deduced from his name that he must be some kind of nobility. Every of his action was elegant, noble and simply perfect looking.

Lucien noticed that when he introduced himself and said his name, this didn't go unnoticed by an old man behind the bar. An old man with white hair swept back and his eyes were closed. He was tall and clothed in waiter uniform. Yoshimura name of his was. Nicknamed as Non-Killing Owl is SSS-rated ghoul and manager of Anteiku. He was also a member of Vasuki under an alias of Kuzen as one of their cleaners. Lucien knew that he probably heard his name before when he was still in Vasuki and knew of his family.

After a brief introduction, Touka quickly went to submit an order with a blush on her face. This was the first time in her life she was touched by a man in this kind of manner. As she could somewhat feel that he didn't harbor any ill intent she wasn't angry about his action.

As Lucien was waiting for his cappuccino he scanned entire Anteiku. He noticed several other important people as Hoito Roma that was also present. One of the most dangerous and wicked ghouls actually looked so harmless. With her slim build and child demeanor coupled with her red hair in a spiky bun with bangs framing her face, she looked innocent and pure. But she was more wicked and dark than most ghoul in Tokyo.

After a few minutes, Touka returned bringing him cappuccino with her. She put it in front of him and Lucien quickly sniffed the beautiful and enticing aroma of the coffee before saying.

"Its fragrance is very beautiful and enticing, as I have always said that coffee is one of a few pleasures in our life."

Touka heard his statement and one bizarre though run through her mind but she quickly dispersed it to the void.

As Lucien was drinking his coffee he noticed two young men that entered the Anteiku. Nagachika Hideyoshi, of average height with short, messy, dirty blonde hair with dark roots and brown eyes.Wearing bright colored clothes that consist of a yellow varsity jacket and green shorts and a pair of headphones around his neck. The second one was 'victim' of Steel Beam Incident Kaneki Ken. He looked somewhat short and scrawny young man with little to no athletic physique. He looked weak and innocent. Lucien understood why Rize has chosen him as her dinner.

When they sat down, TV news started announcing something important. Again with flashy letters saying Breaking News.

"Today morning, the remains of a man's body were found on Takada Building Street on the 28th. Body fluid believed to have come from a ghoul was found at the scene. The authorities have begun investigating this as a ghoul attack."

Lucien knew that this was incident between Kamishiro Rize, The Binge Eater, and Oomori Yakumo, Jason. He was tasked to bring Rize to the Aogiri Tree but he ultimately failed.

"The horrific ghouls haunting the streets of Tokyo... What exactly are they? To answer that question, out guest today is ghoul researched Dr. Ogura."

Continued talking reporter on the TV.

"Ooh. Check out this sketchy dude. Damm... The Takada Building isn't that far from here. I bet you'd be eaten up before you knew it, Kaneki. Since you're a nerdy weakling always readin' those weird books."

Said young blonde man to his weak-looking friend. As Lucien was listening to their conversation he couldn't help to laugh inside. He knew that Nagachika was teasing him but his words would turn to reality this evening, if not for falling steel.