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After confirming that the contract was free of issues and the property rights were clearly defined, Fujiwara Tōru confidently signed his name on the document.
"Ms. Eri Kisaki, regarding your fee, I will transfer it to your account once the property is transferred. The contract explicitly outlines this."
"And as for my other request, how is it coming along, Ms. Eri Kisaki?"
In addition to purchasing the mansion, Fujiwara Tōru had entrusted Eri Kisaki with another task.
"The shop you're looking for needs to be in a bustling area, and you want to purchase the property outright rather than lease it. I've already made some progress and am currently negotiating with the owner," Eri explained briskly, adjusting her glasses.
"It's located near Ikebukuro Station—a two-story commercial property. The first floor operates as a Live House, and the second floor is a café."
"A Live House? What's that?"
Fujiwara Tōru looked puzzled.
"Recently, idol bands have become popular in Japan. A Live House is a venue where these bands can practice and perform."
"The owner of this Live House has accumulated significant debt from other business ventures, which is why they decided to sell the property in Ikebukuro."
"Mr. Fujiwara, if I may offer some unsolicited advice—I'm no expert in business, but I believe shops driven by fleeting trends like this aren't sustainable in the long term."
"Moreover, young students don't have much money, so turning a profit from such a venture isn't ideal."
Eri Kisaki wasn't sure why Fujiwara Tōru wanted to buy the shop and assumed it was an investment. Thus, she kindly offered her recommendation.
"It's fine. If we manage to acquire it, we'll continue operating it for now. To be honest, I've always wanted to open a café. If it ends up losing money, we can rent it out or switch to a different business."
Fujiwara Tōru spoke nonchalantly.
In fact, he secretly hoped the shop would incur losses.
The real reason he was purchasing the property was to use it as a base for exchanging intelligence with the CIA office in Japan—an official operation.
If the shop ran at a loss, he could report it to headquarters. The accountants there could adjust the books, and everyone would balance the accounts together. After all, the CIA's annual budget often went unused—it would be a waste not to put it to some use.
Seeing Fujiwara Tōru's casual attitude, Eri Kisaki refrained from further persuasion, knowing that pressing the matter might irritate him.
At this moment, Fujiwara Tōru chuckled and said, "Idol bands, huh? So that's what's trending in Japan lately. But aside from idol bands, aren't detective games also popular these days?"
Hearing this, Eri Kisaki inwardly muttered, "The Sherlock Holmes of the Reiwa era… That kid hasn't been in touch recently. If it weren't for his mother calling me, I'd have thought he'd gone missing."
By the end of her thoughts, a hint of concern crept into her expression.
She was close friends with Yukiko Kudo.
Fujiwara Tōru laughed heartily, aware that Eri was referring to Shinichi Kudo. However, he didn't dwell on the topic, as theoretically, he shouldn't know Shinichi Kudo personally.
He simply remarked, "A detective gaining so much fame is a disgrace to the police force."
"Indeed, many officers within the Metropolitan Police Department dislike him," Eri chimed in.
As she spoke, Eri glanced at her elegant wristwatch, then stood up. "It's getting late. I should take my leave."
"The contract is signed, so this mansion officially belongs to you, Mr. Fujiwara—provided you transfer the payment on time."
Fujiwara Tōru rose to his feet as well. "It's dinnertime. Would you like to join me for a meal?"
Eri shook her head. "I'm quite busy at the moment and don't have time to eat. I need to return to the law firm to handle some work."
"I'll treat you to dinner once I finish handling the shop purchase, as promised. You can choose the place."
Seeing Eri's response, Fujiwara Tōru didn't press further and readily agreed.
The two walked toward the exit of the mansion. Half-jokingly, Fujiwara Tōru said, "I heard you have a daughter, Ms. Eri Kisaki. Would you consider introducing us?"
Eri smirked faintly. "Oh? Are you interested in my daughter?"
"If your daughter is as beautiful as you, then I'd certainly be interested," Fujiwara Tōru replied smoothly.
Eri burst into laughter. This young man certainly knew how to charm someone with his words.
"If the opportunity arises, I'll introduce you. Mr. Fujiwara, someone as outstanding as you would make a great friend for Rachel. It'd be good for her to meet someone like you—she'll learn the importance of connections when she enters society."
Eri sighed softly.
She knew that Fujiwara Tōru had entered Tokyo University as the top-ranked student, and with his family background, he was undoubtedly a dream candidate for any girl.
In fact, she doubted whether Fujiwara Tōru would even take an interest in Rachel. Still, it would be beneficial for Rachel to meet someone so exceptional—it would teach her the value of networking in the future.
As they spoke, they arrived at the courtyard. Eri climbed into her imposing Land Rover, waved at Fujiwara Tōru, and drove off.
Fujiwara Tōru smiled as he bid her farewell. Once the Land Rover disappeared into the distance, his smile faded, and he returned to the mansion.
First, he conducted a thorough inspection of the premises, ensuring there were no hidden cameras or listening devices. Satisfied, he entered the study and murmured, "Time to draw my reward."
He still had one unused high-tech extraction point left.