49

Chapter 49: Autograph

Since this was a fan meeting for Takatsuki Sen, it was no surprise that Ryoma would encounter her here.

However, what Ryoma didn't expect was for Eto Yoshimura to greet him first.

Ryoma nodded in response, acknowledging her greeting.

Kaneki, meanwhile, was unaware that the cute girl standing before them was the famed author Takatsuki Sen.

Of course, despite her youthful appearance, Eto was actually 24 years old.

Eto didn't say much to Ryoma — just a quick greeting — before heading inside to prepare for the event.

"Was that girl your friend? Or a classmate?" Rize asked curiously.

"Neither. She's Takatsuki Sen. I ran into her once before by chance," Ryoma explained.

"Wait... That was Takatsuki Sen?" Rize's expression turned to one of surprise.

It was far from the image she had imagined. Based on the dark and intricate themes of Takatsuki Sen's novels, Rize had always assumed the author was an older man or a mature woman — certainly not a petite girl with a carefree smile.

"Eh?! Ryoma, are you serious? That was Takatsuki Sen?" Kaneki blurted out in shock.

"Yeah. You'll see her again inside," Ryoma said with a small shrug.

Sure enough, when they finally reached the front of the line, Kaneki saw Takatsuki Sen seated at the signing table — the same girl who had greeted Ryoma earlier.

The line to meet her was long, but that was typical for fan events.

Fortunately, there were plenty of her books on display nearby, so fans could read while they waited.

When Kaneki's turn arrived, he kept the conversation short. Awkward and shy, he mostly spoke about his feelings on her writing, too embarrassed to dive into unrelated topics with a stranger.

After Kaneki, it was Ryoma and Rize's turn.

As they sat down in front of Eto, she greeted Ryoma with a familiar smile.

"Well, look who it is. We meet again."

Eto's hair hung loosely around her face, and her messy, unkempt look suggested she had rushed over without bothering to tidy up.

"Yeah, looks like we do," Ryoma replied casually.

"And you brought such a beautiful girl with you this time," Eto teased, glancing at Rize.

Truth be told, Eto had been surprised to see Ryoma and Rize together.

She still remembered Ryoma's bold confession to Rize weeks earlier. At the time, Eto assumed Ryoma was a dead man walking.

Yet here they were, sitting side by side like a perfectly happy couple.

"Huh... what happened between those two?" Eto wondered.

"No, no, you're the real beauty here, Miss Takatsuki," Rize replied with a charming smile.

Both Rize and Eto exchanged polite smiles, giving off the impression of a friendly conversation.

Of course, Rize had no idea who Eto truly was.

But Eto knew exactly who Rize Kamishiro was.

"And what are your names?" Eto asked, leaning forward slightly.

"Ryoma Kanzaki."

"Rize Kamishiro."

They introduced themselves without hesitation — after all, Eto already knew their names.

"Got it," Eto said with a smile. "Would you like an autograph? Or maybe something else?"

"Just your autograph, please," Ryoma said, pulling out a book he'd brought with him.

With a casual grin, Eto signed her pen name — Takatsuki Sen — across the cover.

The three of them chatted briefly about Eto's novels before Ryoma and Rize stood to leave.

As they walked away, Eto propped her chin on her hand and watched them go, a mischievous glint in her eye.

They're still together... but why hasn't Rize eaten him yet?

By all logic, Rize should have devoured Ryoma by now. Yet instead of being prey, Ryoma seemed to have earned her trust — maybe even her affection.

Something doesn't add up, Eto thought.

Still curious, she turned her attention back to the next fan in line.

...

After leaving the event, Kaneki decided to head straight home, parting ways with Ryoma and Rize.

Today had been a good day for Kaneki — not only had he met Takatsuki Sen, but he had also shared his thoughts on her work directly with her.

"I always imagined Takatsuki Sen as... I don't know... someone completely different," Rize said as they walked back.

"Yeah, but... didn't you sense anything unusual about her?" Ryoma asked.

Rize blinked. "Unusual? What do you mean?"

"You didn't notice? She's a ghoul."

Rize paused mid-step, eyes narrowing.

"A ghoul...?" she muttered, surprised. "I didn't even pick up her scent."

That revelation left her stunned. Rize's heightened senses were exceptionally sharp — for her to fail to notice Eto's presence as a ghoul was unheard of.

"She's a natural-born half-ghoul," Ryoma explained. "That's probably why her scent is harder to pick up. Plus, she's been living in human society for so long that her scent's mixed with theirs."

Rize exhaled softly. "I really didn't expect that... So that's how she can write such dark and twisted stories."

Now it all made sense. For someone like Eto — a ghoul who grew up in hiding, forced to endure suffering from both worlds — those emotions would naturally shape her writing.

Most ghouls grew up surrounded by tragedy. Simply being born as a ghoul felt like a curse — as if their very existence was a mistake.

In that sense, Eto's painful upbringing was no exception... though her past was far more tragic than most.