Satoru Gojo's eyelashes fluttered as his long fingers brushed through the soft black hair by Kobe Suzuo's temple.
He speculated on Kobe Suzuo's next reaction.
If Kobe Suzuo really leaned in to kiss him, he would use his martial arts to dodge, then he would mock him mercilessly.
If Kobe Suzuo was too shy and timid to kiss him, he would take the initiative to kiss him again, then mock him relentlessly.
But Kobe Suzuo chose neither; the sirens in his mind were blaring a frantic warning, the five virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, righteousness, trust were playing on an endless loop.
While it is said that being a domineering CEO is a profession that has since ancient times been constantly testing the boundaries of morality and the law, Kobe Suzuo was born in the new era and had received a sound education from a young age.
He felt that certain cliché plotlines were not allowed to happen to him.
With a sudden, inexplicable burst of strength, he knocked Satoru Gojo aside and bolted toward the door like he was escaping.
He spoke with uncertainty in his voice, his tone more solemn than ever before: "I have an older brother who is a police officer."
Under Satoru Gojo's surprised and confused gaze, Kobe Suzuo looked around busily, as if he were very busy, but he did not dare to look at him.
No joke, he'll actually send me to jail.
The two people, whose thought processes were not quite aligned, shared an awkward moment before Kobe Suzuo fled the room in a state of disarray, bringing the encounter to an end.
CEO! Total loss of face!
Merlin System automatically broadcasts the settlement.
CG in the Same Room
CG wants to be a law-abiding, domineering CEO.
Satoru Gojo's ears twitched. He pulled back the messy blankets and pillows on the bed, there, lying lonely on the white sheets, was a pair of black intercom headphones.
Because it had automatically shut down due to triggering *** Protection, Merlin, who had just turned on at this moment..
It knew these communication earphones were constantly falling apart; sooner or later, something was bound to happen.
Merlin (Mechanical Voice): "Hello, I am your voice assistant, Kobayashi-kun. Is there anything I can help you with?"
..
Kobe Suzuo had originally intended to hide from Satoru Gojo for a while.
But it was obvious that the Fated Person he had found was no ordinary, shy, innocent little white flower.
Early the next morning, just after Kobe Suzuo had sent a message to Suguru Geto, Satoru Gojo arrived with a group of people, swarming right up to him.
Suzuo—Geto said you wanted to see him for something? Do you need our help..
The rest of his words got stuck in his throat, as he was jolted by the unusual, mysterious scent in the room.
What is going on?
Whenever Kobe Suzuo needed to enter a room recently, the servants would have it cleaned and ventilated in advance, the butler would arrange for incense to be lit.
Not like this current situation, which had, well, a faint scent of thunder lingering in the air.
Satoru Gojo stood at the door, hesitating whether or not to enter, while Nobara Iori's gaze sharpened as she poked her head out from the side, "The smell of biological decay."
Kobe Suzuo said nothing.
He felt as if his entire head was filled with the smell just from opening his mouth. He made a gesture to Ford Fordge, then invited the three people blocking the doorway inside.
Inside the room, there was a striking mahogany dining table, covered with plates with lids on them.
The ventilation system was working diligently, but the effect was minimal; after all, more than a dozen of the world's smelliest foods were all laid out right here.
Even though some had not been opened yet, the various smells were mixed together, becoming clearer the more one smelled them.
Ford Fordge handed the "Today's Menu" to Suguru Geto, then returned to Kobe Suzuo's side with a serious expression, confirming once more:
Young Master, are you really not going to wear a gas mask? The smell will only get stronger later.
Kobe Suzuo made a bitter face, "…No need, I need to personally confirm things with the Project Team."
He glanced at the few people crowded around the dining table: "Prepare one for Satoru and Nobara Iori."
Satoru Gojo pinched his nose, squeezed in beside Suguru Geto, mumbled several nouns from the menu in a buzzing voice.
“Doje, stinky tofu, canned herring, blue cheese, fermented shark, Icelandic puffin..”
He did not continue reading.
Satoru Gojo looked at the mysterious object on the table covered by a lid, which emitted a strange odor and seemed to be whispering like an ancient god, his face filled with terror, confusion, incomprehension.
Nobara Iori asked sincerely, "Mr. Suzuo, do you actually have a fetish for strange food?"
Kobe Suzuo shook his head, squeezing out a short sentence from his mouth, "Prepared for Suguru Geto."
Satoru Gojo's expression became even more horrified, his jaw dropping to the floor as if Kobe Suzuo were about to kill a cat.
When did Geto ever offend you?
Kobe Suzuo didn't expect his resistance to this kind of smell to be this poor; his face turned deathly pale.
He felt like vomiting at any moment, so he could only grab the tablet beside him and type out his words, which Merlin repeated aloud, using this method to explain it to Suguru Geto.
Although it has been basically confirmed that the side effects of Cursed Spirit Orb are on the mind or the soul, resolving the issue of the smell is also very necessary.
The laboratory has no concept of the smell of a Cursed Spirit; they need physical objects that can be detected by instruments, so we can only look for similar substitutes in real life.
Kobe Suzuo wanted to gasp, but forced himself to hold it in:
I know it's cruel to ask you to eat these things, but I still hope you can try them as much as possible..
Satoru Gojo and Nobara Iori looked on with half-understanding, their expressions toward Suguru Geto becoming increasingly complex.
“So you're the one with the fetish? Geto, is that what a Cursed Spirit Orb tastes like?”
Suguru Geto..
Author's Note:
The bonus chapters will have to wait until after the New Year; things are quite.. well, chaotic during the New Year holidays back in my hometown.
Chapter 49: That Overbearing CEO
Suguru Geto's temples throbbed, he denied it dryly, "No, you're overthinking it."
Satoru Gojo and Nobara Iori exchanged a glance, Satoru Gojo covered his mouth, looking at Suguru Geto with an expression as if he were looking at some rare species.
One could see his concern for his companions, but his appearance was truly punchable.
It's precisely because I didn't want to be treated in such a special way that I didn't tell you all..
Suguru Geto sighed helplessly; he had no intention of keeping this a secret forever, but he had not expected the secret to be exposed so unexpectedly like this.
The email Kobe Suzuo sent to Suguru Geto this morning was vague, stating only that he needed help with research related to Cursed Spirit Orbs.
His train of thought couldn't keep up with the CEO's wild imagination regarding the "World's Stinkiest Foods" tasting session, nor could he have expected that the so-called research expert would possess such a relentless spirit of scientific inquiry.
If he had known that Kobe Suzuo had called him here for this, Suguru Geto would have done anything to prevent Nobara Iori and Satoru Gojo from coming along.
Suguru Geto remained silent for quite a while.
His two close friends huddled together, whispering and muttering in his presence.
Not knowing what kind of nonsense they were imagining, they would occasionally cast glances of complex pity and strangeness, making Suguru Geto's fists itch.
Butler Ford unhurriedly put on his gas mask, cleared his throat by the dining table, faced the frowning, silent Suguru Geto.
These are special 'delicacies' that the Young Master sent people to search for from all over the world, transported here via exclusive shipping routes. The Kobe Group's cold chain system ensures they are authentic enough and fresh enough.
Ford finished the advertisement-like introduction in an impassioned tone, made a cross with one hand over his chest, bowed to Suguru Geto. When he looked up, his face was filled with admiration.
Young Master Geto, I hope you will select the dish you are satisfied with from today's menu.
After saying that, Ford peeled off the first lid, the evil yellow-and-red can sat right in the center of the plate.
Wearing latex gloves, the moment Ford used the can opener to cut through the sealed can, a pungent odor wafted out, filling the entire room like a burst sewer in a restroom.
Immediately after, the next lid was peeled back, revealing pickled auk in the sealed container—a purplish-black mass still covered in rotting feathers.
Kobe Suzuo had already begun to feel unable to bear it.
He had always held a sense of gratitude toward food, but not all food was meant to be served on the dining tables of modern humans.
This isn't just a torture of the taste buds, Kobe Suzuo thought; it is a bullying of one's very personality.
The secretary in charge of this task was efficient and decisive, working with incredibly high productivity. In a short amount of time, the world's most controversial "delicacies" were all collected and brought together in one place.
If one were to take a bite of each of these, they would see their great-grandmother waving at them from the Sanzu River without even having to close their eyes.
Ford Fordge lived up to his reputation as a professional butler, maintaining his composure even in such a situation.
He elegantly sliced the pickled storm petrel, plating it with exquisite vegetables, took the herring whole from the can, poured the buttermilk into a goblet.
Kobe Suzuo watched coldly, thinking that after this whole ordeal, the tableware could be thrown away, the house should be thrown away along with it.
He would probably have to scrub himself until his skin peeled just to get remotely clean.
Satoru Gojo leaned in beside Suguru Geto, peering curiously and feeling conflicted.
He watched Suguru Geto pick up his fork, as the juice splashed out when he pierced the fish, he couldn't help but ask.
“Geto, are you really going to try it? What if you actually end up liking this flavor? Your life will be ruined!”
Suguru Geto did not answer. He slowly brought the fish to his lips, then skillfully and smoothly pivoted, feeding it into Satoru Gojo's mouth.
Satoru Gojo chewed subconsciously for a few bites, his expression gradually turning into a daze, before he let out a sharp, piercing scream and rushed into the restroom, wailing and moaning.
Nobara Iori broke into a cold sweat, taking several steps back repeatedly. She silently pulled her gas mask over her face, making a gesture that said, "Please, go ahead, I can't afford to offend you."
Suguru Geto gave a cold, mocking laugh and turned his gaze back to the dining table.
Ford meticulously cut the food into small, easy-to-swallow pieces, arranging them on the plate so they looked exquisite and harmless.
Setting aside the pungent odor, at least it looked like food.
Why does it feel a bit stronger than a Cursed Spirit Orb?
Kobe Suzuo glanced toward the bathroom with a worried look, thinking that perhaps he should just forget about it.
He didn't provide so much funding for the laboratory just for people to eat for free.