"Ugh!!"
The sound of splashing water and the sensation of cold droplets hitting her face simultaneously registered in Ryōko Yakushiji's mind.
The icy sensation, combined with the dull pain from her emergency-treated shoulder wound, gradually brought her back to her senses.
She slowly raised her head to see her pale reflection in the mirror.
Wiping her lips, Ryōko smeared crimson lipstick across her cheek. She stared intently at her reflection, particularly at her own bewitchingly crimson eyes:
"Was it that pill..."
Ryōko immediately recalled the pill Sharon had forced her to swallow.
Within half an hour of ingestion, she'd rushed to a private hospital for induced vomiting and stomach pumping, yet ultimately failed to expel the pill's contents.
In less than an hour afterwards, her body began exhibiting abnormalities - a vague but intense craving emerged in her mind, though its exact nature remained unclear.
Thinking of the incompetent doctors who'd reported the pill might contain no harmful components, Ryōko's face still bore traces of anger.
'My own body - of course I'd know best. That venomous nun must have used some mystical means on me. She's just waiting for the right moment to activate it.'
'If there's an opportunity, have Plum arrange for those doctors to be transferred abroad.'
The fact that the Yakushiji heiress had been drugged and potentially controlled by a secret organisation must never be exposed. Such exposure could jeopardise her position as designated successor, regardless of her status.
With her current level of influence, she couldn't yet make family members accept the risk of their clan being remotely controlled by outsiders.
This train of thought inevitably led Ryōko to the architect of her predicament:
"Katsuhiko Yakushiji!"
Ryōko angrily slammed the sink counter, snarling the name through gritted teeth like an enraged she-wolf.
If not for that brain-damaged Katsuhiko Yakushiji secretly collaborating with Truth Astronomy behind the family's back, she wouldn't have needed to interfere with Kirika Tachibana's operation and attempt to eliminate Sharon as a witness - leading to this disastrous backlash.
The supremely arrogant Ryōko couldn't tolerate being controlled by others, especially when it resulted from an incompetent elder's blunder. This was utterly unacceptable.
While she disliked taking her anger out on others, she loathed even more being dragged down by incompetent swine.
With cold fury in her heart, Ryōko picked up her slightly dampened mobile phone and dialled a number.
After several dial tones, a cool voice answered.
"Ryōko, the doctors have been arranged. Any further instructions?" Hearing that cold voice, Ryōko Yakushiji wasted no words and spoke indifferently:
"Plum Blossom, go to the dark web and post an assassination mission targeting Katsuhiko Yakushiji. If possible, have the Fuuga clan take the job."
There wasn't the slightest hesitation in ordering her close guard/maid, Plum Blossom, to arrange the assassination of her own uncle. She even specified the most expensive method of execution.
The Fuuga clan was a shadow organisation subordinate to the Kannagi family, a sorcerer family in Japan. All its members were sorcerers skilled in Wind Arts, specialists in handling dirty work.
With them involved, even the Yakushiji family wouldn't act rashly. After all, the Fuuga clan had the backing of the Kannagi family - the strongest Flame Arts practitioners. Combined with her own manipulations within the clan, suppressing news of Katsuhiko Yakushiji's death would be easily accomplished.
Of course, such a targeted assassination, especially of someone from a major family, would command an exorbitant price - each contract measured in tens of millions of US dollars. But Ryōko Yakushiji had little else in abundance except money, and she was willing to spend it this way.
"...Understood." The maid Plum Blossom hung up immediately after receiving the order, without the slightest hesitation.
After issuing her command, Ryōko Yakushiji finally felt some relief, with enough composure left to notice the cracks in the bathroom tiles from her earlier outburst of violence.
Seeing those fractures, she suddenly turned to stare at her reflection - at those blood-red pupils:
"My body..."
Realising something, Ryōko Yakushiji fell silent.
...
Outside the Metropolitan Police Department's ladies' restroom.
Kirika Tachibana leaned against the grey translucent tiled wall, a woman's cigarette between her lips as she exhaled a slow smoke ring:
"I see... Demon Power then..."
Thinking of Ryōko Yakushiji currently inside the restroom, Kirika finally understood the source of that strange energy she'd sensed during the meeting.
"It seems Miss Yakushiji has fallen into someone's scheme this time... Truth Astronomy, or perhaps... that Sharon Holygrail?"
In truth, Kirika leaned towards the latter.
Though Ryōko's official report had been convincing, possibly even with coordinated testimonies, Kirika's instincts told her something must have happened between Ryōko and Sharon during that kidnapping.
Only this could explain Ryōko's current abnormalities.
As for why Ryōko showed signs of demonic corruption, Kirika could understand that, too.
"Truth Astronomy is publicly known as a Demon Sorcerer Organisation, but that doesn't mean their sworn enemies, the Demon Hunters, wouldn't have corresponding methods. This reminds me..."
At this thought, Kirika glanced towards the restroom and gave a soft chuckle.
She had no intention of exposing Ryōko, despite their conflicts.
Even if she revealed Ryōko's condition now and caused her to lose power, what then?
Would the Yakushiji family thank her for removing Ryōko? Would the Metropolitan Police Department give her an award?
Since neither would happen, why bother reporting it?
Wouldn't it be better to hold onto this weakness and force Ryōko into favourable compromises at critical moments?
"The adult world isn't governed by emotions alone~~"
Holding a lady's cigarette between her lips, Kirika Tachibana exited the Metropolitan Police Department as silently and gracefully as a black cat.
She still had a report to write, explaining to the young mistress behind the scenes why she had wielded the Kusanagi Sword. She didn't have time to waste dealing with Ryōko Yakushiji.
"Still, that kid Luo Shu actually managed to repel Sharon? Maybe I've been underestimating him too much."
Debating whether to assign him more responsibilities but hesitating over whether it might push him too hard, too soon, Kirika Tachibana entered the parking lot in a tangled mess of thoughts and drove away from the Metropolitan Police Department.