After settling the funding matter, Luo Shu stood up to take his leave.
On one hand, he needed to ensure the Succubus-run maid café near their headquarters wouldn't pose a threat before the Abyss Artefact transfer.
On the other hand, he'd noticed Utaha Kasumigaoka preparing to leave the maid café and wanted to rendezvous with her.
...
After Luo Shu's departure.
Natsuki Minamiya fixed Lacus Clyne with a distinctly mischievous gaze:
"I was originally puzzled why you'd suddenly promote a newcomer to head a new department directly, but now I think I understand."
Though Natsuki Minamiya's tone hadn't changed much, the slight ambiguity in her words still made Lacus somewhat uncomfortable.
"Choosing romance over friendship." Kirika Tachibana seized the moment to stab her friend in the back: "Looks like SDS will become a family business sooner or later. Maybe I should start preparing to jump ship."
"You could consider the Onmyou Agency," Natsuki Minamiya replied offhandedly.
Hearing this, Kirika Tachibana shook her head: "No thanks. Having a bunch of old men and women following me around on high-intensity operations would be too much hassle."
'What kind of nonsense is that? As if the Onmyou Agency would invite you to be their leader?' Natsuki shot Kirika a sidelong glance, choosing not to comment on her delusions of grandeur.
At this point, Natsuki glanced at Lacus and, after a moment's thought, decided to offer a warning:
"Perhaps it's not my place to say this, but handing over Abyss Artefacts to Luo Shu's care without proper testing isn't just unsafe—it's also likely to invite trouble."
"Congress in America, and the arms dealers within your own organisation, won't trust someone from China."
Lacus responded with a gentle smile:
"If necessary, we can simply cut ties."
"With Luo Shu?" Natsuki was surprised, as this didn't align with the Lacus she knew.
"No, with Congress." Lacus's tone carried a hint of regret: "It's unfortunate, but if they truly insist on excluding Luo Shu-kun, I'll have no choice but to... communicate with them more thoroughly."
"And if they refuse to communicate?" Natsuki Minamiya probed tentatively.
Hearing this, Lacus replied gently, "Then I'll simply have to replace them with ladies and gentlemen who can communicate properly."
At this remark, Natsuki Minamiya sighed, "...Sometimes I genuinely wonder if you're really only sixteen years old."
Truth be told, Natsuki Minamiya currently harboured strong suspicions about how many people in American politics were actually SDS members—or rather, how many in the US Congress obeyed the commands of this pink-haired darling before her.
Lacus maintained her usual smile, clearly refusing to entertain such meaningless questions.
Seeing her like this, Natsuki Minamiya exhaled wearily:
"Never mind. Since Mr Siegel has always indulged you, it means you haven't done anything outrageous."
Although Natsuki felt that Lacus's father had utterly failed in guiding his daughter, with that experienced old gentleman around, the likelihood of Lacus being led astray remained extremely low.
Thinking this, Natsuki relaxed slightly and massaged her temples:
"Enough idle chatter."
"This time, aside from accepting your invitation to apply techniques to the covert management zone, I've also been entrusted with some troublesome matters by the Onmyou Agency."
Hearing this, Lacus's expression faltered momentarily, her gaze at Natsuki faintly tinged with pity.
At that moment, Natsuki picked up the folding fan on the table, opened it, and covered half her face as she said:
"This time, your lockdown operation in Chiba Prefecture was too heavy-handed. Both the Onmyou Agency and the Public Safety Bureau have expressed dissatisfaction."
"And they're not the only ones displeased."
Kirika Tachibana, holding her sundae, took a bite before interrupting with a dry laugh:
"These past few years, that lot haven't missed a chance to obstruct my operations department."
"The Supernatural Disaster Countermeasures Division—that's its name, right? The special department spearheaded by the Jinguuji family under the Cabinet's Environment Ministry. Oh, and the Metropolitan Police Department has been considering establishing a new division, too."
"On one hand, they block my operations department's expansion, while actively forming new departments on the other. Are they that eager to slip America's leash?"
Lacus sipped her matcha tea and said with a smile:
"No need to worry. Congress is already considering implementing new economic sanctions."
'You mean you're considering it...' Natsuki couldn't help but complain internally.
Witnessing their coordinated pressure tactics, Natsuki rubbed her temples in frustration:
"Leaving absolutely no room for negotiation, are you?"
"The old guard won't be pleased if I bring back such results."
Of course, she wasn't worried about the bureaucrats—her concern lay with the Onmyou Agency's students.
During this delicate period, given their naive age, those students could easily become collateral damage in the power struggle between America and Japan.
Hearing this, Lacus tilted her head thoughtfully:
"Should we recall Luo Shu? Actually, isn't it rather odd to discuss this agenda after his departure?"
"Calling him back would be even stranger. I don't sense any friendliness towards Japanese officials from him..."
Kirika rolled her eyes at this suggestion. Involving Luo Shu—a purebred Chinese—in such discussions would only pour oil on the flames.
However, upon hearing these words, Natsuki Minamiya seemed to recall something and mused thoughtfully:
"You mean Luo Shu's Hidden Management Department?"
"Exactly." Lacus smiled, blinking playfully at Natsuki Minamiya. "The only leverage the Onmyou Agency, Metropolitan Police Department and Cabinet have over you is your students, isn't it?"
"In that case, why not provide them with an additional career path after graduation?"
Kirika Tachibana couldn't help glancing at Natsuki Minamiya upon hearing this and chuckled:
"No wonder you agreed so readily to teach at Toyogasaki High School. So the Onmyou Agency had already figured out that your weakness lies with your students."
Natsuki Minamiya ignored her, sipping her black tea with narrowed eyes.
She wasn't surprised that Lacus had discerned her predicament - this woman had always been observant.
But still...
"What exactly is Luo Shu's situation?"
Although she was Luo Shu's teacher in mystical studies, Natsuki Minamiya knew virtually nothing about him.
And judging by earlier events, even Lacus seemed to have limited understanding of Luo Shu, though they appeared to have reached some agreement.
As his mentor at the Onmyou Agency, Natsuki needed at least some basic information before recommending her disciple's transfer to the Hidden Management Department.
With this thought, Natsuki's gaze naturally turned to Lacus.
Meanwhile, Kirika Tachibana watched Lacus with teasing eyes, clearly waiting for her response.
Under their dual scrutiny, Lacus opened her mouth slightly before sighing quietly:
"My father mentioned he might consider meeting Luo Shu soon."
Natsuki blinked blankly, then her expression turned profoundly complex - the kind when a single woman realises her best friend is meeting the parents:
"So Kirika wasn't actually joking earlier?"
Is the SDS really going to become a family business?
...
Dreamland Maid Café.
Luo Shu stared up at the neon-lit sign, narrowed his eyes slightly, then pushed the door open.