Standing at the elevator exit, Luo Shu fixed his gaze on the uninvited guest before him.
The woman wore a wide-brimmed American military cap with wind goggles attached. Beneath it flowed long, slender pink hair, paired with a white sailor-style outfit with green accents that accentuated her exaggerated curves.
Among all the women Luo Shu had encountered, she undoubtedly had the most striking figure.
Yet compared to her physique, what concerned Luo Shu more was her unauthorised presence.
"Miss, entering this building without prior notice is quite a dangerous move."
Though the Abyss Artefacts hadn't been relocated yet and the equipment remained uninstalled, as head of the Hidden Management Department, having his territory inexplicably breached gave Luo Shu an acute sense of embarrassment.
He raised his hands, ostensibly adjusting his clothes with casual indifference. In truth, he was preparing to bestow misfortune upon her at any moment.
"Oh ho~~ As wary as the rumours say."
The pink-haired girl leaning against the support pillar spoke in a cheerful voice.
Hearing her voice, Luo Shu felt an odd sense of familiarity, though he couldn't quite place where he'd heard it before.
"Rumours?" Luo Shu asked with some curiosity. "Someone insignificant like me actually has rumours circulating?"
"Not at all~ The intelligence about SDS's newest department head is certainly worthy of being recorded in every major organisation's reports."
The pink-haired girl opposite raised her right hand, revealing a ring with a blue gemstone on her middle finger:
"I wonder if this might help alleviate some of Luo Shu-kun's hostility?"
Seeing the ring, Luo Shu's eyebrow twitched before he raised his left hand to display a similarly styled gemstone ring.
Whoosh!
Indigo flames flickered to life around the ring, swirling like mist.
These were the Mist attribute Dying Will Flames Luo Shu had ignited.
Observing this, the girl opposite gave Luo Shu a peculiar look before her own ring's middle finger erupted with sky-blue flames.
'Rain attribute Dying Will Flames, with the effect of tranquillity...' Recognising the genuine ring in the girl's possession, Luo Shu couldn't help but smile:
"Luo Shu of the Hidden Management Department."
"Meer of Intelligence."
After this self-introduction, the pink-haired girl called Meer sighed, clasped her hands behind her back and grumbled:
"Just as Tachibana-san said, way too cautious~"
"I consider it basic identity verification."
As he spoke, Luo Shu walked to the third-floor office door, pushed it open with an inviting gesture, then remarked:
"Though I must admit I'm surprised the head of Intelligence turns out to be a girl who appears to be my age."
Aside from mass-produced standard rings, the seven replicated Vongola Rings Verde had created were exclusively distributed to those he considered SDS core members.
Among these, the Sky Ring was held by Lacus, the Lightning Ring remained with Verde himself, while Kirika Tachibana and Luo Shu possessed the Storm and Mist Rings, respectively.
The Rain Ring in Meer's possession marked the fifth Vongola Ring Luo Shu had encountered.
That she could ignite the corresponding Dying Will Flames was precisely why Luo Shu had instantly accepted her identity.
"Eh~~ So the rings actually denote status? Lacus-nee never mentioned that."
Meer slid into the spacious office, her tone tinged with surprise.
Only then did Luo Shu notice what appeared to be roller skates on her feet.
His glance didn't escape Meer's notice:
"Specially developed AIRGEARTRICK aerial skates for Dying Will Flame usage - AT for short. A new product from Verde's lab~"
Meer spun in place to demonstrate as blue flames erupted from the skates' soles.
"With these, even aerial sprints become possible. They've become my favourite toy recently."
"Interested? I could get you a pair if you like."
"You really didn't need to explain all that."
Luo Shu walked over to the desk, pulled out a chair and sat down, then said:
"So, what does the head of the Intelligence Department want with me?"
"Straight to business, huh~~" Meer pouted, seeming very dissatisfied with Luo Shu's attitude: "A boy who can't even chat will be disliked by girls, you know."
Hearing this, Luo Shu sighed helplessly: "Isn't intelligence supposed to be about timeliness?"
Meer lightly tapped her feet and whooshed over to Luo Shu's side on her roller skates, grabbing another high-backed chair next to him and plopping down:
"But I never said I came here for official business~
"??" Luo Shu looked utterly confused.
Seeing his reaction, Meer grinned and crossed her legs on the high-backed chair:
"Today I heard someone actually confessed to the Chairwoman, so I came specially to see what kind of person it was."
'Has the news spread that fast?' Luo Shu's eyelid twitched as he replied:
"And what were your impressions after seeing me?"
"It's going to be tough." Meer suddenly sighed: "If you're really serious about pursuing the Chairwoman, you'd better prepare for a long battle."
"This is advice from someone who used to be the Chairwoman's body double."
'No wonder her voice sounded familiar - the tone was so similar to Lacus's, and her appearance was alike too, though the figure was off. Wait, actually, Meer's figure seems better...' Luo Shu's mind filled with random thoughts:
"That's nothing for Miss Meer to worry about."
Luo Shu leaned back in the high-backed chair, his tone somewhat distant:
"Anything else?"
"There is indeed."
Meer smiled as she reached into her cleavage, pulling out a square-folded piece of paper with her index and middle fingers:
"Please share all intelligence regarding Kabbalah Angels - the information you haven't reported to the Chairwoman yet, Luo Shu-kun~"
"Oh, and if possible, could you also compile a report on the Succubi from Dreamland?"
Luo Shu paused, then gave Meer a strange look:
"...And you claim you didn't come here for official business?"
Meer stuck out her tongue playfully:
"Lying is a pretty girl's privilege~"