The next morning at 7:30, in Café LycoReco.
Upon learning that three new recruits would be receiving basic training at his location, Mika, the person in charge of this base, immediately developed a headache.
"I understand the Hidden Management Department urgently needs new members, but recruiting all your schoolmates is going too far."
Mika, wearing a loose dark blue kimono with a cigarette between his fingers, spoke to Luo Shu with a helpless expression.
After saying this, Mika added, "Our line of work is quite dangerous."
Mika fully understood the newly established Hidden Management Department's desperate need for personnel. However, recruiting three high school students at once was rather excessive.
Moreover, one male and four females, with three being new female recruits... Was the Hidden Management Department actually a harem department?
"I'm not expecting them to work the frontlines like Chisato and the others."
Luo Shu, seated at the counter, picked up his coffee and took a sip before saying:
"And setting aside Yukino Yukinoshita, the other two seem like excellent support personnel to me."
As he spoke, Luo Shu glanced at Kisara standing nearby, who immediately understood and handed him the briefcase she was holding.
He opened the briefcase, took out a document, and placed it on the table:
"This is the personnel status report for Chairwoman Lacus."
Seeing this, Mika didn't take it but frowned instead: "Is it really alright for me to see this?"
"Did I say I was showing it to you?" Luo Shu looked surprised. "I'm just putting it down for a few minutes because my arms are tired."
"Then it's fine." Mika instantly understood and began reading the report without hesitation.
Luo Shu smiled at this and took another sip of coffee.
Meanwhile, after quickly skimming through the report, Mika couldn't help but frown:
"A psychic-type ability user and a shapeshifter specialised in disguise?"
"In a way, they're exactly the talents we urgently need. If that's the case, then there's no problem."
Though recruiting high school students felt somewhat inappropriate, exceptions could be made for rare ability users like these.
For such talents, as long as their backgrounds were clean, no organisation would refuse them.
Mika placed the report back on the table and casually remarked:
"Though once this report gets submitted, Intelligence will probably be borrowing them from you often."
Psychic-type ability users capable of mind reading and hypnosis were invaluable for intelligence gathering, while shapeshifters were equally useful for covert operations.
Just based on their abilities, Mika could already envision scenarios—like kidnapping a key figure, having Eriri impersonate them, then using Utaha's mind-reading to extract information.
For Intelligence, this meant another method to extract intel from secretly detained prisoners.
To put it bluntly, keeping these two in Luo Shu's Hidden Management Department was somewhat wasting their potential.
Hearing Mika's words, Luo Shu muttered:
"Intelligence borrowing people? If their director, Meer, really comes asking, I might have a hard time refusing."
Mainly because Meer was too persuasive—once she started working her charm, Luo Shu knew he'd surrender quickly.
"But speaking of which, how many departments does SDS actually have? And who are their directors?"
"You really shouldn't be asking me that."
Mika's face twisted into an awkward expression:
"I'm just the instructor for Operations and the base maintenance officer, not the director. How would I know about the other directors?"
He then added with a sigh:
"And Director Meer is actually heading Intelligence? This is the first I'm hearing of it."
"You didn't know?" Luo Shu was genuinely surprised.
Mika sighed again: "Honestly, before your Hidden Management Department was established, I only knew about Verde from R&D and Director Tachibana from Direct Operations. For other departments, I only knew some liaisons."
He paused before continuing:
"Ms. Meer was one of Intelligence's liaisons—at least, that's what I thought until you said she was their director."
"Internal information lockdown?"
Luo Shu nodded in understanding:
"So the only one who knows all SDS departments is Chairwoman Lacus?"
"I wouldn't know about that. Perhaps the Minister and the higher-ranking councillors are aware, or maybe only the Supreme Chairwoman knows. These matters really shouldn't be directed at me."
Mika glanced at Luo Shu as he spoke:
"I suggest you communicate more with Chief Tachibana. After all, your internal clearance level is currently equivalent to hers now."
"I'll consult her about it."
Luo Shu finished his coffee and checked the wall clock, noting it was almost 8 o'clock:
"Then I'll leave today's new recruit training to you. If possible, let's get the genetic testing for the Adjuster Drug done as well."
"I'll arrange it. Using the special talent channel allows us to bypass the three-month probation period for immediate drug enhancement."
As Mika spoke, he glanced towards the kitchen curtain where a clearly visible lower half of someone's body was failing at stealth:
"Chisato, if you're going to eavesdrop, at least put some effort into hiding properly."
The curtain immediately parted as Chisato Nishikigi popped her head out:
"Ehehe, I was just a bit curious~"
At that moment, a hand knocked on Chisato's head. Amidst her yelp of pain, Takina Inoue - sporting twin tails and a waitress uniform - stepped around her from the kitchen:
"You just wanted to gossip."
"Takina's here too." Mika didn't seem bothered. "Perfect timing. We've got three new recruits for basic training later. Since firearms are your speciality, you'll handle their weapons training."
"Three?" Takina, who hadn't been eavesdropping, looked at Luo Shu in surprise. "Besides Yukinoshita, there are two more? I hadn't heard anything about this."
Leaning on the counter, Luo Shu explained:
"They actually came by last night, but you'd already left early when Mizuki called you back."
"I see..." Takina nodded in understanding. "Understood. I'll train them properly."
Meanwhile, Chisato waved her arms in frustration:
"The new recruits came later? Damn it, I completely missed them! It was such a rare chance for welcoming newcomers..."
After grumbling, she suddenly became alert and hurriedly asked Mika:
"Wait, if Takina's handling weapons training, then what about me? What's my assignment?"
Mika replied calmly: "You? Contact the R&D department to prepare for this afternoon's genetic testing. For new recruit firearms training, Takina's more suitable."
Chisato immediately protested:
"I'll admit Takina's amazing, but what do you mean I'm not suitable? I did perfectly fine training Luo Shu~"
"That was pure luck," Mika said disdainfully. "I hardly think ending the lesson in ten minutes was due to your teaching skills."
"Shut up!!" Chisato's face turned red.
As the two bickered, Luo Shu's phone on the counter vibrated.
Glancing at the message from Kirika Tachibana, he raised an eyebrow:
"Seems the timing's about right."
Luo Shu stood from the barstool, exchanging a look with Kisara before addressing Mika and Takina:
"Training the newcomers is up to you. They'll arrive at 8, so make the arrangements."
"Eh? Luo Shu, aren't you joining us?" Chisato Nishikigi looked surprised.
"I've got work to handle here."
Luo Shu glanced at Kisara approaching briskly before explaining to Chisato:
"Next time, I'll treat you all to dinner."
With that, Luo Shu waved and led Kisara out of Café LycoReco.
The moment they stepped outside, they saw a white Lexus parked directly in front of the café entrance.