Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters, located inside the 18-storey building, which is internally referred to as Sakuradamon.
"Good morning~~ Luo Shu-kun~"
Luo Shu had just stepped out of his car in the underground garage when an incredibly soft body collided with him.
Looking down at the girl nuzzling against his chest, Luo Shu raised his hand to pat her pink hair before saying exasperatedly:
"You found me the moment I arrived. Did you install a tracker on my car?"
"I would never do such a thing!"
Meer immediately lifted her head, puffing her cheeks as she glared at Luo Shu:
"I just contacted Kisara-san and asked her to notify me when you leave home."
Hearing this, Luo Shu was utterly speechless: "That's even worse, you know?"
They've even managed to bribe someone close to him, but how could Kisara have leaked his whereabouts?
Luo Shu looked at Meer with confusion in his eyes.
At that moment, Meer released him, clasped her hands behind her back and said cheerfully:
"Don't look so surprised. I just reminded Kisara-san that there are several super cute girls among this meeting's attendees."
"You..." Luo Shu didn't even know what to say to this.
Was the foundation of women bonding with each other creating imaginary enemies out of thin air?
But come to think of it, did Kisara actually believe he was some universally lovable man?
How many pills had she taken to get that idea?
As Luo Shu was feeling exasperated, Meer leaned in and grabbed his arm:
"Anyway, let's hurry to the meeting room~"
"Alright, alright, I get it. You're holding too tight."
Helplessly, Luo Shu allowed Meer to drag him by the arm towards the elevator at a rapid speed.
Of course, his complaints were merely verbal. In truth, he secretly wished the soft sensation against his arm would press even closer.
The elevator soon arrived at their destination floor.
As the doors opened, Luo Shu and Meer stepped out into the corridor.
It was then that they spotted a petite girl standing by the edge of the corridor, leaning against the window.
She wore a white princess-style dress with navy blue trimmings, a snow-white beret on her head, and carried a wooden cane like those used in Sherlock Holmes plays.
She'd been resting against the window, seemingly listening quietly to something, but turned to look at them when the elevator doors opened.
"Oh~ If it isn't Meer-san! It feels like ages since we last met!"
"Long time no see, Kotoko." Meer waved cheerfully while still clinging to Luo Shu's arm.
Noticing this, Kotoko Iwanaga gave Luo Shu a slightly surprised look:
"And this is...?"
"SDS Hidden Management Department, Luo Shu."
As they approached Kotoko Iwanaga, Luo Shu took out his wallet and produced a business card.
The card had been hastily made by Yukino Yukinoshita when she was first handling department affairs.
In Japan, where many names share the same pronunciation but use different kanji, business cards were essential to avoid embarrassing mistakes.
For instance, "YUUKI" could be written as the feminine Yuki or Yuuki, or the masculine Yuuki, Yuuto or Yuto - with hundreds of possible variations.
"Ah, I'm Kotoko Iwanaga."
Kotoko habitually took out her wallet and exchanged name cards with Luo Shu before tilting her head:
"Hidden Management Department? Did the Supreme Chairwoman establish another branch department here?"
After muttering to herself, Kotoko looked up at Luo Shu's slightly peculiar expression:
"Hmm? Luo-san, is there something on my face?"
As she spoke, she scratched her slightly rounded cheek.
'No, I just realised you're another potential Familia heroine candidate, and...'
[System Alert: Possible juvenile Demigod Detected.]
[Attempting analysis.]
'A suspected juvenile Demigod?' Luo Shu couldn't help but study Kotoko Iwanaga more closely.
In fact, this was his first time encountering a living Demigod, even if it was just a so-called juvenile...
At that moment, noticing Luo Shu's gaze, Kotoko Iwanaga couldn't help but glance at Meer and teased:
"Ah, staring at me like this only makes me suspect Luo-san has fallen in love at first sight with me?"
Luo Shu felt Meer's grip on his arm tighten twofold, yet he still found himself looking at Iwanaga Kotoko's eyes:
"Forgive my asking, but your eye..."
"Ah, so that's what you were looking at."
Kotoko Iwanaga cheerfully pointed at her lifeless right eye:
"It's a prosthetic. Incidentally, it was made using the SDS's limb replacement technology. By the way, one of my legs is prosthetic too—care to guess which one?"
As she spoke, she playfully stood on one foot, switching legs several times.
Seeing this, Luo Shu was at a loss for words.
After all, his question had unintentionally touched upon a sensitive subject.
It was Kotoko Iwanaga, still smiling brightly, who smoothly changed the topic:
"Speaking of which, the racial threat assessment of Ghouls is being handled by the SDS, isn't it?"
As she said this, she looked meaningfully at Meer, as if certain she knew something.
When addressed, Meer wore the expression of someone enjoying the show, her smile turning mischievous:
"Caused quite a stir, hasn't it?"
"Oh, a massive one. Even those old fossils have crawled out of the woodwork."
Kotoko Iwanaga gestured subtly with her chin toward a nearby spot.
Following her indication, Luo Shu saw a grim-faced old man in a British-style gentleman's hat, beige scarf, and suit, leaning on a cane.
Opposite him stood a sharp-eyed middle-aged man with blond hair, grey eyes, a beard, and dressed in a white suit.
"That gloomy old man on the left is Takayanagi Dōgen, leader of the Bujin-shū—a stubborn traditionalist who believes martial artists are supreme."
"And the one facing him is no better—Asato Ichijo, the highest elder of the Vampire Elder Council. A noble Vampire with ambitions to imprison Purebloods, who should be their kings."
"Rumour has it one of the Purebloods Asato Ichijo imprisoned recently escaped. Everyone's looking forward to the fallout."
Luo Shu listened in surprise. "Everyone?"
"Oh, the yokai community, I mean."
Kotoko Iwanaga raised a hand to adjust her beret, smiling at Meer:
"Meer-chan hasn't told Luo-san about me? How unexpectedly touching~"
However, contrary to her expectations, Meer replied bluntly:
"Of course not. Revealing secrets in person is way more fun."
"Eh~" Kotoko Iwanaga's expression froze.
Give back her touched feelings!
Meanwhile, Meer clung to Luo Shu's arm and cheerfully introduced:
"Princess of Yokai, Kotoko Iwanaga. The unaffiliated yokai of Japan collectively revere her as their princess."
"Human yet also a yokai princess, serving as a bridge between both worlds."
Here, Meer noticed Kotoko Iwanaga's slightly flushed face and the cane she'd begun to raise, and stuck out her tongue:
"Ah, perhaps I shouldn't say any more."
"Even I would feel embarrassed being called 'princess' to my face like that."
Kotoko Iwanaga set down her cane and muttered her complaint.