Luo Shu had to admit this right-side corner offered an excellent vantage point.
With just slightly above-average height, one could observe both the main area and the monks at the front, while still keeping track of all funeral attendees entering through the doorway.
Beyond that, observing people from behind may not provide a direct view of their movements, but one can still discern subtle details in their body language from their silhouettes.
Thanks to this angle and Utaha Kasumigaoka's Mind Reading, Luo Shu began familiarising himself with the faces he needed to remember.
"The bespectacled middle-aged man entering first is the Prime Minister and his wife, accompanied by the English ambassador," Utaha whispered softly.
Luo Shu glanced at the couple exchanging bows and brief words with Sayuri Sawamura, alongside a balding, middle-aged Caucasian man, committing their faces to memory.
"Further back, the two women queuing to enter—the elder is the wife of the Suzuki conglomerate, while the younger seems to be the rarely seen second daughter of the Suzuki family."
Hearing this, Luo Shu took a closer look at the Suzuki family's second daughter. The black hairband and broad forehead confirmed it was indeed Sonoko Suzuki, a woman he had only heard of before.
After the Suzuki family came the American ambassador—a stern-looking elderly woman who solemnly offered condolences to the widow before proceeding to pay respects to the deceased.
Following the American ambassador were several ministers and their wives, after which Luo Shu spotted a familiar face who needed no introduction.
"Mira's here too?"
Luo Shu murmured as he noticed Mira Tsubakihara, dressed in a black kimono with her hair elegantly tied up, holding the arm of a noblewoman. He had no intention of approaching her, however.
With reporters stationed at the back taking photos and the solemnity of the funeral, even Luo Shu—foreigner though he was—knew striking up a conversation now would be inappropriate.
Once Mira Tsubakihara left to pay her respects, several high-ranking officials from the Metropolitan Police Department entered. Among them, Luo Shu even spotted Ryōko Yakushiji, whom he hadn't seen in a long time. Despite her black kimono, her commanding presence remained undiminished.
Watching her, Luo Shu muttered under his breath,
"Whether she's hated in private or not, she certainly exudes an intimidating aura..."
After the political elite, corporate tycoons, and Metropolitan Police officials—the official factions—had entered, Luo Shu noticed several groups with distinctly different demeanours.
Shinto priests in black Kariginu Robes, their auras cold and sombre.
Monks with close-cropped or shaved heads, solemn and dignified.
And even shrine maidens in strikingly vibrant red shrine maiden outfits, yet no one raised an objection.
Among the shrine maidens, the only one Luo Shu recognised was Shirayuki Hotogi, clad in the traditional red and white shrine maiden outfit, seemingly accompanying her mother. After a polite exchange with the widow, they quickly paid their respects to the deceased.
"The Onmyou Agency, Buddhist sects, shrine affiliates—quite the gathering of Ox-Demons and Snake-Gods!"
Hearing this, Utaha Kasumigaoka leaned in and whispered in Luo Shu's ear,
"But..."
"In the eyes of those around you, you're one of those Ox-Demons and Snake-Gods too!"
Luo Shu's expression turned odd as he glanced around, realising several people were indeed eyeing them.
At that moment, Utaha added with a hint of amusement,
"In so-called high society, remembering names and faces is basic etiquette."
"And their so-called 'circle' is really just a handful of people anyway."
"So, in their eyes, unfamiliar and nameless as we are, what other explanation could there be besides Ox-Demons and Snake-Gods?"
Hearing this explanation, Luo Shu couldn't help but chuckle wryly:
"That's certainly true. It seems we're both Ox-Demons and Snake-Gods then!"
Utaha Kasumigaoka smiled faintly and was about to say something when her quietly active Mind Reading ability suddenly picked up on certain information. She quickly whispered to Luo Shu:
"One of your targets has arrived."
Luo Shu's eyes flickered as he turned his gaze towards the entrance.
There, accompanied by several silver-haired foreigners who were clearly attendants, a tall woman entered the venue. She wore a black mourning dress, her silver hair elegantly coiled beneath a black veiled hat. Though clad entirely in black, her hair shone exceptionally bright.
The moment this lady stepped into the venue, Luo Shu heard the frantic clicking of camera shutters.
Clearly, this Silver Princess was the main reason these journalists had come to attend the funeral of England's attaché in Japan.
While noting the journalists' reactions, Luo Shu also observed many attendees who had been periodically glancing at the entrance now seemed to relax subtly.
'Were they worried the news about the Silver Princess attending might have been false?' Luo Shu pondered this as he studied the woman briefly spotlighted.
Though her face was somewhat obscured by the veil, a name surfaced in Luo Shu's mind:
—The Silver Princess, La Folia Rihavein.
Amused by this thought, Luo Shu remarked quietly:
"If this weren't a funeral but a social event, she'd probably be surrounded by crowds already, wouldn't she?"
Utaha Kasumigaoka glanced towards Eriri's direction before sighing softly:
"Indeed."
"After all, many people here came specifically for this princess, for Aldegia Kingdom's cutting-edge technology."
"Funerals..." Luo Shu murmured thoughtfully.
It was supposed to be a funeral, yet hardly anyone had come to genuinely pay respects. Nearly everyone had ulterior motives instead.
Though he understood there wasn't actually a dead person involved in this funeral, Luo Shu still found the situation rather ironic.
"If it were me, I'd probably just have my ashes scattered after cremation, with family having a meal before burial. Having to watch a social spectacle using my death as an excuse would be so pointless."
As Luo Shu muttered these words, he felt himself relaxing.
With La Folia's arrival, the secret meeting scheduled for tonight was practically guaranteed.
In this atmosphere, while Luo Shu still made mental notes of various celebrities he recognised from television, part of his attention had already wandered.
Yet even distracted, he managed to precisely catch the small hand that had somehow reached from behind him, preventing its attempt to tap his shoulder.
"Eh? Eh? Eh?"
Hearing the startled exclamation, Luo Shu turned slightly to see Chika Fujiwara behind him, covering her mouth to suppress her surprised noises. He couldn't help but laugh:
"What's so surprising? Did you really think I wouldn't notice you sneaking up from behind, Chika?"
"That's a lie..."
Chika Fujiwara lowered her voice as she grumbled:
"The monks' chanting was so loud, and I came over quietly. Normally, it'd be impossible to notice. Luo Shu, you must have cheated."
"Sure, sure, I cheated." Luo Shu said this while curiously asking: "By the way, did Daichi-san say anything about you coming here?"
"Big sister can handle father's side of things, they don't need me."
Chika Fujiwara muttered, her face wearing a mischievous smile, but quickly composed herself into a mournful expression upon remembering this was a funeral.
At this point, Luo Shu asked curiously: "Then why did you come today too?"
Hearing this, Chika Fujiwara complained: "I actually came specifically to play with Kaguya-chan."
"But instead of Un'yo-nii, it's the most difficult bald uncle who came today... wait... maybe that's not entirely bad..."
As she spoke, Chika's eyes rolled mischievously before she whispered to Luo Shu and Utaha Kasumigaoka:
"Wait here for me."
Luo Shu blinked in surprise, watching as Chika stealthily retreated and exited the hall.
Not long after, she returned holding a bouquet, pretending she'd just arrived to pay respects. After briefly exchanging words with the Sawamura mother-daughter hosting the event, she hurried towards the front rows.
"What's she doing?" Luo Shu asked in bewilderment.
He could tell Sayuri Sawamura had already noticed Chika's second visit but chose not to mention it. Yet this behaviour was truly perplexing.
Utaha Kasumigaoka also seemed uncertain: "Probably wants to bring that Kaguya Shinomiya over?"
"I get that, but is it necessary to pay respects to the deceased twice? Also, where'd she get the flowers?" Luo Shu wondered.
"You're really asking me?" Utaha countered.
Luo Shu had no reply, simply keeping his eyes fixed on the front rows, observing Chika's movements.
Before long, he saw a cold-faced girl with long black hair being led out from the kneeling crowd by a hunched-over Chika Fujiwara.
Luo Shu's expression turned peculiar:
"...She actually succeeded?"