Minato Ward, luxury hotel.
"For breakfast, champagne is truly the perfect accompaniment for the best experience~"
In the hotel restaurant, a silver-haired girl in a sky-blue dress, with a sapphire adorning her décolletage above ample curves, cheerfully raised her glass towards Luo Shu, who sat opposite her in formal attire:
"Won't you join me for a drink, Mr. Luo Shu?"
"I don't usually drink during breakfast. Besides, if I were to drink, wouldn't you be in danger?"
As he spoke, Luo Shu scooped up a spoonful of the dish before him.
A white sauce made from champagne, oysters and cream, drizzled over thinly sliced squid and topped with caviar.
To be honest, while the texture was good, Luo Shu found the fishy taste of caviar somewhat unbearable.
"Danger if you drink? What an unconventional remark."
La Folia laughed, completely unfazed by Luo Shu's slightly provocative words, though she did detect the teasing tone in his voice.
"Being so perfunctory during breakfast with a beautiful princess isn't very gentlemanly behaviour~"
"I've already had one breakfast - this is more like a weight-gain meal now."
While speaking, Luo Shu glanced at the silver-haired chefs busily working in the open kitchen, then added sarcastically:
"Moreover, you never mentioned that all the chefs were brought from Aldegia. And most importantly, this meal is actually going to take three hours!"
"The Aldegia Kingdom version of morning tea?"
La Folia looked enlightened upon hearing this:
"Oh, I've heard of morning tea - isn't it a popular breakfast in eastern coastal regions?"
"If Luo Shu-kun thinks they're similar enough, you're welcome to consider it as morning tea."
"After all, the most meaningful part of enjoying good food is savouring its deliciousness, don't you agree?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu turned his gaze to La Folia, whose eyes were brimming with amusement, before giving her a somewhat disdainful look:
"So you deliberately dragged a commoner like me to this high-class banquet to awaken my inferiority complex and gain psychological advantage in negotiations? Or is this just self-indulgence to ease your frustration from being pressured by me yesterday?"
"Luo Shu-kun always assumes the worst intentions." La Folia seemed slightly offended by his words, her cheeks puffing up slightly as she looked at him.
Seeing such gestures from a beautiful girl was indeed pleasing to the eye, but unfortunately, Luo Shu was hardly lacking in beautiful girls around him:
"I think my willingness to come here should already demonstrate sufficient goodwill towards you, La Folia."
Luo Shu scooped a spoonful of squid strips, placed them in his mouth, and chewed leisurely. After swallowing, he gazed deeply at La Folia and said:
"Don't mistake me for someone as kind-hearted as Lacus."
Seeing Luo Shu's expression and hearing his unfriendly words, La Folia paused briefly before breaking into a delighted smile:
"Ah~ you're really quite the tough one~"
La Folia set down her cutlery, propped her elbows on the table, and cupped her cheeks in her hands, looking at Luo Shu with smiling eyes as if gazing at her beloved:
"Honestly, can't you just let me control the pace of our conversation?"
"After all, I am a noble princess, aren't I?"
"Normally, people should be trying to please me, right?"
"My apologies, but you're dealing with an abnormal person here." Luo Shu ate his last bite of squid strips, wiped his mouth with a napkin, then glanced at La Folia:
"So, where are my two dear subordinates?"
"You mean Miss Chisato and Miss Takina?"
La Folia tilted her head and smiled:
"They're quite remarkable investigators. They actually managed to extract leads from yesterday's captives and tracked down the attackers' hideout."
"Thanks to them, we've confirmed the assault was orchestrated by the secret society known as the Phenex Society."
"How wonderful that the SDS has such efficient personnel~"
Hearing this, Luo Shu said nothing, simply staring into La Folia's eyes. In response, La Folia gradually puffed up her cheeks:
"Surely Luo Shu doesn't suspect me of detaining them? You're not actually thinking that, are you?"
"I swear on the royal family's honour that those two are merely monitoring the Phenex Society's hideout! Beyond that, I haven't done the slightest unnecessary thing!!"
"I have," Luo Shu said calmly.
"Eh?" La Folia blinked in surprise, then looked at Luo Shu with confusion: "What did you just say? What have you done?"
"I've done some unnecessary things."
Luo Shu took out his phone from his pocket, glanced at the time, then rested his elbow on the table, propping his chin with one hand as he looked at La Folia with an amused smile:
"By my calculations, my people should have already picked up Kanon Kanase by now."
"Kanon Kanase..." La Folia blinked, then suddenly realised something, exclaiming in astonishment: "Aunt?"
In that instant, La Folia finally understood what Luo Shu had meant by doing something unnecessary earlier.
He had actually used the SDS's influence to take away the Aldegia Kingdom princess, who had been living abroad, her aunt.
Realising this, La Folia's expression shifted before she chuckled lightly:
"Were you planning to give me a surprise?"
"Though I must say, this surprise is indeed quite shocking..."
Before she could finish, Luo Shu said calmly:
"Give up. I have no intention of handing Kanon Kanase over to you."
La Folia's expression froze momentarily before she tilted her head slightly, looking at Luo Shu in confusion.
At that moment, Luo Shu stated composedly:
"That child will be adopted by me. How does that sound?"
La Folia's expression flickered slightly, her lips twitching as she said, "Is this a negotiation?"
"This is a notification." Luo Shu revealed a benevolent smile. "After all, she's such an obedient child, and our SDS happens to be lacking precisely such talent~"
Hearing this, La Folia's expression finally changed, becoming composed, her eyes now filled with the icy blue hue of calmness:
"Taking away a royal princess without permission... Mr Luo Shu, can I interpret this behaviour as the SDS abandoning its cooperation with the Aldegia Kingdom?"
Luo Shu rested his cheek on one hand, gazing at the princess whose eyes were now sharp and filled with regal authority, before smiling and saying:
"No, what I mean is—"
"Your previous bargaining chips are no longer sufficient!"
"—You'll need to pay more!"