After realising Haruno Yukinoshita seemed to have ill intentions, Ai Hayasaka arranged for the food to be served as quickly as possible before turning and walking briskly towards the private room.
However, when Hayasaka returned to the private room, she was surprised not to see the expected scene of Kaguya Shinomiya being targeted.
Instead, Kaguya Shinomiya was eagerly pulling Haruno Yukinoshita aside and asking her questions.
"Haruno, when did you join the Hidden Management Department?"
"Eh, was it because of your sister? You actually have a younger sister? That's so nice, I wish I had a sister too!!"
"Even if she doesn't listen to you, she's still cute - after all, she's your sister..."
"Oh, right, Haruno, why do you look so uncomfortable sitting? Does your bottom hurt?"
Watching Kaguya Shinomiya pulling Haruno Yukinoshita aside and bombarding her with questions, Ai Hayasaka suddenly began to wonder if she had opened the wrong door.
Just as Hayasaka stood there stunned, Luo Shu waved her over and said:
"Hayasaka, come sit here."
"Yes, Lord Luo Shu."
Faced with Luo Shu's request, Ai Hayasaka simply couldn't refuse.
After all, to put it bluntly, she was essentially already Luo Shu's maid - it was only due to his leniency that she was temporarily still working for Kaguya Shinomiya.
After casting a concerned glance towards Kaguya Shinomiya's situation, Hayasaka obediently sat down beside Luo Shu.
The moment she took her seat, Hayasaka's thigh was lightly patted.
Instantly, alarm bells rang in Hayasaka's mind:
No way? Not here? In front of Kaguya?
Just as Hayasaka instinctively arched her back to conceal the large hand on her leg, she heard Luo Shu's voice, deliberately lowered so only she could hear:
"What's really going on with Kaguya Shinomiya today?"
"Ah?" Hayasaka was momentarily stunned, then wore a look of mixed amusement and exasperation.
So he noticed something was off about Lady Kaguya and came to ask her about it?
She thought...
Hayasaka's expression flushed slightly as she similarly lowered her voice:
"Lady Kaguya seems to have caught a cold today..."
Hearing this, Luo Shu immediately understood, exclaiming with sudden realisation: "So the current personality isn't her usual one, then."
"No wonder she's managed to stump Haruno." As he said this, Luo Shu's face was already full of mischievous amusement at the spectacle.
Meanwhile, Hayasaka looked astonished upon hearing this: "Not her usual personality? Does Lady Kaguya have other personalities?"
"You didn't know?" Luo Shu looked at Hayasaka in surprise.
"Should I have known?" Hayasaka's expression immediately became unsettled. Why did she get the feeling that Luo Shu understood Kaguya Shinomiya better than she did?
Moreover, does Kaguya Shinomiya have multiple personalities? Why didn't she know anything about this? Hasn't she always been calmly going mad?
'Could it be that because I thought it was normal for the young lady Shinomiya to torment people, I overlooked something?'
Just as Ai Hayasaka was utterly bewildered, Luo Shu suddenly chuckled and said:
"You not knowing is fine. After all, we can just watch the show."
"No... Watching like this..." Ai Hayasaka glanced at Luo Shu with some hesitation, wanting to advise against it, but ultimately gave up.
Wasn't this gathering supposed to be about the young Shinomiya lady seeking Lord Luo Shu's assistance regarding the recent split within the Shinomiya family? How did it end up with her and Lord Luo Shu watching the young lady Shinomiya and Haruno Yukinoshita make fools of themselves?
Isn't this development a bit too strange?
Yet while Ai Hayasaka was puzzling over the situation, Kaguya Shinomiya continued her relentless assault on Haruno Yukinoshita:
"What's wrong? Did I say something incorrect? Haruno, does your bottom actually hurt?"
"It does hurt a little." Haruno Yukinoshita maintained her smile, but her eyes began to show impatience.
Though it truly hurt, did you have to point it out?
Why bring such matters into the open? Is this meant to intimidate her?
And weren't they just talking about Yukino? Why change the subject?
"Then shall I buy you some ointment?" Kaguya Shinomiya's tone was foolishly naive, as if she had lost all sense of social boundaries: "Let me tell you, I've never been to a pharmacy before. When buying medicine at a pharmacy, do you approach the staff directly or look for the medicine first?"
"Approach the staff first. If you have a doctor's prescription, handing it directly to them would be even better."
Though Haruno Yukinoshita answered properly, she couldn't help but complain inwardly.
'You've never been to a pharmacy, yet you offer to buy medicine for me? Where did you get the courage?'
Hearing this, Kaguya Shinomiya asked with a surprised expression:
"Eh, asking the staff directly? So, Haruno, do you have a prescription from a doctor for this?"
"This kind of illness... It's impossible to get a prescription, right?"
Haruno Yukinoshita's expression was beginning to crack. She couldn't help but say to Kaguya Shinomiya: "Miss Shinomiya, were you drinking just now?"
'I'm basically asking if you're using this as an excuse to act drunk!!'
'If you know what's good for you, just admit it honestly so we can all save face!'
"No, I just seem to have caught a bit of a cold with a fever."
Kaguya Shinomiya raised her hand to touch her forehead, then suddenly turned to Haruno Yukinoshita and asked:
"Speaking of which, the person at the Hidden Management Department responsible for reviewing the Shinomiya family's businesses is also surnamed Yukinoshita. Is that your younger sister?"
"No, that's me." Hearing this, the corners of Haruno Yukinoshita's mouth curled up slightly into a cold smile.
All these questions - is the real purpose finally emerging?
"So it's you handling it, Haruno? That's great... There's something I've been wanting to ask you."
Kaguya Shinomiya then took Haruno Yukinoshita's hand, looking like she had a favour to ask.
Trying to beg for mercy?
Or perhaps playing the emotional card?
But regardless, the division of the Shinomiya family is unavoidable. After all, this is the consensus reached by the cash-strapped SDS, the American Union, and even the Japanese government...
However, before Haruno Yukinoshita could figure anything out, she heard Kaguya Shinomiya say this:
"What should I do to divide the Shinomiya conglomerate in a way that would infuriate my three older brothers and the clan elders enough to make them want to jump off buildings, without making my father too sad?"
"???"
Haruno Yukinoshita immediately had question marks floating above her head.
"Ah, why aren't you speaking? This must be really difficult, right..."
Looking at Kaguya Shinomiya's conflicted expression, Haruno Yukinoshita couldn't help but turn to Luo Shu with her gaze.
Are you sure this is the current head of the Shinomiya family? And not their mortal enemy?
She's actually asking me how to destroy the Shinomiya family's businesses and people?
This is truly eye-opening...