Seeing Luo Shu reveal his true intentions by producing the contract document, Utau Hoshina was first stunned, then couldn't help but laugh softly:
"What kind of logic is that?"
"Why should I have to sign your contract just because I don't want to admit I was lying?"
"Lying and contracts aren't even on the same wavelength."
"They're indeed not on the same wavelength." Luo Shu nodded, admitting his forced connection between the two matters: "However, I think it's more appropriate to clarify some things."
At this point, a smile appeared on Luo Shu's face:
"After all, you already think I'm pursuing you."
Utau Hoshina was momentarily stunned, then smiled gracefully:
"...Is pursuing a girl such an embarrassing thing for you?"
"It's not about losing face, I just don't want too many emotional factors mixed into business matters."
Luo Shu offered a brief explanation, then glanced at Utau Hoshina's face before suddenly nodding:
"However, purely from an appearance perspective, I do have some interest in you."
"Purely from appearance..." Utau Hoshina said, reaching for the scroll in Luo Shu's hand and asking, "Mind if I look at the contents?"
"Go ahead." Luo Shu handed over the scroll while reminding her: "But I should warn you - although everything written on it is true, the core content is concealed within the scroll's patterns using mystic side methods. Only after signing the contract will you obtain the method to interpret it."
"A dual contract? That sounds rather like a devil's pact..."
Utau Hoshina took the scroll and opened it, giving it a quick skim while murmuring:
"Monthly salary of 500,000 yen, 13-month pay, bonuses at 50% of mission earnings, free medical care, free housing, meal subsidies... and tax-free income..."
"Looks rather like a civil service contract, but the most crucial part is the tax exemption..."
Speaking of tax exemption, Utau Hoshina couldn't help but smile:
"If you showed this contract to the entertainment industry, probably over 90% of people would want to sign with you."
"Are taxes in the entertainment industry very high?" Luo Shu didn't have much feeling for Japan's tax system; his impression extended only to the extra consumption tax slip attached to every purchase.
However, he usually just collected those and handed them to Kisara to handle, as he almost never dealt with them personally.
"You're asking me about something that requires professional accounting? That's a bit beyond my scope."
Utau Hoshina put down the scroll and glanced at Luo Shu, thinking for a moment before saying:
"Though my tax payment last year was around sixty million yen."
"If signing this contract can reduce that amount, it seems like quite a good deal?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu couldn't help but feel surprised: "You're short of that money?"
At this, Utau Hoshina gave Luo Shu an exasperated look:
"Company income belongs to the company, my personal income belongs to me. Besides, although the company does belong to my family, that doesn't mean the business revenue goes under my name."
"And I don't like taking money from my family either..."
Utau Hoshina sighed at the end:
"Can I take this contract back to consider it?"
"That's up to you." Luo Shu didn't mind such small matters, waving his hand: "But remember not to lose it. Although it's not troublesome to make, it's not something that should be leaked..."
Before Luo Shu could finish, he saw Utau Hoshina press her finger into the blue signing box at the end of the scroll.
Seeing this, he couldn't help but pause, looking down at the automatically reproduced fingerprint in the blue box, then up at Utau Hoshina's mischievous smile, before saying with a mix of amusement and exasperation:
"Didn't you say you wanted to take it back to consider it?"
"Did I take it?" Utau Hoshina countered.
Luo Shu was stumped by this, his expression conflicted: "Well, you did take it..."
Seeing this, Utau Hoshina immediately asked with a smile:
"And did I clearly state that considering would take a long time?"
"...No, you didn't." Luo Shu said with an awkward expression.
At this moment, Utau Hoshina rested her chin in one hand, leaning sideways as she looked at Luo Shu with a smile:
"So do you have any other questions?"
"..."
Luo Shu remained silent for a moment, then sighed: "So you were just teasing me, weren't you?"
"You only realised now?" Utau Hoshina said with feigned surprise: "I thought when you called me a big liar, you'd already realised my words couldn't be trusted. So you actually still believed me?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu fell silent for a moment, then sighed and suddenly began counting:
"3... 2... 1."
"What are you counting?" Utau Hoshina wondered at the countdown, only for a needle-like pain to surge through her mind the next second.
"Ugh!!" The girl suddenly groaned, clutching her head as she collapsed onto the dining table, letting out pained moans.
Meanwhile, Luo Shu wore a mischievous smile:
"I seem to have forgotten to mention - after signing the Familia contract, there's some infusion of mystic side knowledge, which causes some pain."
"Oh dear, my apologies. Since you signed so quickly, I apparently forgot to mention this..."
"You..." Utau Hoshina covered her forehead with one hand and glared at Luo Shu, her expression darkening further at the sight of his mischievous grin, as if she wanted nothing more than to punch him.
Just then, Luo Shu offered a well-meaning reminder:
"I'd advise you to calm down and properly process the knowledge you've received. If you resist forcefully, the pain will double~"
Hearing this, Utau Hoshina immediately fell silent, biting her lip and enduring in silence.
Fortunately, the pain didn't last long. In less than a minute, Utau noticed the discomfort fading.
Before she could catch her breath, Luo Shu murmured beside her:
"Sorry, what I said earlier about the pain doubling if you resist was a lie. Actually, even if you resist, the intensity of the pain won't change."
Upon hearing this, Utau, who had been organising the newly acquired knowledge, fell silent for a moment. She glanced at Luo Shu, looked him up and down, then moved closer and said:
"Then I'll tell you a secret too."
Once she was close enough, Utau unhesitatingly grabbed Luo Shu's arm and bit down hard just below his shoulder.
Luo Shu was stunned.
Is this girl part dog or something?