Saturday.
1st Floor, Hidden Management Department.
Luo Shu, now dressed casually, glanced at Yukino Yukinoshita beside him, then past her at Utaha, Eriri, Kurumi, and Kisara, who were standing next to him.
Honestly, having so many beautiful girls gathered on the street was quite eye-catching, but what bothered Luo Shu more was their sudden assembly.
"Yukino, you're just wonderful," Luo Shu said sarcastically.
Only Yukino, as his secretary, knew about Lacus's visit. So why were these four suddenly here?
If this went on much longer, would even outsiders like Takatsuki Izumi and Shizuka Hio end up knowing Lacus's whereabouts?
'If Kirika Tachibana found out I was the one who leaked the information, she'd probably chase me down with a knife, wouldn't she?'
Meanwhile, Yukino Yukinoshita, who had just been subtly accused by Luo Shu, stood her ground and said with a stern expression:
"President, I swear I didn't leak a single word about your schedule."
Hearing this, Luo Shu gave her a slightly surprised look. "You didn't leak anything?"
"No," Yukino Yukinoshita replied firmly.
"My apologies for misunderstanding you."
"But that raises another question. If neither of us revealed anything, how did these four find out?"
Luo Shu trusted Yukino's words—after all, Yukino Yukinoshita's personality was such that she despised lying. So, he turned his gaze towards Utaha.
"Utaha, did you use Mind Reading on Yukinoshita?"
Utaha kept her eyes downcast, neither denying nor admitting to it.
But seeing her reaction, Luo Shu actually grew less suspicious.
Because if Utaha had really done it, she would have definitely tried to argue or said something ambiguous that essentially amounted to a confession.
Her silence and passive acceptance now seemed suspicious—as if she had promised someone to cover for the culprit.
So, he shifted his attention to the most likely suspect, Kurumi Tokisaki:
"Could it be you, Kurumi?"
"Eh? Why skip over me?" Eriri pointed at her own face, looking utterly bewildered.
Did she not seem like a spy capable of stealing secrets?
"I even have the ability to impersonate Yukinoshita!!"
Hearing Eriri's protest, Luo Shu merely glanced at her and said disdainfully:
"You were pretending to be Yukinoshita, and you think I didn't notice? Idiot!!"
"What did you say?!" Eriri's composure instantly shattered as she angrily tried to confront Luo Shu, only to be held back by Utaha.
"Damn it, don't stop me! I'll make this guy understand what perfect imitation is!!"
"Give it a rest, Sawamura."
Ignoring the commotion beside them, Kurumi Tokisaki blinked her expressive heterochromatic eyes at Luo Shu:
"I was just curious about what the Supreme Chairwoman of the SDS looks like, so I asked a few questions."
"And then you brought all these people along?"
Luo Shu added the next line with a smile before gritting his teeth:
"Out with it—are you trying to cause trouble?"
"Of course not." Kurumi widened her dewy eyes, her face the picture of innocence.
Seeing her like this, Luo Shu finally confirmed that she was indeed the culprit:
"You're an Angel of Truth Astronomy, lurking here with a group to ambush her. Anyone who didn't know better would think I'd betrayed them and was plotting a rebellion!!"
Luo Shu didn't specify who "her" was, but everyone present knew he meant Lacus.
Instantly, all eyes turned to Kurumi Tokisaki.
Noticing the attention, Kurumi smiled sweetly and evaded:
"My, my, Luo Shu-san, I'm just a clone right now, aren't I?"
"Surely the Supreme Chairwoman isn't worried you can't handle a mere clone like me?"
'Funny you should say that, because I really can't...'
Luo Shu couldn't help but complain inwardly.
Kurumi Tokisaki, now a Demigod, was genuinely beyond his ability to suppress.
In fact, it was questionable whether the SDS even had the means to deal with her.
Unless Luo Shu tapped into the Divine Pantheon Reconstruction System, he stood no chance against Kurumi.
'And besides, wouldn't I, as the Chief God, know whether you're a clone or not?'
'This is clearly your real body!!'
'That feigned grip with your right hand, the preparatory stance to summon the Time Emperor and weave Concept Bestowal—after fighting you so many times, do you think I wouldn't recognise it?'
Luo Shu had a mountain of complaints in his mind, but seeing Kurumi's stubborn pretence of ignorance, he could only sigh and say:
"Fine, let's just say she's here for an inspection. All of you, behave yourselves."
At the end, Luo Shu glared at everyone present, making his warning crystal clear.
As for himself, he could only resign himself to the mess.
After all, he couldn't exactly chase them all away, could he?
'Come to think of it, bringing two women I've been intimate with, along with several female subordinates, to meet my girlfriend—I must be the first to do something like this.'
Suddenly, Luo Shu felt an overwhelming sense of being the scumbag himself.
"Let's just hope nothing major happens..."
That was all Luo Shu could wish for.
Just as he thought this, a fleet of black cars slowly approached the location.
...
Inside the specially modified limousine.
Lacus and Meer sat side by side, while Kirika Tachibana sat to the side, all watching the 9-inch screen before them.
When they saw Luo Shu standing on the first floor with a group of women to greet them, Kirika couldn't resist a sarcastic remark:
"This kid, in just a few days, has recruited so many women into his department? Quite the achievement!"
As a former senior from their own Operations Division, openly building a harem—Kirika would be lying if she said she wasn't embarrassed.
"That brat, couldn't he at least pretend a little? Don't you know what you're supposed to do today?"
Sitting opposite, Meer propped her chin on her hands and said cheerfully:
"Isn't this great! Lacus was bound to meet the sisters sooner or later anyway!"
Lacus's expression stiffened upon hearing this. In truth, she'd been feeling uncomfortable even before setting out.
Finally, Lacus couldn't help but ask:
"Why are you and Kirika both coming along?"
This was supposed to be a date invitation, wasn't it?
A date where they'd stroll around, drink coffee, maybe have some desserts and buy a dress or two.
So why were these two tagging along?
Was there something wrong here?
Unable to control her expression, Lacus asked:
"Speaking of which, today was supposed to be just me and Luo Shu, right? But you two..."
Hearing this, Meer and Kirika Tachibana exchanged glances before declaring in unison:
"We're here to help you!!"
Lacus: "...."
Suddenly, Lacus understood why Luo Shu had looked so awkward on screen.
Because she strongly suspected she was making the exact same face now.
"Sigh."
Amid Lacus's soft sigh, the motorcade slowly pulled up to the Hidden Management Department entrance.