After the brief video conference ended, Yukino Yukinoshita glanced at the notes she'd written in her notebook and sighed:
"So in the end, the decision is to wait and see?"
"After all, there haven't been any life-threatening cases yet, and the SDS can't easily interfere with Japan's autonomy."
Luo Shu clasped his hands behind his head as he leaned back on the sofa:
"Given the current situation, unless there's actual malicious harm occurring, those old gentlemen won't permit our intervention."
"Of course, if we insist on intervening forcefully, it's not impossible. But would you risk your life to save someone who dislikes you?"
Hearing Luo Shu's response, Yukino Yukinoshita closed her notebook and sighed:
"The inherent flaws of humanity?"
"Don't elevate the discussion to unnecessary heights," Luo Shu couldn't help but retort.
"For now, we should wait for the Intelligence Department's investigation results in the Kanto region and let professionals assess the danger level."
"Our role this time is simply to warn those old gentlemen."
Yukino Yukinoshita simply turned to look at Luo Shu in response.
After being stared at for a while, Luo Shu grew somewhat uncomfortable:
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No, I was just thinking..." Yukino's face showed faint puzzlement: "Most Familia members are women, right?"
"And women whom the system deems to have potential."
"So is there a possibility..."
"That daughters from prestigious families might have a relatively higher chance of possessing such potential?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu fell silent before replying:
"I'll push the Intelligence Department for faster progress. If we need to eliminate the Hagoromo Group..."
He left the rest unsaid, but Yukino understood his meaning.
"Humans only panic when the fire reaches their own doorstep."
At Yukino's observation, Luo Shu paused before changing the subject:
"By the way, regarding your Class, it seemed to react to secret knowledge earlier and formed a new spell?"
Yukino considered the sensation she'd felt moments ago:
"That's correct, though currently it appears to be just a prototype. It needs more time to develop before mastery."
Luo Shu then asked with some curiosity:
"Can spells be disseminated?"
"...They probably can?" Yukino sounded uncertain.
"Perhaps we'd need to test it in the Dream Simulation Chamber to know."
Understanding, Luo Shu suggested:
"You might try sharing the spells gained through your class influence within our organisation."
Yukino's eyes shifted thoughtfully before she asked:
"Is this because of that notice Utaha posted on the system forum?"
"That using abilities to influence others creates feedback which deepens one's mastery? Is that what you mean, Director?"
"Exactly that. Though I'm surprised Utaha already posted about it - saves me the trouble of mentioning it."
Luo Shu rubbed his chin, somewhat amazed.
Yukino frowned: "Does this equation hold true for classes as well?"
Luo Shu laughed without reservation: "What's the harm in trying? It might work."
"The Fairy of Knowledge, as the name suggests, is related to knowledge. So visiting libraries, secret archives to acquire knowledge, or spreading the impression of being erudite among people are all viable approaches."
At this point, Luo Shu grinned shamelessly: "Come to think of it, Yukino, you make an excellent secretary for me!"
"Our relationship doesn't seem close enough for a first-name basis yet."
After saying this, Yukino Yukinoshita glanced at Luo Shu and immediately gave up:
"Never mind, you don't seem like someone who'd accept objections anyway."
"In short, it's about presenting oneself as highly knowledgeable, correct? Understood, I'll give it a try."
Hearing Yukino Yukinoshita's words, Luo Shu teased with a smile:
"What, do you have some idol image to maintain?"
Yukino sighed: "No, I just suddenly realised department life isn't quite what I imagined."
Curious, Luo Shu asked: "And what did you imagine?"
Yukino pressed a finger to her chin, thought seriously for a moment, then tilted her head:
"Agent 007?"
Luo Shu burst out laughing:
"007? Hahaha, where did that come from?"
With an expression questioning why this was funny, Yukino looked at him:
"Isn't the mystic side essentially a circle of people operating in hidden, unknown shadows?"
"That doesn't seem much different from 007, does it?"
Luo Shu considered this seriously and found little to dispute:
"...Quite an interesting analogy."
"Does that mean we could theoretically work as spies?"
"Calling ourselves agents would be utterly ridiculous."
Yukino felt she'd been sighing too much today.
"Let's leave it at that for now."
Luo Shu stood from the sofa, patted his trousers, then looked at Yukino:
"Need me to see you home?"
"No need, my sister's waiting." Yukino's response was flat.
Hearing Haruno Yukinoshita was waiting, Luo Shu grew slightly guilty:
"So I made you work overtime while your sister waited in vain?"
'A lecherous boss forcing overtime from a beautiful subordinate... Yikes! Would Haruno come after me with a knife?'
As Luo Shu entertained these wild thoughts, Yukino calmly stated:
"It's fine. Just as I didn't know you'd suddenly return, I didn't know my sister was waiting either."
"Huh?" Luo Shu was thoroughly confused by this statement.
Yukino explained impassively:
"The department acquired a life detector today."
Realisation dawned on Luo Shu:
"You used the life detector to find Haruno staking out your location?"
"Is she that paranoid?"
Luo Shu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Yukino stood up expressionlessly:
"Well then, Director, I'll go have a chance encounter with an idiot now."
"Go ahead, just remember not to call her an idiot to her face."
Waving her off, Luo Shu tidied the office after seeing Yukino out, then prepared to leave.
As he drove out of the garage, he spotted Yukino getting into a car by the side of the road. Smiling, he pressed the accelerator.
Just then, his phone pinged with a new message notification.