In the reception room on the third floor of the Management Department.
Luo Shu held a cup of coffee, glanced at the night view of Akihabara outside the window, and walked to the sofa with a smile, saying:
"To actually come report to the Hidden Management Department after work hours... Suzuka-chan really is an interesting child."
"Shut up."
Suzuka Dairenji turned her head away awkwardly, legs crossed on the sofa without any proper sitting posture as she retorted:
"Is that how you should speak to your benefactor who specially came to report special circumstances before even starting work?"
After saying this, Suzuka Dairenji gave Luo Shu a strange look:
"And also, the Hidden Management Department actually has proper working hours?"
"Under normal circumstances, it's 8am to 5pm with no overtime encouraged and weekend rotations. But in reality, due to staff shortages, while regular hours can be maintained, weekends currently involve unpaid overtime."
Luo Shu sipped his coffee while saying things that completely clashed with the mystic side's atmosphere.
"Are you some kind of proper civil servant?" Suzuka couldn't help but snark.
At this point, Luo Shu seemed to remember something and added:
"Oh, my apologies. I misspoke. That's only for logistical staff requirements. For action team members, as long as they can be present when needed, there are no requirements regarding working hours."
Hearing this, Suzuka suddenly thought of something and asked:
"If I may ask, how many logistical staff members are there?"
Luo Shu smiled in response: "Currently just one - my secretary Yukino Yukinoshita-san. Of course, once her school transfer procedures are completed, her working hours will be adjusted to 4 pm to 11 pm."
'So you're just bullying one person?' Suzuka mentally complained, while silently mourning for that Yukinoshita for three seconds.
However, being unfamiliar with Yukino Yukinoshita, Suzuka didn't dwell on it and instead asked:
"So then, about that woman with White Tiger Divine General - Yuiyui Gokadoin - do you know something, Director?"
"Hagoromo Gitsune." Luo Shu took a sip of coffee before smiling. "Heard that name before?"
"Huh?"
Suzuka tilted her head, then gave Luo Shu a strange look:
"Don't tell me that high school girl just now was Hagoromo Gitsune? The mother of Abe no Seimei from the Tsuchimikado family's secret records?"
Luo Shu set down his coffee and crossed his legs:
"If you don't believe that, then this conversation can't continue."
"Unbelievable," Suzuka said with a weird expression. "I always thought Abe no Seimei's birth mother was the white fox Kuzunoha... That woman didn't give off white vibes at all..."
At this, Luo Shu explained: "The Gokadoin clan are descendants of Abe no Seimei's son, Abe no Yoshihira."
"So that's how it is." Suzuka suddenly understood. "No wonder that malicious woman follows that black-clad woman's lead."
Seeing her reaction, Luo Shu found it strange:
"You never learned about these things at the Onmyou Agency?"
"Are you stupid, Director?"
Suzuka looked at Luo Shu with exasperation:
"How would knowing this help with my technique research?"
"Moreover, Abe no Seimei specialised in divination and astronomy, while my research focuses on imperial-style Familiar Spirit manipulation techniques. They're completely different fields. Why should I bother with gossip about dead people?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu replied indifferently:
"The Gokadoin Family's inherited technique is the Taizan Fukun Ritual."
Suzuka Dairenji's expression froze for a moment. She stared fixedly at Luo Shu, her gaze lingering for a long while before she finally pursed her lips and said:
"Director, you're not joking, are you?"
"Is that Taizan Fukun Ritual the same one I know about?"
"That grand secret ritual that can freely manipulate life and death?"
Luo Shu didn't answer directly, instead asking: "I recall you had a brother you were very close with, who died young, didn't you?"
Suzuka fell silent for a moment before replying with displeasure:
"Investigating a woman's past is extremely tasteless behaviour."
"Wouldn't you like to try reviving him?" The smile on Luo Shu's face carried an indescribable malice.
Seeing this, Suzuka sighed and shook her head helplessly:
"If Instructor Natsuki knew the chief was this kind of person, she'd definitely regret sending me here."
"Tempting an ignorant girl in her prime into criminal acts - how utterly unscrupulous of you."
The Taizan Fukun Ritual was explicitly forbidden by the Onmyou Agency. Even knowledge of it could lead to imprisonment.
Because those without sufficient power who recklessly perform the Taizan Fukun Ritual would only bring unimaginable disasters.
Some of Japan's most powerful Evil Spirits had come into this world precisely because of unauthorised performances of the Taizan Fukun Ritual.
It was due to such incidents that the ritual had become taboo.
Therefore, Suzuka would rather believe Luo Shu was bluffing than accept that the Gokadoin Family's inherited technique was the Taizan Fukun Ritual.
For such a complex technique to be stably inherited and used was practically impossible - the requirements on an Onmyoji's personal abilities were simply too high.
The only known individual capable of performing that ritual was Hao Asakura, who was suspected to be its creator.
To modify such a technique into something that could be stably inherited would require an Onmyoji of Hao's calibre. The Gokadoin Family were Abe no Seimei's descendants, not Hao's.
Surely Hao Asakura couldn't be Abe no Seimei?
Thus, Suzuka didn't believe Luo Shu's claims:
"Though I don't know how you investigated this, where's the evidence that the Taizan Fukun Ritual is the Gokadoin Family's inherited technique?"
"Haven't you already seen the evidence?"
Luo Shu smiled at the bewildered Suzuka before explaining:
"The sixth head of the Gokadoin Family, who reigned from 1477 to 1568 - Yuiyui Gokadoin herself. Haven't you met her?"
"Eh?"
Suzuka was completely dumbfounded. When she finally processed this, she couldn't help covering her mouth, bursting into laughter:
"So that auntie is actually a 500-year-old granny!! How bold of her to dress in such a fashionable way."
"In that case, that thick makeup must be to hide the fact she's an old hag, right?"
"How difficult it must be for her to pretend to be a young girl while studying with me at the Onmyou Agency."
Still giggling, Suzuka added:
"Speaking of which, it seems quite a few people at the Onmyou Agency have a crush on her."
"I wonder how they'd feel knowing she's actually a 500-year-old granny."
"So what's your answer?" Luo Shu asked with a smile.
Hearing this, Suzuka Dairenji's expression froze momentarily before she glared at Luo Shu with clear displeasure:
"Ignoring a girl's attempt to change the subject and persistently demanding an answer is incredibly tacky, Director."
"Could you at least try to be considerate of a girl's feelings?"
"I'm not pursuing you, why should I care about your feelings?"
Luo Shu scoffed before continuing:
"According to my intelligence, you're preparing to use the Taizan Fukun Ritual to resurrect your brother, correct?"
"Tch, did Instructor Natsuki dig that up?" Suzuka clicked her tongue. "No wonder she arranged for me to come here. So that's how it is."
Sighing, Suzuka then fixed Luo Shu with a cold stare:
"So, Director, are you planning to imprison me now?"
"Me, a sorcerer criminal attempting to perform the forbidden Taizan Fukun Ritual technique?"
After a long silence, Luo Shu responded with an oddly amused tone:
"So what you're saying is... you're begging me for some confinement play?"
Suzuka blinked in shock before her face turned bright red:
"Who the hell would beg for something like that—!"