Kyoto City, in an ordinary detached house in Ukyo Ward.
Returning to this secret property owned by the SDS in Kyoto City, Angelina set down the items in her hands while calling out in keeping with local customs:
"I'm home!!"
The moment her voice rang out, a woman's voice cried:
"Head-Captain!!"
Angelina, who had been about to remove her shoes, looked up to see a woman with short, ear-length hair and dressed in a ladies' suit jogging over.
Sylvia Mercury First.
Angelina's subordinate and a member of the Directly Subordinate Task Force HMB.
"Good afternoon, Sylvie~"
Angelina said as she slipped her bare feet out of her white thigh-high boots.
"I bought some Kyoto speciality matcha daifuku. Want some?"
She pointed at the gift box she had just placed on the floor.
Seeing this, the woman nicknamed Sylvie sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead.
"You... can't you be a little more responsible?"
"We're in the middle of a mission, yet you just left a note and ran off, making me cover for you. Honestly..."
Sylvie seemed to have a lot to complain about, but Angelina cut her off:
"Speaking of which, where are the others? I can't sense their presence."
"I sent them to liaise with Kyoto's Intelligence Department. As for you, I told them you went to scout the rendezvous point."
Hearing this, Angelina looked surprised.
"Sylvie, how did you know I went to Togetsukyo Bridge? I didn't write that in the note, did I?"
At this, Sylvie couldn't help but retort:
"Your computer is full of searches about where to see cherry blossoms in Kyoto. One glance was all it took—no guessing needed."
Angelina was dumbfounded, frozen in the entryway as she exclaimed in shock:
"Sylvie!! You actually went through my computer and checked my browsing history!!!"
"How could you?!"
"Someone had to, since a certain someone ran off without permission."
Sylvie snorted, then gave Angelina a curious once-over and paused.
"But now that I think about it, I wanted to ask earlier—what's with this outfit?"
"This?" Angelina spun barefoot on the wooden floor. "Pretty, right? I picked it out online—traditional attire from Japan."
"Traditional attire?"
Sylvie stared at the girl before her, dressed in a short winter kimono with the obi tied in front instead of at the back, who had just taken off her thigh-high boots and was now barefoot. She was utterly speechless.
"You went out dressed like this? And went cherry blossom viewing?"
"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Angelina tilted her head.
"It's not about whether it's wrong or not." Sylvie struggled to suppress her urge to burst out laughing. "You've seen adult films, right? Oh, you haven't, but at least you've heard of them, since you searched for Japan's specialities."
Angelina blinked in confusion.
"Let me tell you straight—what you're wearing now is just as flashy as the heroines in those films, got it?"
Sylvie couldn't hold back her laughter.
"No one actually wears a kimono like this in real life!"
"No way..." Angelina lowered her head, glanced at her outfit, and immediately flushed red: "Sylvie, you lied to me! Mr Luo Shu said this looked really nice on me! He even called it a uniquely creative style."
"Mr Luo Shu?"
Hearing this unfamiliar name, Sylvie froze for a moment before her expression abruptly changed. She stepped forward and gripped Angelina's shoulders:
"Wait, Lina, you just met up with someone? A strange man?"
"I thought you went to see the cherry blossoms alone? Don't tell me you actually went with a man?!!"
"You secretly got yourself a boyfriend?! Damn it, we promised we wouldn't date anyone!"
"That's not it!" Angelina struggled against Sylvie's grip as she protested: "I just happened to run into him by chance."
Sylvie's eyes widened in outrage:
"By chance? Who could you possibly run into here in Japan that I wouldn't know about?"
Cornered, Angelina blurted out:
"It was the Chairwoman's rumoured boyfriend!!"
"You know, the one you said must be over three metres tall and definitely some kind of super bio-engineered humanoid!"
Sylvie instantly calmed down, even looking somewhat fearful:
"Wait, you met the new Director of the Hidden Management Department? That rumoured pretty boy?"
"Please tell me you didn't mention our private speculations from our casual chats?"
Angelina guiltily averted her gaze at this question.
Seeing this, Sylvie went completely numb:
"Lina, this is worse than you getting a boyfriend!"
"On our very first day in Japan, you've managed to offend a powerful Director for me, who also happens to be the Chairwoman's lover! Are you trying to get me killed?!"
"Mr Luo Shu is actually quite nice," Angelina said while nervously fidgeting with her fingers.
Sylvie immediately snapped back: "Nice to you, maybe! With your looks, what man wouldn't be nice to you?"
"If you walk down Wall Street, you'd get hit on by thirty men within five hundred metres!"
"It wasn't that exaggerated, only about twenty or so?" Angelina quietly corrected.
"I don't care," Sylvie protested loudly. "If Director Luo makes things difficult for me, you're taking responsibility."
"That won't happen, right?" Angelina looked sceptical. "Mr Luo Shu is really quite pleasant."
Sylvie just stared at Angelina with a dark expression.
Seeing this, Angelina immediately waved her hands in surrender:
"Alright, alright, I get it! I'll take responsibility!"
Sighing, Sylvie then asked with some curiosity:
"Speaking of which, what does this Director Luo look like?"
"How tall is he? What's his personality like?"
"He's not like the Chairwoman and her circle - the type who casually use their own bodies as test subjects, is he?"
"...Not really?" Angelina hesitated as she recalled their meeting. "Much taller than me, about 180cm? Quite handsome features, very pleasant to look at. And his voice was nice too. He seemed like a very good-natured person."
Hearing this, Sylvie's eyes bulged in disbelief:
"You're calling a man who subdued demons, exterminated an entire dangerous race, and forced a Great Yokai to surrender - all within days of taking office - 'good-natured'?"
"...Perhaps the rumours were mistaken?" Angelina pondered, seemingly wanting to defend Luo Shu's reputation: "You see, when I met Mr Luo Shu, he was touring Togetsukyo Bridge with his subordinates."
"Touring with subordinates?" Sylvie looked sceptical. "Why would he go to Togetsukyo Bridge? Surely he wasn't there to admire cherry blossoms like you?"
"Probably." Angelina hesitated. "Before I returned, Mr Luo Shu even invited me to visit Katsurazaka Wild Bird Park. If I hadn't been in a hurry to meet you, I might have gone."
"Katsurazaka Wild Bird Park?" Sylvie suddenly fell silent before saying, "That place has been sealed off for five years."
"Eh?" Angelina froze. "Why would Mr Luo Shu invite me somewhere inaccessible?"
Hearing this, Sylvie gave Angelina a look as if wanting to say something, but ultimately sighed:
"An Abyss Disaster occurred at Katsurazaka Wild Bird Park five years ago. Since then, it's served as a training ground for Onmyou Agency recruits and the selection site for the Twelve Divine Generals."
"Director Luo wasn't inviting you for leisure, but likely to observe mission targets!"
"The Gokadoin clan has many agents infiltrating the Onmyou Agency!"
"Good heavens, you silly girl, you haven't finished reading the intelligence on Kyoto's major factions, have you? You definitely stayed up all night playing video games yesterday, didn't you?"
"I did not." Angelina immediately retorted, then muttered quietly: "I only played until 2 am."
"See, I knew it." Sylvie glared at Angelina before declaring: "From now until tomorrow's rendezvous, you must read - no, memorise - all intelligence on Kyoto's factions. I'll test you, understand?!"
"No way?" Angelina gaped, soon tearing up as she wailed: "Don't be like this!!"
"Crying? You'll memorise it even if you cry!! I'm testing you in 2 hours - go study!!"
"Sylvie, you big idiot!!"
Watching Angelina flee tearfully to her room, Sylvie snorted coldly:
"Stupid girl, did you really think I wouldn't notice you accidentally leaked squad gossip to that new director?"
"This time I'll make sure you learn your lesson and fix that careless attitude of yours!"
After venting, Sylvie frowned, her expression turning grave:
"Investigating surrounding factions' intelligence on the very first day? It seems this Hidden Management Department's Director Luo isn't someone easily fooled."
"Sigh, hopefully we can complete this mission smoothly too."
...
Next morning.
6 am.
Suzuka Dairenji, who'd been awake for some time, gazed at the risen sun before finally asking Kurumi Tokisaki, seated on the sofa:
"So you just watched all night?"
"Oh? Was I not allowed to watch?" Kurumi blinked in surprise. "Neither you nor Luo Shu mentioned it."
"Is this something that can be solved by mentioning?"
"But can problems be solved without mentioning them?"
That seemed true - problems couldn't be solved without being voiced. So why hadn't she communicated with Luo Shu yesterday to stop him?
Suzuka fell into deep self-reflection.
Seeing this, Kurumi Tokisaki gave Suzuka Dairenji a strange look, seemingly surprised that the other girl had been convinced so easily.
'Did the shock fry her brain or something?'
Kurumi thought suspiciously.
Just then, Luo Shu's voice came from outside the room:
"We've got Nijo Castle, Shugakuin, and various temples and shrines to visit today. Get ready."
"Um, can I skip it?" Suzuka cautiously raised her hand.
Noticing this, Luo Shu glanced at Suzuka and nodded:
"I wasn't planning to take you along today anyway. Get some rest. Call me if you need anything."
Having said that, Luo Shu turned to Kurumi and said:
"Let's go."
Suzuka stared blankly as the two left, her expression dazed as she muttered:
"So... he actually listens if you communicate properly..."
'Then what was I even doing yesterday?'
Suzuka thought gloomily.