Stepping out of the monitoring room on the 4th floor and heading straight to the 3rd, Luo Shu had just exited the elevator when he spotted two beauties—one tall, one petite—approaching him.
The moment they saw Luo Shu, the elder of the two, adorned with a butterfly hairpin, greeted him with a warm smile:
"Good day, Director."
"Ah, Kanae..."
Luo Shu naturally recognised her—Kanae Kocho, originally a girl from the Demon Slayer world, now presumably working in the SDS's Intelligence Division.
"If I recall, you were here for the assessment today, Kanae. Did you pass?"
He assumed she must have, given her name had long appeared in the Familia group chat.
At his question, Kanae Kocho stuck out her tongue playfully:
"I did pass, but only because Miss Tokoyogi went easy on me."
"Went easy?" Luo Shu looked surprised. "You took part in Aya's assessment with this batch of candidates?"
Before Kanae could answer, her sharp-tongued younger sister Shinobu Kocho cut in:
"Senior Tokoyogi went too far! She set a hundred demons on us in the virtual world. My sister and I died over sixty times before barely scraping through."
"This was outright bullying!"
"Ah, well..."
Luo Shu felt slightly awkward at Shinobu's complaint. After all, he had proposed the combat segment for the physical assessment in the second phase.
The implementation—utilising Aya Tokoyogi's illusions alongside Tabane Shinonono's technology to project a virtual reality into the Dream Simulation Chamber—meant that the demons chasing the Kocho sisters were Elite monsters simulated by the chamber.
Being hunted by hundreds of such Elites... Luo Shu suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
"Was the second assessment really that difficult?"
In contrast to Luo Shu's discomfort, Kanae Kocho wore an indulgent expression:
"Now, now, Shinobu. We passed, so no more complaints. And don't speak ill of Lady Tokoyogi in front of the Director. You don't want to be a bad girl who gossips behind people's backs, do you?"
"Sis..." Shinobu tugged at Kanae's sleeve with childish affection, the very picture of a devoted younger sister.
However, under Kanae Kocho's protection, this kid was indeed a tomboy with a sister complex, which didn't surprise Luo Shu too much.
According to the Demon Slayer storyline, Shinobu Kocho only matured after her sister Kanae Kocho's death, becoming that gentle yet scheming older sister type.
But how much of that gentle scheming was deliberate imitation of Kanae Kocho was open to interpretation.
Though the mature Shinobu was appealing, Luo Shu found the tomboy version quite charming too.
A happy childhood was always better than one filled with regret.
"Anyway, the assessment was passed, right?" Luo Shu tentatively changed the subject.
Hearing this, Shinobu didn't deny it. Though they'd been hunted by demons across heaven and earth, she had indeed passed the assessment alongside her sister. Setting aside the difficulty, overcoming challenges with her sister had been quite rewarding.
So while she resented the difficulty, Shinobu harboured little hostility towards Aya Tokoyogi.
Not that she thought her hatred, as a mere newcomer among newcomers, held any value to a Demigod like Aya Tokoyogi.
"Since you've passed, how about I organise a small celebration for you when we have time?"
"We could bring Kanao along, too."
Luo Shu still remembered the child Kanae Kocho had adopted.
Before the transfer application, he'd reviewed Kanae's background check and knew she'd joined the SDS to treat her adopted younger sister Kanao's emotional detachment.
Bringing up children was always effective with such maternal women.
Sure enough, at the mention of Kanao, Kanae Kocho's smile brightened noticeably:
"Bring Kanao? Wouldn't that trouble the Director too much?"
Hearing this seemingly polite refusal that was actually an invitation, Luo Shu naturally laughed:
"How could it be trouble? I really like Kanao!"
Shinobu Kocho nearby scoffed disdainfully:
"You just want to trick our Kanao into becoming Familia."
Hearing this, Luo Shu redirected his teasing:
"Wrong! The one I tricked was clearly you, Shinobu!"
"Didn't you sign the Familia contract because you wanted to be with your sister forever?"
"You..." Shinobu's face instantly flushed crimson.
Though she adored her sister and knew her sister was aware of this, you couldn't just say it outright!!
And what did he mean by tricking her into signing?
It was Meer who convinced her sister that it would best help treat Kanao, leading her sister to agree! What did that have to do with him?
He was just a stepping stone to get closer to her sister!!
Seeing Shinobu's composure break, Luo Shu continued smiling:
"Speaking of which, the Familia contract creates a bond more intimate than lovers. So doesn't that make me and Kanae lovers?"
"Oh dear, I just remembered - Shinobu actively sought me out to sign the contract. Doesn't that mean you're stealing your sister's lover?"
"So this is how Shinobu feels about her sister!"
"Get lost!!" Shinobu finally snapped, angrily lunging to punch Luo Shu.
Seeing this, Luo Shu swiftly turned around, dodging Shinobu Kocho while darting towards his office. Before leaving, he couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire:
"I understand your thoughts now, Shinobu-chan. I'll definitely avoid Kanae and meet you secretly from now on!"
"Who wants to meet you in secret?!!" Shinobu Kocho stomped her feet in anger, causing Kanae Kocho to stifle giggles.
"Big Sister, look at him!"
Shinobu pointed at Luo Shu with childish indignation.
In response, Kanae Kocho smiled and patted Shinobu's head:
"Shinobu-chan, you've grown up too."
"But if it's for Shinobu-chan, I don't mind sharing your brother-in-law with you."
"Big Sister!!"
Shinobu was dumbfounded.
Should she thank her sister for doting on her, or scold her for being outrageous?
If she said she didn't want her brother-in-law... they'd already signed the Familia contract. Who knew what might happen between her and Luo Shu in the future? But if she said she did want him, it felt like she'd be betraying her sister.
No matter what she said now, it would be wrong.
While Shinobu remained frozen in shock...
Having teased the young girl to his heart's content, Luo Shu cheerfully pushed open the reception room door. He glanced at the four people still under genjutsu on the sofa, especially eyeing Asuna Yuuki, who was sitting at the far right, before curling his lips and snapping his fingers.
Snap!
The genjutsu was lifted!