Kyoto, Katsura Imperial Villa.
Amidst verdant greenery, within ancient Japanese-style architecture.
Luo Shu, assisted by maids, slipped into slippers and stepped onto the wooden corridor, proceeding to the inner reception room.
There, he met the head of the Keikain family - the current Hidemoto Keikain.
The white-bearded old man, seated on a tatami, used his cane to help himself stand before bowing slightly to Luo Shu:
"Please forgive this old man for making you come here due to my poor health."
Luo Shu examined Hidemoto Keikain.
Grey hair, goatee, obvious age spots on his face, cloudy eyes - he looked every bit a man nearing his end.
But beyond normal sight, black currents resembling mist coiled around his body.
This was a misfortune known as a curse.
Seeing this, Luo Shu remarked with surprise:
"I see, so you've used Yin-Yang Arts to absorb the curse of Hagoromo Gitsune into yourself?"
"A mere stopgap measure," chuckled the current Hidemoto.
Four hundred years ago, the 13th generation Hidemoto of the Keikain family joined forces with Nurarihyon to defeat Hagoromo Gitsune, who had entrenched herself in Kyoto, thus crushing her hopes of resurrecting Nue.
During that battle, Hagoromo Gitsune expended her remaining power to place a generational curse upon both the Keikain family and Nurarihyon's clan.
Consequently, Nurarihyon could no longer produce pure yokai offspring with other yokai, forcing his descendants to intermarry with humans, gradually diluting their inherent yokai bloodline power.
As for the Keikain family, they suffered from a curse of dwindling births and child mortality.
The current Hidemoto Keikain appears to have utilised Yin-Yang Arts to concentrate most of the curse upon himself, ensuring the healthy growth of his descendants.
This explains why this elderly man, despite possessing Hero Rank strength, appears to be nearing the end of his natural lifespan.
After exchanging formal greetings, the aged Hidemoto gestured to the cushion before him:
"Please, sit."
Luo Shu advanced several steps, knelt down cross-legged, then raised his gaze to meet Hidemoto's.
In the shadowed corner to their right, unnoticed by either man, Kurumi Tokisaki cradled a young British Shorthair cat, silently observing the seated pair.
Once properly settled, Luo Shu raised an eyebrow slightly towards Hidemoto's left side and remarked:
"Aren't you going to introduce this one?"
The elderly Hidemoto showed no surprise, merely smiling as he replied:
"My deepest apologies, my ancestor is somewhat mischievous by nature."
Mischievous ancestor?
Luo Shu's expression turned slightly odd.
Was 'mischievous' really an appropriate term to describe one's forebear?
At that moment, an elegantly dressed young man in white Shinto priest robes materialised beside the elderly man. With a vermilion mark adorning his forehead and slightly bewitching makeup, he slowly fanned himself with an unfolded folding fan.
With a swish.
The young man spread his fan to cover the lower half of his face, smiling cheerfully as he said:
"My, my, the youngsters these days are truly formidable~~"
Luo Shu merely responded impassively: "Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"
"Ah, how rude of me." The young man closed his fan and spoke leisurely: "I am Hidemoto Keikain, who served as the thirteenth head of the Keikain family four hundred years ago. I suppose you could say I'm this old gentleman's ancestor."
Having said this, the thirteenth Hidemoto Keikain gazed smilingly at Luo Shu and inquired:
"May I ask presumptuously - have you perchance encountered Hagoromo Gitsune?"
"What?" The elderly Hidemoto's eyes widened at this revelation.
That the Director of the Hidden Management Department had met Hagoromo Gitsune was information that had never appeared in any intelligence reports.
Luo Shu's expression remained unchanged as he replied, half-confirming and half-querying:
"How did you deduce that?"
Hidemoto Keikain cheerfully reopened his fan, waving it gently as he explained:
"Why, through rigorous and meticulous reasoning, of course."
After a moment's silence, Luo Shu responded: "...Then could you explain the letter from Tokyo concealed in your sleeve?"
Both the youthful and elderly versions of Hidemoto Keikain froze in surprise.
The elder hadn't expected his ancestor's youthful incarnation to be hiding correspondence.
The younger Hidemoto was astonished that Luo Shu knew about the letter in his possession.
With visible surprise, Hidemoto Keikain produced the letter from his sleeve while asking suspiciously:
"May I ask how Director Luo knew about this letter that arrived just half an hour ago?"
"Why, through rigorous and meticulous reasoning, of course." Luo Shu declared with complete confidence.
"It's divination, isn't it?" Hidemoto Keikain asserted. "Nurarihyon mentioned that you always seem to know crucial secrets and leverage them to your advantage."
"Upon reflection, the ability to accomplish this would reasonably point to divination techniques."
"Though I employed an encrypted technique on the envelope, it still couldn't evade your divination. It appears you must possess an Abyss Artefact particularly suited to divination."
"Why assume it's an Abyss Artefact rather than my own divination skills?" Luo Shu inquired curiously.
At this, Hidemoto Keikain narrowed his eyes and said with an amused smile:
"Because you lack that uniquely punchable aura all professional diviners possess."
"All diviners are punchable?" Luo Shu's expression turned peculiar.
"Indeed." Hidemoto Keikain nodded. "Much like myself during my lifetime."
Luo Shu found himself speechless - this was the first time he'd encountered someone describing themselves as punchable.
Just then, Hidemoto Keikain cheerfully waved his fan and said with a smile:
"However, since Director Luo is already aware of the situation here, matters can proceed more straightforwardly."
"To be blunt, the Keikain family wishes to join your plan to eliminate Nue, and furthermore, establish a political alliance with the SDS, the Nura Clan, and Hagoromo Gitsune!"
"For this purpose, the Keikain family is willing to commit all available resources."
"As for our conditions, they're actually quite simple."
"All we ask is for you to sign an agreement guaranteeing the Keikain family's continued existence!"
Seeing Hidemoto Keikain's fox-like smile, Luo Shu paused before replying:
"That is indeed an excellent proposal."
"Indeed, indeed!" Hidemoto Keikain nodded repeatedly.
"However, I refuse!!"
Luo Shu said with a smile:
"I occasionally enjoy saying no to presumptuous people."
Hidemoto Keikain froze, his bewitchingly handsome features clouded with faint confusion.
"Why?"