After several busy tones, the distinctly mature voice of Maya Yotsuba came through:
"What's happened? Miya."
Hearing this, Miya Yotsuba cautiously explained:
"Sorry, Maya, I think I've messed things up."
"Huh?"
On the other end, Maya Yotsuba was momentarily stunned by these words.
Hadn't you just called, saying you were about to meet that Hidden Management Department head? How could things be messed up after mere minutes?
Thinking this, Maya Yotsuba immediately grew concerned for her sister's safety and couldn't help asking:
"Are you alright?"
Luo Shu, sitting beside Miya Yotsuba, waved his hand at this moment.
Seeing this, Miya Yotsuba froze momentarily before hesitantly handing the phone to Luo Shu.
Taking the phone, Luo Shu said with a smile:
"Pleased to meet you, Miss Maya Yotsuba. I'm Luo Shu."
Hearing this, Maya Yotsuba fell silent for a moment before asking:
"What have you done to Miya?"
"If it's about that matter, then I must apologise. Because what I intended to do hasn't begun yet, currently speaking, I can't say I've done anything, but rather haven't started doing it."
Luo Shu casually spoke words meant to provoke Maya Yotsuba's emotions while smiling:
"Of course, Miss Maya could think more simply - perhaps Miss Miya simply can't handle someone like me, who's immune to her mind reading?"
Hearing this, Maya Yotsuba suddenly went quiet.
She thought about her elder sister's usual behaviour, then considered her sister's current situation.
Maya Yotsuba suddenly felt Luo Shu might actually be telling the truth.
After all, Maya Yotsuba knew her sister very well.
Both of them had come to this world around age 11. During their initial period of hiding themselves and investigating this world's circumstances, they'd accidentally entered an abyss world with a bizarre time flow. By the time they returned to the normal world, four years had passed.
Since then, no matter who they encountered, her elder sister had never faced any real trouble thanks to that mental magic.
Whether it was the Cabinet's recruitment attempts, several consecutive missions, or even encountering Miyuki Shiba and Tatsuya Shiba, because of her sister's abilities and their special relationship with her, everything had been resolved effortlessly.
Thinking carefully, her sister's social experience probably remained frozen at pre-transmigration levels, at 11 years old, or even younger.
'Was the reason she appeared so mature in front of me entirely due to the overwhelming advantage of mind-reading?'
'So all this time... I've been fooled by my sister?'
Realising this, Maya Yotsuba's face twitched.
Fortunately, she still understood the current matter's crux wasn't about her sister fooling her, but about Luo Shu.
"Director Luo, since you could make this call, I imagine you're already fully aware of my situation here?"
"Not to that extent, not to that extent." Luo Shu maintained his smile: "It's just that, regarding your circumstances, especially some lesser-known matters, I do have some understanding."
Hearing this, Maya Yotsuba said calmly:
"So what exactly does Director Luo wish to say?"
In response, Luo Shu smiled:
"Have you considered changing jobs, Miss Maya?"
"Changing jobs? Director Luo is so confident I'd choose to betray the Cabinet and defect to the SDS?"
"While I acknowledge the SDS's capabilities, no matter what, the Cabinet represents an entire nation. Director Luo, surely you understand the disparity here?"
Maya Yotsuba looked astonished, though her surprise was mixed with puzzlement.
That Luo Shu would recruit her wasn't surprising, but him first mentioning knowledge of secret matters before making the offer was strange.
'Could there be some unknown leverage of mine in his possession?'
At this moment, Luo Shu said with certainty:
"The disparity between the Cabinet and the SDS isn't what you imagine, Miss Maya."
On the other end of the phone, Maya Yotsuba frowned in deep thought. Was the gap between the Cabinet and the SDS not what she had imagined?
"If Director Luo has something to say, please speak plainly."
At this moment, Luo Shu replied calmly:
"The Cabinet's strongest combatant is Tatsuya Shiba."
"Heh, Miss Maya must have seen the SDS's recently publicised ranking evaluation system, yes?"
"Let me remind you—according to the SDS's evaluation standards, Tatsuya Shiba qualifies as Hero Rank. Of course, among Hero Ranks, he's first-tier."
Hearing this, Maya Yotsuba fell silent.
She'd never witnessed Tatsuya Shiba's combat prowess firsthand, but based on Shiba Miyuki's memories of observing him, she'd formed a rough assessment.
He was a Strategic Magician with army-annihilating capabilities—essentially a nuclear weapon.
Yet such a strategic asset was merely labelled as 'first-tier Hero Rank' in Luo Shu's words.
According to the SDS's internally disclosed evaluation system, above Hero Rank existed another tier called Demigod Rank.
Did the SDS harbour Demigod Rank existences within its ranks?
And the Cabinet's strongest combatant turned out to be Tatsuya Shiba—someone they'd accidentally controlled and brought into the Cabinet?
So, the SDS didn't want the Cabinet possessing excessive military strength?
Or more fundamentally, was this America's suppression of Japan?
That so-called 'dog leash'?
Realising this, Maya Yotsuba finally understood her predicament.
Either accept the SDS's recruitment... or die.
The executors were crystal clear.
Should she refuse, the SDS would mobilise a Demigod to eliminate Tatsuya Shiba—this first-tier Hero Rank combatant—before disposing of her and her sister.
International power struggles... To think she'd been dragged into something so monumental...
Maya Yotsuba sighed before responding:
"I understand. May I have some time to consider?"
"Granted." Luo Shu agreed readily.
Naturally, he showed leniency towards potential Familia candidates.
Originally, his target had only been Miyuki Shiba. Only after meeting Miya Yotsuba and realising she too could become Familia did he decide to kill two birds with one stone—scooping up both Miyuki and the Yotsuba sisters.
Thus, towards this household containing three prospective Familia members, Luo Shu's tolerance ran exceptionally high.
Of course, this depended on Maya Yotsuba not playing tricks.
With this in mind, Luo Shu offered a sweetener:
"A friendly reminder—regarding the Hagoromo Gitsune matter, you'd best have Tatsuya Shiba go through the motions without genuine effort."
"How so?" Maya Yotsuba questioned, suspecting Luo Shu might be colluding with Abe no Seimei.
Luo Shu replied plainly:
"Nue's birth ceremony is Abe no Seimei's ascension to Demigod Rank."
The moment these words landed, Maya Yotsuba recognised the danger.
Japan was about to gain a Demigod?
The Cabinet had actually sent them to confront an ascending Demigod?
Was the SDS preparing to assassinate this quasi-Demigod to safeguard their interests in Japan?
Confronted with these risks, Maya Yotsuba's face turned ashen.
Though she'd concealed her capabilities and instructed Tatsuya Shiba to hide his trump card techniques, they'd still diligently completed every Cabinet-assigned mission.
While not claiming extraordinary merit, they'd certainly been conscientious.
In that case, how dare the Cabinet group scheme against them like this?
If before, Maya Yotsuba had only intended to hold out for a better offer, she was now completely decided.
This sinking ship of a Cabinet would be better off kicked aside!
Suppressing her anger, Maya Yotsuba took a deep breath and said:
"I understand. Thank you for the warning."
"During the campaign against Hagoromo Gitsune, I'll entrust my sister and Tatsuya to your care."
After being entrusted with looking after Miya Yotsuba, Luo Shu listened to the dial tone on the phone, then glanced at the seemingly mature but mentally still childish Miya Yotsuba standing before him.
He suddenly asked:
"Seems like you've been sold off by your sister?"
Hearing this, Miya Yotsuba froze:
"I suppose... that's what happened..."
The two exchanged glances, rendered speechless.
Finally, Luo Shu shrugged nonchalantly:
"Well then, you'll be sticking with me for a while. Conveniently, we'll be attending a strategy meeting together later, won't we?"
Miya Yotsuba sensed something was amiss about the situation, but upon seeing Luo Shu's attitude, she nodded silently in acquiescence.
To this, Luo Shu stood up and said:
"Let's settle the bill."
Hearing this, Miya Yotsuba took out her purse to pay for their coffees. Only after paying did she realise the problem.
Had her dear little sister just entrusted both her and her son to Luo Shu's care?
What kind of entrustment was this?!!!