"Kato?" Luo Shu was momentarily taken aback by the surname before repeating his question: "You mean Megumi Kato?"
"You know Kato-san?"
Yukino Yukinoshita looked at Luo Shu with surprise, her sky-blue eyes first showing confusion before dawning with realisation:
"Ah, my apologies. I nearly forgot you're also a Toyogasaki High School student, Director. No wonder you know Kato-san."
As she spoke, Yukino murmured under her breath: "Is this what Senior Kasumigaoka meant by foresight?"
Seeing Yukino's reaction, Luo Shu opened his mouth slightly but ultimately didn't correct her, tacitly allowing this interpretation.
After all, he couldn't very well say he knew Megumi Kato because he'd watched anime featuring her in his past life, could he?
Setting aside that unspeakable secret, Luo Shu remained curious about how Yukino knew Megumi Kato. Moreover, judging by this exchange, it seemed Utaha Kasumigaoka knew her as well, which surprised him.
"Speaking of which, how did you notice Megumi Kato? I thought she had pretty low presence?"
Hearing this, Yukino gave Luo Shu a look that might have contained the slightest eye-roll:
"Minister, have you forgotten something?"
"Forgotten what?" Luo Shu looked at Yukino in confusion.
Seeing his expression, Yukino sighed softly:
"One week ago, you enabled a system function that alerts all Familia members when encountering potential recruits. Don't you remember?"
"Oh, right!" Luo Shu smacked his forehead and laughed. "What a memory I have."
Yukino glanced at him and muttered:
"Already forgetful at barely eighteen years old?"
Luo Shu gave an awkward chuckle before leaning forward at his desk, chin resting on his hand:
"So who discovered Megumi Kato first?"
"Senior Kasumigaoka did," Yukino replied calmly. "Did you think it would be Senior Sawamura?"
"Eriri huh..." Luo Shu's mouth twitched as he couldn't help complaining: "Yukino, do you think I've been too lenient with her?"
Yukino shook her head gently:
"Not at all. In fact, I believe your tolerance towards Senior Sawamura is perfectly understandable."
She added matter-of-factly:
"After all, Senior Sawamura was practically strong-armed into joining by you and Senior Kasumigaoka. Such forbearance is only natural."
"Utaha even told you about this?"
Luo Shu was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected Utaha to reveal such an embarrassing past incident, especially to Yukino Yukinoshita, who was full of righteous indignation.
At this moment, Yukino Yukinoshita slightly raised the corners of her lips, looking somewhat pleased with herself:
"Do you think I'm not the one currently responsible for recruiting Kato-san?"
Luo Shu was startled by these words: "Utaha discovered her, but dumped the recruitment task on you?"
Yukino Yukinoshita's expression stiffened momentarily. Upon careful consideration, that did seem to be the case.
Why had the recruitment task for the potential new member discovered by Senior Kasumigaoka fallen to her?
This made no sense!
Meanwhile, Luo Shu, as if oblivious to Yukino Yukinoshita's discomfort, continued:
"That Utaha... she didn't use her busy publishing schedule as an excuse to play the senior card and humbly ask for your help, did she?"
Yukino Yukinoshita's composure cracked completely because Luo Shu had hit the nail on the head. That was exactly what had happened.
Luo Shu then gave Yukino Yukinoshita a suspicious look:
"You can't bring yourself to refuse when someone asks for help?"
Yukino Yukinoshita panicked internally and defended herself:
"N-no, it's just that during my transfer and class assignment, I happened to be seated behind Kato-san..."
She fought valiantly to defend her intelligence, determined not to be seen as the type of fool who would blindly take on tasks just because a senior asked.
However, Luo Shu then said ominously:
"Yukino, have you forgotten Utaha's abilities?"
'Senior Kasumigaoka's abilities? I remember it being Mind Reading... Hypnosis... uh...'
Yukino Yukinoshita's expression completely collapsed.
Luo Shu rested his chin on one hand and delivered the crushing blow:
"For Utaha, arranging your transfer to Megumi Kato's class and seating you near her would probably only cost two suggestions."
"Hmm, one for the principal and one for the homeroom teacher. The effort required would be about the same as walking to their offices."
Yukino Yukinoshita lowered her head, hiding her irritated expression behind the documents she was holding.
Luo Shu chuckled:
"She's learned how to manipulate her juniors, that Utaha."
Yukino Yukinoshita took several deep breaths, forcibly maintaining her icy beauty demeanour:
"No, this can't be called manipulation. It's simply rational utilisation of human resources."
"Compared to Senior Kasumigaoka, who has to manage public-facing businesses, I have more free time. Being in the same year and physically closer to Kato-san makes me the logical choice for this task."
Seeing Yukino Yukinoshita's stubborn refusal to admit defeat, Luo Shu couldn't help but smile:
"Yukino."
"Has Haruno ever told you how adorable you look when you're desperately trying to save face?"
Yukino Yukinoshita glared at Luo Shu in humiliated anger, like a stray cat in a rainy park puffing up at someone getting too close.
Seeing this, Luo Shu decided not to tease her further and changed the subject:
"So, how do you plan to approach Megumi Kato?"
Hearing this, Yukino Yukinoshita turned her head away and said coldly:
"Through school clubs."
"Director, didn't you establish the Astronomy Club at school? Since it's club recruitment season now, I plan to invite Kato-san to join the club together."
"Taking it slow? Isn't that inefficient?" Luo Shu glanced at Yukino Yukinoshita.
Yukino Yukinoshita fell silent upon hearing this:
"...Shattering someone's worldview all at once would be too cruel."
She thought of her own experience being kidnapped by demons, and her father, who nearly lost his life and jumped out of the second floor of a building because of them.
Having undergone such drastic changes herself, Yukino didn't want Megumi Kato to enter the mystic side world through similar traumatic shocks. She preferred using gentler, safer methods to let the other approach voluntarily.
Seeing Yukino like this, Luo Shu didn't argue further, simply saying:
"Since Utaha left this matter to you, then it's your call."
"Don't let us down, Yukino."
"...Understood, Director."
Getting this response, Luo Shu shook his head, stood up, patted his clothes and said:
"Alright, that's about it for today. I just got back from Kyoto, so I won't be working overtime."
"I'll leave the remaining work to you!"
"Work hard, I'll give you a raise at month's end~ That's all~"
Watching Luo Shu wave as he left, Yukino looked at his retreating back, then at the pile of documents in her arms, finally sighing:
"If she joins... Kato-san might help share some of this paperwork, right?"
...
5 PM.
Luo Shu, who had teleported back to his apartment through the Hidden Management Zone, pushed open the door to the living room.
As soon as the door opened, he heard a familiar voice greet him.
"You're back later than I expected~"
Hearing this voice, Luo Shu blankly looked up to see Hagoromo Gitsune sitting on the sofa, his mind instantly filling with question marks.
Before he could process this, Hagoromo Gitsune reclined on the sofa, patted the seat, and said seductively:
"Come now, let's not waste time. We'll continue where we left off yesterday~"
Luo Shu: "..."
For a moment, Luo Shu was speechless, his mind completely blank.
Just then, Miss Kisara's shriek rang out:
"You fox spirit!!"
"————What do you think you're doing on someone else's sofa!!!"