As Luo Shu's gaze followed their departure, Kotoko Iwanaga—who had been hiding earlier—appeared behind him without warning. She tiptoed to the window, peering down at the retreating figures:
"I know you have your own plans, Luo Shu, but is it really wise to let that Satan Leviathan leave just like that?"
"Nothing unwise about it." Luo Shu didn't turn around as he replied to Kotoko. "It's our first meeting. Both Serafall and I are being cautious."
"Otherwise, she wouldn't have deliberately brought along an outsider with slight connections to me when coming here."
By dragging the clueless Tōka Takanashi into this, Serafall had forcibly downgraded what should have been a diplomatic negotiation into little more than a charity handout.
To be honest, even now, Luo Shu couldn't believe that Serafall would pull such a move, and of all people, she had to bring Tōka Takanashi along.
That said, he'd never heard Tōka Takanashi mention working at Mira's shop before. This sudden development was rather unexpected...
While thinking this, Luo Shu explained:
"Thanks to Serafall's little stunt, all we've managed is confirming her arrival in this world and exchanging greetings. Beyond that, we've learned absolutely nothing."
"Whether it's Serafall's purpose for coming to the human world, the situation in the Underworld, or the current stance and condition of the Four Satans – everything remains unknown."
Hearing Luo Shu's explanation, Kotoko Iwanaga raised her hand to adjust her white beret, her gaze turning slightly solemn as she said:
"Even so, hasn't part of our Familia's situation already been exposed?"
Though not physically present earlier, Kotoko had observed the scene through Yukino Yukinoshita, using the Divine Pantheon's video function. Thus, Serafall's earlier actions had all been reflected in Kotoko's eyes.
"From what just happened, it seems she deliberately brought along a girl who maintains a neutral relationship with you to test the waters?"
"Doesn't this suggest that Miss Serafall has begun suspecting young, beautiful women hold special significance for you, Luo Shu?"
At Kotoko's words, Luo Shu simply turned his head slightly to glance at her and said:
"Is there any point considering this?"
Kotoko blinked, then chuckled lightly:
"Indeed, there isn't."
"No matter how much they test, as long as you don't personally explain, figuring out the truth is practically impossible."
"And by the time you could personally explain, Miss Serafall would likely have already become our ally – your Familia member."
"Bound by the Divine Pantheon Reconstruction System's power, Familia members cannot betray you, whether subjectively or objectively."
"Viewed this way, all this testing and hesitation is meaningless."
"Even if I suspect Serafall and the Four Satans of the Underworld have guessed your abilities relate to the number of women, as long as you remain unchanged and the Divine Pantheon System's power persists, this secret will remain protected."
At this point, Kotoko looked at Luo Shu with curiosity and asked:
"But speaking of which, if I may ask – what exactly were you thinking about just now while standing here?"
Luo Shu hesitated briefly before replying somewhat uncertainly:
"Don't you think... Tōka-san's legs are quite beautiful?"
"Slender yet straight and long, with that toned look from regular exercise... Why are you making that face? Forget I said anything."
Kotoko's lips twitched several times.
'Here I thought you were contemplating the intelligence battle with the young Satan, and it turns out you were just admiring Tōka Takanashi's legs all along?'
'Damn it, usually so sharp-witted, constantly using information asymmetry to trick me, and now your focus is on a girl's legs?'
'Is being tall something to be proud of? Is having height something to boast about? Are big breasts something to flaunt?'
The more Kotoko Iwanaga thought about it, the angrier she became, and the angrier she got, the more her cheeks puffed up. Soon, her face resembled a hamster stuffing its cheeks with food.
Unfazed by this, Luo Shu casually reached out and ruffled Kotoko Iwanaga's hair, smiling as he said:
"See? Even though you're a Sage, you still couldn't figure out what I was thinking, could you?"
"Someone once told me not to rely too much on divination. Now I'll adapt that advice for you: don't overthink other people's motives."
"Your Class naturally grants you the ability for multifaceted thinking, but precisely because you think too much, it leads your thoughts toward extremism."
"As the saying goes, clever people always overthink."
"This doesn't just apply to you—I'm the same way."
With that, Luo Shu released Kotoko Iwanaga's head, his smile suggesting he was in particularly good spirits as he added:
"So occasionally, it's actually quite nice to relax your mind and just think about simple things."
Though Kotoko Iwanaga took his words to heart, she couldn't help but retort:
"So this is why you're currently staring at a girl's thighs?"
"Exactly! What else would it be?"
Luo Shu gave Kotoko Iwanaga a puzzled look, as if surprised she hadn't caught on yet:
"I couldn't very well say to Tōka Takanashi the moment we met, 'Your legs are lovely, can I touch them?'"
"Say something like that upon first meeting, and you'd get reported to the police, wouldn't you?"
"Isn't it much better to admire them afterwards, appreciate the view, and see if there's a chance to try touching them later?"
Hearing this, Kotoko Iwanaga's lips twitched. She truly had no words for this lecherous man and could only sigh:
"But speaking of which, isn't it bad to just let this otherworldly Satan wander around here freely?"
To this, Luo Shu remained utterly nonchalant:
"Actually, it's not that big a deal. I understand the situation in the Underworld better than you—perhaps even better than the Four Great Satans themselves."
"If my intel is correct, they'll soon be too preoccupied with their own affairs to bother with us."
"An entity akin to an Angel is about to stir up trouble there, trying to incite war against another being who's also suspected to be an Angel."
Luo Shu was referring to the conflict between the True Red Dragon God Emperor, Great Red, and the Infinite Dragon God, Ophis.
These two dragons were the most powerful beings in Serafall's world. From what Luo Shu knew, their clashes hadn't caused major incidents before; in this transformed world, that was no longer certain.
"With two Angels fighting, would the Four Great Satans still have energy to spare for us?"
"By then, whatever plans they have, they'll be stretched too thin to act on them."
"In that scenario, leaving them alone doesn't really matter."
"Of course, the most important thing is that Serafall's ability to come to this world unimpeded made me realise something crucial."
Here, Luo Shu's tone carried a note of relief as he said:
"At the very least, it proves that Satan-Class beings like Serafall still haven't reached the level of Apostles."
"Fortunately, we've recently gained a Top Tier Hero Class like you, Kotoko, and will soon have an orthodox Class Demigod like Kotori Itsuka."
"By that time, conservatively speaking, we should have three Demigods and three Hero Rank individuals with Top Tier Classes on our side."
"Considering that, when facing the Underworld and the Four Great Satans, we would at least have the numerical advantage."
"No, we would also have the advantage in strength."
At this point, Kotoko Iwanaga spoke with a very serious expression:
"Not reaching the Demigod Rank and reaching it are entirely different dimensions."
"Beyond that, there's a vast difference between common abilities, Demigod abilities, and a Demigod's Greater abilities."
"If a Demigod Rank ability can unleash three times the power of a Hero Rank, then a Demigod's Greater ability would be at least five to ten times that, with exceptionally high quality, capable of producing additional suppression."
"Taking this into account, and without factoring in the Angels from that world, the advantage would indeed lie with us."
"Alright, I think I understand your point now."
"Since we can suppress the opposition, we should first observe how they make their move and then counterattack, right?"
"You grasp it quite well, don't you?" Luo Shu gave Kotoko Iwanaga a surprised glance before striding towards the door.
"Where are you going?"
Kotoko turned her head, looking puzzled at Luo Shu.
At this, Luo Shu waved without turning around:
"I'm going to see off that initially unfriendly Miss Enigma."
"See you later~"
With that, Luo Shu quickened his pace and left the reception room.
Hearing this, Kotoko couldn't help but murmur:
"Seeing off Enigma?"
"Is that fellow returning to the Hell Sect to report? Hmph."