Space City Copernicus.
Using the Hidden Management Zone as a transit point, Luo Shu arrived directly at the Hidden Management Zone branch in the central axis of Copernicus and floated out from there.
The silver metal door swung open abruptly. Just as Luo Shu floated out, he collided head-on with Mukuro Hoshimiya.
However, due to the lack of gravity, the impact was minimal. Reacting quickly, Luo Shu caught Mukuro in his arms after the collision.
"Big Brother~"
Holding Mukuro, Luo Shu spotted Lacus floating toward them from behind and couldn't help but laugh wryly:
"Starting off with such a grand gift—isn't this a bit much?"
Lacus chuckled lightly as she drifted closer:
"If Mukuro is the gift, wouldn't that make it the best present possible?"
Before Luo Shu could respond, Mukuro leaned back slightly, putting some distance between them, and nodded seriously:
"That's right~ Just like that!"
"Muku is Big Brother's best gift~"
"So... Muku wants a return gift from Big Brother~"
Without the slightest regard for Lacus's presence, Mukuro pressed her lips to Luo Shu's.
At that moment, Kirika Tachibana, who had just arrived, couldn't help but twitch her lips at the sight:
"Not to be rude, but isn't this a bit inappropriate for your first meeting?"
"You're not some lovesick fools who haven't seen each other for years—you literally met just yesterday, right?"
"And more importantly, Luo Shu, didn't you come here to discuss something important?"
"Are you sure you're here for negotiations and not to feed people apples?"
As she spoke, Kirika glanced at Lacus, who was standing nearby with a gentle smile, and added sarcastically:
"By the way, are you just going to stand there and watch?"
"Technically, you're the official girlfriend here, aren't you?"
Hearing this, Lacus replied softly, "It's fine. This is just a reward for Mukuro's hard work lately."
"Using your boyfriend as a reward? That's really something!!"
Kirika was utterly speechless at this woman whose emotions were so suppressed that she'd become excessively rational.
By the time Mukuro Hoshimiya had finished enjoying her "reward," she flipped over and landed in Luo Shu's arms, nestling there without moving as she murmured:
"Energy replenished. Muku now has the motivation to work today..."
"That won't do." Lacus chuckled lightly and interjected. "Rest time is for resting properly."
"So tonight, Mukuro must go to bed on time."
"But what about Big Brother?" Mukuro hesitated.
"Don't worry about Big Brother tonight. I'll take care of him."
Hearing this, Luo Shu gave Lacus a surprised look.
He didn't recall mentioning anything about staying overnight in Copernicus...
Meanwhile, Kirika's expression was one of sheer astonishment.
Damn, she could only say damn!!
So Lacus had tricked Mukuro into settling for scraps while keeping the main course for herself?
No wonder this scheming woman had allowed Mukuro to cling to Luo Shu right in front of her.
She was tossing her some leftovers to keep her pacified...
Kirika eyed Lacus strangely, wondering if the woman actually planned to do something tonight.
Just then, Lacus slowly approached Luo Shu and extended an invitation to the hesitant man:
"How about we go for some coffee first?"
"...Alright." Luo Shu paused briefly before nodding.
The group then floated past the central axis and entered the gravity-simulated residential zone, heading for the lakeside café they'd visited before.
...
Inside a newly added private room of the café.
Tabane Shinonono, wearing mechanical rabbit ears, seemed to have been lying in wait at the door. She pouted pitifully at Luo Shu the moment he entered:
"Shu-kun, you're so mean~ It's been ages since you last visited me..."
Running into a resentful woman right after entering, Luo Shu's expression turned awkward.
With Mukuro clinging tightly in his arms, he hesitated for a moment before freeing his left hand.
Tabane immediately rushed forward.
But just as Luo Shu braced himself for an embrace, Tabane grabbed his right hand instead. With deft movements, she removed the transparent bracelet there and cheerfully exclaimed:
"Ah, as expected of Shu-kun! You understood my intentions so quickly."
"Heheh, the combat data of the White Knight is finally in my hands."
Only when Tabane took the bracelet did Luo Shu remember—it was the first IS White Knight that Tabane had given him.
At this, Luo Shu hesitated instead:
"Sorry to disappoint you, Tabane, but I haven't actually used the White Knight even once these days."
Initially, the White Knight had been given to Luo Shu by Tabane Shinonono as a final security measure during the capture of Mukuro Hoshimiya in space.
To put it bluntly, the White Knight was essentially support equipment, providing oxygen, high-speed propulsion, and other mobility aids for Luo Shu, who couldn't survive in space.
However, since Luo Shu had Natsuki Minamiya handle spatial teleportation and used his Calamity Priest abilities to absorb the negative state of oxygen deprivation, he discovered he could survive in space on his own, rendering the White Knight unnecessary.
Now that Tabane had taken back the White Knight to review combat data, Luo Shu suddenly felt somewhat guilty.
This feeling... was it like being gifted a necklace by a girlfriend, but never wearing it once?
Just as Luo Shu was hesitating internally, Tabane Shinonono waved her hand dismissively:
"No worries, no worries~ The White Knight was always meant as your last line of defence, Shu-kun~"
As she spoke, Tabane flicked her fingers through the air, causing a virtual screen and keyboard to materialise before her.
"Besides, the emergency function I temporarily designed - where the White Knight automatically manifests when detecting danger, teleports you back to Copernicus while remaining behind to self-destruct - still had many flaws. I've been remotely patching bugs recently, so you not using it was probably for the best."
"Hmm... where did I hide those biometric files... ah! Here they are..."
"And the recording logs... oh ho? There are bath recordings from the camera function? Ooooh, such premium material~?"
Tabane's exclamation was cut short when she suddenly felt her collar being yanked upwards.
Turning her head, she saw Luo Shu's expressionless face staring down at her.
"I believe you know exactly what I want you to do now?"
Luo Shu fixed Tabane with an unreadable gaze, his tone dripping with menace:
"Delete all those videos. Every last one."
"...Got it." Tabane shrank her neck in, pouting tearfully. "And here I was planning to use them as late-night snacks~"
"Shu-kun is such a cruel man. Not only won't you touch me, but you won't even let me keep some drinking snacks."
'You'd better genuinely mean drinking snacks...' Luo Shu's composure cracked as his lips twitched, turning to Lacus with a pleading look.
This eccentric woman was getting a bit too much for him to handle...
Faced with Luo Shu's silent plea for help, Lacus merely smiled and said:
"If the Doctor truly has needs, I can try to free up Shu-kun's schedule tomorrow morning."
Tabane immediately grabbed Lacus' arm excitedly:
"Really?! Really?!"
"Make it happen, and I'll do anything you want! I mean anything!!"
Lacus stuck her tongue out playfully at Luo Shu upon saying this.
Luo Shu's expression twisted in discomfort - wasn't he supposed to be here for serious discussions?
Why did it feel like he'd come bearing apples for this little girl instead?
This was completely derailing the main topic!!
Meanwhile, Kirika Tachibana, watching from the side, couldn't help but mutter: "So, Luo Shu has become the dedicated motivational prize?"
Originally, Kirika Tachibana had felt somewhat sympathetic towards Luo Shu. But then she remembered that at night he could sleep, embracing a great beauty, and in the morning hold another, while she herself had to keep sleeping in a cold dormitory, hugging a lifeless pillow.
Instantly, Kirika suddenly felt that this guy Luo Shu seemed... somewhat damnable!!