Upon hearing from Haruno Yukinoshita that he had been "seriously injured and disappeared due to an assassination attempt by Oko Shinomiya colluding with terrorists", Luo Shu's mind went completely blank.
"I was seriously injured and disappeared? Who's playing this joke on me?"
Haruno Yukinoshita walked up to Luo Shu with her hands behind her back, gave him a once-over, and said with a smile:
"Perhaps Director-kun hasn't realised he's seriously injured~?"
"Stop messing around." Luo Shu rolled his eyes at Haruno Yukinoshita and pinched her left cheek, twisting the collagen-rich flesh.
Her skin was surprisingly soft—even softer than her younger sister Yukino's.
"Did Yukino have any message for me?"
"Not really."
Haruno Yukinoshita touched her cheek, which still bore faint finger marks, her expression tinged with confusion:
"This time, I really can't figure out what Yukino-chan is thinking. She just told me to hand it over to you to deal with."
"Speaking of which..." Haruno Yukinoshita looked at Luo Shu with curiosity. "I remember you met with Oko Shinomiya, the eldest son of the Shinomiya family, a couple of days ago, Director?"
"Yeah, we met, had a meal, and I ended up bringing back a few Familia members."
As he said this, Luo Shu suddenly seemed to recall something, his expression turning suspicious:
"But now that I think about it, the witch attack did happen at the hotel Oko Shinomiya booked."
"Oh?" Haruno Yukinoshita's eyes lit up, clearly excited. "Do tell me more about the hotel. How many girls were there with you at the time?"
Thwack!
Luo Shu delivered a swift chop to Haruno's head, cutting off her bold question, then said irritably:
"Don't ask about such irrelevant things."
"Ehhh~~" Haruno drew out the sound, her face scrunching up in distaste. "But that's the most important question, isn't it?"
"Oh well. If the Director wants to protect that enviable girl, then I suppose I'll just have to pretend I don't know anything for Yukino-chan's sake."
Ignoring Luo Shu's silent 'What does this have to do with Yukino?', Haruno tilted her head thoughtfully:
"So, the witches must have tracked you down through Oko Shinomiya's connections?"
"In that case, the rumours about Oko Shinomiya conspiring with witches to ambush you might not be entirely false, hmm?"
Luo Shu merely scoffed in response:
"If that bald bastard had the guts for that, he wouldn't have left the restaurant alive that day."
Haruno wholeheartedly agreed. After entering the mystic side's circle, she had come to understand exactly how the elite viewed those corporate dynasties.
Cash cows, walking piggy banks, convenient tools.
This mindset was prevalent among many mystic side factions with established inheritances.
Unless they were nations—controlling vast social resources, backed by legions of sorcerers, and wielding numerous Abyss Artefacts—mystic side organisations looked down on corporate elites with utter disdain.
A sorcerer might hesitate to kill a city councillor out of fear of government retaliation, but a billionaire? They wouldn't bat an eye.
At most, they'd tidy up the scene to avoid official scrutiny, making it look like a suicide.
So Haruno didn't believe Oko Shinomiya had any part in the assassination attempt on Luo Shu.
But that didn't mean she couldn't make it true:
"Even so, if the Shinomiya family tried to assassinate you, Director, wouldn't that give us legitimate grounds to seize their resources?"
A mischievous grin spread across her face as she added:
"My dear mother has had her eye on Shinomiya Construction's assets for ages, you know."
Hearing this, Luo Shu immediately grasped Haruno's implication. After giving her a surprised look, he chuckled:
"So, Haruno, you're saying you want me to use the Shinomiya family's assets as a betrothal gift?"
"Huh?"
Haruno blinked, momentarily thrown by Luo Shu's sudden leap in logic.
However, she quickly regained her composure and said with a playful grin:
"No, no, no. That would be far too lenient on Mother~"
"The best approach would be for you, Director-kun, to disguise yourself as a bōsōzoku, ride in on a motorcycle, storm into my wedding venue, and snatch me away in my wedding dress!"
At this point, Haruno Yukinoshita tilted her head slightly and added with a troubled expression:
"Though that would be terribly unfair to the poor groom. Not that Mother has arranged any such unfortunate fellow for me yet."
A bōsōzoku on a motorcycle, crashing a wedding to steal the bride? Luo Shu listened to Haruno Yukinoshita's idea and felt like he was running out of cold sweat:
"You certainly have a vivid imagination!"
To this, Haruno Yukinoshita merely shrugged:
"Who made my dear mother so strict~"
"Though I'm long used to it, sometimes I still want to see her fly into a rage while being utterly helpless."
"Such a pity my dear father is too timid. I even introduced him to several strong-willed socialites, but that man just can't seize opportunities."
Wait a minute, Ms Haruno, did you just reveal something?
Introducing women to your henpecked father? You're really pushing the limits!!
Luo Shu suddenly understood why Haruno Yukinoshita remained so composed watching Yukino resist their mother.
So these were just child's play compared to what she'd already done?
At that moment, Haruno Yukinoshita said to Luo Shu with a grin:
"In comparison, Director-kun doesn't need to worry. Because in my eyes, you're someone who knows how to seize opportunities very well."
'Director-kun this, Director-kun that... you're really smooth with that nickname...' Luo Shu thought to himself before asking:
"So you want me to seize this opportunity with the Shinomiya family?"
"Yukino must have told you something, right? Or did Lacus give you instructions?"
Haruno Yukinoshita didn't deny it, merely smiling as she said:
"After all, it's a rare initiative~"
Whether Oko Shinomiya's assassination attempt on Luo Shu was real or not, as long as the incident was confirmed, SDS would gain a significant advantage in dealing with the Shinomiya family.
And this happened to be exactly what Luo Shu and Oko Shinomiya had agreed upon.
Since it was prearranged, Luo Shu naturally wouldn't hold back:
"If you're so eager to play, Haruno, I'll let you handle this matter."
The implication being he was dumping the entire Shinomiya family division problem onto Haruno Yukinoshita.
Instantly understanding his meaning, Haruno couldn't help muttering:
"Hey hey, Director-kun isn't actually planning to use the Shinomiya family's assets as betrothal gifts, is he?"
"Taking Yukino is one thing, but if my... ah, she'd probably end up being too furious to speak. Hehe, this might actually be fun."
Seeing Haruno's obvious intention to toy with her mother, Luo Shu sighed:
"Don't take it too far."
Though he said that, Luo Shu couldn't help feeling pity for Mrs Yukinoshita.
Before joining the Hidden Management Department, facing a mother who overpowered her in resources and status, Haruno could only obey obediently.
But now, as a Familia member with access to resources from both the Hidden Management Department and SDS, Haruno's ambitions far exceeded Yukino's.
At least Yukino wouldn't think about revenge, but Haruno absolutely would.
After all, this was the woman who, to tease her sister, once threw young Yukino into a pack of puppies, making her run from the biting dogs as a child.
Because she likes you, she'll bully you mercilessly - a personality trait Mrs Yukinoshita personally cultivated.
Before heading to Echidna's detention facility, Luo Shu silently crossed himself for Mrs Yukinoshita.
"Hope she'll be alright."