Oko Shinomiya recognised her - the heiress of JACES Corporation, the largest security equipment supplier, a woman whose demeanour was even more formidable than her appearance.
At the sight of her, Oko Shinomiya couldn't help but let out a derisive chuckle:
"I never imagined I'd be seeing you here, Miss Ryōko Yakushiji."
"What's this? Has JACES taken an interest in the Shinomiya family's assets, too?"
Hearing this, Ryōko Yakushiji calmly took out a ladies' cigarette and lit one for herself.
Amidst the curling smoke, her amber eyes coldly reflected Oko Shinomiya's dishevelled figure.
After finishing the cigarette, Ryōko Yakushiji spoke impassively:
"Someone wants you to confess, Oko Shinomiya."
Oko Shinomiya glanced at Ryōko Yakushiji and let out a scoff before retorting,
"You think that's possible?"
If he didn't admit it, the Hidden Management Department wouldn't take action against him. At worst, the Shinomiya family would be devoured by wolves, but he could still keep his life—even retain some of the family's assets. Though diminished, it would be enough to live comfortably for the rest of his days.
But if he admitted it, he'd truly be handing his life over to Luo Shu.
Despite having struck a deal with Luo Shu, Oko Shinomiya didn't dare gamble on the other party faithfully upholding their agreement at this critical juncture, rather than killing him and swallowing the Shinomiya family whole.
Faced with Oko's sarcastic tone, Ryōko Yakushiji flicked her cigarette and replied indifferently,
"Whether you do it or not is your business. I'm just delivering a message."
"Oh, right. There was one more thing I didn't pass along."
She turned around and added coolly,
"'I liked both gifts very much.'"
"Message delivered. I hope the next time we meet is at your funeral."
After Ryōko Yakushiji left, Oko Shinomiya remained frozen in shock.
"'Liked both gifts'? What two gifts...?"
The word "gifts" seemed to strike a nerve, triggering a flood of memories.
He vaguely recalled arranging one gift for Luo Shu—a girl named Mai Sakurajima.
But something felt off. In his memory, hadn't he sent a gift named Ai Hoshino?
No, wait—why did it feel like he'd sent both "gifts" to Luo Shu?
The mental confusion left Oko Shinomiya dazed for a long time, unable to snap out of it.
Though he couldn't clarify how many gifts he'd actually sent, one thing became clear to him:
His life was probably safe.
...
Inside the Metropolitan Police Department.
Kiyonaga Matsumoto, who had rushed over to block the door, glared furiously as Ryōko Yakushiji emerged from the detention cells.
"Director Yakushiji, the prisoners held in there are special cases—unauthorised visits are prohibited. So, care to explain what you were doing inside?"
Ryōko Yakushiji flicked her cigarette again, gave him a dismissive glance, and replied with a sneer,
"What else? Delivering a message, obviously."
"For whom?" Matsumoto laughed in exasperation. Everyone knew whoever entered that room now was there to relay a message—but was this really the time for that?
"Luo Shu," she answered flatly.
"What?" Matsumoto stiffened, then blurted out in shock, "Since when were you connected to the Hidden Management Department?"
"No idea," Ryōko Yakushiji said indifferently.
Matsumoto was dumbfounded. What kind of answer was that?
If she didn't even know when she'd gotten involved with the Hidden Management Department, how could she be delivering messages for them?
Was she lying without even bothering with logic?
Then again, this woman, backed by her family's influence, had always been blunt—she disdained lying.
So, without even realising it, she'd become Luo Shu's messenger?
Wait—was JACES trying to curry favour with the Hidden Management Department's leader?
Too bewildered to grasp the situation, Matsumoto found himself at a loss for words.
Ryōko Yakushiji didn't wait for him to sort out his thoughts. After briefly responding to Kiyonaga Matsumoto's question, she stepped past him in her high heels and walked straight out.
The Metropolitan Police Department personnel behind Kiyonaga Matsumoto didn't dare even breathe loudly, let alone stop Ryōko Yakushiji. They could only watch as she left.
After Ryōko Yakushiji departed, Kiyonaga Matsumoto, who had remained silent for a long while, sighed and said to Juzo Megure beside him:
"Megure, take some people and check on Oko Shinomiya's condition."
"Yes, Director Matsumoto." Juzo Megure nodded immediately, then entered the cell with Miwako Sato, who had recently been promoted to inspector, and others.
Five or six minutes later, Juzo Megure emerged with a strange expression.
Seeing this, Kiyonaga Matsumoto frowned: "He's not dead, is he?"
"No, it's just..."
Juzo Megure paused, then quickly approached Kiyonaga Matsumoto and lowered his voice:
"Oko Shinomiya has confessed."
Kiyonaga Matsumoto: "..."
This might be worse than him being dead...
...
Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters underground garage.
Ryōko Yakushiji opened the car door with a click and took the driver's seat. Then, gazing at the reflection of the golden-haired side-ponytailed girl in a Shuchiin Academy uniform through the rearview mirror, she narrowed her eyes:
"I've relayed the message you wanted me to deliver to Oko Shinomiya."
"Thank you for your efforts, Miss Yakushiji."
Ai Hayasaka responded to Ryōko Yakushiji in the tone she typically used with Shinomiya family visitors, speaking lightly:
"The Director and I will remember your assistance this time."
"Hmph, rather than having that man remember me, I'd prefer he remembers I've already been buried."
A lingering shadow passed through Ryōko Yakushiji's eyes.
She glanced again at the youthful, beautiful, golden-haired girl in the rearview mirror, her voice dropping slightly:
"You're one of that man's subordinates, aren't you?"
Ai Hayasaka looked at Ryōko Yakushiji at this point:
"That shouldn't be hard to understand, should it?"
"The Shinomiya family's young lady's maid is actually his person... Hmph, there must be quite a few like you, right?"
Faced with Ryōko Yakushiji's question, Ai Hayasaka didn't respond.
Her identity wasn't something difficult for Ryōko Yakushiji to investigate, and Ai Hayasaka had also heard about Ryōko Yakushiji's situation from Sharon.
A Familia candidate injected with partial demon blood, secretly controlled by Luo Shu through the Abyss Artefact Demon Heart.
To be honest, Ai Hayasaka had never seen such an unlucky Familia candidate before.
But considering she didn't fully understand the situation, she chose not to ask anything.
Though now, it seemed Ryōko Yakushiji harboured deep resentment about this as well.
'I wonder how she ended up crossing paths with Luo Shu...' Ai Hayasaka couldn't help but think.
"Not talking? Whether it's the master or the servant, you're all the same."
Ryōko Yakushiji clicked her tongue, thinking about how she had been mysteriously controlled by Luo Shu at some point, and couldn't resist taking out her cigarette case again.
Given her own experience, Ryōko Yakushiji strongly suspected that within Japan's closed circles, many people were secretly working for Luo Shu.
It was precisely because of this that when Ai Hayasaka approached her, Ryōko Yakushiji immediately realised the one who had controlled her back then was Luo Shu.
But with the answer revealed, the question arose.
From the moment she showed signs of being controlled, over two months had passed before Luo Shu finally activated her for operations - and even then, it was just to relay a few words to Oko Shinomiya.
What did this mean?
That she, the great Ryōko Yakushiji, was only worth being used as some kind of messenger?
At least give her something more substantial!
She's not some bloody answering service!!
Ai Hayasaka tilted her head: "Miss Yakushiji seems rather irritable?"
"A bit." Ryōko Yakushiji calmly prepared to light a cigarette, then paused before asking, "Can you tolerate cigarette smoke?"
"No." Ai Hayasaka replied flatly.
"Tch!" Ryōko clicked her tongue, stowed her cigarette case, started the car and said coolly: "Then I'll get you out of here quickly."
Ai Hayasaka seemed surprised by this: "Aren't you going to try extracting some information from me?"
She'd been considering introducing Ryōko Yakushiji to Kaguya Shinomiya to help her young mistress gain more support for inheriting the Shinomiya family, and now this woman wanted to kick her out?
Was she even more difficult to approach than the rumours suggested?
"Do you think you'd actually tell me anything?" Ryōko sneered.
"I should have some free time around noon." Ai Hayasaka said mildly.
Hearing this, Ryōko was silent for a moment before replying:
"There's a decent French place nearby. I'll take you there."
...
Hidden Management Department garrison.
Having just received the message, Luo Shu looked up from his desk and smiled at Meer, who was lounging on the sofa, sipping milk tea:
"It seems the Oko Shinomiya situation has been resolved."