Hearing Luo Shu speak, Meer couldn't help but glance up at him:
"Aren't you worried about complaints from the finance department, Luo Shu?"
As she spoke, Meer draped her left arm over the back of the sofa while holding her milk tea in the right, casually crossing her legs in a thoroughly relaxed posture:
"Just processing the Shinomiya family assets will probably keep finance busy for a month or two. They'll need to arrange onsite inspections too, to verify there aren't major issues with those holdings."
At this point, Meer couldn't suppress a mischievous grin: "I expect the complaints will reach Lacus's ears within a few days."
Luo Shu remained unfazed:
"Sell any unusable industries for profit, offload problematic assets to willing buyers - we just want the cash, same as Japan's government. Though we'll need proper due diligence on any VR-related enterprises, since those are what I actually need."
Hearing this, Meer blinked in surprise and gave him a strange look:
"By that standard, Luo Shu, you'd be selling off 99% of the Shinomiya holdings."
"That much?" Even Luo Shu seemed taken aback by the figure.
"I thought the Shinomiya financial services and industrial enterprises were fairly solid?"
"Well, they are..."
Meer tilted her head in thought before explaining with an amused smile:
"But the problem is, SDS's industrial portfolio barely touches financial services. As for manufacturing..."
Here, Meer seemed to struggle to contain her laughter: "Luo Shu, you must think we urgently need these enterprises because of America's industrial decline, right?"
Hearing Meer say this, Luo Shu raised an eyebrow, his expression one of surprise:
"So it seems my understanding was off the mark?"
"Not exactly off the mark. America has indeed undergone deindustrialisation, with nearly all production capacity now in the Eurasian region... But we happen to be the exception."
At this point, Meer calmly took a sip of milk tea, chewing on the pearls as she added:
"The true industrial core of SDS is located within the ancestral lands of the Patch Tribe, consisting of intelligent industrial systems that have undergone several generational upgrades by the Doctor and others."
"So in practical terms, while the Shinomiya family's industrial system is decent, it's practically outdated capacity in our hands."
"Compared to these production facilities, the workers might hold more value. After all, the skill level of workers in Japan's industries is fairly good – with some training, they can handle basic production tasks."
Hearing Meer say this, Luo Shu realised he'd miscalculated some aspects, though he wasn't particularly concerned since the Shinomiya assets were essentially freebies to him:
"Then let's take over what's usable and convert everything else into cash."
Pausing briefly, Luo Shu added:
"That illegitimate daughter of the Shinomiyas – you're aware of her, Meer?"
"Hayasaka's little mistress?" Meer narrowed her eyes, showing some familiarity with Kaguya Shinomiya: "I recall Gan'an Shinomiya has already decided to make this non-blood-related daughter the next head of the Shinomiya family."
At this point, Meer couldn't help glancing at Luo Shu: "Is that girl also one of ours?"
"Just a candidate for now. It depends on Hayasaka's decision."
Luo Shu's attitude towards Kaguya Shinomiya was rather indifferent. For some reason, he simply didn't feel any particular attraction to her.
But since they'd crossed paths, he might as well recruit her – after all, Kaguya could generate some points.
Understanding his implication, Meer asked: "So we should leave some industries with the Shinomiya family?"
"Let them buy back their own assets. Japan's government only wants resources to cover their deficits anyway."
"Set the minimum at thirty percent and let the Shinomiyas decide the rest."
Since these weren't his own assets, Luo Shu couldn't care less.
His casual attitude prompted Meer to tease:
"But I heard the Shinomiyas plan to tie most of their wealth to their youngest daughter, Kaguya, and solve their problems through marriage."
"Don't you think that would make a nice gift, Luo Shu?"
Meer blinked suggestively at him.
Luo Shu gave her an exasperated look:
"Your Lacus plans to bring the entire ZAFT as her dowry. Do you really think I'd care about some Shinomiya family?"
Any fool could choose between a government-regulated cash cow and an entire nation capable of opposing the Union's military might with millions of citizens.
"She's playing that card too..."
Meer looked stunned. She hadn't known about these private discussions between Lacus and Luo Shu, but the implications were immediately clear.
"Setting the bar so high for the first wife position... is Lacus guarding against La Folia?"
Meer couldn't help muttering. In her view, the only person who'd warrant such precautions from Lacus would be that lustful princess La Folia.
After all, La Folia was equally capable of bringing an entire kingdom – Aldegia – as her marriage portion.
If these two started competing, any future marriage plans of Luo Shu's would require a national-scale dowry just for the principal wife.
What did they call this?
Bidding up the price?
Luo Shu had no idea what nonsense Meer was imagining in her head. He hadn't called her over to discuss how much his "first wife" role could fetch.
"Meer, how much information does the Intelligence Department have on Australia?"
Hearing this, Meer couldn't help but blink:
"The chaotic world behind the Wailing Wall?"
"Is it about the Edel Garden that Miss Reverie is searching for?"
"Indeed. Echidna told me the Edel Garden Reverie is looking for might be in Australia."
"If possible, I'd appreciate it if you could investigate."
"I'll keep an eye out." Meer frowned slightly before sighing: "Though it's a bit troublesome, if it means gaining a Demigod's assistance, it's not unacceptable."
Hearing this, Luo Shu nodded in agreement—after all, he was thinking the same:
"Then I'll leave it to you."
After Meer left, Luo Shu let out a small sigh of relief.
With the tasks of investigating the Shishidou family and Edel Garden delegated to Meer, he could now focus on more pressing matters.
Such as... the alliance with the Underworld demons!
Thinking about Ajuka Beelzebub's repeated hints about a meeting, Luo Shu couldn't help muttering to himself:
"I wonder if these demons are actually reliable."
He had already informed Ajuka that the leader of the Khaos Brigade was the Infinite Dragon God, Ophis.
Surely by now, the Satans of the Underworld should have located that Dragon God, right?
They couldn't possibly be this incompetent...