In the third-floor lounge.
"Cross-world teleportation?"
Aya Tokoyogi stood before Luo Shu in her black kimono, her expression frosty. After studying him, she sneered:
"How demanding. To think you'd assign me such troublesome work."
"What about Natsuki Minamiya? Why isn't she handling this?"
Hearing Aya's question, Luo Shu smiled:
"Naturally, it's a consideration of both capability and safety. You're more suitable than Natsuki."
Aya looked genuinely surprised at this:
"You intend to lift my seal?"
During her time in the Hidden Management Department, Aya had been under Mukuro Hoshimiya's seal, which suppressed her Demigod-level authority and power.
Though most of her strength remained sealed, Aya retained Hero Rank capabilities, allowing her participation in the department's experiments.
But now, Luo Shu seemed intent on removing this restriction.
'Isn't this man usually so cautious about his safety? Doesn't he fear I might make trouble?'
A peculiar glint appeared in Aya's eyes.
Noticing this, Luo Shu chuckled:
"Because I've determined that even unsealed, you pose no meaningful threat to me."
Aya believed him instantly but maintained her cold demeanour:
"Oh? What an... enticing proposition."
Her words suggested she might actually try something, yet neither took the statement seriously. An unspoken understanding existed between them.
After a pause, Aya said quietly:
"Show me the technique. Let me see how it works."
Luo Shu retrieved a stack of documents two fingers thick from his Mist Ring and handed them over.
Seeing the volume, Aya narrowed her eyes in genuine surprise:
"This quantity... It seems there's a competent sorcerer on the other side."
For a cross-world teleportation technique to be condensed into such relatively few pages indicated remarkable technical proficiency.
Taking the documents Luo Shu handed over, Aya Tokoyogi skimmed through the first few pages before neatly putting them away and saying to him:
"Give me three hours to prepare."
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Hearing Aya's reply, Luo Shu verbally thanked her before watching her leave.
As Aya pushed the door open to exit, Utaha Kasumigaoka happened to appear at the doorway.
After the two women passed each other, Utaha glanced at Aya's retreating figure before turning her head and entering the room:
"You actually called her to help set up the teleportation technique?"
"Natsuki's currently researching her Class and handling new recruit training, so she probably can't spare the time."
"Of course, the more important reason is giving our soon-to-be new recruit something significant to do."
Noticing the smile on Luo Shu's face, Utaha couldn't help but sigh:
"As long as you know what you're doing."
As she spoke, she walked over, sat on the sofa opposite Luo Shu, and crossed her legs.
Casual, natural movements made Luo Shu's gaze linger for a few seconds on the girl's black stockings before shifting away to meet her faintly smiling face:
"I suddenly realised we seem to have plenty of time."
"Keep that sudden realisation to yourself." Utaha Kasumigaoka instantly understood Luo Shu's implication, her face twisting in distaste. "I don't have any twisted fetish about being filled up before participating in alliance negotiations."
Hearing this, Luo Shu immediately played dumb: "But I didn't say anything."
"You thought it."
Utaha shot Luo Shu a glance, crossing her arms defensively in front of her chest:
"Didn't Kisara drain you dry today?"
Luo Shu couldn't help retorting: "She should be lying in her room right now."
Yet after saying this, apart from Utaha's even more disdainful look, Luo Shu gained nothing worth calling an achievement.
Not that he particularly cared. Teasing her casually was enough - if they were really going to play, it would have to wait for a more private time.
"The one Sirzechs is sending for the alliance negotiations should be his younger sister, Rias Gremory. According to the message from their side, she'll probably bring two companions."
"Though honestly, Serafall and I have already settled the alliance matters with them. This is just going through the motions now."
Utaha nodded at this, then suddenly asked: "Are all the delegates they're sending girls?"
Luo Shu didn't answer, merely shrugging.
Seeing this, Utaha couldn't help sighing: "It seems they've guessed some things about the Familia."
Luo Shu remained unperturbed: "At most, they've guessed my abilities relate to women. Having this information spread actually benefits the Familia."
Utaha couldn't suppress a chuckle: "So now we have Satan Lucifer sending his precious little sister over?"
"It's not just Sirzechs' sister..." Luo Shu turned to glance at the stack of visitation documents on the right side of the desk. "The ones accompanying Rias - Akeno Himejima and Koneko Toujou - both have Familia potential."
"All three are candidates?" Utaha looked genuinely surprised. "That's quite the generous gift."
Luo Shu couldn't help but complain: "Don't make it sound so simple. Whether we can actually keep them is another matter."
"Isn't that exactly why you called me here?"
Utaha's lips curled into an especially mischievous smile: "You want to use my ability to peek into those girls' thoughts and figure out how to make them stay, don't you?"
Luo Shu gave the deliberately provocative woman a deadpan look: "Don't phrase it so crudely. I'm just taking precautions."
Utaha scoffed: "Precautions that end up in bed, is that it?"
Luo Shu had no energy left to complain. Being around this woman who constantly steered conversations toward the risque was truly suffering.
Fortunately, Aya Tokoyomi proved extremely capable, sending a message within two hours:
The cross-dimensional teleportation technique was complete!