We're accomplices now

Luo Shu froze for a moment at the Property Transfer Agreement on the table, then looked up at Mira Tsubakihara.

"It might seem a little calculating, but to me, getting you to stay nearby and protect me in exchange for just one house sounds like a very good deal."

Mira Tsubakihara smiled as she handed him the agreement, emphasizing that this gift was a "security transaction."

Hearing her explanation, Luo Shu did not know whether to laugh or cry.

"I don't remember any company charging an entire house for a single security job."

This was a house near Ikebukuro Station in Nerima Ward. Even three years ago, it had been worth over fifty million Japanese yen. Although housing prices in Japan rarely fluctuated much, they had risen quite a bit recently because Beika Town was right next door.

By Luo Shu's rough estimate, it could easily sell for sixty million yen. At this world's exchange rate between Japanese yen and China yuan, that came to a little over 3.6 million China yuan.

Over three million for saving someone once, plus an Abyssal Artifact worth sixty thousand points. Even robbing a bank probably would not bring in money this fast.

After giving it some thought, Luo Shu glanced at the agreement and pushed it back.

"I already received my payment yesterday, so please take this back."

Mira Tsubakihara seemed to have anticipated his refusal and replied with a smile.

"As I just said, I'm giving you the house in exchange for your continuing to live here."

"If you feel that would be too much to ask of you, how about setting the term at one year?"

Only then did Luo Shu realize what Mira Tsubakihara had in mind.

It wasn't thanks for saving her life yesterday, but a way to keep me living here longer?

Young lady, why do I get the feeling your motives aren't entirely innocent?

Luo Shu gave Mira Tsubakihara a curious look, privately thinking there was a very high chance she had something else in mind.

But as the heiress to an arms conglomerate, she certainly had no shortage of money. The chances of her being after his wealth were laughably low, so... was she after him?

If she really made it clear she was pursuing me, I probably wouldn't last three days, Luo Shu could not help quipping to himself.

Still, Luo Shu understood that keeping the thought she likes me to himself was fine. Saying it to her face was another matter. If she liked him enough, everyone would be happy; if she did not, he could lose everything.

"If a year won't work, half a year would be fine too."

When Luo Shu failed to respond for a long while, Mira Tsubakihara compromised again and added:

"After what happened yesterday, my family has been urging me to move back home again. Couldn't you make a little sacrifice for this Sheltered Heiress's precious freedom?"

Luo Shu's brow twitched. Mira Tsubakihara might not have realized it, but he knew perfectly well that if she moved back into her more heavily guarded family home, his plans to recruit her would definitely fall through.

Laying my cards on the table now feels risky, but I probably wouldn't feel comfortable living in a house I got for nothing either. I don't want people saying I'm living off a woman...

After thinking it over, Luo Shu sighed and reached for the agreement Mira Tsubakihara had placed on the table.

Seeing him accept it, Mira Tsubakihara seemed to relax, a faint smile appearing on her lovely, lightly made-up face.

"Where I come from, there's an old saying: one good turn deserves another."

As he spoke, Luo Shu openly pulled a Contract out of thin air, then addressed the astonished Mira Tsubakihara.

"I hope you won't tell anyone what I'm about to say, Miss Mira. That includes your parents."

"Understood." Seeing his serious expression, Mira Tsubakihara immediately composed herself, sitting up straight and nodding.

"This is the Contract for a secret organization I founded, the Astronomy Club."

Luo Shu handed over the Contract, setting it in front of Mira Tsubakihara as he continued:

"I imagine you've investigated the organization Hound belonged to yesterday, Miss Mira. Then you should know how secret organizations, and even religions, get their start here in Japan?"

"I know a little. Apparently, they acquire Abyssal Artifacts that can grant other people supernatural powers... hmm?"

At that point, Mira Tsubakihara realized something. She looked down at the Contract Document, then back up at Luo Shu, clearly having guessed what he was about to say.

Rather than deny her guess, Luo Shu nodded in acknowledgment.

"Signing the Contract will awaken your own superpower."

He then added:

"The Astronomy Club has nothing to do with SDS. It's an organization that belongs to me alone. You might laugh, but at the moment, there are only three members, including me."

With that, Luo Shu fell silent, leaving the decision in Mira Tsubakihara's hands.

An organization with only three members was considered a very dubious little group even among secret organizations.

Many organizations that began growing after stumbling upon an Abyssal Artifact like this were swallowed up as "snacks" by larger organizations.

In the better cases, both their members and artifacts were absorbed. In the worse cases, only the artifacts were taken, and the members were silenced for good.

Knowing something of how secret organizations operated, Mira Tsubakihara understood that there was no need to join such a small organization. At least, someone with her background had no reason to.

Sometimes, however, the deciding factor was not reason, but emotion.

After a brief silence

Mira Tsubakihara maintained her smile and asked calmly:

"Have you studied the side effects of the Abyssal Artifact that grants these abilities?"

Side effects? Luo Shu knew the side effects of the system's Familia subsystem were that members could not betray him and would be closely bound to him. But since those restrictions were not suitable for stating openly, he dressed them up a little.

"The side effects are that, once you sign the Contract, you can't betray the organization or deliberately harm its members. The members will also form a family relationship similar to blood relatives."

"Of course, the organization won't force anyone who joins to carry out missions, and you certainly don't have to worry about being sent to your death. So in a sense, our organization's Abyssal Artifact is very sophisticated."

Having said that, Luo Shu looked Mira Tsubakihara straight in the eye and raised his right hand, making the ruby ring on it easier for her to see.

"So this concerns my personal safety. If you decide to refuse, Miss Mira, I'll break yesterday's promise and use the Demon Heart to hypnotize you into forgetting this."

Faced with Luo Shu's threat, Mira Tsubakihara instead asked curiously:

"You'd only make me forget? You wouldn't do anything else?"

Uh... Her question left Luo Shu rather bewildered.

Before he could react, however, Mira Tsubakihara took out a Ballpoint Pen and signed her name on the Contract, as though she had been prepared all along.

Once she finished signing, the lovely young woman gave Luo Shu a radiant smile.

"Now we're accomplices."

Luo Shu fell silent for a moment, then smiled helplessly.

"You're right, Miss Mira."

"We're accomplices now."