It was nearing 7 p.m. in the evening.
In a quiet alleyway of Chiyoda Ward, Luo Shu stood in front of a quaint café. His eyes lingered on the signboard written in flowery script—"LycoReco." Just then, Tachibana Kirika, who had already stepped inside, turned her head and called out to him, "How about a cup of cappuccino?"
"No thanks. I prefer a latte with coconut milk," Luo Shu replied casually.
Kirika paused, already halfway through the doorway, and glanced back with a surprised expression. "What kind of weird taste is that?"
As she entered, a bright and cheerful female voice rang out from inside the café. "Sorry! We're closed for today… Eh? Boss Lady?!"
"One cappuccino and one latte, please. And for the latte, add a bit of coconut milk—don't mess it up, Chisato. I brought a guest today," Kirika instructed calmly.
"I won't mess it up~~!" the girl replied cheerfully.
Luo Shu stepped through the door just as the conversation wrapped up, eyes flicking away from the sign and sweeping across the café's warm interior.
"Welcome~~" came the energetic greeting from a white-haired girl wearing a crimson kimono that looked like it was part of the café's uniform. She turned around with a dazzling smile that lit up the room.
"This way… Luo Shu-kun." Kirika, now kneeling at a low table, gestured him over with a wave. Since they'd already exchanged names earlier, she called out to him with casual warmth.
The white-haired—or more accurately, pale golden-haired—girl glanced at Luo Shu with mock surprise and exclaimed, "The guest this time isn't one of those grumpy-looking uncles from the MPD who always look like yakuza bosses? He's young and handsome! No way… Boss Lady, are you into younger guys now?"
"Chisato Nishikigi," Kirika called her name, resting her chin in her hand with a calm expression. "The car I used for the last mission—a Ferrari—is totalled."
"Eh…" Chisato froze mid-movement, and then instantly collapsed onto the floor in mock despair. "Please don't do that! I haven't even driven a sports car once~~!"
"Go make the coffee."
"Yes ma'am~~" Chisato groaned dramatically and dragged herself into the kitchen.
Kirika rolled her eyes at the girl and finally looked back at Luo Shu. "Don't worry. This café is a sub-branch of my special division. The staff and owner are all people we can trust."
Luo Shu had already surveyed the place earlier. Besides the now-busy Chisato in the kitchen, there was also a burly middle-aged man standing at the bar counter. His skin was tanned, he wore round-framed glasses, and his outfit was a simple purple-style kimono. Though his features didn't look particularly friendly, he gave off a distinctly South Asian—possibly Indian—vibe.
Sensing Luo Shu's gaze, the man looked up and offered a warm smile.
"Your smile just puts more pressure on people, Mika…" Kirika muttered dryly.
The man—Mika—paused awkwardly, then sighed and went back to polishing a glass.
Luo Shu blinked at the scene, then quietly removed his shoes and stepped onto the tatami floor before sitting across from Kirika.
"Hi hi hi~~ Coffee's ready~~!"
It wasn't long before Chisato reappeared, skilfully carrying two cups of coffee. She placed them in front of the pair and gave a cheerful nod. "Here you go, please enjoy."
"Where are Mizuki and Takina?" Kirika asked casually, taking a sip of her coffee.
"They're out shopping. Lately there's been a sudden surge of schoolgirls coming here for cake. No idea why though," Chisato replied as she placed the latte before Luo Shu with a beaming smile. "Latte with coconut milk, just as you asked."
"Thanks." Luo Shu took the cup and sipped. His eyes lit up in recognition. "This coconut taste…"
"Oh!! You actually noticed?" Chisato's eyes sparkled as she whipped out a small black canister and struck the Hainan Coconut Palm Advertisement pose. "I used an imported premium brand—'Hainan Coconut Palm Coconut Milk'! Amazing, right?"
"…Didn't expect to taste this again after leaving home," Luo Shu said, his expression turning oddly complicated at the sight of the pose she made.
"Eh? You're from China?" Chisato leaned over the table, stunned. Then she turned to Kirika and said, "Boss Lady, are you planning an international crime now?"
Kirika, unfazed, simply flicked her fingers against Chisato's forehead.
"Ouch—!"
Watching the white-haired girl squat down while holding her head, Luo Shu's expression grew a little complicated.
'The system's reacting… Is she also a heroine? Though I don't recall her that well…' he thought to himself. 'Seems like this world's not limited to just the heroines of "Saekano," huh…'
As Luo Shu pondered, Kirika set down her cup and looked toward the bar. "Mika, bring me Type-1 Special Contract."
"What?" Mika looked surprised and cast a long, curious glance at Luo Shu—like he was staring at a rare creature.
'...Feels like she's looking at me the way one would look at a panda,' Luo Shu thought, internally sighing.
Chisato, still nursing her forehead, gaped at the exchange. "Type-1 contract? No way… A living special ability user?"
"Chisato!" Kirika shot her a warning glare. "Did you forget the confidentiality clause? Don't say what shouldn't be said."
"Of course not, Boss Lady." Chisato grinned sheepishly, waving her hands. "But anyone you bring here to sign one of those contracts… they're basically one of us, right?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself, kid." Kirika sighed. By now, Mika had returned with a briefcase, pulling out a stack of documents. He handed one to Kirika.
"This is the first time I've taken this out since it was printed."
"No choice. Special ability users are extremely rare," Kirika said, skimming the document before passing it to Luo Shu. "Take a look."
Luo Shu accepted it and read carefully. In addition to the generous benefits Kirika had promised earlier, there were over a dozen additional clauses.
"Special leave, marriage bonus, education bonus, child support subsidy, health insurance, pension plan, injury compensation…"
He paused when he read the injury clause. If injured in action and forced to retire, he'd be transferred to a technical post with an annual compensation of 15 million yen. And the monthly pension post-retirement? A staggering one million yen. He exhaled deeply. "This is a job where you risk your life, huh."
"Exactly. That's why the conditions are so generous," Kirika replied, resting her cheek on her palm. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she added, "By the way, those benefits don't include 'special harvests.' Those can be kept for personal use—though they will be inspected."
Luo Shu fell silent for a moment, then asked seriously, "You've said a lot... but you haven't once mentioned—who exactly are your enemies?"
At that, Kirika's lips curled into a smirk, her voice laced with amusement. "Our enemies, huh? That's a good question."