46: Non-staff personnel

Instead of quieting down with Kato Megumi's arrival, the restaurant became even more boisterous as more guests arrived. The four newly arrived regulars made the group of Little Monsters jump for joy, clamoring for a banquet.

Holding a banquet so early in the morning seemed a bit too leisurely. But for these monsters, time was never a constraint; enjoying themselves was the only truth.

It was hard on Little Liuli, though. In the kitchen, a pair of jade-like, slender hands were busy, and with deft, practiced movements, plates of exquisite side dishes were served one after another.

Tohru had just finished her fourth breakfast when she finally noticed a strange girl beside Lin Luo under the veranda. She nudged Yukino Mifuyu beside her with her elbow, her mouth still full of snacks as she asked indistinctly, "Hey, who's that human girl? She looks really close to Lin Luo."

She didn't notice the rare flash of displeasure on Yukino's cold face—her fair cheeks puffed out slightly, and her fingertips tightened imperceptibly around her teacup.

"I'm not sure," Yukino's voice remained steady, but the end of her sentence was as light as thin snow scattered by the wind. "Perhaps she's Mr. Lin Luo's classmate... They seem very intimate."

Tohru nodded repeatedly, completely oblivious. "Indeed! Standing together, they look like an old married couple who've been together for years, haha!"

To her, how many girls were around Lin Luo didn't matter at all. In the Dragon Clan's view, a male being surrounded by the opposite sex was proof of his strength and charm—didn't that just prove Lady Tohru had excellent taste?

Yukino lowered her eyes, her fingertips gently rotating the teacup. The clear tea reflected her slightly furrowed brows and the two figures chatting happily under the veranda. When she saw Kato Megumi naturally pour tea for Lin Luo, her movements so familiar as if she had done it a thousand times, she finally stood up, her tone as calm as ever:

"I'll go help Little Liuli prepare the tea and snacks."

Her voice was faint, but as she turned, the sleeves of her kimono stirred a breeze, causing even the cups on the table to tremble slightly.

Tohru tilted her head, watching Yukino's departing back in confusion, and muttered softly, "What's wrong with Little Yukino? She's acting weird all of a sudden..."

She couldn't unravel these complex emotions, so she simply threw them to the back of her mind and lunged at the newly served delicacies. Having just finished her fourth breakfast, she looked at the table full of crystal-clear pastries, her dragon tail swaying gently and unconsciously, curling and uncurling in delight.

"To have so many delicious things right after breakfast, this place is amazing!" She picked up a piece of amber-colored Wagashi, her eyes sparkling. "That ghost chef's skills are absolutely incredible!"

Tohru's gluttonous appearance drew frequent glances from the Little Monsters. Her semi-dragon state made the Essence Spirits hesitant to approach, but her defenseless, satisfied expression was truly endearing. Finally, a little monster with Tanuki ears plucked up the courage and approached cautiously with a bottle of sake.

"My lady..." The little Tanuki respectfully filled a cup. "A bit of humble wine, please do us the honor."

The aroma of the wine hit her nose, and Tohru immediately looked up, her dragon pupils brightening slightly. She took the cup, drained it in one gulp, and smacked her lips with a laugh. "Not bad! Another one!"

Seeing her so easygoing, the other Little Monsters also gathered around—a Kappa offered secret-recipe pickles, and a Lantern Ghost spun gracefully in the air, bathing the dining table in a kaleidoscope of light.

"You guys are quite sensible!" Tohru turned no one away, her dragon tail happily thumping the tatami. She grabbed a handful of peanuts, threw them into the air, and caught them precisely with her mouth, drawing cheers from the Little Monsters.

Under the veranda, Lin Luo was drawn by the commotion and looked over. Tohru immediately waved at him triumphantly, showing off the grand scene of being surrounded.

Meanwhile, Kato Megumi stood quietly by his side, her gaze falling on Fat Wave, who was still "being punished" on the tree. Initially, hearing those piercing screams, she had frowned in pity, until Lin Luo whispered to her, "It's all an act." Only then did she relax.

Looking closely, although the shadow's whip fell every time, it was quietly neutralized by an imperceptible white light the moment it touched the cat's fur. That protective barrier shielded Fat Wave completely; the so-called punishment was nothing more than a flamboyant performance.

"Its ability to put on an act has certainly improved," Lin Luo said flatly, flipping a page in his book.

Kato Megumi nodded slightly, her eyes filled with helplessness. "It seems that when it complains about being tired and lazy in front of me, it's also just putting on a show."

"Meow! Master, how can you think that!" Fat Wave's ears twitched, and it immediately cried out in grievance. "I am truly reflecting on my actions!"

Before it could finish, the whip suddenly increased in force by thirty percent, making it stumble. The white light flickered violently, and it finally shut up, only daring to continue its performance of innocence with watery eyes.

Kato Megumi couldn't help but smile. She turned her head to look at Lin Luo—the morning light happened to plate his profile in pale gold, even his eyelashes tinged with fine glimmers, as if time itself had stopped for him.

"How did Megumi find out about Longevity Manor?" Lin Luo spoke up, his voice gentle. "It seems you've already become familiar with the residents here over the last two days."

"I was brought here by this fellow," she retracted her gaze and said frankly. "I was taking it for a walk, but it took so many turns that by the time I realized it, I was standing at the entrance of Longevity Manor."

A helpless smile played on her lips. "A monster apartment... I thought it was an urban legend, but I didn't expect such a group of interesting monsters to actually live here."

Lin Luo chuckled and glanced at Fat Wave hanging from the tree. "A servant leading their master astray—today's beating is well-deserved."

"I was indeed startled at first," Megumi recalled softly. "But Miss Liuli's dango are very sweet, Mr. Long is gentle and polite, and even Mr. Isshiki is a resident here... I've read all the books he's written." She paused, a soft light appearing in her eyes. "Despite being monsters, they aren't scary at all. It's just that occasionally... seeing their original forms so suddenly still gives me a start."

At that moment, Fat Wave whimpered from the tree, "Master... can you put me down before you continue chatting..."

The two of them tacitly ignored it.

Lin Luo looked at Megumi, feeling an inexplicable sense of peace and comfort. The sun grew warmer, but the air still held the coolness of early morning, and a perfect tranquility permeated the veranda.

This silence was broken by Megumi's soft voice. "Mr. Lin Luo is quite popular with the girls. Even though you're always a loner at school."

Her gaze calmly swept across the restaurant—Yukino Mifuyu was carrying tea and snacks, but her eyes frequently drifted toward the veranda; Tohru didn't even try to hide it, stuffing herself with snacks while smiling radiantly at him.

Lin Luo was slightly stunned, then gave a bitter smile. "Where is this coming from..."

"Isn't it?" Megumi gently stirred her tea, the surface rippling slightly. "That white-haired lady has already looked over here three times, and the blonde one has been smiling since just now. Also..." She stopped and swallowed the rest of the sentence. "...It's nothing."

A brief silence fell over the veranda, with only Fat Wave's theatrical sobbing faintly audible.

Lin Luo gazed at her lowered profile and suddenly said softly, "Of all the encounters, some fates are special."

The sentence came out of nowhere, but it made Megumi's hand, which was stirring the tea, pause slightly. She looked up and met his smiling eyes—the smile wasn't deep, but like the morning light, it quietly fell into her heart.

Just then, Mr. Long's deep, warm voice came from the restaurant. "Lin Luo, can you come here for a moment? It's about yesterday's matter."

Lin Luo nodded slightly to Megumi, and as he stood up, his sleeve inadvertently brushed against her fingertips. That moment of warmth was fleeting, but it made both of them freeze in unison.

Megumi watched his departing back, then looked down at her fingertips, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appearing on her lips.

Deep in the restaurant, Yukino Mifuyu silently rearranged the tea and snacks she had just set out—her movements were gentle, but carried a hint of subtle stubbornness.

Mr. Long led Lin Luo into a secluded tea room. He was dressed in a well-tailored casual suit, which formed a strange harmony with the room's ancient Oriental charm. The wooden sliding door closed behind them, shutting out the noise from outside.

"If I didn't take the initiative to find you, it seems you wouldn't want to have anything to do with me at all."

Lin Luo sat formally opposite him, rubbing his nose with a somewhat shifty gaze. "Not at all... Mr. Long, don't wrong me. I was just about to come and say hello when your message arrived first. It's purely a coincidence."

"Oh—?" Mr. Long drew out the word, clearly not believing a single syllable. He glanced meaningfully toward the restaurant; although there was a wall in between, Tohru's hearty laughter seemed to be right in their ears. "So, you're here to help our dragon lady from another world apply for a 'Temporary Residence Permit'?"

He gently set down the teapot, shifting the topic imperceptibly.

"Speaking of which, if the cat gentleman Miss Kato formed a contract with hadn't been drawn here to Longevity Manor by chance, its situation would be much more troublesome than Miss Tohru's is now."

He tapped the table lightly with his fingertip, his tone gentle but the content heavy. "It not only stayed here but even signed a contract with an ordinary person... Such an action is no different from walking on the edge of the rules. Aren't you afraid of attracting the attention of the 'Relevant Departments'?"

Amidst the curling tea steam, Mr. Long's words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in Lin Luo's heart.

Lin Luo gave a sheepish laugh. "Hehe, isn't that why I have a reliable Senior like you to back me up?"

Mr. Long remained noncommittal, chuckling as he teased, "I heard you ran away precisely because you don't like inviting trouble, but now it seems you yourself are a convergence point for attracting trouble."

Lin Luo could only give two dry laughs, unable to refute. Could he be blamed for this? He clearly just wanted to be a quiet, ordinary student, but trouble had no sense of sportsmanship and would come knocking on its own!

Mr. Long picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and then spoke unhurriedly. "The matter of that cat gentleman outside forming a contract with an ordinary person has been properly handled. As for its identification documents, they have already been handed over to Miss Kato."

As his voice fell, he saw Lin Luo's eyes instantly light up. A trace of knowing smile flashed in his eyes as he deliberately dragged out his words:

"As for your dragon lady's identity... after all, she is a distinguished guest from another world, so the process is bound to be more complex. You'll have to wait a few more days."

"Really? Thank you so much, Mr. Long!" The joy on Lin Luo's face was almost overflowing, and he unconsciously sat up straighter.

"Don't be so quick to thank me," Mr. Long raised a hand to elegantly interrupt, his lips curving with a hint of "calculation." "Your performance in strangling the malevolent ghost yesterday was commendable, so it's not impossible to open a door of convenience for you. However, there is one small requirement..."

The smile on Lin Luo's face froze instantly, and his upturned lips slumped bit by bit. His expression looked exactly as if he had swallowed a whole bitter gourd.

"Don't make that face," Mr. Long said easily. "You should know that you've already been marked by these ghosts. I'm not making it a mandatory requirement. But if it's not resolved properly, the people around you—like Miss Kato, or Miss Tōsu..."

These words hit the mark, and Lin Luo's expression immediately became solemn.

Mr. Long then recounted the aftermath of yesterday's ghost nest in the mall. "The Department Headquarters reacted very quickly. They sent a Sword Cultivator who, based on the ghost blood collected by the Rapid Response Force, directly located the lair of the ghost Dominator—Kibutsuji Muzan, a conceptual space called the 'Infinity Castle'."

He paused, as if savoring that incredible sword strike.

"That single strike was dazzling, forcibly cleaving a mountain peak and directly shattering the conceptual entity of the 'Infinity Castle'. Muzan himself was severely wounded, and I heard several Upper Ranks were killed on the spot, while the Lower Ranks and ordinary malevolent ghosts in the castle were wiped out completely."

Mr. Long picked up his teacup and blew on it gently, with a hint of faint regret.

"The only pity is that a dying centipede dies hard; he still managed to escape using a secret technique. So," his gaze fell on Lin Luo again, "before he recovers, he might not dare to cause trouble for the Department Headquarters, but he will definitely come for you."

"This is entirely a case of collateral responsibility! If you can't beat the strong, you go for the weak. It's not like I was the one who destroyed his nest."

Lin Luo only felt a bitterness in his mouth. This time, it wasn't just like eating a bitter gourd; he was truly tasting the flavor of trouble. He avoided trouble, but this time, trouble not only came to his door but also pinned the blame on him.

"So, you need me to join the Special Affairs Management Department?" he asked tentatively.

"That won't be necessary," Mr. Long waved his hand. "I'd prefer you to maintain the status quo, like me, and provide some assistance to the Department Headquarters when necessary. Currently, most of the department's elites are stationed elsewhere, and the manpower left in the Neon District is really stretched thin. Having one more reliable, independent combatant is good for everyone."