Serafall beamed as she waved the brownish-yellow contract before Luo Shu, as if brandishing a get-out-of-jail-free card, her smile particularly radiant.
After a brief moment of surprise, Luo Shu frowned and asked somewhat puzzled:
"Where did you get this?"
Only two faces came to mind when Luo Shu saw the contract document.
One was Nia Honjo's face, the other was La Folia's.
Within the Familia, these two were the most prone to mischief.
And of the two, only Nia Honjo had participated in last night's operation.
Luo Shu quickly deduced that Nia Honjo most likely gave the document. His question was merely to confirm and gauge how much Serafall knew.
Hearing Luo Shu's question, Serafall puffed out her chest proudly and declared with great satisfaction:
"A kind-hearted person with grey hair, wearing a grey jumper and red-framed glasses, gave it to me."
"She said that once this is signed, Mr Luo Shu would unconditionally protect me, becoming the guardian knight of a Magical Girl!"
"I see."
From the description, Luo Shu immediately knew it was Nia Honjo's doing.
Given Nia Honjo's mischievous nature, she was indeed the most likely to have given Serafall the contract scroll.
However, in yesterday's situation, giving out a contract scroll without Luo Shu's permission...
Luo Shu studied Serafall for a moment before saying:
"To make Nia hand over a contract scroll... Miss Serafall, were you perhaps planning to run away earlier?"
"Of course not!!"
Without hesitation, Serafall placed her hands on her hips and declared with complete confidence: "I'm a Magical Girl with an overwhelming sense of justice! How could I possibly run away before evil forces are dealt with!"
Hearing this, Luo Shu inhaled sharply in astonishment:
"You actually planned to escape!"
No wonder Serafall dared to cause such a scene yesterday - she'd already intended to flee this world from the start.
So threats about the Union's Abyss nuclear weapons, consequences of freezing the city - none of that mattered to her. She could act recklessly regardless.
After I'm gone, who cares about the floods?
From Serafall, Luo Shu clearly detected the authentic template of this sentiment.
"Eh, did I say that?" Serafall blinked, her expression radiating pure, innocent charm.
But Luo Shu wasn't fooled by this woman's facade.
While encountering Aya Tokoyogi had been accidental, Serafall's decision to freeze Tokyo and escalate the situation wasn't random. It was carefully calculated - she knew this approach was safest and most advantageous for herself.
Her actions were as despicable as encountering a tiger in a forest and immediately setting the entire woodland ablaze to escape unscathed amidst the flames.
This woman was utterly shameless, utterly capricious... the most reckless female Luo Shu had ever encountered, surpassing even Nia Honjo in audacity.
Narrowing his eyes, Luo Shu said quietly:
"Miss Serafall, are you currently unable to leave because you want to negotiate with me... or are you truly unable to leave?"
Serafall stared wide-eyed at Luo Shu without blinking, as if trying to project innocence through her gaze.
Under her stare, Luo Shu gradually schooled his expression and directly accessed the Divine Pantheon Reconstruction System through consciousness, attempting to contact Nia Honjo.
Yet his call received no response.
Frowning, he checked Nia's status and location. After reviewing the details, he silently turned and walked toward the bedroom behind him.
Watching Luo Shu's movements, Serafall paused, then stuck out her tongue in an apparent attempt at cuteness.
But this cute expression gradually shifted to resignation after Luo Shu entered the bedroom:
"Tsk tsk, this is going to be troublesome."
Slamming open the bedroom door, Luo Shu found Nia Honjo sprawled belly-up on his bed, snoring loudly.
Rather than wake her, he turned back, closed the door, and from the bedroom threshold, gave Serafall in the living room one final opportunity:
"Explain what's going on."
Serafall shed her playful exterior. Though still smiling, her expression now appeared more dignified and rational compared to her previous forced cuteness.
"It's nothing major really."
"After being rescued, I took advantage of the Hidden Management Department's Demigods leaving to attempt an escape, only to be caught by that Miss Honjo."
Spreading her hands, Serafall continued with a rather helpless expression:
"So unfortunate~"
"I finally waited until Miss Tokisaki and Miss Tobiichi were transferred away, never expecting to fail against what seemed the weakest guard."
"Miss Honjo proved unexpectedly strong~"
"She actually predicted my movements, neutralised all my techniques, and successfully cursed me so I can't leave this building..."
"Although I was eventually exhausted from the prolonged battle, losing to her is something I can accept without complaint."
Hearing Serafall say this, Luo Shu finally understood the sequence of events.
Earlier, after he had taken Mukuro Hoshimiya to track Aya Tokoyogi, Kurumi Tokisaki and Origami Tobiichi, who remained at the scene with Nia Honjo, hid in the shadows and rescued Serafall.
Subsequently, due to the operation to eliminate dangerous elements in Tokyo, Kurumi Tokisaki and Origami Tobiichi were reassigned, leaving Nia Honjo to care for Serafall.
It was at this point that Serafall chose to escape, only to be intercepted and captured by Nia Honjo.
As for Serafall's reason for fleeing...
"Were you worried I'd sell you out to the Union?"
Hearing this, Serafall replied with a playful grin: "Luo Shu, you yourself said the Union possesses weapons capable of threatening even beings like Ophis. Isn't it perfectly reasonable for me to worry about being sold out by you?"
"After all, just a few hours ago, you concealed the fact that a Demigod from Truth Astronomy was in Tokyo."
At these words, Luo Shu fell silent for a moment before sighing:
"I never expected you'd manage to extract Aya Tokoyogi's whereabouts from some of the captured Truth Astronomy Class members."
Serafall smiled sweetly in response: "But when I faced that witch later, Mr Luo didn't come to my rescue immediately, did he?"
Luo Shu glanced at Serafall before shrugging and walking towards the sofa:
"My behaviour throughout this process has indeed been questionable. Overall, I owe you an apology."
"So, what do you want to extract from this guilt of mine?"
Hearing this, Serafall narrowed her eyes, then cheerfully waved the contract document in her hand:
"When Miss Honjo caught me and confined me in this building, she told me that signing this contract would settle everything. That even if the Union applied pressure, you'd protect me, Luo Shu."
"She said many things, but I hardly believed any of it."
"So, my condition is very simple!"
Serafall waved the contract document in her hand again:
"I want to know the meaning represented by this scroll."
"This condition is acceptable, right?"
Luo Shu frowned, staring at Serafall for a long moment before saying:
"Agreed!"