Absconding with funds was not an easy task.
First, you had to cook the books so that no one could tell what was real or fake, and you couldn't be too hasty, lest others see through the reality of the situation.
Most importantly, the flow of funds had to be reliable and legitimate.
Otherwise, to say nothing of those monsters, the first people to come knocking on your door would be the National Tax Agency.
Moreover, the people handling this matter had to be his most loyal subordinates.
If even a hint of news leaked out, Un'yo, who was watching him, definitely wouldn't mind pulling him down from his position first.
That guy didn't place nearly enough importance on Kaguya's guests.
At this moment, Shinomiya Oko felt like he was the only sober person while everyone else was drunk.
"The ancient poetry of the Middle Kingdom is truly the culture in the world best at expressing a person's mood. Senryu or whatever just doesn't compare at all."
Shinomiya Oko spent the night formulating his plan to abscond with the funds.
He estimated it would take about half a year.
He wasn't greedy; he would be satisfied if he could take away sixty percent of the Shinomiya Conglomerate's liquid assets.
As for things like real estate, he didn't want to touch them at all anymore.
After all, that stuff had dealt him a heavy blow back then; otherwise, he wouldn't have reached this age before finally starting to take over power from the old man.
"Wait!" Shinomiya Oko, as if he had spotted a fish that slipped through the net, cast his gaze toward the pile of documents on the desk and picked one out. "Real estate can be sold privately to the Shijo family, right? Aren't those guys always hot-bloodedly wanting to tear a big chunk of meat off the Shinomiya Conglomerate? Perfect, let's give them that opportunity."
"And it can also serve to obscure the line of sight of others."
Shinomiya Oko, as if he had solved a major problem, looked up at the moon outside the window.
"Old man, don't blame me for wanting to abandon the Shinomiya Family; it's just that your precious daughter is too terrifying. She actually invited monsters into the house."
"And Un'yo is like a blind man; he can't see the terrifying nature of those monsters at all."
"However, where should I choose for my retirement?" Shinomiya Oko turned his head and cast his gaze toward the globe on the side. "Washington? Or Shanghai?"
"Mom!" Seeing the young woman in front of her wearing a lady's hat and waving a hand in greeting, Ai Hayasaka rushed over with a flushed face in excitement, then collapsed into her arms, acting coquettishly without stop.
Mother-con... Kaguya Shinomiya muttered in her heart.
"Oh my, is this Ai-chan's mother? Nice to meet you, I am Shalltear, Shalltear Bloodfallen, and I am Ai-chan's best friend." Shalltear took a step forward, and after sizing up Hayasaka Nao, introduced herself with some disappointment.
It's not padded; what a pity. Even though she looks so much like Ai-chan.
"I am Ai's mother, Hayasaka Nao; thank you all for taking care of this child on a daily basis." Hayasaka Nao looked at Shalltear nervously and bowed slightly as she spoke.
The radiance in Shalltear's crimson eyes was something Hayasaka Nao had never seen before, but her instincts told her that this was a natural predator.
Do not approach, do not antagonize, or you will die!
"Ms. Nao, please take care of us from here on out." The appearance of Kaguya Shinomiya timely dragged Hayasaka Nao out of the mire of despair.
"Lady Kaguya... actually, I am a spy sent by Lord Huanguang." When her spirit returned from hell to the human world, the first thing Hayasaka Nao did was to expose her own undercover identity.
"Mm, I know." Kaguya Shinomiya smiled and nodded, replying, "I suppose so. After all, there are no spies left who can deeply involve themselves in my life. I figured my older brother would send someone capable of infiltrating to replace Ai's previous work."
"And in the entire Shinomiya Family, only Ms. Nao has that capability right now."
"Mom, can't you resign too?" Ai Hayasaka lifted her head from her mother's embrace and asked, looking at Hayasaka Nao with teary eyes.
"Not yet." Hayasaka Nao rubbed her daughter's hair. "At the very least, not until Lord Shinomiya Ganan passes away."
The person the Hayasaka couple swore loyalty to was Shinomiya Ganan; although they were currently working under Shinomiya Oko, it was only because he was the heir designated by Shinomiya Ganan.
Compared to her daughter, mere Shinomiya Oko could be dealt with by throwing a resignation letter in his face any minute.
But as long as Ganan was still alive, that wouldn't do.
As one of the people who personally witnessed the decline of the Hayasaka family after being impacted by the Shinomiya Family, Hayasaka Nao still felt fear deep in her heart toward that old man who was already on the verge of death.
Compared to him, Shinomiya Oko's methods seemed childish to her, like those of a toddler.
However, only the step of keeping the pawn that was Ai Hayasaka under his control made Hayasaka Nao value him a little more.
But this regard had already dissipated along with her daughter's firm resignation letter.
"Lady Kaguya, although I am sorry, I will still faithfully record your daily whereabouts and report them to Lord Huanguang." Hayasaka Nao looked at Kaguya Shinomiya with a solemn expression and said.
"Yes, I am mentally prepared." Kaguya Shinomiya's expression did not change in the slightest from beginning to end.
A perfect 'poker face'!
"Mom, you're stingy." Ai Hayasaka suddenly turned into a normal, ordinary girl for her age.
Pouting her cheeks, she complained to her beloved mother.
"Then, do you need me to intervene a little?" Shalltear suddenly suggested from the side. "Although I can't directly make that Shinomiya Oko die suddenly, I can certainly manage to make him inexplicably suffer from some poison, forcing him to lie in a hospital bed, unable to move his hands or feet, and unable to speak."
The hairs on the back of Hayasaka Nao's neck stood up instantly.
"Thank you very much for Shalltear's kindness, but it would be better not to trouble you with such trivial matters." Hayasaka Nao quickly declined. "Lord Huanguang is not qualified to be punished by your own hands."
"Oh my, that is truly a pity." Shalltear sighed with some disappointment.
Wow, older brother is being belittled so severely.
Kaguya Shinomiya couldn't help but click her tongue in her heart.
Hayasaka Nao's tongue-lashing skills against her superiors truly haven't diminished over the years.
This is also probably because she was changed too thoroughly in the student council.
If it were her during the Ice Kaguya period, she probably would have been able to see Hayasaka Nao's terror toward Shalltear.
"Ms. Nao's room has already been prepared; would you like to put your luggage down first?" Kaguya looked at Hayasaka Nao and asked.
"No, after all, this is a rare opportunity, and I still hope to have some late-night talk with my daughter today." Hayasaka Nao replied with a smile.
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