I had to admit, Leo's forceful opening had certainly taken the Yuuki family by surprise.
After calming down, weighing all the pros and cons, and considering every possible way forward, the Yuuki family ultimately accepted Leo's terms and allowed Asuna Yuuki to transfer to Chiba and attend Sobu High School.
Kyoko Yuuki had initially been somewhat opposed. She felt that even if Asuna had to transfer to Chiba, there was no need for her to live at Leo's house. It was obvious what Kyoko was worried about, but Leo still gave the same answer.
"Your daughter already belongs to me. Whatever I do with her is only natural."
Leo's leisurely words made Kyoko's brows knit tightly and brought a blush to Asuna's pretty face.
As a wealthy family from Tokyo, they probably hadn't expected to encounter someone as unyielding as Leo, a man they were powerless to do anything about. All they could do was swallow their bitter resentment.
Seeing that they still looked conflicted, unable to accept the situation, Leo spoke calmly.
"From the moment Asuna became my servant, she left the world you live in."
"She's destined to take a path completely different from yours. Even if she doesn't become a Devil, one of the Three Factions will recruit her."
"She's a natural Sacred Gear User, and the Sacred Gear she possesses is extremely powerful. Once the Sacred Gear within her awakens, even if no dangerous Stray Devil comes after her, more dangerous Devils or Fallen Angels will. She could even be abducted by some sinister, evil organization. Do you really want to see that happen?"
Leo's words left the three members of the Yuuki family utterly silent.
After a long while, they finally accepted all of Leo's arrangements and entrusted Asuna completely to him.
"A wise choice." Leo nodded in satisfaction. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of Asuna, and whenever I have time, I'll let her come visit you."
That brought their conversation to an end.
At least, as far as Asuna was concerned.
What surprised Leo was that afterward, Shozo Yuuki cautiously asked him a question.
"Mr. Leo, is there any way for ordinary humans like us to wield Supernatural Power without reincarnating as Devils like Asuna?"
The nationally renowned business magnate had actually asked such a question. Kyoko Yuuki and Koichiro Yuuki, standing nearby, couldn't help holding their breath.
"You're rather ambitious, Mr. Yuuki." Leo's gaze at Shozo turned a little amused. "What? You want power?"
"...If possible." Shozo hesitated for a long while, then decided to be honest. "Since people like you exist in this world, along with Supernatural Power, that proves everything we have could easily be overturned."
"Yet humans have remained the dominant species in this world. Even if that's only true on the surface, there must be a reason."
"For example, you mentioned the Church. If they can fight Devils and Fallen Angels alongside angels, then they must have Supernatural Power that's no weaker than theirs, right?"
"They're human too, aren't they?"
As Shozo spoke, he showed no sign of yearning or greed. Instead, he looked worried.
Rather than wanting Supernatural Power, he seemed more concerned that the power might destroy everything he currently possessed.
Leo's forceful, uncompromising manner had left him feeling helpless, but it had also filled him with a deep sense of danger.
He couldn't help wondering what he would do if he faced the same situation again in the future.
Would he have no choice but to accept it, just as he had today?
But not every supernatural race with Supernatural Power was like Leo, who only wanted their daughter.
What if the next person wanted more? What if they wanted everything he had?
Shozo couldn't help thinking about it. The sense of danger was unavoidable.
It was the kind of concern a leader ought to have: to be prepared for trouble in times of peace, rather than waiting until something happened and being forced to respond then. That would only leave him trapped with no way out.
That alone showed that Shozo Yuuki had a certain amount of foresight.
"Since you're Asuna's father, I'll clear things up for you." Leo picked up the tea Asuna had brewed for him and sipped it as he spoke evenly. "Humans can indeed wield Supernatural Power. Fighting Devils and Fallen Angels isn't a pipe dream."
"Sacred Gears, magic, Taoist arts... As long as they learn the right methods, humans can cultivate and gain Supernatural Power of their own."
"That's why everything humans possess hasn't been overturned as easily as you described, and why they still hold the dominant position on the surface."
"The Church is one place where you can acquire this kind of power. There are also various hidden mage organizations, though their members vary greatly in ability. If you happen to join an organization with bad intentions, you'll only end up getting hurt."
Seeing the Yuuki family listening intently, Leo thought for a moment and finally decided to give them an opportunity.
"If you're genuinely interested in Supernatural Power, I suggest you get in touch with some local hidden families."
The Yuuki family members all froze at his words, then immediately perked up.
"Local hidden families?" Koichiro Yuuki hurriedly asked. "You mean there are hidden families in this country that wield Supernatural Power?"
"That's right." Leo nodded. "Since ancient times, this country has had groups of exorcists, practitioners, and other gifted people who specialize in hunting supernatural creatures."
"They uphold the orthodoxy of the Shinto Sect while exorcising evil and vanquishing demons, destroying or suppressing many local Yokai to keep them from causing harm."
"Some of them live in seclusion, while others maintain close ties with the secular world. They keep in contact with many powerful figures, secretly protecting them and safeguarding the country."
"To be honest, your Yuuki family has considerable influence in Tokyo. I looked into you before to see whether you had ties to any hidden families, but the result was obvious: you haven't come into contact with them."
At that, Kyoko Yuuki, whose expression had been grim until now, forgot everything else and asked Leo,
"Which wealthy families have close ties to these hidden families?"
It was an interesting question. The university professor seemed to be wondering whether she could use her connections to reach out to them and get an introduction.
However...
"That's a little beyond me. I haven't paid much attention to that sort of thing." Leo glanced at Kyoko, then continued, "I only know that one family definitely has ties to those hidden families, and many capable people work for them."
"Who?"
The Yuuki family asked in unison, including Asuna, who looked curious.
Then Leo gave them a name.
"The Shinomiya Family."
The Yuuki family members' expressions changed at the name.
Shinomiya was a surname no one living in this country could possibly fail to recognize.
It belonged to a zaibatsu—a huge one. The group reportedly owned more than a thousand subsidiaries and had total assets worth over 200 trillion yen. It was a behemoth that could make the country tremble with the slightest movement, and whose every move through the global financial system could trigger a chain reaction powerful enough to affect the entire international market.
Compared with the Shinomiya Family, the Yuuki family was little more than a minor player on the fringes.
At least, if the Yuuki family fell, plenty of others could take its place. But if the Shinomiya Family fell, the country would likely suffer a devastating blow.
That was why the Shinomiya Family was also known as the heart of the country: the most powerful of the wealthy, the most distinguished of the old families, and a presence at the very top.
In this country, the only force greater than the Shinomiya Family was the government itself. That showed just how formidable the zaibatsu was.
"I've heard that the Shinomiya Family has ties to many hidden families, including even the Five Great Clans."
Leo's voice rang out slowly.
"Domon, Kushihashi, Shinra, Himejima, and Naki... These are the leaders of all the gifted people in this country. I heard the Shinomiya Family has maintained good relations with them for a long time, and has even secretly funded them. So quite a few members of the Five Great Clans have been recruited and hired by the Shinomiya Family to protect its important figures."
Tsubaki Shinra had told Leo about this before. Otherwise, he wouldn't have known.
And why had Tsubaki Shinra known about it? Her surname said it all.
Tsubaki Shinra was a member of the Shinra family, one of the Five Great Clans.
Leo had simply passed on what Tsubaki Shinra had once told him to the Yuuki family. It was a way of passing along a favor.
As for why Tsubaki Shinra had told him, that had been at Sona Shitori's request.
"I don't want you suddenly going to the Shinomiya Family one day to recruit servants and ending up at odds with the Five Great Clans."
Those were Sona Shitori's exact words.
"You could try talking to the Shinomiya Family. You might get somewhere."
With that, Leo brought the subject to a close and didn't elaborate further.
The Yuuki family members exchanged glances, then committed Leo's words to memory.
Whatever happened, they had to give it a try.
The Yuuki family might not amount to much compared to the Shinomiya Family, but they were both in business, so there had to be some way to make contact.
If it worked, the Yuuki family could gain access to Supernatural Power too.
That might even allow the Yuuki family to rise to greater heights.
Before you continue