It had to be said—Leo's overwhelming, domineering opening crushed every last bit of resistance the Yuuki family still held onto.
After they calmed down, weighed all the risks and benefits, and thought through every possible retreat, they finally accepted Leo's conditions and agreed to let Yuuki Asuna transfer to Chiba and attend Sobu High.
Originally, Yuuki Kyouko still wanted to object. Even if Asuna had to move to Chiba, she felt there was no need for her daughter to live under Leo's roof. Anyone could see what she was worried about. But Leo simply repeated:
"Your daughter already belongs to me. So whatever I do is only natural."
The casual way he said it made Kyouko's brows tighten—but Asuna's cheeks turned pink.
Coming from Tokyo's elite circles, none of them had expected to meet someone like Leo—someone they couldn't push, pressure, or negotiate with. They could only swallow their frustrations whole.
Seeing their still-shifting expressions and their inability to fully digest the situation, Leo spoke again, voice calm but cutting.
"From the moment Asuna became my servant, she left the world you belong to."
"She's destined to walk a path completely different from yours. Even if she didn't become a devil, one of the three major factions would've recruited her eventually."
"Because she's a natural Sacred Gear user—and her Sacred Gear is extremely powerful. Once it awakened, even if no dangerous Stray Devils appeared, stronger devils or fallen angels would come after her. She might even be kidnapped by some dark, underground organizations. Is that what you want?"
Silence fell on the room.
A long moment passed before the Yuuki family finally accepted everything and entrusted Asuna fully to Leo.
"A wise choice." Leo nodded in satisfaction. "Don't worry. I'll take care of Asuna. Whenever she has time, I'll let her come home to visit."
That concluded the matter—at least regarding Asuna.
But then something unexpected happened.
Yuuki Shouzou carefully asked a quiet question.
"Leo-san… for ordinary humans like us, is there a way to gain supernatural power… without reincarnating as devils like Asuna?"
The question—coming from a man of his status—made even Yuuki Kyouko and Yuuki Kouichirou stop breathing for a moment.
"Quite ambitious, Yuuki-san." Leo's gaze sharpened with amusement. "Why? You want power?"
"…If possible." Shouzou hesitated, then spoke frankly. "Since people like you exist—and supernatural forces exist—doesn't that mean everything we have can be overturned at any moment?"
"Yet humanity still maintains dominance in this world, at least on the surface. There must be a reason for that."
"For example, you mentioned the Church. If they can fight alongside angels against devils and fallen angels, they must possess supernatural power equal to those forces."
"They're humans too, aren't they?"
Shouzou didn't sound greedy. If anything, he sounded worried.
Leo's overwhelming presence, his undeniable power, and the fact that they had no say in anything… all of it gave Shouzou a crushing sense of crisis.
He couldn't stop thinking—
What if something like this happened again?
Would he have to swallow it just as helplessly?
And not everyone with supernatural power would be like Leo—who merely wanted their daughter.
What if the next one demanded something far worse?
What if they wanted everything?
The thought chilled him. It wasn't greed—it was survival instinct. A high-level sense of crisis.
This alone proved Yuuki Shouzou had real foresight.
"For Asuna's sake, I'll clear things up for you," Leo said, picking up the tea Asuna had brewed for him and taking a sip. "Humans can gain supernatural power. Fighting devils or fallen angels isn't impossible."
"Sacred Gears, magic, Eastern arts… with proper methods, humans can cultivate their own supernatural abilities."
"That's why humanity hasn't been crushed—why they can maintain the illusion of dominance."
"The Church is one place to obtain such power. There are also various hidden magician groups. But their standards vary. If you accidentally join a shady one, you'll only ruin yourself."
Seeing the Yuuki family genuinely listening, Leo thought for a moment—then decided to give them a real opportunity.
"If you truly want supernatural power, I recommend contacting the hidden clans of this land."
The entire family froze—then their spirits lifted.
"Hidden clans?" Kouichirou asked quickly. "You mean there are families in this country that possess supernatural strength?"
"That's right." Leo nodded. "Since ancient times, this land has had exorcists and sorcerers who specialized in hunting nonhuman beings."
"They uphold the Shinto orthodox tradition, slay or suppress local youkai, and protect the country from the shadows."
"Some remain hidden, while others have deep ties with the secular world—quietly safeguarding influential figures and the nation itself."
"Honestly, your Yuuki family holds considerable power in Tokyo. I checked your background—I wanted to see if you had ties to any hidden clans. But the answer was obvious: you haven't touched that world."
At that, even the stern-faced Yuuki Kyouko swallowed her pride and urgently asked:
"Which elite families have a close connection with these hidden clans?"
An interesting question. Clearly, she wondered whether her own network could reach anyone who could make an introduction.
But—
"That's a bit difficult for me to answer," Leo said. "I haven't paid much attention to that side of things."
"I only know of one family that definitely has ties to the hidden clans—one with many gifted individuals working under them."
"Who?"
The entire Yuuki family asked in unison—even Asuna leaned forward curiously.
Leo spoke a single surname.
"Shinomiya."
The Yuukis' faces changed instantly.
Shinomiya. Practically everyone in the country knew that name.
A financial conglomerate—no, a giant. With over a thousand subsidiary companies and more than 200 trillion yen in total assets, it was the kind of titan whose movements could shake the entire nation. Even their shifts in the global market caused international ripple effects.
Compared to the Shinomiya family, the Yuuki family was nothing.
If the Yuuki family collapsed, plenty of capital could replace them. If the Shinomiya family collapsed, the country itself would bleed.
Thus, the Shinomiya family wasn't just wealthy—they were the heart of the nation. Elite of elites. True aristocracy. Standing at the very top.
Only the government itself held more power.
"I once heard that the Shinomiya family has ties with many hidden clans—including the Five Great Houses."
Leo's calm voice continued.
"Tōin, Kushihashi, Shinra, Himejima, Hyakki… These are the foremost leaders of Japan's supernatural world. The Shinomiya family has maintained strong relations with them since long ago, even supporting them from the shadows."
"Many members of the Five Great Houses have been recruited by the Shinomiya family and work to protect their important figures."
Leo only knew this because Shinra Tsubaki had told him.
And how Tsubaki knew was obvious—
Her surname.
She was a member of the Shinra clan—one of the Five Great Houses.
He was simply passing on what she'd once shared, nothing more.
All because of Sitri Sona's warning:
"I don't want you accidentally recruiting someone from the Shinomiya family and ending up fighting the Five Great Houses."
"You could try talking to the Shinomiya family," Leo said, closing the topic. "You might get somewhere."
The Yuuki family exchanged glances, each memorizing Leo's words.
One way or another, they had to try.
Compared to the Shinomiya family, Yuuki was small—but they were still part of the business world. Some pathways always existed.
If it worked, they could gain access to supernatural power.
And maybe—just maybe—the Yuuki family could rise even higher.