Rias froze for a moment. Combined with Leo's earlier reaction when he heard her name, she instantly understood everything.
"Yes… sorry, that was my fault for not explaining clearly. What I meant was this: after transforming you into a devil, we would then establish a contract. That way, you would become a free devil and wouldn't be bound by me in any way. Since you know my name—Rias Gremory—you should also know that the Gremory family never cuts corners when it comes to this sort of thing. And if you're still worried, I can even sign a contract with you."
Rias truly meant it. In a world where even she herself found survival difficult, she felt that a pure human like Leo would be better off becoming a devil. At the very least, longevity and safety wouldn't be issues anymore. As long as he didn't make careless mistakes like she had, there would be no real danger.
"I just don't want to become a devil, that's all. And no matter how famous the Gremory name is, at this moment it has nothing to do with either of us, does it?"
Leo shook his head. He wasn't worried about being mistreated after reincarnation—he simply didn't want to become a devil.
Rias wouldn't lie about this. Although she looked a bit naïve, among devils she could be considered genuinely kind. Her care for her servants was real, not an act. Even if he truly became one of her devils, judging by the original story, there'd be no need to worry about his safety—she'd more likely risk her life for him. Contract fulfillment was also not a concern; in the High School DxD world, devils placed enormous importance on contracts, and records of voluntary breach were practically nonexistent.
However—
First, he was just an ordinary human. There was nothing about him that would truly warrant Rias's special attention.
Second, he wasn't particularly into Rias. Even back when watching anime, he'd preferred Grayfia, Raynare, or Himejima Akeno.
Third, being a devil was inconvenient.
A human identity might be ordinary, but in most worlds and in the eyes of most races, humans weren't automatically classified as mortal enemies.
Devils, on the other hand, absolutely were.
Very few worlds didn't treat devils as something to be hunted and exterminated. Even if he couldn't travel between worlds yet, once he got even one woman who could casually sleep with him, he'd be able to move between worlds. At that point, a devil's identity would become nothing but a burden.
"Is that so…"
Rias looked at Leo and understood. Just like some of her former servants, he didn't want to abandon his human life. She had no intention of forcing him.
After all, devil chess pieces were limited.
Still, Leo had saved her life, and that debt had to be repaid.
"Then what kind of compensation would you like, Mr. Leo?"
"As long as you follow commands properly and everyone survives together, that's enough. In a disgusting world like this, as long as you don't keep making stupid mistakes that lead to irreversible consequences, I won't do anything to you."
Leo let out a short, mocking laugh.
Compensation? If he asked her to lie there and let him have her, she obviously wouldn't agree. As for her mana or anything like that, a regular Earth human like him might not even be able to use it.
Private assets? In a world like this, hoarding personal gains was basically suicide. In a place where lack of cooperation meant death, trying to play those games was idiotic.
He hadn't forgotten one important fact.
He was the weakest combatant here.
So what else could he ask for? Just obedience and cooperation in the future—that was enough.
"…I understand. But I will repay you."
Rias heard the helplessness in Leo's words and remembered what he'd said about this world. She immediately understood why he wasn't asking for anything.
"I will too, Mr. Leo."
Lux pressed her lips together and said the same.
Leo, however, didn't care.
"Save your energy. Think about how to get out of here instead."
He took a deep breath and pointed at the dirt above them.
"We're all tied to the same rope now. If you've got any methods, use them."
All he wanted now was to deal with the zombie birds. He had no interest in pointless talk with these two foolish girls.
"I see."
Rias nodded. She now understood what kind of person Leo was, so she looked at him and asked another question.
"So, it's fine if I borrow your power, right?"
Leo nodded.
"Yeah. As long as it doesn't harm my life or health. And to be honest, you're the stronger one here anyway."
Rias nodded again. She fully understood the irritation and dislike in Leo's tone. Then she stepped forward and placed Leo's hand on her chest.
"Then I understand. Please feel free to touch my body. This will be the price for borrowing your power. I assume… you'll like it too."
In an instant, a soft yet elastic sensation transmitted to Leo's hand. It was a completely different experience. Even Tsunade's chest, as soft as it was, had some natural sag to it.
That was inevitable with a large bust—it was normal.
But this—
This was firm.
Leo felt the softness in shock. In the next moment, a pleasant fragrance filled his senses. Rias's slightly flushed face quickly drew closer, and her soft red lips pressed directly against his.
A clumsy tongue slipped into Leo's mouth, bringing with it a sweet liquid. Leo swallowed instinctively, then couldn't help wrapping his own tongue around hers, greedily sucking at her saliva.
Heat began to rise in his body, and the hand gripping her fullness tightened unconsciously.
"Mmph…"
Rias let out a pained sound, but didn't retreat, allowing Leo to squeeze her ample mound with force.
Lux was completely stunned. At that moment, she too caught the pleasant scent coming naturally from Rias's body, causing heat to rise within her as well. She unconsciously rubbed her legs together.
As for Leo, he felt something being drawn out of his body. He knew clearly that it was stamina—his strength was draining away. Yet the sensation was incredibly comfortable, intoxicatingly pleasant, to the point where he wanted to sink into it forever.
But just as he was about to lose himself, the feeling abruptly stopped.
Rias's tongue withdrew.
She wiped her mouth, her cheeks flushed, and spoke while forcing herself to remain calm.
"That's enough, Mr. Leo. I've collected sufficient vital energy. If I take any more, your body will be harmed."