"And because of that, I have a suggestion that I believe you will be interested in," Rias said.
"Go on," Luo Guang replied.
"It's like this: do you remember when I asked Koneko to invite you? Although you refused, I've reflected on it and realized that not everyone needs the status of a devil, so I've given up on that idea..." Rias said with a serious tone.
Though she didn't show it, Luo Guang's pride was palpable. How could such a versatile individual just join her service for no reason?
"A smart choice. If this were about the same thing today, I don't think we would need to see each other in the future," Luo Guang said nonchalantly.
"Uh..." Rias's heart tightened slightly. She had actually planned to ask one more time, but she immediately sensed Luo Guang's underlying meaning and chose to break away from her old ways.
After all, Luo Guang was different from her current servants. Koneko, Akeno, Yuuto Kiba, and even Gasper had all been homeless and filled with deep-seated hatred for various reasons, which was why they agreed to her invitation.
Luo Guang, on the other hand, was a lone wolf, but he was powerful and lived in a big house with an affluent lifestyle. When he had no other desires, how could she possibly succeed in recruiting him?
Akeno and Koneko remained silent. They knew Luo Guang's personality and that he meant no harm.
"The matter is this: we would like to collaborate with you," Rias cleared her throat and said.
"You know that I am the ruler of Kuoh City. For some reason, crime has become rampant in this city over the past two and a half years. Reports of ghouls, cursed spirits, ghosts, rogue exorcists, and rogue devils have been happening almost every few days."
"But as you can see, I only have Yuuto, Koneko, and Akeno to help me. Just keeping an eye on the angels and fallen angels is taking up all of our energy. Even if we all work separately, our efficiency is stretched thin. So I hope you can assist us."
"The specific details?" Luo Guang asked.
This was exactly what he had in mind.
Rias then took out an obsidian crest with the Gremory family crest engraved on it. "This is a communication tool. If an emergency occurs, a familiar will contact you. You are free to choose whether to accept the mission. If you complete it, we will compensate you with a payment. Of course, other forms of compensation are also possible."
Luo Guang nodded. "Alright, I'll take this."
Seeing Luo Guang accept the crest, Rias was overjoyed. This truly helped her out of a tight spot. Her request for Luo Guang's assistance was purely for professional reasons, with no selfish intention of recruiting him.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way," Luo Guang said.
"Wait, I have a gift for little Est. Please take it."
Just as Luo Guang knew their secret, he had no intention of hiding Est's existence. So Rias, Sona, and the others all knew that Luo Guang had a sword familiar that could turn into a human and was very cute.
"Then I'll thank you all on Est's behalf." Luo Guang didn't refuse.
Luo Guang then stood up and left. Seeing this, Koneko looked at Rias and then followed him out.
The door closed.
Akeno Himejima squinted and smiled at the exhausted Rias. "Rias, have you really given up?"
"What else can I do? No matter how generous my offer is, Luo Guang will never accept. If I were him, I would do the same." Rias leaned back on the sofa, her breasts jiggling with the movement.
"You've grown up, Rias. You're not that little girl anymore," Akeno said with satisfaction. "The old you would have tried everything to get him to join."
"I'm using a 'retreat to advance' strategy. It's better to guide a river than to block it. If I had offended Luo Guang because of this, I would feel awful." Rias sighed.
"After all, he is truly excellent, even without his fighting abilities."
"I actually have an idea. If you propose it, he might agree," Akeno said mysteriously.
"What is it?"
"You could marry Luo Guang. After all, a wife's whispers are the most effective. You wouldn't even need a servant contract. As the son-in-law of the Gremory family, he would always be on your side, wouldn't he?"
"That's not funny, Akeno." Rias rolled her eyes.
But she had to admit, that proposal just might work. The only problem was the high price: she would have to sacrifice herself.