The lively gathering lasted until dusk before finally drawing to a close. At this time, Leon and his party prepared to bid their farewells and head home.
The two-day holiday had passed, and tomorrow was Monday. They couldn't stay another night in Kuoh Town, so leaving now was perfect timing. Rias and Sona did not try to keep them longer. Just as they had when they first met the day before, the group gathered in the Student Council office to say their goodbyes.
"Even though things happened as they did, I'm still very glad to have met all of you," Rias said, smiling at Leon as he stood before her. "You've made me realize my own shortcomings and that there is still much room for improvement to be filled. Just being able to recognize that makes this meeting a tremendous gain for me."
While Rias and Leon were saying their goodbyes, the others were doing the same. Yura Tsubasa and Toujou Koneko were bidding farewell to Kasumigaoka Utaha; Kusaka Reneya and Hanakai Momo were seeing off Shiina Mahiru; Meguri Tomoe and Yuuki Asuna were still holding hands, looking reluctant to part; and even Himejima Akeno and Shinra Tsubaki were seriously saying their goodbyes to Yukino Yukinoshita. A faint air of melancholy filled the room.
"I need to work even harder as well," Sona Sitri said, closing her eyes as if steadying her resolve. "I may not be able to catch up to you in terms of raw power, so I will have to redouble my efforts in training my mind and perfecting the various tactics I devise. That way, I won't be left too far behind."
Sona was quite wistful about this. Previously, her strength had been greater than his, and her abilities in all areas far surpassed what Leon had possessed when he was newly promoted to a High-Class Devil. Yet, in just a few short months, Leon had left her far behind, leaving her with a somewhat complicated feeling in her heart.
However, Sona's inner will was strong. Having grown up alongside a childhood friend who was a literal talent monster, she was used to being outperformed. She had long since realized that her innate talent could not compare to those true "favored children of heaven." Therefore, she intended to carve out a path in her own field of expertise, using her intellect to compensate for the lack of raw strength and defeat the strong through strategy.
"Indeed, we must work twice as hard," Rias said with a bold and fearless smile. "Once I've become stronger, let's finish the battle we couldn't conclude this time."
This was Rias's current goal. She was someone who aimed to dominate the Rating Games, an existence who wanted to replace the Emperor and become the Queen of the Games. Even if she was currently no match for Leon, she had no intention of giving up the competition. On the contrary, she now viewed Leon as her greatest rival and vowed to defeat him in the future. If she couldn't achieve that, her dream would be nothing but nonsense.
Leon could naturally feel the fighting spirit radiating from Rias and Sona, and he couldn't help but smile. To be honest, being viewed as a rival by two great beauties was a rather strange but pleasant feeling. But he knew that both Rias and Sona were dead serious.
Thus, he nodded with a smile. "I'll be waiting for you."
He certainly wouldn't underestimate Rias or Sona; after all, both were "daughters of destiny" in their own right. Setting Rias aside, even though she wasn't a Longinus possessor like himself, her "Destruction" trait was, in some ways, no less impressive than his "Peerage Creation."
This was evident from Sirzechs, the current Devil King Lucifer. He had undergone a mutation because of the power of "Destruction," becoming a Super Devil capable of rivaling the gods of various mythologies and joining the ranks of the world's top powerhouses. If Rias could fully develop the potential of her "Destruction" trait, she might reach the same heights as her brother in the future.
At that point, Leon might truly be unable to keep up. After all, he wasn't confident he could reach the level of a Super Devil even after filling his remaining slots, unless more than half of his future peerage members possessed high-tier potential. That would be difficult. Rias reaching the level of Sirzechs would be even harder, but the possibility existed. Whether she could actually do it would depend on her own fortune.
As for Sona, her intellect was something Leon had always admired. He felt that he would never be able to defeat her in that arena. In the original story, Sona had nearly defeated the Gremory peerage—which was teeming with powerhouses—and received a higher evaluation from the upper echelons of the devil world than Rias. With that fact standing, Leon could never look down on her.
In short, Leon actually harbored high expectations for these two girls, hoping they would truly achieve their desires.
"By the way, Rias," Leon said, remembering something. "You might want to pay closer attention to the students in the academy lately. You might find a few surprises."
"Surprises?" Rias blinked, looking puzzled. "What kind of surprises?"
"Aren't you in the same boat as me? Your peerage is still severely understaffed, and you're thirsty for talent, aren't you?" Leon smiled mysteriously. "Trust me, if you look for it, you'll definitely find an exceptional talent."
"Oh?" Rias raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Did you discover something?"
"In a way." Leon didn't deny it, but thinking of that person's true nature, his lips twitched helplessly. "He is undoubtedly an exceptional talent. The heights he can reach in the future are beyond anyone's imagination. But, how should I put this—"
"Well, if you can tolerate being stared at daily by your servant with lecherous eyes and being used as the subject of his internal fantasies, then perhaps you can give it a try?"
Leon's words made Rias's raised eyebrow climb even higher. "Are you saying that the exceptional servant I might gain is a pervert?"
Leon could only confirm that succinct summary. He even used a description from the original story. "He is the incarnation of lust. 'Pervert' doesn't even begin to describe it."
It wasn't that Leon wanted to slander the guy; it was simply the truth.
"That sounds quite dangerous," Rias said, narrowing her eyes. After a moment of thought, she suddenly asked, "Do you think I should sacrifice my charms for the development of my peerage?"
"That—" Leon hadn't expected Rias to ask him such a question. He scratched his head and said uncertainly, "There shouldn't be a need for that, right?"
Although the guy was indeed excellent and his future potential was staggering, Rias was a favored daughter of heaven herself. Why sacrifice so much?
"You're right," Rias said with a radiant smile. "I think I understand what you mean. Thank you for the tip."
If there really was such an exceptional talent in Kuoh Academy, Rias felt it would be good to act early. As for him being a pervert, she didn't mind all that much. They were devils, after all; who still played the "pure little girl" act? She, Rias Gremory, was a high-class devil full of charm—it wouldn't even be an exaggeration to call her a succubus. If he truly turned out to be a servant worth doting on, what was a little "fan service" between master and servant?
Her peerage already had Kiba Yuuto, who was such a gentleman that he kept a constant distance from the girls. If she could add a polar opposite like a pervert, it might actually be quite interesting. To Rias, it would just feel like having a silly younger brother; she wouldn't care.
However, Rias also knew that if she went too far, she might be seen as lacking self-respect. Leon had said there was no need, so she would observe for now. If his conduct was truly beyond the pale, she would pass; she didn't want to be looked down upon by her greatest rival.
Beside them, Sona Sitri pushed her glasses up, the lenses reflecting a sharp glint of light. "Are there still boys with such unhealthy thoughts in this school? It seems I'll have to crack down on disciplinary issues lately—"
Unlike the succubus-like Rias, Sona's conduct was truly unlike a devil's. She was upright and incorruptible, unable to tolerate even the slightest breach of discipline. Thus, upon hearing Leon's words, Sona didn't have the slightest intention of competing with Rias for him. Instead, she was thinking of how to "correct" the fellow and teach him the meaning of shame.
The poor protagonist of the original story had no idea that because of Leon's words, he was about to spend the coming period in dire straits, nearly becoming the pariah of Kuoh Academy.
"Alright, it's about time."
Leon glanced at the darkening sky and called his peerage members over. Yukino Yukinoshita, Yuuki Asuna, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and Shiina Mahiru immediately gathered at his side, stepping into the magic circle with him.
"Goodbye."
"Safe travels."
"Let's fight again next time!"
"We'll definitely be stronger by then!"
"You guys keep working hard too!"
The members of the Gremory and Sitri peerages waved as they bid Leon and his team farewell.
"We will," Leon and his group replied in unison. They smiled and began channeling magic power into the circle beneath their feet to activate it.
The next second, a crimson light rose from the magic circle, slowly enveloping Leon's group.
"Well then, until next time."
Leon pressed two fingers together and gave a small salute from his temple in a parting gesture. Then, alongside the girls of his peerage, he disappeared into the magic circle with a smile.
"Until we meet again—"
Rias and Sona stood watching the spot where Leon had vanished, their peerage members behind them doing the same, remaining silent for a long time.
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