Without paying the slightest heed to the clumsy battle intent and resolve backed by demonic power that Rias's Gremory household displayed—as if daring him to try something—Renya spoke.
"It's nothing like that. As you know, I'm a mixed-blood devil... but my mother's hometown is Japan. I simply want to learn about Japanese culture."
"...Is that truly all?"
"Yeah. If I happen to find a new servant along the way, that would be a bonus."
In response to his forthright explanation, Rias directed an inexperienced, searching gaze at him, but she couldn't see past his words to any hidden agenda.
Whether it really was just that, or whether Rias was simply too immature to see through it, the truth was the latter—but given her high pride, she unconsciously concluded it was the former. She had lived by a set of values that made her look down on those she faced.
"...I see. So you have no intention of causing any trouble in this town?"
"That depends on the time and circumstances."
"What do you mean by that?"
Rias braced herself at Renya's words, just as she had begun to feel relieved. Judging that reaction as amateurish in his mind, Kurosaki answered without letting it show on his face.
"For example, if something happens that's beyond your ability to handle, or if something threatens us, I will naturally take action in self-defense. Ah, you want to say that such a thing won't happen, right? I'm talking purely about planning for the worst-case scenario. It's standard to put even the minimum expectations into clear words, isn't it? I don't want to end up in a dispute later over differing accounts of what was said."
Rias furrowed her brow at his words.
In a provincial Japanese city, especially one within the territory she governed, she believed there was no one who would cause that kind of uproar.
Doing so could upset the delicate balance among the Three Great Powers.
Nevertheless, seeing that Renya anticipated this and was driving his point home, Rias placed a hand on her chin and nodded thoughtfully.
"I see... And such a thing won't happen. So that means there will be no occasion for you to take any action in this town, correct?"
"Yeah, I have no intention of meddling unnecessarily in this town. Shall I state it clearly? Except for self-defense, and unless the situation becomes something you, Gremory servants can't handle or are unable to act upon, I will do nothing. You can deal with stray devils, stray exorcists, angels, or fallen angels on your own. I will neither cooperate nor fight alongside you. I also promise not to engage in devil contract activities in this town. Let's make this a mutual non-aggression pact."
In response to Rias's confirmation, Renya, thinking she lacked comprehension but revealing none of it, put it into explicit words so no complaints could be made later.
He was unequivocally stating that, except to protect themselves, he would not lift a finger unless Rias and her group suffered total defeat.
"I see... Understood. In that case, I have no objections. We won't ever find ourselves relying on you, and you won't do anything in this town except for self-defense. Is that correct?"
"To be precise, except for self-defense and situations that are beyond the ability of you, Gremory servants to handle. As long as these conditions aren't met, I will refrain from undertaking any contract activities and will do nothing in this town."
In response to Rias, who interpreted things to her own convenience, Kurosaki added a clarifying remark as if to spell it out for her. Under these conditions, he was telling her that all problems in this town should and could be solved by Rias and her servants themselves.
Having been spoken to that far, Rias's pride was stimulated, her thoughts narrowing to a single track, and she nodded without doubting him further.
"...Yes, I understand. In that case, I'll retract my earlier words. We welcome you."
Saying this, Rias relaxed. Kurosaki stood up as if his business was done.
"Then we'll take our leave now."
"Oh my, so soon? I was thinking we could have some tea afterward..."
'That's something you offer at the start,' Kurosaki Renya thought, but finding it too troublesome to say anything, he turned on his heel.
"We just moved in, and there are still many things to take care of. I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to decline."
"I see... Then, some other time."
"Yeah, if an opportunity arises."
With that, Renya, accompanied by Orihime and Elfaria, who had been standing behind him, left the Occult Research Club room.
After silently exiting the old school building and confirming there was no tail or familiar keeping watch, Renya spoke.
"Good grief, I never imagined they'd be that terrible."
"...Honestly, it was hard to hold back," Elfaria agreed, hostility seeping into her expression.
It seemed the parade of rude behavior from Rias and her Gremory household had stirred the anger of Elfaria, who held Renya in great affection.
Had Kurosaki given her permission, Rias and her servants would have likely been turned into ice sculptures by now. That was the overwhelming gap in power that existed between Elfaria and Rias's group.
"Ahaha... But well, didn't things work out just as you wanted, Renya-kun?"
"Well, as Orihime says, she did agree to those terms smoothly enough. I'll let it slide for that reason. Thanks to that, there's no cooperation or joint struggle."
Having had their pride provoked that much, they would never come to rely on him, no matter what happened.
On top of that, self-defense was permissible, and since that point hadn't been explicitly defined, it would be decided at his discretion.
Even if a major incident occurred, he could step in once the situation grew beyond Rias and her Gremory servants' ability to handle, or after they had become incapacitated.
Furthermore, there was a clear loophole in that agreement—one that gave Renya a one-sided advantage, something Rias and her group had failed to notice entirely.
All the initiative had been seized by him, and the only thing Rias had protected was her own pride. The fact that she couldn't see through even this level of negotiation proved that this approach had been the correct one.
It wasn't as though Renya had decided on this course from the beginning. Depending on the situation, he had been open to cooperating or even fighting alongside Rias and the Gremory household.
However, seeing their thoughtless audacity in openly using the name Gremory—famous among the Seventy-Two Pillars even in the human world—their crude barrier meant to hide their immaturity, their unbearably rude behavior, and their self-centered actions, he revised his opinion.
For the sake of the mental well-being of his servants, starting with Orihime, he decided to wrap things up in the direction of writing off Rias and her servants.
"Anyway, enough about Rias Gremory and her servants. We've got a mutual non-aggression pact now. I doubt we'll have much to do with each other."
"...Okay."
"Yeah."
Still seeming somewhat dissatisfied, Elfaria nodded since Renya said so, and Orihime, as if unfazed, agreed readily.
'Still, Rias Gremory isn't a bad person at heart,' Kurosaki Renya mused silently. 'It was likely her environment that had nurtured such an existence.'
Nevertheless, for Elfaria, Renya was the object of her affection. Having him insulted to that degree—even if it was unconscious—was something she found difficult to forgive.
"Honestly, you're something else..."
Muttering that she was hopeless, yet sounding somehow pleased, he gently stroked Elfaria's head.
"R-Renya..."
"Thank you, Elfie. Just the fact that you got angry for my sake is enough for me. Besides, there'll be a chance to pay them back eventually. Until then, right?"
"Y-Yeah, understood, Renya. But... just a little longer like this..."
"Ah, Elfaria-chan, that's not fair! Renya-kun, Renya-kun! I want you to pat my head too~!!!"
With Elfaria blushing shyly and Orihime eagerly demanding her turn, Kurosaki Renya accepted their small, adorable selfishness and spent a while gently stroking both their heads.
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