That being said, although Big Cutie claimed her darling was a master of sweet-talking, that was actually a complete lie.
Riku possessed no such talent. Instead, he simply leveraged the prevailing circumstances to pressure others. The six girls from the [Apocalypse] Universe followed Riku because their world had reached its end, leaving them with no other choice, and Riku had treated them well. The reason Alice brought the three girls from the Saekano Universe back was simple, as anyone with a brain would not refuse.
Saori? That went without saying. Her cooperation with Riku was a calculated choice. On one side, she could live and obtain everything she desired. On the other, she would be used as a pawn until she was exhausted and eventually discarded.
Big Cutie? There was little to say there. Those two were cut from the same cloth.
Rhinedottir was even more straightforward. Her personality was simply like that.
To put it bluntly, Riku was not good at sweet-talking. If he were, would he not have been able to win over Sanzang? She was the one Saori had to sweet-talk, or rather, explain things to clearly.
Now, facing Shaina, Marin, and June, Riku felt it was better to speak the truth. There was no need for nonsense. What could they gain, and what would they need to pay? He did not want to hide behind high-sounding talk of protecting this or that. Was that not just tricking people into risking their lives?
Emotions require time to be nurtured slowly. Interests, however, are what matter most in the beginning.
His own Big Cutie did not need to be mentioned, and Rhinedottir remained with him because she could learn more and advance further in Alchemy, which in turn helped Riku immensely. As for Saori, it was even more obvious.
In fact, this was only the case for now. In another three to five hundred years, or perhaps even just one or two hundred, Riku would likely not even bother looking at most people. They could come if they wanted, or not. Talent was certainly important, but it would not be that important once the foundation was fully laid.
"I..." Marin pursed her thin lips slightly. From behind her mask, her voice was soft. "Mr. Yu, I hope Toma's future can be a peaceful one."
"I cannot promise you that," Riku shook his head. "What kind of life your brother wants is his own choice. Why should I choose for him?"
"This..." Marin was stunned, then it suddenly clicked.
She was right. What right did she have? As an older sister and a Saint, she had witnessed many dangers. Because of that, she hoped her brother could enjoy a peaceful life. But the problem was that this was her own wish, not necessarily her brother's.
"Of course," Riku continued, "what I can guarantee is that as a member of the Longhuang Universe, your brother will always be able to live according to his own wishes in the future, even if he wants to be a world-destroying demon king."
"As for Shaina? You and your sister will be reunited and reconcile." Riku explained this to the two women very naturally.
While Shaina was still thinking, Marin nodded seriously and said, "Mr. Yu, I am willing to stay."
"Good!" Riku nodded with a smile and handed a [Cosmic Core] to Shaina.
"Hehehe..." Rika Minami laughed and said, "Mr. Yu, as expected! You really are good at this."
"I am not that good at it. Affection is something that accumulates over time in the future. In the beginning, interests are what matter most."
"June wants revenge."
"Marin wants to find her brother."
"For Shaina, her sister is the most important thing."
"Hatred, family... I can give them the power to protect those things or fulfill those goals, and in exchange, they become my subordinates." Riku shrugged, making no attempt to hide his intentions as he said naturally, "Is this not the most appropriate arrangement? Hollow grandstanding is completely meaningless."
"Hehehe..."
"Mr. Yu, what you say is indeed correct, but putting it that way... it feels a bit off." Olivia walked over, bringing Mayura with her.
"Olivia, Mayura," Rika Minami greeted them with a smile.
"How is it?" Riku did not mind the comment and instead asked, "What does Mayura think?"
After a brief silence, Mayura spoke coolly, "Mr. Yu, as you said, interests are actually more important than those other things. Olivia, Kyoko, and Shoko are all here. I cannot leave either."
"That is enough then," Riku said with a smile. "What I can guarantee is that neither now nor in the future will I ever let you regret this."
*Snap!*
As he spoke, Riku snapped his fingers. Two [Cosmic Cores] floated up and drifted toward Mayura and Shaina respectively.
Riku then looked at Olivia and thought for a moment. "Olivia, did you still choose to become the Altar Silver Saint?"
"Yes." Olivia looked at her resolute best friend and gave Shaina a gentle smile before nodding to Riku. "Mr. Yu, regarding this matter, Miss Saori told me that even if I have absorbed Eris's [Authority of Discord and Misfortune], it is best to continue on the path of the constellation that suits me."
"Star Sovereignty."
"Correct!" Riku nodded in agreement. A mere two [Authorities] were nothing special; the future [Star Sovereignty] was the core of cores.
"Sister..."
"Ester?"
While Shaina was still hesitating, a voice reached her ears.
In an instant, Shaina's body trembled slightly. She turned her head and saw her sister, who had been brought back by Alice. From behind her mask, two lines of tears slid down her face.
Did Shaina not worry about her sister? Don't be ridiculous. As an older sister, how could she not worry? But she had no choice; her sister had broken the rules and had to be punished.
"Darling..." Alice, that Big Cutie, came bouncing over with a giggle. "Just as I thought, you are best at sweet-talking young girls."
Mayura, Shaina, Marin, June... every single one of them. It was so simple; had they not all been sweet-talked into understanding?
~✦~ End of Chapter ~✦~
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