Caleb looked at them with curiosity, examining every detail.
Their delicate features remained unchanged; there were no Devil horns to spoil the aesthetic. After revealing their Devil forms, Rias's and Sona Shitori's charm only increased. The beautiful, glistening wings and tail lent them an air of mystery. Under the powerful aura of High-Class Devils, their perfect figures seemed even more alluring.
After the initial surprise, Caleb began to feel pressure under the immense aura of Rias and Sona Shitori. It wasn't that they were targeting him; the power gap was simply too vast.
He forced himself to remain calm and asked, "So, the 'Pawn' you mentioned earlier... does that mean using the Evil Pieces to turn me into a Low-Class Devil and make me your familiar?"
"Yes, both Rias and I still have pieces available."
"I'm just an ordinary person who just learned how to extract magic. Why choose me?"
Caleb was genuinely surprised to be courted by these two immediately upon entering the supernatural world.
"As I said, the stronger a person is, the more pieces they require."
Sona Shitori explained, "Having fifteen pieces doesn't mean you must have fifteen familiars. The stronger the familiar, the more pieces are required for the reincarnation. Furthermore, a familiar that you personally cultivate will have better synergy with you."
They chose not to disclose information about Mutant Pieces, Sacred Gears, Longinus, or Fallen Angels to Caleb. Firstly, Caleb hadn't agreed to become a familiar yet. Secondly, Caleb's power level was too low; knowing that information would be useless to him.
Caleb didn't give an immediate answer. After a moment of thought, he asked again, "There must be some restrictions after becoming a familiar, right?"
He didn't recall any major restrictions from the anime; a familiar seemed more like a comrade. But how could a Devil's item be that simple? Regardless of anything else, why was there no concern about loyalty after the transformation?
"Yes. After the transformation, the King and familiar naturally feel a deep affinity for each other. The Devil blood in the familiar is essentially inherited from the King."
Rias brushed her crimson hair aside and smiled. "Evil Pieces are very precious. The bond between a King and their familiar is sometimes more trustworthy than family."
'The blood in the body'—Caleb keenly noted the crucial detail. It sounded somewhat similar to how vampires turn others, though the control might not be as absolute. His restless thoughts calmed down. Believe the book, but not entirely. He couldn't rely solely on vague memories. The matter of becoming a familiar would have to wait.
Caleb was indeed heavily attracted to Rias; Sona Shitori was also quite desirable. And becoming their familiar would definitely lead to rapid power growth. The pure-blood Devil families that had survived until now were all incredibly powerful and well-resourced. Caleb vaguely remembered that Rias's older brother was one of the current Four Great Devil Kings. With their full support, even ordinary people with mediocre talent could soar.
However, his foundation lay in the Dual Cultivation ability, and his seemingly high magical talent was a false impression created by that ability. Being constantly surrounded by people vastly more powerful than him would greatly increase the chances of exposure. Furthermore, no matter whose familiar he became, he would certainly be restricted from his promiscuous activities. That would make it difficult for the Dual Cultivation ability to function as intended.
The most critical point was that Caleb didn't know the exact extent of a King's control over their familiars. Even though he truly wanted to use this path to upgrade to a High-Class Devil and gain his own Evil Pieces and familiars—if he was going to be restricted, he was better off staying low-key and developing on his own. Since the Devil King Beelzebub could manufacture Evil Pieces, when Caleb's power reached that level, it shouldn't be a problem to create an item with a similar effect, if not an identical one.
A group of beautiful familiars with long legs, thin waists, and ample assets… the thought alone is stimulating. Yes, that includes legal lolis and mature ladies.
After weighing his options, Caleb decided not to commit immediately.
"Rias-senpai, President, I need some time to think."
Caleb hesitated. "Since both of you have invited me, I don't know who to choose."
Refusal was out of the question. This was a great opportunity to build a relationship with Rias and Sona Shitori. Not only them, but their familiars included many different types of beautiful girls. These were all potential resources for his advancement.
Everyone present was shrewd, and they instantly understood Caleb's implication: he would join the one who offered the most benefits. Haggling for a better deal was perfectly normal.
"Uesugi-kun, a King and their familiar are like family. I will take good care of you."
Rias blinked, deliberately emphasizing the words "take good care."
Sona Shitori wasn't willing to lose, hinting suggestively, "If you become my familiar, not only will I take good care of you, but Tsubaki will as well, and there are many beautiful girls in the Student Council."
If I can't compete in quality, I'll win with quantity.
Rias glared, silently cursing Sona Shitori for fighting dirty. Under pressure, she had no choice but to raise the stakes.
"Not only me, but Akeno, as your senior, will also take good care of you, just like she is now."
Akeno Himejima's cheeks flushed. Caleb was still lying in her embrace. His restless hands had secretly slipped beneath her skirt and shirt.
Feeling the warm, slick skin in his hands, Caleb was almost ready to accept Rias's offer. He looked at Sona Shitori and Tsubaki Shinra, then back at Rias and Akeno Himejima, and suggested weakly, "Can I become the familiar of both of you at the same time?"
"..." ×4
Hmph, what a scumbag. ×4
"No, you can only choose one!" Rias stated firmly. "Don't worry, no matter who you choose, no one will bother you."
Rias and Sona Shitori were not only competitors but also friends.
Caleb pouted, muttering under his breath, "Why not? There's no rule that says two people can't share a familiar."
His low voice was not low at all to the four Devils present. His statement immediately stunned them.
"Indeed... while no one has ever done it, there doesn't seem to be a rule against it."
Sona Shitori seriously considered the possibilities.
"If Uesugi becomes both of our familiars, it won't be an issue as long as we don't participate in a Rating Game simultaneously."
Rias was against the idea.
"That may be true, but does that mean I have to notify you every time I want to participate in a Rating Game?"
"That's a valid point. It might be manageable while we're still in the academy, but it would be problematic later on."
Familiar bonds were lifelong and could not be changed or severed. If a familiar died, the Evil Piece used to reincarnate them would not be recovered.
Rias interrupted Sona Shitori. "Don't bring up that idea again. I absolutely will not agree to it." She was interested in Caleb, but not enough to share him. The Princess of the Gremory House would not stoop to sharing a familiar with someone else.
"I don't agree with it either."
Sona Shitori looked at Caleb. "Uesugi, take your time to think it over. No matter who you choose, we will both be sincere with you."
Caleb fell silent. Why does this feel like a marriage proposal? It makes me look like a terrible person.
Though, he genuinely was a terrible person...