Although there were certainly tricks in what Luo Shu said, the general direction was probably correct.
Realising this, Maya Yotsuba couldn't help but sigh, saying rather regretfully:
"If that's the case, then the Yotsuba family likely cannot meet your requirements."
If Maya Yotsuba understood correctly, Luo Shu's target might not be the Cabinet Direct Unit currently controlled by the Yotsuba family, but rather the female members of the Yotsuba family.
That is to say, the three people, including the twin sisters Miya Yotsuba and Maya Yotsuba, and Miyuki Shiba, the next-generation head, were all Luo Shu's targets.
And these were chips that Maya Yotsuba couldn't offer.
After all, for a great family, putting all eggs in one basket would be exceptionally foolish.
According to the thoughts of Maya Yotsuba and Miya Yotsuba, one of them should stand with the Cabinet side, and the other with the SDS Hidden Management Department side, with the next generation Miyuki Shiba to be offered to the highest bidder.
This would be the choice that best served the Yotsuba family's interests.
However, facing such family interest tendencies, Luo Shu merely smiled and asked:
"Does the so-called Yotsuba family truly exist in this world?"
Hearing this, Maya Yotsuba immediately fell silent, and even Miyuki Shiba, who was listening nearby, wore a subtle expression.
Although called the Yotsuba family, ultimately, the family members consisted of just four people.
After crossing to this world, the Yotsuba family had lost the tentacles that had penetrated almost every aspect of Japan's foundation, leaving only four core family members.
To put it bluntly, without those four, the Yotsuba family in their original world would still be the Yotsuba family.
But for those four women, the Yotsuba family now consisted only of Maya Yotsuba and her three companions.
After posing a question that left Maya Yotsuba speechless, Luo Shu summoned a waiter, ordered a coffee, and calmly sat back in his seat, speaking evenly:
"The current Yotsuba are essentially combatants united under the Japanese Cabinet's banner by selling their martial prowess, with Tatsuya Shiba as their core weapon."
"After all, from their perspective, your numbers are small, yet your combat strength is barely up to standard – convenient to control and equally convenient to dispose of."
At this point, Luo Shu looked meaningfully at Maya Yotsuba:
"For the Cabinet, a blade may be precious, but it's not beyond sacrifice."
Maya Yotsuba did not deny it, because what Luo Shu was saying was the reality.
As the secrets of Classes gradually spread and the power of Demigods became known to major nations, the ultimate force wielded by the Yotsuba – Tatsuya Shiba, who could employ Strategic Magic – was slowly falling out of the top tier.
After all, for those in high positions across various countries, a Top Tier Hero Rank with one or two Demigod-level abilities might be rare, but the Five Great Powers and even smaller nations beneath them weren't incapable of producing such experts.
But when it came to Demigod-level existences, if you didn't have one, you simply didn't.
This held true even for the Five Great Powers.
Thus, for nations worldwide, including the Five Great Powers, possessing a Demigod loyal to the state and breaking the monopoly held by mystic side organisations like the SDS over Demigods was the top priority.
Top Tier Hero Ranks like Tatsuya Shiba, while valuable, were destined to fall behind in the future if they didn't obtain a Class.
And for Japan – a society that worships strength and hierarchy, one that devours the weak – Tatsuya Shiba's value would only continue to decline until it reached a suitable level.
Maya Yotsuba had even caught wind of rumours that Japan was already gathering information on Classes, had selected a batch of candidates, and was moving to increase the number of Cabinet Direct Units.
This series of actions would undoubtedly impact the Yotsuba family's control over the Cabinet Direct Units and diminish their influence.
It was precisely this realisation that prompted Maya Yotsuba to proactively contact Luo Shu, seeking a new turning point.
However, although Maya Yotsuba had long mentally prepared herself to use both herself and her sister as bargaining chips, she never expected Luo Shu's appetite to be so large that he would even want to bring the next generation's Miyuki Shiba into the fold.
This truly took Maya Yotsuba by surprise, causing her to hesitate over whether such a sacrifice could yield satisfactory returns.
Seemingly aware of Maya Yotsuba's inner conflict, Luo Shu lowered his gaze slightly. After thanking the waiter who brought his coffee, he picked up the cup, gently blew on it, took a sip, and said:
"May I ask, Miss Maya, what exactly are you offering as your bargaining chips?"
Hearing this, Maya Yotsuba sighed softly and said: "All of the Yotsuba family's magician techniques, including Tatsuya's Material Burst and other Strategic Magics, as well as myself... and my sister."
Miyuki Shiba's eyes widened in shock, her face completely bewildered.
So her aunt's earlier remark about marrying off her mother wasn't a joke after all?
She even planned to marry herself off, too?
Before Miyuki Shiba could react, Maya Yotsuba sighed and said:
"This is already my limit, but I never imagined you would even involve Miyuki..."
Hearing this, Miyuki Shiba was so startled she quickly dodged to the right, actively increasing the distance between herself and Luo Shu, nearly crashing into the glass window on the right side.
Seeing this scene, Luo Shu couldn't help but laugh and scold:
"What on earth is going through that little head of yours? Such an exaggerated reaction?"
After saying this, Luo Shu added helplessly: "Your aunt was referring to a shift in stance, not necessarily that kind of thing."
Miyuki Shiba's face flushed red as she lowered her head to stare at the floor, determined not to utter a single word.
Compared to Luo Shu's explanation, Maya Yotsuba instead fanned the flames with a smile:
"If the price is sufficient, the scenario Miyuki imagined isn't entirely impossible, is it?"
By the end, Maya Yotsuba was looking at Luo Shu with a smile playing on her lips.
These almost explicit words made Luo Shu sigh involuntarily:
"You women born into great families..."
After sighing, Luo Shu also gave his response:
"What do you want to gain?"
At this point, Maya Yotsuba retracted her smile and said calmly:
"Healing Miya's gradually uncontrollable ability, and having the Yotsuba family produce a Demigod - these are my conditions, and the price we require for completely aligning with the SDS."
Hearing Maya Yotsuba's words, Luo Shu fell silent.
Seeing Luo Shu's silence, Maya Yotsuba wasn't surprised, instead she smiled slightly:
"It seems you also feel this price is somewhat too high."
"In fact, initially, I only intended to ask you to heal my sister. After all, if we could marry, healing one's wife's illness could be considered a husband's duty, couldn't it?"
As for the fact that Miya Yotsuba was the biological mother of Tatsuya Shiba and Miyuki Shiba, Maya Yotsuba didn't think Luo Shu would care.
After all, a pure wife could be considered a kind of bonus for some people, couldn't it?
Moreover, marrying Miya Yotsuba would indirectly mean controlling Tatsuya Shiba, that highly valuable tool - in a way, it was like getting one free with purchase.
Just as Maya Yotsuba was suggesting Luo Shu could choose the small loan option...
Luo Shu suddenly said:
"All this can be packaged for just one Demigod Class?"
"You scared me to death."
"I thought you were asking for an Apostle..."
Hearing this, Maya Yotsuba's expression instantly stiffened.