Campione! Alternate (Role-Play: Recruiting)

On the west coast of the French island of Corsica was the Scandola Nature Reserve. The red cliffs surrounded a particular Goddess. Indeed, the Red Rhyolite surrounded her as she floated in the air with her black crow-like wings that were spread out, as she roamed across Europe.

Diving downwards she skimmed the surface of the ocean, dragging a hand through the waves as she basked in having regained the freedom of flight. After much purification her wings that had been seized by the Authority of King in the East were now hers once more, though it would take a while longer before her weapons would be similarly cleansed of their afflicted curses. The excitement from her match against the two Campiones in the East had not yet waned and she looked forward to what battles fate might lead her to next with a smile on her face.

But a shadow of dissatisfaction suddenly crossed over her features as the Goddess frowned. With a few flaps of her wings she ascended up the face of the red cliffs and landed at the summit with uncertainty in her steps. True the two were worthy foes, but there was something lacking. As she walked along the edge of the cliff she tried to figure what it had been, what had been missing that had left her wanting with the fight.

Ambition. It had been their lack of ambition that bothered her. The two ancient Campiones had skill, they had power, but any ambition, if it had existed in the past, seemed absent. They were too settled into the role of a King and if they had once had the ambition of a warrior of the battlefield, what defined a hero, it seemed lost. While the Hunter Queen had carried herself with an air of one growing tired of the same repetitive game, the Cursed King cared only for his land. The Goddess’ lips curled up into a smile. What better way to rekindle passion than with battle? But such a battle would need more combatants, from both Gods and man.

The Heretic Goddess soon felt a flicker of life from the red cliffs that laid before her. It was the sign of a Heretic God that had perished in these lands thanks to a battle. Her smile widened and she took to the air, descending with a flutter of black feathers where the presence of life was strongest. It would seem fate favored her, to have already found a capable combatant. Raising her arms, she chanted as a silver aura surrounded her divine form.

“O slumbering one, in Bé Néit’s name—I breathe into thy vessel sacred life and Divine might. Arise! So ye may bringeth great conflicts for poets to scribble! Arise! So ye may challenge the greatest’s greatest that mankind possesseth! Arise! So ye may bring about glorious battles beyond the shores of Inis Fáil!"

As the glow surrounding Nemain reached a fevered pitch and a second light, a brilliant pillar of pristine white burst forth from the ground before her, resonating with her Divine might. The two sources of luminescence intertwined, their brilliance mingling as they shared their radiance. The aura surrounding the Goddess gradually left her feeding into the pillar before her. As it did so it coalesced into the form of a youth and the illumination faded.

The black-haired youth was a handsome figure, appearing in the form of a child who would be no more than sixteen years old by ordinary standards.

“Art thou the avatar of war that beckoneth mine presence?” the youth asked her.

“Indeed was I, Eastern Warlord. Dost thou seek battle?” The once clear sky was now suddenly filled by the Goddess’ crows, symbols of victory, as they paid homage to the eastern avatar of victory.

“Hm…” His eyes grew distant. “Indeed, I seek battle—I seek the long and forgotten taste of defeat. I wouldst prefer to learn if there art such that may defeat me.”

“Then join mine ambition. I seek the greatest battle this world may offer. There thou may recall thy taste of defeat for this age hath such marvelous foes.” Nemain declared her intentions confidently with a wide smile as she extended a welcoming hand to the god of victory.

“Oh? Interesting venture thou propose, perhaps I shall join thee… I reckon thou hath met these fine warriors of the age thou spake of?”

“Indeed,” Nemain said with an approving nod and a blissful expression on her face as she thought back fondly on the memory of the battle. “I crossed blades with two Godslayers in the Far East. Their usurped Authorities were numerous as they were powerful. I seek to face them anew on a greater battlefield.”

“What a curious age to be in indeed! Excellent, excellent!” He stood up, spreading his arms wide. “I am most interested in facing the Godslayers thou speak of.”

“Luck may be on thy side. During battle one spoke to the other of a trip to a land not far from here. If fate wills it our paths may cross,” Nemain said with a laugh, pleased with his eagerness.

“Then let us make way to this land thou spake of, I am eager to meet the Godslayers… and potential other Heretics that may well have vested interest in combating mineself.”

“Layeth beyond the sea, from whence the sun riseth. Fight Heretics to thy heart’s content but I ask thee not to engage our prey if mine presence is absent...” Nemain gave him a jovial smile that, while not overtly hostile, let him know it was more than just a request. “Lest it be I that offers thee the taste of defeat.”

“I wouldst decline but since it is thou that have returned me to this world, I shall fulfill thy request.”

“Then be there no discord between us.” Any momentary tension in the air evaporated instantly as if it had never been and the Goddess’ enthused demeanor carried nothing but genuine anticipation. “Now come, fate awaits to the east!”

“Ah, but allow me to speak of one request of mine own,” the warlord said, unmoving from his spot. “If I find mine adversary that hath sent me to mine defeat in the distant and forgettable past—I shalt not tolerate interference from thee.”

“Do as thee desires. My interest lies not in personal duels but neither am I as crass as to interfere if thou seekest.” Nemain responded flightily, waving off his concerns. “Now, let us be off!”

The rest of the day had been an uproar regarding the incident of the city of Rome. Outrageous claims were being made across the national news channels about coordinated terrorist attacks. It wasn’t hard to believe seeing how bad the situation of the city was. Even then, they angled the cameras properly so as not to show all of the damages. A level of destruction that quite literally leveled the ancient capital city steeped in rich history was something perhaps just a little hard to believe for some, and this was a measure against such skeptics.

As the news continued detailing the chain of incidents that were claimed to have taken place, Yagami sat in the lobby with Himiko standing a respectable distance away, while Natsuki seemed to have wandered off somewhere saying that she wanted to explore.

“Somewhat crude of me but it is enjoyable to not be the one responsible for destruction for once,” Yagami hummed as he munched on a scone.

“So it is fun for the Cursed King to watch people suffer and make heavy work for the recovery efforts?” Himiko asked nonchalantly.

“Nnn, you wound me yet again. I am just glad that this time, I’m not the one causing the damage, is all,” he replied, sipping lightly from a cup of coffee. “Ugh, how I wish I had proper Japanese green tea.”

“I lack the tea set at the moment, unfortunately…”

“Make sure they bring it over,” he clarified before sighing. “The both of you won’t even join me for a simple supper.”

“It would be folly to join my Lord’s supper at the table. I believe the only one suitable is Lady Gloria.”

“Though that is true, it is also I who decide who dines at my table. At least sit down on the couch, standing for so long… what kind of King do you take me for?”

“My Lord may not be the best King, but I aim to be the best and most respectable retainer.”

Yagami patted the couch. “That’s quite enough, come here and sit down. Have a cake to refresh yourself after a long day.”

“I’m not quite hungry, my Lord,” she said unmoving.

Perhaps this was austerity of the highest degree, or an immunity trained upon her for years so she could be suitable to serve the King. Regardless, Yagami ignored these rules that she had set for herself.

“Don’t be like that, otherwise I’ll release Natsuki on you for the rest of the trip.” He frowned so very slightly, patting the seat once more.

The Hime Miko seemed to frown. “If my Lord insists…” She sat down beside Yagami, but dared not to touch the cake.

Yagami poured a cup of tea and set it down in front of her. “This should help.”

“I could do that myself, my Lord.” Regardless, Himiko accepted the tea and took a sip, her complexion relaxing substantially.

“Let this old man do what he wishes once in a blue moon, yes? I have always been waited on hand and foot by you so this is a nice change,” he said before looking out the door. “Natsuki is probably bumbling around, I hope she doesn't get into trouble.”

“That… that is a problem, my Lord, even if Your Majesty says so I am not sure how to respond… having things done by others is so inconvenient…” Her frown grew deeper. She drank more of the tea as if to console herself.

“Hoho, the young girl wishes to carry out all the duties on her lonesome? How admirable.”

“I like to think of myself as independant, thank you very much.”

“Good girl, good girl. Just remember that even the strongest oak will bend when faced with the strongest of mother nature’s fury,” Yagami said, patting her head affectionately.

The Hime Miko suppressed her anger as she was patted. “That is for my Lord to take care of, thus I have nothing to fear.”

“That’s right. Even if the people have no faith in me, there are still things only I can do. Hence, I must be the one to do it. That’s the way it should be so the children can continue without obstruction.”

“That is correct, and since my Lord is so gracious, it is my job to serve him, not the other way around.”

“Muu… What is the use of being a King if I can’t do what I want…” he commented offhandedly.

“The point of being a King is that Your Majesty need not do the smallest of tasks, those are things us peasants may take care of.”

“And yet you see yourself as a peasant who does more than most, otherwise the position you hold would have gone to another. Fumu, for what reason do you strive so hard… It’s definitely not to garner my affection.”

“It is simply the only way I have been taught to live.” The Hime Miko thus maintained adamantly. And I am not going to be his concubine… for sure!

“Mufu. You have been raised well. Continue this and I foresee you going far in life,” Yagami said, oblivious to her thoughts.

“Y-Yeah, very far in life.” Or very short, in some battlefield.

“Fret not, Himiko. You are important to the Cursed King and will be protected as one of his very own. May those who seek to harm thee find mercy for he will have none for them,” he reaffirmed, patting her head again. “You should worry about things girls your age do. Clothes, shopping, maybe getting a partner.”

“I-I’d rather not have such a privilege,” she huffed. This is going in the direction I don’t want it to! “Clothes, shopping… p-partner?”

“Umu, are you not at that age where those are at the forefront of the mind?” Yagami asked, popping another small pastry into his mouth.

“I believe that is Miss Natsuki’s forte…”

“Oh dear, look who it is!”

The Cursed King heard the voice of the True Queen as she strolled by, as if they were meeting after a hundred years instead of less than half a day.

“Ou, there thou art. Care to join me for a cup of tea?” Yagami asked with a grin.

“May I excuse myself?” Himiko asked.

“I mind not,” the True Queen answered, making a smile that was polite yet it encompassed her serenity.

Yagami looked around for Marina but found no trace of her. “Is thou Sister coming? She could join us for supper.”

“She is speaking with the other Paladin of the yonder past.”

“Oh, a shame she can’t join us then. Come, come. Relax a little.”

The True Queen sat across the couches, pulling a leg over the other as she laid a glance over the television screen tersely.

“It appeareth thy maidservant is feeling very much uncomfortable there, Cursed King.”

“Ah, she didn’t like my pouring of her tea too much. A hard worker she is but relax child, it’s a holiday.”

“Even if Your Majesty says that…”

“Ufufu, how adorable,” Gloria remarked.

“Right? It is quite enjoyable to see children do their best! So very endearing,” Yagami agreed.

“Indeed, indeed, my Marina tries to be such a perfect child, it is so amusing.”

Yagami and Gloria both chuckled in the way only both of them could, the Cursed King offering to pour for her a cup of tea as well. “Would thou partake of this or would another suit thy tastebuds?”

“I prefer to partake in earl grey, usually. My tastes are considered to be quaint now, aged with a couple of centuries.”

“Oh, speaking of that. What of thy offer for liquor? I am highly keen on trying something made by the True Queen herself,” Yagami said as he leaned back into the sofa.

“Unfortunately, thou must cometh to Britain to experience mine cocktails, mine bar is in ruins due to the calamitous events of the day.”

“Please excuse me, allow me to fetch for the earl grey,” Himiko curtly spoke as she stood up from the couch, making a bow as she walked away. Finally, some peace…

“Oh, if you would be so kind Himiko,” Yagami said with a smile. “Un… A trip to Britain is necessary after all.”

“Thou art not remaining to meet with the younger children of Epimetheus?”

“That is the objective of this trip, I suppose. Perhaps I shall journey to Britain once my talk with them is over.”

“I shall have Marina pick thee up once thou arriveth to mine homeland. She may guide thee suitably to mineself.”

“Ou, much obliged indeed. Thou art foresee no problems interacting with me so openly? I am the Cursed King after all.”

“My, my, art thou catering to safeguard mine reputation now?”

“The least I can do for my most gracious host. Otherwise, what kind of guest would I be?”

Himiko returned with the teacup and teapot, pouring some for Gloria. The Campione thanked her as she remained standing now.

“I would love to know what thou learn of the children when we meet again.”

Yagami humphed at Himiko’s decision to stand but since the True Queen was here, he couldn’t exactly call her out. “I will give thee my thoughts on them once we meet again. Perhaps I shall visit she who holds the Authority of the nine tails first.”

“I shalt be grateful for the information.”

“Yo, Old King! I’m back!”

At that moment, Natsuki casually strode up to them and sat beside Yagami, her cheeks seemingly a little flushed.

“Ou, Natsuki—” Yagami cut off as soon as he noticed her flushed state. “Have you been partaking of alcohol?”

“Mhm! Italy’s so good, I get to drink because I’m over sixteen. Woohoo! Hic.”

Yagami pinched the bridge of his nose, letting loose a deep breath. “I let you out of my sight for one second but it seems I can’t even trust you to handle yourself.”

“What?! It’s not like it’s illegal! You drink all the time anyway… I think!”

“You know, you aren’t of legal age for that in Yamato yet but…” He leaned down, whispering into her ear. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Next time you drink, I’ll be watching but don’t overdo it!”

At that moment, Yagami felt a fierce gaze and turned to find Himiko with eyes that resembled a demon’s, on the other hand Natsuki seemed to be completely uncaring as she nodded slyly with the King.

“You want to drink too?” Yagami asked in casual Japanese. “I don’t mind but there’ll need to be a chaperone. The True Queen apparently makes a real good cocktail too.”

“I am simply wondering what outrageous things Your Majesty is telling Miss Natsuki! Have some shame and sense of responsibility!” Himiko said sternly. “Your Majesty is far too lax even if it is a relaxation trip!”

“Aw c’mon don’t be a party spo—”

“You, you need to stop being a shameless girl!” Himiko scolded. “Stop fooling around and be a proper Hime Miko!”

“Yes ma’am.”

“And Your Majesty! Drinking Lady Gloria’s drinks is fine but there is a limit to being nice, especially for someone such as Miss Natsuki, I hope my Lord keeps that in mind in the future!”

“Oh dear, it appeareth thy maidservant hath let her inner fury escape,” Gloria remarked.

“Hahaha. I reckon this trip will do her good though, it does the body good to release all the dissatisfaction one has once in awhile. Bottling it up does one no good,” Yagami agreed. “Ok, how about you set the terms, Himiko? Would that not satisfy what you have in mind for Natsuki as a Hime Miko? On my end, I shall allow her to drink in moderation but you decide what she needs to accomplish before that happens! How’s that?”

“Tch, no wonder he is the Lazy King and they’re the Lazykura,” she grumbled. “Fine, I shall do exactly that, since Your Majesty can’t seem to come to a decision. Please excuse me.” She walked away with heavy steps.

“Lazy King… Ahhhhh, these titles. Why do they bother about such things even on holiday. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t have a boyfriend… Natsuki, you and Himiko attend the same academy?”

“Not really, she is in some rich kid’s ladies school. I couldn’t be bothered with such things,” Natsuki replied. “That’s the name I always knew Your Majesty by, though.”

At that moment, Yagami almost heard laughter but when he looked at Gloria, she was perfectly composed.

“Nnn, I was under the impression both of you attended the same school with how familiar you are with each other,” Yagami said as he turned his attention back to Natsuki.

“We were childhood friends. Our families were close, sorta.”

“Ou, I see, I see. Nnn, we’ll continue this conversation in the room,” he said, getting up to bring Natsuki upstairs. “My apologies, True Queen for I have to take my leave now. As you can see, one of my retainers is… inebriated whilst the other… haha.”

“Mnm, I pray for thou to have sweet dreams, Cursed King. Good night.”

She made a sly smile.

One as old as Gloria could indeed deduce what the fellow King was up to.

As she regained consciousness, she found that she could hardly lift a finger. As the vision improved, she felt a certain warmth in her left hand. Looking to the side her gaze fell upon the knight of Lys Blanc, Marie Augusta. Memories floated back into her mind as she was reminded of the conflict between her and Beatrix. Indeed, Rosaria couldn’t defeat the other Campione even after all her efforts.

“How do you feel now?”

Marie’s voice visited her ears.

“Do you feel any pain?” she added.

“Y-you’re alright? H-how’s Lina? What… happened after?” Rosaria felt the humiliating feeling of defeat despite Oinari’s help, plus being saved by someone she didn’t know—and that made an ache inside her she could not describe. Perhaps one of her greatest reliefs for now seemed to be seeing at least one of her friends safe.

“We are alright, thankfully the battle took place outside the Colosseum… we cannot say the same for the civilians, though.”

“I guess… I lost, huh?”

“I suppose so.” Marie made a small smile. “That Campione’s Authority was rather unreasonable.”

“I didn’t want to break the city that much...” Rosaria did look genuinely regretful. After seeing the destruction, she realized one thing: that was not her path, nor her desire. Destruction like that was just breaking things that she could’ve experienced—it was as their savior said; Rosaria’s destruction was brought upon necessity by battle, not a desire to induce despair and sadness. “…I’m sorry.”

“As long as you understand… we had heard that the seventh Campione holds some tyrannical tendencies, but this is the first time I believe she displayed it to this extent. To be honest, I am rather fearful for Europe.”

“Did she get the Medallion of the Rainforests? What should we do now? Ehehe, now you really have to teach me stuff!” She weakly cheered and smiled at Marie.

“I do not think I have the time to teach you much since I must depart for Japan soon.”

“Wha-? No fair! I’m coming too!” Rosaria bolted up from where she rested.

Marie made a sly smile. “Oh dear, then I suppose you do not get your training after all.”

“W-wha… what should I do?!” Rosaria was panicking, she wanted to do both but it seemed that it may not be possible. “I want to do both! I do!”

“But you must pick one!”

“Noooo...” Rosaria’s head almost spun from the heaviness of the decision, should she go with Marie to Japan and explore? Or should she get more training, to best the seventh and of course, Bunny? “I don’t know!”

“Well, you never know what you might learn in Japan. Who knows, maybe a Heretic God will pop up.”

“I’ll go! I’ll come with you!” Rosaria’s eyes were lit up at the sound of a Heretic God.

“I see. I shall have my Father prepare your passport and other necessary documents, though we may have to get you to the appropriate office and whatnot.”

“Alright, let’s go! Right now! Oh, hey, Oinari’s from there too, right?”

“Well, you might want to get some more rest, and yes, she is.”

“Okay! Don’t leave without us!”

“I will go make preparations while you get rest now.”

Marie got up from the chair that was parked beside the bed and waved as she walked out of the room. Just as she was going, Alina came in.

“Lina! You’re okay, too!” Rosaria perked up, waving at the other redhead.

Alina smiled as she approached. “I should be the one to say that. You’re the one who fought, after all.”

“Did you see how big she grew? She was like †˜Waaaaagh!’ and then the Colosseum got destroyed,” Rosaria spread her arms wide and made silly faces.

Alina laughed despite how serious the destruction was. “Let’s not forget how you tried to expose her with your spell.”

“Hehe, I was trying to hold her in place,” Rosaria scratched the side of her cheek. “But I forgot she was a girl! She’s more like a giant monkey—but a strong one! I want to beat her next time, I will! ”

“I’ll do what I can to make that happen. You expressed interest in bettering your skills with a sword, did you not? I’m no master swordsman myself, but I could be a sparring partner if you like, at least until someone more suitable comes along.”

“That’s okay, Marie and me fought too. That. Is. Why. You should come to Japan with us!” Rosaria spun a finger in front of Alina, smiling.

“Oh I intend to. I wouldn’t miss the opportunity.” Alina had never considered going to Japan before but now that the chance presented itself, she felt an undeniable excitement over it.

“Marie said we might find Heretic Gods there too! Ufufu, Bunny will be surprised when we come back, I’ll have ten—a hundred more Authorities! Then after that… I will topple that giant!”

“…just how many Heretic Gods do you plan on finding and slaying over there?”

“All of them!”

“I don’t know too much about Japan admittedly, but I doubt there are a hundred Heretic Gods running about. If there were and you battled all of them, I imagine the whole country would be demolished in the end.”

“I-I can’t?” Rosaria said with a pout while looking at Alina with teary eyes.

Alina felt guilt for dashing her hopes, even if they had been absurd. “No, but I’m sure Japan will still have much to offer.” She patted Rosaria lightly on the arm.

“Ehehe,” the girl smiled towards to her friend. “Hmmm, I’m hungry. Let’s go eat!”

“You took quite the beating out there. Don’t you think you should rest more?”

“Nuh uh, I healed myself lots there too! Don’t worry about it, haha!” To emphasize her point, Rosaria sprang out of the bed and did a few stretching exercises. “See?”

Alina had to remind herself her companion was a Campione as well. “I guess so. Oh yeah, I hate to put a damper on your mood, but after the fight the True Queen took possession of the Medallion.”

“Eh? I guess it’s fair, since she defeated the Seventh… But she just intruded! I could’ve won it myself!” Rosaria hmphed.

And yet you collapsed almost immediately after the True Queen showed up and dealt with her. “Uh huh, sure you could of.”

“That’s right! Let’s go get some grub?” Rosaria pointed to the door with her thumb.

Alina couldn’t tell if she hadn’t picked up on her sarcasm or chose to ignore it. “Sure, I could go for some food.”

“Wonder where the kitchen is...” Rosaria said aloud as she stepped out of the room. From her tone, it seemed like she planned to explore anyway; but now she had a reason to do so. She poked her head back in and called Alina out, “Hurry, Lina! Let’s find a kitchen!”

Alina caught up to her and took the lead. “I know where the kitchen is, silly. We’re in the headquarters of the Copper Black Cross if you didn’t realize.”

“Oh, you live here right? Let’s find something to eat!” Rosaria said giddily. “Let’s go to your room, too!”

“I live in an apartment close by actually. We can head there after we eat.”

“Okay. Let’s go pick up Marie, too!”

“Do you know where she went off to?” They hadn’t said much beyond a greeting as they passed each other in the hall.

“She said she’d prepare, but I’m sure we’d find her. Haha!” Rosaria, however, didn’t seem to be worried at all, as she looked around the corridor they were walking in.

“We can try asking around.” Like the rest of the mansion, the hall they walked down was decorated with red accented with intricate patterns. Now and then, they passed a portrait of an old member of the organization. “You should meet the commander too. Alvise Blandelli. We should probably see if he’s available before I show you my apartment actually.”

Alina wasn’t sure why it hadn’t occurred to her earlier. The Paladin had already been filled in on the details, but there was no way he wouldn’t like to meet the new King once she was awake.

“Your boss is Elvis?” Rosaria stopped in her tracks.

Alina had gone on for a few more steps before realizing she wasn’t keeping up anymore. She turned back. “No… that’s not even close. Alvise Blandelli. He’s a Paladin, not a singer.”

“Oh, okay then,” Rosaria replied with a disappointed sigh. She started walking again, until she was side by side with Alina. “So, what’s he like?”

They resumed their trip to the kitchen. “How do I put this? Even if he wasn’t my commander, he’s not someone I’d want to upset, but it’s not as if he’s cruel or anything. The way he carries himself just demands respect. I can’t think of anyone else in our organization who’d be better suited for his position.”

“Hoho, you like him eh?” Rosaria nudged Alina with her elbow.

“He’s probably more than twice my age! I respect him.” Enough that Alina was beginning to worry Rosaria would do something to embarrass her in front of him.

“Hey, I don’t mind! You like what you like. Hoho, you’re more mature than me, Lina!” Rosaria sniggered, patting her friend’s back.

“You’re right about the last part at least,” Alina huffed. She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “So, is there anyone you’ve ever had a crush on?”

“Nope!” Rosaria cheerfully replied. She did have a few playmates when she was a child, but her grandmother kept a good watch on her. Would’ve continued too, if she hadn’t ran away. “Haven’t thought about it yet, I don’t want to be like the aunts and uncles back home, it’s so boring!”

Alina let out a sigh. “I haven’t put too much thought into it either to be honest. Even if the perfect guy showed up right now, I don’t think I’d be ready for that kind of life.”

“Ufufu, make sure not to grope him in bath!” Rosaria started chuckling, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

“There’s only one thing I wanna grope right now.” Alina eyes’s held the gleam of a predator as she regarded Rosaria.

“Hm? Whoa, don’t grope your boss!” Rosaria backed away in shock.

“Nevermind,” Alina ground out. It was best to let the matter drop before Rosaria said anything else that others could misinterpret. “Come on, we’re almost to the kitchen.”

“Yay, let’s hurry!” Rosaria made a little jump of joy, not really giving a thought about busybodies around them.

Alina grabbed her arm and pulled her along. It wasn’t long until her nose picked up on the smell of food. It made her stomach grumble. She was hungrier than she thought she was. “Here we are.”

“I smell food!” Rosaria immediately headed towards the place where the smell was coming from—the kitchen. “Hahaha! There’s a lot of food in here!” Her voice, filled with glee, came out from the kitchen.

Shaking her head, Alina went into the kitchen after her. She couldn’t believe how clueless the Campione was with even basic things like this. Alina apologized to the cooks before turning to Rosaria. “We don’t just come in here and take what we want. That’s now not how it works.”

“I want to try, too!” Rosaria replied, as if it were obvious.

“You’ll only get in their way of their job right now. If you want to practice cooking, we can do that later.”

“Yay!” Rosaria pumped her fists and found a seat which she immediately took, tapping on the seat beside her. “Tell them to cook meat, then!”

“They’re already cooking it… is there anything you want in particular?”

She just shrugged in reply. “Do you think your Boss would allow you to go to Japan?”

“I haven’t brought it up yet, but I imagine he won’t have a problem with it if it means continuing to support you. Now come on, let’s let the cooks get back to their work and wait outside for the food.”

“Boo… Fine,” Rosaria stepped out of the kitchen with a look of disappointment.

Alina followed after her. “The other option would be to stay in there and continue distracting them. Would you prefer that?”

“Hmm, maybe I should’ve brought Oinari’s rice with me...”

Alina recalled the story Rosaria had told her about her fight against the Heretic God with Marie. “Can you summon rice as part of the Authority you gained from her?”

“Ooh, I’ve never tried!” Rosaria clapped her hands together and stood up. “I’m going to try now!”

“No, wait, don’t! Not here!”

“What, why?” She pouted, already looking forward to the promise of infinite food.

“At the very least, you’ll annoy a lot of people when they get drowned out in rice.”

“It’s free, though! Gasp, maybe you don’t like rice?”

“Well, it is far from my favorite… but that’s not the point! Free or not, it’ll disrupt everyone here.”

“I will ask them!” Rosaria ran back to the kitchen. “Do you guys like rice?!” she asked, shouting.

“I like lasagna!” one of the chefs exclaimed. “I mean, who are you?! This place is off-limits!”

“Can I cook too?” And so, she was inside the kitchen yet again. “I like lasagna too! Make one—teach me!”

“We don’t have the time for that! Go wait outside, we’ll serve when it’s ready.”

“Boo...” Rosaria pouted and went back to her seat. “They won’t let me...”

“…did you think they were going to?” Alina sat across from her.

“Yeah, why not? I bet I could cook good!”

“Do you have much practice?” Alina asked, genuinely curious.

“Of course not! Hehe.”

“It’s not something most people can just pick up. It takes years of practice to be as good as the cooks we employ here.”

“Hehe, don’t worry about it! I’d finish it in a day!” She flexed her arm and patted it with the other hand.

“It’d take you a whole day to prepare one meal? You do realize that’s not a good thing, right?”

“Hahaha, I mean be good at it, silly.” Rosaria started laughing, wiping tears from her eyes.

Alina crossed her arms. “Fine then, when I show you my apartment later, you can use the kitchen there to cook a meal for us. We’ll see how good you are.”

“I will, I will! Then after that, teach me how to drive too! Sancho and Marie doesn’t want to…”

“I can’t drive either…”

“Aw… Marie can’t too, though. She can’t cook too!”

“Makes sense. Someone of her position would have no need to learn those skills.”

“That’s right, that means I can beat her at a car race!”

Alina chuckled. “Good luck getting her to agree to take part in such a thing.”

“Hehe, thanks!” Rosaria happily replied, before looking back at the kitchen’s door. “They’re taking too long!”

Seconds later after she said that, a server left the kitchen with two plates of lasagna and set one in front of each of them. He went back in and returned with bread and two glass filled with ice water.

Alina took a sip from her glass. “They would have gotten done sooner if we didn’t interrupt them.”

“Lasagna!” Rosaria imitated the chef in the kitchen, before she started devouring her meal. “Mffis good!”

Alina blinked. She had picked up her fork but hadn’t even touched her plate yet. “Do you always eat like that or are you just that hungry?”

“Mhmm, Nona did say to eat properly and all, but… I’m hungry!” she replied, twirling the fork in her hand. “Besides, you’re the only one here, hehe.”

Alina shrugged and began eating as well but with nowhere near the fervor that Rosaria was. “So, shall we go meet with Paladin Blandelli after this?” she asked in between bites.

“Mhmm, let’s meet this Blandy,” Rosaria nodded, her focus mostly was on the pasta.

“I don’t think he’d stop you from calling him that since you’re a Campione, but I’d prefer it if you would call him respectfully by his actual name.”

“Hm? Bland Deli?”

“Blandelli. I’ve only been Diavolo Rosso for a few days now. I’d like this meeting to go as smooth as possible.”

“Ooh… Hehe, don’t worry, I won’t embarrass you in front of him.” Rosaria narrowed her eyes and started grinning.

“Thanks, it means a lot to—I do not have feelings for him!” It wasn’t long before the two of them finished eating. Then it was time to take the new King to meet Alvise Blandelli.

The pair that consisted of Alina and Rosaria soon entered the office room that was in the corner of the second floor of the Copper Black Cross headquarters. The hallways were exquisite, but the office room was particularly lavish and spacious.

A man with a gallant figure befitting of a Paladin awaited the King inside—behind a desk. He got up for Rosaria and walked up to her as she entered and extended a hand. His figure was comparable to a statue of David, his smile was perfect, and his facial features handsome. A truly knightly and chivalrous man.

Rosaria took the man’s hand and shook it firmly, “I see you’re the famed Bland Deli. I am Rosaria Testarossa, nice to meet you!”

Alina wanted to palm her forehead but remained still and kept quiet.

“Ah, it is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Testarossa.” The Paladin knelt down and kissed the back of her hand gently. Something he’d only do for very high-profile ladies, which certainly didn’t include the current Diavolo Rosso. “I had heard much of Your Majesty’s activities today.”

“Ohoho, you’re like that guy from fairy tales and all, huh?” Rosaria quipped. “No wonder...” Her gaze then slowly turned towards Alina, and Rosaria promptly smiled when she caught her gaze.

Alina scowled at her and a gave a slight shake of her head.

“Before I speak with Your Majesty, however, I must inform that Your Majesty has a guest awaiting today.”

“Call me Rosaria!” She wagged her finger in a scolding manner. “A guest? Where?!”

“Over here, young one,” Yagami called out from a sofa in the corner of the room. “I trust you have recovered from your bout against the giantess?”

“Huh, who’re you?” Rosaria tilted her head, curious as to how this person had known her fight against the panty-flashing giantess.

“Just an old man here to sate his curiosity. Are you free to do so now or are there things you have to attend to?”

“Eh? What are we gonna do?” Rosaria replied, unsure what the man was talking about. But then again, it got her curious. “…Let’s go!”

“Excuse me, sir, but what did you have in mind?” Alina asked. She had never seen the man before in her life and had no idea what was going on.

“Nothing fancy my dear, just a conversation between Kings. It is heartening to see the young ones being so full of vitality!”

“Oh! Pardon me, my lord.” Alina dropped to a knee. “I didn’t realize who you were.” Alina still wasn’t sure who he was, but she didn’t see the commander correcting him.

“Hahaha! That’s right!” Rosaria laughed with her hands on her hips. “OH! You’re that guy that appeared back then!”

“Pay it no mind, I am here merely to speak with your liege so there isn’t a need for that,” he said before smiling at Rosa. “Ou, that is correct. When I saw you had the Authority of the nine tails, there was no doubt that there was to be a conversation between us!”

“Oinari gave it to me! Oh, but your wife took the Medallion of the Rainforests, I don’t have it!” Still, Rosaria was awfully perky for someone who was talking about her losing and getting beat up.

“Hahahaha! †˜Wife’ you say. Your sense of humor knows no bounds if you refer to her and I as such. Regardless, I’m not here for the Divine Artifact. Just to talk.” Yagami had laughed at her proclamation, lifting his glasses to wipe a tear away.

“Ehh, but you haven’t even said your name yet… Even Bland Deli here said his name,” she scolded. “If she’s not your wife… Then are those girls your wives? Hoho, you’re pretty energetic aren’t you?”

“Aha, where are my manners! I am Yagami Arata, the one known as the Cursed King of the East. A pleasure to meet you, Rosaria Testarossa. I’m afraid you are also mistaken on that. They are but children I have taken to looking after but alas, why are you so fixated on the topic of my partner?”

Alina’s eyes widened. The Cursed King!?

“You like looking at children?” Rosaria asked curiously, taking a half step backwards.

“Barring a handful, I suppose all of you would be children.”

“Eh… Oh, are you from the east?! I’m going there with Marie and Lina here! But since you’re here, I’m already halfway done, Cursed King!”

“I’m not His Majesty’s wife,” Natsuki said, yawning from the couch on the corner. She appeared to be a very fashionable person in a sailor school uniform. “But thinking back to last night… who knows…”

“Ho, what business did you have with Yamato and myself, young one?” he said, tapping Natsuki on the head once in admonishment. “If there are questions I may answer them by all means.”

“Uh huh, teach me about Oinari!” Rosaria gave a look towards Natsuki and back to the Cursed King, and now she already had assumptions toward the ancient King.

“Are you not going to learn about the Authority on your own?” Yagami asked in return.

“I will! But I want to hear about Oinari!”

“Would now be a good time to ask for permission to travel to Japan with our King?” Alina asked Blandelli. She had approached him and lowered her voice so as not to interrupt the conversation between the two Campiones.

“Well, if the Cursed King minds not, I see no issue. Lady Auguste had also consulted me on the matter and her father and I had agreed to help with the documentations to allow the eighth King to journey to Japan,” Alvise answered calmly, drinking tea despite the presence of the Cursed King in his office.

“She already said I could join her, sir. There’s no problems there.”

“So long as the youngling swears not to harm Yamato, I do not see a reason to bar her from my lands,” Yagami said from the couch. “Of course, Yozakura must be kept in the know.”

“What’s a Yozakura?” Rosaria butted in. “Don’t worry, I only made the rock pillars! It’s the seventh that destroyed the Colosseum and the city, while she was trying to stomp me in!”

“My lord is correct,” Alina spoke up. “I was there and can attest that most of the damage was caused by the seventh King.”

“The organization under me,” he clarified as his eyes flashed violet once. “The seventh will be the next one I speak to. Suffice it to say that one has gotten on the True Queen’s bad side with her recent actions but do remember that she is not one to pull her punches, especially with what has transpired in Rome. Take heed, Youngest King for I am the same with regard to my domain.”

“Eh? True Queen? I want to meet her too!” A shiver ran down her spine when the King’s eye flashed. It wasn’t long before Rosaria promptly ignored it, but she knew that this person in front of her was not to be trifled with—in combat, that is.

“Hoho, you will have to travel to England for that if you wish to see her. Take care not to cause any trouble this time in Brittania, you hear? If something happens there… There is no stopping her. On that topic, is Oinari the first Heretic you have triumphed over?” Yagami asked. An existence that composed of a multitude of Gods, there was no one in Yamato that would not know the name Oinari and how significant it was to the country and its people.

“That’s right! I fought Bunn—Kin’iro too, but we just finished with a draw!” Rosaria replied, getting pumped up when she remembered her battles.

You just completely ignored his warning… Alina thought. She didn’t think Rosaria would cause unnecessary damage, but she would make sure to remind her later. It was best not to risk it when it came to the True Queen.

“Kin’iro? Nnn, a name unknown to me indeed. Good, good. Polish thy fangs, gain the power to protect the people for only you and none other than you can do so now.”

“Huh? I’m going to explore, just staying around guarding stuff isn’t for me!”

“Fumu, you have no intention to protect a domain?” Yagami asked her, adjusting his spectacles with a push of his finger.

“Hmmm,” she hummed, taking some time to think. “If I protect everything, then I have to go everywhere, right?! Hohoho.”

“Not necessarily, no. What is yours could travel with you but even so, you’d have the power to protect them. Domain does not have to be land, my dear.”

“Eh...” Rosaria wasn’t so sure what the guy was talking about, but perhaps she would realize its importance later on. “But your domain is your country, right?”

“In my case, yes. You are still young so there is still time to find what you will consider your own domain. I look forward to seeing your growth, Rosaria,” he said with a wide smile.

“That’s right! You can watch me explore the world, and then take all her treasures! Then, I will take my domain or whatever. Haha!” Rosaria opened her arms widely and laughed.

“So long as you don’t pilfer from Yamato, I will stand back and watch your progress."

“That is far too much, as ever.” Marie appeared finding the doors open, making a brief smile as she gave a nod to the Cursed King, not knowing who he was. She closed the set of doors behind her and thus entered. “I apologize for the little interruption, but I have finalized the tickets for our departure for Japan, Miss Rosaria.”

It was not odd for the most favored lady to be fashionably late. Other than the second King Gloria, Marie was the other figure who tended to be this way famously in the Magic World.

The Cursed King waved back in response with a smile, rapping Natsuki on the head a second time as she was lazing far too much on the couch.

“Look Marie, it’s the Cursed King!” Rosaria ran to her friend and pointed at the man. “Told you we’d find him!”

“Oh… oh! It’s you! Miss Marie!” Natsuki abruptly pointed at Marie.

“Hm? Hmmm? The Cursed King? I see.” Marie made a more polite smile. “It is a pleasure to meet Your Majesty, I must admit I was not expecting such a lordly figure to be accompanied by an acquaintance of mine,” Marie said.

“Likewise. Pray tell how does one such as yourself know… this?” Yagamin said, squeezing Natsuki’s cheeks together with a hand.

“Yeah Marie, how did you know his wife?” Rosaria added.

Marie almost chuckled. Almost. “Wife? Well, I would not dismiss the possibility. Miss Natsuki is an accomplished Japanese samurai, a Hime Miko of the sword, and is rather famous in the west.”

“Huh? Really?” Natsuki said, her eyes brightening up.

“For your various activities in the city, yes. There is no other Hime Miko who would… commit such acts, after all.”

“Ahaha, you’re making me blush here!”

“That is not a compliment.”

“Oh, okay. Still, though, good to see you again.”

“I see you have not changed in the slightest.”

“It is heartening to know that one of the Hime Miko is well-received in part to her ability with the blade but… I suppose I have quite the job cut out for me for the other half,” Yagami commented dryly.

“Eh? Eh?” Rosaria was confused. What the girl was famous for, she wondered.

“Verily so,” Marie said. “Her acts of vice should be quelled lest it leaves a truly bad impression on the purity of the Hime Mikos.”

“Ehhhh, it’s not that bad,” the gyaru said immediately. “It’s pretty fun when you really get into it!”

“Nope! That is to come to a stop,” Yagami interjected with a finger, looking very cross with Natsuki. “But we will continue this later. Thank you, Lady Marie for raising this matter to my attention.”

“Of course, Your Majesty is most welcome,” Marie said with a curt and respectable bow, hiding the devil’s smile as her plan worked flawlessly.

“Tch, to think she’d pull that on me of all people,” Natsuki grumbled as she bit on her nail.

“You had it coming, dear. It was bound to catch up to you… eventually.”

“What do you think she’s playing at, Lina?” asked Rosaria, who for now approached her fellow redhead.

“There are… rumors, but maybe it’s best to talk about them later,” Alina said. She didn’t think the Cursed King would appreciate having them spelled out in front of him.

“Well, I suppose we’ve embarrassed ourselves enough. Is there anything else you’d like to know before I take my leave, Rosaria?” he said with a sigh, evidently having heard them whispering.

“Can I take Authorities in your domain? When are you going to tell me about Oinari?” Rosaria asked.

“Did what I just said pass over your head, child? If there were any Authorities within Yamato, then I shall be the one to take them. As for Oinari, she is one of the prominent deities in our Shinto faith. Recognized as a collective, Oinari tends to have dominion over many things, predominantly rice and food. Her messengers are also associated with foxes, I suppose, hence your change in appearance when using the Authority.” Yagami held a finger to his chin, trying to remember more.

“Pleeease?” Rosaria suddenly hugged the Cursed King’s arm, squeezing it tightly against her sizable chest as she looked at him with a pout, her beautiful vermillion eyes looking at him as if he just tried to deny her the chance to see a dearly beloved. She then nuzzled his arm. “I would be really, reaaaally careful! I’d be thankful too!”

Yagami looked down at the youngest Campione cuddling up to him with a most curious expression. Sure the sensation of her chest on his arm felt wonderful—no, nope. There were already enough concessions given and if he were to say it, partly being around Natsuki made him used to dealing with this. Still, she was indeed growing splendidly judging by what he could feel through his arm.

“Nnn, you are asking for the impossible. Not even the True Queen has that right in the lands of Yamato yet and you wish for that. Though I admire your ambition, I’m afraid I must respectfully decline.”

“Aw boo, what if I see one then?” Pouting, Rosaria detached from the old Campione.

“Why not just make a deal of sorts?” Natsuki said lazily, wanting to create problems for her King as revenge. “†˜Ya know, diplomatic trade or somethin’? You can’t ask things for free in this world †˜ya know?”

“Unless there are no other options, I will not allow another Devil King to usurp Authorities,” Yagami said with finality. “Suppose there were things for trade, what could she offer?”

“Well, if it is the damage Your Majesty is worried of, I may be able to compensate for them,” Marie claimed. “If it helps, the Lys Blanc may extend a favorable hand in providing information for the foreseeable future. After all, if the Cursed King is here, His Majesty would require information of the western sphere, I assume?” The White Vanguard made a knowing smile. “Of course, there is a limit to how much we may provide, but we are aware of the limitations of the Yozakura.”

“Nnn, it pains me but that is indeed true of the Yozakura. Thy offer is indeed enticing, Lady Marie, but could not I gain the same by associating myself with those of the Snow Rose? Again, I must decline but who knows, my mind may change in the future,” Yagami said with a slight bow of his head.

“Indeed, the information that the Snow Rose possess may be vast but Your Majesty is wise enough to know that they think with politics in mind and with great care for their King—let us not forget the clash, the fabled event that is named the March of Unification that was initiated by the True Queen, which was eventually stopped by none other than Your Majesty. There are yet rumors of this movement resuming. Would it not be difficult to place Your Majesty’s trust in the organization of such a powerful Campione?”

“You speak of points I cannot deny, Lady Marie, but let’s say I do consider taking up this proposal. The chance to gain Authorities aside, what do you and by extension, Lys Blanc stand to gain from such a deal?” Yagami said, this time leaning forward intently as he spoke.

“The Lys Blanc and the Youngest King are affiliated with one another.” But then she made a sly smile akin to that of a fox’s. “Would it not be natural for one to wish for their patron to grow and become more influential? For a tree to produce more fruits it must be nurtured by the earth that supports its roots. I would claim that the benefits would be substantial, an investment worth the cost.”

“Nnn, nnn. My refusal still stands, Lady Marie, but you have impressed me. Not many have the mettle to hold such a conversation with the King of the East,” Yagami said as he relaxed back into the couch, his eyes flashing violet once more at her. “Perhaps there may come a time when I will take up that offer.”

She gave yet another respectable bow, hiding a look of surprise from the shine in Yagami’s eyes. “I am glad to have at least impressed Your Majesty slightly. In truth, I did not particularly expect the deal to follow through either. Who would give up their cherished land and powerful Authorities for some information? Though the opportunity to gain Authorities overseas would have provided for an interesting venture, I suppose that is simply unacceptable in this case. Please accept my humblest apologies, for I was testing my knowledge of Your Majesty using diplomacy as an excuse.”

“If my subordinates had foresight such as yours, Yozakura would be more adept at dealing with matters outside of Japanese soil as well. You have raised many good points nonetheless, so this is quite alright indeed. At the end of the day, I am but an old man who seeks to protect his lands. Travelling overseas to fight Heretics, why would I make other people's problems my own?”

“I thank Your Majesty for the compliments. However, to address the question—I would claim that it is because Your Majesty is a Devil King, but perhaps that is an impertinent statement of mine and the answer was thus obvious, for there are many rulers across the lands in these days.”

“Hey! I won’t let you take Marie, nope, never!” Rosaria slid in between the two, making a cross with her arms and stuck her tongue out. “You can keep your Authorities, old man!”

“Eight is far too many, I remember back when there were only but three of us. Ah, youth…” He shrugged, smiling at Rosa’s vehement defense of Marie. “Well, I suppose we have taken up enough of your time for today.”

“Please excuse Miss Rosaria, she is still young overmuch,” Marie said like a mother making an excuse for her child. “We shall not overindulge Your Majesty’s precious time. I wish for glad tidings in Your Majesty’s tours.”

“Quite alright. Part of the process of finding one’s place in the world, after all,” the elder Devil King said and rose from the sofa, straightening his outfit and bowing slightly. “Paladin Blandelli, thank you for being gracious enough as to allow usage of your facilities for our meeting.”

“It was my pleasure, Cursed King,” Alvis Blandelli said with a calm tone, standing up as the Devil King did. “It was a pleasant surprise meeting Your Majesty here.”

“This old dog has to stretch his legs sometime,” he joked before turning to the youngest to join him as a compatriot. “Well then, I suppose it is time. Be it Britannia or Yamato, I hope that you will grow and learn from those around to be a fitting Devil King. Most importantly, enjoy yourself. Things aren’t as fun when you get on in age.”

“Hm? I am enjoying myself!” Rosaria replied, still miffed that she was denied the chance to gather Authorities. That said, she had resolved to hug Marie later when she got the chance.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, my lord,” Alina said to the Cursed King with a bow.

Natsuki got up, yawning and stretching her arms and legs. “Well, you have a good one, Miss Marie.”

“You too, Miss Natsuki,” Marie curtly said with a slight nod.

Yagami nodded his head at Rosa’s enthusiasm and turned his attention to her two retainers. “Watch over her, there is still… much she has to learn.”

Marie only gave a nod in response to these words. She stood at the farthest from the rest as the Devil King of the East took leave and the doors were closed shut as his receding figure was gone. None could see the mirthful smile that formed upon her facial expression. The Cursed King, huh? Interesting…

“Marie!”

As soon as the Cursed King disappeared out of sight, Rosaria glomped on Marie, who seemed to be deep in thought. The Youngest King started rubbing her cheeks onto the blonde, thankful for her efforts to gain the older Campione’s permission.

“Huh? What is it?” Marie asked.

Alina jumped at Rosaria’s sudden outburst and took a step away to avoid potentially being sucked up in it.

“Ehehe, we’re gonna go around the world, the three of us!” Rosaria declared, unfazed with Yagami’s declaration. From what she understood, she just couldn’t take Authorities or cause trouble in his land.

“I… suppose?”

“If you desire it,” Alina said, “someone’s gonna have to keep you out of trouble.”

“Ehehe.” Rosaria could not help but rub her nose in embarrassment, happy that her friends would come with her on her adventure.

Truly, she had been living the happiest, most exciting days of her life so far.

To the left of the entrance of Alina’s apartment was the kitchen. Down at the other end of the living area was a doorway also on the left that led to the bedroom and bathroom. Both the ceiling and floor were wood with the walls painted an off-white color, but perhaps what stuck out immediately to the visitors were the books lying everywhere in stacks.

Alina rubbed the back of her head. “Sorry about the mess. I would have straightened the place up in advance if I knew I was going to have someone over.”

“Hmhm, my room back home is cleaner than yours! You’re still a kid after all, ahaha!” Rosaria felt proud that she found out what the knight’s weakness was—cleaning.

“It might look messy to you, but I assure you I know where everything is. That Greek mythology book I was reading for example is riiight…” She trailed off as she walked deeper into the living area, scanning the various stacks. “Aha. Here.” Alina held up a burgundy-colored book, but as she was showing it off to Rosaria she glanced again at the title on the spine and realized it was the wrong book. “Oh, oops. I meant… over here!” She held up the correct book this time.

“Nona has a lot of books too, but she keeps them arranged nicely. She also cleans up after I read them, so it’s always neat! Hehe.”

“What’s neat is a matter of perspective though. I have a system and it works and unlike you, I don’t have anyone to clean up after me.”

“Every thing’s everywhere, silly!” Rosaria gestured to Alina’s stack of books. “Muuu… Let’s clean it up! I want to clean it up!”

“I can do that later on my own. I didn’t bring you here to put you to work.”


“Don’t worry about it! Where’s your shelves?” Rosaria started carrying some books and looked around Alina’s place, which seemed to be more of a library than a place someone was actually living in, much more, a girl. “Do you really own this place?”

Alina sighed, giving in. “The shelves are in my bedroom and no, I don’t own this place. It’s an apartment. I’m only renting it.” She picked up a stack and headed toward her room. Not how I expected this to turn out.

“Let’s go!” Rosaria took off, her stack of books wobbling worryingly. She opened the door to Alina’s room and entered without much ceremony. “I found your room!”

A bed was in a back corner opposite the door. Next to it in the other corner was a desk, it’s surface covered with more books. Another door on the left led to the bathroom. A bookcase lay against every wall space that had been available. They were, for the most part, empty.

“Thanks for doing this,” Alina said behind her.

“See, I told you it needs cleaning! Hehe.” Rosaria scratched her nose, embarrassed, and knelt in front of the book shelf, placing the stack right in front of it. “Alright! I’ll get them here and you better place them properly on the shelves!”

Alina set her stack next to hers. “Al-alright. Don’t forget about what you said earlier though. You’re still cooking us dinner.”

“That’s right!” Rosaria raised her thumbs up towards Alina. “I’ll check the fridge too!” And then, she went back out to do just that.

Alina took up the first book and set it on one of the shelves. “What do you plan on making, anyway?” she shouted after Rosaria.

“I don’t kno—it’s empty!” With rather heavy footsteps, Rosaria stuck her head inside Alina’s room. It seemed like she carried double stacks of books with her. “The fridge is empty!”

“Oh yeah, it is now that you mention it. I forgot about that.” She looked up at Rosaria and noticed her load. “Take it easy there. I wouldn’t want you to hurt your back because of me.”

“Eh, it’s pretty light… sort of?” She unloaded the books right beside where Alina was. Afterwards, rather than pick up another stack, Rosaria sat beside Alina and started to segregate the books to at least what looked like their relation of volumes. “What are we going to do about dinner now?”

“Hmm… well, we can either eat out at a restaurant or go buy more food.”

“Hmm, okay… So, which book is the best here, Lina?”

Alina looked at Rosaria as if she was crazy. “Are you kidding me? As if I could choose. Some are better written than others and some are packed with more information, but almost all of them are important in their own. Some include information others don’t while others offer opinions and unique insights into subjects that can’t be found elsewhere.” As she went on, she had began talking faster with excitement.

“Yeah but… which one do you like the best?” All of which, passed right through Rosaria as she repeated her question.

“…I just said I can’t decide,” Alina said, deflated.

“Eh… how about this?!” Rosaria pulled out a random book from the pile.

Alina took one look at its cover before jumping up and grabbing onto it. “It’s nothing important!” she said as she tried to pull it from her grip.

“Hmm? What’s the fuss?” Rosaria pulled it away nonchalantly, and looked at the book’s cover. On it was an illustration of two nude women embracing each other. “O-oh.”

Alina’s face grew bright red. “D-don’t look at it,” she muttered.

Without a word, Rosaria started reading through the book, her eyes getting wider and wider as she turned the pages. By the time she had finished, her face was almost as bright red as her hair.

“T-that was...”

The more Rosaria read, the more Alina shrunk away. “It’s not what it looks like… I was merely curious…” She kept her gaze averted from Rosaria’s.

“Hmm… what were you curious about?”

“About what those kinds of books are like.” She snatched the book away from Rosaria at last and placed it on the bottom corner of a bookcase.

“Oho… so you have more?!”

“Of course not! That’s the only one. Are we going to finish putting the books away or what?”

“Okay!” Rosaria responded in a sing-song manner, but the images that she had got from the book still lingered in her mind.

Alina grabbed some of the books that Rosaria had already sorted out and stuck them on a shelf. “So what kind of books did you read before you left home?”

“Most of the books were Nona’s, some are her personal notes. She taught me about magic by herself, and the other stuff too! I liked fairy tales as a kid, but now I’d like to learn about the world more, and her myths!” Rosaria explained. While they had not as much books as Lina, Rosaria’s grandmother had quite a collection of her own writings—originally only for herself to read, but Rosaria stumbled upon them one day, and eventually her grandmother decided it was better to supervise what she read than leave her be. “Nona was a bit mad as first, I read her books, though. But later on, she taught me herself!”

“Your grandmother sounds like a great person. I wouldn’t mind meeting her someday.”

“That’s right! You better, and Marie, too!” Rosaria said, nodding her head in approval. “She’d be happy I made friends!”

“Did you not have any friends before leaving?”

Rosaria cringed and looked away. “Hehe, what counts is now! I want to eat pizza!”

“Okay, we’ll get some after we’re done. It’ll be my treat… and I’m sorry about that. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Hm? Don’t worry about it!” Rosaria patted her friend’s back, laughing.

Alina gave her a pat in return. “And don’t worry about those people back home. They’re idiots for not wanting to be friends with you.”

“Hm? Nah, Nona always told them off, I guess they just got tired of being scolded at daily. Hehe.” Rosaria scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

“Oh, I wonder why,” Alina said, although she thought she had a good idea. Given Rosaria’s looks, it was probably boys wanting to ask her out.

“Right?! Me too! They were pretty friendly and all, but Nona always got mad!” Rosaria huffed.

Alina chuckled. Her friend was likely clueless about their feelings. “What about your grandmother’s notes? I admit I’m curious about what those were about.”

“Eh, it’s a little bit confusing… It’s about magic and stuff, though! The jewels I used against Oinari were hers!” Rosaria made a small shape with her fingers, to show Alina how they might’ve looked.

“Ah, I think you mentioned that before. Would it be safe to assume then part of her notes are about Jewel Magecraft?”

“Yeap! That’s how I knew how to use and make them!” She nodded enthusiastically.

“I don’t know how to make them myself, but I’ve heard they can be pretty strong.” But apparently not strong enough to do anything against a Heretic God.

“They are! Oinari ignored my whole stock, though… I was going to sell them…”

“The powers of Gods are fearsome, no doubt about that.” Alina finished putting away the books they’d brought in from the main room. “More books.”

“Okay!” Rosaria stood up and walked towards the hall. “I wonder what kind of books Lina is hiding here… Hohoho.”

“There’s nothing else I’m hiding!” At least she didn’t think there was. She couldn’t remember anything. Rosaria returned several moments later with another two stacks and set them down. Alina got to work putting them away.

“So, what do you do in your job, Lina?”

“Well, I’m a knight.”

“Yeah, so?”

“I work for the Copper Black Cross… you know what Mage’s Associations do, right?”

Rosaria just looked at Alina as if she just told Rosaria that she could transform into a talking bird. It was a look of both interest and confusion, but one thing was for sure, the answer was pretty much no.

Alina stared at her. “They’re kind of like police, but for mages. If something happens involving magic, they keep it under control. They also keep mundanes from finding out about it.”

(GM’s Comment: Fucking Rosaria’s goldfish memory span. Pretty sure she was explained about it once before as well.)

“Ehh, wouldn’t they have known already? Like when we blew up that plaza?!”

“We can alter memories however so they won’t remember magic was involved.”

“Woah, that’s awesome! Do you do those kind of things too?”

“No, I trained mostly in how to fight and use defensive magic. What did you do before leaving home and becoming a Campione?”

“Nona taught me stuff! Sometimes it was boring, though. Going around is better! I kinda miss Nona though, I guess.” Rosaria put a finger to her chin while thinking. “Do you think she’d be happy to hear I became a Campione?”

“Are you kidding? You slew a God. Of course she’d be happy.”

“Ehehe, I’ll take the rest back here!” she said, looking at the steadily dropping number of books in their stack. Afterwards, she returned with the rest of the books and finished up cleaning with Alina while they conversed all the way through. After they had finished, Rosaria pulled her friend into the kitchen, and watched her order food through the phone.

(GM’s Comment: Social Link Rank up!)

As they waited for the food to arrive, Alina admired their work. She hardly even recognized her apartment now. She wondered how long it would stay that way.

“You are to be exiled.”

“Cease your presence from Europe.”

“I shall eliminate you otherwise.”

In the darkness was one shining bead of light, in which a lady donning a white dress stood, her presence seemingly too warm yet cold for comfort. The voice of this nemesis echoed, promising exile to the seventh King.

“Bring it on then! I’m not leaving!” Beatrix said as she sat up as she found herself waking up from a dream. “I’ll make both pay one day.”

“It appears even in dreams Your Majesty is fighting now.”

Beatrix thus found Allen sitting beside her on a chair, reading a book. His expression was indifferent when faced with his supposed Queen.

“Hmph, normally I don’t, but those two must pay. Especially that rotten tomato,” Beatrix said angrily, recalling Rosaria. “Thinking about it, what happened? After I passed out.”

“Nothing much, the True Queen seized the medallion and Miss Alberta was mad about it, but couldn’t do anything. Currently, we’re at the headquarters of Old Dame.”

“Tch, if only that idiot didn’t show up. Why was there even another Campione involved!? The medallion should have been mine.”

“She is the legitimate ruler of Europe, so unfortunately it’s only right for her to involve herself. Seeing the level of destruction this was a given that it’d reach the ears of the veteran Campione.”

“I meant the rotten tomato. Why was she even involved?”

“Pardon my misunderstanding. To answer: I don’t think anyone knows about that. Perhaps except for Lys Blanc, a new King is a completely new information.”

“New King my foot. Why did she have so many Authorities! Unless you’re gonna tell me she defeated multiple Gods already.”

“I have no clue.” Allen shook his head. “This is the first time I’ve seen anything like it. If it’s a King who has been kept hidden, then it was hidden far too well.”

“Whatever. Here I was looking forward in having that medallion, but it will be a pain getting it back from that nosy Campione.”

“I was eavesdropping a bit, but it turns out that the reverent Campione is taking leave for London along with the medallion.”

“So be it then! We are going to London to get that medallion if that’s where it is! If that Goddess I met earlier meant the medallion she will be going after it.”

“Even if Your Majesty says that, the medallion is under the possession of the True Queen now…”

“Then find out when it’s not! Unless you’re gonna tell me she’s gonna keep it with her all the time,” Beatrix said, feeling agitated.

“That, I don’t know, but perhaps a time might come when she leaves it unattended… does Your Majesty wish to steal it…?” he asked, fearing the worst.

“Of course. Not only did I became a Queen because of that medallion, but there might be a Goddess after it. I must have it.”

Allen wanted to sigh. How’d it come to this? “The real problem is how to steal it. I imagine it’s going to be a heavily-guarded place. I have not been trained in espionage and infiltration either…”

“Is there nobody in this organization that can? Otherwise we’ll just force our way in there. I want that medallion no matter what.”

“There is a Witch in our organization who may just be able to do it, but we would have to ask her first.”

“Then let us. If she can help us get the medallion then we need her,” Beatrix said as she got out of the bed.

(GM’s Comment: So you say…)

“Don’t think she is here yet. She was one of those scheduled to return to the headquarters to meet Your Majesty soon.” Allen got up to follow the Queen. “We could have her come over to London, though.”

“If it would be faster for her to meet us there, fine with me. Though find out as much as you can first. If we are gonna use her to steal it, might as well be sure your nosy Queen isn’t there,” Beatrix said, wanting to fight but she knew currently she stood no chance.

Mine? How I wish. “I shall see what I may find out. It is not quite an easy task to find information about the Snow Rose and the True Queen. If only we could hire a ninja from Japan, they’re said to be the very best in espionage.”

“Can we not? What is there stopping us from doing it?”

“The ninjas are mostly under the patronage of the Cursed King of the East. Unless someone knows of a ninja who may secretly take on the job I don’t think we can directly hire one.”

“Tch, we’ll take care of this one later. For now we’ll focus on retrieving the medallion.”

“That said, some are saying that the Cursed King is starting to take action again…”

“If he is, then that’s good. I am planning on fighting them all one day. Of course, first I must get stronger, that medallion shall be the first step.”

“The Cursed King is said to be the eldest Campione, though… possibly stronger than the True Queen.”

“I care not. Out with the old—in with the new! I’ll make him turn to dust and make him wish he went and retired at a retirement home,” Beatrix said, laughing.

“Uh-huh… What would Your Majesty like to do now, meet with Miss Alberta perhaps?”

“I suppose. Perhaps she might have more information.”

“She is the head of the organization after all… she was in such a bad mood I thought to leave her alone.”

“Let us go see her then. Either way I want to hear what she has to say.”

“Alberta, I want to head to England! I want to retrieve that medallion,” Beatrix said proudly.

“Everything is over, everything is over, everything is over, everything is over, everything is over, everything is over, everything is over, everything is over, everything is over… huh?”

“What are you talking about? Everything is only beginning, it’s not over yet!”

Queen Beatrix and Allen entered the office room of the Hime Miko that lead the Magic Association. Suffice it to say, things looked grim for said leader.

“The True Queen was there! This project is doomed!” Alberta exclaimed, holding her head with both her hands.

“What the hell…” Allen was speechless, their calm and collected leader was completely breaking down right before his very eyes.

“I could care less that she was there, I’m still moving forward. There is nothing to gain moping about. We need to retrieve that medallion from her.”

“The ruler of Europe took that though… we have no right to take it from Her Majesty…” Alberta said, downcast.

“Are you making me repeat myself? I don’t care, I shall take the medallion back. There might be a Goddess after it and with how things have been going for me, it might be the only way to fight a Heretic God. I’m currently willing to wait till there is a moment she leaves it behind. Of course, if it takes too long and we find no other Heretic Gods, I’m going after it myself.”

“Huh? Your Majesty sure is bold to go after it… after facing that defeat.”

“It was after fighting that stupid tomato. Why was she even there to begin with?!” Beatrix said angrily. Just thinking of Rosaria boiled her blood.

“Probably a ploy by the Lys Blanc to net an opponent for their new King,” Alberta spoke bitterly, frowning.

“Then we shall crush them one day and make them serve us. They shall regret the day they messed with me.”

Ho… she isn’t downcast at all… this could work after all! She renewed her smile and got off the chair. “If Your Majesty is that confident then so be it! We shall strike back with everything we have. My Queen plans to steal this medallion, right? It’d take us to send in a spy to retrieve it somehow.”

“Ohoho, now this is what I like about you, Alberta. I’m willing to go myself if needed, but if someone can steal it for us, that is fine. I wish to fight the God or Goddess looking for the medallion.”

“Your Majesty must conserve her strength to fight the Heretic God, we shall look for a way to retrieve the Divine Instrument. The question is how…”

“How about asking Miss Rosa Savona?” Allen suggested.

“Oh, her… she’s arriving in three days, maybe we can have her come to London instead, getting the flight rescheduled.”

“She has the special ability to fool people so it may be possible, though still risky.”

“If you're confident she can do it send her then. If we must do this by force then we shall do it by force. If I have to fight her again and a Heretic God at the same time I shall.”

“Frankly, my Queen is not strong enough for that. Just prioritize on the Heretic God for now, to get stronger.”

“That’s what I’m hoping for. That’s currently my last resort. We don’t know when we’ll come across another relic and plus I have an attachment to this medallion. It was the reason I became a Queen.”

“Hmm… Rosa Savona for stealing, Allen for protection and… we’ll need to assign someone else. I think I can get another one of our elites to join Your Majesty in London.”

“That is fine with me, just make sure they are someone who can be of use to me. No more moping from you either, Alberta. Unless I am to believe you cave in easily when trouble shows itself,” Beatrix said as she stared at Alberta.

“No offense.” She made a grim look. “But Your Majesty has no idea what kind of a monster the True Queen really is. I’ve experienced it firsthand.”

“You’re under my rule now. I believe you have to worry about me instead. I’ll take care of this Queen myself. Italy shall belong to me.”

“That’s right, it’d be great if Your Majesty can take care of the True Queen.” And take revenge in my stead. “That way I’d be very happy.”

“By the way I recall seeing injuries on my body, how did they disappear? Didn’t you guys tell me magic doesn’t work on Campiones?” Beatrix said, noticing earlier that the cuts on the lower part of her legs were gone.

“Hm? Didn’t Allen tell Your Majesty? Magic has to be injected into a Campione for it to be effective at all. Same goes for the healing spells.”

At these words, Allen’s cheeks flushed rosy red.

“Injected? Like using a needle? That seems like an odd way to insert magic,” Beatrix said, confused as she couldn’t think of another way magic could be injected to one’s body.

Alberta blinked. “He really didn’t tell you about this huh? It’s nothing so embarrassing, you know?”

“Y-Yes, but…” Allen looked away. “It was only out of duty, my Queen…”

“What are you two even talking about? Just say it already!” Beatrix demanded.

“Hm? Basically…” Alberta walked up to Beatrix and whispered, “To inject magic into a Campione, a mage has to kiss her.”

Beatrix at that moment turned a bright red. She never expected her first kiss would be taken away from her as she laid dormant. She always expected something romantic.

“H-how dare you take my first! I-I wasn’t even awake for it! The lips I’ve protected this whole time till I found the perfect man… A man doesn’t take a lady’s first when she has no knowledge of it!” Beatrix bursted out with mostly embarrassment rather than anger.

“I-I apologize, but I wouldn’t count it as a first if my Queen is unaware of it! Think of it as CPR! Like an emergency treatment!” Allen defended.

“Now you're treating my first as if it was nothing but a simple CPR procedure… Allen you idiot! I’ll have you killed next time,” Beatrix said angrily as she bursted out of the room.

“But it was necessary…”

Alberta patted Allen’s shoulder. “Well, you’ll get over it soon, she’s just being a… what did the Japanese called this again?”

“I don’t care! And I’m definitely not interested in Her Majesty in that way!” He followed the Queen out and found her standing in the hallway. “Look, Your Majesty, there will be many battles in the future where healing may be required and Your Majesty may not be in the best state to cast them, or have to preserve mana, for that my Queen must brace herself for the steps I may need to take… unless, of course, Your Majesty wishes to replace me, then that is something I shall accept as well,” Allen said resolutely.

“I do believe the mention of a kiss should have been part of your explanations before! It’s too late now, my first is forever gone taken by you. I hope you plan on taking responsibility!”

“T-Take responsibility…? As in…?”

“You shall forever serve me! My father always told me when a man kissed a woman there was a chance of becoming pregnant. What would you do if I am now because of your actions!” Beatrix said, her face red still.

“Huh?! W-Wait, my Queen, that is absolutely untrue!! A woman may not be impregnated from a simple kiss!”

“Are you calling my father a liar? He took great pride in raising me and protecting me. I cannot see him saying lies like that to me.”

“Your father was clearly far too doting and protective of Your Majesty! This is an age where information is so free it hardly requires a parent to teach such basic knowledge.”

“Then explain yourself, Allen. What is this so-called basic knowledge you speak of? My family did their best to hire the best teachers for me to learn from. I don’t think my knowledge of the world is that bad.”

“E-Even if Your Majesty asks me… I believe as a man it is rather difficult to put it into words.”

“Hoho, come on Allen, I’m sure you can do this!” Alberta cheered from behind him.

“Don’t treat this as though it’s not your problem too!” Allen exclaimed, quirking his head towards his boss behind him.

“Is one of you gonna explain or are you leaving your Queen in the dark?” Beatrix said as she sounded annoyed, beginning to tap her foot on the ground.

“It cannot be helped since Your Majesty is surprisingly clueless.” Alberta thus walked up to Beatrix and whispered a small explanation into her ear.

Beatrix’ face lit up bright red, so red what seemed like steam could be seen coming out of her head. She couldn’t believe the things Alberta had just told her. To her it seemed too much, even impossible.

“T-there’s no way something goes in there, that just can’t be!” still in denial Beatrix said.

“But that’s how Your Majesty came to be in this world.”

“I-I’ll go take a rest now… This is a bit too much of a news for me,” Beatrix said, still trying to process what she was told.

Chuckling could be heard from just beside them as Yagami made himself known. “An interesting topic, but I suppose it is indeed the duty of the retainer to assist their leader in any shortcomings,” Yagami said with mirth.

“Who are you?!” Beatrix said, surprised someone was watching them. “Is he one of your men, Alberta?”

“No, I have never met him before…” Alberta said with a look of surprise. “Who are you?”

“Not many have,” Yagami said, folding his glasses and placing them into his breast pocket. “Quite the retainers you’ve surrounded yourself with, seventh Campione.”

“What of it? You still haven’t said who you are. You’re intruding into my territory without permission. Tell us who you are or I shall kick you out myself.”

“Feisty indeed. I am the King of the East, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young one,” Yagami said with a light bow.

“King of the East? Why would you come here?” Beatrix said with intrigue.

“Why, to speak with you, my dear. Not often do I have the opportunity to hold conversation with one of my ilk, especially one that willingly defies the True Queen. I must say, I was impressed by your mettle, if anything.”

“Ohoho, you should worry about yourself. Do you not think someone can take over your land while you are here idling about?” Beatrix said as she examined Yagami. “I see you’re like the others who refer to her with †˜true’ as well. How pitiful to think you’re the oldest of Campiones.”

“My, my. Despite vacating my domain for a moment, I trust that it will be protected. If it falls then my faith was mistaken,” Yagami mused. “You are but a fledgeling that has begun spreading its wings and yet you have already earned the ire of the hawk that rules these skies.”

“That is fine. Like I had told her I shall take Italy away from her one day. I might even take your land away, old man.”

“Do not attempt to take my domain. It is my one and only warning for you, child,” Yagami said with his eyes flashing a bright violet at her declaration.

“Then show me you’re not a weakling. You’re referring to another Campione with †˜true.’ Why are you treating another as an equal or greater? Only a weakling does that,” Beatrix said as she could feel a chill on her spine yet she didn’t want to let something like this get to her.

Yagami tapped his chin for a moment, his eyes returning to their normal coloration. “If you measure everything by strength then there will be many things that will pass beneath your notice. The True Queen is a title bestowed upon her for her prowess and magnanimity, likewise the moniker of Cursed King upon myself. Is she equal or greater to me? Perhaps. Is she in any way inferior? Again, perhaps. We all rule differently. If you seek to rule through unfettered strength then you will find more obstacles in the path to the throne, though that in itself is also admirable if they can be overcome.”

“How boring. I expected more from you. I have no intentions of just relying on strength. I plan on improving myself. At my current state I know I stand no chance yet one day I shall and I hope you're watching your back, old man.”

“Admirable that you wish to improve yourself but seeking to dethrone both the True Queen and myself,” Yagami chuckled but this time, there was no amusement in it. “There are limits to one’s folly, even for a Devil King. I had thought you were smarter than this but it seems she was right as well.”

“You have to be either pretty confident or stupid if you wanna fight those crazy monsters,” Natsuki whispered from beside Yagami.

“I believe even you had to dethrone someone one day, no?” Beatrix asked. “Unless you’re gonna tell me you had it easy and simply conquered you land with no interference.”

“I became King after a period of great turmoil and the lands of Yamato were wrought with conflict. Perhaps you might have heard of Oda Nobunaga for he was the last to try and unite Yamato. My reign came after his but who can tell when I will be replaced?”

“You got anything else to say, old man? You are boring me even more now. For one with the title of Cursed King you seem too lax about who you are. If you're just gonna keep putting me to sleep I’d rather go to my bed.”

Yagami sighed deeply, waving a hand. “It’s not a title I chose for myself, mind you, but it seems nothing I say will get through regardless. Head to bed then since this old man bores you. Incidentally, why not take this young man to bed with you? He’s got a good head on his shoulders and may be willing to help you learn about child making.”

“W-what are you talking about?!! When did I ever mention I wanted to learn how to make children?!” Beatrix shouted out of embarrassment. She’d finally gotten out of her mind what Alberta told her, but now it was back again thanks to Yagami.

“Nnn, what kind of Devil King would you be if you didn’t know about that? Do you want to be named the Virgin King?” Yagami said as he walked behind Allen, placing a hand on his shoulders. “Make sure she knows every thing in the book.”

“I-I do not think I would live to see the next light of tomorrow if I do that…” Allen said, looking terrified.

A fist came flying towards Yagami and he stepped back to see it zoom by where his head was. Beatrix fumed at him and tried to punch him again but he danced around it, going behind Allen and pushing him lightly towards her. They bumped their heads momentarily. “Go on, young one. He who seizes the chance is the victor!”

“What are you doing just standing there!” Beatrix said, angry that she missed Yagami. “Move it, I need to kill him!”

“Even if Your Majesty says that…” He pulled himself away from Beatrix, wanting to stay away from the little feud that was growing between the Devil Kings.

“Fumufumu, how cold you are. It seems spring hath not come for you then, oh what a day it shall be when the title of Virgin King is no longer applicable.” Yagami laughed out loud as he walked up to Alberta this time, whispering into her ear. “Seeing as how enthusiastic you were earlier about teaching your King, I’m sure you have other methods prepared?”

“I don’t,” Alberta said, backing away. First the True Queen and now this… person. Can’t they both just fucking die? “Now, will Your Majesty please take leave? This is trespassing for our Queen.”

“Ok, ok. I see you don’t want me here,” Yagami said, leaning back to avoid another punch from Beatrix. “This old man has had his fun for now. I hope next time we meet, you will have more interesting things to speak about other than the drivel I’ve heard today. Ta~!”

“Just get out already!” Beatrix said, her blood boiling, wanting to bash Yagami’s head.

“Young man! Catch!” Yagami said with a laugh, flinging a small item at Allen who caught it by reflex. “Make sure you use this! What’s worse than Virgin King is the Pregnant Queen.”

“Hey, that’s mine!” Natsuki quipped.

“W-What?” Allen looked down at the item. “I don’t need this!”

Yagami looked at Natsuki and laughed. “You won’t be needing that!”

“Grrrrr. I will one day!” Natsuki grumbled.

“Oto, she’s angry,” Yagami muttered as another fist came perilously close. “Let us depart before she brings this whole building down.” Pacing up to Natsuki, Yagami turned and waved his goodbye before both of them disappeared just as they came.

“I’m gonna shred him to pieces one day!” Beatrix said as she punched one of the nearby walls.

“Tch, so the Cursed King is starting to take actions again too, huh?” Alberta said, making a frown. “Seems like these times will be a pain.”

“He is… not as oppressive as I had imagined,” Allen said, tired of all that had happened already.

“He's a perverted old man that needs to be to punished! After the nosy Queen he’s my next target!”

And she is just getting over her head…

This thought was shared by both Alberta and Allen.

In the lands of Britain the eldest King set foot. There were many changes to London, undeniably so. Since the age of steam the country had come far, yet it lost its privileges of monarchy, at least most of it. The Cursed King acknowledged that the age of revolutionary progress had passed long ago and now the country was modernized. Despite that, the True Queen’s reign was unaffected. Back then she was reputed to be well-connected with the royalty, now she was known to be well-connected with the politicians and the ministers. The True Queen was revered and respected because there was one quality that separated her from the rest. She always attempted to make compromises and worked for the better of both sides. Even if destruction was wrought, she’d make compensations herself. After all, she had built her fortune for decades. Yagami could tell that it was her personality and charisma that was the most important quality above all, however.

The ride in the private jet of the True Queen was pleasant and short. Despite what Gloria told Yagami, it seemed like there was a change in plans somehow, which prompted her to remain in Italy until he had spoken to both the newer Campiones.

They had small talks, though Gloria made sure to keep distance from both the Hime Mikos—Himiko and Natsuki. There was a saying in the Magic World that a Devil King’s attention could only be swayed by their own peers, and Himiko believed this to be true. From her perspective, only Paladin Marina was exempt from this rule due to the special relationship they shared.

Natsuki, on the other hand, was far more busy planning on what to do in London. As if a single shopping trip wasn’t enough in Italy, she planned to have more, and was even going to look into their fashion trends.

Regardless, Yagami and his girls found themselves at the Fortress of the Tower of London soon enough, a special castle that was steeped in English history. Located on the northern bank of River Thames in central London, they passed the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to enter the Tower Hill, which was separated from the eastern edge of the square mile. This was supposedly the castle that was home to the Crown Jewels, including the regalias and other royal treasures that were used in coronation ceremonies of the Kings and Queens of England.

As they were entering this majestic castle, Himiko and Natsuki were completely in a daze by its royal splendor, forcing them to gaze up to its spires with their mouths agape. Never did they think they’d be able to live here much less visit. While it was true that this place was open to tourists, it was very different for the True Queen who was supposedly the real owner and resident of the castle. Some of the Yozakura knew this, but not everyone paid attention to this particular detail.

His subordinates had seen the True Queen in action, and it did stun them, but they didn’t expect to feel the same way again due to a different reason. Thus they were forced to see her in a new light yet again. Despite this, Gloria’s presence frightened them. They’d never do anything to make her angry. Himiko, for one, always assumed Gloria was simply a dignified lady with western charms and was polite, so when she was angered by Beatrix, she saw a side of her that made her want to never involve herself much with the elderly Campione. She had felt similar about Yagami, but responsibilities kept her bound. In time, however, she learned to appreciate Yagami as well, albeit there would still be times when he’d frighten her as well, much like the True Queen.

An angry Campione was something no one would ever want to deal with. She reminded herself of Beatrix as well, the rampaging giantess that destroyed a good portion of Rome.

“Woah, this is… so much more than I was expecting…” Natsuki blurted out. “This True Queen is something else.”

“Indeed…” Himiko uttered. “This is certainly more grand than our place in Tokyo.”

“Fumu fumu, now you both realize. Nnn, living in the Imperial Palace was enjoyable for awhile but there were too many bothersome tourists crowding the grounds so I moved out to our current residence,” Yagami said.

“I am not too privy to the residence of thee but there are restricted sections in mine abode,” Gloria stated as the vehicle entered past the gates. The vehicle was spacious inside, boasting more than enough space for its passengers. “It heartens me to find foreigners appreciating the allure of English history.”

“I believe the Imperial Palace had its own restrictions as well,” Himiko claimed. “But perhaps my Lord would feel restricted regardless. His Majesty is a simple man, wanting to go on walks and whatnot.”

“It doesn’t sit right with me to see so many people trampling over the gardens just to get a photo of the Palace,” Yagami added on. “And it never ends.”

“Ah, yes, photographers, I have a bit of an issue with them myself at times,” Gloria replied, raising an index finger. “There are times when tourists make requests for me to take pictures with them, but each of the sessions are seemingly endless.”

“Indeed. There are many residences that Yozakura has dotting Japan but I’ve grown partial to that mansion near Tokyo. Perhaps it is the neighborhood? Suffice it to say that none but authorized personnel or my guests are allowed entry, of course.”

“Was thy residence not within the grounds of Tokyo?”

“Near enough to be considered within the metropolis but far enough away from the congested areas. The sweet spot, I suppose?”

“I suppose to art thou †˜tis but perfectly apt to name it the †˜sweet spot.’ Didst thou liveth in the congested areas before?”

“Nnn, once upon a time. During the economic boom, I thought it nice to experience life alongside our revitalized Yamato. That sure got tiring quick… If thou lived in Shibuya or Shinjuku, it would be easy to understand.”

“Mine abode is but amidst the center as well, but with the manner thou hath described the activity of Shibuya, I suppose it is far more rife with energetic youths.”

“The trains… Ugh, the amount of human traffic in Shibuya is incomparable as well. If it was a place like this, there wouldn’t be too much of an issue.”

“With the River Thame so close it is rather relaxing, the soothing voice of the river’s flow carries all the way through to the castle walls. A type of solace only thou and I may share, for I doubt the ordinary may hear its waves so far.”

“As long as I don’t hear the chattering of countless mouths, I am content. The waves here are different from Yamato,” Yagami remarked. “Perhaps I will take a walk along the riverbank later.”

“Mn, that may well be unavoidable in the morns, for visitors are rather endless when the castle is open for them to enter.”

“A moonlight stroll is more fitting for one of the night. Not that the mundanes would see me regardless.”

“It is quite silent, that I may assure. I hath chanced upon the moon’s lume in the past mineself.”

“Excellent. Anyone wish to join me?” Yagami asked the others.

“I wanna go exploring,” Natsuki said immediately.

“I believe I want to rest for the remainder of the day,” Himiko claimed. “The airborne trips didn’t do well for me…”

“Thy children do not prefer moongazing it appears,” Gloria said with a giggle.

“I’ll go alone on the walk,” Yagami said with a huff. “It is their holiday so they are free to do what they want.”

“If thou wouldst not mind, I may join thee. A waste it would be to not appreciate the lunar celestial body that decorates the sky of constellations.”

“A moonlight stroll in a foreign country, ah, how relaxing it will be indeed,” Yagami said with a contented sigh.

The vehicle stopped and they soon entered the castle. The walls were old and it was noticeable immediately to all of them. A series of rooms were passed. Since it was still afternoon, Yagami heard some voices, and the differing accents of English gave away that they were tourists of varying nationalities. As they crossed the hallways, the guards always bowed to Gloria, the True Queen. These guards were dressed in red and black, and appeared to be mages of the Snow Rose due.

“Ho, each and every one of them is a veteran. Quite the guard thou hath here, True Queen,” Yagami remarked in approval.

“Veterans of the Snow Rose, yes. Though they are yet in work attire,” Gloria replied.

“Oh, so that’s the reason. I heard the Snow Rose member likes to wear something in snow color in their clothing,” Himiko said.

“Yes, that is true. In particular, the †˜snow color’ or white is acceptable to our members.”

“Yozakura’s official colors are violet but considering the nature of our work, a less noticeable symbol of identify is preferred. Most wear accessories to show their allegiance in our current day,” Yagami said. “I wonder when was the last time I stepped foot inside an European castle…”

“We tend to have a set of accessories in particular that mark the positions of the members in the organization. The sole rose in mine hair is the indication of mine position as leader.” She took a moment to think. “I believe it hath been a century since thou embarked beyond thy borders of Yamato.”

“Give or take. It’s like walking into Osaka castle to find that everything has been turned into an exhibit… Ah, how time flies.”

“Indeed. I wish I could keep the castle to mineself, but that would be mere selfishness to act out. Now is the age of attractions and visitations, with the borders open to all via legal means.”

“Umu. There are now fewer things that remain mysteries with the march of science and technology. Though Yamato progresses smoothly, I try to retain as much of our heritage as possible in few, key locations.”

“Oh? Key locations, thou claim?”

“Best to keep them all in one place, like Kyoto. Then it becomes a hotspot for tourists yet retains the rustic charm of olden Yamato.”

“I see. Mnm, Britain dost not quite have much uniqueness aside from its mansions and castles, so preserving them were good enough. Ah yes, that includes the royal residences, of course. They are akin to precious jewels of mine now.”

“From the way these are maintained, I can tell. Splendid workmanship. Are they reconstructed or the original?”

“Original to some extent. Especially this White Tower. Various monarchs have indulged proposals to extend the structures and thus its current size today. This was the first royal residence, after all.”

“The first royal residence? Ho, how splendid to be able to walk these halls! Children, are you not blessed?” Yagami said to his Hime Miko.

“Y-Yeah… wait, really, first?!” Himiko said, her voice suddenly strained.

“Hooo, not bad, not bad, but I’m not a fan of unpainted walls, I was expecting more… luxurious places…” Natsuki said.

“Ufufu, perhaps Windsor Castle would be more to your taste,” Gloria said in response to Natsuki. “But yes, William the Conqueror established this castle a thousand years ago.”

“A thousand years... Few places can boast to have a structure remaining after a millennium has passed,” Yagami said, impressed.

“Mhm, it hast been impressively popular to many throughout the centuries due to its importance. Conquering the lands of Britannia would be for naught if one fails to capture this residence.”

“Nnn, this is reminiscent of the various castles of Daimyos’ when they strove to unite Yamato.”

“Now then, I must ask, do thou and thy retainers wish to stay in the White Tower or the other structures within its walls? The structures outside possess differing architecture that are… not quite modern but not so ancient such as this.”

“I do not particularly mind anywhere,” Himiko said.

“I’ll defer to… m-my Lord’s decision,” Natsuki said, looking down.

“Nnn, are the amenities in this castle up to date? Solid piping and soundproofing? I’d imagine it must be with the number of tourists that pass through its halls,” Yagami asked.

“Not all the rooms, unfortunately. I was warned that some rooms would incur irreparable damage to authenticity for particular improvements. There should be enough rooms for thy standards and thy members, however.”

“Then we shall stay here in this castle. I do wish to take the time exploring its halls and towers,” Yagami said happily.

“I assume thou prefer more dated structures than modern ones?” the True Queen questioned with curiosity.

“I prefer whichever provides more peace and quiet. A habit I picked up after being on the battlefield bygones ago.”

“Ufufu, the other structures do not have much soundproofing, yet lack tourists, but then they are closer to the various constructs of the city.”

“Here is perfect for my needs then. Does thou hath any plans for the coming days?”

“Some, yes.”

“Fumu, then I shan’t disturb thee. Maybe a stroll around London tomorrow would be enjoyable after we’ve settled in.”

“I have time on the weekends, but otherwise I have an audience with the current monarch to attend to, as well as the politicians, and I believe there is a Heretic God lurking about in Europe so I must have it investigated. Suffice it to say, the True Queen must return to running Europe.” She made a small smile.

“A shame indeed. I suppose one of the Miko will accompany me on my gallivanting then,” Yagami said with a sigh. “Speaking of which, the amount of administration that will be handed to me upon my return… Ugh.”

“Hoho, I hope thou looketh forward to all the good work coming up, mn?”

“I plan to enjoy my first holiday in a century, thank you,” Yagami said with a lazy wave of his hand. “Though that Rosaria lass, she is travelling to Yamato. I hope she doesn’t make too large a mess.”

“Ah, yes. Thou doth met the children personally. How were they?”

“The youngest has a good heart but… needs guidance. The other one bares her fangs at everything, I wonder if she will find a partner in this world…”

“The seventh… is full of hatred and an evil that wishes to consume the world in her tyranny. I must be careful with her.”

“Oh, she is surprisingly pure despite her ambitions. She has yet to lay with another and in fact, I happened to overhear her retainers explain to her what copulation with another was. She honestly believed that a kiss would get one pregnant,” Yagami said with a laugh.

The True Queen stared at Yagami for a moment and burst out into laughter. “What is up with that?”

“Who knows what she has been taught? If she can still believe that then maybe there is hope for her yet,” Yagami said, smiling. “I sincerely hope that is the case…”

“After all the destruction she wrought—all those lives she stole for the Divine Instrument? My faith wanes…”

“Wayward youths need to be brought back on the path before it’s late. If she really intends to continue then rest assured, even I will show her no mercy.”

“I do not wish to make an excuse to †˜teach’ or guide a Campione unless I truly care about them, or am requested to. Wanting them to follow righteousness is a kindness, and kindness is a form of selfishness. I am the True Queen—I lead by example, not by words and want for betterment in particular. Thus, if these Kings stand in my path then likewise, I shall display no mercy, and would face them mineself.”

“Unchanging as ever. Nnn, to do battle with thee once more would be both pleasurable yet detestable for I fear the consequences of our match. There have been rumors circulating that thou intends to reinitiate thy conquest of the earth.”

Himiko and Natsuki almost shuddered noticeably from the last part Yagami spoke.

Oh boy… Natsuki looked at Himiko.

Of all things to speak of… Himiko looked at Natsuki.

What could they do in this situation?

Probably nothing.

“Perhaps if a day cometh in which we find a plot of land where none may face misfortune from our bout. Like the Greenland. Ufufu. I suppose thou hath heard the rumors too, I see.”

“Maa, it was raised again earlier yesterday by one of Rosaria’s retainers. Smart child, that one. I’d say she’s as adept as Himiko.”

“It appeareth thou met someone interesting there?”

“Indeed… but does thou truly indeed to attempt thy conquest again?” Yagami inquired once more with a tilt of his head.

Gloria shrugged. “There are far more Godslayers than before now. Who knows?”

“Not just the three of us like before, eh?” Yagami replied. Well, she didn’t deny it so it might happen.

He could feel Natsuki and Himiko sighing internally about now.

“With all eight of us, something may be… begging to take place, do thou not believe?”

“Nnn, I wonder what will happen now that there’s so many more of us. At best, something to chew on after I go back to work. Though more Heretics have been descending as of late, that might be attributed to our rise in number.”

“It is as it as though the heavens are attempting to be rid of us…”

“If only it were just heaven, we could probably handle it. I have a penchant for drawing out those from the hidden depths of the Earth or places unseen. They’re a handful.”

“Ufufu, I spake with the assumption that all Gods generally reside in heaven, or some kind of a realm separate from our world. I do not think that it is accurately either Heaven or Hell, but not quite the Astral Plane, either.”

“Nnn, perhaps. Every myth and legend has its own form of such a place. If one does exist, I would wish to travel there once.”

“But then if such a place exists, thou wouldst find nothing but Gods waiting to unleash their fury upon thee, no?”

“Hopefully some will be willing to grant me passage,” Yagami answered with a wink.

“Well, if ever the opportunity comes, I suppose. Ah, yes, Cursed King, didst thou know that the One-Man Storm is taking action?”

“Nnn, the young one in China? What does that one have planned?”

“I do not know in particular but…” Her lips curved further to form a bigger smile. “I would consider thou to keep watch, he possesseth a shrewd and fearsome ally.”

“A Heretic? Or another one of our ilk?”

“That, I may not answer, yet.”

“Thou art a tease of the highest order. Does thou treat thy own lovers as such,” Yagami huffed.

She raised a finger up to her lips as her smile portrayed more of her slyness. “I wonder about that.”

“I thank thee for the warning nonetheless,” Yagami said with a softer smile. “Anyone thou consider worthy enough to be thy partner is a fortunate one, hehe.”

“Hoho, thou art welcome, but those worthy may well find it to be a blessing or a curse. I shall leave that to thy musings”

“Ara, if thou even consider the potential for it to be a curse then my partner would effectively be given a death sentence,” Yagami said, nodding his head slowly.

“Ufufu, if thou useth thy poison and curses I could see it fleshing out to be quite the gruesome reality.”

“I would never treat my lovers in a fashion other than those that deserved as one that I have chosen.”

“I was only speaking in jest, King of the East.”

“Ehe, I know. It’s still a sore spot for me as thou knows.”

“Well, we all have our sore spots. Now then, I shall leave thee to thy retainers.” Two of the guards in their resident uniforms came up to them. “Knights of mine organization shall show thou to thy rooms of stay.” She gave a nod to her men. “Give them the best of the best, please.”

“Understood, Madame.” They gave a nod in return.

“I thank thee again,” Yagami said in high spirits before turning to her guards. “Lead the way, gentlemen.”

“Of course, please follow us!” they said in English with British accents.

“Ooh! Now this is a cool accent,” Natsuki said in an excited whisper.

The party merrily followed the pair of guards through the castle, admiring what it had to offer within its millennia old walls. Climbing a spiral set of stairs, they soon found a lavish hallway that led to a series of guest rooms, each extravagantly decorated like it was out of a history book. Yagami whistled when he entered a room, nodding his head in approval.

A large king size four poster bed took up a portion of the room, covered with plush cushions and boasting an extravagant canopy. There was a fireplace as well if he required it and a chandelier hung from the ceiling. A fancy sideboard lay at the side for his clothing and other peripherals and he walked over to it, feet passing over luxurious carpeting. All in all, a wonderful room.

“Now, I wonder if there’s anything I can use for tonight.” Yagami snickered, getting comfortable in the room.

When the True Queen returned to England with her guest—with his Hime Miko companions—Marina separately brought Caim over to the grand Tower of London. Here, the Paladin found yet another historical monument, a great structure dating from centuries past. This was something that existed even in his time in Britain from the distant past that he had arrived from.

It had been a while since the Paladin had first entered the country of Italy. Through means unbeknownst to even the Knight himself, Caim had been jumped forward in time, having met with a few individuals he would count himself lucky to have found by chance—not including one eager Heretic God—and had born witness to a battle which crippled most of the city in the hands of a reckless giantess, literally. Since then, Caim had been spending the following days in a hotel, as per requested by the True Queen Gloria.

He had recently arrived in London, England—to his fears—by flight as if that wasn’t off-putting enough. More and more, the Paladin would continue to lose his mind from the many facets of the time he had found himself locked in.

Through the Traitor’s Gate, they entered this castle. It was undeniably large and ancient but at the same time, Caim noted many differences, with the castle being much more improved, in various ways. He was soon guided to the White Tower, which was the structure from which the name of this castle was derived from. For being in the first ever built Royal Residence in English history, it was truly an honor.

The castle walls were undeveloped unlike the hotel’s interior that Caim had experienced before, it felt rather nostalgic now, to find such plain and old walls.

“Magnificent,” the Knight mused, peering at the castle’s very walls. “She still stands, even to this day. Not even time could best this grand structure.”

“Well, it’s also currently maintained by Elder Sister’s organization, otherwise it’d certainly look worse,” Marina said.

“I see, I see. Which organization would that be?”

“The Historic Royal Palaces. It’s one of the charities that maintains the historical royal residences that are unoccupied now. So, consequently, this castle is the residence of our True Queen.”

“Thine Elder Sister is an interesting woman, Lady Marina.”

“She’s amazing… I’d never even be alive if not for her…”

“Oh? Have thou a hefty debt for thy sibling?”

“Well, we’re not blood-related to begin with. I was abandoned by my family, and that was when my Elder Sister came to me.”

“That explains the differing hair colors. I see why thou would think highly of Lady Gloria. It must have been a tumultuous time for thee.”

“Yeah… well, Elder Sister has lived longer, so there are still parts of her that elude me to this day. She is nearly three-hundred years old as a Campione, and now stays in Royal Residences due to her special relationship with the royals… it’s just hard to believe sometimes… hard to believe where fate took me.”.

“Thou were lucky. Rather, blessed to have been given the opportunity to meet Lady Gloria. T’is not the first time I hear of a Campione rescuing a lost child.”

“You didn’t expect things to be this way though, did you? Tourists coming to this castle in the mornings is now commonplace, since it’s open to them, except very specific parts.”

“Specific parts?”

“Yes, very few parts of the castle are completely private to Elder Sister. Other places may be visited by the tourists in the mornings.”

“I wonder, hath thou ever seen such parts, being as close to Lady Gloria?”

“Of course, as her Sister and right-hand woman, I frequent such apartments of my Elder Sister. That said, we assigned an apartment for you to stay in as well.”

Caim’s brows raised. “Thou would… do as much for me?”

“My Elder Sister did. It’d be rather strange if a man lives with me in my apartment…” Marina made a frown.

“W-What. T’is not what I was insinuating, Lady Marina,” Caim said in a flustered, offended manner. “Truly, I was not expecting thine Elder Sister to assist me, even issue me lodgings. Verily, I was not expecting any kindness.”

“Well, if you are to stay with us and serve my Elder Sister, she’d be required to take care of you appropriately. I think she sorta… feels a kindred spirit in you. Seeing as you speak… like that.”

“Like what? Mine dialect? Aye, t’is difficult to make head or tails of thy own way of speech as well. I was almost puzzled of thy words had I not filled in the blanks with mine own tongue,” Caim said with a chuckle. “I will admit, I did find it rather surprising to see that Lady Gloria had also knowledge of the King’s English. Pleasing, nonetheless.”

“My Elder Sister was originally habituated with speaking in the Old English, since she came from the early-seventeenth century. So when she speaks in that manner, I do the same and replace some words in my mind the same way as you do.”

“Ah, yes. As a Campione, she would be from a distant time, same as I, only she was not burdened with having to adapt to the customs of today,” Caim remarked. “That said, thou mentioned that Lady Gloria feels a kindred spirit, with me of all people?”

Well, I did say that she is nearly three-hundred years old… perhaps math was a harsh subject of the past. “Just a hunch. It’s not as though my Elder Sister didn’t have to cope with the changing times either. It was a more slow and gradual process for her. But how should I put it…? It’s like when an old friend suddenly comes from your childhood days, and speaks in the same dialect as you used to—that’s how I feel about this unique situation.”

Caim hummed. “Maketh sense. In any case, Lady Marina. I thanketh both thee and thy Elder Sister for my lodgings.” The Knight dropped into a bow towards the woman as if she were someone of regal descent. Apparently a handshake, or just a simple thank you would not suffice for this Paladin.

“You’re welcome. I just hope it’s not wasted efforts on our part,” she said almost strictly. “My Elder Sister may be kind but I’ll be keeping an eye on you, Paladin Caim.”

“Eye to thy heart’s content. Thou wilt find naught but my devotedness to Lady Gloria,” Caim said with a shrug, smirking.

“Uh-huh.” She turned away as they walked and finally stopped, gesturing inside the room after opening its door. “This will be your apartment.”

“Very well.” Caim entered, just as the door was opened, and he peered around the room with a hum.

“If something happens… or maybe if my Elder Sister wants to have a conversation—which I hope not considering her schedule—we’ll send one of the knights to inform you.”

Is she really so occupied? Then again, I suppose that is what cometh with the position, after all. “That is fine. Do try to stop by as well, my Lady. T’would be nice for this knight to have conversation every once in awhile.”

“Hm, soon, perhaps? Not that I found you to be a bad man to converse with, it’s just that I have to get some work-related things out of the way. As the right-hand woman of the one who conquered the entirety of Europe—it’s only but natural.”

“Of course. Let me not impair thee from thy duty, then.” Caim found a sofa in the middle of the apartment and plopped down onto the cushion, crossing a leg over the other. “I shalt remain here until thou wouldst have need of me.”

“Well, enjoy the modern amenities, I suppose. We have a T.V. here too so it could be educational…” As a Paladin, she didn’t dare to step into a man’s room.

“Again with this… Tee Vee contraption,” Caim said with pursed lips. “What is it’s purpose?”

“Entertainment, of course. Not everything is fictitious but perhaps… most are. We use it to mask the incidents caused by Heretic Gods, or that giantess whom attacked—we’re looking to cover that incident as well.”

“It does all that? How fearsome to possess such ability... and t’is also used as entertainment?”

“Well, generally these are the most used products of the age. Nearly every household has one. So it’s not hard for those with influence to sway the minds of the general populace.”

“Astounding! Had we possessed something like this in the Crusades, reconquering the land from that heathen Saladin would hath been a simpler task.”

“Perhaps. Now, I’m going to leave you to your devices now and take leave. Have a good day.”

Caim wanted to ask more on the many trinkets and devices in his room, but Marina obviously had better things to do. He simply let it drop, wondering if he would end up putting this technology to good use, or break it in an unfortunate accident.

“Ah, well. Farewell, Lady Marina. Now… where do I begin...”

Two deities found themselves in the lands of Rome. Their sights filled with the destruction wrought upon the metropolis, the Gods were rather pleased—feeling the havoc born from battle frenzy in all its glory.

“Hoh, †˜tis surely a work of a great Godslayer,” the Eastern Warlord commented with a look of mirth.

“Indeed.” Nemain shared his mood but in her demeanor was also a palpable disappointment at having missed such a clash. Spying a familiar looking scorch mark on the ground by a circular ruin she flew over to take a closer look. A smile appeared on her face as she drew close. Recognizing the feeling of the Divine energy in the area her disappointment was replaced by anticipation. They were here! And what of their foes...

“I suppose thou hath found a remarkable burn across the sea of carnage?”

“It is reminiscent of the Authority of a Godslayer I faced in the Far East. There too it left distinct remnants.”

“Oh? That is a rousing prospect. The mark is indeed distinctive from the rest… possessing… a trait of the Immortal Sun?”

“Naturally. It summoned the birth of a new day, the dawn.”

“It appeareth thou hast encountered a great adversary indeed.”

“She was only one of two. If he is present as well there is much excitement to be had,” Nemain answered with a grin before her expression turned quizzical. “But I wonder as to her adversary. This battlefield is home to none vanquished.”

“I feel the remnants of dark and evil clouds, the sky of which now cleansed—likely by the Authority of the dawn. The earthen pillars speak to me—I believe two other Godslayers shared the former battlefield.”

“What bliss!” Nemain raised her arms in joy upon hearing his words, her battle-crazed smile on her face once again. She turned to Verethragna. “To yet encounter more Godslayers in this age. Let us make haste before the trail grows cold!”

“†˜Tis but a matter of time, Lady of the Mound. Fate shall lead us to them. Mine form feels the receding presence of a Godslayer… we are close!”

“Let thou leadest the way. Be it she or her foes, either may stoke our desire!”

Thus, the two Heretic Gods flew across the skies of Rome. Under the guidance of the Eastern Warlord they soon stopped upon an asphalt road. A single car was about to pass by but due to their obstruction, they stopped. At that moment, the Gods undoubtedly felt the flow of mana inside their bodies intensify, becoming battle-ready at the presence of their nemesis. The black-winged Goddess walked confidently up to the vehicle.

“My, it's not everyday you have people landing in front of you from the sky. Who might you be?” Beatrix said as she got out of the car, surprised but curious at the same time. Before they landed, she felt her body burn with power, informing her of the presence of the Heretic Gods. Indeed, she could feel a great urge to fight the two in front of her before she even saw them. “Or rather, would you two like to take care of this somewhere else? Unless you're fine being torn to pieces here, my dear preys.”

“T-Two Heretic Gods…” Allen muttered as he stood beside the vehicle and Beatrix.

Of all days it was today, two hours before their flight to London. Not to mention, there was a great battle just recently, and Rome was far from over with its reconstruction plans.

“Bold.” The dark-winged Goddess responded to the young Campione’s provocation with a smile. With a tap of her foot a circle of silver expanded from beneath her feet as the asphalt they stood on disappeared, replaced by the mossy carpet of a forest. Planted within the ground around them were several swords and spears, all brimming with Divine energy. “Show thy words are more than empty threats.”

“If you wish,” Beatrix said as a grin appeared on her face. Her magical power was raised greatly as she unsealed her Authority and Words of Power came to her mind mysteriously: “O wretched children, weave your web of merriment with the fools in bliss—inglorious, unarmed—singing songs over the wine; you all degrade the earthy generation of Satyrs, drowning all warlike hopes in their cups. There may be banquet after battle, there may be dancing after the war in the palace grand and gorgeous—but without hard work, it is not possible to dwell in the inaccessible heavens. The road to the blessed is not easy; noble deeds give the only path to the firmament of Heaven by God's decree. You foolish beings too, then, shalt endure hardship of every kind. I, in all my rancour foretell to you the coming of your end—for I shall trample your hopes, ravish your form, and crush your very soul with afflicting discord!”

Bloodlust began to take over Beatrix. She intended to crush both Heretic Gods here. Her body grew as well as her clothing with her. Giant black wings could be seen appearing on the back of her clothes. As she began to flap them as she flew up into the sky. “I hope you’re ready,” Beatrix said as she flew down fast, extending one of her legs. She smashed the area where the two Heretic Gods stood. Debris flew up in all directions as the asphalt cracked and caved in immediately from the powerful force.

“Ugh! There goes both our drivers and one of our assets…” Allen commented wryly as he used Leap magic to get away from the point of impact.

With a burst of mana the Goddess took to the air, ascending upwards in time to evade the Campione’s massive heel, but the shock wave from the impact buffeted her as she continued to rise. Wrapping her wings defensively around her body, she rode out the storm of debris as she rose. Knocking a few final pieces of shrapnel away she spread her magnificent wings once more with a mighty gust of wind and hovered at the giant’s eye level, unphased.

She found Verethragna afloat behind her, only looking up to the giantess with a mirthful expression. “Shall thou have me stand back for this bout or shall we face the Godslayer together?”

“Do as thee desires. Not am I one to deny another the joy of battle.” Nemain answered him in good spirits, pleased by the Campione’s display of might.

“Then I hope thou wouldst not mind for I shall enjoy mineself!”

“Thou wilt need make haste, lest I vanquish our adversary before such an opportunity is offered!” With a parting laugh Nemain dove towards the giant. With a fist empowered by a glow of Divine might, she sent a reckless punch at the gut of the enormous Campione.

Beatrix winced from the pain as it felt powerful as she then tried to kick the God. Leaning away, the Goddess drifted backwards, watching the kick cut through the air a few meters in front of her. She was both impressed and disappointed that the titanic Campione stayed on her feet from her strike.

A barrage of lightning descended afterwards upon Beatrix, the clouds now abruptly gray and stormy. Beatrix’ arms were moved up in reflex to block it but she could feel her skin being scalded.

Angered, Beatrix flew up again in the sky and came down crashing to the ground, sending debris all over yet again. A powerful gust could be felt around the vicinity, the debris crushing anyone in the path or sent flying away from the powerful gust.

Spreading her wings Nemain caught the gust of wind letting it sweep her along, ignoring what rubble buffeted her. A flash of red among the debris flew past her and her hand darted out closing around the shaft of a blood red javelin, one of the weapons of the mound.

Turning to the titan she lazily cast it at the enormous figure of the Campione, a deadly dart flying at the Godslayer with blinding speed the moment it left her hand. Beatrix took a step to the side instinctively, managing to dodge the small object she could barely see come towards her.

The next was something she could see, but was something so massive it was almost her own size.

The Boar of Verethragna—one of his incarnations—tackled her hard and pushed her down to the ground below, crushing the homes of many in that moment.

There was a symphony of wreaking havoc and cries as this took place. As if two of her kicks from the sky weren’t enough. This seemed to take the top of the cake. The Boar relished in its handiwork, roaring in delight as it stood upon the fallen Campione.

“Thou art most excellent! But it appeareth thou art not yet ready to face us,” Verethragna claimed. “One of the reverent Campiones my compatriot spoke of likely defeated thee with the mark of dawn. Am I correct?”

Fluttering down, Nemain rejoined the battle from where the gust the Campione had created had blown her to and landed on the back of the Boar, seemingly indifferent to the intense struggle taking place below her. “The huntress... As I recall she named herself the True Queen,” she commented absentmindedly.

Upon hearing what the Goddess said, Beatrix became angry. She tried to remove the Boar off her but was unable to. “Damn you! Get off!” Instead the Boar howled and pressed its tusks and legs against her, the concrete under her shattering, as countless shards fluttered up into the air.

Trying yet again to push the Boar off she managed this time, sending it off as far as she could at that moment.

As the beast was cast away the Goddess leapt off its back, taking to the air once more.

Beatrix then glared at the two as she stood up. She finally spoke as her pride had not let her speak to them while she was being held down by the Boar as it felt she would have admitted complete defeat. “She’s no True Queen!”

“Oh? It seemeth we stumbled upon a squabble.” Nemain smiled. She could not care less about the title dispute between them but such conflict could be used to draw the young Campione to future battles. “My companion speaks the truth. Thou art mighty but thy inexperience betrays thee. Be it we persist all that awaits is thy demise.”

“Whatever, it’s two of you versus just one of me. The current outcome was probably obvious. I just couldn't skip the opportunity to fight.”

“Thou may be more similar to us than thou mayst believe,” Verethragna spoke. “Truly worthy of the moniker of Rakshasa King. It wouldst be too premature a conclusion for this bout to end this way.”

“Rakshasa King? What the heck does that even mean!?” Beatrix said, confused as she had never heard that word before but wondered what it could mean since it seemed he was referring her as that.

The Heretic God laughed. “†˜Tis the eastern title granted to the Godslayers. I must state, thou art most amusing.”

“Hmph, you won’t find it so amusing the day I crush you. The same goes to your companion.”

“I eagerly await facing thee the day arrives thou hath the might to accomplish such a task,” the Goddess spoke, wearing a genuine smile that carried no falsehood.

“Indeed,” Verethragna added after the black-winged Goddess. “May we meet again on a greater battlefield.”

“You're gonna wish we didn’t next time we meet.” Beatrix smiled.

“Return to thy original form. I have a parting gift for thee that cannot be received as thou art.” The Goddess approached the giant form of Beatrix without hostility.

“Why should I? You came here looking for a fight. How do I know it’s not a trap?” Beatrix said, keeping an eye on the Goddess.

“Thy words are insult. Dost thou believest I require such methods?” The Goddess brushed off the Campione’s allegations without a care. “Now, return to thy original form. I will not offer my gift to thee a third time.”

“Fine. I’ll just make sure to crush you permanently next time if you do anything strange,” Beatrix said as she relaxed, beginning to turn back to normal. Keeping an eye on the Goddess, not letting her guard down. Yet part of her was curious what the Goddess had in mind.

Nemain walked over to the Campione and stood right in front of her, possibly closer than one might be comfortable with if they valued their personal space. Looking deep into the Godslayer’s eyes she began to chant.

“I profess acceptance to thine heroic deeds, and I hereby proclaim thus—ye shalt be Sidhe’s blessed. Ye shalt be a champion among champions! Go forth, warrior! Fight! Kill! Conquer! For upon thee I grant the mantle of victory!"

Once the final word was said, without warning, the Goddess placed a firm hand on Beatrix’ chin and stole her lips, forcing her way into the Godslayer’s mouth. At their connection the Campione could feel her body heating up as Divine energy was poured into her by the Goddess. Beatrix’ eyes opened wide. Never in her wildest imaginations would she have imagined being kissed by another woman.

She had heard of such things but to her she had no interest in women, yet she could feel her face flushed red as she tried to get back, but the Goddess wouldn’t let her escape. After a few minutes that may have felt like an eternity to the innocent Campione, the flow of Divine energy waned and she was released, a small trail of saliva breaking as they pulled apart.

“Go forth with my blessing. Let it aid thee until we meet again,” the Goddess declared, looking upon Beatrix with proud eyes like one might look upon their child.

“W-what was that for!?” Beatrix shouted, but she stepped back. Normally, she’d feel rage, but currently she couldn’t help but feel flustered. She placed her hands on her stomach, feeling a strange sensation that she had never felt before in her life. Her body felt warmer than usual, yet she didn’t feel ill. Her mind was confused as she tried to figure out what had just happened. “What did you to do my womb!? It has never felt like this before!”

“Art thou not satisfied? I conferred upon thee a Divine blessing of life,” Nemain said, still looking as proud as a new parent.

“B-blessing o-of l-life!?” Beatrix’ mind at that moment felt as if it shut down. She no longer knew what to believe. She recently was told it took a man, yet here a Goddess just told her she blessed her with a life in her womb. “I-I’m not ready for this…!?”

“Fret not, thou hast proved thyself capable. Thou hast much growth awaiting thee.” Never did the Goddess’ warm, proud smile wane.

“...”

For her first time in her life, Beatrix truly had no words to speak as her mind conjured images of scenarios completely different from what the Goddess meant as she simply stood there.

“Now, let us be off.” Nemain turned to Verethragna.

“Yes, let us depart for the greater stage of combat.

Thus, with the wind, the Heretic Gods vanished with faint lights fading away from view.

“Is Your Majesty alright?!” Allen came shouting, his tone full of worry.

For the first time in a long time, Beatrix let a stream of emotions take over as she hugged Allen. “S-she got me pregnant!” Tears could be seen falling from Beatrix eyes.

“Huh… HUH?!” He didn’t know whether the hug should surprise him or what she just told him. “Just what kind of a magic did she inject into Your Majesty?”

“I don’t know! She just said she blessed me with life.”

“W-W-What?” He was fumbling around for a handkerchief for her tears when he heard this. “That is utterly ridiculous! Even if she is a Goddess it was only a k-kiss… n-not… intercourse… that is impossible between females!”

“Then why does my womb feel the warmest?! It has never felt that way before until she kissed me,” Beatrix said as she hugged Allen tighter, trying to calm herself down. “I’m too young to be a mother!”

“I-I… I don’t know what to believe. But… ugh, we have a flight to catch… maybe go to a hospital to check in London?”

“Just buy me those pregnancy test items! I’ll make that accursed Goddess pay for what she did to me!”

“We’ll miss the flight if we try to get those now!” W-Why am I having to buy such things for her…

“Buy it when we are in London then!”

“U-Understood…”

At the airport now, the trio consisting of Rosaria, Marie and Alina sat across the waiting area on some seats. Their flight was delayed to Japan and Alina bought some snacks for them to have to pass the time.

“I hope you like what I got,” she said.

“Thanks!” Rosaria replied, as she started snacking on one of the snacks. “Is our plane not here yet? This is boring!”

Alina sat down next to her. “These things happen sometimes when traveling. We’ve got no choice but to wait.”

“Why don’t they just get more planes? Don’t you have one, Marie?”

“I do not own the world as the True Queen does,” Marie replied. “I am but of former Royalty.”

“Aww, you should buy one! Have Sancho drive it!”

“Driving airplanes and cars are two different things, my dear.”

“Mkay… But just sitting here is boring! I’m gonna have a look around!”

“Take care.”

“Do you mind if I tag along?” Alina asked, worried about what kind of trouble she might get in there.

“Let’s go, then!” Rosaria stood up and tugged Alina along.

“We shouldn’t go too far though. If the plane boards and we can’t make it back in time, it could leave without us.”

“And then there will be no adventures for you,” Marie said as a final reminder.

“How come they make us wait then they won’t wait for us? What a bunch of idiots,” Rosaria replied, huffing.

“It’s not as if they’re making us wait for no reason,” Alina said. She turned back to Marie. “Are you sure you don’t want to join us, Miss Auguste? I can’t imagine it’d be much fun waiting around by yourself.”

“I still have my phone, Miss Karnick. Besides…” Marie made a really disappointed look. Even if it was Rosaria, it wasn’t something she could quite indulge. “Exploring in an airport… I am unable to stoop so low myself, it is unfortunate but I shall pass on the offer.”

“Come on, Marie... Don’t be a spoilsport!” Rosaria added, already snacking again.

“And exactly what am I spoiling? Nothing, yes?”

“Exploring, with us! Come, come!”

“I am not quite interested, personally.”

“Fiiine, you stay here and find us when the plane’s here! Let’s go, Lina!”

Why would I need to find you? Silly girl. Marie sighed internally and moved her focus back to her smartphone.

“Easy there,” Alina said. “I’m capable of walking on my own without any assistance, you know.”

“I wonder what kind of stuff they sell here...” Rosaria said as she started walking with Alina.

“Hmm… there’s a variety of stores scattered throughout. Food, souvenirs, even clothing stores and the like.”

“Hmmm, we’re already eating, sooo let’s check some souvenirs. Lead the way, Lina!”

“It’s not as if I know the layout of this place that well. We should find something if we continue in this direction, however.” Alina had only been to airports a handful of times in her life.

“I wonder if they sell small Colosseums here...” Rosaria wondered as they headed towards the stores.

“Maybe…” Alina realized if Rosaria found anything she liked, she wouldn’t have the money to buy it. “If there’s anything that catches your eye, I can get it for you. As long as it’s not too expensive.”

“Mhm, I’m not going to buy anything! I just want to look at it.” Rosaria smiled at her friend. “But in Japan I’ll definitely buy something! Ufufu.”

“Oh, alright. That makes more sense than buying souvenirs from our home country.” After a minute or so of walking, they spotted what they were looking for and approached it.

“Here we are,” Alina said.

“Eh, it’s pretty small, isn’t it?” In all honesty, she had expected something that was like in another building.

“Why would they bother putting it in another building when there’s so much space, silly? In some ways, i guess it’s kind of like a mall in here.”

“Let’s see what’s inside!” And so Rosaria entered the shop. It was filled with various bits and trinkets with some sort of mundane functionality tacked on, like key rings, ash trays, and frames. “Ehh….”

“Find any mini Colosseums?” Alina asked.

She had split up from Rosaria and met back up with her after looking through half the store.

“I want an Eiffel Tower!” Rosaria said, after shaking her head at Alina’s question.

“Where’s that coming from?”

“I just imagined it suddenly?” She gave Alina a curious look. “They should start selling more Colosseums, though! Since the real one is gone now.”

“Heh, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone tried to take advantage of the situation.”

“They should sell like a jigsaw puzzle of it, and say it’s like real life! Ehehe.”

“Rosaria… that’s a little messed up, don’t you think?”

“Hm? Why?”

“People would most likely want to celebrate the Colosseum, not its destruction.”

“Hmm… but wouldn’t it be better to have fun with it?”

“I guess. It just seems a little too soon to me. It was only demolished the other day.”

“But then, I would see the True Queen not tolerating its destruction and making an attempt to rebuild it to be its former state,” a third voice spoke among them, but they never noticed this particular person creeping up next to them. “So, nothing may come out of it.”

Alina turned to find a young girl with silver hair that went all the way down her back. She wore a hanbok the consisted of a black and red skirt with a pattern of white flowers on it and a white blouse with sleeves that dragged on the floor. A blue butterfly was pinned to her hair. “Excuse me, but who are you?”

“Oooh, you’re so cute!” Rosaria, however, was starting to reach out to the young girl, her look was of utter fascination. Her fingers wiggled as she slowly got closer and closer to her, forgetting all about the souvenirs.

“Hm? I am the fabled child of the eastern lands!” the Asian proudly declared. She pulled a sleeve up to her lips. “I see that the Godslayer is seeking peculiar things, how very natural.”

“You’re a what?” Rosaria started poking the kid’s cheeks, and patting her head—all while raining compliments on how cute the child was.

“I apologize for her,” Alina said. “She’s… you get used to her.”

“O-Oh, uh, well, it is a given since I am naturally the cutest!” the Asian said, albeit taken aback. “You seem to be more peculiar than I had expected.”

“Can I take her home?!” Rosaria quipped, while rubbing cheeks with the girl.

“No. No you can’t!”

The girl didn’t seem to mind too much so Alina guessed there was no harm. “I’m Alina Karnick, Diavolo Rosso of the Copper Black Cross. May I ask what business you have with my King?”

“And I’m Rosaria! What’s your name?”

“I am Loung. I only wanted to see what kind of a King this Godslayer is. Well, it doesn’t seem like she’ll be of much threat. So I guess it’s fine.”

Alina couldn’t even imagine Rosaria being a threat to anyone besides Heretic Gods and possibly other Campiones. “How’d you know we would be here, Loung?”

“What are you doing here, Lou—Long? Come with us!” Rosaria added.

“Who knows? Perhaps it was the scent that guided me to the King?” Lounge answered.

“Hahaha! Silly, I took a bath today; tell her, Lina!” Rosaria raised her thumb towards her friend to urge her on.

“I think she means she picked up on your magic,” Alina said.

“Eh? What a skilled child! Good job, good job, hehe.” She started patting Loung’s hair.

“Now then, seventh King, I shall bid you farewell.” Loung made a slow and deep bow.

“Hold on, is there an organization you work for?” Alina asked.

“†˜I’m the eighth though...” Rosaria pouted.

Loung blushed out of embarrassment but made a smile and showed her tongue in a silly manner. “I forgot. Tee hee!”

“Where are you going now?” Rosaria asked.

“To the Far East. Now, I really need to go. Bye-bye.” Loung waved and ran off from the store.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that she’s heading to the same part of the world we are,” Alina said.

“Hehe, so I’ll see her again soon! Lucky!” Rosaria grinned as she looked at the store’s entrance.

“Not necessarily, although I do think it’s likely we’ll run into whoever she’s working for.” Loung hadn’t answered her question, but Alina was sure she hadn’t come here on her own.

“Hmm, but she’s a kid! How can she work for anything?” Rosaria pointed out.

“You heard what she said. She confronted you to determine if you would be a threat. She may simply be younger than she looks, but it’s also not unheard of for kids to be extremely talented.”

“Ehh, a threat to what?” Rosaria tilted her head in confusion.

“I wish I knew. Perhaps we’ll find out.”

“I’m sure we will! Oh look!” Rosaria ran off and returned with a pair of oversized glasses and a stupid looking visor-hat.

“…are you going to wear those?”

“Ehehe, Marie would be surprised. You should get one too!” Rosaria brought out another set seemingly out of nowhere.

Alina grabbed the glasses and put them on. “How do I look?”

“Haha! You look like an idiot!” Rosaria grabbed her stomach and bursted out laughing, looking like the same all the while.

Alina smiled and stifled a laugh. “Like you’re one to talk right now.” It would be amusing to see Marie’s reaction, but Alina had a feeling the glasses and hats would go to waste after this. She thought it over for another moment or two. “Sure, why not. Let’s get them.”

“Hehehe, let’s go find Marie!” Rosaria started to skip out of the store—without paying.

Alina grabbed her before she got too far, stopping her from becoming a thief. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“Hm? Should I get more stuff?”

“We still have to pay for it.” Alina led her to the cash register and paid with a credit card, and then they headed back. As they approached Marie, both of them wearing glasses and hats, Alina couldn’t help but grin.

Marie only turned to them and silently inspected them. She suppressed a laugh. “Welcome back, jokers.”

“You might’ve mistaken us for your friends, miss.” Rosaria was clearly stifling laughter whilst pretending to speak in a male voice. Whatever sense that may make.

“Is that so?” A look of amusement surfaced amidst her facial expression and she turned back to her phone. “My mistake, then. I shall pretend that I have never seen either of you before.”

“Excuse me miss, but do you mind if I sit next to you?” Alina asked. She made her voice deeper, similar to Rosaria’s.

“There are so many seats here. A gentleman would give appropriate space to a dignified lady, I would think?”

“I don’t think she recognizes us,” Rosaria whispered to Alina, sniggering. “E-Ehem, but why is a lady such as yourself a-alone?” She then turned to Marie, visibly struggling.

“Why? Can a lady not be alone?” Marie raised her eyebrows.

“But surely someone as beautiful as you has someone?” Alina asked.

“Y-yeah… khkk...” Rosaria’s face was about to explode, but thanks to her clever disguise—actually it was still fairly obvious.

“Ah, I believe a man would simply respect the lady’s whim at that point, Miss Alina. You have much to learn it appears,” Marie said in a whisper. “Come on, I know you are able to do better than this!”

Alina removed her disguise. “How did you know it was me?”

“Oh, you quit. How would I not know, though? I mean, how is that even a question?”

“I was only kidding. And I assure you, normally I would never ask such an invasive question.”

“Aww, she found out quickly...” Rosaria’s shoulders drooped, but her disguise remained on her. “Hey listen, Marie! We met a kid earlier, named Long!”

“Loung. She had come to determine if Rosaria is a threat.”

“A threat?” Marie asked, intrigued slightly.

“A threat to whom and how, I don’t know. She didn’t divulge much beyond her name. That and she said she was heading to the Far East next.”

“So the same country as us, possibly. Hm, interesting.”

“She’s also cute!” Rosaria added.

“She had long silver hair and was wearing a hanbok,” Alina said.

“Yeah, she has those flowers on her clothes too… it was pretty! You should’ve seen it, Marie.”

“A Chinese, perchance? Well, the details are good enough, I suppose.”

“She went away too quickly! I was going to bring her here, too!” Rosaria puffed her cheeks.

“That would be rude, so I am glad that you did not do that.”

“Hmp, I won’t show her to you then, next time!” Rosaria stuck out her tongue towards the blonde.

To Marie that was mission accomplished to annoy Rosaria. Well, I suppose that may just have to come to an end. “I am not so eager to see her that I would require you to drag her here, anyway.”

“That would be taking a bit too far,” Alina said. “Think about it from your point of view. You wouldn’t like it either if someone dragged you off against your will, would you?”

“Likely not.” Marie shrugged. “She only likes to be the troublemaker, but never likes to be the troubled one.”

“Maybe if it were fun...” Rosaria’s brows scrunched up as she thought of what Marie said.

“How would it be fun?” Alina asked, genuinely curious.

“Well, like that book Lina showed me, I guess? That was interesting!” Rosaria closed her eyes and rubbed her chin sagely.

“What kind of book?” Marie asked.

Alina blushed. “N-not important. Anyway! How much longer do you think we have to wait before we can start boarding?”

“Hmm?” Rosaria curiously tilted her head to the side.

At that moment, there was a message given out throughout the airport, stating that the delay to the flight had finally ended.

“I suppose it is about time we get going,” Marie said, taking a peek at her wristwatch.

Alina cast a silent prayer. “Let’s get going then. Rosaria, Miss Marie.”

“Hm? Where are you going?” Rosaria had her hands at the back of her head, pouting at nothing in particular—like one would do if they were playing with a pencil above their lip.

“It’s time to board,” Alina said over her shoulder. She was already making her way to the boarding platform, with Marie beside her.

“Hey, wha—wait!” Rosaria grabbed her own bag and chased after the two, her tacked on disguise forgotten.

The two Heretic Gods drifted across the European lands, floating north-west, as Divine fate willed for them. They were seemingly passing by France, a country that possessed a great amount of lands. Yet what intrigued her was not the way the people lived, nor the borders they drew on the maps, but the amount of places she could feel the traces of Gloria from. The reverent Godslayer had certainly traversed these lands before, and it seemed like even her companion was sensing the presence of a kin. Indeed, they could sense the attribute of War from this particular Campione, according to their Divine instincts.

“The huntress hath spread wide her domain. Many a God hath fallen among these lands,” Nemain commented, looking to the earth below. She could feel her body getting excited even in the absence of a nearby foe. “Our foe hath usurped more Authorities than imagined.”

“Mn, so this feeling of the mourning earth I sense, thou claim †˜tis to be the handiwork of a single Godslayer?” Verethragna asked.

“Indeed! Let thy instinct validate, many have passed but one has carved their presence upon the earth with war.”

“Certainly, I sense the attribute of War and Victory—in other words, Steel. I presume thou feel it much strongly seeing thy vigor. Say, many a corpse of Gods layeth here, shall we have one raised from the earth to make the coming battles more interesting? I too possess the ability of revival of the Gods.”

“Certainly. Thou desire’s spake of combat with heretics. Dost thee wish to entertain thyself with battle whilst a compatriot I revive?”

“Yes, that would be a refreshing prospect, I would wish to see if a Heretic may appease mine taste for combat.”

“I look forward to watching thy battle when my task is complete.” Nemain smiled to herself in anticipation and descended towards the earth.

“Ah, yes. I would welcome thee to watch. Pray seek out thy target to bring rebirth to first.”

Landing upon a large meadow, Nemain walked along, letting her instincts guide her path. Her enthusiasm seeped into the land leaving a trail of overgrown underbrush where she walked. After a few minutes of seemingly aimless wandering, she sensed a familiar spark of life and took off gliding along the surface to its origin. A warm smile unlike the ones she wore in combat appeared on her face as she drew close to its source. It was a very familiar presence, one she had blessed with victory in ages past. A silver glow began to surround her in anticipation before she even reached her destination. Arriving where the deity lay she raised her arms and began to chant.

“Rise once more loyal hound. Break free of thy bondage of earth and regain thy steel. Not even mighty hosts beneath which the earth quakes may oppose thy might. Sinners will gaze upon thy visage and tremble. With war make known the king’s return!”

A pillar of brilliant blue burst forth from the earth before her. Raising her hand into the air a glorious red spear carved from the bone of a great sea beast appeared within Nemain’s grasp. The silver aura that surrounded her gathered along its length causing it shine with a luster that rivaled the sun above. Reaching forward, she planted the spear into the center of the pillar of blue light and watched as the aura mixed with the pillar, the deep blue mingling with the radiant silver and dyeing one another with their luster as they formed a solid entity. When the luminesce subsided there stood a handsome young man wearing dark blue full body tights adorned by runic protections.

“Who… art thou?” a manly voice called out from amidst the steam that was being let out as an aftermath of the summoning.

“I am one thou art familiar with, noble hound,” Nemain said, greeting the man with a warm smile. “Thou mayst recall a granddaughter of mine most enamored with thee.”

“Ah… art thou the grandmother of her.” From a crouched position the hero stood up, the same lance the Goddess threw down in his grasp now. “What doth ye seek to summon me from the Realm of Immortality?”

“I seek the greatest battle this world hath to offer. A warrior great as thee would no doubt make worthy a combatant. Dost thee desire to test thy might against the greatest man hath to offer?”

“Hm, I may not say I feel the same way. I feel not… the want for battle for the moment.”

“I am saddened to hear such from thee, but thy place lies not on the battlefield without resolve. Should thou find thy desire for combat my fiann welcomes thee.” A look of disappointment appeared on Nemain’s face for a moment before a sly smile replaced it. “If thou wilt hear a single request of mine, roam these lands in the domain of our great foe. Mayhaps encounter with fate rekindles thy lust for battle, noble hound.”

“Roam to seek conflict to unveil my true want for combat… a prospect not so bad. Perhaps that is my role on this barren world, but I want to see more of such a world first. I suppose I shall take up thine suggestion.”

“Go, fulfill thy desire. Open mine arms await thy return.” Nemain’s expression returned to the same warm smile she had first greeted him with.

The hero made a small smile. “Very well, I shall do just that, if mine heart permits to do so.” With a great leap the God vanished to the yonder fields, setting out to explore the countryside.

Gazing at the direction the Hound of Ulster disappeared to, Nemain remained for several moments after he had left. It heartened her to meet a fellow deity from the land of her origin, particularly one she had once given her blessing in battle to, but he was immature and had yet to fully regain his steel. Be it as a compatriot or an aspect of one of her adversary’s might she knew he would return to her though she hoped it would be the formor. Spreading her wings she shook off the fatigue born from resurrecting a deity and took to the air to seek where Verethragna may be in combat.

(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxuoMaI2rjQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxuoMaI2rjQ)

Thunder and lightning danced and coiled as lumps of blackness were seemingly vaporized. A battle between the Gods raged and Nemain found the skies darken rapidly as she approached the battlefield of the Gods.

“Hah, impudent child! I shall teach thou the price of invoking a God carelessly only to challenge them!”

“Excellent, forward to it I hath looked, entertain me! Prove to me that thou may bringeth upon me the taste of defeat! For I am the undefeated!”

“Do not look down on me, child! For I am Hades—there is none that may stand to live from the air of death I command!”

Oh? Helios’ kin, but spirit’s unbroken. Mayhaps here I witness the true tenacity thy parthenon hath to offer. Nemain thought eagerly as she spectated, floating at the outskirts of the confrontation between the two Heretic Gods.

The Gods thus clashed. Hades summoned an army of the dead as a crimson glow emanated from under him. The Authority that summoned the dead from the underworld—a power befitting the ruler of such a realm—brought forth the cries of varying skeletons and strange black creatures.

“Ho, the victor against vanquished’s army. Twould be most embarassing if here thee falls,” Nemain called out, edging them on good-naturedly.

What surprised the Eastern Warlord was not this ritual of summoning being completed in a matter of moments, but the way in which they begun their attack. A black bridge seemed to form, leading all the way up to his position. Seeing this, the Heretic God felt pleasantly surprised, but such an emotion only lasted momentarily. He only raised his arm to the Heavens, and thus he willed for the ferocious lightning to descend. Despite then, the dead marched onwards, with blades raised.

The Oriental God of Victory and War thus brought forth a second sun across the skies, from which a solar ray descended. The steed shone with brilliance—its ethereal form coming down as the clouds parted, illuminating the world in its sacred presence.

“Hoh, here cometh thine accursed steed,” Hades remarked with great vigor. “Very well, I shall respond in kind!”

A three-headed dog formed from under the earth—shattering the plains open as it appeared—galloping upwards toward the coming stallion. Its fur jet black, comparable to the dark gray clouds that blotted out the skies above the neighboring countryside. Cradled in darkness, the Cerberus met with the White Stallion in the air—the meeting of which sent away great shockwaves and magical power across the lands.

When the debris cleared, there remained naught of the radiant steed nor the rabid dog. Instead, the air was filled a dark smoke of Death.

“I am the most victorious—all shall be vanquished!”

Verethragna chanted the Words of Power that granted upon him great magical energy, which raised the pure white light that gave off from his form. This was done to resist the air of Death exuded by Hades, the ruler of the underworld. A great gust soon blew from him, blowing the Death away. The pastures eroded and the trees died—their leaves disappearing in a similar fashion. This wind not only affected the air but the army that was advancing towards the Oriental War God, halting them in their ethereal passage.

This God who stood nearly fifty meters tall against a youthful child who was around one-hundred-and-fifty centimeters tall were seemingly equal, which would be absolutely odd to any mortal audience, but to those knowledgeable of the Gods’ abilities, this was but a natural predicament.

“As I hath suspected, thy strength is not yet under thy proper reins, Hades.”

“I shall not forgive thou who is so conceited enough to revive me for a duel. This folly borne of thy audacity shall not be ignored.”

“How amusing.”

Just as a golden sword materialized for the Oriental War God, the bident appeared in the hand of Hades. With a loud clang the battle resumed. They struck each other multiple times, the steel shuddering from the point of contact, and the sparks flying out in every direction—they were met in a stalemate.

Or so it seemed.

“Oh? So it able to resist the Divinity that rest in mine Bident.”

The Warlord of the East showed a savage beastly grin, zooming in fast past the weapon, striking against the very Divinity of the God. A golden barrier was met instead of the spear, as magical waves were left out from the point of contact. The God groaned as he could see the golden blade cut through the barrier slowly entering it with each passing moment.

“Hahahahaha!! Amuse me more! Bring to me the most joyous battle!”

“What an irritable sword!”

The Victor hath fallen in entirety to battle, Nemain thought, watching Verethragna’s expression with a pleased look on her face. Underworld King, should thee reveal not thy gambit thine end tis nigh.

The Bident was soon brought down against the God of Victory, its slice cutting through the dimension, revealing a deathly darkness.

“Hm?!”

“Hah!”

Verethragna barely evaded the slices of the spear that tore the dimensions apart in its path. With a few such gallant swings in, finally the golden sword of the Oriental War God halted the Bident in its place before it could swallow more air of the world into the underworld. The Gods met in a conflict where supremacy in strength would declare the victor, seemingly. Despite the size of King Hades, Verethragna held his position with astounding levels of brute strength and stamina.

As befitting of a God of Victory—there was no doubt that Verethragna was a powerful God worthy of his title as the Undefeated. The King of the Underworld soon let out a breath of Death upon the God and he turned into a large scarlet Raptor—flying away like a swooping swallow at breakneck speed. Nimbly, its elusive form avoided the winds of Death. A powerful gust took place and Verethragna took to the skies. From the clouds and the rainfall fell more lightning, which Hades met with a groan as he bore the prickling pain on his forearm.

This pain was akin to a mosquito biting. Perhaps a large one. Regardless, it was almost completely ineffective if not for holding an opponent in place from casting something frightful.

“Thou art hath always been a curious shapeshifter,” the King of the Underworld commented as he looked up to the skies above. “However, thou art confident overmuch. Let me teach thee the price of conceitedness!”

The Bident vanished—or rather, the King himself vanished.

Indeed, the Authority of the Helm of Darkness was active. Thunder and lightning descended upon the location the King was last seen upon but struck naught but the barren lands below, which were previously the pastures of the countryside of France.

The clouds parted unceremoniously as the invisible Hades jumped high, crossing an incredible amount of distance upwards—making a herculean thrust with his gifted Bident, swallowing the clouds away of the Ram altogether as a slice revealed a crescent entrance to the underworld.

However, the Boar flew down from the Heavens above, landing upon the King—pushing them both down to the earth below. An invisible figure crashed against the earth yet the Boar could hardly fight this unseen God. Thrusting its tusks and fangs and hind legs using its primal instincts, it sought to destroy its target.

The invisible King and the Boar thus fought, but it was soon wrestled away by the King, that was when the Divine sword of the War God struck, a brilliant light emanating at his helm. The invisibility dispelled by the golden sword of the Warrior incarnation, Verethragna laughed haughtily.

“This is indeed a great battle, but I wouldst prefer to savor it more when thine strength is at its greatest!” Verethragna exclaimed, his voice full of battle-frenzy and savage excitement.

“Hmph. I shall admit, at mine current state the stalemate may never be broached,” Hades acknowledged.

“We shall meet again in the near future when thy strength shall be at its peak.”

“Verily agreed. Let us postpone our duel till then.”

“Shown good show ye have,” Nemain commented, floating over to where the two Gods faced each other upon seeing the conflict to be over, for now. “Redeemed thy parthenon in mine eyes thou hast,” she said to Hades in particular, congratulating his performance.

“Hmph. Another of the Steel. Regardless, I shalt take leave,” Hades claimed.

With the wind Hades had thus disappeared, but there remained Verethragna, who faced the War Goddess with a welcoming smile, which adorned his youthful handsome features.

“Ah, thou hath returneth. How did the revival proceed? Verily did I sense a Divinity come forth from the Realm of Immortality in moments past.”

“Indeed, again Cú Chulainn roams the earth but immature he remaineth. When he hath regained his steel, then will he join us.”

“Hm, I suppose not all retaineth their steel upon rebirth. †˜Tis but mysterious.” Verethragna only glanced back to the tarnished earth that was caused from his conflict with Hades. “A time mayest come when I face once more the King of the Underworld, but for now… shall we depart to thine destination as willed by fate?”

“Yes, let the gale carry us ever onwards,” Nemain answered with a nod.

While the pair of Heretic Gods took leave, the heroic Steel God stood afar on a hill. He looked down, and his grasp upon his crimson lance tightened.

The strolls across the town which Yagami indulged with the Hime Miko known as Natsuki were pleasant. Being at the center of the Great London was indeed an experience very noisy, regardless of whichever corners he retreated to. The mages of the Snow Rose kept watchful eyes upon him throughout his trip beyond the walls of the castle. Perhaps out of special caution directed by the True Queen.

“My, my. Everywhere I go, there are more than a few eyes watching my every step.” Looking up at the vantage point of one particular mage, Yagami waved cheerfully at them, and they waved back. “Maybe they could tell us what the local specialties are.”

Eventually time had passed and he returned to the castle with Natsuki, in which he took more trips to get acquainted with it. Himiko seemed to prefer her solitude so he chose to leave her be. Dinner was served at seven, after which his time was spent in leisurely moments. When it was ten in the evening, the True Queen finally showed herself to him as he frequented the halls.

“Ou, is it time already? The day passed by so quickly,” Yagami commented. “Thy agents are most entertaining as well!”

“Ohoho, I am glad thou hath taken pleasure to mine servants, I hath asked them to guide thee in case it was needed,” Gloria replied.

”Then I will have one of them provide us with personal recommendations for when I require it! Now, shall we embark on our moonlight stroll?” Yagami asked.

“Yes, let us.” She gestured him to go first. “Albeit it is a crescent moon tonight, I believe it is fairly marvelous regardless.”

“Ah yes, the earthshine is beautiful tonight. It would have been a waste had we not decided to take a stroll. Milady,” Yagami said, offering his arm to Gloria.

Accepting his gentlemanly offer, the pair departed from the halls of the White Tower, and past the outer castle walls—to the banks of River Thames. There, the silvery lume of the moon bathed them as they took steps in leisure. Gloria’s beauty accentuated by the celestial body, it felt as though she surpassed it.

“Indeed, as thou claimeth it would have been a waste to pass up this opportunity.”

“Nnn. The reflection off the water is indeed enchanting,” Yagami said softly, enjoying the tranquility of the night. “Not oft do I enjoy this in Yamato despite my walks amidst nature.”

“Why not? Thy lands lack a lake?”

“There are lakes aplenty but I meant having company. Many a time, those strolls are all by my lonesome,” Yagami added.

“Mn, oft do I prefer solitude, but I suppose I mind not having company once in a blue moon.”

“I believe I am the same but being amongst the youths of today does drive away any semblance of old age. Ah, the desire to be †˜trendy.’”

“I suppose we share an aspect. The children today are most vigorous, but I prefer to keep mine distance and watch from afar.”

“Fufu, thou should try it one day. Ah, the memory of Himiko’s face when I visited her school on a whim. A most memorable occasion. She did not speak to me for a week unless absolutely necessary after that happened.” Yagami laughed, the sound carrying out over the river.

“Ufufu, she appeareth to be one who cherishes obscurity in favor of her comfort,”

“She is one who appreciates her own space and avoids my coddling. The girl was much more frigid when she first entered my service but now, nnn, she’s almost indispensable.”

“Indispensable, mn? I suppose that is good.” She fell silent for some moments. “Indispensable people, huh…?”

“Indispensable till the passage of time says otherwise. Indeed, sometimes it does get lonely in our kingship.”

“True. For us living more than a century, we find many come and go. I had made it a mission to remember the names of those I witness yet there are lapses in mine memories… which births a form of guilt.”

“Thou not write memoirs?” Yagami asked, turning to look at Gloria.

“†˜Tis the time I lack, unfortunately.”

“Busy, busy indeed. All that I have left to remember my partners by are my memories and words penned across parchment and the items we once shared and held precious.”

“Mn, my memories are rather sparse at times. I attempt to have reminders and whatnot, nowadays. Photography, in some manners, have been an invention on the par of God’s blessings.”

“It is akin to having lived too long with far too many moments in life but yes, this selfie stick thing as well. I can agree with its usefulness.”

“Pfft, selfie stick, that was a rather silly thing. This trend is simply too silly to me.”

“It is a good way to get photos of thyself and members of the opposite gender. Few hath refused an invitation for a photo together,” Yagami chortled.

“I would believe so, considering how many photos are taken when I make public appearances.”

“Mufufu. There are many more on the internet, praising thou as a goddess who hath descended to heal mortal hearts.”

“Oh? I doth now know that peculiar aspect yet persists. I am but a woman like any other, with the only difference being that I hath usurped the Authorities of Gods and Goddesses. I suppose I must admit that the Gods have made various impacts in mine form as I hath gained mastery over their arts.”

“I for one do not think it will vanish even after thy departure from this plane. Such is the admiration for thou.”

“All is but fleeting regardless. A day may surely come when I shalt be forgotten—as if the wax of a candle melting away from the material plane.”

“Maybe, maybe. I would not discount the possibility of us becoming timeless.”

“I believe death would find us in every ways eventually. The time ticks forevermore. Indeed, it may be a matter of time, my old friend.”

“So it may be, so it may be. How long is another matter entirely.” Yagami stepped forward towards the edge and watched where land met water. “Come to think of it, we have yet to go fishing.”

“Good point, it slipped mine mind it appeareth. Ahaha, it appeareth that mine point about mine memory hast been proven thus.”

“Are there any good points near here that we may indulge in that?” Looking over his shoulder at Gloria, one could see the hint of a smile illuminated by moonlight.

She cupped her chin with a hand as she gave it a thought. “I believe the best spots are the outskirts of other counties. The Isle of Wight is one good example.”

“Then I suppose we could head there for some fishing. A promising location, umu.”

“It is a little far, but I suppose it is a matter of finding the time to make the venture.”

“When thou art free. Perhaps I may go on ahead to scout the area myself! See what lies beneath the waves of thine ocean.”

“Ah, feel free to do so. The Osborne House may shelter thee there, another marvelous residence of the royalty that I chance upon in mine seldom vacations.”

“Ou, I doubt my Hime Miko will make the decision to follow me but tis worth a shot.”

“Is that so? Is she not thy retainer? I believe it wouldst be her duty to follow.”

“It is also their holiday. I wish to give them a bit more freedom than I normally would. Natsuki, however…”

“Oh. Well, they are but children so I suppose liberation wouldst sate but most of their desires. It is a precious treasure, after all.”

“Freedom!” Yagami said, throwing his hands in the air like a man that looked his age normally would do. “Hah… Freedom. Maybe one day.”

“I am not quite sure I follow…?”

“Pay this senile old coot no mind for he does enjoy pretending to be young.”

“Thou doth lack freedom, I presume?”

“A different kind of freedom, the young ones possess. Indulging in that ever so often lifts my spirits.”

“A different kind, thou claimeth?”

“Nnn. Different from one which rules, the freedom to be one of the masses.”

“Thou art able to indulge such a thing? Color me surprised.”

“Why not? Remember I talked about visiting Himiko in her educational institute? Dropping by from time to time proved enjoyable… so it became a habit.”

“Twould not become a burden to her, though? I am certain thou wouldst note it so based on what thou claimeth regarding her personality.”

“There are times where I visit her, other times where I merely walk around the academy. Even eating meals there is enjoyable, occasionally some of the youngsters do approach me for a conversation. However, thy face is known to the public so… it may not turn out the same if thou attempted it.”

“I wouldst not indulge such frivolities, unfortunately. †˜Tis simply not in mine nature to do so.”

“To each his own. The smiles of the young ones do brighten my day so very much.”

“Thou art a little grandfather, I suppose. That is… a good thing. Thou should be most proud.” And I am simply a… She turned to the Tower of London as if to hide her expression away from the moon.

“If I am a grandfather then thou art similar enough to be called grandmother. Thou dote on her subjects in her own own way. I just prefer to be upfront about it.”

“I do not believe that is a wise compliment to be made.”

“Hehe, indeed. Thou art still far too young to be called that. In the prime of thy life, thou are.”

“Just as thou art, though.”

Folding his hands behind his back, Yagami looked up at the moon. “I would relate myself to the moon. Ever present yet unseen when the sun shines. Just like the moon, there be the times of wax and wane. When you reach out to grasp it, it ripples away like the reflection on the water. Thou? Thou art the sun in all its splendor.”

“I wonder about that. I hath been compared to both the sun and the moon countless times. †˜Tis mayeth been the first time thou compared me to the radiance of the sun..”

“The moon has many facets and is ever changing, whimsical in its appearance and mood.” Yagami bent his back and smiled towards Gloria behind him.

“The sun and moon are said to never meet in Japanese mythology… shall I take it as a gesture of warning?”

“Eh, no way, no way. I wasn’t referring to that. Besides, I brought down the moon before,” Yagami said, waving his hand in denial lightly.

“Mnm… well, I suppose I was aware of thy feat. Please forgive me, Cursed King, but I shall retire for this night.”

“Not at all, Gloria. I shall accompany thou back, it was a nice stroll…”

“Oh, no. I wouldst not wish to soil thy stroll with mine decision. I shalt be fine returning alone. †˜Tis mine abode, after all. Please enjoy the rest of thy night.”

“Fare thee well then,” Yagami said with a wave to his fellow. “I will return shortly after. There are still things that I have yet to take care of this night.”

“Good night, I pray for thee to have sweet dreams.”

The courtyard of the Tower of London was an expanse of green that overlooked the various ancient residences under the castle walls. To their left was a long cloister and there they could see some mages passing by as they worked as staff members of the place. More importantly, Natsuki and Yagami were standing some distance away from each other. Their eyes locked, the Hime Miko only had one thing to confirm:

“So, I get more money if I win, right?”

“Ou, that is correct Natsuki. Depending on your performance, maybe something else as well,” Yagami said with a hearty laugh.

“Alright! Time to do this!”

“That’s the spirit!”

A long katana formed at the grasp of the high school girl, its curved steel invoking a feeling of battle-hardening upon Yagami, as he sensed its Divine presence barely with his instincts of a Godslayer. It was certainly no ordinary sword.

“Hoh, so you do have one of the Divine blades. Which one is it, my dear?” Yagami inquired with interest, a hand on his chin.

“Maybe I’ll tell you if you win!”

Her King smiled and fell backwards just as her blade passed lightly over his face, the Campione disappearing into his shadow which rippled once.

“Keep up that spirit, lass. Maybe you’ll find me.”

Natsuki looked around as his voice echoed all around, rebounding off the courtyard walls. “Ehhh?! That’s unfair old maaaaaaaaan… you’re not fighting a God or something!”

“Should you not know how to deal with all kinds of threats? Or will you cry †˜unfairrrrr’ when the opponent has a skill like mine?”

“I’d rather chill in a hotel than hit up a battlefield, to be honest.” She nodded to herself, crossing her arms acting sagely.

“Sometimes the battlefield comes to you, darling. Life isn’t always that easy,” Yagami said, imitating her actions as he rose halfway out of her shadow. The old ninja vanished when Natsuki flung the sword in his direction.

“Nnn, let’s try with something more direct then.”

Natsuki grew wide-eyed as her King unleashed a flurry of lightning fast punches and struggled to parry or avoid them. She was successful with the first couple before they overwhelmed her with sheer speed and she withered under the barrage. From an outsider’s point of view, all that could be seen were lightning fast hands and countless hitting noises mixed with slight cries of pain.

“Nnn, Natsuki? Natsuki?” Yagami asked with concern, crouching down next to the girl who was huddling up in pain. “Oi, are you ok!?”

She slashed the sword at him and he parried. Yagami at that moment found a cut on his cheek. “Uuuu…” She looked down. “What the hell kind of a monster are you?! Think about my pretty face! It’s my life!”

Yagami gulped, having committed against Natsuki one of the grave sins in his personal edict. Scooping her up in his arms, he ran full pelt up to their rooms, dodging people in the hallways by running on the walls or ceiling yet nobody noticed. Not when the Cursed King was in a hurry. An identical copy split from his body and headed down another halfway, moving just as quickly as the original one was.

He could see a light emanate from her hands as she started to apply Healing Magecraft upon her own body, easing the painful swells inflicted upon her by the lightning-fast fists of the Cursed King.

“Don’t give me that crap now when it’s too late.” She pouted. “I can take care of myself anyway.”

The old man’s head hung low as he placed Natsuki on her bed, his clone coming shortly after with an armful of cakes, sweets and other things for her. Noticing the damage that was inflicted, the clone dumped the hoard onto the table and slapped Yagami on the head. “Now look what you’ve done! Repent!”

“Huh?” Natsuki looked confusedly at the two Yagamis.

Grabbing Yagami’s head, the clone forced it down sharply just as it bowed to her. “We deeply apologize for our actions in the spar. It has been close to a century since both of us have tested a regular human being and we lost ourselves.”

“N-No… it’s okay.” Suddenly, seeing the accursed King bow like this made her nervous instead. “I should simply never have agreed to the idea anyway.”

“No, it is my fault. I failed to utilize the right amount of restraint against my precious companion and… inflicted harm upon them. As a ruler, this is a great blunder,” Yagami said as the clone attempted to check on the damage to Natsuki, scowling all the while. “I had just thought to see your proficiency with the blade but neglected to find the appropriate opponent. It’s just that… when I heard that blonde girl speak of your skills, I couldn’t help but feel proud.”

“Mnm… well I haven’t really practiced in ages. Grampsy’s power wasn’t really flowing through me either… I haven’t been to the mountains in ages to purify myself, but that’s just a pain in the butt.”

“Should I accompany you next time…? Who’s Grampsy?” Yagami inquired, rubbing her head affectionately.

She seemed to frown when he rubbed her head. “Old man Takemikazuchi.”

“Ah, the Sword God of Thunder… He is your benefactor?” Yagami asked, withdrawing his hand when he noticed she was displeased.

“Something like that. Haven’t met him in ten years though.”

“A decade? But that would mean you were just a wee tyke when you last met him,” Yagami said with a frown. “A wee, wee tyke.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Yeah, whatever. Who cares? I just want to be into fashion now and live a glamorous life. No need to be so serious and work hard.”

“Would you tell me why you desire the fame and glory?” Yagami asked her.

“Isn’t that normal for a woman? I want to live a more normal life. Everything else is too much of a hassle. It’s kinda ironic to ask when you have someone like True Queen who is literally named †˜glory,’ and you can see the results of both of those things clearly in her.” She paused for a moment, making a small smile. “Not that I want to be like her, but it’s definitely nice for a woman to present herself that way.”

“A normal life… If it was up to me, nobody should have to bear the burden that you, Himiko and everyone in Yozakura or the Committee shares,” he said with a hint of sadness. “I am sorry, Seishuuin Natsuki, for not being able to grant your simple wish.”

“It’s okay. Even you are not a God. We’re all mortals here one way or the other and we have too many things keeping us bound to stupid things.”

“Nnn. Such wise words from a young one. Truthfully, I did not wish to become a Devil King nor did ever killing a God be thought possible when I was young. I just wanted to live to see the next sunrise.”

“Yeah, it’s just too bad that I was born in the Seishuuin household, but what can I do? We can’t decide our families anyway. I’ll continue to live how I did, sorry if I got you worried, though.”

“No, we cannot but as King, I have power over most under my rule, the Seishuuin’s being one of them,” Yagami said with a slight glint in his eye. “So why don’t we try this and see how it goes...”

“E-Eh? Try what?”

“Try being my concubine. Nnn, you are still a bit young but definitely not lacking in any of the precepts whatsoever. For your age, you demonstrate good wisdom though do not always heed it… There is talent with the sword and beauty, you do not lack either,” Yagami summed up. “Most importantly, you do not treat me… too differently from the average man. It has been awhile since someone has been that way with me.”

She only blinked for a moment and stared at Yagami, processing the very first set of words over and over again. The Devil King could see her cheeks flushing up red almost instantly.

“E-Eh?! C-C-Concubine?!!”

“Do you not like the idea of becoming my concubine?” Yagami asked. He honestly wondered if meddling in her affairs this much was the right choice of action but then again, there weren’t many occasions where he felt the need to meddle as much as this.

“B-But… I don’t know, this is too sudden.” Her head was almost literally spinning at the life-changing suggestion.

“Few people who were granted the same offer have reacted the way you do, Natsuki. It is comforting compared to the countless grovelling and thanks that are usually proffered onto my person,” Yagami said with a genuine but soft smile.

“Grovelling and thanking? For being loved…? I don’t know, for me it’s simply too sudden. But… maybe it’s not a bad idea.” The last part was spoken in a meek manner as she looked down, twiddling her fingers against one another. “I-I mean, it’s not like I hate the time spent with you or anything.”

“Hehe, pay it no heed for they interpreted it differently from the way you did, Natsuki. I am not quite sure whether to call it love… for it has been a very long time for me but appreciation, fondness. Yes, that much I can agree on… in spite of it being only days since we met. I have also been quite unreasonable in some of my actions so I hope you have the heart to forgive me for them.”

“Hm, now that you do mention it… this is rather quick too… you’re just a naughty old player, huh?”

“Hehe, so I’ve been told. If you need time to decide, that is fine. I believe I have done more than enough to disrupt both your mind and body today so… I suppose I’ll go now but before I do.” The clone had somehow vanished by then and Yagami picked up a small toffee, unwrapping the candy and holding it before Natsuki’s lips.

She accepted the candy but seemed to pout again. “It’s not like I can’t unwrap them myself… if I’m to be your concubine I don’t think I’d want to be treated as a child.”

“I can’t spoil you anymore?” Yagami asked with a chuckle, tossing the wrapper in the bin.

“Maybe in more… hmm, how should I put it, I dunno, adult ways?” She made a sly smile. “Don’t take me seriously, that would be, like, hilarious.”

“I see you’re already getting comfortable with your new position,” Yagami said with a smile that matched hers.

“Well, they say it’s best to decide quick!”

He chuckled lightly, placing a hand on Natsuki’s head before reminding himself of something and instead, slid his hand under her chin, tilting it up till she was looking at him. “Then it is decided. Himiko will be so surprised,” he said before sealing the pact with a kiss.

“M-Mnm… l-let’s hope she doesn’t make a ruckus out of it.”

With a brief set of knocks on the door, the ancient Paladin was roused from his current leisure activity. That is, if one would call vigorous exercise leisure. As sweat dripped off the man’s face, back and the rest of his toned frame, Caim was engaged in doing push-ups in the middle of his floor.

He simply grabbed a towel and wiped himself off before rushing to answer the door, finding Marina, who appeared to be a little taken aback from the sight.

“I see you waste no time, Paladin Caim,” Marina remarked with a small smile.

“O-Oh, good morning Lady Marina.” Caim awkwardly coughed into his hand from the smile, attempting to act stoic, and failing. “What brings thee to my room?”

“Good morning, Paladin Caim. May we have a bit of your time? My Elder Sister has summoned you.”

“I would only be a freeloader had I said no,” Caim said. “Give me a few moments to dress myself, please.”

“Very well.”

Turning away from the door, Caim quickly walked back into his room, where he would find an outfit on his bed waiting for him. Slipping it all on piece by piece, from his black pants, dress shoes, and black button up dress shirt, to which he allowed the final few buttons to be undone intentionally. Caim was no man of particular tastes and preferred something simple, yet slimming. Something like this was suited to him anyway, as a knight. He would not stand out too much, wearing this, and he gave his superior all the attention doing so, and that was fine by him.

He eventually returned to Marina whilst straightening out the hem of his collar, eying himself with his new attire different from his armor.

“All right. Ready. I hope I did not taketh too much time.”

She gestured towards the hallway and they started walking towards their destination.

“I’m glad I offered this change of clothes, people would think you’re a cosplayer in that armor.”

“There goeth that word again. A few youngsters in Rome referred to me as that. What exactly is a cosplayer?”

“Hm? It’s a term for those that fashions themselves as characters from fictional tales. Dressing as a knight in public sounds about right.”

“Makes sense. I suppose not many wouldst believe that I were from a different time. T’was hard to grasp at first, but now I thinketh getting used to this is within mine grasp.”

“Humans are said to be able to adapt, time and time again. That said, what do you think of the future so far?”

“Chaotic, still,” Caim said simply. “Aside from laws and customs between my time and thine own, it seems as if nothing much hath changed. People still carry on as normal, enjoying their lives, seeing what wouldst befall them for the next day. T’is much like how myself and mine fellow knights wouldst find ourselves, provided we had time to rest.”

“Really now? You do know it’s no longer like the medieval days, right? We don’t carry around weapons officially anymore. Citizens would have troubles if they do by law. Unless it’s America, where they let you carry guns. Except for accidents, there’s hardly any cases of people slaughtering each other like the more gruesome days I read of.”

“That’s a relief. And here I believed that we would be in danger wherever we went. As I was getting dressed, I was almost debating with myself of whether I should bring my sword or not.” Caim chuckled.

“You do not use a magic sword? Should be possible to summon that anywhere.”

“No, I don’t. I always was content with utilizing an ordinary weapon.”

“Huh? So they didn’t forge magical weapons for the knights of the old days? I had no idea.’

“I’m a bit surprised that the knights of today are able to. How long was that established?”

“I’m not sure myself, exactly… it’s been a tradition for as long as I know. Then again, I wasn’t born into a magical family so I can’t say I’m very educated about the Magic World’s history.”

“Hm… this is true,” Caim said with a shrug. “Then mayhaps you and I are in the same boat. I hath no knowledge of the Magic World’s history after my time.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

They stopped before a large set of wooden doors. Marina pushed them open casually, revealing a heavily decorated room. Caim noticed that this was the throne room of the Tower of London, something he thought he wouldn’t see. It reminded him of the kind of grandeur the old King, Decimus indulged. There, the Paladin found the True Queen, Gloria, sitting on her throne, with the gold floor seemingly glowing.

“Elder Sister,” Marina said with a bow, placing a hand under her chest. “I have brought Paladin Caim.”

The man was already in a bow the moment he noticed the True Queen’s presence. This was natural to him as a Knight Templar, to show such etiquette to royalty. “Good morning, Lady Gloria.”

“Good morning, Paladin Caim. How doth thou fare today?” the True Queen said with a polite smile. Despite being such the unearthly beauty who sat on the throne, she appeared to be her usual self.

“I fare well, my Lady. Much better compared to a few days ago, but I need not concern thee with mine own issues.”

“Hm. Thou art comfortable in mine abode at least, I presume?”

“Verily. T’is a lovely place to live in.”

“†˜Tis good to hear. I have a special task to assign to thee. I must ask before I do so, however: would it be acceptable to thou to work under me instead of thine old King?”

His expression darkening for a moment, Caim silenced himself down to swallow a bit of saliva. “Lord Decimus is gone. T’is naught that I can do to bring him back. T’would be no point in blindly following a dead man, no matter how loyal. So, yes, I will follow and serve thee, to yonder bitter end.”

“Very well, I shall accept thou under mine mantle.” At that moment, the expression of Gloria changed from that of a beautiful and serene lady to that of a Devil King—a Godslayer—her eyes displaying a cerulean glint. A sign of one who had true mastery over their Authorities, having become nearly one with them through harsh and severe trials of life and conflicts. “I suppose thou bear memories of the giantess of Rome?”

Having noticed the True Queen’s eyes, Caim realized talk of good times had passed. It was time to roughen up once again. “Yes, I do. Is she under thine custody still?”

“I hath let her be for now but I presume she shall come for this…”

At that moment, Marina outstretched her hand as she stood beside Caim. He could see a blue medallion upon her palm.

“For what purpose does this hold as to why she would return here for it?”

“This is a Divine Instrument, Paladin Caim,” Marina supplemented. “It possesses great power, and the Mage’s Associations met that day to give it to her… our giantess… for safekeeping.”

“And she left without it? What a careless woman.”

“To be specific, my Elder Sister seized it.”

“There was a dispute regarding it. The seventh King and the eighth King made the metropolis their battlefield for it,” the True Queen said.

“Such a dangerous item, one that is prone to start wars, was left in the hands of a reckless woman who tactlessly leveled an entire city within an afternoon...for safekeeping?” Caim asked. “I wonder if the Mage’s Associations were actually thinking when they bestowed it in her hands.”

“It appears they were about to do so… but after she did all that… probably not anymore,” Marina said with a look of grimace. “In any case, there is a prophecy by Princess Lucy, that the Day of Rising Forests will take place due to this medallion. Likely the cause of a Heretic God uniting himself with it.”

“Day of Rising Forests? While I hath no clue what that entails, I shalt assume a Heretic God having anything to do with it wouldst possess a terrible outcome.”

“When the Day of Rising Forests takes place, it’s said that the trees will rise to abnormal levels and envelop all of modern civilizations across the world—something we can’t allow to take place.”

Caim hummed. “For the sake of the human race, that is literally the last thing we would want to happen. With that Giantess running amok, I doth not want her anywhere near this artifact, then.”

“So, with all that said…” the True Queen’s voice trailed away. She made a smile befitting of a lady friend, an English noble, rather than one infused with the solemnity of a peerless Queen as she did until now. “I wouldst prefer thou to hold onto this Divine Instrument for the moment.”

“Me?” Caim’s brows had raised and he stared at the True Queen with a mixed expression of confusion, stoicness, and sort of excitement. “Thou wouldst trust me?”

“I must test thou with trials by fire.”

“Indeed,” said Marina in praise of her sister. In reality, however, she was greatly displeased that this task was not given to her. Why this beginner…?

“I shalt take leave of this castle to entertain the Cursed King in the Osborne House to the south. †˜Tis but unavoidable as a hostess,” Gloria stated. “Please keep the medallion safely away from the hands of others until mine return.”

“Absolutely, with mine last breath, Lady Gloria,” Caim said resolutely.

“Thou art dismissed thence.”

Marina handed to him the medallion afterwards. “Take good care of it.”

The Paladin made sure to keep a firm grip around the artifact. “I will. I thank thee for entrusting me with this responsibility.”

Thankfully, despite the incident that Beatrix and Allen experienced in Italy, just before the airport Leonardo Da Vinci—where they met the duo of Heretic Gods—they were able to catch the flight before they arrived in London. Though there were numerous delays, the times of which were passed most slowly due to all the new worries that came to them.

Pregnancy.

The kiss of the Heretic God of War that impregnated Beatrix, a Godslayer, with a single kiss to grant her a “Divine life” was rather a troubling issue.

So far, it was only Allen that knew of this situation. Unable to forget Beatrix’ teary face and the hug he received, the knight—no, no gentleman could simply leave the lady be. When they exited from the airport, their first intention was to stop at a pharmacy store.

It didn’t take too long as he caught a taxi and had the pair ride into the city from the airport, crossing the streets. It was cloudy, but despite this weather, Beatrix’ body felt a great power only from her womb where the so-called “Divine life” resided. Thus, she felt no external presence that stimulated her body of a Godslayer to be battle-ready for a Heretic God.

Indeed, the weather of England was said to be rather unpredictable at times, sometimes being sunny, sometimes being rainy, sometimes being cloudy as she could see.

It was difficult to tell whether these changes occurred naturally or due to the influence of the Gods.

Eventually, they stopped by a pharmaceutical store and Allen brought the item to conduct the pregnancy test. Afterwards, the taxi led them to a hotel, a suite of which was booked courtesy of the Old Dame on one of the upper floors.

The knight escorted the Queen to her room, and simply left her be with the product for the pregnancy test they bought.

“Why did this happen… My first kiss first stolen while I was asleep and now the first kiss I received while conscious was by a woman and she somehow might have gotten me pregnant… This is not supposed to happen to a Queen!!” Beatrix shouted with anger as she then took a look at the box to read the instructions as she had never used such a device before. Following the instructions carefully, she waited a moment for the device to tell her the results. Once she noticed it was ready, she was nervous but took a look at it slowly. A great feeling of relief came over her as the results were negative.

She soon stood up as anger was coming over her as she gripped her fist.

“Just what in the world did she to do me then?! I shall make her pay for toying with me like that!” Beatrix then headed out of her room after making sure she had all that she believed she needed and went to look for Allen.

Finding the knight leaning against the wall of the corridor, Beatrix found him looking up to her with a nervous look. “H…How did it go, Your Majesty?”

“It seems I am not pregnant, but now I must find out what she did to me. My womb still feels strange and I have no clue what it means. You must have an idea, no?”

“Unfortunately, I have never heard of it before myself, but Miss Alberta claims that it may simply be a form of Divine Blessing. I had contacted her while Your Majesty was taking the test.”

“Did you tell her everything…?” Beatrix said as she now glared at Allen. Wanting to forget how she had reacted earlier.

“N-No, only what I needed to, of course.” He avoided her gaze particularly. “It is said the Godslayers possess bodies that are nearly completely immune to magic, and that the only true way for magic to be used upon them is via oral intake. This was the method I used… t-to cast healing magic upon Your Majesty’s body… so we’re thinking that the Goddess needed to apply the same method to cast some kind of magic upon Your Majesty.”

“Then any idea what this supposed Divine Blessing of life does then? Especially to my womb as that is where I feel it the most.”

“Hm… I wonder what it does myself… other than feeling where it does, what else does Your Majesty feel? Is there any real discomfort to be noted in this case?”

“I just feel some sort of great power but I can’t tell what it does. Do you know anyone that might know what it could mean if you don’t?” Beatrix said as she walked up to Allen.

“A user of Spirit Vision perhaps… but then Your Majesty is also a Miko with the grace of Spirit Vision. The only others that may have a clue are…” Allen’s expression looked grim. “Other Devil Kings.”

“Well I don’t know how to use my Spirit Vision. I haven’t met other Miko who can teach me about my Miko abilities.”

“Unfortunately, there is nothing much to teach about the Spirit Vision as far as I know; it happens rather randomly usually, and is only rarely triggered by some external influence. If there was nothing so far, then the trigger probably wasn’t met.”

“How annoying. Well are there any Miko in my organization that can teach me how to use the other spells at least?”

“There are some Miko in our organization, Rosa Savona being a Witch, for instance. Incidentally, Miss Alberta is considered to be a Hime Miko.”

“What!? Why was I not told this sooner? Learning to use Miko abilities would have been nice considering it seems I am limited as to what I can do with my Authority.”

“To be fair, Your Majesty never asked. Besides, Miss Alberta would be too busy carrying out Your Majesty’s orders to do teaching.”

“Hmph, well would this Rosa Savona train me or no also?”

“Your Majesty could ask, but let it be understood that she is no master of the arts herself, and is still learning.”

“An understanding of what I can do is enough. We can just recruit someone who can teach me more later. Since we are talking about her when will we meet her?”

Assuming anyone wants to join after what you’ve been doing… “We were supposed to meet up with her this morning but due to… Your Majesty’s… problems, it was pushed an hour back.”

“Then let us go to the location. We have nothing holding us back now and do not mention what occurred to cause the delay. ”

“Fortunately, there is no need for us to relocate. Miss Savona will come to meet us in Your Majesty’s suite. Not long from now…” He looked down at his wristwatch. “Just about ten minutes or so till the appointed time.”

“I see, very well, we shall wait here then. What kind of person is she anyway? I don’t believe you have told me much before.”

They walked inside the suite and soon Allen sat down on one of the couches. “What kind of a person… huh? Miss Savona is… I suppose playful?”

“That doesn’t say much but I guess I shall find out soon. Get me a drink for now.”

Allen went up to a fridge and took a can of coke out and handed it to Beatrix. “I wonder who the other person coming will be, though. Even I was not told who else is being assigned to Your Majesty.”

“Oh, how interesting. As long as they’re useful I don’t mind though,” Beatrix said as she opened the can and began to drink. “By the way, what’s the news on the medallion currently?”

“Seems like Miss Savona will be the one to tell us about that—oh, that’s likely her.”

There was a noise of the bell heard as Allen was speaking. He gave a nod to Beatrix and got up to answer the call of the door. Opening it, Beatrix could hear some voices as the newcomers seemed to be speaking to Allen. One was a girl with blonde hair and a pair of blue eyes, seemingly jolly as she spoke with Allen. Another was a tall man with a well-built body, seemingly a kind man with white hair and hazel eyes.

“Gonna introduce them? Or just stand there?” Beatrix said as she continued to drink her drink.

At that moment Rosa Savona seemed to hug Allen as she was making whispers to his ears. Allen seemed to be scratching the back of his head while the other man chuckled.

“Now, now, Miss Savona, Our Majesty is getting impatient,” Allen said casually as the three sat down on the couch.

“Ehhh? But it’s been so long since we met!”

“We’ll get to catch up eventually anyway.”

Rosa seemed to pout. She released Allen’s arm and looked up to Beatrix with a bright smile. “My name’s Rosa Savona! Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise, my name is Robert,” the other man introduced himself with a small bow of his head.

“I’m Queen Beatrix Fortunato. Is she your girlfriend or something Allen?” Beatrix at that moment glared at Allen.

“That’s right!” Rosa exclaimed.

“Not quite…” Allen muttered.

“Why would you kiss me when you have a girlfriend already!?” Beatrix said as she walked up to Allen.

“What!? You seduced my Allen didn’t you?!!” Rosa called out, standing up from the couch.

“Err, no, this and that are different! It was to cast the Healing Magecraft!” Allen said, panicking.

“I was asleep when he committed the act. It was he who initiated it. I suppose I can’t blame him though, I do have confidence in this body of mines,” Beatrix said, smiling, placing her right hand on her chest ignoring what Allen had said.

“Grrr… you won’t win him off me! It’s always about the heart rather than the body, anyway!” Rosa grumbled.

“Really now? Why don’t we ask Allen then and see what he has to say,” Beatrix said as she then faced Allen again.

“Well?!” Rosa nearly shouted at Allen.

“Even if you ask me… I wouldn’t really know,” Allen said nervously. “Perhaps a bit of both…?”

“That seems rather undecisive. Woman don’t enjoy indecisive men. Unless you mean you're willing to take both?”

“While the prospect is alluring to say the least,” Allen said, suddenly appearing to be serious. “I’d rather have neither of you. Kissing is only an act I have to do for casting magic upon Your Majesty. It would be rather excessive to take it personally.”

“Hmph, fine then, find yourself a man if you would prefer that,” Beatrix said.

“I’d simply choose Miss Savona instead than a man.” That’s your job, not mine. Sheesh.

“Why you! Fine then I’ll make sure you regret your decision later!”

“Huh? Why? Your Majesty did ask me to take a pick, yes?”

“Yay! I win!” Rosa thus took Allen’s arm at his side again.

“Just speak of the matter we are here for now before I destroy the room!” Beatrix said as she could clearly be seen agitated.

“I just don’t understand some ladies.” Allen shook his head.

“It’s okay, you don’t need to as long as you got me!” Rosa said assuredly as she rubbed her cheek against Allen’s.

“Well? Anything or are you just gonna sit there and act like idiots?”

“It’s because you’re so rude that Allen wouldn’t pick you,” Rosa said, sticking a tongue out.

“Now, now,” Allen said trying to pacify Rosa, patting her.

“We don’t really know what to say when Your Majesty is the Queen. What would Your Majesty like to know from us?” Robert asked.

“The medallion that the Campione from these lands has! It's the only reason I'm here.”

“Ah, the Divine Instrument. We’ve heard that its location is currently the Tower of London.”

“It’s supposedly under the care of a Paladin now,” Rosa added casually. “Haven’t heard the name but it’s probably Paladin Marina.”

“I see. Then it shouldn't be much trouble to get it then. That nosy Queen is not there herself correct?” Beatrix said.

“Paladin Marina is pretty strong, but perhaps with us two it might be possible,” Robert said.

“It appears the True Queen is away from her usual residence, buying us an opportunity to steal the medallion,” Rosa said.

“Then I expect success from you two. By the way any kind of news of Heretic Gods around here or taken care of already?”

“There aren’t any around here so far,” Robert said. “The True Queen is almost always the first to catch the news anyway. Since England is not our sphere of influence it’s just how it’s going to be.”

“Figured as much. What to do then? Waiting here would be boring. What is there to do here anyway?”

“Could go touring, Milady. There are about a hundred World Heritage sites in this country, after all.” And hopefully not break them.

“Then Allen, I leave it to you to pick where the two of us go. I hope you know how to show a lady a good time.”

“I-I believe Robert would be a good choice for a partner for the touring,” Allen said.

“I thought it was he and Rosa that were heading to get the medallion?”

“Ugh.”

“I’ll leave Milady to you, Allen,” Robert said, patting Allen’s shoulder as his look grew cold.

“Too bad I can’t be there to ease your heart, but don’t worry Alley, I’ll be back soon!” Rosa said cheerily.

“I… guess I’ll have to start looking up all kinds of stuff,” Allen said.

“Not that I mind who joins but why do you have that disappointed expression? What's wrong going out with me?” Beatrix said as she walked up to Allen and faced him face to face.

Allen wanted to sigh. He really would if Beatrix wasn’t a Devil Ki—Queen. He braced himself and mustered his resolve. “I think that should be a bit obvious, but worry not, I am a knight, I’ll fulfill the mundane purpose of my Queen regardless.”

“Very well, shall we get going then? Unless you need time to prepare. Which then make it quick.”

“I was hoping Your Majesty would choose to rest for the day here…”

“It’d take at least a while considering he has to search up some things on the internet,” Rosa defended on his behalf.

“That's fine as long as we go out. No need to rest when I still have the energy to go out.”

“Please excuse me then. I’ll find myself a cyber cafe… I don’t want to research with a phone.” Allen finally walked out from the hotel suite.

“I suppose in the meantime,” Beatrix said as she then looked at Rosa and Robert. “You two, when do you plan to head out?” she asked looking more curious than angry.

“Probably not soon. We have intel that the True Queen will be taking a trip to the Isle of Wight in the coming weekend, which will be our opportunity to go to the Tower of London. We’ll only be making preparations and looking out for updates for now,” said Robert.

“Very well then, I suppose in the meantime tell me about yourselves and what you specialize in.”

“Well, I am a knight of Old Dame, and have come from a house of mages. Combat and protection are the specialty of the knights, just as Your Majesty may have experienced with Allen.”

“I’m a Witch now, so I do all kinds of things!” Rosa said in a jovial tone.

“I see,” Beatrix simply said as she then looked at Rosa. “You can you teach me the basics of a Miko? Apparently I am a Miko but I have not trained at all. Seeing you’re one I suppose currently you're the only one I can ask.”

“Ehh, but I don’t wanna teach someone who wants to steal my Alley away!”

“You can keep him if it means you can teach me. I am more interested to learn of what a Miko can do.”

“I was gonna keep him anyway. But I don’t think I can teach you much. I suck at teaching, tee hee.”

“Anything is better than nothing considering I know nothing right now. You can introduce me to someone who can teach me better once there is more time.”

Rosa shrugged uncaringly. “Maybe. I’m not really from a group of Witches myself and my teacher hates Campiones. Just keep bothering Alberta!”

“I think that’s asking for much…” Robert commented.

“Hmph, how annoying. I suppose I can just have her get someone but now I suppose I don’t have to keep my word of letting you keep Allen.”

“Not like it matters since he didn’t pick you.” Rosa shrugged with a grin, she could feel her nose extending to the top, metaphorically of course.

“A person's mind can be changed over time. One just needs to press the right button. Give it time, I can probably have him give a different response next time,” Beatrix said with a grin.

“Makes me wonder what kinda buttons you have so I can keep him away from you.” Rosa gave a glare and a frown.

“Anywho, how long has the nosy Queen been in charge? Thinking about it I need to learn as much as I can about her.”

“Who is the nosy Queen?” Rosa tilted her head. “You?”

“Why would I be talking about myself?! The one in charge of England, idiot!” Beatrix said furiously.

“Ehh, I just thought it fit you more, you know?”

“Oh, I see you want me to crush you here and now then. Consider your wish granted!” Beatrix said as she stood up and began walking towards Rosa.

“Oh look the nosy Queen is about to get nosy again,” Rosa said in a mocking tone. “Guess she doesn’t want that medallion after all. Hahahaaa!”

Beatrix at that moment rushed towards Rosa aiming to grab her by the collar of her clothes, but with a white glow of her body, she flew away to the air.

“I'll get you for that!” Beatrix said, currently wanting to strangle Rosa.

“Why? Because you can’t—”

“That’s enough,” Robert said. “Come down.”

“Fiiine.” Rosa thus descended to the floor behind the couch.

“You're gonna pay for that later especially if you don't get the medallion!”

“What’s the point of getting that for you then? I don’t get anything because you’re too nosy for that, or something.”

“If you're not going to do anything, get out then unless you want to die! You're a completely useless on board!” Beatrix said, enraged.

“Whateverrrrrr. Sorry Robert, I don’t know what cloud Her Majesty’s mind is on.” Rosa shrugged. “But I can’t work with such an insufferable Master.”

Thus, while Rosa casually walked out and left, Robert only hung his head down and sighed.

“I shall endeavor to do my best to get the medallion but it’ll be impossible for me alone. May I ask that Your Majesty lends me Sir Allen for this mission?”

“That is fine. If nothing else I’ll go as well,” Beatrix said, sitting down on the bed. “If you can call Allen and tell him to come back now.”

“No, please do not join us for this mission, Your Majesty. It would likely cause more trouble than necessary. Using the Authority in the Tower of London will likely be game over for all of us.”

“Didn’t you need that stupid girl for a better success? At this point I would imagine it’d be easier if I go as well. I wouldn’t bother using my Authority on simple mages, it would be a waste.”

“Without Rosa it would indeed be a greater challenge… no offense, but currently, Your Majesty would be a burden for us.”

“Whatever, I’ll make sure she doesn’t work for us ever again. I don’t need useless people like her.”

Just how stupid will this get for us…? “I hope Your Majesty learns how to treat people better, or else everyone will become useless in time.”

“Those who listen and do their job will be treated fine. Those who decide to act like that girl, I have no need for them.”

Robert got up and gave a slight bow. “If that is Your Majesty’s wish… then so be it. I shall go fetch for Sir Allen and make appropriate preparations for our mission.”

Stupid girl, why was someone like her even part of this! I’ll make sure to get that medallion no matter what, Beatrix thought as she laid down on her bed.

(GM Comment: Because she is cooler than you. Duh.)

On the coming of summer and the end of spring, Yagami and his pair of Hime Mikos traveled to the southern side of England, where the Isle of Wight lied. The pastures of the Osborne House greeted them in the yesterevening when they arrived, the splendor of the royal residence once more charming its guests with its frivolous yet graceful designs. There was no end to the amount of portraits that dangled on the walls, with the architecture included—it was completely exotic to the members of Yamato.

It was the weekend now. Sunday in particular.

With their objective to hunt in a special place, the Osborne House was chosen simply because it was one of the residences she could visit. It appeared that the True Queen had access to all the royal residences, as well as some other historically important residences throughout England. Indeed, the organizations such as the National Trust For Places Of Interest, Historical Royal Palaces, the Natural Beauty, or the English Heritage Trust were all owned by this Devil King in reality in one way or another, hence her possession of the World Heritage site such as the Tower of London.

Regardless, Natsuki was very excited to get around the town itself. For some reason, exploration of the mansion itself became a small touring prospect upon arrival. Himiko, on the other hand, preferred to dwell in nature, claiming that the spiritual balance across the isle was soothing.

When the topic of fishing came up, Natsuki wanted to join them and of course, Yagami gave consent. The True Queen only claimed “the more the merrier,” thus they were off to the shores. The seas that one could find from the Isle of Wight easily made for fishing spots all across the shores. Unlike any ordinary beach, however, there were mostly mountainous sites on some corners. They arrived at the Thorness Bay as they approached the sea.

Hence, the three sat down over a small hill, which gave them a nice view of the waves of the sea.

“Oooh, so this is the place.” Natsuki was the first to speak as the most excited, naturally. “I wonder what we’ll catch today.” Of course, being her first time fishing at all, Natsuki was eager to see the fishes get whipped out of the water.

“That depends on how deep you can go, Natsuki.” Shielding his eyes with a hand, Yagami looked over the gleaming ocean with a grin, excited at the prospect of going fishing once again. The sea breeze blew over the hill, bringing with it the scent of the sea.

“I wonder if I should go swimming sometimes…”

“Absolutely. There is a distinct sense of peace that one may find in the seas,” Gloria said with a gentle smile and a tone faint, the culprit of which was relaxation. “I have a hobby of going diving. Though I have not done so for the hunt recently.”

“Nnn. Shall we attempt it then?” Yagami’s new aloha shirt fluttered in the wind, the bright orange floral print bringing a smile to his face. Coupled with his yellow shorts, he would have looked like any other tourist that was going for a swim at the beach if it were not for the fact that his physique put almost every other male’s to shame. It was as if sculpted by a Love Goddess in the image of her ideal partner and if anyone were to ask, there would be no normal woman who would say otherwise. A pair of sunglasses adorned Yagami’s face, glinting in the bright sunlight. Removing them revealed a carefree expression, giving off different impressions from his normal slightly-more-senior demeanor. His face was akin to an Asian runway model with chiselled features and soulful eyes that would make women weak in the knees. Some would say that the aloha shirt was the only thing that would mar his appearance with its garish design but with the way Yagami’s body was, it only provided a contrast to his image and increased his appeal.

“What’s up with that aloha shirt anyway? It’s like, so lame!” Natsuki said, laughing.

“Weren’t you the one that said it looked good?” Yagami said with a snort. “Obviously I’d get it, besides it looks so fresh. Different from my usual outfits!”

“Eh? I thought you’d get that I was joking. Bwahahaha!”

As they spoke, the True Queen seemed to have started already, rolling the handle of her fishing rod to pull a fish out of the sea, and taking it off the hook before placing it in a box.

“Eh, one already? Why do you use that?” Yagami inquired, more surprised at how fast Gloria had gotten a catch than Natsuki’s comment, though he did shrug at her and rub his shirt affectionately.

“What else wouldst thou employ?” the True Queen blinked as she asked.

“This,” Yagami pointed at a rudimentary spear he carried. “Time for me to experience the water on my skin again!” Running into the surf without a care, he dived into the sea.

“Mn, I hath partaken in dive fishing before but perhaps the fishing rods are more traditional.”

“Oho, diving could be a cool thing to do…” Natsuki said. “Should we all just go diving?”

Popping his head out of the surf, Yagami waved at them to join him.

The True Queen only waved back with a small smile.

“Then again, I didn’t really bring my swimsuit…” Natsuki said. “Nor do we have a diving suit…”

“Well, it appears your King simply dived down without any gear,” the True Queen responded.

“Well, he is a kid after all. It’s not surprising that he’d just dive down without a care.”

“Now, now, the Cursed King and I come from ages past where such gears were unheard of.”

“Good practise! Don’t be shy, the water is beautiful and clear!” Yagami shouted at them before diving out of sight.

“Ufufu, I believe it is overmuch to ask ladies to get their dresses drenched. Please lease us some moments before we join ye in thy hunt.”

“Huh?” Natsuki looked back and forth between the two.

“Come, I shall share a swimsuit. I suppose I should have seen the need for it coming…”

“Yeah, tell me about it. Fishing in the west made me think of fishing nods rather than diving.”

Yagami popped out of the surf with a splash, a fish flailing on his spear. He dropped it off into a box before looking at the pair of ladies quizzically. “Do you require one of my aloha shirts? I have extras.”

“No way am I wearing that!” Natsuki exclaimed.

The True Queen laughed. “Well, please excuse us.” She laid a hand on Natsuki’s shoulder and they vanished, a powerful gale blowing that ruffled Yagami’s aloha shirt violently.

“Oh well,” Yagami said before turning back to ocean, walking in as the waves lapped against his knees. “Really, what’s wrong with this shirt? It’s so fabulous…”

The water was the perfect temperature against his skin and he resisted the urge to smile underwater. Salt water entering his mouth was quite unpleasant after all. The waters were teeming with fish, seemingly oblivious to the Campione as he swam amongst them looking for the right prey. The fish here were indeed different from those in the Sea of Japan and it was a feast for eyes for the old man.

His swim was only punctuated by his brief stops to look around, the currents pulling at him lightly before he resumed his relaxing dive. Spotting a particularly large specimen of fish, Yagami beelined towards it with powerful strokes and stabbed it. The poor fish didn’t even realize it was skewered till it was too late. With his second catch, Yagami surfaced and began swimming back to shore. That was when he found the two ladies donning swimsuits now.

Natsuki wore what appeared to be a black one-piece swimsuit, with many openings around her flanks revealing her figure, but what stunned him the most was the True Queen’s white bikini which tied itself up to the back of her neck. It shone brilliantly against the rays of the sun thanks to the expensive materials it was likely made with, a blue pattern of roses adorning it. Yagami could see her perfect figure proportions which was in every way bewitching. Taut where it needed to be, slender where it needed to be. The milky white skin tone was slightly different from what he was used to seeing among the members of Yamato.

On the other hand, Natsuki’s figure was also the sight for boldness. Her assets were in full bloom, with her bosom bulging out noticeably. Despite being known as the Hime Miko of the sword, her skin was smooth, and her body was not quite toned with muscles from what he could see. Her figure was indeed supple, especially around the thighs and the chest. She was still some ways away from matching the figure of the person who stood beside her.

“We have returned,” the True Queen stated, her tone lively.

“How do I look?” Natsuki asked.

Yagami blinked at them as he stepped out of the ocean, water sluicing off his body. He dumped the fish into the box, all but forgotten with what lay before him. “A-Absolutely divine,” he said in approval, struggling hard to construct a sentence with his now half-baked brain.

“Hahaha! Who words it like that nowadays?!” Regardless of what she said, Natsuki appeared to be happy from the compliment.

The True Queen didn’t seem to care about how she appeared to Yagami, and seemed to be carrying with herself a harpoon for her hunt. Excitement was apparent in her expression as she leapt down to the ocean waters.

“Shall we join her too?” Natsuki asked.

“Be my guest. I’ll just… rest here for a moment,” Yagami said with a small smile. “Go have fun.”

“Ehhh? But I wanna… g-go with you.” She twiddled her fingers as she looked down.

“Hehe, alright then. I’ll guide you.”

A light chuckle signalled Yagami’s movement with Natsuki’s meek actions and he lightly took one of her hands, leading her down into the water like the little princess she was. His little princess.

Carelessly, the Hime Miko of the sword almost found herself talking about the beauty of the underwater and the fish, but realized they were, well, underwater.

Gloria was literally skittering back and forth, swimming like a fish. In fact, it was so unrealistic it made her almost open her mouth wide. What was she exactly? Her harpoon had several fishes stuck at its tip.

Indicating for Natsuki to follow him with a wave of his hand, Yagami swam with a pace that was comfortable for her as the pair circled around a small reef, searching for anything suitable amongst the coral. Seaweed grew out for the bed and swayed in the tide, the old Devil King leading the Hime Miko through the underwater field.

She pointed at what appeared to be crabs, slowly walking on the sand bed, looking for their own prey. Then she pointed at star fishes, seemingly unmoving, and then she smiled at a squid, seemingly passing by. She waved at the sea creatures nonchalantly. After all, she wasn’t exactly here to hunt.

This was what it was meant to be like for a girl her age, to be carefree and enjoy herself, Yagami thought to himself as they crested a reef and found the wreck of a boat not too far off. He indicated his desire to go closer to which Natsuki heartily agreed before both swam towards it. Usually, these places had their own little unique ecosystem and he was eager to find out what exactly lay within its hull.

The Hime Miko beside him was visibly excited as if she was having an adventure in a haunted house of a theme park, looking at the more unique fishes that passed by them as they swam in. Most of the boat was covered in moss, and cracks were abundant. Through one of them, she found Gloria’s form receding to the surface, who only made a faint smile as she looked down on them exploring the wreckage before she chose to retire from her hunting ground—the hunting sea anyway.

The True Queen looked up to the sky and the radiant sun, which was to arrive at its zenith in about an hour or so. She unloaded the fish upon the box and decided that it was time to end her hunt.

“I suppose the time is near… ah, I hath had mine fun. I thank ye, Cursed King, for having accompanied me.”

She closed her eyes as she listened to the waves of the sea for one last moment before she walked away.

Watching the rays pierce through the waves brought Yagami a sense of peace and he dove deeper into the wreck, seeking to explore and uncover any secrets it might have. Small fish darted away as he swam by, passing through an open doorway into a large room with many things scattered about. There seemed to be nothing particularly fancy which slightly disappointed him, but Yagami chalked it up to it being a popular dive site and hence, wouldn’t really have much left to discover. He then rejoined Natsuki before going back up to the surface.

Their heads now popping up on the water. Natsuki was the first to speak, “Oh? The True Queen left?” She looked around the hill, they could still see the box, which was likely left for Yagami to drop the fish in.

“It certainly seems that way. Shall we return as well or do you wish to stay? I believe we have caught enough as well, though most of it is Gloria’s…” Yagami commented as he looked at the box that was full of fish.

“Hmm… I think I saw enough for today. The wreckage was great! Wonder why she left so early though, I wanted to hang around with her too… Maybe she’s anti-social?!”

“Maybe she has something to attend to. Hers is a vast domain to rule over unlike mine which only consists of Yamato. What do you want to do after this, Natsuki?”

“Hm, let’s just walk back for now, I guess. I think I’ll go to a beach tomorrow to get myself some tan.”

“Mmm, some sun is good for the body. Let’s bring Himiko along as well, she might enjoy it.” The box was lifted effortlessly by Yagami despite the sheer amount of fish within it and with a spring in his step, he began heading back to their temporary abode with Natsuki.

“That girl might not like it but I guess she needs to get outdoors once in awhile too. She tends to become a recluse when left to her own devices,” Natsuki said as they walked.

“I could tell from how her skin is like, it’s almost the color of alabaster.”

“But she is strict despite all that…” Natsuki grumbled. “Otherwise she is fine.”

“Ufufu, a good contrast to yourself, no? The balance of Yin and Yang is a wonderful one. I just wish more people under my rule were as diligent as her,” Yagami said in a slightly dissatisfied tone.

“Comparing us to the Yin and Yang is rather lame. What’s up with that? We have more than just light and dark in us!”

“Hmm? Just a figure of speech but I do so find it an apt comparison that you both are opposites yet mesh so well together. In a sense, quite similar to the True Queen and myself, I suppose?”

“Hm? So you think you and True Queen are opposites of sorts?”

“We are carved from the same stone and yet, I feel that we are a little too different from each other. There are many things that have made me think as such but yes, I suppose we are. Two sides of the same coin.”

“Hm, but then aren’t you still the superior in the end? †˜Ya know, older and all that. She can’t be better than you since she hasn’t lived nearly long enough.”

“Not necessarily. My years were spent in solitude away from the world whereas she took an active role in the unification of her domain. At this point, she has surpassed the number of Authorities I possess. Adding onto that, the fact that I have grown rather… dull in combat means that she is more than capable of matching me in combat and coming out on top. I have grown old.”

“Gramps…” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Stop falling behind.”

“Nnn, I don’t think you’re in the right position to say that to me.” Yagami chuckled lightly. “But that is the entire reason we are taking leave of Yamato for the west, to get this old dog back into the game.”

“Even if you say that… any lady of †˜Yamato’ would feel shame if they can’t keep up with the times. Look at my grandma at our home! She can tap buttons on a phone at least! A King should be able to do better! Something like that.”

“Mufufu, you are so adorable like that. Lecturing your King, not even Himiko is so direct about it.”

“I dunno, maybe you don’t really feel like a King to me. I can respect the True Queen with how she carries herself and I can see why people call her that, but I don’t feel the same way—you’re too casual.”

“Precisely what I said earlier. Fumu, I’m too casual… Come to think of it, when was the last time I meted out some penalties indeed. Mmm, I was right to pick you after all,” Yagami said in a pleased tone.

“So, you were saying something about the True Queen taking up Europe right? Why is it that you’re such a big King but only have such a small domain anyway?”

“After… the Warring States period, I was not keen on having the people experience another period of bloodshed. There was no desire for me to incur additional burden for the population which was still recovering and undergoing a great upheaval in the social structure. Up till the twentieth century, it was fine but the ruling government refused to heed my advice at a time, culminating in the two World Wars and those abominations being used on our land. I was extremely displeased with that.”

“Ah… you must’ve been through a lot, huh? There, there.” She patted the Devil King with a small smile. “Though they say you ruled over most of eastern Asia, right?…Or was it the southeast Asia? Can’t seem to remember.”

“My domain used to stretch from East Asia till Southeast Asia but that was mostly due to the ruling government deciding whatever was convenient for them. Still, it was rather… unpleasant to have an atomic bomb dropped on your person.” Yagami grimaced at the memory, shaking his head to clear it off.

“And now they have nuclear warheads… if ever the Americans are on bad terms with us again…”

“I’ll strangle the life out of that man and lay waste to the continent,” he replied rather brusquely before slipping into a much more casual tone, apparently realizing he had let go of more anger than initially thought. “At least the governments are on good terms. Giving concessions to that cretin again is one of the things I never wish to do.”

“So you can show a face like that, huh? Cool.” She could feel the shivers from the tone he spoke with. “What exactly happened between the three of you old Campiones anyway?”

“Gloria and I fought when she sought to unite the world under her banner. That bastard came midway through our duel when I was weakened and… requested that Yamato open its borders to the west. Requested under the threat of force.”

“You two fought huh… now that I think about it, Britain did try to kind of rule over the world, didn’t they? Then the Americans rose in power… that sounded more like forcing than requesting, though.”

“Nnn, I suppose that is correct. If I had lost there against Gloria, we would see the whole world under her rule. In that sense, we managed an uneasy truce against each other in the years after. It was not possible for one King to move without the other responding in kind. Unfortunately, the world descended into conflict once again.”

“Yeah… I wonder what the True Queen did in the World Wars. Their country lost, after all. So I guess that was a pretty humiliating defeat for her.”

“Yamato was humiliated in the conflict as well. I had informed the heads of our country that I would not provide support if they decided to participate but they went ahead anyway, the fools. Using the patriotism and national pride like the samurais of old and committing such atrocities, needless to say I was displeased. It was one of the few times I let the children decide for themselves, to have them bear their own consequences.”

“Our history is always full of conflict, huh? It’s like we just can’t get enough of bloodshed, sometimes.”

“Despite my fervent wish to be left alone, it always seems that way. I suppose one can only mitigate the effects of the world changing for so long. Technology has done much for our people, breaking past borders effortlessly whence it would have taken countless lives. Mufufu, would a photograph of the two of us being spread across the internet make you happy, I wonder?” Yagami asked with a hint of amusement.

“Hm? I don’t think I’d care, unless it’s something naughty…”

“You don’t like that, despite your deeds in the bedchamber?” Yagami looked at her with raised eyebrows, his expression unreadable.

Natsuki seemed to stare at him for a moment. “I might indulge my nature but I don’t like things like that to be recorded. Even with my clients, I’d decline pictures from being taken. Sometimes they’d take them anyway and I’d just break their phones.”

“Mufufu, there will be none of that from me at least. Any man that tries otherwise will now go against my rule so rest easy, Natsuki.”

“Well, maybe you’re being a little too overprotective. I can care of myself, don’t worryyyy.” She made a dismissive wave of her hand like usual.

“Of course I am. I love all under my domain but there will inevitably be those that I treasure more than others, for not all love is equal. Only a mere handful remain that can still consider themselves part of that group and you are the most recent. Mmm, I’ll let my reputation handle most of it. I suppose the remainder who dare attempt can be dealt with by yourself.”

“Mnm… yeah, I guess so. Ehehe.”

(Yes, yes, the BGMs are pretty short most of the time. Wish there were extended version. What you can do though, is that you can right-click a youtube video and click “Loop” to get the music rolling over and over for a particular point of a scene. On a side note, this post was supposed to be much longer but I had to separate it into two because the forums can’t handle big dicks.)

Act 2: Reveling Kings (Part 1)

It was the eighth of July, an event unexpected was about to take place. An event that would forever change the Land of the Rising Sun. With the isolationist policy in place, the country was currently closed from trading with the west, with the only exception being the Dejima island. This was a policy adopted by the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate of the seventeenth century. Now, in the mid-nineteenth century, with Tokugawa Iemochi in power, the Cursed King was invited to the Edo Castle almost a century ago.

Seated in one particular room within the castle, a lone figure stared at the low table before him. A scroll was laid out before him and his eyes passed over its contents repeatedly to ensure that there was no mistake. He was dressed in a violet kamishimo with dark purple sleeves, an outfit not uncommon amongst the occupants of this castle.

Based on color alone, one would assume that he was of a lower caste of nobles or officials but those who were aware of his identity knew otherwise.

He rolled up the scroll and laid it to rest on the table before picking up the teacup right beside it.

“These foreigners are becoming more brash by the day, they need to know when it is not their place to force matters.”

The breeze picked up as his words ended, a figure making herself known abruptly as the trees’ leaves rustled. In a portrait the trees would likely fit perfectly behind her if she was donning her usual furisode. Right now she donned a black garb, as a kunoichi would, only a slit revealing her jet black eyes. She appeared to be tired of a long day’s work—like a farmer out on the fields—sitting down upon a cushion before heaving a sigh.

She unveiled the black and oppressive mask, revealing the beautiful facial expression befitting of the Yamato Nadeshiko that she possessed. It was comparable to the elegance of a blade—sharp yet beautiful.

That was when the man seated in the room noted, she was not well. No, she had been involved in a conflict but moments ago.

“Our lands appeareth to be in the face of grave peril from the yonder seas,” the woman in black claimed. “O King, steel thy resolve.”

“Who dares encroach on the domain of the King?” he said, giving her his full attention.

“A ship from Britannia docked unannounced in the depths of night, the men are across our fields at the moment.”

“Across our fields? What of the other agents? They should not have made this much headway in such a short span of time.” The teacup rattled as a fist slammed onto the table, the man growling his anger.

“Escaped to safety… we lived under the mercy of…” She shuddered visibly. “Thy kin.” She sighed again. “At least, that is I what I believe.”

“Tell anyone else who hasn’t to fall back and put the castle on high alert. I will go deal with the one who so callously disturbs our peace.” The man’s pupils had been gaining a violet glow, steadily increasing as his anger mounted but they dimmed momentarily as he placed a hand on the kunoichi’s cheek. “Make sure those wounds are treated.”

“It shall be done… but please promise that thou shalt return. It is unlike anything I hath ever bore witness to before, a bloodlust that match thine own.”

“Would you wish me to seal it with a kiss?” he huffed, shaking his head. “Whoever it may be, they will regret staining the lands of Yamato red with blood and for laying a hand on a consort of the King.”

“It was one of the men, I reckon they were the retainers of thy kin. Worry not, however, for I shall be well soon enough.”

“Good.” It was all that was said before the room was empty again save for the woman and not even the leaves rustled with the man’s passing.

A courtyard not too far away was his destination, past the castle ways and the sprawling wooden houses of Edo. It was lively as usual on the streets as hawkers and residents alike mingled in their daily hustle and bustle, all oblivious to the passing of their Devil King. Amongst the trees in the courtyard, a small meeting was underway. To call it one would be a stretch yet it was a meeting nonetheless, the participants all finding footholds on branches or hanging from something. They were varied in appearance, none of them looking like the other as they conversed, ranging from a noble statesman to a food peddler and even a beggar. The only thing in common was that each was bloodied.

“Report.”

The single word silenced their fast-paced conversation and all knelt as their lord made himself known.

“The westerners,” one of the men said bitterly. “They made it to our lands. To the west from our city—the forest of outskirts—they lurk.”

“We know not their intentions, but it is agreed among ourselves that they possess frightening powers and possibly… a King.”

“Currently, they are there—unmoving. We have made attempts to chase them out. Your Majesty mayeth bear to witness to our sorry state now—delivered by their so-called †˜knights.’”

“Fall back to the castle. The only one who can match the might of a King is another and I shall take over their elimination henceforth. Were there no words offered before the westerners attacked?” The leaves rustled as their master’s voice echoed around them.

“They wished to break the isolationist policy… there was no choice otherwise.”

“Knowing the will of the Shogunate, we hath no choice but to refuse them passage across the lands.”

“My Lord… first time it shall be for thou to face such an individual, perhaps a compromise may be in order instead?”

“Hmph, there is no need for that. The conditions set by the Shogunate are known to all, and any who break them… will be broken in turn.”

The decree of the King was thus made known. The leaves ceased in their rustling, the ninjas now alone again.

Feet padded swiftly yet silently as the King of the East made way across Edo, crossing rooftops and leaping across entire avenues. It was bright during the morning and yet none would ever see him despite being in plain sight, simply because he didn’t wished to be seen. For all the inventions that the west had introduced, there were none that could compare to the awe of witnessing a King in motion. For one such as himself who was schooled in the ninja arts, such movements were trifling.

Green once again filled his vision as he entered the forest, keeping to the company as he leapt from tree to tree. His attire had changed entirely to that of a ninja’s—a shozoku identical in color to his previous outfit.

It soon became apparent in a crossing—an open field amidst the trees—where men in red attire stood. The military uniform of the British—he had caught glance of them before in one of their recent visits—none of which was indeed recorded, and wouldn’t be for the days to come. So far, he felt no feeling of great power, no presence that made him feel an iota of the fear that his men seemed to express.

The British men were at attention, keeping watch for they were in foreign land, and yet they failed to notice, nay, they couldn’t notice as the violet shinobi strode by as camp was made. He searched for the largest tent for their commander would be there and the both of them would have a talk. One that would end in this entire area bathed in foreigner blood.

Strangely enough, there wasn’t any tent larger than the other so he continued his walk around their temporary encampment in search of the commander. If there was indeed another King, there would be a sign and the world would know of their conflict, a battle that would only end if the insurgent surrendered or he himself was laid low. There came a point when certain soldiers, mages, looked up at him in surprise and the eastern King merely gave them a scathing glare, his eyes sending many into stillness.

Firearms were taken up to his direction as the soldiers spoke in a foreign language, likely asking him to identify himself, or something along the lines of that. The King could somehow pick out the meaning despite never having heard of it before.

He ignored them entirely since they were naught but insects to him. Now that his presence was made known to them, he simply crossed his arms and waited. Their leader would come eventually. A bark made his lips curl, the sound familiar to him when it was all he had heard more than a hundred years ago. A sound that he hated to the core.

The bullets passed through the space he had occupied moments prior and when the shooters looked up, all they saw was their imminent death—death in the shape of malformed tendrils that sought to skewer them through the skull. Yet none of them dropped lifelessly to the floor and as one soldier found out, those tendrils had stopped mere centimeters away from his eyes, for the King had found another of his ilk and it made his body tremble with anticipation.

(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtLaksWKoWM)

A terse gale blew.

The King picked up the scent of the salty seas, which indicated the presence of the ocean that was closeby from this forest. To the west he thus turned. A figure donned in a pristine white Victorian dress stood, her right hand raised to halt the fire of her men. Her translucent, snow-white skin aside, the locks of her hair carried a particular luster of gold, a shade the Eastern King had never bore witness to before, especially not on a lady. Her arms were clad in long white gloves, and a rose adorned said hair that she wore like a crown. Her smile was small but from that alone the Cursed King could feel the ferocious valor of a lioness.

Her steps were silent as she crossed the pasture. Due to the wind that shifted her locks, he couldn’t see her eyes as she approached him. It was only when she stopped that the gentle wind died down, revealing azure eyes that were as clear as a calm lake. She made a seemingly gentle smile as she faced him, possessing the gallant expression of a chivalrous knight and the grace and splendor of an English lady at the same time.

Thus, the two Devil Kings met for the first time, ushering to the age a meeting that would be spoken of for decades to come.

The tendrils slithered back into his raiment with a sickening sound, coiling around his person before being seemingly absorbed by the shozoku. He stood tall as he regarded his fellow, crossing his arms across his chest. Few times had he seen a woman of the west and even fewer up close. Her regal beauty was different from that of the ladies of his domain. Such was to be expected of another that called themselves King.

Beneath his faceplate, a similar grin grew on his face as the King of the East’s blood began to flow quick in his veins. Though there was rage in him at their incursion, there was also the wish, an overwhelming desire to do battle with her. The instincts of a predator awakened, he nodded ever-so-slightly at the lady, acknowledging her as his equal.

She acknowledged the King with a respectable bow, holding the hems of her long skirt—performing a curtsy.

“Art thou the King of these fair isles?” thus she spake in a language foreign, yet the Cursed King could comprehend the meaning of her words mysteriously.

“Indeed I am! To whom do I speak to, King of lands far west?” the King of the East spoke lightly yet carried his resolute will.

“Well met. I am the ruler of Britannia of yonder seas.” Her voice sounded faint yet sweet as honey as she maintained a ladylike tone, and appeared to act very courteous, unlike her men that surrounded them.

“King of Britannia, what doth thou seek by thy incursion upon mine lands? Clear as day, the regulations that we have set for all of the west to follow and yet I see my clansmen bloodied by none other than thy footsoldiers.”

“Apologize I shall on behalf of mine knights and soldiers, but mayhaps it was inevitable. Mine intention is to unify the world as one. O Cursed King, I shall invite thee to join under mine reign—and rule the world.”

“An audacious goal thou art seek but I must decline, King of Britannia, for I have no wish to see the lands of Yamato nor myself be subject to another.”

“What wouldst thine dissatisfaction consist of? Trade and connections are but the greatest route to growth and prosperity a country may gain.”

“Unification is but a dream, one that tramples on the many that lie in its path. Indeed, a connection may yield prosperity for those it touches but I have seen what thou of the west brings. All of Yamato was engulfed in flames by one King. A King who sought the same thing as thou and with tools supplied by foreigners, nearly succeeded.”

“Oh my, if thou wouldst trust not the lights of morrow but the nights of the distant past—I am afraid there wouldst be none but miseries of misdeeds to confront. Men wouldst trade for armaments of war surely, but was that not the nature of thine men that desired them so to begin with? A unification would bring more than tools of war—items of all nature—that would undeniably spur greater growth, outweighing the disadvantage.”

“Yet it was that single weapon that changed our people so drastically, dividing lands and families in two. No doubt the other provisions brought hath benefited Yamato but I will not be swayed for in thou, I see fragments of the Demon Emperor of the Sixth Heaven.”

“Thou would court fear to deny the progress of true peace under the banner of unification? I see naught the virtue in this reclusive concept thine country parade with so actively.”

“Thou art not the first to come to these isles with the notion of peace and thou shalt not be the last either. It was under that pretense that our lands were plunged into turmoil, chaos brought about by missionaries. How then, do we trust thee? How can we? After those that hath come speaking peace bring with them weapons of war?” the garbed King of the East questioned, his fury growing.

“If thine lands wouldst not join mine empire then it is thou that shall face the mistress of dire regret—the world and its people sallies ever forwards. If thou wouldst not yield then eventually thine government shall—by force—and it wouldst hardly be by mine own intervention. What shall ye turn to thence—facing the greater weapons that the world hath advanced to now? Fight with blades of yore held by the samurais? Foolish.”

“The land of Yamato will find a way without having to submit to the rule of another. We are not ignorant to the march of progress despite the choice to seclude ourselves, having been taught a grave lesson by none other than thy very own. I hath never thirsted for conquest beyond our borders for they are lands not meant for me to govern yet on my very soil, I shall never back down. Not from thou nor any other aggressor that seek to take these lands.”

“Hoh, thou art quite bold and confident in ignorance. Very well.” Thus the True Queen concluded after having suspicions about the character of the King of Yamato. “I suppose †˜tis but the will of fate—dance we shall to settle the matter in the ancient fashion.”

“Say what thy will but I shall stop thee here. T’was a shame it cometh to this.”

“A shame it is indeed that it hast came to this. †˜Tis was mine intention to avoid conflict, but I suppose we live in the era of impending turmoil.”

“Some things are inevitable,” the ninja replied coldly as the squirming under his shozoku increased, the tendrils crawling onto his arms.

“Shall we relocate? Unless thou wisheth to slay innocents, I shall not cease mineself from doing the same considering the metropolis nearby.”

“There is a suitable arena for us to do battle but during our battle, I trust thy knights to stay themselves from encroaching further. This is how it should hath been decided from the start, a battle of Kings.”

“Where wouldst this yonder arena be? Mine knights are not uncouth, but admittedly, the soldiers are to some extent.”

“To the south, there is undeveloped land for us to settle this. I at least expect thy troops to show some restraint whilst their monarch is doing battle.”

“†˜Tis within mine range of doubt that a man wouldst be foolish enough to dare themselves into such a conflict. My knights shall make sure to keep unnecessary troubles out of our path.”

The King of the East nodded and vanished, a shifting of air marking his passing as he made his way to their intended battleground.

“Follow me not, for this is a conflict for us Kings to resolve.”

The command was thus given by the King who ruled over Britannia. It was stern unlike her usual self. Gloria looked over her subordinates, and their silence proved their acceptance of her words.

The area they were to do battle in was dense woodland in the area of Kanagawa. Trees covered rolling hills and sunlight seldom pierced the dense canopy of the forest. The sound of birds and flowing water could be heard, an area mostly untouched by man despite its closeness to Edo. There had been plans to work on the area but none had been put into play thus far, leaving nature to grow.

Within the shade of the trees, Yagami had blended with the shadows. Gloria had arrived moments ago and he watched her every step, observing how she hunted as her eyes searched for him. He clasped his hands together before uttering an incantation.

(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9j1z430_qo)

“O Red Lady of the Pestilence, I beseech thee to open the Eye of Ra, and unseal the blood thou hath claimeth from the victims of thy plagues! O Lady of Terror, let thy bloodlust be unleashed, and bring forth winds of crimson reaped from humanity untold!”

A sandstorm thus took place.

A large black hole formed where the Campione willed, it was large—encompassing an entire kilometer nearby, letting out the sands and the winds.

To anyone else, this would look extremely strange, especially considering the atmosphere of Japan, and the environment being full of trees and greenery, but to the True Queen, this was but a natural happenstance, for she was facing a King. Regardless, blood-filled sand was something quite distasteful to the British Queen.

Unable to locate the ninja due to this poor weather brought forth by the Authority of the War Goddess—the Campione was forced to remain vigilant. A small grin seemed to form on her facial expression from excitement, which was cut short as a multitude of tiny hands began to crawl up on her person, latching onto her legs and the dress. They seemed to weigh her down with their grabbing just as streams of red burst out from the sandstorm overhead, arcing downward and splashing onto her body like tar.

Through this blood-red, she could see the trees perishing in a particular location from whence the stream of red struck her.

A golden lance formed in her hands and she swung it hard against the bulge of red that was pushing her back, the Divine force eventually stopping it. Despite the hit she took, her dress didn’t appeared to be too tattered yet. Instead, there were worms and maggots crawling upon it. The British King thus focused her magical powers and they draped her form with azure—meting out the filths from her now-resplendent form.

She dashed with great speed, each steps seemingly looking like small leaps as she approached the Eastern King’s location. Having deduced it from her senses, the King of Ninjas could already tell that his hiding spot was now a lost cause.

Before he could leap into the shadows of the canopy, the True Queen thrust the tip of the lance against him. He moved back thanks to his trained reflexes, otherwise it’d have directly stabbed his heart. He let the weapon pass over dangerously close to his body as he arched his body backwards, flipping to the side in a leap. He vaulted over Gloria using the trunk of a nearby tree, attempting to disappear into the sandstorm.

A flash of red prompted Gloria to dodge to the side, flying past her and turning a few trees into splinters but she didn’t expect to be caught around the ankle on its rebound, her skin burning from the contact. She winced as she looked down upon it. It snapped tight and she lost her footing, momentarily sliding along the ground before she was flung airborne at breakneck speed. Yagami could be seen at the other end of the whip before she passed the mouth of the portal and disappeared out of sight.

The wind of the black hole that was the originating point of the sandstorm Authority was attempting to suck the True Queen into the underworld that laid beyond it. She crawled out from its edge desperately, her eyes glowing cerulean, infuriated.

She barely pulled herself up as her lance reformed in her grasp. Thrusting it at the air in Yagami’s direction, the very air and the blood were sliced, crushing a tree in its path, but by that time the British monarch noticed that the ninja wasn’t there.

Her instincts screamed at her and she whipped her head backwards just as Yagami’s boot whiffed over it. Pivoting on a heel, he kicked at her again, this time aiming for her side. Unfortunately for him, the warrior he faced had sharp instincts comparable to that of a lioness—grabbing his foot in that very instant and stabbing it with her lance’s tip, reaping through his flesh and skin, letting blood ooze out of the freshly-formed wound.

“Accursed woman!” Yagami bellowed, literally and figuratively cursing Gloria’s being.

His shozoku fluctuated for nary a second before it exploded outwards in tune with his shout, turning the earth and air around with an innumerable amount of curses. They rolled and unfurled outwards from him, despoiling the area around him for hundreds of meters.

Forced to release Yagami from her grasp from such a violent wave—she watched as the curses attempted to devour her very being, with her dress beginning to rot away in clear view.

Her eyes squinted and her expression scrunched up from the unique sensation of suffering she experienced—this was truly a taste of hell indeed. She could barely move in this state thanks to the torrent of filth that flooded the earth and air both. Her hand quivered as she drew her hand upward, as if reaching for the Heavens above to call out to God.

(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INfPOxihWr0)

“To win glory and victory…! I summon the Heavenly lightning… O grand God of Sky, may thine holiest chariot that traverse the ethereal stars—honored by Victory—be brought upon the mortal realm… for it is the decree of the Heavens!”

The dark gray clouds sealed the sky, blotting out the sun. A thunderous roar echoed across the region. The people of Yamato from Edo looked up to this fierce announcement of the storm, including those in the roads, the outcasts, and even the British troops that were stationed far from the undeveloped woodland. Indeed, it was an oversized bolt of lightning that was descending from the Heavens. It was too bright for one to notice the chariot pulled by the four ethereal steeds.

“Nnnn?”

Yagami looked upwards just as the bolt of lightning streaked down. Raising a hand immediately, a faint glow encompassed his person just as the Authority struck him, cratering the cursed ground. The chariot ground away against his momentary shield and Yagami slipped backwards, disappearing halfway into his shadow just as the shield gave way. Even in that split second, Gloria’s Authority pierced his body and wracked him with it. The Cursed King grit his teeth as the shock and power transmitted throughout his body and knew that had it not been mitigated, he probably would have been destroyed.

“Do not look down on me, King of the East. Fight seriously if thou wisheth to triumph,” the True Queen called out after she noted his receding figure. Her pupils aglow an azure flash.

The sandstorm howled in response, the wind transforming into a gale as the skies turned red from the sand. The portal seemed to be alive, belching out even more of the accursed red into the area around it.

“Hoh, thou art not used to the ways of the east then. We do not always clash blades on the field like the westerners.”

The voice carried on the gale, a distorted sound that echoed all around Gloria.

Space warped around her, like a water droplet would cause ripples on a still lake, just as Yagami burst out with blades of red flashing. They sought to part her flesh, squirming little things flailed upon his weapon. She dodged expertly. Yagami’s figure momentarily spawned from the shadowy earth to chip away from the True Queen her flesh and blood—but the superior senses of the Campione responded in turn, allowing her to block the perilous strikes in turn.

A horizontal strike came here, and a fast diagonal strike there—as he worked her way at her defense—while the foreign King danced with poise and grace, retreating into an elusive state to avoid the dangers of the cursed blades that the eastern King wielded.

“Such irritable shadow thine Authority possesseth. If the east prefers to dabble in these shadows then allow mineself to be the first to bridge the two sides of the sphere by forcing thou to change thy ways.” At this moment, Yagami noticed the magical power in Gloria rise by an astounding rate as she chanted thus:

“I am the victorious—the undefeated—and the sacred guardian of Asgard!”

Stabbing the lance against the earth, she caused the now-barren field to perish. Yagami’s form could be seen, half of which arched out from a piece of ground on which a black blotch was located, a portal formed by his Authority.

The True Queen threw the lance at his direction with deadly precision. Due to the nature of the attack, the Cursed King couldn’t react in time, and so the tip of the lance was embedded itself within his arm, drawing forth crimson blood.

He flinched as the weapon pierced flesh and bone but soon enough curses could be seen crawling over the weapon, corrupting it as red veins sprouted all over its golden body. Soon enough, the lance disappeared in a cloud of red dust and reappeared in Yagami’s good hand and he gave it a test swing.

“Not a bad one, I’ll be taking this for now,” he hissed, the sound amplified by the smog that constantly seemed to surround his body.

“Such an unpleasant Authority thou wieldeth indeed,” the western Campione remarked.

“The Authority has its uses,” he stated in a matter of factly tone. “O Red Lady, I beseech thee to hasten thy drunken rancor!” The sandstorm picked up once more in intensity as he chanted the Spell Words of Sekhmet.

Hefting the lance, he darted towards Gloria like a bullet. Now weaponless, she was forced to use her arms to block his blows. Unused to the lance, Yagami wielded it more as a battering weapon instead of the way it was meant to be used but a single misstep on Gloria’s part was all it took.

She slipped ever-so-slightly, losing her footing and he surged forwards. He impaled her twice in the span of a second, once on the thigh and once on her hand as she tried to ward the blow off.

“Fall into the underworld!” he shouted and thrust the red lance, curses forcefully propelling both it and Gloria who had been impaled down into the pit once more.

She thus coughed blood and fell into the pit of darkness, her hand outstretched towards the gray sky.

(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ITCnDIeHcY)

“The underworld…?” the Campione uttered, but it was too late.

She couldn’t move.

She couldn’t breath.

She couldn’t speak.

It was cold. Extremely cold. As cold as Death itself.

Truly the end itself… is it?

A strange feeling was invoked in her mind. A devil from the corner of her heart told her that it was finally okay. It was acceptable to close her eyes and allow everything to sink into the bottomless darkness of the underworld.

A beguiling feeling.

The door of death could be felt creaking open.

So it… is acceptable for me to… rest at last…

Various memories came to her as she resigned herself to her fate. The days from over a hundred years ago—when she was still a mortal who knew nothing of the Magic World that existed in the early-eighteenth century Europe. She only fought with wit and natural talents that she was gifted with to overcome the many challenges that were placed before her.

She was a complete novice when it came to magic.

If it was one thing she knew—it was her sheer luck as a Godslayer that remained a constant companion. Until now.

(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGUPsCxRbS0)

She could see a Celestial beauty clad in glistening armore before her, holding up to her a hand, offering her an embrace.

In this darkness, that was all she could see.

She gasped in utter surprise.

“Thou art…” her voice finally returned, but she felt as though it was wasted on these words.

She wanted to run up to her, but she could hardly move. Each step felt as though she was moving through a floor of tar that was sticking to her feet. She struggled—it felt as though she was crawling through solidified mud. It felt like an eternity as she waded through the darkness to reach the ethereal figure—who stood still like a statue, ever-accepting of her fate.

Yet the True Queen at the doorstep of Death stopped.

Tears ran down her cheeks. She was an inch away from the embrace with the one person she had sought to meet for over a hundred years, but she couldn’t move said inch forward.

The luster in her eyes returned.

Her will yielded not.

“No, not yet am I to reunite with thee. Fulfilled mine promise I hath not.”

In this moment, she was not a noble, nor a conquerer, nor a warrior—a Campione.

She was simply Gloria Odetta.

She made a smile unlike any other. It possessed not the sagacity, the serenity, nor the valor of a peerless lioness. No. This smile came from the bottom of her heart indeed—full of warmth and love—and the other Goddess returned such a smile to her at the same time, her form turning to a white sparkling shower of dust before it vanished.

She frowned.

A great feeling of anguish and frustration washed over her.

Was this all she could do? Wallow in despair and face death obediently?

“No, there are tasks only I mayeth accomplish—for I am the True Queen!”

Her instinct sparked thus. A new power that she had never known before was then made available to her, and she called upon it with great majesty befitting her position as a Godslaying Devil King.

(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATDESnBfjBQ)

And so, she raised this new light that she received from her Authority towards the unseen Heavens that were veiled by the darkness of the Underworld.

From the Cursed King’s view, there was a sudden torrent of shimmering cerulean coming up from the pit of the underworld that he sent the True Queen to. A vortex was claiming the portal. The magical energy was soon seeping out like blood all across the sandstorm.

“Nnnn, this is quite the predicament on my hands,” Yagami remarked as his own sandstorm was being eaten away.

He could feel the Authority dying and the wind beginning to still. The blood could be seen disintegrating. In a matter of moments the sandstorm stopped.

Before Yagami was a large and deep crater that replaced the portal to the underworld, and at its center he found the True Queen. A radiant light gave away from her form as she repaired her tattered dress with magic, a waning illumination was witnessed as she put away the power that defeated the sandstorm Authority.

With a simple Leap spell she flew up from it and stood before him. Her skin was more or less blemished and ruffled thanks to his attacks, and from some places she was bleeding—especially from her left arm, right thigh and her abdomen—but she was very much alive.

“Thou art look lively,” the King of the East remarked. “Most don’t quite come back from a trip there.”

“Twould seem so, thanks to thee,” the True Queen spoke with her eyes closed before she opened them, two beads of azure flashed as she reignited her determination for the battle. “Shall we proceed to the second round, Eastern King?”

A blade nearing her face was his answer and they began anew with Yagami launching a series of swift blows. The blades were put against her palms and heels on the field. Powerful kicks and fists were sent his way, which was unexpected of the westerner. In truth, the female Campione could wrestle a man with bare hands if she wished, for it was one of the first things she learned in her life.

They dodged, they countered, they went back and forth—alternating in their positions as they performed the dance of death—both combatants were at an impasse, each blocking the other. The True Queen had indeed gotten what she wanted—the east and west were bridged together upon the fields.

She backflipped and landed on the ground, the feral bout between the two coming to an end.

“Mn, I must admit, thou art the first King to have pushed mineself this far,” the True Queen acknowledged, making a calm and composed smile despite the situation.

“Thou art the second King I have fought, though against the first—I could scarcely be counted as an opponent. Now, at least there is one that I can do battle with!”

“Hoh. Very well. I shall reveal one of mine vaunted Authorities. Thou wouldst do well to prepare that lance thou stoleth.” She raised her right hand, showing her gloved palm as light-blue portals formed facing her back, each shimmering brightly—carrying ripples originating from their centers, looking similar to his own shadow Authority. “Behold, the Gates of Ishtar.”

About hundreds of these rippling portals formed behind the True Queen, sharp and perfectly-crafted blades and spears arching out of them. It was akin to summoning an entire army. Before such illumination, the True Queen’s figure was but a shadow before the Gates of Ishtar—a majestic portrayal of power.

(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvlI20oftow)

“Interesting! Let us see it then, this treasured Authority of yours!” Yagami exclaimed as he charged towards her, tentacles erupting from his back.

“Have at thee.” Gloria thrust her arm forwards, and the treasured blades of the Gates of Ishtar responded—launching one vaunted treasure after the other, bursting out with great force and power.

Each of the blades exploded, causing destruction across the lands of Yamato as the battle raged on, passing at unimaginable speeds that would be hard to follow with the naked eyes.

Yagami danced across the battlefield as he met these mythical weapons of war. The red lance he held was used like a club, smashing those that came near which resulted in them exploding whilst his free hand grabbed, flung and smashed others. It was a testament to his agility that he hadn’t already been skewered head on as the ninja danced and weaved his way through the hail.

The tentacles hadn’t been idle either, snatching more of the swords out of the air and returning them towards Gloria at breakneck speed. Yet it wasn’t enough to end the barrage and so he needed more of them, more limbs.

The blades that were tossed back at Gloria were simply met with more of her own blades from the Gates of Ishtar, exploding mid-air before they reached her. Indeed, the majestic True Queen stood as she watched the Lord of Ninjas dance with great agility.

“O will of the dark and festering curses—manifest into this world and devour everything in mine path!”

The magical power was raised in the eastern Campione’s as he chanted. Numerous tentacles surged forth from his person, thinner than the normal ones he usually used as each sought a partner in the incoming hail of swords. Those they did touch, were corrupted. Becoming red, becoming his. And used them he did for they were used in the fashion that Gloria had wielded them, shot like a rain of steel arrows.

The European Campione acted swiftly in return, waving her hand to send another wave of blades, meeting the cursed hail with a holy hail of her own.

“I am of the War—the incarnation of he who rules the world—ever hailing from the heavens the vaunted blades of the King of Heroes!”

The corruption on the blades were reversed as Yagami used the defiled weapons, the raised magical powers of Gloria cleansing them. With particles of bright azure spilling forth, the weapons in his employ were regained by the True Queen—only to be reused against him—adding to the rain of swords and lances that racked the lands of Yamato.

Despite his great speed, the King of Yamato was certainly not unscathed, for he suffered from the burns brought forth from the massive destructions incurred each time he deflected the weapons of yore. Each of these weapons carried a frightening amount of magical energy, and the detonations were only barely evaded from rupturing his body whole.

The only stolen weapons remaining were the two in his hands, a pair of blades that he flung back at her. Naturally, they were deflected—turning into another set of explosions—and Yagami burst forth from the clouds of smoke, darting in with fists coated red. He struck swiftly and precisely, aiming for the weak spots of the body. Punching upwards into her abdomen, a curse shot itself into Gloria’s stomach like a dagger and began to corrupt her body.

She grit her teeth in pain but held her groan back. At that moment, a pair of blades erupted from the Gates of Ishtar and she grasped them.

She countered with the dual blades she held—curving them upwards as she dug through his muscles and flesh—a rough yet satisfying squelch was heard. Blood sluiced from his body, even bursting through his mouthpiece before the body poofed into a cloud of smoke, only to find a wooden doll of a ninja, cracked down the center.

The Gates of Ishtar ended, the portals ceased as the Goddess of Britannia gave a slight wave of her hand. Her instincts as both a Godslayer and an experienced warrior called out to her. She pivoted on her heel immediately as he reappeared behind her, tossing the two blades she held at him.

Yagami grabbed the first sword out of the air, pivoting and using that momentum to smash the second away. Only the hilt remained of the sword he had used so it too was discarded.

“Now what, King of the West?”

Just as he finished, he found the fist of the True Queen in front of his face. He could only gasp as the Campione of the West ripped the shokozo apart from his face with brute force alone. Her right fist smacked his cheek hard as his face was revealed.

“Ouch. You punch harder than some of my men, they could learn a thing or two,” Yagami commented, letting the hood off completely as he put a hand to his chin, straightening out his jaw. For the first time as well, his voice was not distorted with a metallic tang.

Now he looked at her with his own two eyes and she, him.

“It appeareth thy face is more handsome than I hath assumed initially,” the foreign Campione said with a mirthful look. “A shame thou keep it well-veiled.”

The eastern Devil King stood stock still for a moment, his face unreadable before breaking out into laughter.

“I thank thee for the compliment, King of Britannia, for I feel the same way about thou. Of all times though to say it though, thou art interesting indeed.”

“Ah, a brief respite is but the gathering of warriors.” She turned an eye to the corner in the general direction of Edo and then faced him again. “Shall we end this?”

“I believe this has gone on long enough,” Yagami nodded, showing her a feral grin that had laid unseen all this while.

She showed the savage smirk of the proud lioness in return, distancing herself appropriately as she could feel something powerful coming from him. It was the call of bestial instincts perhaps. Indeed, one could say that Yagami felt the same way from her.

And so, she sang the Words of Power that came to her mind by Divine instinct:

(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLtgo5w2FpU)

“O tremulous Dawn! O glimmering Moon! I beseech the Celestial bodies to meet once more in this world with mine Words of Power!”

“Lust, Avarice, Sloth, Envy, Wrath, Gluttony, Hubris—I shall gather all the sins of this world in this body of mine!”

The cursed armor that protected his body churned as if chains were sliding all over it. Hooks shot into the ground from his legs and arms as if to tie him down, anchor him to the earth and they pulsed with vile motions in tune with his heartbeat. The ground seemed to turn even more desolate than before as his curses stained the earth a deep crimson.

At the same time, Yagami noticed the sky illuminating tremendously with each passing moments, a powerful and bright cerulean aura cradling the form of Gloria.

“Lustrous and Immortal—let the forgotten promise be fulfilled once more! May the world rejoice in this sacred reunion! The Gods shall be entranced, the devils shall be smitten, and the mortals—enlightened!”

“O Angra Mainyu, gather the filth—and the miasma—that this world possesseth, for I am the incarnation of Death and Pestilence itself! All the gloom shall loom upon mine ghastly soul. All the grievances shall be groomed by mineself clad in black! All the perils shall be courted by this crimson heart of mine! And now I bring this great evil upon the greater good! For it is the only greater and misleading replacement that shall ever be sought!”

There was a loud echoing heartbeat and an orb of violet and crimson materialized above him, spinning slowly on an axis. Maggots, worms and all manner of filth began to sprout and crawl across its surface as the sphere grew, feeding off the negative emotions. The once magnificent forest began to wilt and, in its death, only fed Yagami even more. The curses crawled across his right arm, encapsulating it in deep crimson. On the back of his hand, the skin parted with a sickening sound, revealing an oversized eyeball which stared unblinkingly at Gloria.

“†˜Tis an extraordinary enough strength thou possesseth—how revolting,” Gloria commented, making a grimace for the first time in this battle. This impressive accumulation of power was surely something she hadn’t seen before, but she steeled her will against it.

From the east, one could see the brilliant and radiant sun. From the west, one could see the glimmering and shining moon. They rose up slowly, seemingly anchored by the Words of Power sang by the True Queen. This Celestial event made all the people of the surrounding regions look in awe and fear. The sky itself quivered as a reverberating cry of vibration rang. The Victorian Campione stood proudly against the mighty evil brewing before her—having recovered from viewing the sight but moments ago—bringing forth Divine judgement in the world.

“Nnnn, this Divine energy,” Yagami said, breathing in as if he was intoxicated. “The smell of it just makes my blood boil, to rend, tear, eviscerate, consume!” He descended into mad laughter for a moment, now looking up at Gloria with his own crimson eyes. “I will violate thee to the core.”

“Bold words. O Cursed King, let it be known that it shall be I who purifies thine most distorted soul! Tremble before mine Divine wrath!”

His lips curled back into a grin, his figure all but defiant. “Never.”

From the sphere of crimson and violet was released a powerful piercing beam that cast a great shadow across the earth. It was wide and long, creating a screeching wail like the souls of the dead as it traversed across the air—meeting with the intertwining silvery lume of the moon and the blazing solar flares of the sun. An ominous cry rang across the fields of Yamato as these unimaginably powerful forces of supernatural nature clashed—the Authorities of both Devil Kings meeting in what appeared to be a stalemate.

The earth shook from the pressure it generated as if in fear, but the True Queen kept her gaze upon the Cursed King and the Cursed King kept his gaze upon the True Queen—firmly, the eyes of both burning with fearsome power and emotions.

The Cursed King was the first to feel a prickling pain in his mind—his instinct informing him that his Authority’s power was beginning to wane like the flickering flame of a candle facing a strong gale. He soon started to feel the intense blazing noises, and the vibrations come closer and closer with each passing second—spreading shockwaves and heat across the lands—reaching lethally close to the combatants on the field, the woodland of which was more or less decimated some time ago in the battle.

A puddle of dark water formed around his feet and the figure of Yagami was receding onto it. The True Queen’s Authority would no doubt reach him and yet he felt no fear, only a burning desire in his heart to continue this battle despite the odds. Yet even he knew that there would not be much of a fight after this, if he even survived at all. Yet the dark lunar circle was starting to vanish and his descent into the world of shadows was beginning to decelerate. He felt both chill and sweat roll down at the same time around his body.

With the curses extinguished, there was only the beautiful and blinding light of the sun and moon—now perilously close to Yagami. The True Queen only watched as Yagami attempted to evade this blightful Authority, but the lights of the Celestial bodies were taking away from him even the shadows of the moon that he could conjure as his final measure of protection. The shokozo shrouding his body was melting away from his form, the filth receding into the blackness under him.

The lights struck at him at last.

The Cursed King could feel an extremely cold and burning hot sensation at the same time. Common sense would dictate that such forces would cancel each other out generally, but such would be the folly of a mundane mind. He could feel only his upper body suffering from this frightening force, while his lower body only felt a calming coolness from the world of shadows. Thankfully, before he felt that his upper torso was going to disintegrate completely into mere dust, the flames and light of the sun and moon ended abruptly. Perhaps it was the force of Angra Mainyu that weakened this Authority particularly, otherwise he’d definitely not live to witness the light of tomorrow.

Thus Yagami lived, his body stuck against the earth due to his Authority of Tsukiyomi being completely nullified.

He pulled his lower body out from the earth and stood up straight. His upper-half was scorched to say the least. However, his skin was incredibly pale at the same time. Perhaps it was an effect of the moonlight. Either way, his vitality was still intact. Even for a Campione this kind of survivability was absurd, but at the same time it was believable, because they were the fearsome Devil Kings. Incredible feats were completely natural for them. Even the fact that the True Queen could survive despite falling into the pit of the Underworld was a rather overwhelming achievement.

So, it was indeed true that they both nearly killed each other on this very day.

“Ufufu, I must commend ye for being able to live through mine Authority,” the True Queen stated. Despite having claimed that they needed to finish this, she was aching to continue their battle.

The Cursed King stared at her, the crimson fading from his eyes as they regained their natural color. “So long as light exists, so too will shadow,” he stated, his breathing heavy.

“I deny not the principles of Yin and Yang, the natural forces that hold the reins of balance.”

“Finally, something I can relate to!” Yagami said, throwing his hands up in the air. When he looked back at her, there was a sparkle of amusement in his eyes.

“I assume thou wisheth to continue our duel?” The True Queen burned with a cerulean magical aura, her eyes a clear azure, intently gazing at the elder Campione.

Yagami huffed once, shaking his head at her attitude before raising his fists. It was clear that he too wished to continue doing battle with his wonderful opponent. “Whenever thou art ready.”

“Well now, I wouldn’t continue this farce any longer if I were either one of you,” a third voice finally spoke.

He was a slender tall man wearing spectacles, clad by a suit that dictated him to be of high-ranking military from a western country. Yagami could vaguely tell that it was either British or American.

“Thou art conceited to believe thou may speak to us in liberty,” the True Queen said, her gaze was something that could make even a steel-hearted man faint. Such was the solemnity of the gaze of a fierce lioness that the True Queen possessed.

“Not one of thou’s then,” the Cursed King added on, his eyes a deep violet as they settled on the newcomer. “Who art thou to interrupt our duel?”

“A pleasure to meet you both. I am the American Campione. I have come to dissolve the policy of isolation in this country,” the other invader spoke with a smirk.

“Not another…” Yagami rolled his eyes and cursed in Japanese, looking at Gloria. “Art thou sure he isn’t with thee?”

The True Queen shrugged. “†˜Tis mayeth been a race to thine lands of Yamato all along. I hath warned thee regarding this matter before our duel began in earnest.”

The Cursed King glanced at the American Campione whose smirk irked him to the core. It was obvious he had waited till this very moment to make his appearance.

“Queen of Britannia, any ideas what to do with the upstart? He ruined the good vibe we had going after all.”

“Show him his place, of course.” The irritation was clear in the voice of the ruler of Britannia.

“I would surely lose to you both monsters,” the American invader considered, adjusting his spectacles calmly. “But art thou certain, wise Campiones of the east and west? If I return not to my vessel then they shall lay waste to Edo after a certain period of time.” His smirk widened. “It’s not long—time is ticking.”

A blur of red melted the hairs and a portion of the spectacles that he wore, the curses disappearing into the distance—the invader only observed casually as this happened.

“How dare thee,” the Cursed King quaked with visibly restrained anger. His eyes blazed with anger and the love for his country—his people were all that was keeping Yagami in check, otherwise he’d have melted the face off this upstart.

“If thou wouldst be so kind as to open trade to the west and cease this foolish policy, then there shall be no harm delivered. Otherwise, our cannons are very much… ready.” His eyes malevolent as he spoke, the American Campione displayed a different kind of conniving evil compared to the one that Yagami possessed.

“Scoundrel, I will remember this affront till the very end of my days,” Yagami said.

There was little choice when his people were held hostage. Edo was the capital of Yamato. If it fell, what would happen to the others? It would only be a matter of time before the other westerners would descend upon his domain like vultures to an animal in its death throes. The keystone, so to speak. Besides, Chiyome was still in Edo.

“Hoh, I see that I am the recipient of great resent despite the intentions the True Queen held—them being the same.”

As he blatantly remarked about Gloria, she only closed her eyes calmly, having lost the mood to pursue victory. Of course, she noticed his presence earlier, thus her want to settle the match with Yagami, but she was hoping that he’d never truly make his appearance.

“Your methods differ from hers, whelp,” Yagami hissed, spitting at the floor which sizzled. “I waged my life for the land of Yamato, my domain in a battle with another King. Thou hold the people hostage and only a tyrant uses such methods.”

“That is correct. After all, we the Devil Kings are tyrants, regardless of what thou claim. Only the most efficient method is most sufficient! Look at the True Queen, boldly taking actions without making a full-proof plan—chivalry of the old age solves naught the issues of today!” the invader said with arms widely opened to feel the air grandly.

“Utter another word regarding mineself and I shall personally smite thee with mine fury,” the True Queen said, each of her words pronounced very deeply.

“Hmph. Well, the victory is mine regardless. Have fun continuing the duel. My battle is already over.” With a gust of wind the American Campione vanished from the land.

“Our duel must end here, True Queen. I must return posthaste to Edo to ensure its safety. One cannot trust the words of a scoundrel like that, not even with thy own eyes,” Yagami said coldly, blasting the ground again with a stream of curses as he vented his anger. The affected ground bubbled and dissolved, sinking away.

“Perchance a day shalt come whence we shall settle our feud. Until then, fare thee well. It appeareth that this bout is one which I hath lost due to a lack of foretelling of the Americans’ intentions,” Gloria said in a calm and composed tone, which contrasted greatly with Yagami’s.

“Perhaps we shall dance again, True Queen, perhaps we shall.” Turning towards her, Yagami clasped his hands together and offered her a warrior’s salute, for he had acknowledged her as his equal. “Thou may call me… Yagami.” With that, he was gone just as the American had, racing back to Edo with all his remaining might.

“I suppose he wouldst not tolerate to announce mine name.”

The True Queen laughed.

Indeed the world was sailing ever forwards, at an incredible pace no less. This much was true, and in a way, she was glad that Yagami could wake up to this sad reality. Thus, the King of Britannia departed herself, making way for the camps that were being set. Now that the Americans were here and the other invading Campione gained consent via a threat, it was her loss, and she had no reason to overstay her welcome.

This fabled tale of the battle between the two Campiones would then be told in ways various—for decades many, leading up to the twenty-first century.