And so a few hours later, after diner, Tatsurou went to take a bath...
"I feel like new..." Tatsurou, that was now wearing a black t-shirt and black shorts, said with a relieved tone, as he dried his hair with a towel, in front of the bathroom mirror and after a bit more drying, Tatsurou stooped and looked a bit down.
"During dinner, Marie, was still a bit down about what happened during lunch..." Tatsurou thought as he looked up at the mirror and remembered the dish that Marie made and the faintly depressed face she had during dinner.
"It tasted pretty bad, yes, but...I should have made an effort to not faint...I probably broke her heart, after all even if the food came out wrong it still was something that her mother used to make for her...I feel bad..." Tatsurou thought again as he let out a sigh while he placed the towel, in the dirty laundry basket.
"I'll have to find a way, to make it up for her...it's the least I can do..." Tatsurou said with a determined tone, as he made his way to the door and as he placed his hand on the handle and opened it...
"Marie?" Tatsurou said with a faintly scared tone, as he stepped outside the bathroom and saw Marie leaning on the wall, next to the door.
"I-I'm sorry...for scaring you..." Marie, said with an apologetic tone, as she turned towards Tatsurou.
"Don't worry, it's alright..." Tatsurou said while he smiled and scratched the back of his head a bit.
"Say, Tatsurou...are you feeling ill?" Marie asked with an embarrassed and worried tone, as she looked a bit away from Tatsurou.
"I'm feeling, ok, you don't need to worry about it, Marie...and like I said, I'm not angry about what happened..." Tatsurou said with a reassuring tone as he smiled again.
"I know but...I feel really bad, for what happened and I just want to tell you that I'm going to do my best...by learning with Shirayuki and I'm going to make you that dish again but this time around it's going to taste just as it should, I promise!" Marie said with an embarrassed tone, that soon turned into a determined one while she clenched her fists and looked at Tatsurou that kept smiling.
"And I'll eat it with pleasure when the time comes, I promise!" Tatsurou said with a happy and reassuring tone as he head patted Marie, that blushed a bit.
"But this time around, I won't faint, that's also a promise!" Tatsurou said as he stooped head patting Marie and laughed.
"Well, you will faint...from how good it's going to be!" Marie said as she also began to laugh and soon enough, they were both laughing together and when they calmed down...
"Marie, I really can't wait to try it, so please do your best with the learning!" Tatsurou said with an honest tone as he looked at Marie and smiled.
"I will, just you wait!" Marie said with an honest and happy tone as she began to make her way to her and Shirayuki's room.
"But for now, I'll just grab my things and take a bath!" Marie said with a happy tone, while she glanced at Tatsurou before entering the room.
"Ok then...and I'll see what Shirayuki's up to then..." Tatsurou said while he saw Marie entering the room, then he made his way towards the living room and when Tatsurou got there he looked to his side and saw Shirayuki drying the plates with a cloth napkin, in the kitchen.
"Shirayuki, you need help?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone as he entered the kitchen.
"Not really...I'm just about finished here..." Shirayuki said with a happy tone as she finished drying the last plate and placed it on top of the other plates.
"I see..." Tatsurou said as he got close to the fridge and out of it, he took a jar of iced tea.
"Done and done!" Shirayuki said with a relieved tone as she began folding the cloth napkin, Tatsurou meanwhile was taking a glass out from the cupboard and filling it with iced tea.
"Say, Tatsurou, are you ok?" Shirayuki asked with a worried tone, as she got close to Tatsurou that was now, sipping from his glass.
"Hmm? I'm feeling good you don't need to worry about it...although, I'm feeling a bit light-headed..." Tatsurou said with a worried tone as he stooped sipping on his glass and placed his hand on his forehead.
"Heh? Really?" Shirayuki asked with a worried tone as she got a bit closer to Tatsurou, that began laughing.
"I'm just kidding, no need to get that worried, Shirayuki..." Tatsurou said with a playful tone, as he laughed a bit, something that made Shirayuki pout.
"I'm worried and that's what you do..." Shirayuki said with a faint angry tone, as she turned her back to Tatsurou, while she crossed her arms.
"I'm sorry, Shirayuki...I was just joking a bit..." Tatsurou said with an apologetic tone, as he placed his cup on the counter next to the jar.
"I don't like those types of jokes! Marie and I were really worried about you! I even used my Magic to see what was wrong and we were also seriously going to call an ambulance if you hadn't woken up sooner!" Shirayuki said with a worried tone, as she turned to Tatsurou, that became silent for a bit.
"Come on now, Shirayuki, I didn't eat anything poisonous or anything..." Tatsurou said as he smiled.
"But we were really worried and this is no joking matter..." Shirayuki said with an embarrassed tone, as she looked a bit down.
"I know that you two were worried, I'm sorry for joking like this..." Tatsurou said with a calm and reassuring tone as he gently heads patted Shirayuki.
"But you don't have to worry now! I'm up and back at it again and ready for some more!" Tatsurou said with a happy tone as he stooped head patting Shirayuki and began moving around a bit.
"You sure are!" Shirayuki said with a happy tone, while she laughed and her ahoge wiggled around a bit.
"I'm sorry...for getting angry just now, Tatsurou..." Shirayuki said with an embarrassed tone as she looked a bit away from Tatsurou.
"Don't worry about it, it's ok..." Tatsurou said as he smiled at Shirayuki that did the same as her ahoge wiggled a bit again.
"Well, with that said...what are you going to do now?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone as he looked at Shirayuki.
"Hmm...well, I was going to take my bath, but after that...I don't have anything in mind to do..." Shirayuki said as she scratched her cheek a bit.
"I see, then how about you, Marie, and I watch a movie or an anime together?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone, as he raised his index finger a bit.
"Watching a movie or an anime together? Sounds good, count me in!" Shirayuki said with a happy tone, as she placed her hands together and looked at Tatsurou.
"It's settled then! Now we just need to choose what to watch..." Tatsurou said as he began rubbing his chin a bit.
"Whichever one you choose is ok for me...but for now I'll go ahead and join Marie, like that I can tell her and you don't need to wait for me to take my bath!" Shirayuki said with a happy tone, as she made her way out of the kitchen and towards her and Marie's room.
"You can take your time with it..." Tatsurou said this to Shirayuki, but it was mostly useless, as she was already long gone, something that made Tatsurou sigh and smile.
"Well, while they do that, I'll prepare some snacks and drinks..." Tatsurou said as he walked towards a cupboard and out of it, he took a plastic bowl and from another cupboard, he took out a bag of chips and while he poured the chips in the bowl...
"Now that I think about it...Shirayuki mentioned that she usually takes baths with Marie..." Tatsurou thought as he kept pouring the chips inside the bowl, something that didn't last long, as he began to blush quite bad.
"W-What am I even thinking! Get your mind of the gutter, Tatsurou!" Tatsurou said with an embarrassed tone, as he hit his head with his hand, after imagining for a brief moment Shirayuki and Marie taking a bath together.
"I shouldn't be thinking about things like that...what I should be thinking right now, is what we're going to watch...I'm such an idiot..." Tatsurou said as he began pouring chips into the bowl again, while he kept blushing...
And so a few hours later in the living room Tatsurou, Shirayuki and Marie were finishing up watching the beyond the boundary anime on a streaming service...
"This anime is great, no matter how many times I watch it!" Tatsurou, that was sitting on the couch, said as he looked at Shirayuki and Marie, that we're sitting next to him crying, but it was a cute crying if anything.
"The ending...was so beautiful..." Shirayuki, that was wearing her usual long pink nightgown and holding the bowl with chips that rested on her lap, said as she cried.
"Even after reading the light novels, I have to admit the ending caught me good..." Marie, that was wearing her usual tank top and shorts, said as she used a handkerchief to clean her tears.
"Thanks for choosing this for us to watch, Tatsurou!" Shirayuki and Marie said at the same time, as they looked at Tatsurou.
"No need to thank me, I'm just happy that you two liked it!" Tatsurou said with a happy tone as he smiled.
"We should have, watch it sooner, it's so good! I wish there was more..." Shirayuki said with a happy tone, as her ahoge wiggled around, something that made Tatsurou laugh a bit.
"Well, if you liked the anime, then you're going to love the movie!" Tatsurou said as he stooped laughing, while he looked at Shirayuki and Marie.
"There's a movie?" Shirayuki and Marie asked with a curious tone, as they tilted their heads.
"Yes, there is...in fact, there's two of them, but the first one is just a recap of the series as a whole, while the second one is a continuation so we can go straight to that one!" Tatsurou said with an informative tone as he raised his index finger.
"What are we waiting for then! Let's watch it!" Marie said with a happy and excited tone as she looked at Tatsurou, while Shirayuki just nodded in agreement.
"Ok then, let's watch it..." Tatsurou said as he went to grab the remote to start the movie, but as he did that, he looked at the watch in the wall and stooped.
"Holy...it's already 2:51 am?!" Tatsurou said with an impressed tone as he looked at the time displayed on the watch.
"No way! It's already this late..." Shirayuki said with an impressed tone, as she placed her hand in front of her mouth.
"I know it's weekend and all...but we should probably go to be now..." Tatsurou said as she got up from the couch while he looked at Shirayuki and Marie.
"It's a real shame, I was really looking forward to it..." Shirayuki said with a faintly sad tone as she got up from the couch and let out a sigh.
"Me too..." Marie said also with a faintly sad tone, as she got up.
"We won't watch it today...but we can watch it tomorrow night no problem and like that we have something to look forward to!" Tatsurou said as he turned the TV off and looked at Shirayuki and Marie.
"That's fine by me!" Marie said with a happy tone as she crossed her arms.
"Agreed! I can't wait for tomorrow night!" Shirayuki said also with a happy tone as her ahoge wiggled around.
"It's decided then, but for now let's clean up before we go to bed..." Tatsurou said as he looked at the small table in front of the couch, that had a spare bowl with chips and a wooden board with three cups and a jar of iced tea on it.
"Yes, let's do that..." Shirayuki and Marie said as they prepare to clean up, Tatsurou took the two bowls to the kitchen and Shirayuki followed him as she held the wooden board with the cups and the jar, Marie meanwhile cleaned the small table with a wet cloth napkin they prepared beforehand...
And so a few minutes later...
"Were done!" Shirayuki said with a relieved tone, as she and Tatsurou came out of the kitchen.
"I'm also done here!" Marie said as she finished cleaning the small table, as she folded the cloth napkin, while she got close to Tatsurou and Shirayuki.
"Then, with that said, it's off to bed with us!" Tatsurou said as he looked at Shirayuki and Marie that nodded upon hearing him and so they made their way to the bedrooms.
"Goodnight, Shirayuki, Marie!" Tatsurou said as he looked at Shirayuki and Marie before parting ways with them and going to his room.
"Goodnight, Tatsurou!" Shirayuki and Marie said as they looked at Tatsurou while walking towards their room and soon enough they reached their respective rooms and entered them.
"What a day...so much happened, from me eating Marie's cooking and fainting, to all of us watching an anime together...I'm completely beat..." Tatsurou said as he closed the door of his room as he stretched a bit while making his way to the bed.
"To be fair...so many crazy things happened, in just a week...it's unbelievable..." Tatsurou said as he took a seat on his bed and sighed, while he remembered everything that happened this week, from meeting Naoki and joining the Soteria, to fighting Raiko, to talking with Frida, so much happened in such a short time, it was impressive in its own way.
"Now that I think about it...ever since I met Shirayuki...so many crazy things happened that turned my life upsidedown and after meeting Marie, even more things changed...but if I have to be honest, I'm happy that they entered and changed my life..." Tatsurou thought as he looked at the ceiling for a bit and a smile appeared on his face, something that didn't last long, as sudden, familiar feelings hit Tatsurou, feelings he was not fond of...those feeling we're disgust and fear...
"A monster and a tool such as yourself...doesn't need or deserve happiness and to be loved...remember that well, for the rest of your life...you freak..." A voice echoed inside Tatsurou's head, a voice that sent shivers down his spine and made Tatsurou both tremble and sick, it made him so sick, that he only wanted to throw up at this very moment.
"Ever since I fought Raiko...ever since, he told me all those things...I can't stop remembering that cursed research facility...and...researcher...Akumazami..." Tatsurou said while he grabbed his left arm with his right hand and looked at the ground as the painful memories he dreaded the most began to flood his mind and something that looked like a shadow hugged him from behind as it smiled and laughed maniacally, something that made Tatsurou shiver, while he closed his eyes and begged for it to go away.
"Go...away...I already said that I...I won't let those words chase me forever...I'll get stronger without relying on this other side of me and this time, I'll protect everyone I love and I won't lose anyone anymore...even if it is the last thing I do..." Tatsurou said with a determined tone as he stooped grabbing his left arm and now looked at his right hand and images of Hime, Emma, Yumeko, Wise, Michiko, Shirayuki, and Marie flashed before his eyes, something that made all the dreaded memories and the "shadow" slowly vanish, from Tatsurou's mind but it still wasn't enough to stop this...
"Who am I kidding...Akumagami said it herself...I don't deserve anything I was given...both the happiness and love that Hime gave me for the past 9 years...I don't deserve it...and even if I get strong enough and tell Shirayuki how I feel...I still won't deserve it...in fact, I don't deserve anyone's love...a "monster" a "tool" doesn't deserve that..." Tatsurou said as he looked down again as this was how he felt, Tatsurou believed that no one would love a "monster" such as him and that was why he refused to accept or see that anyone could love him back, and it didn't matter, how much they try to show that they love him and this...was just a sample of the scars that the researchers gave Tatsurou to break him, but unfortunately there was a thing that they did not break, no matter how hard they tried...
"No...I said it didn't I? I will get stronger! And I won't let this past of mine chase me forever...I will deserve my happiness...I'll make akumagami eat those words..." Tatsurou said with a determined tone, as he looked at his hand and clenched it hard as this was the thing that the researchers could not break, no matter how hard they tried and that was...Tatsurou's determination.
"Now, if only, Frida, showed up to talk with me so I could ask her a few things...it could be a step forward, in all this "getting stronger", that I'm always talking about..." Tatsurou said as he let out a sigh and a sudden silence filled the room, something, that didn't last too long...
"Did you call, Lord Kurokami?" Frida, that was wearing her usual white and silver dress that looked like armor and had her black wings folded, asked as she suddenly appeared before Tatsurou scaring him quite a bit, as he hit the wall next to his bed with his back.
"F-Frida-san?!" Tatsurou asked with a curious and surprised tone, as he jolted and looked at Frida.
"I am very sorry, Lord Kurokami! It wasn't my intention to scare you, please do forgive!" Frida said with an apologetic and worried tone as she bowed towards Tatsurou.
"C-Come on, Frida-san, I'm not angry...so please stop bowing..." Tatsurou said with a reassuring tone as he regained his composure and got up from the bed, to stop Frida from bowing.
"Emma is kind of right...she is a bit spontaneous..." Tatsurou thought while he sighed a bit, but it wasn't for long.
"Wait, a second! Frida-san, are we in the Mioji again?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone as he looked at Frida, that slowly regained her composure, as she stooped bowing.
"No, we're not in the Mioji this time around, Lord Kurokami, this time we are in what you would usually refer to as the earth or the mortal realm..." Frida said with an informative tone, as she raised her index finger a bit.
"I see, I see...but, how can you be here, in the mortal world? I thought we could only talk in the Mioji?" Tatsurou asked again with a curious tone, as he rubbed his chin a bit.
"Well, the reason as to why I'm here..." As Frida said this, Tatsurou briefly interrupted her as he got up from the bed and got close to his desk.
"Before you start...please take a seat, Frida-san..." Tatsurou said as he grabbed the chair of his desk and placed it close to his bed and looked at Frida.
"Y-You don't need to do that, Lord Kurokami...I'm fine standing here like this..." As Frida said this, Tatsurou interrupted her again.
"Come on Frida-san, please take a seat...I insist!" Tatsurou said as he placed his hands on his hips, while he sighed and after a bit of thinking and looking at the chair, Frida complied and took a seat, while she rested her hands on her lap, Tatsurou then took a seat on the side of the bed, so that he could face Frida.
"Well then, sorry, for having interrupted you..." Tatsurou said as he looked at Frida and smiled a bit.
"No need to worry about that...so as I was saying, the reason as to why I'm here in the mortal world talking with you, instead of the Mioji, is because the contract between us, can finally be finished..." Frida said with an informative tone, as she raised her index finger a bit.
"I see...but wait, wasn't the contract between us, already made when I made that enchantment 3 days ago?" Tatsurou asked with a surprised and curious tone, as he rubbed his chin a bit.
"Not precisely...if you would allow me to explain...before we made the contract, you had my gauntlet, but you could not control when you wanted it to appear, because I still held control over it and I had to be the one to give it to you whenever I thought you needed it..." Frida said as she made a small pause.
"So with that in mind, the initial contract that was made between us, I only gave you access to the gauntlet and one of its abilities for you to win the battle in that precise moment...that was thanks to the enchantment...but now to gain full access to all of the abilities of the gauntlet, we have to perform another contract, one that doesn't require you to make an enchantment every time you want to use it's abilities to the fullest..." Frida said with an informative tone, as she raised her index finger a bit.
"So if I understood right, the first and initial contract was only one that allowed me to call the gauntlet whenever I wanted...but to use its abilities, I have to make enchantments...but if I want access to all of its abilities without enchantments, we have to make another contract...one that allows me to both, call the gauntlet and use all of his abilities, is that, right?" Tatsurou asked as he tilted his head a bit.
"Precisely, Lord Kurokami..." Frida said as she briefly nodded.
"I see...then, what do I need to do, to make this new contract, Frid-san?" Tatsurou asked a bit curious as he crossed his arms while he looked at Frida.
"You don't have to do anything, this new contract has to be performed by me, so you don't have to worry about anything! So with that said...could you please extend your right hand, Lord Kurokami?" Frida asked with a faintly embarrassed tone, as she looked a bit away from Tatsurou.
"Sure thing...here!" Tatsurou said with a happy tone, as he extended his right hand to Frida, that gently grabbed it with her left hand.
"Let's begin then, shall we..." As Frida said this, she placed the index finger of her right hand, on the back of Tatsurou's right hand and began drawing a black circle on it, that after it was done, Frida then proceeded to draw in the middle of the circle, what looked like a pair of closed wings with a sword in it's middle, it looked like a symbol if anybody asked.
"It's almost done..." Frida said with an embarrassed tone as she slowly raised Tatsurou's hand close to her face and kissed the symbol she had just drawn, something that surprised Tatsurou quite a bit, as both he and Frida blushed.
"And with this, our new and complete contract is done and now, all of the powers that belonged once to me and this gauntlet, are yours from this day onwards, Lord Kurokami..." Frida said with an embarrassed tone while she moved her lips away from the back of Tatsurou's hand and with that, the symbol briefly glowed before returning to normal.
"I see...this was a bit unexpected...but thanks, Frida-san..." Tatsurou said with an embarrassed tone, as he saw Frida letting go of his hand.
"I-I am very sorry, for doing something so sudden like this, Lord Kurokami...but this is, how we Valkyries bestow our powers upon mortals..." Frida said a bit embarrassed as her wings flapped a bit, while she looked a bit away from Tatsurou.
"It's ok, Frida-san...I understand..." Tatsurou said with a reassuring tone as he head patted Frida a bit.
"But say...this mark or symbol here, it's not permanent...right?" Tatsurou asked with a worried and nervous tone as he stooped head patting Frida and looked at the back of his right hand.
"You don't have to worry...the mark of the Valkyries is just to symbolize the contract between us, it will disappear, shortly after it's made..." Frida said with an informative tone as she smiled a bit.
"That's a relief...if Hime, Yumeko, or Emma saw this and thought it was a tattoo...they would kill me on the spot..." Tatsurou said with a relieved tone as he sighed.
"Yumeko? Emma? Oh, right, they are the young woman with violet hair and the woman with blond hair, that was with you in that big white building, with a red cross on it, right? But...I do not remember the person named, "Hime"..." Frida said with a curious tone as she tilted her head a bit.
"Big white building...with a red cross on it? Oh, you mean the hospital! You got me scared here, for a moment, Frida-san...well, as for Hime, she is my mother you see..." As Tatsurou said this he stooped, as he was hit with, sudden realization...
"W-Wait a second again! Frida-san...how do you know about them?" Tatsurou asked with a curious and surprised tone as he looked at Frida, that blushed.
"Well, ever since I attached myself to you...I always followed you around and I could both see and hear the same things as you..." Frida said with an embarrassed tone, as she looked a bit away from Tatsurou.
"I-If that's true then...please...don't tell me that every time I went to the bathroom you..." As Tatsurou said this he looked at Frida, that blushed even more than before, and upon seeing this Tatsurou felt, as if his brain stopped working.
"P-Please do not worry, Lord Kurokami, I-I stooped following you whenever you went to the so-called "b-bathroom"... especially after seeing for what it was used..." Frida said still with an embarrassed tone, as she flailed her arms around a bit, something that made Tatsurou feel as he broke in half.
"I know...that this was an act, unbefitting of someone that is both your weapon and your servant! So please, I beg you, Lord Kurokami, do forgive me for this!" Frida said with an embarrassed tone, while she blushed and bowed to Tatsurou once again.
"I-I'm not angry about it and you didn't do it on purpose, Frida-san, so it's ok..." Tatsurou said with a reassuring and embarrassed tone as he came back to himself and tried to regain his composure.
"But I..." As Frida said this, she raised her head, but she was interrupted by Tatsurou again.
"Listen Frida-san, you don't need to always apologize for everything you do wrong and also I don't want you to call yourself a weapon or a servant, to me you're not any of that, you hear!" Tatsurou said with a reassuring tone as he crossed his arms, something that made Frida look at Tatsurou, with an impressed face as she placed her hand on her chest and blushed.
"And also, you don't need to call me "Lord" or anything, Kurokami or just simply, Tatsurou is fine for me!" Tatsurou said as he looked at Frida and smiled.
"T-That I can not do, Lord Kurokami, after everything you did, after saving me from repeating my past mistakes...calling you by your given name, would feel horrible, so please allow me to keep calling you, just as I have been doing up until now..." Frida said with a faintly angry and embarrassed tone as she looked at Tatsurou that smiled.
"Ok, if that's what you want...then I won't make you stop...but it's going to take some time to get used to being called like that, to be honest..." Tatsurou said as he scratched his cheek and laughed a bit, Frida just blushed and kept silent.
"Say, Frida-san...do you mind if ask you some questions?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone as he looked at Frida that was too silent.
"O-Of course you can, Lord Kurokami! What is it that you want to know?" Frida asked with a curious tone while she looked at Tatsurou and tilted her head.
"Well, for starters, Valkyries have lived for a long time, right?" Tatsurou asked as he looked at Frida that nodded.
"Yes...we have we have lived for a long time, ever since the time where magic was only something attainable to either us, the gods and some selected, few mortals..." Frida said with an informative tone as she nodded.
"I see, then my question is the following...you see, my power or magic is called "Endbringer" and I want to know if you know anything at all, about it?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone as he now looked at Frida with great expectations.
"Endbringer...that name is familiar, I have heard it when I was still the Valkyrie of peace...if I'm not wrong, I believe that it is a power that belongs to the dark magic and that it's passed down, from one person to another..." Frida said with an informative tone as she placed her index finger on her cheek.
"I already knew about the dark magic part...but not about the, passed down from one person to the other...then that means that it is magic that can be inherited? Do you know anything else?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone as he crossed his arms and tilted his head.
"Yes, that would be correct and unfortunately, I don't remember anything else...it's been some time and some of my memories from that time are a bit "foggy" to say the least..." Frida said with an informative tone, as she moved her hands a bit.
"I see..." Tatsurou said with a faint sad tone as he sighed.
"I am very sorry about this, Lord Kurokami, right when you need my help for the first time, I fail to assist you... " Frida said with an embarrassed and sad tone a she looked down.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Frida-san, it's not something to get sad about..." Tatsurou said as he smiled.
"Well then, since you can't remember a lot about my powers...I guess we can go to my next question instead of dwelling on it..." Tatsurou said as he rubbed his chin a bit.
"So, Frida-san, you said that this gauntlet has various powers...can you tell me about them?" Tatsurou asked as he looked at Frida.
"But of course! As you have already seen, the gauntlet possesses various abilities, it can enhance the strength of its user, but it also has a strength limiter, it can negate attacks and it can track enemies to a certain extend!" Frida said with an informative and happy tone as she moved her right hand a bit.
"I wasn't expecting it to have all of this! But say, did you create these abilities all by yourself?" Tatsurou asked with a curious and impressed tone as he looked at his right hand then at Frida.
"No I haven't, in truth, all of those abilities came from previous users of the gauntlet, with everyone leaving an ability behind for the next user, for example, the strength limiter was placed by my sister Gunhild, she was the first user and since she was really strong and liked to fight, she placed the limiter in the gauntlet to test herself during fights!" Frida said with a happy tone as she smiled.
"I see...I honestly thought you were the first and only user, I would have never guessed that there where other Valkyries that used it..." Tatsurou said as he looked at his right hand.
"There was, my sister Gunhild and my sister Hilda...they were both excellent users, great Valkyries and they entrusted me this gauntlet with abilities they took years to create and master...but instead of using these powers for what they were intended for...I used them for the worst thing possible...I'm a disgrace to all Valkyries...I failed at my duty and I sullied our great name...my sisters they...must all surely hate me..." Frida said as she looked down and began to tear up a bit, something that Tatsurou didn't let her do for too long.
"Frida-san...please don't say that about yourself..." Tatsurou said as he placed his hand on top of Frida's.
"I already said it, when we first met, didn't I? You did, your mistakes, you repented for them and now you want to do something good to make up for them, for me that's more than enough and if your sisters are as great as you say...I believe, that if they saw you now and how you want to change for the better, they would forgive you!" Tatsurou said with a reassuring and comforting tone, as he kept holding her hands, something that made Frida smile as she looked at Tatsurou.
"Lord Kurokami!" Frida said with a happy tone, as she suddenly hugged Tatsurou, surprising him a bit.
"I'm...I'm so happy and grateful that I chose you and that you accepted me...I really am...that is why I will do everything I can to help you so that accepting me wasn't in vain! I promise that if you ever need me...you just have to call, and I'll help you!" Frida said with a determined tone as she kept hugging Tatsurou while she gently flapped her wings a bit.
"Thank you, Frida-san...I gladly accept your help, and I'll make sure you chose the right person!" Tatsurou said as he also hugged Frida, and for a moment, this was how they stayed until Frida realized what she did.
"P-Please forgive me for hugging you so suddenly, Lord Kurokami!" Frida said with a very embarrassed tone as she stooped hugging, Tatsurou while she flailed her arms around Tatsurou just laughed.
"Frida-san, no need to ask for my forgiveness like this its ok!" Tatsurou as he calmed down with the laughs and smiled.
"His attitude, the way he treats everyone with respect and without caring for ranks, and his gentle smile...Lord Kurokami, he is just like sister Astrid...I...I did choose well..." Frida thought as she looked at Tatsurou smiling and saw a shadow of a woman with pure white wings next to him, also smiling.
"Is something wrong?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone, as he saw that Frida became silent all of the sudden.
"N-No...nothings wrong...I was, just thinking that you have a very, beautiful smile..." Frida said with an honest tone as she smiled, something that made Tatsurou blush a bit.
"Well then, Lord Kurokami...it is time for me to go now...but worry not, we will talk again, and just like I said, if you need me, you just have to call!" As Frida said this, she began to fade, but she didn't vanish until she gave one last smile to Tatsurou, that smiled and nodded upon hearing her words.
"Frida really is a spontaneous one...but if it wasn't for her showing up like this, my mind was going to wander to some dark places..." Tatsurou said with a relieved tone when Frida was finally gone, while he fell on the bed with his back and sighed.
"It was a shame that she couldn't remember a lot about my powers...but it's not the end...I'll find what this is all about, and I'll be a step closer to control this power!" Tatsurou said with a newfound determination, as he looked at his right hand and smiled.
"But for now, it's better to rest a bit, and I better go visit Emma on Monday and tell her all this...honestly, Monday couldn't come any sooner...I can't believe I'm saying this..." Tatsurou said with a faint joking tone as he got under the blankets while letting out a sigh...