"Is that coffee?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen. It was rhetorical, I knew it was coffee. My coffee senses had been tingling ever since I woke up.
"I just made it." Scáthach nodded standing by the Coffee Machine.
As much as I wanted the wonderful nectar to fill me up I instead wrapped my arms around my teacher.
"You smell good." I pushed my head into her chest.
I felt her lightly pinch me. "Don't say strange things so early in the morning. student." She chided. "And remove your hand from my ass. I am still far too sore there for a repeat for now." She huffed cutely.
Honestly, just a reminder of the time I spent together with my girls during my little vacation was enough to get me in a mood.
She pinched me again. "I know that look, student." She accused.
"I don't have a look." I defended.
"You have a look."
Maybe I had a look.
I just settled for a kiss.
"Want to go with me to see my adoptive brother?" I offered, knowing she was…well I wouldn't say upset that she missed the Norse stuff. Disappointed, perhaps. But she was more than aware that there will be plenty of future battles to satiate her bloodlust.
She perked up immediately and had a very bloodthirsty smile slowly growing on her face.
"You're beautiful." I found myself blurting out unintentionally.
She quickly shifted to perhaps an almost bashful look, a hint of it at least. "Student, you say such foolish things so easily." She put a hand on my cheek, lightly fixing my messy bed hair. "But this is a part of why this Scáthach has been taken by you."
"Every part of you is something I cherish." I smiled warmly.
"As I said, a fool." She seemed pleased, however. "I will have to decline your offer as tempted as I am to find that Goddess from before."
"That's unfortunate." I sighed.
"I apologize, I have a prior commitment. I am returning to my homeland along with your Servant to hunt a handful of Faeries that have been causing trouble."
"Oh?" I quirked an eyebrow.
Well, I could see how that would take a certain precedence and also keep her attention even with the offer of potential Gods to fight.
"Raikou's going?" I asked.
"I enjoy her company and I wish to strengthen our bond." She nodded.
I loved it when my girls got along with each other.
"Are you positive you wish to depart so soon? Should you not be resting, my student?" She raised an eyebrow. "I believe the others will be upset if you leave so soon."
"I'm good, I promise. I'm genuinely refreshed, and I feel like all the previous stress is gone. I'm not someone who can sit still for long periods. Look at me, I'm happy, I'm feeling good. I'm confident." I took her hands and lightly swung them playfully. "But if you're offering to keep me preoccupied, I know a thing or two that might work."
"My rear is still sore." She huffed again , rejecting me even though I wasn't really serious. There wasn't much actual heat in her rejection though. Truthfully, I was pretty sure I could get her out of the clothes she was wearing right now if I really wanted. "If you are well, then that is all that matters. Tend to your matters, but do not hesitate to call if you cannot handle yourself."
"Oh shit, someone made coffee, nice." Mordred walked in, stretching her arms; she only paused when she looked at me and Scáthach. "God, are you two about to fuck or something?"
"You need not worry, we were not." Scáthach laughed.
While they don't 'hang out' like she did with my other girls, Mordred and Scáthach were pretty similar in personalities and meshed pretty well when the situation presented itself.
"Love you." I kissed her cheek.
"I love you as well, my student." She said softly, returning the gesture. "Now, release this Scáthach, I have to procure a few supplies from your Youkai paramour before I depart."
"Be safe. Have fun. Kill some Fairies for me."
I was being facetious, but…..I think she liked it when I told her to be safe and such. A small joke between us, but she always smiled warmly when I said it.
I don't think she ever really had people tell her that before.
Mordred made some exaggerated choking noises while she filled up her cup.
It was enough that Scáthach just laughed cutely before departing out of the house.
"Sorry, didn't hear you come in, I would have been less…." Well, I wouldn't have thrown it in her face.
"I slept over." Mordred grunted. "Father let me sleep with him."
That's cute.
I tilted my head as I had an interesting idea. "Are you doing anything today?"
"What?"
"Are you busy? Training with the Pendragon Family? Does your Master need you for anything? Any plans, that sort of thing?" I rattled off.
Mordred took a sip, looking thoughtful. "Nah, Father and I switched off. It's Father's turn to lead the training with the family. Master is cooped up in his workshop or whatever."
"He has a workshop?" I mean, he was a Magus, but not really the traditional sort.
Mordred shrugged. "He goes down there every now and then I guess. Doesn't do it often, so I don't like to bother him when he does."
Neat.
"Anything else? Plans and all that."
"No." Mordred grunted. "I looked for Ruler, but she's following around the Fox, said something about wanting to see what she does every day and help out."
God that's fucking cute too. And totally something Jeanne would do.
"Want to come with me to see my adoptive brother?"
"….why?"
"Well, I wanted to spend time with you, I feel like we don't do it often enough. Secondly, I think you'd enjoy it. Probably going to end up in a fight someway or another."
"Oh?" She quirked an eyebrow, the corners of her lips slowly curling up. "I wouldn't mind a good fight. They have those weird Gods over there, right?"
"Yup. My Adoptive brother somehow stumbled into killing a God too, you can probably beat him up with a good enough excuse."
"Well shit, that sounds like fun." She smiled. "Alright, I'm in."
[***]
"The air here smells cleaner." It was the first thing Mordred noted as we stepped out of a portal.
"A side effect of what goes on here. Pretty easy for a Heretic God to rampage if their ocean or land is polluted heavily." I shrugged.
"Doesn't look much different though."
"What did you expect?"
"Something less boring." She scoffed. "The kid lives around here?"
"More or less, I mean, I didn't want to just appear right on his front door." I didn't think we were quite that close just yet.
I vaguely remembered where he lived.
Well, I was second guessing myself because the neighborhood was utterly mundane. Like….I could feel his presence nearby but the building I pinpointed his location at was rather….
There was nothing special about it.
Did he not have anyone put defenses on it? Even if he didn't know magic very well, even if he ignored my advice and the books I gave him, he could have asked someone else to give his family at least basic protection.
"No Bounded Fields or nothin?" Mordred spoke.
"No and I was just thinking the same thing."
"God I can fucking feel him this far away, is he an idiot?"
"Probably." I paused my steps.
"Yeah, I noticed it too." Mordred didn't even ask me as she scrunched her brow. "You want it or me?"
"Well, far be it for me to take away your fun." I gave her the go ahead.
She had a wild smile on her face as she shot off down between two houses, her Lightning arced through the air as she hit something.
There was a brief sound of struggle and then a loud thump as it quickly got quiet as Mordred casually walked back into view dragging something very peculiar behind her.
"Is that a zombie….?"
"Yeah, feels like a fucking dead thing." She shrugged, throwing it in front of me. "Killed enough of those damn zombies and spent enough time around the necromancer to recognize it at this point."
It was mostly in the shape of a person, but it was a shade of a human, I could easily tell that much. Hell, Dawnbringer inside my ring would probably eviscerate it just by being this close.
This thing wasn't even trying to hide what it is.
"For a zombie it's pretty well put together…" I kicked it. "No decaying flesh at first sight. Vessel is sturdy, flowing with Magical Energy. Full mimicry of life? No muscle atrophy either." I kicked its arm where it had decently developed muscles. "Did you knock it out?"
"Yeah it tried to run so I smacked its head into the ground. Looked stronger than I thought." Mordred shrugged.
"Huh."
"Zombies ain't normal for yah?" Mordred took out a cigarette and put it in her mouth, lighting it with an accompanying lighter as well.
"No, not really – " I stopped. "Are you smoking?"
"What?" She snorted. "Got a problem with it? You gonna get on my ass about it like Father?"
"Mordred, you're a Heroic Spirit, smoking won't do shit to you. Even if you were human, there are so many of us around that could negate the negative side effects." I deadpanned. "Just took me by surprise."
"Can you tell that to Father then? He's always giving me looks when he sees me doing it."
"Because she cares about you." I pointed out. "But I'll talk to her." Kind of funny to think about it, but Artoria probably was unsure of how to handle things so she just defaulted to chiding Mordred when she saw it.
Well, it just meant their relationship has been going smoothly if Artoria voiced that kind of discontent.
"….thanks." She muttered.
"I try not to meddle between you guys, but if you need help I'm here." I just gave her a smile.
"Yeah, I get it…." She grunted. "Thanks though, I appreciate it."
It was nice because I knew she meant it.
As I said, I didn't want to just interject myself into their budding connection, but I would happily stand at the side if either of them needed help for anything. Artoria talked to me all the time about it and while I can't say I gave her the same kind of 'talks' that Venelana does with me, I think it helped her.
"Come on, let's go meet my adoptive brother." I nudged her.
"Alright, show me this kid that apparently killed a God." She grinned, picking up the zombie and grabbing its leg, dragging it across the ground as we walked up to the house.
I knocked politely of course.
It took a moment before someone answered. "Who is it – Wilhelm?" Godou appeared.
"Little brother, how are you!" I pat his shoulder.
"Godou who is it –" The blonde girl I recall from before was also there. Her expression stiffened and she got down on a knee. "Your Majesty."
There was a second girl, someone who looked like a Miko who's eyes widened as well upon seeing me and followed the blonde onto her knee to pay respects.
"Don't inflate his fucking ego." Mordred snorted.
"What are you doing here!?" Godou exclaimed.
"Visiting." I pushed past him. "It was easy to find you. Really, it shouldn't have been. Do you know your presence is like a bright light in the middle of the night?"
"Ah….is that so?" Godou scratched his head.
"Yeah, Godou, little brother of mine." I put an arm around him. "Why the hell are there no defenses around your home?" I smiled very politely
"Uh….what do you mean?" He nervously asked.
"Did….you not read any of the books I left with you? Did you just ignore my advice completely?" I narrowed my eyes.
"No! I mean, I read them and I was practicing….I'm not very good, but I was making progress." Godou shook his head. "But uh….you came at a bad time, maybe you should –"
"Thou!" A shriek practically shook the house as a petite girl walked down the stairs. "How dare thee appear before this one!"
"Oh it's you." I drawled.
"Is that a Goddess?" Mordred asked. "She seems kind of pathetic in person."
"I will rend your heart and retrieve what was stolen!" Athena declared.
"...whad'ya do to her?" Mordred looked at me.
"…..I never met this person before in my life."
"Return mine Gorgoneion!" She exclaimed.
Mordred looked at me. "Right, never met her huh?"
"Sorry a Dragon ate it." I shrugged helplessly.
The Goddess shrieked and looked like she was about to jump at me before Godou got infront of her nearly physically having to hold her back. "No fighting in my house, you promised!"
Athena stiffened and scowled. "Mine oath still stands." She hissed. "I will not bring conflict into your homestead, so I swore on Hestia's Hearth. However, I will have what was mine!"
I ignored her. "Alright, stop your prostrating." I gestured to the two girls who were visibly nervous about everything. "I like my ego stroked, but it's stepping into the territory of being uncomfortable. "Godou, I'm surprised you gathered a harem so quickly. I knew you were my brother." I patted his shoulder.
"They're not my harem!" Godou defended.
"Watch thine words, I would not lower mineself to such a lowly position as to participate in a group affair! Such degradation and depravity is reserved for uncultured and promiscuous maidens." Athena scoffed.
"You got a fucking problem with people being in a harem?" Mordred narrowed her eyes.
"Doth the child dare speak to me?" Athena snorted. "Control thine dog, for I will defend myself against being bitten."
"Right, I'm going to lop your head off, you shit excuse for a Goddess." Mordred growled, her lightning slowly arcing across her body.
Athena paused for a moment, eyes widening at Mordred. "Thou….are not mortal, but not God. Thou are the same as the one before!"
"Alright, calm down." I put a hand on Mordred. "She's just pissed because she got slapped by Scáthach last time I was around."
"That is a falsehood!"
"Probably just a disappointment anyways." Mordred reeled herself back in. "She's probably just pissed that no one likes her."
"This Athena is adored by an uncountable number of humans and gods alike! The number of suitors after mine hand is higher than this one can count!"
"One hand or two hands?" Mordred deadpanned.
Oof.
I'm glad I brought Mordred along. We should spend time together more often.
"Please stop fighting!" Godou crossed his arms standing between them.
"Alright Mordred, don't lower yourself to her level." I stated.
"Would be kind of hard considering how tiny she is."
Athena looked like she was about to claw at Mordred's face in all honesty.
"Anyways." I clapped my hands. "Godou, how have you been?"
Godou looked at me and sighed, his shoulder drooping. "Did you come because of Voban?"
"Eh, Momma Pandora told me something about him popping over, but I don't really know the details."
"Thou speaks with Pandora!?" Athena exclaimed.
"Hush, the adults are speaking."
"I will wear thy heart as a necklace!"
"Things just sort of happened." Godou smiled awkwardly. "Athena was being hunted by some people and I happened to find her. She said she wouldn't do anything bad as long as she stays here."
"Do not make light of mine oath, Campione! Thou hath provided me refuge from that despicable witch, her knight and her annoying trinket. Thou hath earned mine gratitude despite being mine enemy." Athena harrumphed.
"Then Voban appeared and tried to take Yuri back with him." He stated, looking at the Miko.
"And she is…?"
"Uh, we go to school together."
"Greetings 8th Campione, I am Yuri Mariya and I am a Hime-Miko and I work closely with the History Compilation Committee. Lord Voban demanded my presence to perform a ritual to summon a Heretic God. Lord Godou stepped forward to protect me." The young lady introduced herself.
"Why you specifically?" I asked.
"She's one of the best Mikos in the world." The Blonde – was her name Erica? Erica replied in her stead.
"Alright, I got the gist of things." I pointed at Athena. "Saved from a bad fate." I pointed at Yuri. "Saved from a bad fate." Then I pointed at Erica. "And the Gold Digger."
"What!?" Erica squawked. "I am not –"
"You threw yourself at him before because he was a Campione." I pointed out.
She immediately shut up but still sort of glared my way.
"Thou knows how to state the obvious. Doth thou wish a congratulations?" Athena snorted. "And why does thou feel different once more!? There are many new sensations amidst thine body."
I continued to ignore her, which probably just made her even more upset. "And what's this about Voban?"
Godou sighed. "I stood up for Yuri, but then he decided he wanted to play a game with me. He said if I can stop him from taking Yuri until sunrise tomorrow, he would leave Yuri and me alone for now."
"…..and you're just hanging around your house?"
"What else am I supposed to do?" Godou frowned. "I had them take my family somewhere safe and evacuate the neighborhood, but I don't know what he's going to do."
I pointed down at the zombie thing Mordred had behind her. "Is that Voban's thing?"
"….that is one of Lord Voban's vassals. He prefers to utilize undead as his servants so they can't betray him." Yuri informed me.
Right, I basically understood the situation.
And as hilarious as it would be to just take Godou and company and make a trip to the opposite side of the world, I was warned that Campione are pretty fucking petty and he might just decide to level the city.
I felt bad for Godou, he really seemed to be out of his depth.
"Is this kid really a Godslayer?" Mordred inspected him. "Fucking scrawny as hell. I feel like he would blow over at the smallest breeze."
Godou deflated very quickly.
Damn Mordred was ruthless.
"Don't you dare insult my Godou you wench!" Erica quickly came to his defense.
"….wench, really?" Mordred rolled her eyes. "Why do you even care, as long as he has money a gold digger shouldn't be bothered."
"I am a Grand Knight of the Order of the Copper-Black Cross! I will not be insulted by some backwater hooligan!"
She kindly didn't mention that I was the one who originally called her that.
Mordred looked at her and broke out in a laugh. "A knight? You!? That's the biggest joke I've heard all day and the Goddess is still over there." She jerked her thumb at Athena.
I have to admit, Mordred really had talent in pissing people off.
I'm very impressed and proud of her at the same time.
"Girl, you have my blessing to kill this one." Athena growled.
"Gladly!" Erica announced.
"You wanna step outside buttercup?" Mordred stomped towards the door. "Here let me get that for you, don't want you to break a nail." She practically kicked it open, only for a very timid girl to stand there, the door barely missing her face as it abruptly slammed opened.
The new arrival, a girl with long silver hair sheepishly stood there looking like she was about to knock only for all of us to stare at her now.
"Liliana!?" Erica shouted.
That seemed to break the girl out of her stupor. She cleared her throat and went down on a knee like the girls when I first arrived. "Greetings my Lords and Goddess. I bring tidings from Lord Voban. He is aware that the Mysterious 8th Campione has arrived at Godou's abode and wishes to entreat. He stated that he will put the 'game' on hold for a few hours to meet the newest of his fellow Campiones and invites Lord Godou along as well."
"Mysterious?" I looked around.
"Lord Schweinorg is noted as the most mysterious of the Campione. While Madame Aisha is known to travel through time and space, Lord Schweinorg disappeared completely, and no one was able to discover his whereabouts. That also includes the two attendants of his that were claimed to be Heretic Gods under his retinue." Yuri, the little Miko explained.
She's cute, I wanted to pat her head.
Well, I guess I could see their point of view. I just up and vanished into thin air when they made it a priority to keep track of all Campione at all times. Not to mention I had both Raikou and Scáthach at my side and they were only known as Heretic Gods in status.
I slapped Godou's shoulder again. "Let's go meet our eldest brother! I'm sure we can just have a nice and civil conversation and end things politely."
"…..I find that unlikely." Godou slumped his shoulders with a sigh.
No faith, my little brother.
Don't worry, your elder brother will show you how to handle abrasive and arrogant people like Voban.
You just need the right…..words to handle them.
"Right, can't wait to see how you cock this up." Mordred snorted.
[***]
A/N
If you want to read 10 chapters ahead or support me, visit my p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m / astoryforone
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