Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Magnolia.
March, x786.
"I understand you have questions for me, Master Alfonzo." Ikaruga said before Alfonzo had the chance to speak. "Please, ask your questions, I will answer them all to the best of my ability."
"*Sigh* Honestly, I just don't understand." Alfonzo said. "How could you have no hostility for Lici and I? Especially after we were the ones who destroyed your guild in the past."
Hearing Alfonzo's main concern, Ikaruga could understand Alfonzo's worries. Especially since she had been raised by Death's Head Caucus. Though, she was sure Alfonzo did not know that.
"Honestly, I can understand your misgivings." Ikaruga said politely. "However, even though I was raised by Death's Head Caucus, I never felt any attachment to the guild."
Unlike what Ikaruga thought, Alfonzo knew she was a founding member of Death's Head Caucus from reading the wiki in his past life. However, he thought she simply created it with a few like-minded individuals. So, when he heard she was raised by the guild, he raised an eyebrow in interest.
"Originally, Death's Head Caucus, before it was founded as a guild, was an assassin training organization." Ikaruga explained. "And after realizing that it could make more money by accepting assassination requests, rather than just raising assassins, the organization's model changed. And I just so happened to be a newly graduated assassin when that happened. So, I stayed with Death's Head Caucus.
Reaching that point, Ikaruga took a breath while maintaining eye contact with Alfonzo.
"However, the concept of loyalty was never instilled in any of those from the training organization." Ikaruga continued. "Instead, we were only cultivated to be loyal to our employer, and only for as long as we were on the mission. As assassins, we only lived for the next kill and the accompanying payout."
"I see." Alfonzo replied with a nod. "If that's the case, then I'm even less convinced that you're not likely to betray Lici. And that is something that I will not allow. I mean, who's to say that someone won't approach you with the right price in the future?"
As he spoke, Alfonzo narrowed his eyes as they glinted dangerously. At the same time, his magic power started leaking, putting pressure on the entire front yard of the mansion. On top of that, it alerted everyone in the mansion.
On top of alerting everyone in the mansion, Alfonzo's magic power pressure forced Ikaruga back down to one knee. And she was under no illusion that she would be able to remain conscious if he raised his pressure much higher.
"On top of that, as Lici's follower, it puts you in a position to hurt the people I love." Alfonzo continued in a frigid tone. "So, you'd better give me a damn good reason why I shouldn't send your ass back to prison."
Though it was difficult, Ikaruga raised her head slowly. Then, she did her best to look Alfonzo in his eyes. And when she saw the resolution to protect in his eyes, her respect for him rose.
"It's because... of the... kindness... Mistress Elicia... Showed When... She saved me..." Ikaruga struggled to say.
Hearing that, Alfonzo reduced the pressure he was exuding to allow Ikaruga to continue more smoothly.
"In the past, there was never anyone who would save me, had I been injured that severely on a mission." Ikaruga continued after taking a deep breath. "Back when I was a member of Death's Head Caucus, even the other two members of Trinity Raven, Vidaldus and Fukuro would have written me off as a casualty and left me to bleed out."
Knowing the personalities of Vidaldus and Fukuro thanks to his meta knowledge, Alfonzo could not help but agree. Vidaldus was a psychopath who enjoyed killing and had no issue forcing a woman to be with him with the use of his magic. Meanwhile, Fukuro had such a twisted sense of justice that Alfonzo had no doubt that he would have considered Ikaruga a sinner of some sort for failing her mission.
"But Mistress Elicia, despite the fact that I was an enemy, pulled me out of the Tower of Heaven before it was destroyed." Ikaruga continued. "And for the first time, I felt what it was like to have someone assist me for a reason other than the payout."
Once again, Alfonzo narrowed his eyes. There was no way Ikaruga did not know that Elicia saved her for the bounty.
"I know what you are thinking, Master Alfonzo." Ikaruga replied solemnly. "Yes, I know that Mistress Elicia pulled me out of there for the bounty. However, she could have received my bounty had she brought back my corpse, as well."
Nodding his head, Alfonzo slightly relaxed once again.
"I've never had anyone show such concern for my life before." Ikaruga said. "And the fact that she showed such care for one who had taken as many lives as I have, I must admit, I was moved."
Hearing that, Alfonzo completely reeled in his magic power. Then, he looked up to the sky.
"*Sigh* I see." Alfonzo said in a tired tone. "Well then, I only have one more question."
With Alfonzo retracting his pressure completely, Ikaruga stumbled up to her feet. Then, she looked at Alfonzo, waiting for his question with a solemn expression on her face.
"You're not gonna turn into one of Lici's weirdo admirers, are you?" Alfonzo asked. "I mean, Between Darkness'... hobbies... And the drunk fucker and Karen Lilica's attempts to get Lici to break up with me, I really don't have the patience to deal with anymore."
In response, Ikaruga smiled brightly, thinking Alfonzo's tired expression was kind of cute. However, she did not take long to answer his question.
"No, you have nothing to worry about in that regard." Ikaruga replied. "Though I do admire Mistress Elicia for her kind actions towards me, I have no interest in her romantically. And I am proud to say that I do not have any sexual preferences like Darkness."
Hearing that, Alfonzo breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm more likely to try and become your mistress, Master Alfonzo." Ikaruga continued. "That way, I would be able to serve you, together with Mistress Elicia."
Immediately, Alfonzo's head snapped in Ikaruga's direction with a dumbfounded expression on his face.
Not only Alfonzo, everyone in the mansion, namely, Elicia, Cana, Erza, and Marin, who were attracted when Alfonzo flared his magic power not long ago, tumbled out of the front door of the mansion.
Eventually, Alfonzo and the ladies regained their senses.
"Ikaruga... You...?" Elicia asked in a dumbfounded tone.
"Seriously? Another one?" Cana asked in an exasperated tone.
"This is just like that one novel." Marin said excitedly.
"Indeed." Erza added. "A maid fighting to gain her master's affection was the theme of the last novel we read."
"Now is not the time for that!" Cana shouted. Then, she turned her glare towards Alfonzo. "Isn't eight enough, Fonzie."
In response, Alfonzo could only look away while smiling sheepishly.
'If there's a chance to get Brandish, I'm not giving that up.' Alfonzo thought to himself while he was unable to make eye contact. 'Plus, I'm still working on Shizuka. I know she already knows about that. Then there's Saeko, and I know what the way she looks at me means.'
"*Cough* Anyway, I agree to hire you as a maid." Alfonzo said, blatantly changing the subject. "And we'll be hiring a few more, as well. So, I'll also put you in charge of training them to defend themselves on the off chance that someone is able to break past all the security I have set up around the mansion."
"Understood." Ikaruga said with a bow. Then, she turned towards the ladies who had picked themselves up from the front door step by now. "Also, I hope you all now know why eavesdropping is so unbecoming."
At that moment, Elicia, Cana, Erza, and Marin all wore surprised expressions.
"So, you only said that because you knew we were listening?" Elicia asked curiously.
"That's not a very funny joke." Cana said before taking a swig from her flask.
Erza and Marin, on the other hand, looked disappointed that their new novel was not coming to life in front of their eyes.
Eventually, after talking for a little while longer, Alfonzo and the girls decided to go back inside the mansion. At the same time, Ikaruga decided to call it a night, as well. So, she turned away from the mansion, prepared to make her way back to the hotel she had been staying at since she arrived in Magnolia. Before she left, however, she coincidentally made eye contact with Alfonzo... and winked.
Noticing Ikaruga's wink, Alfonzo watched her leave in a daze.
'She was just kidding about that, right?' Alfonzo asked himself.
"Fonzie, what's wrong?" Marin, the last one to enter the mansion, asked when she noticed that Alfonzo was not following her.
"Nothing." Alfonzo replied while shaking those thoughts out of his head.
A moment later, Alfonzo turned around and entered the mansion while deciding that he had not seen Ikaruga's wink.
Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Quatro Cerberus Headquarters.
March 31, x786.
*Sigh* Ten days definitely wasn't enough time." Alfonzo muttered as he drove the Escalade towards a large building built several miles away from Karakura Town. "I swear, if I get pulled into some shit after this job is over, I'm gonna just level whatever it is that keeps me from going home."
"Come on, Fonzie." Elicia said with a smile as she reached over and grasped Alfonzo's right hand. "It's not that bad. At least you got to spend time with everyone, right?"
"*Sigh* Almost Everyone." Alfonzo replied while pouting. "Still, I wanna sleep in my own bed for more than a few days at a time. On top of that, because of the shit with the Magic Council and that asshole god Serena, I didn't even get to see Alzack and Bisca to congratulate them.
"You mean give them a hard time for skipping so many steps, right?" Elicia asked with a smile.
"Same difference." Alfonzo replied with a shrug and a smile of his own. A moment later, however, his expression changed back to a pout. "I didn't get to see Rika, either. And I know she's gonna be all pouty because she didn't get her new weapon after completing all her A-Class quests perfectly."
Currently, Alfonzo, Elicia, Marin, and Ikaruga were on their way to Quatro Cerberus' guild hall to install the training chambers Goldmine commissioned. While Marin was sleeping in the backseat, having fallen asleep while reading her newest novel, Ikaruga was calmly watching the scenery through the back window.
And like Alfonzo said, by the time he got back to Magnolia after the whole mess with the Magic Council, Alzack and Bisca had taken Saeko, Kohta, and Rika on an A-Class quest. And while it was mainly to get Saeko and Kohta some experience, Ur asked Alzack and Bisca to bring Rika along so that property damage would be kept to a minimum.
"Oh, whatever." Elicia replied while rolling her eyes. "You would have been able to catch them if you had come straight home after docking in Akane Beach."
In response, Alfonzo turned towards Elicia with a blank gaze.
"So, are you saying you would have been able to handle Shizuka's abandoned puppy look if you were in the same situation as I was?" Alfonzo asked in a dry tone.
Instead of replying, Elicia simply looked away, watching the scenery pass by the passenger window.
"I thought so." Alfonzo said.
With that, the inside of the Escalade fell silent. While Elicia continued to watch the scenery and Alfonzo focused on the road, Ikaruga smiled at the interaction between her new employers.
ON a side note, Ikaruga came along on this trip in her role as a maid. This trip being a sort of test of her abilities. Meaning, she would be taking care of all Alfonzo, Elicia, and Marin's needs during their stay at Quatro Cerberus.
Eventually, while the Escalade continued to move forward, Elicia's expression turned into a frown after it passed a sign that let travelers know the Quatro Cerberus guild hall was only a mile away.
"Hey, Fonzie, it wouldn't be bad if we just turned around and went home, would it?" Elicia asked with a disgruntled expression on her face.
Glancing over at Elicia, Alfonzo could only shake his head.
"You already know the answer to that question, Lici." Alfonzo replied.
"*Sigh* I know~~~." Elicia whined. "But I really don't wanna deal with Bacchus."
"Well, you were the one who said you wanted to put an end to this, once and for all." Alfonzo said. "So, do what you came here to do."
"*Sigh* I know, I know." Elicia replied while leaning her head back against her seat's headrest.
"Mistress Elicia, would you like me to deal with this Bacchus for you?" Ikaruga asked in a pleasant tone. Though, her meaning did not escape either Alfonzo or Elicia's notice.
"No, you can't kill him, Ikaruga.' Alfonzo replied after Elicia spent too much time considering Ikaruga's offer. "Anyway, we're almost there. Let's just get ready to do what we have to do."
With that, Alfonzo parked the Escalade in front of the Quatro Cerberus guild hall. Then, after waking Marin, the group of four made their way inside.