Okinawa.
I sent the guests away. Well, after we talked the Excalibur thing over.
Turns out Kokabiel's already crossed into Japan and is heading toward Kuoh. Michael said he would send Church men here to investigate the matter. To which I only grinned. In the end it was decided that they would visit me when they arrived in the city. Ah, yes. The Archangels also asked me to keep the information about Solomon and Goetia a secret if possible.
And by golly, Goetia definitely scared them.
After dealing with the guests, I set out to find the missing Servants. And I managed to find them here on the beach in Okinawa. Or rather, what was a beach.
When I arrived here, the first thing I saw was a cut, pierced, and bombed ground full of blast craters. The trees that were near the beach were uprooted or destroyed altogether.
- Ahahahahahaha! Look what I can do, Enkidu!
Turning toward a voice obviously belonging to Gilgamesh, I saw him doing a one-legged stance and balancing Ea on his head.
Why does he even have this BFG 9000 Nasuverse edition! Isn't that the prerogative of his version of Archer!
I looked around and found the rest of the Servants with my eyes. Enkidu was rubbing his temples, looking at his friend. Merlin was buried up to his head in the sand with Fou sitting on top of him. Heracles was splashing in the water like a child. And the others.
- Shiroooooo. Drink up! For me! - Artoria was shoving a bottle of sake in Archer's face.
- Come on, Shiro-kun. Just one cup. - Medusa did the same thing, only hugging him from behind, pressing herself against him.
- I knew this was a bad idea. - Facetimed Eroge the Protagonist.
- Shut up, you have no idea how enviable your position is, nameless hero! - Shouted Lancelot, looking at him with burning eyes.
- Aaaaaaaaaa~" Tiamat softly sang out, looking at them and smiling happily.
And yes, they smelled like they were so stinky. Well, except for Enkidu and Archer, who were not amused by the current situation. The servants certainly had fun. And by my calculations, it all happened in less than six hours.
What the hell?! Why does the beach look like it's been through Armageddon?! What kind of idiot releases his Noble Phantasms?! Whose goddamn idea was this anyway?!
My face is twisted in a childish way. And my hand slapped my face with a very loud sound.
- Asako. - I called out to the main facet of the Hundred Faces.
- Master? - She replied, appearing beside me and looking at me with nervous eyes.
- Would you be so kind as to tell me something," I began, to which she tensed up, "Who was the instigator of all this?
- It was...
- It was me, sensei. - I heard a familiar girl's voice.
Turning toward him, my eyes saw a smirking Aika in a swimsuit, holding a glass of some kind of cocktail.
- Tell me, Alaya, why did you decide to arrange all this? - I asked, my eyebrow twitching relentlessly.
- Well, even Servants need to relax at least once in a while. - She replied cheerfully and took a sip.
Relax, for crying out loud! Doesn't she see what the beach has become?! Doesn't she realize how dangerous the Servants are?! Я-
Stop.
I took a closer look at Aika's face, at which her cheerful smile turned into a smirk.
It's clear now. She's getting back at me, huh? For putting her next to Artoria and Medusa.
Oya? You've decided to take revenge on me, Alaya-shiki? Oh, you should, my dear. Oh, for nothing.
- So, EVEN Servants need to relax, don't they? - I asked in a measured tone, to which I received a nod.
- Then that includes me, doesn't it? I'm basically a Servant, too, aren't I? - The kindest smile bloomed on my face, and now her grin was frozen - And if they can afford to blow things up, so can I, can't I?
- Somehow I don't like where you're going with this, Romani-sensei. - Aika said cautiously, and the smirk slid off her face.
In a brief flash of light, my appearance changed. Now, instead of me in Romani's body, it was now Solomon. And the ten rings flashed with power.
- It's alright, Aika-san. I'll blow something up too," I said with a smile on my face. Her whole body trembled in response to my words, "I mean, it's only fair, isn't it?
- M-maybe you shouldn't do that?
- The Time of Birth Has Come.
- Y-you're seriously gonna use that on a s-schoolgirl like me?
- He is the One Who Masters All.
- I apologize! I won't do it again! I-" she shrieked, throwing the drink away and kneeling down.
- Ars Almadel Solomonis.
That day, everyone in the world saw millions of rays of light falling towards Japan.
Of course, before that, I used Territory Creation and reduced the power of Noble Phantasm by as much as two ranks. I'm not a fool, ah-ha-ha.
-0-
Kuoh Academy. Occult Research Club.
The next day.
- Thank you for coming, Romani-sensei. - Rias began as soon as I was seated and bowed - First, I would like to thank you for helping Ise with his training. It was a surprise to me that he could reach Balance Crusher in such a short period of time.
- That's right! Thank you, sensei! - Issei added.
- Yeah, anything. - I waved it off and asked Rias to continue.
- Yesterday we felt a holy aura in your house and we wanted to check it out. But then she disappeared. And so did you. I'd like to know who it was. - she said in a businesslike tone.
Uh-oh? Is she at it again? Doesn't she realize that I won't report to her?
- Calm your tits, tomato-san," I shrugged. Rias twitched in response, and Akeno giggled, "Just some unexpected guests who wanted to talk to me. Nothing serious. And yes, I'm answering out of courtesy, not because you asked.
- I'm in charge of this town, and it's important that I know what goes on in it," she said, crossing her arms. "And since you live here, it's important that you follow the rules.
My eyebrow twitched.
What kind of hypocrisy is that? I remember you were the one who missed the group of Fallen that killed Issei. That would also include killing locals by renegade demons. Sona's doing a pretty good job, so why can't you?
I glanced at Issei out of the corner of my eye. I saw that he didn't seem to be following the conversation at all.
Once again, I'm surprised that extreme naiveté is the hallmark of protagonists. Rias didn't even notice how she misspoke and revealed the fact that she was, in fact, complicit in his murder.
In some fanfics, she purposefully lets him die. That doesn't seem to be the case here. In theory. But the very fact of it gives the Shinto faction an opportunity to push the demons. Like the case of Infident Nekosho, for that matter.
I don't even want to lecture them like I did in the case of Akeno. But then I had a one-off impulse, so to speak. She ended up revealing herself to her fullest in the Rating Game, and now she has a more or less genuine smile on her face rather than a fake one.
- If that's it, I'll go," I said, "Or is there something else?
- Yes," Rias nodded, "I'd like you to... train us.
I raised an eyebrow.
- Оh? And why is that?" I wondered.
- The other day Sona and I decided to test our powers, and..." she hesitated.
- We were destroyed. Literally," Akeno finished for her, "From talking to her, we learned that you, Sensei, provided the mentor. And you're a very powerful mage yourself. So much so that, according to Sona, even if we team up, we don't stand a chance against you.
Oya? Sona told them about me? Although I can see Rias isn't too interested in that information. Well, she relies too much on her brother's strength. I wonder how I could break her rose-colored glasses?
- No problem," I began, to which I received a very pleased Rias, "But what do I get in return? Free cheese is only in the mousetrap, tomato-san.
- I wish you'd stop calling me that, Mr. Sloth," she replied, to which I just rolled my eyes, "And what do you want for your help?
I wondered.
Well, at least she's willing to learn. Though she doesn't see the problem of her entourage closely. So. What do you want me to demand? Hmm.
- How about one request, not from you, but from your brother?
- No problem! - She answered instantly, to which I remained calm outwardly, but inwardly....
She's fucking stupid. Definitely and irrevocably stupid. Doesn't she realize what a huge mistake she's just made? I just don't know what to say.
- Fine. I'll meet you tomorrow night outside the clubhouse. I need to assess your abilities," I said and stood up and headed for the exit, "See you, tomato-san, the rest of you.
And with those words, I headed to my workplace.
I need to clear my head after such an obvious display of stupidity and shortsightedness. I hope the coffee will help me.
-0-
A/N: How's the chapter? Give us your opinion. You may well be able to influence future chapters.
My Patreon: Patreon.com/mirzael
You'll be able to read more chapters there.