He was expecting that would be the case eventually, but this was too fast.
"Then, what has a maou-"
"Shirou-kun, was it?" She interrupted him and grabbed his hand with both of hers. He could see stars in her eyes the moment their eyes met. "I heard you can transform! Can you please transform for me!? Oh, and do the entire sequence, the epic speech about protecting humanity included!"
"Huh?" Shirou had it quite hard to understand what she was referring to, and there was only one thing that came to mind. "I don't know where in the world did you hear that, but I don't transform like one of those magical girls shows. I just... changed to my combat outfit quickly."
"Then do that! I want to see it for reference material for my show!"
Shirou felt the urge to caress his forehead. The first maou he met was when he barged into the private party to celebrate his sister's marriage, and now this.
It was good to know his luck parameter was finally at its usual rank.
Technically, he was now able to transform if he accessed the power of his spirit origin and became a full-blown pseudo-servant, but he wasn't showing her that. Showing his ability to change his servant attire from spiritual form to physical form and vice versa should be enough to stop her from insisting further.
After giving one last look around to make sure they were alone, Shirou willed his combat suit to replace his uniform.
"Oh…" Serafall watched at how the combat suit appeared in light specks like a kid watching a live show for the first time, which only made things more awkward. "Awesome..."
"You can't do that?" Issei asked curiously. He thought that, if it was something a self-proclaimed third-rate magician like Shirou could do, then a maou would be able to do it.
"Of course not! We have to use a combination of illusions and post-production editing for the transformation sequence! I've been searching for a wizard that can perform such a spell for ages, but they always say that such a trivial matter isn't worth the effort researching…"
Serafall's serious eyes drifted to Shirou again and she completely ignored his personal space. "I need you to teach me how to do that! So-tan said you are short in money, so I'll make sure to pay an appropriate amount. If you want, I can make you my contracted magician-"
"Hey, hey, hey! Hold up a minute!" The magus stopped her rambling before her face got closer to his. "This isn't a spell, so I can't it to you. It has more to do with how the suit was manufactured. Besides…"
All the emotions were drained from his face as he internally prepared for combat. "If you have heard about what I told to Kokabiel, then you should know that, while I'm not your enemy, I'm not your ally either."
Contrary to his expectation, she didn't lose her smile upon hearing his cold voice. "C'mon, Shirou-kun, don't be all tsundere now. I can tell you are the kind of person that would go save someone without thinking twice, regardless of their race."
"That depends on the situation. I only saved your sister because she was part of the human city Kokabiel was going to destroy."
"Tch, tch." Again, she ignored his hostility and shook her finger. "That's just an excuse. That attack you blocked in your classical "hero arriving at the last second" entrance would have killed everyone in the vicinity, and you chose to protect them."
"Well, she has a point, Sensei. I mean, your catchphrase is: "I don't need a reason to help someone in need.""
Shirou's cold expression faded as he threw a betrayed glance at Issei. "Which side are you on!?"
"At any rate." Serafall's face became serious for a moment, shedding her magical girl persona for a moment. "You don't trust us, devils, that's obvious. Your suspicions seem to be founded in your experience meeting other similar creatures, am I right? As the maou in charge of external affairs, I'll definitely change the way you see us!"
At the end of her speech, she pointed her finger at his face and gave him a confident smile.
For a moment, her figure was replaced by the one of a certain empress of roses. The picture of passion. A woman that would never give up until she got what she wanted, no matter how many times she tried and failed, and never losing her smile.
But before Shirou could give an answer to her challenge, they were interrupted. A group of people entered the rooftop, which consisted of Sirzechs, Rias, a man who looked like an older Sirzechs, who was their father if Shirou was remembering correctly, Grayfia, and a Saji who looked like he just ran an entire marathon.
"We finally found you, Serafall. You shouldn't leave just like that. You are making it really hard for Saji-kun here." The other maou spoke in a lighthearted tone despite being admonishing her.
Her blue eyes left Shirou's reluctantly and drifted to the wielder of the Absorption Line, causing him to immediately correct his posture and stand firm like a soldier waiting for orders.
"I-it's not an inconvenience at all, my Lady! My ki-king only ordered me to wa-watch over you, so you're free to go everywhere you want… a-as long as you don't cause a commotion!"
"Hmph…" She stared at him for a moment, as if she acknowledged his presence for the first time, and then nodded to herself. "So-tan was able to acquire a fine pawn. Keep up the good work, pawn-kun! I'll let you have one of my autographs by the end of the day!"
"That's the greatest honor I could have, my Lady!"
It didn't take a genius to know what was happening here. Even Shirou and Issei could deduce Saji's intentions, and Serafall was enjoying every second of teasing him.
"Well, I see you have met the two young stars of this generation. Have you mentioned that?"
Serafall rested a finger on her chin trying to remember what Sirzechs meant, and her eyes widened when she did.
"Oh, right! I forgot that after Shirou-kun showed me his transformation sequence." The red knight didn't find the energies to correct her and just willed the servant attire to return to its astral state, causing her to pout.
"This is something the leaders of the three factions have been discussing for some time, and after Kokabiel's incident, we finally decided it's finally the time to do it. We will hold a peace conference between the three factions here, in this academy, and you are invited to participate, Shirou-kun. Of course, you will come too as a member of Rias-chan's peerage, Red Dragon Emperor-chan."
""HUH!?""
There were several voices of surprise. The ones coming from the two boys were to be expected. However, Rias joined them. Her expression however was horrified.
"Onii-sama, Serafall-sama, why do you want to hold such an important event in this academy!?"
"Well, this is the place where the fight with Kokabiel took place, and that's one of the main issues that are to be discussed in that reunion. We would like to have there all the people who participated in the battle, so…" Sirzechs' eyes met Shirou's. "What is going to be your answer, Shirou-kun?"
"I'll have to answer with another question then. What do I have to do with you guys putting your differences aside for the first time?"
"Well, if we manage to sign a peace treaty, the war that Kokabiel wanted to restart will only be a thing of the past, and humanity won't be dragged along again. Doesn't that align with the objective you so boldly proclaimed?"
Trying to bargain with the devil surely was hard… His logic was sound, even if it was obvious that their main purpose of having him around was to try clearing some of the unknowns around the anomaly that was Emiya Shirou and most likely try to recruit him.
The fact that they are making peace doesn't mean that all is going to be all well and good. There is a bunch of other pantheons that are likely to go to war with them the moment they discover the only God of this pantheon is gone, and not every member of the three factions is going to take the news well.
And he wasn't just an anomaly, but also carried the bombshell of being aware of the Biblical God's demise.
His position here was quite dire. At least he could get rid of the contract that compelled him to not antagonize the devils at any moment, but he had been holding that trump card for the right moment.
And well, if there was no way he was getting out of this without being taken advantage of, he might as well take advantage of them in return.
"I'll assist to that meeting, with one condition."
"What would it be? If do you want some kind of compensation, we can negotiate-"
"I want to bring two guests with me."
That answer surprised everyone, but a slight smile appeared on both maous' faces after realizing his intentions.
This was the best chance for Xenovia and Irina to settle things with the leader of their former faction.
"It is a deal then. You can bring those girls with you, and whoever you consider adequate. It will take place in three days at dusk. Be sure to be punctual." His blue eyes then shifted to the people accompanying him. "Now, I think we should leave this issue here. Lessons are about to begin. But before I forget, Rias, I give you permission to lift the seal of your first bishop."
"Yes, Onii-sama. I'll gather my peerage after the lessons and begin the procedures."
Shirou did know about Rias' first bishop. The idea of dispelling the seal with Rule Breaker crossed his mind before they explained that kid's situation. However, as things were, that was pushed far away in his long list of concerning matters.
What he wasn't going to overlook was Issei's situation. He palmed the devil's back, and he immediately got the message.
"Bu-Buchou! I need to talk something with you!" He seemed to have settled with facing her head-on.
His master looked at him with surprise, and for some reason, her father and brother looked at Issei with expectation.
"What is it, Issei? We can discuss it with the other members of the club before dispelling Gasper-kun's seal."
"No! I mean… This is something I would like to talk about with you alone… in private."
Rias' cheeks started to match her hair, her relatives seemed to be at the edge of the seat, Saji looked at him with a mixture of envy and admiration, and Serafall was showing a teasing smile.
Shirou was starting to think that everyone was getting everything wrong, but he wasn't going to be the one that shattered their illusions. Not when Issei was so focused on Rias' answer that the possibility of her thinking he was going to confess to her didn't even cross his mind.
"Oh, yeah… w-we can talk after the lessons. I'll tell Akeno to tell the others to leave us alone for a moment."
With the first step taken, Issei looked at his Sensei with a smile, and he in turn gave him a thumbs up. The interaction further cemented the misunderstanding.
All the students left for their respective classrooms, leaving the three old devils alone.
"Serafall, what do you think about him?"
The strongest female devil looked at her friend with a raised eyebrow. "You want my opinion on Issei-chan's confession or on Shirou-kun?"
"Actually, both."
"Well, to begin with, sorry to ruin your expectations, but I think the chances of him referring to that are close to zero. Judging by the way he didn't even react to Rias-chan blushing like a typical schoolgirl in love, he's not even aware of her crush."
That felt like a punch for father and son.
"That's unfortunate. But perhaps, Venelana and I can change that when he comes to our territory for summer."
Sirzechs looked at his father with a playful grin. "Weren't you the one who was so eager to marry her with the Phenex heir?"
"That event made me reflect, and Lord Phenex agreed with me. Perhaps we shouldn't force our demands onto our children like that and hamper their growth."
Sirzechs didn't know what he was referring to with "that event", the ruined party, or the lecture he received afterward from Venelana.
"Oh, I would have loved to see that. The mighty Red Dragon Emperor following Shirou-kun's coaching to beat the crap out of Raiser-chan…"
"Now, what do you think about Shirou-kun?"
"About that… well…" The way her face lost her enthusiasm was a massive red flag for the crimson maou. "It is going to be complicated. The moment I entered this place I felt such a killing intent that my mind went back to the days of the civil war. He calmed after he saw I wasn't an enemy, but still, that kind of reaction with just noticing my presence…"
Her conflicted emotions were as clear as day. She would never allow someone who could emit such a killing intent to be around her precious litter sister, but that same person was the one that saved her.
And just with that interaction, she could say that the cold personality was just a mask. Underneath that mask was a good person that wanted to help people, to an unhealthy degree if his demand was of any indication.
He could have asked anything in return, and as long as it was reasonable, Sirzechs would have complied. After all, he also wanted to thank him for saving her little sister, for the second time at that. And instead of asking for something that would make his life easier, he asked for something that would help those girls he just met a week ago.
It was more as if… he valued others more than himself. That, combined with his prejudice towards the supernatural in general, was going to make it really hard getting a relationship deeper than just pure professionalism with him. But…
"But I'll definitely get through that thick skull! I swear on my Leviathan title!"
For the first time in centuries, Sirzechs and Grayfia were able to see again that determined look in Serafall. The one that had that girl when she decided to take up the arms and fight to make the underworld a better place to live.
"What kind of magical girl would I be if I can't get the co-protagonist to join my party?" And she just ruined the moment.
"Ahem." Grayfia coughed to catch everyone's attention. "We should get going, Sirzechs-sama, Zeoticus-sama, Serafall-sama. Rias-sama and Sona-sama's lesson is about to start, and we still have yet to visit all the facilities of this building."
For the first time, Hyoudou Issei felt the lessons transcurrent quite fast from his perspective.
The… peculiar activities all the teachers insisted on doing might've been a factor, but with his mind completely focused on how he was going to approach the conversation with Rias, he completely ignored what was happening around him.
His Sensei gave him what little advice he could, and the dragon in his left arm suggested the same, so it was entirely up to him. Although Ddraig had been oddly silent today. It was as if he was lost in thought. Not that Issei could check it.
When the lessons of the day came to an end, convincing Asia to leave him alone with Rias had been a losing battle. The way she pouted was just too cute. However, the moment Rias told her to wait for some minutes outside the room with a serious face, she finally relented.
And here they were. In their clubroom, alone.
"W-well, wh-what did you want to talk about, Issei?"
Now that Issei looked at her, why did she seem even more nervous than he? And why was she so flustered?
After trying to find a reason for that and failing, he pushed it into the back of his mind and got to the matter at hand.
"Umm… I don't know how to… bring this up, but I guess I'll just ask right away. Buchou…" The moment he called her that, the good mood on her face plummeted, but Issei continued. "…that night I… died… were you aware of that… woman's intentions?"
He finally squished those words out of his throat, and seeing how she widened her eyes in surprise, his heart started to beat so fast that he felt as if it wanted to burst out of her chest.
"Issei… what do you mean by that?" Rias started approaching slowly her servant, who was clearly starting to hyperventilate.
"Wh-what I mean is… hah… i-i-if you knew I was going to die!?"
His master gently rested her hands on his shoulders and looked right in his eyes. "Issei, I need you to calm down."
"I-I'll calm down… if you answer that question, Bu-Buchou!"
Rias let out a sigh. She had been avoiding that delicate question since she didn't know how to approach it either, but seeing Issei like that, there was no way she could delay it anymore.
"We did know she was a fallen angel after you brought her to the school to introduce her to your friends. However, we didn't know about her intentions. For all we cared, she could have been trying to blend in with human society just like us. I ordered one of my familiars to give you one of our flyers with a magic circle, just in case she tried something, and I could come into your help, but that didn't go as planned. When the circle activated, you had already stopped breathing, and the only way to save you was using the evil pieces I had left to reincarnate you as a devil…"
Seeing how her expression turned into one of grief and sorrow, even Issei could tell she wasn't lying.
"So… it was... an accident?"
"Yes." Rias pulled him into a tender hug, and he was finally able to calm down. "If I had been able to get there in time… you wouldn't have been through such a horrible experience…"
There was still something messed up in her process of thought. She didn't seem to have ever considered just asking Koneko or Kiba to watch over him. She clearly wanted to leave a positive impression on him by saving him from that woman, and she regretted the trauma that experience could have left, not the fact that he just died due to her mistake.
But that's just how she is. Just as his Sensei said, her values and morals were different from his. The Hyoudou Issei before turning into a devil wasn't that much of a concern for her, it was only the Issei that became her pawn who she cherished, as expected from the Gremory clan.
And… he could live with that. Of course, he wouldn't see Rias in the same way as before, but he didn't regret saving her from her arranged marriage.
He will continue to serve her. She may have her flaws, but she was still an admirable woman in his eyes, and she made sure to make up for her mess by giving him a second chance and taking care of him.
But more importantly, his eyes were still set on his dream of becoming a harem king. It was a selfish dream, not something so beautiful like his Sensei's, but that was the path he chose. Even if he might regret turning down the opportunity to be human again, and he will have to see how the people he grew with died while he was still young, but now that he found his answer, he won't back down.
However, there was still another concerning matter.
"Err…" He broke the hug slowly and looked straight at her blue eyes. "Aside from that, there is another thing I want to ask. Sensei said that the human soul isn't prepared for an extremely long lifespan like the one devils have, so…"
"Oh, that's something you don't need to worry about, at least for now. That was one of the first issues that were brought up when the evil piece system was created, so we have people who specialize in those cases. If you manage to adapt is up to you, Issei, but as long as you have an objective and don't stagnate, you should be fine."
That lined up with what his Sensei said, too. As a human, it was in his nature to keep moving forward. As long as his soul had a purpose, he should be fine.
"I see. Thanks, Buchou. With this, I no longer have doubts."
Her mood was still sour for some reason, but that made the pureblood devil feel at ease.
"Why did you feel the urge to ask, Issei? Just curious. It was something Shirou-kun said?" There was a small threatening feeling in her voice when she said the last part, but Issei shook his head immediately.
"It is correct that he gave me some advice, but I too wanted to solve those doubts. He never lied to me. He just wanted to help me with my condition, and by proxy, help Asia."
"Hmm, how considerate on his part. You really have him in high regard."
"Well, of course. I mean, he's my inspiration as a man."
After saying that, she looked at him as if she was doing an incredible effort not to pout.
However, the conversation couldn't continue further as someone started knocking on the door.
"Buchou, are you already done!?" It was Asia's voice, but she seemed quite agitated.
"Oh, uhm, yes. We've just finished talking. You can enter, Asia."
The door then was almost kicked down, and it was Akeno who entered first, with Asia, Koneko, and Kiba in tow. The latter was sweating more than the other as if he had run at full speed to here.
"Buchou, Shirou-kun and the White Dragon Emperor have met at the entrance of the school."
Akeno's words felt like an ice bucket dropping on them. Neither Sirzechs nor Serafall was around, having returned to their temporal residences, so actually, their best chance to defeat the wielder of the white dragon's power was the magician that defeated Kokabiel.
But a fight breaking out at this time of the day would be a catastrophe. They could only pray that things didn't escalate.
A few minutes before…
"Hmm… I should start thinking about buying school materials and uniforms for the girls… That last thing though… maybe it would be better to give them the money to avoid getting the wrong size?"
Shirou was whispering to himself as he made his way to the entrance of the school. Now that those walking nuclear plants were no longer in the vicinity, he was able to finally relax.
Unfortunately, however, his mind was already racing to think countermeasures and plans for that "peace conference". This was one of those times when he wished he was wrong, but that event was an accident waiting to happen.
Getting several important figures in one place was calling for a terrorist attack. If that weren't the case, then country presidents wouldn't need so much security around them.
Just in case, he needed to prepare Xenovia and Irina to be able to survive on their own no matter what happened. And doing that in three days was going to be even more impossible than training Issei for the rating game.
Fortunately, the people around were minding their own business. The way his expression completely changed the moment one of his feet crossed the entrance to the campus would have gotten some raised eyebrows.
His head turned quickly to the right, and there his golden eyes met hazel eyes. There he was, with his back leaning on the wall surrounding the school and with his arms crossed, as if he was waiting for someone to walk out of the school.
The White Dragon Emperor.
Whom he was waiting for became obvious the moment he unfolded his arms and walked up to Shirou.
"Yo. It's good to see you've recovered in such short notice, Emiya Shirou." He greeted him with a smile, like if they were old friends.
But he wasn't fooling anyone, nor was he trying. All his corporal language screamed he was having trouble keeping in check his eagerness to pick a fight.
"First the maous and now you. I didn't know this was also a day when the school admitted any kind of weirdo."
"It is precisely because it's that kind of day that I came here to observe the terrain. Are you aware of the "peace convention" that is going to take place here?"
"Unfortunately, yes. I'll have to be part of that event."
Shirou could see how the White Dragon Emperor's smile grew wider upon hearing that.
"Now I have even more reasons to attend. Things are going to be interesting with you there."
He could only squint his eyes at him. What was he, a stalker?
"If that were your only reason to come here, you could have come at night. So… right, I didn't catch your name. What should I call you? White Dragon Emperor? Albion? Vortigern, the will of Britain?"
That last part actually took him by surprise, but his smile returned to his face quickly.
"I don't know what do you mean by "the will of Britain", but no, I'm not Vortigern. He was the one who held the title of the strongest White Dragon Emperor even after losing to King Arthur… until I was born, of course. You can call me Vali."
That was quite the confidence to say that he was stronger than the monster who swallowed Excalibur's light and forced the King of Knights to use the Lance that Shines to the End of the World to defeat him.
Things seemed to be different in this world, as Excalibur was literally destroyed in that fight, and their motives to battle differed. In this world, it seemed to be just due to the nature of their Sacred Gears instead of the white dragon representing the island's will to preserve the age of Mystery battling the Red Dragon, who was created to counter him and allow the transition into the Age of Man.
"So, what is your true motive to come here, Vali? Did you come to see your fated enemy?"
Vali scuffed at that. "Of course not. The fact that he hasn't come to face me by now is already telling. It is really a pity that my rival is so underwhelming. Perhaps he will be able to grow to a decent level with training, but it will take him an eternity to catch up to me. Besides, why would I pay attention to him when I have such an interesting opponent in front of me?"
"Hmph, I figured as much. However, unlike you, I don't like meaningless battles."
"That is regrettable." The way he said that made Shirou feel a bad omen. "Aside from that, I wanted to let you know there is a group of fellow humans that is eager to meet you."
The golden-eyed teenager rolled his eyes. "Great, just what I needed. What are they, a bunch of magicians that want to dissect me to unravel the secrets of my magic?"
"Not quite. In fact, they are on the same wavelength as you. You know, killing monsters and proclaiming humanity's supremacy. Hero stuff."
For the first time in the conversation, Vali felt how his body was hit by a monstrous wave of hostility, which actually made him feel even more eager to fight the human in front of him.
"If that's what you think a hero is, then I guess you turned off the part of you that is human a long time ago."
"You…" His eyes widened for a moment. "Hehe, you really are a box full of surprises. Well, I recommend you to be on the lookout. That group of humans will make sure to meet you before any other faction does."
His eyes then drifted to the other side of the entrance for a second before he turned around and started walking away.
"I guess it's time to take my leave. See you around, Emiya Shirou."
Shirou looked in the same direction Vali looked and saw Kiba and Koneko among the crowd. Judging by the way they were sighing was telling. They had been watching them just in case a fight broke out, but that would have been the worst possible outcome.
Now, it was time to go back home.
"Hmm…" Irina stared into the ceiling, the "tik-tak" sound of her alarm clock being the only thing that could be heard in her room.
Sleeping hadn't been a problem until now, but her heart right now was so agitated that it was just impossible. She knew it was going to be impossible the moment Shirou dropped such a bombshell after returning from school.
Being able to meet in person the current leader of the Church faction, the archangel Michael, was the best way to solve her existential crisis, but at the same time, it could backfire horribly.
Her problem was that she no longer had a purpose in life, so asking him for an explanation of why they were kicked out just like that wasn't a solution. But it definitely would do as the first step to find an answer.
And what was she going to do to repay the house owner? Not only did he give them such an opportunity, but he also provided a place to rest, food, and an opportunity to reinsert into society. All that, and he just asked the bare minimum in return.
Perhaps Xenovia could shrug it off, not only the feeling of being in huge debt, but she seemed to be seeking an answer in a different way. Even if her faith was undeniable, Xenovia would often question the methods of the higher-ups, and she must have seen something that left a huge impression on her that night.
But that wasn't the case for Irina. She knew being all gloomy wasn't going to accomplish anything, and she could tell both Xenovia and Shirou were worried about her, even if they hid it really well.
The feeling of being a liability was starting to drown her slowly, even more than her current lack of a goal in life.
Not being able to bear that whirlpool of emotions, Irina ended up pushing aside the blanket and walking out of her room. As simple as it was, going to the kitchen for a glass of water helped her to distract her mind a little bit.
"Perhaps I should as Shirou-kun to help me train with the sword… Xenovia seemed really excited about it, and it could help me empty my mind… Cooking would be another viable option." She mumbled to herself as she put down the glass.
The kitchen in the Emiya residence was an exclusive territory for Shirou, but he could use some help. Especially if he got home late. And between her and Xenovia, the choice was obvious when it came to doing something as delicate as cooking.
She turned off the light of the kitchen and turned to walk to her room as stealthy as possible.
"Hu-kyaa!" However, the moment she turned around, her heart skipped a beat.
There was a figure sitting on the porch leading to the inner yard. He was so still that she didn't notice him until she looked in his direction.
But, that auburn color of hair was so familiar that she immediately recognized him and let out a relieved sigh.
She approached him, and despite not concealing the sounds of her steps in the least, he didn't even react. That led her to think he was fast asleep, but once she sat beside him, it became evident he was lost in thought, his eyes fixed on the starry sky.
If someone needed some sleep, it was him. After living for a week with him, it became obvious his stress levels were through the roof. The result of being constantly paranoid and expecting an enemy attack out of nowhere. The high density of supernatural creatures in the city was most likely the cause.
"Shirou-kun, shouldn't you be sleeping?"
The golden-eyed teenager finally noticed her presence and looked at her with middle surprise. It was the first time she was the one to strike up a conversation after the battle with Kokabiel.
"I could ask you the same, but I can already see the reason. It isn't that far from mine."
"I see. Then why are you here?" It wasn't like he was going to catch a cold since summer was around the corner, but it was still somewhat… strange.
"Stargazing often helps me clear my mind and relax." He answered as his eyes returned to the night sky. "A habit I picked up from my foster father. The sight is not as spectacular as it used, but it's still great."
Now that she looked at it, the sight was mesmerizing despite the city's light pollution staining it a bit. She never stopped to look at it, neither when she lived here nor when she was in Italy.
The two fell into a comfortable silence as Irina too started to enter the same trance as Shirou. Not in the same level, as she still felt that nagging feeling in her chest, but she was finally able to get a moment in which those feelings weren't eating her away.
And now that the two were alone, in this kind of mood, it was the moment to finally make the question she had been wanting to ask but couldn't muster the courage to do so.
"Shirou-kun…" She called his name softly, prompting him to look at her again. "I know Kokabiel asked the same, but I want to ask it again nonetheless, as a fellow human. Why do you fight? Why do you go to such lengths to help others like me?"
"I don't need a reason to help someone in need." He answered without a second doubt. "I just think it's the right thing to do. But if you want a more in-depth answer… that's a really long and boring story, so I'll skip the details. I was saved from tragedy when everyone else died. I think even a part of me died in that hell. And at that moment, I saw a smile on the face of the person who saved me. It was a really beautiful smile. And then I thought: "I also want to be able to smile like that.""
Shirou turned to look at the sky once more. His eyes were filled with nostalgia, and a small smile spread across his face.
"With time, that simple wish became a dream. I wanted to become a hero that could save everyone. A hero that could prevent that tragedy to happen again. In short, I just wanted people in my view not to cry. That's the path I chose, and continued to walk since ever, to perhaps, one day, be able to smile like that."
He showed her an apologetic smile. "I don't know if that answers your question, but that's really all that is there to it."
"No… I can see what you mean…" There was some sorrow in her voice, but there was also a part of admiration. "The only thing I don't get is… how can you be so… selfless? Even as a former servant of the Lord, I would say that's on the level of a true Saint."
That caused him to chuckle. "I assure you I'm the farthest thing there is to a Saint. And that question has a really simple answer. I'm not selfless at all."
"Eh?" Irina winked a couple of times, looking at him like he had grown a second head. "Why do you think that?"
"The reason I don't ask things in return is that the fact that I can help someone is more than enough for me. Seeing them happy and smiling because I managed to help them is the only thing I could find that makes me happy."
The way he could say something so messed up with a straight face made her heartache. His convictions couldn't be described with another word aside from noble, but the reasons behind shocked her.
Now, her problems seemed trivial in comparison. The one that wanted to help others the most, was in turn the one that needed help the most.
"But enough about me. I won't force you, but the only thing I know about you is that you are a former exorcist, and that Issei mistook you for a boy when you still lived here before going to Italy."
That last bit made her blush. "I-I wasn't really girly at the time, I guess… And my curriculum isn't that special. I became a servant of the Lord due to my father being an exorcist… But with time, I started appreciating the beauty in the teachings of the Lord, and when I realized it, I was a fervent devote. That led me to seek a more active role in the Church and finally earned the right to wield an Excalibur shard… But now that I know He's gone…"
Shirou felt the urge to punch himself. Of course, that question would lead to that issue. He needed to make up for his mess now that she was finally returning to her old self.
"I'm not going to take back my words about the Gods, but I'll admit the Biblical God wasn't that much of a dushbag as the Gods from other mythologies tend to be. I don't see a problem in continuing to follow his teachings even after he… kicked the bucked. I mean, his legacy still remains in this world."
Shirou scratched the back of his neck. He felt really awkward, but at least that managed to stop her from sinking again.
"That's… a really good point… But…" Her eyes meet again, a single tear sliding across her cheek. "I know this isn't comparable to your case by any means, but how were you able to move past your parents dying… twice…"
"Well…" That caught him by surprise. "I really don't know how to answer that. I don't remember my biological parents, so I really didn't pay too much attention to that. As for Kiritsugu, I mourned him, of course… but I couldn't remain like that forever. That's how we humans are. A wise man once said human lives are stories of love and hope. Even if our journey is a short repetition of meeting and parting, and pain awaits at its end, it is precisely because of that that they are dazzling like the twinkling of the stars."
Those words full of hope left Irina completely speechless. Even after following the Lord's teachings throughout all her life, she doubted she would have reached such a conclusion.
A warmth started to fill her chest. Even if he didn't even give a definitive answer to her question, now she felt confident enough to seek one on her own.
For someone who proclaimed himself as incapable of providing psychological assistance, his words surely touched her heart.
"I guess we should wrap things up before I put you to sleep with my ramblings." He said half-joking as he got up.
"No…" Irina followed suit. However, the moment he saw her face again, he was met with a dazzling smile. "Thank you, Shirou-kun. That gave me the strength to keep moving forward."
The three days before the peace conference went by in the blink of an eye, at least from Shirou's perspective.
Issei had been quite busy if the things he told his Sensei were anything to go by. Rias' second bishop seemed to have his share of persistent traumas... and fetishes.
A half-vampire with a broken-ass sacred gear that allowed him to freeze the time of anything within his vision range. And of course, he had barely any control over it.
The Biblical God must have been very high when he had been devising the sacred gear system.
Issei actually asked him to lend him a hand with training Gasper's control over his sacred gear, but that didn't end well. Well, something that didn't even begin couldn't end well.
Gasper Vladi had a severe case of anthropophobia. He couldn't even bear being near a person he wasn't acquainted with, due to his tragic background.
If the humans of this world were already terrifying for him, then a human that was an actual predator being anywhere near him caused him to outright faint. Until they could work with that problem, it was better if he stayed away.
Aside from that, he actually met Michael and received the holy sword Ascalon as a peace offering. That sword was admittedly a fine piece unlike the Excalibur shards, but he just gave a Dragon-Slayer sword to a dragon.
Like father, like son.
There was also Akeno dropping the bombshell of being a hybrid between human and fallen angel on Issei, but he took it better than his Sensei expected.
Now, returning to the present…
"Shirou-sensei, are you really sure you want to go to the meeting with your casual clothing?" Xenovia asked with some curiosity.
The sun was already setting, and the three humans were reunited in the dojo before setting out for the school.
"This is just to draw less attention than we already do while we get there. I'll change to my combat outfit then."
The two ex-members of the Holy Church were wearing those black spandex under their nun garments. None of the three had a formal suit, nor the money to buy one.
"Seriously, it is going to look more like we're going to cosplay convention… At any rate. We must discuss the plan in case shit hits the fan. But before that, this is for you, Irina."
His magical circuits flared up, and a katana shrouded in a holy aura appeared in his hand before he offered it to the twin-tailed girl.
"This is… Excalibur Mimic?" Her assumption was confirmed the moment the sword touched her hand and it shapeshifted into an armband.
"I knew your magic was all about copying swords, but seeing you pull it off with one of the Church's greatest weapons is still fascinating. Can you do it with Durandal?"
Well, there was no harm in telling them that much. "I can reproduce it as long as I can understand its internal structure and process of forging. And while I was at it, I solved some of the internal flaws of that sword. It'll still be smacked if it clashes against something on Durandal's level, but now it won't lose against Kiba's balance breaker."
"So, the plan is to attack before they can attack us?"
Both Shirou and Irina shot a blank stare in Xenovia's direction, but the blue-haired girl didn't find anything wrong in her own logic.
"Of course not! That would be suicidal. If they start fighting each other, I'll take us out of there with one of my swords. However, you need to be prepared in case we got separated and you have to survive on your own. That's why I want to give you this, too."
Several bladeless handles appeared on Shirou's hands, and he let the girls inspect them.
"This… is what you were firing at the fallen angels that night?" Irina shot in the dark, somewhat recognizing the shape.
This world apparently didn't have black keys either. It wasn't necessary if they were able to mass-produce swords of light though, but he got lucky they didn't pay that much attention to that slip of his.
"These are black keys." Shirou poured some magical energy into one of the handles, causing its blade to manifest. "They are effective against anything that can be labeled as "evil" or "heretic", so it can come in handy if you need to fight a fallen angel that isn't weak to holy light. If your opponent is an angel though, you'll have to get creative."
"And how do we draw the blade?"
That was a tricky question. They didn't have magical circuits to produce and control magical energy, but they should be able to control their energy in some regard if they could wield holy swords.
"Just do whatever you do when you command a holy sword to unleash its holy aura."
Fortunately, that did the trick, and they were able to activate the black keys. However, the moment they had the blades in their hands, their expressions turned into ones of confusion.
"Isn't this shape… weird? I mean, the handle is too short and all the weight is concentrated in the tip."
"That's because they are meant to be thrown instead of being used for proper swordsmanship. They are more like a support weapon. You can use them as catalysts for baptism rites, too."
"Where did you get this weapon, Shirou-kun?"
"I took the blueprints from a fake priest a faced a long time ago… he's no longer around." Unless something really weird happened, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada should be long dead in this world.
"I doubt I can perform any ritual, but having a range option is good I guess…"
The two former exorcists hid their respective sets of black keys inside their nun garments.
"Is everyone ready?" Shirou asked one more time, and the two girls nodded resolutely.
Now it seemed more as if they were going to war, but all three knew that kind of event had two only possible outcomes. Either the peace treaty is signed, or the war starts right off the bat.
Since it was Saturday night, they barely encountered anyone on their way to the school building.
The entire campus was encapsulated by a powerful bounded field, the result of the leaders of the three factions joining forces for once. Judging by the power it exuded, Shirou was sure that thing could even take on high-rank noble phantasms and not crumble.
He didn't need to test that theory as the guards opened a gate for them once he identified himself. And it didn't seem they were the only ones who came ready for a war.
Hundreds of devils, angels, and fallen angels were flying over the high school building. The tension was so dense they could even breathe.
But of course, the moment they entered, all the eyes were on them. Most of them were on the walking anomaly in a black and red combat suit, while some of them drifted to the two girls clad in nun garments.
The oppressive feeling was gone when they entered the building, the two girls letting out a relieved sigh.
A warm welcome for sure.
The fact they didn't meet anyone on the way to the room prepared for the meeting meant they were the last ones to arrive. And it was further confirmed when he opened the door.
Hiding his reaction when the massive power concentrated in that room hit him on the face was one of the greatest challenges he had to overcome in this "second life".
The five leaders were sitting around a round table at the center of the room while the other participants were waiting behind their representatives.
The representatives of the Devil Faction were none other than Sirzechs, and Serafall, the latter waving at him amicably. Behind them were Grayfia, Rias, Sona, and their respective peerages. Koneko and Gasper were absent though, and Shirou could already guess the reason behind that.
The representative of the Grigori faction was a tall man of black hair and golden bangs, whose eyes immediately started analyzing Shirou the moment he entered the room. Behind him was Vali, who greeted him with that vicious smile of his.
And the representatives of the Holy Church were a pair man and woman of mesmerizing beauty. And as expected from pure angels, their hair looked like strings of gold and their eyes were like a pair of emeralds. They didn't have anyone accompanying them though.
"It seems the star is finally here. And he has really good taste in choosing his companions. Way to go boy." The leader of the Grigori broke the silence with a light-hearted tone, causing all the eyes in the room to land on him.
"Azazel, you should watch your manners around our honored guest." The one that must be Michael admonished him, his calm and serene voice contradicting his frown.
"Hmph." Shirou just snorted as he rested his back against the wall opposite to all the other people in the room, with the two former exorcists staying close to him.
That was quite the quick thinking, he had to give it to the now identified Azazel. He prevented any bad vibes between Xenovia, Irina, and the representatives of the Holy Church with just a joke.
Michael then looked at the magus. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Emiya Shirou. You already know Sirzechs and Serafall, so it is only appropriate if we introduce ourselves as well. I am Michael, the current leader of the angels. And this is my sister, Gabriel."
"Nice to meet you, Shirou-kun. I hope you find yourself comfortable." The woman in question greeted him in a less formal manner, and for some reason, Serafall started to send glares at her.
"And I'm Azazel, the leader of the Grigori, and former co-worker of the guy you turned into atoms. I've been wanting to make contact with you for some time, but I decided it was better to wait for this occasion." The final representative greeted him as if they were a couple of friends who just reunited to have some drinks.
"I guess it is an honor getting to know such important figures." The slight sarcastic tone in his voice was only caught by his companions, who were already sweating under their garments.
"Why don't you take a seat with us, Shirou-kun?" Serafall offered while pushing back an empty chair, which was suspiciously near the two super devils.
"I'll have to decline that offer, Lady Serafall. I didn't come here to participate in your negotiations, but just because of the Kokabiel mess."
His blunt answer made her deflate a little, and the leader of the Grigori spoke instead.
"Are you sure you don't want to state any terms? Or is it that you aren't confident in your capabilities to impose them?"
His violet eyes stared right at the red knight's. A direct way to question his resolution after the speech he gave to Kokabiel.
"I already stated my terms that night. If you endanger humanity in some way, then I'll begin to consider you as enemies. And you don't want certain information to get leaked, do you?"
His reply only made Azazel's smile grow wider, but he ceased to confront him.
"Now that you've brought that issue, Shirou-kun, before this conference begins, I want to confirm it. All those present here are aware of the forbidden subject, the demise of the Lord."
Sirzechs announced, shrugging off the backlash coming from pronouncing that name, and all the people in the room nodded.
"Some of those people were even kicked out of their job and home because of it."
That not-so-subtle jab had way more effect than Shirou expected. The way Michael's eyebrows twitched and his faint smile faded were quite telling. And the questioning look Gabriel was giving him was making it worse.
"Then, let us begin with the negotiations."
But before that took root, Sirzechs began to state their terms for the peace treaty. By the looks of it, he wanted to leave that for later, when the negotiations were over.
Shirou didn't pay too much attention to it. All the bureaucratic stuff went over his head anyway. Though, he managed to pick up some interesting things.
Since the Biblical God wasn't around anymore, the angels didn't have any way to expand their numbers. A massive flaw in the design of the creatures that were meant to be "perfect guardians". From a biological point of view, their species is not capable of thriving on their own. That only further cemented that God's death was too sudden he wasn't even expecting it.
To solve that, they were trying to create a system that allowed them to reincarnate other species into angels, heavily inspired by the evil piece system. And as such, they were asking for cooperation since the other two factions were more technologically advanced.
On another note, Azazel seemed to be really interested in the science behind the sacred gears, to the point that he had been welcoming hundreds of sacred gear wielders into his faction. The other leathers thought he was amassing an army, but his process of thought was more akin to a researcher than to a belligerent.
How many of those sacred gear users ended on a dissecting table was a question Shirou refrained from asking.
"…and that's why I've been wanting to propose peace to the Holy Church and the devils. I'm not like Kokabiel, who was stook in ancient times. I would rather allocate all our resources into keeping up with the changes of the world."
"We four seraphs think the same. There is no reason to keep this constant bloodshed. As much as it pains me, the reason for that war, Father and the Four Great Satans have long since died."
"We are in the same boat. We had to fight in an internal war so we devils can finally leave the past behind. Another war would surely spell our end."
The three parties were coming to an agreement quite fast. Most likely due to their delicate situations and similar mindsets.
Shirou allowed himself to sigh internally. It didn't seem they would have to fight for their lives tonight…
"This is going faster than I expected." Azazel admitted while relaxing on his chair and crossing one leg over the other. "But before we sign anything, I guess we should move to the issue with my former coworker."
"Rias, Sona, could you give us a quick rundown that took place in this city a week ago?"
""Yes, Lucifer-sama.""
The two took a step ahead and began to recap the whole fiasco, with some assistance from Kiba to fill in the gaps when they weren't present. Mostly the first time Shirou stumbled with Freed Sellzen and the fight at the park.
Shirou hadn't met Kiba since that event. He chalked it up to their usual disagreement regarding chivalry and honor, but if the look the blonde knight gave him when he was talking about those events was anything to go by, he seemed quite sorry.
He realized how messed up had been the way he just tried to chop someone's head just because they were holding a certain sword. That was a sign that the veil of rage and hatred was no longer covering his eyes.
"… and after that… well, Shirou-kun arrived and somehow defeated Kokabiel. That concludes our report."
The two returned to their place among their peerages, with Sirzechs praising their professionalism and Serafall winking at them.
"Now that leads us to the star of the show." All the eyes turned to the red knight as Azazel spoke. "Would you share your thoughts on that matter, Mr. Hero? Just so we are clear, even if I wouldn't have gone to that extent, I agree Kokabiel needed to be dealt with."
"Where do I start then…" Shirou cleared his throat and pointed to the boy behind the Leader of the Grigori with his eyes. "Oh, right. I wouldn't have needed to resort to such drastic measures if that lazy ass over there had done his job properly in the first place."
That got a laugh out of Azazel. "Hehehe... Sorry about that. Not only one of my coworkers went mad, but my boy here is going through a rebellious phase."
"But then we would have missed the event of the century. Don't you agree, old man?"
"Yeah, if I were in your position, I would have done the same I guess."
"Azazel…" Michael didn't find the strength to admonish her former comrade.
"But aside from that…" Shirou raised his voice again. "…I have to correct something you said some minutes ago. Azazel, you said Kokabiel was a warmonger who was clinging to the old ways, and that is completely wrong. It was actually the contrary."
For the first time in the hour that had elapsed since the beginning of the meeting, Azazel frowned.
"What do you mean by that?"
"He was the only one who sought for this world to truly move forward. Meaning, he wanted to put an end to the seemingly everlasting Age of Mystery so humans could part ways from the Gods. That is what truly means to move forward is you ask me. Of course, so many years pursuing that quest alone led to him turning into… that."
The devils and fallen angel didn't visibly react to his words. The former had already heard them priorly, and the latter could agree with him to some extent.
For the pure angels though, it was an entirely different matter. Not only did they hear the real reason why their former comrade fell into an endless pit of madness, but one of the humans they swore to protect and guide just completely rejected them. From his point of view, even if they weren't evil, they were still hindering humanity.
"If you had the same thoughts as him, why didn't you join him?" It was Serafall who asked with some hesitation in her voice.
"Because I couldn't agree with his method. It is not worth it to sacrifice so many lives for something that doesn't need to be violent. But he reached the point of no return, so I had to… put him out of his misery."
Even if he used a flat tone of voice all the time, it was obvious how he disliked the idea of killing the enemy. But at the same time, he wouldn't hesitate, nor did he have any regrets.
"About that, I must ask, what was that sword?" Sirzechs asked with genuine curiosity. "We devils have been keeping a good relationship with the Shinto faction, and the power they felt that night caused some hysteria. And that wasn't the only sword you showed that night."
"You could say I have plenty of weapons at my disposal. However, I good magician doesn't reveal his secrets, don't you think? The only thing required from me was to testify about the events from a week ago, and I can testify the version given by Rias-san and Sona-san is quite complete."
His negative to reveal anything got the strongest devil sighing. "I didn't want to resort to this, but I would have to bring it sooner or later…"
That caused Serafall to give him a mortified look. If he was going to do what she thought he was going to do, it was going to ruin any effort put into befriending Shirou. However, the stare she received from his friend made her give him a vote of confidence.
"The contract you signed to be able to stay in this town was quite explicit about siding with the Holy Church or the Grigori, and you violated that clause. I would rather overlook this transgression since this meeting is coming to a positive conclusion, but I ask a minimum of cooperation from your part."
Contrary to his expectation, the only reaction he received from the red knight was a raised eyebrow.
"A contract? I don't remember signing any contract. I'm just exercising my right as a Japanese citizen to live in the residence I inherited from my foster father."
At first, Sirzechs thought he was just pretending to have forgotten the contract, but something in his tone made him reconsider it.
"Grayfia, you have the contract with you, right?"
"Yes, sir."
The maid formed a magic circle on her hand and pulled out a small tube from it. She opened the plug at one of its ends to reveal a paper, and the moment she unfolded it, the couple widened their eyes in absolute surprise.
"What is the meaning of this… I was the one who processed this contract…"
Serafall and the two heirs peered over Sirzechs' shoulder, and their reactions were the same. The place where Shirou's signature should have been was now burned.
"What the!? We saw how he signed it!"
"Your mind must be playing tricks on you. Too much stress can cause that kind of thing." His playful tone just fostered their suspicion.
"Hahahahahaha!" Azazel couldn't repress a laugh, quite the opposite to Michael and Gabriel who were watching the interaction with concern. "It seems you got completely outsmarted this time, Sirzechs! Have I said how much I like this boy already?"
"If he has a sword that can cut through space itself, then I wouldn't be so surprised if he has a weapon that can sever magical contracts." Vali pointed out casually, making the number of widened eyes raise exponentially.
"Wait, what? For real!? The only sword capable of that is the sword in the stone, Caliburn."
So, in this world, Excalibur and Caliburn's roles were swapped. Another weird thing to add to the list.
Michael nodded to confirm Azazel's assumption. "Excalibur and Caliburn were the greatest achievements of that swordsmith said to have reached the realm of the Gods. Vali, are you sure he didn't make a copy of the Sword in the Stone like it is stated in the reports?"
"No. I'm pretty sure he actually called it "Michael" to draw its power. A peculiar choice of name if you ask me."
"That is just a coincidence." Shirou finally spoke after realizing there was no way out of this situation now that all those questions were on the table.
It was better to reveal a tiny bit and change the subject to the important issue. At least Xenovia and Irina were on his side, choosing to not reveal anything despite he never told them to do so.
"Its real name is Michael Muramasa, and I was the one who forged it." He dropped the first bombshell of the night.
"That lines up with your unique magic..." Sirzechs observed without letting the surprise show on his face. "But forging a sword like that isn't something to scoff at. And the Muramasa part…"
"I… borrowed the smithing techniques of that school. Why do you think forging a sword that can cut through space is so surprising anyway? That's what any smith worth their salt should strive for. Any sharp blade can cut through flesh, even a kitchen knife. A true swordsmith should aim for a sword that can cut through bonds, certainty, and karma."
At that moment, Shirou realized Muramasa's ideal sword was too alien for them, if the faces they were making were anything to go by.
"At any rate. You wanted to know what was the sword I used to finish off Kokabiel, right? I guess there is no point in hiding it after showing it once. Would that suffice to make clear I don't want to make an enemy out if possible?"
He quickly changed the subject before they could make more questions, and the five leaders nodded. The fact that he was revealing all that stuff was already a win in the book of some of them.
The same European sword he wielded that fateful night appeared in his hands, and he stabbed its tip in the floor. Its oppressive aura already made some of the people present flinch.
"This is Merodach, the Original Sin and the original model of all the legends of swords that elect the King."
The five leaders exchanged looks, but none of them seemed to recognize that name.
"I would call it bullshit if I didn't have the evidence right in front of my face. How do you explain such a sword was never recorded in history?"
That question made it glaringly obvious they were that knowledgeable when it came to legends. And here Shirou thought that explanation was more than enough.
"Haah… I guess I'll have to explain it from the very beginning. You should know all legends tend to be related, or outright take inspiration from others. However, all legends have a common origin. The first epic poem recorded in human history. The Epic of Gilgamesh."
"I appreciate the history lesson, but what does the King of Heroes have to do with that sword?"
Shirou grunted at Vali for interrupting him, and he raised his hands noticing the glares of everyone else.
"I'm getting to that. Gol- I mean, that man was a collector. He would take any kind of treasure in which he found value, most of them weapons of any kind, and would keep them in his treasury. Upon his death though, that treasury was opened, and all the weapons spread across the world, and eventually became the models for all the weapons that appear in legends. That is what a model is."
He fell in silence, letting them process the information and reach an inevitable conclusion.
"You said that sword is the original model of all the swords that elect the king, right? Then you mean that sword is actually Caliburn's model?"
The red knight nodded at Michael. "Swords like Caliburn or Gram are based on this sword. They might differ in appearance, but their true nature and idea of creation are the same. However, as the original model, its power eclipses the later iterations."
Shirou didn't have any doubt this knowledge would just make the target on his back even bigger. But at the same time, it was just the tip of the iceberg. If someone came with a strategy based only on that information, they were in for a bad time.
To give them some credit, the leaders of the three factions didn't overreact, and instead digested the information in silence. He could see the cogwheels in Azazel and Sirzechs' minds starting to spin.
Now, it was a race against time. How much was going to take them to find the inconsistencies in his otherworldly knowledge?
He hoped it would be enough window to be able to regain his parameters as an Archer servant at least, and his Saber parameters if things work really well.
"But enough of "history" lessons. I think it's about time you answer these girls' questions, Michael."
The leader of the angels let out a sigh of resignation. "I guess there is no point in delaying it any longer. The Red Dragon Emperor wanted to ask a question too, so I'll answer to the best of my capabilities."
Issei swallowed loudly as those emerald eyes drifted to him and clenched his fist to muster the courage to speak up in front of such figures. From his perspective, what was really fascinating from Shirou's speech was the way he could speak so casually with such monsters.
"I did want to make a question to you on behalf of someone, Michael-sama, but now that everyone is here, I think it's better if she asks it herself. Besides, it is the same question Xenovia-san and Irina-san have."
Asia's entire body flinched after quickly deducing he was referring to her and looked at Issei for reassurance. The confident smile he gave her was more than enough for her to walk up to the table without fear.
"I'll be heading off then, Shirou-sensei."
"I told you to not call me that with people around…"
At the other side of the room, Xenovia bid farewell to Shirou as if she were a soldier heading to the battlefield. Her legs were shaking with each step she took, but she didn't hesitate in the least.
On the other hand, Irina wasn't doing so well. She was taking deep breaths to calm herself, but her legs were starting to fail her. She decided to come here even if the answer she was going to get might do more harm than good, but when the moment came, all the insecurities she thought buried resurfaced at once.
"Eh?"
However, a hand rested gently on her shoulder, and all the shaking stopped suddenly.
She looked behind her and met Shirou's eyes. His expression was still serious, and his hand was far from soft. But for some reason, the warm feeling of that night returned to her and washed away the doubts clouding her mind.
"I'll be going then, Shirou-kun." With a confident smile plastered across her face, she joined Asia and Xenovia.
With the three former members of the Holy Church standing in front of the two angels, the question they wanted to ask couldn't be more obvious. But they voiced it nonetheless.
"Michael-sama, why were we excommunicated?"
The way Gabriel's expression froze was a sign this was the first time she was hearing about this, and most likely the reason why her brother was trying to avoid the issue.
"I… I can only beg for your forgiveness…" The angel stood up and bowed in apology, making the three girls widen their eyes. "However, I really didn't have much choice. You see, the system God created which regulates the prayers, exorcisms, and miracles… it isn't designed to be operated by none other than himself…"
"So… now that the Lord is gone, it isn't working properly… is that what you are getting at?"
He nodded at Xenovia's deduction. "The amount of energy required to keep it working is so big only other God could provide it without being completely drained. We distributed the load between the four Seraphs, with me as the center of the system, and even so… its performance can't be compared to when Father was alive… And as a consequence, some… "bugs" are occurring, like Kiba Yuto's balance breaker."
He made a pause. Whatever he was going to say, it wasn't going to be nice to hear.
"To prevent the system from falling apart, we have to avoid anything that can shake the faith of our believers. That includes sacred gears like the twilight healing, which can heal devils and fallen angels… and of course… anyone that knew about Father's demise."
"In other words, you're prioritizing your people above the humans who put their faith in you."
Michael could only nod at Shirou's observation. There wasn't any hard feeling on it. It would be hypocritical to blame him for that.
"That is a valid way to see it. Even if you can't forgive me after hearing this, I at least want you to understand why I took that decision even if it pains me. We lost the holy sword Durandal, and three fervent believers."
"You don't have to apologize, Michael-sama. Even if I was reincarnated as a devil, I'm now surrounded by precious people… and I still believe in the Lord's teachings- ugh…"
Asia's words, which were meant to reassure him, felt more like a stab in the heart.
"In my case, even if I can no longer return to my home… I think this has been an opportunity to find my true purpose in life. I still believe in the teachings of the Lord, but Shirou-kun's words truly opened my eyes. So, I would rather stay with him even if I had to choose."
Xenovia on the other hand came rather clean with her thoughts, and the angel accepted them with a sorrowful smile.
"Well… I don't have a definitive answer like Xenovia… Unlike her, I truly felt desperate. With the Lord gone, I really thought that my life no longer had a meaning."
Irina started with a soft voice while playing with her fingers, but her tone became more resolute with each word. Now her unwavering eyes were looking straight at Michael's.
"However, a precious person gave me the strength to move forward. Even if it still pains me, I won't let it drag me down. Even if I'm not welcomed in the church, I'll still keep on believing in the Lord's teachings, and fight for the sake of humanity."
"I see… I'm happy to see the three of you have managed to pull through… and your gentle hearts can forgive me…"
*Sniff Sniff*
""Huh!?""
The three girls let out surprised voices when Gabriel suddenly pulled them into a hug. Some tears were sliding down her cheeks as she looked at them with sorrow and compassion.
"For such good girls to suffer like that… I knew about your case, Asia-chan, and I'm really sorry for that… But Brother, why didn't you tell me about Xenovia-chan and Irina-chan?"
Michael gritted his teeth and looked away, unable to see his beloved sister in that state. "I didn't want to put any unnecessary stress on you, sister. Not when this meeting was about to take place. Besides, I knew they were under the protection of a rightful man like Emiya Shirou…"
"You should have told me nonetheless!" She turned to look at him with a pleading expression. "Can't we do an exception for them?"
"You know it's not that simple. All the higher charges know about the incident, so they would have to change their identities. And even so… it would be unfair for all the other believers who arrived at the horrible truth."
"And what if we managed to reincarnate them as angels?"
That question left Michael speechless for a brief moment. "Well, they could continue to act as the agents of the heavens in the shadows… But Xenovia here has already taken her decision, right?"
The blue-haired girl nodded. "Yes. I appreciate the offer, but as I said, I would rather stay as a human."
The very moment Xenovia finished speaking, all the eyes landed on Irina. But what made her hesitate wasn't that.
She was now presented with a really hard choice. Would she take this second opportunity she was offered to serve the envoys of the Lord directly at the cost of losing her humanity, or would she choose the same path as Xenovia, to fight for humanity as a member of them?