Father Dante. It had been months since we'd last spoken, not since the Kokabiel incident.
The three Church representatives sat in the spacious guest room I'd prepared for them, looking considerably more composed than they had when Hayama picked them up from the restaurant. Father Dante had made himself comfortable in one of the leather armchairs, while Xenovia and Irina sat stiffly on the couch across from him.
"So," I said, settling into my own chair, "I assume you're not here just for fun. What brings the Vatican to Japan?"
Father Dante exchanged glances with his companions before responding carefully. "Routine investigation into recent supernatural disturbances in the area. Nothing too significant."
"Ah. And this wouldn't would happen to involve the missing Excalibur fragments, would it?"
Irina nearly choked on her tea while Father Dante's eyes widened. Xenovia just looked confused.
"How did you know about that?" Irina managed.
"I stay informed about things that could affect this region. Missing Excalibur fragments definitely qualify."
Xenovia frowned. "You seem very well-informed for a businessman."
Xenovia's expression shifted from confusion to suspicion.
Father Dante immediately stiffened, recognizing the dangerous territory Xenovia was entering. Irina looked between them nervously, clearly understanding something Xenovia didn't.
"It's curious that you would know such classified information so quickly after our arrival."
The implication was clear. She was suggesting I might be connected to the theft.
"Xenovia," Father Dante said quickly, alarm creeping into his voice as he recognized the danger signs, "perhaps we should—"
"No," she interrupted, standing up and facing me directly with the kind of righteous conviction that made young exorcists dangerous. "If this man is involved in the theft of sacred weapons, then it's our duty to—"
"Xenovia, stop!" Irina said urgently, but it was too late.
She never finished the sentence as I released a fraction of my aura.
The pressure filled the room instantly. Xenovia dropped back onto the couch like she'd been pushed by an invisible force. Her eyes went wide as the overwhelming presence made it hard to breathe.
Irina gripped the couch cushions, her face pale. Even Father Dante looked uncomfortable despite having seen my power before.
"Let me be very clear," I said, my voice carrying the same calm tone as before but now backed by that crushing pressure.
I leaned forward slightly, and the pressure intensified again just enough to make my point.
"I am not involved in the theft of the Excalibur fragments. I have no interest in stealing Church artifacts. And I certainly don't appreciate being accused of such things by someone I've offered shelter to."
Then I pulled back the pressure, letting the room return to normal.
Xenovia slumped against the couch, breathing hard. Her earlier confidence was gone.
"I... apologize," she said quietly.
Father Dante quickly interjected, his diplomatic instincts kicking in to ease the tension. "Leon, please forgive Xenovia. She's... zealous about her duties, but she meant no real offense. We're all a bit on edge after the theft."
He leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming more conciliatory. "We know you're not involved. Your reputation precedes you, and frankly, if you wanted Church artifacts, you'd hardly need to resort to theft."
I looked at Father Dante, appreciating his attempt to smooth things over. The man had always been good at reading situations and knowing when to step in. It was one of the qualities that had impressed me about him during the Kokabiel operation.
In fact, I'd tried to recruit him afterward.
I made him a very generous offer to leave Church service and work for Mishima Corporation.
Pure, simple loyalty to an organization that had shaped his entire life. Even after losing teammates, even after seeing the Church's political machinations up close, his dedication never wavered.
It was admirable, if frustrating. Dante would have been incredibly useful to my company. Plus, I genuinely liked the guy.
But loyalty like his couldn't be bought or bargained with. It was either there or it wasn't, and Dante's ran bone-deep.
A shame, really. The Church had no idea how valuable he was, treating him as just another field operative when he could have been so much more.
"Apology accepted," I said finally, letting my expression soften slightly. "Though next time, perhaps a proper briefing before arrival would help avoid such... misunderstandings."
"Noted," Father Dante said with visible relief. "And speaking of briefings, perhaps you could share what you know about the situation?"
I considered this for a moment. Information was valuable, and I didn't typically share intelligence freely. But the Church had helped me locate Kokabiel back then.
This could serve as repayment for that favor.
"The theft was orchestrated by Valper Galilei…"
Xenovia's expression darkened at the mention of that particular atrocity, while Irina looked confused.
"I see…" Father Dante nodded and based on his expression, he already had an inkling that Valper might have been probably involved.
"But Valper doesn't have the resources to pull off something like this." He said.
"He's likely working with someone. Given recent events, I suspect Loki might be involved." I replied
Father Dante's face immediately darkened at the mention of that name. His relaxed demeanor vanished, replaced by something much more serious and angry.
"Loki," he said quietly, his voice carrying old pain. "That bastard."
"He has reasons to want chaos in this region," I continued, "and this is his style."
"And revenge," Dante added grimly. "He'd want revenge against you for what happened."
I nodded. "Exactly. He would love to have the opportunity to cause problems in my territory as it would appeal to his sense of irony."
Xenovia and Irina looked confused.
"Anyways, consider this repayment." I said, meeting Father Dante's eyes directly.
Understanding flickered in his expression. He knew this was valuable intelligence, and he recognized that I was settling a debt.
"However," I continued, my tone becoming more businesslike, "this is the last time I'll be sharing information freely. Future intelligence exchanges will need to be more... reciprocal."
Father Dante nodded slowly. "Understood. And appreciated."
The message was clear - I'd repaid the favor, and any future cooperation would need to be properly negotiated.
"The question now is," I said, "what do you plan to do about it?"
Father Dante rubbed his temples, the weight of the information settling on his shoulders. "We'll need to develop a plan to track them down and recover the fragments before they can be used."
"That's going to be challenging," Irina said quietly. "If Loki is really involved, we're dealing with a god-level threat."
"One problem at a time," Xenovia added, though she looked considerably less confident than she had when she'd first arrived.
Father Dante looked at me directly, his expression serious. "Leon, given that Loki is involved... will you be intervening in this matter?"
The question hung in the air for a moment. All three of them watched me carefully, waiting for my response.
"Of course,"
I smiled.
"I have debts to settle with that bastard. And whether I like it or not, I'm involved now."
I glanced at the clock and noticed how late it had gotten. The three of them looked exhausted - understandable, given their long journey, dining disaster, and the shock of learning about the true scope of what they were facing.
"You all look tired," I observed, standing up from my chair.
"Hayama will show you to your rooms," I said, moving toward the door. "There are private bathrooms attached to each, and if you need anything during the night, just press the call button by the bed."
"Thank you," Irina said, bowing slightly. "For everything. The hospitality, the information, the... patience with our misunderstanding."
She shot a meaningful look at Xenovia, who had the grace to look embarrassed.
"Think nothing of it," I replied.
As if summoned by my words, Hayama appeared in the doorway with his usual impeccable timing.
"If you would please follow me," he said with a respectful bow, "I'll escort you to your accommodations."
The three Church representatives gathered their belongings and began to file out. Father Dante paused at the threshold and turned back to me.
"Leon," he said quietly, "thank you for... this. I know this wasn't how you planned to spend your evening."
"Good night, Dante," I said simply.
As they disappeared down the hallway, I remained in the guest room for a moment, processing the evening's developments.
But tonight, at least, I could get some rest before dealing with whatever chaos awaited.
I turned off the lights and headed toward my own room, already preparing for what promised to be a very interesting few days.
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