Chapter 49: A Governor's Grief
As things stand… I can't even begin to fathom how I'm supposed to feel.
How could I?
The Governor-General himself, Azazel, the Fallen Angel of Fallen Angels, who's lived for millennia, partaken in and survived the Great War… is sitting on the descending staircase only a few feet away from where I'm standing.
His gaze was laser-focused on the mechanical cross looming in the distance, and I could sense this aura of sheer… animosity and rancour emanating off him… the potency of which sent continuous shivers down my spine, and caused my fingers to tremble and jitter in fear. My fight-or-flight response was practically banging against my skull with a sledgehammer, demanding that I do something, uncaring of the logic behind my eventual decision… merely desperate for me to respond to the overwhelming presence I was standing before in some capacity.
Scream. Run. Attack. Call Serafall. Those were all the immediate instinctual responses my body threw at me, however, I remained still. I trust my Senjutsu, and it's telling me that the Governor doesn't hold any ill will towards me.
Besides… he did refer to me as 'Serafall's Agent', didn't he? That means the two of them have talked to each other prior to his arrival… or so I hope.
No matter what I choose to do, I mustn't fight this man. I won't win, regardless of what tactics or strategies I decide to employ. The gap between High-Class and Ultimate-Class is like a river, and the gap between the latter and Satan-Class… is, in essence, the Pacific Ocean.
I've made some progress following my consumption of Tiamat's blood, but I'm still a hatchling, I've got a long way to go before it's time for me to cross that ocean.
In this situation, all I can really do is trust Serafall's judgement. There's no way she'd let him come here if she thought he posed a threat to me, and most certainly not if she thought there was even a remote chance he'd cause Sona harm.
"You can go ahead and dispel that illusion you've got on you. I shared a rather… eventful… conversation with your boss a short while ago. You have my absolute, unbreaking guarantee that I won't harm you in any way, shape, or form whatsoever. If I do, I'll end up starting a war between my people and yours, which is the polar opposite of what I'm hoping to achieve. Although… I may have ruined the chances of my hopes coming to fruition thanks to this incident. Some leader I am…" He breathed a dry, self-deprecating chuckle.
I wasn't sure how to respond to that last part, so I chose to abstain.
Instead, I took a deep breath and allowed myself a moment to gather and recompose my frantic train of thought.
"Very well."
I was still confident that he wasn't being disingenuous, so I allowed Partial Hypnosis to break. Not like it really mattered when he had already seen through my illusion.
Upon observing my true appearance, I noticed the Governor's bright-violet irises come alight with instantaneous recognition.
"…Selvaro?" I heard him mutter in disbelief, only for his expression to settle immediately after my ancestor's name left his mouth. "No… he's dead… hah… forgive this geezer's memory. I forgot how strong your family's genetics were. You're his descendant, right? …Sebastian, I believe your name was?"
Though hearing the Governor speak Selvaro's name with such a firm sense of familiarity had aroused my intrigue, I knew now wasn't the time for such dialogue.
I shook my head. "No, Sebastian's my father. I'm his son, Alduin."
I'm not all that happy about being compared to that thousand-year-old shitty old man, but I'm going to let it slide out of respect… and for the sake of my own safety.
"O-Oh… right, of course you are." He facepalmed, probably appalled that he could mistake my presence for his, taking into account the admittedly colossal strength difference between us. "There's no way a Patriarch would be working for Serafall as an Agent. Goodness me, I'm really off my game today, aren't I?" He breathed a deep, exasperated sigh. "My apologies, I haven't really been keeping track of devil affairs for quite some time now. Still… I'm shocked a noble, much less a Buné of all people, is operating in such a position. Do you mind if I ask how you came to be in Serafall's employ?"
My expression tightened.
"Circumstances," I said without elaboration. Serafall probably wants me to cooperate with him to some extent, but I highly doubt that includes telling him my life story.
Fortunately, he didn't seem to take any offense.
"Haha. I suppose it was a little callous of me to ask something like that without thinking. Sorry, as you can probably tell, I'm not exactly as clear-headed as I'd like to be." He sheepishly scratched his nape.
"It's fine, I imagine you've got a lot on your plate." I redirected my attention to the mechanical cross, the object that seemed to arouse the Governor's enmity.
"That's putting it lightly," he pursed his lips. "Nonetheless, actions have consequences. And I suppose this is mine for stepping on the tiger's tail like I did. Raynare's job was merely to stand back and observe the Sacred Gear's that would soon awaken within Kuoh Town, but as we both know, she didn't follow those orders."
I knitted my brow, picking up on a key statement he had just made.
"You… knew that Sacred Gears were going to appear here?" I had no idea precognition like that was even possible.
"Yes," he confirmed without skipping a beat. "It's thanks to one of Grigori's divisions, our most important one at that, the Longinus Institute. We're able to scan the globe for specific energy readings belonging to Sacred Gears, and while we're unable to find the specific person they appear in, we're quite effective at narrowing down our findings. Then again, there are some troublesome gears like Dimension Lost that we'll never be able to track in advance, regardless of how many resources we put into doing so." I sensed some of his animosity dissipating, even if the change was marginal at best. "But that's not what we're here to talk about, we're here to talk about my subordinates' misdeeds and what's been done to rectify them."
"What's been done?" I repeated, not failing to notice he was speaking in the past tense.
He breathed a deep, mournful exhale. "Serafall gave me an ultimatum. Either double down and endorse what my subordinates did here, which would undoubtedly lead to war between my side and yours. Or execute Raynare and her group, as a show of me taking responsibility for having them stationed here without Serafall and Sirzechs' permission, and also proof that I'm against them doing what they've done, or more accurately, attempted to do. Which I suppose could serve as a nice example to any potential future miscreants." I might be imagining it, but I don't think he's fully convinced. "Seeing as we're having this conversation, I think you know which one I chose."
I spread my senses, and as the Governor had claimed, the signatures of Raynare and her stooges remained present, but without a trace of lifeforce left within them.
They had become corpses.
"I'm sorry," I dipped my head and did my utmost to maintain a respectful tone.
"For what?" He lifted his eyebrows with a genuine look of confusion.
"I can't imagine… dealing… with your own people like that was an easy task, even if they disobeyed your wishes." Somehow, I just couldn't find it in me to ignore the grief in his tone.
He blinked repeatedly before his lips curled into a smug grin. "Oh? Expressing sympathy for the enemy, are we? I doubt your boss would take kindly to that."
"Calling you the 'enemy' would be a bit of a stretch in my opinion, I mean, the actions you just took ensured that our ceasefire will remain in place. Legally speaking, you're a dubious presence at best."
"Legally speaking, huh?" He let out a low, inquisitive hum. "You're a strange one, alright, Alduin. But I don't mean that in a bad way," he nodded to himself before adopting a more somber demeanor. "Unfortunately, even after this, I don't think our ceasefire's stability has been guaranteed."
What?
"How so?" I lifted my brow with concern.
"Because of that," he pointed at the mechanical cross. "That, is a device known as a Sacred Gear Extractor, and before you ask, it does exactly what the name implies."
I shuddered, quickly realizing what Raynare had been planning… or at least, what I thought she was planning. I know for a fact she had no interest in capturing Hyoudou Issei or Genshirou Saji, since she explicitly expressed her desire to kill them.
Asia Argento, on the other hand… yeah, there's a good chance she had something else in mind for that poor girl.
"It's a device that a much younger, and much, much stupider Governor-General created during the start of the Great War. Out of fear for the potential damage they could cause his people, specifically that of the Thirteen Longinus." He talked as if he refused to even acknowledge that version of himself as a part of his current being. "So, he created an abomination, an affront to all the good the art of technological pursuit could bring. A device that could force a Sacred Gear out of a wielder's body, and allow the one carrying out the extraction to steal a gear for their own. Oh, and did I mention it killed the wielder in the process? Quite painfully, might I add, since it forcefully tears the Sacred Gear apart from their soul." He gritted his teeth, his fury on full display.
"That sounds… brutal," I swallowed a nervous gulp.
He replied with a firm nod. "Tell me, Alduin, with what you've experienced of Raynare and her group until now, do you think any of them could put a device like that together?"
"No, not even a remote chance," I said without hesitation.
A few of them demonstrated some level of intelligence, like the fedora-wearing one, for example. Dohnaseek? I believe his name was. However, none of them had the intelligence I think you'd need in order to recreate such an advanced construct. Much less one invented by the Governor himself.
"Precisely," he affirmed. "Listen… the information I'm about to divulge to you is quite sensitive, and can't afford to be disclosed to anyone else until the time is right. Can I trust you to keep a secret?"
My posture stiffened. "…Not even to Serafall?"
"No, not even to her. If there's any chance of a leak, even a remote one, all my plans to fully rectify this situation could be rendered obsolete."
I smouldered. "I'll have to admit I'm a little confused here… we've quite literally just met, where's this trust you're placing in me coming from?"
"Circumstance and instinct," he replied plainly. "Circumstance, because you're the one actively guarding this town, making you the person capable of helping me out the most. Instinct, because, well… I like to think of myself as a good judge of character, and you strike me as someone trustworthy. Especially when we're both striving for the same thing here."
I took a moment to mull over his words. The more paranoid side of me was convinced that this was some bizarre, chess-like manipulation attempt to convince me that we were on the same side. However, funnily enough, the more instinctual side of me was telling me that the Governor was a true advocate for peace.
Ultimately, I opted for the middle ground. I'm going to go ahead and trust the Governor, for now, but if I get so much as a slight inkling that he's up to something nefarious. I won't hesitate to switch up on him.
How does that saying go again? Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.
I gave my word to protect this town and its two princesses. I'll do anything to uphold that commitment. Anything. Even if I have to oppose the Governor-General himself.
"Alright," I said in a stern tone of voice. "I'll keep your secret."
"Thank you," he took a deep breath before continuing. "Grigori has a traitor, and by traitor, I don't mean a low-life nobody like Raynare. I'm talking about a Cadre."
My eyes widened in shock. "Oh boy…"
"Yeah," he shared the sentiment. "About a month ago, one of my Cadre's went AWOL, and we've been trying to track him down ever since. Only for all our search efforts to come up barren," he turned to face the Sacred Gear Extractor. "Until now. At the same time of his disappearance, that device's blueprints stored within our database were accessed, of course, only a Cadre would have sufficient clearance to access them." He let out a regretful sigh. "In hindsight… I suppose it's my fault for not expunging every last trace of that revolting insult to technology when I had the chance. Honestly, I'm grateful that you uncovered what my subordinates were plotting here behind my back."
"You… are?" I tilted my head.
"Mhm. It opened my eyes. I've been far too lax with how I'm running Grigori, in fact, it wouldn't be a stretch to say I've been a 'Governor' in name only. And because of my faulty oversight, I've found myself in this situation." He folded his hands together. "You have my thanks for that, Alduin."
"…You're welcome?" I'm not sure how I'm meant to respond to being by the Governor for putting a Leviathan-sized target on his back.
He nodded before getting back to business. "Back on the topic of my wayward Cadre, his name's Kokabiel, and he's always had a… grudge of sorts against me… for lack of better words." He cleared his throat. "It started after the Great War, my choice to call off the fighting from our side when Heaven and you devils had also chosen to… didn't sit well with him. I'm not sure how or why he fell under the delusion, but Kokabiel firmly believed that our side somehow could've emerged… victorious… if we had prolonged the meaningless bloodshed, even though we had suffered the most casualties among the three factions." He pinched his nosebridge, lowering his head and grimacing as if he were recalling an excruciating memory. "I still remember it to this day, the sight of my subordinates… the people who looked up to and counted on me… dropping out of the sky en masse… like pouring rain… The rest of my Cadres all remember it just as painfully as I do. All except Kokabiel… to this day, I can't help but wonder how he was able to maintain a pro-war stance after witnessing… that."
Each and every syllable that left the Governor's mouth was filled with unending grief. I could even feel my face reflexively soften with pity, knowing full well someone as privileged as me, who didn't need to experience the Civil War nor Great War couldn't possibly know the right words to comfort him.
Nonetheless, I felt compelled to at least try.
"Governor," I began, my tone as somber as it could be. "I could never hope to fathom, nor dare claim to understand the horrors you've witnessed. However, I can tell that your desire to avoid further conflict is indeed, genuine." I performed a slight, yet respectful bow. "And because of that, I'm more than happy to offer you my assistance in whatever way possible to keep things that way."
He blinked repeatedly, seemingly surprised by my words.
"You're… surprisingly more cooperative than I was expecting you to be."
Good grief, I wouldn't look at me with those trusting eyes if I were you, Governor. Part of me is still convinced that you've got an ulterior motive in mind after all, and while I'm mildly disgusted at myself for thinking of you in such a way after listening to that heartfelt speech, the truth is the truth.
My priority and desire is to protect my people. As much as I don't want to admit it, I'm willing to make use of the… less desirable side of me—
No. I can't afford to think like that. I shouldn't let Martha's words get to me.
I am not the person she thinks I am, and I never will be.
"From the way you've worded it, you're suggesting this 'Kokabiel' intends to start another Great War, correct?" I waited for him to nod before continuing. "In that case, I think my cooperation is more than warranted," I pointed at the mechanical cross. "Especially when his plot involves the town I'm sworn to guard."
"While I'm beyond grateful for your willingness to help, I wouldn't worry too much about that abomination of a device if I were you." He sighed, causing me to lift a brow. "Knowing Kokabiel, I'm willing to bet he gave Raynare it simply to spite me." He clenched his fists with indignation. "He cares little for Grigori's scientific pursuits, however, he knows full well how much I loathe that creation. I'd say it's basically his way of giving me a big ol' fuck you before he puts whatever it is he truly has in mind in action."
How petty. Granted, his pettiness is the reason his plot was uncovered earlier than I imagine it would've been had he kept his head down and struck only when the moment was ripe.
"I take it you have some inkling as to what he's actually planning?"
He hummed affirmatively. "Yeah, I'm about 99% certain it involves the Gremory and Sitri Princesses residing here."
"Thought so," I exhaled softly. "What better way to start a war than to go after the siblings of Lady Leviathan and Lord Lucifer?" Unfortunately for him, I'm about 100% certain he'll end up in a body bag before he gets the chance to even breathe the same air as them.
"Keep in mind, he won't be targeting your princesses exclusively. His hatred extends to both devilkind and Heaven. I'm not sure how he's going to do it, but one way or another, he's going to look for a way to get them involved and create a conflict that involves all Three Biblical Factions."
"And he's going to use Kuoh Town as his ground zero," I concluded with a carnivorous scowl on my face. Kuoh Town is not only my responsibility, but my lifeline. It's what makes me untouchable to Sebastian, and more importantly, ensures Thora's safety from him.
I'll be damned if I let some disillusioned crow swoop in and take all that away from me.
His plan to involve Heaven obviously had nothing to do with Asia Argento or Freed Sellzen since they were both excommunicated, which means I'll need to keep a lookout for someone with an active tie to the big man upstairs.
"That would appear to be the case," he replied apologetically.
"So, how are we going to go about stopping him? I'm hoping you have some kind of countermeasure in mind."
The Governor's upper eyelids dropped with hostility as we both exchanged a glance of mutual understanding.
"Kokabiel's maintained that flawed mindset of his for millennia, holding it close to his heart like a poison he won't even consider obtaining an antidote for." He clasped his hands behind his back. "As much as I'd like to bring him in as a prisoner, if at all possible, I did say I would learn from my past mistakes, primarily my overly lenient method of governing. Therefore, if it truly comes down to it… well… I think you know exactly what 'countermeasure' I'll be employing."
He spoke with a tinge of regret, which, truth be told, I found understandable. Grievances aside, Kokabiel's one of his Cadres, someone who's been at his side for thousands of years. I can't imagine parting with a person you've known for that long is an easy task, regardless of the circumstances.
"I've really got a lot to reflect on, haven't I?" He groaned, looking up and holding his palm over his face to mask whatever expression he was wearing from me. "Maybe… just maybe if I had tried a little harder…" My eyes widened once I picked up on the shakiness of his voice. "…I could've convinced Kokabiel to change his mind… instead of immersing myself with my fancy little trinkets… I should've been at my friend's side. Helping him step off a path that could only lead him to one ending."
The next instant, he seemed to come to some kind of realization, causing him to quickly recompose himself.
"Sorry about that… you probably don't want to hear an old timer ramble on like this. Honestly, I'm not sure why I keep going on these tangents in front of you." He followed with a dry chuckle as he rubbed his nape. "It's a bit unsightly of me, isn't it?"
"No, not really," I replied, which seemed to catch him off guard. "You've clearly got a lot on your mind, and for good reason, as well as a hundred times the responsibility I'm dealing with pressing down on your shoulders. The need to vent is natural, and sometimes it doesn't matter who we vent to, just that we're able to do so."
"I'm… not entirely sure how I'm supposed to respond to that," he scratched his temple with a stumped look on his face. "You truly are a strange youngster… I'm guessing you're about a hundred or somewhere around that ballpark, right?"
Immediately, I felt a vein throb out of my forehead.
A h-hundred!? Me!? A cool and hip youth that'll forever remain that way!?
Inconceivable! Unacceptable! Blasphemy!
Though I suppose a hundred would be seen as 'young' in the eyes of someone as ancient as the Governor-General.
I cleared my throat in an effort to reaffirm my composure. "I'm eighteen years of age, Governor."
He fell silent, staring at me with a look of sheer and utter blankness.
"Haha! Sorry, it seems these aged ears misheard you. For a second there, I thought you said you were eighteen." He let out a hearty bout of laughter.
"You did not mishear me," I insisted in a no-nonsense tone.
"E-Eh?" Still, he remained plagued with disbelief.
"I. Am. Not. A. Hundred. I. Am. Eighteen." I mouthed each word out like a robot to get the point across. I don't care how persistent I have to be, I absolutely refuse to allow such an abhorrent misunderstanding to remain.
He blinked repeatedly, taking a step back as the shock appeared to settle in.
"…So you're telling me, all the rambling I just did… was in front of a… baby?"
"That would appear to be the case," I shrugged with indifference.
He stumbled onto the floor butt-first, clutching his hair. "I… I think I might need a drink… or maybe two for good measure."
"Perhaps, but before you do, I'd appreciate it if you let me know how we're going to proceed to deal with Kokabiel so I can get prepared." I pulled out my phone, checking the time. "I may not be nearly as busy as you're about to be, but I've got some tasks of my own I can't afford to delay." The fact that my student's mother would soon be making a personal visit for something 'urgent' still weighed on my mind.
He nodded his understanding.
"Well, I think I know where to start." His face tensed into a fierce snarl.
I felt the air around him intensify as an indescribable, instinctual pressure at least a thousand times more intimidating than that of when Isaiah attempted to wield Dragon Slaying Magic in front of me descended.
My body broke into a nervous sweat as I reflexively retreated a few steps back, watching as a radiant, bright-yellow spear materialized in the Governor's hand, coursing with energy that screamed at every last drop of devilish blood that dwelled within me. Letting me know exactly how helpless I'd be if I were to ever be afflicted by its might.
So this is what true Light Magic feels like… how terrifying. It's hard for me to even acknowledge Raynare and her stooges as members of the Fallen Angel race when faced with such a behemothic difference in strength.
His arm cracked forward like a whip, hurling the spear at the mechanical cross with all his strength, and swiftly reducing it to nothing more than a pile of rubble and broken circuits.
Alongside the entirety of the room, save for the part we were standing on.
"Good riddance," he spat before turning to me. "For now, I don't really need you to do anything except keep an eye on this town, which you're already doing a stellar job of. In the meantime, I'll start devising a plan to lure out Kokabiel from wherever it is he's hiding, and once I've got something concrete, I'll contact you."
"Contact me? How?"
He reached into his pocket and tossed me a phone with a hard black cover that had an upside-down cross plastered on it.
"I'm pretty sure Serafall's monitoring your phone in some capacity, so you can use that as a secure line between you and me. Oh, and before I forget," he snapped his fingers in recollection. "Do this old fogey a favour and let Serafall know I upheld my end of the bargain, please, it's kinda hard to operate when I've got her breathing down my neck."
"Will do."
"Much obliged," he beamed.
Good grief, to think I handled a problem only to end up with one a million times more troubling… some luck I have.
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Not much action in this chapter, as you can see, but I think this was a good opening conversation to begin Alduin and Azazel's relationship. People who I like to believe are similar to one another with their philosophies on conflict.
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