Between the Italian Peninsula, shaped like a long boot, and the island of
Sardinia in the west was a vast area of ocean. This area could be
considered as part of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
One of the types of vessels that frequented these waters was, for example,
ferries. These ferries went to places like Genoa, Palermo, Naples and
Cagliari in circumnavigation. There were also many yachts used for
cruising.
Because the natural resources of the sea were abundant, naturally there
would be fishing boats.
In the early dawn, before sunrise, the catch obtained from the fishing nets
that were cast in the sea would be filled with many varieties of fish.
However, in the midst of a school of unmatured Pacific Bluefin tuna, there
was one lone human caught there.
...Having drifted for god knows how long in the Tyrrhenian Sea, being
swept here all the way from Naples, but was still energetic and in high
spirits, if you would like to describe that life form as still being human, that
would be perfectly fine.
Untangling himself from the fishing net full of Pacific Bluefin tuna, he
climbed up onto the boat.
Making himself at home without any permission, he sat down on the fishing
boat, and said to the dumbfounded fishermen,
"Fuu, I almost thought I was done for this time. Ah, would you mind giving
me the direction to the nearest land from here? It's fine, I'm really good at
swimming. Eh—You'll lend me a boat? Sorry for troubling you—I see I see,
which region is this ocean in again? Sardinia? That's just great. Seems like
things are going to get more interesting!"
From the time when Kusanagi Godou had vanished without a trace, one
night had passed.
It was around nine plus in the morning when this was discovered, as
Arianna was worried when she found that he was not in his room, and
subsequently searched the whole villa, confirming that he was indeed not
around.
"What happened to Godou-san? Could he have gotten into an accident?"
"Hmmm, maybe I went a little overboard with my jokes—"
In the rented villa on Sardinia, the girls were having a meeting in the living
room. Yuri was pacing around the room in distress, and on her face was a
look of worry.
On the contrary, Erica was not particularly worried about it.
That blockhead must have accumulated too much stress living in this
female dormitory-like environment, and thus decided to run away, it should
be enough if we let him relax for a few days. He was asking for Genaro
Gantz' contact information yesterday, there's a possibility he's already at
his house by now.
Thinking that everything was within her calculations, Erica's attitude was
calm and composed.
After telling Arianna that there was no need to worry, she asked her for an
espresso.
"Yuri, didn't I say it before? Godou is a delicate person inside, even though
he's like that, and because of that he needs some time to himself
occasionally. And thus, we'll leave him alone for the time being.
Afterwards, pulling him by the ears and bringing him back would be much
more effective. Anyway, he's someone who can survive wherever he goes,
there's no need to worry about him."
She said in a rather indifferent manner, to the Hime-Miko who could not
calm down.
As she would someday become the wife of the [King], staying by his side,
worrying over this sort of thing was not necessary.
"Is, is that so..."
"Although the person himself has no self-awareness, his true personality is
still somewhat haphazard. Conversely, that is why I can say that it's fine if
we aren't overprotective of him."
"I can understand what Erica-san is trying to say, but..."
Yuri was very worried, and at this moment Erica had started to feel a slight
bit of unease.
"There is a strange throbbing within my heart, as though he was dragged
into something dangerous, it is a dark premonition."
Mariya Yuri was a spirit vision user of the strongest disposition.
Among Erica's friends that were of the same age group, Yuri was one of
the few that were acknowledged by her to possess talent of equal
standing. As for the others, they included Liliana Kranjcar of the
[Bronze-Black Cross], and also that young master of the 'Hong Kong Lu
House'. Besides these few there were no others.
As a result, this girl's senses and predictions must be taken seriously.
Halfway through the conversation, Erica's phone began to ring.
The [Diavolo Rosso] staring at the electronic display was shocked to see
that it was the Great Knight Andrea Rivera, [The King's Butler].
Someone who never ceased to worry about various things, and also one of
the few people that Erica felt sympathetic about.
"It's been a while, Sir Andrea. This time, is it good news or bad news that
you are bringing?"
"Miss Erica, I don't recall ever bringing you any good news. This time is no
exception—Around midnight yesterday, a [Heretic God] had manifested in
Naples, and coincidentally your master, Kusanagi Godou, was at the
scene. Did you know about this?"
"I did not. Around ten plus yesterday night, he was still here with us."
"Then, there is a possibility that he had used some other means of
transport other than a boat or plane to cross the seas from Sardinia. He
had confronted the god in Naples, and was subsequently defeated. I do
not know the exact details of the situation, but his life is not in danger, that
wraps up the current status. Actually, that was not the main topic I had
wanted to discuss."
"Th-Then, what is it?"
"Please be on your guard, there is danger lurking just around the corner,
near you. I cannot say what exactly, because it is simply too embarrassing.
I had not wanted to say this, but I have no other choice..."
"Sir Andrea, are you currently in Naples now?"
"No... I'm at Sardinia. Because of some matters, I had to come here. That
is... Mgh! You bastard, you managed to follow me here! Gffgh!?"
Beep... beep... beep... beep...
After hearing some yelling at the end, nothing more could be heard. The
call was disconnected.
Andrea Rivera had been attacked by some unknown assailant—It seemed
as though he had been struck down. Being one the Great Knights, with
strength that rivaled Erica Blandelli, to be defeated this easily!
"... U-Um, did something serious happen?"
"A [Heretic God] has manifested in Naples. Our King, for some reason,
was there, and engaged it in combat. However, it seems that the worst
case scenario had happened..."
Erica replied, to Yuri who had asked out of concern.
And then, Andrea Rivera's warning and defeat. He had said that danger
was lurking around the corner.
What on earth was going on?
She needed to gather more information, and come up with the next course
of action, and especially find out about Godou's current condition. To be
defeated, but not be dead, did he use the authority of the [Ram]?
She had to expend all her connections, and obtain information at all costs.
Just as she had started to do so, she realized that her phone did not
respond. Was it out of power?
There should have been enough battery, it was strange.
"Ara? Arara? ...What's going on?"
The maid uniform-wearing Arianna Hayama Arialdi walked out of the
kitchen.
She should not have known the current situation, and had a look of
confusion on her face.
"What is it, Arianna? Is something wrong?"
"About that, Erica-sama, the gas has been cut, and as I was preparing
lunch with the stove, the fire had stopped all of a sudden..."
"—Who's the one who turned off the circuit breaker!?"
There was yet another victim, and she rushed into the living room.
With a gorgeous body that surpassed those of sexy celebrities, wearing a
thin, silky nightie and gripping a pillow under her arm, she was Lucretia
Zola. It looked as if she had been in the middle of her nap.
Her usual laziness had disappeared, and Lucretia seemed a bit agitated.
"How am I supposed to nap in this kind of hot weather if the air-conditioner
is turned off! Even the fridge is out of power! I won't be able to enjoy the
beer that I had kept there if it's not icy cold! Seriously, my comfortable
vacation will be ruined at this rate!"
If Godou were to hear this, he would have made some common sense
comments, saying that she was overly self-indulgent.
Erica continued to observe the current occurrences.
She winked at Yuri, and the nodding Hime-Miko picked up the television
remote, and pressed a few buttons. There was absolutely no response
from the television.
They confirmed that all of their cellphones were not working, and could not
be turned on.
Walking outside, they tested Erica's newly bought car.
The engine would not turn on, and neither would the torchlight they kept at
the doorway.
It was not merely a simple blackout and a gas leak, it seemed.
"It seems that we would not be able to lead a civilized life in the area
around this house. Electronic devices, machines are all non-functional.
Yuri, can you feel anything?"
"...Perhaps it is a wide-range phenomenon that has even affected this
area, I think. But, I cannot sense what is at the core of this... Could it be
possible that a [Heretic God] has manifested nearby?"
Erica frowned, listening to Yuri, who was explaining with a serious
expression.
She had to find out who or what was behind this incident, fast. And
immediately after, hurry to Kusanagi Godou's side, who was in Naples.
Erica sprung into immediate action.
As Erica began to move, on the other side—
In a swimming area of the beach not too far from their villa, a fierce
argument was taking place.
"In the first place, you asshole, it doesn't even make sense to be swimming
here all the way from the mainland!"
"It's not like I wanted to swim here. I got washed away by the waves, and I
don't even know when I managed to arrive. It was such a rare opportunity
to be able to play with Godou, it's regrettable that I ended up at the wrong
place."
He said, to the person who had been tied up by rope, while opening a
small icebox, which contained crushed ice and a dozen cans of beer.
Although Italians gave the impression that they liked to drink red wine and
similar alcoholic drinks, their consumption of beer was surprisingly high.
He pulled open the tab, and gulped an entire can in one go. Puhaa!
"... Ungh, it feels so great having a can after a swim. Fufufu, fridges don't
work at the moment, so these cold drinks are rather valuable
now—Andrea, do you want some too?"
"Who the hell wants to drink, you sorry excuse of a human, a piece of
breathing industrial garbage! What are you going to do about that incident
in Naples!?"
"There shouldn't be any problem with it, nope. Since Godou is already
there, then I'll just leave things to him. My job now is to stop those girls
from going there to help him—If he can make it out of this grueling ordeal
on his own, he'll improve even faster!"
Surrounded by pine trees, it was a small yet beautiful beach.
Enjoying the scenery of the beach, holding a can of cold beer in one hand,
bathing in the sunlight, and the azure color before your eyes—a marine
blue sea that stretched endlessly.
Of course, the one enjoying his much anticipated vacation was a youth,
Salvatore Doni.
Part 2
Kusanagi Godou found himself in some unknown space.
This place was nowhere, a place that did not exist on Earth, nor reality.
It was a world of grey. It was grey as far as the eye could see.
However, there was something else in this world of grey.
"...To be able to meet properly like this, it has been quite some time."
There was a girl in front of him.
She looked about fifteen. Well-proportioned features. A slim figure. If one
were to compare her with the styles of Lucretia Zola or Erica Blandelli, one
might say that she was of the more 'slender' type.
Regardless, she was alluring.
She could be described as beautiful, but also, she had a very cute, doll-like
face and figure. Her pink hair was split to the left and right, and was
wearing a thin white dress.
With her diminutive stature, she gave off the impression of a child.
However, in contrast, she gave off a glamorous feel of a [Lady], more than
any other girl that Godou knew.
He did not know who she was initially, but had recalled in an instant.
Indeed, she was...
"...Pandora-san, am I right?"
"Still the same old reserved way of addressing me, eh—Even though it'd
be fine if you called me 'Mama'..."
Her frivolous manner of speech made it seem as though she had attached
a heart-shaped symbol at the end of her sentence.
Having pure Japanese DNA in his body, Godou could not accept that
suggestion, so he ignored it for now. His questions began to pile up.
The couple who had given birth to the devil king Campiones, the immortal
Epimetheus and his wife, Pandora.
She was the latter, obviously.
"Every meeting of ours seems so surreal, although I'm not sure why, I
always forget that we've met, afterwards."
"Hmm, saying things so bluntly, maybe your level isn't high enough?"
With the solemnity of a goddess (tentatively), she said that.
"With continuous purification of the soul, then attaining enlightenment, that
is the level you will need to be to remember the things that happen in this
space. Those who are able to reach that state, usually don't become
godslayers, so I guess it's pretty much impossible."
"...Haa. Then, is this the boundary between life and death?"
Faint, hazy memories floated through his mind. Those must have been
information that were taken in before.
Hearing Godou's question, Pandora nodded, smiling. It was such a wide
and cheerful smile, the smile of a normal girl that could be found anywhere.
"Correct. The world of idea, as the ancient Greeks would say. For the
Persians, 'menog'. As you have already died once, your link with the real
world has become thin, which is why you have found your way here."
"Before my death, I should have used the power of the [Ram]..."
"That's correct, your physical body is recovering smoothly now. In actual
fact, before you revived, you had surely died once, you know. Didn't you
notice?"
"Maybe. But I'm starting to doubt that's the case..."
If it were possible, Godou would have liked to never remember that kind of
information, murmuring to himself.
Is that so? Am I going to resurrect after I die? What a haphazard body I
have.
"Isn't it fine? It was because of that that you were able to come to this
realm and meet me. Although I can materialize in the physical world, it's
really troublesome to return to this place. Which brings us to the birth of
godslayers! I don't come out unless it's a situation like that, recently."
"Haa... Then, what's the special occasion?"
Although she was like that, she was a supporter to Campiones. A
patroness, so to speak.
Normally, she would not appear for no special reason.
"I called you out in order to give you a warning. You've encountered the
divine attribute of "Steel", right?"
"Steel... You mean Perseus?"
"Yep, that. That hero, he is a villain... no, a trickster, so be careful around
him! Anyway, because you are rivals with those guys of "Steel", losing
to them is a definitely no-no!"
"Is your warning just that?"
If you could win just because someone told you not to lose, then life
wouldn't be so full of hardships. Looking at Godou who was scratching his
head, Pandora shook her head.
"No, that's not it. Leaving aside the other godslayers, because you were
born at the ends of the east, I'm specially telling you this. On the island
[1]where Godō lives, sleeps the strongest "Steel", so you have to be
careful, for the time being. Understand?"
"Strongest?"
"Yes, the strongest. Although the hero you are fighting now is also strong,
that person is even stronger."
"...Why would that kind of person be in Japan?"
"Because, that is the end of the east—Beyond that lies only sea, in other
words. There are many things that have been swept there, heaped up
there... perhaps it might be fine, seeing as that has already been sleeping
for so long."
"Regarding that, could you please elaborate further?"
"Sorry, no can do. We stand at the side of the gods, after all, so I can't tell
you any more than that. This is the pact that we have with this world, rules
that we absolutely have to abide by... Furthermore, whatever I say here,
won't you forget once you return? Even if I do elaborate, it won't be of any
use."
"Now that you mention it, that's true..."
Godou replied in a soft voice. Her words did, after all, remain in this realm
of unconsciousness.
Perhaps the sixth sense and instincts of the Campiones that Godou had,
were the information that she had relayed from this realm.
"Be careful. That person, is really vulgar, an enemy of women, unfit for the
title of 'hero'! If you end up having to fight him again, you definitely cannot
lose! You must give him a thorough thrashing!"
As I thought, this wasn't a warning.
This was more like when the sports-minded seniors were emphasizing 'you
must definitely win' to their juniors when playing against a rival school, for
example. That kind of message was conveyed. Having that kind of feeling,
Godou sighed deeply, as he returned to the real world.
The awakened Godou raised his upper body.
He was on a bed. Though the room was small, it was kept very clean. Is it
a guest room? As there weren't many daily necessities that could be seen,
it felt like this room was rarely used.
Beside the bed, there was a familiar girl. Though, it was not the pretty girl
who had reddish golden hair.
She was just as beautiful, though, the fairy-like, silver haired knight.
"Wh-What time is it now?"
"R-Right now, it is almost noon."
"Then, where are we?"
"This is the house of Diana Milito. My companion who stays in Naples. In
order to take care of you, I borrowed her guest room."
Liliana Kranjcar answered the questions that Godou had asked the
moment he awoke. It must have been about one o'clock, past midnight
when he was defeated by Perseus. Has he slept for half a day?
Strange... Godou tilted his head.
Verethragna's seventh form, the [Ram]. This power allowed him to avoid
dea- no, resurrect him from death. However, because it was not activated
automatically, it would be meaningless if he was killed instantly.
And, he would be in a sleeping state for a certain period of time, until he
was fully recovered.
However, the time that he slept this time was the longest by far, it seemed
as though he had the memory of entering the dream world, could it be
because of that? Even so, it seems that he had gotten used to death...
To him, who had naturally accepted the cycle of death and resurrection, he
felt somewhat sad for himself.
"—Kusanagi Godou!"
His name was suddenly shouted.
Turning around, he could see big drops of tears in Liliana's eyes, and she
had a complicated expression on her face.
"I-Is your body still hurt? Last night, after being struck down by Perseus,
even your breathing had stopped, I don't even know when you had started
getting better..."
"Ah, sorry about that. Because of various reasons, I managed to survive..."
I see. From the angle of someone who did not know the reason behind it, it
would have seemed like a miracle.
As he was reflecting on this, Godou gave a simple explanation of his
resurrection. He wasn't sure if she had heard the details of his unreliable
power, but Liliana's tears had begun to fall.
...She's crying? This stout-hearted girl? With such an unexpected
development, Godou shrunk back in fear.
"I-If you can resurrect yourself, then please tell us first before you go and
die... Do you have any idea how worried I was!"
"S-Sorry. There just wasn't any time for me to explain."
Godou could only lower his head in the face of the crying and angry
Liliana. He had lost. He honestly did not think she would start crying.
"Knowing how to manage your time is also part of the abilities of a King!
B-but, I'm really relieved. That you have safely returned... I'm truly sorry. It
is because of my failure that things had turned out like that!"
Liliana who had ceased to be angry was crying and apologizing.
His opinion of her changed yet again, because she looked like a doll, he
did not think that she was someone who revealed her emotions. In reality,
she was really an emotional girl.
She had been seriously anxious and angry, and her emotions were clearly
displayed on her face.
"Well, since I managed to survive, isn't it a happy ending? ...Because, you
didn't really fail or anything. It was because I am too weak that I lost to
Perseus."
Hearing Godou say that, Liliana immediately raised her face, which was
wet with tears.
"N-No, that's not it. Your defeat was my failure... If at that time, I had
k-kissed you, the ending would have turned out differently, wouldn't it."
Godou felt his face turn red at her reply, and changed the topic in a
panicky voice.
"That's not true! That's definitely not the reason I lost! More importantly,
what happened after that!? What about Perseus and Athena!?"
"Ah, yes. The problem has not been solved, and danger is still close by."
Liliana then told him what had happened.
Hearing that it was only a temporary truce between the two gods, Godou's
heart became heavy, and thought of another troublesome problem.
"Ah, that's right, Erica and the others still don't know that I'm here in
Naples... Have you contacted them yet?"
"Um, no... I'm very sorry, but I forgot about that."
"I'm not reprimanding you, you know. I'll go and give them a call, so it's no
problem at all."
Although he said that, he was slightly worried.
If Erica and Yuri were to find out about last night, he would no doubt have
to face their sarcasm and scolding. If he were to contact them, would he
have to hide the truth? Godou scratched his head, considering his options.
"Liliana-sama, all the way since last night, had been at Godou-sama's side
looking after him. Really, she has not left the bedside even once, such
praiseworthy devotion!"
The person singing praises of her own master was Karen, who had just
entered the room.
"K-Karen! It's fine even if you don't say it!"
"Ara Liliana-sama, no need to be shy. A maiden staying at the side of a
wounded warrior, it's as though it were a scene from a painting. Going
back to the main topic, if you would like to make a call, you can do it right
away, but... is that really fine with you, Kusanagi-sama?"
After teasing her master till her face had turned red as an apple, Karen
turned to asked Godou.
Not knowing the meaning behind her question, Godou tilted his head to the
side.
"May I ask if there's something wrong with that decision?"
"No, while Kusanagi-sama was asleep, we had considered contacting
Erica-sama. However, we decided to wait for your decision first, just in
case."
The impish maid stated.
"Actually, I'm on good terms with Arianna Hayama Arialdi, so I had heard
from her that Kusanagi-sama had come to Italy with Erica-sama and a
Japanese mistress. And another one from Sardinia—please excuse me,
the one you are intimate with privately—Lucretia Zola. Together,
Kusanagi-sama had went to Sardinia to enjoy a long vacation."
Who, just who was the man being described as a sexual maniac?
At least, it definitely wasn't Kusanagi Godou, hence, when Liliana began to
stutter, 'W-What a depraved lifestyle...' and could not stop shaking, he
wished she would stop, seriously.
"You had disappeared from your place of residence, leaving behind your
lovers to run away with a beautiful young girl on a journey. I had such a big
shock when I found out, could they be eloping? Had it been a dispute
between lovers—problems between man and woman? In conclusion, I
deduced that it might be better not to inform your lovers."
"There are many problems with your train of thought, and furthermore,
she's a god!"
"K-Kusanagi Godou... It's fine if you don't mind the perception of others,
you already are a famous advocate of lechery. It's well within reason to
have one or two h-harems under your management... Yes, you will then
bathe in a bath filled with champagne, and indulge in debauchery together
with your lovers, no doubt about it! And then one day, you will gather every
beautiful woman in the world, creating the biggest harem history has ever
recorded! —Ku, what depravity!"
"Liliana-sama, that is only natural for a King. Well, men are such creatures,
after all."
"Oi, oi! Don't be spouting such nonsense with a straight face!"
Ultimately, Godou had to spend ten minutes to resolve this.
Scolding the Liliana who had blurted out some ridiculous fantasies of hers,
and then intimidating Karen who was adding oil to fire, things finally
quietened down.
"... And that's how it is, I do not have any lovers, there's nothing between
me and Erica, we're just friends, Mariya—the Japanese girl—is also the
same, and lastly, about Lucretia Zola, she's an elder, the same age as my
grandmother!"
"Can normal friends kiss each other so passionately? If that's the case,
then wouldn't there be a problem with your morals and sense of virtues?"
"That... that couldn't be helped, we had no choice!"
He had already repeated that excuse many times, to no effect.
Karen had an impish smile that did not quite reach her eyes, disregarding
his words. On the other hand, Liliana appeared to have sunk into deep
thought, but fortunately she did not pursue the matter, though she seemed
to be acting a little weird.
Godou then borrowed the phone, and dialed Erica's number.
The call did not connect, and he repeated the procedure for Lucretia and
Anna's numbers, which did not work either. Yuri's phone was the same as
Godou's, they could not be used in Italy, hence he did not dial her number.
In the end... even after many tries, he could not reach any of his
companions on the island of Sardinia.
Part 3
"Then, you were not able to get in contact with any of your companions?
How very strange—!"
This day, at the old bookstore which had hung up the 'Closed for business
today' sign, the house of the witch, Diana Milito.
The exact location was Diana's kitchen.
Despite the late timing for lunch, the table was piled with food. They sat in
a circle around the dining table discussing, including the master and
servant pair Liliana and Karen, and Kusanagi Godou.
"That's right. I would like to try contacting the headquarters of Erica and the
others, and ask if they have any news of them, would you mind giving me
their contact information?"
"If that's what you need, then you should leave it to us, there's no need to
worry."
Kusanagi Godou was talking to Diana.
Meanwhile, Liliana had been constantly stabbing the seafood salad with
her fork, wearing a dark expression. Things that have been giving her a
headache have been piling up as high as a mountain, hence it was natural
that she did not want to join in the conversation.
On an unrelated note, while preparing lunch, Diana had said, for example,
'Sir Salvatore is famous for having no interest in women, while
Kusanagi-sama is still young and lecherous, right? ...Whether he has any
interest in women that are older than him, I'm a little worried!' while being
fidgety and seemingly bothered.
"Well then, Kusanagi Godou—the incident this time round, I leave it in your
hands, will there be a problem with that?"
In any case, he needed to say something constructive.
When Liliana reaffirmed it with him, the youngest Campione, naturally,
nodded his head.
"Since no-one knows where that bastard Doni has gone, and the only one
left is me, I have to do something about it. Maybe this is some kind of fate."
Compared to all the other [Kings] who had various personality faults, he
was the more understanding kind.
He was also chivalrous and dedicated, if it were not for his immoral love
affairs, he would definitely be a great, upstanding man of influence, Liliana
could not help but think this way.
Erica—that vixen—what did she think of his womanizing ways?
[2]Turning a blind eye. Crying oneself to sleep. No, those definitely don't
seem like her—Or maybe, is she actively cooperating and assisting him?
That is a very high possibility! Creating an environment of depravity for the
[King], causing him to be overly indulgent, and then controlling him for
herself!
No, wait... Indeed, she is horrible enough to be called a demon, but going
to those lengths is simply too vicious. Being a dignified knight, one should
have the pride not to do that.
"By the way, do you have any news of Doni?"
"Y-Yes, about that... On that subject, this morning, Sir Andrea—Sir
Salvatore's butler that is—there was a phone call from him. Didn't you pick
up that call, Diana?"
Being suddenly asked out of the blue, Liliana replied, flustered.
Not good. I should keep those excessive thoughts out of my head, when
having these serious talks.
"He called to confirm our current situation. Not even he had an idea of the
current whereabouts of Sir Salvatore... Furthermore, I had just attempted
to give him a call earlier, but I could not get through no matter how many
times I tried."
"The same situation as those in Sardinia..."
Hearing Diana's report, Kusanagi Godou made a difficult expression.
Though the situation did not seem optimistic, but he did not show any
traces of worry in his expression. It might be that those unreachable people
were very capable, especially Salvatore Doni. It was hard to imagine him
being in any sort of danger, Liliana could agree with that point of view.
"May I raise a suggestion?"
Karen, who had been listening, piped out.
Having finished serving the food, she was sitting and eating together with
them.
"There are too many things which we do not have a clear understanding of
at the moment, and the current pressing matters have not been resolved
yet. However—the most important thing right now, I believe, would be what
we can do in order for Kusanagi-sama to defeat Perseus."
"That's true—I have to duel that guy... Truthfully speaking, the odds are
against me."
Kusanagi Godou murmured.
"If it's a problem with [Instruction], in Naples, there are many who are
skilled at it—me, for example—witches who are capable at the use of that,
there's no need to worry about this."
"Ah, no. Although there's a problem with that, I'm concerned with
something more worrisome!"
Diana said that, with the look of someone who had absolutely no problem
with it, and the panicking young [King] avoided the topic.
"That guy, Perseus, has the ability to completely seal my powers, so even
if I use the [Sword], it would probably be sealed as well, if I knew how he
could pull that off—the secret of how he sealed the authorities of
Verethragna—then the ending might have been different."
"...That's how it was, eh."
Diana sank into deep thought.
As a Great Knight and a witch, she felt frustrated and mortified, but Liliana
also had no idea what had happened. Of course, Karen was the same,
hence they were eagerly awaiting their senior's input.
"Perseus' name also bears the meaning of 'One who came from Persia', in
actual fact, his divine attribute has its origins from the Oriental."
"Persia? Then, isn't that the same as Verethragna!?"
Godou stood up in shock.
It seemed as if he were very eager, perhaps the origins of how the
undefeated war god's powers had been sealed laid in that direction.
"Hm, how should I put it? The Persia referenced here, it only refers to the
'east.' The Persia of old is also the current Iran, and the god, Perseus'
early ancestors were from Iraq, specifically Babylon."
Without a doubt, Perseus was a hero born in Mesopotamia. However, in
the battle last night, he had referred to Verethragna as a "distant comrade."
Liliana looked very confused, as she did not know these facts.
"To save his wife Andromeda, he slew the monster Tiamat. Legends say
that it is a colossal whale or sea serpent type of sea monster."
Liliana understood the meaning of Diana's words.
In these times, the constellation Cetus referred to the sea monster, Tiamat.
The constellation of Perseus, the constellation of Andromeda and the
constellation of Cassiopeia, for example, these constellations were known
as the constellations that represented autumn.
However, that name had a more important meaning.
"The name of Tiamat also shares the meaning of a goddess of Babylon. A
great goddess of the land that gave birth to gods, a ruler of the divine
world, a goddess that took the form of a dragon, and also a bringer of
floods. The one who had struck her down was Marduk, a god of storms,
becoming the King of the gods."
"Are you saying that... When this myth spread to Greece, it became the
myth of Perseus?"
Godou felt as if he had stumbled on a piece of the truth.
The story of Marduk slaying Tiamat had been altered with the passing
down of the story through the centuries, becoming the myth of Perseus.
Because of that, Perseus had been known as 'One who came from Persia'.
Greek mythology had no form of its own, rather, it was a combination of
many different myths from many different places.
Many examples could be found that depicted the gods of other cultures as
evil gods or monsters within Greek mythology.
Athena and Medusa was a very good example of this, and in this regard,
Perseus probably had better luck.
"And that's it, the only mystery remaining is the relationship with the god
Verethragna."
Diana seemed somewhat sorry.
Having grasped a little of the situation, Godou looked up at the ceiling, a
little troubled.
"If only Mariya were here, she might have been able to give us some
clues."
"Though I agree with you on this point, but since we are unable to get in
contact with them, we'll have to give up on that. Or are you implying that
we are not capable enough to uncover the secret of Perseus? At any rate,
let's think of something together, shall we?"
Liliana made a realistic suggestion.
In Europe, people like Mariya Yuri who were gifted with such spiritual
vision were scarce. Perhaps he had been asking for too much, and the
young Campione nodded his head in agreement.
"I'll try to contact some friends and see if I can find out anything about their
whereabouts. In this kind of situation, the best person to consult is Mariya
or Lucretia, after all. I'm also a little worried for their safety."
With those words, Godou who had eaten his fill stood up from the dining
table.
He strode out of the dining room, leaving behind the witches.
"Well then... it would be better if we had a meeting for our next course of
action now, don't you agree?"
After Godou had left, leaving behind the three of them, Karen suggested.
"It is just as Kusanagi Godou had said. Contacting his companions is the
best course of action right now. That Japanese miko's spirit vision is not
something any one of us here can match, and furthermore, we will need to
borrow the wisdom of Lucretia Zola."
Hearing Liliana's reply, Diana nodded her head.
The witch of Sardinia, Lucretia Zola, known as [Scholar of the Gods], had
extensive knowledge of the [Heretic Gods], techniques of magical arts and
the strength of magical energies. Truly, she was a stellar witch. Even the
most powerful witch in Naples, Diana, could not hold a candle to her.
"True. Those who have more years to their age compared to us, it's simply
a matter of experience!"
If she was asked how many years exactly is the difference in experience, it
would surely become awkward.
Karen, who had considered this point, did not ask.
"In that case, the responsibility of assisting the [King], would have to fall on
the lovers of Kusanagi-sama, which would mean that all the credit will be
snatched away by Erica-sama... Also, Erica-sama is a Great Knight of
[Copper-Black Cross]..."
Liliana had roughly guessed her witch junior from the same organization,
her servant's intention and meaning behind those words.
"In the same situation, but seemingly powerless, won't the name of the
[Bronze-Black Cross] be shamed?"
"If it's only a little, that's also fine by me..."
Karen's true reason as to why she did not contact Erica, was probably this.
Finding opportunities to boost their own side's standing, and also
preventing their rivals from advancing.
"However, in the face of the threat of a [Heretic God], this is not the time to
be concerned about those trivial things, it is enough that we only have to
do our part to the best of our abilities."
Liliana said, resolutely.
"Even if our endeavors fall short and victory is ultimately obtained through
the utmost efforts of Erica and the others, isn't that fine as well? No matter
who achieves it, if the [Heretic God] is forced back, bringing safety back to
Naples would be sufficient... Even if that is not the case, I will do my utmost
rendering my assistance to Kusanagi Godou and achieving victory
together, is this acceptable?"
"Understood."
Karen respectfully nodded her head, before continuing,
"If it's Liliana-sama, then it would be natural to think along those lines. In
that case, then let us inform the headquarters of the [Bronze-Black Cross]
to search for Erica-sama and company, whose whereabouts are currently
unknown... But, please perform the magic art of [Instruction] on
Kusanagi-sama, to create a fait accompli before they arrive, just to be
sure."
"Eh?"
"Of course, this is Liliana-sama's duty. Since you want to do your utmost to
help, naturally you won't refuse? Seeing as you've already said so
yourself."
"Eeeeh!?"
Oh no. They've turned my words against me! Liliana realized that she had
been set up.
"No, listen here, didn't he say it before? That the secret of Perseus has not
been cracked yet!"
"If it's about the secret, we'll be able to find the answer if everyone
brainstorms together. But if we do not decide on a course of action, we will
not be able to proceed smoothly."
"I-It's fine even if it's not me, didn't you say that you would be fine with it,
Diana?"
"Th-That's true—It's embarrassing, but if it's for the sake of fighting a
god..."
Diana answered, her cheeks flushing red. Yep, she may be a little older,
but she is still pretty cute. Kusanagi Godou, being the lecher he is, should
be fine with her.
"Well, although we have that last resort available, but—"
In response to Liliana's suggestion, Karen replied, smiling.
A smile like an evil black cat, giving off an ill omen.
"What I would like to say is, that this incident is, surely, fate."
"F-Fate?"
"That is correct. Between Kusanagi-sama and Liliana-sama, there is a
bond of destiny. I mean, it is not normal, that the situation has become so
serious to the extent that Liliana-sama has no other choice but to kiss a
man, this is definitely the work of fate, connecting two persons together,
guiding the both of you."
"H-How can I believe such an overbearing reason?!"
"Then, Liliana-sama, earlier on, why were you sneaking glances at
Kusanagi-sama with such a fervent look in your eyes? Also, the both of
you had spent the whole of last night together. Are you starting to feel that
you have no other choice but to get closer to that King? Fufu, it's futile to
feign innocence. Because, I have already seen through everything."
When Karen pointed that out, Liliana gulped.
Come to think of it, since that meal, she might have been feeling that way.
[3]Nothatsnotit , it's not fate not anything like that. Just—yes—it was just
that when she looked at the face of her [King], her heart would beat
furiously in her chest uncontrollably!
"To make it clear, Liliana-sama has fallen in love. Yes, the throbbing in
your chest is the feeling of the fact that you can't help noticing him as a
man. That, for sure, is love!"
"L-Love!?"
Liliana was stunned. That was ridiculous. She did not want to believe it, but
what if it were true?
"Ara, is that so? I suppose we've no other choice, the job of kissing
Kusanagi-sama, we'll leave it to Lily in that case!"
"D-Diana, you too!?"
"Furthermore, this fated love will bring along with it luxury and privilege. In
order for Liliana-sama to succeed in becoming Kusanagi-sama's lover, the
Great Knight of the [Bronze-Black Cross] has to stay by the [King]'s side
and wait upon him."
"L-Lover...? Karen, what are you saying!?"
"Ah, I see. Fufu, that Karen, thinking of such vicious thoughts, just like
always!"
In contrast with the distressed Liliana, Diana seemed oddly happy. To the
two who were older, Karen smoothly explained her plan.
"From the results of my analysis of Kusanagi-sama since yesterday night,
he is not as accustomed to handling women as the rumors say. At this
point in time, his lovers and personal aides are easily able to exert their
influence over him. Of these, there are two of them at the moment. If one
were to enter the field and chase them away, one would need to have
power of equal strength!"
"Ch-Chase away!?"
"Yes. Fortunately for us, Liliana-sama is a Great Knight and also a witch of
the [Bronze-Black Cross], and the next-in-line to be the head of the
Kranjcar family. Whether it is magical or political power, you would
definitely do him proud."
Currently, the organization with the greatest connections and influence
over Kusanagi Godou was the [Copper-Black Cross].
Although the organization has not yet fully submitted themselves to him,
they had monopolized his influence. As a result, the other mages were
unable to get close to him. The situation was both insalubrious and unfair.
To put an end to that collusive relationship, necessary measures must be
taken, and after hearing all that, even Liliana had nothing more to say.
She, as Kusanagi Godou's lover. Was such a future possible?
Unintentionally, Liliana fell into deep thought. For some reason, her mind
had begun to fill with random stories and scenarios.
—A young girl, unused to the ways of love.
—Before her, a mysterious, unruly and charming boy had appeared.
Around the boy and girl was the coiling scent of danger. Through a
meeting of coincidence, they had both realized the other's existence.
—I, with such a half-baked person, I can't possibly like or feel anything else
towards him.
—Though she had said that, the girl was still entranced by the boy. And
the boy, towards the girl who would not be honest with herself, grew an
interest, and before he knew it, he had engraved her presence in his
memories, locked in his mind and heart for eternity.
Liliana who had been fantasizing the above quickly shook her head. What
on earth was I thinking!?
"Karen, don't say such nonsense to anyone else. I, I'll be taking a short
rest!"
The sound of someone standing up from a chair was heard, and Liliana
walked out of the kitchen.
And after that, the oldest witch and the maid might have continued
whispering things like, '...There's hope yet!', or, '...Yes, that's right, just a
little push more, for the sake of shortening the distance between those two,
we have to use this trick like this...'.
Part 4
Godou had managed to get in touch with Genaro Gantz through the phone
he borrowed.
Neither he nor the others from the [Copper-Black Cross] had the faintest
inkling of where Erica might be, which meant that they could not contact
them either. Really, what is going on?
Could it be that a [Heretic God] had descended upon Sardinia, causing
something strange to happen?
"That is a possibility, seeing as that demoness wouldn't disappear for no
good reason... Leave the matters on that side for us to investigate, and the
incident in Naples, we'll leave to you."
"I got it, then I'm counting on you."
After designating their tasks, they said their farewells and hung up the call.
After hurriedly finishing the call, Godou returned to the closed old
bookstore.
This was logical, but he was surrounded by western books. Because of
that, the atmosphere here was the same as his house in Japan. Even if the
country was different, the smell of the air inside the bookstore was the
same.
It was past seven in the evening.
Even so, it was still very bright, usual for a summer day in Europe. If this
were Japan, it would already have been dark.
In the interior of the shop, dyed orange by the sun setting in the west,
Godou had borrowed a phone, and then contacted all of his Italian
acquaintances. Finishing all that, Godou looked out the window.
The outside gave off a feel of an industrial area, due to the rubbish that
were littered all over the place.
In the grocery store on the opposite side of the street, there was a
frighteningly fat woman in a sleeveless, midriff-baring top and hot pants
running the shop. It was a scene that fully displayed the cultural gap
between Italy and Japan.
If only he had the time and mood, he would have very much liked to go for
a jog.
He gave up on that thought quickly, and went to look for the witches... on
the way, he found a notebook with a black leather cover.
Whose belonging is that? Without thinking, Godou picked it up, and
opened it.
[Stop, let go of me! I, I really hate you!]
[Fuu. Then, why did you come here? I know the reason. You are—]
[Ah, no—ngh!?]
[I won't let go of you. Be my woman.]
Is this a shoujo novel? No, a harlequin romance?
This was a romance novel depicting the love of two, but written by hand.
The protagonist had, as though no one else was around, aggressively
made advances on the heroine, kissing her against her will, and things like
that.
"I have lost—I'd never have thought that such a thing could be written..."
Godou deeply regretted looking at the contents.
He felt somewhat guilty about sneaking a look. To whom does this belong
to? The person who seemed like she would write this way, was it Diana?
Just as he thought of sneakily returning it at a later time and as he closed
the notebook.
He felt a chilling sensation on his back, chilling, and sharp. This feeling,
should be a blade.
"Do not move. Just like this, let's go outside... Do not make a sound, and
act more natural. Understood?"
A soft warning—No, a threat.
Who is that? It couldn't be the showy, grandiose Perseus. Then, was this
perhaps an assassin from some secret organization? While worrying over
this, Godou followed the instructions, and left the store.
Together with the person holding the blade to his back, they walked along
the street that was bathed in the sunlight of the setting sun.
Godou resisted the temptation to look back. If he were to do so, he would
definitely get stabbed, it was too risky.
...Before long, they turned into a dirty, dark alleyway.
"It's fine now. Slowly, turn around."
Doing as told, Godou had a shock when he turned around.
An unexpected face.
"What!? Liliana-san, why did you do that!? Could it be that you have been
after my life all this time...?"
"Y-You found out about my secret! After I kill you, I'll die too!"
"...Eh?"
Holding a shortsword and with a brooding expression, the words of Liliana
Kranjcar had left Godou stunned.
"This notebook, could it possibly be yours!?"
That notebook, whether it was a romance novel, or a collection of poems,
he was unsure of.
"Even though I had only just took it out from my bag to write on earlier, I'm
not sure when I had lost it... Could it be, that you have searched through
my belongings!?"
"I, there's no way I would do that sort of thing! You have to believe me!"
(By the way, this was the work of the scheming Karen, who took it out of
her bag, and then before Godou passed through the corridor, purposely
left it in his path. The above was the truth behind this incident, but the two
of them would never find out about the cause and effect of it.)
"At any rate, since you found out about my secret hobby, I have to silence
you!"
"Eh, hold on a second! Killing someone over something of this degree, isn't
that too ridiculous!"
"It's not ridiculous at all! I won't allow the number of people who can
blackmail me with this to increase any further!"
Speaking of blackmail, Godou immediately thought of someone's face.
That [Diavolo Rosso]—that particular girl and their mutual friend—would in
an elegant manner, make request after request, that face.
Although it was an unfounded guess with no evidence behind it, but to
think this way was not strange at all.
"Anyway, calm down first. I'm different from Erica, it'll be fine."
"Kuh... To mention that name, as I thought, you must have heard
something from that vixen, my secret, for example! Then, after I kill you, I'll
make sure I finish that demoness off properly!"
"D-Did I step on a landmine!?"
After spending a few minutes, he had finally managed to convince a
distressed Liliana.
Although he had, through much difficulty, conveyed his thoughts and
feeling to her, she still seemed to be in a great panic.
"In, in this time of crisis, I was, unintentionally overcome by a surge of idle
thoughts, resulting in me writing those things. Please pretend you never
saw it. I'm begging you, please forget it somehow!"
She cried out, teary-eyed.
Though he felt that it was not some kind of secret that could never be
divulged, Godou nodded his head.
"Ah... Well, I feel that everyone has their own interests, it's no big deal,
really."
Godou irresponsibly threw out those words.
He actually meant that it was not worth worrying over such trivial things.
During the Meiji Era, when a head of the Kusanagi household had passed
away, his descendants had discovered a collection of roughly three
thousand novels about his private life, and in them were written... that
when he was on the receiving end of a scolding, or physical abuse from an
[4]excessively young girl , he would derive masochistic pleasure during the
experience. During the family council, the decision that 'This shall be
classified as an erotic novel henceforth' was made, becoming a
controversial work. Comparing Liliana's work to that...
No matter what, Godou patted her on the shoulder, as though he were
trying to console a child, and thus, Godou and Liliana, her eyes moist with
tears, the distance between them had shortened.
For some reason, the beautiful fairy-like girl, with tears in her eyes,
seemed so much more fragile than her usual self, yet at the same time,
she seemed so alluring.
He could no longer see the girl who was stronger than him, more
courageous than him in front of him. Godou's protective instincts were
triggered, and he hastily turned away in embarrassment.
Liliana too, seemed a little embarrassed herself, her cheeks a deep shade
of red.
The atmosphere becoming more and more awkward by the second, the
duo fell into silence. This isn't good, what should I—As he was thinking of
what to do, a voice suddenly called out towards them.
"Seems you've recovered from your wounds already, and returned to the
same old self, tenacious boy."
Proud, dignified, and child-like, but still possessing a queen's majesty.
Godou and Liliana raised their heads upwards.
—Descending upon the dirty, little alley, was none other than [Heretic God
Athena].