Campione! Vol 8 Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Seeking the Mysterious Devil King, the Campione- FINALE Part 1 During the long weekend in early October, Kusanagi G.o.dou had unexpectedly headed to Nikkou. A week had already pa.s.sed since surviving the life-and-death struggle there and his subsequent return to Tokyo. Also, certain changes had occurred in the affairs of the young devil king. Getting out of bed early as usual, he made himself presentable. A cool, refres.h.i.+ng and sunny autumn sky could be seen outside the window. Today seemed like a good day. Feeling satisfied, G.o.dou went to the entryway and was putting on his shoes when- "Onii-chan is up so early today as usual... Are you meeting that person again?" He heard a voice from behind. "Persevering from day one, your astounding devotion truly overwhelms me with admiration, Onii-chan. The seeds sown under grandpa's edification sure are flouris.h.i.+ng, aren't they?" Her voice was lovely but it carried a peculiar sting. G.o.dou turned around to find his little sister s.h.i.+zuka standing there, sneering with clear derision. "...How often do I need to tell you until you admit you're wrong? Show some faith in me already." "Then prove me wrong through your behavior. And anyway, it is strange for you to go wake Erica-san up every morning just because she'd oversleep otherwise. Absolutely strange! And lately, you've started meeting lovers openly in front of the house -- or rather, having illicit trysts, even!" The accusations left G.o.dou silent. Then she began nagging along the lines of 'Don't you feel ashamed before our dead grandma' and so on. G.o.dou hastily left the house to escape s.h.i.+zuka's clamor. He felt like he had had a similar conversation in May, but back then he had not met this girl yet. "Good morning, Kusanagi G.o.dou." It was a dignified greeting, without even the slightest hint of sleepiness. She - Liliana Kranjcar was as lovely as a silver fairy and possessed dazzling n.o.ble spirit worthy of her t.i.tle as a knight. Liliana always got up earlier than G.o.dou and waited in front of his house. "Morning. Early as always?" "Naturally. As your premier retainer, getting up after my king is unforgivable. Please do not confuse me with Erica in any way." After exchanging greetings, they made their way side by side. Denouncing her self-indulgent old friend, Liliana's expression was a bit rigid. "In the first place, for you as her king to go wake her up every day is truly putting the cart before the horse beyond acceptable limits. Seriously, Erica is always doing as she pleases..." "Come on, don't be like that. It's not like it's that inconvenient for me." This silver-haired knight had been manipulated by the [Diavolo Rosso] ever since their childhood days. A lot of resentment must have piled up. It was reasonable for her to get worked up into a vicious tone of voice. "But she seems to stay up late so often. What is she busy doing anyway?" "Erica is exceedingly diligent when it comes to matters she judges essential." Liliana's unexpected answer was accompanied by a sigh. "Other than martial arts and the study of magic, she also devotes herself towards cultivating public relations as well as the planning, design and execution of various projects." G.o.dou nodded, understanding. While Liliana kept Erica at arm's length, she clearly recognized her talents. Their a.s.sociation ran long and deep; it was impossible for strangers to fathom the intricacies binding the two of them. And somehow or other, this might be why they made such good partners, too. "Oh my, good morning. You're early as always." Someone suddenly called out to them. The shopping street of Nezu's Area 3 was virtually devoid of people during early mornings. The current rare exceptions were G.o.dou, Liliana, and the pa.s.sing old lady who spoke to them. Dressed in a kimono, she seemed rather elegant and dignified. G.o.dou and Liliana properly greeted her "good morning" in return and bowed their heads. The old lady responded to their polite greeting with a gentle smile. "Lately you're always with girls, aren't you? Slowly but surely, you're starting to resemble your grandfather." ...Was she smiling because of his female companion instead of the greeting? This old lady was a teacher of flower arrangement who had moved here four years ago. Apparently a lot had happened between her and G.o.dou's grandfather in the distant past. Soon after she moved here, G.o.dou had witnessed the two of them reuniting in a chance encounter at the shopping district. Letting out cries of "Oh" and "my" and smiling meaningfully at each other, they seemed like long lost friends. After hearing Ichirou point out his grandson, she had smiled fondly at G.o.dou. Ever since, she would always call out gracefully to G.o.dou whenever they met on the streets. As a side note, she still seemed to be a spinster even at this age. "Uhm, she is my friend and recently started coming to pick me up." "Yes. You could say he and I have cordial relations or that we have sworn ourselves to partake in life and destiny as a single soul. At any rate, this is no ordinary amorous affair for our deep relations.h.i.+p is founded upon bonds of undying loyalty." Liliana supplemented G.o.dou's introduction. Her choice of words was rather exaggerated, but that's how she was, and for some reason or another they had made a similar promise. And after the battle with the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Liliana had unilaterally declared victory and began to follow G.o.dou closely like a shadow. She had also announced to the other girls: She was Kusanagi G.o.dou's premier knight and grand chamberlain. They should clearly understand that it was her duty, Liliana Kranjcar's, to manage their king's private affairs and control women's access to him. In response to this declaration, Erica and Ena had objected harshly in unison while Yuri's eyes became clouded with sadness. But as soon as they heard about G.o.dou and Liliana's promise, all the girls turned towards Hikari at once. The twelve-year-old hime-miko apprentice smiled cheerfully and diplomatically declared her support for Liliana: "I have no objections. Please take care of me, Liliana-oneesama.". Her words astounded Erica, caused Ena to pout, and deepened the gloom in Yuri's eyes. But in the end, everyone agreed to the silver knight's proposal. As a side note, G.o.dou's claim of 'How did it become Liliana's win? I don't get it at all' was flatly rejected. And after some time... Although G.o.dou had winced at the sudden appearance of his grand chamberlain(!), he grew accustomed to it as days went by. Unlike the beginning of the second school term when Liliana's overenthusiasm drove her to obsess over the tiniest of details, in recent times she was gaining Kusanagi G.o.dou's gradual acceptance as an un.o.btrusive existence by his side. Such was the current state of affairs when he encountered the old lady in the morning. G.o.dou had reached an understanding with Liliana's declaration to 'partake in destiny' at the same time as his own epiphany for the sake of the battle against the Great Sage Equaling Heaven. However, wouldn't normal people misunderstand if they heard? Contrary to that sudden concern, the old lady smiled faintly at them. "Well, hehehe, this sure takes me back. Long ago, I also made a similar promise with Ichirou-san. I wonder how many years ago that was..." Did something like that really happen between this old lady and his grandfather long ago? G.o.dou was intrigued but refrained from asking. After a bit of gossip, he parted with the old lady and continued on his way, accompanied by Liliana who tried her best not to step on his shadow^ 1 * This was when he got a message on his cellphone. He read it as he walked. It was from his childhood friend Tokunaga Asuka. 'Why are you involved with a girl in the morning? It's too early to f.u.c.k around!' G.o.dou was being a.s.saulted by undeserved abuse, accompanied by an angry smiley. Asuka's parents owned a certain sus.h.i.+ restaurant in the shopping street of Nezu's Area 3. She must have been watching the shopping street from her home and restaurant without G.o.dou and Liliana noticing her. Why was she so inexplicably easy to anger, just like s.h.i.+zuka... Puzzling over this longtime problem, G.o.dou closed his cellphone. It might be a good idea to introduce her to Liliana and Erica sooner or later. Hopefully, the misunderstanding could be cleared up at that time. "Is something the matter, Kusanagi G.o.dou?" "Not really. There are just so many people around me who like to say whatever they want. But as long as they eventually realize it's all a misunderstanding, there's no need for me to get worked up over all the nagging... That's my take on it anyways." He was the one to decide his own path. Whether that path turned out to be a fate of fortune or suffering, it didn't matter what other people said as long as he and the comrades following him understood. When he articulated his unaltered thoughts, Liliana nodded vigorously. "How fitting of a king's resolution. You have truly become reliable, Kusanagi G.o.dou." Undoubtedly offering heartfelt approval rather than sycophantic flattery, the loyal knight accompanied her lord Kusanagi G.o.dou as he headed for Erica Blandelli's apartment building. The two of them arrived at the entrance to Erica's flat. The mistress and her personal maid lived on the tenth floor of this high-rise mansion. But when G.o.dou and Liliana crossed the threshold as usual, they were welcomed by a girl who should be completely unrelated to this flat whatsoever. "Good morning, Kusanagi-sama. It's been a while, Liliana-sama. Would you two like an espresso?" A beautiful girl sat at the living room table, bringing to her lips a cup that overflowed with the fragrance of coffee. That was none other than Karen Jankulovski. Liliana's maid and apprentice witch for the [Bronze Black Cross] magic a.s.sociation. "What do you mean, 'it's been a while'... We were at home together until I left this morning. Karen, when did you come here to Erica's place?" "While you were meeting Kusanagi-sama of course, Liliana-sama." Questioned by her silver-haired mistress, the maid in her early teens smiled nonchalantly. Dressed in casual clothing instead of her maid uniform, it meant she was here in private. "Not too long ago, I advised Liliana-sama to investigate Kusanagi-sama's past, but actually conducting it proved to be rather time consuming... However, thanks to Liliana-sama acting proactively with such vigor lately, I finally have some free time to myself." Karen smoothly made a momentous confession. Was that it? Those details that precipitated the wager the other day? G.o.dou remembered. G.o.dou glanced at Liliana to find her face twitching a little. So that's the reason. Liliana directing her attentions to investigate such a weird subject turned out to be Karen's suggestion. "Today being my day off, I thought it'd be nice to pay my friend Anna-san an occasional visit. Ah, it never occurred to me that I could peep into how Kusanagi-sama's and Liliana-sama's honeymoon play would go, not in the slightest. Don't get me wrong." She sounded like she had confessed her ulterior motive, but G.o.dou decided to let it go. The other maid came out from deeper inside. "I am terribly sorry. Since G.o.dou-san arrived, I went to check on Erica-sama, but... Again, she is still in bed." Arianna Hayama Arialdi, nicknamed Anna, was very apologetic. "Well, it's just the usual. By the way, you and Karen are friends?" "Yes. We became acquainted auspiciously by chance. Really, Karen-chan is so much younger than me and she's already so reliable." Smiling cheerfully, she answered G.o.dou's question. This typical cheerful and trusting naivety, was not only characteristic of Miss Arianna but also her greatest distinguis.h.i.+ng feature. Well, ignoring the fearsome existences of her pot-stewed cooking and dangerous driving skills for now. "Alright, I'll go wake her. You don't mind, do you?" "Of course not. I'll leave Erica-sama in your care, thank you." Even though this had become the daily routine, G.o.dou still felt it would be improper to enter a girl's room directly without consent from a member of the household. Immediately after G.o.dou had followed his good sense and received the OK from Anna: "No, Kusanagi G.o.dou. Leave this to me. She may be like a devil, but a man should not set foot in a woman's bedroom so easily. Do not forget that I serve by your side for occasions such as this." G.o.dou was taken aback when Liliana called him to a stop. Right. He had been swept up by the flow and gone to rouse Erica from bed every morning, but that was really improper after all. Liliana's objections had made him recognize that once more. "I see...! Can I trouble you to go instead, Liliana?" "Most certainly. Even at the cost of my life, I shall fulfill your imperial decree without fail!" This conversation resembled a king ordering the extermination of the devil king and a hero responding in return for loose change. Anyway, on G.o.dou's orders, Liliana set off on her expedition to Erica's bedroom. Their sense of morality and justice was really similar. That made her easy to get along with. He had felt this ever since the fight with Perseus in Naples. As long as her thought processes did not derail, her affinity with him was outstanding. --They waited for a moment. Before long, they could hear voices from Erica's bedroom. "Lily!? How insolent of you, coming to wake me up instead of G.o.dou! Know your place! I won't forgive you for interfering with my sweet morning moment with G.o.dou!" "No, you know your place! I have never heard of a knight who needs her lord to rouse her from bed every morning! And you still call yourself an honorable great knight, a descendant of the Knights Templar?!" "I am the special exception, for I'm G.o.dou's lover! So you stop interfering!" "Ha. I, Liliana Kranjcar, am Kusanagi G.o.dou's premier knight and also his grand chamberlain. Even if you are his lover, I have the authority to put you in your place should you be impertinent. Therefore my interference here is exceedingly justified! Will you stop grumbling about these trivialities?" "Oh really, premier knight and grand chamberlain? Why don't you add another t.i.tle, third mistress?" "W-What!?" "Understand, Lily? Since times immemorial in China, eunuchs have managed the emperor's s.e.xual life. They were given this right and permitted to frequent the premises of the harem because they were not 'women.' Yet you want to wield power over other girls while being one of G.o.dou's women yourself? My, what a great deal you have going there." "N-No, that is not what is going on here. Ultimately that is just a historical similarity..." "Yes, but history proves the rational justification of such an existence. I can accept the outcome of G.o.dou's foolish wager, and even approve your management of his private affairs, Lily. But you won't interfere in his lovers' relations.h.i.+ps! If that's what you really want, you must first give up being his woman. How about it?" "Uh, no, that is, uhm, what should I say, ehm..." Erica had partially acknowledged Liliana's argument, but refused to concede any further beyond that. It was one of the basics and the pinnacle in the art of negotiations. Although she was no morning person, she was still able to verbally subdue Liliana immediately after getting up. Erica's wits were just that impressive. Nodding next to G.o.dou, Arianna was going 'my, my' in amazement as she witnessed the knights' battle of words. With an impish expression that seemed to be saying 'just as expected, developments stemming from the Nikkou trip are truly worth looking forward to,' Karen secretly laughed to herself. G.o.dou deliberately ignored her. Anyhow, it was a lively morning. Kusanagi G.o.dou's days always started in such a turbulent manner. Part 2 In the end, G.o.dou, Erica and Liliana headed to school together. The three walked together on the well-trodden way to school. As evidenced by the many pa.s.sersby who kept staring at them, it was apparently highly conspicuous for a highschool boy to be accompanied by blonde and silver-haired beauties. Nevertheless, he had already gotten used to this. Kusanagi G.o.dou was so adaptable it even surprised himself. After all, he had also grown accustomed to his more-than-unnatural const.i.tution as a Campione after around a week. "Well, I actually had many objections to the details of how Lily became your grand chamberlain." Erica was muttering with a displeased expression. "Gradually I've come to think it might not be too bad an idea. If I cling to you all the time, it would be more difficult to expand the roster of Kusanagi G.o.dou's 'Round Table.'" "...My Round Table?" "Exactly! You know it, right, the legend of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table?" England's legendary king. The daring knights who had gathered from all the directions to join under his banner. The big, circular table where they sat around was the Round Table. The 13th century king, Edward the First of England, was the one who "discovered" the original and had a replica made as decoration for Winchester Castle.. 7 2] "Over the past six months, the name of Kusanagi G.o.dou has spread among the magi and wizards throughout the world. It's time for you to take the next step." As G.o.dou recalled historical trivia in his mind, Erica explained further. Hearing that, Liliana interjected. "In short, you are saying that Kusanagi G.o.dou should take you and me, as well as Mariya Yuri, Seishuuin Ena and others to form his independent group or a.s.sociation?" "Yes. The more G.o.dou's power and influence rise, the more people trying to gain favor will appear. Of course, there will also be those who show up out of paranoia or overreaction. Even amongst the upper echelons of my [Copper Black Cross] or Lily's [Bronze Black Cross], there should be some who are trying to make use of G.o.dou's power somehow." "So to ward off that chaos in advance, you want to unite the followers bearing Kusanagi G.o.dou's flag. From now on, we should also maintain a certain distance from the a.s.sociations we owe allegiance to." Liliana sided with Erica's proposal with well-matched additions. At times like these, the red and blue knights made for a good combination. "But you know, if I want to live peacefully all along, do we really need to go so far?" "G.o.dou, even if you insincerely put on airs as a pacifist, it's completely unconvincing whatsoever." "Refusing to face your own disposition and true nature... I must point out to your face that bad habit of yours, Kusanagi G.o.dou. Hypothetical situations with no hope of coming true are meaningless." Even when tras.h.i.+ng him they coordinated with perfect timing. d.a.m.n them, how could they describe him like a beast starved for blood! Erica ignored G.o.dou's teeth gnas.h.i.+ng and continued. "Then here's a question: From here onward, someone needs to lay down the groundwork in various areas, to enter diplomatic negotiations with the former organizations of girls who choose to follow G.o.dou, and to build an organization characterized by discipline and ambition. I believe that aside from me, Erica Blandelli, there is no other suitable candidate, is that correct?" The question held unshakable conceit. Of course, neither G.o.dou nor Liliana could find words to refute her. "Now, in order to maximize my full potential I will need to travel all over the place. In that case, leaving Lily who excels as both a bodyguard and a housekeeper to support G.o.dou by his side is not a bad choice of personnel deployment." I see, so that's the idea. G.o.dou nodded. "So, G.o.dou, you don't mind if we proceed in that direction, do you?" "I think nothing bad will come off it if I leave matters in your hands, so no. But that Salvatore Doni doesn't have a faction either, does he?" The Campione who was the 'alliance leader' ruling over the magic a.s.sociations of southern Europe. Using soccer as an example, that role would be something close to a national coach. Without a subordinate a.s.sociation, he was served by at most a handful of private staff. However, he was able to summon important magi and knights during times of emergency. Regardless of affiliation, all were under his command. Usually, he neither controlled nor commanded. He was the [King of Swords] ruling southern Europe's world of magic by laissez-faire. Couldn't things work like that for G.o.dou too? Ruling over those who admired him in order to form a faction. Doing things in such an ostentatious manner felt repulsive to G.o.dou. "Imitating that person should prove difficult. Sir Salvatore achieved his position by refusing to aid any individual person or faction. Nor does he form emotional ties with anybody. I don't think you could do the same, could you, G.o.dou?" G.o.dou had to agree with Erica. Certainly. Given his personality, 'not helping anyone' was impossible. Just like the path he had taken so far, he would continue to meet various people, get close to them, become comrades and they would help each other out, no doubt about it! After attending a full day of cla.s.ses as usual, it was now after school. Erica was apparently busy and hurried out of the cla.s.sroom first. G.o.dou, on the other hand, fell into deep thought as he looked at the message he had received on his cellphone. The content of the message was as follows: From: Koudzuki Sakura t.i.tle: 'G.o.doh-kun, help me!' Body: Please! There's another thing I want you to help me with regarding that great devil king from the other day. Could you a.s.sist me? "...What should I say, this stinks of trouble." G.o.dou guessed as much simply from experience rather than a Campione's intuition. A month earlier, he had gone about with his second cousin, Koudzuki Sakura, to search for the great devil king. Amakasu had pa.s.sed the baton to Liliana and, lost as for what to do about it, G.o.dou had suggested 'How about we say... Liliana suddenly had to make an urgent return to Milan,' to roughly bring matters to an end. When he pa.s.sed the word to his naive cousin, she believed him in blind faith. Since then, Sakura never brought up the topic of Liliana again. "What is the matter, Kusanagi G.o.dou?" "Well, the truth is..." He briefly explained the situation when Liliana came to his desk. As one of the people involved and familiar with Sakura's temperament, the silver-haired grand chamberlain frowned lightly. "...This smells of trouble." She voiced the same impression. Well, it should be the right guess. "That's how it is, so I'll go check up on her. Let's split here for today. Since we said you aren't in j.a.pan, it'd be troublesome if you came along." If it was going to be trouble anyway, he should just take it in stride. Liliana pondered G.o.dou's decision for a bit, then said: "No. In that case, why don't we do this..." G.o.dou nodded at the knight's plan and they immediately went into action. About an hour later, G.o.dou arrived at Akinomizu Women's college. It was a famous ladies school in the Bunkyou Ward. A place where a first year high school boy would be intimidated by the mere thought of approaching it. He entered a fast food restaurant near the school and instantly found the one who was waiting for him. G.o.dou quickly headed towards her table. "Ah, G.o.doh-kun! Over here! Long time no see!" Sakura called out to him while waving energetically. Due to her lovely, childish face and diminutive stature, she was often mistaken for a middle schooler. However, the girl next to her was even shorter and had an even more childish face. ...Was she in fifth or sixth year of elementary school? Her graceful features could probably pa.s.s for an artiste. Her long hair was apparently naturally curled and she was wearing a fluttering one-piece dress. Lovely as a doll, the young girl stood out excessively. "Ah, G.o.doh-kun, let me introduce. This is Renjou Fuyuhime-chan, the first friend I made in Tokyo." The introduced elementary school(?) girl snorted with derision. Then she closely scrutinized G.o.dou and said piercingly: "You meant this guy when you mentioned that relative's child who could be of service? He seems conceited." Renjou Fuyuhime's manner of speaking was unusually aggressive. For some reason, her sharp and severe gaze was focused somewhere above G.o.dou's head. "Uhm... do I look that conceited?" "Of course! Why do you tower so high even though you're younger than Sakura and me! Are you trying to tire out my neck, forcing me to look up at you, is that it!?!" Her complaints were like an outburst of anger delivered with all her might. The girl called Renjou Fuyuhime seemed to possess a complex over her lack of height. And while only sixteen years old, G.o.dou stood almost 180cm tall. Was that the reason for the unreasonable remark just now? No, wait, there was one more important remark. 'Younger than Sakura and me'? "Are you perhaps the friend in the same year that taught Sakura about magic...?" "Ah, you remembered? That's right. Fuyuhime-chan is my magic teacher. She's sooo knowledgeable and teaches me new things all the time!" G.o.dou looked at Fuyuhime in astonishment. He had never expected to meet anyone more child-faced than Sakura. The wonders of nature never ceased to amaze. Come to think of it, Miyama-san in the cla.s.s next door also looked like a little child. But rather than being of the same age, Fuyuhime was older instead... At this point G.o.dou suddenly noticed. Her family name was "Renjou." That meant she was— "Hey! What are you doing, staring at people!" Fuyuhime suddenly told him off. Without conscious intent, G.o.dou had been staring at her doll-like face. "Ahhh, you weren't thinking something impertinent, were you!? Like, you're so short or midget or shorty or something!" "Calm down, Fuyuhime-chan! G.o.doh-kun may be tall, but he would never make fun of you." G.o.dou ignored Sakura and the fuming Fuyuhime and went straight to the point. "Leaving that aside, Sakura-san, what did you want my help for?" "Ah, right. Uhm, actually Fuyuhime-chan finally decided to tell me the name of the fearsome great devil king. Previously, she had been agonizing in fear of getting me involved." G.o.dou's wariness heightened. He hadn't been found out, had he? Had the overly naive cousin found out Kusanagi G.o.dou's secret? "Around a week ago, news was received that Toushouguu in Nikkou had started repair work, right? Apparently the one who destroyed that place was also the great devil king, so Fuyuhime-chan got really scared. That person might also do something horrible to her." "But Sakura said she'd accompany me to visit that great devil king who commits every evil imaginable." As Sakura nestled closer to her, Fuyuhime face's brimmed with resolve. G.o.dou became even more nervous. If she belonged to the "Renjou family," she would know his name for sure. She wouldn't say it, would she!? She wouldn't say that name in front of the very campione in question, would she!? "That's why I have made my decision! I won't run anymore and before I fall to his evil grasp, I'll go to him first and give him a good piece of my mind! I will resist that hated enemy of womankind, 'Kusasagi Goroh'!" Kusasagi Goroh...? G.o.dou felt like he was completely drained. Who the heck was that!? "So you see, G.o.doh-kun. Fuyuhime-chan has already investigated the people close to Kusasagi-san. We decided we will now go around and demand his location from those people... Would you please come with us?" Sakura asked him with those subconsciously pleading eyes. As the saying goes, if eating poison don't forget to lick the plate. But was this also part of it...? While exhausted, G.o.dou nodded and agreed to go along with Sakura and Fuyuhime. They got rid of the trash as was customary in fast food restaurants. While the two college girls were gone with their trays, Liliana whispered into G.o.dou's ear. 'I wonder what the deal is with that Renjou girl? I believe she belongs to one of the four families, Sayanomiya, Seishuuin, Kuhoudzuka, and Renjou, that have deep ties with the History Compilation Committee.' "Yeah, I thought so," G.o.dou whispered back. Liliana was using [Concealment] magic. Last time, she had used the same spell to become invisible on the grounds of Nanao Shrine. That was how she had been following G.o.dou secretly. "But it's strange how she remembered my name like that... Come to think of it, Amakasu-san said something about using memory tampering magic to confuse her. Could that be the reason?" That night after G.o.dou had gone to Aoyama with Sakura, Amakasu Touma had mentioned over the phone. At that time, he had said something about using hypnotism magic. 'Really? That would be worrisome. If you use that kind of spell on someone who understands magic, their memories could come back at the slightest chance impetus.' "Eh!?" If that was true, the deception wasn't really reliable at all. 'It seems better if I confirm matters with Amakasu Touma first. If possible, I will also confirm with Sayanomiya Kaoru at the History Compilation Committee. I will take my leave here and visit those people. Is that all right?' "Yes, thanks. I'll continue keeping an eye on the situation with these two for now." G.o.dou felt Liliana's presence fade away. Having gotten rid of their trays, Sakura and Fuyuhime returned shortly. Rather than full of motivation, it would probably be more accurate to describe their faces as fulfilled looking. Part 3 Under Fuyuhime's leaders.h.i.+p, G.o.dou and Sakura came to Akihabara. Rather than an electronics district, it had evolved in recent years into more of a town for niche hobbyists. Fuyuhime entered a store located in the outskirts away from the main street, Chuuoudoori. The building before their eyes was a hub of a mult.i.tude of businesses. The signboard was obvious to the eye. 'Maid Cafe - CurePure' 'Innocent Maid Tea House - Disruption' 'Maid Yum Cha Chamber - Peerless Statesman' 'Maid Relaxation - Go To Heaven' 'Maid Dispatch Service - Plutonium Thermal' ... Apparently they were all shops and businesses with the concept of maids. G.o.dou then remembered his three cla.s.smates Nanami, Sorimachi and Takagi. Those guys had suggested for the cla.s.s to do a 'school swimsuit maid cafe' during the next school festival. Needless to say, the girls rebuffed them. "Could you tell me why we came to such a place?" "Apparently the disciple of the great devil king, the campione, frequents this place." Fuyuhime replied to G.o.dou with great emphasis in tone. He didn't remember having a disciple, so what was this about? "1-1 wonder, a disciple of the devil king would be a magic pract.i.tioner, wouldn't he?" "That's not what I heard. At the mere age of three, he made a splendid display of his unarmed skills in front of a kungfu-type Campione who proceeded to remark 'This child is truly a prodigy, most gifted and showing great promise!' and thus accepted him as a disciple." Hearing Fuyuhime and Sakura's exchange, G.o.dou thought to himself. He had an idea of the woman who would attach undue importance to such lines. Are they referring to that particular guy? Given that eccentric misogynist, how could he possibly be a regular customer at a maid cafe... but before his thoughts could finish. A boy pa.s.sed before his eyes and entered the multi-tenant building. Unmistakable. Staring at the profile of the boy's face, G.o.dou really knew him. However, the shadow of obstinacy and arrogance disappeared from his handsome features as soon as he spotted G.o.dou. "If it isn't my Honored Uncle! What brings you to this place?" The moment he noticed G.o.dou, the boy called out with a surprised expression. The only person in the world to call G.o.dou 'Honored Uncle,' his name was Lu Yinghua. He was the young master of Hong Kong's Lu family and also the personal disciple of the Demonic Cult Leader Luo Cuilian. "The reason I am in j.a.pan, and Akihabara at that, is for business and business alone." Lu Yinghua told them as he brought a cold oolong tea to his lips. After their sudden reunion, he had led G.o.dou's group to the Maid Yum Cha House 'Peerless Statesman.' With that, they occupied a table and began the conversation. Furthermore, once everyone had taken a seat, maids immediately served drinks to them. "My Lu family has already established bases in j.a.pan at s.h.i.+njuku and Ikebukuro, you know. In order to expand into the prosperous district of Akihabara, we started running this building." "...Could your family be behind all the maid-whatevers here?" "Yes. We entrusted things to my boys stationed here and it ended up like this. At the time, I mentioned it might be better to sell cheap PC parts or doujins.h.i.+^ to attract customers, but my boys got all excited about the maid theme park, so, yeah, I thought it wouldn't hurt to try and gave the okay." He sounded more like the boss of a new venture than the triads. So that was the kind of business his family dealt with in such a place. And apparently, people like the Three Idiots existed everywhere... While G.o.dou was impressed by Lu Yinghua's explanation, Sakura interjected. "Hey, hey, G.o.doh-kun. This boy calls you uncle. Is he maybe part of our clan? Although I've never met him at New Year's..." The Kusanagi family had a custom to get together every New Year's to catch up and renew old friends.h.i.+p. Not only the main family, but even the branch families gathered there from all over the country. This enabled one to remember the names and faces of essentially all the relatives, whether by blood or marriage. "There are all kinds of delicate circ.u.mstances. Please don't probe any further, Sakura-san." "...Ah. I see. It must be Grandpa or Aunt Mayo or Uncle Genzou... Your side of the family is also quite complicated, isn't it? Alright, I understand!" Sakura accepted G.o.dou's half-baked excuse with a nod. At times like this, G.o.dou was amazed he could actually feel thankful for the notorious reputations of his grandfather and both his parents. On the other hand, on hearing this exchange, Lu Yinghua turned to Sakura for the first time. "What, you're one of my Honored Uncle's relatives? Excuse my rudeness. Hey, somebody, get some food over here!" He had ignored the girls, Fuyuhime and Sakura, so far, but as soon as he learned of Sakura's ident.i.ty, he immediately became extremely courteous. Very soon, a maid came over with a tray carrying some dim sum. Xiaolongbao^, shrimp dumplings^, pork dumplings^, mini-sized steamed buns with pork filling, steamed peach-shaped buns filled with custard cream... These colorful and exquisitely shaped articles of food were laid out all over the table. G.o.dou picked a shrimp dumpling as a test. Delicious. The fresh and springy texture of the shrimp was out-of-this-world. In contrast to the maid uniforms, the taste was authentic Chinese. "G.o.doh-kun, he is such a good boy, right!" Sakura was overcome with emotion from being treated to the superb dim sum. On the other hand, Fuyuhime was harshly glaring at Lu Yinghua all the while. "Enough of this trivial stuff, tell us where Kusasagi Goroh is! I already investigated beforehand, you are that Campione's disciple, no doubt about it!" "...What?" Lu Yinghua narrowed his eyes at Fuyuhime's domineering att.i.tude. G.o.dou did not fail to catch the shadow of killing intent that flashed for an instant. "Miss, you said something strange right now. I am who's what? And with that conceited tone of yours? Since you're in my Honored Uncle's company, I'll let the first time slide. Should there be a second time, prepare yourself for the consequences." "...Hya!" The rather quiet warning sent Fuyuhime cowering back in fear. Lu Yinghua relaxed his dreadful glare after G.o.dou casually winked at him. "...Well, let's leave it at that. I have some mundane business to attend to, so please excuse me. Honored Uncle, I hope to speak to you alone on a separate occasion. I would like to rely on your extraordinary insight for a certain matter. Now, take care." Lu Yinghua stood up from his seat and departed after performing a martial arts salute. After that, they waited for the s.h.i.+vering Fuyuhime to recover and left the shop together. Outside the building, the pet.i.te yet domineering girl finally opened her mouth. "H-He was more difficult than expected. Let's ignore this place and proceed to the next destination." "Fuyuhime-chan, are you alright? Stay strong!" Sakura directed words of encouragement at Fuyuhime who had set out towards a new goal. "O-Of course I'm alright! I am still the heiress to the Renjou family of distinguished pedigree. As if I'd lose to that gangster from Hong Kong!" Hong Kong's Lu family was reputedly in the business of heroic outlaws (Chinese triads), and hence a clan who operated extrajudicially. Fuyuhime's words revealed that she also knew his background. Right, wasn't she also the one who had instructed Sakura in ancient German? Equipped with such knowledge, should she be treated as a member of the four families after all? Blissfully unaware of G.o.dou's evaluations, Fuyuhime led the group to Toranomon station. Their destination was a shrine not far from there. Entering the grounds of Nanao Shrine required a climb of 300 stone steps. It was the place where G.o.dou's acquaintance worked as a miko -- Looks like Fuyuhime really checked up on me beforehand. Next to the nodding G.o.dou, Fuyuhime explained to Sakura: "Located here are two miko that Kusasagi Goroh has made into his playthings. Furthermore, they are sisters and the younger one is still in elementary school! Can you believe that!?" "Heh!? That's so dirty, such a thing! As a person, that is no, no good!" Don't comment. Don't inject unnecessary emotions. G.o.dou desperately tried to keep his feelings in check. While complaining about the man-eating demon who wore the skin of a man, the two college girls entered the grounds. G.o.dou followed wordlessly. Along the way, Fuyuhime repeatedly tried to call out whenever they met a s.h.i.+nto priest. But the priests quickly left after greeting with a nod. Even when Fuyuhime called them to stop, they did not stay. "Th-th-the-th-the daughter of the Renjou has arrived! How can these people be so rude!?" Fuyuhime was angry, but her anger was ill-judged. The priests were actually running away because they saw G.o.dou... In fact, this was the usual reaction. Unless G.o.dou himself called to them, they would never approach on their own initiative. In the meantime, the group arrived before the oratory hall. The precinct was entirely covered with gravel. Two girls in miko attire were standing around. Naturally, they were the Mariya sisters. "Ah, Onii-sama! Welcome! What brings you here today?" "Well, if you were going to come, you should have said so... I will prepare tea right away." Mariya Hikari waved to him with a cheerful, dazzling smile. Mariya Yuri welcomed him with a graceful, refined smile. The sisters showed their affection for G.o.dou each in her own way. It was a thing to be treasured. Lately, the little sister Hikari often said 'One day, I will also join Onii-sama by your side, so when the time comes, please love me like the others without distinction.' It sounded a bit strange, perhaps that was her own way of expressing attachment? When the older sister heard that, her face turned troubled, but remained beautiful and gentle as always. Ever since the conclusion of the battle with the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, G.o.dou felt the bonds between him and Yuri had mysteriously strengthened. The atmosphere was just right, or they had gotten used to each other... Even without saying much, just by being in the same room, they felt vaguely fulfilled. That was the feeling. But, that aside, there was the current problem of his two fellow travelers. "Oh? They are also friends of G.o.doh-kun's? Somehow the coincidences keep continuing—" "Ah, yeah. There are days where you meet friends one after another like this, aren't there? I'm quite surprised too." When Sakura pointed it out, G.o.dou could only make a lame excuse. His naive cousin innocently laughed 'Yepyep. Because you're always doing good deeds, the G.o.ds must have rewarded you.' The beauty of her soul was magnificent. Renjou Fuyuhime, on the other hand, kept quietly shooting doubtful stares at G.o.dou. "Ahh... I'm not here today for anything in particular. These two said they had business here so I'm simply accompanying them. Apparently, they're looking for someone." The Mariya sisters nodded "huh?" at G.o.dou's explanation. With that, Fuyuhime recovered her original vigor and sharply declared: "You are the Mariya sisters, huh? I am Renjou Fuyuhime. You should know of me, right, the daughter and heiress of the Renjou family, a position even higher than you hime-miko, right? Listen, I must meet that brutish devil king, that campione, Kusasagi Goroh. Call him here at once!" As always, her manner of speaking was meaninglessly self-important. However, the Mariya sisters were not impressed. They simply inclined their heads and looked at Fuyuhime in wonderment like some sort of rare beast, then proceeded to glance at G.o.dou. Indeed, the Campione in question was standing right beside them. One would not normally make such a demand. The sisters were probably perplexed as well. G.o.dou made a troubled face and shook his head. Thereupon Hikari instantly replied. "Ehm... I'm sorry, but that is forbidden." Although she was in the sixth year of elementary school, she was admirably smart. She had already grasped the situation. I'm saved... Just as G.o.dou thought so, Hikari pressed on. "And I'm sorry again. I believe the Renjou family has not yet named their successor. Some time ago, Ena-oneesama from the Seishuuin said so." What? In that case, Fuyuhime was not a wizard related to the Renjou family...? G.o.dou was surprised. Fuyuhime on the other hand looked angry as her lips began to twitch. "Th-that's not true! I will become the next head of the Renjou family! What's the deal with you anyway, just because that dirty campione has been a tiny bit affectionate with you, you belittle others? Listen, the Renjou are one of the four families, we're not someone you can make fun—" Although she spoke faster and faster with greater intensity, she had lost all momentum by the end. With an awfully scared look on her face, she gulped down her jeers. She looked as miserable as a dog with its tail between its legs. But she was not the only one scared. Mariya Hikari was also looking in terror at the elder sister next to her. "The successor to the Renjou family - is that what you said you were?" Mariya Yuri was whispering calmly, with the beauty of sagacity itself. "Then I shall converse with you as if you were an informed descendant of the four families. Your current behavior is an affront to the devil king whom our nation has addressed as the Rakshasa monarch since ancient times, as well as to those who serve him with reverence. Showing the appropriate respect in regards to him is the foundation of manners, it is a custom. One who cannot comply to that is not qualified to be a member of the four families. Know some shame!" As Yuri reprimanded, her beautiful face displayed the imposing intensity of a yaks.h.i.+ni.^ G.o.dou reflexively ducked. Only Sakura was tilting her head in puzzlement. Completely unfazed by Yuri's pressure, Sakura's inability to read the mood was truly magnificent. "Furthermore, your inability to show respect to us miko who have inherited the t.i.tle of Hime const.i.tutes impudence unbecoming of the four families. Leave. You are not qualified to stand on the holy grounds of Nanao Shrine." She flatly deported Fuyuhime. As expected of a Hi me- Miko. She possessed solemnity and sublimity beyond any normal young lady. At some point, Fuyuhime was on the verge of tears. Although she had been so domineering in att.i.tude, she turned out to be not that courageous after all. G.o.dou decided to step forward and offer her an escape route. "I'm sorry for my companion's weird demands. She'll come apologize another time, so we'll take our leave now. Come on, Sakura, let's take your friend and go. See you later!" The forcible goodbye brought down the curtains. Patting his cousin on the shoulder, he prompted her to take Fuyuhime along. Along with the two girls, G.o.dou left the Mariya sisters behind. He decided to send them a text message later to apologize and explain the situation... "Fuyuhime-chan, if you ask the way you did earlier, anyone would get angry-. You need to do it gently!" "1-1 know! B-But those hime-miko earlier were just too rude!" The group of G.o.dou, Sakura and Fuyuhime was on the move. This time they were on the way to Aoyama. "Could you tell me why we are going there?" "Urgs. Since long ago there have been many magic pract.i.tioners near Aoyama Doori. I heard lately an evil witch, an a.s.sociate and mistress of Kusasagi Goroh, has been hanging around there lately. *Sniffle* I will capture that woman and this time I will find that devil king for sure!" Fuyuhime answered G.o.dou's question while sniffling. She looked like she would cry if she relaxed. Apparently she was rather incompetent. Standing next to her, G.o.dou thought: She had managed it twice, a third time would certainly follow... They entered a small side street a bit away from Aoyama Doori. Street stalls and little shops sat in rows. It was the area where G.o.dou had come with Sakura for her question one month before. Fuyuhime was heading for the focus store [Kogetsudou] in one corner of that area, explaining that the female shopkeeper there was like the representative of the Aoyama neighborhood. When they came to the shop, G.o.dou pressed his ear against the door. He tried to hear what was going on inside. Fuyuhime and Sakura seemed surprised by his suspicious behavior, but they still copied him. They heard two women talking. 'In short, you are trying to get the latest scoop about the Committee from me?' 'Could you phrase it more pleasantly please? What I want are details of a personal nature rather than anything of crucial importance. Such as, which girlfriends Sayanomiya Kaoru went on dates with last week, or that Amakasu-san actually has a wife and kids, that kind of stuff. Of course, if you come across any latest news, you can always tell me later.' 'You've already paid me for my services and you're satisfied with this little? I love helping people, you know.' Tm pleased by your offer, but your prowess is not sufficient to hide things from the Committee. Even someone better than you would find them difficult to handle... And all I want to know are those people's interests and personalities. Whether as enemies or friends, knowing more can only be beneficial." They were smack-dab in the middle of a clandestine conversation. Earlier that morning, that particular girl had mentioned plans for a "Round Table." Of course, the plan also included reconstructing their relations.h.i.+p with the History Compilation Committee. In accordance with that plan, she was gathering useful information in order to conquer them? G.o.dou was greatly impressed. Like Liliana had said, Erica was really diligent when it came to matters she judged essential. Then Renjou Fuyuhime took a deep breath before the door. With a determined expression, she reached for the door k.n.o.b and vigorously threw it open. "I've finally found you, Italian witch who serves the devil king Kusasagi Goroh! You might feel like you are something big because they call you [Diavolo Rosso] or whatever, but to me you're as good as dead! Obediently tell me where the Campione lives!" Having finished this declaration in one breath, Fuyuhime was subjected to the inquisitive stares of the people inside, the shopkeeper of [Kogetsudou] and Erica Blandelli. The Milan-born blonde beauty smiled with great amus.e.m.e.nt. "...G.o.dou, I leave you alone for just a few hours and you already found someone with such distinctive talents. What in the world is the idea here? She is together with the Campione, Kusanagi G.o.dou, and yet she asks me to tell her his address?" Of course, Fuyuhime and Sakura heard her response loud and clear. Part 4 "Hm, what do you mean by that?" Sakura inclined her head, bewildered. G.o.dou's head was spinning about how he should fix this, when... His cousin suddenly collapsed to her knees and fell forward like a puppet with its strings cut. Hurrying before her, G.o.dou found her peacefully asleep, breathing calmly. "Looks like I made it just in time." Someone spoke behind him. That husky and seductive voice belonged to someone he knew. He turned around to find Sayanomiya Kaoru standing there. Liliana, whom he had parted with a few hours earlier, was also present. "Letting the situation deteriorate any further would be troublesome, so I magically put Koudzuki Sakura to sleep," reported Liliana as she approached. "Fuyuhime, regarding your problematic behavior, you will be properly lectured and punished accordingly." "Wan... P-P-Please forgive me, Kaoru! I'll definitely be a good girl from now on!" "No way. How many times have you tricked me with those words? Please come this way, G.o.dou-san, and everyone else as well." Kaoru was speaking with a refres.h.i.+ng smile while Fuyuhime was cowering in panic. Fed up with the whole affair, Liliana sighed. G.o.dou and Erica blankly exchanged glances. Leaving Sakura to continue sleeping in the care of the [Kogetsudou] shopkeeper, they went outside. Since there was little vehicular traffic in these parts, it was fine for the group to gather on the side of the road. G.o.dou, Erica, Liliana and Fuyuhime stood around Kaoru as she started the conversation. "I only became aware of the situation because Liliana paid me a home visit. As you may have guessed, Fuyuhime here is indeed the Renjou family's eldest daughter. Originally, she was meant to become the next family head like Ena or me or Kuhodzuka's Mikihiko-san and work for the History Compilation Committee." Kaoru brought up names of important people that G.o.dou and the others knew. Come to think of it, due to being controlled like a puppet by the witch Asherah, Mr. Kuhoudzuka Mikihiko's mind and body had been severely weakened, and he was currently being treated at a Committee-affiliated hospital. "Unfortunately, Fuyuhime's body has an exotic const.i.tution which cannot store magical power. Unable to use spellcasting techniques , she was not chosen as a hime-miko, naturally." G.o.dou recalled Salvatore Doni's past. That man apparently suffered from the same condition before he became a Campione. "Well, it's actually not a requirement for a head of the four families to be an excellent spellcaster. As long as she made a clean break and focused herself on the duties of an organization head, it would've been fine. However, Fuyuhime developed quite a complex over her dwarfishness and inability to cast spells... Consequently, she always had difficulty getting along with others and was thus unsuited for field work, resulting in the current situation." The talentless Fuyuhime had put her all into studying and apparently stockpiled a great amount of knowledge related to wizardry. But what she desired were "practical" techniques. It was such a sad story that G.o.dou could not help but pity her. "Well, she is a troublemaker who disclosed G.o.dou-san's information to his relative sleeping inside there, so I'm not 100% sympathetic." "The one who made her mis-remember Kusanagi G.o.dou's name, must have been Amakasu Touma after all." Liliana added as Kaoru shrugged beside her. "Were Renjou Fuyuhime a normal wizard, she would likely regain her memories. However, for someone on a layman's level, the probability isn't that high. His measures were appropriate." Hence, Liliana and Sayanomiya Kaoru had decided to subdue the out-of-control Fuyuhime directly. Brought up to date on the situation, Erica nodded. "...Looks like all sorts of amusing things happened. So Kaoru-san, how are you going to punish this troublesome girl? You're not going to acquit her of all charges, are you? "Let's see... maybe we should call in a hime-miko specializing in the spirit power of mental manipulation to give her amnesia..." Kaoru's dangerous suggestion made Fuyuhime cower and tremble again. "Oh poor thing, maybe I'll simply throw her into a nunnery to train for a decade so she can spend all her time to reflect and improve her character... How about that?" "Ka-Ka-Ka-Ka-Kaoru! W-W-We are childhood friends, right? Are you going to throw me to the wolves?" "As one of the organization leaders, I have to prioritize discipline over personal ties. Showing you leniency would set a bad example." Kaoru shot a glance at G.o.dou at this point. It was a meaningful look. "Actually, she didn't cause me any real trouble, so can't she be forgiven this once? About me being a Campione... The only one she told was Sakura-san anyway." The whole commotion was like a farce. However, if they let Fuyuhime off too easily, it might happen again. Feeling he had more or less grasped Kaoru's intentions, G.o.dou had cut in. "It's not quite fair for me to speak, considering I'm her relative and all... But even if Sakura knew about devil kings or something, I don't think she'd be able to do anything major." "The king hath spoken! In that case, she shall be granted a special pardon." Kaoru bowed her head in reverence then turned around to Fuyuhime. "That's how it is, so let us express our utmost grat.i.tude to the king. There will not be a second time! You've also heard lots about how fierce G.o.dou-san can be, right?" "W-What's going on? Why are you bowing down to a commoner, Kaoru!?" "That's because G.o.dou-san here is Mr. Kusanagi G.o.dou, the very one we call the Campione. Hasn't Amakasu-san's [Derangement] spell worn off yet?" "HIHHH! l-l-l-ls that how it was?" About to faint from shock, Fuyuhime fell on her backside. Her legs had given out. Nevertheless, she continued to look up at G.o.dou and stuttered as she tried to say something. "Uhhh-uhm, I didn't mean it, but c-c-c-corporal punishment or chastis.e.m.e.nt is still in order, right? It must be something terrible, right!? Of course, as a daughter of the Renjou, I will resolutely accept punishment, but p-p-painful or scary things are a bi— " "It's fine already. Nothing is going to happen." She had become inarticulate and her choice of words was baffling. Still, something resembling Fuyuhime's grat.i.tude made it across. When G.o.dou nodded generously, Kaoru also made a wry smile. "Well, this concludes the incident. G.o.dou-san, Liliana-san, Erica-san, sorry for the trouble and thank you for your cooperation." "You're very welcome. I think it was a worthwhile opportunity for me to find out what an open-minded person you are, Kaoru-san." The one who replied like the mistress of the house was Erica, naturally. Despite having done virtually nothing, her att.i.tude was grandiose. She freely showed off her subconscious talent for taking the spotlight, no matter the time and place. "No matter the kind of relations.h.i.+p, dealing with disingenuous people is simply unpleasant. But with Kaoru-san and Amakasu-san, I should not be bored, at least." "You're welcome. ...Ah, right, G.o.dou-san." At the end, Kaoru asked him with a sly smile. "Why not simply add Fuyuhime to the ranks of your army of paramours one day? It seems like the next step." "What next step!? Please stop joking around before this turns into another weird rumor!" A few days later in the Kusanagi residence. Together with Sakura whom they had invited for dinner, G.o.dou and s.h.i.+zuka were sitting around the dining table. As a side note, their grandfather was away on some business. In the master of the kitchen's absence, the siblings and the cousin had made dry curry^ and salad, together with all kinds of oven-roasted vegetables for just the three of them. "After that-, Fuyuhime-chan has completely calmed down-." With a smile all over her face, Sakura reported her friend's recent state. Because she didn't like spicy things, that night's curry was made especially sweet for her. "She says that thanks to talking things over and receiving care from her distinguished childhood friend, she doesn't need to seek G.o.doh-kun's help anymore." "I see. That's good to hear," G.o.dou perfunctorily answered and put some curry in his mouth. After the events, G.o.dou had returned to [Kogetsudou] alone to wake up his cousin. He explained that Fuyuhime had been called by her family and had left already. When Sakura wondered why she had fallen asleep, he simply tricked her by saying it was probably anemia. Now, as for Erica's statement she had heard just before falling asleep... 'Did that girl say something about G.o.doh-kun?' 'Nope, I think you misheard.' Sakura firmly believed his arbitrary explanation. Next to him, the shopkeeper of [Kogetsudou] was listening with a ghastly pale face, but of course, she did not interrupt Kusanagi G.o.dou. "Hmm. Looks like Onii-chan was a little useful to Sakura-chan." s.h.i.+zuka's self-important comment caused Sakura to nod with a big smile on her face. "Yep. G.o.dou is really reliable... Ah, right. Lately, Fuyuhime-chan frequently furrows her brow in deep thought..." G.o.dou had a bad premonition as he tasted the dry curry. Too sweet! Just as he thought, he really should have spiced up his own portion. "Fuyuhime-chan said, you know, 'As I thought, maybe I should maximize my charms as a woman to aim for the top. I need to use everything at my disposal...' And she asked me to give this to you, G.o.doh-kun." With that, Sakura held out a letter. "Somehow, Fuyuhime-chan wants to become penpals with G.o.doh-kun to develop a closer relations.h.i.+p. And some day she must obtain a high enough position surpa.s.sing that distinguished childhood friend, she said. I don't really get what she means though." Sakura probably did not understand the true meaning of her friend's words for real. Smiling without a care in the world, she handed the letter over. G.o.dou found her smile too dazzling, while s.h.i.+zuka's severe gaze looked like trouble. "What's this about, Onii-chan? I thought you were discussing things with Sakura-chan, so how did it come to this? Explain the situation properly!" Of course, G.o.dou had no intention of answering his little sister's request. Carelessly muttering 'now what might that be about', he single-mindedly munched his curry. And then it struck him. His grandfather was strangely competent at playing the fool when things got inconvenient. Surely, it had to be a skill honed through one too many similar experiences. References 1 . t trying not to step on someone's shadow: In (j.a.panese?) magic, shadows have several meanings. One is the element opposing light, but it is also viewed as part of the soul. As such, it is sometimes seen as rude to step on the shadow of others, especially superiors. Alternatively, it's a reference to a j.a.panese children's game where a child, the it, needs to step on one of the other children's shadows to make that child it, rinse and repeat. 2. t Replica Round Table at Winchester Castle: Ask Wikihttp://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Castle 3. t http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C5%8Djins.h.i.+ 4. t Xiaolongbao: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaolongbao 5. t Shrimp dumplings: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Har_gow 6. t Pork dumplings: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shumai 7. t Yaks.h.i.+ni: a broad cla.s.s of female nature spirits from Hindu mythology, known to be beautiful but vengeful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaks.h.i.+ni 8. t Dry Curry:http://justhungry.com/j.a.panese-dry-curry