"Your Excellency Seitenshi, are you really alright?"
"I'm fine, really. I just twisted my ankle."
"But, Your Excellency, your face is quite red."
"It's nothing. I just startled myself."
"Then I'll call a doctor immediately!"
"No, no need. I'm not injured, just a bit shocked. I'll be fine after a moment. Captain Yasuwaki, you can leave now. Please close the door behind you."
"But… alright."
At Seitenshi's firm insistence, Takuto Yasuwaki, captain of her personal guard, reluctantly left her room, closing the door as he went.
Once Takuto Yasuwaki shut the door, Seitenshi hurriedly got out of bed, locked the door from the inside to prevent him from re-entering, and let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew, "
"That was terrifying."
Having her panties seen by Altair caused Seitenshi to scream in embarrassment, drawing the attention of her personal guard. Takuto Yasuwaki and his team rushed into the room, thinking something had happened to her. Seitenshi quickly covered it up with an excuse.
After ushering the guards out and locking the door, Seitenshi finally relaxed.
"From the outside, you'd never guess that Captain Yasuwaki, your guard, is a murderer who takes pleasure in shooting Cursed Children."
Altair's voice came again. Seitenshi turned to see him in the same casual pose as before, leaning against the balcony wall.
When she had screamed earlier, the guards outside had immediately knocked on the door. Panicked and unsure what to do, Seitenshi had wanted Altair to hide. But when she turned her head, he was gone. Now, with the door just closed, he reappeared. How did he do it? Was he climbing the outer wall?
Of course not. Altair had simply stayed silent for ten seconds, activating his [Passerby Heroine] passive ability. He had been there the whole time, not moving an inch, so there was no need to escape.
"What you said… is it true? About Captain Yasuwaki…"
"If you don't believe me, I can arrange for you to see it for yourself. How about a trip to District 39 to witness him slaughtering those children?"
"No… that won't be necessary…"
The thought of such a bloody scene drained the color from Seitenshi's face.
"So, what do you think should be done with him?"
"I…"
Seitenshi was at a loss for words. Truthfully, Takuto Yasuwaki, as her guard captain, had always protected her safety, as far as she knew. She felt she should be grateful to someone who ensured her security. Yet, according to Altair, he was a murderer, not of just one, but many.
This left her unable to decide.
"Your Excellency, you know, there are two types of people I despise most."
"Two types?"
"Yes. One is the saint, and the other is the sanctimonious hypocrite."
"Uh…"
Seitenshi wasn't entirely sure what a sanctimonious hypocrite was, but she knew what a saint was. She didn't consider herself one, but from Altair's tone, she felt he was scolding her. Was she a hypocrite, then?
She felt insulted, after all, "hypocrite" didn't sound like a compliment, but she couldn't argue back.
"Your Excellency, I came to see you because I want to give you a test. If you pass it, I'll fully support you in achieving your dreams. If you fail, I'll find someone else to help realize theirs."
Altair raised his right hand and, in front of Seitenshi, reached into a spatial pocket, slowly drawing out his Ship-Slaying Blade. To ensure she could see clearly, he deliberately slowed his movements.
"Most people would think I'm boasting, so I'll show you something to prove myself. Otherwise, you might later claim I didn't warn you or that I was unfair."
With that, Altair pulled a magic stone from his spatial pocket and sliced it cleanly with the blade's glowing edge, tossing the split stone toward Seitenshi.
It wasn't about showing her what a magic stone was but demonstrating how powerful his weapon was, cutting through a stone as hard as diamond with a single stroke.
Seitenshi watched this series of actions with astonishment.
"Now, Your Excellency, it's time for your answer. Knowing your guard captain is a murderer, will you give him the punishment he deserves, or let him go to kill a few more innocent children outside?"
Returning the Ship-Slaying Blade to his spatial pocket, Altair crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, awaiting Seitenshi's response.
Seitenshi understood clearly now. Altair had given her two choices: either punish the murderer Takuto Yasuwaki or let him continue his killing spree. Choosing the former would make her a champion of justice; choosing the latter would make her an indirect executioner.
"Is there no other option?"
Seitenshi tried to find another way.
"If you have a better idea, feel free to share it. But if it doesn't satisfy me, you'll have no hope. So, if you want to propose something else, you'd better think it through carefully."
Altair didn't believe his options were the best, only that they were his preference, simple and direct. If Seitenshi had a better idea, she could voice it, but he doubted this naive girl could come up with anything substantial. If she had, she wouldn't have proposed something as hollow as the Cursed Children Protection Act.
Seitenshi hesitated at his words. She wanted to express her own ideas, but recalling Altair's earlier points, she feared they'd be deemed a failure if she spoke them.
With no other choice, Seitenshi took a deep breath and made her decision.
"I choose to punish Takuto Yasuwaki. If he truly kills those children without cause, I'll hold him accountable to give justice to those who died by his hand."
Seitenshi's answer greatly satisfied Altair.
"Excellent. Congratulations, you've passed my test. From now on, I'll help you achieve your dreams and protect Tokyo. However, in return, I'll hold you to high standards. If you fail to meet them, I'll abandon you without hesitation."
The test was real. This world was vast, and though Altair was invincible alone, a single misstep could lead to many innocent girls dying needlessly. He needed a base of operations, just as he had relied on a nation in Highschool of the Dead or seized Kōkin Station in Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress.
Tokyo was the base Altair had chosen.
And why Tokyo? A beautiful high school girl as an ally was far preferable to some grizzled old man!
"Thank you."
A smile spread across Seitenshi's face.
"Um, I still don't know your name."
"My name?"
Altair drew his Ship-Slaying Blade again, planting it in the ground. From his spatial pocket, he pulled out a flag, the banner of his Familia, prepared when he established it. Holding the sword's hilt in his right hand and the flagpole in his left, he stood with the balcony behind him, sunlight framing him as the flag fluttered without wind.
"Captain of the Hestia Familia, the Knight King, Altair!"
***
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