At any rate. I came here because Sirzechs asked me for a favor."
"A favor?" Shirou raised an eyebrow at that. "Didn't we start this because you wanted to get back at him?"
"This isn't to help him directly. The thing is… Koneko is going through an existential crisis, kind of. It seems Rias doesn't know how to handle it, so her brother asked me if you could go and talk with her."
"I see, but why me of all people? Just like Rias, I'm not a psychologist, y'know."
"You too got quite close, there's no denying that. Of course, he also had Issei called since he's apparently training in the mountains with the dragon King Tannin. If anything, paying a visit to the Gremory will be a valuable experience."
The auburn-haired boy was about to object, but he finally saw what she was getting at and had to hide his wicked grin as well.
"When will I be heading off then?"
"Our territories are relatively close, so you'll be there by evening if you head off after lunch. You'll take the Sitri's private subway, stop-over in Lucifad, and take the Gremory's private subway."
"So, I'll be staying there for a night, huh? I guess I should start packing." Seeing the state in which everyone else was he was sure the morning session was over.
The travel to the Gremory was uneventful perse. He was completely on his own so things could work the way they intended, leaving him to find the way to the other subway with the only help of a map, but nothing he couldn't handle.
The concerning part was crossing the city of Lucifad. He wasn't as famous as Serafall, but if someone by any chance recognized him, it would certainly be problematic. That's why he used Haniel to change his appearance a little.
With that sorted, he took his time to walk around the city… and everything he saw was within his expectations. Putting aside all the memorial monuments it had as the city where the civil war ended, most of it was as modern as the cities like Tokyo or Los Angeles. However, like in all the cities of the human world, he found a part that wasn't doing that well.
The slums. All the people living there were basically low-class devils that didn't belong to a noble house. Compared to the places he was used to see, the criminality was quite low, but the reason was obvious.
Those poor souls couldn't assault the citizens with valuable things on them due to the difference in power. That was the problem with this society of classes based on power. Raising in this society was even harder than in your regular capitalist one due to the fact that someone's talent is determined the moment they're born.
Shirou himself was the proof that talent wasn't the only thing that mattered, but if you have to dedicate the 24 hours of the day to survive in the streets, there was no way someone could train and acquire the experience to make up for it.
His lack of devil aura helped him to blend in and experience it firsthand. The looks he received from pretty much everyone that seemed to be in a financially stable situation were the same you would give to a pile of scum laying in the middle of the street.
He didn't mind the looks directed at him. Staring back with an unfazed look was more than enough answer. However, the situation itself was frustrating, to say the least. They created the evil piece system to solve the problem of their decreasing population and here they were, letting the low-class population starve to death.
But that was in the hands of the current four maous, and from what he heard, it was more about the old farts refusing to change those things even after kicking out the descendants of the former maous.
At least the other hour of the train until the Gremory household allowed him to clear up his mind. Just like when they arrived at the Sitri mansion, an unnecessary number of servants received him at the entrance and led him to where Rias was.
Apparently, just like he foresaw, Azazel told her to focus on preparing strategies rather than honing her power. She didn't seem surprised at all to see him but gave him an apologetic look.
"Shirou… So Onii-chan had you called. Sorry for the trouble caused by my own lack of skills to solve this kind of problem."
"No, I don't know if I'll be able to do something about it, but I thought the least I could do was come and see my kohai. However, Serafall left things quite vague."
"She did well. I too think it should be Koneko the one who tells you about it. Come, I'll show you the way."
The walk to the room in which Koneko was staying took longer than he expected due to the size of the mansion, and it was awkward, to say the least. He had no topic of conversation in mind, at least non-related to his current "part-time job", and she seemed to have a lot on her mind.
And when they finally reached the room in question and knocked at the door…
"Koneko-chan, you have a visit!"
There was no answer. No refusal, nor a greeting. There wasn't even a single sound coming from inside the room.
Golden eyes met blue ones as they looked at each other. The little girl was never the most talkative one in the group, but she not answering to her master was quite concerning.
"Koneko, it's me. I've got a general idea of what happened. Can I come in?" He decided to announce his presence, even if she most likely had already fought his essence.
"Senpai…" This time, a quiet voice made its way to them. It had some surprise mixed in, but more than that, it was full of regret and sorrow. "Come in…"
Shirou looked at Rias one last time and entered the room after receiving a nod from her.
The first shock came the moment he closed the door behind him and looked at the little girl sitting on the only bed in the room. To be precise, the cat ears and the tail. That was a little detail he would have been thankful to know beforehand.
But now, judging by the way Koneko looked away and bit her lips after his moment of surprise, he was off to a good start.
"You don't like them either, Senpai…"
"No… I was just… surprised. I've seen fox yokai, but no cat ones. They make you look even cuter." He took sit beside her as he tried to at least bring things to the starting point, but it wasn't that effective.
"You're just too kind, Senpai. But you raised your guard for an instant the moment you saw me."
Did he? He sure was surprised, but he was already used to suppress his fight or flee instincts even around Serafall…
"Sorry honey, but NFF services was hired to take something really important from you~" A fox lady that looked strikingly familiar and gave off a really ominous aura proceeded to attack him the moment he came to his senses with a heavy sniper rifle.
The composed servant pushed back all his mixed feelings, and immediately attacked back after recognizing her as his natural enemy, but a fake priest and a carnivore in man's clothes got in his way.
"Nugh!" Pain assailed his head the moment that flashing memory was interrupted, his grimace being plainly visible for Koneko. Why of all the moments…
"Repressing the instincts I've cultivated throughout all these years can be difficult if I'm taken by surprise. I thought I was getting good at it, but guess I still have a long way."
His words were followed by the mother of all awkward silences. The rational part of his mind told him that there was no way he could help her, but he couldn't leave without at least trying. After reordering his thoughts and leaving out a long sigh, he opened his mouth again.
"If I'm reading the room correctly, the reason you overworked yourself, and the reason why you're going through this personal crisis… is because of your heritage as a nekomata. Did I get it right?"
Her answer was a curt nod, but at least she seemed cooperative with him.
"I know that is most likely an issue you don't want to address… but would you tell me why do you hate that fundamental part of yourself?"
Another silence. She seemed to be pondering about it if the grimace on her face was anything to go by. And after an entire minute…
"Since Shirou-senpai told me about his past… I guess I can't say no…" Koneko took some long breaths in preparation before telling him her story.
She was a rare species among the nekomata named "nekoshou". In short, they were stronger and more versed in Senjutsu and Youjustsu than their regular peers by default. And that basically put a target on their backs, to the point that the entire race is on the brink of destruction.
Koneko didn't know exactly how her parents died. She didn't even have solid memories of them, and the only family member she could rely on at that time was her older sister. Her name was Kuroka, and due to her exceptional talents, a devil ended up reincarnating her and adding her to their peerage as a bishop that consumed the two pieces.
And of course, that backfired spectacularly. She quickly grew stronger than her master and ended up slaughtering him and the rest of the peerage. She ran away after that and became a stray devil that was still being hunted to this day. Every devil or mercenary who managed to track her never returned.
And it seemed that she must have lost her mind, or she never cared, because she left Koneko alone in the middle of the crime scene.
That was a complete mess. The old devils decided the best course of action was to just pin all the blame on the younger sister even if she was completely traumatized by the events. They even went the extra mile to torture her to force a false confession out of her. Just to compensate the family of the devil who brought that onto himself.
If it wasn't because Sirzechs got involved and put an end to the farse, she would have been executed.
However, the way he just left Koneko in Rias' care... Yeah, living with girls around her age at least got her out of the initial shock, but after that…
The problem was just swept aside, hoping that time would heal her deep scars, and this was the result.
"I want to get stronger… I want to fight alongside Buchou and the others… I really want to… But I don't want to use these powers… I don't want to become a monster like Nee-san."
By the end of it, the always stoic Koneko was crying her heart out. It was a heartbreaking sight. Regardless of her race, an innocent little girl shouldn't make that kind of expression.
Shirou's hand moved to caress her head, guided by a distant memory of a little sister he didn't know. But he stopped it inches away. Koneko wasn't her, and he shouldn't create such a bond. The one to do it was no longer by her side, and most likely, on the side of the terrorists.
The only thing he could do was offer some advice. Trying to point her in another direction, one that might ease her emotions. The rest would be up to her.
"I see… You fear your power because of what became of your sister after she used it… And I guess telling you 'What matters is how you use it' isn't going to cut it…"
He received a slight nod. "I know that's the obvious answer… But even if I try to control it… what if I lose control and end up hurting my friends? I wouldn't be able to bear it…"
In regular circumstances, he would tell her that there was no way using Senjutsu or Youjustsu would lead her into a Berserker state. However, the problem wasn't the techniques themselves. The problem was if she became more powerful than Rias and became a stray devil.
"A perv- I mean, a wise man once said that 'Just because you are inhuman doesn't mean you should be an enemy of humanity'. That's what I want to believe, even if I'm proven wrong 99% of the time, and that's what the current underworld is trying to enforce."
The little girl finally turned to look at him directly again, her eyebrow raised as she failed to see his point.
"I really don't know what else to say… If anything, I think the only reason you wouldn't be able to wield your powers safely is your own insecurity. You heard what Kokabiel said about me during our fight. Regardless of who you ask, the best way to describe someone with my powers would be 'killing machine'."
"I'm not nearly as strong as you, senpai. I don't see myself constantly winning a fight against myself."
"Then don't do it."
"Eh?" Those simple words left her astonished. "Shirou-"
"If you don't think you can do it on your own, then don't even try. Instead, unlike me, you have plenty of people to relay on. Rias, Akeno, Kiba, Asia… even Issei and Gasper. They will certainly run to your side without thinking twice. And if they can't for some reason… I'll definitely be there for you."
He said that last part a little awkwardly. Even if he tried to keep his distance, he couldn't just turn a blind eye now that he was aware of the problem.
"Huh?" But those thoughts were blown away the moment he noticed something resting on his side. When he lowered his sigh, he noticed a familiar mop of white hair. "Koneko? You-"
Whatever he was going to say was interrupted when he realized that she was fast asleep. Her face was a mess due to all her tears, but on her lips, there was a small smile. It seemed that all her fatigue got back at her the moment she relaxed.
"I guess I'll have to let you relay on me sooner than I expected…" His hand moved to whip her tears, and after some hesitation, caress her head.
The smile on her face only grew. He doubted his warmth wasn't even comparable to the one she received from her friends, or the one she once received from her sister. But it seemed this was enough for her.
After some minutes, Shirou decided to let her alone rest and walked out of the room. And as fate might have it, he ran into a familiar face and one that had a suspicious resemblance.
"Oh, Sensei? You came here, too?" His currently self-proclaimed disciple greeted him with a smile despite the obvious surprise on his face.
"Yes, I had to come here after hearing about my kohai's situation from Serafall. If you wish to talk with her, I don't think that's going to be possible for the next few hours. She fell fast asleep after we finished talking."
"Oh, I see… This wasn't the first time I came to see her, so it's okay, I guess… Besides, I'm sure you did a much better job than me, Sensei. I didn't even know what to tell her…"
"Her problem isn't something that can be solved with just a motivational speech. But anyway…" Shirou's golden eyes finally went to the woman beside Issei.
Her outfit clearly defined her as a noble, but her brown hair told him that she wasn't a Gremory, at least at birth. And her face… aside from being gorgeous, he found her really similar to Rias.
"She's… Rias' older sister I've never heard of?"
His deduction caused her to giggle behind her hand. "You are slightly off the mark, Emiya Shirou. I am Venelana Gremory, Rias' mother. I hope your short stance here is pleasant."
"Don't worry. Just like the Sitri manor, this is quite above my standards."
"Is that so? Then, which of the two mansions is better according to your experience?"
The red-haired eyed Venelana with caution. That wasn't only a question in which, no matter what he answered, he would end up losing, but this menacing aura…
Was she still pissed off that he helped Issei break the arranged marriage of her daughter? But it was her husband the one that was more excited about it, right?
"I'll withhold my judgment until I finish my stance here."
The way her smile turned sharp screamed 'Heh, well dodged'. Unfortunately for them, that wasn't the only bullet he was dodging here.
"Well, if you don't mind, I'll go look for the bathroom. It's been a long time since I took such a long train ride."
"I'll go with you then, Sensei! I haven't had one since I went to the mountain, and this is our opportunity to finally have some skinship!"
And just like that, his "pupil" tagged along, and he didn't find it in himself to reject him.
In another parallelism between the manors of the two families, they had a replica of a thermal bath. Both teenaged let out relaxed sighs as they entered the bathtub, and lost track of time as the tension left all their muscles.
"So… what's been of you, Sensei? It's been almost three weeks since I've heard of you." Issei asked after finally remembering the point of this.
"Not much. I bunch of terrorists calling themselves "heroes" tried to abduct me and Xenovia, so I beat the shit out of their leaders, rescuing the current inheritor of Jeanne d'Arc's spirit. As of now, I was offered a well-paid part-time job while I work with Serafall to boost my popularity and reforge Excalibur."
The Red Dragon Emperor snapped open his eyes after hearing all that in a casual tone. "Wow… Just, wow… And I thought living in the mountains and being chased by a dragon was already nuts…"
"That certainly explains your change. You finally have an appropriate built for a warrior."
"Hehe, now I'm the one who looks hotter-" His words died out as he took a close look at Shirou. His muscles weren't big, but they were more defined than Issei's. "Huh- how? You never looked like you were so beefed up, Sensei!"
"Those are the wonders of wearing clothes several sizes above mine. I recommend it to you if you don't want to catch too much attention when we go back to school. But going back to the previous subject, how is it going in the Sacred Gear department."
Just the way he looked down told Shirou all he needed to know. "I haven't reached the Balance Breaker yet… According to Azazel and Ddraig, my body is finally able to handle it to some extent, but I need some kind of emotional trigger to awaken it."
"I see… That only means that you will be able to achieve it when it's really required. And talking about training, how are the others doing? Aside from Rias and Koneko, I didn't see anyone else."
"Oh, about that, Akeno is more or less working to come into terms with her Fallen Angle blood. Asia must be with her, working to expand the effective range of her sacred gear. Azazel-sensei sent Gasper to the city so he could start dealing with his anthropophobia, and if I remember correctly, Kiba went to train with his original sensei again. Did you know that his sensei is THE Okita Souji, who was reincarnated by Sirzechs'sama?"
Shirou's eyebrows twitched upon hearing that, and the image of a certain girl wearing the signature Shinsengumi haori and with a face suspiciously similar to Nero Claudius and Arturia Pendragon's. Well, he supposed the Okita Souji of this world was a man… right? But even if that was the case, their sword style should be the same.
Once again, he had to repress a wicked grin. He should start planning his apology, but only after Sona defeated them.
"That's a big name for sure. It's good to see that the terrorist group isn't formed entirely by human heroes. The True Longinus being on their side is already bad enough…"
[You fought against the Ultimate Sacred Gear and lived to tell the tale? Being around you is surprise after surprise, boy. Was he fully realized?] Surprisingly, Ddraig cut in after hearing that name, and he seemed excited.
"When it came to his sacred gear, he was able to use his own variant of the Longinus' balance breaker, and he mentioned having something called 'Truth Idea' up his sleeve for our next encounter. However, the fact that he went around explaining his abilities in the middle of the battle told me he wasn't that experienced."
"Hey, Ddraig, do you know what that 'Truth Idea' thing is?"
[If I remember correctly, it's the equivalent of our 'Juggernaut Drive'. In his case though, it isn't that consuming, and what he achieves is a miracle through the divine blessings of the lance. The fact that he can do that means that the spear fully accepted him as its user. It's good that it was Emiya Shirou who fought him, partner. Even if we went with the Balance Breaker recently awakened, he would certainly mop the floor with us.]
"Thanks for the encouraging words, Ddraig…"
[I'm just setting goals for you. The Longinus boy can be a good stepping stone before you face the White One.]
"At any rate. Leaving the serious stuff aside, what is it like to work with Serafall-sama? Last time we met her, she was really a beauty on her own."
"You definitely can't get bored with her around. Looking at her "assets" was the last thing that crossed my mind."
"If it wasn't because I already experienced living surrounded by beauties, I would call it bullshit. The drawback of barely having any room to relieve yourself almost outweighs it. But spending almost a month in the mountains made me appreciate it more."
Shirou couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at him. "So you haven't laid a finger on any of them… You're more reserved than I gave you credit for."
"Well, you know, Koneko-chan would kill me if she's around. I only see Asia-chan as the little sister I never had, and Akeno-senpai, despite her playful side, seems to have something holding her back. Or perhaps it's me that I sense something wrong with her acting so clingy out of nowhere… And about Buchou… she spoils me, but I doubt she sees me as something more than a little brother."
Aside from the massive amount of density surrounding those words, Shirou caught something more between the lines.
"If that's how you see the situation, then I won't pry into it. But are you sure there's nothing more to it?"
If Issei was being honest, he never stopped to think about it. Being able, to at least have a girlfriend was basically the first step to reach his dream, so why wasn't he working towards that?
"Would you die for me?"
The only words he was able to hear clearly before getting killed by the girl pretending to be his girlfriend crossed his mind. Just remembering it made him feel like vomiting. The way she disregarded all his feelings while laughing and just killed him for some stupid reason.
Could it be that he was afraid of it happening again? That didn't make sense. Even in the remote case he wasn't able to leave it behind after defeating that monster, the girls around him were nothing like her…
…right?
"Hey, Issei!" The voice of his sensei pulled him back to reality, but the seriousness on his face put him off. "You're completely pale and hyperventilating. Did I touch a nerve?"
"No… It's just been a long time since I've taken a hot bath…" That was a half-backed excuse, but Issei didn't want to remember that trauma again and Shirou didn't know about it since he wasn't in Kuoh at the time. "And why aren't you looking for a relationship, Sensei? I doubt you would have any problems."
He asked that, not only to redirect the conversation but to see if something had changed since that time when they were just acquaintances. But the way he immediately put on that distant look told him otherwise.
"Even in the remote case someone fell in love with me, I doubt I could make them happy. Special… circumstances led to me living surrounded by girls, but it would be better if they don't get involved with me more than necessary."
"Sensei…" Issei wanted to say something. To be the one offering a word of advice for the first time, but just like it happened with Koneko, he didn't know what to say.
He felt that he wasn't the right person to have that conversation with him, as disappointing as that felt for him. It would feel like the pot calling the kettle. And asking a dragon about love affairs was a wasted effort.
Ddraig's silence was more than enough confirmation.
And so, Issei couldn't get the words out of his throat as his Sensei called it a day and disappeared. Even the next morning, before going back to the mountain, it seemed that Shirou left the place with his space-warping katana.
"Well, who wants to go first today?" Shirou announced his presence casually, ignoring the surprised looks sent by Xenovia, Jeanne, Sona, and her peerage.
"Huh? You're already here?" Sona voiced everyone's thoughts. "Did you even say goodbye before taking the subway?"
"No. Now that I know the exact location of the two mansions, I can use Michael Muramasa to warp between them. And yes, I said goodbye after having breakfast. But the more time I spent there, the more likely was for them to catch wind about my true intentions."
"True intentions? Didn't you just go to see Koneko?"
"Aniki, why do you sound like a villain?"
"Well, that is the point, So-tan, Saji-kun!" And just like that, Serafall barged into the conversation, almost giving a heart-attack to the ones that had yet to get used to it. The disturbing smile on her face and the way she rubbed her hands together contributed to it. "I'm dying to see Sirzechs' face when he finally finds out that he just invited a Trojan Horse to his family's house! How did things go, Shirou-kun!?"
"I'll admit it felt wrong…" And to their surprise, Shirou mirrored Serafall's smile. "…but poor Issei never suspected anything as he just told me the training regime of everyone. He has yet to awaken his balance breaker on his own, so even if he manages to pull it off before the red line, it will be a weak version he won't be used to. Akeno seems to be trying to embrace her lineage, so you should put her as the primary threat then. Gasper is trying to get rid of his anthropophobia, ignoring completely his other weaknesses as vampire. Asia is trying to increase her effective range. Koneko turned out to be a nekomata, so we'll have to work in a counter against Senjutsu in case she makes up her mind. Rias is working her strategic skills as we predicted… and last but not least, I discovered that Kiba's mentor is Okita Souji."
They took some time to process everything, the gears in their head starting to spin to think about a way to use that information to their benefit. More than anything, the reveal of Koneko's true capabilities.
"Tsubasa, do you think the technique we are devising will be enough to counter Senjutsu?"
"That's hard to say, Kaichou. In theory, if we manage to perfectionate it, it should be able to redirect even the flow of the energy transmitted by her attacks. But I don't think we can reach that level in just this remaining week."
"I guess we will have to reserve our trump card for her. Saji, Ruruko, I'll leave it in your care."
"Yes, Kaichou!"
"We'll definitely make good use of the sword Aniki lent us!"
"Sir Shirou… don't you think this isn't… fair at all?" Jeanne dared to ask after no one pointed it out, earning a raised eyebrow from him.
"Jeanne, how many times I have to tell you, I'm not a knight. I threw away those things like pride or knightly codes a long time ago. My philosophy has always been 'destroy the enemy in the most efficient way'."
The holy maiden turned to look at Xenovia for support, but she was quickly writing down Shirou's words in her personal notebook.
"I can't say I will be able to throw away my pride as Durandal's current wielder, but I had to agree that's the only way allowed for us. All the movements and that balance breaker you developed under Cao Cao's influence follow that principle as well, Jeanne."
"I guess you're right…" Despite ending up agreeing, she made the same face a kid would make after being told that Santa Claus didn't exist.
"Leaving that aside, I should have expected Sirzechs asking his knight to train Kiba-kun, but why did you put so much emphasis on that, Shirou-kun."
"Due to Kiba not sticking to one sword and letting it accumulate experience, I wasn't able to fully reproduce his fighting style. However…"
A katana with a square guard appeared on his hands, and he took a stance that any swordsman worth its salt would recognize. Turning the edge of the blade sideways and aiming at the opponent's eyes
"Don't tell me… that's Okita's Hira-Seigan stance!?" Tomoe's excited voice caused Serafall to widen her eyes.
The weapons in Shirou's possession up until now could be explained as him running into them at some point whether during the journeys with his adoptive father, or that first life Azazel speculated, or he forged them himself. But… when did he cross paths with Sirchezs' knight?
He wasn't present at the party Shirou and Issei ruined, right? Was he perhaps at the Gremory mansion?
That's something she would need to look into later. For now, it was time to start the next phase of her plan.
"Those are certainly good news. Now, talking about the match, a party will be held the day before that will serve to present both teams to the media. And that means we have to procure you formal suits."
"We can ask the servants to take their sizes and start immediately, Onee-sama."
"No, I have something way better in mind. Be ready to depart after lunch."
The smile she had now told the three humans that it would be anything but conventional.
"Here we are!"
And after observing the fancy and elegant shopping center in front of them, their suspicions were but confirmed.
Of all the places, she brought them to Lilith, the current capital of the underworld. The opulence could be felt wherever you looked at.
"So this was what you had in mind?" His golden eyes turned to the twin-tailed, who was concealing her identity with sunglasses, a beret, and a trench coat for obvious reasons. "I see what you're getting at, but why take the risk of coming along to this place? That get-up screams 'suspicious stalker' if anything."
"Well, unlike you, I don't have a sword that can conveniently change my appearance. Seriously, I can get you can make a blade sharp enough to cut space itself, but how can you forge something that can temporarily change reality?"
"You could say that the sword shape I gave to it was just because it suited me better, but it originally was something more."
"And why did you choose that appearance?" This time, it was Xenovia who asked. "The white hair is a no-brainer since it's already turning that color for some reason, but why the grey eyes?"
"Yeah, I don't know why, but they somehow suit you, Sir Shirou."
The currently grey-eyed teenager sighed at being called that again. And he was once again in a pinch. If he were just with Serafall, he could just tell her the real reason behind the choice, but his house partners weren't aware of the theory Azazel was starting to spread among the higher-ups.
"Just like you, I felt it was fitting. Now, I guess I'll go alone to the male section-"
"Of course not!" Serafall immediately dragged him by the hand before he could even take a step in the other direction. "That would defeat the point of this da- I mean, coming together! Aside from the formal suits, we have to buy clothes Jeanne-chan here, so she doesn't have to use spare clothes."
Shirou turned to look at her with a pale expression. "My fashion sense is underwhelming. Asking my opinion would be meaningless."
"On that, I have to agree. Shirou, the only thing I saw in your closet aside from the school uniform and the tracksuit, was blue jeans, black jeans, white shirts with blue sleeves, red sweaters, and that black and white jacket."
"Hey, they are comfortable-"
"What!? We have to help you fill that closet then! Let's get going!"
The two teenage girls could only look as Serafall dragged him into the building with a smile on her face. Those two got really close after all these. Shirou's excuses were quite weak if you asked them as if he deep down wanted to go along.
The experience revived some buried traumas, but at least, he didn't have to run around to swap between girls this time.
After they ordered the formal suits, the part of him being forced to try a lot of weird choices was still horrifying. But at least he wasn't the only one experiencing the pain, as poor Jeanne was subjected to it as well.
She looked like she would faint at any moment given how hard she was blushing, especially when Serafall somehow got her hands on a dominatrix dress. It seemed devils were also into that stuff.
The pic the maou took with Jeanne wearing that thing and Shirou dressing like a biker was something that would surely come back to haunt them later.
At least she covered all the costs with her equivalent of a golden visa. The face the clerk made at that moment was a sight to behold. But he doubted that had to do with Serafall's outfit.
In fact, none of the humans missed that little detail and the fact that basically all the devils around were sending looks of disdain at them. And so, the issue was addressed while they were grabbing snacks at a nearby Café.
"Oh, that… Well, of course, we draw a lot of attention even with just our appearance…" Now she was the one making weak excuses while letting out a nervous laugh.
"You don't have to hide it, Serafall. Those are the looks reserved for low-class devils here, and if I have to guess, those are the same looks Sona received when she declared her dream."
Her mood turned sour the moment she heard Shirou's words, leaving out a sigh. "I guess I should have expected you to notice that during your travel to the Gremory territory. Showing you just the good part of devil society wouldn't do it. I just didn't want it to sulk the nice atmosphere. But yes, that's one of the problems preventing devil society from developing faster."
"Wait… the people here just treat like that anyone who is weak?" Jeanne asked with a horrified face.
"That just applies to the old devils and the highborn, as things used to be like that since… pretty much the beginning. However, given the longevity of our species, the generational renewal takes a lot more centuries than in the human world."
"But you don't think like that… right, Lady Serafall?"
"Of course not, Xenovia-chan. Participating in a brutal war among fellows tends to change your perspective of life. At least for those like me who fought in the front lines. This very city was reconstructed from a former battlefield in which I fought."
"Well, that explains that hospital on the outskirts of the city with your name plastered on its façade."
The maou took her time to lower her glasses and shoot a blank stare at him. "Why did those eyes of yours have to ruin the surprise…"
"You run a hospital, Lady Serafall? Aren't you already busy as a maou?"
"I just provided the funds to build it, not only as a memorial, but as the best hospital that will avoid more meaningless deaths."
For a moment, her expression wasn't jovial as usual, nor serious. It seemed distant. For Xenovia and Jeanne, that was the exact same face Shirou made once in a while when he was deep in thought.
"I wouldn't use the word 'busy'. Do you even have anything else to do aside from our business?"
"Hey, I'll let you know I have a lot of matters to attend to with the Shinto and Nordic factions! And I'm even starting negotiations with the Greek Gods."
Shirou smiled inwardly as that managed to get that expression out of her face, even if it was at the cost of her now yelling at him. She seemed to notice it as she calmed down and took a sip of her coffee with milk.
"It only seems that way because I decided to prioritize you over them. Having the protection of Gods is good and all, but if we want to progress, having the embodiment of that concept on our side is better. It was a unanimous decision. And well… the members of my peerage take a huge load of paperwork from my shoulders. I don't know what would be of me without them."
"The members of your peerage?" That picked their curiosity, and Xenovia voiced it. "It's the first time you even mention them."
"They are basically the comrades that fought alongside me during the civil war. People are insisting that I should complete my peerage with reincarnated devils, but I don't see the point in forcing it. Besides, I have yet to meet someone who catches my eye… or at least things were like that until a month ago."
"Judging by the look you're giving me I can guess who is that."
She gave him a playful smile. "I'll admit I considered it, but I know that will never come to pass. It would not only ruin your appeal, but something tells me that my remaining pieces wouldn't be able to cover all your potential."
Her intuition was noteworthy. If the evil pieces could detect a sacred gear while measuring the potential of an individual, that meant they basically analyzed their soul. Who knows what would happen if one of those things tried to analyze his soul?
With her coffee finished, she stood up and let them see her jovial smile once again. "At any rate. Even if Shirou-kun spoiled the surprise, I still want to show you the hospital. The effort and technology put into that project pretty much represent the will to move forward of the devil kind."
The three quickly finished their respective orders and followed her. With her authority, they pretty much had access to every part of the building. And it was fascinating.
The variety of diseases that had to be treated in this place was several magnitudes wider than in any human hospital due to all the different races living in the underworld. That was partly the reason why the building was so huge. And she wasn't exaggerating when she said that the technology here was avant-garde.
"I know the finishing line of medicine is curing death itself, but how advanced would you say this place is towards that goal?"
"We still have a long way to go… Just like in the human world, there are still a lot of diseases we have yet to find a cure for. For instance…"
""Excuse us…"" The four stopped at a certain door in the patient wing and entered after knocking at the door. They trusted that Serafall wasn't just barging into the room of someone in a really critical state.
Inside the room, there was a young beautiful woman lying on the only bed in the room, and a handsome young man with black hair, and purple eyes sitting beside her. Despite being relaxed, his well-built muscles could be seen through his clothes, and he exerted a considerable aura.
The man sent them a questioning look, but Serafall immediately removed her glasses and beret, letting him recognize her instantly.
"Lady Serafall? To what do I own this visit?" He was about to stand up and bow to her, but she stopped him with a gesture.
"Don't worry, Sairaorg-kun. I was just showing the place to Shirou-kun and his friends when I thought about paying a visit to your mother. I see her condition remains the same…"
"Yes… The last method they tried didn't bear fruits either…" After giving a flitting look at his mother, the now identified Sairaorg looked at the trio of humans. "And you are…"
Before any of them could say anything, the maou walked between the two parties. "Guys, meet Sairaorg Bael. The current heir of the Bael house and the acclaimed strongest young devil after surpassing his limitations. Sairaorg, meet Emiya Shirou, Xenovia Quarta, and Jeanne d'Arc."
The man's eyes widened for a moment before he closed in for a handshake. "Oh, the human who is quickly making a name for himself through his own methods, Durandal's current owner, and the inheritor of the Holy Maiden's spirit. It's an honor to meet you three. But I thought I heard your hair was of a distinct reddish auburn…"
"It's a disguise just like Serafall's." He answered while dispelling Haniel's power. "News surely travel fast if you even know about Jeanne."
"Lady Serafall spread the word that your group was already here in the underworld, at least among the higher-ups. And I was already looking forward to meeting you. Those old farts might see you as an abomination that we should keep at arm's length, but what I see in front of me is someone who used what little he had to break the status quo, just like me."
"I see…" A subtle smile made its way to Shirou's face as he connected the points. "So you are the embodiment of the intentions of the current maous. A devil that became strong despite being categorized as a failure devil by the current standards."
"That's correct. While the Red Dragon Emperor was chosen to be the flagship for the reincarnated devils, I'm here to become the first ultimate-class devil with just these fists. We should have a spar one of these days."
While the two men were still holding hands, Xenovia and Jeanne exchanged looks.
"Xenovia, is this what people call 'boys' moment'?"
"I don't know, but I also want to spar with him. It would definitely be a good fight."
Meanwhile, Serafall observed the interaction with a discerning eye. She didn't expect meeting Sairaorg, but this helped her to check something.
While Shirou's relationship with Issei and Saji was that of a big brother taking care of a clumsy little sibling despite being the same age, he spoke to Sairaorg as an equal despite being.
His mental age being higher than his physical age was a possibility that confirmed Azazel's theory, but this would mean that Shirou died at a short age in his first life. However, she had the feeling that was only one of the reasons he refrained from bonding with others.
"So… why did your mother end up in a coma?"
"That's still being investigated. According to the doctors, this is hardly the first case involving a devil falling into a sudden coma, but even to this day, they have yet to find even its cause. It's been already several years, but she shows no signs of waking up."
"Do you think your Camael can cure her, Shirou?"
Xenovia's question caused both Sairaorg and Serafall to skip a beat, but unfortunately, Shirou shook his head.
"Even if I could transmit its flames to her, it can only heal physical wounds. Sorry, but I can't make miracles…"
At least not yet. If his noble phantasm had its maximum potential, he could try it, but as of now, curing a disease that is currently uncurable is out of his bounds. And rewinding her time would only postpone the problem for some years.
"Don't worry, I shouldn't get my hopes up that easily. Now, if I'm not mistaken, you'll attend the party next week, right?" After receiving a nod, the smile returned to his face. "We can continue to talk there. I'll introduce you to my peerage."
"You'll have to get in line. The amount of people I'll be introducing to him is considerable. But I agree it's time to take our leave. Take care, Sairaorg-kun!"
After bidding him farewell, the four walked out of the room. However, the moment the door was closed behind them, the twin-tailed maou addressed the two girls.
"Xenovia-chan, Jeanne-chan, could you wait for us at the entrance? There's something I want to talk about with Shirou in private."
Despite her face being the same as usual, their intuition told them she was being serious. Albeit with some reluctance, they went ahead while Serafall lead the auburn-haired boy to the rooftop.
There slowly walked to the railing while taking on the sight. Something she must have seen hundreds of times, but she never grew tired of what had become of a warzone.
"Given the hour, the sun would be setting in the human world, but I guess a perpetual night city has its appeal." She spoke softly as she turned to look at the boy standing some feet from her.
That was the same habit she was trying to discern. He wouldn't reject proximity, nor would he seek it. Why did everything about him had to be a paradox?
"This setting is the perfect one for a love confession. Is that what you're aiming for?"
His comment caused her to giggle. "That we will see. I just wanted to hear your honest thoughts about today. If I'm correct, this should be the first time spending a day doing this. Did you have fun?"
"I would be lying if I said no. I guess I wouldn't mind repeating it some other time."
"Then… why were you so much against it? I didn't take you for someone who hesitated... or could it be that you're actually shy around girls?"
"That's not it…" Shirou looked away for a moment. "It's just… I don't feel like I deserve it."
"Eh?"
The way in which her face turned into sheer disbelief was the reason he hesitated to say it. The memories shared from his other selves told him that people don't tend to take well to discovering his messed-up way of think.
"What do you mean by that? Do you think I'm having favoritism toward you? I already told you, we value you more as an ally than-"
"That's not it either. I'm pretty aware of everyone's attempts to have me by your side. However, I don't see the point of this. Why should you waste your efforts on making someone like me have a good time."
"Huh? Why would you think that? Even putting aside your powers, I still think Emiya Shirou would be someone I want to have by my side-"
Her words got stuck in her throat as she peered into those golden eyes. The life in them suddenly disappeared, revealing a void she'd only seen during the civil war. No… it was better to say that void had been always there, and he just hid it under the pretense of being a regular person.
"Shirou, you…"
"I was saved..." He interrupted her with a soft voice. "From that hell that took away everyone around me and even a part of myself, I was saved. There were a lot of things I lost. A lot of memories faded away. So I swore to myself to never forget that I have to become a hero who can save everyone. There's nothing more to it."
That… wasn't the kind of confession one would expect given this setup. She always had the feeling that there was something fundamentally wrong about him, but this…
That void was the part of him that disappeared. The seat that was always occupied by someone's dearest person, themselves.
The one who wanted to help others was the one who most needed that help. But he rejected that help due to that same trauma.
Her expression softened. In part, he was right. When did her priorities change from 'making him see devils in a new light' to 'get to know him better and help him'? She wasn't like her ancestors, but she was still a devil. But at some point, this boy stopped being just someone interesting to someone she wanted to spend time with him.
Still, living that aside, if this is what she felt at heart for the first time in her long time, then she will definitely follow it. She will definitely be the one to help him.
"That's really messed-up."
"I know-"
"But now that I finally know the reason you tend to be so lonely, I can't put it aside." With the smile back on her face, she walked up to him. "As payment for everything you're doing for us, I'll help you with those problems. That I swear."
Shirou's surprise was short, as he immediately returned the smile. "I guess I'll look forward to it."
And so, after making another bold claim upon a rooftop, the two left to meet with Xenovia and Jeanne. There were still a ton of preparations they had to make.