A/N: Hi! This is today's update! chapter 83 along with Rewrite Version of chapters 35 and 36. There will be 4 more chapters left for Volume 1 to complete the rewrite.
Please do chect this chapters, I really did my best to shape this into something beautiful.
then on another note, I'm not sure if I can update tomorrow as I will go on a trip. If I still have time I will post the chapters. if not then by monday.
Alright See you!
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At the Astral Express lounge.
As Noah closed the holoscreen, the smile he'd shown Hajime faded, replaced by a contemplative, thoughtful expression. He rose from his seat and walked to the window, gazing out at the DXD planet, his mind turning over the possible consequences of his actions.
Kiana, Elysia, and Lumine kept their eyes on him, their worry plain in their expressions.
"Alice—our Alice from Teyvat—once told me, back when we were finalizing the plan for Fontaine," Noah began, his gaze never leaving the planet, "that the moment we arrived, we'd already changed the fates of everyone in Teyvat. Since then, I've been trying to understand exactly how deep that change runs… and today, I think I've found part of the answer."
Noah's lips pressed into a faint, wry smile, but he didn't turn from the view.
Elysia sighed softly, picking up the Dodoco plushie with its little red witch hat and hugging it to her chest. Lumine lifted her cup, taking a slow sip while her other hand absently patted the miniature penguin plushie they'd named Itzpapa. Kiana let her body flop onto the cat-shaped pillow plushie—Citlalin—holding it lazily against her.
"…I kinda lied to Hajime and the others," Noah admitted at last, his voice low. "The encounter with Ingvild… was nothing but a hoax I made up."
The three(four with Sirin inside Kiana) women stayed silent, giving him space to speak without interruption.
"Hajime and the rest were always going to receive that commission on the island, and they were always meant to meet Lavinia-san through the same team supporting them. But after rescuing Ingvild, she was supposed to be sent to Grigory… and that would've been the end of it. His ties to both Lavinia and Ingvild cut clean. Then they'd move on to the conference and handle the main 'issue' of the alliance. Their expedition would be over. But…"
Noah let out a deep breath before continuing.
"Ingvild's situation is… a bit special. She has something inside her and based on the information we got from the three, I believe it's the Sacred Gear." His eyes narrowed slightly. "In this world, dragons are the ultimate symbol of power. They're even stronger than most gods. The two at the very top—Ophis and Great Red—are dragons so powerful they control the very concepts of dreams and infinity. They're strong enough to be called gods themselves. And Ingvild's Sacred Gear… has the ability to tame and control dragons."
Kiana, Elysia, and Lumine all straightened at that.
"…Such an ability… if the other powers heard about it…" Kiana began.
"All factions would fight to claim her," Elysia said with a grim nod.
"…If that was the only reason, you wouldn't be making a move, Noah," Lumine added, studying him closely.
"...Once the three factions become a unified front, the other powers won't sit quietly. And even then, the three factions have moles within them. Remember the half vampire girl I mentioned earlier? The moles are the ones holding her," Noah said grimly.
"…So you acted to keep Ingvild out of their hands," Sirin said. Noah gave her a small nod, confirming her deduction.
"Both the vampire girl and Ingvild are key points in this world's fate," Noah continued, his tone heavy. "I stepped in on Ingvild's case… and not long after, Hajime told me about Sona Sitri's situation, and then Sagiri Ameno."
That made Kiana, Elysia, Lumine—and even Sirin through her emblem—gasp.
"The moment I decided to pull Ingvild to us, the course of the world shifted. Sona Sitri and Sagiri Ameno ended up tied to the same chain of events, as if the world itself decided they had to be part of Ingvild's situation," Noah said, exhaling a long, weary sigh.
"Why? Didn't the Force point you toward that? Why did it suddenly shift like this?" Kiana asked, confusion clear in her tone.
"That's… actually another lie from me," Noah admitted, prompting another round of gasps.
Elysia leaned forward slightly. "What did you do, Noah?"
"The Force told me most of the key details about this world—who we should watch out for, who we need to contact, who we can trust, who might be our enemies, and the key players here." He bit his lip and closed his eyes for a moment. "…Which is why I told Hajime about the boy with the red gauntlet. He's the main key. The 'hero' of this world. Its savior."
"…That pervert??" Lumine said flatly.
"Yes, Lumi. That pervert," Noah replied with a wry smile. "Hyoudou Issei will become the key to saving this world from its doom in the future… and Ingvild was meant to be very important to him."
"...But you interfered and changed the course of the future," Elysia said plainly. "So Issei-kun lost one of his keys. The world has to find a way to adjust, so it decided—since Hajime-kun now has Ingvild—why not place other key points with him as well? Sona Sitri, Ameno Sagiri, and Lavinia Reni, isn't that right?"
Noah exhaled slowly. "...I did something bad to Alice and Anis."
The four girls fell silent, exchanging brief glances.
"So that's the REAL reason why you've been watching Hajime so closely," Sirin concluded. "You want to see the other results of your interference—and be ready to back them up at any moment."
"…I just hope I won't lose their trust in me after this," Noah said quietly, his voice carrying a note of guilt.
—
Back at the Leviathan villa.
Hajime opened his eyes, the Origin Crystal in his hand glowing brightly, the faint image of Villhaze visible within. The light from his Authority, the Blessing of Terra, slowly faded.
"...Is that me?" Villhaze asked, jaw dropping as she stared at her own likeness inside the crystal.
"Yes, but not exactly," Hajime replied evenly. "What's inside this crystal is the memory and all the information of the woman who once lived as Villhaze."
"Huh?" Villhaze blinked, clearly confused—and she wasn't alone. The others nearby exchanged puzzled looks.
Seeing their expressions, Alice stepped forward to explain. "Well, you see, a soul is essentially the energy essence of an individual. It carries their memories, their history—everything that makes them who they are."
Villhaze's brow furrowed. "...So you're saying you've basically bottled 'me' into that thing?"
"Ping pong! Give this girl a prize!" Anisphia cheered, grinning.
Alice chuckled at Anisphia's antics. "Since Villhaze-san has been 'dead' for a long time, the usual resurrection methods won't work, so we had to get creative."
"Each world has a system that holds records of every individual born in it," Anisphia explained, gesturing toward the crystal. "What our dear Hajime did was use his authority over the planet's leylines to locate and connect to the metaphysical archive of information, pull out the data of the one once named Villhaze, and store it inside this crystal."
"Wait—wait a minute! Are you telling me you can actually retrieve any person's information? Their memories, their entire life history?!" Sae exclaimed in shock.
The rest of the Slash/Dog team were equally stunned. Sagiri stared at the trio in disbelief, and even Ingvild and Villhaze looked too shocked to speak.
Natsume muttered under her breath, "That's… kind of terrifying, when you think about it."
"Not just any person—but anyone who was born in this world," Hajime said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. The strain of pulling Villhaze's information had been immense, even for someone who was not only a Campione and Herrscher, but also a Pathstrider. "Gods, dragons, spirits, youkai… any being from this world—if we wanted to, we could retrieve their records."
That statement made Sagiri, Lavinia, and Tobio shudder.
"Please don't worry. It's not that easy," Alice quickly added to calm everyone. "The stronger the essence of the being, the harder it is to retrieve their information."
"Exactly," Anisphia said with a playful smile, trying to lighten the mood. "Just look at Hajime—he's out of breath and exhausted from pulling the data of someone like Villhaze. Imagine trying that with someone stronger."
Hajime ignored the banter, taking a few to stabilize his breath and prepare for the final step to resurrect Villhaze.
After a while, Hajime steadied his breathing and opened his eyes. "You ready, maid?"
Villhaze shot him a sharp glare. "My name is Villhaze, not 'maid,' you damn human!"
"…And my name is Hajime, not 'you damn human,' maid," he replied flatly, the corner of his mouth twitching.
"Tsk." Villhaze crossed her arms with a huff. "So, what do you need me to do?"
"Nothing. Just relax. That's all," Hajime said simply.
Villhaze glanced toward Ingvild, who stood beside Sagiri, Alice, Anisphia, and Lavinia. Ingvild gave her a small nod of encouragement.
"Do your thing, your majesty," Villhaze said, drawing out the last two words with enough sarcasm to make Hajime's eye twitch.
"Careful, or I'll make you clean the entire villa for your first job back," he muttered.
She smirked faintly but didn't retort. Hajime exhaled slowly as verdant-gold divine power began to gather around him once again.
"Roots of earth, heed my call… Stone and soil, take living form… By Planet's grace and Reason's will… Rise, and return to the world once more."
As Hajime began to chant, the soil at his feet bulged and rose, slowly shaping itself into Villhaze's form. The sight drew the fascinated gazes of everyone watching. Ingvild clasped her hands together, holding her breath, while the faint image of Villhaze within the forming figure looked genuinely astonished.
Hajime's focus deepened as he changed from the Blessing of Terra to the power of the Herrscher of Reason, reconstructing Villhaze's body with meticulous precision. Using the mold formed from the data stored inside the Origin Crystal, the earthy silhouette was gradually replaced with living flesh and blood not just a shape of mud, but the real Villhaze reborn.
Villhaze's cheeks burned as her newly formed body laid naked. She shot Hajime a glare, only to notice his eyes were firmly shut, lips moving as he muttered incomprehensible words under his breath.
Off to the side, Sae moved quickly, covering Tobio's eyes by pulling his head against her chest—much to his conflicted delight and muffled protests. Meanwhile, Natsume calmly reached over to poke Kouki in the eyes, earning an immediate curse from him.
Before long, Villhaze's form was complete, and with a wave of Hajime's hand, a new maid outfit materialized—slightly different from the one she had worn before.
Her new uniform was a refined black-and-white ensemble, featuring a high collar, off-shoulder long sleeves, and a short layered skirt with a frilled hem and apron front. A black ribbon with gold lining adorned her neck, paired with a classic frilled headband and practical yet stylish brown knee-high boots—traditional maid aesthetics with a touch of fantasy-inspired elegance.
"…Human, do you perhaps have a thing for maids?" Villhaze asked, raising a brow at the elaborate design. Damn it… I actually kind of like this one.
From the side, Alice and Anisphia exchanged knowing looks, clearly recognizing Hajime's taste. Hajime, however, chose to ignore the comment entirely.
"…Maid, you're next. I need to put you inside the crystal to complete your 'soul,'" Hajime said plainly.
"Hmph! Sure, sure," Villhaze replied with a snort as she stepped forward and touched the crystal. In an instant, her form vanished, and the Origin Crystal shone with a bright light before settling.
Hajime gave a slight nod, then carefully placed the Origin Crystal into Villhaze's new body. A soft pink light enveloped her, pulsing gently before fading away.
After confirming the process was complete, Hajime deactivated his Authority.
A few seconds later, Villhaze's eyes slowly opened. She stood, checking over her body—only to stop short as a sudden, powerful hug engulfed her.
"Vill-chan!!!" Ingvild cried, wrapping her arms tightly around her.
"Offfuu… Milady, have mercy! I just came back to life—I feel like I'm about to meet Hades all over again!" Villhaze wheezed dramatically.
"Ahhh! I'm sorry!" Ingvild quickly loosened her hold, flustered.
Watching them, Hajime let out a small sigh of relief.
His body swayed, but before he could stumble, Alice and Anisphia stepped in, catching him from both sides.
"Thank you for your hard work, Hajime," Alice said warmly.
"Hehehe, as expected from you! You bagged a princess and her maid in one go!" Anisphia teased with a sly grin.
"…I don't even have the energy to tsukkomi right now," Hajime deadpanned, giving her a flat look.
—
Later that evening, the group returned to their rented cottage with Ingvild and Villhaze in tow. They gathered in the open outdoor area to celebrate—not just the completion of their mission, but also to welcome Villhaze and Ingvild, and to mark Ingvild's recovery. The newly resurrected Villhaze had thrown herself into cooking, preparing almost everything on the table. She stood with a smug expression, watching Hajime, who simply gave her a deadpan look.
At the next table over, the Slash/Dog team—Tobio, Sae, Shigune, Natsume, and Kouki—were enjoying the spread. They praised Villhaze's cooking, which only made her look even more pleased with herself.
"What do you think, your majesty? Aren't I the perfect and most capable maid?" Villhaze asked with a playful glint in her eyes.
"Hm. Passable, I guess," Hajime replied flatly as he took a spoonful of her food.
"Tsk!" Villhaze clicked her tongue, her beautiful face twisting into an exaggerated pout. "One of these days, human, I'll make something so good you can't say that."
Hajime smirked faintly. "Looking forward to it, maid."
From the other table, Natsume whispered to Kouki, "Think she's trying to impress him?"
Kouki snorted. "Pretty sure she already is."
After a while, Ingvild and Villhaze sat with Alice, Anisphia, and Sagiri, listening closely as Alice explained who Hajime, herself, and Anisphia truly were—and how it really was for Ingvild and Villhaze to join their group.
"I see… so Alice-san, Anis-san, and Hajime-kun are from outside this world," Ingvild said, wondering in her voice.
"No wonder that human is quite different from anyone I've met before," Villhaze remarked, as though the explanation tied up most of her doubts about Hajime and the others.
"That's pretty much it," Anisphia said with a shrug. "Since Hajime will take care of you—and even take responsibility for you—we'll be taking both of you with us when we leave this world."
"Sorry… it feels like we're taking away your choice in the matter," Alice said, bowing her head to both Ingvild and Villhaze with a hint of guilt.
"Please, Alice-san, it's fine! I really don't mind!" Ingvild said quickly, waving her hands. "You're giving me a new life and opportunity—and for that, I'm truly grateful."
Villhaze nodded at her mistress's words. "It doesn't matter to me either. As long as I'm with Milady, whether in this world or somewhere far away."
She then glanced toward Hajime, who was sitting with Lavinia, Tobio, and the rest of the Slash/Dog team, deep in discussion.
"And besides… you also gave me another chance to be with Milady. For that, I'll use this life to work—not just for Milady, but for that human as well."
Alice and Anisphia exchanged wry looks.
"Ahh, as expected… Hajime really caught Villhaze-san," Alice said, half-joking but with a hint of seriousness in her tone.
"Mhm, mhm. When he got me and Euphie, he got Illia and Lainie too," Anisphia added, ticking names off her fingers.
"Well, technically, he got Patricia as well when we got engaged. Though Patricia acts more of a caring older sister." Alice said with a shrug, earning a small chuckle from Anisphia.
"Wha–what are you saying, Lady Alice! Lady Anis!" Villhaze shot back a little too quickly, her tone so desperate it only made her sound guiltier. "I'm too loyal to Milady! I absolutely don't care about him at all!!!"
"Waaah, she denied it way too fast to sound believable," Anisphia remarked, smirking.
Alice covered her mouth with practiced grace, though the teasing glint in her eyes was unmistakable. "Shhh, Anis… let her deny it for now. It'll be even funnier later when she can't anymore."
"Kuh! You two really are that man's fiancées!" Villhaze said in chagrin, glaring between them.
Ingvild smiled gently at them. "Hmm, I don't mind, you know, Vill-chan? Maybe together we can thank Hajime-kun?"
"Pffftttt!!! Milady, not you too?!" Villhaze cried in exasperation, clutching her head.
Alice and Anisphia burst out laughing, thoroughly enjoying her reaction.
"Oh! I remember—Sagiri, do you have any maids?" Anisphia asked playfully as she recalled that Sagiri was, well… technically a match made in heaven. ("Ehem!" Amaterasu snorted proudly in the background.)
Sagiri's expression froze mid-bite as the image of her pink-haired and blue-haired half-oni, half-human twin maids popped into her mind.
"…No way," Anisphia murmured, her voice somewhere between awe and disbelief.
Ingvild and Villhaze exchanged stunned looks of their own.
Alice tilted her head back to the night sky, sighing. "Captain's really right… Hajime is a magnet for princesses and maids."
The once lively table went dead quiet.
Anisphia's gaze drifted toward the other table, where Lavinia was laughing happily beside Hajime and the Slash/Dog team. "…Should we ask Lavi too? Maybe she's hiding a pair somewhere."
—-
"Nagumo-kun's life is really waaay better than most of the dramas and animes I've seen!" Natsume said, raising her spoon to point at Hajime with a grin.
"It's vexing, but I've got to agree with birdbrain here. In just one day with you, the common sense we thought we knew has been flipped upside down—multiple times," Kouki added, taking a deliberate bite of his lobster curry.
Hajime's cheek twitched. "...Glad to make your life exciting, I guess."
That earned a laugh from Natsume and Kouki. Even the shy Shigune smiled, and Tobio and Sae couldn't quite hide their amusement.
"Ahahaha! Hakkun's really full of surprises!" Lavinia laughed warmly, resting her head on Hajime's shoulder. "I feel like everything will get way more interesting from here on."
"Guess I don't get a say in that, huh?" Hajime muttered, sighing, but he didn't push her away. In fact, he adjusted himself to make her more comfortable.
"Still, I'm honestly surprised that something like divine protection can be given to a devil," Sae mused, resting her chin on her hand.
"...Yes. At the time, I was actually worried Ingvild-san might get hurt from the backlash," Shigune admitted softly.
Hajime raised his brows as he took a slow sip from his drink. "Ah, that's a valid concern. Well… the nature of my authority is kind of… adapted? Or adjusted? Hm, how should I put it?"
He tilted his head, searching for the right words. The others leaned in with curiosity, even Lavinia staring at him with childlike interest, as if waiting for a story.
"When a Campione usurps the authority of a god," Hajime began, his tone taking on a more narrative tone, "the Circle of Usurpation comes into play. In my world, it's a divine artifact created by the mother of all godslayers, Pandora, so that humanity can receive and use the authority of the god they've slain."
He paused, gesturing loosely with his hand. "Anyway—once we kill a god, this circle activates a ritual to take part of the god's divine essence and then… modifies it, making that authority more suited to the one who took it."
Hajime scratched his head, trying to recall the lessons Alice and Patricia had drilled into him about gods and Campiones.
Lavinia tilted her head, still processing his words, while the others exchanged puzzled looks.
"So… you mean that whenever you kill a god, the authority or power you take gets modified to fit you better?" Lavinia asked slowly.
"That's it!" Hajime lit up, pointing at her with a small grin. "Ahaha, I'm terrible at explaining, so Alice or Anis usually do it for me. But you nailed it, Lavi."
The casual use of her pet name made Lavinia freeze for a second before her cheeks turned pink. She pressed her hands to her face, a shy smile creeping in.
"Oho~ Lavi-chan got it bad," Natsume teased with a smirk, clearly enjoying the sight.
Lavinia tried to glare but only ended up smiling wider. "S-shut it, Nat-chan…"
"So yeah, since the divine authority of Enkidu kinda got modified to suit me, I can bless or grant anyone divine protection," Hajime explained, still oblivious to how casually using Lavinia's pet name had affected her. "Normally, I just activate a territory so any ally nearby can get a boost. But direct injection—like… well, a kiss or other… ehem—tends to be more effective and can give surprising results."
He trailed off, his face heating up. "Y-You get the idea…"
That was enough to make everyone at the table blush as well.
"I-I s-see. So because of Nagumo-kun's personality or character, he can openly bless anyone," Shigune said, fumbling for words as she tried to steer the conversation away from how exactly a "direct blessing" might happen.
"...Wait. Alice-san said she received your blessing and can access a small part of your powers… so she actually did…?" Natsume's face turned even redder, her mind now conjuring the image of the elegant Alice actually doing that, and suddenly it made sense how she could wield the powers of a godslayer.
The mental picture made the entire table flush deeper. Even Lavinia's cheeks were pink as she glanced away, imagining what it might be like for herself.
"E-Ehh… My tea's getting cold. I'll… excuse myself," Hajime muttered, his ears red as he pushed his chair back and quickly escaped.
—
Hajime stood at the edge of their cottage's open area that faced the sea, letting the night breeze cool his still-warm cheeks after that embarrassing conversation. He glanced up at the night sky, watching the stars twinkle as he absentmindedly swirled the drink in his cup.
In his mind, the past weeks replayed like scenes from a vivid dream: landing on this world, searching for their temporary home, meeting everyone in Yuuraigi-sou, enrolling in Kuoh, fighting Kokabiel, the chess match with Sona, meeting Amaterasu, crossing paths with Lavinia and the Slash/Dog team, and finally saving Ingvild and Villhaze.
"Hah… thinking back, all of that was actually fun," he murmured to himself, lips curling slightly. Elysia's right. We've grown on this expedition—not in sheer strength, but in spirit.
He closed his eyes, letting the memories wash over him. His smile lingered. "I'll never regret joining this journey," he whispered under his breath, a quiet promise to himself.
Then he heard footsteps approaching. He didn't turn or open his eyes—just let the presence draw closer.
"I haven't fully thanked you yet… not only for waking me up, but also for saving Villhaze," Ingvild said as she stepped beside him, hands clasped behind her back, enjoying the sea breeze. Her voice carried a gentle sincerity. "Truly, thank you so much. If you ever want something… Villhaze and I will do everything we can to repay you."
"Then I have one right now," Hajime replied without missing a beat.
Ingvild tilted her head, curiosity in her eyes as she waited.
He opened his eyes and gave her a gentle smile. "Will you sing for me again?"
Her eyes widened in surprise before she let out a small, warm laugh. "Sure… I will. Whenever you want me to."
Then Ingvild began to sing, her clear, melodic voice filling the cottage like a warm breeze. Conversations faded, utensils paused mid-air, and all eyes and ears turned toward her. Hajime let his eyes fall shut, breathing in the moment as if he could store it away forever.
This life… it's worth everything, he thought with conviction. I won't let anyone take this from me.
—
At the back table, where Alice, Anisphia, and Sagiri sat—now joined by Lavinia—Sagiri slowly opened her eyes, tilting her head as Ingvild's song drifted through the air. She let out a soft sigh, prompting the others to glance at her.
"Hm? Something wrong, Saa-chan?" Lavinia asked, leaning in slightly.
Sagiri, wearing a tired expression, glanced at the three girls before lightly pointing at herself. "Matchmaking from a goddess," she muttered dryly.
Next, she pointed at Lavinia, who blinked in confusion. "Blonde magician."
Her finger then drifted toward Ingvild, who was singing softly beside Hajime. "Purple-haired girl on a beach."
Alice and Anisphia's expressions froze mid-reaction. They remembered what Hajime said during their train ride to Kyoto.
Sagiri tilted her head back to the night sky with a sigh. "Nagumo Hajime really needs to stop tempting fate."