The next morning, I found myself back in my office at Mishima Corporation.
I'd teleported here early, letting Rossweisse sleep in a bit longer at the mansion. She'd been exhausted, and after the month she'd spent holding things together while I was gone, she deserved the rest.
The Rating Game between Rias and Riser was scheduled for this evening. Part of me wanted to be there in person, but I knew my presence might complicate things. This was Rias's fight, her chance to prove herself and win her freedom.
I'd done what I could to prepare them. Now it was up to her and her peerage.
A soft knock on my office door pulled me from my thoughts.
"Come in."
The door opened to reveal Yamamoto, the head of security for Mishima Corporation. He was a Yokai—a Tengu, specifically—and had served my family for decades. His loyalty was absolute, one of the few people I trusted completely with the company's security.
But seeing him at my office door was unusual. Yamamoto rarely came to me directly unless something serious was happening. Usually, he handled security matters independently, only reporting when absolutely necessary.
I sat up straighter. "Yamamoto. What's wrong?"
"Mishima-sama, welcome back. It's good to see you've returned from your vacation."
Vacation. Right.
That's what Rossweisse and Sona had decided to tell everyone. As far as the company knew, I'd taken a month-long vacation to handle some personal matters. They didn't know about Helheim. Didn't know about Loki's captivity. Didn't know about the torture or the month I'd spent in chains.
And it was better that way.
Telling the truth would complicate things. Other supernatural factions would see it as weakness—proof that even someone with my power and resources could be captured and held. Business rivals, both human and supernatural, would use it as leverage. The company could be put at risk if word got out about what really happened.
So we'd kept it simple. A vacation. An extended absence for personal reasons.
"Thank you, Yamamoto," I said, keeping my voice neutral. "It's good to be back. How have things been while I was away?"
"Quiet, for the most part," Yamamoto replied, straightening from his bow. "Rossweisse-san and Sitri-sama handled everything admirably. The company continued to operate smoothly in your absence."
"That's good to hear."
Yamamoto hesitated, and I could see there was more he wanted to say. The Tengu's expression remained professional, but there was something in his eyes—concern, maybe, or uncertainty.
"What is it, Yamamoto?"
"I—"
I leaned forward slightly. "Yamamoto. What's wrong?"
"Mishima-sama, I received a message this morning. From Kyoto."
Kyoto. That caught my attention immediately.
Yamamoto had connections to the Youkai factions in Kyoto—it was one of the reasons he'd been so valuable as head of security. The Tengu clans maintained close ties with the various Youkai leadership in Japan's old capital.
"What kind of message?" I asked.
"An... invitation, of sorts." Yamamoto's expression remained carefully neutral. "The Youkai leadership is requesting a meeting. With you specifically, Mishima-sama."
I sat back in my chair. "Me? Why?"
"They didn't specify the exact reason in the message, but..." Yamamoto paused. "There have been... disturbances in Kyoto recently. Incidents involving unknown parties targeting Youkai territories…"
"And they want my help?"
"Perhaps… I am also not sure."
"When do they want this meeting?" I asked.
"Within the week, if possible. They're hosting a gathering in Kyoto—representatives from various Youkai clans will be present."
I drummed my fingers on the desk, thinking. A trip to Kyoto could be useful—establishing better relations with the Youkai factions would benefit the company and give me more intelligence on what was happening in Japan's supernatural community.
"Tell them I'll attend,"
Yamamoto bowed.
And Yamamoto?"
"Yes, Mishima-sama?"
"Start gathering intelligence on these incidents in Kyoto. I want to know what we're walking into before we get there."
"Understood."
The Tengu bowed again and left my office, closing the door quietly behind him.
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.
Actually, this could work out perfectly.
I'd promised Sona we'd go on a vacation together.
After everything she'd been through during my absence—the stress, the worry, the burden of keeping both the company and her own responsibilities running—she deserved it.
It would be mixing business with pleasure, but after the hell we'd both been through, I think we'd earned that.
I pulled out my phone.
I typed out a quick message: Got invited to Kyoto for a meeting with the Youkai factions. Within the week. Want to come with me? We can finally take that vacation I promised you.
I hit send and set the phone down.
Before I could go back to my work, there was another knock on my door.
I looked up, confused.
"Come in," I called out.
The door opened, and I felt genuine surprise for the second time that morning.
Father Dante stood in the doorway, his weathered face breaking into a warm smile. Behind him were Irina and Xenovia, both in their Church exorcist attire.
I'd actually forgotten about them.
During the month I was in Loki's captivity, they'd been working on tracking down the remaining Excalibur fragments. I remembered E.V.E. mentioning something in her reports about them successfully locating and retrieving the swords from Valper Galilei's possession. But with everything that had happened—my escape, killing Loki, reuniting with everyone—I hadn't had a chance to follow up.
They'd gone back to the Vatican during my captivity. We really had no chance to say goodbye.
So seeing them here, standing in my office, was completely unexpected.
"Father Dante," I said, standing up from my desk. "Irina, Xenovia. This is a surprise. It's been awhile."
"Leon-san!" Irina's face lit up with genuine relief. She practically bounced into the office, her usual cheerful energy on full display. "We heard you escaped from that horrible Norse god! Thank the Lord you're safe!"
"We are glad to see you well," Xenovia added,.
Father Dante stepped forward, his expression warm but apologetic. "I apologize. We didn't have the chance to help you during your... ordeal. Or even to say goodbye before we returned to the Vatican."
I waved them off. "It's okay. Really. You had your own mission to complete, and from what I heard, you succeeded. You got the Excalibur fragments from Valper Galilei, right?"
"Yes," Xenovia confirmed with a nod. "We recovered all the stolen fragments. Though the situation was... complicated."
"I can imagine," I said, gesturing for them to sit. "So what brings you back to Kuoh? I assume it's not just a social visit."
Father Dante settled into one of the chairs across from my desk, while Irina and Xenovia remained standing. "During your absence, the Three Factions finalized the date and location for the peace talks."
I nodded. "I know. Three days from now, right?"
"Correct," Father Dante said. "And I assume you're aware that Mishima Corporation has been designated as the neutral party facilitating the negotiations?"
"I am." That had been arranged months ago, before everything went to hell with Loki. Mishima Corporation had connections to all three factions without being officially aligned with any of them, making us the perfect mediator.
"Then you also know," Xenovia said, her green eyes serious, "that security for the talks is of paramount importance. The Church is sending representatives tomorrow to begin preparations."
I looked at the three of them, understanding dawning. "And you're the security detail from the Church."
"Precisely," Father Dante confirmed. "The Church higher-ups will be arriving tomorrow, and it's our responsibility to ensure everything is secure and runs smoothly."
"We just wanted to say hello," Irina added with a bright smile. "And to let you know we'll be in town for the next few days! It'll be just like old times!"
"Old times being a few weeks ago," I said with a slight smile.
"Still counts!" Irina insisted.
Xenovia's expression remained serious. "But we're also here because you're part of the peace talks, Leon. As the representative of the neutral party, your role is crucial. We wanted to coordinate with you directly."
I leaned back in my chair, processing this. The peace talks were in three days. The Kyoto meeting was within the week. And now I had Church representatives who'd be staying in Kuoh to handle security.
The timing was interesting. Very interesting.
In the original canon, the peace talks happened much later—after Kokabiel's attack, after the Excalibur incident had fully played out. The timeline had been pushed forward significantly. My presence in this world, my actions, had clearly shifted things in ways I hadn't fully anticipated.
But then again, my month-long captivity had probably accelerated certain political pressures too. The Three Factions might have seen an opportunity to move forward while things were relatively stable, before any other major incidents could derail their plans.
Still, peace talks in three days. Kyoto meeting within the week.
The pieces were moving faster than they should be, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was brewing beneath the surface.
Nevertheless, I was prepared. Whatever came next, I'd handle it.
"Alright," I said. "'ll have Yamamoto brief you on our security protocols, and you can fill me in on what the Church needs from us."
"That would be most appreciated," Father Dante said.
"And Leon-san!" Irina leaned forward eagerly. "Can we see Asia-chan while we're here? I've missed her so much!"
I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "I'm sure Asia would love to see you too. She's been asking about you."
"Excellent!" Irina clapped her hands together. "This is going to be wonderful!"
Xenovia shot her partner a look. "We're here for work, Irina."
"Work can include seeing friends," Irina countered cheerfully.
The timeline might be accelerating, events might be deviating from what I remembered, but I had the resources and the preparation to adapt.
Still this was going to be an interesting week.
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