"Indeed, it is troublesome that Lyle has gone behind our backs to quench his curiosity but this does not change the plan at all.
If not for the fact that you two got this project of ours moving at such a quick pace, I would have probably dissected both of you at this point." Galilei remarked as he took up the shard and went to the table where the others rested.
...
"You know old man, you probably have your reasons, but the both of us and some of the others could not help wondering why you did not call us earlier for the operation. If we are so much more efficient than Freed, you should have brought us in from the start." Creed raised an eyebrow as he mentioned.
"Yes well, when this plan started coming together, both of you were not around, and Kokabiel wanted a mad dog to be let loose on the devils. He wanted someone who was crazy enough to follow his words without questioning." Galilei cleaned up his equipment and kept them in his bag.
"It was only after Freed got himself killed that I got hold of some information that needed to speed my plans up significantly. Fortunately by that time, the both of you were already done with your missions so I could recruit you both."
"You say that, but I believe there are other reasons, right?" Creed looked out of the window to see his partner departing with the brainwashed devil.
"You might be right." Galilei also turned his head to look at Lyle turning his head quickly before breaking into a run, with the devil following suit. "You checked out fine, but our other partner in crime is a bit more questionable. Kokabiel for one was rather against the idea of Lyle joining in earlier, but after seeing his prowess, he decided to have him under his eye." Galilei tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Lyle is a bit of a wild card right now."
"So are the rumors true then? Lyle may be under the orders of the pope to spy on us?" Creed clenched his hands a little tightly. "Then shouldn't we get rid of him?"
"That is not certain. I admit it was a bit of a mistake to leave Lyle alone too long on the outside, he may have gotten influenced by Francis when I was not supervising." Galilei lightly gritted his teeth as he considered the possibility. "At the very least I still have some hold on him, but we would still need to watch out for him. He has been growing a little too rebellious for my liking."
"Well then." Creed's smirk went wider. "Guess we will know by tonight."
...
"I still think it is a trap." Those were the words that came out of Sona's mouth after she heard our story.
"I agree, it is odd that Lyle Wallner would just come up and give us the information that easily." Griselda agreed with her as she crossed her arms, unintentionally pushing her assets outwards and distracting the other males of our group. "He must be planning an ambush of sorts to take us out, or maybe split our forces apart."
"I don't think he is lying." I tapped my finger thoughtfully as I recalled the conversation. "If anything, I think he genuinely wants us to stop them. But you are correct in thinking it is a trap. Perhaps he may have gotten information that could be false to throw us off."
"You really want to trust that guy. After all that had happened earlier?" Xenovia remarked.
"… I can't honestly say I trust him completely. Regardless of his own intentions, it does not change the fact that he is part of a group that went about stealing these shards and using a town to perform a ritual that could potentially dragged innocent people into this mess. The fact that the higher-ups chose this location just for the sake of pissing the devil faction while placing the blame on the church is something I can't forgive." I went my finger along the makeshift table I have put together using a couple of boxes and one old piece of fiber-board as I considered the information.
"At the same time however, I don't think we should disregard the information. Considering what I know of the layout of the area, if my guess is correct, they are aiming for a leyline to assist in the creation of the sword, and if I recall correctly, you guys are sitting on quite a nest here."
"Ah, so you have researched on this area huh?" Rias commented before continuing. "True, the academy is currently seating on one of the biggest and possibly purest leylines around here. It helps us to regulate our powers while ensuring that anyone who tries to take the town by force would not be able to get the leyline without a fight."
"Wait a minute." Tsubaki interrupted with her eyes widened in concerned realization. "But that means what we are doing now is!"
"Playing right into their hands by leaving the place empty." I finished off her words, having considered the same thing. "So likely they are already preparing to use the school for the ritual for some time, but since the others have gone to seek them out, they had to accelerate their plans to perform the ritual. But I am still not sure why Lyle went out of his way to come tell us that."
"Not us, you." Griselda pointed that out. "I am not sure but he does seem a little interested in you."
"Erm~ I don't swing that way, I am straight?" That comment made a few of the girls, Saji and Ise grabbed their mouths in a futile attempt to silence their laughter. "Seriously though, why would he be doing this?"
"I can think of a few reasons." Griselda ignored the others' attempts to control their laughter as she sat back. "The first likely reason would be related to an odd wish he has."
"Wish?"
"To find the next natural user of Excalibur." Griselda nodded her head at the expression that I and the others were sporting. "It might be weird to you, but for those who have been in the experiments to create and wield holy swords, there are a few who wished to see if their sacrifices were worth it. They want to have their blood and sweat acknowledged by those who could wield holy swords without the experiments."
"For Lyle Wallner, his desire to meet a natural user of Excalibur is pretty well-known amongst the other exorcists. It seemed to stem from his past around the time he met the man who is now our current pope, but we don't know enough about it, and Pope Francis who knows the exorcist does not wish to talk about it." Griselda explained as she recalled whatever information about the exorcist they gotten. "I think a second possible reason was the manner the shards reacted to you. Lyle is perhaps the only other person I know from the Vatican who has some compatibility that allows him to handle other holy swords in the vault without any argumentation and at least hold the Excalibur Shards without any issue. That still has not subsided even after he had went with Galilei, so it would make sense greatly if what you said was true about him being under orders. After all the swords themselves decide whether a user is worthy of their approval, and the fact that the majority is still reacting to him after him leaving the Vatican is quite a good indicator."
'The swords decide the user?'
Those words seemed to strike me more prominently than the others as I turned to look at the shard, the glowing and humming resuming under my gaze. That much I understood from wielding the Noble Phantasms in my arsenal, but the part about the shards and possibly the Sacred Gears themselves reacting to me was somewhat of an issue to me.
Was this why Lyle came after me? Had he felt alienated by his affinity with the swords, questioning the swords' choice of making him their owner? Perhaps he wanted answers from someone who understood his insecurities.
"You disagree with a statement I made." I turned back to find Griselda looking at me with that thoughtful expression. "You are really similar to Lyle Wallner in that he kept saying he was not worthy to wield the holy swords in the vault."
"… I would not know how he would really feel, but I just think that there are others out there who should be more worthy than me." I absentmindedly fingered the miniaturized spear around my neck, making it glow at the touch. "It might sound selfish, but considering all the blood I have shed and other reasons of my own, I just feel that there is no chance I should be allowed to touch the shards, let alone wield them."
"Definitely like Lyle Wallner. The both of you may complain about it, but it does not change the reality that you both are chosen by the swords." Griselda said as she looked at me in the eye. "I do not know your lifestyle, but I can make a few guesses. What I do know is that despite your doubts, it is the weapons themselves that have the final say in this matter."
My only reply was to scratch the back of my head as I considered her words. It was rather problematic trying to argue my point to her or the exorcists, but in the end she had a decent point; the weapons that have some form of sentience would always react to those they felt could wield them the best or suit their needs. The Noble Phantasms in my Reality Marble were the best examples; Gram and other malevolent weapons only allowed themselves to be wielded by me since I was the only other person who could bring out some bit of potential from them, but if they were in the presence of someone who could bring out their malicious intents with his own bloodlust, they would eagerly jump ship.
Ha~ what a pain.
...
if you want to read ahead of the public release you can go to my p atreon :
p atreon.com/Aerle