"Well that was a bust." Tsubasa grumbled as she dropped her costume onto the bench and sat next to it in a huff. "Too bad we can't find the one who came into the campus."
"Indeed." Sona frowned as she made sure no one was listening in our conversation. "I can't believe someone was able to bypass all of our security and walked out the same manner. I am deeply annoyed right now."
"Well, guess we should have expected it." Rias rubbed her forehead with a lot more strength than needed. "We have been somewhat lax in our security ever since we got the academy's structure back, and I admit that after the whole incident with Kokabiel, I had thought that we would be free from this crap for a while at least."
I merely listened to their words partially as I thought back to the situation. It was too sudden, having the presence of a possible Dead Apostle was bad enough, but the very idea that there was one here in this world meant I may not be the only one to have arrived to this world. If so, did that mean there were others?
Furthermore, that scent and Prana Signature, it resembled someone who should have been dead for a couple of years now.
Someone whom I have killed…
"Shirou, you okay man?" My inner thoughts were interrupted by Ise lightly nudging my shoulder. "You looked like you seen a ghost earlier."
"… I'm fine."
"Actually, no you are not." I turned to find both Rias and Sona looking at me with serious expressions. "I may not be privy to much of your secrets, but I think that was an expression of someone who found someone that should have been gone for a long time, or something equivalent."
I bit my cheek lightly as I considered what to tell them. It was a little difficult trying to relate information from my world to their world's understanding, and my travels to other worlds kept showing what happened when people knew too much about them.
I had to tread lightly.
"… The presence I felt earlier, it reminded me of something that came up in a mission a few years back." I mentally sorted the experience in my head before speaking the words out. "It reminded me of someone I had fought in that mission, the feeling was that familiar."
"So you think it might be that person?" Rias placed a finger on her chin.
"It can't be." I spoke a little too quickly and with a hint of heat, enough to make the others flinch back unconsciously. With a wince, I forced myself to calm down. "It cannot be that person, that magus is dead. I should know that very well."
"How are you so sure?" Tsubasa asked from her side. I looked at her in the eye as I spoke the words I knew was going to get me into trouble.
"Because in that mission, I was the one who executed the magus by carving his body into pieces."
...
Yup, this was going to be awkward for now.
I left the room shortly after the conversation with the excuse of getting more supplies, but I could tell that the information was too sudden. I had noted our interactions for a while and the one thing I could confirm was them still trying to wrap their head around me being some mercenary type magus who could take down Stray Devils and at least one Fallen Angel.
If they knew about my title of 'Second Magus Killer', now that would set things on fire.
In any case, all information about me and my type of work seemed to be hitting the Student Council the most, likely because most of the members were originally human to begin with and I interacted with them the most. I knew this would happen, but a part of me did not want to be around to see their expressions.
Darn it. I was getting too old for this.
All thoughts of my self-loathing were put on hold when I saw Saji come around the corner with a panicked expression.
"Saji, what is the matter?" I called out to him who turned to look at me with a relieved sigh.
"Man, am I glad to see you!" Saji came forward with his hands pulling his hair slightly. "There is some weird commotion going on at the hall, and it is driving me mad. And I can't get Kaichou or Fuku-Kaichou at all!"
"Why? Is there an intruder?" I asked while using my senses to feel the area, but to my disappointment I did not detect the signature of the possible Dead Apostle. What did peaked my interest was the signature I got from the oddly-dressed girl. It was not malevolent but it was oddly excited.
"I am not sure, all I know is there is some cosplayer going about there and the people are clogging up the hallways. I am getting swarmed by all the complaints and I can't get the others!" Saji let out a frustrated sigh.
"You can head to my classroom, Sona should still be there talking with Rias and Tsubasa about an incident earlier." I told him as I looked to where the hall was. "Why don't you get them? I will try to deal with the crowd and maybe tell this cosplayer to go elsewhere. I'm currently taking a break so that should be fine."
"Ah, you are a godsend~ OW!" Saji was thankful for a while before grabbing his head from the headache that came.
"Don't get yourself injured there." I lightly poked him in the head before walking off towards the hall, internally thankful for the interruption. The bit about a possible Dead Apostle would have to wait, but considering the timing and the Prana signatures I was getting, I could make a few guesses about whom I was approaching.
Guess Rin was right, trouble followed me like a plague.
As I got closer it became apparent that Saji may have understated the number of people in the hallways; I could barely see the end of the corridor as people were trying to through the doors and there was certainly something going on in the halls if the sounds of cheering and cameras were of any indication. With a grunt, I pushed through the crowd to the nearest door and popped my head around the corner.
The sight in front of me was enough to make me question this world again.
"Hello, everybody!" The twin-tailed girl whom I had bumped into earlier was posing in various positions to let those with the cameras take pictures of her, some of which I could tell was going to be troublesome if not downright blackmail if they were to circulate. With a small gesture with my finger, I drew a symbol to disable all the devices, ensuring no one had their devices working properly. Then I put my fingers to my mouth and let out a loud whistle to grab their attention.
"Okay everyone, I need you to please leave the hall and not gather around the area. We are experiencing a pile-up at the corridors so please do not loiter around here." I spoke loudly while mentally sighing at some of the 'otakus' who were glaring at me. With another gesture and a minor grimace, I activated a small mind charm and spoke with power in my words.
"Leave."
That did the trick as I watched their eyes getting glazed, then with a light nod, everyone left the hall, leaving me and the girl behind.
"AOO~ why are they leaving?" The girl whined as she turned to look at me. "Did you have to put a spell on them?"
"I figured we would need a quiet spot to talk since the others are on the way." I spoke while looking at her sternly. "Besides, your little performance was clogging up the corridor and we do need people to move. Not to mention I do not know or trust you enough to be alone with unsuspecting people."
"Oh, why is that?" She looked at me with a teasing smile of mischief.
"Because we had an intruder on the premise, and considering the amount of energy you have been giving off, I need to be sure." I narrowed my eyes while preparing my mental trigger and noting that we were now alone with no one nearby.
Good.
"Oh my~ Emiya-tan, I am not suspicious." The devil girl twirled her body while maintaining that mischievous smile, not bothering to hide the fact that she knew my name or what I said was true. "I am just here to see So-tan~"
"Which begs the question." I clenched my fists. "Are you really who you claim to be?"
'CHING!'
Several holy weapons surrounded her with the sharp end pointed straight at her, each one giving off their intent to kill if she were to show any form of ill-intent. For her credit, she did not even flinch at their presence and maintained her smile.
"You have three seconds to talk. Whether it is of your volition or other methods, start talking." I gave that ultimatum to her who merely straightened her posture while looking at me with that smile. "Three. Two. One…"
"WAIT!" My attempts at interrogation got interrupted when the doors opened violently and Sona came running through them with a much panicked expression. She was followed shortly by the Student Council who were looking either confused or tired, the exorcist duo who were looking serious, the Occult Club who looked a little disheveled, and finally Rias accompanying two males whom I could only assume were relatives of hers due to their strikingly red hair and scent that smelled similar to hers.
"Wait, Emiya-kun! There is no need to go that far!" Sona waved her hands frantically as she got between us. "She is not suspicious, she is my…"
"SO-TAN!" The girl did not get to finish her sentence when the magical girl pounced on her and started to snuggle her cheek against hers. "I finally found you!"
"Er…" I let out a sound as I watched the girl going on a tangent about her not knowing about the event and something about making Japan sparkle. "Do you guys know who she is?"
"She is Serafall Leviathan, one of the four Maous in charge of Hell." Akeno who was the closest explained while maintaining an expression that seemed torn between being amused and fighting a toothache. "She is also the elder sister of Sona-chan."
"Seriously?" I looked at the interaction between the two, with the supposed leader acting all cutesy with her body motions. "That's one of the leaders?"
"EI~ is that true Buchou?!" Ise turned to Rias with a flabbergasted expression, likely having a hard time associating a serious figure to a girl dressed in a magical girl costume. Rias merely nodded with a forced smile on her face, the corner of her mouth notably twitching at the sight before her.
"And the two beside Rias are…" I motioned to the men next to Rias.
"Oh these are her father and brother." Akeno said while still looking at the scene, the two in question waving in response while looking at the sisters with a look that spoke of them used to the interactions.
...
A/N : The Story Needs More Power Stones ;)
PS : if we can reach 400 Stones by the end of the week, I will throw you an extra chapter
...
if you want to read ahead of the public release you can go to my p atreon :
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