"I wasn't aware I'd be getting the bodyguard so soon" I asked.
Benemune's smile widened as she set the documents on my desk with practiced efficiency "You didn't but Azazel decided that having a God of Death actively hunting you warranted some... additional security measures."
Of course he did. Can't have his new favorite research subject dying before he gets to study my abilities properly.*
"And what makes you qualified to guard someone who supposedly caught the attention of Hades himself?" I asked, genuinely curious. Her magical signature was impressive, but not overwhelmingly so.
"Ara ara," she chuckled, adjusting her glasses "Such a direct question. I like that in a man." She gestured to a chair "May I?"
I nodded, and she settled herself gracefully Everything about her movements was deliberate and full of elegance. Only if Kokabeil would have been like her, the half of Season 2 would've been avoided.
"I specialize in information warfare and strategic planning," she explained "My role isn't to fight your battles for you—clearly you're more than capable of that. I'm here to ensure you don't walk into any traps in the maze of political stuff" She gave me a smile which made me shudder for a moment "I will make sure, no harm befalls upon you~"
An intelligence officer. That actually makes sense. Azazel knows I can handle direct confrontation, but political maneuvering has never been my strong suit. But what's with the bad feeling I am getting from her vibe*
"Fair enough. What's the intel situation about my current situation?" I asked, masking my inner doubts effortlessly.
Benemune opened the first folder, pulling out some docs "Hades has been remarkably quiet since yesterday . No unusual Grim Reaper activity, no obvious preparations for an assault. Either he's planning something subtle, or he's waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike"
"Which means the summit."
"Precisely." Her orange eyes met mine with a sharp intelligence that reminded me why underestimating people was always a mistake "A gathering of all faction leaders in one location? It's the perfect stage for either a public humiliation or a very dramatic assassination. Though, the possibility of later one is more "
Great. So I get to spend the entire summit wondering which guest in faction leaders summit might stab me in the back. This should be fun.*
"Any word on what Cao Cao's up to?"
"The Hero Faction has scattered to the winds after your little performance," she said, consulting another file. "But scattered doesn't mean inactive. Boy named Georg has been spotted in various locations, likely preparing dimensional traps."
I frowned. "Leonardo's been working on counters to Dimension Lost, but progress is slow."
"Your shadow soldiers?" Benemune observed. "Perhaps a different approach is needed?"
She's not wrong. The shadows are powerful, but they're essentially very advanced puppets, that can get me out of the situation with ease.*
"So. ..What do you suggest?"
"Information is power, Akira-kun." The way she used the honorific was somehow both respectful and subtly mocking. "Instead of trying to counter Georg's abilities, why not predict where he could possibly use them? Pattern analysis, behavioral prediction—these are my specialties."
Huh. An actual strategic thinker instead of just another powerhouse. Azazel might have actually sent someone useful.*
"Alright, I'm listening."
Benemune leaned forward, her expression becoming more serious. "Georg is methodical, almost obsessively so. Every recorded use of Dimension Lost has followed specific patterns—location selection, timing, even the dimensions he creates all follow logical parameters. Give me enough data, and I can predict his next move."
"And you have that data?"
"Some of it. The rest..." She had that sly smile again "Well, that's where having connections across all three factions becomes useful."
She's good. Very good. This might actually work.*
"What do you need from me?"
"Access to your shadow soldiers' memories of their encounters with Georg. Detailed accounts of every Dimension Lost activation they witnessed. And..." she paused, studying my face "Your complete trust on whatever I'm working with you."
Trust. There's the rub. In a world where shapeshifters, mental manipulation, and political betrayal are everyday concerns, trust is a luxury I can't afford. But since Azazel sent her, she can be trusted*
Looking at her, I couldn't sense any deception. No hostile intent, no signs of magical compulsion or disguise. Just professional competence with a side of mysterious amusement.
Sometimes you have to ride the wave instead of swimming against it.*
"Fair enough. But if you mess up, I'll make sure Azazel knows exactly what happened as I can't vouch for your shortcomings. It's a life death situation for me, hope you understand"
"Noted" she said, with a nod "Though I should mention that I am interested in getting a peek at your undead collection"
"Sure, Once we are done with the preparations. Now, about this summit..."
The Next Morning*
I found Valerie, Xenovia, and Asia in the training grounds, actually working together for once instead of just taking turns getting beaten by me. Valerie was using Sephiroth Graal to heal while Xenovia practiced precise strikes against them with Ingrid instead of her Durandal, with Asia providing healing tips to Valerie occasionally while sparring against Chasteifol.
Progress. Actual teamwork instead of individual training. Maybe they're finally starting to think like a unit.*
"How's the training going?"
"Much better than expected," Valerie admitted, wiping sweat from her forehead. "These scrolls you gave us are incredibly detailed. I had no idea Sephiroth Graal had so many applications."
"The healing techniques are fascinating too," Asia added excitedly. "There are methods here I've never seen before! Where did you find these?"
How exactly do I explain that a crazy scientist was behind with all this research and access*
"No need to think about that" I said "What matters is that you're improving."
Xenovia nodded approvingly. "The sword techniques are excellent. More refined than what the Church taught me."
Of course they are. The system doesn't mess around with rewards when it comes to quality.*
"Speaking of refinement," I said, "we're going to have company for a while. Azazel sent a bodyguard."
"A bodyguard?" Valerie's eyebrows rose. "For you? Really?"
"More like a strategic advisor who happens to be good as well as smart. Her name's Benemune."
"Her?" Xenovia's tone sharpened slightly.
Oh right. I forgot about the weird territorial thing women seem to develop. This should be interesting.*
"Yes, her. And before any of you get ideas, this is strictly professional. She's here to help with intelligence gathering and tactical planning, against Khaos Brigade and Hades"
Asia tilted her head curiously "Is she nice?"
That's... actually a really good question. I'm not entirely sure what Benemune's personality is like beyond 'professionally competent with mysterious undertones.'Only time will reveal*
"I think she's... Fine" I said finally "But trustworthy enough for our purposes."
Valerie crossed her arms. "You 'think' she's trustworthy? That's reassuring."
"Trust is earned, not given" I replied. "Right now, she's useful. That's enough."
"And if she proves otherwise?" Xenovia's grip on Ingrid tightened slightly.
There's that protective streak again. It's actually kind of touching, in a violently threatening way.*
"Then I'll deal with it. But let's not borrow any more trouble that we can handle. We've got enough real problems to worry about."
That Afternoon*
Benemune had made herself at home in what used to be a back room, transforming it into something resembling a detective room. Maps, documents, and what looked like a complex web of red string connecting various photos covered every available surface.
She works fast. And apparently believes in the 'crazy conspiracy theorist' aesthetic.*
"You comfortable?" I asked, studying the organized chaos.
"Ah yes. Information requires organization, so give me some time" she replied without looking up from a document she was annotating "Hmp"
"Find anything useful yet?"
"Several things." She turned to face me, and I noticed she'd added a small pair of reading glasses that somehow made her look even more professional. "First, your assumption that the summit is the most likely time for an attack is correct. Second, Georg has been spotted in different countries since yesterday up to now"
"Looking for recruits?" I guessed
"Exactly. But here's what's interesting—" She pointed to several locations on a map. "These six locations form a rough geometric pattern. If you connect them..."
She drew lines between the points, and I saw what she meant. The pattern formed an irregular but recognizable shape—a summoning circle.
"He's trying to create a massive dimensional anchor"
That's... actually brilliant. And terrifying*
"Anchor for what?"
"Unknown. But the power requirements would be enormous. Whatever he's planning to summon or access would need to be proportionally significant."
I studied the map more carefully. "Any idea where the center point would be?"
"That's the concerning part." Her finger traced to a location in the middle of the pattern. "It's approximately here—which happens to be very close to where Carmilla territory is."
Of course it is. Because nothing can ever be simple. They tryna pull Yasaka's plan on me? But using Great Red? While, I appreciate the approach to attack me with Great Red...wait who said it could only be Great Red. If that's all they want to do, they won't need to involve Hades in it. So why?*
"So Georg's not planning to attack me while I am in summit. He's planning to use it to wreck havoc there"
"That's my assessment, yes." Benemune removed her glasses and cleaned them by setting them beside stacks of Intel docs "The question becomes: what requires that much power to summon?"
I had a few ideas, none of them pleasant. Ancient demons, dead gods, conceptual entities that shouldn't exist in our reality—the list of things you definitely didn't want loose in the world was unfortunately quite long.
"I need to contact Michael, Sirzechs, and Azazel," I said. "If Georg's planning something this big, all three factions need to know."
"Already handled." Benemune's smile held just a hint of smugness "I sent preliminary reports to all three faction leaders an hour ago."
She's efficient. I'll give her that.*
"And their responses?"
"Varied. Michael expressed concern for innocent casualties. Sirzechs was interested in the tactical implications. And Azazel..."
"Let me guess. He wants to study it."
"He asked if there was any way to capture Georg in the act without stopping the ritual entirely. For 'research purposes.'"
Classic Azazel. Never let a good crisis go to waste if you can learn and gain something from it.*
"Tell him absolutely not. We're stopping this before it starts, not playing with forces we don't understand."
"I thought you might say that." She pulled out another document. "Which brings us to the next issue—timeline. Based on the activation patterns, I estimate Georg will be ready to execute his plan within three days."
Three Days. That's not much time to prepare for whatever entity he's planning to unleash.*
"Then we'd better get ready."
Looking at Benemune's careful analysis and the system's stark warning, one thing was becoming clear—the next week was going to be troublesome in my schedule and then I got to attend the summit as well.
Sigh, no rest for me, even with all this power.