Scarlet 19

Scarlet 19

…

Commissioned by Sivantic

Wordcount: 2500

…

I have to admit… I didn’t expect the Church to be conducting experiments on orphans in order to create supersoldiers with superpowers.

Same. These guys were a lot tamer back then.

Irina cleared her throat.

“Freed stole several of the Excaliburs before his demise by Ise-kun. We believe that he sent them to Valper Galilei who was excommunicated for his fiendish experiments.” Thankfully, Irina was no longer wearing the skintight Exorcist she appeared in. Unfortunately, she now had her hair down after a bath, and with her light-brown hair and European ancestry I was having difficulty not seeing Lisa in my childhood friend. “We are now in pursuit of the man, to not only recover the Holy Swords, but also to bring him to justice.”

Rias gave a hum as she leaned against me. She’d scooted our chairs together during the meal and it was the same now. Somehow, she was aware of my thoughts regarding my childhood friend, and instead of pinching me or doing something aggressive to correct my actions… she decided that being more flirtatious was the correct path.

My now-older childhood friend was looking amazing and my girlfriend was all over me.

Therefore, naturally, my teenage male body was just short of exploding from need and lust, which was only being withheld by willpower born from a previous life.

You killed an alien god with your mind while directly controlling thousands of people… but you’re barely holding back your libido. Honestly, I should be surprised, but I’m not. Crazier things have happened due to rampant lust than you think.

Not. Helping. Ddraig.

Why would I help when this is funny?

I gritted my teeth while trying to come up with comeback, but my mind was wiped when Rias spoke up and embraced my arm between two mounds of heaven at the same time.

My thoughts were obliterated by a tidal wave of soft, pert sensations.

“As I’ve said before, this territory is under the control of the Gremory and Sitri households. Any form of justice meted out here shall be our justice… and simply taking in such a vile man is unacceptable, especially because of what he did to one of my own.” Rias spoke and I managed to get some braincells under control thanks to how serious her words were. The Church was infringing upon Devil territory, which would normally be grounds for battle, but that wasn’t just it. They were infringing on territory own by the Gremory and Sitri houses… who had two Satans. This was grounds for full-scale war. Not just a single fight. “So, I would like for the both of you to give us all the information you have on this Galilei, and leave his punishment to us. The Holy Swords… shall be recovered and returned to Church in the interest of preventing conflict between Heaven and Hell.”

By all means, Rias’s proposal was level-headed and compromised very little. Kiba was going to get his wish of killing the man who destroyed his childhood and friends. The Church was going to get their Holy Swords back. Both the Sitri and Gremory heiresses gain prestige from telling the rest of Hell that they handled the Church.

The Church, instead of facing a battle they couldn’t win, were going to get all their objectives handled without any issues at the cost of reputation alone.

It should’ve been a good enough deal for everyone involved.

However, Irina’s fellow exorcist couldn’t be described as “reasonable.”

“We are not leaving, and the Church will recover the Holy Swords, and not let you Devils decide what is justice.” Xenovia Quarta, despite being very appreciative of the food she’d been given, as well as the bath and clothes she was provided, wasn’t in the mood to accept the deal in the slightest. “Your offer is merely a veiled ploy to get your hands on our relics and the knowledge that traitor has. We will not let you have either.”

Ah, zealotry. A wonderful thing. It dropped off so many snacks on my front door.

Rias frowned at the words, and bit her lip as she tried to find a way around the political quagmire single-handedly created by one pissed off, zealous child soldier.

Luckily for her, I knew just how to do.

Ooh. I like this plan.

“Then, it looks like you need to experience an accident that takes you out of commission.” I stated my plan very, very simply and straightforwardly towards the blue-haired girl. Her gaze immedietly hardened and trained on me, while power surged from her. A circle appeared behind her with her sword’s handle extending out… but I was faster. She froze as I’d gone from sitting still to reaching over the table with an armored, superhuman grip on the shoulder of her dominant arm. “You have a decision to make. Accept the terms and wait patiently for my friends to keep their word, or I break your arm and make it so that you HAVE to accept the terms.”

Thugs needed to be threatened and kept in line. Thugs who thought that they were in the right needed to be firmly threatened in order to be kept in line… and watched thereafter to make sure that they knew their place. I missed my first power at times like this, since I wasn’t that confident in using my Familiar yet. I would normally be able to just put a “bug” on her to keep track of her, but now I had to hope she was too stupid, and reject my offer, so that I could take her out of the fight.

It’s too bad we can’t kill her, since your friend knows her. That would make things easier, eh?

Yeah, it’s too bad.

“Ise!” Irina cried out and stood up, but as I suspected she didn’t start drawing her own weapon, which everyone else noticed as well. What could’ve turned into a standoff around my family’s dinner table was me holding down a zealot whose teeth were grit in anger aimed solely at me. “Don’t hurt her!”

“Irina… I would kill her, if she wasn’t your friend, because she’s risking a war between Heaven and Hell. A war that will catch a lot of normal people caught in the crossfire.” As powerful as modern technology was, it couldn’t compete with the likes of Devils, Fallen, and Angels. They were all incredibly durable, capable of utilizing various forms of magic, and had access to weaponry and equipment that couldn’t be matched by anything or anyone human. If they fought, the entire modern world would be brought to a standstill… at best. At worst, it could be utterly destroyed. “I’m already holding back for you.”

Irina was speechless at my words, giving me time to look at the blue-haired Exorcist in the eye.

There was a lot of anger and hate in her eyes, but there was fear in there as well.

Fear that I can use.

“You might not care about what happens to this city, or the innocent people who live her, but I do. My family is here, my friends are her, and I care about this place.” Something within me was burning up, but it was pleasant sensation. Not only that, but I felt an intense approval from Ddraig as I spoke. I supposed that, if one skewed their view enough, I was technically a dragon protecting its hoard. Or, maybe, Ddraig managed to put two and two together and realized that a gigantic world war would stop Jump from being released weekly. “I won’t kill you, but I will break you, if you decide to do anything that risks the people I care about.”

What!? Are you serious!? Break this woman’s arm already! Better yet just kill her and anyone who threatens the peace, Taylor!

Ddraig roared in the back of my head, but I ignored him in favor of turning my gaze to one of my present allies.

Sitri decided to speak up for the first time since we’d called her over to present a united front.

“He’ll do it. Hyoudou-san is very protective of Kuoh and its peace. He’ll also be more than willing to take all the blame upon himself to protect it.” The student council president pushed up her glasses and gave a wide, friendly smile towards both Irina and Quarta. The fake smile gave me a little shiver, even as she aimed it my childhood friend and her companion. Yeah, she was doing a good job at supporting my argument. “He is an independent contractor within this city. One that has worked with us, and has relations with my friend, so whatever he does is only circumstantially related to Hell. We risk nothing by allowing him to ensure that the more logical plan goes through.”

For a brief second, Quarta seemed to not have been affected by the worlds, until she broke her gaze from me and spoke with gritted teeth.

“You are blessed by God with a Longinus. A divine tool meant to protect humanity… and you’ve chosen to fight with Devils and go against the Church!? You are a fool and a traitor!” Quarta hissed and I felt some worried stares go my way. I let the words flow over me, because I didn’t care for them in the slightest. The closest thing to a god I’d met before was a depressed alien that I drove to suicide. I wasn’t particularly filled with faith. “How dare you try to bully me—

I cut her off.

“I am not bullying you. I am THREATENING you.” I squeezed hard and the thug managed to not yell out in pain, until I put the slightest hint of strength behind my grip. She cried out through grit teeth until I relented, and her cry had Irina start to call upon her own sword from magical storage. However, I left my childhood friend to Argento who gently took hold of her wrist in the corner of my vision. That defused that particular situation very quickly. “Make the right choice, or I’ll make it for you.”

The lack of support from her ally, courtesy of the girl her organization wronged and who she felt guilty for, won assisted my threats immensely.

Quarta gave me fierce glare of defeat, before sagging in my grip, and looking away.

“We… will not move against Galilei for now. Should you fail, or not accomplish anything within a fortnight, we will move.”

“You’re in no position to bargain, but we’ll consider your suggestions very carefully.” I withdrew my hand from her shoulder, and awaited a surprise attack… but it never came. Surprisingly, when Irina came to assist her friend, Quarta didn’t hold any anger towards her either. She simply accepted her fellow exorcist’s help. I decided it was time for them to get their own place, while all the Devils stared at them. “Here. Take this.”

I’d thought about giving them cash, but they apparently spent their budget being swindled into thinking something was a relic.

Both of them were child soldiers who had little idea about the rest of the world, so I decided against foolishly giving them funds.

“I’ve rented you an apartment for a month, and I’ve had the fridge and pantry stocked. Hopefully neither of you will have to stay long, but it’ll be restocked every week.” Irina gingerly took the envelope and opened it to review the information, as well as the pair of keys. Rias and Sitri both had a glut of contacts in the city which I used to pull a few strings. Nothing close to a black market or anything illicit, but certainly enough to cast a large enough web to get favors and assets through cash. “Stay there and contact us on the phone for anything you need, while we handle this problem.”

Quarta stood up at my words and aimed to leave immediately, but Irina hesitated and cast a forlorn look my way.

I hesitated… but shook my head at my childhood friend who’d I’d missed.

“Go. I understand. We can catch up later… in better circumstances.”

It shouldn’t have been so painful to see her smile and head towards her friend. I was used to saying goodbye.

But it still hurt a lot.

…

After a short day at school, I met with both Sitri and Rias in the small mansion that was Rias’s “clubroom.”

Yuuto seemed in a far better mood than yesterday, as he served everyone present tea.

He gets to handle his personal business with his own hands and people he trusts. And, of course, give the finger to the Church, which let what happened to him happen. I’d be happy too… if I was a weak Devil, of course.

Ddraig was as analytical and logical as always.

You know it.

Sitri spoke up and addressed me after taking a long, contemplative sip of tea.

“You did well last night, Hyoudou-kun. You allowed the situation to be resolved under better terms than expected between Exorcists of the Church and Devils. That deserves commending.” Sitri smoothed her skirt and eyed me through her glasses. I did my best to repress any and all thoughts of rewards involving authority figures and schoolgirl outfits to the best of my ability. It was very, very difficult, but I managed. It helped that Rias was leaning against me and nodding along with all of Sitri’s words. “However, we cannot rest on our laurels. You bought us time, delayed a major diplomatic incident, and in order to succeed we must locate their objective immediately.”

Sitri pushed up her glasses and held out her hand to her Queen, who’d been eyeing up a happy Yuuto like a woman starved for weeks. Easy there, ojou-sama, he’ll notice you soon enough.

No “normie,” ree?

I have a girlfriend now.

Ah. So, you’re the normie now, huh? Weird.

“I’ve begun sending out scouts and we’ve made some progress. Traces of magic here and there in the outskirts of the city.” Sitri placed a map on the table between the sofa she occupied and the one Rias and I occupied. It was a grid-based map of Kuoh and its outskirts. She had her peerage spread out along its outskirts and they were coordinating Familiars in search patterns. Very thorough search patterns, but not as good as I could’ve managed in my previous life… not that I could manage what Sitri was managing now. “There’s an issue, though… we’re not finding traces of magic normally attributed to the Church. We’re mostly finding magics attributed to the Fallen.”

I blinked at that and leaned forward.

“It’s connected to Asia’s situation?” The Fallen have been moving for a while in Kuoh, but it didn’t occur to me that this situation was their doing as well. “That makes for two situations where the Grigori are bringing Church “outcasts” into Gremory and Sitri territory.”

Rias and a few others present froze at my words, while a small smile spread across Sitri’s face… thought her pride at my dedication was tinged with fear and apprehension.

“Correct, Hyoudou. It is safe to assume now that we are not merely dealing with stray Fallen… but what is most likely a concentrated effort on the Grigori’s part to bring Heaven and Hell to blows.”

A dreadful feeling started to form in my gut as I grasped at what Sitri was actually saying.

Even if we stop this, like we stopped the last attempt, it was most likely that more and more attempts were going to be made to instigate war.

Because the balance was already being tipped wholeheartedly by one of the Three Great Factions.

Kuoh was going to be the fuse that was going to ignite another war.

Sooner, rather than later.