Chapter 4 - The Fall of G.o.douPart 1Ever since the strange "island" appeared in the sea of Edomae--The panic surrounding Kusanagi G.o.dou had settled into a kind of stablestate instead.Black Prince Alec was reportedly laying low in the Yokohama Chinatown.However, Amakasu"s face looked rather awkward as soon as he receivedthe report."That place, it does presents some difficulties. It is the location wheregangs of Chinese descent -- many secret a.s.sociations or the like arehidden... In our field, it"s known as a concession territory of lawlessness.Any Committee member foolish enough to step foot there would be apainted target, thrown into Tokyo Bay with their feet encased in cement onoccasion.""What if I go there directly...?""Of course it"s fine for Kusanagi-san. Everyone will simply raise up theirhands, either to welcome or to surrender. But if two great Devil Kingsalready embroiled in conflict were to have a close encounter in the centerof metropolitan Yokohama, I don"t think anything pretty will come out ofit..."It seemed to be a subtle situation.Undoubtedly, Alec chose the place for the purpose of keeping the "island"in Tokyo Bay under surveillance.Furthermore, Guinevere and Lancelot still had to be located. Regardless,they were a partnership between a G.o.d and a Divine Ancestor, and due toAlec they had become even more elusive. Without any way of finding themother than through wizardry or spirit power investigation, it was not exactlya favorable situation.As a result, G.o.dou could do nothing but "bide his time for the rightmoment."A few days after the long weekend, all he could do was wait. Waiting forMariya Yuri to return.It was a Friday in the latter half of November.After school, G.o.dou was hurrying to Toranomon via the subway.Last night, having reached Nanao Shrine where she was stationed as aHime-Miko, Yuri had called to inform him of her return. In order to recoverthe fatigue of overusing spirit vision throughout her journey, she told himshe was going to apply for a week"s leave from school."In terms of results, I was not able to discern Sir Lancelot"s divinitycompletely."Those were Yuri"s first words after meeting G.o.dou.They were sitting face to face in a room of a certain administrative buildingwithin Nanao Shrine."Ah yes. You mentioned on the phone yesterday."G.o.dou nodded. Even with potent spirit vision, the mystery was stillunsolved.He would be lying if he denied disappointment, but G.o.dou was happy andgrateful for the miko and the Princess" investigations.Not able to discern completely. Conversely, it implied spirit vision haddiscerned something to a certain extent."What did you find out?""After you left, the Princess and I went to Brittany, to visit the variousplaces the previous and current generations of Guinevere-sama had usedas their stronghold such as forests, towns, cities or former monasteries.""...Monasteries. Isn"t that the place the group of people who compiled KingArthur"s legends used as their base of operations..."Forests, towns, and cities aside, monasteries was a term that felt oddly outof place. However, G.o.dou already knew the reason -- the medievalconspiracy that Alexandre Gascoigne had elucidated."Then we went to Bulgaria.""Bulgaria? Why?"That meant traveling from northwestern France to this Eastern Europeancountry. Since both places were on the same landma.s.s, getting thereprobably did not present too much difficulty.But why go there? G.o.dou was puzzled."Not too long ago, Sir Lancelot had apparently descended upon theThracian plains. The Princess and I went there together to take a tour ofthe crater carved out by Sir Lancelot"s authority."Recalling war G.o.d Lancelot"s galloping charge, G.o.dou nodded.A direct collision could definitely create a crater or two."Why would he need to dig such a big hole in place like that?""According to history, ancient Thrace was within the Scythian andSarmatian spheres of influence. Perhaps for that reason, it becamea.s.sociated with Lancelot."Yuri was dressed in a traditional miko outfit with a white upper garment anda red hakama as she explained about the foreign deity."Fortunately, I received a few hints. First of all, Sir Lancelot is the war G.o.dworshiped by the Sarmatians. Next, Guinevere-sama"s precursor was amother earth G.o.ddess who had been worshiped together with SirLancelot...""Deities who were originally closely related, and still working together inmodern times, eh?""Should be something like that. Those two most likely descended to earthas [Heretic G.o.ds], encountered each other and started acting in unison.Then I used spirit vision to see the arrival of the "King of the End," and sawthose two joining under his command. However..."Yuri paused slightly at this point."Even so, I was unable to see Lancelot"s face. He was always clad inarmor.""He always wears stuff like armor?""Yes. I have basically seen what attributes he possesses as a G.o.d, but Icannot do anything about what lies beneath the armor. On the other hand,without knowing what is underneath, I fear it will be impossible tounderstand his true..."Yuri sighed mournfully as she explained."At least, no matter how slight, I wish I could catch a glimpse of his divineappearance exposed from the armor."Lancelot was protected from head to toe by full plate armor. G.o.dou felt thattrying to take it off would take bone-breaking effort.But there was no other choice. G.o.dou nodded and bowed, answering:"I got it, Mariya. Thank you very much. Learning all this is good enough.Next time I see that guy, I"ll try to find a way to strip him of that white suit ofarmor."Hearing that, the Hime-Miko chuckled and smiled like a delicate andblooming cherry blossom."There is no need to thank me. I did it for G.o.dou-san... only for you."G.o.dou was filled with the desire to embrace this beautiful and adorableHime-Miko.Due to the overabundance of attractive beauties around him, G.o.doudeliberately maintained a mentality of repressed desire. Always warninghimself never to harbor indecent thoughts against them.But on occasion, Yuri was able to crush this determination of G.o.dou"s.The Yamato Nadeshiko and young beauty displayed great gentlenessunder most conditions, but was extremely stern every now and then.Without provoking G.o.dou"s wariness, she had been slowly and steadilybringing their relationship closer.Using the a.n.a.logy of a garden of flowers, Erica would be a gorgeous andblooming camellia, overshadowing others to take center stage.Liliana would be a pristine white lily with large petals.Ena would probably be a wild orchid with bright and vivid colors.Compared to other girls, Yuri was definitely not a flower that seizedpeople"s attentions. Though there was no difference in her level of beauty,she never emphasized her attractiveness and the wish to compete neveroccurred to her.Nevertheless, or perhaps because of that, it made her even morecharming.Realizing this once again, G.o.dou began to blush."What is the matter, G.o.dou-san?"On the other hand, Yuri was bearing a delicate and beautiful smile,unaware of G.o.dou"s thoughts."No, n-nothing really.""Good... Anyway, I have one more matter I wish to discuss, may I?"Yuri suddenly changed the subject. Of course there was no reason torefuse. G.o.dou immediately nodded." W-Well..."But she was unable to express her words. Yuri seemed to be hesitatingand stuttering from embarra.s.sment."What"s up? You don"t have to hold anything back. Aren"t wecompanions?""1-1 am G.o.dou-san"s companion...? Y-Yes. That is right."G.o.dou nodded to put his companion at ease.Yuri"s blush proceeded to extend all the way down to her neck, but still shenodded. Avoiding G.o.dou"s face, Yuri was staring downwards intently at hiscross-legged sitting posture.As a side note, even though it was an informal conversation, Yuri naturallymaintained the formal sitting posture of seiza."My many apologies, for I was the one who brought this up... B-But, pleaseunderstand. This is something very difficult for me to talk about. Especiallysince there is no particularly pressing problem or extenuatingcirc.u.mstances..."Mouthing her words in rapid succession, Yuri was incredibly cute.However, she did not make any progress in providing further information.G.o.dou placed his hand on her shoulder with a smack and said:"Don"t worry. I am very grateful for Mariya"s efforts this time. I"ve also beenwondering what I could do on my end.""Y-Yes. Then I shall not hold back."Even though she said she would not hold back, Yuri still seemed ratherhesitant and reserved."Umm... Even though it is not complete, I think I have gained substantialunderstanding of Sir Lancelot. S-So, what should be done?"Yuri stuttered as she asked."What should be done?""In other words, w-when would be the time for instruction, is what Imean..."Instruction meant the transfer of knowledge through wizardry.However, typical wizardry was ineffective against Campiones, whichincluded G.o.dou. Hence it must be applied through the mouth, by injectingwizardry into the body via oral means.Recalling this absolute rule, G.o.dou"s face went red.He remembered. When relying on Yuri"s spirit vision, that was the finalunavoidable step."Ah, but if you haven"t seen Lancelot"s true appearance, then the [Sword]can"t be forged, isn"t now a bit too early...!""N-No!? Who knows what could happen in the future!?"Seeing G.o.dou retreat awkwardly, Yuri shouted in a rare moment."What if you begin a battle with Sir Lancelot and I happen to be absentfrom the scene...! I believe being prepared beforehand is only natural!""1-1 guess. But using magic to transmit knowledge will quickly disappearfrom the mind, right!?"No matter how you looked at it, this was a sudden act of impulse. G.o.douand Yuri both leaned forward.Before they realized it, their distance had shrunk substantially."I think if the knowledge dissipates, then I will just teach you again. Hmm,no matter what, it is something necessary. For this cause I will laborwithout any complaints..."Yuri spoke softly, blushing to her ears.The subtle sense of desperation seemed to add a layer of allure to theHime-Miko. G.o.dou swallowed hard as he experienced in earnest the pleasof the beautiful maiden of utmost purity.And it was impossible not to respond.Furthermore, the two of them were alone in the j.a.panese-style room withthe sliding door firmly shut.It was customary for shrine staff to avoid this area during G.o.dou"s visits.Also, G.o.dou and Yuri"s hands were separated by such a minute distance,they were easily within reach.As G.o.dou and Yuri"s gazes fell upon the tatami floor, they noticed that fact."T-That"s right. This is only for the sake of battle... Yes.""C-Certainly. I believe this is absolutely necessary..."Whispering softly, the two gazed into each other"s faces.Their eyes shimmered with the light of recognition as accomplices.G.o.dou extended his hand towards Yuri. Hand and hand came into contact.Cherishing the Hime-Miko"s hand which had been moistened by nervoussweat, G.o.dou held it gently as Yuri gripped his hand tightly in return."G.o.dou-san and I are companions, since that is true, this is fine... Right?""A-Ah yes. Should... be..."As they drew their faces together, they seemed like lovers whisperingsweet nothings to each other.Just when the two had closed their eyes and were about to affirm the touchof each other"s lips-The sound of cellphones ringing. Both G.o.dou and Yuri"s phones rangsimultaneously."It"s Erica.""This one is from Liliana-san."As G.o.dou checked out the cellphone in his pocket while Yuri looked at herphone which had been placed by her side, they read out the names of thecallers. No other way, let"s pick up.Due to G.o.dou and Yuri"s serious personalities, neither of them couldignore incoming calls. They each brought their phone to their ear."What is it, Erica?""Look outside. We just arrived.""...Arrived?""Yes. Just do as I say and things will be clear."It can"t be... G.o.dou stared at the spotlessly clean sliding door. Having justhad a similar conversation, Yuri also looked with shock in the samedirection.As the sliding door opened with a thud, everything did become clear afterall.Within Nanao Shrine, Erica was standing with a smile while Liliana knittedher brow. Most likely arriving directly from school, the two of them were stillin uniform.Part 2"Just to be on the safe side, I"ll say this first. I am not opposed to what youwere going to do, okay?"Erica spoke in a bright and clear voice."Yuri has been working hard these few days, so I can tolerate her stealingahead a little. I"ve already told this to Liliana. I didn"t come to the shrine forthe purpose of disturbing you two.""Even if you say so, the one who first made the accusation of stealingahead was you, Erica."Liliana retorted to her childhood friend and rival."After school, Kusanagi G.o.dou had disappeared in a hurry. Then there isMariya Yuri who had returned but was missing school. Putting two and twotogether, the situation was obvious. And there I was, trying to advocate"this could possibly be an erroneous deduction."""But the end result was exactly as I envisioned, right? See."Erica pointed to G.o.dou and Yuri in the j.a.panese room.Finding their hands still held together, the two frantically withdrew them."Yuri, who has recently become a "woman" completely, and G.o.dou whoseboundaries have grown increasingly lax. Under such conditions, would aprivate situation develop -- after all, a fully justified reason exists. Isn"t thisa simple formula?""...Well, my failure to notice that point is my stupidity."Listening to the knights" conversation, G.o.dou and Yuri exchanged glances.They were both blushing and rather unsettled, agonizing over what theycould say to lighten the mood, but completely stumped by the currentsituation."Kusanagi G.o.dou, this is a perfect opportunity. I have things to say to you."Hearing Liliana"s stern opening line, G.o.dou sat straight up."You should probably have realized by now, you are a playboy whopursues romantic relationships with multiple girls at the same time.""W-Wait a minute! When did I become that kind of person!?"G.o.dou yelled from the bottom of his heart. Nevertheless, Liliana shook herhead bitterly.Erica simply went "Well, that"s who he is" and shrugged, casting ameaningful glance at Yuri. Both of them seemed to disagree with G.o.dou"sprotest."Please remain quiet. A person with multiple girls in his inner circle, yetanswers "all of them" without hesitation when asked who is the mostimportant or deserving of protection, is disqualified from objecting.""Uh..."Liliana"s frank advice pierced straight into G.o.dou"s heart.With so many reasons, was this karma"s payback..."In my opinion, it is basically time to go with the flow and leave pastmistakes alone. If unusual situations are left alone and ignored, that senseof dissonance will disappear over time, becoming as if it was normal allalong. And that is clearly a rare talent possessed by you, KusanagiG.o.dou.""L-Leave past mistakes alone!?""Yes. Well, since it is you, you would naturally go with the flow, completelyunaware anyway... But it is certainly true that there are many currentissues. Let me point out a few to you."Liliana"s face tensed in an instant.That awe-inspiring sense of beauty made G.o.dou swallow his words ofprotest."I will not express objection to you and Yuri performing that "ritual."However, once the deed is done... You must tell us everything in fulldetail.""T-T-T-T-Tell both of you!?""Alternatively, hide yourselves in a more skillful manner so that you will notbe observed clearly by us like this time. Otherwise, umm, no matter what, Icannot help but feel something akin to jealousy and other negativeemotions unbecoming of a knight"s position--"Liliana said shyly.An emotion akin to jealousy, was none other than jealousy itself. Her shyexpression made things completely obvious. But giving only two choices,either telling everyone everything, or doing things in secret without leakingany clues--?What a tough challenge.Imposed by such a demand that no ordinary high school student couldanswer, G.o.dou was stunned.I don"t think I have the talent to comply with such a tall order..."One more thing. This concerns our families."Liliana continued."Erica"s uncle, Sir Paolo Blandelli. You have met him before, yes?""Uh yeah. That very handsome and cool uncle. I saw him once in Italy.Truly a great guy."G.o.dou had been overjoyed to learn that one of Erica"s few blood relativeswas a man, her uncle.However, G.o.dou was bewildered. Why mention him now?"Umm... It is not really acceptable for you to have met only Erica"s family. Iwould be most pleased if you could also meet mine. It does feel ratherinappropriate after all, unless officially recognized by family..."So what she wanted to say, was that? She wanted to introduce her family?G.o.dou began to feel anxious. But it"s not like it can"t be done, he thought.Might as well go with the flow to meet and greet the families of the manygirls who had experienced so many trials with him. No matter what, thiswas the plain truth."Introducing G.o.dou-san to my family...!?"Next to him, Yuri was murmuring in shock."E-Even though you have met my little sister Hikari, you have yet to meetmy parents or grandparents... But what should be done? The family will bein an uproar over a meeting with the current Campione. The Mariya familynever possessed the proper prestige and stature in the first place..."Wondering "What should be done?" with great worry, Yuri seemed to bevoicing her thoughts in succession. Could this be the beginning of ameeting with her entire family?G.o.dou felt a chill spreading from his stomach-Just as he felt trapped by a mysterious sense of stress, his cellphonereceived a message.Opening it to check, it was from Asuka. "Isn"t it time you followed throughwith your promise last time? I am very free today."After that, G.o.dou confirmed with Asuka the meeting location and leftNanao Shrine.Neither Alec nor Guinevere had showed any recent movements. It was stilltoo early for G.o.dou to enter the stage -- having concluded that, Erica andthe girls saw G.o.dou off."Well, it"s been too busy recently anyway. Why not forget thesetroublesome matters for now and enjoy normal life for a bit? As long as youdon"t travel far, we can handle anything that happens."That was what Erica had said.It was true. Staying on crisis alert was quite exhausting."By the way, why don"t we all go together?"G.o.dou suggested cheerfully on impulse, causing all the girls to turn theirgaze away. Was it an illusion or were they all sighing out of sight with anaghast expression?"Even though it is a tempting invitation, I shall have to decline. TokunagaAsuka would not be pleased.""Since it"s her, you don"t have to be concerned.""No. Last time when we met, she seemed rather wary of Erica and me.""By the way... Since we have the chance, I want to share my knowledge ofSir Lancelot with Erica-san and Liliana-san. Please go ahead and enjoyyour time with your old friend."Hearing Liliana"s rejection and Yuri"s words which sounded like a newlymarried wife"s advice of "you"ve been working hard lately, go take a goodbreak," G.o.dou accepted their well wishes and departed alone.The time was 6pm on Friday night, the beginning of the weekend. Themeeting place was in front of Ueno station.Asuka and G.o.dou were both residents of Nezu in the Bunkyou ward. Ifthey wanted to go shopping, nearby Ueno (or Akihabara depending onwhat they needed to buy) was the top choice."Yo.""Too slow. You"re twenty seconds late."This was the completely tactless greeting G.o.dou received at Ueno station.G.o.dou was unfazed as it was typical of Asuka to scold with acrimony forminor lateness. Besides, they were friends who knew each other insideout, which was what mattered. As a side note, the childhood friend waswearing a hooded parka, a knitted top and jeans. Totally lacking infashionability.On the other hand, were Asuka to make a sudden stylish appearance,G.o.dou would be even more troubled instead."Then let"s hurry and go shop. Have you decided on a gift?""No, not yet.""What an unreliable guy. Then let"s have a strategy conference first. Tellme what does Shizuka-chan like?"Tm not too sure myself.""You"ve transcended unreliability, Mr. Useless Brother.""...Wait a minute. Last time when my mom found a forgotten bottle ofGerman wine of 90s vintage, Shizuka drank it happily with me andgrandpa.""Don"t treat these anecdotes from the overly unusual Kusanagi householdas typical everyday family life!"Glared at by Asuka, G.o.dou shrugged.He silently emphasized the fact that he could do nothing about hisignorance. Even if he wanted to get her a memorable gift or some kind ofsurprise, he was completely helpless."No need for these strange investigations. Let"s just pick somethingpa.s.sable and be done with it.""I can"t believe you can be so popular with girls in spite of such abysmalcharacter. In a certain sense, this is my biggest surprise of a lifetime."Asuka sighed at G.o.dou"s conservative idea."I can"t be that popular, right?""Shut up! Your declaration of unpopularity has zero credibility. This I"vealready known since kindergarten. Like grandfather, like grandson. Isn"tthat exactly what the saying describes!?""Like grandfather like grandson whatever. Don"t jump to conclusions whileignoring my personality!""I didn"t jump to conclusions! Whether Grandpa Ichirou or your oldacquaintances, everyone says the same thing!"The two were caught in a dialogue that sounded like explodingfirecrackers.It had been quite a long time since his last heated discussion with Asuka.Even though G.o.dou had been in the same school with her up until the endof middle school, they had been separated since high school. After that,they never had another argument like this.If he had to give a description, this resembled his casual arguments withErica.However, the crisp sense of no loose ends could only be felt when doing itwith Asuka."By the way, I have a friend who"s troubled by popularity, and is a reallady-killer. Should we get some advice from that person?"Recalling Sayanomiya Kaoru"s mighty exploits, G.o.dou suggested.Well, even if the person providing counsel was a "her" instead of a "him,"this kind of gender issue should not really pose a hindrance, right?"Your circle of friends have become more and more suspicious lately...Your idea is rejected. We have to do it with our own ability withoutborrowing suggestions from others!""Ah, but wait a minute. In fact I"ve already accepted some sponsorship."After learning the whole story, Erica, Yuri and Liliana had offered tokens offinancial support.Hearing G.o.dou"s words, Asuka went "Eh?" with great surprise."They all know that I am meeting with G.o.dou?""Yeah. I just told them.""1-1 can"t believe you had the gall to say it...""What gall? They even cheerfully sent me on my way."Well, they did show some subtle expressions, but nothing worthy of note,right?Faced with G.o.dou"s response, Asuka could only reply "l-l suppose" with astiff expression. Then she spoke with a stunned and thoughtful expression:"l-l n other words, they think I"ve fallen so far behind in the compet.i.tion thatthey don"t see me as a threat, deciding it"s not even worth their while tointerfere... Oooh, though it offers advantages in a way, I have such mixedfeelings... But then again, competing with that Erica-san is totallyimpossible from the very beginning..."Asuka hesitantly muttered to herself in a voice that G.o.dou could not pickup."What"s with you?""Mmmhmm, nothing!""By the way, last time when you met Erica, you were acting reallystrange?"This childhood friend was a "cool fellow," while Erica was also a socialexpert.Wondering if they might be harboring some past grudge, G.o.dou asked justin case:"Do you hate Erica perhaps? Even though she loves being the center ofattention and she"s quite striking in truth, she is in fact quite an interestingand thoughtful girl. I think she can get along with you quite well.""Ah, not at all. I don"t hate Erica-san, not one bit."Asuka seemed to be panicking as she randomly waved her hands in frontof her."Let"s put it another way. She has a "good character," right?"Asuka was a "good fellow" while Erica had a "good character," that wascorrect.What an apt description, G.o.dou was impressed."I agree that getting to know her will be very interesting. Simply looking ather face or attire and I"m guaranteed not to be bored. Also, I think the onlyteenage girl in the entire world who can rival Auntie Mayo is Erica-san.""Hmm... Pretty much."His mother, Kusanagi Mayo. G.o.dou nodded at the mention of her name."Whether Mariya-san or Liliana-san, neither of them can match yourmother. In that sense, I believe Erica is very interesting. But well, howshould I put it..."Stopping there, the childhood friend showed a slightly sad expression."I knew it, only girls who transcend common sense would be hangingaround a guy like you, right? I"ve thought over this a lot, but that"s all. Idon"t hate her, and next time we meet, we"ll surely become great friends.""...I see?""These are the subtle stirrings of a maiden"s heart that you haven"t a singleclue about. Anyway, a budget increase is good news after all. It"s abouttime to accomplish our mission."Asuka"s crisp tones spurred G.o.dou into action.In the next two hours, the two of them wandered through the shops inUeno.They ended up buying a perfectly sized handbag. Since the design wasnot overly extravagant, it was appropriate for all occasions.Abandoning clumsy surprises, the duo aimed for unambitious butguaranteed success.Rather than G.o.dou, they decided to have Asuka keep the item instead.If kept at the Kusanagi home, the gift"s existence might possibly bediscovered by Shizuka. Thus they decided not to ruin the little surprise."Since it"s already this late, let"s grab a meal somewhere? As thanks forhelping me, let it be my treat.""Sure, but no need to treat me. I won"t be able to sleep at night if I owe youa favor.""Fine, no treat. How about that curry shop we haven"t been to for so long?""You mean the one we visited so often back in middle school!?""Yeah. The one opened by the Pakistani who knows my grandpa.""I"ll pa.s.s! That"s the place where as long as you or your grandpa show up,they start speaking freely in Urdu, taking out the hidden menu normallyshown to Pakistanis only, and serve super spicy authentic native cuisine.It"s way too international for me!""Those are its strong points. Isn"t it a rather unique shop?""No thanks to that type of individuality! I don"t need any special treatment,just mild curry properly catered to the j.a.panese palate please!"Arguing amongst themselves with impunity, they bickered acrimoniously.On Friday night, the streets of Ueno were rather lively.A place with many foreigners. Consequently, a Caucasian girl withhoney-colored hair and sky-blue eyes would not be considered aparticularly wondrous sight. Nevertheless, she was clearly different from allthe rest.--Beautiful. She was a girl in her late teens with an outstanding sort ofotherworldly beauty.Her s.h.a.ggy honey-colored hair was not very long. Tall slim build. Anexquisite face like an angel"s, displaying all-surpa.s.sing purity.There was a natural impression of transparency, incongruent with theprosperous streets at night.Like a cool breeze blowing across pastures, or perhaps, streaking acrossthe deep blue sky.Such was the atmosphere surrounding this beautiful face. Furthermore,she was dressed rather bizarrely ~ her entire body was wrapped in aslightly dirty cloak down to her boots.However, this vagabond attire only served to further contrast with heroutstanding beauty-It seemed only natural, but why? G.o.dou thought incredulously."Hey Asuka. Do you know that woman?""Eh, who? ...Ah, isn"t she so pretty? Wow~"This was on a main street near Ueno station.The exceptionally cool Caucasian beauty was waiting for the lights tochange at the intersection.Only when G.o.dou looked at her and commented did Asuka notice the girl"sexistence. Furthermore, no one else in the surroundings seemed to belooking at her. On further thought, these people could not have abandonedthe chance to stare at this otherworldly beauty, but rather, they did notnotice her.People looked at her like a roadside stone.The same way no one would focus their gaze on the blowing wind.No one glanced at the girl deliberately. This strange phenomenon — couldshe be one of them? But G.o.dou did not feel any battle spirit rising up fromwithin, nor did his body fill with power.In other words, he had not met a G.o.d.Then she was a girl, right? G.o.dou stared at her as she waited for the trafficsignal to change.Immediately following-The girl suddenly turned her head and her eyes met with G.o.dou"s.She smiled. Smiling like a breeze blowing across pastures mixed withsunlight, she walked towards him."We finally meet. You, my destiny."The girl murmured with a refreshingly cool voice that matched heroverwhelmingly transparent beauty.Part 3"Man of my destiny. The youth whom ought to partake in our shared fate...Now I am most certain, my journey"s only purpose was to encounter dearsir."The cloaked beauty was speaking in fluent j.a.panese."Dear sir must be feeling the same. Feeling that I am your fated rival, withmy existence stirring excitement in your chest, surely your blood must beboiling? Hohoho, I know."No matter how much G.o.dou wished to deny it, her ostentatious manner ofspeech was greatly reminiscent of the G.o.ds.Nevertheless, G.o.dou"s body and mind of a Campione"s did not show anyof the usual signs of encountering a G.o.d. Could she be a comrade of thatparticular Divine Ancestor instead?"You... what"s your name?""What? No idea. Or rather, I have forgotten it."The mysterious girl replied calmly to G.o.dou"s question."Forgotten?""Ah yes. In actual fact, my origins, the reason I am here... All have beenforgotten. I"ve been wandering here for days, with nothing but pa.s.sion forsustenance, yes.""What the heck is that?""I was thinking there was someone I was predestined to meet. That personis my fated rival. This sense of certainty has been seething quietly allalong."Extending her arm out from her cloak, the girl pressed her hand againsther chest.Despite being obscured by the thick fabric, the contours of the bountifulbosom were still highly conspicuous. Even with such an obvious slenderphysique, her feminine characteristics were so voluptuous.But anyway-The self-proclaimed amnesiac girl should be no ordinary mortal. Who onearth could she be?A Divine Ancestor? G.o.dou stared sharply at the girl-"W-Wait a minute, G.o.dou. Are you sure you are meeting this girl for thefirst time?"Asuka interrupted, as if suspicious of something.G.o.dou frantically nodded, trying to defend himself:"Uh yeah. Whether seeing her or speaking in person, it"s the first time.""Clearly then, isn"t this a case of intense pa.s.sionate courtship? In otherwords, love on first sight? And a foreigner too! Unbelievable, all theseinexplicable people everywhere!""Eh? Love on first sight?""That"s exactly what the girl"s words sound like!"Really? G.o.dou was surprised by Asuka"s furious accusation.Why didn"t I think of that. Put it this way, if this mysterious girl"sdeclaration-G.o.dou stared at the girl.The girl with neither name nor memory stared back.Gaze met with gaze. Sight clashed with sight. Soul collided with soul.Indeed, G.o.dou felt his heart stirring with excitement. He was bound insome mysterious way to this woman, that was what G.o.dou sensed."Hoho... How embarra.s.sing. Dear sir"s gaze is unbearable. For there to bean existence that causes me to burn pa.s.sionately from inside, this fact...truly brings shivers down my spine."Flames of pa.s.sion shimmered in the girl"s eyes like a lover"s burningdesire.But that was only a superficial resemblance. G.o.dou knew. He had noticedwhat she truly desired.But Asuka probably did not. If this misunderstanding persisted, thingscould get troublesome. Just as G.o.dou considered various appropriateexplanations, he was shocked.What shocked him was the childhood friend"s question."...Hey G.o.dou. It"s just a hunch, but you"re not going to get into a fight withthis person, right?"As befitted the longtime friend known since kindergarten.She was gradually garnering a vague sense of G.o.dou"s excited state fromhis att.i.tude and demeanor. Just as G.o.dou choked at the astuteness ofAsuka"s perception, he said:"Nonsense. This person seems to be in a complicated situation, so I"ll chatwith her for a bit. If necessary I will call the police or ask people I know forhelp. Why don"t you go home first?"In order to avoid getting Asuka involved, he came up with this quick planout of worry."By people you know, you mean your grandpa or your weird friends?""Ah yes, that"s right... Wait a minute, grandpa aside, I don"t find my friendsthat weird.""Yes yes. Let"s ignore that for now."Asuka sighed and said:"Well, I also have friends I wouldn"t want you to meet, so I"ll take my leavewith this thing. But G.o.dou..."The paper bag held the gift for Shizuka they had just bought.s.n.a.t.c.hing it away from G.o.dou"s hands, Asuka declared:"You once described yourself as a pacifist. It"s fine if you go overboard a bitin desperate times, but please be mindful overall. Okay, absolutely do notget involved with any messy conflict! Please bear this in mind!"From the childhood friend came gratifying and honest advice.But, can it be fulfilled -- G.o.dou raised his chin at the amnesiac girl,motioning "Let"s go over there." Smiling sweetly, the girl followed silently."Hey you. Could you be a G.o.d?""Yes or no? I have not a single clue.""Or a Divine Ancestor? I"ve heard that they always look like little girls.""...And so?"G.o.dou fired off abrupt questions in succession as he walked.Any normal person would be rendered speechless by such questions butthe girl listened calmly, simply giving meaningless answers in the end.In this manner, the two came to Ueno Park. This plot of land included UenoZoo, the National Museum of Nature and Science, the National Museum ofWestern Art, the famous Shin.o.bazu Pond, etc. This vast expanse of a parkwas an imperial gift to the city."I remember virtually nothing."There were very few pedestrians in the park at night.Walking side by side with G.o.dou, the girl murmured:"However. In the very depths of my blank memory, I can recall a few scantscenes... I am guided by the white star, while a certain someone is guidedby the black star. That person is the one destined for a decisive duel withme, for we are ultimate arch nemeses who ought to lead each othertowards death. This has been branded onto my battle-scarred soul.""...Eh?"Hearing the unexpected subject of her murmurs, G.o.dou unwittingly haltedhis steps.The girl stood still and gazed sharply at G.o.dou in opposition."The one shrouded by the black star is my destiny. And my soul tells meyou are that one. Your life and death and mine are intimately linked andinseparable.""Perhaps... It can"t be, you"re Lancelot...?" The deadly battle where the divine sword of the white star faced off againstthe divine sword of black annihilation.G.o.dou asked in shock in response to the girl"s descriptions of thatunforgettable scene."Lance -- lot...?"Immediately, the otherworldly girl"s face froze.An intense domineering presence entered the girl"s deep and mysteriouseyes. Aloof solemnity surfaced on that beautiful face that was like the coolbreeze blowing across great plains of pastures. Then her lips shapedthemselves into a smile.G.o.dou felt power surging through his mind and body. Reacting to thedivine presence, G.o.dou entered a battle-ready state."Ho, hohoho... Yes. Rather, I believed in my destiny. That you would surelyremember my name as a knight and call it out. Thus the enchantment Icast on myself has been lifted...""What!?"G.o.dou was greatly shocked to learn he was the one responsible forawakening her.Lancelot du Lac. The white war G.o.d who appeared before others with animpressively cool and masculine image. Guinevere"s Sir Knight who hadkilled Athena... That was the way it should be."Wait a minute! Even your voice is different, don"t give me nonsense!"In the past, the voice coming from the white armor had been a man"sbeautiful voice.But now G.o.dou was hearing a beautiful female alto voice. A girl"s voiceinviting of tender affection."This is not a battlefield, and one"s armor has been removed. Displayingthis Knight"s original voice on occasion is condoned, is it not?""O-Original!? This is your natural voice!?"Met with G.o.dou"s shock, the girl who answered to the name of Lancelotnodded "yes."Indeed, it was a solemn gesture very reminiscent of the war G.o.d."Eh? Umm, but shouldn"t you wear female attire!?""How rude. Having taken off one"s armor, the beautiful queen of theequestrian tribes stands before you. There is no obligation to dress up as awoman. Kusanagi G.o.dou, you are truly an uncouth fellow foreign to properetiquette for treating a lady.""Eeeeeeeeeh!?"As the beauty angrily aired her grievances, G.o.dou began clutching hishead in his arms.Taken completely by surprise. But then again, the fact that she was noordinary person had been apparent from the start.But he never expected to be told something like this!However, there was no disbelief or suspicion. The actions, words andpresence of the beautiful girl before him -- truth be told, everything wasconsistent with Lancelot du Lac."Until just now, why didn"t I get the usual restless feeling when I encounterG.o.ds!?""In order to slip past your wary senses, the [Insane Rush] enchantmentwas used to seal away one"s memories -- this Knight cursed oneself tolose one"s divine name and memories until you were encountered."Beautiful Lancelot smiled with sweetness."Used an enchantment to seal away memories... What kind of magic isthat?""Hohoho, an enchantment for provoking a rampage from a heart filled withdormant desire. Originally it was merely a trick to make someone berserk.Forsaking reason and dignity, consumed with rushing forward with insanity,more or less a minor adjustment to one"s innermost heart. Like this time."G.o.dou understood. It was probably something similar to mentalmanipulation or hypnosis.He did not expect such a hand from Lancelot whom he originally thoughtwas only skilled at charging like a knight... But then again, going berserkfrom desire could be considered a sudden charge in a certain sense."A ruffian like one is not suited to be a palace knight. This Knight hasenchanted oneself on occasion, thereby breaking out of the palace.Hohoho, it has been a long while since one last did this."Lancelot smiled as she spoke, prompting G.o.dou to recall a name.That"s right. Verethragna was the same."The myths of the "Knights of the Round Table," have you heard of them?Those were the stories engineered by the first Guinevere and spread bymonks and friars. They even devoted so much effort to elevating one to the"greatest knight." Oh well, even so, there is no way to disguise one"sident.i.ty as a berserk warrior."In G.o.dou"s first encounter with the G.o.d, Verethragna had also lost hismemory and divine qualities.The one who placed the Persian Warlord in such a state was the divineking Melqart of the Phoenicians. Through her own authority, Lancelot haddone the same thing.In the instant G.o.dou understood, Lancelot approached in a flash.Just like that, G.o.dou entered her embrace. Wrapped by the fabric of hercloak, G.o.dou could feel the touch of Lancelot"s hand against his head."This Knight even forgot one was a G.o.d. However, one believed in you, thefated enemy, and wandered without pause, certain one shall encounteryou again. And so, the wish is finally realized..."Oh c.r.a.p. G.o.dou smacked his lips.Due to excessive surprise, he had let down his guard. G.o.dou instantly triedto struggle out of Lancelot"s restraints, mustering all his strength, but it wastoo late.Lancelot"s beautiful face gradually drew near -- and immediately theunexpected act occurred.The refreshingly cool beauty seized G.o.dou"s lips with her own."For the sake of the beloved child, one must vanquish AlexandreGascoigne. However, he is a formidable foe difficult to grasp. One cannotboast lightly of a.s.sured victory against such an enemy. So, KusanagiG.o.dou, combine your strength with this Knight and crush Gascoigne. Oncethe mission is accomplished, our deadly duel of destiny shall commence!"Was this the curse of [Insane Rush]--? G.o.dou gulped down a mouthful ofair.His mind and body of a Campione"s was being ensnared by Lancelot"sauthority.What a terrifying power of coercion. Reason and dignity were acceleratingtowards insanity. Impossible to resist. Blood was boiling disorderly, and hisheart burned like a flame.That"s right. Defeat Gascoigne first. Then duel decisively with this womanafterwards.Having made his decision, G.o.dou twisted his lips into a savage smile."Take me to Guinevere. Let the show begin.""Acknowledged, one"s destiny."Ending the kiss of the covenant, the white war G.o.d smiled gracefully andanswered.