Chapter 2 - Affairs of the English Devil KingPart 1The flight from j.a.pan to England was more than twelve hours in duration.j.a.pan"s time zone was nine hours ahead. When G.o.dou"s group departedfrom Haneda Airport, it was evening in j.a.pan.Having spent half a day rocking in a plane, they finally descended ontoEngland"s Heathrow Airport. However, it was still the same date as whenthey had left j.a.pan.— Leaving j.a.pan on the 17:00 flight, they arrived in England at 21:00 onthe same day.Simply looking at the local departure and arrival times separately, it mightappear to be a reasonable journey. However, this sort of troublesome timedifference was shouldered by the travelers in the form of dizzying jet lag."No matter how many times I experience it, I still can"t get used to it..."G.o.dou grumbled as he walked along the corridor in Heathrow Airport.Due to jet lag, he was feeling dizzy and exhausted even though he hadclearly slept throughout the flight.All the travelers from east Asia to Europe experienced suffering. Amongsthis fellow travelers, Yuri was exhausted to her limits, whereas Erica andLiliana were still functioning thanks to their superior physical endurance,but even they could not be described as especially energetic.As a side note, London was extremely cold now that it was the latter half ofNovember.The three girls were all wearing winter clothing. Erica was dressed in a redcollarless tweed coat and a tunic top with black leggings. Liliana waswearing a blue jacket, a short one-piece dress and black tights. Yuri waswearing a white duffel coat and dark gray pants."A hotel near the airport has already been booked. Let us head there torest for today."Liliana announced as she stood with her back perfectly straight.Speaking in that stern tone no matter how tired she was, perhaps thatcould be considered one of her virtues?"Let us rest well tonight in order to have energy tomorrow."G.o.dou nodded at Liliana"s suggestion.Whenever traveling long distance overseas, it was best to sleep accordingto the local daylight cycle in order to synchronize the biological clock anddispel the torments of jet lag."By the way, Erica-san, has permission to have an audience withAlice-sama — the Princess been obtained?""Yes. I already contacted her a few days ago."Erica took out her cellphone as she replied to Yuri"s query, most likely tocheck her text messages, and switched it on."Unless any problem arises, everything should go as planned. We willmeet the Princess tomorrow... Oh my.""What happened?""The Princess sent a message."Everyone crowded together for a look at the screen of Erica"s phone.A message written in English. It must have been sent while they were onthe plane."Oh what a disaster! Just when I received Erica"s communication and wasgetting ready to convene with Kusanagi-sama (naturally I shall have tosneak out of the residence^ 1 ), Chief Lady-in-Waiting Miss Ericson was toovigilant.I was originally in high spirits, but suddenly discovered she had cast abarrier around the residence to prevent me from escaping. Isn"t that somean!?I must now revise my escape plans. Once I make a decision, I will contactyou.P.S. Why not simply have Kusanagi-sama destroy London? If such anevent were to happen, I can immediately declare an anti-Devil Kingemergency at headquarters, thereby acquiring freedom of movement.""...She really sent this?"G.o.dou sighed as he recalled the dignified and lady-like impression he hadof Alice.As a message sent by a lady carrying the t.i.tle of Princess, it contained waytoo many objectionable points.Was her personality always this bubbly when online or sending messages?Or perhaps she simply forgot to maintain her usual facade?"She"s some sort of n.o.blewoman from a duke"s family... Right?""Yes. Her family is related to high ranking n.o.bles on the Europeancontinent in olden days. She is also the renowned sage princess who hasmastered the wisdom of the occult, with contacts amongst the descendantsof druids as well as various magic a.s.sociations descended from thelineages of the Knights Templar. She has also been described as Europe"shighest ranking n.o.blewoman, a woman who stands at the very pinnacle."Pausing momentarily to recollect, Erica continued:"Her health had always been frail, but her condition turned for the worsesix years ago, so she resigned from her duties as the Witenagemotspokesperson to convalesce at a residence in London. Previously, shesighed to me that she could no longer leave the house freely due to herfamily"s concerns over her heath.""But last time with the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, she came to j.a.panusing a method like spirit body detachment, right?""Very likely, the barrier she mentioned at her residence is one which sealsthe movement of ectoplasm. In order to prevent the Princess fromescaping."Liliana answered as G.o.dou wondered.I see. But then again, in that case, it"s fine even if she doesn"t leave thehouse."Why don"t we go to her house instead. It"s no big deal, right? Erica, askher that in your reply.""Well G.o.dou, we made a promise with the Princess."Despite the reasonable suggestion, Erica shook her head."The Princess stated already. Since she agreed to provide full a.s.sistanceto Kusanagi G.o.dou during his visit to England, the Princess expects us todo all we can to help her "go out." Those are the terms of exchange.""The Princess wants to leave the house at all costs... Will that bedetrimental to her health?"Yuri spoke softly as she worried for Alice"s health.Beside her, Liliana sighed briefly and said:"Well, I am also worried about that. With that body even more delicate thana n.o.blewoman"s, I really wish she could settle down and wait quietly for usto visit instead...""Perhaps because she has always been raised in a sheltered environment,she is showing rebellious signs...""Is it simply rebelliousness...?"As Erica mused, G.o.dou muttered softly."In any case, we cannot let G.o.dou-san destroy London. What should wedo?""On the contrary. As long as we give the Princess a justified pretext, it"sgood enough."Unexpectedly, Erica refuted Yuri"s statement of moderation."Recently, the renown of Kusanagi G.o.dou has increased greatly, which isgood. G.o.dou, I will inform her of our plans, so you can go ahead and puton a good show."She had clearly thought up some kind of troublesome plan.Oh well, this is for the purpose of seeing Alice, no other way around it.G.o.dou sighed as he nodded, resigned to his fate."We"ll have to get up early for the busy day tomorrow. Let"s all hurry andget to bed.""Speaking of getting up early, the one with the biggest problem is definitelyyou, Erica."Seeing Erica beginning to issue orders haughtily, G.o.dou could not help butretort.Erica Blandelli was unable to get out of bed in the mornings una.s.sisted. Ithad reached the point where someone had to take her to school every day.Nevertheless, the girl with the devil moniker smiled seductively:"Oh my? That won"t be a problem at all.""How can you be so sure? For someone like you, even if the hotel"smorning call service was used, you"d simply ignore it and keep sleeping.""What are you talking about? Getting me out of bed in the mornings isobviously your duty."Erica suddenly embraced G.o.dou.That elastic and amazingly voluptuous bosom and gorgeously supple bodywere tightly pressed against G.o.dou."This is an uncommon chance to stay in a hotel on a rare trip. Naturally, wemust share the same bed and enjoy a pa.s.sionate night together as loversshould, right?"" W-What?"G.o.dou shuddered with extraordinary fright. By the way, this kind ofsituation —Even though he had just noticed, was this not a desperate predicament? Anotion suddenly flashed across G.o.dou"s mind. Think about this. A singlemale traveling with three girls, and in foreign lands as well. The trip lastweek to Kisarazu was similar, but at least there were History CompilationCommittee members present at their lodgings.This was totally a four-person expedition. Besides, the whole thing cameout of his own planning.Haven"t I grown way too accustomed to these strange situations?G.o.dou began to fear the situation he had personally created."...Traveling with everyone, but the only guy is me? WhetherAmakasu-san, Kaoru-san, Yinghua, or people from the Committee, none ofthem are here, which means I"m the only one traveling with the rest?""Yes. Isn"t that what you proposed in the first place, G.o.dou?"Hugging G.o.dou"s arm, Erica whispered in his ear.G.o.dou abruptly turned towards Yuri, making the quintessential YamatoNadeshiko bow her head with a blush. She was embarra.s.sed."l-lndeed, that is the situation. G.o.dou-san. Invited by you, I could notpossibly refuse..."Mustering her courage, she murmured in a delicate and charming voice.An ordinary group trip... Even with that description, there were too manysensational aspects. G.o.dou suddenly felt like he had received a bluntknock on the head.Then he turned his gaze to Liliana. The silver-haired knight showedcalmness indicative of universal acceptance."I have sworn to a.s.sist you for a lifetime. No matter how unreasonable, Iwill put forth all my effort into fulfilling your orders... By the way, Erica. Is itnot time for you to separate from G.o.dou? That is about enough.""Ah Lily. Embracing each other like this, affirming the touch of each other"sexistence, shouldn"t that be allowed without any restriction? Don"t saysomething so insensitive."Staring back directly, Erica was unfazed by her childhood friend and rival"scold glare."Regardless, it is G.o.dou himself who proposed taking us along with hisexpedition. Should I not act in accordance as his lover? Without asatisfying personal life, he won"t be able to concentrate on work."Feeling Erica"s lips on his cheek, G.o.dou began to curse his own stupidity.It was not too late, act safely and cautiously! The first priority would bestruggling free from Erica"s tight embrace, for continuing to stay this closewould be...However, he could not even budge against Erica"s magically enhancedarm strength.Furthermore, Liliana was glaring reproachfully at her childhood friend andrival while casting admonishing gazes at G.o.dou, filling him withapprehension.If this continued, Yuri would probably start lecturing...Even though the sensations of Erica"s pa.s.sionate embrace were verypleasurable, G.o.dou felt like he was hugging explosives. Turning his gazeto Yuri, he was surprised to find the Hime-Miko deep in thought with aserious expression. Then she spoke slowly:"This is not the first time for Erica-san to act in this manner... Perhaps it isa good opportunity after all. I have a suggestion for everyone."What kind of situation is this? G.o.dou felt uneasy."Before we left, I was worrying this would happen and it would develop intoanother argument like the time at Nikkou."Yuri spoke with concern as she recalled what happened a few months ago.A commotion had indeed occurred when Erica wanted to sleep withG.o.dou. In order to deter her, Yuri and Liliana ended up staying with themin the same room..."I feel that entering another disagreement over similar issues would beextremely foolish. After all, opportunities for us to travel together withG.o.dou-san will only increase from now on... Hence, I think we shouldhandle things in the following manner."Yuri lifted her head with determination and swept her gaze across thegroup.Hime-Miko — true to the t.i.tle of "Hime," Yuri displayed a most solemnexpression.She was right. G.o.dou felt relieved. Senseless commotions would onlywaste time and energy, so everyone needed to be reminded to act withpropriety. This was very helpful of Yuri."Whenever we go traveling, everyone needs to stay in the same room... Ithink that should be established as the rule. Is this not the best method toeliminate contention?"Oh my G.o.d, what happened to propriety...?G.o.dou was flabbergasted by the radical proposal which was the furthestthing from propriety. Nevertheless, to his utter surprise, Erica and Lilianabegan to ponder Yuri"s proposal in earnest.Part 2Ah, the sunshine is so bright...Watching the rising sun through the hotel window, G.o.dou was using thesofa as a bed. Having maintained his reason and sanity throughout somany crises, G.o.dou was a bit impressed with himself...Liliana had made a booking at the hotel.But thanks to Erica"s meddling, the booking had been changed.Originally, there was an additional room as proper for separation bygender. As a male, G.o.dou was not going to spend the night in the sameroom with three girls. However, that booking was cancelled. Instead, as.p.a.cious room with only a single large size double bed had been arrangedfor the whole group...And so, one night pa.s.sed —Currently, three beautiful maidens were deep in their dreams, lying on thedouble bed.Obviously, they were Erica, Yuri and Liliana. The extra size bed was morethan ample for the three slender girls. Seeing them get along so well, itwas a sight that brought a smile to one"s face.However, G.o.dou only glanced briefly before averting his gaze immediately.The girls" uncouth sleeping postures were so troubling he could not bear towatch.Even though Yuri and Liliana were wearing nightgowns, the lower hemshad been displaced by random movements in their sleep, revealing barelegs in their dazzling white glory.Naturally, Erica was the same as usual, sleeping in her underwear,wrapped in a blanket.Her sleeping appearance was not very graceful, but being able to see herin such a vulnerable and honest state was quite a treat.Cornered by such a scene, G.o.dou felt his sanity being a.s.saulted. Withthree beautiful girls, their attack power was tripled, or rather, cubed."Thanks... Thanks to that, I woke up this early..."Watching the morning sunshine, G.o.dou muttered to himself.Last night, after hearing Yuri"s proposal..."Indeed... Though it sounded rather radical at first, it is in actual fact quite areasonable idea. If everyone is gathered in one place, we can keep an eyeon each other."That was Liliana"s response as she glared at Erica who continued toembrace G.o.dou."Well, it"s true from the perspective of equal opportunity. This idea is notbad."Erica consented with a slightly bored expression, still tightly pressedagainst G.o.dou.Despite the adamant protests of the leader G.o.dou, all the girls ignoredhim. Thereafter, nothing noteworthy occurred.Besides the likes of G.o.dou trying to flee but being foiled by Erica"s castingof [Locking] magic on the door.Or the intense heart racing caused by the girls taking baths or changing.Or being exhausted by the long journey, only to find the bed occupied bythree sprawling girls.rOr things like Erica"s tempting "why not sleep together?", Yuri and Liliana"sprofound gazes, being embroiled in various arguments. In the end, G.o.douslept by himself on the lonely sofa couch. Unable to enter slumber, hesuffered lying awake until late into the night.Completely unnoteworthy, right?In any case, morning came to the hotel at Heathrow Airport."Coffee... Let me find something to drink."Getting up from the couch, G.o.dou muttered."If you wish, let me prepare it? ...G.o.dou-san?""Since we came to England, how about some tea? The equipment is here."Voices came from behind.G.o.dou turned to find Yuri and Liliana getting up from bed."I"m sorry, was I too loud?""Do not be concerned. Today will be a busy day and I had intended to getup early.""Yes, same for me."Yuri nodded in agreement with Liliana. The two began to prepare teatogether using the teapot and tea ware provided in the room.Like j.a.panese hotels, most English hotels were also equipped to maketea.Looking at the girls" appearance, G.o.dou felt rather worried.The two of them were still in their nightgowns. Yuri"s usually meticulouslycombed hair was slightly ruffled by sleep while Liliana"s long silver hair wasunbound from her usual ponytail.In other words, this was a sight normally reserved for family.Except maybe close friends for occasional sleepovers, or intimatecouples..."By the way, Mariya Yuri. I really like your idea, it is a bit unlike your usualstyle."While brewing tea, Liliana suddenly spoke."Ah, yes. In actual fact, it occurred to me when Ena-san was telling meabout what happened during the time we were turned into stone.""Ah, that time."The silver-haired knight nodded at Yuri"s answer.It was a completely natural conversation, but G.o.dou somehow felt uneasy.Perhaps it was the mention of the unaware troublemaker, Seishuuin Ena."During the incident last week, G.o.dou-san and Ena-san spent a nighttogether under the same blanket in the same room at the same inn...Ena-san told me with great embarra.s.sment. As all sorts of thoughts andfeelings converged, I came up with this proposal..."" Hmph. Is that so?"Hearing Yuri"s mournful confession, Liliana muttered monotonously.Then she brought the readied tea over to G.o.dou."It is ready, drink up while it is hot.""T-Thanks. Looks delicious.""No. These are not quality tea leaves so I expect the taste to be average.Anyway, Kusanagi G.o.dou, now that I think about it, I have forgotten tohear your detailed report about the events during our petrification. As yourpremier knight, this is an inexcusable oversight. My utmost apologies."Liliana"s apology felt very business-like and imposing. G.o.dou steadiedhimself."...In order for me to reflect thoroughly, please do enlighten me. Tell me thedetails of what transpired during the night Mariya Yuri and I were petrified.Is that fine?"G.o.dou turned to glance at the clock. There were still two or three hoursuntil breakfast.During this time, there was apparently no way to escape Liliana"sinterrogation. A crisis indeed.On the other hand, Erica remained sound asleep despite the currentatmosphere.The sight of her face in peaceful slumber made G.o.dou incredibly jealous.After enduring the exhausting morning, G.o.dou finally managed to appeaseLiliana"s wrath.The group went for breakfast once Erica slowly crept out of bed.The traditional English breakfast was known for its sumptuous abundance.The hotel where G.o.dou"s group stayed was one which maintained such acustom.Offerings included fried eggs and crispy bacon, grilled tomatoes, hashbrowns, baked beans with mushrooms, sausages, thinly-sliced toast, etc...A morning meal with a wide a.s.sortment of food.Yuri could not finish everything with her small appet.i.te, but the other threemade an excellent display of their bottomless stomachs, clearingeverything out without wastage — not simply due to the quant.i.ty, for thetaste was rather good as well.After breakfast, the group left the hotel and took a taxi cab.The ride from Heathrow to London took a few dozens of minutes. Asplanned originally, G.o.dou"s destination was Greenwich in the suburbsrather than the tourist attractions in London"s city center.Without needing to drive towards the usual tourist attractions, the taximade its way rather quickly."A rare chance for me to visit England, what a pity."G.o.dou muttered to himself as he sat on the pa.s.senger side next to thedriver.As his first visit to this foreign capital, it was only natural to want to go for asightseeing tour.However, he was alone in that regard. Whether Erica, Liliana or even Yuri,all of them had been to London too many times in the past.Very soon, the raging currents of the River Thames came into view.G.o.dou had heard of the famed river numerous times. Greenwich was alittle town next to the Thames.Getting off the taxi, Erica led the way at her usual familiar pace.Everyone followed.Greenwich was the little town known for the famous Royal Observatory.Established in the seventeenth century as the zeroth degree longitude, theobservatory was the basis for Greenwich Mean Time.There were other worthwhile attractions such as the National MaritimeMuseum and Greenwich Park. This was also the location of theorganization where Princess Alice once served as the spokesperson — theWitenagemot"s headquarters."Unlike our respective organizations, the [Bronze Black Cross] and the[Copper Black Cross], the Witenagemot of Greenwich is not a magica.s.sociation. An extreme description would be something like a mutual aidsociety."Liliana explained as they walked in the little town."Mutual aid society?""Yes. It was originally a simple organization where members exchangedoccult knowledge, thereby obtaining insight from one another. Whenever amember"s research stagnated in progress, the others would offer financialor academic a.s.sistance."I see, so it"s really like a mutual aid society. G.o.dou understood now."As time went on, the Witenagemot established many independentresearch organizations one after another, and became a great authorityespecially with the founding of the Academy, thus engendering its currentunique position... Furthermore, the Witenagemot was established in thenineteenth century during England"s Victorian era. At the time, they wereforced to continually strengthen the organization in order to survive.""In order to survive... Sounds quite dangerous."G.o.dou puzzled over Liliana"s explanation.Standing beside him, Yuri shuddered slightly as she spoke:"Back then, London was where that person — Dejanstahl Voban lived.Reportedly, he was enjoying city life in the rapidly developing capital of theBritish Empire...""Eh, that old gramps?"The demon who viewed G.o.ds as prey and caused other Devil Kings totremble before him.The memories of the old Marquis who maintained a facade of intellect overhis true "b.e.s.t.i.a.l" nature were still extremely vivid."Back then when he was still a young man, he reportedly went to pay aformal visit to Queen Victoria just for fun.""In order to protect England and the queen from the Marquis" threat, theWitenagemot began to devote serious resources to researching the DevilKing Campiones. This is actually quite a famous incident."Liliana recounted it as a legend, but Yuri unexpectedly knew the insidestory.Staying in the same city and living under the shadow of that monster musthave been suffering. G.o.dou offered his condolences to Alice"spredecessors."Great, we"ve arrived. Hurry and get ready."Erica called out to everyone as she stopped before a certain pub.So this was an English pub? G.o.dou was a bit impressed as he followedErica. Naturally, Yuri and Liliana came along as well.The pub was rather ancient but kept very clean and tidy.There was a wondrous relaxing atmosphere inside the dim interiors. Theevenings were probably filled with nearby men gathering for fish and chips,drinking beer, chatting, and watching soccer matches.However, it was currently morning.There were no other people apart from the middle-aged man who waspreparing to open the place.Greeting Erica cheerfully, he welcomed G.o.dou attentively with a fearfulgaze as he led everyone inside."Was the guy just now one of Erica"s comrades?""He is a member of the [Copper Black Cross] who is stationed atGreenwich. My a.s.sociation has personnel distributed all over Europe inthis manner to receive the latest news on the Witenagemot... So G.o.dou,please act in the manner you have agreed to."Opening the lid of a notebook computer at the cashier, Erica replied."It can"t be helped... Fine, I will try."It was too late to back out. G.o.dou"s voice was low and gloomy.In less than twenty minutes, the door to the pub opened and a Caucasianwoman in her latter thirties entered.Wearing thin-rimmed gla.s.ses, her demeanor was the completeembodiment of a strict governess."I was invited to pay a visit. But how unexpected for His Highness the DevilKing to come to London personally..."The one greeting in a trembling voice, was Miss Ericson indeed.She was the Chief Lady-in-Waiting employed in service of Princess Alicewho lived in London"s high cla.s.s residential neighborhood. Last night, Ericahad contacted her through her business cellphone, and set up anappointment in the name of Kusanagi G.o.dou.Also, the Princess who had given this phone number only disclosed hername."Kusanagi G.o.dou-sama. For what purpose have you come to visit thisland?"Miss Ericson spoke as she glared at G.o.dou.What impressive boldness. However, a closer inspection revealed a certainstiffness in her expression, as if she was rather tense from having toengage a tyrannical(?) Devil King in a private conversation."Yes — nice to meet you. Actually I have a task I hope you could performas quickly as possible. I"m quite sorry to call you out expressly..."G.o.dou answered as he secretly cursed his deficient acting skills.Before they left the hotel, Erica had taught him "to speak this way." Withoutusing too much acting, he was to take things cool and steady."W-We of the Witenagemot will not bow down to the tyranny of the DevilKing Campione!""Is that so? But as you should know, such stubbornness, in regards to bothour sides, will not result in a favorable outcome, right...?"G.o.dou spoke in a stiff tone of voice he rarely used.Probably due to the awkwardness he was trying to suppress in his heart.He felt really apologetic for saying such things to someone in their firstencounter. I really should find a time to apologize afterwards. G.o.douthought to himself as he continued:"What I would like to say is this, I have actually not said anything toounreasonable. I just want to ask gently if you would kindly listen to ourwish, that is all..."As he finished delivering his dry speech, he found Erica had made her waybehind Miss Ericson.Standing at a spot out of sight from the strict Chief Lady-in-Waiting, Ericaheld up a sketchbook.Something was written on it..."You need to act more like a Devil King, show some majestic solemnitywhen you speak! Don"t mess up this rare chance to debut in England! Youhave to announce to the world: I, Kusanagi G.o.dou, have arrived!"...I"m gonna ignore it.Coughing to clear his throat, G.o.dou asked "How about that?"At this moment, a beauty"s face appeared on the screen of the notebookcomputer at the cashier. In fact, it was a video conference program thathad just started up.The beauty possessing dazzling platinum blonde hair was Princess Alice,of course."Well! Why have you come to this place, Campione? Could it be that youhave come all the way from j.a.pan to cause chaos by destroying London!?"Alice"s beautiful face shimmered with awesome splendor.She was really enjoying herself, playing the role of the "highborn princesswho raged with a great sense of mission" perfectly....Or maybe, she should probably act with greater prudence."I will not tolerate such actions! Miss Ericson, please dispel the barrier atthe residence immediately. I implore you to allow me, Alice Louise ofNavarre, the former spokesperson of the Witenagemot, to have anaudience with the Devil King in person to negotiate directly."The Princess commanded her Chief Lady-in-Waiting through the notebookcomputer over the internet.However, this shout only served to return Miss Ericson to her senses. Shecalmly adjusted her gla.s.ses and said:"...Princess. Why have you appeared during my meeting withKusanagi-sama in what could be described as an unnatural manner withsuch perfect timing?""Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Worry about theseminor details later!""These are no mere minor details. It is a most serious problem. Could it bepossible that the Princess has made some sort of shady deal with the DevilKing Campione!? First there was Alexandre Gascoigne, then Italy"s SirSalvatore Doni recently! How unrepentant!""Uhohoho, what was that? Well, Kusanagi-sama, tell me your demands. Ifyou can spare London in exchange for my person, I will pay you a visit nomatter where you are!""Yes, well... It"s not like I want to do anything violent, but I would be mostappreciative if you could come out to meet me."Clumsily reacting in concert with the Princess, G.o.dou spoke emotionlessly.In the end, under the Princess"s threat of "the Devil King will attack Londonand bring chaos unless she is liberated," Miss Ericson relented with a bitterexpression, thereby bringing the commotion to a conclusion.Part 3Dozens of minutes pa.s.sed after Miss Ericson had left.A dashing beauty made her appearance in the pub where G.o.dou waswaiting.Wearing a white weightless-looking long coat, it was the princess withplatinum blonde hair. Suffice to say, this was Princess Alice."Please accept my utmost grat.i.tude for freeing up this time for me."Alice greeted elegantly as she gazed into G.o.dou"s face.Her current dignified presence was just as unbelievable as the enthusiasticdisplay just now. Well, to be overly critical of that point would be a bit tootactless. Acting as if nothing had happened, G.o.dou said:"Is it really okay for your health if you visit personally?""Yes. As Kusanagi-sama knows, I am using that certain ability. My bodyremains at rest in bed, so don"t worry."That certain ability — spirit body detachment. G.o.dou nodded.Having revealed her secret, Alice grinned mischievously then turned to allthe girls present to display a bright and cheerful smile."It"s been quite some time, Erica! Of course I would never forget you all.Liliana of the Kranjcar family, as well as Kusanagi-sama"s attendant Yuri.Fufufu, my memory"s not bad, right?"Greeted by the n.o.blewoman, Erica smiled elegantly.Yuri frantically shrank back and nodded in acknowledgement while Lilianasilently bowed her head.None of the three girls spoke. They were expressing their noninterferencein G.o.dou and Alice — the negotiations between the Devil King and theformer spokesperson of the Witenagemot.Furthermore, there was an implied expression of reverence for the oneknown as Europe"s White Miko-Hime, the most n.o.ble celebrity in the magicworld. No matter how cheerfully she had tried to strike up conversation, thedifference in stature was obvious — this was the most likely reason forexpressing respect.At the same time, Alice very naturally accepted the respect offered byErica and the rest.This was not acting haughty or overbearing. For Alice who stood as a"Hime," it was only natural. Whether acting emotional and reckless onoccasion, or upfront and straightforward on others, this was her characterthat accepted such offers of respect.As befitted a princess, thought G.o.dou, deeply impressed."By the way, Kusanagi-sama. I heard from Erica that Alexandre stole anunidentified divine artifact from j.a.pan — "Alice spoke as she walked over with G.o.dou to a table and sat down.The other three girls stayed by the cash register."Yeah. Anyway, I think I need to have a serious word with him after I takecare of the Lancelot problem first... Perhaps, this could very well developinto an extremely messy affair."An eye for an eye, wasn"t that right? After all, the other guy was theinstigator.Kusanagi G.o.dou was a pacifist. However, he was not a believer innonresistance. Even if there existed an option of appeas.e.m.e.nt, he wouldnot give up on retaliation."Well, it"s expected of you. Yes, it wouldn"t be interesting otherwise!""Eh?"Hearing her jest-filled statement, G.o.dou stared directly into Alice face.At the same time, Europe"s most exalted n.o.blewoman smiled elegantly."No, it"s just something on my side. Don"t be concerned. Anyway,Kusanagi-sama, would you like to listen to my advice?""Yes, of course. What is it?"Princess Alice possessed extraordinary spirit powers and insight. G.o.douhad caught a glimpse of her talents during the fight against his sworn eldersister Her Eminence Luo Hao. He proceeded to adjust his sitting posture."Kusanagi-sama has either made friends with or already battled several ofmy friends... Sir Salvatore, Marquis Voban, Her Eminence Luo Hao, JohnPluto Smith-sama etc. You should know very well what truly unreasonableexistences Campiones are."Definitely. G.o.dou naturally recalled his fellow peers who all possessed waytoo much personality.As G.o.dou nodded, Alice spoke with slight concern:"Compared to the others, Alexandre is decisively different. As a result, youmay at first find him much easier to deal with compared to the other DevilKings. However, please be careful for this becomes a trap when fightinghim.""A decisive difference?""Yes. The previous Campiones you have fought, each and every one ofthem is quite old fashioned — or rather, legendary. They are essentiallymighty heroes who do not concern themselves with petty details. Thoughthey may employ cunning tactics on occasion, ultimately they depend onnatural instincts and impulses. They all harbor a b.e.s.t.i.a.l compet.i.tivenessthat modern humans have long forgotten, a group of people who slaysG.o.ds through momentary pa.s.sion..."Indeed, they were all people of that sort.Alice"s a.s.sessment of "old-fashioned." What an interesting perspectiveindeed."Hence, Alexandre is the only one who retains traits of modern humans.His neurotic personality obsesses over details. Naturally sharp instincts yeta strategist. Even though his extraordinary compet.i.tiveness drives him tohate failure with a pa.s.sion, that kind of b.e.s.t.i.a.l feeling he gives off is slightlydifferent."Black Prince Alec and White Princess Alice were archrivals.Recalling Erica"s words, G.o.dou concurred with a "uh huh." I see, sincethey had dealt with each other over such a long period of time, she couldrecall the details of her opponent"s personality instantly."That man neither possesses the same magnanimity as Marquis Voban,nor Her Eminence Luo Hao"s otherworldly logic, nor Smith-sama"s sense ofmystery. However, underestimating him based on these observationswould be falling into his trap. He is a rare person who possesses a fineintellect but never uses it for anything proper!""But I think he saved you once before, right?"Based on Alice"s reluctant expression, it must be true.The Princess seemed embarra.s.sed by past shame, and nodded gently."I feel ashamed every time I recall it... Alexandre probably cannot reachthe heights of Genghis Khan or King Richard the Lionheart, but he candefinitely become someone like Napoleon Bonaparte. He also has areputation like a.r.s.ene Lupin"s. That is the kind of [King] he is. Please bearthat in mind."G.o.dou understood what the Princess was trying to say.The Black Prince could not indulge in merciless slaughter to become agreat barbaric hero or a valorous king of knights.On the other hand, he rivaled modern military geniuses and was a manwho brought to life the archetype of the gentlemanly thief from adventurenovels. What kind of Campione was he ultimately?Imagining the appearance of this intimidating foe, G.o.dou secretly trembledwith excitement."Anyway, Alice-san, shouldn"t we get to the main topic of discussion?"Before everything else, G.o.dou had another formidable enemy to handlefirst, so he changed the subject."If it"s alright with you, please tell me about Lancelot. I heard from Lilianathat he is the guardian G.o.d of witches like you.""Yes. Kusanagi-sama came to visit for this very reason."Alice pondered as she spoke softly."However, I must apologize. Indeed, he is the guardian deity of the highestranking witches. However, this does not mean that we have access to thedetails of his origins.""It"s like that?""Yes. Starting from the Middle Ages, top witches established their ownnetwork and had regular gatherings like the "Walpurgisnacht.""- 1 ^ The onewho founded this network was the Witch Queen of that time, the previousgeneration"s Guinevere-sama.""Previous generation"s Guinevere!?""Yes. The present Guinevere-sama, is the second generation reincarnatedseveral decades ago.""The first generation in the Middle Ages, and the second in the modernage... What a long interval.""The rebirth of Divine Ancestors requires centuries to complete. That"sprobably the reason."Rebirth required centuries. So the immortal witch apparently had aweakness.As G.o.dou noted to himself, Alice continued:"The first generation"s Guinevere was born several centuries after theprototype of King Arthur"s legend, the "King of the End," went into dormantslumber. She was then murdered around the end of the twelfth century. Asher protector, Lancelot also "conveniently" guards top witches under hercommand.""—Eh?"G.o.dou was shocked by Alice"s calm disclosure.Her statement just now, seemed to be filled with incomparably crucialfacts..."The "King of the End" who was the prototype of King Arthur? Isn"t he themortal enemy of us Campiones, who manifests at the end of eras?""Well, if Kusanagi-sama already knows about him, this greatly simplifieswhat I need to explain. Much appreciated."Alice smiled lightly."Is that King of the End" King Arthur?""No, he"s not."The question that cut straight to the crux of the matter, was nonchalantlyrefuted. What on earth was going on?"When Heretic Arthur appeared six years ago, we were able to disprovethe notion. Thanks to that, the second generation"s Guinevere-samaentered a state of partial insanity, which is most terrible... WhenAlexandre"s hypothesis that "the King of the End is actually not King Arthur"was confirmed, that smug face of his was just asking for a beating, itmakes me so mad every time I think of it!"Clenching her fist, Alice grumbled.At the same time, the girls who had been silent so far began to get excited."Did King Arthur really become a [Heretic G.o.d], Princess!?""And six years ago!?"Erica and Liliana were shocked.Not only as Europeans but knights as well, the importance with which theyregarded the name of King Arthur was probably impossible for j.a.paneselike G.o.dou or Yuri to fathom.Alice smiled mischievously as she explained to the red and blue knights."Yes. Since it"s a long story, I"ll show you later the report from that time.However, don"t go telling anyone, okay? Even within the Witenagemot,only members of the Diogenes Club are privy to this secret.""Understood." The knights replied with reverence.Nodding in acknowledgement, Alice turned back to G.o.dou."Let"s get back to the topic and talk about the war G.o.d Lancelot. Amongstthe stories of the Knights of the Round Table, Sir Lancelot"s episodes wereall creations based on the first Guinevere"s knowledge of King Arthur"smyth... In particular, a number of characters were added based onChretien de Troyes" works. As a result, these myths are completelyunhelpful in regard to deciphering the original divinity of Lancelot."The Princess nonchalantly entered the main subject.Seeking her a.s.sistance was the correct decision — G.o.dou was deeplyimpressed."How about this? Visit the lands related to him, to understand what kind ofG.o.d he is — the best plan is to clear your thoughts and humbly openyourself to the truth. Kusanagi-sama, you already hold the correspondingtrump card in your hand."Saying that, Alice turned her gaze to the girl who had maintained silence.The miko with the highest level of spirit vision, Mariya Yuri. The beauty withthe brown-tinted black hair nodded towards at the Princess" words. Only atthis time did G.o.dou suddenly notice.Alice was English while Yuri was native to j.a.pan.Nevertheless, both of them gave off an aura that was similar in a certainway."Let"s visit Somerset first, Yuri. Go there and feel those claw marks carvedand left behind by the Witch Queen and Lancelot du Lac.""Yes, I shall do as you suggest."Yuri"s unhesitating answer elicited a gentle smile from Alice."Hohoho, no problem. I"m certain you will feel something. I also plan ontagging along to provide a.s.sistance.""Eh? Even the Princess herself!?""Ah, no need. You don"t have to go so far."Seeing Yuri intimidated, G.o.dou hurriedly tried to refuse.However, Princess Alice responded in a loud voice:"No problem! If I had to articulate it, this is my personal interest. If I don"ttake a stroll once in a while, I feel like my bones are going to rot.""Huh...""Actually from a while ago, I"ve been thinking of teaching Yuri some basics.Since this will be a good opportunity, let us get along well together duringour travels."She did not seem like she would take no for an answer. G.o.dou had nochoice but to accept her request."With regard to Guinevere-sama and Lancelot, I will also tell youeverything I know about them... Well, even though Alexandre was the onewho elucidated most of it."Alice spoke with slight displeasure."Really, for that person to display exceptional talent in such an area. Pittingwits against him is always such a pain!"Gascoigne again? G.o.dou somehow felt a vague sense of uneasiness.Campiones were G.o.d-slaying warriors. However, Black Prince Alec wasdifferent. He was the adventurer who had solved numerous mysteriousriddles, and a resourceful strategist at the same time. A talented man whoflew like the wind with thunderous ferocity and a genius who acted withdecisive willfulness...G.o.dou had a feeling that he would one day suffer for it if Gascoigne wasnot dealt with soon.However, his first priority was uncovering the mystery of Lancelot —Consciously ignoring that restless unease, G.o.dou directed himself to solvethe pressing problem at hand.Part 4Alice"s chosen destination of Somerset county was located in southwesternEngland.It was a well-known tourist destination for communing with nature. In otherwords, it was largely non-metropolitan and dominated by picturesque ruraland agricultural scenery."Come to think of it, isn"t the county where Gascoigne established hisfaction"s stronghold nearby?""Yes. West of Somerset, a museum in a little town called St. Ives located inEngland"s westernmost region of Cornwall. A town inhabited by manyartists, with numerous art galleries and museums."Somerset was three hours away from London by car.Sitting in a car racing along the highway, Alice said:"Although it has nothing to do with this trip, why don"t we go the extra mileand have a look? Even if we visit [Royal a.r.s.enal] right away, it should beempty.""Empty?""Yes. Alexandre would never give meaningless orders to his subordinatessuch as defending against or intercepting a Campione"s attack. Instead hewould most likely command them all to retreat swiftly."This car was a limousine provided by Alice.The driving was a.s.signed to a professional driver while G.o.dou and the restsat in the back seats.There was a divider isolating the driver from the pa.s.senger area. Sitting ina row opposite Alice and G.o.dou were Erica, Liliana and Yuri. However,there would still be plenty of room even if everyone were to stretch theirlegs straight.Within the s.p.a.cious vehicle, Erica and Liliana were reading the informationAlice had provided to them."This is the report concerning [Heretic Arthur]...""Did such a serious incident happen six years ago...""During that particular incident, Guinevere-sama lost all the magical powerstored in the Holy Grail. After that, we were able to seal Heretic Arthuraway through Alexandre and my combined power. At the very least, onecould conclude "all"s well that ends well.""Alice sighed as she explained."For that person to have returned, and caused the incident in j.a.pan lastweek... Kusanagi-sama, through that incident, we of the Witenagemot haveconfirmed a certain principle.""Principle?""Yes. That principle is this: when a [Heretic G.o.d] descends upon thehuman world, the body and mind take form based on "myths." In otherwords, when myths change, a G.o.d"s nature will be altered accordingly."It seemed like Alice was about to start giving a lecture on Lancelot.G.o.dou began to sit up straight to listen attentively as soon as he caughtAlice"s serious tone of voice."For example, suppose there was a war G.o.d who was renowned as the"greatest knight" in this world. However, a thousand years ago, that was nothis true ident.i.ty. So, what would happen if that deity were to descendtomorrow — ""Would he descend as "the greatest knight"?""That"s right. Nevertheless, suppose he had descended as a [Heretic G.o.d]fifteen centuries ago... Even if the myths change, there will be no effectand he will continue to exist in the human world, maintaining the divinity hestarted with.""...So, you"re talking about Lancelot after all?""Yes. To understand Sir Lancelot, three obstacles need to be overcome.First of all, he was a G.o.d who manifested over a thousand years ago.Secondly, throughout these one thousand years and more, all the mythsintimately linked to him have been lost, making investigations extremelydifficult. Third and last of all, many people have "created" new myths abouthim as the "greatest knight" and spread them far and wide, furtherobscuring the truth."G.o.dou recalled a name that Alice had mentioned at Greenwich."Earlier you mentioned someone called Chret-something, right?""Yes. Chretien de Troyes. The twelfth-century troubadour who wrote thefirst stories where Lancelot appeared. He was most likely a magedescended from the lineages of the Knights Templar and is suspected ofcolluding with the Witch Queen of that time, the first Guinevere.""Eh!?""He and his companions were the ones who added Guinevere-sama andSir Lancelot as major characters in the new Arthurian legends. As a result,trying to discern Sir Lancelot"s original divinity from the stories of theKnights of the Round Table becomes extremely difficult..."Investigating the details surrounding Lancelot turned out to be a muchtougher mission than expected. G.o.dou went "Hmm..." as he hugged hisshoulders, deep in thought, then he looked at Yuri."Yes. Consequently, this child"s spirit vision becomes exceedinglyimportant. Hohoho. So, we shall be relying on you, Yuri?""Y-Yes! I fully pledge my humble efforts... But I cannot be certain if I maybe of help...""No problem. I can guarantee you that. Ah, but don"t ask why. All I can sayis, it"s female intuition."The Princess smiled gently as Yuri cringed timidly. Her tone of voice wasrather subtle, seemingly straddling the line between joking and beingserious.After that, Alice did not discuss anything more about practical matters.Ending the explanations for G.o.dou, the Princess began to chat cheerfullywith Erica, Liliana and Yuri. Perhaps she was worried about theHime-Miko"s mental stress.The car made its way speedily without congestion, then exited the highwayand entered local roads.Looking out the window, green pastures were everywhere. Gentle rollinghills traced curves over the land, creating undulating patterns.Amidst this farmland scenery, G.o.dou noticed something suspicious."What was that just now?"In the corner of an abandoned field they had just pa.s.sed through, therewas a ma.s.sive stone structure.It was constructed out of three rectangular stones, in a manner like ahouse of cards — using two ma.s.sive stones as pillars with one lyinghorizontally on top. Each stone must have weighed several tons."Come to think of it, I"ve seen similar things in Sardinia.""That"s right, G.o.dou. Monoliths left behind by prehistoric European nativescalled dolmens. Many of them can be found on Sardinia as well as themainland. Yes, there was also one near the place where we encounteredthe G.o.d Melqart.""...Ah yes, that one!"Prompted by Erica, G.o.dou"s memories were reawakened."The various monoliths scattered across Britain are believed to have beenconstructed by indigenous peoples between the end of the Neolithic Ageand the Bronze Age, even earlier than the arrival of the Celts. Similar typesof monoliths can be found on the European continent — especially in theregion of Brittany in France."Alice explained from beside G.o.dou."Crossing the sea from Cornwall reaches Brittany directly. Even for anisland country isolated by the ocean, culture will be influenced bycommunication and trade with the mainlanders. This is proof of that."Just as the conversation reached this point, the car stopped in thewilderness.One of the pa.s.senger doors in the back opened, indicating the destinationhad been reached. First Erica then Liliana, followed by G.o.dou and Yuri,with Alice last — everyone got off in turn.A survey of the surroundings found fields all around. Other than the newarrivals, not a single soul was in sight.Furthermore, the monolith standing upright in this scene —This one turned out to be round. Not like a sphere, but a ma.s.sive circleroughly ten meters in diameter. A hole was drilled through its center withmagnificent workmanship, making it look like a ring made of rock.This ma.s.sive ring of stone stood upright in the middle of the wilderness.What a majestic and astonishing sight."...White G.o.ddess—? And the King of War...?"Suddenly, Yuri began to speak softly.With shaking footsteps, she walked towards the toroidal monolith."Monolithic civilization is the heritage left behind by indigenous peoples.Hence, monoliths like this were preserved for future ages and inherited bylater peoples who took over Britain."Watching Yuri who was walking towards the ma.s.sive stone, Aliceexplained."It was said that whether the Celts, the Romans or the Saxons, all of themfirmly believed these monoliths to be sacred objects and sacred places, oreven G.o.ds themselves, and thus they protected them."Finally, Yuri touched the toroidal monolith.The Hime-Miko"s gentle and beautiful face showed a wise expression asshe closed her eyes."Six years ago, during the "Heretic Arthur Incident," Guinevere-sama andSir Lancelot held a major ritual at this location for the sake of releasing theHoly Grail"s magical power to the maximum. There should still be someremnants of their aura in this place. I was hoping "if it"s Yuri, will she beable to read something?" when I suggested coming here."As G.o.dou listened carefully to Alice, Yuri opened her eyes once more.Then she collapsed, as if all strength had been stolen from her knees,making her unable to stand. It appeared that the oracle obtained throughspirit vision was quite draining."Mariya!" "Get a hold of yourself, Yuri!" "Did you see something!?"G.o.dou frantically ran to her as Erica and Liliana also gathered around.G.o.dou cradled the Hime-Miko"s back with his arm, trying to support her.Liliana also extended a helping hand immediately. At this time, Yuri smiledweakly and said:"The White G.o.ddess, as well as the opposing King of War. I then saw thename Sarmatae... Could that be the name of an ancient country?""No. Sarmatae... Also known as Sarmatia, was not a country — ""The name of an ancient tribe. Yes, since Lancelot belongs to the mostprimitive of [Steel], of course that would be the place...!"Erica and Liliana replied excitedly to Yuri"s whispers. It seemed like it wasa name within the knights" expectations. Just as G.o.dou felt thankful as hecarried Yuri on his back to return to the car...VROOOOOOOOOOM!The loud and dynamic sound of vehicle exhaust could be heard.Following the direction of the noise, a large motorcycle could be seenapproaching.It was a Harley-Davidson. The rider was wearing a black leather jacket andleather pants, along with shades. The helmet had no visor and looked likean iron hat. It was an appearance that adhered faithfully to the image ofthe stereotypical Harley rider."What is that man doing here? He sure does not look like some new agehippy coming to a power spot to pray for luck...""Could that be Esteemed Uncle!?"Just as Liliana muttered to herself in doubt, Erica exclaimed with surprise.The Harley stopped right before G.o.dou"s group as the black-clad rider tookoff his helmet and dismounted, walking into their midst."As I thought... It"s been a while, Esteemed Uncle Iceman.""You"ve grown to become even more beautiful, Erica. I didn"t realize sincewe"ve only been talking on the phone lately. Even though it"s been manyyears and I"ve got lots to talk with the niece of my enemy Paolo, let"s leaveit for another time. Today I came to deliver a message."The man took off his shades as he answered in a tone of voice carryinggreat meaning.The handsome and solemn face of a Caucasian in his mid-thirties wasrevealed."A pleasure to meet you for the first time, Kusanagi G.o.dou. I am theretainer of Alexandre Gascoigne, Iceman... Ah, and of course, it is mypleasure to meet you again, Princess."This man was Sir Iceman whom Erica had mentioned before.Why did he come here? As G.o.dou wondered, the legendary knight handedhim a letter."Please accept this letter which our commander-in-chief Alec had sent tous by magic and ordered to be delivered to you.""He expressly sent this to me? What on earth is it?"Reading the letter, G.o.dou was stunned."This humble one recently decided to execute a little plan. With regard tothis, I have repeatedly warned you, asking you to watch withoutinterference. Reckless action is meaningless. I shall warn you once more, Ihope you will stand back and watch things unfold. Whether curiosity,nosiness, heroism, human impulse, or thrill-seeking, all interferencestemming from such emotions will not be welcomed.P.S. If it pleases you, how about a little vacation with your lovers at myhometown of Cornwall? It is only dutiful for me to order my subordinates towelcome your arrival. We have already confirmed arrangements, and hopeyou can enjoy our hospitality for a month or two."It was a letter written using old fashioned j.a.panese."Telling me to do nothing and just have fun in England? Give me a break!"Just as G.o.dou scrunched the letter up into a ball, his cellphone beganringing in his pocket.However, things must be made clear to Iceman first. Let me ignore thephone for now."Perhaps it might be related to Alec"s intentions. Why not pick it up first?"Sir Iceman suggested cautiously.Intentions? Yet another dangerous word. G.o.dou picked up the call.It was Amakasu Touma. It seemed to be an international long distance callfrom j.a.pan."What a disaster, Kusanagi-san. In the waters near Bousou with itsunending succession of recent commotions, this time a castle of strangerock has been built!""...Strange rock, what are you talking about?""A castle of strange rock. In the very center of Tokyo Bay, it suddenlyfloated up like an island. An island covered with steep and treacherousrocks, and also surrounded by a rocky reef. It emanates an intensepresence similar to an RPG boss" castle of the devil king. It gives off sucha terrifying and foreboding impression."A sudden inauspicious report.Sir Iceman proceeded to speak in a very honest voice:"Seems like Alexandre Gascoigne has put his plan into motion. Whetheryou wish to stand back and watch, or hurry back to j.a.pan... It"s up to you.Personally, for the sake of world peace, I recommend the former."So that castle of strange rock really was the Black Prince"s doing!?Because he was left alone to roam free, others were suffering from it!G.o.dou was completely stunned by the accuracy of his unease severalhours ago.References1 . t Walpurgisnacht: "Walpurgis Night," a traditional spring festival on30 April or 1 May in large parts of Central and NorthernEurope.