The two devils made their way through the city as fast as they could. Speed, however, was not Koneko's specialty. Alone, Yuuto could have been at the church already, even if he had to be careful about not being seen at speeds too great for humans to reach. That said, going in alone would have been suicidal.
Of course, suddenly coming across the two people they were meant to assist turned that into a moot point. Yu and Issei were walking down the road, talking quietly. They stepped into their way, Yuuto with a smile, Koneko as expressionless as usual.
"It's good to see you two unharmed."
"Eh? Kiba? Toujou-chan? Senpai, are they..." Issei trailed off, his eyes slightly wild.
"Yes. Both of them are devils." There was no noticeable emotion in Yu's voice.
"... You said Gremory-senpai was one, too. You... Are all the most popular students devils?"
"Pretty much." Yu shrugged.
"Except you, Senpai." Yuuto said. "You're about as popular as I am, I think."
"You didn't need to remind me." The older student pinched the bridge of his nose. "But what do you want?" And he stalled further small talk by cutting to the chase.
"Buchou wanted us to help you. Quite unnecessary, it seems." Seeing a frown form on Yu's face, he continued. "If I may ask, what about the cell of fallen angels?"
"... Kalawarner has taken control of them. Once Dohnaseek and Mittelt return, they'll go away."
Yuuto nodded. "That's good. We'll tell Buchou about it. The two of them are alright, and Akeno-san will release them once we've confirmed your health."
"Uhm..." Issei, started to say. "Those two are fallen angels, right? The ones that attacked me? Under Yuum... Raynare's command?"
Yu answered. "Yes, but they won't cause any more trouble."
"Why?"
He smiled thinly. It scared Yuuto. "They're afraid of me. And after Kalawarner tells them what happened, they'll fear me even more."
"... What happened?" Koneko interjected, her voice quiet and noncommittal.
The smile vanished, and Yu was just as expressionless as Koneko. "I killed Raynare."
… That was a surprise to Yuuto. He didn't believe Yu to be someone who would kill callously. "Is there a particular reason you did it? Even if Dohnaseek-san told you it would be better, I doubt you would kill just like that."
For a moment, he felt a sensation akin to getting crushed. Laughter, as if from far away, drifted into his mind. It was a spiteful laugh, arrogant and condescending.
Dimly, Yuuto noticed that Yu had closed his eyes. He felt the crushing feeling lessen, until it was gone.
Without realizing it, he took a step back. A primal part of his brain had taken over for a second, a part that felt absolute fear and reacted with the flight instinct. He whispered, his voice suddenly hoarse. "What are you?"
Yu didn't hear, or didn't care for the latter question. Opening his eyes, he answered the former instead. "I saw Raynare's madness. She wouldn't have let go. She would have come back, again and again, just to get back at me. I don't know who else she would have hurt."
Koneko also stared at him, a sliver of fear on her normally expressionless face.
Yu continued talking, not acknowledging the state the two were in. "She would have killed Issei to get his Sacred Gear, all so she could have a better chance of fighting me. Where do you think she would have stopped?"
"Yeah, I get where you're coming from, Senpai." Issei mumbled. He didn't seem affected by the show of power. If anything, he seemed surprised by their sudden behavior. "She'd have gotten worse, I guess."
"..." Yuuto shook himself out of his stupor. "I suppose we'll never know." It took all his self-control to keep his voice calm. "But if you're alright, it might be better if we report to Buchou. If you can, please come by our clubroom tomorrow after school. We will need to make a report for Buchou's family. She will probably tell you that herself, though. Let's go, Koneko."
After one last look for each, he turned around and walked away as fast as he could without seeming suspicious. Koneko followed him.
Close to Issei's house, Yu stopped and turned around to face him. "How are you feeling now?"
"Better." Issei said, his voice much more normal. "I'm better. Thanks again, Senpai. This is the second time you saved my head. We really have to stop this, or I'll be indebted to you forever."
… If he could joke like that, Yu figured he'd be more or less okay.
"But, you, uh, are you going to go to their clubroom?"
"Are you?"
"Eh?" The question caught Issei off-guard.
"The invitation extended to you too."
"Why would it? I get having to talk to you, but why me?"
"You have a Sacred Gear. I wouldn't put it past Gremory to try and recruit you."
Issei blinked, disbelievingly. "What?!"
Yu raised a hand. "Calm down. Why is that so surprising? She'll probably try and find out what your Gear is, then offer you to join her peerage, if she thinks it's worth it."
Now Issei was gaping and flailing his arms. "But why me? Compared to people like... Ah, screw it. What am I supposed to do?"
… The look in his eyes was lost. Not the ever so slowly fading panic for his life, but the feeling of being caught completely flatfooted.
And he looked to Yu for an answer.
It wasn't a new situation. He had helped many people by being there for them. Sometimes, his words had a profound effect on those people, and he always tried to help them find their answer. A gentle push, not in some direction, but simply something they needed.
"Think about what's best for you."
"What's best for me, huh?" Issei mumbled to himself. Then he nodded. "You're right. That's what my decision should be based on."
Then he looked away, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "If you're right, I mean. If Gremory-senpai really asks me to join."
"It would have been so easy to make him refuse her offer." Sandalphon whispered. "So easy to keep him away from that girl's grasp. His outrageous goal will make his resistance collapse like a house of cards."
That didn't matter. It was Issei's life, and Issei's choice. He should make the one he believed was best. The one he could live with best.
"But you're really amazing, Senpai. You can fight those fallen angels, keep your calm all the time and even dish out advice."
"... Thank you for the compliment. " Yu closed his eyes. "I worked hard to become like I am today."
"That's so cool." Issei sighed. "And me? I feel so useless. I needed you to save me twice. There's no way I can do any of that stuff."
"... Anyone can. If there's anything I've learned, it's that we can all be better than we are."
"But I'm weak."
"Right now, you are." Issei flinched back. "But you can change that. I'm sure that you can gain strength of your own. If that's what you want, I know it's possible for you."
"You're really a nice guy." Issei sighed. "And pretty cool. I thought you're just another bishounen, but you're really just that good." He hesitated for a moment, then stretched out his hand. "So, thanks again, Senpai."
Yu took the offered limb. "Sure. Don't worry about it."
He didn't expect the all too familiar feeling he got that moment.
Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast established a new bond...
May your world prosper through this new facet...
Let the determination of the Magus Arcana
bring forth new possibilities...
Issei let go. "Bye, Senpai." Then he walked away, back home.
Yu looked at his hand. The power of the Magus Arcana was small, a flickering flame, compared to the bright infernos of power his other Arcana were. But it was undoubtedly the same.
Apparently, his World Arcana still had surprises for him in store.
Once back home, Yu sat down on the couch. Although it may be more appropriate to say he fell into it. Now, with no one around, he let the fact get to him.
He had killed. He had done it for a reason, and he had done it believing it to be the right thing. But he had killed.
… Yu waited for some sort of reaction from himself. Feeling sick, feeling disgusted, but nothing. He wasn't comfortable with what happened, certainly not, and he didn't feel good. That was all.
Somehow, he had expected more.
He raised his hand. It was perfectly still. No shaking, nothing. There didn't seem to be a reaction.
His Personas were a whisper, barely recognizable. They shared knowledge with him, impressions and memories. They helped him deal with what happened in a way very few would be able to understand. Was that what let him recover from an emotionally taxing event like this? They hadn't done that before.
Further introspection was stopped by his phone ringing. He took it out – it was a new model that his parents gave him as a sort of consolation for being left alone – and saw a familiar number on the display. It was enough to make him crack a smile.
He took the call. "Hey Yosuke."
"What's up partner? I didn't get a chance to call yesterday, so what happened with that whole fallen angel thing?"
Yosuke was his best friend. Of course he told him about everything that happened over the past few days. It was a testament to the strength of their friendship that he believed it without any trouble.
"I saved the guy from them. It got more complicated after that..." He relayed the events of the past two days.
"... Tough cookie." A very succinct way of putting it. "I really don't envy you there, partner."
"Yeah."
"Do you need help? You know we've all got your back."
"You told the others?" He had expected Yosuke would do that.
"Of course. Everyone agreed that if you need us, you have us. You're our leader, after all."
… Just hearing that was a big help. Knowing that everyone was ready to come to his help was reassuring.
"Thanks, partner."
"What are friends for? Just... Make sure you're alright. Stuff's different now, and I'm worried about you."
"... I know. The moment I think I'm in over my head, I'll call."
Yosuke laughed. "And the moment you do, the cavalry's gonna come. Alright."
"It's settled, then." Yu chuckled. After a moment of silence, his friend continued.
"Are you still coming over for Golden Week?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Let's just hang out, chill around and have fun. Without any murder mysteries, or other worlds to get into our way."
The idea made him smile wider than before. "It would be a change of pace."
"Weird, right?"
"Yeah."
"If that's all..." Yosuke trailed off, waiting for a moment. When Yu said nothing, he continued. "then, bye."
"Bye."
He looked at the phone is his hand after hanging up. Then he chuckled. Yu already felt better after this. Shows what a few simple words can do.
In a place that existed only in the broadest sense of the word, a woman frowned. The book resting in her lap glowed. This book was not supposed to glow. The one it belonged to had finished his journey, and a new one had not yet started, if it ever did.
It had started a few days ago – or what passed as days in this realm. It had shone brilliantly, once, then nothing happened. And now it glowed this familiar glow.
"Most intriguing." The master stated. "It appears our honored guest walks a new path."
"It is not unusual for a guest to start a new journey." She said. "However, it does not happen like this. What does this mean?"
"That is something we must investigate." Large, bloodshot eyes opened to stare into the distance. A leer nearly split his face in two. "Interesting indeed. I had not expected such events to occur so shortly after our guest's victory."
She watched on as he continued to chuckle. "A new bond was given form... Yet it is unusual to form at this point in a guest's journey." Opening the book, the woman looked down at the newly created pages What she saw made her widen her eyes in shock. "Master, I believe you need to see this."
"What is it?" He looked at the book she put on the table before her. "Oh my." If at all possible, his smile widened. "It seems our guest's penchant to form unlikely bonds is still going strong."
"For better or for worse." She muttered, her golden eyes showing a sliver of worry. "This is a dangerous being to bond with."
Within the book, engraved upon the page, they saw Yu shaking the hand of boy about his age. The boy's other hand, however, was engulfed in a red fog, with a green light like an eye upon the back of the hand.
"Certainly. But I have faith that he will be capable of overcoming even this danger. That much trust, our guest has earned."
While true, it didn't assuage her worries.
Yu watched Issei trot closer. "So you've come."
"Yeah." The pervert grimaced. He was massaging a bruise on his arm.
"Do I want to know?"
"They got me while waiting for the wind." His Kouhai replied.
Apparently, he had gotten over his trauma. "The wind?"
"To lift their skirts!" Issei pumped his fist.
… Yes, over his trauma. And back to his lecherous ways. Yu wasn't sure whether he should be impressed, relieved or appalled. Maybe a combination of them.
The Fool looked over to the old school building. "Are you ready?"
"I guess. At least I'll be talking to the great Onee-samas."
That wide grin of his was honest. And perverted. Those two states really were close together with him. Yu shook his head. "Were you formally invited?"
"Kiba came to me at lunch break and told me to come here, if I can. Then he added they'd be busy until then." That added up to what Akeno told him. She also asked him to escort Issei, should he show up. Yu was relatively sure that the events of yesterday were the cause.
Tellingly, Akeno and Rias had both been absent after the lunch break.
They walked into the building, and Issei blinked. "What's with all that high-class furniture?"
"The 72 pillars are apparently devil nobility." Yu began to explain. "And Gremory is well of. I'd assume that the family is rich."
"How rich?"
"Judging by the look of this clubhouse, very."
Issei shot Yu a dry look. "Very helpful, Senpai."
He replied with a thin smile and a shrug. Then he got more serious. "What is it?"
"Eh?"
"There's something on your mind. Something you want to ask."
"Are you a psychic? Can you read minds?" Issei looked nonplussed.
"No. But the way you glance at me every three seconds is a hint."
"Oh. Well, it can wait until after this."
"Good. We're here." They stopped before the door to the clubroom.
"Okay."
Yu opened the door, and the two entered the Occult Research Clubroom. The room was still dark, lit only by the candles all around the place. Rias was sitting behind her desk, not smiling. Yuuto was leaning against the wall to the side, his expression guarded. Koneko frowned from her seat on the couch. Akeno's smile seemed almost... predatory, as she stood beside Rias. A red light just extinguished on top of the desk.
"Welcome, Narukami-kun, Hyoudou-kun." The devil's voice gave no indication of her emotions. "Please, take a seat. Would you like some tea?"
Yu nodded, while Issei did his best not to look too eager. Both sat down on the couch opposite of Rias. Akeno put down teacups on the small table before them.
"It's good to see you unharmed, Hyoudou-kun."
He rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, uh, right. Thanks."
"I underestimated you, Narukami-kun. To free him from so many stray exorcists is quite the achievement."
"..." He waited for her to follow up on it. Something else was there.
A glint of concern was visible on her face. "It was still foolish. You could have died."
"I knew the risks." Yu replied. "But thank you for your concern."
"You don't seem to understand the situation." There was no accusation in her voice. Only worry. "It went well for you this time, but the next time you interfere, it may not end like this. Had Raynare not turned rogue, then you would have to content with retaliation from the fallen angels. And me and my peerage as well, by proxy of it happening in my territory."
"I see."
She sighed. "And that is what I doubt."
"..."
"I don't know what kind of situation you got embroiled in before." Rias started what seemed to be a well-prepared monologue. "I don't know under what events you gained that ominous not-Sacred Gear. But by your own admission, you didn't know about the three factions before meeting us. Or do you claim to know the stakes?"
"No." It was almost comical, how they reacted to his easy admission. Yuuto blinked, Akeno giggled, Koneko did nothing and Rias twitched. "But I'd do it again."
Another twitch. "You'd put yourself in danger again?"
"To save someone's life? Yes."
She looked at him for a moment, eyes hard. Then she shook her head with closed eyes. "You're insane."
For a moment, he didn't know what to make of that comment. Until the smile appeared on her face. "That desire to help for the sake of helping... It tends to destroy those who feel that way. It's a brave, but dangerous way."
Yu shrugged. "Maybe so."
With another sigh, Rias looked at him again. "It stung quite badly when you talked to me like that, you know? I only wanted to keep you from danger."
"I know, which is why I want to apologize for what I said." She frowned, and he elaborated. "Don't get me wrong. I would have gone to that church and rescue Ise anyway. This was just the fastest way."
"Apology accepted. There's no point in staying angry at you. What's done is done." Rias started rubbing her temples. "But you're quite good at manipulating others."
"I wouldn't call it that."
"Ara, ara." Akeno interjected. "You intentionally angered Buchou to the point that you could use it to walk away with one of our enemies. That is manipulative."
With a raised eyebrow, the Wild Card looked at her. "If it makes you feel better, think of it that way."
… This situation was odd. Rias seemed more worried than anything, Akeno was amused, and the other two didn't stop frowning.
Rias' behavior confused him particularly. He had expected her to be insulted. Angry. Maybe give him a death glare. Not this. It felt like the annoyed worry of an overprotective guardian.
Needless to say, that way of thinking made no sense. His stance on joining her peerage was more than clear, after yesterday's events, and other than that, they were just classmates. That worry could be partially explained by the town being her territory. But this seemed to go even further.
Very confusing.
The devil continued talking. "There is something else that we noticed. It's about the evening you were attacked by Kalawarner. From what you said, I could gather that you believe, I intentionally didn't interfere. Which is not right."
He waited patiently for her to continue.
"My familiar came across the scene. She was out on an errand for me. Unfortunately, she has no real combat potential, or else she would have helped."
… She seemed to be on the level about that. The look in her eyes was honest. A guilty look, the kind someone dons when they think they should have done more.
Rias had apparently decided to be more straightforward with him. At least the scene he made yesterday served a purpose.
Yuuto spoke up next, a cautious note in his voice. "I think we need to get something else out of the way now. When we met you, both Koneko and I felt an incredibly evil power from you. What was that?"
… No surprise there. He had seen how they reacted to his slipping control. A disadvantage of his Personas being capable to interact with the world was that he needed a tighter leash on their power. The White Rider especially, had nothing but contempt for everything weaker than him.
When Yu had thought about Raynare's death and her last words, he had neglected his control over his Persona, who proceeded to make his opinion known. Issei was exempt from it, because Yu wanted to protect him, a wish the Rider respected.
It was a crude mistake, but one he couldn't correct now. Judging by the looks he was being given, another vague explanation wouldn't work this time. They would want answers.
Akeno cleared her throat politely. "Also, I investigated possible sources to that 'power' of yours, and came up short." She waited for him to say something, her smile not wavering even as he stayed silent. "Unless there is some gross oversight on my part, the only thing that could explain it, is a Sacred Gear after all."
It was a surprise to him that she was so skeptic. She had given no indication of that. Although, this might be an attempt to make sure he couldn't wheedle his way out. "And how would you explain it?"
"A summoning or avatar-type." The devil answered easily, keeping eye contact with him. "That manly figure you summoned could easily be a construct your mind considered powerful at the moment of it's awakening, or a representation of the entity your Gear emulates."
It would be easy to contradict those ideas. And since they wanted answers...
The card was crushed and Titania appeared beside him, her inhuman features not hidden away. A playful smile on her face, the fairy queen looked at Akeno, who was rather taken aback. "And how do I fit into that idea, you little living blasphemy?"
"Blasphemy?" Akeno's smile became positively terrifying.
"Of course. Devils, foes of heaven. Blasphemous beings that angels and their followers wish extinguished. Am I wrong?"
The smile changed again, becoming more polite. There was still something cold about it, however. "Very well."
"Hello Lady Tanya." Issei gave her a cheery wave, eyes wandering all over her body.
"What a well-behaved boy you are." Titania giggled, a sound like bells ringing. "Though your eyes are less so."
"Who are you?" Rias asked, a hard gaze focusing on the fairy. "What are you?"
"Have you not seen? The way I was called? What other being have you seen, brought forth as I was?"
"Then... you are..."
Titania made a curtsy. "I am the queen of fae, Titania. I am a Persona of the human Narukami Yuu, one of the manifestations of the soul he may call upon at his leisure."
"Manifestations of the soul?" Rias repeated, not comprehending. "What do you mean by that?"
Yuuto blinked. "Titania? The wife of Oberon?"
Titania's smile soured. "Do not mention my husband. I have a certain... aversion to him."
"... Yes ma'am." The blonde devil gulped audibly.
"Exactly what is going on here?" The red-haired president of this club asked, her expression clearly conveying that her patience was running out.
As calm as ever, Yu looked at her. "... I disproved Himejima's theory. Unless you have an explanation for this, too?"
For her part, Akeno frowned. "That construct from before did not talk."
"Oh, but he can. The good lord simply chose not to." The queen turned to Akeno once again.
"Avatar-type Sacred Gears usually have only a single entity within. Summoning, on the other hand, can call up multiple beings. This is no actual evidence."
… At this point, he knew for sure. She was trying to corner him. It was necessary, he supposed. His refusal to share details and their need to know them clashed.
Unfortunately, he could understand that reasoning. "I told you before. What I know about my power is above doubt."
"You'll excuse if I'm a bit skeptical of that. I don't know your sources, nor how trustworthy they are." Akeno was rather stubborn about this.
"I trust them more than you."
Titania giggled. "Indeed. There is no doubt about that."
"Fairies are not known for being trustworthy." Rias intervened, her eyes narrowing. "If such are your sources, I start to have doubts about your claim."
The fairy queen smiled mischievously. "Now, now. I am not a source, but a result. One Persona among many, whose power Yu can call as he wishes. As long as you do not understand this, any attempt to understand him is doomed to fail. And without understanding, the failures of your attempts to make him change his very being are most pathetic."
The devil gave the fairy a clearly angry look. "And what would you know about my intent to gain him for my peerage?"
"I know because I saw. Watching the events surrounding our user is a favorite pastime of us, who exist withing the Sea of Souls." She laughed again, a melody so clear, it rivaled perfection. "And your idea of recruiting gave many of us a reason to laugh. With neither trust nor understanding, how can you expect him to be even interested in servitude?"
It was a good thing that they mostly withdrew from his consciousness. Hearing all their voices at once became very disconcerting.
Beside Yu, Issei gulped as Rias' barely managed to contain her rising anger. Time to intervene. "Titania, enough. I don't want to antagonize Gremory."
She looked at him, her smile warmer and more genuine than before. "As you wish." The fairy returned to his soul, keeping watch from within.
While Rias was calming down, Issei leaned towards Yu and whispered. "Hey, why didn't you tell me about Titania-nee-san?"
… Nee-san?
"You were close to having a breakdown. What would have happened if I told you she was a fairy queen?"
"... Thank you, Senpai. Because I would have lost it completely." Issei flashed a smile, then returned to ogling Akeno and Rias nervously.
… It might be better if they get his situation out of the way, if this discussion was going to continue.
"After this event I need to know." Rias was back to normal, worry instead of anger on her face. "Just what kind of power or Sacred Gear or whatever do you have?"
"... Persona. A manifestation of the soul. It isn't some God-given power. It's the facade used to overcome hardship, an ability any human can gain."
"Hmmm." Rias looked contemplative now. "And why does it take those forms? A fairy, a black clothed being?"
"Legends and myths are a kind of catalyst. They're expressions of this power. Expressions of potential."
"Potential? Interesting." For a moment, she seemed to mull over something. Then she nodded. "Now, for the true purpose of this meeting. I'll need both of you to relay to me what exactly happened with the fallen angels."
Issei and Yu looked at each other. When the latter nodded, the former started to explain about Raynare's scheme, the date, and Yu's intervention. The Wild Card continued from there, explaining how he sensed Raynare's presence and decided to observe. When Issei took over again, he explained how he had been beaten up and abducted. Yu finished by stating that he killed Raynare and destroyed the cross she had wanted to use.
Rias was rubbing her temples by the end. "I'm sorry, both of you. It was due to an oversight of mine that those fallen angels got to you in the first place. I should have been more careful, especially after Narukami-kun had already been attacked." She shook her head ruefully. "I can only apologize."
"... Let's say we're even." Yu smiled a bit.
"Uhm, since everything went alright, I'm not really angry. Don't worry about that." Issei rubbed his head. He looked rather happy, being apologized to by the most popular girl at school. Simultaneously, the pervert was visibly confused.
"Thank you." Her reply was earnest, and he believed he got a better grip on her personality now than before. She was honest right now. Rias looked as if she was beating herself up mentally. Then the devil almost beamed at the two of them. "Still... I feel at fault here. I have known for a while that you have a Sacred Gear, Hyoudou-kun. I planned to approach you in a few weeks, but the fallen angels were faster. Had it not been for Narukami-kun, you would be dead by now."
… She really did care. It was interesting. He hadn't been able to see that before. Her persistence in gaining him for her peerage had overshadowed it.
Internally, he felt like laughing. This was so similar to some of the bonds he formed. Sayoko's genuine care had been hidden behind a flirtatious attitude. He had only gotten to see the depths of her personality after some time. Something similar repeated right here.
"Hyoudou-kun, I don't want to seem overbearing." She gave Yu a quick look at that. "However, you should awaken your Sacred Gear. You've already been targeted for its existence alone. I cannot tell what else may happen." With a smile, the devil continued. "I would like to assist you in doing so."
"Ah, I..." Issei gripped his head with one hand and groaned. "Sorry. I've been having a headache for the whole day. A-anyway, I'd really like to learn about my Sacred Gear."
Rias nodded, albeit with a troubled expression. "It would be better to do this when you don't feel like that. A Sacred Gear can have strong effects on its user. There's no point to taking unnecessary risks."
Yu agreed with her on that. Issei seemed touched. "Ah, thank you, Senpai!" His ogling increased, if that was at all possible.
Koneko gave him one long stare, then said. "Pervert."
"Gah!" Issei flinched almost comically. More than one person in the room chuckled.
King: I HAVE RETURNED!
Titania: Indeed you have. Must you be so loud about that?
King: I just felt like it. University is a real hassle.
Titania: My, my. Is it now?
King: Yes. And I've had a bit of a Writer's Block as well. I didn't stay idle, though.
Titania: Really now?
King: I went over all the previous chapters to smoothen out the edges. I replaced them with those new ones a few minutes before posting this. Oh, and I changed from Yuu to Yu for our protagonist's name. It's the way all the official sites write it.
Titania: Does it feel right for you now?
King: Yes. I think I got Rias position out quite nicely. The first thing she does is worry about Yu and Issei, clearing out the actual situation takes a backseat.
Titania: That does seem like something she would do.
King: Doesn't it? It seems nobody really expected the White Rider. He's one of my favorite Personas. Good against both Light and Dark.
Titania: The summoned Personas correspond to your favorites?
King: As good a reason as any.
Titania: I feel rather complimented now.
King: Not for that. Yu was somewhat off-balance after killing Raynare. Izanami doesn't count as a kill to me, since she joined with Marie and became one being.
Titania: Our help is certainly useful to him. But this changes things.
King: Oh, but the real game-changer will appear in the next chapter. It comes! Comes on many wings! Muhahahaha!
Titania: Perhaps 'tis better to stop this here and now. Our dearest King of the fake World seems to be somewhat... unhinged.
King: MUHAHAHAHAHA!
