Master of Parallel Worlds

~Volume 1~

Outworlder in Kyoto Part I


Ritsuka PoV

As soon as I stepped out of the multicolored portal byproduct of the Kaleidoscope, I found myself standing inside of what it looks like to be a parking lot inside of some building. I looked around to find any ordinary people that might just seen the portal I made. I let out a sigh of relief when I found none, meaning that modifying other people memories were unnecessary.

I don't know which world I ended up in, but I probably should assumed that anything supernatural related stuff was unknown to public. After all, attracting so much attentions on my first day in this new world wasn't the brightest idea. I can already imagine the headache when I got to deal it with if that happen.

Almost forgot, I waved my hand to dispel the portal I created to get here. And as soon as the portal disappear, the lightings in the parking lot were lighting up the previously dark parking lot. Not only that, I noticed the billboards outside that was installed on some building outside were also flickered on too.

It seems that the magic I cast caused a city wide blackout. I got to be more careful next time.

It also seems like the portal took me to Kyoto, based on the sight of a very recognizable Kyoto Temple on the mountain that can be seen from this building. There was also the Kyoto Tower which also very recognizable for a Japanese like me.

However, I highly doubted that this is the Kyoto from my original world. After all, I picked my destination on random. I probably should have been more patience and observes which world I wanted to go first before jumped right into it.

"Oh well, no use crying over a spilled milk."

I voiced my thought loudly as I walked towards the parking lot barrier and looked outside the city.

Now that I have arrived in this new world, I wasn't sure what should I do next. I after all, currently have no long term goal for myself. I looked down below to see that it was crowded with people. It seems like this building was a mall. An idea suddenly popped out in my mind as I finally decided what to do.

"I should have at least get myself some money first, then create some registered ID, and a place to sleep in." I mumbled to myself as brought my palm up for a bit to cast Projection to create some money.

Since I was able to directly manipulate the Root now, anything that was created by my Projection, a magecraft that involved the materialization of objects, will stays indefinitely unless I consciously dispel them myself. And when I was about to create myself some money, I just realized one very glaring problem about this idea.

I don't know what the money looks like, as in the appearances of it, in this world. I only knew the ones from my own world. There was no guaranteed that this world possess the same looking money as the one from mine. Heck, there might be a chance that this Japan used different currency altogether. It could rise a problem if I just waltzed into some stores and handed them the money they have never seen before.

Thinking for alternative for a bit, another idea came out from my mind. I focused my mind on imagining the thing I wanted to created and draw just very miniscule amount of mana from the Root to conjure the object I wanted.

A gold ring with purple colored diamond attached to it materialized onto my palm.

This ring was the exact replica of the ring I gave Mashu when I proposed her. I found this big chunk of uncut diamond by chance during one of mini singularity where I had to mine some ores. I asked Da Vinci to process it into a ring, but keep it secret from Mashu.

I smiled at the memories before shaking my head for a bit and focused myself on the present.

Since I got transported into a mall, there should be some jewelry store that can buy the ring with a good price. I should reminds myself not to put the price too high, the store probably wouldn't buy it if that's the case. But I also don't want to put the price too low either, I don't know if the cost of living in this world was the same as the one from mine. The middle ground price should be enough.

I nodded to myself as I put the ring into my pocket before heading towards the nearby elevator. I pressed the button, waited for a bit before the elevator door opened with a ding. I entered the elevator before pressing the button that will take me to the first floor.

Not long after, the elevator opened with a ding when it arrived on the first floor. I stepped out the elevator, looking up at the direction sign that will take me to the front entrance before making my way towards that direction. I also noticed the clock beside the sign that showed me it's about 4:30 p.m right now. I passed several corridors along with several stores before I arrived at the front entrance.

I looked around trying to find a jewelry store on this floor and spotted one nearby the escalator. Come to think of it, I think I recognized the brand of that jewelry store. I believe it was that famous brand from Italy. This made me thinks that this world probably wasn't that different from my own after all.

But then again, I cannot make a conclusion with just that.

I walked into the store as the automatic door opened itself for me and let out a ding noise. I then walked towards to the counter and jeweler behind it greeted me.

The person was a woman that looks like in her thirties, wears a formal suits befitting of the store brand. She has a shoulder-length blond hair and a pair of brown eyes. From the looks of it, she looks like a foreigner. And the name "Francesca Versace" written on her name tag obviously wasn't originate from Japan.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am. How can I help you today?" The jeweler, Francesca, greeted me in perfect Japanese with some of her native accent as she saw me entering the store.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the diamond ring I created earlier with Projection and showed it her. She became intrigued the moment she laid her eyes on the ring.

"I would like to quick sell this, please." I answered her politely as I gently placed the ring on top of the glass counter.

The jeweler nodded her head as she gently took the ring with one hand and pulled out a loupe from within her suit with another. She then carefully inspected the ring, paying more attention to the diamond part of the ring, before she nodded to herself and put the loupe back into her suit as she gently put the ring back on top of the counter.

"That is the single most exquisite ring I have ever seen Ma'am. May I know where did you obtain such a piece of jewelry from?" Francesca asked without missing her politeness to me.

"It's a family heirloom that has been passed down through generations for over hundreds of years." I lied without missing a beat. And I know she will possibly ask me on why would I wish to sell such precious item, even though I can just make tons of them with ease. So before she could say anything else I continued. "My house has recently been caught on fire and all my stuffs were burned down. I can only save this one ring and some of my clothes with me."

"Oh, my condolences." The woman responded with a sympathetic looks on her face.

I just nodded in response.

"I'm fully aware on how important this ring is to my family, it's literally our History. But desperate times call for desperate measures." I just replied and the woman nodded her head in understanding.

"I can only pay for this ring for about 1,500,000 Yen, is that price acceptable enough to you?" Francesca offered me the price.

"That would be sufficient, yes." I accepted the offer while thinking on lucky I really was.

Because that was double of what I had in mind and I don't have to negotiate it with her.

"Alright, then I will bring you your money. Please wait for a moment."

The woman then left the counter and headed to the back of the store to get the money. Couple minutes later, she returned with a quite thick brown envelope filled in with money.

She handed me the envelope and I opened it. And true enough, there were about fifteen stacks of 10,000 Yen bill, each stack worth 100,000 yen. I carefully counted on each stack to see if the amount of money was indeed 1,500,000 Yen.

As I finished counting, I nodded in approval as I put the money back into the brown envelope.

"Thank you." I simply thanked the jeweler before turn around to leave the store.

"You're welcome Ma'am. And have a good day."

After I left the jewelry store, I was thinking for a moment on what to do next. I already secured some money, more than what I had predicted actually. I looked down to myself to see the Chaldean Mystic Code I was wearing and realized that this was the only clothing I have right now.

It's not like I need a Mystic Code anymore to cast a Magecraft, as I can even cast Magic now. so I think it would be nice to wear something different for a change.

Spotting a clothing store just ahead the jewelry store, I immediately went to that store to but some clothing.

I entered the store and immediately picked a basket that was placed near the entrance. I immediately went for pairs of jeans, a couple of blouses, A couple of shirts, a scarf, a sun hat, some jacket and some undergarments. I also picked up a large backpack and slung it to my shoulder before heading towards the cashier.

Luckily, there was no queue so I don't have to wait at all to pay for the clothes.

"That would be 40,000 yen please." The cashier said after counting all the items and stuffed them, save from the backpack because it's too big, into a shopping bag. I pulled 4 pieces of 10,000 yen bill from the brown envelope and gave it to the cashier. The cashier received the money and handed me the plastic. "Thank you and please come back later."

I just nodded as I took the shopping bag while carrying the backpack on my back. I left the store and looked around for a bit to figure out what should I buy next. I found nothing interest me on the first floor so I decided to go up the second floor.

I ride the escalator to reach the second floor, took only about few seconds before hop off and looked around for couple of minute while taking a walk before something caught my eyes.

The store that sells mobile phones. I should probably got one.

I nodded to myself and walked towards the store. The store has various kinds of cell phones, and some other electronic devices such as laptops, cameras, video recorders, etc. Aside from getting a phone, a camera would be a nice thing to buy too. One of my hobbies was to take some pictures during the restoration of Humanity in both Singularities and Lostbelt.

"Welcome to my shop. Anything caught your interests Ojou-chan?" The store owner, a man in his forty, greeted me.

"I would like to buy the latest model phone and digital camera please." I answered as I sat on the seat that was provided by the owner for the customer.

"You're in luck Ojou-chan." The owner nodded as he opened the glass counter and pulled out a black box and placed it on to of the counter. "This is the latest model phone I have…." He later reached toward the glass cabinet, opened the door and took a red colored digital camera and placed it next to the black box. "And I recommend this for the camera."

I took the box and noticed which model was the phone when I spotted it's name.

"Iphone 5"

Another brand that existed in my world also exists in here. And this Iphone model told me that it's currently the year of 2012 here. I wonder if those conspiracy theories about 2012 being the end of the world also exists in here too.

No, not the time to think about it now.

"I will take them." I said to the owner as I placed the box back on the counter.

The store owner nodded as he went and proceed to pack the devices I bought into a paper bag that has the store logo printed on it. He placed the bag onto the glass counter.

"That would be 115,000 Yen." The store owner told me the price and I responded by giving him 120,000 Yen. He then took the money, counted them for a second before handed me the 5000 Yen changes. "Thank you very much." He thanked me while gave me a small bow. I nodded before took the bag, stuffing the things I just bought into my new backpack and left the store.

I noticed the that it's already almost 6 p.m when looked at the digital cock that was installed on one of this building supporting beam. I should probably started looking for a hotel and get some dinner.

I rode the escalator again to go down the first floor and left the shopping center through the front entrance. Sure enough it started to get dark as the sun almost set on the horizon. I noticed a vendor that sells some variation of bread and headed toward there.

I bought a package of curry breads that only costs me 700 Yen from the stand near the street and asked for the nearby hotel. The vendor owner pointed me at the building across the street, that was about a hundred meters away from where I was standing. I nodded to him and thanked before heading towards the hotel.

It took me few minutes to get to the hotel after walking and crossing the road through the crossing bridge. The hotel was a simple five stories building that looks like an office building. There was some garden though, but that wasn't the reason why I'm here.

I entered the front door and went straight to the receptionist where a lady behind the counter greeted me.

"Good evening, Ma'am. How can I help you today?" The receptionist greeted me with a smile.

"I would like to stay for a night, please." I answered and the receptionist nodded her head.

"Sure. Would you like to be in Business Room or Luxury Room?" The receptionist asked again.

"Eeeh, I'm in the mood for some extra comfort." I answered and the receptionist nodded in understanding.

"Luxury it is. Please write your name and signature here, I will grab your room key for a moment." The receptionist handed me a log book while she headed towards the cabinet behind her.

I took the book and wrote my name on it, as well as my signature on the signature column. The lady returned with a key and placed it on the counter. I reached to my pocket and pulled out a 10,000 Yen bill and handed it to the lady. The lady received the money and handed me the key, a card key that has the number on it which I assumed to be my room number .

Number 48

How ironic.

I was the Chaldea 48th Master…and the only one that survived.

"Enjoy your stay here, Ma'am" The lady spoke and I just nodded and headed towards the elevator.

There was a sign that showed me that my room was on the fifth floor.

I pressed the elevator button and waited for a bit. When the elevator arrived at the first door, I walked into it and pressed the number 5 to get to the fifth floor. After several paused to get some fellow guests and a janitor, I arrived at the fifth floor and let the others to leave first before heading towards my room.

I arrived at my room, placed the card key near the sensor, and it unlocked the door before entered the room.

The room was quite spacious, even if you were stay here with other people. The bed was probably king sized that could fit three people. Many "fancy" decorations decorated the room. There was a 30" TV placed right in front of the bed. There was also a door that looks like it lead to a bathroom. And last but not least, big glass windows that showed me with the sight of Kyoto.

All in all, quite fitting for a luxury class room.

I closed the door and locked it before walked towards the bed and put all my stuffs beside it. I stretched out my body for a bit before yawning as if I just came back home from work. I then ditched all of my clothes and went straight to the bathroom.

One warm bath later.

I came out in a bathrobes and a towel wrapped around my hairs, feeling refreshed after a taking a bath. I unwrapped the plastic packaging the curry breads that I bought earlier, which contains two of them, and took a bite on one while looking out the glass windows.

I chewed the curry-filled bread before swallowed it.

"Hmmm, passable enough. Could use some more spices though." I commented as I finished the first bread before continuing with the second one.

As I was munching the breads, I was thinking about whether or not this world has it's own supernatural side like the one from my own. Kyoto was, after all, the equivalent of a Holy City to Japan. High chance that it has any hidden supernatural business that I should worry about.

I closed my eyes to gain access to the Root and used a certain skill belongs to a clay hand-made by the Summerian Gods.

Presence Detection.

A skill that allowed the user to detect Servants and local mana sources, covering more than ten kilometers. More accurately, this skill was the ability to blend in entirely with the very world around them, this allowing them to sense what does not belong.

The first thing I noticed was the huge ley-lines that stretched across the entire city of Kyoto. The Mana in this land was quite abundant, feels like it could be used to perform a servant summoning ritual. The other thing that I noticed was the numerous about of individuals with Mana in this city.

The number was approximately tens of thousands and there was one individual with the biggest amount of Mana that I might need to be wary about. The presences of most of these individuals came from the direction that I have been staring at since the start.

And I know one particular place on that location.

"Fushimi Inari Taisha, huh? Why am I not surprised."

Of course it had to be one of the most popular tourist destination in Kyoto. Gotta be a problematic matter investigating that place with so many people around.

I crumpled the plastic wrap into a ball and tossed it into the small trashcan nearby the bathroom door. I opened the wardrobe to find multiple sleepwear in various sizes. I picked the one with my sized, ditched the bathrobe and the towel before putting the sleepwear on.

I immediately threw myself to the bed as I stared at the ceiling while contemplating whether I should go ahead investigate it now or later.

I just shrugs almost immediately.

"Eh, I'm not in hurry. I got all the time in the world after all."

After I keep staring at the ceiling in silence for a while, sleep finally overtook me into the realm of slumber.


"Fujimaru-san. Fujimaru Ritsuka-san."

"Yes."

I rose from my seat as I put away the newspaper I was reading before walking towards the counter when the clerk called for my name.

Today, I wore the clothes I bought yesterday. I wore a blue coat with a gray shirt underneath and a pink scarf wrapped around my neck. I also wore a blue jeans and a black shoes. I brought along my backpack and have the others clothes store within the Gate of Babylon.

After I woke up and eat my breakfast, I immediately headed towards the Kyoto Administration Office to craft some ID for myself. I took several photos from the photo booth for my ID. I had to use hypnosis on the clerk when she asked me to fulfill some troublesome requirements and make her to just skip them for me.

The clerk handed me an ID card that I requested which I took it immediately.

"Here you go, Fujimaru-san. Please don't lost it again this time." The clerk said to me and I just nodded, stuffed the ID into the wallet I just bought earlier this morning and left the office.

Yeah, "I lost my ID" was the excuse I used here. It would be more troublesome if she found out about why an adult woman like me hasn't been registered in the Japan's database.

I walked towards the street and looked at my watch, which I bought earlier this morning, and it showed it was almost noon. That ID making procedures were taking so long that I almost died of boredom.

I noticed a taxi was part near the parking sign and headed towards it. I opened up the passenger door and jumped in. The driver, a middle aged looking man, put out the cigarette he was smoking and placed his hand onto the steering wheel.

"Where would you like to go, Ojou-chan?" The driver asked without looking back at me.

"To Fushimi Inari Taisha please." I just replied as I place my backpack beside me. The driver just nodded in confirmation and started the engine before drive off to my destination.

Said destination was on the other side of the city, so it might take a while until I arrived, especially the traffic was pretty dense today. I reached into my jeans pocket and pulled out my Iphone to browse some stuff on Internet to kill time.

First thing I searched on the Internet was the name of certain three families that were responsible for the whole mess that was Holy Grail War. The name Einzbern, Tohsaka, and Matou yielded no result. Granted that there was a possibility that those names weren't as famous here as the one from my own world. Einzbern aside, I should probably started looking the Tohsaka and Matou in the Japan Civil registration database.

I facepalmed myself when I realized that I could have done that earlier at that office.

"I'm an idiot, I should have asked for that clerk to look out the Tohsaka and Matou name for me." I muttered to myself as I continued browsing on the internet.

Next I searched up for this country geography, which was exactly the same as the one from my world. But when I looked up for the list of cities in this Japan, I found out that Fuyuki city never existed in this world.

Moreover, there was actually a town that caught my interest.

"Kuoh Town."

And this was really disturbing to me.

Based from the information I obtained from the Root, I am 100% sure that Fuyuki City exists in every single of parallel worlds. It even still exists in a world where the concept of Heroic Spirit summoning doesn't exist.

The fact that this Japan doesn't have Fuyuki as one of it's city and instead having a city that doesn't have any information about it in the Root archive might suggests that this world was completely unrelated to the Root altogether. That was the only hypothesis that I can conjure up.

But this begs the question.

"How was I be able to gain access to this world? Kaleidoscope shouldn't be able to locate this world if the Root didn't spawn this world in the first place."

"Ojou-chan, we're here."

The driver words snapped me out of my thought as I realized that I have arrived in my destination.

No. It's still too soon to come up with that conclusion. I need more evidences to make sure if this world was really unrelated to the Root.

After paying the driver, I stepped out from the taxi. I walked the paved road for a bit until I finally reached the entry to the Fushimi Inari Taisha. I stopped right in front of the gate, examined it for a bit to see if there was anything different from the one I know.

I found none and satisfied before continued making my way through the tourist spots.

(BAM)

However, since I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, I bumped into something…or rather someone since it let out a small noises.

I looked down to see a young girl that looks like an elementary school student. She has golden blonde hair that was tied into a ponytail and a pair of eyes. She also wears a white-red traditional Miko outfit with The sleeves were decorated with one giant red star-shaped pentagram and five of smaller ones surrounding the big one.

The girl rubbed her head in pain as she fell to her butt. I inwardly kicking myself for not paying attention when walking. I kneel to her level and offered her a hand.

"Are you unhurt? I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention to my surrounding." I gently apologized to her as she finally seems to notice my presence.

She was about to say something to me…

(Grrruuuuuooooo)

….until a grumbling noise, akin to that of a hungry dragon, was heard.

I blinked several times as I tried to proceed what just happen. I was sure the noise didn't come from me. I then noticed the girl's face started getting red from embarrassment.

"I…" I opened my mouth and was about to say something.

(GRRRUUUUUOOOOO)

The noise was heard again and it was even louder than before. This time, the girl put her hands onto her stomach.

It was clear to me that the girl was really, REALLY hungry.

And a few seconds after that.

"UWAAAAAAAAH!"

The girl began to cry right there and then.

"EEEEEHHHHHHHH!"


I couldn't help but to twitch my eyes in pure annoyance as I witnessed block after block of tofus disappeared into the abyss that was the girl's stomach.

She was making a scene when she began to cry, and a little girl bursting into tears out of nowhere tended to draw the wrong kind of attentions. I panicked and had to think my way out of this mess quickly before the girl could get me arrested or something, the people began to look at me as if I was the one at fault. I mean, it was MY fault for bumping into her. But the girl cried because she just probably hadn't eaten something today.

So I offered her to eat at some restaurant and the girl immediately stopped crying and began to drag me towards the nearby restaurant where we were now.

I had long finished my meal, a tofu hotpot shared between me and this girl along with a couple bowl of rice and some chicken katsu and some salads. The girl had already eaten about tenth serving and it doesn't seem like she was going to stop very soon.

The bill was going to be huge for sure. But that wasn't the reason why I felt so annoyed right now. The bill, while definitely huge for some lunches, won't even put a dent to my pocket.

No, it was the fact that I feels like I just got scammed. No one likes to get scammed who matter who you are.

"Whank wou Onee-chan, wou ware weally a wood werson." The girl said with her mouth full of foods.

I just picked up a spoon and lightly smack her head in response.

"Don't talk to me with your mouth still full of foods. It's quite rude you know." I just scolded her for a bit who just rubbed her head but just nodded in understanding.

She just chewed the food, swallowed it before picking up a glass of water on the side of the table and drank it in one go. Finally, she let out a sigh of contentment, which I pray was the sign of her hunger had finally been sated.

"A most fulfilling meal indeed. This, Kunou, express her gratitude for your generosity." The girl exclaimed in the manner to that of a spoiled princess. I just raised an eyebrow at the change of attitude when earlier, she showed me her lack of decorum.

"It's not like I had a choice to begin with, but glad that you enjoy it." I just replied, sarcasm clearly dripped in my tone about the last part before I reminded myself of the reason why I am doing this.

Apart from calming her down when she was making a scene earlier, I also had another reason offering her to eat at this restaurant.

The girl, was in fact, one of those individuals with Mana inside of her.

When I activated the Presence Detection, I sensed those thousands of individuals in this tourist spots. Even this restaurant should have been packed with at least hundreds of them. However, the number of people that present in this restaurant doesn't match with what I sensed with Presence Detection. There were only about fifteen people here.

There was only one explanation to this.

There was alternate dimension, similar to that of Reality Marble, here.

And this girl could led me to the entrance to this alternate dimension.

It's not like it's impossible for me to just use Kaleidoscope to enter this alternate dimension myself. I just don't want to attract whoever or whatever inside that dimension since there was a chance that they could sense the Second Magic when it being activated.

After all, I caused a city wide blackout by just casting it in the city. It's a miracle that these people didn't come out and investigate the city when that happened.

"This, Kunou, wholeheartedly pleased with your generosity. State your name, commoner. The Princess of Kyoto deemed your name worthy to be immortalized within the princess memory."

I swear a vein popped out on my forehead as she keep talking in pompous manner, she didn't even noticed the sarcasm in my earlier remark.

Don't get me wrong, I had my fair share interactions with some most arrogant royalties in history. The kind of arrogance that far eclipsed this girl. And I was still able to endure it even during the first time I met them. But this little girl somehow could get under my skin the first time we met and I don't know how.

It's not like I despised her or anything, we've just met after all. But damn, this girl was so annoying.

"Fujimaru Ritsuka." I replied while barely holding myself together.

"Very well, Fujimaru-dono. I thank you again for your generosity. But I must return to my home for my presence is required there." The girl begin to stand back up to her feet.

I just sighed, just wanted to get over with this farce as I waved at the waiter to give me the bill.

Said bill was so long and it was longer than my entire arm. My eyes trailed down to the total amount at the bottom and couldn't help but wince when I saw the number.

It still wouldn't put a dent in my wallet, but it still hurts to see this amount of money was spend just in one lunch time.

The little rascal who caused all of this became curious and walked around the table and peered over my shoulder. She scanned through the entire bill and as she reached at the bottom, her lips curled into a rather patronizing smile as she looked at me as if she was looking at something so pitiful.

"My, is this amount too much for you? My mother and I usually spend thrice this amount when we dine here. The life of commoners is quite challenging indeed."

My eyebrow twitched again.

"But don't be despair, as the magnanimous princess that I am, I shall properly compensate you for what I have consumed. Allow me to collect my wallet at home while you wait here for my return."

And with that, the proclaimed magnanimous princess left the restaurant.

I just pulled out my wallet from my jeans, handed the waiter the total bill and chased after the her.

After making sure no one was watching, I activated a certain skill from a certain Heroic Spirit originated from China.

Sphere Boundary

A skill possessed by Li Shuwen, a meditatively-based technique by which, through the utilization of Qi (another name for Od in China), one may perceive the exact condition of the immediate environment, and make use of the resulting perception so as to adjust and minimize the noticeability and impact on one's existence.

To sum it all up, it's basically an invisibility skill.

I nodded to myself before I walked a bit faster until I finally caught up with the girl to the point I was basically walking beside her. We passed several area such as the Main Shrine, the thousand Torii Gates until we finally reached the top of the Mount Inari. There was a small shrine which looks exactly the same as the one from my world.

As the girl looked around a moment and was sure that no one was around, apart from me but she doesn't know that, she walked towards the shrine.

"You can come out now."

My heart stopped beating for a moment, did she knew I was here. However, my worry soon vanished when a two figures suddenly flew down towards the girl. The figures were a couple of creature with crow heads and wings. They each wore a ceremonial robe alongside with a staff on their "hands".

I know a Tengu when I see one.

It seems that they also didn't notice my presence here. That's good and I'd like to keep it that way for now.

"Kunou-hime, please don't run off like that again. What if something happen to you?" One of the bird Tengu spoke as he approached the girl, Kunou.

It seems like that she was really a princess.

"As you can see it yourself, I'm fine….well, apart from bumping into one of the tourist here." Kunou replied to the Tengu.

"Please allows us to punish this insolent person immediately." The other bird Tengu spoke out his mind, looks enraged.

"There is no need to go that far. And besides, the person who bumped me has redeem herself by taking me to a fine meal."

Well, that's because you didn't give me a choice, you little shit. Also, didn't you said you will pay me back.

"Anyway, let us head back to the palace before mother finds out I ditched today's class."

The girl said to her guards as who just nodded and slammed their staff to the floor. A miniature tornado materialized around them. I assumed it to be some sort of teleportation magic to the alternate dimension where these people came from.

I better be hurry up before I lose my "discreet" way to infiltrate their place.

And before I could jumped into the miniature tornado.

The world…

…Suddenly become gray in color.

The sudden change caused the miniature tornado suddenly disappeared, indicating that the spell failed to activate. This shocked both the Tengu guards and the girl.

I examined the surrounding and can feels that we have been force into some sort of separate dimensional space.

Not long after, the shrine was suddenly surrounded by what it looks like to be purple mists. This caused the guards to ready their weapon while they surrounded Kunou protectively.

A group consists of four people came out from within the mist.

They dressed in white kimono with a kitsune mask over their face. What caught my attention was the five fox tails on their lower back.

Seems like they also hasn't notice my presence yet, thanks to the Sphere Boundary.

The guards bristled as they seems to recognize the newcomer.

"Hands over the fake Kyuubi, Tengu. I promise I will make your death painless." One of the newcomer demanded as he pulled out a sword from his waist.

"The Tamamo-no-Mae loyalist?! How can they managed slips through our defense perimeters without us knowing." One of the Tengu guard wondered as the girl, Kunou, widened her eyes in surprise when she heard the identity of these people.

I raised my eyebrow at the familiar name being mention. Of course this world also has similar legends as the one from my world. I decided to continue observing the encounter.

"Don't tell us we didn't warn you."

And with that, the Tamamo loyalist sprung into an attack.

"Kunou-hime, get out of here! We will handle these traitors."

The Tengu guards also charged at the assailants and the battle ensued.

Kunou, as per guards instructions, attempted to run. She tried to flee into the forest before a magic circle bind her legs as she stumbled down. She tried to stand back to her feet but it was futile with the magic binding her legs.

"Hey, be careful with her. We don't want to damage her body too much before the ritual begin." One of the Tamamo loyalist shouted at direction of the mist.

Soon enough, a young man with black hair and red eyes. He wore a combination of a Japanese school uniform and a red mage-style robe over his uniform with feathered cape. He also wears a pair of glasses.

"My order here to make sure you lots succeed kidnapping the Youkai Princess, handling her like I handle my glasses wasn't part of my directive." The young man simply replied as he stepped out from the mist.

"Kunou-hime" The Tengu guards called out for their princess.

The Tamamo loyalist saw this as an opening as their immediately released some kind of fire spell at the Tengu guards. The guards screamed in pain from the fire burning them before the fire died down as they fell to the ground, barely breathing.

Kunou's eyes filled with despair as she watched both of her guards were taken down. She was struggling to get up as the young man in red walked towards her. The young man just crouched down and put her hands behind her back and bind them with the same magic that bind her legs.

He then picked up the girl and carried her like a sack of potato while tears started flowing out the girls eyes.

"We're done here. Let's get out of here before reinforcement arrive."

The young man then casted a magic circle that I assumed to be another teleportation magic.

Well, I cannot just let them take the girl with them. I still have some business with her after all.

With a swipe form my hand, multiple stakes suddenly pierced through be the young man's head from the inside, killing him instantly and interrupting the teleportation spell.

What I just used was a Noble Phantasm, one that was owned by a certain King from Romania.

Kazliki Bey

A reproduction of the legend of Vlad III, also know as Vlad the Impaler, in which he impaled 20,000 of Ottoman Empire soldiers. It allows for the materialization and control of a grand total of approximately 20,000 stakes. When activated, the ground shakes and countless stakes, each several meters long, burst from the ground instantly impaling any who weren't fast enough to avoid them.

However, that wasn't the true nature of this Noble Phantasm.

The true nature of this Noble Phantasm was not to "create stakes" but the concept of "being impaled by stakes". It allows the user to manifest the state of "already being pierced by stakes".

That was what I just did to that boy. I stared at the dead boy and frowned when I found something very disturbing.

I cannot feel any remorse after killing him.

The world suddenly regained their color as the man in red outfit fell to the ground, releasing Kunou from his grasp.

The Tamamo loyalist were shocked at their helper suddenly died just like that. Kunou herself was also shocked at this, mostly at the horror of how her would be kidnapper just died. They looked around to find me but couldn't since the Sphere Boundary was still active.

"Who was that! Show yourself!" The masked assailants demanded as they keep looking around.

I just swiped my hand again to use Kazliki Bey, and multiple stakes suddenly spawned from within three of the masked assailants bodies and killing them instantly, leaving only one alive. The last of the loyalist screamed in terror as he stumbled his foot and fell to his butt.

I frowned again when I still feel no remorse after killing these people.

Kunou, who has been freed from the spell that binds her earlier, could only cowered in fear as she watched the whole thing, not understanding of what just happened.

I think it's time for me to show up myself.

"I don't know what business do you have with her…" I declared as I deactivated the Sphere Boundary, revealing myself to both Kunou and her masked kidnapper"...But this girl owes me money. I can't let you take her until she pay up."

Kunou now widened her eyes in shock at me.

"Y-You are from before?" The girl looks both confused and terrified at my presence.

"Yo."

I just looked down at her and gave her a small salute before turned my attention towards the last remaining guy.

"W-w-who are you?" The guy demanded, but his stuttering ruined it for him.

"I'm just your ordinary stranger who happens to be in your way."

I answered as I pointed my index finger at him.

"Gandr."

I fired the Scandinavian curse from my fingertip at the masked guy and knocked him out instantly. I decided not to kill him since he may have some information about that might be useful later.

I nodded to myself and turned towards the girl, who was still shocked, but not as afraid as before. I kneeled down to her and gave her a rather smug face.

"So Princess, how much will I get for saving you from being taken by these people?"

I was expecting another pompous reply from the girl.

But she did something unexpected to me.

She lunged at me, buried her head into my chest and cried.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyousomuch!"

Gone the arrogant girl from before and only a scared little girl who was relieved after being saved remained.

Suddenly, my annoyance to her has vanished out of thin air. My hands went on auto mode and wrapped themselves around the girl. I gently rubbed her back in attempt to comfort her.

"There, there."

I let the girl, Kunou, cried her heart out until she was satisfied. When she finally has calmed down, she removed herself from me, wiping out her tears with her the sleeve of her clothes while sniffing for a bit.

"Kunou-hime"

A male voice called out as we turned towards the source.

Another bird Tengu descended from the sky. But this one looks different from the other two that got injured. This one wears a Japanese armor, complete with a Japanese style helmet and a katana strapped securely on his waist.

He wasn't alone, a dozen of masked people were also with him, surrounding me and Kunou.

He seems like to be another Kunou's guard.

"Kawarasu."

Yep, he was.

The anthropomorphic crow looked at the dead and knocked out loyalist, before his eyes fell to his fallen comrades, then to me. He immediately draw his katana when his eyes laid on me.

"Unhand the Princess immediately, heathen! Or my blade shall cut you down." The crowman, Kawarasu, demanded so loudly that it started to hurt my ears.

My mood suddenly become foul again.

"Is this how you treat someone who just saved your princess?" I asked in annoyance as I prepared to defend myself.

"Stop Kawarasu! Sheathe your blade at once! This lady really saved my life." Kunou hastily commanded the Tengu, stopping the guy before he could start a fight with me.

The Tengu didn't let his stance down, but some tension seems to leave his body.

"She..saved you?"

I just stand back to my feet and pointed my finger at the two badly injured Tengu.

"You might wanna help them first. They seems barely hanging on their life as we speak." I spoke to him, who immediately motioned some of his men to go and treat the wounded Tengu. And then, I pointed at the boy in red. "I dunno about this guy but…" I then pointed at the four Tamamo loyalist. "…These people called themselves Tamamo-no-Mae loyalist. Rings any bell to you?"

I could be wrong, but I think I heard the bird Tengu let out a squawk like a genuine crow. The others that were with him now directed their anger at the Tamamo loyalist. I was sure I saw one of them even literally spat at the dead loyalist.

Seems like these guy has some grudge with them.

"The one that didn't get stabbed is still alive. You might wanna secure him before he wakes up."

As if on cue, the Tengu finally sheathed his katana, pulled out four talismans and threw them at the unconscious loyalist. Several chains made out of some sort of energy suddenly appeared from where the talismans had landed and wrapped itself on the unconscious loyalist.

Karawasu then turned towards me and gave me a deep bow.

"I apologize for my earlier rudeness. My name is Kawarasu, may I ask for yours?"

"Fujimaru Ritsuka"

I simply replied and he nodded his head.

"Fujimaru-dono, you have my eternal gratitude for saving Kunou-hime. May I ask you to stay around to meet Yasaka-sama? We have some questions regarding the chronology of the attack."

I just shrugged my shoulder in reply.

"Sure, why not? I didn't do this out of charity. I have some business with your leader anyway."

To be continued