DISCLAIMER: DxD does not belong to me~.
[PARTY MEMBERS BIO]
Garith Gremory(Riz-kun): The protagonist of this story, whether we like it or not. The weakest, dumbest, most pathetic of the Gremory siblings, and proud for it! (He'll get better hopefully.) (Lvl. 91)
Rosinante (Rosey): Garith's newest [ROOK] Piece, a Spanish centaur. A gourmet hunter, she wants to eat all forms of delicacies around the world. Simple-minded and cute. (lvl. 65)
Hello, everyone! Garith Gremory here!
At least, that's the name I go by nowadays…
And nowadays, I'm not feeling so hot, like at all. The throbbing on my head, this fatigue spreading all over my body, and sound and light becoming torture for me…
This [MIGRAINE] skill really is making a mark on me, and I'm one step away of having a mental breakdown of both pain and boredom. Sometimes, it's just a normal headache, other times, I feel like my skull will split in two, not to mention, I used the last of my Phenex tears to heal myself after the touradas, which means another one of those careless mistakes and I'm good as dead.
Fortunately, I just know the exact perfect place to go and take care of those pesky setbacks and have a better time to relax and gather my thoughts. Plus, I just got my first [ROOK] piece and I was thinking about giving her a nice celebration treat for joining my forces. I already gave one good beach trip to Hippolyta, might as well have a good time with this knight-like centaur…
Oh great, now I'm in pain and missing Hippolyta out of the sudden. I guess the Gremory affection is contagious…
"Sire Gremory, are you fine back then? Just making sure." I hear the soft voice of my newest Evil Piece as the trotting stops. I can only groan in pain, laying spread on her horse half back, my arms and legs limping from each side. I need blood running to my head otherwise I think I might pass out. Fortunately, my [HEALING TO THE BELOVED] can still work with me laying on her like that, so it doesn't hurt as much. A hand to caress my hair and I sigh in relief. "We can take a break, if you so desire. This journey can wait, we should prioritize your health above all else."
"N-Nah, I'm fine, Rosey. The place we're going is exactly what I will need to get rid of this pain. Plus, I'm already used to this stupid headache, I can… I can go, no worries." I wipe some of the sweat off my forehead and take a deep breath before turning to her with a forced, pained smile. I snap from my half-awareness when the trots got louder, and my seat started to jump while walking in circles. I turned my sight to the horse girl to ask what was going wrong, but I just see her smiling, hands on her rosy cheeks.
"Hah~, sire just addressed me by a cutesy sobriquet. Such joy and embarrassment, I feel~." She jumps and skips around like a highschooler, and again, I can't help myself but to think how cute she is. I really should find myself more cute girls to be around, in both body and spirit, but then again, my personality makes it hard for those kinds of people to even approach me. Oh well, I feel we're getting closer. She stops and gasps in surprise and horror. "But Egads, what a foolish lack of self-control. I apologize, sire. We should get going as quickly as possible!"
"Take your pace, I'm in no hurry. If you're tired, we can always take a break…" I murmur, the pain subsiding a bit as she smiles happily, clearly content for my worries. We're almost there anyway, I can take a bit more.
Eventually, the typical Scottish weather started to die down, and our surroundings started to be dominated by a thick, dense fog as sunlight gets covered, like if the environment itself is avoiding the notion of light. From the top of her head, the centaur girl's ears twitch in a sign of alertness, while I lazily hang from the sides of her back.
"Sire, I do not wish to alarm you, but I feel like this entire place has turned dark and hostile. A sight from a neighmare if I might say so myself…" She whispers, sharpening her senses as drawing circles with her feet. Once more I let out a sigh, my energies little by little getting back to me because of the sudden darkness, enough to reach for my Gremory compendium and take a quick read at it. A moment, and she pouts. "Olé, puns."
"Good one." I lift a hand in a thumbs up, soon going limp once more on her back with the book resting on my chest. "But of course, we should expect this kind of environment from the Land of Shadows, the fortress of the Warrior Queen Scáthach. Makes it harder for normal humans to find it, after all."
"Hoh? I record that name from somewhere. Isn't she the warrior mentor of heroes of the Ulster cycle? Suddenly, this became quite exciting!" Her expression covered in mist brightens to this information, and her equine ears twitch once more in a happier mood. I guess she would react like that, considering the fame of the heroes of these lands, brimming with romance after all. She snaps back to reality and turns a curious look at me. "Sire Gremory, are you perhaps looking for the knowledge of the ruler of shadows? Or, pardon the thought, recruit her into your peerage? The name of Gremory would benefit a lot more if we were to add the mentor of heroes into their numbers, undoubtably."
"Hm… Not really. I already have a professor back home, and he's the best of the best of the best in what he does. As for recruiting her or anyone…" I take a deep breathe and with a swift quick to the side, I put myself sit on the horse's back and dismount, cracking my shoulders and neck a few times to get used to the pain now that the migraines have subdued. I lift a finger and start to draw some runes in midair. Now, what was the futhark symbol for 'open' again? "I don't think she's willing to fight for a spoiled brat like yours truly, or anyone for that matter."
"Hm? So, what's your interest in the land of shadows and the warrior Queen, sire? Quench my curiosity."
"There, I think I made it." I didn't respond her, simply celebrate with myself as I finally draw the right rune on the air and from it, a small sphere of light ignites, slowly floating away to an unknown location. I turn to the confused Rosinante, and with a small head tilt, signed for it. "Let's follow it, shall we? It must not be far from here."
"Oh? I guess that is acceptable, if a bit ominous. Lead the way." She nods, scratching head awkwardly but not hesitant to follow her newest [KING], especially considering that even I am not sure if we're doing the right thing, but for a nice moment of leisure, I'm willing to do anything, considering I have nothing to lose anyway.
Quietly across the dark forest and foggy valleys, I follow the small sphere of light guiding us through the unknown, fortunate the trail it traced wasn't all that difficult, no rude jumps or trips although I almost fell down a rabbit hole on a tree.
Eventually, after a few minutes of walking, I see a golden, warm light at the distance, and to indicate my certainness, the shiny ball started to flicker until we came close to enough for it to vanish. Didn't need its light anymore anyway since we've arrived at our destination: a large, imposing yet strangely welcoming entrance of an old-fashioned inn illuminated by paper lanterns and decorated with ornamental spears and runes all over the wooden doors and pillars, exhaling a mixed eastern and western feeling. From here, I can just smell the scent of hot water and sauna, already leaving me lightheaded, but in a good way…
"Whoa, what is this? An inn of this magnitude and style, near the entrance of the legendary Dun Scaith? How come, how curious." Rosinante wonders with bright eyes, her curious gaze darting every corner of that construction with maintain a hint of confusion. "Is this the place you wished to go, sire? Mayhap a small stop before we reach the fortress and talk to the warrior queen of shadows?"
"Eh, not really." I shrug much to her confusion but continued to smile and keep the good spirits up.
I signed once more for her to follow me and once we reach the front door, it opened on its own with a happy and welcoming jingle, which startle the centaur girl a bit. On the red entrance carpet, we clean the dirt on our soles and discard my shoes to change it to a pair of sandals I found at the small shoe shelf, storing the former there as well. The entrance, a large saloon of wooden floor and couches tea tables spread all over the place plus some snack stores and vending machines, we reach the front desk, where a certain someone was waiting for us.
"Hello, welcome. Do you have reservations?" A woman who doesn't look past her thirties wearing a typical inn yukata and with her orange hair tied in a lazy bun asks with a smile, her crimson eyes taking a quick look at me and then back to her book, probably her reservation guide. Walking near me, Rosinante leans on the front desk and curiously eyes everything on her line.
"Yeah, I think I left a reservation in the name of 'Garith Gremory'? It wasn't long ago, but it must've been arranged already." I respond, seeing the woman by the other side of the counter turn her gaze low to probably look for my name on the reservation list. A small slit gaze for a quick analysis, and then a satisfied hum with soft eyes.
"Oh, here it is, here it is. Welcome, Mr. Garith. Give me a moment, allow me to pick the keys for your and miss Rosinante's rooms." The woman smiles, dismissing herself with a gentle wave to a small room behind the counter barriered by a curtain. I nod and sigh in relief, turning back to the centaur girl who was still curiously looking at all directions.
"And done. I hope you don't mind me getting a room without your knowledge, Rosinante. I've made sure that it has a large bathroom for a centaur such as yourself and all the perks for a comfortable stay." I smile, although inside I'm crying a bit. I hate to say this, but she's way, way~ too big for a normal room, so I had to pick the largest and with it, some of my saved allowance. I won't say it out loud to not hurt her feeling or make her feel bad, but sometimes this new Gremory heart of mine is such a pain!
"Not at all, sire! From you, I would've been satisfied with just a stable for my size and position. I am grateful for your care." She turns to me and bows politely, and I can only purse my lips to contain a very unmanly whimper of happiness. I'm almost crying, this centaur girl is so polite, I'm so glad for her to be my [ROOK]! "After all, if we want to reach the Land of Shadows and talk to the warrior Queen Scáthach, we need to be well-rested and properly prepared!"
"What are you talking about? We're already here, Rosinante." I respond her, tilting my head to the side as she stops on her tracks and her smiling face falls a bit, stunned.
"Que…?"
"Hmm… We're already here, in the fortress of shadows." I repeat my previous statement, clearer this time, but her stance and stunned silence continues. Before anything else could be said, the woman behind the counter comes back with a pair of keys and two bottles of fruit milk.
"Here, your keys, and one bottle of fruit milk for each as courtesy." She smiles, offering us the keys and the treats which I was eager to take them for me and Rosinante since, well, she was still stunned and shocked by the blunt information received. "Once again, welcome to Dun Spa-ith, the spa fortress of shadows. May you have a wonderful stay and enjoy all our accommodations."
"We will. Thanks, lady Scáthach." I respond with a smile and a bow.
"Queeeeee~…?" The centaur girl let out a surprised yet monotoned question mark to that name as the receptionist, lady Scáthach, stretches herself and goes back in doing her business on the front desk.
"Yeah." I said, turning to the shocked Rosinante and offering her share of fruit milk. "This is, or rather was, Dun Scaith, the fortress of shadow and the realm of the warrior queen Scáthach. Turns out, she retired a few decades ago from this teaching stuff and decided to open a inn and spa here in her domain, where some of very known supernatural creatures come to rest and have a nice time. It is not very known compared to the business my father or the Grigori have, but I heard it's a pretty good place to stay specially on the European realm. I was… Curious myself, that's why it was a point I wanted to go."
"Is that… So?" Rosinante slowly returns to normal although her movements were still glitchy and robotic. Understandable, I mean, the warrior queen mentor of heroes, retiring to become an inn owner, a Japanese styled inn even? Outrageous, even I was a bit shocked for it, but I guess that's something that happens in here (DxD). My newest Rook picks her bottle. "I see. This world is surely vast and mysterious to even someone like us, no, sire Gremory? Wonderful, but almost frightening."
"Hm. Sense is something you need to discard to appreciate those things here, I guess." I nod, picking the ring on the tip of the bottle to snap it open. Seeing me, Rosinante mimics the same motion and opens her own bottle with a popping sound. Her mood lifts from it, her lips spreading into a smile.
"Oh! It did a *POP*! Sire, did you hear? It did a *POP*!" She exclaims excitedly, making the bottle reach her lips to take a big gulp from it, and then another, and another until the small glass was empty in no time, and she whips her head back with a starry, bright expression. "Delicious!"
"Right?" I said, taking a sip from my own milk and cheering glasses with her as we pick our keys to our rooms. No more crisis for now, let's just relax and kick in the spa in the heart of the land of shadows…
EVENT UPDATE: DUN SPA-ITH, THE SPA OF SHADOWS
[After generations training powerful warriors and mentoring heroes within her realm of darkness, the Warrior Queen Scáthach eventually decided to retire from her teaching days and open Dun Scaith, her fortress of Shadows, as a Japanese styled inn and spa for all supernatural creatures to relax and have a great time if they have reservation and money. Constructed around Dun Scaith's unusual landing, the inn holds several natural and magically enhanced springs for the guests to relax and several accommodations such as saunas, gaming centres, snack stores and rows and rows of vending machines, plus dining services and recreational events not unlike Japanese Ryokans under the supervision of the Queen of the land of shadows and her children.]
[However, guests beware, the owner of the inn might've retired from her warrior days but it is still a capable fighter and manages the inn with a sharp eye and iron fist. So, no fights in the corridors or loud sounds past curfew, or else… You'll be kicked out of the inn without refund.]
"It has been a while since mother retired from teaching. Y'know, after a bit too many students who would either die during training or get themselves killed in stupid ways, you stop and consider if the problem is not you. After that, she decided to stop doing that and instead open this inn since Dun Scaith is between the mountains. Not easy to reach but not impenetrable, plus, the water around is naturally warm…"
"Hmmm~."
"I mean, I insisted that she should reconsider her decision and train future heroes and legends, but she said new mentors and heroes were sprouting left and right in this new era and she was getting obsolete, plus it was getting boring. I'm going to be honest, I miss the training days, but working in an inn for a living is not all that bad…"
"Is that so?"
"Hm-mhm. It's relaxing and therapeutic in a way, plus it helps us fight the natural coldness of the land of shadows and have something to do. I'm sorry, mister Gremory, would you like another wave of steam?"
"I wouldn't mind." I say with a smile as an orange-haired musclebound of a man wearing a white shirt with Dun Spa-ith's logo in it picks a bucket of water and dips its content on the rock stove, lifting a curtain of steam that left the wooden sauna I'm currently in foggier and hotter, in a pleasing way. So good~, the pleasant sweating, the lightheaded sensation, the just right warmth around, I start to kick the air absentmindedly while wearing only shorts in this sauna as I can just feel the migraines dying down. I let out a satisfied moan, almost in a trance. "Hmm~, how nice~. Not even the Underworld have saunas this good~."
"Hahahah, of course not! Those are special sauna stones carved with mother's patented runes! They produce their own heat like no other!" The man, Lady Scáthach's son Cet, laughs as he uses a tong to pick one of the rocks from the heater and show the small red rune crafted in its surface, as if it was burning. He put it back and dips water on it once more, as another heatwave spreads. The laughing stops, and he turns to me. "But, y'know mister, supernatural creatures come and go in this inn, but to think the heir of one of the remaining 72 pillars would come by… You won't try to recruit us for your little slave ring or steal mother's spa runes, right?"
"Nah, nah, no worries. I'm just here to relax and give a little reward for my newest 'slave', no need to worry about me, lord Cet." I laugh with a dismissing hand, and despite his initial suspicion, his gaze loosens up and he let out a small chuckle, dipping water once more on the heated stones. My eyes sharpen, and I cross my legs, cupping my face while giving him that look. "But, you see, if you wish, you can become my slave~. What about it?"
"Heh, no deal, mister." He laughs back, giving me a nasty look gaze back. "Sorry to say this, but you're not my type."
"…"
"…"
…
Wut?
"Wut?" My face falls and that question escapes my lips, lord Cet chuckling once again with a nasty grin at me.
"You're not my type, mister Gremory. Sorry, but I'm more into … Meaty stuff, y'know? And you don't have the requirements, no offense."
…
Ouch…
Ouch!
What do you mean?!
Look at me!
I'm cute! I'm pretty! I'm adorable! I'm handsome and take care for myself every day, haircare and all! Do you know how many hours I spend grooming myself to look presentable?! How could the Gremory charm have not worked on him?! Any person, man or woman, supernatural or not, should've completely succumbed to my looks and status as the heir of Gremory, so how?! HOW?!
…
As if.
I'm joking of course. This is something my sister Rias, who only has her looks, status, power of destruction, intellect and overall achievements and power would think if she ever got a rejection like that. She is the spoiled princess of the Gremory clan after all, handed everything on a silver platter since birth and given anything in the world with a simple snap of a finger, just one hair string away from royalty; she would be throwing a massive tantrum in this situation, no doubt.
Being the older twin and having an adult mind already ever since hitting my head as a child, I am mature enough to handle this rejection and sell it as a joke, a small jest. I wasn't even being serious anyway, just a little teasing between guys, so it doesn't hurt as much, it doesn't hurt at all. Yeah, I'm just joking, nothing to be mad about…
"Uuuh, mister Gremory? You okay?"
"I-I'm f-fine, I-I-I'm fine, w-why would you a-ask?"
"You're crying, mister. Did I upset you that much?"
"I-It's just… The s-s-sweat! Y-Yeah! It's… I-It's just s-s-sweat!" I said, turning my watering eyes (from sweat, of course!) away from his face and sniffing my running nose to enjoy my stay in the sauna. Who's upset? I'm not upset! It was just a joke; I was not even being serious! So, what if I'm not his type despite how cute, handsome, powerful and rich I am? His loss, which was since the beginning because I was never serious about it! another wave of warm air and moisture blows my rage away, and another relaxed sigh washes away the rest. "Haaaaah~, that's much better~. No need to lose my head, I rather enjoy myself…"
"Words to live by." The loser sauna worker laughs, dipping a bit more of water on the heater and then dismissing the bucket away to instead grab a large piece of cloth and pick it by the sides. "Now, mister Gremory, I shall proceed to perform the sauna ritual known as Aufguss. Are you ready for it?"
"I guess." I shrug, still with a dumb satisfied smile on my face.
"Very well, let us begin." He states, taking a deep breath, lifting the large towel to eye levels… And then started to violently wave and spin it around, making circular moves all over himself as if he's doing a very crazy dance… Or violently drunk. "SOIYA! SOIYAA! WATCHOOOOO~!"
"Eh…?" I was confused and a bit worried for a second, as if he was in a trance and doing a crazy dance while at it, but then I realized what he wanted with this after some time, as the heated air and moisture circulated the enclosed space and made the experience twice as enjoyable. "Haaaah~, how nice, how nice~."
"It is, isn't it?! This is the sacred art of Aufguss, the infusion! The mastery of the airs of this sauna, combining both dance and benefits, this frenzy ritual enhances the experience of one inside here!" He chants proudly, despite being drenched in sweat, his mad frenzy didn't stop for a second, and I can only sit and enjoy as the air and moisture leave their mark on my body, the hot sensation making the blood flow in such a way I feel a sensational tingling all over~. Hah~, this must be how food feels inside an air-fryer. "Rejoice, mister Gremory! Rejoice and feel the ultimate experience inside the sauna!"
"Hmmm~." I moan once again, and once ever since I left home, I feel lightheaded and at peace, no migraine nor other debuff~.
[DUN SPA-ITH SAUNA]: A special sauna constructed in the fortress of shadows and built using Scáthach's magical prowess and traditional sauna procedures in order to create a genuine experience. By using it and enjoying its events, the user can heal and remove all previous debuff.
+HP maxed
+Debuff removed temporarily
+Better bloodflow improves magical prowess and physical condition
Haaah~, I knew a small break from all that walking and traveling would be nice, but to think it'll get this better, I regret not coming up with something like that beforehand…
"SOIYA! SOIYA! WATCHOOOOOOOOO…!"
… Although I wish the experience could be a little quieter. Oh well.
…
After fifteen minutes or so inside the sauna and the whole Aufguss thing, which fortunately didn't trigger my Migraines, I was out of the sauna fresh and clean, my body light as a feather and my mind just as weightless, filled with a garden of flowers and other fun stuff. Man, I hope miss Rosinante is enjoying this place as much as I am!
"And to finish a good sauna, nothing like some fruit milk!" I exclaim to no one while chugging down a glass of it as I exit the changing room wearing my Akumen Rider shirt and some sweatpants with a towel around my neck, the cool liquid feeling like its spreading all over my body! Hah, spas are the best, to think I used to think a dip into a hot bathtub after work was the highlight of my days! Moreover, the hotness of my freshly sauna'd body and the cool air of the land of shadows is bringing back that tingle once more! I kick the air and wave my arms in pure joy. "Hoooh~, my body is vibrating all over~, what a nice feeling~."
"That is totonou, dear guest mister Gremory." I turn my eyes to the direction of that quiet voice, and see lady Scáthach peeking horizontally from the frame of the corridor, only the area from her nose up being visible from here, her red eyes blinking as we share stares. "This sensation you speak of is your blood flow improving and circulating just right around your body. Good to see my dear Cet working well."
"Yeah, he's doing a great job." I smile, drying some sweat from my forehead with the towel on my shoulders. She blinks a few times, and despite the lower half of her face being hidden by the corridor frame, I can just feel that she's smiling, satisfied.
"Still, despite this, you do sweat a lot inside a sauna and the thermal shock might be dangerous, so don't forget to rehydrate yourself and cover your body to avoid colds. Dun Spa-th is place of relaxation, after all." I hear a chuckle, and I nod for her instructions, taking another sip from the fruit milk as if my instincts are following her order immediately. "Also, I would like to know if you're allergic to any kind of food before Uathach starts making yours and miss Rosinante's dinner. Least thing I want is to kill people who come to the Land of Shadows for other reasons other than my training…"
"Not that I'm aware of. No, I don't think so." I shrug. Another hidden smile and a nod.
"I see, good to know, I'll let my daughter know." She answers, her lower stare making it seem she's texting on a phone beyond my sight. One final type, and she turns back to me. "Done. While you wait for your meal, you can go back to your room or enjoy our gaming centre and once it's ready, we'll text you. Do you need anything else, mister Gremory?"
"Hm. No, I'm good, thanks lady Scáthach." I nod and bow out of politeness and gratitude, and she does the same but with limited vision.
"Excellent." She blinks. "So, goodbye."
"Okay, goodbye." I respond. After that… She continues to eye me from the corridor frame, and I just continue to stare her back. One, two seconds of silence, and I trail a bit. "Hmmm… May I help you, lady Scáthach?"
"Oh, my mistake. Since we didn't break eye contact, I thought you wanted to say or ask for something." She nods, and I wave a hand indicating that I needed nothing else. "Very well, goodbye then."
"Y-Yeah, goodbye."
"…"
"…"
…
She's still there.
"Hmm~…"
"…"
"I'll be… Going that way." I turn around to walk to the direction opposite to hers.
I have the feeling she's one of those polite, careful people who wait until the other leave to resume their chores, so like a good guest, I let her know once and for all that I'm done for now. Truly, a few steps away, I take a quickly glance back and she was gone. What a nice woman, if a bit weird, but this is nothing new. Well, maybe now I should go back to my room and rest a bit and enjoy this totonou until dinner or maybe try to play some games at the resting centre and maybe win something for Rosinante at that crane game…
Alas, another event opens for me instead as, taking a turn around one of the inn's corridor, I see someone fallen in the middle of it, dropped like sack of potatoes. Interested but not really, I approach the fallen one and take a closer look: fair skin, short blond hair and wearing the spa's yukata, I figure its one of its guests, but from here, I saw that this handsome looking one is sweating buckets and taking deep breaths as if trying to regain forces. Heatstroke? How irresponsible, but can't blame him, the sauna does feel really good.
"Hey, are you alright, mister? Do you need some water?" I say, squatting down next to him and lightly touching his blushing cheeks with a half-empty bottle of fruit milk. I hear him groan, and trembling eyes slowly open to reveal bright green pupils. He sighs, and smiles while trying to stand up.
"N-No, I'm good, thanks. I'm just… A bit dizzy because of the hot springs… Heheh… They feel so good, I got careless…" He responds with a surprisingly soft voice, waving a hand to his face to cool himself. I let a fun laugh in response, and once he scratches his eyes and shakes his head, he turns to me and blinks a few times… Only to his entire face to shift abruptly into a scowl and he gasps in horror, jumping back from me and adopting a fighting pose. "Devil…!"
"Hm…?" I blink a few times to recollect what just happened, and standing up to cross my arms, I tilt my head and wink at him. "Yep, I'm a devil, mister. And not just any devil, either. How may I help you?"
"Devil, a creature of darkness, the embodiment of sin and inhabitant of the Underworld… As a king, I shall not allow your foul existence to permeate around these lands, even during my break time." He chants, his pose now changing as if he's really to draw a sword. Despite his warning and threats, I let out a small puff of smoke in the form of a smoke of a sigh. So, he's one of those who think devils are inherently evil, huh? That's a bummer. "Prepare yourself, devil! I shall bring judgement upon you and erase your foul being from this plane!"
"Hey, c'mon now. No need for that, we're here to relax and have a good time, no?" I wave my hands innocently to bring at least some form of goodwill from this one who calls himself a 'King'. At least I was having a great time before this, and I don't want to break it so suddenly. Instead, the other one who calls himself 'King' sharpens his eyes and furrow his brows, as some light starts to manifest on his waist where his hands are, taking the vague shape of a sword. I let out a whiny moan, but also adopting a confrontational stance. "But if are willing to break it for no reason, then I have no choice. Have at thee, 'King'!"
"Come to me at time of need and defeat my opponents, [JOYE-…]!"
"Lord Magnus, mister Gremory. If you don't mind, please don't fight within the inn's quarters." But before he could do whatever he was going to do and we could clash into battle, that quiet voice from before preventing us from going through with it, and stopping on our tracks, we turn to the direction to that voice where, again, lady Scáthach was looking at us from the frame of the corridor, only the upper half of her face popping up. The 'King' drops his pose and a loosen up a bit seeing the queen. "This is a place of peace and relaxation, do not fight inside, or else… I'll have to kick you two out of this establishment… Without a refund."
"B-But, queen of shadows, this devil…!" The other who is known as Magnus tries to talk back, but the Queen of the land of shadows frowns a bit, and from here I can see that she means business with that look. With a defeated sigh, the King lowers his stance and bows to the one peeping by the corridor frame. "I… I understand. I'm sorry for my unbecoming behaviour, I promise on the name of King Charlie Magnus that it won't happen again."
"Yeah, my bad too, Lady Scáthach." I scratch the back of my head and lower it a bit to apologize. It might've not been my fault, but I'd have fought anyway.
"Good, I hope you've learnt your lesson. Young people these days…" She chuckles as her expression softens and she removes herself from sight. Now with only our lonesome selves, the one who calls himself a King refuses to look back at me, and with a quick glance, I take a look to the bright board above his head…
[CHARLIE MAGNUS THE XX]
[LVL. 93]
Oh, oh, I see. So he's indeed a King, may I say on the same level of that Arthur guy from the novels, no doubt having his own sword that can cause quite a havoc against a devil like me. I guess I was lucky to not fight him unprepared, not that the result would've been different, though…
"Devil…" He calls for me as he turns his head and looks at me over his shoulder, that same sharp gaze from before. I respond with a tilt of a head and a daring grin "… Lady Scáthach might've stopped us, but don't think this is the end. We shall take this elsewhere, and once there, as a King, I shall cleanse this place from your existence."
"And I'll be waiting, King Charlie." I smile with a wave. Another groan and he turns away, now walking to the direction opposite to me. Is that a threat, or an invitation?
Truly, I just wanted to turn my brain off and enjoy this little vacation and gift I gave to celebrate my new [ROOK], but like any Gremory, I just have this small talent in finding all sorts of people, just my luck. Oh well, c'est la vie, as they say, and I can't help but to feel… A bit excited.
*THUMP!*
"Hm…?" And I snap back from my little reverie when I heard a loud yet dull sound of something hitting the wooden floor. I look forward, and I see that King Charlie has fallen once more, probably the adrenaline dying down and the heatstroke hitting once more. I let out an amused chuckle, not so kingly now, huh?
I should probably go back to my room or enjoy some games at the resting centre, clean my head a little before dinner and maybe fight this little troublemaker. After all,… Nothing will ruin my stay in the Spa of shadows…
But before that, I come closer to the fallen King and dismiss my towel around my neck to fold it a few times and put it under his head like a pillow so that he could rest more comfortably before assistance comes. Kings should look out for each other, after all.
Now, to the gaming centre and maybe pick something nice from the crane machine.
And that's a wrap, the first chapter of the second half of this arc.
Hello, DxD fandom, Houki Minami is back quicker as possible to drop the new arc of this fanfic, or rather, the second half of Garith's trip around the world to find some good locations to explore and maybe find himself an evil piece or two.
Now, I feel better than ever to write the line of events on this arc after the small writer's block from the bullfighting chapter, and honestly, I always wanted to write something like that: a good time at a Japanese-styled inn with the typical dxd absurdity on the fact that the one running the place is Scáthach, the mentor of heroes and the queen of the land of shadows… Who retired and became an inn/spa manager with her children. I dunno, the idea was amusing on my head.
That aside, we had some bonding time with Rosey and the arrival of a new rival character, who's also a King, but a King of man, and no doubt seems to want to cause some trouble to Riz, but oh well… Better take a rest before all goes down downhill.
I hope you all liked this chapter, don't forget to R&R and have a nice day. Greetings from Houki Minami.
