Catching Up and Training… Or Something Along Those Lines: Part 1

I had discovered something terrible. Something so profound, so reality shattering, it was as if my entire world had flipped upside down. Everything which I had believed to be mere fragments of my imagination had turned out to be real: the cult, Diablos, Shadow Garden…

So, what changed?

… Well, not much. Initially, anyway.

The day after my revelation, I spent most of the day at Shadow Garden Headquarters. I devoured any and all information I could, deciphering what had been really going on under my nose the entire time. I suppose it should not have been a surprise, but everything was already being run very smoothly by the Shadows. Still, I owed them at least some of my time, so I did what I could.

I went over some business plans with Gamma and made some suggestions, after which she gave me a tight, teary hug; I listened to Epsilon play some music, and played something new for her, using one of the few pieces i still remembered from my past life; Delta… Was Delta, and she was just happy to spend time with me; oddly, Zeta acted the same way, caring more about rubbing her tail on me than performing covert operations.

I gave Beta some advice for future stories, and her subsequent hug would have been bone-crushing had I been anyone else; I visited Eta's laboratory, tested some of her devices, and made a few comments, all of which she jotted down on a small, crumpled notepad.

For my first Shadow, Alpha, we had a small meeting where we discussed the progress which had been made against the cult. I gained much more from that conversation than she did, though I did lay out some priorities and specific assignments I wanted the Garden to tackle. Throughout it all, I could sense a district air of relief from her.

It was… Reassuring, I suppose, for lack of a better word. I had never been one to care too much for others in any sense; but I had enough self-awareness to know that I owed much to my Shadows.

I also gave some advice for training new recruits to a tall and tan battle-hardened elf, who was named Lambda. Honestly, her one-eyed appearance was so cool I could have just spent the whole day in her presence. However, I was already going to be in trouble for not being in my dorm room that morning when my sister barged in; so I slipped away later that evening, avoiding what would supposedly be a grandiose banquet to be held in my name.

For some things, I still preferred to dwell in the background—even if I had decided to throw away my mob persona. And speaking of my mob persona…

Well, my idea of not trying to blend in nor stick out may have backfired. I actually found myself being mobbed—ironically—so sticking close to main characters, such as Alexia in particular worked in my favor, as her feral gaze kept everyone else away.

It has forced me to be more careful how I act; drawing attention from the Cult, which I now know presents an actual threat—to others if not myself—-is not something I want to deal with in my day-to-day life yet.

At least classes were canceled due to the attack for a while, so I held on to the hope that people would forget my near-heroic status when I took that attack for Rose.

Alpha informed me that something called the sanctuary was gathering interest in a nearby city; under the guise of testing her knowledge, I asked for everything she had on the site. What she told me—that they suspected cult activity, possibly even something related to Diablos—intrigued me.

So I ordered them to investigate further. I had planned to accompany them, but I was… Accosted by several of my schoolmates, who refused to take no for an answer.

I saw no reason to say no to a comfortable ride on a luxury train with all expenses paid for, so I thus found myself on the way to the sanctuary city with two princesses in tow.

Yes, the silver-haired harpy and the golden-glow student council president were in the same room, myself sandwiched between them. I had long-since mastered control over my senses, so shutting off my hearing for the duration of the trip was no issue at all.

Ignoring their arms wrapped possessively around mine on either side, the trip was pleasant enough. The salted pork was particularly good, as was the wine.

… Although there was a very heated argument when they both showed up in my cabin at the same time, in the middle of the night. I had mostly given up on my avoidance strategies as part of my discarding the background character gag; so I was caught by them both, crowding my tiny sleep cabin.

They were loud, and oddly upset at each other—saying things like 'how could you do this', or 'I can't believe you're the one sneaking around like that'. All things that I'd normally love to hear on the sidelines, but not when they're arguing over me.

And it wasn't even cold, so I certainly didn't see the need to huddle up together on the same bed.

I told them to shut up and sleep, or get out.

Shockingly, they went quiet very quickly. Admittedly, I did feel somewhat satisfied not acting like a wimpy NPC anymore, although I will miss the acting theatrics.

I suppose I'll have to come up with new techniques for being a supporting character.

Oh? What happened that night? Well, it was a tight fit in my bed, but surprisingly they didn't complain, other than glaring at each other across my body. I awoke that morning with Rose draped across my chest and Alexia's back pressed against my side.

It was uncomfortable.

Next time, I'll just kick them out.

The rest of the time we spent together involved surprisingly little arguing—the hot springs were actually rather pleasant with the two princesses, even if there was more gawking coming from them than what I would consider to be proper.

While the Garden was conducting recon, I decided to take advantage of the currently ongoing tournament and throw my name in—as Shadow of course. Through that I met perhaps the most interesting person in this world yet; Aurora, Alpha called her.

I preferred Violet. Shame she was just a ghost memory; I truly felt I had found a kindred spirit in her. After I defeated her, some kind of magical door was activated, which turned out to be exactly what my Shadows were waiting for.

The sanctuary itself was interesting. The princesses followed us in, so I told Alpha to watch them while I wandered off on my own. I met Violet again, and we had a small adventure together, including meeting what must have been a distant ancestor of Alpha. After taking care of one of the cult leaders—who was surprisingly proficient in combat despite his appearance—I met back up with the Seven Shades, reviewing the extensive amount of information they had gathered there.

There were echoes of advanced technology from ages long past, which was intriguing enough. It made me ruminate on the possibility of time travel already existing in this world—or at least time manipulation. Something which captured my interest…

There was also evidence of some rather heinous experiments that the cult had conducted. I myself ended up fighting a bunch of clones of the Alpha look-alike. Now, the idea of cloning might seem alluring; but I don't especially feel the desire to deal with more than a single copy of anyone currently in my life.

And it goes without saying: there's only room for one shadow-broker in this world.

The way we're going through the cult however, we might soon run out of enemies to fight. Even with what we found in the sanctuary, it was clear they had nothing which could pose a genuine threat to me. But what they were doing there… I knew little of such things, but it reeked of soul magic.

Those fools were playing god. I may have honed my power to a degree most could only dream of, but ultimately even I am just a man, doomed to one day die—preferably in the most dramatic fashion possible.

In the end, I decided to blow the whole thing up, as it was a hotbed of cult activity.

I waited until everyone else was at a safe distance, of course. After it was over, among the materials we had collected was the massive claw of a demon.

It was only a fragment of the truly monstrous form of Diablos. As if I needed any further proof that it was real, there it was. I debated with myself whether to go down the 'all traces of this abomination are evil and must be destroyed!' route, but decided it would be more pragmatic to give it to someone who would certainly appreciate it.

I had never seen Eta's eyes glow like they did when she was given that piece of corrupted flesh. I was a little concerned about giving her something that even I only barely understood; but I gave her a little spiel about trust and responsibility that she seemed to take to heart.

So there's definitely nothing to worry about there.

That arc rounded out rather nicely, but then it was time for summer break. Since I didn't want to be cooped up at home with my family, especially Claire, I decided to stay in the dorms. Surprisingly, almost everyone I had met also chose the same. Even the princesses, who seemed unable to leave me alone in any sense of the word.

Normally the very image of an impeccable heroine, Rose has been behaving strangely. She practically clings to my side whenever she gets the chance, and she speaks with a melancholic, wistful tone—as if she expects some dramatic ending to her life soon. Well, I'm all for it, but she's clearly a main character, so she should have a long, prosperous life ahead of her.

There's something about her magic, as well… But I haven't looked into it too closely, out of respect for her privacy.

Hey, even I have standards. I've also been keeping an eye on her for another reason; according to Zeta's intelligence network, the cult has infiltrated the highest levels of Oriana's monarchy. I wouldn't consider it my duty to police other nations, but I certainly won't turn down the opportunity for a second stage.

She will make a good ruler—after we purge the filth and corruption from its slothful, conceited slumber.

As for my wonderful sister, Claire… She's somehow gotten even more intrusive. Nearly everyday I am bombarded by her demands that I spend every spare moment with her; and when I actually say no, she gets… Emotional.

I get an uncomfortable feeling when she does that, so I try to avoid her as much as possible.

I can think of a few ways to deal with her, but none of them appeal to me. For now, I'll keep putting it off and hope it resolves itself. It couldn't possibly get worse, right?

And speaking of worse, we come to the person that I am currently with…

"Come on, Pooch. Behave now."

The silver-haired harpy… Sorry, I meant princess Alexia. Her reaction has been the oddest of them all—in that she pretty much just acts as the same spiteful, angry person as always, despite my change in attitude.

I can tell she's keeping a close eye on me; I doubt she suspects my true identity, but she has certainly grown suspicious—more than she normally is, anyway.

I've been dragging my feet since we'd met up half an hour ago, on an outing which I agreed to go on for reasons I'll save for later. Alexia is standing a bit aways from me, intent on rushing to our destination as she taps her boot impatiently.

"I'm not your dog, to come running at your beck and call… Alexia."

She gives me a sharp look.

"Are you really Cid?"

I shrug.

"As far as I know."

She nods, and flips a coin onto the ground.

I give her an unimpressed look.

Then I swoop down and snatch it up, depositing the gold into my pocket as I stand and look at her. Gamma might have offered everything her company has to me, but I'm still not going to turn down free money—especially from someone who has plenty of it.

Alexia crosses her arms and sighs.

"Yeah, still Cid." She turns around and begins to walk down the street, assuming that I will follow.

I do, since I see no reason not to. Alexia asked me yesterday to accompany her on a shopping trip, and I agreed. Mostly in the hope that she would pester me less; but it also provided me the opportunity to enact one of my own plans…

It's about midday on the weekend; the sun is out, but it hasn't gotten too hot yet. The air is slightly dusty from the amount of people and carriages moving about as we walk toward the market section of the city. There's all kinds of noises around us, from the clopping of hooves to whispered conversations in the alleys. I keep my magical senses sharp, like always, though I don't sense anything out of the ordinary yet. There is a familiar presence though…

"Wait–"

I reach out and grab her arm, yanking her down a side street for a moment.

"Hey!" Alexia pulls out of my grip and crosses her arms, giving me a scornful look. "What's the big deal?"

I glance side to side, my voice lowering.

"I saw my sister."

"... Oh." Her posture relaxes, and she walks over to the main street, peeking around the corner.

"It's clear." She turns back with a strange look.

"What is it?" I ask, knowing she'll tell me regardless.

Alexia signs, beckoning me to resume our walk.

"Nothing. Just…" She glances to the side.

"What is it between you two?"

"Claire has no concept of personal space. Nor does she respect personal time, or personal choices, or anything of any nature that does not involve her in some way."

Alexia blinks at me.

"... Wow. Okay, I see there's more there than I thought."

We walk together for a ways, her hand on her chin as she thinks to herself for a while.

"... Cid, I won't lecture you on family relations, considering I have issues with my own–"

"Shocking."

She slaps the back of my head.

"—But I will say that the two of you need to just sit down and talk. Do you say whatever's on your mind with no filter, like you do with me?"

"I'm not the one without a filter."

I dodge the slap this time, shaking my head as I answer. "She gets upset when I say anything other than yes ma'am."

"And here I thought you'd finally grown a spine," she mutters under her breath. "Well, whatever," she says with a lazy wave of her hand. "It's not my business. I won't interfere; though I will watch."

"I know."

Alexia glares at me, before looking away with a huff. Thinking over what she said, it might be a possible solution for dealing with the dev–my sister, I mean. If nothing else, I can try out some new side character reactions.

Soon we reach the market square; the princess pauses, surveying the rows of shops and stalls lining the streets. I stand next to her, feeling the need to add a bit of intrigue to what is certainly going to be an otherwise boring trip—for the moment, anyway.

"The age of darkness is almost over… The time of cleansing is near."

Alexia swings her head toward me, her red eyes narrowed.

"You know, it kinda makes me worried when you just spout out random bullshit like that…"

Yeah, she still curses like a sailor—though only when it's just the two of us.

"You would do well to heed what I have to say," I murmur.

"... Right. Well, enough of that. I want your opinion on which store these clothes shopping clothes things shopping shopping—"

Yeah, I tune her out after that. The princess drags me back and forth across the market, piling my arms up with increasingly heavy bags of… Stuff.

I complain a sufficient amount, and though she gives me an odd look, Alexia does not relent in her spending spree. Soon, we're both standing in front of what has become the most popular store in the city: Mitsugoshi.

Alexia takes a step toward the crowded entrance, but stops when she hears my voice.

"Let's… Not go there today."

She fixes me with a critical eye, not saying anything for a moment.

"... Alright. We can get food and then call it for the day."

I don't want her to see how many elves I actually know just yet. And I feel a bit weird about going into that store, knowing what I know now. Everyone there would welcome me, Gamma especially; but it's not something I've fully decided how to use yet, knowing that I basically own the company and everything in it, if my devoted business elf is to be believed.

I already made suggestions to her for expansions and new markets, and also took a fair bit of money for my own purposes, though she all but insisted that I take even more. I never factored in having an actual corporate empire in my plans, so I'm still trying to come up with good scenarios involving shady business dealings and the like.

To be honest, I've actually found myself having more money than I ever expected. Rose spends an obscene amount on me whenever we're together—as if she has to get rid of all her money as soon as possible. And Alexia still pays me for my time, even though gold is no longer an issue for me.

But I'm certainly not going to tell her that. It's almost like compensated dating, now that I think about it…

Well, that's a concept that can stay in my old world.

I was so imbued in my thoughts I had barely noticed that we were now walking down a side street, the sky overhead beginning to darken as the sun neared the horizon.

"Uh, your highness–"

Alexia gives me an unamused look.

"–where are we going?"

"I know a place. It's a small bakery, hidden out of view from the main streets."

Upon seeing my visible skepticism, she rolls her eyes.

"You'll like it, trust me."

"... If you say so. And also pay for it."

She doesn't bother to respond to that one, sighing quietly.

I open my mouth to complain again about how she's still making me carry all her stuff, but I sense someone… Strong.

I stop, causing Alexia to turn around.

"What is it now?" She glances from my face to the bags bundled in my arms. "Don't tell me you're tired of carrying that already."

I shake my head; the presence is getting closer, the magical power increasing to a level that she should be able to detect by now.

"I've got a bad feeling about this…"

"What the hell are you talking about–"

Her eyes widen, and she draws her sword in a flash, leaping over to my side.

"Cid… Run!"

"What about your stuff?" I say, lifting up the bags.

"What!?"

She whirls toward me, her confusion melting away.

"Drop it, dumbass!"

There's an explosive crack in the sky, as if in response to her words. A rush of movement fills the air, as two shapes clash above us, leaping over the buildings on either side of the alley. There's the sound of steel meeting steel, along with a strong tingle of active magic being cast.

But above it all, there's a presence… One I know better than anyone.

A grunt and a yell echo down the narrow street, and one of the figures is cast down to the ground in front of us, landing in a roll.

Another shape appears from nothing; a shadow of a man, cloaked in the fabric of night itself. His posture is immaculate—his magical control supreme. He moves like the swiftest arrow splitting apart the sky; a dancer gliding across the floor with the ease of an absolute master.

Standing in front of the fallen figure, with his back facing us—he presents the image of a wall, built from unassailable authority.

The mysterious figure laughs, before he slowly turns…

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Alexia grip her sword tighter, as she swallows and swears under her breath.

"... Shit."

I can forgive her crude tongue this time… For there, standing before us in utterly immaculate glory, is Shadow.

Yes, it's me. Though cloaked in that dark hood, it's not like the face is visible.

Well, looking at myself like this, I could pick up a lot more things I would have to go over later. Still, it's a fearsome sight, even knowing the person behind the mask.

I look over to the person that him? I? I was fighting: it's a higher ranked member of the cult—one of the templars—judging by the mask and robe, colored white and red.

They were using the Delgado style, a technique that combines flashy swordplay with underhanded moves, designed to trick and undermine the opponent. It's a favorite style of members of the cult—one of the many things I'd learned once I started paying attention to the meetings and reports of my subordinates.

It's also apparently a woman, judging by the voice she let out during her fall. The templar stands, dusting herself off. She points her sword to us and Shadow, who is still facing us.

"Would you like to join the fun?" Shadow asks, stretching out his open hand toward me and the princess.

Alexia appears to be experiencing some sort of speech malfunction; and since I'm not playing the central role right now, I remain silent.

Upon receiving no reply from either of us, he lowers his hand.

"Or perhaps… You'd like to seize all the glory yourself?"

Without any movement visible to the naked eye, he suddenly disappears from reality. There isn't a trace of his signature; not even a lingering sense of magic from where he existed in space.

Damn, it really is impressive. Good job, me!

The Templar glances around for a moment, before shrugging to herself. She looks at the pair of us; Alexia with her sword held up in the basic guard stance, and myself, empty handed with a bunch of discarded shopping bags around my feet.

We must look like quite the pair.

"Might as well use this opportunity," the cultist says in a surprisingly youthful voice. She takes a step forward, releasing a rather strong killing intent that was almost an imitation of my own death-knell glare.

"Cid… Run, and don't look back."

I glance at Aleixa. Her expression is utterly focused—the pure image of calm determination. It's a truly movie-worthy look. I take a mental snapshot to commemorate it, while ignoring her words, as heroic and sacrificial as they are. This time, I'm going to do things a little differently.

I draw my own sword. Funny, this dull blade almost feels alien in my hands.

The templar laughs, lowering her blade for a moment as she surveys what probably looks like very easy prey.

I take a step forward, holding my sword out loosely as I look back at my companion, projecting some panicked desperation into my voice.

"Alexia… Run!"

The princess gives me a look filled with a lot more than I can decipher—before she resorts to the old classic of simply yelling at me.

"You idiot! You run!"

I shake my head, moving my sword into a much more professional stance.

"No. I'm done running away."

Hey, this feels kinda nice. Maybe there is something to playing a generic hero character…

The princess stares at me without saying a word, her lips slightly parted.

"... Alright, fine. Watch my back, Cid."

The templar, seemingly having lost her amusement, raises her sword again, and disappears from view.

Almost instantly she appears again, her sword cutting through the air in a vertical strike aimed for the princess. Alexia raises her blade to meet it, before pivoting her grip to deflect the templar's sword to the side.

The two separate a few feet, the tips of their blades barely touching. There's a distinct tension in the air, as they begin to move side to side and back and forth, testing each other's blades and resolve.

The Templar will make a swipe, and then lean back before Alexia can fully counter.

The princess drives a quick thrust forward, which is parried by a simple flick of her opponent's wrist. They go back and forth like this; a slow, methodic dance of abrupt bursts, filled with longer periods of positioning and silent judgment.

I'm ignored completely, which suits me just fine for the moment. I'm seeing a lot of familiar movements from the princess, which interest me greatly.

It seems the time has come for phase two of the fight, as there's a shift in the air around the Templar; I can feel her gather her magic, while Alexia raises her blade in the classic guard position.

The cultist moves into a blur of motion; there's a sudden barrage of furious strikes, forcing the princess to backpedal as she can barely keep up with the relentless flow of her opponent's swordwork. It's almost hypnotic as her silver blade moves through the air; there's fanciful flashes and twirls that seem to serve no purpose, that are quickly followed up by brutally efficient stabs and thrusts.

There's no way to predict what will come next. I can see why this form is so favored by the cult.

Even when countered by an average, or above average opponent, it would be very hard for them to mount an effective defense, let alone counterattack.

Alexia pants, beads of sweat flowing down her body as she summons more magic to push her body to the limit. The templar is silent behind the mask—absent is the typical arrogant gloating from the cult, which I so enjoy stomping out.

The two continue a few dozen yards away from me, until the princess is backed into a literal corner, her incensed eyes finding mine as she cries out.

"Are you just gonna fucking stand there!?"

Oh. Whoops. Guess I'm still used to playing the mob.

"Sorry. I'll jump in now."

I raise my sword a few inches into a higher guard. The templar leaps back from her attack, creating a space of nearly twenty feet between her and Alexia as she moves her body to face me.

Interesting.

I glance at the princess, and see that she probably could use a break—so I step toward the cultist, my blade at the ready in a mostly competent stance.

I can sense some sort of emotion coming from our enemy as I advance, though it's hard to tell behind the heavy clothes. We close the distance and meet in a simple blade lock, the clash of steel meeting steel resounding as we each push and give, testing each other. Since my back is to the princess, it's safe for me to wear a feral grin as I let some of my magic flow out around me, zapping the air and charging along our bodies.

I can sense the magic of my opponent being strained, as she struggles to keep my blade from pushing hers back.

I smirk, and suddenly swing my sword to the side, ending the lock and causing her to stagger forward from my sudden movement. I don't take the opening however; it's a very narrow window that only an accomplished swordsman would be able to exploit. I'm settling for simple competence for now, which is still quite the step up from how I would normally play things in my civilian form.

"Cid… Don't face her alone…" I can hear Alexia still struggling for breath as she staggers toward us. Huh, she really needs to work on her stamina. Well, maybe we can fix that later.

The cultist finally regains her footing and presses an attack against me, swinging wildly a few times—an obvious ploy to get me to over extend. Instead, I keep my sword in front of me in a casual grip, using only the most basic forms to exert the least amount of energy and motion to block and deflect.

It's an incredibly simple style; but in the hands of a master, it's utterly unbeatable.

After a few more feints she stabs forward, and I move just enough for the blade to pass a half inch from my hip. I smile, and find it impossible to resist grabbing her sword arm and pulling her the rest of the way forward, using her momentum and my own power to throw her toward a nearby wall. She stumbles and rolls, coughing as some dust and trash is scattered from her crash.

Alexia comes up to my side, her blade at the ready. She's looking at me more than our enemy, for some reason.

"Since when… Could you fight like that?!"

I smile.

"You'd be surprised… At what I have up my sleeve… My princess."

She doesn't respond. The cultist faces us again, and I can sense her building up a rather impressive amount of magic, which she'd clearly kept in reserve until now.

Well, I think it's about time to wrap this thing up.

"Are you going to keep playing with us," I say, taking a moment to breathe heavily for effect.

"... Or are you finally going to get serious?"

"Cid, don't…" Alexia pants, but my words have already struck true.

There's a sudden shift in the air; the templar glances at me, and a fraction of a second later her blade is crashing into mine. There's some real emotion behind her attacks, or at least that's what she's projecting. Raw power and energy, over finesse and form.

Ah, this seems like the right time.

I fake a stumble and loosen my grip, and she easily spins her sword around mine, sending it flying away. I'm left falling backwards until I land on my rear, totally disarmed and defenseless.

It was a very fast series of attacks, so I'm not surprised Alexia only had time to cry out.

Though now, as the templar stands over me with her blade at my throat, the princess has an odd look on her face.

There's an ominous red glow in her eyes. It's eerily similar to when my sister goes all out with her magical usage.

How… Terrifying.

"W-wait," I say, raising my hand in the perfect image of a defenseless innocent, as the templar raises her blade to strike the killing blow.

But then there's a strange noise; an audible growl rips through the air, as if a wolf has prowled down the street in the midst of our fighting.

I look toward the source, and it's no wolf. Princess Alexia switches to a single handed stance, and suddenly she's rushing forward with a feral yell.

The templar whirls around, raising her sword just in time to parry Alexia's brutal thrust—but that was only a distraction. The princess swings her empty fist out in a fast punch, aimed directly at the cultist's face. She grunts in surprise, and I can see a flash of a tail hidden under her robes as she leaps away to a safe distance, barely avoiding the blow.

Alexia snarls; there's visible red flames surrounding her body now as she stands over me.

Ah, now that's what I like to see; the heroine pushing herself to unseen limits, in order to save the one she lo—

—hey, wait a minute…

There's a flash of overwhelming magical power around us. The cultist looks up to the sky, but I already know what is coming. I stand up, dusting myself off as Alexia glances at me, her eyes roaming over my body. Jeesh, we're not even in the hotspring and she's like this.

Fortunately, I'm saved from more gawking, as a deep, masculine voice calls out into the night—the herald of darkness and despair.

"Not bad. Not bad at all."

We both turn to see Shadow standing behind us, clapping slowly. Ahh, this perspective as an observer, seeing myself in action…. I can feel the goosebumps running along my skin. Yes, this is one of my best ideas yet.

"When… Did you…" Alexia struggles to speak as magical exhaustion finally takes its toll on her. She staggers and nearly falls over, so I give her my shoulder to lean on.

"I never left." Shadow raises his open hand toward the sky, and I can sense a buildup of magic from behind us.

He closes his fist. There's a flash of purple light, enough to blind anyone for a few moments, but our backs are turned to it.

The cultist cries out. She is quickly silenced.

I help Alexia face the other way so we can see what became of our former opponent. All that's left are scraps of red cloth, and a black mark against the ground.

Efficient as always, me. Though in the future, perhaps a drawn out, more visible death would be better?

Yes; even the villains should be allowed to speak their final, dying words.

With some exceptions.

The princess leans off me, having gathered enough strength to stand tall and proud again—though there's still some wobbliness in her legs.

She and I face down the Ruler of the Night; the Keeper of all Secrets; the Master of Garden.

Myself, of course.

I can tell that his—my—attention is on Alexia, ignoring myself for obvious reasons. He places his hand on his chin, muttering to himself as if deciding something.

"Princess Alexia Midgar: are you not afraid?"

Alexia shakes her head.

The luminary cloaked in darkness chuckles.

"You will be. You will be…"

Oh man, this is so cool. My–heh–shadow raises his blade toward the sky, giving it a twirl as a magical pulse is unleashed. Energy radiates through the air and ground, sending a shockwave that causes the princess to shiver next to me.

With a flash of purple light, Shadow is gone.

Well, I think that went pretty well.

"Gahh… Dammit…"

Alexia suddenly falls to her knees, gasping for breath.

Hmmm. Yeah, she really needs to work on her stamina. I'll tell her that later though.

"How… What…" She shakes her head. I lean down to pat her back, which causes her to stiffen for a moment before she relaxes, all but collapsing against my side.

I guess physical touch is a feminine thing, because I just don't understand it.

"I–I can't believe…" She starts to mumble.

"Hmm?"

"... Nothing." She closes her eyes for a moment, before suddenly leaping back to her feet, dusting herself off and ignoring her previous clinging completely. She picks up her sword and sheaths it, flicking her hair back in place as she surveys our surroundings.

Hey, the shopping bags survived. I walk over and grab my own sword, while Alexia stands silently and watches me.

"… That was your first time meeting Shadow, wasn't it?"

"It was." Depending on how you look at it, that's not a lie either. I turn to face her, intrigued by her opinion of my other side.

"He's strong, isn't he?" I say.

"... Far more than anyone else I've met."

Oh, why thank you!

There's a satisfying clink as I resheath my sword. I take a moment to look up at the sky above us; the sun has already set some minutes ago, and now the brightest stars have begun to dot the grayish sky. Though we are still near the most populated part of the city, it's surprisingly quiet.

It's nice how there's always a conveniently abandoned alley for character events to happen in.

Beside me, Alexia is still wearing an inscrutable expression. When she speaks, her voice is uncharacteristically soft.

"Cid…"

"Yeah?"

"… Thanks. You were… Actually kind of impressive back there."

Oh-ho, an actual compliment from her? What a day for firsts.

Alexia clears her throat with a grimace, as if what she had just said was painful for her. I look over to the shopping bags that I had dropped at her rude insistence, and start to walk over to them—only to be interrupted by the princess as she waves her hand.

"Don't worry about the bags. I'll carry them."
I wait, expecting an obvious trap of her expecting me to protest and do the gentlemanly thing; but she's already picking them up without a word.

Interesting. Has she already started her humility arc?

I say nothing, watching her huff to herself as she bundles up the plastic handles and lifts them up. Soon we are walking back to the dorms, the princess lagging slightly from the weight she is carrying.

I am curious as to why she hasn't complained yet.

"... You're surprisingly quiet," I say.

Alexia glances at me.

"I'm not a constant blabbermouth, you know."

"Could've fooled me."

She huffs—I don't have to look at her to see her eyes roll.

"Can you just… Compliment me for once?"

Hmm, I suppose that's fair. Though the last time I did that, she stormed off a train into the hands of her kidnappers…

"When you pushed your magic into overdrive, and summoned those red flames…"

I look at her fully.

"That was interesting."

"... Seriously? That's the best you could come up with?"

"Alexia," I say quietly, "when I say something like that, I mean it entirely. You did something I did not expect."

I think it over it for a moment.

"I already told you that I like your sword style. After seeing you tonight, I still feel the same way."

She looks at me, her crimson eyes shining. I meet her gaze, my voice slipping into a deeper tone.

"If you keep mastering the basics, you will become a master."

"... Yeah, that's the idea," she mutters, looking away.

We continue trudging along, the warm light of the street lamps guiding us toward the dark knight academy.

Well, now seems as good a time as any. I release a faint pulse of magic, undetectable by most, and with perfect timing a familiar face swings around the corner.
"Oh, hey Cid!"

Epsilon greets me, wearing a rather modest, long sleeved black dress; It fits her now more accurate figure very well. Though I suppose I should refer to her as Shiron—her public persona.

I wave back as she hurries over to my side, giving me a quick, but tight hug.

Beside me, Alexia is staring with her mouth open, her bags lying on the ground. Admittedly, it was unusual to see elves in the city here, but not completely out of the ordinary. Still, it's behavior unbecoming of a heroine, let alone a supposed princess.

"You'll catch flies like that."

Her gaze snaps toward me with a glare, but she shuts her mouth.

"How have you been, Cid?" Epsilon asks; her purple eyes are practically sparkling, as she completely ignores the member of royalty off to the side.

"All things considered," I glance at Alexia, giving her a small smile which seems to baffle her even more, before looking back at my disguised shadow.

"It's been a fun day. You look good, by the way."

"Oh!" Epsilon cuts herself off before she can fully exclaim; the elf calms herself by resting her hand on her chest, a placid smile on her face.

"Thank you~"

I can practically sense the primal stare of the princess boring into my side. She really needs to get her ogling under control.

There's a gleam in Shiron's eye as she continues. "And I must say that you yourself look amazing tonight, as always, Cid."

I nod, reaching up to pat her head while the princess stammers at the two of us.

"Wait, wait wait wait." Alexia waves her hands. "Cid, you know her?"

I nod. 'Shiron' preens as I pat her silken, teal-colored hair, looking slightly disappointed when I withdraw my hand.

Alexia turns her skeptical gaze toward Epsilon, her chin resting on one hand, supported by her other as she speculates.

"I know you from somewhere…"

Epsilon finally steps away from my side, giving a small curtsy. "Yes, your highness. I am Shiron, the composer. You attended one of my performances a month ago."

"Ahah! That's it." Alexia snaps her fingers. Hmm, that gives me an idea…

"Still, that doesn't explain…"

She continues to look between the two of us. Is it really that hard to believe that I know a single elf?

Guess it's too soon to spend time in public with more than one shadow at a time.

"How the fu—how in oblivion do you two know each other?"

Epsilon places her hand on my arm as she answers. "Oh, I've known Cid since we were both kids. He's helped me so much with my musical career; I owe him everything…"

Alexia stares blankly. I think I can start to see steam leak out of her ears.

"... What?"

"It's true," I say. "Shiron is a childhood friend of mine."

The silver-haired royalty scratches her head.

"... And I'm just now seeing her for the first time because…?"

I smile. "I simply don't go around parading my friends in front of my acquaintances."

There's a sudden aura of danger around the princess.

"A–Acquaintances?"

Epsilon's grip on my arm grows tighter.

I'm a little confused. Sure, we get along in an oddly bitter sort of way, but she doesn't think we're that close… Does she?

Oh, but there was that moment earlier… Well, I don't know how to deal with this, so I'm just going to ignore it and hope it goes away. Though I do feel a little guilty for possibly, accidentally shattering her dream. I should probably be more considerate, considering I'm now supposed to be a side character with a large number of love interests… Or something along those lines.

The princess's clothes are rumpled and messy, so I walk over to her, fixing the maroon-colored bow tied under her chin. She's apparently still winding down from the fight, as there's a considerable flush on her face.

"You need to work on your stamina," I say.

"W-what?"

Her eyes dart to the side, her cheeks a stark red that nearly matches her eyes.

"You–you don't need to do that," she mutters; but she makes no effort to stop me.

"There." She looks much more like the royalty she supposedly is, though I'm afraid I can't fix what's beneath.

"Oh, did you get into trouble with the cult again?" Shiron asks.

As I step away, Alexia's attention focuses on the elf.

"You know about the cult?"

"Of course. I know about a lot of things."

Epsilon smiles and closes her eyes, though I sense a distinct lack of humor in the gesture.

"For instance, Cid has told me all about you," she says, "and how you treat him, especially."

"... Oh?" Alexia's glare is the embodiment of a cold winter breeze as she stares at me.

"And how have I been treating him?"

I raise my hands, forestalling the storm I can already sense is brewing. I think it's time for a scene change.

"I promised I would spend some time with Shiron, so I'll say goodbye for now, princess."

"... Uh-huh."

"Oh, I can't wait to have some alone time with you, Cid!" Epsilon practically assaults me, wrapping her arms around my side and squeezing.

"See you, Alexia."

Alexia stares at me, her expression blank.

"... Yeah. See you later."

She seems much more unsettled now than when she had just faced the cult member and myself, which confuses me a bit. I never really put her in the category of a battle maniac like the others, but perhaps I should…

Well, anyway. We leave the princess behind as I walk arm-in-arm with Epsilon. The elf seems to practically radiate joy from simply being in my presence.

"The night is quiet," I say. "But it's a tenuous peace."

"For the darkness is always lurking," comes her immediate reply. Hmm, she's gotten pretty good at this.

"Let's go someplace with a better view."

"Yes, my lord."

I reach out my senses to the nearby buildings. Upon finding a suitable spot, I disappear from view.

A moment later, I'm standing on a rooftop, nearly a dozen stories above ground. The Knight Academy is in front of me; the many sprawling buildings are dotted with orange lights, only a hint of the activity one would see during the daytime from its several hundred students.

There's a slight pop of magic, and then Epsilon is standing next to me.

I walk over to the edging, sitting down so my legs are dangling over. Epsilon sits next to me, scooting closer until our shoulders are touching.

For a while, we sit in relative silence, enjoying the view and the gentle breeze flowing through the air. There isn't so much light pollution yet that the stars aren't visible, so we watch them twinkle and blink—many countless, undiscovered worlds lying out of reach before our eyes.

"Did you enjoy my latest performance, my lord?" Epsilon asks softly.

"I did; it was simply magnificent. I would like to see it again soon."

The elf clasps her hands together.

"Oh that makes me so happy!"

I nod in agreement.

"I am glad my practice paid off," she says in that gentle, almost symphonic tone of hers.

"And that I now get to spend time with you…"

I can hear her sigh, but it's not one of unhappiness.

Well, it's all part of looking after my subordinates. They'd given me my dream, afterall. It was my duty to return the favor. That it also aligned with my own pursuits worked out perfectly.

"Oh, and Zeta will want to report to you tonight as well, my lord."

I nod, having fully expected this.

"That's fine. I have something I need to take care of first. She can watch, if she so desires."

"Oh, I'm sure she will."

I gaze down at Epsilon. Her large purple eyes are fixated entirely on me.

"You look like you have more to say."

Well, yes…"

She glances down, biting her lip for a single second before continuing.

"There was someone following me…"

I hum. "Not a cultist, I presume?"
She smiles and bobs her head.

"Correct as always, master. It was an elf. She's strong, my lord. Maybe even stronger than Alpha."

"Interesting… I should like to meet her."

"Yes… I have no doubt you will convince her to join us, my lord. Anyone would be a fool to refuse."

Well, I wasn't considering that, but it could make a good idea. Hmm…

Ah, yes. Swaying someone powerful with a display of your own power; meeting in a clash of raw strength and will, and proving who is the better. That is what is good in life.

If this elf is as strong as Epsilon claims, then she could be very interesting indeed.

"Let me know if you see her again."

"Absolutely, master."

There's the distant chime of a bell, marking the curfew for the dormitories. Though the sun's been gone for a while, it's not at all cold. Nevertheless, I can feel the hospitable warmth from Epsilon's body next to me. The elf leans her head against my shoulder, her teal-colored twintails falling over to the side.

"My lord… You seem so much happier recently," she says softly.

"Hmm, is that so?"

Yes… We're all so glad, even if we don't fully understand why."

"That's fine. Just know that everything is proceeding according to my plans."

"Then…" She leans back so she can meet my eyes.

"That's all that matters to me."

I smile lightly, patting her head. Hmm, it's always the same softness no matter the circumstance. Even after rampaging through a cultist base, covered in blood and dirt, her hair still feels like silk.

I guess that's a magic I have yet to discover myself.

Epsilon has a rather goofy smile on her face, her eyes closed. After a moment, I withdraw my hand and she nods to herself. The elf stands up, only to bow deeply.

"Thank you for this time, Lord Shadow." She rises, her purple eyes shimmering with apparent feeling. "But I cannot keep you from your plans any longer. If you have no further need for me, I will retire."

I stand as well, gazing out over the city with a thoughtful look. On the whole, these one-on-one… 'Dates' didn't take as much time as I had first feared they would. They were of the things which have changed since my revelation; I will typically spend time alone with each shadow, at least a couple times a week.

Since I hardly need more than a couple hours of sleep thanks to magic, I'm also able to slot in some 'team building' exercises. Sometimes it's out hunting bandits in the wilderness, or infiltrating a nobleman's party, or just doing innocuous things in the city to maintain cover and gather intel.

A bit of two birds with one stone, as they say.

"You have done well tonight, Epsilon." I give her a look of approval, which sparks what appear to be stars in her eyes.

"You may retire for the night."

She nods, before pushing her fingertips together as she glances down.

"But first, master… May I hug you?"

Huh? Oh, sure. I wonder why she still feels the need to ask though.

Upon seeing my nod, the elf practically leaps forward, wrapping her arms around my torso.

"Oh, fhank you my lorfh!" Comes her muffled words.

Hmm, yeah, she's really cut back on the slime. In fact, she's almost down to her natural body shape.

Apparently satisfied, the elf steps back, releasing me from her embrace. I get the sense that I need to say something here—but it should probably be more than just my go to compliment.

"You look elegant in that dress, Epsilon," I say; since it's because of my words that she's changed her appearance, I might as well give her some encouragement for it.

"Oh~ Lord Shadow!" She hugs me again, even more tightly this time. The elf inhales deeply as she buries her face into my shirt.

"Smells… Amazing…" I hear her mutter to herself.

Ah, maybe I should have turned my hearing down for that.

"Good night, Epsilon."

She steps back, her face beaming with an almost visible glow as she smiles.

"Good night, master."

I see my fifth shade off as she effortlessly slides into her slimesuit and steps off the building, morphing into the night. I descend to the streets myself, still wearing my casual shirt and pants from earlier.

I spend some time walking around the darkened streets, the yellow glow of the lamps providing adequately moody lighting. It seems there's much less business for me to interfere in, even at night, thanks to the activities of Shadow Garden. I probably won't stumble upon a perfect scenario; but I do have some time to think.

The night, as they say, is still young. Thanks to my brilliant plan which allowed me to see myself perform from the sidelines, I also got to see something that intrigued me. Alexia looked like she was trying her best to imitate my sword style. She has grown as a main character, but I think it's time to give her a little push…

Yes, I think that will do nicely for tonight. I bend my knees and push, leaping up to the top of the nearest building, some four stories above the ground. With a mere thought, my outfit morphs into my beloved Shadow outfit.

A plan forms instantly in my mind. To pull it off perfectly, I'll need some assistance.

At least one of the so-called 'named numbers'—the top 24 members of Shadow Garden—was assigned to me at all times. Occasionally, I would tell them to relax and take the day off if I had no greater plans to enact. Other times I would take them on a little vacation myself, destroying nearby high value targets or bases. One of the benefits I had discovered after I started paying attention to what my shadow's told me: there were plenty of bad guys for me to have fun with.

I close my eyes, focusing solely on my magic as I reach out my senses.

Let's see who it is tonight… Ah, Epsilon's subordinates, of course. They almost had the appearance of main characters when I last saw them; so perhaps I can spend a little time with them tonight.

"Kai. Omega."

There's a flash of movement in the distance, before two dark shapes manifest in front of me.

Black clothes, lined with gold highlights, each of a very fashionable design. Ahh, I'm glad they've put serious effort into something so important.

"Lord Shadow," the pair says in unison, kneeling with their heads bowed. Kai, on the left, has short blonde hair, which falls over her right eye, hiding the stylish black eyepatch she wears there. On the right is Omega, who also has short, dark purple hair, along with the tan skin of a dark elf. She has mismatched eyes, blue and gold—which is a dead ringer for a protagonist.

Together, both resemble what one might call the tomboy archetype. Aesthetically, I would agree that it's a pleasing sight.

"I have a task for the two of you to perform tonight. It is essential for the fulfillment of my greater plans. It may seem insignificant, or perhaps even pointless; however, rest assured that it is only the first echo of what will become a cascading cataclysm of calamity."

"... Yes, Lord Shadow," they reply. I wait a beat, but they continue to kneel, their gazes downcast.

Hmm… They're oddly quiet. Perhaps they've still got 'first day on the job' nerves?

"Rise."

The two are up in an instant, meeting my eyes with apparent hesitation. I step closer.

"Omega…"

"Sir!"

There's the influence of their drill instructor—Lambda.

"Why do we hide in the shadows?"

The tall, boyish elf glances to her companion for a split second—before standing even more rigid, her voice surprisingly feminine.

"My lord, we lurk in the shadows so we can hunt down shadows."
Ah, yes. That throwaway line that my subordinates took to be their motto. It's not a bad line… As long as you don't examine it too closely.

"That is correct, Omega."

I can see her chest rise and fall as she releases a deep breath.

"However, there is more to it than that."

There's that stiffness again. I would almost find it amusing, if they weren't taking this so seriously. I suppose I should not say that without too much irony, considering I was the one not taking things seriously enough until recently.

"The shadows are more than just a way of hiding. They should be to you as the warm sun is to a beach-goer; the way a favorable wind is to a sailor over calm waters. You are the darkness that trails us when we walk into the light. They are your comfort, your home."

I pause, letting a perfectly timed breeze flutter around us, causing my cape to billow and flail.

"So there's no need to be nervous out here, in the deep of night. It is our enemy who should be afraid."

I look between the two of them.

"Very, very afraid. Because we are the monsters that stalk their nightmares; the secret fears that lurk hidden in their unconscious thoughts. We are the point and the shape of the tooth; the dagger that cuts apart the greedy, the corrupt, and the vainglorious."

Damn, that was a good speech. I should have Eta make a recorder.

I give the pair a serious look. "Do you understand, my shadows?"

They nod eagerly—and there's even the hint of a smile on their faces. Exactly what I was looking for.

"Good. In time, as named Shadows, I will impart more of my Shadow Wisdom upon you."

At that, the two of them perk up even more. Having seen what new members are put through, it's rather apparent that they put a very high value on every word I say.

"We will do anything you ask of us, Lord Shadow," Kai says. "Our limits exist only to be broken by enacting your will."

Well… I'm afraid what I have in mind for tonight won't be so glorious—for the two of them, anyway. Although, I could ask them…

"Kai. Omega."

I deepen my voice, looking out toward the glowing city lights.

"How would you feel about training a princess in the ways of shadows?"

"... If that is what you wish, my lord," Omega responds with some lingering hesitation, or perhaps confusion, covering for Kai who appears a bit surprised.
"It is. But first, she must prove that she is worthy."

The dark elf nods. "Of course, my lord. Whatever fate you wish upon her, we will see it done."

"Indeed. Such is my will."

I wave them to come closer, my voice lowering as I impart my secret orders.

"This is what shall be done…"

The two listen intently, bowing when I finish and then hurrying away to accomplish their task.

As for myself: well, it's about time for the next show.

Let's see how well you do against me, Alexia.

… So, as you can probably tell from the chapter title, this was going to be a single chapter but it started dragging on way too long. Part two will finish off Alexia and then do Zeta's one-on-one with the master.

After that, I've got ideas for three or more chapters, but no promises. If it's not already obvious, I focus almost entirely on characters over plot, so there's not going to be too much development or departure from canon

(someone sent me death threats over calling Alexia a harpy in the first chapter, so i made sure to do it again in this one)