*/*/*
Hakuno's feet still ached with a dull throb the next day, and she took a moment to indulge in imagining how she might consider murdering her Servant.
Well, she would have killed the bastard if she didn't need him. Or if Hakuno had truly had violent tendencies. Instead, she got herself ready for the day, deciding to start off in the library. There was likely little information on high school looking fox girls, but this way she could at least say she tried.
Hakuno was rewarded for her diligence with an unexpected sight. Rin and Sakagami were facing each other down. While they were both standing still and imperious, she felt like they were circling each other. Testing defenses, looking for an opening to strike.
Makes me think of hissing cats. Think the claws will come out, Master?
That's a fool's bet, Lancer Hakuno might be a last rate Magus but that had no bearing on her ability to read this situation.
Ha! Good lass, calling me out. Now to see if we can't get that spine to show up in combat.
They'd come in the middle of this conversation. Or spat would be a more applicable word. "You're going around acting like you're some big important Master. All I'm saying is that I'm not impressed" Sakagami scoffed. "Isn't Tousaka supposed to be some big ass name? You certainly don't fit the reputation".
"How cute, you actually believe that. I suppose every war has its fools and weaklings. If that's the best you can do as a threat, I doubt I'll even have to bother making plans for you. You'll be dead before I'd even need to try". With a toss of her hair over her shoulder, Rin walked off, the click of her heels echoing with confidence. Her back was exposed but Rin didn't consider Sakagami a threat, even with the time frame he'd have before being 'scolded' by the system if he attacked her now. To Rin, he was just that far beneath her.
"Tch. She's more of a demon princess than you". These words were apparently aimed at the invisible Saber, the flush of Hakuno's opponent's cheeks showing how frustrated he was at being so easily dismissed.
Odd turn of phrase. There's more… direct ways of saying that. Boss lady, I think we just caught something important. Hakuno could feel Lancer's grin, her Servant just as eager to avoid a repeat of their last encounter. Still, this also proved that Lancer was a sharp one. Hakuno hadn't even considered that.
Sakagami turned with a strange look on his face. Seeming almost confused by his own words and actions. The moment passed and he was back to his snide self. As Hakuno wasn't hiding, she was spotted in an instant. Sakagami knew she'd heard something, although he wouldn't be sure just how long Hakuno'd been standing there. "Hmph". The black clad asshole just walked down the hallway. His only other acknowledgement of her existence was the impact of his shoulder against hers as he came alongside her. Enough to be rude, but unfortunately not enough to have the system recognize it as an attack.
Something Hakuno could only call a snarl resounded in her mind, the aura of menace as sharp as the spear she could almost hear Lancer tightening his grip on. Sakagami ignored this if he even felt it, disappearing down the hallway.
Bastard. We'll get him, Master. Just you wait. The beep of her terminal followed Lancer's words. MATRIX UPDATED. LEVEL 2 UNLOCKED. On the screen, in the section labeled 'Key Word' there was the new addition of 'Demon Princess'. The words were even a link, offering more information. A tap opened a new page Hakuno had not seen before. 'Title bestowed on the beloved daughter of one of the Demon Kings of the many Heavens' the page offered. Hakuno did not need to see Lancer to feel the feral grin on his face. Looky looky. We've got the vixen's trail. A little more and we'll catch ourselves a fox by its mangy tail.
Hakuno nodded her agreement. Better than searching the library's records on magical high school fox girls.
You'd see things that would burn even my eyes searching things like that carelessly. I am very deliberately not thinking too hard on this. I need to get it out of my head before I fail, Master. I do not want to complete this thought! Arena time! Stat!
"It's probably best I don't know what you're avoiding so badly. Let's get going then." She still had catching up to do. Hakuno would close the gap between her abilities and Sakagami's.
Am I the corrupting influence in this relationship?! Master! Please tell me you're not some innocent cinnamon roll!
"Of course not, I'm not food."
Master! I can't even tell if you're just being sarcastic or not with that look on your face!
"Still, probably for the best we overheard that. I'd have probably just found a bunch of Hentai with what little we had to go on before."
Aaaaaaargh! I thought about it!
*/*/*
Training in the Arena was uneventful and the unstoppable clock of the SERAPH moved forwards towards the next day. It was morning and far too early for shenanigans as far as Hakuno was concerned. The only reason she was even out of her room was in search of breakfast and whatever amounted to sugar and caffeine on the Moon Cell. Naturally, she would run into a crowd of students right by the staircase. It was far too early for socialization. Within this crowd of Masters and NPCs there was someone that stood out. It was more accurate to say that something about him drew the eyes of everyone around him. The blonde's imperious gaze fell on her and the crowd seemed to part to allow his interest to be uninterrupted. "I remember you from before," his greeting was accompanied by a smile. It was warm yet it felt fake, as if it had been painted on his face by an artist who'd only ever read what a smile was meant to be. "I was in your class briefly in the prelims. I am Leo Harway, in case you forgot."
There was a palpable aura to him. A force to his presence. It was only further enforced by the tall man off to his side. The unknown was clad in armor, complete with a sword on his hip. The accompanying aura was unmistakable. A Servant!
"Oh, how rude of me not to include him. Gawain, you should introduce yourself" Leo gestures the Servant forwards.
Obediently, the knight stepped forwards and offered a dip of his head with an arm across his chest. "I am his Servant, Gawain. I hope you prove a worthy opponent." A truly shining example of knighthood, with a similar bearing to his Master.
Hakuno was sure her expression was either dumbfounded or one that expressed how much of an idiot she felt Leo was being. Perhaps a mix of both. She did not have a mirror to check. Gawain was a knight of the Round Table, said to rival King Arthur in battle with a sword that mirrored Excalibur in power. A Saber Servant, much like the opponent she was facing now. Why in hell would Leo just give her this much information? It would be so easy to research Gawain further and find a weakness.
Little boy doesn't think we're a threat. Is amadán ceart é. Lancer felt like his invisible face was sneering. Hakuno really did need to remember to find out what language he kept using. Her attention turned back to Leo who seemed unconcerned with how much he'd given her or her lapse in attention. Hakuno came to the realization Leo believed himself above all this. Why use subtlety or tactics or ticks? In Leo's eyes, his victory was all but assured.
"Fight well in your upcoming battle. I hope to see you again." Then Leo was gone, taking that air of superiority with him.
Why can no one we meet be normal? Hakuno's lament was only emphasized by Rin coming up, her eyes hard as gemstones.
"Leo." The name was nearly spat out, as if it left a foul taste in Rin's mouth. "I knew The Harways would be here, but putting their little prince on the line? They must really believe in their victory." Tousaka took a moment to consider. "It must be the Holy Grail. The .PH. is a threat to their plutocracy." Rin's gaze went over, as if just remembering that Hakuno was present. Yet, even in this acknowledgement, Hakuno felt Rin's words were not really meant for anyone else. Rather Hakuno was just the sounding board as Rin vented. "Oh well. Things just got more interesting." And Rin was gone again.
And why does it seem like people keep telling me things for no reason?
Maybe you've got a bit of Charisma of your own, Master. Gotta make up for your E rank luck somehow. All these big players are taking notice of you. It's not going to stay this pleasant. You're lucky I've a little experience being a guard!
Her Servant got one of her deadpan stares in response. It was still too early for all this. 'No shenanigans until Hakuno had coffee or sugar' should be a .PH. enforced rule damnit.
Hakuno resumed her previously interrupted quest for something sweet to eat and wake her up. A trip to the commissary solved her problem, and about an hour later she was no longer morning zombie. Or at least she could more properly resemble a functioning adult. Hakuno's acting skills would be flawless by the end of this war at this rate. Back up the stairs she went, aiming for the library. She had new information to dive into after all. There were a few religions that had multiple heavens. Looking into those would be a good start.
Hakuno gathered various books and records then sat to read. Not having much in the way of memories, of course she thought she would research like a normal person. It was soon evident however that books and knowledge were one of her vices. Master. She wrote down some ideas to follow up on. Masssteeerrrrr. Wonder how the Moon Cell replicated the feeling of a book so well. Hakuno could almost believe it was the real thing. Lass! A feeling of her ear being tugged brought Hakuno sharply out of her literary world. Welcome back, boss lady. Did you enjoy your trip? You've been going through those books like a woman possessed for hours now.
Wait, what? Hours?! Hakuno looked about the library, finding that the only person still in here from when she'd begun was the librarian NPC. As that particular character never moved, they were not a way to measure the time. Her terminal was more useful than the surrounding bodies. It echoed what Lancer had told her. It was evening?! When had that happened?!
Did you at least get anything useful out of all this? The motion of Lancer's hand indicating the pile of resources might've been invisible, but Hakuno sensed it all the same.
I need a bit more Hakuno admitted with a sigh. There's got to be a way to narrow this down. Did you notice anything? A Skill maybe? Or magic? I know that fight was short… Was she hoping for too much? It would be foolish to think the opponent they'd faced had revealed so much so soon, right?
Lancer gave a considering pause, just long enough for Hakuno to think he was going to let her down easily. I did actually, Master. The little vixen tried something as she attacked. I felt something clawing at me. Like it was trying to dig hooks into my skin. Felt it in my head too, trying to change my view of her. I think I'd have been nothing more than a besotted fish on the wench's line if it had worked. My innate Magic Resistance saved my ass. Another pause. Hakuno imagined Lancer shifting his position to something more thoughtful. Now that I think on it more, I only really felt it when our eyes met. Whenever direct eye contact broke, the nasty feeling stopped.
So, you'd say she was trying to manipulate your desires through eye contact? Hakuno's own eyes went bright, her hands already shuffling through the research pile. The fact that Lancer had felt that while she herself hadn't was another clue in itself.
A much more precise way of putting it, sure. You sound like you have an idea. Hakuno's response was to shove a book towards where she approximated Lancer's face to be.
'The "Heaven of the Devil King" resides in the highest (sixth) heavenly realm in the World of Desire, the first of three worlds in the Three Fold World. It is said that this devil king, and the beings residing in the sixth heaven of the World of Desire, enjoy making free use of the desires of others to manipulate and control others according to their own will.' (NSM April 1996, p.16)
Lancer's impressed whistle had Hakuno grinning. I'll be damned. Those fools gave us more than they realized. Hakuno's terminal beeped. MATRIX LEVEL 2 UPDATED. Sure enough, the More Information option on the Key Word 'Demon Princess' had changed. 'Title bestowed on the beloved daughter of the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven sent to make a land of demons. Instead, she went on many adventures, though her romance ended in tragedy'. We should brace ourselves to see pigs flying outside the window Master. Your hard work was actually rewarded by the Moon Cell.
Hakuno mulled over what to do next. Perhaps look into the Sixth Heaven, the Demon King, and anything this library might hold on his children. But first, she should put all this mess away. Records were diligently put back into their places. Except, when Hakuno got to the section where she might find out more about the Sixth Heaven and its king… there was nothing. Instead, there was a conspicuous gap where a book might have once been. Outside of breakfast Hakuno had been here all day. While she might have been absorbed in research, Lancer had been watching. Even as her mind touched his, before the question could even form in her thoughts, she got the mental image of Lancer shaking his head. I didn't see anyone walk out with anything like that. The librarian NPC likes to announce loudly what they're checking out. And there's only one door. Unfortunately, there was plenty of time Hakuno had also not been in the library. She also had a good guess as to who might have removed this and why.
Her thoughts consumed her so much that the librarian NPC's polite cough as she passed sent Hakuno upwards a few feet. "Pardon. I do not believe you noticed the announcement while researching." The NPC took Hakuno's clueless blink and attempts to calm her heart rate as a no. "The Chapel is now open to perform Alterations of the Soul".
"What is an Alteration of the Soul?" Hakuno understood all the words individually, but together they created an unknown concept.
"I do not have this information. Please proceed to the Chapel to ask further questions." Of course, the NPC here was merely tasked with monitoring the Library. She mentally poked Lancer.
Not a clue! We might as well go find out his answer was the obvious solution. A walk would help shake off the lingering fuzz of Hakuno's research high, she conceded. Plus, it may help her to think of how to address the missing book. Hakuno straightened her skirt, smoothing away any lingering signs of being startled earlier. If nothing else, this would give her a nice study break.