A few weeks had passed since the events in Hong Kong, and the Valkyries under Sr. Freya were in the midst of their theoretical and practical exams. For students like Fu Hua, Bronya, and Mei, it was nothing to worry about, but for Kiana, it was hell.
The sound of the clock echoed in the classroom as all the students sat in silence taking the test. Kiana silently glanced at Bronya, who was to her left, and noticed the Russian girl answering the questions quickly. After a few seconds, Bronya noticed Kiana staring and hid her paper while sticking her tongue out, prompting Kiana to pout.
Kiana felt someone staring at her back, as if the person's gaze was burning behind her head.
A few seconds later, Fu Hua walked past Kiana, giving her a disapproving look. Fu Hua then went over to Himeko's desk, who was observing the students taking the exam.
"Oh, finished already? Was expecting someone like you," Fu Hua nodded at Himeko as she left the classroom. After the incident in the infirmary, Fu Hua couldn't look Himeko and Theresa in the eyes; it was truly embarrassing, even though it wasn't Fu Hua's fault.
Kiana blinked as she watched Fu Hua leave the classroom.
So, it was Fu Hua who was staring at my back... what does she think I was doing? I'm not cheating, just... confirming the answers...
Kiana looked at her test and saw only 2 questions answered —out of 20— and it had already been 2 hours since they started.
Kiana slouched in her chair, unsure of what to do. Himeko had given everyone 2 hour to complete the test, and looking at the clock, there wasn't much time left.
"What do I do..." Kiana rested her head on her test while her arms 'hugged' her head.
A few minutes passed, and Bronya stood up to submit her test to Himeko. Less than 20 seconds later, Kiana noticed Mei near her desk.
Kiana blinked at Mei as the heiress walked past her.
Mei only showed an expression of sympathy while giving Kiana a somewhat restrained smile.
Kiana reached out to Mei as if asking for help, but Himeko noticed what the girl was doing.
"Kiana, look at your test!" Himeko spoke loudly, causing some students to glance at Kiana, leaving the Kaslana girl embarrassed.
Aunt Himeko, that was cruel...
Kiana looked at the test and sighed, deciding to try to answer something. After all, it wouldn't be some stupid test that would stop a Kaslana!
As Kiana picked up the pencil to respond, Himeko clapped her hands together, making a clapping sound and grabbing the students' attention.
"Alright, class, time's up! Hand in your tests, and you're free to go. The results will be ready, and the reviews will be tomorrow," Himeko heard some students complaining, but everyone started to get up and hand in their exams to her.
Kiana blinked and looked at her test, then rested her forehead on the paper, feeling the urge to cry.
Stupid test...
Himeko noticed Kiana's state and sighed.
"What am I going to do with you, Kiana..."
...
The small group of Valkyries was returning to Himeko's apartment after the test. Mei and Bronya noticed that Kiana had a negative aura around her head.
"Kiana-chan, are you okay?" Mei Raiden asked, concerned about her friend. Lately, Kiana had been acting less like 'Kiana'.
" I'm fine, Mei," the Kaslana girl replied, but Kiana's response wasn't very convincing.
"Said Kiana is sad because she did poorly on the test, as expected since Said Kiana didn't study at all," hearing Bronya's words, Mei's face showed a mix of concern and reproach.
Kiana looked at Bronya with narrowed eyes, but the Russian girl just maintained her stoic expression and ignored Kiana's gaze.
"Kiana, this test was important. Professor Himeko warned us the entire semester and gave us plenty of time to study. You know this test will be used as our ranking to move up as Valkyries, right?" Mei asked, concerned for Kiana, and the girl's reaction didn't instill much confidence.
The girls were climbing the stairs as they continued their conversation.
Kiana scratched her cheek, unsure of what to do. "Well, it doesn't matter. I still have the practical test, so it's fine."
Mei and Bronya looked at each other and then at Kiana.
"Individual Kiana isn't exactly wrong, but..." Kiana blinked as Bronya stopped speaking.
"But?" Kiana said, confused.
"Well, it's true that you can still qualify with the practical test, but it will look bad on your record, Kiana," Mei clarified, addressing Kiana's uncertainty.
Two small Kianas appeared on Kiana's shoulders. The little Kiana on the left was dressed as an angel, and the one on the right as a devil.
"Why does it matter? In the end, we're Rank S Valkyries; we don't need to prove our skills to anyone!" The little Kiana(devil) whispered into the main Kiana's ear.
The little Kiana(angel) disagreed with her counterpart's statement.
"Don't listen to her. We have to show that we are capable for the job, and if we perform poorly in evaluations, it won't help," the little Kiana(angel) whispered into the other ear of the main Kiana while sitting on her shoulders and swinging her legs.
The main Kiana put her hand on her chin while pondering.
If I do poorly, I won't move up in rank, but I'm already a Rank S Valkyrie...
"Remember, if you put in effort, Mei might reward you with a feast!" The little Kiana(angel) said with a devilish smile, and the angel's comment caused a droplet of saliva to fall from Kiana's mouth.
"Cheater!" The little Kiana(devil) shouted in frustration, but the little angel just stuck out her tongue.
Kiana shook her head from side to side, snapping out of her imagination, and a bead of sweat appeared on Mei and Bronya's cheeks.
"Don't worry, Mei. I'll pass the practical test without breaking a sweat," Kiana said with a smile as she leaned against the doorknob of Himeko's apartment.
A grin spread across Kiana's face as she opened the apartment door.
"Now I have to recharge my energy by hugging Senpai!" Kiana swung the door open, expecting to see the foreign man in the apartment, but it was empty.
Kiana blinked and looked around while tossing her bag into the sofa. The Kaslana girl pouted because the man wasn't there.
Several weeks had passed since the events in Hong Kong, and since then, John's presence had become common around the girls. Even Kiana, with time passing, had stopped hating the man and started wanting his company to the point of calling John 'Senpai.' The Kaslana girl noticed that she and John had a lot in common, which made the Valkyrie enjoy the man's company.
And one thing that entered Kiana's life that she couldn't live without was the hugs that made the Valkyrie feel so good. Hugs were the fuel that Kiana now used, even though she denied it when someone questioned the Valkyrie.
"Eh, he's not here..." The Kaslana girl's gaze didn't find the man anywhere.
Mei entered the apartment with a frown on her face.
"Kiana, what did we talk about bothering Mr. John..." Mei scolded Kiana but noticed that the man wasn't there. "Eh, he's not here?"
The Raiden heiress did the same thing Kiana did—pouted.
Bronya looked at the two girls and then at the apartment with an expressionless face.
"It seems that John-Senpai is still busy with his knight training. DaBronya thought it would be over by the time we got here, but it doesn't seem to be the case..." Even though Bronya had no expression on her face, the Russian girl also had a pout.
"Seems so... I guess I better start preparing dinner; Mr. John must come back tired," Mei sighed and went to get her apron to start cooking.
Bronya looked at Mei, "The older sister talks like a wife."
Upon hearing Bronya's words, Mei's face turned as red as a tomato.
"That's not true, Bronya..." Mei felt embarrassed by the comment, "right, Kiana?"
Mei asked Kiana, but it seemed that the Kaslana girl didn't hear. When Mei looked, Kiana was sprawled on the sofa with her mouth open, leaving the Raiden heiress confused.
"Kiana?" Mei called the girl's name, making Bronya look at her, but Kiana's response wasn't what the two girls expected.
"How am I going to recharge my energy without my Senpai... seems like I'll be in energy-saving mode for a while..." Bronya and Mei looked at each other and then at Kiana.
"Hugs... need energy..." Kiana grumbled while placing a pillow over her face to block the light from the lamp hitting her eyes.
A bead of sweat appeared on Mei and Bronya's cheeks.
"She's going to be like this for a while, isn't she?" Mei asked Bronya while listening to Kaslana complaining and grumbling.
The Russian girl simply nodded in agreement.
"DaBronya finds it ironic that Subject Kiana wants John-Senpai's attention; two months ago, Subject Kiana wished for John-Senpai to disappear." Bronya stood in front of the sofa where Kiana was lying. The white-haired girl quickly sat up, knocking the pillow off her face.
"W-what? That's a lie! I don't remember any of that!" Kiana crossed her arms and turned her face, showing a hint of embarrassment. Bronya just tilted her head, and an imaginary big question mark appeared above the Russian girl's head.
"Subject Kiana called John-Senpai a pervert and didn't want a 'man' in the same space as Subject Kiana." Bronya blinked without showing any expression, but a small smile appeared on the corner of the girl's lips.
"Lie! I was referring... to another John, a different John!" Kiana practically shouted in denial, but it seemed that Kaslana's response caught the attention of the Raiden heiress.
"Kiana, we only know one John, and that's John-Senpai." Mei tilted her head, wondering if she knew another person named John, but nothing came to her mind.
Kiana's mouth stuttered as she got caught in her own lie.
"Subject Kiana called him a pervert." The smile on Bronya's face grew a little more.
However, the reaction and response that came from Kiana were different than expected.
"Tsk, seems like he isn't, but it's not for lack of trying." Kiana spoke, showing a pout on her face as she scuffed the floor with the tip of her shoe.
Bronya blinked in surprise, but before questioning, a dark aura grew from the kitchen, causing both the Russian girl and Kaslana to shiver. The two girls turned and noticed Mei Raiden with a dark aura emanating from her body.
"Kiana... what did you do?" Kiana took a step back and turned her face to seek help from Bronya, but the Russian girl was behind Mei, wearing an expressionless look, yet there was a devilish smile on her face.
You brat!
Kiana realized she was in a situation she couldn't escape, so she did what she did best when faced with this kind of trouble.
"~~Can't we solve this situation in another way, don't you think?" Kiana unbuttoned her uniform slightly and struck a suggestive pose.
No one can resist my natural charm. When Mei falls into my trap and gets embarrassed, all I need to do is change the subject. There's no way this can fail!
A wooden spoon met Kiana's forehead.
"Ouch! Mei-Senpai, that hurts..." It didn't work.
"Kiana, what did you do?" Mei said angrily at Kiana's antics.
There was no escape.
"I was making attempts to... test if John-Senpai was really a pervert... so don't worry, we don't have a pervert in our house." Kiana's hands trembled under Mei's stern gaze, and Bronya just blinked.
"E-ehh Mei... I don't like the way you're looking at me..." Kiana took a few steps back. "It was just a test, a test..."
The Raiden heiress took a few steps toward Kiana, causing the Kaslana girl to step back. With each step Mei took closer to Kiana, the white-haired girl felt smaller.
Kiana swallowed her saliva and tried to smile, but even her smile was trembling.
Oh no...
The Tale of the Red Oni and Blue Oni
-11-
A Valkyrie observed St. Freya from a distance as the ship landed.
"So, this is what St. Freya looks like. Didn't expect it to be so beautiful," the Valkyrie was lost in her thoughts, a common occurrence for the woman.
"We are initiating the landing process; please be cautious of friction."
The Valkyrie looked toward the source of the voice and blinked, snapping out of her thoughts.
"I guess I should get my things..." The woman unbuckled her seatbelt and headed toward the luggage storage area, completely ignoring safety procedures as it was recommended to stay in the seat until the landing was complete.
The blonde-haired woman retrieved her luggage and closed the compartment. "I must admit, I'm a bit nervous. I'm not used to these kinds of things," she sighed, her cheeks turning slightly red with embarrassment.
"Giving a lecture in an educational environment with many people seems daunting. I think working for Schicksal is more relaxing than this," Durandal felt embarrassed at the thought of being around a crowd of students.
"I hope not disappoint the students..." a jolt in the ship caused Durandal to lose her balance and fall.
"Kyaa!"
Her luggage fell on top of her. The Valkyrie emerged from the mess of luggage, resembling a cat that had done something wrong but didn't care enough to be bothered.
"The landing was successful. We hope the passengers had a comfortable journey. The doors are now opening; please keep a distance until it's fully open."
Durandal blinked, realizing that the voice was an AI, given its robotic and standardized message. The fact that Durandal was the only person in the area helped deduce that the voice wasn't human. The golden-haired Valkyrie felt a bit sad for taking so long to notice something so simple, but social awareness had never been her strong suit.
"Maybe I should have followed the safety protocols," the light from the open ship door caught the attention of the blonde woman, brightening her vision completely. However, a shadow appeared in front of the Valkyrie, shielding her from the brightness.
Durandal squinted, with one hand on her forehead trying to shield herself from the brightness. Even with the shadow helping, it was still quite bright.
"I'm glad you arrived safely... or rather, without significant damage, Durandal-Sama," Durandal's face took on a feline expression as she blinked in surprise at the voice coming from the woman in front of the ship's door.
"Rita!" Durandal leaped from the debris and ran towards her best friend, hugging and lifting her into the air like a doll, which made the maid smile.
"Fufu, I'm happy to see you too, Bianka. But can you please let me go? I think my ribs are breaking," Rita Rossweisse was completely hunched while being crushed in the blonde woman's embrace.
Durandal noticed that she was squeezing her friend and gently released her onto the metal floor of the ship. "Sorry, I'm a bit nervous."
Rita adjusted her maid uniform and saw the blonde Valkyrie intertwining her fingers in embarrassment.
"I see you still have trouble socializing, Durandal-Sama. I hoped your trip to London would help with that issue," Rita sighed with Durandal's serious personality. Rita had long noticed that the woman had problems socializing, and when she did, she often fell into the trap of her seriousness. Sometimes Rita wasn't sure if the woman was antisocial or just introverted.
"You should try to interact more with people, Durandal-Sama; it will be good for you," the woman dressed as a maid went towards the Valkyrie's luggage.
Durandal sighed, "I try, but whenever I have interactions with other people, it doesn't go as I expected... I'm not good at it."
Rita collected the luggage and handed some to Durandal, who blinked and accepted them. "You just need time; the Valkyries of Schicksal agreed with me that you try and are a great teacher." The maid gave a warm smile to the blonde woman.
Durandal scratched her left cheek, "D-do you think so?" Rita just nodded in confirmation.
"Of course, after all, Durandal-Sama is an S-rank Valkyrie; something like this is expected." Rita walked in front of Durandal with part of the Valkyrie's luggage.
"Rita!" Durandal said with joyful eyes, appreciating her friend's confidence. The maid turned her face and looked at the blonde Valkyrie.
"Come on, Durandal-Sama, you must be tired from the journey and need to rest and prepare for your presentation. I've already heard through the halls of St. Freya that the students are excited for an S-rank Valkyrie to teach them."
Durandal's mood worsened again with a dark cloud and rain on top of her head. Durandal walked slowly, carrying her luggage.
"You're also an S-rank, why not give this lecture in my place?" Durandal made one last attempt to escape the situation, but Rita just smiled at the attempt.
"Nice try, but no," Rita simply smiled, and Durandal just sighed.
"I should have known."
-11-
"Come on, 100 more!" A little girl in gym clothes was sitting on the back of the man doing exercises. The girl wasn't heavy, just chatty.
The man was John, doing some physical training. It wasn't anything extreme or that he hadn't done before, but the fact that the director was shouting in his ear the whole time didn't help.
"Is there any reason you're being my backpack?" John grumbled as he glanced at the director from the corner of his eye. The director seemed to notice this and smiled.
"Of course, we need to train your endurance, but... I'm disappointed. I expected you to be tired by now... boring." Director Theresa pouted while crossing her arms. She hoped for a similar situation to when Kiana, Mei, and Bronya were exhausted in the beginning, but the man had extraordinary physical condition to the point that it raised some doubts in the little girl.
"What did you do before coming to St. Freya?" Theresa noticed that even though the man was sweaty, he showed no signs of fatigue. In fact, John still seemed to have plenty of energy.
The question caught him off guard, causing him to stop doing push-ups, which didn't go unnoticed by the petite director. "My old job was to protect."
Theresa blinked at the response, "So, a bodyguard or something related?"
She moved her leg to the side to get a better view of the man's back and noticed that the muscles were well-developed. But Theresa's reflection didn't last long when John started to stand up, causing her to lose balance.
"Hey, what are you doing? I'm going to fall!" John stood up, causing Theresa to grab into the man's back as a way not to fall on the floor.
John turned his head slightly to the side to observe his 'backpack.'
"I think that's enough; we've been here for hours, and if we miss lunch, you know what will happen," the man started walking towards the exit of the training room, making Theresa blink in doubt.
What Happened? What is he doing... Oh, I almost forgot, Mei will be angry with us.
Theresa just chuckled quietly at the man's concern, which made John raise an eyebrow, looking at the petite director.
"What?" John asked in confusion.
Theresa just wrapped her arms around the man's neck to support herself better, "It's just amusing that your concern is not wanting to see Mei Raiden angry."
John blinked and clicked his tongue, "I just don't want to hear another girl yelling at me."
John's response only made Theresa smile, "Of course..."
When the man carrying the director reached the corridor, they encountered Himeko, who was heading towards the training area.
"Ah," Theresa said on John's back.
"Ah," Himeko said, standing in front of the two.
They all sinned and stared at each other for a few seconds, but Himeko was the one to break the silence.
"I didn't expect you to be training him in the Master Yoda style," Himeko spoke, which brought a smile to the man's lips and a vein pulsating on Theresa's forehead.
"Who are you calling Yoda!" Theresa shouted indignantly at her friend.
Himeko put both hands in front of her body as if holding an invisible shield to protect herself from the director's 'attack.'
"Calm down, no need to shout; I'm right here in front of you." Himeko put her pinkie finger in her ear as if checking if she had gone deaf and then looked at the two. "I just finished grading the tests faster than expected and decided to invite you two for lunch... and if I didn't, Mei would get angry... that girl scares me."
John and Theresa blinked, and the man turned his face to the petite director with a giant smile, causing a bead of sweat to appear on the white-haired woman's cheek.
"What?" Theresa questioned, but John continued to smile, leaving the director a bit uncomfortable.
"I told you, didn't I?" The foreign man's comment irritated the director.
"Shut up..." Theresa muttered and looked at Himeko, drawing the crimson Valkyrie's attention.
"How can Mei scare you? You're a Herrscher now," Himeko's mouth dropped open, and then she scratched the top of her head.
It had been some time since Himeko had become the Herrscher of Flamescion, but things hadn't changed much since the events in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, some security measures had been implemented, similar to those applied to Mei Raiden.
"Whether Herrscher or not, Mei gives chills to everyone when she's angry. It's supernatural," imagining Heir Raiden with a dark aura around her body made John shudder. Theresa just raised an eyebrow.
"Is she that scary? I can't imagine someone as sweet as Mei scaring anyone," Theresa looked up, trying to picture it but couldn't.
...
"Wait, Mei, ouch, ouch, that hurts, sorry..." Kiana tried to run but was being dragged by her legs.
In a desperate attempt, Kaslana used her nails to grasp the floor, but Mei pulled Kiana's legs with so much force that Kaslana's nails tore through the ground.
"Bronya, help me... we've always been friends, right?" Kiana looked at Bronya, who just blinked and waved her hands in a goodbye gesture.
"You rascal!" Kaslana was dragged across the floor by Mei Raiden.
...
"Really, I can't imagine Mei being scary," Theresa spoke in a carefree manner.
Himeko and John just looked at each other.
She doesn't know...
"Well then, shall we go?" John nodded when Himeko called them.
"Well, I think I can have lunch too, I'm tired," the foreign man looked at Theresa with a scowl on his face.
"Tired, you did nothing..." Theresa just shrugged.
"Screaming at you to get things done was quite exhausting," Theresa stuck her tongue out, making John sigh at the older woman's attitude.
Himeko leaned on the man's shoulder, catching his attention.
"You get used to it; she's always been like that," Himeko tried to comfort the man.
"I noticed that..." the foreign man just accepted his situation; there wasn't much to do.
Theresa decided to play along and said, "In patience, learning is. But lazy master, wisdom is clouded."
John and Himeko looked at each other as they walked towards the apartment.
"Of course, Master Yoda," they both said at the same time, but this time it didn't seem to bother Theresa. The petite director looked at Himeko and said,
"How are your Herrscher powers, Himeko? I'm still impressed that you didn't turn into something similar to Mei Raiden…" Himeko blinked and looked at her hand while conjuring a small spark at the tip of her finger.
"It's a bit strange, but I don't feel anything different, no... in fact, I feel amazing," Himeko closed her palm and extinguished the fire, "if you think I'm going to lose control, you're mistaken," Himeko said with a smile.
John observed the crimson woman and said, "Maybe Herrschers act differently in each person..."
The man didn't want to delve too much into it, as he already knew the reason for this event was the same that happened in his home.
"Maybe, but we always have to be cautious. It's an environment we don't know, and we have to be careful," Theresa went from acting like a child to a responsible adult; it was always strange to see.
Himeko sighed, "in that sense, you're right. I can't use my combat suit anymore; every time I try a new one, it shorts out and incinerates. It's frustrating."
John put his hand on his chin thoughtfully, as if having a déjà vu, "It seems like you're too strong for regular suits, Himeko. Have you ever thought about getting a new one? Especially made for you?"
Himeko blinked, "Eh, I never really thought about it... maybe I should talk to Tesla and Einstein."
Theresa frowned at the comment, "that will be expensive... the suits we have are already of high quality. If the suits can't handle your power, I can't even imagine the cost... which is strange because your regular clothes aren't getting destroyed..." Theresa rubbed the tip of her nose, just imagining the production cost.
Himeko looked at Theresa confused, "haven't we received a high amount of investments from other countries? I don't think something like that would be too expensive now."
A vein pulsed on Theresa's forehead with Himeko's nonchalant comment.
"My job as a director isn't just managing, and I'm not just talking about faculty; it's also about the money we receive. I can't just spend without control just because we have a lot of money... Himeko..."
"Tighward," Himeko spat out the words.
"Hey!" Theresa showed a scowl.
"Who's Einstein?" John asked, confused, earning a look from the two women as they entered an elevator.
"Oh, you haven't been introduced yet. Einstein was on a business trip searching for some scientists, but she should be arriving soon." Now that Theresa mentioned it, John remembered someone with that name from his time in Jormungand, but he never met this person or at least doesn't remember meeting them.
"Speaking of trips, Durandal arrives today, right?" Theresa asked Himeko, who grabbed her phone to check.
"She should have already arrived. Do you want me to send someone to pick her up?" Himeko asked, but Theresa declined, shaking her head.
"No, let her rest; it was a long journey." The petite director commented, and Himeko just nodded.
But John, upon hearing the name, widened his eyes.
…
Durandal... Bianka... Kiana... I wonder if you are the same person I know or someone completely different...
The elevator door opened, revealing Fu Hua, who blinked at what she saw.
"Why is Director Theresa on John's back?"
-11-
"Rita, do you always go this far?" Durandal asked, looking around the meticulously arranged room.
Rita chuckled while organizing the clothes. "I always strive to provide the best for you, Durandal-Sama. It's my duty and pleasure."
Durandal tilted her head with a puzzled expression. "But isn't this a bit too much? I'd be fine with a simple room."
Rita finished her task and turned to Durandal with a warm smile. "You deserve a comfortable and welcoming space, especially after your journey. It's the least I can do."
Durandal sighed in a mix of appreciation and slight embarrassment. "Well, thank you, Rita. I appreciate the effort."
The maid nodded. "You're welcome, Durandal-Sama. If there's anything else you need, feel free to let me know."
Durandal watched Rita leave the room before settling in, still amazed at the transformation of the space. She wondered how much effort and care Rita put into making her feel at home.
A maid opened the apartment door, followed by the blonde valkyrie who couldn't see much due to the darkness.
The maid turned on the lights and looked at the blonde valkyrie.
"Here you go, Durandal-Sama. I hope it meets your approval," Rita bowed with her hand, placing the luggage on the floor.
Durandal looked around with her mouth open, as if impressed. "Wow... everything is so organized and clean."
Rita chuckled at the blonde's reaction.
"Fufu, I've prepared your room, Durandal-Sama. You deserve nothing but the best." The room wasn't really messy before the maid arrived, but Rita decided to decorate and organize the personality-lacking room assigned to Durandal. She added some artworks, books, and high-quality sheets.
Durandal looked at Rita with a half-smile, seemingly embarrassed that the maid had gone through the trouble.
"Rita, there's no need to do something like this. I'd be content with the basics," Durandal placed the rest of her luggage on the floor as she sat on the bed.
Rita simply ignored her and wasted no time in unpacking Durandal's clothes, efficiently placing them in the wardrobe.
Durandal blinked, realizing she was being ignored, and just sat on the bed like a child watching her mother put away clothes.
"I guess I got ignored," Durandal watched Rita work. The maid hummed a song unfamiliar to the blonde valkyrie.
The blonde valkyrie decided to ask her best friend something.
"Rita, how are the students? Do you think I'll have any trouble teaching?" Durandal asked, intertwining two fingers, indicating her nervousness.
Rita turned to the blonde valkyrie and placed a hand on her cheek, pondering. "You'll do fine, and don't worry. It's not much different from what you experienced in London, the students won't give you trouble, but..."
A question mark appeared in Durandal's mind when Rita suddenly stopped talking.
"But?" Durandal asked in doubt.
Rita looked at the blonde valkyrie and smiled.
"There's a group of students that show incredible potential, the V division led by Himeko. You should keep an eye on them..." Durandal blinked at what Rita said. The maid wouldn't say something like that if she hadn't seen potential in the trainee valkyries.
"If you say so, then I'll keep an eye on the V division..." The noise of someone knocking on the door caught the attention of the two women in the room.
"He arrived early..." Rita murmured as she walked towards the door.
Durandal tilted her head in confusion while watching Rita go to answer it.
"Early? Were you expecting someone?" Rita didn't answer; Durandal heard the maid talking to someone with a voice quite familiar to her.
A few seconds later, a man wearing high-quality clothes with blond hair tied in a ponytail leaned on his right shoulder entered. Seeing the man, Durandal's eyes widened, and the valkyrie quickly stood up from the bed and bowed to the man.
"Lord Otto! It's a pleasure to have your presence here!"
The presence of the man in her room caught Durandal off guard, but he just showed a smile at the corner of his lips.
"No need to be so formal, Durandal-san. I won't stay long; I just came to check if you're comfortable with the accommodation."
Durandal blinked, not expecting something like this.
"Oh, I couldn't ask for more. Rita prepared the accommodation, but I feel a bit bad for causing so much trouble." Durandal looked at her shoes, feeling a bit embarrassed.
A smile appeared on Otto's face.
"Do not worry, make yourself at home." The man grabbed a chair and placed it in front of Durandal, taking a seat.
"Lord Otto?" The blonde woman looked puzzled.
"Durandal-san, I have a mission for you here at St. Freya; it's something of the utmost secrecy that I could only entrust to you." Durandal blinked again as she looked at the blonde man and then at Rita, who just smiled.
If it's something secretive, it must be important...
"My services are at your disposal, Lord Otto." A smile appeared on the man's lips upon hearing the woman's words.
"Well, Durandal, I would like you to observe someone."
-11-
When the small group arrived at Himeko's apartment, they were greeted by an unusual sight. The place was a mess, as if a war had taken place there. Bronya was lying on the sofa, which was turned with its face to the floor. Kiana was in a Japanese kneeling pose, holding a sign that read 'troublesome girl,' with some tears in her eyes as she mumbled something.
"I already apologized... there was no need to be so mean, Mei-Senpai," Kiana said with tears in her eyes while holding the sign.
Mei was setting the dinner table when she stopped and looked at Kiana with narrowed eyes, making the Kaslana girl tremble and fall silent.
Mei noticed that someone had arrived at the apartment. When the heiress turned her head, she found the people she was waiting for.
"Oh, you arrived early. I'm still setting the dinner table; you can take a bath if you want. It will take a little while. Please don't mind the mess; I was having some difficulties," Mei looked at Kiana for a second, making the Kaslana girl look away, and then Mei smiled as she returned her attention to the group.
"Dinner will be ready soon." Despite Mei Raiden having an angelic smile on her face, a shiver ran down the group's spine.
Before anyone could say anything, Mei's gaze stopped at John and Theresa. The purple-haired girl blinked.
"Why is Director Theresa on John-Senpai's back?" John and Theresa blinked as they snapped out of their trance.
The man bent down and put Theresa on the ground, cracking some bones in his neck, causing a frown to appear on Mei's face.
"Senpai, what did I say about doing something like this? It's dangerous! You might end up having an accident..." John sighed at the woman's concern.
"What did I say about calling me that, Raiden? Just call me John." Since the incident in Hong Kong, Mei Raiden wasn't acting as cautious around the man as she did when they first met, which made John uncomfortable, as Mei Raiden's recent behavior reminded him a lot of someone – his best friend, who had the same name and a similar appearance.
The frown on Mei's face only intensified. "You're older than us, and I like calling you that. It sounds nice. And what did we talk about you calling me by my last name? I thought we were past that phase..."
For some reason, Mei getting called by her last name made her cranky, as if the fact that the man referred to Mei in such a formal way irritated her.
"I forgot... Do you need help with dinner?" John offered to help, but the heiress declined.
"No~ You just came back from your knight training, and you must be tired. Go take a shower, and by the time you return, dinner should be ready." John sighed again. Mei's change of attitude... no, the whole group's change had been quite significant in such a short time, as if they had become more comfortable with the man's presence. This left a sour taste in John's mouth.
My fear was this... them getting attached...
The foreign man walked lazily toward the bathroom, but when he passed by Mei, he said something that made the heiress's mouth drop in disbelief and embarrassment.
"You talk like a wife." Mei's face turned red, and she stammered, but not a word was uttered.
"What?! Senpai?!" The man had already entered the bathroom, but Mei could swear she saw a half-smile of provocation on the foreign man's lips.
A half-smile appeared on Himeko's face as she closed the door.
"You know, has anyone ever told you that you're easy to tease, Mei?" Himeko said as she walked towards the sofa and stopped in front of Bronya, who stopped looking at her handheld console and raised an eyebrow at Himeko.
"Do you think so?" Mei had returned to her normal state while setting the table.
The Crimson Valkyrie pushed Bronya off the sofa, making the Russian girl fall to the floor.
"Ouch..." Himeko smiled as she flipped the sofa back over and placed it in its original position.
Fu Hua and Theresa walked into the room, a sweat drop appearing on the director's face.
"What happened here?" The petite director said in confusion while observing Fu Hua putting the scattered items back in their places.
Bronya got up from the floor, brushed off the dirt from her clothes, and decided to respond to the director.
"Kiana was punished for her perverted actions." Bronya picked up the armchair that had fallen to the floor and placed it back in its spot before sitting down, "Subject Kiana tried to escape but was unsuccessful, as expected..."
The Russian girl, now seated in the armchair, began playing again on her handheld console.
Fu Hua and Theresa blinked at this.
"Perverted actions?" Both women spoke simultaneously.
Himeko raised an eyebrow and turned her head to Kiana, but the girl was no longer in the room, leaving the Crimson Valkyrie confused, wondering where the girl had gone.
Mei was setting the food on the table and then clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention.
"Let's not talk about it anymore; it's something that already happened, and we don't want to dwell on it, right, Kiana?" Mei had a smile on her face and her eyes closed, waiting for the girl's response, but the heiress was met with silence.
"Kiana?" Mei opened her eyes and looked in Kiana's direction, but Kiana was not there. The only thing found was the sign Mei gave the girl as punishment.
Fu Hua cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention in the room.
"Kiana left when you weren't looking, and it's been a while." Fu Hua's explanation made Mei blink, and Himeko had a frown on her face. Knowing Kiana, the girl was probably looking for trouble.
"But where did she go?" Mei looked at Bronya, who just raised her eyes from her handheld console.
"Bronya did not see where Subject Kiana went, apologies, Mei elder sister." Although Bronya apologized, Mei noticed that the girl was not really apologizing, just trying to divert attention away from herself to get back to playing, and that's precisely what the Russian girl did.
Trying only to divert attention from herself to resume playing, and that's precisely what the Russian girl did.
Before the Heiress Raiden could say anything, Theresa spoke first.
"I saw my niece heading towards the bathroom..." Everyone blinked upon hearing this. If Kiana went towards the bathroom, and John was inside, it meant...
Himeko clicked her tongue. "That brat!"
…
In Himeko's apartment bathroom, the foreign man was in the shower, feeling the cold water fall on his face.
Someone seized the opportunity to enter the bathroom, even though the door was locked; the girl who invaded the bathroom already had experience with such things.
Kiana walked into the bathroom with light steps and a smile on her face. When she saw the muscular back of the man, her smile grew even wider.
It seems that her experience in opening Mei's locked bedroom door was quite useful~
"Senpai, let me wash your back!" Kiana practically jumped, hugging the man named John from behind.
?!
But what Kiana didn't expect was that the shower water was cold.
The Kaslana girl jumped in surprise, slipped, and fell on the floor, knocking over some hygiene products.
"Cold!" Kiana screamed in shock.
The man turned to the Kaslana girl and saw her in her underwear, sitting on the floor and rubbing her backside due to the fall.
"What are you doing here, Kaslana?" Kiana raised her face, expecting to see the foreign man undressed, but John had a towel wrapped around his waist.
Kiana had a smile on her face, but the moment she noticed that the man wasn't in the state Kaslana expected, the smile disappeared.
A pout appeared on the girl's face, "no fun."
Kiana's underwear was wet due to the fall.
"So, you wanted to come in here to see me in the bath but didn't have the courage to stay in a similar situation, huh?" The white-haired girl's cheeks turned red.
"W-what?! I'm not scared, you'll see!" Kiana began the process of removing her bra, but John stopped the girl by holding her wrist.
The white-haired girl's face turned even redder, but Kaslana didn't lift her face to look the man in the eyes.
"There's no need for that, Kaslana. But why are you here?" John noticed that the girl was avoiding his gaze.
The man sighed and took advantage of the fact that the white-haired girl was distracted. He grabbed his lower clothes and put them on, using the blind spot of Kaslana's eye so as not to be seen.
"I thought you liked girls? Why do you want to peek at a disgusting boy, as you used to say?" Kiana finally raised her face and spoke loudly.
"YOU'RE NOT DISGUSTING!" Kiana shouted at the foreign man, but when she turned her head, John wasn't there. When the white-haired girl turned to look the other way, she saw who she was looking for, but the sight made Kaslana pout.
"How did you get dressed so quickly…" the frustrated girl said.
The girl's comment brought a smile to John's face. It seems Kiana is more honest than she'd like to admit.
John just shook his head with a half-smile as he approached Kiana.
"Sit on that stool; I'll wash your hair and back." Upon hearing the man's words, the white-haired girl's body trembled a bit.
"Okay…" Kiana just agreed as she sat on the stool, occasionally looking back to get a glimpse of the man.
Cold water was poured over Kiana's head, making her shiver in surprise.
"Cold!" Kiana almost jumped off the stool, but John held onto the girl's shoulder to prevent another mishap.
"Don't be a spoiled girl," John poured a little more water on Kiana's head, but this time, the girl was already expecting it.
"I'm not spoiled… and why do you take a shower with cold water? You know we have a water heater, right?" Kiana looked at the man by the corner of her eye and then looked down at her feet while bringing them together to lean against.
"I like it," was the man's response, there was no specific reason; it was something simple.
Kiana blinked at the answer, "Like it? How?"
John started washing Kiana's back, making the girl a little nervous. Feeling the man's hands scrubbing her back, her body trembled a bit.
Those strong hands… it's not something I would imagine from a girl, but John-Senpai is a man…
"So, can you tell me, why are you here? You know it's not cool invading someone else's privacy," Kiana looked at the man from the corner of her eye and then looked down at her feet, splashing the water that was dripping down into the drain.
"I just wanted to spend some time with you, Senpai…" Kiana felt the man stop scrubbing her back.
John stood still for a few seconds and then spoke.
"That's because I saved you from that Honkai, Kiana… I've said it before; it's not something you need to worry about. You don't owe me anything," Kiana just kept looking at her feet while playing with the water that dripped to the drain.
"That's not it… well, it's almost that… I've never seen something sacrifice itself for someone else without a second thought, even though I didn't like you at the time… Senpai saved me from danger without hesitation or questioning…" Kiana noticed that the bathroom fell silent, making the girl turn her head to look at the reason for her Senpai's silence, but cold water hit Kiana's head.
"Hey!" Kiana removed the excess water from her hair and face, and John just laughed, making Kaslana pout.
"So, do you want to start a new relationship? As if we were meeting for the first time?" Kiana looked at the foreign man and just nodded her head.
"I don't mind, Kaslana. But let's set some boundaries, okay?" John knelt down a bit, showing a smile, but a scowl appeared on Kaslana's face.
"No," John opened his eyes in surprise at the girl's response, but before he could question, a bucket of water was poured over his head.
"You should be grateful! My company is something everyone desires. I won't let you suffer alone, and I won't set any boundaries," Kiana stood up and put her hands on her hips with a pout. John removed the bucket from his head, looked at the completely wet girl, and sighed.
What a persistent girl... but I guess that's her charm.
Before they could do anything, the bathroom door was violently opened, causing both Kiana and the foreign man to jump in surprise.
As they looked to see who it was, the sight of Mei Raiden appeared along with Himeko, and it seemed both women were not happy.
"Uh... I can explain. It was... hot, very hot! So, I decided to take a shower..." The more Kiana spoke, the more the serious aura around Himeko and Mei increased.
John decided to intervene.
"No need to get angry; nothing happened, so..." a chill ran down the man's spine when he noticed the aura increasing. It seemed that the foreign man's words only worsened the situation.
Now, thinking about it, Kiana was only in her underwear, soaked and practically showing her intimate areas, and John was just wearing wet pants that clung to the lower part of his body.
Ah... I think we're done this time...
"Kiana..." John called the girl's name, who slowly looked at the man.
"Yes?" Kiana replied, knowing what the man was going to say.
"It was nice meeting you..." the man simply accepted his fate.
Kiana had the same expression as John, an expression of acceptance.
"I hope we meet in another life, Senpai." Kiana just closed her eyes, and John did the same.
A flame began to grow in Himeko's body, and Mei was holding a large wooden spoon, but a bit of electricity appeared at her fingertips.
-11-
In her S-rank Valkyrie apartment, Durandal was lying on her bed, holding a file with someone's information.
The woman blinked as she flipped to the next page and then placed the information file near her forehead while blinking.
"John... what do you have hidden to the point that someone like Lord Otto is interested?"
-A-
Autor
College is killing me, sorry for the delay.