And just like that, it was over.
Cid was robbed off of his boss battle, super-secret elite agent persona lasted for barely three days, and even the revenge plot happened right at the same time as his own meeting with Blood Queen. At least the agent scheme turned out to be profitable, since girls quickly managed to pick up from his words and plans. And by girls he means both Shades and…
"Well, it seems like I owe you yet another life," mature-looking therianthrope fox-woman smiled seductively at him and fanned her face.
"Don't sweat it. It's not like we didn't try to use each other," his scheme did work out, after all.
"Yes, and I hope you understand that in business…"
"Yeah, business stuff and all that. Just don't try something like that on me again," he certainly doesn't want to double and triple check everything that people around him do.
"M-m-m," she nodded at him with a sly smile, "Now, mister Shadow, do you think we need to try and know each other a bit closer~?"
"Excuse me, miss Yukime," Alpha interjected with a very 'warm' smile, "But you are trying to flirt with someone who is already married," and showed off the ring on her right hand.
"Oh…" fox somewhat faltered, her ears flattened.
"Yeah, just cooperate like business partners and it's gonna be alright," he nodded sagely and quickly disappeared.
Another one to his harem? Nope! Sorry, fox-woman, even though many people like girls with animal features, he still has to say no! Not until he gets his tentacles or any other way to satisfy multiple women at once! And not until he and Shades make an agreement about women, anyway! They also have to pass Claire test!
Oh, this view is quite nice. The moon reflected in water looks especially cool. Don't mind him, he just wants to enjoy the scenery a bit more.
With a sigh he sat on the bridge and looked at river under it.
Well, it's not like this little trip wasn't enjoyable. He got to play a role, and that even was together Violet! He actually helped the girls to expand… yeah, it would have been way easier to just shower them with diamonds and all that stuff, but where's the fun in that? So, yeah, he helped the girls to expand their not-so-little business, and he witnessed the resurrection of Vampire Queen! Speaking of which, where did she go? He didn't see her after his Recovery Atomic, and he already saw it working with example of that wolfman… Who was he, anyway? Eh, doesn't matter, he wants to see this Queen!
Hm, hm, hm… oh, there!
Queen sat down together with Violet, and they seemed to be talking about something, huh? Well, don't mind if he interjects.
"Violet," he called out.
She turned her head, her violet eyes locking onto him. Recognition flashed in her eyes as she smiled.
"Why, hello there, my Gallant Knight," she chuckled, "Please, join us. This girl here," and now towards the Blood Queen, "was very interested to know more about the one who freed her from curse that plagued her kind for so long."
"M-m-m," the petite (no, really, she was like Epsilon before modifications!) girl perked up and stood from her chair.
She slowly walked towards him and curtsied.
"Greetings, kind sir. My name is Elizabeth, the Vampire Progenitor. I have yet to thank you properly for the wonderful gift that graced our race in your mercy."
'Wow, what a sophisticated speech. I can't just lose here, now can I?'
"Pay it no mind, Queen Elizabeth. What I did was merely extending the helping hand to someone in need. We, Shadow Garden, hunt down the shadows, but we also lurk in shadows to find ones in need of salvation."
Yep, that's great! Hams, write it down! Todd, make an Oscar!… Thank you, now place it to the five others!
Also, Queen Elizabeth that is presumably very ancient? Is it time to joke about the eternal queen?
"I see…" Blood Queen half-closed her eyes, "And I presume your party allows for anyone to enter freely so long as they remain loyal and fully commit themselves to the goal?"
"You are spot on," so this is the kind of experience that true rulers have? Damn.
"How interesting… And your party fought against another that wanted to use Diablos?" she leaned in.
"Pretty much," he's not telling anyone he thought it was made-up thing for more than five years.
"And now you have freed Diablos, almost the same way you freed me…" Elizabeth nodded.
He didn't bother answering that.
"You're trying to evade talking about that, right?" Aurora interjected, looking at Elizabeth, "The longer you stall it, the less you would want to pick this topic up in the future."
Elizabeth's eyes widened. Moments after she calmed herself down, sighed, and turned back to Cid.
"You have granted salvation not only to me, but also to our whole race. Your kindness shall not be forgotten, and your mercy shall be repaid in full," she closed her eyes and continued, "And so, if you have any wish regarding my or my race, please speak it. I will do everything in my power, negligible as it may be compared to yours, to make sure it comes true."
"Hmm…" is it that part where they swear loyalty to him?! "I see. Then, there is one thing I may need your help with."
"Please, speak. I shall make sure it is done."
"You see, as much as my Shades are talented, they are still… inexperienced. With my help, they managed to grow into formidable powers even on their own, and an unstoppable power when together, however… They still have much to learn. And I assume you, an Ancient Ruler of Vampires, can give them much needed knowledge and experience that even I may not be able to grant."
Yeah, he needs to give his girls the best! Best equipment, best environment, best teachers! And in the meantime he will also steal a couple or so lessons for himself, he-he.
"Understood…" she curtsied.
Nice, a teacher got! Hold up, another topic!
"Also I wouldn't mind us three to come up together and talk about Blood Magic at some point."
"Blood Magic?…" Elizabeth blinked, "That is my in-born ability. I do not necessarily need to use magic to control my blood, however I am able to enhance the ability with magic."
"Hoh? You know Blood Magic?" Violet chuckled, "Well, you did restore my body in the end. Though I do wonder why would you need our input about that…" she half-closed her eyes.
"Oh, that's because I am actually the youngest Blood Magic user of us three," he casually dropped a bomb.
"Meet Her Majesty!" the raccoon-girl announced to the bowed soldiers.
Akane Nishino sat on the throne, her trusty crowbar in her right hand.
"Hah…" a sigh got out, oops, "Speak."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" the wolf Demi-Human stood up and placed his fist on his heart, "As it stands now, last remaining forces of trash king are currently trying to hide. They want to destabilize your position through sabotage and diversion, however we continue to fight them back and ensure citizen's safety."
"Citizen, yes…" she mumbled, "What about them?"
"With knowledge that Your Majesty brought from beyond our world we managed to increase efficiency of all our administrative bodies! Centralized Agriculture Ministry now counts everything correctly, allowing us to decrease the need to tax field workers this much, which in turn increased the support from our people. In fact, most citizen tend to say that every Shield Hero managed to uplift their region, giving Siltvelt and now Melromarc as examples! We also have received a letter from the former Queen Melromarc, and she wishes to speak with you about the current situation."
"Uh-huh, say when she comes…" Akane yawned. "Right, what about the previous Wave?"
"Thanks to Your Majesty's teachings our brave warriors have managed to fight back against the Wave almost by themselves, only needing your intervention against, how it was called, Boss."
"Oh, yeah, I remember now…"
There was also some kind of a woman but Akane didn't bother to remember her; one bonk, and let's go back.
"Siltvelt has sent their warmest congratulations on your victory against both the wave and trash king, your Majesty," another soldier came forward, cat-woman this time, "They are saddened how you were treated by trash king and offer their full support, both economical and military."
"Uh-huh, yeah, Raph, please look it up later…" Akane nodded.
"As you wish, miss Akane," girl (or not? That weird level aging mechanic still irks Nishino) smiled happily.
"So, slavery is no more, right?" she went to the topic that she deemed important.
"Correct, Your Majesty," a human woman came forward, "Nobles and Pope tried to object that, but…"
"Yeah, I know what I said about people like that. Next."
"As of now, both humans and demi-humans slowly warm up to each other. It will take time, but with Your Majesty's leadership we are sure to build a prosperous country that has no discrimination against anyone!"
"Hum, good, meeting is over, then. Go back to your duties, or what you were doing…" she waved them off.
As soon as the last soldier went away, Akane leaned on her throne and allowed herself to become a puddle.
"Miss Akane, that's not very hero-like!" Raphtalia's voice reacher her ears.
"Shut, I did not want all of that, and you know it…"
"U-Uh, yeah, but as wise ones say, those who don't work their job at all are the ones who can do it in the most efficient way!"
"Oh…" Akane groaned.
"Um, sorry," Raphtalia lowered her head.
"Relax, after I am done I should be able to leave, anyway, and there's one guy I really want to meet…"
"Oh, is it someone you like?!" Raphtalia jumped up in excitement, "I remember you saying that everything you know was taught by him! I want to see such great teacher!"
"Uh, yeah, I was… But that's not the reason I want to meet him."
"Then… what?" raccoon-girl curiously cocked her head.
Akane collected herself and stood up, her face darkening.
"I want to beat the shit out of him."
"Cid~!"
"Oh, hey, Claire," Cid turned around to see his sister fuming.
"I was searching for you everywhere, and you're talking with some women out there?!"
"Indeed, I do. Here, let me introduce you to each other: this is Elizabeth, the Vampire Progenitor, Blood Queen, and Shades' future teacher. Elizabeth, meet Claire, my elder sister!"
"Greetings, miss Claire," vampire curtsied.
"Oh, um, nice too meet you, too," Claire faltered in front of such politeness.
"So, you wanted something from me?" Cid went straight to the point.
"Oh, yeah! Hold up, let me get them out…" Claire started searching for something in her bag, "Aha!" she took out a stack of papers, "Here it is! Ahem…"
She took out the first letter while Elizabeth and Aurora went away to not mess with Cid's private matters.
"This is from… Rose Oriana, she wanted to meet with you to discuss… Political marriage?!" Claire crushed the letter, "Forget about it, that one didn't happen!"
"Sure, I guess?…"
She took out the second letter.
"This one was written by… Sherry Barnett. She sends report about how, uh, Eta did during your absence. Also report about their achievements together, huh. And… Invitation to tea?! Not on my watch!" another letter to the trash.
"Hum…"
Third letter.
"Annerose Nichtsehen and Lady Beatrix wrote a letter together, they want to get a good fight with you. Interesting, interesting…"
"You did not read them beforehand?"
"If I did, do you think I would allow first two to get through?!"
"You have a point."
Fourth letter.
"Alexia and Iris want you to visit them…? Ugh, I guess you will have to go on that one, considering your, as you call it, mob persona…"
"Yeah, I didn't meet with Alexia for a long time, to be honest…" that's not good.
"Oh, and now we come for the one I actually know contents of! Because the short summary is written on the front. And this one sucks."
"Huh?" he leaned in.
"Ahem… 'Cid Kagenou, you are about to be expelled from Midgar's Dark Knights Academy for repeated absence and unsatisfactory grades. Please visit our office and speak with the director.'"
'…Huh?'
Claire raised her gaze and sighed.
"Sorry, Cid, I tried to cover up your activities, but…" she shook her head, "I wasn't able to do much. Sorry," she placed the letter in his hand, "Here, you can read it in full here."
As Claire walked away, Cid only had one thought in his head.
'Welp, here goes my mob persona.'
R.I.P. in peace, Cid mobfu.