Chapter 3

That was an absolute screwup of his, an Oversight that Jeopardizes his aim to become a true Eminence in Shadow.

"Curses! How could I forget to fully experiment with Anti-Magic? All my painstainkingly years of near nonstop training for my dream are now about to turn into real smoke!"

A panic he only felt once, when his mind hit the roadblock about how to beat a Nuke, crept to him again. He studied the Magic while the rest were having premarital sex, a study he once thought being so deep and thorough he would truly reach the level of power to be an Invincible Shadow Power broker for near eternity. And it all got vaporized not by am even stronger enemy version of his "I AM ATOMIC", but instead by his worst Nemesis. True Magic Eraser.

"Magic sealing tools just hinder your Control and sense of Mana... But what she did... What Her Highness Iris Midgar did... It was true Anti-Magic!"

His aim with I am Atomic at the time was a very finely calculate upwards directed blast, a scare of sorts that would also destroy a lot of the Palace to show his power to her. Yet the energy relase itself had been erased, denying the attack. Despite causing no material damages, he felt it around him until he passed the Royal Palace Defensive wall, she basically detonated her own attack to erase any and all Mana around that area, he had to rely on putting some lifeforce on hyperdrive to squeeze enough Mana to flee. And he knew it, she let him go.

"I need more power..."

That was merely a setback, with such mindset focusing him away from the scare he got a few days ago, he was filled with Motivation. So he left a message for the Girls of Shadow Garden and went somewhere to train himself even further and beyond.

"Just you Watch Iris! I shall return stronger and immune to your ace!"

Doing his Mob Dash at Mach 2.3, Cid was truly off to train.

X-X-X-X

"You may leave."

"Hah!"

Nu left Alpha's office, having delivered the message he left to them, once sure no one else was near her office, she reread the message written in a slip of paper. Burning it with her Mana, she then went to grab the glass of Wine resting in the desk, not even halfway there and several cracks appeared on it, a true testament of how intense and with destructive desire her mana was leaking. Turning to the Window behind her chair, Alpha's face was stoic like ever. Yet the moment she turned to go take a break for fresh air, her eyes glanced at Shadow Garden's news media business operation journal of the week, laid in the front page, Princess Iris Midgar's face when giving a public speech about her and her Order's increased efforts to chase and arrest both Shadow Garden and the Cult of a yet to be known Deity or evil being.

He eyes twitched seeing the Crimson Princess Face's.

'You Bitch! Just you wait, Shadow's MINE!'

Walking as if everything was normal, Alpha left her office, seconds after the door shut, it exploded, result of her massive Mana being not as under control of her usual calm and responsible self.

X-X-X-X

"I hate those Journalists."

Iris slumped down her Office chair, exhausted of yet another round of shameless Interviews. She was sure this was her Father's way of getting back at her for letting it out "on accident" during a Meeting with several Ministers and Generals of key Armies safeguarding the Borders and other key parts of the Nation, that he had been doing a few too many escapades incognito to Mitsugoshi, to enjoy the eyecandy of the beautiful female employees there.

Knocks on the door, the rythm and way it sounded couldn't be faked, not against her, who doted on the one knocking at the door.

"Enter, Alexia."

"Iris..."

It took a few days of nonstop work, alongside the extra surprise Interviews, for things to calm down enough, Iris had called Alexia for a talk.

"Let's talk over some tea, I need a break anyways, Fucking Father throwing surprise Interviews from Oberon Media Group."

Lilly flawlessly prepare their prefered teas and set them, and left to do work on an annex room, though what would she do in the small room where the premium stockpiles of Tea leaves, coffee beans from Mitsugoshi and snacks, Chocolate included was for the curious cats.

"It's about Shadow Garden, no?"

"Perhaps, information isn't firm on this, so let's work with it being theoretically the truth."

Iris knew it was one hundred percent the Truth, but went for a softball approach for Alexia's sake.

"Right, go on."

"Theoretically speaking, what would be your response or action if you came to know someone you know more than as acquaintances were to be revealed as working for either Shadow Garden or the Cult?"

"Do I need to answer?"

Giving just a stare to Alexia, she understands.

"I suppose I would first try to be sure it is the case."

"Concerns of you getting into trouble by doing that alone aside. What if it was someone you Hold in high regard or even with feelings for?"

"Iris! What? Who the hell you suspecting?"

"Answer it for now."

"... I... I don't know."

'Not many names or faces flashed her mind... I suppose.'

"You would feel stuck. Fine. Before I tell more, please keep yourself under control, and PROMISE ME you won't just take off right away to try to strangle an answer out of that person's mouth."

"You make me seem like some Brute of a Woman who gleefully Strangles her Brother's neck for forgetting her birthday or not greeting her at the Academy."

'I better not tell her that one of Marie's subordinates saw her cause quite the bloody scene slashing and hacking away at Cid right after the Zenon problem was mostly cleared.'

"I don't thinl you are that Violence prone, but I know you are reckless and will jump into danger without a single preemptive preparation at all."

"Ugh..."

Sipping her tea, she waitw for Alexia to get as calm she will possibly get.

"I am feeling suspicious about Cid."

SLAM

'two tea drops, not as bad i thought she would cause.'

"What? Cid has his qualities and... Quirks. But he can't be part of Shadow Garden!"

"Why you jumped this quickly to claim Shadow Garden wouldn't let him in?"

"Eh? Ahhh... Uhmmmm... They only have women aside Shadow?"

"What if Cid was Shadow?"

"Sis... That's bad even for your kind of Humor."

"I am a shit ass Humorist, but a renowed Swordswoman, one that fended Shadow at that. And my Master has been very capable in rising me for this."

"You saying Cid would be his Public disguise? Someone that Powerful would hide as a ninth class Spellblade?"

"Best disguises are the most Obvious ones. No one will think thrice that the Legendary Shadow is someone as shit with combat as Cid."

"Even a disguise will form cracks with time or a sudden enough development."

"Fair. The problem has been the track record of where he was and why when the situations happened."

"Iris, Elaborate."

"Most recent was the War Goddess festival, he went for a Bathroom break to take a dump, it lasted long enough that Shadow as Mundane Mann fought Annerose and me, then me and Beatrix, found out having fled along most of the crowd during that period. Then we have the Lindwurm case, got kidnapped and knocked unconscious by Shadow or an underling, left supervised in the outskirts until things ended... There was the Terrorist attack at the School... Then him having gone to a meeting point of a blackmail Letter that time Zeon Kidnapped you..."

"And? All those point to him being pathetic, if absurdly unlucky."

"He always seem to find himself in situations that get him a fair distance away from the hectic stituation, there comes a point where it becomes a pattern, Alexia. Behavioral ones almost."

"Fine. But you said it, no? It was just suppositions since you had nothing firm yet!"

" I did. These are only basing things on existing details and connecting them as dots over a theory, no solid evidence at all. Which is why I am willing to think that if he isn't Shadow, why would Shadow Garden not rely on unafiliated third parties for more menial Tasks? There are areas where Ladies or Women being around would be suspicious, and a bottom tier person Like Cid over the Hierarchy of the Academy's student body would likely sell information to them with glee. Or do stupid work if it means getting free stuff."

"I... Don't think he would fall as low as selling himself for criminal endeavours though..."

"Nothing Criminal to be talking to someone, no? And most he might be doing for them is signaling for things when convenient."

"That makes some sense..."

"That's all. Remember, don't got find Cid and try to pry an answer out of him as the wrong end of your sword."

Alexia assured she wouldn't, and left. The door barely clicked when Lilly was already behind Iris.

"She is going to go after him, Lilly, ask Mary to put a watchdog please."

"As you wish."

The redhead princess sighed, and got back to paperwork. The sun was leaving a Dark orange sky when she finished her work, and noticed that a letter was present. Opening and reading it, she burned it and went to take a bath.

X-X-X-X

'Is it me or whenever I go try get some answers and solve problems to make things better, the world throws me to the Pigs?'

Alexia was growing bored of this cliche repeating whenever she starts digging a few more centimeters of dirt and gravel towards the truth of things about Shadow Garden, the Cult of Diabolos, and sometimes about Cid, her to be Partner in the future. She had just taken a detour towards the Dorm Cid lived in and she got ambushed by yet more of those brainless Cult agents that either mumbled things or nothing at all. Only to be saved again by outside parties, though these announced to be working at an ally of her Sister's orders.

"Yo! The silver girl did the stupid! Pay me, bitch!"

"Tsk."

Two women in weird versions of the Academy's uniform edfortlesly eradicated the Cult agents, leaving... A very bloody and disgustint scene. One was blonde, with a pair of quite the Drill hairs, her weapon of choice being an Orichalcum alloy Mace. The other was a black haired girl, short hair, a sleeveless version of the summer uniform top, and her weapon were her fists.

(A.N. for reference on appearance, look at Fan no Hitori's JK exorcist series, it's the German heritage Noble girl and the Yankee tomboy ones)

"It seems it was a wise idea to come just in case."

The two readied for combat. Coming from the shadows of the alley, a man with Black hair, a pair of small circular shades hiding his eyes.

"Princess Alexia Midgar, Lord Petos the Tenth seat of the Rounds."

He presented himself. Yet the two guarding her didn't move to attack.

"So the Bait failed, huh?"

A brat then came from behind Petos, both women were focused on him more than the other, who's treated like air almost.

"Princess, you better make a damn dash back to your sis. This pintized gramps ain't at our level."

The Drill hairs tell Alexia, and her face was telling that one or ten more of her level wouldn't matter.

"..."

"Lord Fenrir?"

Petos looked with unease at the other Cut member. And noticed his gaze wasn't at street level, but up, as he and other their targets look up, they see a tall, athletic man in a very high end set of light armor, he was totally relaxed and directed no attention at all to either party, until he looks down and notices them.

"Hello! Any of you seen a Cat? Fat, really fat, orange with dark stripes, and loves to eat Lasagna."

No one answers, Petos and Alexia in synch at the absolute stupidity of his question, and absurdity of why no one is doing anything. He drops from the signpost he was standing from, landing with grace, and the impact of a full Division of Heavy Knights compacted in the size of a single man.

'Just... Just how fucking Heavy is that armor?'

Alexia asks mentally.

"Tsk. We leaving, Petos."

"Fen-"

Only the weirdo in armor didn't flinch at the burst of killing intent, even a Cat stuck inside a trashcan in the alley suddenly blows off the metal prison, despite being ridiculously fat and unathletic, the abaolute opposite of Cats, poor cat however is caught and put inside a Cage the new guy had on his back.

Suppressing his Killing intent, Fenrir and Petos both leave.

"Aigh, Cat taken! Nanako! Mitsuki! Hard at work, eh?"

"We still far behind the others, Mike-Sensei."

"Hm, well, gotta go get this fatass back to his owner. See ya later for extra lessons!"

Like he arrived, he left. Alexia stood back up, knocked back almost into unconsciousness just from the emited killer intent. As she looks at the faces of her "Guards", they are flushed in lust.

"Can you lot do your job?"

"Hm? Sure, no worries, Princess, here we go!"

"Hey?"

Not listening to her protests, the Tanned skin one picks Alexia into a Bridal carry and the two escorts take her back to her dorm before leaving for the night.

X-X-X-X

Petos was puzzled about how Fenrir quietly and meekly retreated, without ever doing a single thing aside aiming his Murderous intent to shut him up then and there. Once sure enough distance was built, he decided to confront him.

"Lord Fenrir, can you please enlighten me about who that man is?"

"Only name I heard him go by is Mike, and that's if it isn't just a fake name we can't find anything more about. Don't think his silly act there was his true self. Like me, he has been living through the Ages, and one who can actually exceed our Cult's age even. No one within our Ranks are a match for him even when he is playing around like an Idiot, had we tried to kidnap the silver princess there, neither of us would be in existance to talk about it anymore."

"Someone that Old would need to be taking an even stronger form of the Tears, no?"

Petos believed it was impossible to keep from aging aside using labour and cost heavy processes like the Refined Tears of Diabolos.

"Nay. He carries what is considered forbidden fruit's juice in his Blood, 'Become of of their Kind and say farewell to being Human, God, Demon... For you become that which has been forbidden to meet the end until a neverending void has savoured all you could offer', these words are warnings of Civilizations we found by accident, ones that beings from all other ages have forgotten mind you. He was there, he saw it happen, he won through it all."

"You mean to say he has been alive since eternity has been a concept? And why would he be doing this and that?"

"Who knows? A whim? For the fun of it? To entertain the growth of a sprout? All I know is that we of the Cult must keep our heads low for the time being. Relay this to all our operations of the Cult within Midgar, 'M has come to.' even Loki should know better than risk his own stupid weak ass."

"Understood."

They parted ways.

X-X-X-X

"What did you promise me?"

Iris glared daggers at Alexia, who got Bridal carried to her office first thing after classes ended.

"Sorry, but If the person you love was suspect of colluding with Terrorists you would also rush to him, no?"

"Sure. But I have a track of handling myself and a Knight Order, no? And you? Several dangerous situations andnit was luck and the Graces of Shadow Garden that you libed through it all."

"Oh my, they need me alive, better then I myself go do the questioning, no?"

"If you were willing to wait until I set a proper escort team, sure, not let you rush straight into what seems to be TWO OF THE CULT'S LEADERSHIP wanting to use you to order me around."

"Escorts that droll im anticipation for some truly debauxhed act with someone they call Sensei? And force carry me in such an embarrasing way?"

"Maybe I should have you see how Marie carries people, you will consider being dragged like a bag of potatoes over the ground to be VIP treatment."

The discussion was going nowhere, deciding that the mess was kept at a minimum, Iris calls it enough.

"Sister."

"Yes, Alexia."

"Did they report the person who intervened?"

"They did, what of it?"

"You know the Name Mike-"

"-Hah?"

Iris's face was of absolute shock, unusual even to Alexia who believed she knew her sister enough. Then she shifted her murderous glare to the two escorts who got subdued by Lilly before they could flee.

"Care explain? What are you two whores planning by whitholding that Master has been in the City? Huh?"

"S-shut up you Gorilla of a Princess! You had YEARS being trained personally by him!"

"Y-yeah! Not our Fault you and your excuse of a Bitch ass failed to get him!"

Alexia saw for the first time Iris show her woman side, the one that goes on petty Catfights that's. As she tries to sneak out the Office...

"Alexia~"

The voice was the usual, but the tone it carried was all the Silver Princess neded to hear to know she wasn't leaving soon, nor unscathed.

"You saw him, no? Join the talks! I INSIST!"

Lilly suddenly decided to go fetch supplies in the small annex room. Leaving the foolish Princess to witness three women argue and dispute claims about one Man. Unaware that she herself was aiming for a Man with the same kind of Minefield.