Chapter 2: The Morning After

Izanagi woke up to the quiet hum of electronics as the transport vessel was slightly jostled by gentle turbulence. He let out a quiet yawn as his eyes slowly opened up. He sat up in his chair and gradually looked around, his blurry vision slowly growing clear.

"Good morning, Itsuki-sama," a familiar voice greeted him.

He turned to see Rita sitting beside him, regarding him with her usual pleasant smile.

"Mm… Mornin'..." He responded, his voice still carrying the weight of sleep as he rubbed at his gunk-filled eyes.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Mm… I guess…?"

"I see. Was my shoulder comfortable? It would be unfortunate if you did not get enough rest before we met with the Overseer."

"Mm… wait, what?" Just like that, Izanagi's lethargy vanished. He shot up in his seat while his face lit up with a bright red blush.

"Is something the matter?" Rita asked, her tone carrying a teasing weight behind her words.

"I… your shoulder? And wait, the Overseer!? When was this decided, while I was sleeping!?"

"Well, after we departed from Arc City, you were rightfully exhausted. You fell asleep almost instantly and used my shoulder as a pillow. I felt no reason to move you." She raised a thoughtful finger to her lips. "And as you may remember, I report directly to Overseer Otto. As with anything, I report directly to him regarding all of my missions."

At that moment, Izanagi had never craved death more.

If he could recede inside of himself, he would… and he tried, slowly curling up into a ball as he hid his face behind his knees. All the while, the faint song of agony could be heard coming from the young man. Rita watched Izanagi's self-implosion with no small amount of amusement, a playful smirk on her face.

"My, I did not realize you were that shy about meeting Otto-sama," she teased with a sly wink, and just a hint of sarcasm in her otherwise sultry voice.

"As if that's what I'm shy about!" he exclaimed, his words muffled behind his knees. I'm more terrified than anything…

"Fufu, is that so~?" He could not help but groan as the maid's laughter filled his ears. "Now then… Teasing aside, how are you feeling, Itsuki-sama?"

"...Tired, still," he replied. He lifted his head, his brows furrowed while his eyes remained downcast. "Rita. Er… is it alright if I call you Rita?"

"Of course."

"Have you… ever watched someone die in your arms?"

Her eyes widened. She held her gaze on him for a long while, remaining silent as she searched his expression for something he could not know. After some time, she released a gentle sigh and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. "More times than I would like to admit."

"Were they people you knew?"

"Some were."

"How… How do you manage it? This… this feeling."

"That… is a question that has no easy answer." Rita closed her eyes as she contemplated her next words. "...For those close to you, to remember them fondly and live well in their name, without regret; to quote someone I once cherished, to protect all that is beautiful in the world." As she said this, he couldn't help but notice a certain sadness hidden within her eyes. "For those that were not, do not blame yourself for their death; in this line of work, we cannot hold ourselves responsible for everyone. And you, especially, Izanagi… do not hold yourself responsible for Karen Bohr's end. All Valkyries, especially those of her level, know what we sign up for. And now, you do too."

"...Mm. Understood." His voice did not reflect his words, however.

"I never said it was easy, Itsuki-sama."

"...Mm." He sighed, shaking his head. "No, you're right. I… I'll manage." Rita nodded.

"That is all we can do. If you wish to discuss your feelings in the future, I am here to listen. It is no trouble." He nodded gratefully, before standing to his feet. He glanced around the interior of the aircraft; it looked like a first-class jet, like something you'd see in a movie. Comfortable seats, carpets, drinks, and more; he couldn't help but feel like a millionaire while standing there.

Ask me a year ago if I'd fly in something like this and I'd laugh in your face… He thought with a meek smile. "Um… to change topics to something a bit lighter… Yesterday, you mentioned you looked at my file?"

"Of course. It is only proper to learn as much as I can about those under my care."

"Do you have that file? I'm kinda curious about what it says…" And more accurately, how much they got wrong. That thought, however, he kept to himself. She considered his question.

"Officially, I am not allowed to show you your file. Confidential information, even if it pertains to you." The maid smiled. "But… Unofficially, I see no reason not to." He felt that there was some kind of ulterior motive to her agreement, but… what was the worst that could happen?

"Then… can I see?"

"You may. Some of it, at least. Just a moment, I believe I stored it here." Rita stood to her feet and left the cabin, leaving him on his own. With nothing stopping him, he took that time to explore a bit more as his curiosity got the better of him. He began to fidget around the room, interacting with the various devices and gadgets that didn't seem too risky to mess with.

It's nice not being left alone with a bunch of random people for once. Nagi thought, a blissful expression on his face as he found himself playing with a cup holder that automatically opened and closed with a wave of his hand. It wasn't long until she returned, as he very inconspicuously hopped away from the cup holder, whistling away as Rita returned to her seat.

"...Just so you are aware, Itsuki-sama, there are more entertaining facilities in this craft than a simple cup holder."

"Geh—! Ahaha… It was just kinda neat…"

"Is that so?" Nagi's cheeks flushed as Rita shot him an impish smile, but she said no more of the topic. "In any case, here is your file, partially concealed for confidentiality." She handed over a well-kept folder to Izanagi, who gently took it from her. He eagerly opened it up, pulling out the contents as his eyes quickly began to scan the documents.

"Alright! Let's see… name, Izanagi Itsuki, gender, male, Blah blah blah… oh, hey they said silver hair, not white."

"We pride ourselves on accuracy," Rita replied. "Are you aware of the Kaslana family?"

"Uhh… Don't think so?"

"Then to summarize, they are one of three major houses within Schicksal, alongside House Schariac and House Apocalypse. Their trademark appearance is white hair and blue eyes."

"Huh. Well, I could probably pass as a Kaslana, in that case…"

"If not for your silver eyes, at least."

"Yeah... Anyways, age 15, height, 139 cm… Painfully accurate…"

"You are rather short. I will admit, I thought you were a child when we first met."

"Thaaanks…"

"You are welcome, though I do not see what there is to thank me for." Nagi pouted as Rita shot him another playful wink. With a sigh, he shook his head and turned back to the file.

"Light build… they really went into detail on my appearance, huh? Wouldn't a picture have been better?" He shrugged and continued reading. "Oh, here's the part. Let's see… 'Moderate combat experience…' Moderate, huh... 'A self-proclaimed wizard—' Oh come on, did they have to add self-proclaimed?"

"In fairness, Itsuki-sama, even I am still hesitant to refer to you as a 'wizard.'" Nagi puffed his cheeks up, glaring at her.

"Then what would you call me?"

"A psychic with a unique affinity for energy-based attacks."

"Bleh…" He shook his head and returned to his reading. "...wizard capable of manipulating a unique form of Honkai energy, alongside incredible regenerative abilities.' …Wait, is that all they put?"

"Is there information missing?"

"Mm, quite a bit. Regarding magic, anyway. Not really paying attention to, uh. Whatever you guys have on my personal life… I'd rather not be creeped out by how much you know."

"Fufu, whatever could you mean~?" The smile Rita gave him sent a shiver down his spine. He decided to avoid that topic as he scanned down the rest of the file. Nothing else, however, seemed to stand out to him.

"Makes me wonder how much you guys cut out," Nagi said as he handed the file back to her.

"Fufu, that is a secret. You finished at a good time. We're just about to arrive at Schicksal HQ."

"A-Already?"

"Indeed. Now, grab your bag, and be ready to depart. It will not be long before we land."

"Y-Yes, ma'am."

He was dumbstruck. No, dumbstruck was not nearly powerful enough a word. Awed? In pure disbelief? Amazed? No word felt strong enough for what he felt at that moment. When he heard the name Schicksal HQ, he expected a standard… well, a 'standard' base, like something you would find in a military movie or something similar. And what he saw was like a movie, alright…

A sci-fi movie. For what Schicksal HQ really was, was a massive, floating fortress, flying amongst the clouds above the vast ocean beneath. Hundreds of platforms connected via steel platforms, each with multiple structures from temples to workshops atop it all. It was more like a city than a simple HQ, a city you'd find only in the wildest imaginations, yet here it was before him in the metaphorical flesh. Nagi didn't know whether to describe it as powerful or beautiful… and so he decided the best answer was simply, both.

Dozens of Valkyries, scientists, and more moved about the interconnected platforms, alongside vehicles and... mechas? Those in particular caught Izanagi's eyes, as he and Rita passed by one particularly large mecha stomping right by him. It didn't pay him any mind, but he found himself entranced all the same. That was to speak nothing of the varied and colorful characteristics of the Valkyries, of course, adorning armor and weapons straight out of both fantasy and sci-fi alike.

"Impressed, Itsuki-sama?" Rita pulled him from his stupor, as she had a tendency to do. He turned to her with a bashful smile, scratching the back of his head with an awkward laugh.

"Well, uh… impressed doesn't feel like a strong enough word…"

"Incredulous?"

"Closer, yeah."

"Fufu. Do not worry; most newcomers need time to let it sink in."

"No kidding…" He stole another wide-eyed glance out at the vast fortress. "So… Where are we going? This place is, uh. Kinda huge."

"The Overseer's office, of course." Rita replied, before gesturing to a large building not unlike what he would call a "science fiction church."

"Sheesh… Fancy."

"If you have not yet noticed, Itsuki-sama, most everything under Schicksal can be described as…" she smirked. "Fancy." The young man replied with an awkward laugh. The two then continued their way toward the Overseer's office, stopping along the way on occasion as he gaped and ogled at the various marvelous structures and machines present at Schicksal HQ. There was hardly a moment where Nagi wasn't left shocked and awed, much to Rita's amusement, and his own later embarrassment.

In due time, they arrived at their destination.

Ok… time to meet the big boss… Nagi thought with a nervous smile, his hands trembling as he tried to hold his head up straight. With a title like 'Overseer', and a last name like 'Apocalypse', he simply couldn't help but imagine some final boss-esque creature awaiting the two of them. Perhaps an intimidating old man with muscles as big as Izanagi himself, or an ice-cold nobleman who could tear his mind apart with little more than a well-placed word. …N-No big deal, Nagi. You only have to meet him once and then never again. Don't worry. Please stop worrying. …No, no, I'm terrified. Great.

Whether or not Rita took notice of his internal conflict, she did not say, confidently leading the way as she always did. He lagged behind, following after her as his trembling grew worse with each passing moment. Together, they strode through the front doors of the Overseer's Office.

He hadn't considered what to expect inside; his mind had been too preoccupied with what the Overseer himself would look like. However, stepping inside, the first thing he noticed was the giant, holographic screen on the other side of the room, the sole source of light in the wide space that was the Overseer's office. On it were dozens of different screens, reports, camera feeds, and more. So much information was being presented and reported at once that if he tried to comprehend it all, he was sure his mind would explode. His attention could only remain on the screen for so long, however, before his gaze fell down to those standing just beneath it.

There were two individuals, a man sitting down and a woman standing beside him. The woman was the one he took note of first. She wore a futuristic, orange mask that covered the upper half of her face, a black dress that left her legs exposed, and finally, a long cape to top it all off. But what caught his attention most was her long, braided hair, which fell all the way down to her lower back. More importantly, he took note of the color… white.

Kaslana… he noted, remembering his earlier conversation with Rita. He did not dwell for long on the white-haired woman, however, as his eyes slowly shifted to the man in the chair. He had a fair appearance—or at least, from what he could tell—with long, golden hair, his body muscular but far from brawny. He wore fine clothing reminiscent of that of a medieval nobleman with a modern twist, clothes that looked more expensive than Izanagi's entire wardrobe. The young man gulped. Icey nobleman it is… He thought with a wistful smile.

"Otto-sama. Rita has arrived with a guest." The supposed Kaslana spoke to Otto, her voice as emotionless as a machine. He glanced at Rita. Based on her lack of reaction, it was seemingly normal for the Kaslana, and so the young man thought nothing more of it.

"Hmm? Ah, Rita. You've arrived," the Overseer named Otto replied. Unlike the assistant's voice, his was flowing with emotion, as eloquent as one would expect from his appearance. His voice was captivating, a notable silver tongue guiding his words. With as much dignity as one would expect from a nobleman—if not more—he stood to his feet and turned to Rita and Nagi with a light flourish. "And not alone, it seems." The Overseer set his eyes on Nagi, who jumped as if he had just been targeted by some kind of attack.

His green eyes were filled with a sharp cunning, hiding danger within. Inexperienced as he was, Izanagi could easily tell that this was not a man to be trifled with. Despite that, however, his overall appearance was that of a young, handsome man, far younger than he expected; at most in his early thirties, if not late twenties.

Handsome was not a strong enough word to describe him. Whether he had been a man or a woman, he was certain the one named Otto would have been the most beautiful in the room regardless of gender. "Izanagi Itsuki, I take it?"

It took a great deal of willpower for him to not collapse into a stuttering mess. "Y-Yes, sir!"

"It is good to finally meet you, Itsuki-kun." Otto smiled wide as he regarded Izanagi. "I've been most interested in your abilities since I first heard about them. I remember a time when magic was all the talk in the world."

"O-Oh, uh, um… I-I'm glad?" He gave a weak thumbs up, trembling from head to toe. W-What does that mean...? He thought in passing but did not bring voice to his thoughts. With all his willpower dedicated to keeping his stuttering to a minimum, it seemed he had forgotten to keep any to stop his trembling.

"Before that, however… Amber, would you give us some time alone?"

"Of course, Otto-sama." The now-named Amber bowed her head and stepped away as Otto turned back to them.

"Now then… as curious as I am to learn the full extent of your capabilities, Izanagi-kun—I hope you don't mind me speaking so casually?—That will have to come at another time."

"O-Oh. Y-Yes, sir. And, uh… it's fine, sir."

He nodded first at Nagi, then at Rita, who gave a small curtsy in response. "Now then… how was your mission, Rita?"

"My apologies, Otto-sama, but I was unable to accomplish the mission as per your initial expectations."

"Oh? How rare for you, Rita." Otto glanced at Nagi for just a moment, as if debating the young man's responsibility for Rita's supposed failure. "Was it perhaps something to do with Itsuki-san here?"

Eh!? His already pale face paled even further; it took no small amount of effort to prevent a squeak from escaping his sealed lips. However, she shook her head.

"No, Otto-sama; on the contrary, Itsuki-sama performed splendidly despite his lack of experience. He accurately located the target and cornered them, even going so far as to alert me in the process. Had he not acted as he did, the mission would have had its duration extended by more than a small margin."

"I see. Wonderfully done then, Itsuki-san." Otto nodded respectfully at the young man, a friendly smile on his face. And just like that, Izanagi's anxiety melted away like butter, replaced with a fuzzy, warm feeling inside his chest.

"O-Oh, um… T-Thank you, sir!" He replied, his voice almost cracking in the process. The Overseer nodded, before turning back to Rita and motioning for her to continue.

"However, despite Itsuki-sama's actions, it seems our mission was doomed to fail from the start. Karen Bohr—the rogue Valkyrie—was afflicted with Honkai corruption from her Stigmata, and was zombified. Itsuki-sama was temporarily wounded before we terminated her."

"And that would be the reason for her desertion," Otto surmised. "I see. How unfortunate. Was there any other damage?"

"No. Itsuki-sama cornered her in an alley away from the general population."

"Huh?" Izanagi turned to Rita, confused. She looked back at him, equally confused. "N-No… I mean, kind of, but… Karen did that on her own. She…" He faltered as he recalled the previous night's events, but steeled his nerves. "She isolated herself intentionally."

"I see. I had not known this," Rita replied, before turning back to Otto. "As he says. Nonetheless, the mission to capture Karen Bohr ended in unfortunate failure. My deepest apologies, Overseer." She bowed low, her eyes closed as Otto raised a thoughtful hand to his chin.

"Raise your head, Rita," Otto spoke, and so she did. "It isn't a failure, my dear maid. It is unfortunate, but in the end, Bohr was dealt with before she could cause any further harm. Of course, we will have to be more careful about this in the future."

"Of course, Otto-sama."

"Well, then. Now… As for our second topic." Otto turned to Izanagi once more. "Rita. How was our young protege?"

…Oh crap. He turned to Rita, a fearful look in his eyes as he awaited her evaluation. She responded with a short glance of her own, taking a few moments to consider her words before turning back to Otto.

"...Itsuki-sama struggles in social situations, and more so when in unfamiliar territory. Multiple times during the operation, he froze up when I had left him alone while dealing with informants. Additionally, he was wounded by Karen Bohr in his pursuit; were it not for his… unique abilities, his life would have ended then and there." She crossed her arms as his gaze fell low. "However, as I said before, despite his glaring weakness in this regard, it was also during one of these times that he located our target, who had evaded my own sight, pursued, and engaged her, all of his own accord." He perked up a bit at that. "Additionally, it was he who struck the final blow against the zombified Karen, who even in death, struggled tenaciously against me. Without him, the conflict likely would have been moved out into a more populated area."

"I see," Otto replied, nodding thoughtfully. "Then, what is your final evaluation?"

"I believe he is not ready for open combat. He is inexperienced, and although he demonstrated good initiative when pursuing the target, he did, as previously mentioned, receive an otherwise lethal wound." Nagi felt like a knife was stabbed through his heart, and twisted after. It was the response he had expected… but that didn't make it any better.

"Very well. Yet… I know that tone, Rita." Otto smirked, which she answered with a smirk of her own. "What do you suggest instead?"

"For him to be transferred to Saint Freya, where upon finishing his school, he would join the Immortal Blades."

…What. All but flabbergasted, he had to do a double take as Otto leaned forward with a smile. "Eh!? But— Eh!?"

"If you would allow me to continue, Itsuki-sama…"

"Ah, uh… s-sorry…"

"Despite his lack of discipline, I believe Itsuki-sama has the potential to be an incredibly capable asset to our organization. You may consider it a selfish request, but it is because of this I would like to one day bring him under Durandal-sama's fold in the Blades."

"Hoh? This is quite the request, Rita." Otto leaned back in his seat, his expression clearly amused. "Very well. As you wish; I admit, I too, am curious to see how he grows. It's not often someone garners your interest like this, Rita. Might I ask why?"

Rita smiled. "Well… In truth, I find his reactions… endearing. I will admit, it has somewhat biased my decision."

Otto broke out into loud laughter as Nagi felt his soul leave his body. "As you wish! Very well, Izanagi-kun. From this day forward, consider yourself a member of the Immortal Blades until your training is complete. I look forward to your growth; please don't disappoint. Oh, and of course… we will have to meet again sometime alone. Someone who fascinates Rita is sure to be a treat."

"I will ensure he is ready for that day when it comes, Otto-sama," Rita spoke before Nagi could. "You have my word; by the time I am finished with Izanagi, he will be a warrior worthy of the name Schicksal."

"So… did you, uh… mean what you said back there?"

"Of course. Did you think I was lying to boost your confidence?"

"Um…" Nagi bashfully averted his eyes, a wry smile on his face. "M-Maybe a bit…"

"I meant every word, good and bad. I do believe you have potential, Izanagi. Now… it is up to you whether it is as a warrior, or as a meat shield." She giggled at his fearful look. "I tease. But I do mean what I say; you have potential, Itsuki-sama, and I very much plan to utilize it." Her smile faded as she gave him a serious look. "However… I cannot train you if you are not willing, Itsuki-sama. So… are you?"

"..." He looked at her for a long few moments, in silence. She said nothing more. And finally… his response was a smile. It was shaky, unconfident, timid. Far from what one could normally call a confident answer. "...Of course."

Rita responded with a smile of her own. "There's the look I liked~"

"Wha—!?"

"Fufu. Now then, let us get moving. We'll be setting off in due time; our transportation has already been prepared, Itsuki-sama."

"Eh? But… I wanted to explore…"

"Itsuki-sama."

"...Y-Yes, ma'am…" And so the two set off once more, Izanagi following behind Rita begrudgingly. "So… the Immortal Blades? It sounded fancy, but… I don't actually know what they are."

"Ah, my apologies. I forgot you would not know. The Immortal Blades are Durandal-sama's unit of elite Valkyries, a special forces unit typically utilized in covert ops missions."

"Huh? So… Why do you want me for a fancy unit like that? Oh! Also… you've mentioned Durandal a few times, but… I haven't met her, yet."

"You will in time. But to summarize, she is Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie." Rita paused. "Valkyries come in many ranks, ranging from C to B, to A, to S at the very top. If I were to place Durandal-sama in a category... though she is considered the strongest S-Rank, it would be more apt to consider her an SSS-Rank."

Nagi's eyes almost bulged out of his skull. Isn't Rita S!? But... then... Nagi gulped. This Durandal was like to be a terrifying individual.

"I do not say this lightly," Rita continued. "To put it into perspective for you, if she and I were to fight, I would lose a thousand times before I won a single time."

"O-Oh. That… Oh." Nagi's face went blank.

"Indeed," Rita said with a smile. "You will not be the only one at Schicksal training to join the Immortal Blades, mind you. Specifically, individuals spotted by myself who we believe to have high potential… such as yourself."

"Oh… How many others, then?"

"Two, for now, though the number may grow over time. Though most of your training will be done at Saint Freya, Durandal-sama and I may make appearances to either personally aid in your training, or, to induct you into one of our missions should there be ampel cause."

Izanagi nodded, though there was a certain trepidation hidden in his expression. "So... where is Saint Freya, anyways?"

"It is located in a remote location in the Far East, near Soukai City located between China and Japan." Nagi's eyes widened.

"That far? Um… but I—"

"Will have to move, yes. Do not worry, we shall cover expenses… however, the choice is yours."

"...I need to discuss that with my parents... Do I need to answer immediately...?"

"You have a few days to come to a decision, the sooner the better."

"A few days... alright. Last question... you said two others. Who are they?"

"Both are A-Rank Valkyries, one a member of the Schariac family—a prominent and influential noble house within Schicksal—while the other a promising recruit from New Zealand with no former affiliation. As for their names..."

"You will know them as Ana Schariac and Wendy, respectively."