Campione! Vol 11 Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - An Alliance Once More Part 1 Kusanagi G.o.dou fled from Salvatore Doni using divine speed. The seventh incarnation, the [Raptor]. Using this incarnation not only increased his speed, but also lightened his body and vastly increased agility and jumping ability. Even though it could not fly like a bird, it was still able to perform leaps that rivaled or even surpa.s.sed cats and monkeys. G.o.dou ran up a building's wall and moved between rooftops. Sometimes he stepped on car roofs and trains on the road instead of buildings and ordinary houses, racing across Milan's main roads like a flash of light. In any case, he had to run as far as he could. If possible, leaving the city of Milan would be best. Although his pierced abdomen was feeling intense pain, G.o.dou did not even consider going to a hospital. Shaking off Doni's pursuit was of utmost priority. Hence, G.o.dou simply ran with reckless abandon. ...Thanks to the lightness of his body, the burden of running was greatly decreased. There was no sense of exhaustion. No matter how hard he dashed, his breathing did not interrupt, nor was there any effect on his stamina. Hence, he was able to ignore the pain on his flank in this manner. Just as he left the boundaries of Milan city, he ran into trouble as he entered an area with many trees and green fields. Suddenly, his heart was struck with intense pain. "T-This is?" G.o.dou was filled with doubt but he did not halt his footsteps. Nevertheless, the sense of pain was intensifying. It felt like his heart was being stabbed by a murder weapon like an icepick. Rather than repeatedly stabbing, it felt like someone was digging relentlessly. Gradually, his legs and then his whole body became increasingly difficult to move. "By the way, didn't this chest pain happen that time in Sicily as well? Could it be the side effect of using this kind of speed!?" On further thought, this level of speed was truly ridiculous. In fact, it was only reasonable to expect repercussions sooner or later given prolonged use of such speed. It was now imperative to find a place to rest. Finding a park before him, G.o.dou entered with unsteady footsteps. The park was filled with flourishing trees, like a little forest. Halting his steps in a thicket, G.o.dou took a break -- he finally reached his limit. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" The pain in his heart reached a maximum. G.o.dou became completely immobilized. He could not even lift a single finger, as if tied down and restrained completely. G.o.dou collapsed, leaning his back against a tree trunk. There was nothing he could do except wait for time to pa.s.s while he endured the excruciating pain in his heart. Furthermore, the pain and bleeding continued from the flank of his abdomen. Only at this time did he realize another terrifying aspect of Doni's. To be frank, he was expecting the abdominal wound to heal simply through a Campione's natural recovery. But such wishful thinking was too naive. The wound on his flank was not healing at all. This must be part of the "magic sword'"s formidable power. Unlike ordinary swords, it was a completely magical slicing attack- Blood flowed nonstop while G.o.dou continued to be tormented by the pain in both his heart and his abdomen. G.o.dou's exhaustion became extremely severe and his consciousness gradually became fuzzy. Soon after, his heart pain vanished and the restraints were released. But still, his body could not move. Due to the ma.s.sive blood loss, he was completely drained in strength. A figure was gradually drawing near. On the verge of death, G.o.dou summoned his remaining strength to call out: "Yo." With no more strength, all he could manage was a simple greeting. To his great surprise, the one who approached was Erica. "Serves you right, G.o.dou. This is your punishment for destroying Milan's scenery." "This I am powerless to deny." Faced with Erica's angry accusation, G.o.dou helplessly acknowledged his wrongdoing. "H-How did you find me?" "Didn't Bianchi mention before? Magic can be used to search for and track down the presence of Campiones, you included. To think something like that existed. Just for fun, I took a strand of G.o.dou's hair when we were at the Zamparini mansion." It was a spell which allowed one to track down the approximate location of the target given any portion of the body. Erica explained thus. She was meticulously prepared as always. "Clearly we were trying to resolve this incident in a peaceful manner... But you came along. Are you sure you didn't usurp the authority of a G.o.d of pestilence and destruction?" "I warned you explicitly not to come to Europe, right? But you ran all the way to Milan to cause trouble. In the end, you even got injured by Sir Salvatore's sword." "I had no choice, I needed to talk to you." Due to the blood loss making his head dizzy, G.o.dou could not speak fluently. "You also want to complain about the a.s.sa.s.sin incident?" "That's included, but it's not the only thing. I was also concerned whether it caused great trouble for you. I thought that guy Doni was going to give you a hard time." "Of course I feel troubled. In fact, your coming here makes me even more troubled." "I'm very sorry, but I didn't want this." "What?" "When a conflict arises clearly because of me, and yet I stay out of it despite being involved. Neither do I want our relationship to end like this." "What? We are separated by the vast distance separating j.a.pan and Italy, you know? Besides, even if our relationship did end, it shouldn't affect G.o.dou's life that much, right?" "Wrong. I said it before, all it takes for us to meet is half a day's journey. Also, if I clearly know you're in trouble, I can't accept feigning ignorance to continue living a carefree life in j.a.pan." A busybody who won't mind my own business, or a stronger sense of heroism and chivalry than average? Overwhelming curiosity or recklessness? Or perhaps, I am just a natural born trouble maker? Even G.o.dou had no idea himself. Perhaps he was all of those. "Then let's change the subject. Are you going to take me to the idiot?" Erica did not answer immediately, for she had turned her face away. Without looking straight at G.o.dou's face, she spoke: "Actually I had been thinking ever since I bid you farewell on the phone. Precisely because Kusanagi G.o.dou is a great fool who came expressly to Italy despite the situation, I should not care about him this time. It has nothing to do with a knight's merciful heart of compa.s.sion." "Well, can't blame you..." "But for some reason, I can't do it. To think there existed a man who completely disregarded his own safety and rushed straight into the country of the most dangerous enemy, and even ran into a crisis. Not to mention, with absolutely no hope of victory or survival. I can't abandon such a man to his fate." Erica slowly turned to G.o.dou and said: "I have already bid my uncle and the a.s.sociation farewell before I came here. I am no longer a knight. I am nothing but an ordinary girl -- 1 would never say this even if it meant tearing my mouth open, but I am just a girl who knows how to use magic and a sword. So that's the situation, you don't mind, right?" "No longer a knight, what's going on?" "Nothing much. Because I am joining you -- the faction of the youngest Campione, that is what I must do. So G.o.dou, you have to take responsibility properly." "Responsibility!?" "D-Don't get any strange ideas. All I meant was that you must take responsibility by dueling Sir Salvatore and resolving the matter properly!" Is that so? No, it must be so. How could I make that kind of misunderstanding... G.o.dou felt embarra.s.sed by his stupidity as he frantically promised: "l-l know that of course. Even the matter of Doni is fine. I will see this through to the end. I'm gonna teach that willful idiot a lesson." "Oh my, you've said something reliable for once. But your pacifist banner is weeping." Was she finally back in form? Erica jested lightly as if her mood had improved. Although G.o.dou was happy to notice that, he still forced himself to pretend to be displeased. "What can I say. Because my opponent is an unbelievably great idiot. If the enemy was simply an idiot, there might be room for negotiations. But for a great idiot, nothing of that sort existed from the very beginning. So I might as well steel my determination and go all out in a fight." Hearing G.o.dou's a.s.sertion, Erica shrugged her shoulders as if amazed. "Just so you know, a real pacifist doesn't make that kind of exception ... But let's overlook that or else it'd be kind of foolish. So G.o.dou, let us form an alliance once more. Is that fine?" "That's actually what I was going to request." G.o.dou forced his exhausted body and extended his right hand weakly towards Erica. "Can you help me for a while? I did come up with a plan when I came to Italy alone, but to be honest, I'm at my limits." "You're hopeless. Even though it's a sinking ship, I suppose getting on board in the first place counts as some kind of destiny. I will try to use my own methods to keep the ride going." Erica also extended that gorgeous right hand of hers and held G.o.dou's hand in turn. They had already embraced, had intimate skin to skin contact, and even kissed, but holding hands was their first time. G.o.dou smiled wryly at this unusual sequence of progression and said: "By the way, you probably know this already... I can't hold on much longer. I'm entrusting things after that to you. You handle it so well every time..." "Yes. I don't know if you can call yourself fortunate or not, but there's no mirror here." Watching G.o.dou with an amazed expression, Erica sighed. "If you had a mirror, you could look at that dying face of yours. Completely pallid beyond belief, with these incredibly deep black circles beneath your eyes... You look exactly like you're about to bleed to death." I see, as expected. G.o.dou felt his consciousness slipping. Like the last two times, he mentally called on the image of the golden sheep and used the [Ram] incarnation. Entirely defenseless while he slept, all he could do was believe in his "partner"... "Enough! You're always giving me trouble, you know!" Erica grumbled as she looked down at the sleeping G.o.dou. Nevertheless, she realized she was smiling for some reason. Most likely, it was due to her realizing his vulnerable state stood as evidence of his trust in Erica Blandelli. "Well, whatever. In any case, it is imperative to secure a safe sanctuary." Murmuring to herself, she thought of an idea. Their current location was a little commune outside of Milan called Monza. Taking the train from Milan would take roughly twenty minutes. As the location of the closest F1 racing circuit within the greater metropolitan area, it was extremely well known to motorsport fans. Come to think of it, this area was-- Settling on a solution, Erica took out her cellphone. Part 2 Impatiently, she could not wait for a night on the weekend to arrive any faster. "Without any prior engagements for tonight, I should be able to focus completely on my project." Liliana Kranjcar murmured quietly to herself. Her current location was her own room at the Kranjcar residence in Milan. "Tonight my thoughts seem imbued with particular clarity... I should be able to produce great work on such an occasion." Liliana sat before an old-fashioned desk, her fountain pen scratching noisily as she wrote. Letting her inner imagination soar unrestrained, she wrote essays, weaving them into masterpieces. Sometimes she wrote novels while on other occasions she wrote prose poetry. This was her secret hobby. "Oooh -- Did I mess up? It came out a little different from what I imagined." This was a romance novel in progress. The steady love between an unsophisticated heroine with a heart of gold and the perfect gentleman, a heartwarming story ~ That was clearly the setting. But gradually as she continued to write, the young man's nature began to shift subtly. The young man who was supposed to be extremely gentle in the beginning, shockingly showed an unexpected savage side. 'I picked this specifically for you... Now that you have nothing else to wear, why don't you give up your futile resistance and put it on?' T-This shameless attire, l-l can't!' To think that she wrote this kind of scene without realizing it. The plot frequently placed the heroine in threatening situations at the mercy of the s.a.d.i.s.tic young man. Nevertheless, she secretly felt excitement in her heart, realizing she derived pleasure from being dominated in such a manner- Unwittingly projecting her own feelings onto the heroine, Liliana halted her pen, lost in thought. "Oh well, masterpieces tend to take on a life of their own... This is not bad actually." She continued to write. Could it be possible? Did she also harbor the same desire to be toyed with by the opposite s.e.x? Secretly, her heart raced... At this very moment, her cellphone at the edge of the desk started ringing. Glancing at the call display, Liliana sighed and picked up the call. "I am very busy right now. If you have something to say, please make it brief, Erica." 'Greetings to you, Lily. Given our relationship, such cold words surely wound me in the heart.' This was the voice of her rival dating back to childhood, Erica Blandelli. "Do not act so familiar. We are simply acquaintances of the same age and belonging to different a.s.sociations in Milan -- more appropriately, we should be called rivals and enemies." 'Showing such obstinacy towards your childhood friend is really your shortcoming, Lily. I feel like the bonds cultivated between the two of us amount to much more than that.' "We are not childhood friends, it is simply ill fate! Stop fabricating friendship between us on your own accord!" Having expressed her objections, Liliana asked acutely: "By the way, you have been quite busy lately, is that not so? I heard that in order to seal a [Heretic G.o.d], you were sent over to Sardinia." Erica Blandelli, went south on an expedition-- This news had reached Liliana's ears. However, the details were lacking. The detailed happenings regarding the G.o.ds who appeared on the islands of Sardinia and Sicily were strangely unpublicized. It was as if someone had intentionally blocked the flow of information. 'You should be aware that a little while back, Sir Salvatore refused to leave Milan and even issued vile orders to the [Copper Black Cross]. Also there is today's incident of Sir Salvatore slicing Castello Sforzesco to pieces... Ah yes, and finally the suspicious matter of the seventh Campione's birth.' Campiones appeared where G.o.ds manifested. This was common sense in the European world of magic. Hence the rise of such rumors was not unreasonable. "If we are really friends as you say, then I hope you can provide me with information regarding that man." 'Lily, friendship and work are separate matters. Mixing the two together is really unlike you.' Just as expected, Erica was playing dumb. 'Well, putting our relationship aside, let me tell you this. The news that is about to be publicized, will surely shock all of Europe. Anyway, I simply called today to chat about casual matters.' Really? Liliana felt suspicious. She did not believe that the devilish woman would call for something of that sort. Perhaps this was simply the first step in her trap -- just as Liliana warned herself, Erica spoke up. 'Recently, I started liking this female author's romance novels.' "Lies. How could you suddenly awaken that kind of interest?" She knew Erica's tastes very well. Even though she liked to pose with elegance, any work of entertainment would fail to hold her interest unless it contained all three elements of action, explosion and murder. 'Oh my, I am in the flower of maidenhood after all. It's not so unusual to enjoy that genre. But the stories I'm talking about, that particular novelist's style, feels a little predictable recently.' "Predictable?" 'Yes. Every single time, the heroine feels deeply conflicted about the man in the lead role, but the story always ends in her complete submission.' Liliana was greatly shocked. This was exactly the same scene she had just written. Come to think of it, all her recent works followed the same model. Could Erica have read them all!? Her hand shook intensely as she gripped the phone. Calm yourself. The finished works are all kept in this bedroom. Even someone like Erica could not possibly have laid eyes on them -- thought Liliana to herself. Probably. Liliana began to cough. "C-Cla.s.sic developments always follow the same plot. Nitpicking on something that trivial would be a bit childish, no?" 'That's true too. To me at least, it does seem a little childish. However, it'd be nice if the author herself could realize she's been rehashing the same plot. But based on the content, it feels like she is writing out her own hidden desires. Without realizing it, she released her thoughts on paper.' "Ack." Feeling like she was being talked about, Liliana was utterly terrified. "B-By the way, is that all you wanted to talk about?" 'No, there's one more thing. I'm currently around Monza. The Kranjcar family's atelier should be in the area, right? I'd like to borrow the place for one night. Just use a mailing spell to send the key over.' The atelier mentioned by Erica was a specialized workshop for restoring antiques. When one made a living through magic, one would inevitably collect all sorts of antiques and artwork unearthed from archaeological sites. In order to perform private restoration without relying on university organizations, the Kranjcar family sponsored their own workshop. "For reasons of your convenience or whatever, I --" 'Will not refuse, right? Given my relationship with Lily.' Liliana sighed lightly. Impossible to deny, this was her meddlesome childhood friend, Erica Blandelli. Highly skilled, talented, unscrupulous, and broadminded like a salon hostess. Searching through her memories, Liliana recalled owing four or five favors to her. "Well, I do not mind, okay. But for what reason? Facilities of this level should be available on your side, right?" In terms of prestige and wealth, the Blandelli family ranked several grades higher than the Kranjcar family. Realizing Erica's object was not the equipment at the workshop, Liliana felt suspicious. 'Sorry, I can't disclose anything regarding that. Besides, I'm sure news about it will spread like wildfire within the next couple of days, so spare me for now. Well then, Lily, take care. I will be quite occupied for the time being, but I believe things will settle down gradually.' Thus the conversation ended. Seriously, what was that woman thinking? Liliana angrily put down the cellphone. Night had fallen completely by the time Kusanagi G.o.dou awakened. Naturally, Erica was by his pillow, watching him as one would gaze upon some kind of lab animal. "By the way, the current time is late at night after 11 pm. Every time you use it, the revival time seems to be shrinking." "A power up, but incredibly annoying anyway... So, where is this place?" "An atelier borrowed from a friend. Even though we've been friends for so long, on the surface we appear to be hostile rivals with a complicated relationship, so we need not worry about pursuers finding us here. In fact, the time spent waiting for G.o.dou to revive was very peaceful." The place was rather messy and felt like some kind of workshop. On various racks were numerous tools, chemicals, shattered earthenware and statues, lying around without any sort of central organization. Rather than a bed, G.o.dou was lying on a long workbench. The rug beneath him must have been a thoughtful gesture from Erica. "So, now that G.o.dou has revived, let's discuss our direction from now on?" Just as Erica said, the abdominal injury had already healed completely. His blood soaked clothes had also been taken off. G.o.dou was now dressed in khaki work clothes. Probably something from the workshop. Looks like Erica was the one who helped him change. G.o.dou was gratified by her unexpected thoughtfulness, but he expressed his objections. "Let's eat first. I'm famished." "A statement characteristic of simple animals on the verge of death. Well, since I haven't eaten either, I shall second the motion, however --" "However?" "This area has no shops that stay open this late." G.o.dou went "Hmm" softly. Come to think of it, this was Italy. Even though there should exist restaurants that remain open for business during midnight hours, there seemed to be none in the area as suspected from Erica's words. Supermarkets and grocery stores would all be closed by now. "I haven't seen twenty-four-hour convenience stores or the like in this country..." "That's right. But they exist in Hong Kong. I thought it was a joke when I first heard about stores that stayed open for business twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year nonstop." "Well, it can't be helped. We'll just have to borrow without asking." Discovering there was a s.p.a.ce resembling a kitchen, G.o.dou muttered. ...Twenty minutes later, the two of them had discovered instant noodles, a kettle and a pot so they started boiling water using the gas stove. Available in both cup and packet variants, they decided to take both. "I knew that a workshop like this would stock some kind of food. But finding j.a.panese manufactured food sure is surprising." The noodles G.o.dou discovered were all imported products from j.a.pan. Although the language on the packaging was Italian, the designs were identical to products in j.a.pan so he recognized them instantly. "As expected, demand for this kind of food exists everywhere." Even though Italy was a great nation renowned for slow food, its supermarkets did carry frozen and instant foods. Even multinational fast food chains flourished in business. G.o.dou muttered as he was struck deeply by this revelation. Erica watched him from the side in amus.e.m.e.nt and said: "Hmm, so it's ready to eat once you pour in the boiling water? I've heard rumors about this before, but I'm only seeing it for the first time." "You've never eaten fast food? You're really a sheltered high cla.s.s lady." Once again, G.o.dou experienced the difference in upbringing between himself and Erica. As a side note, the tasks of pouring hot water into the cup noodles and boiling the packet noodles in the pot were all performed by G.o.dou. They also found biscuits and candy in the cupboard. Despite the haphazard menu, at least the meal was prepared within expectations. "...This is unexpectedly tasty. That's not very fun." "If you believe having these products taste bad would be interesting, then they won't be popular all over the world." The cup noodles were flavored with consomme. The packet noodles were packaged with soy sauce flavored powdered soup, the same as in j.a.pan. While preaching to Erica the deliciousness of various instant and junk foods, G.o.dou ate everything. Also, while they were eating, the two of them discussed their plans for the future. That said, the exchange did not amount to much. "So G.o.dou, regarding your counterattack against Sir Salvatore. Do you intend to return to Milan next?" "Not yet. It'd be a little reckless. Continuing to fight that idiot on the battlefield he prepared would not be a wise choice." "What do you mean?" "I've been too pa.s.sive. I think it's better if we start taking action from our side. We have to take back initiative in offense, right? Well, maybe it's a matter of feeling, but let's regroup here and do things my way." During the daytime battle, G.o.dou had been pressed so far as to be unable to strike back. That kind of image must be vindicated. In order to take up the next challenge with renewed spirits, G.o.dou intended to start the battle only when he firmly held initiative. "In that case, I have a suggestion. I'll explain it after the meal." "Great, I'll be relying on you." Thus ended the discussion. However, it was sufficient. At some point in time, the two of them had developed the kind of relationship where they understood each other without much being said. Part 3 After finishing this late meal, the two of them spent the night at the atelier. Since there was a bathroom as well as blankets prepared for naps, there were no inconveniences as temporary shelter. Sleeping under the same roof was no longer an issue that G.o.dou and Erica harbored much objection to. The next day, G.o.dou and Erica waited until the time for shops to open before venturing out for new clothes. The bloodstained clothing had already been taken care of, but G.o.dou did not really want to be wandering the streets in work clothes. They visited the men's corner in a three-story department store. Without much deliberation, G.o.dou bought a white shirt and well-fitted pants. Originally, that would have accomplished his objective. However, for some unfathomable reason, Erica was also picking clothes in the women's corner. "It feels uncomfortable to be wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday. Since we're already here, I might as well have a look. But so far none of the styles are to my liking." That was Erica's response when G.o.dou wanted to leave. Girls took forever to shop. That fact had been drilled into G.o.dou's head through his countless experiences, forced to accompany Asuka or his little sister in their shopping. It could very well take an hour or more... G.o.dou had this ominous feeling. But Erica finished her purchases in ten minutes or so. However. "Can you wrap this all up for me? Oh, this one I'm going to change into right now, but please send the rest to this address here." Most casually, she selected five or six days' worth of clothing before ending her shopping with those instructions for the salesperson. "Hey you, didn't you leave your uncle?" G.o.dou asked Erica as she returned from the fitting room. She had changed out of her red long-sleeved t-shirt and was now dressed in an elegant black jacket and matching lower garments of the same color. "In other words, you're running away from home, right? Where are you planning to send these clothes?" "No problem. The delivery address is a place registered under my own name. It's part of the estate I inherited from my deceased parents." "Eh, really!?" "Yes. Even though I lived at the Blandelli main residence in Milan because I'm still a minor, I do have a number of houses in my possession. As long as I don't spend too extravagantly, it's enough to live comfortably." Come to think of it, her clothing bill just now had been settled through the transparent accounting practice of the bank debit card. Or should he say, as expected of Erica? G.o.dou was deeply impressed. Despite being a sheltered high cla.s.s lady who did not even know how to prepare food, she possessed ample sense of economy. Even if there was no need for her to deal with the problems of balancing a home budget, she was probably not negligent in the management and application of wealth. "I mentioned yesterday a stage for your decisive duel with Sir Salvatore. That place is located near a villa in my possession. The clothes were also sent there, so don't worry." Finished outfitting themselves, the two head to the station. Even though they were wanted figures, they did not try to hide themselves or display any furtiveness. Instead, they openly walked along the main streets. "We only hid last night to prevent G.o.dou from being attacked by Sir Salvatore while you were unconscious. Now that you've recovered, G.o.dou, there's no need to do things in a sneaky manner." "Really? Wouldn't it be bad if another attack happened on the streets?" This conversation took place earlier in the morning. "Don't worry, you won't be attacked. Even if anyone from the [Copper Black Cross] discovered us, they won't make a move so readily now." Why? G.o.dou's question made Erica burst into laughter. "Sir Salvatore's orders are to track you down, not to capture you. Hence, the foolish act of a deliberate attack is not a command that would be issued, whether by my uncle or Clarens -- my former colleague. It would be dangerous and meaningless to them." "I see. So all they're going to do is report our movements back to that idiot Doni." "So let's send a 'Duel Invitation' to Sir Salvatore, exactly the way he likes it. Tell him to meet you at a certain place in a few days time. If we do that, I believe our chances of being attacked along the way will be essentially zero." Since discovery only meant being monitored, the two of them openly walked to the station and took the train. Before they went to catch the ride, they had already sent letters to Doni's hotel and the [Copper Black Cross] headquarters. Erica had used a [Mailing] spell. It seemed to be a kind of magic that could deliver a sealed letter to a specified location as long as the exact destination was known. The letters contained a message along the lines of 'Wait for me on the sh.o.r.e of Lake Garda tomorrow after dusk' and signed with the name of Kusanagi G.o.dou. The train ride took about an hour and a half. Lake Garda was located right on the border between the region of Lombardy, where Milan was located, and the region of Veneto, which contained ancient cities such as Venice and Verona. Italy's largest lake, Lake Garda, was elongated in shape, extending 50km in the north-south direction. G.o.dou and Erica arrived at a town on the southern sh.o.r.e of Lake Garda. They decided to have lunch before taking a taxi to their destination. "Somehow it really feels like I'm at the seaside..." Sitting on the backseat of a taxi as it raced along the lakesh.o.r.e, G.o.dou muttered to himself. Lake Garda's surface area seemed to be roughly half that of Lake Biwa in j.a.pan. Along the lakesh.o.r.e were scattered towns and villages that welcomed travelers as vacation spots. These towns all had a kind of seaside feeling to them. The lakefront had a port where many yachts and ferries were moored at the pier. Although it did not really count as a beach, there was a lakeside cove covered with gravel. "You can go swim, go yachting, and even windsurf, so it's not much different from a sea." G.o.dou nodded at Erica's comment. The lakewater here was amazingly clear and pristine. For sure, he could enjoy a good swim here. A little while later, the scenery outside the taxi changed. The cla.s.sic lakeside tourist destination scenery up until now gave way to lush green mountains overlooking the lakesh.o.r.e. This seemed to be a place offering a picturesque mountain and ocean view. After about thirty minutes, the taxi arrived at the destination. The Blandelli residence -- or more accurately, the lakeside villa belonging to Erica. On normal days, cleaning and inspection was entrusted to a caretaking company. This elegant log house, most suitable as a villa, offered a wide view of beautiful Lake Garda. Erica used the key she had obtained from the real estate office in front of the station to unlock the door. "How should I say it... This is essentially a rich man's villa." G.o.dou's mutterings reflected his commoner mentality. That was his conclusion after a cursory tour of the villa, as he finally exited the garage. The log house itself was neither very large nor was it especially luxurious. However, two vehicles, a small car and a motorcycle, were kept in the garage as if they naturally belonged there. The car was a mini 4WD vehicle while the motorcycle was a 400cc mid-sized scooter. "Is there also a boat on the lake?" "Oh my, how knowledgeable of you." "Given how well equipped this place is, I thought it wouldn't be strange to have that as well. Since there's no need to do any cleaning, how about we prepare some food?" This was proposed by G.o.dou who had experienced group training camps during his days as a baseball player. As an ordinary commoner, especially one raised by a mother who subscribed to hands-off parenting, G.o.dou always did everything personally by himself. If the occasion demanded, he was capable of performing decent cooking. Besides, he did not naively expect this "partner" to contribute in this area. As expected, Erica, who had been acting completely like a sheltered high cla.s.s lady since morning, asked incredulously: "If you want to get food, there are restaurants and eateries nearby, you know?" "Since visiting this place is a rare opportunity, preparing food by my own effort fits the mood better. Tomorrow will be critical, let's eat as healthy as possible." "Oh... I'm rather confident in my ability to handle most situations flexibly." Erica spoke with a serious expression as if deep in thought. "As for the area of cooking per se, it is completely foreign territory to me. Oh well, a situation like this, which challenges the possibilities of me, Erica Blandelli, sounds rather interesting... To be honest, I've always wanted to create new tastes that have never existed in this world." "It's simply outdoor cooking, there's no need for that kind of dangerous resolve." G.o.dou said no to the beautiful young lady who was more interested in tastes marked by individuality compared to safe but mundane tastes. "Don't worry, I don't need your a.s.sistance. I can handle this alone." "That statement makes me subtly angry for some reason..." "By the way, who uses these vehicles here? Or heaven forbid, Erica, you can drive?" "No, but if you need a horse, it's not a problem. Do you want me to bring one over from the ranch nearby?" If someone could drive the motorcycle or the car, buying things would be a lot easier. Which was why G.o.dou ventured to ask, but the result was an oblique answer. Since this was Erica, her answer was probably not a joke and should be half serious at least. Riding a horse on the main road would be a bit too much, so G.o.dou turned to the bicycle in the corner of the garage. "So, let's use that..." Hence, G.o.dou biked his way to the nearby shops. After shopping for ingredients, he set to work preparing dinner. Once complete, he went to the terrace which offered an expansive view of Lake Garda. The guest had already arrived -- Erica was enjoying the lakeside scenery. "So, let's first discuss tomorrow's duel. It should be quite a severe challenge, but do you have a plan yet?" Erica suddenly asked at this time. Part 4 "Well, you can't really call it a plan, but through yesterday's battle, I figured out which powers don't work against that guy. That's kinda important, I think." "Are you talking about the [Raptor] incarnation you used at the end?" "Yeah. Totally ineffective. It doesn't really work when we're exchanging blows and sword strikes. Yes, its excellent speed is great and all, but Doni seems to be able to see through it. Also, my movements are severely off target." G.o.dou recalled what happened yesterday and explained to Erica. Trying to punch but Doni easily evaded his fist. This was most likely due to G.o.dou's excessive speed. After that, G.o.dou had tested things out while he was running away using divine speed. When the target was stationary or G.o.dou was moving slowly, there was no problem. But as soon as he tried to attack a moving object while he was going at those kinds of speeds, his eyes always judged incorrectly. For example, if he reached out to catch a dove flying in the sky, he would grab nothing but air, dozens of centimeters off target. "Now that you brought this up, Princess Alice also touched upon it before... When Black Prince Alec was just starting out, His Highness was also in a great conundrum over how to control [Black Lightningj's speed." Erica spoke as she seemingly recalled something. G.o.dou nodded. "That's also speed on a level that's like cheating. If it could be used freely with perfect control, then that whatever prince would have become some kind of invincible monster, right? But that kind of thing should not be possible. From the way I can't hit anything with this sort of speed, that should be proof enough." "Well said. But His Highness the Black Prince has succeeded in controlling his lightning speed to some degree." "Since my power is different from that man's, it doesn't mean I can do the same thing just by copying. I think it's best not to place too much hope on it." G.o.dou felt neither fondness nor attachment to a Campione's authority. Hence he could completely disregard his own powers -- in other words, a.n.a.lyze calmly and objectively. "Anyway, first show me the stage for the duel before it gets dark." Shelving the most pressing problem for now, G.o.dou made his suggestion. Erica's villa stood solitarily on the lakeside. But slightly further away, there were other houses and villas, little shops as well as piers with moored yachts. Also, even further back in the distance, there was a mountain with a flat ridgeline. Lake Garda was a glacial lake -- a lake created from melt.w.a.ter gathering in a valley when glaciers retreated at the end of the Ice Age, resulting in encirclement by mountains. Following Erica, G.o.dou reached the top of the mountain. "This hike is really pleasant... But I'd imagine it'd start feeling like a ha.s.sle if I had to do this every day." G.o.dou commented as he enjoyed the sudden outing. This was a smooth and gentle mountain path full of lush greenery. Even though it demanded little physical exertion, the time spent hiking could be better used elsewhere. "That's exactly the reason why my parents abandoned this villa." Erica spoke as she walked in front of G.o.dou. She had told him that the stage for the duel would be an abandoned villa that belonged to the Blandelli family. Not only was it no longer used, but even the electricity, gas and water mains had been dismantled. She promised that it could be destroyed without any concerns. "Not only is it extremely old and decrepit, it's also huge. A ma.s.sive inconvenience, all things considered. But this kind of remote mountain villa happens to be my preference too." "Oh well." Even though it was a long journey on foot, it would only take a brief drive by car. G.o.dou began to imagine as he concurred. A western mansion built on a remote island in a faraway ocean, a mountain villa hidden amongst snowy peaks, isolated locales where locked room mysteries^ 1 * could occur were surely to Erica's liking... "If it weren't for G.o.dou saying no, I could've simply taken the car from the garage." "Then why did you say no when I asked if you could drive?" "Not an issue. You do know there are spells to make iron and metal move according to the caster's wishes, right? Given a car's scale and dimensions, no problem at all. It's simply an iron box on wheels with two people sitting in it. Then all I need to do is move the whole thing forward using my spells. I can't do any complicated maneuvers, but simply moving back and forth on a mountain path would not be a problem. Definitely." "To think the urban legend of the driver-less autonomous car was narrowly averted, let's not go there..." After hiking for thirty minutes, they finally reached the destination. It was a majestic stone-built mansion in the mountains. A cloister(!) surrounded a garden overgrown with weeds. The building's walls were almost a meter thick, with elaborate carvings on the top of the stone pillars. Based on the style of architecture, this place was at least eight centuries old. Especially the one-story lobby in the center. It had an atrium with a stained gla.s.s ceiling that one admired by looking up. Deep in the back was a platform resembling an altar, with a seven or eight-meter-tall statue of Madonna and Child. Basically convinced that this was no ordinary building, G.o.dou spoke up: "This place, could it be some kind of especially ancient and precious building?" "Not precious, but ancient for sure. This was formerly a monastery built during the Middle Ages. Many generations ago, ancestors in the Blandelli family bought this place." "Using this kind of holy place as a personal villa would be sufficient cause for divine retribution!" "Oh my. This kind of villa, may not be abundant, but neither is it very rare. Other than wealthy descendants of n.o.bles, many other people own similar buildings." "Ah... So these are villas where n.o.bles live..." Catching a glimpse into the lifestyles of the European upper cla.s.s, G.o.dou exclaimed emphatically. "In this current time and age, there are no practical uses for these places other than converting them into hotels or museums. But this location at Lake Garda isn't very ideal from a business point of view, and it's rather doubtful whether the investment would pay off. Precisely because it's this sort of place, please use it any way you like. Any level of destruction is fine." Listening to Erica's generous offer, G.o.dou surveyed the interior of the building. Considering the unreliability of his authority and the difference in combat ability between him and Doni, G.o.dou wanted to avoid fighting in open country with nowhere to hide. On a battlefield without any cover, he would most likely be sliced to death in short time. Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially from Erica, G.o.dou decided to make the most of it with grat.i.tude. As G.o.dou nodded, Erica responded with a n.o.blewoman's broad-minded smile. "If you wish, G.o.dou, I could also teach you basic swordsmanship. Even though a day's learning might not have much effect, at least it'll feel safer." "Really... But no thanks." Erica watched with an amused expression as G.o.dou refused indifferently. "Just as you say, using a day to do things at the last second would not be very meaningful. Rather than that, it'd be more productive to consider more fundamental strategies." "Such as?" "Areas where that guy's sword cannot reach... However, that alone won't be enough to win either." As a batter, how to conquer a troublesome pitcher? As a catcher, how to guide the pitcher to defeat the batter? G.o.dou began to ponder along these lines. Rather than using sword skills acquired last-minute, he was going to fight that idiot in his own personal fashion. This was the duel between high school student Kusanagi G.o.dou and the monster Salvatore Doni. Hence -- this is going to be done my way. In order not to repeat the failure during Melqart's battle, he must remember to respond craftily and avoid carelessness... "How courageous! Fighting Europe's ultimate swordsman without even an inkling of how to wield a sword!" Saying that, Erica laughed delightfully. "But looking at your situation, perhaps that might turn out for the best. After all, simply using the [Camel] incarnation transforms yourself into a warrior even stronger than me. And unlike Sir Salvatore, you even possess incarnations with long range attacks... Furthermore, there's the [Sword] of spell words." "That so? But Doni and I are both Campi-whatevers." "Anyway, the fact that you both possess divine authorities remains the same. Two of Sir Salvatore's authorities have clear origins. The [Ripping Arm of Silver] usurped from the Celtic divine king Nuadha, as well as the [Man of Steel] from the Norse hero Siegfried." As Erica explained fluently, G.o.dou nodded with a helpless expression. "Well... I was able to sever just Melqart's power of [Storms] last time. I should be able to do it again with the same sort of feeling." Verethragna's final incarnation, the [Warrior], wielded the blade of spell words. In order to obtain it, G.o.dou needed to do that again with Erica- Pondering to this point, G.o.dou fell silent. "That's... right. After all, I'm expecting..." Erica also seemed to have recalled the same thing and suddenly began to be at a loss for words. Their gazes meeting briefly, the two of them instantly blushed at the same time. "A-Anyway, let's prepare dinner first, it's about time to get back." "Y-Yes. Please indulge me with your cooking skills." Unable to dispel the awkward atmosphere, they continued their way down the mountain path. G.o.dou's choice of dinner was curry. Considering this was the result of his careful selection in an unfamiliar repertory as he browsed through food corners in shops, it was pa.s.sable. That was what G.o.dou thought. But unlike shops in j.a.pan, curry powder was not available. Stirring flour into a paste, he added all sorts of spicy seasonings into a pot, and adjusted the taste. There was one camp where they had run out of curry powder, and G.o.dou ended up learning how to make it from someone. The other ingredients for the curry was chicken as well as spring vegetables he found in the supermarket. He also prepared a large plate of salad. Using olive oil and wine vinegar mixed with salt and pepper, he improvised a dressing. There was also bread with hard crusts. Bought cheese and sausages, etc. "...How unexpectedly ordinary, this food is so uninteresting." "Stop having these weird expectations in this area..." Bathed under the rays of the setting sun, Lake Garda was illuminated orange. Despite their differing views on the food, G.o.dou and Erica finished all the prepared food without waste. G.o.dou was not adventurous enough to expect Erica to do the washing up, so he cleaned up by himself. After that, there were no other ch.o.r.es to be done. They had already bathed before dinner. (As a side note, the villa contained two bathrooms, thus there was no need to take turns.) With nothing to do, the two of them sat down in the s.p.a.cious living room of the villa. Recalling the "ritual" they had performed before the battle with Melqart, G.o.dou maintained a slight distance from Erica. He had a feeling something strange was going to happen. Keeping his distance away from Erica who was sitting at a table, G.o.dou sat down alone on a sofa. "The first G.o.d Sir Salvatore defeated was Ireland's Nuadha, the king of the Tuatha De Danann.^ A G.o.d with a silver-crafted arm to replace a severed arm, he is a war G.o.d who wields the sword of light which slices through all existence." Erica suddenly spoke words of great learning. "The second one defeated was the hero Siegfried. Bathed in the blood of the evil dragon Fafnir, he became the invulnerable warrior. He is well-known in Richard Wagner's operatic works, so G.o.dou should have heard of him, right?" Only on the level of having heard of the name. G.o.dou listened silently as Erica proceeded. "Other than these two, Sir Salvatore also seems to have slain one or two more G.o.ds, but the details are unclear. Since his favorite authorities in battle are the 'magic sword' and the 'protection of steel,' it can be deduced that his remaining authorities are most likely unsuited for direct combat." "Eh? Those kinds of authorities exist?" "Prince Alec's labyrinth-creating authority would be a typical example... Anyway, Sir Salvatore's primary weapons consist of the 'sword' and 'invulnerability.' Given a choice of which one to seal, I'd choose the sword." "Yeah, I'd pick that one too. But isn't it meaningless to raise these hypothetical situations?" Unable to understand Erica's intentions, G.o.dou felt troubled. It almost felt like she was making preparations to forge the [Sword]. In that case, engaging Erica in that kind of behavior was required -- no good no good. G.o.dou frantically dispelled thoughts of temptation and spoke quietly. "I already have a basic idea on how to win this battle. So, let's retire early tonight for a good night's rest. How's that, Erica? You should be quite tired, right?" But no matter how early they should sleep, the current time had not even reached seven in the evening. Definitely too early. But there was no other excuse to end the conversation. "No, I'm not particularly tired." "1-1 see." "Hey G.o.dou, don't we currently look like we're eloping?" "Eh!?" G.o.dou was rendered speechless by Erica's sudden description. "Ever since yesterday, we've been fleeing together just the two of us. Living under the same roof in a matter-of-fact manner. What else could you call this other than eloping?" "N-No, even though you could look at it that way, but we're not actually doing that." While G.o.dou stuttered in denial, Erica had already approached. Swiftly, she sat down next to G.o.dou on the sofa. "Isn't it more like friends or close comrades...?" "Yes. As well as partners for life. Lovers bound by promises of eternal love." What the heck was with this a.n.a.logy!? Erica drew near as G.o.dou entered a state of panic. "G.o.dou, if you could come to a profound realization and regard Erica Blandelli as your one and only woman... I could consider staying with you forever and ever till death do us part?" Erica's beautiful face was approaching G.o.dou head on from an extremely close distance. By this point, G.o.dou finally realized. Or rather, he was forced to realize. Kusanagi G.o.dou's destiny was currently at a major crossroad! Part 5 "T-That's overly intense, I think we need to calm down and consider things carefully first." "Who do you take me for? Before speaking to you, G.o.dou, I've already undergone careful consideration. Precisely because I understand the irrepressibly intense pa.s.sion in my heart, that is why I am turning my feelings into action." Not only beautiful but also intelligent, the young beauty confessed clearly and directly. Why? Why was Erica saying such things to Kusanagi G.o.dou!? "B-But no matter how I wrap my mind around it, we don't really match, right?" "Oh my, are you saying that I, Erica Blandelli, am not qualified to become the spouse of the seventh Campione, Kusanagi G.o.dou?" "Idiot, I mean the opposite. I'm not good enough for you!" "In that case, you're the idiot. Foolishly worrying about the issue of matching when we should be softly whispering words of love and pa.s.sion to each other. What a boorish person you are!" Finally, the words of love and pa.s.sion came directly from Erica's mouth. At this rate, misunderstanding her was impossible. Erica smiled gently as she drew her face near the utterly shocked G.o.dou's ear. "However, I happen to like that boorishness of yours. A different kind of fool from Sir Salvatore. Honest to a fault, clumsy, boorish, brilliant on occasion but essentially naive most of the time -- Kusanagi G.o.dou, that is the man I love most of all." Despite the accusations of fool, these soft whispers were filled with loving pa.s.sion. "On the other hand, trying to justify love with myriad reasons would be truly boorish instead. Hey G.o.dou, have you always thought of me as an arrogant woman? I hope you can answer me properly and give me an appropriate response." "A-Appropriate?" "You could say things like 'I also feel the same way about you,' 'a woman like you is not my type,' etc etc. Regardless, please tell me in no uncertain terms whether you accept or reject my proposal." G.o.dou almost fainted from these sweet whispers by his ear. "B-But this is too sudden. Something like this happening should be impossible!" "Really? I too, was previously unwilling to admit to my feelings no matter what. Indeed, I was not sufficiently forthright with my affections... But now that I have made up my mind, I can easily understand that sort of feeling. Besides, if I truly didn't like a boy, would I really offer my lips to him?" Even though Erica displayed slight embarra.s.sment, she continued to talk happily. If everything was as she described, then Kusanagi G.o.dou was truly blind and insensitive. "R-Really?" "Correct. So, I shall now pose a series of questions to Kusanagi G.o.dou. --To you personally, am I special? Or in fact, you feel like I am no different from any other woman?" "T-That's not right. You are definitely special to me in all meanings of the word." G.o.dou ended up confessing unwittingly. Erica instantly smiled tenderly. So cute! "Well answered. So, how was life in j.a.pan without me by your side? Were you lonely? Did you recall each and every one of our exciting days together?" "I guess I did recall..." Another confession. c.r.a.p! "Here comes the final question! Do you like being together with me? Or perhaps not? Which is it?" "If I disliked you, I wouldn't have crossed oceans to see you!" d.a.m.n it. His thoughts revealed by that unruly tongue, G.o.dou was filled with terror. This was a first experience. These words which his rationality forbade him to say, were all being uttered as a result of Erica's pa.s.sionate advances! ...But wait a minute. Why did he even need to refuse? G.o.dou suddenly realized that neither Erica nor himself had a predetermined lover. Even if they got together, there was nothing wrong with it. Ultimately, this was simply a matter of decision. He finally realized clearly. "Ah... But it's only been a month at most since we first met. Isn't it a bit rushed to make such a huge decision given so little time? Maybe we should spend more time to gradually confirm each other's feelings?" "Pa.s.sion strikes like lightning, while love endures forever." Faintly smiling, Erica spoke poetic sounding words. "Even if all it takes is an instant to fall in love, the loving relationship can persist for the rest of our lives." Not good. This forthright blonde beauty belonged to the pa.s.sionate Latin nation. In situations like this, the Yamato nation was completely outcla.s.sed in decisiveness! Not to mention Erica's overwhelming appeal. Those excessively direct words of courtship. In fact, G.o.dou had secretly felt himself attracted to her ever since they met in Sardinia. He could not find any reason to refuse her. Nevertheless, G.o.dou was not the womanizing type to enter a lovers relationship given such short time. Besides, it would feel kind of insincere to respond to Erica's promises of "forever" without a thoughtful answer. "Hohoho. If G.o.dou cannot decide yet on our relationship, I won't mind for now. If my judgment is correct, you are acting the same way as I was yesterday. I can see that all you're lacking is the final resolve." Tenderly smiling, Erica casually a.s.serted. G.o.dou could not find words to refute her. "Then let's put the matter aside for now, and resolve the most pressing problem? In order to prepare for the fight against Sir Salvatore, we must forge the [Sword]." "W-Wait a minute. If that's the case, it means we have to do that again!?" "Certainly. But there's no longer any problem, right? No matter how our relationship evolves in the future, we have already confirmed the connection between the depths of our hearts. Without any awkward excuses, let us enjoy the ritual properly now?" "E-E-E-Enjoy!?" "Isn't kissing a loved one the most natural thing in the world? Hoho, to be frank, during the ritual last time, my heart was actually racing so fast, I completely lost myself. It felt like my mind became blank as I was brought to ecstasy by our kissing." M f ii "T-That was my first experience, you know. Hey G.o.dou, could you bring me to ecstasy once more? For the sake of prevailing over Sir Salvatore, let us do our best." Saying that, Erica brought her cherry lips to G.o.dou's mouth. Some time after dinner, she had reapplied lipstick. Those brightly l.u.s.trous lips held terrifying fascination. Furthermore, having fully savored the taste of kissing her lips before, simply recalling the memory further intensified the situation. Their lips were only one or two centimeters apart now. G.o.dou felt his heart beating loudly like some sort of continuous alarm. The desire to respond to Erica's pa.s.sion. The desire to understand Erica's determination. The desire to not lose against that idiot. All these desires mixed and scrambled together. He also noticed- Erica's offered her lips in a kiss and G.o.dou accepted. "I-I'm gonna beat up that guy. Can you a.s.sist me?" "Of course. This is the duty of your attendant -- or rather, your spouse!" It was pretty much like a dam on the verge of bursting. Erica acted with unusual ferocity. Sucking intensely on G.o.dou's lips, it felt like she was trying to obtain G.o.dou's entire being through a kiss. Keeping their lips in superposition, they pressed together even more tightly. Ten seconds, twenty seconds pa.s.sed in this fashion. Still, Erica's lips remained in position. Only when out of breath did she finally release her lips, panting heavily for air. But very quickly she offered another kiss. As if putting forth her full strength, a kiss full of pa.s.sion. Overwhelmed by this sweet pleasure, G.o.dou felt his mind going numb. As a result, he too, gradually responded to the intensity of Erica's pa.s.sion. When Erica sucked on G.o.dou's lips, G.o.dou sucked Erica's lips in turn, licking each other. Gripping the other's lips with his own, he savored that sense of softness, wetting it with saliva. The air echoed with the sound of wet kisses. In short time, the two of them were kissing each other's lips with ever increasing intensity. Before they knew it, even their teeth were colliding together. This time, the sound of teeth crashing could be heard. To be honest, it was kind of painful. Hence, their tongues started to tangle with each other. Sliding their tongues into each other's mouth, probing for the other tongue, they each tried to encircle the other person's tongue. The area around their mouths became all wet and sticky from saliva. "l-lt's about time for me to start teaching you the most important knowledge. Sorry, I was lost in ecstasy." Erica whispered softly as if she had recovered her senses. "For someone like me to completely forget something crucial like that, my current state must be really strange. And kissing so much more intensely than last time... G.o.dou, it's you who changed me." Grumbling with dazed eyes, Erica began to weave spell words together. "The G.o.d Sir Salvatore defeated was Nuadha, the king of the Tuatha De Danann. This divine clan consisted of deities worshiped by Celts living in Ireland." Erica kissed G.o.dou's lips as she continued to whisper. "People generally have the impression that the Celts were indigenous to the European continent, and later driven out by the invasion of the Anglo-Saxons." Taking a breath from time to time, Erica continued to engage in either kisses or low whispers. Sweetly pleasurable beyond compare, this was also a frantic and awkward exchange. Better yet, G.o.dou could feel something connecting together in the depths of his heart. "But if events were traced all the way back, the Celts are the actual invaders. Migrating over vast distances, they traveled from India to Europe, eventually crossing from the continent to the British Isles. The Celts who arrived in Ireland battled the natives, undergoing countless victories and defeats, finally succeeding in making the island their territory." Before they knew it, kissing no longer offered sufficient satisfaction. Embracing Erica tightly, using his entire body to affirm her supple sensations, G.o.dou immersed himself in these thoughts with rapture. "Bearing a silver arm and the sword of light, the G.o.d Nuadha was also the king of the Tuatha De Danann. His myths clearly depict the figure the ancient Celtic king who commanded his people in their conquest of Ireland. Understand all this and forge the knowledge into the G.o.d-slicing blade, G.o.dou!" Like a gushing torrent, knowledge of the Celtic divine king Nuadha was transmitted through Erica's mouth and tongue. G.o.dou could feel the [Sword]'s completion with conviction. Thus was born the golden blade for slicing apart a G.o.d he had never encountered before. References 1 . t Locked room mystery: a sub-genre of detective fiction where a crime is committed under seemingly impossible conditions. http://en.wi kipedia.org/wiki/Locked_room_mystery 2. t Tuatha De Danann: Irish clan of deities. Later they moved underground and became fairy-like beings. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuatha_De_Danann