I do not own Campione, High School DxD, or the elements of Code Geass that I chose to incorporate into this story. I am only writing this for fun and not for any sort of profit. If you do not like this story then you are free to leave it and find something more to your tastes. For those you that remain, I hope you continue to enjoy and support the story.
God Slayer DxD
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 5: Blood Ties
“I’m sorry, but could you please repeat yourself?” Mike asked plainly.
It was a confused Michael that was sitting across from the woman named Cornelia as she sat quite regally across from him in the living room of his apartment. After she introduced herself at the door, an understandably confused Mike invited her in and she helped herself to tea while Mike tried to process what was going on as Villetta took the seat next to him.
“As I said, my name is Cornelia li Britannia,” the new woman introduced herself a second time. “On behalf of the Britannia Family, I am here to offer myself into your service in whatever capacity you need of me.”
“O...kay,” Mike gulped. He glanced to Villetta, “The Britannia Family?”
“The Britannia Family are the family of the British aristocracy within the supernatural circles,” Villetta explained. “Their reach is long and influential, deep in all fields including politics, industry, military, and several fields of the supernatural. Their nobility is also beyond reproach. Were the entire Royal Family suddenly removed or otherwise, it would be the Britannias who would be first in line to take up their duties.”
“Our bloodlines stem from a Campione, creating our noble name and we have strived to uphold that standard,” Cornelia added. “With the advent of your ascension, we of the Britannia Family were hoping to enter your service and earn your favor.”
“The Britannia Family has attempted to forge ties with each of the Campione that have appeared, but have had little success,” Villetta explained as Mike glanced at her again. “Or rather, none.”
Cornelia lanced a look at Villetta, an obviously scathing one. Mike however knew that it was an important fact and questioned, “I guess the current crop haven’t been very receptive to your offers of allegiance.”
“No,” Cornelia frowned, but saw no choice but to explain. “When we contacted Marquis Voban, he proved...less than willing to participate the form of alliance we wished for.”
Mike didn’t doubt it. Villetta had described his eldest adopted brother and for all intents and purposes, the man was like a vicious wolf who sometimes acted like a man when the mood suited him. He would have just considered the Britannias’ offers of an alliance to be bothersome since he didn’t have much use of modern conveniences in his hunt for more Heretic Gods to fight and gain power from. When it came to people, it was do what he said or get the hell out of his way. Failure to do either meant death.
“Lady Luo Hao was likewise uninterested in an alliance, her having the Holy Cult of the Five Mountains to supply anything she would need that we could provide,” Cornelia continued.
Mike’s Chinese sister had two hundred years to fully establish and manage her organization. She probably had connections to just about every major player in China by the modern era. So there likely wasn’t much which the Britannias could offer that she couldn’t already get for herself. With how history was between the Chinese and the English, Mike wasn’t sure if his sister would trust British nobility with anything in the first place.
“Madam Aisha has to date never responded to our messengers,” Cornelia sighed.
The Arabic Campione, or The Queen of the Cave, had been living as a recluse for the longest time. There wasn’t much information about her to be had other than a general location of where she might be found. Her intentions were so far, unclear and there wasn’t much that could be offered when one wasn’t sure what her ambitions were.
“Attempts to negotiate with Alexander Gasciogne likewise met with disappointment since he founded Royal Arsenal and promptly just took whatever he wanted from us instead of negotiating for it like we hoped,” Cornelia bit out, obviously offended by the thefts from her family.
Villetta likely had the most to say about Black Prince Alec, him being one of the most public of the Campione. His entire organization was established to track down and uncover the Holy Grail. Of course, when faced with something that could help him or just because it captured his interest, Alec would often just steal the object. He’d then leave a note saying it was him that took it, or rather ‘borrowed’ it, and that he would return it when he was done with it. To date, he had yet to return anything he took.
“John Pluto Smith responded to our messengers, but turned us down saying he had no interest,” Cornelia continued.
Mike’s American sibling was of all things playing at being a superhero, fighting off the rogue magic groups which kept popping up in California, exiled from Europe for their disreputable magical practices. He was generally beloved by the people of Los Angeles, but no one had really known what he really looked like or if John Pluto Smith was his real name. He likely had serious connections though if he turned down the Britannias.
“Lord Salvatore Doni…” Cornelia began with a grimace.
“Enough said,” Mike nodded.
Salvatore Doni was Mike’s Italian adopted brother. He was without a doubt a genius when it came to swordplay, having killed his first Heretic God with just his sword skills alone. Outside of swordplay though, he was generally considered an idiot who would often leap into situations without thinking them through and would usually make a mess in the process. Most days he just lazed about or went looking for his next challenge. Likely the Britannia Family couldn’t supply his next challenge so he would have no real interest in them. He sure didn’t care about wealth, prestige, or material goods.
“And when we weren’t being muscled out by the Copper-Black Cross, the Bronze-Black Cross, or the History Compilation Committee, Lord Kusanagi Godou has expressed little interest in creating a network of informants and suppliers for things he may need,” Cornelia finished.
And there was Mike’s Japanese sibling. Out of all of the Campione, Mike identified with him the most. Godou wished to live the ordinary life like he hadn’t discovered Heretic Gods existed. He could be counted on to step up and defend Japan when he was needed, but he most definitely did not act like a Campione or King despite urgings from the agents from the three societies he dealt with trying to convince him otherwise.
“And there’s me, the Eighth,” Mike nodded, rubbing his chin. “I assume you’re offering yourself is a new tactic since your family’s previous attempts didn’t net much success.”
Cornelia tried hard to hide her grimace, “It is...a new approach my father decided on.”
Mike could tell that it wasn’t an approach she approved of. Still, he had a few more questions to ask before he decided on anything, “Alright then Ms. Cornelia, what is your realm of expertise? The branches of your family all have different specialties so I’d like to hear yours.”
“Military,” Cornelia answered, perking back up to her professional standard. “I have extensive training and experience in military tactics and missions both in the mundane and in the supernatural. I have led many missions to unquestionable success and have risen highly in the ranks of Her Majesty’s military. I hold the title of Knight and have achieved the rank of General before I removed myself from public service in Her Majesty’s mundane forces.”
“And you’re so young. That’s very impressive,” Mike blinked. Receiving the rank of General took years of service and showing exceptional skill as a leader and tactician. To get the rank and still be in her twenties, Cornelia had to be something special indeed. Viletta certainly looked impressed as she was looking at Cornelia with wide eyes.
“I am hailed as something of a prodigy in the field,” Cornelia smiled slightly.
“Okay, you have lineage and you have merit, both impressive aspects,” Mike nodded, taking Cornelia’s words more seriously than before. “What I need to know is how your skills will be of use to me? How will they benefit my own ambitions, whatever they may be?”
Cornelia sat straight, “My tactical skills and experience can allow me to plan against any opponent you may need to engage in battle with be they Heretic Gods, the mundane, or anything inbetween. I can also personally train you in the art of battle, teaching you fighting styles both with your bare hands and with weapons which will no doubt come in handy in your future battles. I have connections with the other branches of my family who offer their full support with anything you may need from the mundane to the magical. Our network can secure anything legal, to the illegal should you need it and have numerous ways to ensure you get it quickly.”
Mike nodded, “And that will be useful,” He looked Cornelia directly in the eye. “But there is one thing that I wish to know. How do you feel about being the one sent to serve me?”
“Me?” Cornelia blinked. She was silent for a moment before she looked to her lap. “I am accepting of it. Arrangements like this are common and if it can benefit my family then I am prepared for it.”
Mike took her answer as accepting and perhaps even pleasant, but his eyes told him something else. He noticed a vein in her neck throb, her hands clenching in her lap, her back stiffening again, and her eyes flashing with the emotion she would not let out. Seeing it all, Mike pressed, “Ms. Cornelia, if you are going to serve me I need you to be honest with me just like I will be honest with you. The first step for this is that I need to know if you are satisfied with this arrangement or not.”
Cornelia blinked and was silent again. She recalled from reports she read in preparation for the meeting that the first Heretic God Mike had killed was King Solomon. One of the Authorities he received from that kill was the man’s wisdom. No doubt it was active even now, allowing him to see all the signs that indicated that she was lying. Cornelia wanted to insist she was fine, but she knew lying would only alienate her from the Eighth. Her family couldn’t afford that so she sighed and dropped her head.
After a moment, her face dropped into a true frown while she clenched her fists. Her jaw was clenched and she looked absolutely furious even though she wasn’t making a sound. After a moment, she spoke, “No. No, I hate it! I spent my life becoming a military prodigy for my family, collecting knowledge and experience to serve on the forefront of battle and have achieved heights at a pace never before seen. So much so my own men called me The Goddess of Victory since whenever I entered the battle, we won! Now my family ships me off to be what amounts to an errand girl and sex toy for a teenager just because of my looks!”
Mike blinked, but nodded, “So your family thought hearing all the benefits of allying with them from a beautiful woman offering to serve me would make me more agreeable?”
“Something like that,” Cornelia nodded stiffly, forcing some control back over herself. “My father felt that since the newest Campione was a young man, having a woman of my stature offering to serve him would make him more accepting of the proposition.”
“Meaning beautiful and sexy,” Mike sighed, massaging his temple. “Well I admit you are that, but I won’t disrespect everything you achieved outside of your looks by treating you like a toy.” Mike sat up straight to stare down Cornelia, making her stop as he subconsciously began exuding the power he possessed. “Cornelia li Britannia, if you truly wish to serve me then I will accept you. Not as a toy, or a servant, but as a Knight, tactician, and someone I can trust my affairs to should I be needed elsewhere. Can you accept that responsibility?”
Cornelia blinked again, but then gave a small smile. It seemed her fears of the Eighth Campione being like the Seventh were unfounded. Everyone knew that Godou Kusanagi was a lecher who liked to collect numerous women from all over. Cornelia had feared that being relatively the same age, he would also be of the hormonal mindset and be more enchanted with her body more than anything else she could offer. It seemed that was not the case as he appeared more concerned with her military skills more than her looks. Of course he noticed her beauty, but she was pleasantly surprise to see that he wasn’t distracted by it.
“Yes. I will accept that responsibility,” she nodded regally.
“Good,” Mike nodded. “Because as of now, your skills may be the edge we need in the near future.”
“What do you mean?” Cornelia frowned.
“Recently, Viletta and I have come across information that indicates Kokabiel of the Fallen Angels intends to try and incite conflict between the Three Factions again,” Mike explained, causing Cornelia’s eyes to widen. “In some of my guest rooms are a pair of Fallen who survived a previous conflict with the local Devils and revealed that their previous orders were falsified by Kokabiel in attempts to secure Sacred Gears for his men as well as remove the Boosted Gear from the equation since the Fallen have the user of the Divine Dividing on their side.”
“And the Red Dragon Emperor would never allow his host to fight alongside the White Dragon Emperor,” Cornelia nodded, seeing the logic. “Does anyone know of this?”
“I notified Azazel, but he wishes to keep it quiet for now but will inform the other Factions if he needs to,” Mike replied.
“That’s a good start. If the Factions are aware that this splinter group is active, his plan are less likely to reach fruition,” Cornelia nodded. “Do you have any kind of timetable or what his plan to actively begin the war is?”
“No, currently he was trying to gather resources,” Mike shook his head. “The Fallen I spoke to have no idea what his actual plans were. Only one may have had a clue but she’s dead.”
“I see,” Cornelia nodded, lifting a knuckle to her lips as she thought. “Possible targets?”
“I can only think of one: Kuoh Academy,” Mike answered. “The heiresses of the Gremory and Sitri Families both attend school there. An awfully tempting target considering how seriously the Devils take their bloodlines.”
“Yes, that would be a good target,” Cornelia agreed. “But that would only get the Devils riled up for war. What would move the Angels?”
“Attack the Vatican?” Mike shrugged. “As opposed to the Devils who have so few targets, the Angels have too many with so many Christian and similar aspects of their faith strewn all over the world.”
“And that is without considering if Kokabiel plans to attack one side while framing the other for it,” Cornelia added.
“Without considering that,” Mike agreed. “With the Three Factions as tense as they are right now, there are probably dozens of ways for a war to spark off even if all three were willing to remain at peace.”
“Indeed,” Villetta agreed. “We’re at the disadvantage though since we have so little information to work with.”
“The worst kind of situation to be in with hostiles attempting an operation,” Cornelia frowned. “And with Azazel wishing to keep it quiet, which is a wise move, if we make an open move it may alert Kokabiel that someone is onto him and may in fact make the situation worse.”
Mike sighed, “So our hands are tied for the moment. We have no information to truly act on so it’s Kokabiel’s move.”
“Agreed,” Cornelia nodded.
“So then we wait,” Villetta frowned.
“No helping it,” Mike shook his head. Sighing, he looked back up to Cornelia. “Well, if we can’t move any further on this, let’s get you settled in. Do you have a place to stay or can I open up the last of my guest rooms for you?”
“I have a hotel room for now, but I was expected to move into your residence should I be accepted into your service,” Cornelia sighed, perhaps a little embarrassed but unwilling to let is show on her face.
“Okay. Let’s get your things and we can get you settled in,” Mike nodded. “If you need anything else then please ask. I don’t want someone who doesn’t speak up. If you need it then say the word.”
“I will keep that in mind,” Cornelia nodded with a small smile.
(LINE BREAK)
The remainder of the afternoon was used to help Cornelia move into her new room. She only came with her luggage, meaning that for the time being her room was unfurnished until some shopping could be done. Plans were made to visit some stores in the meantime, but most of them were closed by the time the trio had returned with Cornelia’s belongings. All Cornelia had to sleep on for the time being was a spare futon. As a soldier, Cornelia was used to worse sleeping conditions so she was hardly uncomfortable.
Night fell and everyone turned in for the night. Cornelia sat on her futon in a simple violet nightgown as she tapped at an iPad. The Britannias being so branched out as they were, they were one of the few magus families who weren’t totally inept when it came to technology, several branches making their fortunes in several kinds of technology. Cornelia swiftly connected her tablet to the internet which was supplied to the apartment before opening up a live feed to another person on her connections list.
The screen lit up, revealing another woman inside of it. She was impeccably beautiful and wore designer clothes the likes of which only celebrities and monarchy would have the money to buy on a regular basis. The only portion of her outfit that was revealed was a purple top which exposed much of her cleavage and hinted at a rose tattoo above her left breast. Despite her youth and beauty, she had long gray hair which was done into a bun at the back, while the sides were left in ponytails to drape on her shoulders. Her bangs hung low and framed her face with fashionably loose strands rested on her forehead. Her face was beautiful with narrow green eyes, but one could see cunning behind them, indicating that she was not just a wallflower or trophy girlfriend.
Her name was Guinevere su Britannia, Cornelia’s half-sister. They shared the same father, but Charles zi Britannia was not the monogamous type and had relations with many women, creating the numerous family branches into different fields. His plan being to see his Campione blood put to good use in many fields. Where Cornelia excelled in the military and had a nigh legendary career, Guinevere excelled in the social scene, managing to start a relationship with a member of the British monarchy and becoming the ‘it girl’ of the day, the sort many other girls wished to emulate in fashion, looks, and other things. She also modelled, ensuring that her name and face did not fade away, ensuring her continued social influence.
“Guinevere,” Cornelia greeted plainly to her half-sister. While they were related, Cornelia did not like Guinevere very much since they had radically different beliefs and lifestyles. It was honestly mutual. “I was expecting to contact Father.”
“He’s out at the moment,” Guinevere smirked, her voice filled with decadence and indulgence. “He’s busy negotiating with Richard’s father over us possibly getting engaged. He asked me to stay behind in case you called. Speaking of, have you met Lord Eighth yet or not?”
“I have,” Cornelia replied. “And he’s accepted me into his service.”
“Excellent! Father will be pleased!” Guinevere grinned. “Phase One is complete then. Now for Phase Two. How do you plan to get into his bed?”
Cornelia’s eye twitched, but she maintained her reserve, “Unfortunately, he seems more interested in my real world skills than what size my breasts are.”
“Seriously?” Guinevere blinked as if she had been told the sky had turned green. “He’s a teenage boy. Breasts should be the most important thing in the world to him right now!”
“Well since he has the wisdom of Solomon as one of his Authorities, his mind is on more important and less carnal matters. I don’t foresee your ‘Phase Two’ coming to fruition like you intended.”
Guinevere frowned, “Cornelia, you know how important this alliance is! We need new Campione blood brought into the family! You think you were chosen because you’re a great fighter? No, you were picked because next to me you are one of the most beautiful and close to hitting your fertility peak! The Eighth is also rumored to like older women. I’d do it, but my relationship with the monarchy won out.”
Cornelia’s face slipped into a scowl, “I am not some-!”
“Do you want to be the reason our family fell into decline?” Guinevere interrupted. “We’re getting closer to the verge of it already. In one or two generations, it won’t matter if we’re related to a Campione. Do you want to be the reason we missed this chance?” Cornelia snapped her mouth shut, making Guinevere nod. “I thought not. Now go out there, flash some cleavage and spread your legs! Let the Campione have his way and bring back a baby or two!”
Cornelia shut down the connection with her half-sister, relying on her military discipline to keep her from exploding. It didn’t stop her from dearly wishing she could throttle the spoiled brat through the screen. After a moment, the angry flush left her cheeks and she was able to breathe normally. Standing up, she decided to step out of her room and get something to drink. Stepping out of the room she walked for the kitchen and opened the fridge, finding no liquor, but plenty of different fruit and soft drinks.
“Just as well. Being drunk is the last thing I want,” she sighed, taking a glass from the cupboard and pouring herself a glass of pomegranate juice. Once in her hand, she leaned back against the counter with an arm folded under her breasts while taking sips of her drink of choice.
To say she was deeply insulted that she was picked to be little more than a baby-maker to help her family achieve more prestige would be an understatement. She could understand the idea since any family related to a Campione by blood were considered political powerhouses in the supernatural world even if the Campione they were descended from was dead. The Britannias’ problem was that the Campione they were related to was dead for nearly eight hundred years, making the power of their blood a little thin and with their political pull. Not to say they still didn’t have power in many ways, but with their Campione blood thinning out, so were the avenues they could trade in on that blood to its maximum potential.
Of course Cornelia didn’t cash in on her bloodline to get the fast track to her abilities. No, she used her blood to make herself the best she could be and she rocketed through the military ranks both mundane and magical. She was a prodigy in the art of war and it paid off in spades. Yes, she had detractors, many assuming she either used her family’s resources or slept her way up to her rank thanks to her good looks. Other than punishing those who said it to her face, she ignored them. She and her precious people knew the truth and she was satisfied with that. She was proud of what she achieved and knew that aside from her half-brother Schneizel, none of her relatives and few of their contacts could outmatch her in terms of military skill, reputation, and connections.
Still, to be the one considered the best choice to breed with a Campione, like all of her achievements were just a qualifier to see if she was the best choice or not? It was a smack in the face of everything she worked for! She was a General! A leader of soldiers! A tactician even other Generals far more experienced than her found themselves confounded by! She was a prodigy in battle and military tactics! She wasn’t just some breeding mare!
“I refuse to be just some breeding stock,” Cornelia hissed to herself, taking a large gulp of her juice. The only silver lining to her situation was that Michael was in need of her skills considering what might be looming over the horizon with Kokabiel. He saw value in her abilities and connections rather than be entranced by her beauty and her body. Perhaps if or when the situation with Kokabiel was over, Michael would keep her in a position of one of his knights. That was a respectable post for anyone, doubly so if they were personally serving a Campione.
As she took another sip, she heard a door open and glanced over to see Viletta walking out of the room. She was wearing a thing green silk bathrobe with her hair loose and she had a sheen of sweat over her body, indicating what she had been up to. With how loose her robe was, Cornelia could tell that she likely wasn’t wearing any underwear either.
“Good evening Cornelia,” Villetta nodded, opening the fridge for a drink of her own.
“Good evening,” Cornelia replied with a raised eyebrow. “Having fun tonight?”
“Indeed,” Villetta smiled back as she poured herself a cup of ginger ale. “Most nights are like that for me.”
Cornelia frowned slightly, but tried not to let any misinformed opinions rise, “I did read your report on his Authorities. Did he use them on you to get liberties with your body?”
“Oh no,” Villetta shook her head after taking a gulp. “He was still learning about his Authorities when he activated Harem of the King and got me with it by accident.”
“And he has yet to release you?” Cornelia frowned.
“He can’t, for I truly do not wish to be released from his service,” Villetta shook her head. “You see, the Authority only works if we hold true affection for each other. He cannot use it on lustful feelings, but true affection. Even when it works, he cannot enslave me. I can tell him no if I do not wish for his attentions, I can talk back if he is saying something I disagree with, and I can strike at him if I feel he deserves it.”
“Then what does the Authority do to bind you to him?” asked Cornelia.
“I admit that it amplifies the affection I hold for him,” Viletta answered. “Before, I perhaps held some fondness to him for protecting me from Solomon’s lecherous attentions and he admired me for trying to protect innocent people from a Heretic God. The Authority bonded us together and I accept my position as his Knight, but also his lover and mistress.”
“Hm,” Cornelia raised an eyebrow. “Does it do anything for you rather than just make you adore him to the point you’d allow him to have sex with you?”
“After testing,” Villetta replied, sipping more of her drink. “We discovered my magic reserves had grown considerably, as had my body’s natural toughness and magical resistance. I’m nowhere near a Campione, but I certainly rank up with the higher caliber mages now.”
“Interesting,” Cornelia noted. It seemed that Villetta was granted enhanced abilities with little cost, if manipulating how much affection she felt for Michael could be called a cost. “Does he push you to be affectionate with him?”
Villetta snickered, “Honestly? I almost have to pin him down to be intimate with him. He’s not entirely confident that my affection is real. I even try to convince him to recruit more women with that Authority, but he’s adamant that one woman is enough for him.”
“You actually want him to collect more women like the Seventh?” asked Cornelia disbelievingly. “Is this another effect of his Authority?”
“Perhaps it lowers my inhibitions, but when at play I like to be wild and in my position, I get to do both sometimes,” Villetta shrugged. “But having a network of contacts will only benefit him in the long run and what better way to ensure their loyalty is to have them adore him like I do?”
“Logical I suppose, if not improper,” Cornelia blinked. Then again, Campione didn’t have to follow society’s laws anymore. On one hand it made her feel better, reassuring her that she wasn’t serving some kind of lecher looking to build a harem even if he had the perfect tool to do so. On the other hand, it would but the crimp on her family’s plans concerning her and the Eighth if he was the monogamous type. She couldn’t really bring herself to care really.
“Care to give him a spin?” Villetta grinned. “He doesn’t disappoint. He’ll likely resist, but once you’re naked and pressed against him he’ll cave.”
“I’ll pass,” Cornelia deadpanned. “I’m not in the habit of jumping into bed with a man I just met.”
“Offer’s open,” Villetta shrugged. “We’re going to need your service in the situations to come so why not take advantage of it and get some serious perks out of it?”
Cornelia glared at the knight, effectively ending the conversation. Villetta knew the conversation was over and simply finished her drink. Setting her glass down, she walked back to Michael’s room in order to continue her night. Cornelia watched her go for a moment, wondering if the woman really was in control of herself if she acted so wantonly. She wouldn’t have expected a knight of all people to encourage the creation of a harem, that was for sure. Of course, behind closed doors people could act very differently from their public images. Still…
‘I’m thinking too hard about this,’ Cornelia thought to herself before finishing her drink. ‘Let the Eighth indulge the way he wants. If he wants me then he’ll have to impress me just like any other man who wanted me has had to do in the past. Too bad for him none of them succeeded.’
Setting her glass in the sink, Cornelia headed back to her room to see if she could get some sleep. She had a lot to plan for should Michael request it and she wasn’t going to let herself drop the ball now that she was finally in play.
(LINE BREAK)
Mike’s Apartment - Morning
Mike yawned as he walked to the kitchen for some breakfast. Digging through cupboards, he found some cereal which looked familiar to the brands he recognized and began pouring himself a bowl. He was tired, but still felt rested, Villetta’s insistence on some attention before falling asleep aside, he felt like he could take on the day properly once he got some food into him.
As he got breakfast ready, another bedroom door opened and Mittelt came out, wearing the white bathrobe again but with her hair properly done up. Rubbing her eyes, she likewise made tracks for the kitchen. Coming in, she moved for the bread before looking at Mike, “You know, you could have warned me that you and your so-called knight like to fuck like bunnies every night.”
Mike blanched, but didn’t make a noise. Sighing, he glanced to the smirking Fallen, “Sorry. I wasn’t aware we made that much noise or the walls couldn’t hold it in.”
“Oh, they did,” Mittelt chuckled, bringing her bread slices to the toaster. “Fallen like me can sense emotions to an extent. It’s one of the ways we know how to manipulate people. I felt you two like a big ball of hormones when I woke up last night.”
“Sorry,” Mike shrugged, trying not to blush too hard. “Villetta’s my girlfriend though and she can be rather insistent sometimes.”
“Banging your secretary huh?” Mittelt grinned. “Well, at least you were both single when you started. It’s better than some guys we’ve worked with in the past.”
“No doubt,” Mike shrugged. He then recalled something he had to tell the Fallen girl. “Oh, Azazel’s looking into the Kokabiel thing secretly, but he was more relieved to hear you and Kalawarner were okay. Most likely you’re off the hook for all the crap that went down with Issei and Asia.”
“Seriously?” Mittelt blinked, but then she slumped in relief. “Oh hot damn! Best news I heard all week!”
“What’s with the shouting?” another woman groaned and Mike turned to see Kalawarner up and about. She looked tired, but was wearing another bathrobe and walking perfectly. Of course being a Fallen she had to show off somehow by leaving the front open enough to reveal her cleavage.
“Morning Kalawarner,” Mike greeted as he went to retrieve the milk. “Feeling better?”
“Better than I was compared to the last week,” the older female sighed, slumping at the table. She looked over to Mike with a raised eyebrow. “Did I hear right? Azazel-sama is letting us off the hook for the shitstorm at the church?”
“Most likely, but if he found the letters Mittelt told me about then it’s a guarantee,” Mike nodded. “He wants to keep it quiet though so don’t go running through the streets proclaiming anything would you?”
“I’m not stupid you know,” Kalawarner huffed. “If that’s the case Mittelt and I can just crash here until Kokabiel’s dealt with. You can’t get much better protection in the human world than from a Campione.”
“Can’t be helped I guess,” Mike shrugged, retrieving his milk for his cereal. If the deal with Kokabiel got really bad, Kalawarner and Mittelt were the only ones who knew he had falsified orders to collect weapons for the Grigori or destroy ones he couldn’t wield. That made them a loose end and one he’d want tied up. Turning out the two Fallen at that point would be the same as throwing them to the sharks.
Another door opened and Cornelia emerged to arrive at the kitchen wearing a button-up blouse the same shade as her hair with a black suit, making her look like some kind of official. She was dressed immaculately and looked every bit the professional as she portrayed herself the previous day, just without the ceremonial uniform.
“Good morning,” she greeted, beginning to look through the cupboards for her own breakfast.
“Holy shit,” Mittelt blinked, but then looked at Mike. “A fourth woman already when you have us? You trying to build a harem like that Issei kid or something?”
“NO!” Mike shouted, unable to contain his blush. “It’s just a coincidence! She’s my tactician and combat instructor for this thing with Kokabiel!”
Cornelia blinked as she took the bread from Mittelt. Hearing Mike’s description of her duties, she felt that she really couldn’t complain about them. Being his tactician was a respectable role which would make full use of her skills and being responsible for his combat training was a hefty duty she found herself willing to take pride in. It was certainly better than the glorified baby maker her family wanted her to be.
“Yeah, sure,” Kalawarner snickered, making Mike groan and drop his head.
Fortunately, Cornelia decided to bail him out, “He’s right. I was sent here by my family to show support for the Eighth Campione. My extensive military history and training makes me unique suited for this situation. If Kokabiel plans to try and start a war, I’ll be helping Lord Summers stop him.”
Mittelt snorted, “Anyone else say that and I’d say they were smoking something funky, but you Campione have a way of making things turn your way. You wouldn’t have killed that first Heretic God if you couldn’t.”
“That goes without saying,” Mike nodded, but grimaced as he recalled the rather one-sided ‘fight’ with the Heretic God he got his first Authority from. Mike was lucky for that particular set of circumstances which allowed him to take down Solomon before the spears impaling him ended his life.
“So what do you actually plan to do about Kokabiel?” asked Kalawarner, looking to Mike pointedly.
Mike poured his milk into his cereal, filling it to the level he liked before placing it back in the fridge, “Azazel’s going to do what he can on his end. But right now the ball’s in Kokabiel’s possession. We don’t know what he plans to do to start his big war so we’re stuck with waiting,” he dug out a spoon before heading to the table to eat. “Raynare was probably the only one who had a clue but she’s dead so we’ve got nothing.”
“And it’s not like we can have you two head back to the Grigori headquarters,” Villetta added. “Not with Kokabiel’s supporters there no doubt told to keep an eye out for the both of you on the off chance you lived past that night.”
“So all we can do is keep our ears to the ground and find some intel,” Cornelia nodded. She looked to the pair of Fallen. “Looks like you two are stuck here for the time being. Let’s try to get along.”
“Eh, could be worse,” Mittelt shrugged.
“Might as well get comfy then,” Kalawarner nodded, leaning back in her chair. Mike tried not to notice how she presented her cleavage, but some things just couldn’t be ignored. The Fallen noticed his gaze and smirked slightly, but didn’t comment.
(LINE BREAK)
Kuoh Academy
Mike headed to school as per the norm, for once not feeling anything weird going on. The only difference was that a lot of the students were whispering about how all the members of the ORC had been absent. Everyone assumed that it was part of some club activity, but it didn’t stop the fanboys and fangirls from moaning about the objects of their admiration/lust being gone...or celebrating the fact that Issei wouldn’t be around to perv on the girls sports teams for a while.
“Well, another day and all that,” Mike yawned as he approached the school.
“Yes, boring isn’t it?”
Mike stopped and looked around, but then his senses went haywire as he felt the power of a Heretic God spike right behind him! Twisting around, he frowned when he spied a girl in a Kuoh uniform standing cutely behind him. Well, cute was understating it somewhat. She was teen model/wet dream material all in one sexy package. She had curves which were unfair to girls her age and had long red hair tied into twin ponytails, but coming from a large blue ribbon tied at the back of her head while her bangs framed her face. Her eyes were smoky gold and her face was perfectly set for beauty and sexuality.
As beautiful as she was though, and as perfectly she filled out the uniform like Rias or Akeno did, she reeked of the power of a Heretic God. There was no mistaken what she was even if she was blending in perfectly with the surroundings.
“Oh my god! Who is that chick!?”
“Measuring...measuring….”
Mike glanced over and saw Issei’s fellow perverts gaping openly at the new girl. Many other students were as well, seemingly forgetting about The Two Great Oneesamas in favor of The Third Great Oneesama standing before them. The boys were swooning and the girls were sighing in delight at her. In that Mike became a little confused since he knew that only people who possessed magic power were capable of seeing a Heretic God and he knew he had to be looking at one.
“Oh, if you’re wondering, I just used a small spell to hide among mortals so they can see me,” the girl smiled.
Mike’s eyes narrowed, but he decided to take her word for it, “Explains a bit. How can I help you ma’am?”
She giggled, causing the witnesses to swoon at the sound, “Oh my, you’re so polite. Most Campione would just attack me the moment they felt my power.”
“Well, I prefer to give everyone the benefit of the doubt,” Mike faced the girl completely, his hands at his sides as he tensed, ready for a fight. “But if you are here to cause trouble, then you’d better get ready for a fight.”
“Oh relax Campione-kun!” the girl giggled. “I just came to say hello! After feeling another foreign Heretic God suddenly appear and then disappear in my home country, I decided to take a look and here I found you!”
“Oh. You heard about that huh?” Mike huffed. “Well, it was Siegfried if you’re interested in knowing. The Fallen Angels summoned him because they found out I was here. I managed to take him down before he decided to go on a rampage.”
“And no doubt got a nice new Authority out of it,” the girl smiled. “You sure you don’t want to try and snag one from me? I’m pretty powerful!” she finished with a teasing wink, causing more people to swoon.
Mike blinked, but shook his head, “As far as I see right now, you’re not hurting anyone so I’ve got no reason to consider you an enemy. Even if the other Heretic Gods see me as an enemy, until they attack me or harm an innocent person then I won’t see them the same way.”
“Waii! Such conviction!” the girl giggled, clapping her hands next to her cheek in delight. “You remind me so much of that Godou boy. He’s got standards too! Did you know he defeated Athena and let her go free even though she tried to swallow the world in darkness? He’s such a charmer just like you!”
“Sounds like a guy worth knowing then,” Mike smiled lightly. “So, did you just come to say hello or-!”
“Summers-san,” a new voice cut through Mike’s words, prompting him and the Heretic Goddess to turned to the source. It was revealed to be Sona with Tsubaki right behind her. Although they were trying to appear proper and inconspicuous, both were looking a little pale and short on breath. Mike quickly remembered that Devils didn’t take to well to being in the presence of a Heretic God.
“Whoops! Sorry about that!” the goddess giggled at seeing the pair. She wiggled her fingers slightly and the colour returned to the pair’s cheeks while they gave sighs of relief. “I only let out so much power to get Campione-kun’s attention but I guess I forgot to rein it back in if it was making you two ill. My apologies.”
“Very well,” Sona adjusted her glasses, but it still seemed like she was sporting a cold sweat. Not surprising when one was facing a Heretic God, or rather Goddess, “For what reason has a Heretic Goddess come to our school?”
“Oh, just dropping by to see Campione-kun,” the goddess smiled. “I also had a bit of a message for him.”
“Oh?” Mike blinked. “What is it?”
“You see, the Fallen Angels did something of a shoddy job with summoning that Siegfried fellow,” the goddess smiled, looking back to Mike. “They did it right, but they didn’t even bother to deal with hiding the ritual in the first place, making it pretty obvious to anyone who bothered to keep their senses peeled out for it.”
“So other members of the various groups will be looking around?” asked Tsubaki.
“Well, not exactly,” the goddess smiled. “When you rip a hole to the Domain of Immortality, quite a few gods notice that sort of thing, both there and on Earth.
Mike paled as did Sona and Tsubaki, “Wait, are you saying that Heretic Gods are going to come poking around here?!”
“I’m here aren’t I?” the goddess grinned. “Some others will come poking around too. I don’t think they’ll take too well to the fact a godslayer is hanging around. Then again, they may not take to Devils being here either.”
“Aw shit,” Mike grimaced.
“This is an ‘oh shit’ moment,” the goddess nodded. She then smiled and turned to leave, “Well, I’ve said my my message. Time to leave before I make the Devils here more uncomfortable.”
“Wait lady goddess,” Sona spoke, catching the Heretic Goddess’ attention. “Before you leave, could you grace us with your name?”
“Of course!” the goddess chirped. “I am Tamamo-no-Mae! Ta-ta!” With a wave of her hand, she vanished in a haze. Of course, none of the mortal students noticed it, the object of their adoration vanishing from their minds like a daydream.
Mike grimaced, watching the spot where the now confirmed Tamamo had been standing, “Dammit. this is just what we need!”
“Summers-san,” Sona spoke up, catching Mike’s attention. “I request that we convene in the Student Council office after school to discuss what we just learned.”
“I’ll be there,” Mike nodded. “Rias and her club sure picked a good time to go train.”
“Perhaps, but we will deal with this crisis,” Sona nodded. She and Tsubaki turned to head towards the school. Mike watched then go, silently wondering what he had done to suddenly deserve having so much crap happen to him.
...oh wait, he’d killed a god. That would rack up some bad karma.
(LINE BREAK)
Student Council Office
The day progressed, but Mike found he couldn’t pay attention. Not with the news that Tamamo gave him. Heretic Gods descending on Kuoh was a recipe for mayhem and disaster and that was just with those Heretic Gods walking through the streets. If they decided to start actively hunting for Mike or just go for some mayhem, then things would get really bad in the fraction of the time it would take for a nuke to go off in the middle of the city.
When the final bell rang, Mike went straight to the Student Council office where he could meet with Sona and her Peerage, the only supernatural authority left in the area since Rias was off with her Peerage training for her Rating Game. Knocking on the door, he received a call to enter which he did. Inside the whole Student Council was in attendance, none of them seemed to be in a good mood.
“I’m glad you could come Lord Summers,” Sona nodded. “Please have a seat.”
“Right,” Mike nodded. Shutting the door behind him, he went for the chair that was placed before Sona’s desk. As he walked, Tsubaki waved her hand and caused the walls to glow slightly before it faded. “A privacy spell?”
“Yes. We don’t need the mundane to hear what we are talking about,” Sona nodded.
“One Heretic God descending on Kuoh just to leave a message was bad enough,” Tsubaki frowned slightly. “But more descending? I fear our Peerage may not be able to take that strain Kaichou.”
“Woah, wait, this Heretic God thing was responsible for that nausea we all felt this morning?” asked the only male in the room besides Mike. His name was Saji Genshirou, a boy with short blonde hair and blue eyes. Rumor had it he was in love with Sona and was determined to do everything he could to see her dreams come true. “Everyone else has been muttering about Heretic Gods but no one’s explained to me what one is!”
“Gods as we know them are born from the stories, belief, and worship of the people of the world,” Mike explained. “They reside in a place called the Domain of Immortality which is connected to the united consciousness of humanity. Every so often though, these gods, be they heroes, fae, true gods, or whatever, get tired of being subject to the whim of their legends and break out, arriving on Earth as what we call Heretic Gods.”
“And from there they rampage, so powerful that even the Angels, Fallen, and Devils cannot stop them. Only our most powerful leaders truly have a chance and that can be pushing it,” Sona continued. “Only a Campione like Lord Summers have a chance to slay them and return them to the Domain of Immortality where they belong.”
“Heretic Gods are especially dangerous to new Devils like us Gen-chan,” Momo Hanakai spoke up. She as a girl with shoulder length white hair and blue-green eyes. From the way she spoke to Saji, it was obvious to Mike that she wanted him. “Their divine aura is like a poisonous air to us. We can’t be near one without feeling incredibly sick.”
“And even powerful Devils like Kaichou and Fukukaoichou are not immune, although they can handle it better than we can,” one Ruruko Nimura chimed in. She had long brown hair tied into two simple ponytails which hung down to her waist, only tamed by some green hairclips. She had modified her outfit slightly by wearing green-striped socks. The rumor mill had it she and Momo had something of a rivalry going on for Saji who was downright clueless since he still pursued Sona.
“So this message really did come from a Heretic Goddes?” asked Yura Tsubasa. She was another girl with shoulder length blue hair with matching eyes. She was actually quite handsome, giving her a bishounen look which made her very popular with a select group of female fans. That didn’t take away from the fact that she was a pretty girl, ensuring just as much popularity with the boys for her sportiness and good looks.
“Tamamo-no-mae,” Mike nodded to Tsubasa’s question.
“Then can we believe her?” asked the tomboy. “I mean, her story alone paints her as a deceiver and a destroyer.”
“We can’t afford not to Yura-chan,” Tomoe Meguri replied. She had reddish brown hair done into ponytails with brown eyes. She was usually more hyperactive than she was at the moment which was a little worrying. “Not when we could have more Heretic Gods coming to Kuoh.”
“But why now?” asked Reya Kusaka, a brunette who had her done into a pair of braids and held back with a blue headband. “I mean, what changed that they decided to show up? All that recently happened was that whole thing with the Fallen at that old church. Did a Heretic God take offense to that or something?”
“No, the Fallen in that church did something,” Mike shook his head. “According to Tamamo, the Fallen didn’t properly shield the ritual. It was blocked from detection to any member of the Three Factions or below, but they didn’t bother to hide it from the senses of other Heretic Gods. So when something big enough happens to get a god’s attention…”
“They investigate,” Sona frowned slightly. “And when they do, they will discover that Devils and a Campione are in the area.”
“And then?” asked Saji.
“They may or may not go after the Devils depending on their history, but they will definitely go after me,” Mike frowned, leaning forward in his chair. “Heretic Gods hate Campione, thinking us as aberrations to the natural order of the world that needs to be destroyed. It’s ironic though since most of humanity consider Heretic Gods to be the same thing.”
“So then how do we prepare for this?” asked Tsubasa. “Is there anything we can do at all?”
“We remain vigilant,” Sona spoke, silencing the room. “We observe, we patrol, we look for any sign that anything is wrong.”
Mike nodded, “No stone goes unturned. If any of you find anything, call my number and I’ll race down to inspect or help. I’ll leave my number here with the Student Council before I leave. I’ll also have my Knight Villetta coordinate with my other house guests to see if we can find anything.”
“Agreed. Please report in if you find anything as well Lord Summers,” Sona nodded. “While most of my Peerage likely will not be able to take being near a Heretic God, we can try to erect a barrier which can limit the damage as well as keep the mundane away while you fight it.”
“Now that will come in handy,” Mike whistled. “Okay, should we start tonight then? If Tamamo-no-Mae is already here, then the others likely are as well. The sooner we get on this, the sooner we can make a proper counter.”
“I agree,” Sona nodded. Reaching into her desk, she pulled out a map of the city. Why she had it, Mike wasn’t sure but it was a convenient thing to have in the current crisis. “Tsubaki, you will lead a team with Momo, Reya, and Ruruko…”
Outside of the school, standing in a tree as the Student Council and their Campione ally worked on their plan to deal with the approaching Heretic Gods stood Tamamo-no-Mae herself. She was still in the form of a high school girl wearing a Kuoh Academy uniform, save for a small difference. From the top of her head poked out a pair of orange furred fox ears and a fluffy fox tail stuck out from underneath her skirt.
“There. Now both sides know the game is afoot,” she giggled to herself. “It’s much more fun when both sides know that they’re playing the same game now isn’t it?”
With a giggle, she waved her hand and in a flash of smoke and leaves, a small fox leaped down from the branches and took off running deeper into the forests around Kuoh. After all, she wanted to find the best seats for when the big confrontation happened!
And they said there was no such thing as free entertainment!
To Be Continued…
A/N: Okay, now things are getting deep. The dust is just settling from the situation with the Fallen, but now more is afoot and now more Heretic Gods are beginning to poke around. Tamam-no-Mae herself made an appearance, warning the Devils and Campione that things are about to get crazy. Why is she giving such a warning? What's her angle in all these events? What are the Devils going to do with another Heretic God, possibly more coming to town?
