Chapter – 17 Setting the Plans in Motion

As her frail body teetered on the brink of life and death, a faint glimmer of something extraordinary stirred within her. Unbeknownst to her, a dormant power slumbered deep within her, waiting for the perfect moment to awaken.

With her last breath escaping her lips, her plea for survival reverberated through the hidden recesses of her soul. It was a plea that reached the forgotten depths of her true potential, resonating with a power long forgotten.

Suddenly, a shimmering barrier materialized around her, enveloping her in a cocoon of protection. The barrier pulsated with ethereal light, warding off the poisonous gas that threatened to snuff out her life.

Inside the sanctuary of the barrier, her fragile form slumped, her consciousness slipping away. Her body was shielded from the deadly fumes, shielded by the very power that had chosen to manifest itself in her direst hour of need.

…

Cimitero di Lambrate (Lambrate Cemetery), Milan, Italy

Lavinia, Nova, and Artoria stood in the serene ambience of a graveyard, surrounded by tombstones and memories of the departed. Lavinia's heart was heavy with longing as she addressed her late parents.

With a mixture of sadness and determination in her voice, Lavinia spoke softly, her words filled with a deep sense of connection. "Mother, Father, I hope you can hear me. Despite everything that has happened, I want you to know that I am doing fine, and I am genuinely happy."

Her voice trembled with emotion as she continued, "You wouldn't believe it, but I've become a magical girl now. I can perform enchanting feats of magic and experience incredible adventures. Though I am a devil now, I love what I am and who I am, because I can be with the person I love. So please, don't worry about me."

As Lavinia's words faded into the quiet air, tears welled up in her eyes, glistening like crystalline droplets. She let them flow freely, releasing the emotions she had held within.

Nova, understanding Lavinia's pain, stepped forward and gently wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace. His presence brought solace and reassurance, reminding her that she was not alone.

Artoria, observing the scene with a fond smile, felt a sense of empathy. Deep within her heart, she realized that someday, she too would want to visit her mother's grave in England, to pay her respects and find solace in the memories of the past.

As Lavinia gradually calmed down, her sobs subsiding, Omega appeared beside them from a magic circle. Nova and Omega looked at each other as Nova asked, "So?"

Omega spoke, "The basic preparations have been taken care of…"

Nova nodded, "Very well." and then without a word, the four individuals vanished from the graveyard.

…

Brera, Milan

Sitting comfortably on the sofa, Nova praised Omega for successfully retrieving Lavinia's childhood home, "Good work in retrieving Lavinia's house,"

Omega, ever the picture of grace, courteously bowed while holding the hem of her maid skirt, gracefully accepting Nova's praise.

Meanwhile, Lavinia took Artoria on a tour of her beloved childhood home. It held precious memories of her past, a place where she had spent her formative years before Nova whisked her away to the Underworld.

Now, back in Italy, Nova and his peerage needed a suitable place to stay, and Lavinia's former home emerged as the perfect choice.

After deciding to make her parents' house their new residence, Nova, Lavinia, and Artoria made their way to Cimitero di Lambrate, a cemetery, to pay their respects to Lavinia's parents, in the meantime, Omega diligently took charge of all the necessary arrangements to ensure a smooth transition into Lavinia's former home.

…

As Lavinia and Artoria returned to the guest room, a sense of seriousness enveloped the air. Nova's demeanour shifted, his expression focused and determined. He knew it was time to address the purpose of their presence in Italy.

"Now, let's talk about why we are here," Nova began, his voice steady and resolute. Lavinia and Artoria turned their attention to their master, fully aware of the reason behind their journey—to find their next sister, the newest addition to Nova's peerage. However, beyond this knowledge, they were in the dark. They were unaware of the identity, appearance, and abilities of the girl they sought. It was time for Nova to shed light on the matter.

Nova met their gaze, his eyes filled with determination and trust. "Our objective is to locate a specific person, and to do so, we must initiate a large-scale search. Our focus will be secret Church institutions."

"Church institutions?" Omega interjected, surprise evident in her voice, she did not expect that the Church would be involved. Lavinia and Artoria shared the same sentiment, as they asked, "Is she a trainee at Church?"

Nova nodded, his voice carrying a sense of explanation. "Yes, in a way. Although she is not being trained to become a traditional Church warrior, this girl I seek is currently a test subject within a secret research project being conducted within one of the Church institutions in Italy."

The room fell into hushed anticipation as Nova continued to unveil the details. "This research project, known as the Holy Sword Project, aims to understand the requirements for individuals to wield the Holy Swords Excalibur."

"To wield the Holy Sword Excalibur...?" exclaimed Artoria in shock.

Nova turned his attention to his [Knight]. "Indeed, Artoria, they are attempting to create warriors capable of wielding the Holy Sword Excalibur."

"It's remarkable that there are individuals seeking to understand the prerequisites for wielding the Holy Swords Excalibur." Artoria's eyes widened with a mix of astonishment and contemplation as she processed Nova's revelation about the Holy Sword Project. Being a descendant of King Arthur, she intimately understood the significance of wielding the Holy Sword Excalibur or any holy weapon for that matter.

Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Nova continued, "To achieve this, they are subjecting young, talented children to experimentation. One of these test subjects entangled within the Holy Sword Project is a young girl named Tosca, she should be around the same age as me, possibly a year younger, and possess distinct white hair. Our goal," Nova declared with unwavering conviction, "is to find her—for she possesses a Sacred Gear that interests me."

Silence lingered in the room as the weight of their mission settled upon them. Lavinia, Artoria, and Omega absorbed the gravity of their task—to locate Tosca, a girl caught within the web of a secret experiment.

Lavinia, her voice tinged with concern, spoke up, "How are we going to locate her amidst the secrecy of the Church institutions?"

"If it were just the three of us, I would have undertaken the task of locating all the known and unknown Church institutions in and around Italy. Then, through a systematic process of elimination, we could narrow down the institution where they might be conducting their experimentations. However, with you accompanying us based on my parents' recommendation, I would like to hear your perspective, Omega." Spoke Nova as he looked at Omega.

He wouldn't deny that Omega is vastly more experienced compared to him, and his peerage members, therefore, Nova wanted to hear her thoughts to formulate an effective search plan.

Hearing Nova's words, Lavinia and Artoria, turned their attention to Omega, anticipating her response.

Omega took a moment to collect her thoughts before speaking. "Given the secretive nature of these Church institutions, conducting a direct search ourselves to narrow down their locations could prove challenging and time-consuming, moreover there is also a possibility that someone from church would notice our movements, and that wouldn't be good, especially with the Vatican City just around the corner…"

Nova nodded, "It's not as though I was going to openly barge in on them," And asked, "Anyway, what do you suggest?"

Omega put forth a strategic suggestion, emphasizing the importance of maintaining discretion. "I propose a discreet approach to gathering information, employing either ordinary humans or, preferably, animals."

Lavinia's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she considered the idea. "So, we would have a network of informants and animal scouts working in tandem to gather the necessary information discreetly."

Omega nodded, "Yes," and continued, "By utilizing ordinary humans or animals, our presence will be less conspicuous, allowing us to observe without being easily detected. For church locations that permit visitors, utilizing ordinary humans would be the most suitable option. However, employing animals such as rats or small birds would be ideal for more secretive locations that are off-limits to visitors, as they are less likely to arouse suspicion."

Artoria, nodded thoughtfully, "By employing different agents, both human and animal, we can cover a wider range of locations and increase our chances of uncovering leads without drawing unwanted attention."

Omega nodded in agreement, pleased that her suggestion had been well-received. "Exactly. It's crucial to utilize every resource at our disposal to achieve our objective swiftly and covertly."

With Lavinia, Artoria, and Omega all in agreement with the proposed approach, the decision ultimately rested on Nova's shoulders. He carefully considered their suggestions, realizing that their opinions aligned with his instincts and plans. After a moment of contemplation, Nova's eyes met those of his companions, and he nodded with certainty.

"Given our collective agreement and the alignment of our thoughts, I believe that employing ordinary humans and animals for discreet information gathering will indeed be the optimal course of action," Nova affirmed. And so, they decided to use humans and animals.

With the decision made, they were now ready to set their plan in motion, utilizing the resources at their disposal to locate Tosca.

…

"By dividing our efforts in this manner, we can cover a larger area and increase our chances of success. Let us remain in constant communication, sharing any leads or information that may assist us."

As the group discussed the division of search responsibilities, they realized that splitting the search area into regions would allow them to cover more ground efficiently. With Italy divided into Northern, Central, Southern, and Island regions, they each took charge of a specific area.

Lavinia gladly took on the responsibility of searching Northern Italy. The regions of Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Liguria, and Valle d'Aosta would fall under her jurisdiction.

Omega, recognizing the significance of Vatican City and its proximity to Central Italy, insisted on taking charge of this region. With determination in her eyes, she accepted the responsibility of searching Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Lazio, and Abruzzo.

Nova decided to take on the task of searching Southern Italy. This region encompassed Campania, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Molise, and the southern part of Abruzzo.

Finally, the island region, which included Sicily and Sardinia located in the southern part of Italy, was entrusted to Artoria.

With their respective regions assigned, the group was, ready to delve into the intricate depths of the Church institutions scattered across Italy. They acknowledged the importance of maintaining communication and sharing any relevant findings, as collaboration and coordination across the regions would be vital in their quest to locate the girl named Tosca.

…

As Lavinia and Artoria vanished from sight, Nova shifted his gaze towards Omega. Sensing his intense stare, Omega inquired with a respectful tone, "Is there something troubling you, my lord?"

Nova's expression grew resolute as he responded, "Remove your mask. I wish to see the face concealed beneath it."

Omega's apologetic gaze met Nova's, and she softly replied, "I apologize, my lord, but that is something I cannot do."

"I understand," Nova murmured, his disappointment evident. After a moment of silence, he once again turned his attention to Omega and issued a commanding order, "REMOVE YOUR MASK!" This time, his tone carried a distinct frequency that seemed to resonate within her very soul. Deep within herself, Omega felt an overpowering urge to comply with his command and reveal her true visage.

Her hand trembled as if caught in a struggle between obedience and resistance, yet it slowly rose towards her face. Nova maintained a piercing gaze as seconds ticked by—five, ten, fifteen—but the mask remained firmly in place. Confusion etched across Nova's features, and he demanded again, his tone laced with impatience, "What's taking you so long? REMOVE IT!"

A brief silence enveloped the scene as Omega responded in a hollow, emotionless voice, "The mask cannot be undone; not until Kwisatz Haderach awakens, it is not yet the right time."

"Kwisatz Haderach? The right time? What do you mean?" Nova asked, his perplexity growing at the unknown words he heard from Omega's mouth.

…

Underworld, Sitri Domain

A soft knock echoed through the door, and a gentle voice called out, "Come in, dear."

Sona, feeling a mix of curiosity and uncertainty, turned the doorknob and entered the room. She glanced at her mother, Selene, and asked, "Mother, you wanted to see me?"

Selene nodded in affirmation. "Yes," she replied.

Sona couldn't help but feel a tinge of doubt. "Is there something specific that you wanted to discuss with me privately?"

Selene's gaze held a sense of purpose as she responded, "There is someone here who wishes to see you."

Sona raised an eyebrow, surprised by the unexpected visitor. "Huh? Who?"

Instead of answering directly, Selene rose from her seat and gestured towards the newcomer. "My lady, please," she said with respect.

As Selene's words hung in the air, a magical circle materialized in the room, and two figures emerged from its shimmering surface. One of them had a familiar face that Sona recognized instantly. She couldn't hide her astonishment as she exclaimed, "Lady... Lady Agares?!"

Indeed, one of the individuals who stepped out of the magical circle was none other than Libra Agares, accompanied by her trusted maid, Alpha. Libra greeted Selene and Sona with a warm smile. "Good to see you, Selene and Sona, dear," she said.

Sona, still processing the surprise encounter, hurriedly nodded. "Good to see you as well, Lady Agares."

Selene, demonstrating respect, bowed slightly and addressed Libra, "Good to see you, Reverend Mother Superior." Sona couldn't help but feel puzzled by the formal title her mother used to address Libra.

Libra maintained her smile and instructed Selene and Alpha, "Watch the door."

Selene and Alpha acknowledged the command, exiting the room to stand guard outside the door, ensuring their privacy.

Now alone with Libra, Sona couldn't help but feel a mix of nerves and confusion. The situation seemed incomprehensible to her. Her mother unusually addressed Lady Agares, and now she followed her instructions, standing guard outside the room. What was happening here?

Noticing Sona's unease, Libra beckoned her with a reassuring smile. "Child, come here," she said.

Sona cautiously approached Libra; her apprehension evident. She couldn't grasp the full context of the situation.

Gently caressing Sona's cheek, Libra spoke with a warm tone, "Child, you made a wise decision when you agreed to the marriage. Now, you will become the bride of the House of Agares and my daughter-in-law. As the future Lady Agares, there are certain things you must learn and responsibilities you will bear. I am here to begin your training so that you can one day take my place as the Reverend Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit Order."

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Author's Note:

That's it for Chapter - 17.

Yes, I used some unknown and incomprehensible words at the end. For those who understand, great, for those who don't, I recommend watching the movie Dune or reading the book. Personally, I liked the movie, and I am eagerly waiting for the release of the second part.

Now on to the story, Nova and his peerage are in Italy and they are searching for Tosca, yes, she is the barrier user Nova wants to recruit in his peerage. I personally think Tosca has a lot of potential, and I am going to milk out that potential, in both ways... if you know what I mean.

Meanwhile, Nova is confused because of the words Omega spoke, and at the same time, Libra the supposed 'Reverend Mother Superior' paid Sona a visit to start some kind of training, let's see what kind of changes this will bring to the future of DxD.

Anyway, enjoy reading, and I will see you guys in the next chapter