Chapter 88 - The Witch of Steel

---Mael POV---

Returning to my room, I found the two women sound asleep on the bed. Rubbing my forehead, I picked up Rinko's cell phone and used her fingerprint to unlock it. Locating Asagi's number in the contacts, I gave her a call to fill her in. Cloaking the room with another illusion before she answered, I wanted to keep Ingrid in the dark about this.

"Did something happen, I wasn't expecting a report for another few hours.", Asagi stated thinking I was Rinko.

"It's Mael, Rinko and Yukikaze are both out like a light.", I told her, "You need to really re-educate them in the art of infiltration and disguise. They walked into the club without any attempts to hide their identities."

"...you are joking, right?", Asagi asked with an exhausted sigh.

"I wish I was, they were almost dragged into the basement by the Security Team. Fortunately I bribed them into taking them to my room here above the club.", I explained, "Both of them are asleep now, and Tatsurou is probably in a cell beneath the building. Ingrid is going to look into Kiryuu's properties and get me a list of places to check out."

Asking me why I met with her, I informed her that she came to me. Telling her that I owed no allegiance to either side, I flat out told her I had a job to do and nothing more. Sighing again, she thanked me for being honest about the meeting and asked if I told them about the base. Saying that I didn't give information away on my allies, I said that they only knew I had been in contact with her and nothing more.

"As I told you previously, I am a neutral party in all of this.", I chuckled, "Anyways, I will bring them back to you in the morning. Can't say if Tatsurou will be in good shape, but the two women will...just maybe a bit hungover."

Laughing at that, she said that was fine. Thanking me for saving her people, she promised to pay me back for this. Ending the call there, I copied her number into my phone and took a seat on the sofa again. Having given my Shadow Demons ample time to recon the clubs, I summoned them back to provide me their reports.

As expected, based on Ingrid's word, none of the clubs had a secret lab in them. Every one of them had all manner of Black Market activities going on, but nothing related to Kiryuu. In addition to that, none of the Shadow Demons found any trace of Kratos which meant tonight was a bust all around. Dispatching them to start searching the entire city, the Shadow Demons shot off into the darkness to follow my orders. Getting changed into some pajamas, I climbed into bed and went to sleep. Feeling Rinko latch on to me as I drifted off, I didn't bother shaking her off.

---Next Morning---

Waking up to Yukikaze hitting me, she demanded to know why she was naked with Rinko in my bed. Shouting at me, she said that if I did anything to her she'd kill me.

"If you were paying any attention...I am the one in pajamas here.", I said sitting up, "Since you were too drunk to remember, Ingrid came to pay us a visit last night. I had to make it look like I had my way with you, so I stripped you naked and laid you in bed. Nothing happened between us in the slightest except you kicking me several times in the night."

"Why are you two being so loud...", Rinko groaned.

Still wrapped around my arm, Rinko wasn't the least bit fazed by the situation. Knowing that I had every opportunity to do something to them last night, she felt confident that I hadn't done a thing to them. Realizing that she was wrapped around my arm, she quickly let go with flushed expression. Clearing her throat as she turned away, she got Yukikaze caught up on the events from last night that she remembered. Apologizing for jumping to conclusions, Yukikaze bowed her head remorsefully.

"It's fine, both of you get dressed and get ready to go.", I told them as I walked to the bathroom, "I told Asagi that I would drop you off this morning."

Doing as I said, they were ready to go in a few minutes. Telling them to follow close behind me, I said not to look anyone in the eyes or speak till we were outside the building. Acknowledging my orders, I broke the illusion and went downstairs. Finding Ingrid waiting for me, she gave me a playful smile and had Tatsurou brought over to us. Seeing his hollowed expression, I assumed the guards made him watch my illusion.

"Here is the information on Kiryuu's properties.", Ingrid said handing me a small folder, "If you wouldn't mind, please come back here tonight. I'd like to treat you to dinner and give you a gift."

"Of course, hopefully I will bring back some goodies for you as well.", I chuckled as I grabbed Tatsurou by the scruff of his shirt, "Come on kid, get moving."

Watching the Security Team snicker at him as we walked away, I felt kind of bad for putting him through that. Having the valet bring my car around, I got them in and drove away. Confirming the car wasn't bugged, and we weren't being followed I punched Tatsurou in the arm.

"Stop your sulking kid, I didn't have sex with your sister or girlfriend. It was an illusion I cast to avoid arousing any suspicion of what was going on in the room. The only thing we did was drink.", I told him as I took the long route to the base as a precaution.

Glancing back at the two women, they both nodded and said I was telling the truth. Watching all the tension melt off of him, he almost started crying with relief. Not wanting him to just let this slide, I decided to reprimand him for his decisions.

"If you don't want it to happen for real, make sure you remember to disguise yourself on missions and always watch your fucking back. You should always have a plan before rolling into enemy territory, otherwise your setting yourself up for failure.", I scolded him, "Not every freelancer would do what I did, and your enemy sure as hell won't. If you truly care about them, you always have to be on your A game."

"I know...", he said, "I have to get stronger to-"

Glaring at him, I almost through him out of the fucking car.

"Are you not paying a damn bit of attention to what I just said?", I spat smacking him upside the head, "Use your fucking head when you are on missions, then focus on getting stronger. Strength without intelligence just makes you a strong idiot!"

Understanding my point now, he promised to think things through from now on in all aspects of life. Leaving it at that, the rest of the ride was pretty quiet as the three reflected on last night's failure. Pulling into a secluded area off the road near their base, the three of them got out of my car. Telling Tatsurou and Yukikaze to go get ready, I reminded them that they had class soon. Remembering that they had another mission to worry about, the two bolted off back to the base to get ready.

"Thank you for broaching that subject, I didn't know how to tell him.", Rinko admitted, "I knew he had seen the illusion when I saw him get in the car."

"No problem, happy he rebounded quick enough.", I said with a smile, "Just make sure your brother really understands what I am telling him. Your line of work comes with extra danger that mine doesn't..."

Seeing her bite her lower lip, she suddenly changed subjects on me.

"So...you will probably want an escort tonight, right? How about I go with you as thanks for saving us?", she inquired.

"Even if I say no, Asagi will send someone or a team.", I chuckled, "I will be here to pick you up this evening."

Watching her walk away, she put extra effort into shaking her butt for me to see. While I admitted she had nice curves, I saw things like this every day at my mansion. Irene and Erza in yoga pants...damn that should be illegal because that never fails to steal my gaze. Putting those thoughts to the side for now, I turned my attention to the immediate problem...locating the Dark Slime and Kratos.

---3rd Person POV---

Opening his eyes, Kratos found himself in an unfamiliar place. Blinking several times to make sure he wasn't dreaming, he sat up and looked around to figure out his location. Finding himself in a rather plain room, he saw strange fixtures that he couldn't recognize.

"Hmm...", he mumbled as he thought about how he got here, "Where is Mael?"

Getting up from the bed, he looked out the window to see a bustling city outside. Seeing a black haired woman sitting outside at a stone table, Kratos went to leave the room to go see her. Opening the door, Kratos found a maid about to enter his room. Looking down at her, he politely asked her to step aside.

"You are awake finally, that is good.", she said with a sigh, "Lady Annerose told me to bring you to her once you were awake."

Agreeing to follow her, the icy blue haired maid showed him out to her mistress. Looking up from her papers to see him, Annerose greeted him and motioned for him to sit. Having her maid Mitico pour him tea, Annerose set her papers down to talk with him.

"Gave us quite a scare yesterday, you fell out of a portal all of a sudden in our dining room. You were completely unconscious so we put you in a guest room.", Annerose told him with a smirk, "Poor Rikurou nearly gave up the ghost hauling you upstairs."

Hearing the maid laugh at that, he wasn't sure who she was laughing at Rikurou or himself. Deciding to assume it was the other man, Kratos shrugged it off.

"Apologies...I was with a friend, and we walked through a portal together. Did someone else happen to come through the portal with me as well?", Kratos asked.

"No one else did, just you. Portal traveling is very dangerous at the moment, I have been looking into why magic is suddenly not working properly.", Annerose explained.

"That is the reason we came to this world, to kill the one causing the problem.", Kratos responded.

Looking at him with confusion, she asked if he knew who the culprit was. Telling her about the Dark Slime and what it was capable of, he told her that Mael and him had come to kill it before it was too late. Understanding the situation now, Annerose thanked him for the information with a smile. Asking Mitico to prepare to leave, Kratos asked to go with them to locate it. Stating that he had a vested interest in exterminating it she nodded her head in approval.

"Of course, the more the merrier as they say.", Annerose laughed, "Let's get going immediately, Rikurou grab my sword and coat."

"Yes ma'am!", a young man in the house yelled out.

Watching the young man named Rikurou run out with the request items, Kratos was puzzled by what he was seeing. Kratos could tell the young man was an undead just by the aura around him, but he was completely different from those he had seen before. Moreover, the young man was by far the strongest undead he had seen in a long time.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Rikurou Tachibana.", the young man introduced himself.

"Kratos...", he replied as he shook Rikurou's hand.

"Alright, we are off to make a house call.", Annerose stated, "If a magical creature is involved, Aish will know all about it."

With that, the group of four headed out to meet another witch that specialized in magical creatures.