16 The Middleman

????? POV

"Sir, not that I'm questioning your decision..."

"You're doing it right now Hidari. What is it?"

I sighed. "Yes, it's just that... This is a really important 'project'. Why would you hire HIM of all people!?"

"Are you talking about Daichi?"

'Who else besides that idiot?' I wanted to say.

"His ability is certainly top-notch, but his nature..."

"Is exactly what I need."

"...."

"Hidari, did you think that everything will go according to my plan?"

'Taking into accounts how far you usually plan and all sorts of precaution you take? Yes.'

"...No."

He smiled. "I taught you well. There is no such thing as a perfect arrangement. Nothing could ever go as smooth as in those heist movies and TV shows."

'Pretty sure you're an exception though...' Again I did not voice my true thought.

"Doesn't mean it's going to instantly fall apart either. Basically what I need is someone who knows when to stick to the plan and when NOT to stick to the plan."

"...I don't understand but... I'm sure that he won't be able to handle it!"

"Exactly!"

His response was unexpected but I was nonetheless relieved. Though I do wonder what is it that I said that made him look at the scenario my way...

"He can't do it alone! That's why I want you to help him!"

"Eh...?" This time I dumbly let my thought heard out loud.

"I know I know, it's still too big for a two-man cell. But I know a guy who has just what you need, and he can never say no to this cute and lovable director of yours!"

His Idol mimicking poses almost made me forget about the fact that I'd have to work with him...

NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT! There's still time, maybe I can still convince him to pair me with someone else! Or at the very least assign me on a different task than him...

"This won't work without you Hidari! So I'm counting on you!"

"...Yes, you can leave it all to me..."

And so my weaknesses sealed my fate.

XxX

Hidari's POV

"MAOU!!!!! I HAVE ARRIVED!!!!!"

"Hmph. You're late, Yuusha..."

It happened just like how I imagined it would.

Inside a castle as magnificent as it is imposing. Located on the top of a mountain that only a select few could ever hope to ever reach.

The Hero, the last hope of humanity. Dressed in armour that radiates magnificence with an impenetrable shield glued to his left and a majestic sword on his hip hidden inside an ornate sheath.

'If this person is here then I'd be safe' that's the kind of image that he gave off. Even the cynical me believe so.

Without using the two and using only his strength he kicked down the gigantic double door that separates one room from the rest of the world.

A door built to protect the latter from the occupant of the room.

Maou, the strongest and absolute Ruler of the demonkind.

Sitting on top of his throne regally while oozing out sheer pressure that would flatten even the greatest of kings. In real life, you'll get chided and mocked for wearing his clothes. But he was different.

Regal and awe-inspiring his ridiculous wardrobe complimented him perfectly. With purple robe that revealed a black set of clothes underneath. Unlike the hero, he was armed with nothing at all. Because if he was, then none would be able to face him.

'I'm nothing more than a bacteria' is the feeling you'll get when you see him with your two own eyes.

These two inhumane forces are staring on one another.

"Could you two please take this seriously?" I asked out loud. "You both might have all day, but I do not..."

It's amazing how I still maintained my professionalism despite my next job being a joint one with HIM.

"Hey don't look at me, he's the one who's late you know." The Maou stated, shifting the blame to the hero.

Immediately the saviour did a 'dogeza' so hard and practically slammed his head to the ground and created a crack on the magically reinforced floor.

"I'M SORRY! I saw a dragon harassing a village on my way here! I couldn't just stand around and let it do as it pleases! So my group and I slew it!"

"Oh, that rogue Knucker. I've let it roam for a while because their species is endangered, a mistake on my part. But I've already dispatched Aldith, did you run across her by any chance?"

"Yes! Your wife helped us a lot! She's nice and dependable!"

The Maou smiled. Not a sinister evil smile but an honest one.

"One of the reasons I made her my spouse."

"I'm pretty jealous! I do hope that I'd end up with someone like her!"

"Oh? Don't you already have a lot of possible suitors? I've heard of a rumour that you and the princess knight are particularly close~"

The Hero blushed.

"Please don't say stuff like that! We are good friends and nothing more!"

"For now that is~"

The Hero looked like he was about to retort, but before he can do so I cleared my throat. Everyone instantly turned their attention to me.

"I'm glad that the two of you are getting along very well. But time is not on our side. There are... few difficulties inbound if you two happened to forget..."

My reminder put them on guard. For a while, I wondered why can't I be frank when it comes to Shirou Shocho. Guess owing your life do affect your judgement.

"I assume that the papers are ready?" I continued, and both of them nodded.

"Yes! I got them right here!" The Hero pulled out a stack of paper from thin air.

"And mine is ready as well." The Maou snapped his fingers and a demon maid suddenly walked in while carrying a silver tray. Opening the lid instead of food there were papers similar to the Hero's.

"I'm impressed. The Maou is one thing, but I didn't think you'd get the souls of that many sovereigns so easily."

"No! They cooperated immediately! Most of the lords of their lands truly wish for peace!"

He's right. Right now what we're trying to achieve is nothing short of ending the immortal feud between the human race and the demonkind.

This world, at least from my point of view, is among one of the most classic that I have ever seen. With a medieval setting where humans are locked in a conflict with the merciless demons. Powerless against their foe the remaining Kingdoms' only hope was to summon heroes from another world to tip the scale in their favour.

So was the smokescreen put up by the great and mighty Oz.

In truth, all of it was a machination constructed by the Erste Empire and the Holy Church. Located away from the 'border Kingdoms' they arranged a secret operation that took many lives on both sides before declaring that the Maou's army was the one to blame.

With the created tension war was inevitable. Skirmishes broke out everywhere around the border, and by the time the situation turned into a standstill irreversible damage as well as lingering stigma are created.

Unlike the other countries, the Empire and Church's military power remained uncompromised because of their location. And since those two kingdoms are the powerhouses among human nations the dependence towards them only increase along with the intensity of the war.

The summoned Heroes were supposed to be the nail to the coffin, mighty 'pawns' of the mastermind that would blindly follow them before perishing in the final conflict with the demon king.

Just like every other perfect plan it was foiled by the planner's arrogance.

The two people in front of me, the Hero and the Maou, are both smarter and cunning than those around them perceived. They instantly picked up that something is wrong but opted to play the fool because of their positions.

And that's where I came in.

My job is pretty simple, all I have to do is to act as a courier between these two. A pigeon that exchanges information and connects the supposedly arch enemies. There are occasions where I arranged confidential meetings for them in place unknown, but the number of said conclaves are less than the fingers on one hand.

Regardless these two became vast friends to my relief and irritation. My suffering at their antics aside we have been secretly preparing for a method that will end this farce of conflict for good.

Today is the day this ends.

Geass scroll, a magical binding document that ties the signer's life to whoever owns it. That is the true value of the papers present. Furthermore, the ones who signed them were none other than kings as well as high ranking generals of the demon army.

That's how we will obtain peace, by creating a treaty that no one will break. Combining all of the Geass here will produce a treaty that will kill every signer should they ever break it and ensure that everyone won't double-cross the secret alliance and join the empire or church.

"Of course the two of you will sign as well." I reminded them. "I'd be worrying if the two strongest lifeforms get a free pass."

Not that I don't trust these two, but their signature is mandatory. They off all people must be bound due to their unparalleled mettle after all.

"Well, that is only natural. I admire those who exercise vigilance rather than trust other blindly."

"Please don't be like that! Some people are kind out there!"

"Hm~, such naivety. I suppose it's only expected from the Hero."

"Please don't beat around the bush for too long. Again, those people might barge in at any time."

"Very well. If you'd be so kind as to pass me the paper-!"

In the blink of an eye, the impossible happened.

The invincible Maou, unmatched in hand to hand combat and invulnerable to any magic, his head exploded like a melon being smashed with a stick.

Ah, I see. So they used that.

"Heretic Spear, and for it to be fired from Golden Horn."

Embed on the castle wall was a spear that could only be described as godly. It went through the window, popped the Maou's head like a balloon, before finally being stopped by the magically enhanced wall. So fast it had flown that I only realize what had happened long after it had finished.

The first was the name of the greatest 'cursed' treasure owned by the Church, a spear of unknown origin capable of piercing the blessing of gods. The other artefact that we cannot see is the golden horn, a gigantic bow that supposedly used to belong to the gods. Anything fired from it is sure to make its mark no matter how far the target is.

Using the spear as an arrow they have made a sure kill weapon capable of slaying the strongest being, as proven by the sight in front of me. By the way, utilizing each of those weapons would require a human sacrifice each. A cost that they easily and gladly paid for obviously.

A first-rate warrior might be able to pick up the attack and maybe even prevent it, but I was no such person. No, I'm what you call a desk-dweller through and through.

I can do nothing but accept the sight in front of me. I was also surprised that The Hero didn't stop it, he certainly has the capability of doing so.

That was because he was too preoccupied, crouching with one knee on the floor and clutching his abdomen in pain.

"Ah, I also forgot about that."

As those words left my lips they finally made their move. I can easily hear the growing ruckus outside, and that's also when they came in.

One was a man that could only be described as a 'grizzled' knight, wielding an executioner's sword and dressed in a spotless white armour. While the second was an old man who despite being rather portly exudes wisdom, a sceptre in his right hand while a robe covered the rest of his body.

Oh my. I didn't think that they'd be this bold. Well whatever, I quickly picked myself up and bowed.

"It's an honour to receive both of your presence. Grand Inquisitor and Emperor."

They only kept quiet at my greetings, probably wary of my presence as an unknown variable. To them, I might even be the mastermind that came too close to ending their ploy.

"Unfortunately, I'm on a rather tight schedule. So I'll simply let these two handle the rest."

With that said I kicked the downed Hero.

"Hurry and get up, this is what I promised isn't it? These two out of their caves and in the open."

The Grand Inquisitor reacted to my action with pity and sadness while the emperor continues to be stoic. They probably thought that the Hero was as good as dead, which means the plan worked.

"Please wait, a moment! I'm afraid if I got up too fast I'd throw up! The meal I ate earlier doesn't agree with me!"

I already heard that he was good at relieving tension, but there was no way anybody can keep a straight face after hearing what he just said. Heck, one of our own who was perfectly aware of the plan burst out laughing.

"Hahaha! Blame your stomach for being too weak! Then again, for a human to only suffer minor stomachache after eating demon-food. For you not to die on the spot, as expected of the Hero!"

It was the Maid, the one who brought in the Demon-kind's portion of the Geass scrolls. She begins to glow, its intensity continuing to increase to the point where we were forced to cover our eyes. Once the lights died down the figure that stands where the maid once stood was one that all recognized.

Just like the Grand Inquisitor, she is now wearing a complete set of armour that is black. Grabbing the handle of a slab of steel too large to be called a great sword, her raven hair now let down reaching to her waist.

Her name is Aldith. Maou's partner as well as Demon-kind's greatest general/warrior.

"Impossible! Why are you here!? And the curse!" The emperor shouted, his facade finally broken. He was probably about the perform an exposition on how they had put a curse on the hero the moment he and his ally is summoned. Again my professionalism kicked in and I immediately interrupted him.

"If you're going to go on and prattle about the curse, don't. The Maou was the one who dispelled it. Also to prevent any more cliche 'revival scene' he's alive and well. He's in this very room eavesdropping."

"You're a real killjoy, you know that? Not even letting a dead man enjoy his demise." A 'mysterious' voice reverberated throughout the room.

The air around the throne then shimmered before finally revealing the Maou who, as I have stated earlier, is completely unharmed and is larger than life.

"It's a doppelganger technique. That's why that 'cannon' of yours easily went through, the double is only capable of replicating twelve per cent of the user's power."

Maou chuckled. "Even robbing me of the right over exposition, your cruelty knows no bound."

"Please don't say that! Hidari-dono has been nothing but a great help!" The hero, now fully recovered, countered. Even in a time like this he still cannot resist doing good.

"I do not want to sound ungrateful, but I must inform you that we also have this place surrounded. Ah, yes. By the way, she was also the one who made everything much easier for us..."

"She..." Emperor fearfully asked. He probably already knows who I am talking about. Perfectly timed 'she' chooses the next second to make her arrival.

"Pardon my lateness!" Entering full view I now know why she and the Hero get along very well, they're practically two peas in a pod. She was dressed in a musketeer fashion complete with a rapier on one hand. An incarnation of beauty and strength, truly only she deserves the title of princess knight.

"Testarossa... How could you!?"

"How could I? How could your father!?" She snapped back at the emperor. "Starting a futile war that robs countless lives of humans and demons alike!?"

"It is for the good of humanity!"

Oh my fucking god they're seriously doing this whole thing. I have no time for this 'greater good and true good speech', quickly I approached the Maou.

"Everything seems to be sorted out so I'm taking my leave. I'll be sure to drop by a few days from now to pick up the payment, so be sure to prepare them."

"After killing the mood you have the guts to leave it all unfinished?"

I scoffed. "Spare me the rant. At this point, everything might as well be set on a silver platter. Looking at the father, daughter, and boyfriend tension over there all that's left is to fight an elderly who spent most of his time at the church."

There's the part where he's also a certified dragon slayer, but it's nothing the Maou and Aldith can't handle. And I'm not going to let these two have the last word.

"I'm also inclined to remind you that any service I or any other personnel dispatched in the future will be charged separately."

"Not even if a free tenth service if we call for you nine times?" Guess you're a real housewife huh, Aldith-san.

"No. We also won't give you any form of discount."

The Maou sighed. "I understand that you're still in your working hour, but are those seriously going to be your parting words?"

It was because I teleported away before anyone can say anything else.

I'm already running late and there is still one more thing I gotta take care of. I cannot afford to show up late, and I cannot let HIM get the drop on me.

To my relief, there was no hitch of any sort in my jump. My surrounding turning from a wide castle into a dishevelled laboratory of some sort.

"W-who the hell are you!?"

Oh my, seems that my luck has yet to run out. I expected that it would take another jump or two before I finally ran into my target. Perhaps it was the universe trying to balance my good fortune and suffering.

This person, dressed in a brown robe with his face completely covered by his hood, is the one responsible for all of this. Using minor subliminal spells and drugs to get the Empire and Holy Church into starting their plan.

He was only amplifying what was already there, so it wasn't entirely his fault so to speak. But I'm still pissed, and I'm going to take it out on this poor shmuck in front of me.

I didn't give him the chance to say anything. Since I have already obtained confirmation all that's left is erasure. And for me, that's the easy part as well as one of my preferred stress-relieving activities.

Three brown wings, reminiscent of that of an eagle, burst from my back. Two large one from my left side and a smaller one on my right. I won't be able to fly using them due to aerodynamics laws, but they're more of a symbol of my power.

I then pulled out my trusty sword, a short spatha that has served me for ages. Just like my wings it to was asymmetric, its wing-shaped handle guard only present on the right side. And again, it serves only as a symbol.

It didn't make it any less deadly than a regular sword though. I'm what you call a desk-dweller through and through, and I am perfectly capable of performing dirty deeds. I just opted not to unless I have to (or more often don't want to).

My slash was so fast he didn't even know what had happened. In fact, by the time I was done, it was as if he was never there at all. I slashed at him so many times that he was minced into pieces small enough to be scattered by the wind.

I felt a lot better after that, one of the perks of my role is a minor undertaking that allows me to vent my frustration such as this.

"Jigen, are you there?" I asked aloud.

"As always, Hidari-dono, I am everywhere and nowhere." The air around me answered.

Jigen is our transporter/pilot, he is in charge of keeping us alive during and after our jumps (because unlike a certain idiot most people doesn't have a natural resistance to spatial change).

"That's good. I'm already running a bit late, can you send me over there right now?"

"Of course, Hidari-dono. Shirou-sama had already foreseen this disturbance, he asked me to get directly you to him immediately."

Wait, what?

Before I can voice my protest bright light filled my vision.