Chapter 5: Caprice of Destiny.

[12:00 of the 4th day. Time until the Draw of Worlds: 3 days, 12 hours].

Having finished their morning talk, the Servants of Aphrodite directed the black-haired man to a transport area set up in the central area of the luxurious District.

He was carrying a backpack with clothes and other useful gifts provided by the Goddess during his stay. Although none of them could accompany him to the other world, they would facilitate his stay in the present plane.

They walked, all with a serene expression but with regret in their souls. The boy, in an attempt to lighten the mood, was reviewing The Guide and making one or another consultation to his escorts.

"You have to select the Martial District, there are several Gods of great power dedicated to Sword Arts, among them, old Ares is an acquaintance of our lady. There are also other Factions, the Eastern, European and a couple of recent schools that might interest you." Lisa said gloomily. 

The Boy nodded.

"Back in the day there were minor god schools under the Hachiman umbrella how Yoshioka Kenpo, Yagyū Munenori, Sasaki Ganryû among others. Although it may be particularly difficult to find them. Just in case you should check your guidebook, I've heard some rumors about the grace and beauty of the Nippon art." Marie said with some pity in her voice.

"Being an official act we can no longer intrude. You're on your own on this one Uzzy, so don't come begging for Lady Aphrodite's help at the first problem as you'll only make it more complicated." Marie asserted in a serious tone.

Uzziel nodded with determination.

There was something strange in the atmosphere, the laughter and animosity of the previous time had become solemn to say the least.

In less than an hour they arrived at their destination, Uzziel had already internalized the generality of how things worked inside the Pantheon, to his surprise he discovered he was a true sponge of knowledge, so he didn't require further explanation or effort to learn, he only needed one last indication. 

The boy stopped, put down his backpack, closed his eyes, clenched his fists and breathed calming his accelerated pulse, concentrating on his goal...

Suddenly both companions jumped up embracing the pale black-haired man for a few seconds before the piercing humanoid gaze that jealous could only grumble cursing inside.

"May Fate be propitious to you and not obstruct your path." Said the maids together in each ear followed by a genuine smile laden with melancholy.

Despite the short time they had hit it off quickly, thanks in part to the boy's natural charms.

Several whispers were heard in the crowd which reached the ears of a powerful girl.

"All right, let's go, time is money," expressed Lisa moving aside to immediately plant an extremely powerful kick on him.

A hard blow boomed for an instant while Uzziel felt a vertebrae break and his eyes turn even whiter, he lost consciousness for an instant before recovering. While it was not possible for souls in the Pantheon to die by conventional means, such a blow gave him the certainty of being enough to annihilate anyone without difficulty.

The crowd witnessed in awe one of the ladies who moments ago were the object of their jealousy.

"I got something on my face motherf*ckers?!" shouted Lisa with a Yakuza expression towards the crowd.

"You want me to take care of them Ane-san?" Marie soon joined in by pulling out a razor and licking the blade with simile expression.

The crowd quickly began to clear out engulfed in confused fear.

"Oi what the f*ck did I tell you guys about scaring the customers?" Aphrodite appeared running dressed similarly to a kumichō, with a lit cigarette in her mouth and a matching cane in addition to a hat covering her eyes.

The boy no longer surprised by the eccentricities of the House of the Goddess only gave a breath of resignation amidst the pain caused in his back.

"Sorry, I felt nervous with the looks and talk." muttered Lisa to Uzziel.

"D-don't do that again" begged the pale man.

"Good thing I caught up with them" expressed relieved and somewhat tired the Goddess leaning on her cane as she arrived.

"Before I left I forgot to give you this." The lady pulled out a silver badge marked with a snake clinging to a violet heart. 

"This symbol represents the sympathy of my House to your person. I am certain that it will be of help to you at some point soon." she said as she slipped it over her right breastplate in the comfortable new set of clothing she had bestowed upon her.

The Handmaids looked to the side with a mixture of surprise and guilt at having forgotten the sign in her regard the Goddess directed a smile laden with murderous intent as her eyes flashed in the direction of her loyal subjects.

Something awaited them upon their return.

"Now do you have everything dear? Are you wearing the change of clothes I left you? Remember not to accept candy from strangers." Expressed the Unreal Beauty with a motherly attitude towards the not so little boy.

Uzziel and the 2 maids on the side almost vomited blood for such a lousy act.

"Thank you your Excellency, Lisa, Marie. I'll be on my way." He said looking at each one with a sincere smile that hid his regret of not being able to stay longer, he immediately gave a bow laden with thanks.

"In this life and the next I hope to be able to remember and see all of you again." expressed from the depths of his soul with longing, prior to turning in the direction of a kind of telephone booth where he would be transported to his destination.

The three of them came together and took one last look at the red-haired, pale, white-eyed young man. They knew that upon reincarnation all that appearance would be lost, transforming his essence. It would not be until much later for the mortals that Uzziel would be reunited with her first friends, after several years of creating a path in a new world.

The Goddess took out a cigarette and proceeded to light it as she watched the human slowly walk away. She felt a slight clicking sound occur in the machine. In that brief moment Uzziel dedicated a last, melancholy look to those who welcomed him.

"Oh no...you daughter of a bitch!" thought the Goddess astonished, dropping the cigarette while she was predicting possible results of such an event.

Marie and Lisa watched in amazement at the expression of their regularly calm and supremely exquisite Patroness.

[Soul integrity: 74.05%]

[12:20 of the 4th day. Time to Draw of Worlds: 3 days, 11 hours, 40 minutes].