[45] : Francesca: Aiden is a Lolicon, Aiden: No!, Leen: ???, Aiden: ...

A/N: 

We've reached 1,000 fans! 

Also, almost 10,000 people have added my fanfic to favorites. 

Seriously, thank you so much for your comments, your power stones and your positive reviews.

…

[***]

World: Elicia.

Duchy of Brunhild.

Royal Palace.

[***]

Touya was in his office, reviewing the basic development report of the duchy.

Stacks of papers were piled on the table as he frowned thoughtfully.

Today, he had witnessed something unusual: Leen had suddenly teleported in the middle of a conversation without even saying goodbye.

This left him perplexed.

"Her expression too… Was she angry? No, she seemed… happy. But who in this world could make that Loli-baba smile like that?" Touya wondered, intrigued.

As he tried to find a logical explanation, a wild idea crossed his mind.

"Could it be… him?"

Leen wouldn't show such happiness unless it was Aiden, right?

Touya felt a flash of excitement at the possibility that it was true.

Not that he had any special reason to be enthusiastic; of course, he admired Aiden and all, but what really made him happy was thinking that maybe Aiden could calm Leen down.

Since Aiden had left her, her bad temper had been a constant problem for Touya.

For example, magic lessons had become more intense than usual, and when they went out to hunt Phrases or magical beasts, Leen would take her frustration out on them by repeatedly casting [Vasavi Shakti].

It seemed to help her release some stress, but Touya couldn't help wishing Aiden would show up to pacify that Loli-baba.

"I hope he really is back. I'd like to meet him in person someday," Touya thought as his mind began to wander.

Leen had told him that Aiden had left this world to search for one similar to his past life, like Earth.

"I wonder if I could go there too," he muttered to himself, lost in thought.

He wanted to return to his world, even if just for a visit.

However, he wouldn't be able to see his parents, as that was forbidden.

It was one of those rare things that even God couldn't grant because it went against the "rules."

Touya had already died in his world, and his body rested beneath the earth.

Besides, it was possible that Aiden came from a different version of the same world, adding even more complexity to the situation.

Either way, Touya pushed those thoughts aside and focused on his work, though his mind kept drifting to that troublesome empire seeking conflict.

Yulong.

First, they sent spies into his territory with orders to demand that he hand over his Frame Gear technology, claiming that the technology rightfully belonged to them.

Touya couldn't help but wonder how such a brazen empire could exist.

They also boasted of having ancient lands and a 7,000-year history, insisting that many territories and resources were theirs "by right" due to their age.

Of course, all of that was complete nonsense.

They claimed to have 7,000 years of history when in reality, most civilizations had been wiped out by the Phrase 5,000 years ago.

Clearly, that country was just looking for excuses to invade other nations under the pretext of:

"This is mine by right, so shut up and accept it."

Yulong was known as a nation of thieves, liars, cheats, and greedy, self-centered people.

According to their twisted perspective, cheating was simply a natural part of business.

To them, the cheater wasn't to blame; the real culprit was the one who got tricked for not being clever enough.

For this reason, other kingdoms deeply despised the people of Yulong.

The reason Touya was upset was clear: Yulong had recently declared war on a neighboring kingdom called Hannock, and this conflict threatened to involve a subordinate of his order of knights.

He couldn't stand idly by in the face of such a situation, as the Celestial Empire of Yulong would surely cause many deaths.

To make matters worse, the first area Yulong intended to conquer was precisely the hometown of that subordinate.

Determined to act, Touya sought an alliance with the king of Hannock to stop the war.

Fortunately, the king agreed, as he also didn't want to drag his people into a conflict fueled by the greed of the Celestial Empire of Yulong.

With the monarch's support, Touya used his [Workshop], a tool from the floating islands of Babylon, to build an imposing wall on the borders, blocking the enemy's movements.

However, raising that barrier didn't intimidate the emperor of Yulong, who proceeded with his attack.

In response to this provocation, Touya opted to threaten the empire with his [Frame Gears], but his strategy had an unexpected effect: the emperor responded with an absurd demand, claiming that those giant iron machines belonged to him.

"Hah… What an idiot. Nothing less could be expected from someone so despicable," Touya muttered with a sigh as he reflected aloud.

"In any case, the Yulong army won't be able to get through the wall. I made sure that, upon touching it, they'll be teleported directly to their capital, forcing them to make the long journey back to the border. Even their arrows will be sent back. So, really, they don't have many options…"

He paused, frowning as he considered the matter. "But it's still annoying to deal with this guy. I guess it's better to consult with the alliance."

As he continued working, absorbed in his thoughts, the door to the room suddenly opened.

He looked up and saw his advisor enter, observing him with a strange expression, as if unsure how to address what he was about to say.

"Your Majesty…" Masanobu Kousaka pronounced with impeccable reverence, addressing Touya with a mix of respect and solemn familiarity befitting a loyal strategist.

He was a man in his sixties, his hair tied in a topknot and dressed in a kimono that gave him a solemn air.

Touya paused in his work, lifting his gaze to Kousaka with slight curiosity.

"Is something wrong? That expression of yours isn't common… You only use it when you think I'm failing to act like a king," Touya said, cracking a faint smile as he raised an eyebrow.

"My opinion on the matter hasn't changed, Your Majesty. I believe you should adopt a more rigorous demeanor befitting a monarch and avoid delegating your responsibilities to attend requests at the adventurers' guild," Kousaka stated with carefully measured firmness.

However, after a brief pause, he discreetly coughed and let his tone soften.

"That said, there is no reason to worry about the duchy. Everyone is working in harmony to forge a promising future in this territory."

Touya nodded, letting out a slight sigh of relief, knowing that his kingdom remained calm.

"So, what is this about?" he asked, a hint of curiosity reflecting in his eyes.

"Lady Leen has brought someone… out of the ordinary. I'm not sure how to interpret the sudden appearance of this individual in our duchy after so many years of absence," Kousaka commented, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he recalled the recent commotion in the castle.

That living hero Lady Leen had brought to the palace had caused a stir.

Upon undoing the magic that concealed his face, Aiden Avalon revealed his true identity, provoking an uproar among everyone present, from maids to butlers.

Hearing this, Touya froze for a few seconds, processing the information.

An idea crossed his mind, confirming what he had suspected earlier.

That expression of happiness on Leen's face could only mean one thing.

"Leen brought Aiden Avalon here…?" Touya asked, narrowing his eyes as surprise mixed with slight disbelief in his tone.

Kousaka tilted his head slightly, reflecting. "Indeed… I don't understand what reasons that legendary hero could have for coming here. However, he doesn't seem to harbor any conflictive intentions. Lady Leen assured us he's not someone we need to worry about."

Kousaka recalled all the stories about Aiden.

Although he was now an older man, in his youth, he had read and heard the legends of that hero.

He deeply admired Aiden, even now, but having him present in the castle was difficult to process.

After thinking about it for a few moments, he arrived at the simplest conclusion: perhaps Aiden had simply come to visit the matriarch of the fairies.

After all, the tales spoke of the friendship between Aiden and that tribe.

"At this moment, Francesca, Lapis, and the rest of the staff are attending to their duties while Her Highness Karen, Princess Yumina, Princess Linze, Princess Elze, Princess Lucia, and Princess Yae are engaged in a conversation with him and Leen about certain matters. Kohaku, Kokuyou, Sango, and Kougyoku are also present," Kousaka explained with his usual formality and precision in every word.

Touya nodded with an expression of understanding.

"So basically, everyone's just being nosy because they want to meet the hero, right?" he remarked, a faintly amused smile spreading across his face.

He couldn't blame them; after all, it was as if a world-famous celebrity suddenly showed up at your doorstep in his previous world.

Aiden was a living legend, and even though a hundred years had passed since his story began, the tales about him were still well-known by many in this world.

Without wasting more time, Touya, after hearing Kousaka's report, decided to head to the reception room where everyone was gathered.

[*]

Aiden observed Leen as she spoke with those she had introduced as Touya's fiancées.

Looking at them closely, he could perceive a kind of divine power within them, a blessing that seemed to make them flourish.

'Is this the love of God… the one Yog-Sothoth mentioned before sending me here?' Aiden wondered, intrigued.

The room was full of people.

Among those present was a young woman with blonde hair and heterochromatic eyes, one blue and one green.

Aiden immediately sensed that the girl's eyes weren't normal; they were 'mystic eyes,' though he didn't know what kind of power they held.

She was Yumina Urnea Belfast, Touya's first fiancée and, moreover, the Princess of Belfast.

Also present were the twin sisters Elze and Linze Silhoueska, who, like Yumina, were Touya's fiancées.

Aiden had seen these girls on another occasion before leaving Elicia to head to Draconic Deus.

He remembered watching them meet Touya at that time and now once again felt that same 'divine blessing' within them.

Alongside them were two other young women: Lucia Rea Regulus, Princess of Regulus, a girl with silvery-green hair and green eyes; and Yae Kokonoe, who wore an elegant kimono that perfectly complemented her black hair and eyes.

Like the others, they too radiated the same peculiar trait.

On another sofa in the room sat a girl in a maid uniform whom Aiden instantly recognized.

She smiled at him as if reuniting with an old friend, but that gesture was anything but pleasant to him.

Aiden curled his lips upon realizing that Francesca, one of the automatons managing the floating islands of Babylon, was looking at him with that expression.

He knew perfectly well what it meant: a silent but clear "Lolicon."

That smile, filled with an irritating mockery, was nothing new to him.

Aiden was well acquainted with all the automatons of Babylon.

He had visited the various floating islands to analyze them, and during that process, the girls accompanying him had befriended those peculiar creations of Regina Babylon.

Among all the places, he particularly remembered his visit to the [Garden], managed precisely by Francesca.

From the first moment, she acted as if she already knew him, which initially puzzled him.

But it all made sense when he discovered that Regina Babylon had created an artifact capable of glimpsing fragments of the future.

That artifact allowed Regina to observe much of Touya's future, though she could barely glimpse Aiden's.

However, it was enough for Regina to tell her automatons about him.

She even offered to study his advanced technology as a gesture of gratitude for his work dealing with the Phrase for so long.

Regina Babylon had known about Aiden for 5,000 years, but Regina herself… well, she was asleep.

Apparently, she had fallen in love with Touya, built an automaton body for herself, and decided to hibernate for 5,000 years to meet him in person.

Her body rested in the [Research Laboratory], one of Babylon's facilities that Touya had yet to find.

According to Leen, Touya had only located six of the facilities so far: the [Garden], the [Workshop], the [Alchemy Laboratory], the [Hangar], the [Wall], and the [Tower].

The immortal body Regina had created for herself, transferring her brain to an automaton, was still waiting in the [Research Laboratory].

Aiden wondered, for a moment, if he should reveal the locations of the remaining Babylon facilities to Touya.

He also observed three peculiar beasts.

The first was a white tiger that, due to its appearance, resembled a plush toy.

It was seated on the sofa next to Francesca and happened to be one of the summoned beasts of this world: the White Monarch, now known as Kohaku.

Its appearance evoked the image of Byakko, the mythical white tiger of Japanese folklore.

The second beast was a mixture of a turtle and a snake, both of which were the same size as Kohaku.

This peculiar creature floated in the air and was also one of the most powerful summoned beasts in this world: the Black Monarch, a being that housed two souls.

The snake was named Kokuyou, and the turtle, Sango.

Their appearance was reminiscent of Genbu, another figure from Japanese myth.

The last of the beasts was a bird with striking plumage that resembled the Vermillion Bird, a mythical Japanese creature.

This was the Monarch of Flames, now known as Kougyoku.

These three creatures, summoned by Touya, formed part of the Four Celestial Beasts.

Only one was missing: the Blue Dragon, the Blue Monarch.

Aiden knew of them thanks to [Rasiel], although he had never seen them in person.

To do so, he would have had to summon them, but he never did.

However, what caught Aiden's attention the most wasn't the beasts but the last person in the room.

She was seated on the sofa next to Kohaku and looked at him with an intriguing expression.

Her pink hair and golden eyes shone with an enigmatic aura.

This girl referred to herself as Touya's "older sister" to the other inhabitants of the world, but Aiden could only think:

'What is a goddess doing here…? Is she so bored that she decided to descend from her pantheon to this world?'

Aiden had no answer.

Leen had never mentioned anything like this to him, and perhaps she didn't even know that this woman was a goddess.

Unlike the pantheons of 'Draconic Deus,' which operated on a single planet, the pantheon of this goddess and the World God (who had reincarnated Touya) spanned the entire universe.

Although this goddess was weaker than Aiden, she was still far more powerful than an average goddess of love.

And, to top it off, she was stunningly beautiful.

—Pinch!

"Enjoying the view, are you…? We only confirmed our feelings today, and already you're looking at another woman? Hmm, it seems I'll have to teach you not to be so shameless, don't you think? You leave me for 126 days, and now you're interested in someone else?"

Leen said to Aiden as she pinched his arm, her smile sweet… but only on the surface.

"Wait, wait! Leen, it's not what you think!" Aiden exclaimed, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead.

"I just got distracted for a moment. I didn't even know Touya had an older sister."

Leen nodded, as Aiden was right—she had never told him anything about Karen.

Still, she cast a stern look at her man, making it clear that she didn't want any more women hanging around him, especially not today, when they had both confirmed their feelings.

Francesca, who had remained silent until that moment, let out a mischievous smile, full of that teasing touch that always characterized her.

"Well, trash. But what else could you expect from the man who had the audacity to reject me in the past?"

She placed a hand theatrically over her chest as if trying to dramatize an imaginary wound.

Of course, it was all part of her act.

That confession she had made to Aiden in the past was nothing more than one of her typical jokes, simply because that's who she was—playful and exasperating in equal measure.

Hearing her, Aiden felt a pang of irritation that nearly made him clench his fists.

"Isn't it true that you're only interested in the… flatter bodies?" Francesca continued, tilting her head slightly with a mocking smile that made it clear she was enjoying herself.

"Like Yoshino, Kotori, Natsumi, and Leen. Isn't that your weakness?"

Of course, she omitted any mention of women with more developed bodies whom Aiden might be associated with.

Not because she didn't know, but because she knew it would irritate him more.

"Hey, you useless automaton!" Aiden exclaimed, frowning in obvious annoyance.

"Stop insisting that I like lolis! That joke stopped being funny decades ago."

Francesca laughed heartily, reveling in her momentary victory.

"Are you implying that I'm not attractive, H-U-S-B-A-N-D?" Leen asked, stretching each letter in a sing-song tone while her smile, as sweet as it was dangerous, seemed capable of freezing the air around them.

Her eyes glowed with a lethal mix of amusement and threat, making it clear that any wrong response from Aiden could mark the beginning of an imminent disaster.

Aiden swallowed hard as he noticed the implicit threat in her gaze.

A smile like that, paired with the possibility of a [Vasavi Shakti] exploding on the spot, was enough to make any sensible man fall silent.

However, when he looked at Francesca, he understood that she was enjoying this situation far too much.

She wanted to force him to admit that he was a "Lolicon."

Aiden had managed to avoid that label in the past since Natsumi, Yoshino/Yoshinon, and Kotori could shift into adult forms.

Additionally, with the [Spirit Piece], their bodies were now fully developed.

But that wasn't the case with Leen.

She was a genuine loli.

A genuine loli-baba.

He knew that if he didn't admit his supposed preference for lolis, Leen might get upset—or worse, throw a [Vasavi Shakti] or some other destructive spell at him.

'Damn you, Regina Babylon! Why did you have to create this useless servant?' Aiden thought helplessly, holding back the fury boiling within him.

He had no escape.

All he could do was embrace his fate with resignation and face it with some dignity… or at least try to.

Closing his eyes, aware that he was about to die socially, surrounded by his isekai companion's fiancées, three of the Four Celestial Beasts, and a goddess who didn't seem particularly interested in saving him, Aiden spoke with a solemn voice, like a fallen hero accepting his final defeat:

"I am… a lolicon."

—Open!

The door opened just as Aiden finished speaking.

Touya, who had just entered, heard his confession and froze in place, speechless.

Aiden could only curse his [Luck (S)] development ability, convinced that it was a complete fraud.

[*]

After that, no one said anything to Aiden; they simply looked at him with pity.

Everyone knew Francesca well and understood just how annoying and useless she could be.

Touya, though speechless, immediately understood everything.

He, too, had been a victim of that useless and perverted servant's teasing, and he felt he had finally found someone who shared his experience.

This was how Aiden and Touya got to know each other and began speaking casually, avoiding any topics related to their past lives.

Aiden knew that Touya hadn't revealed to his loved ones that he was reincarnated from another world, and out of respect, he refrained from asking him about the Goddess pretending to be his sister.

After all, almost everyone believed she truly was his sister, except for Leen and Aiden, who knew the 'truth.'

During their conversation, Aiden shared many things with everyone present.

He told them how he started in this world, how he became the strongest adventurer, and about his battles against the Phrase.

Touya's fiancées, fascinated, asked him many questions.

To them, Aiden was like a character straight out of a fairy tale, which only fueled their curiosity further.

They talked about all sorts of topics until, finally, only Touya, Karen (Touya's supposed sister, also known as the Goddess of Love), Aiden, Leen, and Paula the teddy bear were left in the room.

…

"I never imagined Aiden-san would be like this…" murmured Touya, tilting his head slightly as he searched for the exact words to express himself.

"Childish? Normal? Well, although Aiden is already quite old, his personality didn't change over time because he decided to seal it to prevent that. Time transforms many people, but he made sure to stay the same," Leen explained with an air of wisdom, while Aiden simply nodded silently.

Touya frowned, clearly perplexed. "Is that even possible? To seal something as abstract as a personality change over time…"

"Oh…? What an interesting idea, truly… I suppose you've already realized that I'm a goddess," said Karen, letting a playful smile cross her lips as her gaze drifted into the void, as if recalling something far away.

"You know, it makes me think about all those gods in our pantheon. So many of them changed, becoming what they despised most in the beginning…"

She paused, her tone taking on a more reflective quality.

"It's a good idea, I won't deny it. I'm sure many of those gods would pay a high price to gain that power—the ability to seal emotions and abstract concepts. If they had possessed it earlier… perhaps they wouldn't have ended up as what they are now: bored, evil… and so different from what they used to be."

Aiden looked at her intently and nodded calmly.

"That's why I did it from the beginning. I didn't want to risk changing over time, becoming something I didn't want to be," he explained with a tone that was serene yet charged with determination.

"I also didn't want my family to have to worry about it, although I know well that they would accept everything about me, no matter what happened."

"I see…" Touya nodded calmly, processing the idea.

Though he couldn't imagine what it meant to live an entire century, he managed to grasp the essence of what was being said.

He thought about how desolate it would be to achieve immortality only to find oneself trapped in an eternal existence, aging on the inside, losing enthusiasm, and letting time pass with no sense of purpose.

It was a thought that, though foreign, slightly unsettled him.

In any case, Aiden decided to steer the conversation elsewhere, intrigued:

"So, if it's not too forward… what is a goddess doing here? If you're allowed to tell me, that is."

Karen shook her head with a calm smile and said:

"I can see that Touya trusts you. Besides, the World God was able to observe this world's past, your battles against the Phrase, and all the good things you've done here. Because of that, I have no problem telling you."

…

…

…

[***]

End of Chapter.

(•_•)

A/N:

Here's a chapter for you.

Yes, there's a lot of information, but I tried to summarize it as much as possible because otherwise, those who haven't read the original work wouldn't understand anything.

Anyway, thank you to those who helped me yesterday when I asked for assistance.

I really appreciate it, although by now, I've probably deleted that note.

Thank you so much.

…

The upcoming chapters will contain some relevant information for this world's plot, and then we'll move on to a smaller-scale Phrase invasion.

Aiden will test the three [Sacred Gears] he created, and after that, he'll simply leave… or something like that.

In any case, I'll leave this world open for future interactions whenever I feel like writing about it.

I'm also planning for Touya to have an armor different from the Gundams in the novel (Frame Gears [Reginleif]).

I'll make it humanoid, something similar to the [Balance Breaker] from DxD.

This is because Touya will be a friend or companion of Aiden.

Anyway…

I was bored, so I decided to create a character card for Aiden, but from a version of him that was summoned as a servant in Fate.

Yes, I was bored; don't ask why I did it.

Here it is.

These are his abilities when using [Leo Pemptos: Regulus-Aerum]:

…

[Class] : Archer

[True Name]: Aiden Avalon

[Alignment]: Neutral Good

[Title]: The Lion of Celestial Thunder

[Parameters]:

-Strength: A+

-Endurance: A

-Agility: B+

-Magic: A+

-Luck: A

-Noble Phantasm: EX

[Class Skills]:

Independent Action: A

Allows Aiden to operate independently of his Master for extended periods, even using high-energy Noble Phantasms.

Magic Resistance: B+

Neutralizes spells of rank lower than A effortlessly and mitigates the effects of higher-rank magic.

[Personal Skills]:

Electromagnetic Manipulation: A+

Grants absolute control over electromagnetic fields, enabling him to manipulate metals, disable electronic devices, and attack with high-intensity lightning.

Lion's Majesty: A

Aiden's presence and aura inspire allies and demoralize enemies.

Battle Continuation: B

Aiden can continue fighting even after sustaining mortal wounds, thanks to the restorative energy of Regulus-Aerum.

[Noble Phantasm]:

Regulus-Aerum: The Roar of the Celestial Lion

Type: Anti-Army / Anti-World

Rank: EX

Description:

Regulus-Aerum is the embodiment of a colossal golden lion made of pure electromagnetic energy, capable of devastating entire armies or altering the battlefield entirely.

Upon activating this Noble Phantasm, Aiden can choose between several manifestations of power:

(I) - Aurum Regalis: Roar of the Celestial Lion (Anti-Army, Rank B+)

A colossal roar unleashing an expansive beam of electromagnetic energy, sweeping everything within a 1 km radius.

(II) - Fulmen Regis: Spear of the Thunder King (Anti-Unit, Rank A)

A hypersonic spear that pierces any defense, accompanied by devastating shockwaves.

(III) - Tempestas Magna: Lightning Lion Armor (Anti-World, Rank EX)

The ultimate fusion with Regulus-Aerum, transforming Aiden into a living thunder deity.

It destroys everything in its path with an electromagnetic storm.

(IV) - Aeternum Fulmine: The Throne of Eternal Storms (Reality Marble, Rank EX)

Invokes a Reality Marble that transforms the battlefield into a domain of perpetual electrical storms.

It amplifies Aiden's powers and weakens all his enemies.

…

How does it look?

I was bored and did it for fun, but I could use this state as a base to create character cards for more people or even for more versions of Aiden.

Of course, I'd adjust the abilities to the novel because, well…

Fate is Fate.

Or, I don't know, do you have any suggestions?

…

Anyway, thanks for reading and for your comments, as always~

Peace out.

*

*