Encore 56 — BLOOD (III)
"Uhm, thank you for helping us."
Yuichi and Lucia bowed to Myraliana as she went to go collect her bags.
"Who're you two?"
(She didn't even notice us here...)
"I'm Lucia Winters and he's Yuichi Asame. He's affiliated with the Divine Church."
"Oh, those pious bastards."
She seemed to dismiss almost everything they said to her. Nevertheless, Lucia kept on talking.
"If I may ask, you are Myraliana Agnes, sister of Elizabeth Agnes? You're fairly famous. You've even gained the nickname of the Invincible Knight."
She raised her brow, perplexed.
"Invincible Knight? What's up with that? I can get hurt."
(I feel like she's concerned about the wrong things...)
Yuichi sighed.
(Anyway, I'm guessing Lucia is going to...)
"Please, can I hire you as a bodyguard?"
"A mercenary as a bodyguard, I don't think that works."
"We can pay you whatever your fee of money is."
Yuichi told her. Myraliana seemed to be more infatuated with something else.
"Money? Sure, but that won't be enough to hire me. I mean, you are facing BLOOD."
Lucia and Yuichi looked at each other. The girl faced back towards Myraliana.
(She must've seen the emblem when she snuck up on that woman.)
The petite girl surmised. Lucia hesitated for a second but primed herself and stated her offer.
"I'll pay you ¥50,000,000 and Sable Aquarius."
Her interest peaked.
"Show it to me."
"Huh?"
"Show me proof that you possess Sable Aquarius."
Lucia summoned the grimoire and showed it to Myraliana. The black and gold colour was what she knew it to be. Her eye told her that the grimoire was indeed one of the Zodiac Genesis.
"Alright, I'll accept. Just let me go to my group."
"Ah, if so, could you introduce us to them?"
Lucia asked her, desperately.
"Sure, follow me."
·———·
In a restaurant nearby, Kazuya was relaxing with three others. Elizabeth, who he two months ago, Kaito, who has been following them ever since the events two months ago, and...
"Mei, pass me the ketchup,"
Elizabeth spoke to the girl opposite her.
"Sure."
Mei Zhing-Hua. She was a transfer student at Interblade Academy and she got rid of a problem for Kazuya. Around three weeks ago, she showed up out of the blue, saying that she wanted to join Kazuya on his journey. Even knowing that Kazuya was Alpha, she still wanted to join.
"I'm here with the drinks."
Kaito said as he walked up to the table.
"Thanks, Kaito."
Kazuya said as he handed him a cup of soda. Kaito also handed the girls their soda.
"Hah?! What's this, Kaito? Where's the ice? Why would you not put ice in the drink?!"
Elizabeth complained.
"I too also prefer ice in my drink."
Mei spoke formally.
"No, I mean, the ice machines are broken. Only water comes out. Something must've happened to the cooler."
He said.
"Don't tell lies."
The purple-haired girl said as Kaito sat next to her.
"What'd you mean?"
She pointed at Kazuya, who sipped his drink while avoiding eye contact with Elizabeth.
"He has ice in his drink! He has five cubes!"
"Those were the last ones... Ah, I have it, you can ask him to share it!"
Kaito pushed the problem onto Kazuya's shoulders The blond-haired boy accidentally spat some of his soda out of his mouth, shocked by Kaito.
The two boys made eye contact as if communicating passively.
(Don't push it onto me!)
(I'm not dealing with Elizabeth's wrath.)
Elizabeth stared at Kazuya as he nervously laughed.
"I don't want it anymore."
"Whew..."
"Hey, guys, I'm back."
Myraliana walked up behind the group as they finished arguing.
"Myra, you're back. What did you buy?"
Mei asked, noticing the bags in her hands.
"Before that—"
"Zhing-Hua?"
Mei and Kazuya paused. From behind Myraliana, a boy and a small girl walked in front of her. They looked at the group. Yuichi and Mei's eyes met.
"H-hello, Asame..."
Kaito and Mei, who were sitting at the ends, moved inwards and the three of them sat down. Mei and Kazuya looked at each other. Kazuya flicked his head and her. She somehow understood what he was saying.
"I am Lucia Winters."
"And I am Yuichi Asame."
"We should introduce ourselves too,"
Elizabeth suggested.
"I'm Elizabeth."
"I'm Kaito."
"I'm Mei."
Then, everyone looked over at Kazuya, who did not say a word. Lucia tilted her head in confusion.
"What's your name, sir?"
"He can't talk. He has a curse placed on him, preventing him from speaking."
Mei told the two of them.
Myraliana, Elizabeth and Kaito stayed silent. They did not expose her lie. They all assumed that she lied for a reason. Kazuya bowed his head.
"His name is Arthur."
Mei recalled the story that Kazuya told her a while ago.
He smiled and waved at the two.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."
"It's fine. Not many know he's impaired."
"Lucia and Yuichi here want to hire me, but I figured that they could pay me and the rest of you can help for free."
"Isn't that twisted?"
Kaito muttered under his breath.
"The payment?"
Elizabeth asked.
"¥50,000,000 and a Zodiac Genesis."
"?!"
They all looked at the duo, confused.
"One of the Zodiac Genesis?!"
"Yes, I have Sable Aquarius in my possession. I'll pay you if you can help me."
"I've already confirmed. I want to do it but I thought it'd be better if we all help too. I mean, in the end, it's... Arthur's decision."
As Myraliana hinted towards Kazuya, he nodded in agreement with her decision.
(Having one of the Zodiac Genesis will help even if someone like Kaito, who cannot do spells, wields it. I've heard that Sable Aquarius is fairly picky in its user though. Now, why did it choose her...?)
Kazuya raised his hand to propose a question. He activated Sacred Lightning, concealing the veil of lightning, and wrote what he wanted to say with words.
'How do we know that you're not tricking us? Sable Aquarius is a picky grimoire. We'll help if you tell us how you became its wielder.'
Honestly, Kazuya would help either way, but he wanted more information on the Sable Aquarius. Seeing how she acted, she would tell him.
"Okay, I—"
"I don't think that's necessary."
Yuichi interrupted her.
"We won't give you information on the Sable Aquarius."
He said confidently, putting his hand in front of her.
(I was expecting this...)
Kazuya internally sighed.