the eminence in shadow: Eminence of the Side Character 12

Chapter 12: Summertime Terrorist Funsplosion Part 2

The eminence in shadow looked down on the bound students and pondered another critical decision that had come far sooner than he had anticipated. He could use Eta's artifact to basically kill/cripple the cult leader but that would rob him of the boss fight at the end of the storyline.

Still, the bad guy gets what he wants but it's a trojan horse expertly placed by the eminence in shadow is a pretty good trope. If I go back to thinking about it on rarity terms again it's the clear winner.

Deciding that he would let the terrorist leader have his artifact Cid waited on the roof for Sherry to make it to the middle of the gym before striking. Slashing through the window and killing the man escorting her so quickly everyone was still looking up at the broken window until his target hit the ground.

"Shadow. You have arrived" Their leader said. A man in full plate armour with an insect like helmet Cid thought looked vaguely familiar from somewhere. Sherry stood frozen beside him while the rest of the school looked on in amazement. The nearest cultists formed a loose circle around him while in the stands rifles pointlessly shifted to aim at him.

Ah, back on centre stage with the same audience as last time. Only difference is I want them to endlessly talk about this after the fact and wonder 'who is that mysterious man'

"After such an invitation how could I not? I believe you were looking for this" he lifted the man at his feet off the floor slightly to take the control unit out of his hands before throwing it to the cultist on the stage.

"Why would you give this to me?" he asked solemnly.

"It won't change the outcome of our battle" Cid replied. It was especially nice since it was true, but not in the way the cultist would think (although it would have been true that way as well).

"Heh, you're arrogant Shadow. I take it your a young man, believe me when I tell you it wont laAAGGH" He had just placed the artifact into the control unit when bright red waves began emanating around him, his scream growing louder and falling away with every pulse of energy that came.

"We are Shadow Garden. We lurk in the shadows and hunt the shadows. It is time the victors of this charade take the stage" Cid pronounced carefully. Shouting would be uncool but he did need to be audible over the guy's obnoxious screaming. It was delicate balance.

The girls correctly chose that moment to burst in, focusing in on the riflemen in the stands while Cid attended to the sword wielding cultists closer to hand. It took only a few moments before the dozen men that had surrounded him lay dead on the floor.

If there's one thing an eminence in shadow can't do alone, it's flashy group reveals. Even though I don't need them for this I'm so glad their here. It's also not bad that they'll reduce student casualties during the fighting. It's always good to have more witnesses to how badass we are.

Rose had freed herself and managed to swipe a sword from a cultist he just killed. She started attacking them left and right, furiously forming a path to the exits while few others tried to take up weapons themselves and either follow after her or cut their still bound friends free. She was a bit of a victim of her own success though, while she cleaved through the cultist her allies got stuck in longer battles and trailed well behind her as she was surrounded.

The armoured guy was leaving through one of the gym's back doors but that was probably okay. This building and the immediate area was surrounded by members of Shadow Garden who were in turn surrounded by members of the knight orders, so given his injury he wasn't likely to get away.

Once again fearing a geopolitical tongue lashing from Alpha if he let Rose die he stepped in to save her. His last strike was was a true work of art, striking the cultist in the head almost 180 degrees from where Cid was facing.

"Your swordsmanship is beautiful, young princess" Cid told Rose. It honestly might have been too focused on being beautiful.

"Your swordsmanship far exceeds mine. It reminds me of…"

He didn't care what it reminded her of and spoke over her "You should gather your flock and depart this place. They're likely to be trampled underfoot if they stay any longer."

Rose seemed to snap out of a trance and responded "Yes, of course. I'll take them away now".

Nu approached him and since the cultist were starting to thin out so he decided to check in with her "We have things handled here sir. The building is completely surrounded and there are no dangerous enemies. All that remains is to finish off their leader. Do you mean to do that yourself?"

He might as well. No cool boss fight, but some dialogue about how he was being played the whole time would cap the night off nicely.

He headed out the backdoor and was deciding where to go next when he heard a girl scream, followed by breaking glass and very loud weeping. Her voice was almost unrecognisable through the sobs but as he approached the vice-principal's office he finally recognised it as Sherry's.

"She...She killed him...she had long brown hair and I couldn't see her face. She said she was from Shadow Garden".

Killed who, and why is she crying about it.

Cid drew closer and finally caught sight of the scene. Sherry was on the floor clutching the dead body of Lutheran Barnett with tears streaming down her face. Iris was looking down to her from just inside the door. Lutheran had been stabbed in the chest, blood leaking from the wound covering Sherry's hands and the floor underneath.

Iris began to move closer to Sherry, crouching so she could look the younger girl in the eye as she spoke to her. "Can you tell me anything more about what happened?" she asked gently.

Maybe her plan was to come in from behind to block the cultists escape, but then heard Sherry crying and ran up here the same way I did?

"I.. came to check and see if my father was still here...since he wasn't at the gym. She was standing in front of him and...just said he had to die and took his sword and...and..." she broke off here, what she had been going to say was obvious. "I saw it and screamed and I...".

There weren't many female cultists among the attackers and I'm pretty sure all of them died in the gym. Nu could have done it but she was downstairs with me. Beta and Epsilon don't match the description and I don't think any of the numbers could move that fast or control their mana well enough that I wouldn't have felt it from there. Doesn't that account for everyone.

But it didn't. There was one very talented brown haired member of Shadow Garden unaccounted for who might even have had a motive to kill Lutheran.

Eta.

He was so wrapped up in his deductions he didn't notice Sherry's eyes fall on him until she wailed and fell back quivering in fear. Iris turned around to face him and tensed, ready to strike if he showed any hostile intentions.

"Shadow, are you responsible for this?" she asked aggressively.

How best to play this. Probably aloof with no real answers.

He chuckled and said "If I said I wasn't, would you believe me? Let us move to the next stage."

With that he leapt from the window, let out a massive blast of magic and waited. It looked like he would get a cool boss fight in this arc after all. He just needed to draw in the second player for this two on one to make it interesting.

---

Beatrix had helping with the evacuation from the burning gym when she felt the change in the air and set off. She could feel the man before she saw him, certain that the amount of magical energy she was sensing could only belong someone who had stolen it from hundreds of others. Her breakneck pace running towards him had been one part duty and one part anticipation.

He was standing out in the open completely at ease, sword held almost like a cane between his feet watching her.

"I am Shadow. He who lurks in the shadows to hunt the shadows. My apologies goddess of war, but we must wait for the last player before we begin the dance".

He definitely knew I would come, but who else is he waiting for?

As she drew her sword and prepared to defend herself Iris answered her question by barrelling into the courtyard. Her face was flushed from her sprint and contorted in anger.

"Shadow! Stop running and face me!"

He laughed at that, though it was a cold, cruel sort of laugh "Running, why would I need to run? I merely thought this two on one might be slightly more...fair to you both."

As his mockery would soon break Iris's composure (assuming it hadn't already) Beatrix decided to make the first move. Lunging forward in an instant to aim a thrust at his midsection.

"Ah, no calling the start, just a killing blow right out of the gate. At least you understand the position you're in".

Shadow had blocked her and looked to begin his own attack when he vanished. She could only guess where he was since everywhere else he could be was empty and brought her sword up behind her head, barely able to hold back Shadow's strike. She felt a little wave of fear as she realised had he attacked from a lower angle she'd have been run through. Her survival had been at least partly luck.

When he came at her from the right was able to barely dodge the blow but after he vanished again the kick (at least she thought it was a kick) from behind sent her sprawling forward. He moved so stealthily at such high speeds it felt like trying to see a shadow in the pitch black of night.

He's chosen a very apt name.

As she got to her feet she noticed Iris had moved in to try and cover for her and was faring much worse. He wasn't bothering with his instant movement technique, merely deflecting each attack and responding to each with a punch or a kick that sent Iris a step back, but not so hard as to put her out of the fight.

He's toying with us. I've never believed I was the strongest in the world but I'd thought only a dragon could outmatch me this badly.

Iris had noticed she was back up and gave her a nod. Beatrix moved in closer ready for whatever Iris was going to do. Iris took another swing at Shadow but dropped her sword at the last second to wrap her arms about his middle and hold him still.

It was the best chance they were going to get. Shadow's speed was such that if he wasn't slowed landing an attack on him would be impossible. She rushed forward again, slashing.

Then had to instantly pull back as her blade bit into Iris's side, Shadow having turned and jumped to position her exactly where his head had been an instant ago. Beatrix sent a more cautious jab around Iris but she was moved in-front of this as well and she had to pull further back before she hurt her own ally again.

He pulled Iris off him and considered her for a moment before looking to Beatrix "You can't give me a shield and expect me not to use it." He tossed Iris away and looked her straight in the eyes while the princess was sent spinning back across the grass of the courtyard until she crashed into a bench that halted her momentum. "Try again".

There was only one thing left to try. Beatrix had sought out strong opponents for years at a time and had therefore practised a technique meant to serve as an ultimate attack. The time required to get into position would give her foe a chance to run, but anyone who forced her to use this technique wouldn't flee.

She leapt away, rapidly moving up the tallest building that surrounded them before leaping from the top. She then waited until she was almost above shadow then added all of her magical energy to the force of gravity, descending at a speed she had never reached in live combat before.

An impact in her arms like they were being ripped off, a clanging sound fit to wake the dead, a pain in her stomach followed by another at her back was the result. Shadow had blocked and punched her away in while standing his ground.

Rising again she saw the ground around him appeared cracked and indented downwards, and he was flexing his sword arm as if to relieve tension.

"Your swordsmanship is impressive and your supply of magical energy isn't bad either but you use it terribly. Do you wish to try again?" He raised the sword at her in invitation.

"No, that was all I could offer" she answered before doing something she hadn't done in over eighty years. She threw her sword down in front of her to land between her and shadow and fell to one knee, bent so low her forehead almost touched the ground. A traditional surrender.

She could hardly remember the words "I now, wholly and without deceit, place my life in your hands".

"I do not mean to kill you, I only kill my real enemies".

Iris approached then, thinking better of trying to start the fight again. Her voice close to breaking as she began to confront Shadow. "I know you've saved my sister twice now but I still have no idea who you are or what you're after. Were you behind Lutheran Barnett's murder and this attack on the academy? If you don't explain yourself, I'll need to keep trying to stop you. It's my duty to the country. Even if I can't the whole kingdom and eventually the whole world will do the same, so just start talking!".

He shook his head slightly "Just as a shadow lies between light and dark, we live between good and evil. I simply mean to follow my own path and if the world chooses to become my enemy, I will fight like I always have". Instead of the casual, mocking confidence he'd shown through the rest of their battle he now sounded regretful, as if lamenting the tragedy contained in these words.

Iris Began to scream "Shadooowww!" and Beatrix raised her head planning to dissuade her young friend from attacking again only to see Shadow was nowhere in sight.

Shadow, just what sort of man are you?

---

Rose tried to steady her breathing and calm herself before entering the makeshift infirmary, grateful for the cool night air after the inferno she'd just escaped. Her heart was still racing from the battle she'd been fighting just a few minutes earlier. Upon realizing the students were escaping the terrorists (unknown participants on both sides of the battle had called themselves Shadow Garden so she had no better name for them) had set fire to the gym with with everyone still inside.

A silver haired elf had swiftly broken through their barricades to let everyone out while a blue haired elf covered for her, using some kind of long-ranged attack to dispatch multiple terrorists simultaneously while the rest their allies fought in smaller battles all through the gym. The knights had been waiting for them, pulling the students to safety and charging in where it was safe to join the fray. Rose herself had prioritized finding injured students and handing them over to the knights waiting outside before going back in multiple times to ensure everyone who could be saved had gotten out.

Her mind kept focusing back to the way they the second group had fought, an entirely novel style that brought back her memories of the Slayer. The man called Shadow most of all.

Could it have been him? Or is it just someone who learned the same style?

It was impossible to say. She'd never been able to find out anything about that school of swordsmanship despite years of searching. What she could do was check in on her friends and see if there was anything she could do to help. With that in mind she stepped into the tent.

"See Claire, I told you I was fine"

It was a voice she thought she would never hear again, was she just imagining it?

"You got stabbed in the stomach Cid, you're staying overnight like the doctor said before I let you go home".

Claire's voice doubled the hope building inside her. She moved forward and pulled back a curtain to see Cid Kagenou lying propped up in a hospital bed with his sister standing watchfully by his side.

"Hey Prez, what's up?"

She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes as she ran forward, Claire was so startled that she made no attempt to stop her as she embraced her gallant knight.

"I'm...Thank the goddess you're okay. I...I thought you…"

"Oh yeah" Cid said sheepishly "Turns out it wasn't that bad. You can apparently get stabbed wherever you want as long as it misses your vitals and you heal it quickly enough, so I got lucky and pulled through".

He's so modest. He's not even going to bring up the fact I owe him my life. But I just can't ignore his feelings anymore.

"Excuse me, Claire" she said, her voice regaining composure "I'd like to speak to Cid alone for a minute if you don't mind".

Claire looked like she was going to say she minded very much but Cid waved her away and she stomped off to the other side of the tent, eyes still locked on him.

Rose took Cid's hand and looked deeply into his ruby eyes "Cid, I want you to know that your feelings have reached me."

"Oh, that's good" he responded uncertainly.

He still thinks we shouldn't be together.

She knew what she was going to do next would cause problems, for herself, for Cid and most of all for Alexia but she couldn't make herself care anymore. Today had been a reminder that life didn't go on forever and wasting the time you had was a mistake.

"And I want you to know that I return them. Completely". With that she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Cid's.

---

What the fuck?

He was now making out with the student council president in the middle of the infirmary tent while everyone looked on.

Why am I making out with the student council president in the middle of the infirmary with everyone looking on?

He was caught off balance in a very delicate situation. In a position like this the best approach was to look at the problem from the beginning and work through it piece by piece.

When could I have tripped the romance flag with her, all I did this time was...save her life...by apparently sacrificing...myself.

Dammit, that's like the romantic jackpot, of course I tripped the flag. But wait, there's still Alexia isn't there? Shouldn't this still be off limits?

He waited for the kiss to come to a natural conclusion and tried not to notice Claire seething in the corner (he had to wave her off furiously behind Rose's back to stop her coming over) or the rest of their audience and whispered to Rose "What about Alexia?"

She smiled at this, grinned like he'd just offered her a hundred million zeni "She's already told me that your relationship was for appearances only. It's sweet of you to care so much but please try to think of yourself." she placed a hand gently over the spot he had been stabbed earlier before continuing "I'm certain she can find someone else to take your place in public, but no-one can take your place in my heart".

Alexiiiaaa.

He was trapped, both figuratively and literally by the person gently pressing him against the bed. Rose was essentially the holy grail of girlfriends in the academy so there was no pretext to refuse her; beautiful, popular, charismatic, talented academically, martially and artistically and as the heir to an entire kingdom she was filthy rich.

Maybe this isn't such a terrible development Cid thought as Rose leaned back over him to begin another kiss.

---

Beta was sitting at her desk in Mitsugoshi writing up the report of the night's activities with Epsilon only occasionally speaking up to add some minor detail Beta had missed during the operation. It wasn't like Epsilon wouldn't write her own report if she had to but Beta liked the practice and it wasn't her favourite activity.

"Epsilon, there's something that happened when we first entered the field I need to ask you about?"

"Okay, what is it?"

"Well, our slime suits all started to liquify when we initially arrived but yours seemed to have another reaction. I don't want to alarm you but it almost seemed like your breast was...slipping down. Are you okay, do you have any pain in that area?"

Stay calm, you prepared for this.

"W, Well I am the most practised in terms of using the slime suit, so maybe the way I've got mine set up defensively caused a different kind of reaction. I'm not sure how to explain what you saw exactly...But anyway that's not important right now!" she slammed her fist on the desk to decisively end the matter.

"Oh, what is important?" Beat asked curiously, still not convinced.

"It's about Lord Shadow and princess Alexia". It was a topic that was certain to catch Beta's attention.

True to form, Beta scrunched her nose as if someone had just dumped a shovelful of manure onto the desk "What about them?"

"Princess Alexia has been paying for lord Shadow to pretend to love her right" Beta nodded "and Lord Shadow just gave Eta two billion Zeni as research funding" Beta nodded again, comprehension starting to sink in "Well, if she's paying that much, how much is she getting from him, I mean" she deliberately made her voice as coy as possible as she continued "If it was me I know what I'd want, wouldn't you?".

Beta was stammering red faced as she answered "I'm sure Lord shadow just got that money some other way. He wouldn't...let himself be bought like that, I'm sure of it. I just misunderstood last time".

"Still...you could check for us to see if that's where he got the money, I think. Just ask your contacts in the treasury to see if there's been any unusual withdrawals by Alexia?".

Beta nodded, starting to cool down but successfully diverted from the previous topic.

Unlikely as it is, it wouldn't hurt to check.

---

Cid was just consoling himself with the fact that the armoured cultist had gotten away (meaning he had a 'rematch' boss fight to look forward to) when the king of Midgar walked into the infirmary flanked by two members of his personal guard. By virtue of his injury he was at least allowed to sit out the customary bowing. He walked through the tent, shaking hands with teachers and congratulating the students on their courage and determination as he made his PR circuit around the wounded.

At least Iris is staying at the palace. It would have been really awkward if she was watching me with Rose.

He needed to sort something out with Alexia, if there was one thing he wanted to avoid at all costs it was relationship drama. Since she broke the deal by blabbing to Rose she obviously didn't have the right to complain about what happened, but knowing her she'd probably try to unreasonably shift the blame onto him.

King Klaus stopped at Cid's bed and looked down at him curiously before speaking, quietly enough to not be overheard by the other patients. He wasn't really a praying man but being stuck to the bed there was nothing else to try.

God, you've already saddled me with the most perfect girl in the country, please don't make this day any worse. I know I got a lot of good stuff earlier, but surely I've already paid for that now.

"And I may owe you my greatest thanks of all. I can hardly imagine the diplomatic incident that might have occurred if Rose Orianna had died in the care of our great nation. I may recommend you receive an award for distinguished services to the country".

Really, I mean really?

"Oh, no sir. I did it for more...personal reasons, so I really couldn't accept, honourably". His new relationship with Rose could be good for something at least.

"I see" he smiled knowingly at him. "Well, young love is important. I'm sure you're aware, but once you leave your school days behind you'll have to go your separate ways to do your duty."

Oh I'm counting on it.

"Maybe a school award for special services would be more fitting" he continued. He gave a little chuckle before continuing "I must say I've always found you a rather interesting young man".

"Is that...because of Alexia?"

"A little. She told me and Iris, after Zenon was arrested how she took you on to keep him at a distance but even before that, your adoption by Baron Kagenou was very unusual. Haven't had a case like it in the last twenty three years I've ruled this country".

My...my what?

Was that even possible. The chances that the king told him that just to fuck with him was pretty minimal. The first thing he could remember was being passed off to Claire in a little bundle of cloth but could anything have preceded that? He didn't remember his own birth (for which he was incredibly grateful), but had always assumed it had occurred at most a day before his reincarnation. He had probably been too stoked by the discovery of magic to pay proper attention.

A fundamental understanding of cliché dialogue flow prevented him from asking direct questions. If he did then Klaus would just stop talking and leave as quickly as possible, pretending that he didn't say anything. He needed to prod for more information without letting slip he knew essentially nothing, which had been a speciality of his for a while now.

"In what way was it unusual, your majesty?"

"Well your father's emigration to Velgalta chasing after fame and fortune was popular gossip back at the time. The fight he had with your father about it was also pretty inspiring to a lot of second sons out there who felt unappreciated in their families, they started saying things like 'another day like that and I might just Kagenou out of here'" Klaus smiled in reminiscence before becoming more serious.

"Then five years later he and his wife were arrested and put into indentured servitude and you were ransomed back by an imperial legate to his brother, Baron Kagenou. That part of the story isn't as well known or as popular, and I never told Alexia out of respect for your families privacy. I honestly couldn't say when the last time a noble was adopted across national borders was, even speaking historically".

Cid gave a small "I see" then pretended to be dazed for a minute to trigger the 'You're tired, I should go' dialogue option. Internally he was grinning like a lunatic.

"Well...it's been a long day for you and I imagine you want some rest. I'll be taking my leave young lord Kagenou".

A mysterious origin. I might have a mysterious origin so mysterious even I don't know what it is. What a fucking banger to close out the day.

---

Sherry was playing with Lutheran when the stranger came through the door. As the hooded man drew his sword her mother poked her head into the room to ask Lutheran for help, but Sherry was sitting on his chest, holding his sword just above his heart.

"Not now Lukreia, can't you see we're in the middle of a game". Lutheran gently scolded her and sent her back out to greet the stranger before turning back to her.

"Now Sherry, just press down and everything will be fine". She wasn't sure. She was worried he'd get hurt but he was looking at her with such desperate hope in his eyes she couldn't refuse him. She pressed down as her mother was cut apart in the other room.

He stilled as the blood left him, Sherry tried to rouse him with no success.

Knock

Her mother had dragged herself to the door with her one remaining arm and was looking at Sherry coldly, while the unknown man behind her readied another swing of his longsword.

Knock Knock

"I needed him Sherry, now look. You've killed him". She was going to apologize when the stranger's blow removed her mother's remaining arm. Unlike with the last few injuries she had suffered she screamed in agony, Sherry covered her ears and tried to shut her eyes but they wouldn't close.

The hooded-man prepared his final strike but before he could the knocking sound finally forced her awake and she sat up panting.

It wasn't real.

Lutheran hadn't been anywhere near their house when her mother was murdered and Lutheran's death was…

She had ran to follow her father after the artifact backfired on him. The cultists, the knights and Shadow Garden weren't targeting her but she was still in danger of a stray sword stroke or bullet as she pelted across the gym to the back entrance.

She suspected where he was going to go and guessed right, she found him lying face up on the ground having clearly just put his armour in it's hiding spot beneath his desk. The exertion must have exhausted his strength as he wheezed on the floor piteously.

Then another flash of red light racked him and he was groaning in pain. She ran over to him and tried to help him sit up.

"You need to move the desk...back over the hole" he commanded. She rushed to complete the task so she could sit back at his side.

"What happened with the artifact?"

"I think Erin modified it before we brought it over. I'm sorry, I didn't know" she said through her tears.

Lutheran pointed back over to the door, where the remnants of the eye and it's control unit lay on the floor with the sword he dropped.

"You need...to finish it. We can't...be caught here. For...sake". His speech became softer and more stilted with every word.

He can't mean the artifact. It's completely spent and I couldn't fix it in time. Does he mean…

"No, no father I can't, I can't do it, please!".

"You have to...survival.. all...matt...ow".

As words began to fail him she unwillingly filled in the missing words.

You have to do this. Your survival is all that matters now.

She moved over, trembling like a leaf in a hurricane as she wrapped her fingers around the hilt of his sword. It was much heavier than she thought it would be as she lifted it up and dragged it back to Lutheran.

His eyes widened and she thought he was trying to say something more but nothing came. She waited for a few more seconds but when footsteps started pounding around the floors below she knew she couldn't wait any longer. If Lutheran was discovered alive in this state they would both be executed in disgrace. Even if she tried to carry him through the secret passageways the mana he was giving off would be felt by anyone nearby and Shadow would hunt them down.

There's no other way out.

After failing with the artifact the least she could do was grant her father's final wish. She stabbed him and screamed out unfeigned grief before pulling the sword out and breaking the glass window with the hilt to create the fake escape route before tossing it aside to hold her father.

As Erin had been significantly to blame for her father's death she'd thought of her when she described the made-up assassin. She didn't have much hope Iris would (incorrectly) blame Erin since the girl's constant lethargy excluded her from being a Shadow Garden member by default.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

Even if she could never say it she was incredibly grateful to whoever this late night visitor was. They had now twice pulled her out of very unpleasant thoughts.

Just stop thinking about it.

She opened the door to see a well dressed man of middling height with a slightly protruding belly and close cropped black hair waiting on the step. She was staying at her mother's house and not the academy since it was further from the recent incident. Everyone had been very understanding.

Not that it's helping me sleep. I'm so out of it I didn't even consider it might have been someone from Shadow Garden.

He bowed his head slightly before introducing himself "Hello Ms Barnett. I'm unsure if your father mentioned me, my name is Crayl."

She nodded slowly. She had heard of him before, he was something like her father's assistant in the cult. A second child responsible for the day-to-day management of her fathers property.

"I realize this isn't an opportune time so I'll get to business quickly. The cult as an organisation greatly respects familial inheritance, therefore as his adopted daughter you have been granted control of what remains of your father's assets moving forward".

He hadn't even been dead twelve hours "This seems...soon to be talking about inheritance, can't it wait".

"I suppose so, but the assets are yours. If I was seen to be hoarding them away from you then..." he gave an uncomfortable smile "It's best you're made aware of your rights as soon as possible. If you don't desire to take your father's place his agents and capital will be distributed to others in our society".

"I thought my father used everything he had in the last operation?"

"He wanted to, but naturally none of the intelligence agents were deployed and even a few combat personnel couldn't be mobilized in time. Some of his money was invested in certain assets that couldn't be liquidated in time either, so there's around a billion Zeni at your disposal if you choose to accept it".

She didn't know what to think or do. From the way he was talking and how his eyes had lit up this Crayl would happily take everything her father had under the table and she could just move on with her life. Doubtless she would still be considered a collaborator and called on for favours from time to time but she could be mostly free of it all if she gave the inheritance away.

Do I need agents or money for anything.

She thought of Erin then, smiling smugly while her father spasmed on the floor. How Shadow and his agents would have hunted them like dogs if she had tried to pick him up and run him to safety.

Oh yes, I have a use for them.

"Come by at twelve, two days from now with a full accounting of my assets Crayl. I need to know my starting point as soon as possible".

---

Cid stood by Eta as they prepared to say goodbye to Sherry, looking down at his subordinate with trepidation.

I've always known her morals were a little off, but to be able to stand with someone who's father you calculatedly murdered so casually is really cold.

Her calculation had the apparently been well thought out. With her father gone Sherry had decided to move to Laugus to progress her academic career. It still seemed unnecessary to Cid since Eta was leaving soon until he remembered how upset she'd been whenever he tried to get closer to Sherry.

He wasn't an idiot. He could easily tell why she wouldn't want him to fall in love with Sherry.

She was obviously worried he'd settle down (which he would never do) then ditch Shadow Garden. As the ideas guy, the leader and their strongest fighter they would be at a serious disadvantage if he bailed.

"Goodbye Cid. I hope you get on okay" Sherry said as she pulled him into a hug "and watch out for that one" she whispered, indicating Eta.

"Oh believe me, I know" He said dryly.

She turned on Eta then who smiled "I told you...my change to the artifact would work"

Sherry froze for a second before smiling bitterly. Cid was thunderstruck at Eta's gall to actually insult her at this moment.

"Yeah, I suppose you were. You've been to Laugus before haven't you, maybe you could show me around if you get back there soon?"

"Maybe" Eta said. Her tone and folded arms said no.

"Goodbye you guys. I'll definitely see you later" and with that she pulled herself into the carriage and set off, giving a little wave before disappearing down the street.

He took Eta back to his apartment unsure of how he was going to approach this.

"It's a shame about Sherry's dad isn't it?".

"Yeah...it's sad"

That's it. That's all you're going to say. Do you really think I'm such a simp that I'll let you get away with murdering someone.

He supposed the first thing he should do is establish he wouldn't leave Shadow Garden so Rose would be safe in the future. He could have tried to get Alpha to do this but since she benefited just as much from him staying he couldn't be sure she wasn't in on it.

"You know, you and I are very alike Eta. We both have things we absolutely can't live without no matter the price. For you it's learning new things, and for me it's running Shadow Garden".

Eta was looking at him intently while Cid was figuring out how to continue. Eta apparently thought he was finished and held out the bag she'd been carrying to him. "It's a present...for you".

Cid considered it cautiously. He had noticed it wasn't especially girly but Eta had always preferred function over form. It was black suede with a dark red leather handle and looked like a briefcase (though thankfully a little more casual) with a shoulder strap. The opening clasp was a little magnet that needed to be pulled open before you could pull the cover back.

"How's it work?" he asked. It obviously wasn't an ordinary bag.

"Put something in" he grabbed a schoolbook from his table and stuck it in the bag.

"Now close it… and pass it here" he handed it back.

Eta pulled the bag open again and showed him the opening, there was nothing inside.

"It's locked...to your mana signature. So no one...can get what you put inside".

That was pretty good, but it didn't look like Eta was done. She passed it back to him and told him to press the opening clasp to the table and run mana through it. He did and the table vanished.

"Space inside...Larger than it should be. Approximately...four cubic meters...difficult to measure exactly. Weight to carry...unaffected. Will bring out...whatever you want when you open it".

Damn that was pretty large. He could finally loot to his heart's content without having to worry about the size of his cargo. That said he wasn't sure he should just let go Lutheran's murder as she looked up at him clearly expecting praise.

"So, is everyone in Shadow Garden getting one of these?". He asked to buy himself a little time.

Eta shook her head. "It's a modified artifact. Locking it to you...and changing shape...were my changes. Space effect...was from the original artifact...a chest we found in Alexandria. Can't reproduce it". She said sadly "I call it...the vessel".

I guess if she's trying to bribe me for my silence it wouldn't be simping if I accepted and just ignored the whole Lutheran thing.

He gave her a pat on he shoulder "It's great. I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of this".

She smiled back at him before looking down depressed "Have to go now… to write report and research findings for Alpha" she yawned before continuing "So tiring".

Deciding to throw her a bone he started channelling healing magic into her. It took a lot, maybe a little under a fifth of IAA but finally her mild slouch began to straighten and she looked back at him with wide, alert eyes.

"Feel better?" as someone who was in high school for the second time, he understood only too well the soul crushing nature of tedious homework.

She gave him a hug and practically ran around the apartment Delta style before she left for work. It was at this point Cid realized he had literally just given her a pat on the back for murdering an innocent man.

Whatever. If it's a question of who I care about more, Sherry or Eta, it's no contest. Besides Lutheran was really old and coughed all the time. How much longer could he possibly have lived?

This is our protagonist.