43 Joining Rebellion

A month had passed since their last encounter, and Edelweiss, now in possession of Otto's demands, approached his door with a gentle knock. She could almost hear his surprise when he questioned her knocking, having expected her to appear unannounced. Otto had meticulously tidied up his space in preparation for her visit.

"Why knock?" he asked, puzzled by the courteous gesture.

"Isn't it common sense to knock before entering someone's room?" Edelweiss, equally perplexed, responded.

She found the notion of barging in without warning to be rather rude, especially given their shared oath to honor each other's boundaries. Otto, his expression serious, cut to the chase, inquiring about the items she held.

"Yes, but there's a condition. You must join our group to access the full version," Edelweiss explained, revealing a flash drive discreetly tucked between her breasts.

Otto couldn't help but note the unconventional delivery of what seemed like a premium offer. It reminded him of the costly subscriptions he had known in his previous life, a memory he found slightly irksome.

"If you'd like, you can verify its authenticity first," Edelweiss offered, extending an invitation for him to confirm the contents before proceeding.

"Mmmm. Sure, that would be much appreciated."

Placing the flash drive into his computer, before turning towards Edelweiss's direction.

"Stay there for a bit. Private things need to be kept in secret."

"I understand... you are a young man after all." She muttered the last part, respecting his privacy.

"No— never mind..."

"Let's see, what's under these files..." Otto inspected all the files inside the flash drive, which contained a document that are related to human biology, magic, and souls.

"Did she steal this from the magical organization of... Grauzauberer and Hexennacht!?" Otto's eyes widened as he traced the origins of the files, leading back to Reni's organization and a notorious group of magicians.

'Now I feel dumb for not asking Reni about it...'

He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. If only he had approached Reni directly for this information, perhaps things would have unfolded more smoothly, than making a life-and-death deal with Edelweiss.

"But then again... Would Reni even entertain the thought of sharing such sensitive research with me?" Otto pondered, his thoughts drifting to Reni's compassionate nature. Given the disturbing nature of the subject involving human experimentation, it seemed unlikely that she would have entrusted him with such knowledge.

With a mix of annoyance and curiosity, Otto delved into the 90-page document, meticulously examining the three topics he had demanded.

"The paywall is annoying..." As Otto delved further into the information he had acquired, he couldn't shake off the feeling that Edelweiss had deliberately orchestrated the situation to draw him closer to Rebellion.

"She probably did that on purpose, as a way to reel you in," Brynhildr, observing Otto's growing curiosity, remarked with a knowing tone.

"Right, she wanted me to join Rebellion..." He sighed as he wasn't completely prepared for Edelweiss' noble art.

"While you're joining them. I suggest that you make a persona or something like the Satoru Akefu, one. That would help to keep your identity a secret to the public at least." Brynhildr's phantom form came forward, her aura glinting with a strategic gleam.

"Guess my villain arc is about to start."

Despite his reservations about stepping into the role of the villain, Otto hesitated because he lacked the intricate layers of tragedy and despair often woven into the narratives of typical redeemed antagonists, similar to the characters he had seen in stories like Demon Slayer. These characters often undergo profound suffering and personal turmoil, which ultimately leads to their redemption backstory after being defeated or killed. Unlike them, Otto's journey didn't seem to be paved with the same levels of sorrow and emotional depth that could justify the redemptive narrative.

"I'm eager to see how you'll fare as the real 'bad guy' in this unfolding story now," Brynhildr remarked, her words laced with confidence in Otto's abilities.

...

"How was it?" Edelweiss inquired, her expression tinged with concern.

"It was adequate, but I anticipate the full version to be truly exceptional," Otto responded, his mind already focused on the impending role he was about to assume as a villain. He had high expectations for the comprehensive information he sought, hoping it would contain all the vital details he needed.

Edelweiss smiled warmly, extending her hand for a handshake as a gesture of camaraderie and welcome into her organization. Otto reciprocated the handshake, but as he felt her cold hand, an inexplicable sensation stirred within him, as though something foreign had gripped his heart.

"This must be her noble art at work," Otto mused silently, contemplating the potential to neutralize it with his own abilities in the future.

"You seem unusually calm after the experience," Edelweiss remarked, noting that most individuals she made pacts with were often shocked or affected by the unique encounter.

Eager to move forward, Otto's impatience surfaced.

"Where are the rest of the materials?" he asked, his priority clear.

"Patience, lad," Edelweiss sighed, understanding his urgency. With a casual gesture, she retrieved another flash drive from an unexpected location, seemingly unaware of the unconventional storage method.

"Here," she stated nonchalantly, presenting the additional information as if it were an everyday occurrence.

"..."

"What's the deal with pulling things from your bosom?" Otto blurted out, his curiosity piqued by Edelweiss's unconventional storage choice. He couldn't fathom why someone like her, who didn't seem inclined towards seduction tactics, would keep important items in such a place.

thinking of her battle attire, which consisted mainly of a white dress resembling a bikini with a breastplate, leaving her midriff completely exposed.

"Is there an issue?" Edelweiss inquired, her expression betraying a hint of bemusement, likely influenced by Sara Bloodlily's recommendation.

"Uh, nothing," Otto muttered, opting to keep his thoughts to himself before accepting the flash drive from her outstretched hand.

"Now that you're a member of Rebellion, you'll need to join the others at the Alps," Edelweiss explained, her tone shifting to one of practicality. "I'll guide you into headquarters since getting there conventionally is impossible."

'Is it some sort of trend to conceal their society behind barriers?' Otto pondered silently. He understood the necessity of maintaining secrecy, especially for an organization as influential as Rebellion, which held a prominent position among the three major powers in the human world. The thought of a barrier hiding so many people for an extended period impressed him.

"I understand," Otto replied, acknowledging the need for discretion.

Before departing, Edelweiss reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, catching Otto off guard.

"Uh, what's this?" he asked, slightly confused by her sudden request.

"Give me your number," Edelweiss stated bluntly, her straightforwardness catching Otto off guard.

"Uh, okay," Otto responded, exchanging contact information with Edelweiss in a slightly awkward exchange.

"Contact me when you're ready to depart. If I don't hear from you within a week, I'll pay you a visit myself," Edelweiss declared, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"Understood, ma'am," Otto replied, watching as Edelweiss made her exit with casual ease.

As he contemplated his next steps, Otto realized he needed to prepare a new cosplay for his upcoming villain role. It wouldn't be a reprisal of his previous Obito Uchiha cosplay; this time, he had a different character in mind, one he had always wanted to portray in his past life.

...

"Landlady?" Otto raised an eyebrow, his gaze settling on Miya Asama, the dorm's owner, who regarded him with suspicion.

"Otto-kun, you're aware that bringing someone into the dorm is strictly prohibited," Miya reminded him, her expression tinged with a hint of amusement that seemed to mask a more sinister intent. An illusionary demonic visage of a hannya materialized behind her, casting a chilling aura that caused Otto's hair to stand on end.

"Yes, yes, I know," Otto hurriedly replied, sensing the underlying threat in Miya's smile and the aura of killing intent emanating from her.

"Fighting obscenity and engaging in illicit sexual activities are both strictly forbidden."

This wasn't the first time Otto had received such a warning from Miya. The initial incident had occurred when Nene had sneaked into his dorm, and Miya, catching sight of her inside Otto's room, had wrongly assumed the worst, attributing Nene's ruffled kimono on Otto's bed, thinking that the two did something steamy in the room alone.

"We didn't do anything..." Otto attempted to explain, recalling that Miya had likely seen Edelweiss leaving his room earlier. He omitted the part about joining Rebellion, not wanting to divulge too much information.

"As long as you understand. If this happens again, eviction will be the next step," Miya warned, her tone softening slightly as she clasped her hands together.

"And to think, you managed to draw out the strongest swordswoman in the world right to your doorstep," Miya added, her tone shifting to one of mild admiration. She had initially joked about Otto and Edelweiss, believing Edelweiss had come for a letter from Otto.

"Yeah, it was quite unexpected," Otto replied, subtly leading Miya to believe that Edelweiss's visit had been just ordinary banter.

After Miya's departure, Brynhildr, Otto's partner, remarked on Miya's strictness regarding dorm regulations, particularly considering Otto was the only tenant of the private dorm.

"The landlady does take her rules seriously, especially when it comes to privacy," Otto mused, acknowledging the delicate balance he needed to maintain to avoid any further misunderstandings with Miya.

"I'm not sure... But you must have noticed how strong her bloodthirst is; it's akin to Nene's, but more restrained since she can unleash it whenever she chooses," Otto commented, reflecting on the intensity of Miya Asama's presence.

Otto also realized that Miya Asama was a character from the Harem-icchi show called Sekirei, although he hadn't watched it extensively or delved deeply into its lore.

His knowledge of this stemmed from a peculiar occurance with a gray-haired woman adorned with a dove symbol on her haori, who had paid a visit to Izumo dorm. During this visit, Miya and the woman engaged in a tense stare-down reminiscent of stand users facing off, creating an atmosphere of palpable tension that piqued Otto's curiosity.

"Hey, do you think Miya has developed feelings for you?" Brynhildr teased once more, alluding to the possibility of a romantic interest between Otto and Miya.

Otto chuckled softly, dismissing the idea. "She's already married, isn't she? I've always seen Miya as more of a maternal figure than anything else. I highly doubt she harbors any romantic feelings toward me."

Brynhildr laughed at Otto's response. "She just claimed to be married. Who knows? And besides, we haven't seen her alleged husband around."

"You're teasing me again," Otto sighed, wondering if he had a penchant for attracting enigmatic and unconventional women, a sentiment reinforced by his interactions with Brynhildr and Nene Saikyou. The thought left him pondering the peculiarities of his relationships and the unique dynamics that seemed to define his interactions with those around him.

"If I'm going to be honest... Miya seems hot don't you think so too? She's like, what they call a Yamato Nadeshiko in Japanese." Brynhildr stated, making Otto shake his head as she was acting up again.

...

-Chapter End-

(A/N: It's a literal oven here in my country, it's like fucking 40 degrees in the afternoon.)