"The drinks are here~"
At that moment, Arianna spoke at just the right time, holding a tray steadily in her hands with the beverages already poured.
The King of Swords showed no courtesy whatsoever. He immediately grabbed the glass of amber-colored whisky that was releasing a distinctive aroma.
Even the way he drank was as bold and unrestrained as a king. The sound of glug glug accompanied the movement of his throat as he swallowed, and simply watching him made it seem like an unparalleled pleasure.
"Hah~ Now that is fine quality."
He downed an entire full glass of whisky in one gulp. Had this man not drunk water for days?
In contrast, Satsuki sipped tea while Erica drank coffee. Their postures were far more elegant.
Andrea, standing nearby, spoke up. "Doni has always been like this. Whenever an important battle approaches, he cuts off all food and drink."
Even Erica, as a member of the Copper-Black Cross, was hearing about this habit for the first time.
Curious, she asked, "Does that serve any purpose? Or does it allow him to use his Authorities more effectively?"
If it were a method worth learning, she would study it as well—well, if possible.
Andrea shook his head. "From a scientific perspective, it has no practical effect whatsoever. But the hunger and thirst make his Sword sharper than usual."
"?"
A baffled look appeared in Erica's eyes as she glanced at the King of Swords. What was this—some ascetic form of self-torment to heighten mental focus?
Yet Satsuki, in rare praise, commented, "A very clever use of natural law. When the body is hungry, it seeks to eat. When it is thirsty, it seeks to drink. Most people simply follow these physiological instincts. But Lord Salvatore treats battle as his food. Such a transformation cannot be achieved through mere willpower alone."
Only an exceptionally pure beast could forcibly overturn its own survival instincts and compel itself to adopt such an unnatural rule.
In short, this Sword Campione was less a human and more a creature of instinct.
However, another question arose.
Erica keenly asked, "If the King of Swords prepared for battle before coming here, then who is the opponent?"
If it were Satsuki or Erica, given his personality, he would have already made his move instead of talking this long.
The King of Swords leaned back casually against the sofa and said, "Recently, I received news that the old wolf of Eastern Europe has been getting restless."
"The old wolf of Eastern Europe? The Marquis Voban!"
The title of that ancient Campione was thunderous. No mage in this world was unaware of the name of the Wolf King of Eastern Europe.
What the world also knew was that four years ago, the most ancient Godslayer had meticulously prepared to summon a Heretic God, only for the one before them—then still an ordinary knight—to snatch the prize from him.
Erica asked in a serious tone, "A being like that would not move about without reason. Can we infer his objective?"
Andrea thought for a moment. "Based on past experience, that old wolf likely intends to summon another Heretic God."
Summon a Heretic God? Was that even possible? Gods were not canned drinks that popped out of a vending machine after inserting two hundred yen and pressing a few buttons.
Even Erica, highly proficient in sorcery, found the notion doubtful.
Satsuki's question, as always, was direct. "What abilities does this Marquis Voban possess?"
"His first Authority allows him to summon hundreds of wolves and command their power—Greedy Wolves. From that, we infer he likely slew a wolf deity. As for his other Authorities—merely by gazing, he can turn living people into salt. He can call forth storms capable of sweeping away entire town streets. And those he has slain can be resurrected as undead slaves, like zombies or ghosts, who obey him absolutely."
At the very least, that meant the most ancient Godslayer possessed more than four Authorities.
Which also meant he had killed more than four gods.
An unbelievable record.
Erica swallowed.
After obtaining the Authority of the Persian war god, she had nearly lost her life just fighting a single Athena. And yet this man had already slain multiple deities.
But—"How many Authorities the most ancient Campione has... what does that have to do with us?"
"Ah, my apologies. I forgot to get to the point—" Andrea's eyes revealed a faint smile. "That old man should currently be on his way to Tokyo... and that is precisely why we have come here to propose an alliance."
"An alliance—to deal with the most ancient Godslayer together?"
For even the battle-loving King of Swords to treat this existence with such gravity, one could imagine the strength involved. Moreover, he was currently hidden in the shadows—
Thus, the first priority was to force him into the light.
There were two methods to achieve that.
"You said earlier that the most ancient Campione's goal is to summon a Heretic God and kill it to seize its Authority, correct?"
"Yes. That old wolf may look like a gentleman, but in truth he's even more of a beast than Doni."
"Hey, Andrea, I can hear you."
The King of Swords muttered, then poured himself another glass of whisky.
Satsuki said calmly, "If there were news that a Heretic God was about to appear somewhere in Tokyo, would he show himself?"
Andrea's eyes lit up. "If the information were credible, the probability of him appearing would be quite high."
"Mm. Then I understand." Saying this, Satsuki stood and turned to Erica. "I'm going to pay a visit to Yuri Mariya."
Erica immediately grasped her meaning. "Do you need me to come with you?"
"No. Right now, staying with the King of Swords is the safest choice for you."
With that, Satsuki rose and departed decisively.
"Um... Miss Satsuki isn't worried about that man at all?" Andrea muttered as he watched her retreating figure.
"Satsuki's strength far surpasses that of an incompetent Campione like me. If Voban rashly seeks her out, that might be the outcome she desires most."
...
Elsewhere, after leaving, Satsuki used Yomotsu Hirasaka within the elevator to traverse space, swiftly tracking the mark she had previously left on Yuri Mariya.
With her ability activated and space crossed, Satsuki arrived at a public library located in a quiet corner of Aobadai.
Though its exterior appeared unremarkable, the building was in fact a base managed and operated by the Committee for the Compilation of True History. Entry was forbidden to unrelated personnel. Even nearby residents had no idea what sort of public facility it truly was.
Satsuki had not come here without reason.
The first method she had conceived was naturally to use a Heretic God as bait to lure him out—and conveniently, the system currently adapting to its power could serve as that lure.
As for the second method, it relied on Yuri Mariya's Spirit Vision ability.
After all, if Spirit Vision could be used to pinpoint his location, the matter would become far simpler.
As far as libraries went, the structure here was entirely ordinary.
There were no special features, nor were there energy conduits or visible currents of magic flowing everywhere as one might imagine.
It was simply a clean and quiet library, with tens of thousands of volumes arranged neatly across its shelves.
Satsuki's appearance was far too distinctive. Coupled with the recent events, her standing within the Committee for the Compilation of True History had almost reached the level of a quasi-Campione.
Thus, it did not take long for a familiar figure to emerge from the shadows to greet her.
—Touma Amakasu.
He bowed deeply at an exaggerated angle, a perfectly standard 'smile' fixed upon his face.
It resembled the artificial smiles worn by members of Root in the later era of Naruto.
"When a distorted mode of behavior that suppresses human nature becomes ingrained into the marrow of one's bones, it eventually turns into a human-skin mask that cannot be removed even when one is aware of it. How does that feel, Mr. Amakasu?" Satsuki asked flatly.
"May I ask what brings Miss Satsuki here today? How may I be of service?"
Touma Amakasu showed not the slightest reaction to the mockery in her words. It was not an act—he truly did not care.
When the part of oneself that is human is completely stripped away and one becomes nothing more than a pure tool, this is what remains.
As a person, he could only be described as beyond saving.
Satsuki's eyes swept over his rigid, artificial smile. "I've come to see Miss Yuri Mariya."
"Miss Mariya is inside. Please follow me, Miss Satsuki."
After speaking, Touma Amakasu turned toward the entrance guard, presented his credentials, verified the password, and led her past security into the library proper.
There was little difference from most libraries. The interior was exceptionally quiet, with hardly anyone present.
The occasional figures they passed, judging from their attire, were likely personnel affiliated with the Committee for the Compilation of True History, or individuals connected to it.
Those people were not the focus.
What truly mattered were the books collected here.
"All the volumes displayed on these shelves are specialized texts concerning magic and sorcery—what you might call grimoires and spellbooks..."
"Ordinary people cannot understand these things. They are both dangerous and wise crystallizations. This place houses rare books classified as forbidden magical texts. The library exists to keep them isolated from the world."
As he led the way, Touma Amakasu quietly explained.
Satsuki merely nodded to indicate she had heard him.
That explanation might suffice for outsiders.
But if she truly believed it, there would be something wrong with her intelligence.
The Committee for the Compilation of True History was not founded by saints. On the contrary, it existed for the Japanese government to consolidate and control all magical forces and practitioners within the nation.
In other words, the Committee was a state apparatus for governing mages and sorcerers in Japan.
Viewed from that perspective, the true purpose behind the establishment of this library was self-evident.
Given the way Satsuki thought and the height from which she considered such matters, how could she fail to understand its real function?
But it had nothing to do with her, so she simply replied, "Gathering so many grimoires in one place is likely not a good idea."
"It is an order from above. I merely carry it out. Besides, unless necessary, I would rather not come here either."
As they spoke, the two arrived at the second-floor reading room.
Yuri Mariya was there.
At the moment, she held a grimoire classified as a Special-Class Item and was deciphering it.
A Special-Class Item referred to a magical text that, through the passage of long years, had itself accumulated magical power—sometimes even developing a form of consciousness.
Deciphering a grimoire of this level was an immense challenge even for an average mage.
A single misstep could trigger unpredictable consequences.
For instance, one might begin conversing with angels invisible to others in the corner of a room, or burst into strange laughter, eventually having one's consciousness wander off on a prolonged journey through the mental realm.
As a shrine maiden, Yuri had been invited here precisely to interpret such troublesome Special-Class Items.
Satsuki noticed that the book in Yuri Mariya's hands was protected by a powerful warding spell.
Yuri herself was immersed in a meditative state.
Her Spirit Vision was not like Satsuki's Tenseigan, which could be activated at will. It required guidance and preparation.
One had to empty the mind, entrust oneself to divine guidance, and rely upon both sight and intuition.
What one saw—what one noticed—depended on whether the heavens were willing to offer favor.
Fortunately, Yuri's exceptional spiritual power and talent usually yielded good results.
"This is not a cursed book... If the reader possesses sufficient knowledge, they will not be poisoned by the hidden mystical properties within it. Instead, they will gain understanding."
Sensing the book's essence in a hazy manner, Yuri murmured softly.
Her final conclusion—this was an authentic work, not an imitation or later forgery.
Only after she completed the deciphering did Satsuki and Tōma approach.
"Apologies for the interruption... Miss Mariya, Miss Satsuki has come to see you," Amakasu said quietly as he stepped closer.
Satsuki's gaze fell upon the book's cover.
—Upon it were written the words Homo homini lupus.
Roughly speaking, it described the idea that man is a wolf to man.
In Satsuki's view, a more modern and palatable term for it would simply be "internal competition."
Judging from the quality of the paper and the degree of wear in its binding, it was a volume over a thousand years old. Lupus was Latin for wolf.
"I didn't expect Miss Mariya to be proficient in classical languages," Satsuki remarked as she took a seat, gesturing toward the ancient book in Yuri's hands. "If a mediocre mage were to finish deciphering that volume, their physical form would likely transform completely into that of a werewolf. I did not anticipate that such a dangerous item would be stored here."
At some point, Amakasu had quietly withdrawn. Lacking strong magical aptitude, he could not remain near a Special-Class Item for long.
"Yes... Mr. Amakasu mentioned that this grimoire carries a curse capable of continuously proliferating werewolves. It is a cursed magical text..."
Yuri spoke with a heavy heart.
Even a shrine maiden as detached from worldly affairs as she could understand the intention behind Amakasu handing her this book.
Those above treated these heavily guarded volumes as priceless treasures. Compared to the potential knowledge and power they might gain, they did not truly care about the risks hidden within.
After all, it was not they who bore the danger—but Yuri, the shrine maiden.
"What a coincidence. Both of us have encountered matters related to wolves," Satsuki said lightly.
Hearing that Satsuki had also encountered something related to wolves, Yuri froze for a moment. Concern immediately appeared on her face.
"Miss Satsuki, have you encountered some lecherous wolf causing you trouble?"
"...Not quite. I simply wish to ask you to investigate something regarding the Marquis Voban."
The moment those words left her lips, Satsuki noticed that the focus in the shrine maiden's eyes suddenly vanished.