"I disagree."
"But as a member of my Peerage, it is only natural that he has the duty to participate in the Rating Game with me."
"Then let my brother withdraw. Leave the fighting to me. There is no need for my brother to fight."
"But... Claire, you cannot protect Cid for the rest of his life. No one truly dies in a Rating Game. Just treat it as training."
"Rias, have you ever experienced what it feels like to nearly get someone you love killed because of your own mistake?
I have. That is why I will not allow it. I will not allow myself to stand there and watch Cid get hurt again while being unable to do anything, even if it is only in a game."
As he walked down the path behind the school, with the conversation between Claire and Rias in the clubroom still echoing in his mind, a trace of cold sweat ran down Cid's forehead.
His sister... definitely seemed to have some kind of problem.
After Rias announced that three days later, she and her Peerage would face her fiancé in a Rating Game to decide whether their engagement still had any reason to exist, Claire exploded.
Claire wanted Cid excluded so she could fight in his place. Naturally, that was not something Rias could agree to.
But in the end, under Claire's forceful insistence, Rias still gave in. For this time, she agreed that Cid would stay on the sidelines and watch during the Rating Game, using the excuse that his Evil Piece had not yet been fully absorbed.
Of course, that part was not important. Whether the Evil Piece would still even be inside him three days later was already a question. Claire's demand was completely unnecessary.
What he truly cared about was Claire's attitude.
To be honest, ever since his sister dragged him to the Lawless City and came back, he had felt that something about Claire's mental state was off.
The symptoms included, but were not limited to, chuunibyou. She acted like her right hand held some mysterious power, wrapped it in bandages, and wrote things that gave people a headache just from looking at them.
And now there was one more symptom.
His sister seemed to have developed some kind of bizarre obsession with him.
Thinking back to how she had once said she would break his legs and lock him up, he was now starting to worry that she might actually have meant it.
So... should he strike first and break Claire's legs before she could do anything?
Forget it. With current technology, a broken leg could be fixed with some money and time. It was better to think about how to get the Evil Piece out of his body first, and make sure that once it was out, it could never be put back in again.
His steps naturally turned to the right. He entered a deserted alley, walked into a blind spot beyond the surveillance cameras, and a communication magic circle appeared in his hand.
Getting the Evil Piece out was simple. From Cid's observations, one of the mechanisms built into the piece was that before its owner suffered injuries beyond a certain threshold, it would sacrifice itself to save the owner's life.
Creating the appearance of near-fatal injuries was not difficult. The Rating Game three days from now would be the perfect opportunity.
The difficult part was creating a proper excuse that would make sense.
If this had been a year ago... no, before Netheril had been established, he would not have had this problem at all. At worst, he could have just ordered the witches to carry out a terrorist attack.
After all, when he first went to recruit that group of witches, he had thought of them as terrorists. If they died, they died. He would not feel bad about it.
But now those witches had actually taken the dream he sold them seriously. They had even established Netheril, changed careers from terrorists, and put him over the fire.
The only thing he could be glad about was that the one being roasted was "Roland Augustus," not "Shadow." If the day ever came when the identity of "Roland Augustus" had to be blown up, he could just use it as a stepping stone for "Shadow."
He could not use Netheril's power, so...
Did that mean he could only place his hopes on them and leave it to fate?
"Cough, Cao Cao, cough, Cao Cao, cough, Cao Cao. Alright, this is the one."
From Cid's mouth came, one after another, the lively voice of a young man, the calm and heavy voice of a middle-aged man, and finally a cold, detached voice with a distinct tone.
"Teacher?"
The magic circle connected, and Cao Cao's voice came through from the other side.
"It's me, Cao Cao."
Cid replied with complete ease.
"Teacher, what do you need from me?"
"Heh. I just wanted to see what kind of mettle you have right now. Do not say I did not give you a chance.
Rating Game.
I have already given you the hint. Whether you can seize it or not depends on you."
What came out of Cid's mouth was a single phrase so cryptic that even he felt it might be a little too much.
But Cid was not worried that Cao Cao would fail to understand.
After more than half a year of dealing with him, Cid already fully understood what kind of person Cao Cao was.
He was certain Cao Cao would investigate. And as long as he did, the matter of Rias, the famous princess of the Gremory family among the Devils, holding a Rating Game with Riser, the third son of the Phenex family, would definitely reach his ears.
And for a terrorist like Cao Cao, once he learned of this, plus the hint from him as his teacher, there was no way Cao Cao would not stick his hand into it and cause trouble.
"Teacher, you... you already know!"
Cao Cao's surprised and confused voice came through the magic circle.
Know what?
Cid almost blurted that out, but changed his words the moment he opened his mouth.
"It's not about knowing or not knowing. I simply stand a bit higher and see a bit farther. That's all."
"...Teacher, thank you. I already know what I should do. Thank you for the guidance."
What exactly did I guide you on? How are you talking to yourself even more than I am?
"It's nothing important. Just a casual move on the board. If you really want to thank me, then show me whether your dream is worthy of leaving even a single page in my memory. If you manage to satisfy me, perhaps there will be a surprise waiting for you in the future. Hahaha..."
Leaving behind a string of amused laughter, Cid quickly cut off the magic circle communication. If the conversation continued any longer, he would not know how to respond.
"Phew... I have no idea what Cao Cao imagined on his end, but it's certain he'll plan some kind of terrorist attack in three days. When that happens, I just need to find a chance to take a heavy hit and the problem will be solved.
If something unexpected still happens, I can transform into Roland Augustus and force a dramatic intervention to severely injure myself. It might damage Roland Augustus's image a little, but that doesn't matter. Roland Augustus exists to serve as a stepping stone for Shadow anyway."
After reviewing the plan once more, Cid felt that the situation had suddenly improved. The advantage was now on his side.
When he stepped out from the surveillance blind spot, even the air seemed a little sweeter. The sunlight from the setting sun fell on him, leaving his body pleasantly warm.
"Alright. Tonight I'll do some training for my background character of shadow power role."
...
"Cao Cao, what did your teacher say to you to make you look like that?"
Seeing Cao Cao become visibly excited after finishing the call, Georg asked in confusion.
"Nothing."
Cao Cao shook his head as he said that, but the smile on his face was impossible to suppress.
"Teacher only reminded me of the thing I originally set out to do."
"The thing you originally set out to do?"
"Exactly. What's wrong with me lately? I actually hesitated to scheme against just two Transcenders. With that kind of attitude, how am I supposed to fulfill the promise I made to all of you back then?"
The smile on Cao Cao's face slowly turned ferocious.
"Just because I'm afraid of attracting the hostility of the entire world, I was ready to abandon this plan and proceed slowly instead. Wouldn't that make my ambition look pathetically small?"
"Maybe that's why Teacher contacted me specifically after learning about it. I think... Teacher must have been very disappointed in me."
The Sacred Spear appeared in Cao Cao's hand. He rested it on his shoulder and swept his gaze across everyone present.
"Prepare to go into hiding, everyone.
If this succeeds, the entire world will remember us. And naturally, every force in the world will become our enemy.
Let this battle announce the name of the Hero Faction of the Khaos Brigade."
As he finished speaking, Cao Cao looked toward Georg and Siegfried.
"Georg, tell Hades that we will show him what he wants to see in three days. Tell him to prepare the Dragon Eaters.
Siegfried, contact the Old Satan Faction and Rizevim. After this, we will have completely offended the Devils anyway. Since our funds are running low, we might as well pull off something big. Big enough that Mitsugoshi Company and Netheril will not worry about us defaulting on our debt."
...
"Sigh!"
Watching the number of students around her steadily decrease and thinking about her current situation, Yukina Himeragi could not help but slump over her desk and let out a sigh.
After waking up in Cid's bed at noon, she hurried back to the residence arranged for her by the Lion King Organization, packed her bag, and came to school.
The afternoon classes had been fulfilling. Nagisa Akatsuki and her classmates had shown her so much concern that she felt deeply grateful. Grateful enough that, for a while, she even forgot about certain things.
But sooner or later, reality had to be faced.
As school ended and students began leaving, she was forced to confront her situation again.
What should she do now?
How should she face the Lion King Organization?
And how would the Lion King Organization treat her, a Sword Shaman who already knew their plan?
There was no way the Lion King Organization believed she still did not know.
During the battle, Rudolf had revealed that she was the Blood Partner. At that moment her reaction slowed for just an instant, which led directly to her defeat. Koyomi Shizuka had seen that hesitation clearly from the side.
Of course, the Lion King Organization would probably be very happy if she pretended she did not know anything, as long as she continued following their plan and became Kojou Akatsuki's Blood Partner.
She really did not want to think so poorly of the organization that had raised her, taken in her and the other orphans, and taught them to become Attack Mages who fought for justice.
But she had heard Shadow's words clearly.
A man who fought Demons for humanity had almost died, and hundreds of thousands of lives on the island had nearly been lost because of the Lion King Organization.
The best outcome she could imagine now was being transferred away. Then she could simply follow the teachings of the Lion King Organization and continue being a Sword Shaman who fought for justice.
The worst outcome would be the Lion King Organization sending someone to eliminate her to prevent any leaks.
As for continuing with the plan and becoming Kojou Akatsuki's Blood Partner as arranged by the Lion King Organization, she would rather die.
Resist?
How could she resist?
The Lion King Organization had only taught her how to become an Attack Mage. They had never taught her anything else.
"Sigh!"
Thinking about all of this, Yukina Himeragi let out another sigh. With so many worries piling up in her mind, she suddenly wanted to lean on Senpai's back like she did yesterday and feel that warmth that reminded her of a mother.
At least then she would not have to think about so many things.
Or maybe she could talk to Senpai about her troubles and see if he had some kind of solution.
"No, no, no. Get a hold of yourself, Yukina Himeragi. You cannot drag your problems onto Senpai. Senpai is a good person, but you cannot think of him every time something happens."
She lightly slapped her cheeks to clear her thoughts. Yet when she thought about her situation again, she still could not help sighing.
"Knock knock knock."
The sound of someone tapping on the desk drew Yukina Himeragi's attention.
Following the hand, she looked up and saw a smiling elf standing in front of her.