Somewhere in Gefrölle, a foreign realm of ice...
'The true battle... starts now!'
Before my very eyes, a gargantuan brass dragon flaps its metallic wings. Its aura, fiery; its appearance, gnarly. Like Merlin, its eyes are reddish in hue, its colour matches those of his brass horns. And most strikingly of all, I sense his divine power to be off the charts – over nine thousand? No, something more akin to infinity.
How the hell am I supposed to defeat this thing in my current form?! I've never faced a mortal with this amount of power before! Nanda-?!
…
That voice I just made…
...
Well. I never thought I'd become her again. How convenient.
'Hmm. Is there something I missed about you?'
I summon Akumagasaku and gently grab its handle. Konichiwa, Rhizanthella.
'General Merlin Xanders of the Kamwakan Army, it's true that I was once your hostess. But against you, Brass Dragon of Gefrölle—'
'I am your Mistress.'
CHAPTER SIX: Ii ne!
~ACT 1: Rhizanthella vs. Messingdrache - Second Duel~
Eternities of fighting have passed…
And yet again, neither of us had truly damaged the other.
But not all was for naught. As our duel commenced, I was able to extract one key piece of knowledge from the dragon's soul – that he bore the name Messingdrache. No matter how effective or ridiculous some may sound, names are important when dealing with the chosen. If a mortal had been named by a god, it is said to obtain a lifetime of providence. And if this naming is personal, such as with this dragon, this providence extends further into the realm of true power. This is the exact feeling I got from this name. Yet for some odd circumstance, I cannot identify its benefactor...
Like Rhizanthella and I, Merlin's soul is tethered to the dragon's body. Its form is perfect, both in appearance and function. And unlike the multitudes of beasts I have encountered, even my powerful servants in Makai, the metallic creature possesses a power far beyond the limits of mortality. I would go as far to say that he is limitless, immortal – thus, facing it in a power struggle would bend the results in its favour.
...
Bah, is that little Rize taking over my body again? Does she not have faith in I, Empress of Makai and The Mistress of Violet Dark? Ahahahaha~ In the context of achieving overwhelming victory... how must I torture this troubled beast?
'Perish, you lost soul!'
Messingdrache eyes me in a rage. It swings its right wing toward me at great speed – as if it were swinging a goldish, gargantuan version of Merlin's Lawine. Foreseeing the trajectory of its wing, I conjure an arc of Onimasamune blades to emerge from the ground.
'Fool…'
And so arise sequential sounds of shattering steel. Instead of ripping its wing as planned, Messingdrache annoyingly overpowers my unholy blades and continues his blow. I stylishly dodge his wing from below – precisely like a fun game of divine limbo – and kick it skyward with my sharp heels.
'This form of yours… It's unholy…'
Once more, Messingdrache dodges my attack. He kindles an fiery tornado and flies to the hail-filled sky, then lands on the ground with earth-shattering impact. Amidst this, I snap my fingers and reappear behind him, regaining my footing on frozen earth.
'Oh? Are you any different?'
Hmph. This dragon is devillishly persistent. I've stuck millions of blades up its stubborn body. And it still has the audacity to hide its screams of pain? How fascinating~ I bet a lot more blades will make it pop!
'Feel the wrath of a dragon.'
A decent amount of orange flames erupt from the dragon's rough mouth. Covering acres of snow and land, burning several trees, crushing multitudes of caves — Yeesh, one'd think a massive fire dragon like this shouldn't belong in a realm of ice.
'Splendid, Messy. That was an exquisite show of lights. May I go next?'
Unscathed as I usually am, I gently... go for a walk. I take one step—
'Fall to your new master.'
—and appear on its neck, pointing my blade at the back of its head. Toying with its existence, I use my prowess to crush its capability of free will. Ahahahaha, a draconic slave would be perfect for my beloved Makai!
'...Targeting my mind, Rhizanthella?'
Oh, how cheap. My spell seems to have no effect on this dragon...
Damn it, I haven't started a single wound on him. Whether it be physically, magically, existentially, metaphysically – even with Rhizanthella's might – the dragon would simply shrug all harm off himself. Could this be some legendary resistance or divine intervention, or a showing of true power?
'Oho, Merlin~ You're much more of a man than I thought!'
W-What on Mundus am I saying– Damare, RIZE!
...
The dragon foolishly stares me down. 'Shoukuhana no Rize... You lack focus.'
'Shoukuhana no Rize no longer exists in this world. But I suppose a slave like you shouldn't know.'
'Oh, you underestimate me.'
Before I hear another word from that dragon's annoying voice, I summon an arc-shaped Onimasamune within its curved throat. Mere moments pass, it bursts into fragments and disappears on its own accord. What an infuriating turn of events— my blades should only obey me!
'Like I said.'
Messingdrache instantaneously teleports before me, then swings its head at my body. Psh, the fact I can describe this infinitesimal occurrence should hint you of what's next to come.
'A move fitting for a brute,' I rightfully remark, blocking its head with my palm.
The dragon closes its eyes. My surroundings have suddenly turned bluer than they are.
'You fell for it.'
...
This environment has become bluer than it already is. Now, lumps of snow and ice are being suspended in the air, the clouds have appeased their franticness, and the whirling winds have learned to shut up.
Ara~ Messingdrache perched itself on a large cliff above ground level. He is holding his head up high and— ooh, that is one large ball of energy. Its luminescence is recolouring this realm of blue with a reddish overtone. Shining with a light brighter than a sextillion suns, I can tell this flaming sphere has been intended for warm murder.
How cold... or hot, in the literal sense. Messy deserves nothing but my warm embrace!
'You're such a lonely soul, Messy. Let your Mistress give you a hug~!'
I latch onto its nape with my arms. A single spiritual command is passed on to my beloved Akumagasaku. At rapid velocity, faster than time itself, heaps of dark energy emerge from my blade – morphing into a collar made from the indestructible bones of the great beasts I felled in the Infinite Hells. Latched onto Messingdrache's neck, the collar begins to tighten.
'You... can move... in stopped... time...?!'
Aww, he stopped time? What a try-hard... AhahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
'No being is more powerful than The Mistress of Violet Dark. Be grateful, Messingdrache – death is the best way of knowing this to be true.'
...
Another command, I think; the collar crushes my prey, in a blink.
Defeated in battle, the dragon... stays still...?!
'I was just acting. Your blade is impressive, but it hasn't damaged me a single time. I'll end this.'
The hue of stopped time remains. But the battlefield has not. My view of Gefrölle breaks into shards of reality, each dispersing and disappearing into a cerulean void. Immediately, countless brass dragons fly around the void, enclosing me in a perfect sphere of metallic yellow. Their sheer number produces the illusion of an enclosed, circular prison. And on its walls, I see similarly countless pairs of glowing rubies, as they intensely glare at their Mistress.
'This is the true Gefrölle, Rhizanthella. This is my realm. In it, I am everywhere and nowhere. I am one, yet infinite. I am all things in this realm. And you—'
Right away, the infinite Messies blast me with their most powerful flames yet.
'—are insignificant.'
...
The flames subside, then dissipate. Having taken no damage whatsoever, I-
'Į̵̨͇̺͖̝̘̙̪̼̗͇̣̲̺͖̮̫͉͎̖̼̲̝̹̙͓̰̝͌̚͜͜͝S̷͔͎̮̰͚̱̭̥̤͖͎̲̬̹͎͔̥̫̆̇̍̈̈́̇͋̈́͌̎̈́̽͛̅̑̄̂́̐͑̍̀̀̽͌́̅̇̄̈́̚͘͝ ̸̧̛̼̖̝̦̞͉̘͔̗͚͎̟͕̬̙͔̥̮̖̮̣̬̥̬̫̩̥̫̬̭͆̈́̓̒̇̽̋̑̾̏͆̾̌̈̆͋̋̈͒̂́̃͝͝Ţ̴̧̛̛͎͕͙̫̗͔̣̤͍̪͖̼̯͉̭͖͈͔̽̅̓̂̏̊̎̊̄͌̈̽̓͗̋͒̀̀̋̽́̀̂̉̀̈́̄̚͜͠͝͠ͅH̷̡̛͓̱̪̘̯͇̜̰̙̩̜̊̐̏͑̇̓͂͒̽̋Ą̵̨̧̰̠̻̝̞̊̀̑̀̋̈́͑̅̆̽͌͘̕͠͝͠Ţ̸̨̨̡̛̛̱͚̮̘̘͓̣͕̣͇̱͉͙̯͖̘̳̟̉̒̉̓͊̌͗̈́̌́̒͋͛͒͂͛̿͘̕͠͝ͅ ̵̛̖͖̳̘͉̩͈͔̲̺͓͔͉̥̼̙̱̟́͂̒͆̒̍͆̉̊͑̋́̑̈̋̓̊̽̔̎̕͘͘ͅͅŞ̵̨̨̬̘̲̟̬̲̯̠̟̼͎̟̺͉͔͎̝͎̻̲̟͈̟̞̼̊͂͋̂̿͜͠Ő̴̳̦̙̭̮̱̰͖̼̫̓̽̂͒̉̽̉́̕̕͜?̴̯͖̿̋̿̔̄̄́̒̿̋͊͋̈́͘̚͜'
HahahahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
'An infinite number of you, ah? Ara~ That just means an infinite number of slaves for my infinite realm! ♡'
I can feel it. I can feel everything accelerating. My heart is pumping even more loudly than ever. No, mighty goddesses such as I are beyond having pulses. This is just... the presence of true evil taking over!
'That's it! Unleash your full power, RHIZANTHELLA!'
Suffer! Suffer! SUFFER! SUFFERRR!! SUFFERRRRRRR!!!!!!!
'Scream for me, MESSINGDRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACHE!'
......
'You've gone too far... Shoukuhana no Rize. And especially you... Merlin Xanders...'
CHARACTER INFO
Name: Rhizanthella
AKA: Empress Rhizanthella, Mistress of Violet Dark, Goddess of Makai, Administrator of Makai, Empress of Makai, Violet Dark, Demon Goddess, Akuma no Megami, Murasakishin, Underground Blossom, Flower of the Netherrealms, Goddess of Youkai, Embodiment of Sadism, Embodiment of Evil
Species: Demonic Goddess
Age: Beyond age
Birthday: Unknown
Residence: Makai, The Realm of Demons and Powerful Youkai
Height: 5'11"
Weight: ???
Hair: Dark Violet
Eyes: Bright Pink
Usual Mood: Caring ;)
'HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!'
~ACT 2: Calm After The Storm~
Ow... Ahh... What is that ringing noise...?
...Huh?
—————
Back in Gefrölle, a foreign realm of ice...
Ugh... Why did Rhizanthella take over... Kuso, where is Merlin?!
'Merliiiiiin? Where are you?!'
Rather than the dragonborn guest, a powerful blizzard brews toward my direction. Once again, I plant my sheathed Tsukigasaku on the ground and plead.
'MERLIIIIIN! PLEASE, STOP MAKING ME WORRY!'
Everything comes to a standstill. Snow and ice suspended in the air, falling trees halted in a diagonal— time has stopped once more.
'I humbly apologise for the actions of my great disciple.'
A portal appears before me. Its appearance is similar to mine and Libera's, only bluish in tone. Azure vision activated, I sense two beings walking toward it from that other plane.
So I was right. From beneath the portal emerge two beings, one with a golden soul of dragons and another with the clear soul of a god. To my left side stands my guest, General Merlin Xanders of Kwk. And beside him, is a tall man in a Great War 2 -styled uniform... bearing an overwhelming aura of frost...
Sigh. It's Reparu, The Frozen Ferocity, and god of Kwk. I never wanted to meet Him in person.
'Well. I never thought I'd be seeing you here, Shoukuhana no Rize.'
I cross my arms. 'You can thank Merlin for that, Reparu-sama.'
Merlin lightly chuckles beneath his collared coat. 'It was a great battle, Rize. Both of us unleashed great amounts of stress-'
'And nearly decimated chunks of this realm.' The ice god Reparu eyes Merlin with a look of concerned anger. 'Mein schüler, Gefrölle is our realm. Not only did you decimate acres of our land, which in itself is utterly irresponsible– You hadn't landed a single scratch on your enemy! You made no progress even with your overwhelming advantages!'
The general sighs. 'Lord Megocasu, my God, I did not want to kill my enemy. I am very well aware that harnessing the fullest extent of Messingdrache's power can destroy whole realms, and to a point where not even I can control it. And besides, Rize herself is one skilled battler. It is no wonder that you are on good terms with Shoku, knowing you only befriend the mighty in power and spirit.'
Reparu, or Lord Megocasu as Merlin would call him, slaps his disciple in the face. 'And yet you did,' he speaks with angered vigour, 'Stopping time, then conjuring infinite copies of yourself? Those are abilities that demand eons of mastery, yet you decided to utilise them without any training? Both of you found yourselves possessed by ultimate power and lost control of your existences. If I did not step in, Gefrölle would have been destroyed!'
'Gomenasai, Reparu-sama!'
I quickly bow, kneeling on the ground and putting my hands together.
'Reparu-sama, I am so sorry for what Merlin and I did. I knew we were taking things too far, but I was oblivious to my lingering connection with Makai. I never intended to become The Mistress of Violet Dark... I just wanted to duel with him at my best. And, as the one between us who initiated all this, I truly, truly am sorry... As his hostess, I take all responsibility for this!'
...
The ice god laughs, then laughs even harder. 'Ah, rightfully apologetic as Shoku would describe her to be. Merlin, why don't you follow her example?'
'Ah, fine. I humbly apologise for our recklessness, Lord Megocasu.'
'Just refrain from doing it again. Your time of great power will come, Xanders.'
The scenery around us glows bright, into a shining white light. A loud, irritating ringing sound once more smothers my hearing. I blink once...
...and find myself standing by where I originally was. Beside the river of my shrine.
—————
Outside the Shrine of Shoku, Shusokyo...
'Oh. I'm... back.'
Compared to the harsh tundra that is Merlin's realm, the Shrine of Shoku's exterior is a calming and much more comfortable contrast. Nearing sunset, the orange star romantically shines on my river, reflecting starry sparkles and the image of my reflection. Avian fauna continue to fly in birdsong, perching on the cherry blossoms who have long awaited their return. The wind blows ever so gently, flicking the blades of grass and my long, violet hair — nandatto, my lawn's perfectly fine?!
'Hallo, Rize.'
'Ah!'
Merlin fwips before me, standing tall and casting a shadow on my body. He appears to be perfectly unscathed.
'Merlin! You scared me!'
He grins mischievously. 'All part of the plan.'
'Hey, did you not destroy the ground around us? These fuchsia flowers are still blooming in peace.'
'I have. But, do you remember that coin I flipped before our duel?'
'Ah, yes.' So that coin really was something...
'With the flick of that coin, I was able to create a simulation. The first moments of our duel, within what seemed to be your shrine, took place in a copy of the universe we are standing on. This copy — my Simulacrum — is a perfect imitation of our infinite universe belonging to myself. As soon as the coin touched the ground, I mentally commanded it to drag you into the Simulacrum; this is so we could duel to our heart's content without tainting the magnificence of the real plane.'
...That... is clever. And scientifically... impossible... Merlin, what kind of a mad scientist are you?!
'I see. I am very grateful for that. Even if neither of us had truly struck the other, our duel allowed us to transform our stockpiled frustrations into artful movements.'
'Well put, Rize. Thank you for inviting me to it.'
...
The sunset breeze gently passes as we lock gazes once more. From my pair of carnations to his pair of rubies — I feel this moment to be simply mystical. I cannot tell what it is, or why this may be... but Merlin's aura is quite captivating. Libera has told me several things about him, and none of them explain this warm sensation arising from standing by his side...
...
Kuso!
'Rize, are you alright?'
The sun has moved quite the distance since we began our duel. About seven or eight hours have passed since Merlin flipped that coin. Damn it, my ramen stock's ruined by now!
'I just remembered about our supper. Our battle lasted so long that I couldn't remove it from the boil. Merlin, I am so-!'
And suddenly, my shrine's door is opened.
'Rize, I saved your ramen. You're welcome, by the way.'
...Kuragari?!
I clear my throat. 'Ahem. Arigato, Kuragari. You are a great help. By the way—' I move aside. 'This is General Merlin Xanders of Kwk, our guest for today.'
Merlin waves his armoured hand. 'Greetings... Kuragari, was it?'
The nogitsune waves back. 'Shokunichiwa, General Merlin Xanders. I do hope our shrine maiden hasn't been troubling you too much.'
'Haha, if anything, I'm having a lot of fun right now.'
Kuragari smiles, albeit quite suspiciously — as if she were planning something for the unforeseeable future. Please don't do anything funny, Kusogari.
'Well, I'll leave you two to your fun. When must I prepare your supper?'
I turn to the dragonborn. 'Ten minutes, would you reckon?'
Merlin nods. 'Ten minutes would be ideal, Kuragari.'
'Very well,' my apparently responsible nogitsune helper remarks, 'I'll be setting the tables in a bit. In the meantime, please enjoy yourselves.' She gently closes the door and, if she were to not be a kitsune, resumes her duties.
'Good on you, Rize, to have an accountable servant like Kuragari. She's quite kind, too.'
I let out a sigh. 'She usually isn't this accommodating, or responsible. Perhaps it's because she was expecting a guest such as yourself?'
'Maybe. But either way, she's doing her job right.'
'I suppose.'
'Which reminds me... Rize, I need to show you something.'
Merlin takes one effortless leap across the river, onto the patch of land he was on during the first moments of our duel. I swiftly follow.
'What is it, Merlin?'
The General of Kwk points his palm at one of the patches of grass. Bright blue lines form in the air, extending to certain varying degrees. Together, they seem to be forming a vehicle with a long cannon-like tube and a bulky backside. These rays of light halt— outlined by blue streaks of photons, a peculiar box-like machine about twice my height and much more in length.
'Is this... a tank...?'
The distorted sounds of dimensional energies arise from the structure. Low and slow, they abruptly accelerate in pitch and tempo, until—
'Schaffen!'
Merlin snaps his fingers. The dimensional energy blasts into a beautiful aurora much too short-lived. Dissipating into dust, it reveals a flat-sided, front-angled, war vehicle bearing a long gun and a pair of wide tracks.
'What... is this?'
'Kyushi Ground Forces' Type 5 Tank Destroyer, Third Variant. Better known by its designation: Ho-Ri III. A self-propelled gun vehicle prototyped in the Second Great War, but never mass-produced. It would have been lost to time, immortalised as a possibility never fully recognised — had it not been for my hard work in recreating its hidden glory.'
I...... umm... understand?
'I see. But why did you summon it just now? And next to a spiritual shrine, of all places?'
He simply turns to me and smiles.
'It is a heartfelt gift from myself. I hope you will gladly accept it.'
...
Is Merlin suggesting the never-before-seen scenario of a shrine maiden... owning a tank?! Shoku-miko are generally unorthodox compared to other miko of different faiths, but not in this regard!
'What do you think of it, Rize?'
B-But... No, Merlin said this was a prototype nearly lost to time. Not only will this make my shrine more attractive to military enthusiasts, I— wait, I'm missing the point here:
He spent considerable amounts of time, researching and engineering to restore a foreign relic of war... only to give it away to a woman he'd just met?!
'I...'
...
'T-Thank you... Merlin.'
Ahhhhhhh! What else could I say?!
CHARACTER INFO
Name: Kuragari
AKA: Makai’s Wild Card, Kitsune tending to the Shrine of Shoku
Species: Nogitsune
Age: Unknown, but very large
Birthday: Unknown, but she doesn't care
Residence: Shrine of Shoku, Shusokyo, Hitoshi
Height: 5'11" in human form
Weight: 64 kg
Hair: Silver
Eyes: Black
Usual Mood: Responsible for once
'Rize's having fun? And it's not with Libera? What kind of world am I living in...'
~ACT 3: Warm Sake is Best Shared - Third Duel~
Ten minutes later, inside the shrine...
'Rize-sama, Merlin-sama, enjoy your meal.'
'Thank you, Kuragari.'
My guest and I have seated ourselves across the kotatsu. Perfectly plated and arranged on it; supper in the shrine has never been so enticing. From west to east, some further north and others close: a small ornamental bowl of white rice — sprinkled by generous touches of furikake; a large darkly-blue bowl of shoyu ramen — noodles, finely-prepared pork, and vegetables galore; an empty, rectangular plate of ancient ornate design — only a pair of this is in my possession; a jet-black hot pot of katsukarē — extra rice accompanied by apple-based curry of Hito-sho origin; and a white Eastern-style teacup — two-thirds filled with tea brewed from the finest leaves of the day.
Between the general and I, sits an elegant ceramic plate with a fish-like shape. There lies an orderly platter of otoro — fatty tuna carefully cured to perfection and drizzled with dashes of fresh lemon squeeze, sashimi-style. Its deal is a delicious game of Robin Hood; taking the rich otoro from the artful plate, then giving to the empty rectangles on our side. Neatly arranged around the lines of tuna — two halves of a lemon, authentic wasabi harvested in Shusokyo, and a miniature platter of pink ginger slices — perfectly complement this fish-lover's dream.
Merlin's typical stern expression slowly dissolves into an appreciative anticipation. His eyes are widening, his smile broadening. I wonder if he's a fan of Hito-sho cuisine.
I clap my hands in a prayerful manner. 'May You bless this meal, Shoku-kami. Itadakimasu.'
General Merlin Xanders had been observing me and his surroundings since Kuragari left. Perhaps his curiosity matches Libera's in a way. He too clutches his hands in prayer.
'Bless us, O Lords Megocasu and Shoku. Itadakimasu.'
—————
Thirty minutes of food and conversation have passed. I feel my stomach has been filled to the brim.
'Thanks for the meal. This is the best Hito-sho food I've eaten.'
'You're welcome. I made most of it myself.'
'Ah, you're so talented. I've always wanted to cook, but never found time to.'
'Haha, it seems you're much more of a busy shut-in than I am.'
I sense my nogitsune servant entering from the kitchen. She appears to be holding my favourite wooden basket. Oh, how could I forget about these?
'I hope you enjoyed the meal, General.' She bows.
Merlin nods. 'Indeed, I did.'
Kuragari gives him a warm smile, then gently places the basket on the table. 'Here's a basket of Tenshiko, Rize's signature vanilla cookies.'
That's right, I named my cookies. And Merlin looks a bit more excited.
'Interesting, I get to try these out in person. Whenever Libera would talk about you, Rize, she'd always remind me to get these.'
I let out a chuckle, knowing that Libera must really miss having these. 'Haha, she really loves my Tenshiko. Ever since her first visit here.'
The general grabs a cookie from the basket and munches on it. His expression had changed from one of interest to pure glee.
'Mmm... Delicious. I have a soft spot for sugary vanilla sweets, and these are the best ones I've ever had.'
Holy crap, my Tenshiko impressed a world-class general?! I should make a business out of these!
Kuragari turns to me. 'Your cookies never disappoint, Miss Shoukuhana.'
'Haha,' I joke, 'So it seems.'
'Oh and, Rize-sama, the moon looks particularly beautiful today. You two should go moon-viewing, I prepared the hot-spring area just for this.'
Why is Kuragari so courteous and responsible today? I wonder is she's lying about the moon... though I cannot see why she would.
'Great idea,' I acknowledge in earnest, 'Though, would you be so kind as to clean this table?'
She warmly smiles. 'I've already had that in mind.'
Perfect. I don't know what four days in Makai did to you, my servant, but your helpfulness tonight is simply divine!
I look to Merlin across the table, who is happily crunching away through the Tenshiko in the basket. 'General, would you want to chat by the hot spring? The moon is quite beautiful today.'
'Affirm,' he mumbles, standing up from the ground.
I grab the basket, only to find five cookies remaining. I know these are really good, Merlin, but can't you at least save some for me?
'I'll take it from here,' Kuragari speaks, 'Have fun, you too.'
I too stand up, then eye my nogitsune servant with carnations of gratefulness.
'Arigatō, Kuragari. I really mean it.'
—————
I lead Merlin to my room and switch the lights on. Appearance-wise, it's something one would probably expect from a holy priestess. Cabinets of relics, documents, books, and pictures fill the spaces along the three wooden walls.
'Rize,' Merlin wonders, pointing at my futon mattress, 'Is this where you sleep?'
'Indeed.' I kneel with one knee and poke my futon to show its slight puffiness. 'It's quite comfy.'
'Ah. I'm just used to elevated beds, not cushions on the ground.'
'Don't worry, the guest bedroom has one fitting for your size.'
Well, I'm not actually sure if it fits him... Merlin is quite tall... Anyway, I'll find out eventually.
I rise from the ground and approach the pair of lightly-coloured wooden doors leading to the hot spring. Now, a normal shrine maiden would open these by their handles. But I do things differently here.
All it takes is a single wave of my palm.
...
The wooden doors open themselves. Slowly and quite romantically, they reveal a picturesque view of my personal hot spring and — the main attraction of this visit — a clear night sky.
Merlin didn't seem impressed by the magical doors. Not too surprising, given his brilliant and impossible intellect. But he certainly appeared thrilled by the perfect view of the lunar atmosphere. The constants of the universe, no matter how mundane, always are wonders to observe.
'Shall I turn off the lights?' he asks.
'Please do. So we may fully bask in the pure moonshine.'
Merlin waves his hand toward the light switch. I blink once, and find my room to be at its darkest. I love it when he shows off like that.
'Let us chat, General.'
I seat myself on the small flight of wooden steps leading to the cobblestone ground. I cannot sense Merlin, though.
'Merlin?'
I turn my head toward the darkness. Merlin isn't within my sight, both physically and spiritually. Where the hell-?
'Boo.'
Nani-?!
'AH! Please, stop that! It scares me!'
'That's the point.'
The dragonborn general laughs proudly and mischievously. Ugh.
With the help of Tsukuyomi's — the moon god's — radiance, I notice Merlin to be without his long trench coat. He appears much less menacing now... but those large muscles... they are are nothing to scoff at. How was I able to match this guy in combat?!
'Sorry for the slight delay, I had to hang my coat for a bit.'
Eh? You're not even sorry about nearly frightening me to death?!
'That is alright. Have a seat.'
Merlin nods, then sits beside me. Our peaceful moon-viewing has commenced.
'So, Rize. What do people talk about under the ivory moon?'
'Well, anything I suppose. Be it one's ambitions, past actions, affections – anything.'
'I see.'
The nightly wind's shift begins, rustling the numerous trees surrounding the shrine. The ivory moon casts a porcelain reflection on the still water. Its clarity and shine are simply divine; it seems the gods of the weather have blessed the entirety of the general's visit.
'Rize.'
'Hmm?' I attentively tilt my head.
'...In my several years of study and work, I haven't heard a single thing about a pantheon revolving around the eclipse. Not, until Lord Megocasu mentioned your existence, and Libera solidified it as fact. Rize, what does an eclipse symbolise?'
'Hmm... The eclipse has taken multiple interpretations ever since the first Shoku-miko, or eclipse shrine maiden, graced this land.'
'What is your favourite one?'
'Haha, good question. It... would be the one belonging to The Shrine Maiden of Eclipse Harmony: Shokuchōwa no Kiara.'
I look to the night sky.
'The sun and moon are polar opposites... yet they always find a way to join together. Eclipses should serve as lessons to all... that unity in diversity is a mark of true beauty.'
...
'Well put, Shoukuhana. Her interpretation truly is beautiful.'
Merlin joins me in contemplation.
'As a high-ranking officer with foreign relations, I have been developing a way to have all of Rethando come together. Divine politics, countless wars – no matter how "just" one may perceive them to be, the amount of tension and bloodshed does upset me at times.'
'Oh? Then what made you produce vehicles of war, Chief Engineer?'
'It's... the best thing I could use my intellect for. And, Lord Megocasu decided this was the best for me. But if I was given a choice between a tank and an automobile — I would not become the General I am today.'
Merlin's a peaceful person...? Kuso, I feel guilty about challenging him to battle.
'General, what is this idea you speak of?'
'Ah, I was thinking of a group of beings from all over Rethando, tasked with defending the land from extraplanar threats. A unstoppable force against the immovable apocalypse, an ace squadron of ace squadrons — a vanguard, if you will.'
'Haha, you sound like someone who's read a lot of comic books.'
'You guessed right, Rize.'
A few more seconds of looking up to the moon progress. I take notice of footsteps slowly approaching us from behind.
'Rize-sama, Merlin-sama, would you like some warm sake?'
I turn my head around. It's Kuragari, who is holding a small plate with two cups of sake and a container in between. She gently leaves it on the floor betwixt Merlin and I. My guest seems particularly interested.
'Kuragari, which sake is this? Its aroma is among the best I've experienced.'
'It's a souvenir from Makai. Calming, yet full of vigour — like an angel of radiance; we locals of the realm know this as Kido.'
Kido... angelic-themed rice wine... from Hell...? Ah, does this make it so good that hellish beings hate it? No, then why would Kuragari bring it here? Ah, screw it, I'm supposed to be enjoying the moon with my guest.
Merlin looks to Kuragari. 'How strong is this rice wine? The ones I've had the other day were much stronger than they seemed.'
'You don't need to worry, General Xanders. Rize-sama's alcohol tolerance isn't that high.'
How dare you, Kusogari.
'Haha, that's funny. Is there any way we're supposed to drink this, Kuragari?'
The nogitsune smiles.
'Warm sake... is best shared.'
She snaps her fingers and vanishes into fine, black ash. At least tell us to enjoy our drink, you bitch.
'Rize, shall we have a toast?'
Merlin picks his cup up, and I do the same. It is warm to the touch, but not overly so. We inch our drinking vessels closer, until—
'Kampai!'
...
Mmm... No way. This... this has to be the best sake I've ever had. Its dry flavour, alluring aroma, then refreshing finish... It's all I've ever wanted from sake. Kuragari, you geni-!
...
What is this weird, vexing sensation...
...
Merlin... Oh... he's so... handsome......
'Rize, may I request something from you?'
His red eyes... They're so...... Ah!
We're... kissing?! Ahhhhh, what the hell is going on~
'Let's take it inside, General. This will be a night you shall remember.'
Wh-What am I saying-! Ara~ I'm unbuttoning his shirt, as he does my robes~ I hold his face with my two palms, staring into his wondrous eyes.
'And now, for the third part of our duel. Let us demonstrate true unity, General~!'
......
'You've gone too far... Merlin Xanders. And especially you... Shoukuhana no Rize...'
...
Ugh… This… is dizzying…
…
Unh… Did that really just happen…?
…
My insides feel warm… And it's nothing like a bottle of alcohol…
…
What… the hell…? That blonde hair… and those horns... Is… Is that Merlin laying down beside me…? I had a guest bedroom installed… for nothing…?
…
This is the worst hangover ever…
…
……
I raise myself up. Everything seems to be spinning, gradually worsening by the instant. Kuso, this hangover is truly otherworldly. Hmm... what if I...
Reishō!
…
I can see… clearly? No, that shouldn't have worked. Unless, the drink itself was spiritual in nature? A curse to one's existence, perhaps? Hmm, if so – Kuragari's gonna need a beating…
I stretch my arms and let out a big yawn. This drink really did a number on me. Merlin must be feeling the same way. I make my way outside to my front yard, silently as to not disturb the sleeping general.
…
My surroundings have been painted a darkish shade. It is far from sunrise. But the lune seems to be hiding from view. Alas, I look behind me and find the glorious orb of moonshine.
Ah, it must be the break of dawn. That would explain the lack of chirping crickets, or soaring robins. The silence of Mother Nature is only ever so slightly interrupted — by faint hoos from night owls and the rustling breeze which She administers.
This is the perfect time for my daily prayer.
…
‘Shoku-kami, thank you for blessing me today, and may you continue blessing me on the next. Your grace is the inspiration of your people, and of my whole existence. As you continue to guide my life, I shall continue to guide your people. And, for my special intentions:
I sense my life accelerating. These past months have been among the most exciting in my years of living. But I am aware – that if I am to receive more of these, I must continue to serve you with great honour.
I will do my best, Shoku-kami. And, I hope you'll believe me.’
…
'Rize.'
That deep voice... Merlin?!
'I was awake the whole time. I knew you'd be up eventually.'
The dragonborn general moves closer. He seems to be walking fine.
'Were you praying just now?'
'Yes. I am a shrine maiden, after all.'
'Haha, even Lord Megocasu admires your loyalty.'
Well. I don't really know what to feel about impressing him… But, there is one particular idea that had snuck into my mind.
'Merlin. I have a request.'
The dragonborn crosses his arms.
'Say no more. I accept your rematch, Shoukuhana no Rize.'
Ara~ I love the earnestness in his voice.
'Until one of us lands a hit on the other, General Merlin Xanders.'
I pull out three talismans: one violet, one red, one maroon. Having imbued my body with a spiritual shield, coated my blade with lightspeed lightning, and summoned my charming spheres of flame – I face him in return. This is to our duel's climax:
'Ii ne!'
