It was purely due to Kusanagi Godou's existence that finally made him recall Erica's name.
Doni's inability to remember names was not due to poor memory but a lack of interest.
Anyone not an enemy was like a roadside pebble to him. That must be the way he thinks.
"We have not met since Sardinia, Sir Salvatore. Thank you for taking care of me back then, Sir Andrea."
The king whose foolish appearance disguised his horrifying unorthodox talent. And the butler who assisted him.
Erica displayed a gorgeous smile.
"If you have any matters to discuss, please be my guest and talk to Andrea? I'm going to eat my gelato..."
"No, that is not the case this time. I have a request to make of Sir Salvatore."
Erica swiftly addressed the [King] who instinctively avoided cumbersome responsibilities.
"Me?"
"Yes. Remember the first time I met Sir Salvatore, when you dueled with Dame Saint Raffaello?"
"Hmm, this is really bothersome. But now that I recall, you were there too."
"At that time, Sir Salvatore had inherited the 'Book in Praise of David's Great Works' from Saint Raffaello. I would like to request permission for myself, as well as Dame Liliana who is not currently present, to read that book once more."
"Master's book? Book eh...?"
"Sir Salvatore, I once accepted Saint Raffaello's request to safeguard the San Gimignano grimoire."
Aware of his master's vague memories, Andrea Rivera stepped in to provide assistance.
Even when addressing his longtime friend, he was a righteous and honorable man who always kept personal and business matters separate. Certainly, the "book" must be under his safekeeping.
Erica nodded.
Exactly as expected, which was why she deliberately approached them when they were together!
"Dame Erica, that book has been expressly 'concealed' under Saint Rafaello's orders. Even as the curator I have never read it. Permission is only granted to those who are about to rise to the rank of paladino. In regard to your request, I regret..."
"That's what I thought."
As befitted the fair and righteous "King's Butler."
Erica greatly admired his strict adherence to noble principles, not even excepting himself, but she continued to plead.
"However, please be informed that granting permission to me would be favorable to Sir Salvatore's interests."
"My interests? What is going on?"
"Yes. If I were to master the secret arts of battle magic that can rip apart fallen angels and pagan gods, then that will contribute to Kusanagi Godou's combat potential... Rather, perhaps I can become something like a shield that can bolster his development."
"...Really? I see, I see. That's the implication."
Licking his gelato, Doni's expression changed.
A certain sense of acuity had subtly crept into the handsome face that had been like a carefree little baby's. Anyone unfamiliar with his personality would likely have missed it.
"A more hot-blooded fellow would have gone 'That's about it?' 'Sure, let's go again?' when things ended. But to reject outright, Godou sure is a tough customer."
This acuity was not exactly fighting spirit or murderous intent.
A belief that the so-called "friend" and rival will inevitably be encountered again on the battlefield. This much was certain.
"Having a decisive duel with that fellow requires an appropriate time. He needs to have the proper motivation, otherwise he'd try to run away and end things meaninglessly. But while I'm waiting, I can't have Godou getting killed so easily."
Doni looked upon Erica with an expression of utmost joy as if he was Cupid having spotted true love.
"What a fellow who always worries others. Even though he says he hates fighting, he keeps charging into the battlefield. Is this what Japanese culture call tsundere?"
The "King of Swords" chatted away, discussing the good rival he acknowledged.
His assessment was surprisingly accurate. Perhaps Salvatore Doni was a kindred soul who could understand Kusanagi Godou very well.
"Very well then. I have great hopes for him. Until the day we meet each other again on the battlefield, having him work hard on all sorts of things is not a bad idea."
Rivera frowned in response to this statement of approval. But a [King]'s decision could not be reversed.
Erica reverently bowed her head in gratitude towards Salvatore Doni.
Part 6
On the coast of Kisarazu City in the Chiba Prefecture.
Nearby was the Trans-Tokyo Bay Highway — a toll route from the Kanagawa Prefecture to Kisarazu across Tokyo Bay.
This place was also next to an industrial zone, and quite close to the Kisarazu city streets, as well as the prefectural administration at Chiba City.
However, this beach was extremely quiet. In warmer times there would be waders and summer swimmers. But it was currently November, and the marine breeze was mixed with rather chilly air. It was not the season for outdoor activities.
"...How relaxing, Amakasu-san."
"...Yes, it is very relaxing. Ena-san."
Ena mumbled as she nibbled at her cup noodles while Amakasu concurred, munching away at his bun filled with red bean paste.
The food had been bought from a rustic fishing village next to the beach.
"Will someone suspicious really come? We've already staked out this place for three days already. Not a single soul appeared... And this is the first time for me to find out this place is also managed by the Committee. But isn't there nothing here?"
Ena grumbled as she looked down at the place.
The beach was opposite the windbreak plantation. Directly before their eyes was a red torii. Other than the lone torii standing in the empty seaside, there was nothing else. Not even a shrine or a little hut.
"You're very right. I'm surprised too."
The indifferent and insincere History Compilation Committee member agreed.
Both him and his boss belonged to the Tokyo branch of the Committee. However, its territory was actually more vast than the name implied, for it extended all the way from Tokyo to Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa, Ibaraki, Gunma and Toshigi...
In actual fact, it would be more accurate to call it the domain of the Kanto region supervisor.
"By the way, Ena-san, aren't you going to the school festival being held at Kusanagi-san's place?"
"Eh? What is that?"
"At the school where he studies. I remember the festival was scheduled to start yesterday. But because I had to be careful to avoid mentioning anything to do with 'going over there,' I kept silent about it."
"Hmm... Now that I think about it, that kind of activity should be occurring this time of the year."
As for Ena's habit of not attending school seriously, it began all the way back in middle school, no, elementary school.
Although members of the Seishuuin family were obliged to go into the mountains for serious Hime-Miko training, it resulted in Ena being unfamiliar with basic facts of school life.
"Damn it~ It's not that often for festival events to be held, if only I could have a chance to have fun with His Majesty... That's so bad of you, Amakasu-san, why didn't you tell me sooner!"
"Wait a minute, it wasn't just me. Kaoru-san also knew and withheld the information."
The History Compilation Committee Tokyo Branch Chief was the Hime-Miko, Sayanomiya Kaoru.
Without any hesitation, Amakasu outed her as an accomplice.
"On the other hand, even though he looks like he can't be bothered to deal with women, he is a king who is unexpectedly diligent in all the crucial areas. It is possible that he called to ask 'come if you are free' on this occasion. Did you charge your cellphone properly?"
"Forgot all about it... Which means it hasn't been charged for a week..."
"May I express my utmost sympathies. Well, as compensation, let's kill time by chatting instead."
Amakasu said to Ena, h
er shoulders slumped in disappointment.
"This area used to be called Kazusa Province, Awa Province, or something like that in ancient times. To us, it is a location that is a little special."
"Really? But I still don't see it."
"What are you talking about? Isn't this ocean the tragic stage where the hero of our nation, Yamato Takeru, had lost his queen? As an outdoor shoot location, this place is not bad at all."
Amakasu cast his gaze beyond the windbreak plantation, upon Tokyo Bay extending into the horizon.
This finally prompted Ena's memory. A famous story in Japanese mythology.
"You should know the story where Yamato Takeru[13] used the Sea of Bousou as his stage. Yeah, the one where Oto Tachibana-Hime cast herself overboard to calm the stormy seas."
"Of course. 'I pray thee let me go into the sea, and so let the person of thy mean handmaiden be given to redeem the life of the Prince's Augustness'... Something like that."
Ena was the Hime-Miko well-versed in classical learning and martial arts.
She had just quoted from the Kojiki[14].
The hero Yamato Takeru was crossing the sea at Sagami Province — in modern terms it would be taking a ship to cross the Tokyo Bay from Yokosuka City to the Chiba Prefecture on the opposite shore — to reach Kazusa Province and the events were passed down as legend. The ship was met with a violent storm after setting off, and the sea had become dangerously turbulent. In order to restore calm to the crisis, the queen, Oto Tachibana-Hime jumped into the ocean to "redeem the life of the Prince's Augustness."
"Occasionally — perhaps once every couple of decades, strange phenomena related to the legend starts circulating. Here, please have a look at this."
"Hey... This is pretty interesting."
Amakasu had taken a book out of his bag.
It had a rather nondescript title of "Oral Traditions of Kazusa Province, Complete Collection." The binding of the book was also extremely modest and plain.
Ena quickly browsed through a short passage on the page in front of her.
"...'Queen Oto Tachibana-Hime, jumped into the sea with sword embosomed. Sea currents carried her sword to a landless location, whence a floating island subsequently appeared.' I've never heard of this?"
Her relics, the comb and clothing of Oto Tachibana-Hime, later drifted onto a beach... This type of little story began circulating once the queen was worshiped and enshrined as a deity.
"That's more than likely. This book was self-published three months ago by a researcher of local history. In order to keep the contents of this passage buried in obscurity, we had to do many things to recall the books and even paid the author a little visit."
"Were memory manipulation spells used to wipe his memory?"
"Yes, for the sake of caution, we entered a request for the Hime-Miko organization."
Further details beyond that must be top secret. Ena was shocked. Amakasu was relying on a subgroup of the Hime-Miko who were able to use memory manipulation spells — the spirit power called [Name Concealment].
They must have been looking for a particularly powerful form of memory tampering.
"The organization which later gave rise to its successor, the History Compilation Committee, had kept this legend out of circulation for the past couple hundred years. Eliminating memories of witnesses and tampering with written records. But it was not enough. Every few decades, rumors would rise up again elsewhere from another person. It is as if someone keeps repeating the legend to others. Or perhaps, on this land lies dormant a mysterious being that secretly reveals its existence to others..."
Ena posed a question after pondering indifferently.
"This method of handling things, must certainly be the orders of grampsy and his group?"
"Yes, since ancient times — I believe it must be close to a millennium when the most ancient of the ancient clans gave their instructions. Regarding the legend of the floating island and the divine blade appearing at Kazusa Province, as well as the Heavenly Reverse Halberd[15] which must be kept hidden."
The Heavenly Reverse Halberd? A term she had never encountered before. Ena began to stare at the torii before her.
If this isolated empty field was being used a secret hiding spot, then certainly —
"How astute. Indeed, the Reverse Halberd is beneath the torii, buried underground. Multiple layers of strict barriers were cast."
Amakasu explained after noticing the direction of Ena's gaze.
"As for the 'grass' keeping this place under surveillance... We received a secret report from them that there have been recent unidentified instabilities... Which suggests the comings and goings of a powerful mage. That is why it was decided to assign guards here."
"And so Kaoru-san called Ena here."
"Yes. She had an ominous premonition. It would be best to have the strongest person here."
This was likely the result of Sayanomiya Kaoru's spirit vision which was on quite a proficient level. An enemy that could only be repelled by Ena the user of divine possession —
Just at that moment, Ena sensed someone's gaze.
"We're being watched, Amakasu-san? Probably nearby, but not here. It's a high level far sight spell. What are we going to do? In case the perpetrator actually makes a visit."
She drew the bag beside her closer.
Contained within it was a Japanese sword with a two-foot-three-inch blade. It was Seishuuin Ena's personal weapon.
She began inspecting the area with her sharp beast-like senses. Her instincts were also exceptionally sharp, to the point of being aware of being secretly watched through magical means... She felt a shift in the gaze.
The gaze overlooking the surroundings of the red torii were now focused on Ena alone.
She had only felt the other's presence for less than two minutes. Amakasu remained silent, preparing for emergency measures to respond to any crisis. What should they do? Was it coming?
...Nothing came. The gaze vanished and the presence could no longer be felt.
"Escaped. Looks like the other party is very cautious."
"Perhaps they found out that Ena-san is the trump card? Or could it be some other reason..."
Ena relaxed her state of heightened tension as Amakasu scratched his head in puzzlement. They continued to converse.
"Why not simply transfer possession to Erica-san?"
"Hmm? What's that?"
"Since the enemy already knows about the bomb buried at this location, we might as well dig it out and hand it over to an expert who loves to play with fire in munitions stores."
Then he took out his cellphone. No mistake, it was to obtain Sayanomiya Kaoru's authorization.
Realizing the intentions of the frivolous but very capable special agent, Ena was delighted. In that case, it was time to meet Kusanagi Godou again after so long!
The two of them were not aware, that the one watching Ena just now was Divine Ancestor Guinevere.
Furthermore, this was the opening scene to the adventure of the divine sword Excalibur...
Yet another deadly battle was about to begin.
Chapter 3 - Athena Reappears
Part 1
Work was proceeding cautiously under strict security.
Big clumsy machinery (seemed to be called cranes?) was being employed to excavate a target below the the red sacred seal (called something like torii).
— King who manifests at era's end.
The secret to his location lies dormant in this coastal holy sanctum.
The place was much more crowded than the last time Guinevere had visited. The hidden guardian of this place had been able to vaguely sense this land's "life force."
Even though Guinevere had concealed herself using magic, the other party seemed to have sensed her presence slightly.
Due to the sudden increase in alert level, Guinevere had quickly retreated.
"As feared, things will not progress that easily."
Using the [Witch's Eye] to enhance her visio
n, she was watching the excavation from afar.
She had originally intended to revisit this beach in the Far East to seek out its secret. But the local wizards seemed to be planning on entrusting the secret to the Campione. While the uninteresting machines were engaged in digging, the joint effort of several dozens of wizards had released the underground seal. Guards were also set up to prevent interference.
Amongst those dozens of people present were skilled swordsmen, ninjas, wizards and miko on standby —
The most troublesome opponent of all would be that sword-wielding miko who could use divine possession. Guinevere had seen her last time when the Great Sage Equaling Heaven had appeared. It would be prudent to avoid a frontal confrontation with this girl.
"It is still too early to lay Guinevere's life on the line. Rather than stand around helplessly, it would be better to reverse the situation in the opponent's hand."
Seeking assistance from Lancelot's might... Was not an option she considered.
Even though he was the knight who served Guinevere, he was a deity with all things considered. If a pertinent level of respect was not maintained, their bonds would likely grow progressively weaker.
But then again, making a request to that lowly human would really be ridiculous to the extreme.
"Kusanagi Godou-sama who defeated the Great Sage Equaling Heaven... Already exhibits the might of a god-slayer. Come to think of it, Athena called him her mortal enemy..."
Just as Guinevere was analyzing the developing situation, she noticed "movement."
"She came as expected, Goddess Athena. Coming to send Guinevere to the grave instead of sitting somewhere waiting for her demise."
(—Beloved child, this Knight is fit for battle.)
Whispers were carried to her ears, from wherever Lancelot lay resting.
(If the goddess reappears, just meet her in battle. Truly, she is a formidable foe... But it will be an excellent opportunity to make contact with the Holy Grail. If we succeed, the Divine Sword of Salvation will also be able to retrieve its true power, and Athena's immortality will reach an end, sending her on her way to hell.)
It was a very attractive proposal, but Guinevere shook her head.
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