Chapter 4

Alice’s POV

Kuro and Shiro-san have now left the Estate.

Kuro looked as if he were suffering from discomfort as Shiro-san lead him out of the double doors. I don’t think that Shiro-san noticed though, as she led him toward the warp point she never stopped smiling.

I am currently in the part of the Estate that only my master and I are allowed to enter. It was solely designed for my master to train and prepare for the upcoming summit.

Currently my master is surrounded by huge orbs of golden demonic energy, I don’t know why master’s demonic energy is golden in nature. I have never come across anyone with demonic energy, exhibiting the same properties as my master’s.

My master gave the orbs a level of autonomy that can only be bestowed when one has complete control over them and began evading the assault the now autonomous orbs were mounting on him.

My master is only ever serious when he is training, his movements are sharp, it may appear as if he just narrowly avoids impact with the orbs but every movement is calculated, every step is part of some wider end game that my master has already begun putting into play before the battle even starts.

Just then an orb which has enough firepower to lay waste to a ten storey building grazes my master’s elbow and leaves a scratch. My master comes to a complete halt and the orbs soon follow, for a moment he just stands there looking down…

“It’s still not good enough, damn it, DAMN IT! NO MATTER HOW MANY SIMULATIONS I RUN, OR HOW MANY CALCULATIONS I MAKE, I CAN’T FIND ANY GAPS IN THAT BASTARDS GUARD, UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.”

The orbs surrounding my master begin exploding due to the lack of stability in my master’s demonic energy. When the smoke clears, my master is still standing in the same spot but is covered in small scratches and light bruises all over his body.

“...That was foolish my lord.”

“...I know Alice, I’m sorry, please prepare the bath with the usual ingredients.”

“...Yes my lord, my lord…”

“Hm? What is it Alice?”

“...You don’t have to do this alone anymore. I don’t know strong Shiro-san is but Kuro is also with us now and we have Dragon King Bahamut as an ally too. Things will be different this time, so please, please don’t just carry everything on your shoulders anymore, please don’t purposefully cause yourself anymore harm.”

“Alice…”

“...I apologise, I spoke out of…”

“You’re wrong Alice.”

“...?”

“I was never doing anything alone, I’ve always had you supporting me.”

“...M-my lord!”

“Ahah, come on, after you finish preparing the bath, I’ll allow you to wash my back heheh!”

“...Very funny my lord.”

“Yahhhhh, come on Alice! You know you wanna.”

“...No I do not.”

“Hmph, meanie!”

After this my master returned to his usual self. In fact, it would be safe to say that his movements became sharper and his level of control over his demonic energy increased.

There was a time where my master could not keep up with me, however, I am no longer his match.

I think that this change in my master’s abilities occured when he met Kuro, no, it would be more accurate to say that my master allowed his true abilities to manifest after he met Kuro. Although, this is merely an assumption on my part.

One thing was for certain though.

The families of the Ars Goetia that are competing in the summit should be on their guard and not underestimate the two monsters, that were heading their way in a few months time.

Shiro’s POV

After we arrived back on campus, Kuro dropped me off at the dorms and immediately said that he had someplace to be, he didn’t look very well. Although, I would also feel a little out of it after making an agreement like that with my mother.

After hearing about a part of Kuro’s past I was shocked, for him to be able to go through all that and still put the needs of others in front of his own was almost superhuman.

Despite my feelings for Kuro that I could no longer deny, I decided to put them aside and focus on the summit. Kuro just opened a path for me that never even existed. At the cost of his own life he made it so there was a way for me to be free.

At face value anyone could tell that the only one that truly loses out on the deal if we lose is him, I will just end up doing what I had thought I’d be doing anyways. My mother probably already knew this, which is why she made it theoretically impossible for Kuro to win.

I had to help in any way I could. I wasn’t just going to be the sheltered Princess anymore. I will be the most fearsome Yokai in all of Japan and despite what his highness said, I will be an active member representing the Seir House in the upcoming summit.

I contacted my Grandmother and asked if she could prepare a place for me train where there was no wildlife or other living things around.

She scolded me for taking so long to contact her and told me to get my butt to her territory so she could train me personally. This made me happy, out of everyone at the Clan, only my Grandmother treated me like a regular person and not a Princess.

I handed notice to the University that I would be gone for a while and I wouldn’t know how long for, initially they were not happy and said that if I left midway, I would not be allowed to graduate.

Thankfully I received word shortly after, that they were going to allow me to do so, it seems that Kuro was given the same special treatment, this was no doubt the work of his highness’s use of the Will of Lucifer.

I had initially thought his highness was using the same power on Kuro, but I was wrong. His highness does not utilise this power on everyone which is well within his right to do. I don’t think the yokai of Japan truly appreciate how lucky they were to have a benevolent ruler like Prince Seir. This was another reason why we couldn’t allow ourselves to lose in the summit.

I explained to Miyabi that I had to leave for family reasons, she immediately attempted to blame Kuro and pointed to the fact that she had heard that he was getting the same treatment, nothing got passed her, she was my best friend after all.

After convincing her that I wasn’t planning to elope with Kuro, I made for my Grandmother’s home to train.

I got out of the cab at the foot of the mountain and began to make my way up, it was cold. The higher I went, the colder it became.

There was a cut off point where humans could no longer pass. I made my way through it and the temperature grew even more cold. When I finally reached the peak, I saw my Grandmother waiting for me. She was already transformed, it felt like the whole mountain was at her mercy, that was what I wanted, I wanted that sort of power.

“So you’ve finally come Shirohime-chan.”

“Good evening Grandmother.”

“When my cute little Seir-kun told me the situation, Granny was really worried yknow, come give your Grandmother a hug Shirohime-chan!”

“...”

I felt my Grandmother’s spiritual pressure push me towards her.

“Come on in, it’s too early for you to catch a cold, Ahahahahahahahaha.”