Ayakoji burst into laughter, the sound echoing in the calm of the night.

Xenovia was not amused.

Whereas he decided it would have been best if he hadn't returned back so early. Perhaps he should have stayed behind and risked leaving a message for that particular Devil? But in any case, he was already here. And though slightly aggrieved at Xenovia behaviour, admittedly, he'd missed that part about her too. It was a sentimentality of sorts born from the fact that she had been one of the closest people he had gotten to know ever since becoming stranded in a foreign place.

Still, as Ayakoji continued to laugh, and Xenovia's face only continued to darken, he could faintly hear the sound of admonishment coming from down the hall. His brows rose having heard this, and it wasn't just because he agreed with what was said, but the voice was familiar.

"How could you just kick open the door? God and the Angels spoke of patience and calm, not brashness and barbarism. And what do you mean 'Wife,' you should be the wife as a woman of devote from the Church," Irina marched up beside Xenovia looking exasperated.

On Irina's back was a sack filled with items of some sort with the most conspicuous being a giant painting that towered above her.

Just one look from Xenovia as she glanced back at Irina caused Xenovia to exude an air of annoyance enough so that she disregarded Ayakoji.

This was his chance.

As he noticed Xenovia still staring hard at Irina, he darted towards the living room, crouching behind the couches and slowly making his way over to the nearest window to escape. Yet at that moment, he paused in his actions and reconsidered. Why exactly was Xenovia and Irina here?

If he recalled from the time Xenovia made him cook up a feast of food supplies, they had gone to the Vatican for their assignment. Yet, somehow, they had ended up here.

Suddenly, the Dove Ayakoji had released came to his mind.

It had to be related in some way. Unsure of what was going on, and unwilling to make an appearance until Ayakoji was no where in sight, he remained motionless to listen in.

Eventually, after Ayakoji had ceased his laughter an air of seriousness began to permeate, Ayakoji invited Xenovia and Irina in.

"You two came quite early," Ayakoji replied sitting down and motioning for Xenovia and Irina to do the same. They complied.

Ayakoji put on a troubled expression soon after. "Here's the thing. I literally just got word from the Vatican moments ago about this latest update, but this really won't do. If I wasn't currently here on a favour from Griselda then you two definitely wouldn't be enough for this task on your own. Even then, I just don't understand what those clergymen are thinking up there."

Listening in from the side, his brows creased as he inferred the situation. Xenovia and Irina had gotten assigned a task way out of their hands?

This was no longer something he could sit out from, and besides, Ayakoji was being serious on the matter. He could tell from the man's tone of voice.

As he stood up from his position, he realized with the sound of rustling cloth that he wasn't the only one who had stood up. Xenovia had too.

Her eyes were on him, and he could tell that even she did not know it when her body moved to stand in front of his. She appeared to be hesitating, her eyes shifting downward as she opened and closed her palms, her shoulders pointed inward.

That indecision of hers was one of the things that allowed her the cool and uncaring disposition she naturally exuded. It allowed her to think and consider before her actions, yet she always ended up choosing the more forceful of methods like preferring strength over technique.

Yet this time, she didn't seem to be able to come to any decision at all.

At this moment, it was Irina who was motioning knowingly at him with her eyes that gave away what Xenovia wanted. Still, it took him a moment to understand, and when he did, he pulled Xenovia in for a hug before pulling back. She had stiffened at first, but upon contact, it was like a damn had fallen and strength rushed into her arms as she had returned the gesture.

"It's been a while," he spoke, staring at the sudden radiance that appeared on Xenovia's face.

"Yeah," Xenovia spoke softly, staring up at him quietly before crossing her arms.

She then began to account what she and Irina had been through. As she talked, she had been absently playing with her hair, long strands being twisted around a finger.

"So, anything else?" He asked when she finally finished.

Xenovia grunted. "I want food," she said, and for a second it almost sounded pleading despite the calm tone of her voice.

A cough sounded in the room.

"Although we were talking about important matters here, perhaps we can continue this conversation after a meal?" Ayakoji said.

Xenovia immediately agreed, her impression of Ayakoji increasing.

Irina agreed too.

As Xenovia and Irina turned to stare at him expectantly, his mouth twitched when an apron was suddenly thrown over his face.

"Risotto would be nice," Ayakoji's voice held mirth in it. "Oh, and maybe something on the side too if you don't want me to reveal a little 'something' tonight."

Pulling the apron down from over his face, the first thing that entered his view were the questioning gazes of Xenovia and Irina. Horror began to well up from within him when he realized what' something' Ayakoji must have been talking about.

"Right away," he said, acting as if he didn't notice the two-girl's curiosity.

Grumbling under his breath, he soon got dinner preparations started, and within moments, a meal was set before the table. A thin layer of oil gleamed across the surface, making it appear far grander than what the simple dish represented to Xenovia: hot food. It was Italian too, reminding her of home.

As she took a bite, she, like Irina, seemed to forego any curiosity they may have had with what Ayakoji had said.

Good.

It was best to move away from the matter. While thinking along this line, his attention soon fell onto the pack of belongings Irina had brought along with her, his lip twitching as he did so. However, he didn't comment on the matter and instead waited patiently for the two to eat their meal.

As soon as a plate was cleaned from in front of her, Xenovia would then raise an empty bowl for further servings. Unexpectedly though, Irina was far faster than Xenovia with the rate she was eating at. Yet how would he know that it was because she was somewhat jealous of Xenovia being able to eat this kind of food more often?

As for Ayakoji, the man just ate with an amused expression.

He himself ate quietly.

When everyone finished eating, he shook his head before discreetly passing a napkin to Xenovia under the table. Remnants of food were stuck on her mouth, and she had yet to notice them in her content.

She had stared at him oddly at first, but she then quickly realized his intentions. Nothing changed on her face, but a small heat concentrated at the ends of her cheeks making them flush red.

Irina seemed to find entertainment in Xenovia's actions, placing her hands on her lap while leaning back on her chair.

"Moving on then," Ayakoji spoke when the table was cleared. "Let's discuss what we're going to do now, but first it's best if everyone knew of the circumstances."

Saying that, Ayakoji began to recount the events.

Xenovia and Irina had been tasked by members of the Vatican to retrieve the stolen fragments of Excalibur despite their abilities not meeting the requirements.

Just this point alone was enough to infuriate him, but he could hazard a guess as to why they were sent. A mixture of curiosity and over estimation. His eyes glanced down at the two sheathed swords covered in a thin white cloth currently propped up by Xenovia's side.

The two swords of Durandal. Even the power of just one was stifling. With their combined presence, not only did the power resonate, it caused one's body to tremble under the might of their grandeur. It was only natural that the clergy would believe that Xenovia and Irina were up to the task. It would have been the same if they wielded their own fragments of Excalibur; a holy sword and banner to rally, a call to arms.

Speaking of which, the stolen fragments of Excalibur had jogged his memory.

"The true purpose of your presence there is to verify something else, and by then, you should understand everything on your own."

The words Griselda had spoken came to mind. Did Griselda already have her suspicions before even sending him here? Knowing her, and why she'd ask a favour from Ayakoji, she probably did.

The fused pieces of Excalibur he had stored within his room unexpectedly arrived beside him at that moment, glowing with fiery gold reminiscent of budding wheat. It demanded his attention; falling into his grasp before pointing him in a particular direction, a faint tugging force pulling at his hand.

"This?" Ayakoji was perplexed, but Xenovia and Irina were able to maintain their calm for the most part.

After all, they were there to witness the scene of the Excalibur fragments merging so they were somewhat prepared for it. In any case, Ayakoji was not. On top of Griselda neglecting to tell such information, she had even stopped replying to any inquires after a certain incident on Ayakoji's part. Therefore, it was only now that Ayakoji seemed to understand something.

"You're a Holy Sword user, and wielder of Excalibur," Ayakoji stated.

He nodded as Ayakoji wasn't wrong. It was just that he could create Demonic or Neutral aligned swords too. Yet the only ones who knew of such a thing were probably the examinees of the Holy Sword Trials who had seen him in action themselves.

Ayakoji placed a hand under his chin, a brooding expression on his face before the man grunted.

"Considering that the fragments of Excalibur are all connected, that sword of yours is probably resonating with the other pieces. This will probably make it far more convenient to search for those missing fragments," Ayakoji muttered before frowning. "The problem is, our ability to move freely in a Devil's territory as important as this one. Especially after what you did."

Noticing the confusion in Xenovia's and Irina's faces, Ayakoji began to explain what had happened in that particular night in the abandoned Church.

Subsequently, Irina looked at him in horror while admiration swelled from within Xenovia's actions as she patted his shoulder. From the very beginning Xenovia had always favoured the direct approach towards most problems because of her own personality. And now that she knew he'd adopted a similar approach while having chided her before, he could see in her behaviour that she was looking at him in a new light.

He didn't want to be viewed in such a way though.

However, he couldn't rebuke her as none knew better than himself that his common sense fell down the drain when faced with saving or helping others. Thinking about it now, if Rin hadn't stopped him that one time in the mansion, he would have had straight up attempted to attack Gilgamesh without any prior preparation at all.

As such, he could do nothing as his lip twitched in exasperation.

He looked at Ayakoji and hurriedly spoke to change the matter.

"Then what do you suppose we should do?" He asked.

Ayakoji shrugged. "If nothing else, everything can work out if we can just get permission from the Devils to work in their territory. However, I won't be of much help in that regard as my reputation is not the best amongst Devils let alone to haggle with e'm."

He rose a brow hearing Ayakoji's explanation but didn't think too much into it.

"Then how should we go about doing that?" Irina asked. By now she was already feeling nervous after what Ayakoji had just revealed about the events in the abandoned Church and her anxiety was evident. Still, the girl didn't lose her optimism as even though she was nervous, she was far from giving up.

"Simple. All you have to do is follow me," Xenovia spoke with confidence. "We'll walk directly in there tomorrow, and they'll agree for sure." Saying that, Xenovia gently placed a hand over her two swords.

This was an action he did not miss, and a bad premonition took root in his mind. Nevertheless, he eventually agreed on this course of action as gaining permission from the owner of the territory was the most efficient.

At dawn of the next day, he'd realize that that premonition was far from wrong.

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Kuoh Academy had previously been an All Girl's school, and it was just recently that it had become co-ed. As such, the population of male to female was increasingly skewed. In any case, Kuoh Academy had the appearance of most Romanesque buildings. Large arches that stretched beneath designs of carved stone that was plastered over a steel frame, appeared elegant in the morning sun. Clear windows were spaced evenly alongside the walls, illuminating the hallways and conserving the need for light during studies.

It was a school that looked more like something suited for the rich than the common populace. In fact, he should have been admiring the sight if not for his situation.

The day had just started and already he could feel a headache.

"Shirou, why are you so far away?" Xenovia called back to him a distance ahead where she was walking beside Irina.

Why did you not consider changing those clothes?

For a moment, this thought lingered in his mind, but he knew that he wasn't charismatic enough to dissuade Xenovia from wearing her 'battle wear' in Devil's territory. Speaking of which, it was the same attire they had worn during the Holy Sword Trials, except this time, only he knew what they wore beneath. Instead of the thick and warm clothing they had worn underneath the white cloak previously to survive environmental conditions, they instead wore a new and questionable battle standard.

Although important, that wasn't what troubled him though. It was just the attention that the two were drawing by walking into Kuoh Academy wearing their white cloaks.

Because of all this attention, he was currently lagging further and further behind his two companions.

From where he stood, he could hear the gossip from the other students slowly walking into Kuoh Academy's gates in the early morning and hearing this, he breathed a sigh of relief.

It had been for the best that he had refused adamantly when Xenovia had presented him with the very cloak he wore in the trials lest he be involved in the quiet murmurs. At least they were all directed at Xenovia and Irina instead, yet for some reason he couldn't comprehend, he felt a gaze on his back.

Turning around, it was to see the sight of a teacher staring down at him with a glaring frown. Moments later, said teacher walked up to him.

"You are in big trouble young man," the teacher spoke pushing up the spectacles on her face.

Stunned at the suddenness of the event, he stood frozen for a moment as the teacher spoke once more.

"Not only did you not show up to the opening ceremony, but you have been absent for the past week. Don't you know that the last years before graduation are the most important steps into your education?" The teacher continued heatedly. "We have a lot to get sorted out with you."

Finishing, the teacher grabbed his arm and began tugging him towards the direction of Kuoh Academy's teacher's office.

A confused expression crossed across his face. How had the teacher even been able to recognize him?

What he didn't know at the moment was that the teacher in front of him was the teacher for the homeroom he was registered under.

In Kuoh Academy, the student application papers not only had basic information on one's profile, but it included a small photo of the student. This photo was something Griselda had included in the application, and the teacher in front of him right now was privy to it. This was why the teacher had recognized him as soon as he was spotted.

Feeling awkward as the teacher was reprimanding him for his own good, he quickly motioned with his free hand to Xenovia and Irina who were about to make their way back to him. With a discreet shake of his head, he signalled for the two to go on without him.

This teacher was a good teacher who took her job seriously. He didn't want to make trouble for her who was only looking out for a student's own future.

Helplessly, he reluctantly entered the teacher's offices.

Once inside, he was forced to go through an entire lecture by more than one teacher, and by the end of it, he was left off with a strict reprimand. He would be on cleaning duty for an entire three months to build a sense of 'character' for himself, not that he would complain about that.

Still, his steps quickened when he thought of Xenovia and Irina. Had they already begun discussions with Rias and her peerage? Thinking up to this point, his mind blanked as he brought up all the memories he had of Xenovia and Irina and their respective personalities.

Irina, he wasn't worried about. As na?ve as she was, she was considerate as a person; the first impressions she gave to people causing others to view her as endearing.

It was just Xenovia.

Even before he had arrived by the little Church by the creak, she was already cold and distant from others. In fact, she would have had probably grown even more distant if she hadn't met either him or Irina. Luckily this wasn't the case.

He had been there for her.

Yet that wasn't the point. That personality of hers that caused her to isolate herself from others would probably be on full display at this moment. Heck, he had even asked her about her opinion on Asia Argento the Holy Maiden. Needless to say, it was quite poor. Still, she didn't really resent the Holy Maiden to such a horrid degree, but it was just the tone of her voice and body language.

The smell of ash drifted into his nose. The particular scent Rias's Gremory exuded from her magical signature. Near that scent was the smell of lavender and river lilies. No doubt it was his two companions already discussing the situation with Rias.

He quickened his pace, his nose eventually leading him to a building detached from the school itself.

It had the same designs as the main building with trimmed bushes and trees leading a path to the entrance. The pavement was level leading up to the building, and even inside the floors were polished, the sound of his shoes echoing in the halls.

Yet that wasn't what caught his attention, no; it was the sudden surge of magical energy that occurred in the room at the end of the hall.

His pace quickened, his walk turning into a full-blown sprint. Reaching the door of the room, he kicked it open, ready to intervene should Xenovia and Irina be in danger.

Inside was what he expected.

It was a neat room with couches and furnishing no different from a living space. In fact, he couldn't help but gawk when he noticed the shower installed near the corner of it. Quickly covering it up, he surveyed the room further, his first priority to spot Xenovia and Irina.

He found them quite quickly.

Xenovia had somehow provoked discord in the room, and even now she was leveling a calm glare at the only other swordsman in the room: Kiba Yuto from the information Ayakoji had gathered concerning Rias and her peerage.

In Kiba's hands was a demonic sword, and the cause of the sudden surge of magical power.

Ignoring him for now, he realized something at that moment. Something odd on the Devil's part.

After all, when he had stepped into the room, and Rias and her peerage had registered his presence,

None of them made a sound.

Like a herd of deer caught in the headlights.