Ch 269: A prophecy fulfilled.

Ririko sat on the bed of her cabin, trying to steel herself for what she was about to do. Dinner had just finished, and she knew she was expected.

She wasn't certain Sakura would really make good of her threat to play with that remote when Ririko was in public, but she didn't want to risk it. Having this big dildo inside her was already hard enough when it didn't vibrate, and she had to pretend she was seasick several times to explain her flushed face and her frequent returns to her cabin to "rest".

Tomorrow morning, the ship would reach Arzheim, and she wouldn't have that excuse. She would also have to do a lot of walking, and with the dildo shifting inside her each step…

With a heavy sigh, Ririko stood and left her cabin. She walked to the one of 'Demon Lord Rin', and knocked on the door.

Seconds later, it opened.

"Come in, Ririko." smiled Sakura in her Demon Lord disguise.

Ririko entered the room, frowning as she heard sounds coming from the inside that weren't made by Sakura, and froze in shock, not immediately understanding what she was seeing.

A futon had been spread over the wooden floor, and laying on it was…

"You're still something of an amateur in those matters, so I'll explain." smiled Sakura, removing her crown and veil. "This is called a vacuum bed, and Megu is inside it. She is feeling like she has been vacuum packed and is basically unable to do more than lift her hips up and down. I can tell you from experience that it feels very oppressive, but in a great way."

Ririko nodded, almost mesmerized, looking at Megu's head sticking from the hole in the top latex sheet. She wore a black latex hood with holes for her mouth, nostrils, and one at the back letting her long blonde hair out. Her limbs inside the latex were spread wide in a X shape.

"And this is Ageha?" asked Ririko, not that she needed a confirmation at the sight of the lilac hair. Ageha, laying on top of Megu, was wrapped from neck to toe in a black latex bodysuit and was wearing the same latex hood, depriving her from her sight. Both girls were collared, and the collars were tied to each other by a very short chain. They both ignored Ririko's presence as Ageha was busy kissing Megu while rubbing her body up and down against Megu's, or using her gloved hands, and Megu… couldn't do anything other than squirm under her ministrations and eagerly return the kiss between moans.

"Both have their ears filled with noise-cancelling plugs, so they barely hear anything. I'm not even sure they realized who I am speaking to. They are also quite focused on each other, as you can see. Ageha is giving Megu pleasure, and Megu can return the favor if she decides Ageha is doing a good job. Notice the remote in Megu's right hand under the latex. Ageha wears the same belt and dildo you are now familiar with under her bodysuit."

Ririko nodded, stunned despite herself by the cheer sexual power the two girls were giving off. It was clear that neither were unwilling participants.

She started trying to imagine what Megu must be feeling like, and shook her head in a hurry.

"Sakura, I… I'm scared. The dildo is just too much! I was a wreck the whole day. I won't be able to walk tomorrow with it inside me. Please, can you remove it?"

Sakura considered her in silence for a few seconds.

"Tonight, you will be obedient, and you will be honest. Honest with me, and more importantly, honest with yourself. If you can do that, I will remove the dildo."

"…Yes. Thank you." nodded Ririko.

"Good girl." smiled Sakura. She stepped closer to Ririko, and started undressing her.

"This might surprise you, but I, too, am a slave. I have been trained with physical pleasure, and with affection. I was hesitant at first, but the one who trained me had saved my life, in more ways than one, and I had decided to trust her, to trust that she knew what she was doing. And she did."

"You? A sex slave?" asked Ririko, unable to imagine the dominant, confident Sakura in a submissive role.

"Yes." smiled Sakura, removing Ririko's vest an unbuttoning her shirt. "The scene Megu and Ageha are doing right now is something I experienced from Megu's perspective, minus the remote, and it was a lot of fun. Have you ever worn something made of latex before?"

"No." replied Ririko, trying to ignore the effect Sakura had on her. Her close proximity, her hands, and the awareness that she was about to have sex with her again conspired to make her arousal grow to a level she couldn't ignore.

"Who is it, the one who made you into her slave?"

"Her name is Akeno. You do not know her. She has beautiful purple eyes that seem to glow in the dim light, those long and lustrous black hair reaching almost to her ankles, and she's always fearless and confident. She always seem to be in control no matter what life throws at her. You'll meet her one day. I am sure you will get along well with her."

"And she saved you?"

"Yes. She saved me from… some terrible family circumstances. My half-brother raped me several times every week, for years, and that wasn't even the worst of it.  She helped me regain both my sanity and my confidence, helped me reconnect with my estranged sister, and she gave me the strength I needed. Next time I meet this shitstain, I will end him."

Ririko gasped, her eyes wide in horror.

"I… do not know what to say…"

"You do not need to say anything. I am not some traumatized little girl seeking sympathy. maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that to you. I tend to get a little carried away when speaking about Akeno-senpai…]

"Can you maybe call the police? I understand you want vengeance, but killing someone, however, deserved, is going to land you in jail. It's not worth it."

"And making half of my female classmates my sex slaves isn't going to send me in jail?" chuckled Sakura. "Don't worry about me, Ririko. I know what I am doing. I am not even obsessed with revenge. He isn't worthy of being more in my life than an errand on my check list. When I find him, I will not kill him only because of what he did to me. I will also kill him because he is too spoiled and stupid to change or feel remorse, and he will prey on others if left alone."

"But surely you can send him in jail, and…"

"There are special circumstances. I will tell you when we're back in real life if you wish, but the law can't touch either of us. Anyway, let's return to more pleasant things."

Ririko wanted to ask why she thought the cops wouldn't do a thing, but Sakura kneaded both of her breasts for a few seconds, and she stifled a moan.

Sakura grinned at her reaction, and she kept undressing her, until Ririko stood nearly naked, wearing only the slave harness and the chastity belt, biting her lower lip.

Sakura took from her inventory several long black things made of latex, and as she showed them for Ririko, she realized that they were a pair of long stockings and gloves that would reach almost to her shoulders.

"We'll start you off with something a little less intimidating than a full bodysuit." smiled Sakura.

"You're going to make me wear something like what Ageha wears right now?"

"In due time, yes. Not tonight. Don't worry, you will like it. Your hands, please." smiled Sakura.

Knowing she didn't really have a choice, Ririko extended her hands toward Sakura.

"How do you know I will like it?"

"By association. Just like I will make you like being tied up." replied Sakura as she worked the first glove over her right hand and arm. "If you repeatedly experience physical pleasure while being restrained and wearing latex, your subconscious will start associating latex and bondage with pleasure, and you will grow a liking to it. An acquired taste, just like coffee. It is that simple, and it works that way with everyone."

"With everyone? …So I'm not a pervert after all…" muttered Ririko, feeling like a weight was being taken off her shoulders.

"No, you aren't." smiled Sakura. "Some might call you that out of ignorance and prejudice if they find out about our little games, but their opinion do not matter."

"Easy for you to say. I do not want anyone to see me wearing SM gear. Reputation is important in modern society. It could ruin my life." sighed Ririko.

Sakura finished stretching the opera glove over Ririko's left arm, and as she sat on the edge of the bed and lifted her right leg, she flexed her hands while looking at Ageha using her mouth and hands to play with Megu's body.

She didn't really want to admit it, but the tight feeling of the latex around her arms didn't feel unpleasant. She wondered again how Megu must be feeling with latex crushing her whole body, and Ageha's body weight pressing on her.

The tight latex hugged her right leg almost up to her crotch, and as she silently lifted her other leg, Ririko thought about something and suddenly looked at Sakura in fear.

"Hey, you aren't taking any screenshots to blackmail me, are you?"

"No. Such crude blackmail is beneath me." snorted Sakura.

"Says the girl who forced me to come to her room with the threat of using a remote." grumbled Ririko.

"A remote is a lot more fun. And it doesn't carry the same risk of getting out of hand and ruining a life that spreading pictures on the internet would. But feel free to take some from Ageha, just in case she gets the idea. If she tries to blackmail you, tell me, and I'll spank her to oblivion."

Ririko nodded, and couldn't stop a soft moan from escaping her lips as the dildo was slowly pulled out of her. removed.

"What do you think of your gloves and stockings, Ririko?" asked Sakura.

"…They're okay."

"Remember, I said to be honest."

"…Fine." sighed Ririko. "I rather like how tight they feel, and how glossy they are."

"Right?" grinned Sakura, next producing a pair of black leather cuffs linked together.

Ririko sighed as she extended her hands forward, and Sakura fastened them around her wrists. She pulled on the short chain between them, leading Ririko to the center of the bed.

"Unfortunately, this cabin bed is severely lacking in anchor points." sighed Sakura. "I wanted to tie your arms to the headboard, but there's no headboard. So it will only be light bondage tonight."

Ririko nodded as Sakura fastened another pair of cuffs around her ankles, remove her own clothes, and pull her on her lap. Ririko felt Sakura's large breasts press against her back as she was hugged from behind, and then Sakura's hands started roaming over Ririko's body.

"…Does it feel nice, Ririko?" softly asked Sakura.

"…Yes." breathed Ririko.

"It's not that bad, to belong to your Mistress, right? You'll get pampered a lot."

"I… still don't want, to become a slave." replied Ririko as she shook her head, breathing heavily.

"It is still early in your training, so this answer should be expected... But, you are aware that after you experience this over and over, you will eventually give yourself over to me, right?"

Ririko didn't answer. She knew that if she spoke to deny it, even she wouldn't believe her words.

Fortunately, Sakura didn't insist on an answer, and only increased the intensity of her ministrations. When she inserted two fingers in her pussy and pumped, Ririko felt a strong orgasm building and building, until…

"Cum for your Mistress, Ririko." muttered Sakura into her ear, and Ririko spasmed as the orgasm she had been denied all day crashed on her like a tsunami. She felt Sakura's left hand covering her mouth, muffling her scream as her right hand kept milking pleasure out of her convulsing body.

She was barely coming down from it when a system notification appeared in the center of her vision.

[Exodia Exodus patch 1.1 has been applied! Below are the list of changes:

We wish you a fun experience.]

The barely hidden, mocking malevolence contained in those lines had the effect of a bucket of ice water dumped over her head.

No, not just over her. Sakura's hands had stopped, and both Megu and Ageha were now struggling to free themselves.

"S-Sakura, did you also…"

"Yes. Those scums. They are probably losing patience, so they're raising the pressure to try to make us panic and reach the Hell's Gate."

Ririko nodded as Sakura left the bed and walked to Ageha, removing the chain linking her collar to Megu's. She broke the vacuum bed's seal and helped Megu out of it. Ririko saw that Megu was also wearing a black latex bodysuit and wasn't surprised. Of course, Sakura would confine her in another layer, this latex lover.

Sakura then removed both of their hoods, and when the girls got used to the dim light of the cabin, they stared in surprise at Ririko and turned their heads to look at Demon Lord Rin, finding a naked…

"S-Sakura?!" gasped Megu, removing the ear plugs.

"Yes." smiled Sakura, patting Megu's head. The gesture's familiarity helped Megu add two and two together, and she almost jumped in shock.

"You're Rin-sama!"

"The hell, Sakura?!"

"Quiet down, you two. Yes, I'll explain everything in a moment. You should see it as a good development. This means that you get to be in the care of a loving Mistress even after we leave this game. I'll take care of you both for a long, long time."

Megu opened her mouth and closed it wordlessly, then nodded with a sigh. Ageha looked more conflicted.

"Who else knows? Wait, Medusa and Asuka, are they in on it?" asked Ageha.

"Yes. I haven't told Uiko, Leonhart or Alice yet, though. I wanted for us to be back in Infermia before telling everyone. There's no point in getting the Ragna Bringer anymore, so we're leaving Arzheim as soon as we reach the portal stone near their capital. Shuuko told me roughly where to find it. We must contact the classmates we can reach and make sure they are safe."

Sakura, unbothered by her nakedness, returned to the bed and sat behind Ririko, and Ririko's raised an eyebrow as she felt Sakura's fingers fiddle with the slave harness.

"Due to the new circumstances, Ririko, I am not making you wear that harness or the belt anymore. I want you as combat capable as possible during daytime. I can't do anything about the collar, though."

"I understand. Thank you." nodded Ririko.

"I still expect you in my room every night, until the collar can be removed." whispered Sakura in her ear, too low for Ageha and Megu to hear, and Ririko blushed. But she also nodded.

"Quickly get dressed, everyone. Asuka and Kakeru are sure to come knocking before long."

Ririko hurriedly picked up her clothes on the ground, put them in her inventory along with the cuffs, gloves and stockings still on her body, and equipped her normal clothes, not caring about sweat right now. Megu and Ageha had used the same trick to instantly remove their bodysuits and gloves, and Sakura reequipped her Demon Lord outfit, but with a small sigh, removed the crown and veil. She busied herself taking the discarded hoods and the vacuum bed and futon away.

In mere seconds, the cabin that had been a den of debauchery now looked normal. Aside from the smell.

They were also just in time, as they heard three sharp knocks on the door.

"Rin-sama?" asked Asuka. "I'm with Kakeru. Are the other Heroes here?"

"You can both enter." replied Sakura, not bothering to hide her natural voice.

"Oh." replied Asuka through the door before opening it, grabbing Kakeru's arm to make him enter as well and closing the door behind him.

Asuka nodded, sniffed the air, and smirked for a second. "Sorry for interrupting!"

"S-Sakura-san?" blurted out Kakeru, his eyes wide as she stared at Sakura in her Demon Lord outfit.

"Yes. It was me all along. Let's have a sit down and I'll explain. And then we need to decide what to do." sighed Sakura.

…

"Here is the report for the preliminary budget, your Highness." said the butler with an almost apologetic smile.

"Thank you, Thomas." smiled La Folia as she took the thick folder and added it to a pile that never seemed to decrease no matter how hard she worked.

She, a "mere" crown princess, didn't actually have the authority to greenlight or veto the Kingdom's national budget. But the King insisted she give her opinion on it, as it was good training.

She also knew, even if she wasn't supposed to know, that her father had instructed for the authors or that report to deliberately insert a few inaccuracies inside it, from numbers being inconsistent from one page to another, to what would look like clever attempts to embezzle money. She would be evaluated based on the number of "mistakes" she spotted, and sentenced to remedial lessons if she missed too many.

She brushed her long silver-white hair away from her face and took a sip of her coffee, still hot thanks to the heating plate under the cup.

She understood the necessity of paperwork, and she wasn't bad at it, at least according to the comments of her instructors. But she so much preferred her combat training lessons. Those got her blood pumping.

With a wistful smile, she contemplated running away and becoming a mercenary, accepting only the missions she would want to do. She would be good at it as well, with a good head for number crunching, decent combat ability, and…

Her daydream was interrupted when the door of her office crashed open, and her little sister Pascalia burst in, excited.

"Big Sis La Folia, Sis just had a big one! Father wants us in his office as soon as possible!"

"I'm coming." said La Folia as she stood and followed Pascalia with a quick stride, giving a fleeting thought about that Chinese saying about interesting times and the danger of getting one's wishes granted. Hopefully, it wouldn't be a bad thing.

Pascalia's twin sister, Londe, was sometimes able to predict the future. Her prophecies were generally very short and rather cryptic, but they always came true. The royal family had taken great pains to ensure that as few people as possible knew about it. A handful of butlers and maids had gotten significant pay raises to ensure their silence, and so far, it had worked, as La Folia hadn't heard about any rumor regarding her little sister.

If Pascalia said that Londe just had a big prophecy, it likely meant that this one was more detailed than usual. She carried a voice-activated recorder with her in order not to miss any detail or nuance later.

Pascalia led her to their Father's office, where the King, the Queen, and Londe were already present, sitting on sofas around a low table.

"Sorry to bother you when you were having fun, Big Sis." smiled Londe, knowing exactly how La Folia felt about paperwork.

"Any time, Londe. Any time." smiled La Folia, sitting beside her mother. "Bad news?"

"I do not think so." frowned King Lucas Rihavein. "I am cautiously optimist. I'll let you hear directly from the source."

He took from his pocket the recorder Londe carried around and pressed a few buttons before putting it on the table.

For a few seconds, all La Folia heard was advice from the dance teacher. Then it changed.

"…your right step like this, and your left step… Your Highness? Are you feeling unwell?" asked the teacher in the recording.

"…On wings of Darkness, she comes…" replied Londe in a monotone, dreamy voice "…The Servant of the Gods, the Mistress of the Dead, the Bride of the Master of the Valkyries. She will lead us to what we lost, and if we follow her, to a bright future everlasting…"

"Teacher, you didn't hear anything. Or there will be consequences. Are we clear? You can expect a significant pay raise for your discretion." said Pascalia in a threatening tone.

"Y-Yes! I do not know what you're referring to, you Highness. My hearing has gone bad in my old age." replied the thirty-year-old dance teacher.

The King stopped the recording.

"Looks like someone is getting his salary doubled." said Lucas with a fake sigh. "The Kingdom is headed toward financial ruin."

"Eheh, should I feel sorry?" smiled Londe.

"…That is a lot more specific than usual, but still ambiguous." whistled La Folia, thinking. "Wings of Darkness, and Mistress of the Dead, are they perhaps referring to the old myths about vampires? A female one?"

The point that actually concerned her the most was about the Master of the Valkyries bit. The Aldegyr Kingdom was sometimes referred to as the Kingdom of the Valkyries. The Master term couldn't refer to a potential rival of the King… could it?

"Your guess is as good as mine, and vampires do not typically worship gods." shrugged Polifonia, their mother. "Nothing in that prophecy suggests a danger for us, so wouldn't it be fine if we simply wait and see?"

"I can double the guards". Said Lucas. "But not really tell them what to watch out for without revealing Londe's gift, and I do not want for…"

There was an urgent knock on the door.

"You Majesty, there is an urgent matter!"

"Enter."

Thomas entered, his face stiff.

"Your Majesty, your Grace, your Highnesses, there is a… ruckus at the capital's airport, and air traffic has been disrupted for half an hour, although is it now returning to normal. A huge black dragon landed near the first terminal at 10:55, and a young woman was riding it. The dragon somehow entered the woman's shadow after landing, and she introduced herself as Sung Jinah. She said she was seeking employment as Princess La Folia's bodyguard, didn't need a wage, and would not take 'No' for an answer. When some guards objected, she…  she threatened to force her way to the Princess and… handcuff herself to her."

Thomas sounded like he couldn't quite believe his own words.

La Folia's eyes widened in surprise, and she shook with a nervous giggle. Londe's predictions generally happened days or weeks before the events they alluded to. Not just minutes before!

"Handcuff herself to Bis Sis?" repeated Pascalia as she looked at Londe with an incredulous grin. "Is she a hardcore fan?"

"Bis Sis has a lot of fans, more than some idols. And some of them are hardcore." nodded Londe.

"…Is she a vampire?" frowned the King.

"I would assume so, your Majesty, but with a seventy-meters long dragon as a familiar? She should be famous all over the world. I searched the public databases using her name before coming and didn't find anything."

"I guess I should at least meet her, if she's that adamant." sighed the King. "But not in the palace. It is soon time for lunch, so… Invite her to lunch at the Silver Spoon. If she wants to be a bodyguard, she probably won't be willing to summon her familiar right in the middle of the city. I will go with triple our usual security detail."

"I'll go as well." decided La Folia.

"This may be a trap."

"Then I should meet her alone, Father. I am more expendable than you are." countered La Folia.

"…You cheeky girl, challenging your King using arguments he cannot refute." sighed Lucas.

"You taught me too well." replied La Folia with a victorious grin.

"We will both go. Just in case, Poli, Londe, Pascalia, until we ascertain her intentions, I want you all out of the palace and in a location even I will not know about."

Polifonia sighed, but nodded. There were responsibilities inherent to being part of the royal family, and ensuing the Kingdom's succession was one of them.

…

Jinah felt a little nervous as she followed the waiter toward a private dining room, a group of guards following her.

She was the representative of a Goddess, possibly the strongest of her faction at the current time, and commanded an army of monsters powerful enough to conquer a planet, but she still felt nervous at the idea of meeting royalty for lunch! She hadn't been taught which forks to use, and hoped not to embarrass herself too badly.

She unconsciously brushed her black and orange Chaldea uniform. Maybe she should have changed into something more formal before landing at that airport.

The waiter let her to a door guarded by four more soldiers, armed with plate armor and swords on top of their rifles, and she entered.

The dining room was large, with two more guards by the door, but Jinah's attention was on the two people who politely stood from their seats around the round table, watching her with curiosity.

The man, looking in his early forties, was tall and well built, with short dark brown hair, short pointy beard, and bushy brows giving him a somewhat wild appearance, despite wearing a neat dark brown uniform with golden trim.

The young woman, who looked in her early twenties, had light blue eyes and waist-long silvery-white hair, and wore a dark blue jacket above a white shirt tied at the neck by a thin red ribbon. She also had a dark blue skirt that was surprisingly short, and brown boots laced at the front.

"You are in the presence of his Majesty, King Lucas Rihavein, and Her Highness, Crown Princess la Folia Rihavein." said the guard on her left.

Jinah wondered for an instant if she was expected to kneel, but there was no way she would do that. Instead, she made a deep bow for two seconds before straightening.

"It is nice to meet you, your Majesty, your Highness. Please forgive me if I do not respect protocol. I am not used to meeting royalty."

"Where did the young woman who threatened to handcuff herself to me go?" chuckled La Folia.

"Ah... I was getting a bit hot under the collar then." shrugged Jinah with a smile. "And I am sorry for the disruption at the airport. I had considered going directly to the Palace, but that might have made things worse, if you had assumed I was attacking you."

"You can break protocol all you want with us, Miss Jinah." nodded the King. "We aren't all that fond of it ourselves. Please sit, the waiter will come in a few minutes to take our order."

"Thank you, your Majesty." smiled Jinah, sitting facing the King, with the Princess to his left.

The waiter gave her the restaurant's card, and Jinah frowned, barely recognizing a third of the items.

"Would you like some advice, Miss Jinah?" asked La Folia, noticing.

"I would appreciate it, yes." sighed Jinah. "This is my first time in northern Europe, and I am unfamiliar with those dishes. I would like to try some of your specialties."

"I see. If you do not suffer from any allergy, I would recommend you start with Karjalanpiirakka, a rye crust filed with rice porridge and topped with crushed hard-boiled eggs mixed with butter and salt, then Poronkaristys, minced reindeer meat with mashed potatoes and a red berries sauce, and maybe finish with a Mansikkakakku, a strawberry cake with whipped cream."

"This sounds great, as long as you do not ask me to repeat those names." grinned Jinah, and both the king and La Folia chuckled.

The waiter too smiled as she handed him the card, and the king and La Folia both ordered their own food.

"It is good to see foreigners willing to broaden their horizons, rather than limit themselves to what they already experienced. Please tell us, Miss Jinah. Why did you ask to become my daughter's bodyguard, and with such insistence?"

"Me and my companions were asked to save her. I could tell you more about us, but…" Jinah glanced at the two guards by the door. "…is it fine to speak about things that could induce a public panic if a leak happened?"

"I am completely confident with my personal guards' discretion." nodded the King.

"Very well." nodded Jinah. "I will try not to lose myself in giving too many details and keep it concise. I belong to a large group of individuals who work as Agents for several Deities. We have been given a great mission. Track down 72 Demons, known as Solomon's 72 Demonic Pillars, before they can destroy that many different versions of Earths."

"There exist an almost infinite number of Earths, each in their own separate dimensions. One of the Demonic Pillars is hidden somewhere in yours, and our job is to go to one of the threatened Earths, wait until its precise location is determined, which typically takes three to five months, destroy it, then return to base, rinse and repeat. We maintain seven teams at any time, and at the rate we are going, we are going to kill them all before any world is lost. We killed over twenty of them already."

"While we wait for the Demon's location to be determined, the Gods have given us a list of errands to do, both to do some good while we are here, and because, I suspect, they find it entertaining to watch our antics. And they give us various rewards for fulfilling them."

"One thing on our little list, as an example, is to kill the terrorist Christoph Gardos. Another is to save Princess La Folia. Save her from what, I have no idea. The Gods do not want to give us too much information and make things too easy for us. But clearly, she will face danger at some point during the duration of our stay, and her usual security detail will be unable to deal with it. This is why I am here."

"…I think I understand, even if it is a lot to take." nodded King Lucas. "Still, I am very grateful for your willingness to help protect my daughter."

"Me too." smiled La Folia. "I certainly am. Pardon me for asking, but are you a vampire? We heard you came on the back of a black dragon."

"I am not a vampire. I was born a normal human, but during the crisis my own world faced, and with the abilities I gained after becoming an Agent, I became the Monarch of Shadows, something akin to a necromancer, distasteful as it sounds. I can revive the monsters I kill and store them into my shadow. And for sapient monsters, no, individuals, they conserve their personalities and memories."

Jinah didn't miss the look the Princess and the King both exchanged after she mentioned being a necromancer. But they didn't look disgusted. Rather, they looked... relieved?

King Lucas took from his pocket a piece of paper and gestured to one of the guards, who took it and delivered it to Jinah.

"A few days ago, I visited a fortune teller, who told me what is written on this paper. I would like your input on it."

Jinah nodded, opening the paper.

"I will point out that one of the perks of being an Agent of the Gods is an ability to detect lies, so I am aware that what you just told me, your Majesty, is not entirely true, but I won't pry."

"That is a convenient ability." sighed La Folia.

"It is. One of our long-term roles aside from solving crises is to ferret out corruption in the worlds under our supervision and get wrongly convicted people out of jail. And looking at those words, I suspect that one of the Deities I serve decided to whisper into someone's ears. 'Servant of the Gods' could describe any of the four members of my team, or maybe even some people native to this world, but unless you have some necromancers around, I likely am the only one who could be referred to as 'Mistress of the Dead'."

"The Master of the Valkyries is likely Noah, the Demi-God, Champion and direct representative of the Goddess Lilith, and the leader of our faction. I am not married, but I am sort of one of his many fiancées. I agreed to have no other man in my life, partly to repay him for his promise to revive my dead brother when we are done with saving all those worlds."

"This person can revive people?" asked King Lucas with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. He has to pay a price, and the stronger the person to be revived, the higher the cost, so he can't abuse it too much, but he has revived at least a dozen people already. Mostly pretty women, but I'm sure it's a coincidence… I cannot determine what 'Leading you to what you lost' means, but 'bright future everlasting' may be a reference to the immortality we Agents gain when we swear loyalty to Noah, acting as Lilith-sama's representative. The Gods do not like having to replace their subordinates every few decades, and an endless lifespan is a powerful incentive to recruit new Agents."

Two waiters entered the room with the first dishes, and Jinah stared at her… She already had forgotten the name, but it looked delicious. She discreetly observed which fork and knife La Folia took and imitated her, and the fleeting grin on La Folia's face told her that she noticed anyway.

They started eating, and Jinah smiled.

"It is delicious. Thank you for suggesting this to me, Your Highness."

"Please call me La Folia. From the sounds of it, we will associate together for a long, long time."

"If you decide to become an Agent, La Folia." smiled Jinah. "And please call me just Jinah, too."

"Thank you." grinned La Folia. "I will leave you in peace while you eat, but once you are done, expect an intense barrage of questions about Noah, the other Earths, and what being an Agent of the Gods is like."

"I will use this tasty whatever it is called to get my energy levels up to the challenge, then." chuckled Jinah.

"Jinah, I think we are going to get along." grinned La Folia.

"I think so as well." grinned Jinah. "And the others who stayed behind are also easy to get along with. You're going to gain a lot of new friends."

La Folia nodded but didn't reply, and Jinah focused on emptying her plate.

When she was done, La Folia, true to her word, launched her barrage.

"Tell me, Jinah, about Noah. What does he look like? What is his personality? Does he have Valkyries who serve him?"

"I have a picture of him on my smartphone. He's the most handsome man I have ever seen, which is hardly a surprise since Lilith-sama improved his looks when she made him her Champion. He would readily admit to being a control freak, but is very kind. He tends to lose his head around beautiful women, and you should not expect monogamy from him, but he will also go out of his way to give us happiness. He currently has four worlds under his jurisdiction, bringing reforms and stopping wars from happening, but the number will eventually grow to around twenty in the long term, so we are very proactive in recruiting Agents to work under him from the worlds we visit."

"Twenty worlds? Twenty different Earths? How does he manage with so many people from so many different cultures?" asked King Lucas.

"With local heads of state and world leaders. In his first world, where his authority is acknowledged by all, he simply points out an issue, like for example a country having an atrophied public transportation system and depending too much on fossil fuel, I'm not looking at you America, gives a fairly generous window of time, and lets the experts and heads of state reach a consensus on how to deal with it. When the time is up, he will take a good look at what has been done. If the situation has improved or the governments have done honest efforts to deal with the issue, he will give them the time they need, maybe even help a little. If nothing significant has been done, he will look for the people responsible and get them out of the way, with violence if necessary."

"In his second world, where several supernatural species and even local Gods secretly live not just on the human world, but also on the Underworld, devils already control most of the human society from the shadows, and Noah essentially took majority control of the Devils' ruling body. Devils are by and large just like normal people, but they tend to be a lot more self-centered, and they respect strength above all else. And Noah is very strong, to the point that no Devil wants to challenge him. Using them as intermediary, he has started pushing his reforms to improve the quality of life of citizens on both the surface world and the Underworld."

"On the third and fourth world, he is still in the process of establishing his authority by sending his subordinates do humanitarian work and openly use magic in worlds where magic is supposed to be a myth. And the fifth world will be co-managed by a council of Seven Champion representing Seven Gods, the same ones who gave us that list of 72 worlds to save."

"And the other fifteen or so worlds?" asked La Folia.

"Noah has yet to set foot on any of them. Those are special, because instead of a planet Earth in its own dimension, those fifteen worlds will all be in a single dimension, with the local inhabitants able to travel between them, and not by using technology. And Lilith-sama warned Noah that in those worlds, totaling a population of about fifty billion, the mentality was very… primitive, let's say. The kind where not bowing deeply enough to someone powerful might lead to your entire clan being slaughtered, where beautiful women might be openly seized by force if they do not have the backing of a strong faction. Noah will go over there and conquer them, then bring us to start working on bringing reforms to those worlds. It won’t be easy. We will need to slap some sense into a lot of heads, I'm sure." sighed Jinah.

"It doesn't sound like a lot of fun, but still something worth doing." nodded La Folia. "You said that in his second world, supernatural beings existed. Is it related to the 'Master of the Valkyries' reference in that prediction we received?"

"…I am not actually sure. Do you mind if I call someone? I can't reach him directly, but some other people may know."

"Please." nodded La Folia. "I would love to meet real Valkyries one day, if it was possible. I have always been fascinated by them."

Jinah nodded and called Chaldea.

"Director Olga-Marie." announced Olga-Marie as she picked up.

"Hi, Director. This is Jinah. I have put you on speaker. I have a question related to a prophecy the local people have received, presumably from Lilith-sama or another God. Could you tell me exactly what relationship Noah has with the Valkyries, if any?"

"The six Heroic Spirits? They see him as their Master."

"No, not them. I mean, isn't there an Asgard Pantheon in the world Akeno comes from? I seem to remember hearing about Noah having an agreement with them regarding their Valkyries."

"Odin sent Rossweisse to Noah to see how much stronger he could make her, and if he was satisfied, more would be sent to him to be upgraded. But that's old news. Bell and Darkness are currently on site. I'll ask them to call Noah and return to you shortly."

"Thank you, Director." smiled Jinah, and the call ended.

"Director Olga-Marie Animusphere is the manager of our forward base, called Chaldea, where we return to take a short break between each world." explained Jinah. "There are many Agents and Agent-Candidates over there, ready to be sent as reinforcement whenever needed, and they spend a lot of their time learning magic and training with combat experts."

"What is a Heroic Spirit?" asked La Folia with a grin.

"That's a whole can of worms, something originating from the fifth world Noah will co-manage with the other champions." sighed Jinah.

She started the long explanation about Type: Moon, the Holy Grail Ritual, and the Creation of Heroic spirits. She had just finished when the waiters came with the main course, thinly sliced reindeer meat with mashed potatoes and a red berries sauce that smelled delicious.

"Saved by the bell." grinned La Folia. "No more questions until our plates are empty."

"…I'll make mine last as long as possible." chuckled Jinah, and her phone rang.

She picked up the call and was about to tell Olga-Marie she was on speaker, but didn't have the time.

"Darkness lent me her phone and I spoke with Noah." declared Olga-Marie. "His agreement with Asgard is the following: The Valkyries accept Noah's authority over themselves as second only to that of Odin himself and agree to live in his home, follow his rules, and act as his maids during some of their off time."

"They will still do their normal work in the Underworld territory controlled by Asgard, acting as a deterrent against their enemies, dealing with Hollows and magical beasts, and so on. Noah will dramatically increase their combat power and mobility, give them immortality, and will also revive any of them who would die for any reason. He will also help defend Asgard from unprovoked attacks, as he demonstrated very recently when the Greek Pantheon did something stupid."

"Overall, Noah gains more beauties for his harem, Odin gains immortal Valkyries powerful enough to fight even against other local Gods, and the Valkyries are overjoyed that they are finally getting a boyfriend. The six strongest Valkyries besides Rossweisse just moved into Noah's palace, Brynhildr, Helmwige, Ortlinde, Grimgerde, Schwertleite and Sigrun, and hundreds more are waiting their turn."

"I understand. Thank you, Director. That was a very complete answer." smiled Jinah.

"Is everything going well over there?"

"Pretty well so far. Barely a day in, and we already gathered a lot of useful information related to the sub quests and made contact with a few of those we've been asked to protect."

"That's good. Feel free to call if you need anything else. Or even if you do not need anything. Many of the girls here would love an opportunity to stretch their legs and visit a new world."

"Yes, thank you, Director. Bye." smiled Jinah, ending the call.

"More beauties for his harem, did I hear correctly?" frowned King Lucas. He didn't want for any of his daughters to end up in a harem! Or with any man for that matter! But if it allowed them to gain immortality, then maybe… No, he wouldn't allow it!

"Hundreds of Valkyries…" muttered La Folia, her eyes shining. She noticed that Jinah was sending her an amused look and shook herself.

"You said that you were asked to protect more people. Someone we know?" asked La Folia to divert Jinah's attention away from her interest in the Valkyries.

"I doubt it. Her name is Kanon Kanase, and she seems to just be a school girl in… is something wrong?" blinked Jinah.

The Princess and the King had both flinched at the mention of her name.

"K-Kanon! Do you know where she is?!" exclaimed King Lucas, suddenly standing and leaning forward.

"If we are speaking about the same person, yes. I am assuming it is her, since both her and La Folia were mentioned in the same sentence in our mission brief. She's in Itogami Island, Japan, and two of my friends should be about to join her class and keep an eye on her."

"I'm going. Today." decided La Folia as she looked at her father, who nodded.

"A friend or relative?" asked Jinah.

"She's my aunt, on the maternal side. Even though I am a bit older than she is."

"I certainly do not mind returning there with you. You would both be easier to protect if you are together." said Jinah.

King Lucas took his phone and called a number.

"Poli, return home with the girls… Yes, Everything went well. And Miss Jinah said she knows where Kanon is..."

"It wasn't 'Lead us to what we lost' but 'Lead us to who we lost' after all." muttered La Folia, seeming lost in thoughts. Noticing Jinah's glance, she shrugged.

"Kanon Rihavein disappeared one day along with our court mage, Kensei Kanase. We never could find them. From what you just told us, it seems we will find them both inside Itogami Island."

"I see." nodded Jinah. Then she smiled.

"I assume that I am hired as your bodyguard, then?"

"Ah!" laughed La Folia. "You're more than hired! As long as we can reunite with Kanon, forget about handcuffing yourself to me, Jinah, I'll handcuff myself to you! Being an Agent sounds like a lot more fun than being a Crown Princess!"

…

After an expedited end to the meal and a quick visit to the Aldegyr Royal castle where Jinah was introduced to the Queen and her two other daughters, and where she essentially repeated what she had told La Folia and the King and showed off one of her Shadow Infantry, La Folia and Jinah embarked on a flying warship and headed toward Japan.