Editing Leviathan:Volume 2 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 2===

The first holiday in May, Golden Week, was finally in full swing.

On this morning, Hal and Juujouji Orihime agreed to meet up at the cafe in front of Ryougoku Station. Based on this description alone, one might conclude that they were a couple on a date.

However, there were two additional participants on this occasion.

"Listen carefully, little lady. Simply stated, both the brat and the priestess are lacking in mutual resolve."

"R-Resolve is it?"

A four-person round table in the open-air cafe's sidewalk area.

Seated around the table together with Hal and Orihime, Hinokagutsuchi and Hazumi began to converse. After listening to the request Hazumi had visited the Haruga residence the previous night to make, the lazy self-styled devil had given the following reply.

Get a hold of the priestess named Orihime or whatever she was called. Although it was a pain, she would instruct them this once...

"I shall cut straight to the chase, brat. Approach the priestess immediately and tell her 'I want you. Give everything of yours to me.'"

"D-Did you just say everything? Don't be ridiculous, Kagutsuchi-san!"

Orihime could not help but protest against the absurd suggestion. However, Hinokagutsuchi remained unfazed.

"Priestess, I would advise you to read the mood and answer 'I am willing to offer you my body and soul' in one fell swoop, obediently allowing yourself to be deceived just once. This would allow the matter to be resolved to everyone's satisfaction."

"M-More and more ridiculous. Absolutely not!"

"I don't think it's possible for Juujouji and I to do that..."

"Such a level of mutual resolve is necessary for you two. That is, if you wish to establish a vassal covenant."

Dressed in a scarlet kimono as usual, Hinokagutsuchi was just a cute little girl in appearance.

Such a being was arrogantly reclining in her open-air seat. In addition, there was the additional presence of Orihime and Hazumi, two young beauties. Consequently, the group was attracting plenty of attention from customers and staff in the cafe as well as pedestrians passing by outside.

However, perhaps such a lineup ended up producing an aura of intimidation. Not even a single customer sat near them.

" "......" "

Hal only figured it out after listening to the self-styled devil's sloppy instructions. I see, so that's why I can't entrust the Bow's power to her? Meanwhile, Hazumi seemed quite shocked.

"H-Hand over everything... To offer one's body and soul, in other words..."

Hazumi's face turned bright red while she huddled her slender body and murmured.

Seeing her cousin like that, Orihime hastily said, "H-Hazumi, Kagutsuchi-san is simply making an analogy. Don't get led astray&mdash;D-Don't think of it in romantic terms!"

"I-Is that how it goes?"

"Hmm? No, priestess. If you are mentally prepared to go all the way, even at the cost of sharing a bed together, the vassal covenant will be easier to complete."

"&mdash;Go all the way!?"

"Don't imagine it. Seriously, don't do it, Hazumi!"

"Conversely, if the brat has the mettle to think 'I will surely make this woman mine' then the matters will be different again. Hmm."

Hazumi looked feverish, Orihime was flustered, while Hinokagutsuchi was putting on a knowing look.

After listening to the conversation between the three girls, Hal had no choice but to keep quiet. Helpless, he could only space out and think "so Juujouji will cry out 'don't' repeatedly when she gets flustered"&mdash;Just at that moment...

"B-But Haruga-san already has Asya-san as his girlfriend. Even thinking about proceeding with this would be wrong..."

"Y-You really need to stop thinking about weird things. I'm about to get mad, okay!?"

Noticing Hazumi's misconception, Hal quietly interjected:

"Oh, not at all. That's not the kind of relationship Asya and I share."

"Really? S-Sorry, I jumped to conclusions."

Hazumi bowed her head deeply in response. But the instant she looked up, a puzzled expression appeared on her face that was as  cute as an angel's.

"E-Excuse me, may I ask a question? How do you feel about Orihime-neesama, Haruga-san? I don't have any special intentions, but how do you view her as a woman, a member of the opposite sex..."

"H-Hazumi!?"

"Nee-sama, I-I really don't have any special intentions. I'm just a bit curious..."

After clumsily paying lip service to her troubled cousin, Hazumi gazed unerringly at Hal.

Was this what one called pure and innocent? Hal somewhat prided himself on his eloquence, but for some reason, he felt no desire to exercise this skill.

Aware that he was no match for Hazumi's gaze, Hal said:

"Hmm... Well, I guess she's a very attractive person."

"I-In that case, the rest depends on what Nee-sama thinks... I-I suddenly have something urgent to attend to!"

Hazumi stood up, causing her chair to screech.

Frantically with trembling hands, she took out her purse, put down money on the table for the cafe latte she had apparently drunk earlier, then bolted for the exit.

"N-Now for the youngsters to proceed at their own pace...!"

Leaving parting words like a marriage agent, Hazumi left.

"Wait, Hazumi!? Sheesh, she always loves to worry..."

"Oh my, you are about to fight an elite after all, Juujouji. She probably wants you to gain some more weapons. However, it's thanks to Shirasaka that we have this excellent chance."

Just as Orihime was grumbling, Hal finally managed to talk properly.

This was all due to the decrease in the female fraction. He first stared at Hinokagutsuchi who was sitting across him directly then turned his gaze towards the western sky.

Their current location at the cafe provided a vantage point with excellent visibility.

Hence, it was possible to see the tallest structure in the Tokyo area, the pure-black Monolith.

There was also the Rune of the Sword shining with platinum light above its pinnacle.

"I believe it's time for you to spill the beans honestly as a ''former'' dragon. It's perfectly fine to talk here today, right?"

"Hoo&mdash;Actually, I am not someone who likes to put on airs."

Confronted with Hal's calm questioning, the alleged ghost of an elite dragon, Hinokagutsuchi, spoke.

"Revealing too much before time is ripe would be a fool's behavior. Such a mistake would be impossible for one as wise as I am. However, it is almost time indeed&mdash;"

Hinokagutsuchi looked out to the Monolith as well. Orihime seemed to realize what they were looking at. After blinking a few times, she gazed in the same direction and nodded.

Magical sight was apparently activating successfully. In the next second&mdash;

"Well then, Queen, allow me to make introductions next."

A voice suddenly spoke. It was a strongly astringent voice that sounded rusted.

"O young man who inherited the dragonslaying bow, I shall offer you my blessings first of all. I am very happy for your existence. Allow me to congratulate you."

Without them noticing, a man in a black suit had started standing behind Hal and the others.

The man was in the prime of life. His well-proportioned face likewise emanated an aura of astringency. He was also tall in stature.

However, his race was indeterminate. For an oriental, his facial features were too deep-set. His tanned skin was too dark to be Caucasian, but he did not have any negroid features visible either.

"I am Sophocles, in charge of facilitating the Road to Kingship&mdash;the grand yet barbaric game revolving around dragons, runes and the earth. My work could also be described as running errands."

While introducing his name, the suspicious man sat down in Hazumi's former seat.

Then with a great sense of familiarity, he called for a waitress and ordered a cup of coffee.