When Ena Seishuuin saw Erica for the first time, her sharp brows lifted slightly for an instant. Her gaze was highly distinctive, almost like a conditioned reflex evaluating the gap in ability between herself and the other party.
Rather than the look of an ordinary person, it resembled the gaze of a creature that had survived brutal competition in the wild.
It was obvious that the other party was no ordinary character. Moreover, she had no intention of concealing her scrutiny.
Erica was no stranger to such eyes. She herself had endured ruthless competition within the Copper-Black Cross in order to advance to the rank of Great Knight and earn the title of Red Devil.
Those were not honors one could obtain through backroom dealings or a few discreet payments.
"Ah, Miss Erica, what brings you here?"
Yuri Mariya looked uneasily at Erica and Ena as they stared at one another. She feared that if a single word went wrong, the two powerful figures before her might start fighting.
"As an important member under this king, it is my duty to personally offer concern and inquiry when I have the time..." Erica said in her usual ornate tone. "Not to mention that another outstanding talent has appeared here. Would it not be a pity to let such an opportunity slip by?"
"My apologies, Lady Erica. This is our first meeting. I am Ena Seishuuin, and I have also come to pledge my loyalty to you."
Ena bowed to Erica in a posture of utmost respect, practically a standard dogeza.
Erica gave a soft "Mm" and said, "I only recently received that person's letter of recommendation. So it seems you are the representative chosen from Japan?"
"I am deeply humbled..."
Though she spoke so, there was not the slightest trace of humility in Ena's calm tone. "I merely believe that one's abilities determine the position and height one should stand upon. Everything else is trivial detail."
"Well said. I like your directness. You are far more delightful than those old men who hide behind you and push you out to take the bullets."
Erica nodded, then asked, "Then tell me, Lady Ena, by what method do you believe one can determine whether a person truly possesses the corresponding ability?"
"A duel."
Ena answered without hesitation.
"Oh~ Such confidence. Then do you know who your opponent will be?"
"I have heard that it is Miss Satsuki, a remarkable woman whose swordsmanship surpasses even the King of Swords."
There was an irrepressible desire for challenge in Ena's tone, like a master swordsman encountering another equally skilled practitioner and instinctively wondering—
Compared to her, who is stronger?
Such competitiveness was the driving force that pushed the strong to continue advancing and seeking challenges. Of course, it was also often the reason for their eventual downfall.
Ena had walked all the way to this point with that very mindset.
She was still alive. Moreover, she had become the publicly acknowledged foremost Tachi Hime-Miko of her generation.
"How interesting. I will relay this to Satsuki."
Erica then shifted her gaze toward the figure at the doorway. It was Touma Amakasu.
A young man in his twenties who handled errand work for the History Compilation Committee, dressed in an inexpensive suit.
However, he was by no means a mere clerk. Among the many experts within the Committee, he served directly under the Sayanomiya family and moved throughout the Kantō region.
At some point, this ninja skilled in concealing his presence had begun standing there, smiling in Erica's direction. He bowed to her with exaggerated politeness.
"Lady Erica, pardon the intrusion. I have come under orders to escort Miss Ena."
"Oh~ I understand." Erica nodded. "Then Lady Ena, we shall leave matters here for today."
Yuri Mariya's face revealed a look as though she wished to speak but hesitated. In the end... she chose silence, merely watching as Ena followed Touma Amakasu and departed.
...
After several hours of travel, the two disembarked at a place called Tamura Shrine.
Within the shrine grounds, a guest was already waiting.
It was a "handsome youth" dressed in a white shirt and tie, suit jacket and trousers.
Yes, the quotation marks were necessary. Despite the slender and androgynous beauty, whose appearance bordered on unreal, this "youth" was in fact a woman.
She possessed delicate features, and an otherworldly aura seemed to drift about her.
This was Sayanomiya Kaoru, the head of the Tokyo branch of the History Compilation Committee and the true soul controlling the Committee's power in the Kantō region.
She was the one who had negotiated with Erica over the phone when the situation had been entirely unfavorable.
Although she was only in her third year of high school, that did not diminish her capabilities. She was a talented individual. As for her character, however, she had a fondness for crossdressing. At this very moment, she was wearing a male student's uniform.
Like Ena Seishuuin, she was one of the Musashino Hime-Miko.
She shared a good relationship with Ena, who also hailed from one of the Four Great Families, and she understood Ena's straightforward personality very well.
Politics and diplomacy were far too complicated for the Tachi Hime-Miko. When it came to determining victory or defeat, her preferred method was to settle matters with blades.
The winner takes all. The loser exits the stage automatically—that was her way of acting.
And it was precisely this trait that troubled Sayanomiya Kaoru, who excelled at achieving her objectives peacefully through negotiation and various methods of maneuvering.
Some matters simply could not be allowed to fail, nor should they be placed openly on the table.
Still, perhaps Ena had only just arrived. Perhaps there was still room to salvage the situation?
Thus, Sayanomiya Kaoru probed cautiously. "I received intelligence this morning that Miss Ena went to Miss Satsuki's residence yesterday. Is that correct?"
"Yes. I understand what you're asking. I originally intended to visit her in person, but there was a sign on the door that read No Visitors, so I could only leave a challenge letter. That was about a day ago."
"..."
Sayanomiya Kaoru was speechless.
Ena had moved far too quickly. Before she could adjust the situation, it had already progressed to this stage.
The most uncontrollable outcome.
Ena had returned in order to compete for the position of the [Nominal Ruler of Japan]. That much Sayanomiya Kaoru knew.
But the method of competition had never been determined. Of course, that had been intentional on her part.
She had wanted to buy time. After thoroughly investigating Satsuki's background, she intended to formulate targeted countermeasures based on the other party's weaknesses.
Only then could the greatest chance of victory be secured.
In Sayanomiya Kaoru's view, competition was never a simple matter of two sides lining up and clashing head-on with blades drawn.
It was a systematic battle of strategy and layout conducted under the premise of fully understanding one's opponent. That was precisely how she had managed to negotiate with Erica, who possessed the power of a Godslayer, even while at a disadvantage in strength.
In truth, if one truly had overwhelming power, who would not prefer to solve problems easily and directly?
But to blindly trust in strength and leave no room for retreat—once failure occurred, the consequences would not be so easily resolved.
The ancient Campione who had once dominated the winds and clouds not long ago was a perfect example.
...
Chapter 64: Methods for Handling a 'Special Status'
Sayanomiya Kaoru knew her companion's personality very well. Those who had dispatched Ena knew it just as clearly.
That was precisely what she could not understand. Had those old gentlemen truly approved of Ena using such a method to compete?
Miss Satsuki had made very few moves, but the strength she displayed was anything but simple. Moreover, her relationship with the new Campione, Erica, had reached a certain ambiguous intimacy.
Where did they find such confidence?
Sayanomiya Kaoru understood that the higher-ups did not wish to suddenly find themselves suppressed beneath the authority of an outsider. Using an "Agent" as a buffer was a reasonable compromise.
But would it not be more prudent to win over Miss Satsuki instead? Why was it necessary to send someone—and of all people, Ena?
"No matter how I think about it, it's strange. Why would that old gentleman want to interfere in this matter?"
"Who knows what they're thinking? Even I don't understand. Grandfather may look bold and straightforward, but he's surprisingly cunning. Maybe he's plotting something bad?"
Faced with such an answer, Kaoru could only fall silent.
Still, she was accustomed to Ena's straightforward, untainted personality.
"In that case, Touma and I will be leaving first. If you need anything, contact me anytime. By the way, you do have a mobile phone, right?"
Suddenly recalling that her companion had previously trained in the wilderness, Sayanomiya Kaoru added the extra question.
"Don't worry. I may have lived a wild training life, but I haven't forgotten I'm a modern person. Even if I look like this, I'm quite skilled at wilderness survival. If one day you decide to relax and let yourself go, come find me~"
"Heh, I doubt I'll ever have that opportunity."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, their inconclusive meeting ended. Touma and Kaoru left Tamura Shrine.
Seated in the car, Touma did not start the engine immediately.
"No matter how you look at it, this arrangement feels overly deliberate," he said, voicing his doubt to his superior—whose presence felt neither distinctly feminine nor masculine.
"The policy you proposed earlier, Miss Kaoru, was already the most appropriate choice under the circumstances," Touma continued. "If the other side becomes hardened because of this move and decides to directly dominate Japan, we would have no means of resistance..."
Kaoru adjusted her glasses lightly.
"Moreover, from our conversation, it's clear that Lady Erica places great importance on Miss Satsuki. When I merely mentioned that Satsuki is Japanese, she voluntarily yielded ground. That indicates Satsuki's status in Erica's heart is anything but ordinary. Yet... based on what you described today, Erica seemed to have little reaction to Ena challenging Satsuki."
That, too, was suspicious.
"Miss Yuri seemed to know something, but she didn't say anything at the time," Touma added.
As a ninja skilled in reading expressions, he had noticed the hesitant look on Yuri Mariya's face before she fell silent.
"For now, we should avoid contacting Mariya too frequently. To resolve the incidents involving Athena and Marquis Voban, she has overused her Spirit Vision. Her body needs time to recover."
Kaoru spoke thoughtfully. At moments like this, she appeared so much like a beautiful youth that even Touma—who knew her true gender—could not help but momentarily forget. An uninformed outsider would stand no chance.
Though no concrete conclusion had been reached, Kaoru had a premonition that the true objective of those elders was far from simple.
...
The following noon.
Inside Satsuki's residence.
Leaning back lazily in her large chair with one hand supporting her posture, Satsuki relaxed at ease. She had just finished bathing, and a faint scent of lotus mingled with lingering moisture upon her skin.
"Oh? That challenge letter wasn't a prank after all, but serious?"
Her exquisite face and voluptuous figure, even modestly covered, were enough to leave anyone who saw her parched—female or otherwise.
Even Erica could not suppress the involuntary flutter rising in her heart at the sight of Satsuki. The sensation reminded her of the phrase she had once read in Lily's manuscript—"that swelling emotion in the chest."
She even had to cast a spell upon herself to restrain her lustful thoughts in order to maintain composure before Satsuki. Even so, a faint blush rose uncontrollably to her cheeks.
"She declared quite righteously that she was challenging you for the position of 'Agent'," Erica said, secretly observing Satsuki as she spoke.
Satsuki seemed entirely unaware—or perhaps she simply did not think along those lines. After a brief moment of contemplation, she asked, "Setting the challenge aside, why did you agree to the proposal of appointing an 'Agent'? That is hardly the choice that maximizes your interests."
After all, as a Godslayer, Erica could easily become the de facto ruler. There was no need for restraint.
"There are many reasons," Erica replied, "but the main one is you."
"Me?"
"Yes. After all, you are Japanese. I wouldn't recklessly trample the homeland of a friend."
"I recall saying that I don't care," Satsuki said lightly. "If that is your concern, there is no need."
"So stubborn. Very well—let's say you don't care. But you live here, and your family is here. Taking that into account, I cannot push matters too far, can I?"
Satsuki glanced at Erica strangely.
Such sentiment-driven decision-making hardly matched the title of Red Devil. Was Erica harboring some other intention?
—Could there be something special about this challenge?
After a brief silence, Satsuki shifted the topic back to the duel.
"What do you think of Ena Seishuuin?"
While pouring tea, Erica subtly leaned closer, positioning herself beside Satsuki—close enough to feel the warmth of her presence, yet careful not to make direct contact that might provoke rejection.
Several days had passed since she last saw Satsuki. Erica's heart had long been restless. Yet fresh from her bath, Satsuki was like a bright moon suspended in the heavens—something one dared only admire from afar. Even this proximity was enough to make her heart race, her words coming out slightly unsteady.
"Well... I met her this morning... She's quite an excellent girl. Her figure and appearance are both remarkable. From her posture alone, one can tell she underwent extremely strict training—a perfect Yamato Nadeshiko type. Though, compared to me, a European, my curves are still superior."
"..."
Satsuki fell silent.
Erica was acting somewhat strangely today.
Activating the Tenseigan, Satsuki scanned Erica's condition and discovered that she was currently in an undispersable "special status."
For some unknown reason, pink hearts even seemed to float around it—peculiar and absurd.
If the System were present, it would probably transform into an orange and float cheerfully before her.
However, Satsuki had a far more direct method of handling such matters.
Raising her wrist, a streak of blue light flashed.
—Status Infusion: Forced Calm.