Chapter 13

What was it? That golden light at the end? We were back at the villa waiting for Seir and I couldn’t stop thinking about the last few moments of that battle. Sure it was a relief that Seir won, but something didn’t add up, what was it?

“Wahahahaha, haven’t figured it out yet foolish boy?”

“Quiet old man! If you’re not gonna tell me, then let me think.”

“Oh, oh, Master, I know what it was! Pick me, pick me!”

Something told me that I was going to regret letting Morgana talk, but my curiosity was getting the better of me, so I signalled for her to speak her mind. The moment I turned my full attention toward her, she swooned and placed her hands on her face.

“Well, what was it?”

“*clears throat* twas...witchcraft!”

“...”

I turned away from the triumphant looking cursed witch and returned to thinking it through seriously.

We were currently alone in the main living area of the villa. Shiro had gone to get changed and Alice had excused herself to make some tea. I had sent Shiko to Alessia’s for a while.

Just when the thoughts of how Seir managed to overcome Baako’s blistering last stand induced a migraine, Alice appeared. The second Alice appeared, Morganna fled back to her cottage. Although her anthropophobia was annoying, I couldn’t blame her this time, seeing that it was Alice.

Alice brought a silver trolley and began to serve me black coffee. Her presence was as mysterious as it always was, however there was a strange loneliness in her eyes today.

“H-hey Alice?”

“...Yes?”

“D-do you have any idea what happened in the last seconds of that match?”

“...I do.”

“C-can you tell me?”

“...No.”

My head drooped and I returned to trying to figure it out for myself.

A few moments passed and the doorbell rang. Alice stood up and went to answer it. It was probably Seir, so I straightened my posture and waited to see his smug face, I listened for the latch of the front door to open and heard Alice beckon the returning Seir into the villa.

Shiro emerged from the hallway and came to sit next to me. She was wearing a loosely bound turquoise haori and was in human form. She flashed me a warm smile and I felt the blood rush to my face. It had been a while since I’d seen her human form, so the sight in of itself was refreshing. Morgana’s demonic energy spiked and her pouting face flashed in my mind. Just before Morgana turned even more green, we heard footsteps.

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“Ya-ho~ how is everyone? Did ya miss me?”

Seir emerged, sporting his usual grin. Alice followed behind him, however the next person who followed caused me to double take and get to my feet in a fervour.

“W-what the hell is he doing here!?”

Seir collapsed on a nearby recliner and lent back, he took a deep breath and exhaled. He signalled for the person to make himself comfortable and turned toward me.

“Oh? What’s up Kuro-kun, you look like you’ve seen a ghost, ahaha.”

“Cut the crap Seir, just what the hell is he doing here? How is he even able to move after all that?”

“Don’t underestimate the power of Anansi you common dog.”

“What was that!?”

He seemed to be hiding the pain he was in and was bandaged all over, but it was him, it was Baako. He proceeded to take a seat in the recliner next to Seir’s and leant back. Just what was going on?

“Ahahaha, well then, it won’t be much longer before the others arrive, Alice please prepare the necessary refreshments. Mint tea as usual Baako?”

“Yes, put a few drops of Caladrius into it.”

“...Right away my lords.”

Alice disappeared and silence befell the sitting area. Baako seemed so at home here that it made me feel uneasy. I glanced over at Shiro, who looked equally as confused. Seir finally laughed out loud and sat up. It seems he had enough of relishing my look of disbelief.

“Phew, you could have killed me there Baako-kun.”

“That was the plan.”

Baako sat up too and flashed Seir a cunning smile.

“Ahahahaha, well I s’pose so, can’t believe that you made me use, THAT though.”

“I’d consider it a complete loss, if I didn’t.”

Baako and Seir went back and forth for a few moments and my patience finally cracked.

“OK, if nobody tells me what’s going on, I’ll…”

“Whoa there Kuro-kun.”

“Yeah, down boy.”

“Why you!”

“Ahahaha, now now you two, let’s not fight. Kuro sit down, Baako, show more respect toward my vassals, they have every right to an explanation.”

Seir cooled the heat and Baako and I calmed down.

“Ahaha, see that wasn’t too hard was it? Now then, where to begin? Let’s just say that Baako and I had an agreement. An agreement that dates back to before the Summit even began.”

“What agreement is that your Highness?”

“Well Shiro-chan, I told Baako that if I were to defeat him in the Summit, then he would join my Household and devote himself to my cause.”

“Pfft, that goes without saying Seir, he would have no choice if he lost.”

“Ahahaha, not quite. You see, the Kimaris House has a time honoured tradition. When the Marquis loses in a Summit clash, he must join the ranks of passed Marquis and pass the Anansi moniquer onto the next in line.”

“The next in line would be my sister, since she is not of age to take the mantle, I thought it’d be best to do away with the tradition...Especially when Prince Seir made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

Baako had a wicked look on his face. The mere thought of what Seir must have offered him sent chills down my spine. However, if all this was true, then Baako’s actions made no sense. He might have been putting on some sort of show with Seir, but there was no denying that he wanted to defeat Seir, maybe even kill him.

“T-then that whole battle was a work?”

“No, I had every intention of winning and adding Prince Seir to my ranks. I could use someone with his machiavellian mindset. The agreement was that Prince Seir would swear an unbreakable oath of eternal loyalty to me, if I defeated him. The Seir House would disappear entirely and you all would belong to me.”

Baako sighed and pulled out a cigarette. He lit it up and took a long puff.

“However...I lost, I am man enough to follow through on my wagers. I am yours to command until it is time to hold up your end of our deal.”

“Ahahaha, welcome aboard *ding dong*”

The doorbell rang for a second time and I heard the fading sound of Alice’s footsteps as she made her way to open it. However, the sound of the latch lifting was drowned out by bellowing laughter.

“Hyahahahaha!”

It couldn't be...The geezer’s laugh travelled to the sitting room and made my eardrums vibrate. A few seconds passed and the geezer’s towering frame arrived in the sitting area. I sensed Alessia’s presence in the hallway and spotted Mei-Lien shyly stealing glances in my direction

“Ahahahaha, now that we’re all here...”

Seir sat forward in his chair and flashed a confident expression he folded his hands like an evil mastermind and looked around appraisingly.

“Shall we begin?”

The newly arrived guests took available seats around Seir and we all looked toward our fearless leader expectantly.

Despite how weird this all felt and looked, one thing was for sure. Whoever the next opponent was, would have their work cut out for them...