Chapter 101 - A Bond Across Lifetimes

Chapter 101: Chapter 101 - A Bond Across Lifetimes

From what she had managed to understand through those dreams, her Master had lived three different lives, counting the current one. The first life was... she did not even want to remember it. And the second? Even worse. Although she had only seen the beginning during that cycle of dreams, there was something strange about the mechanics behind it all: the more she dreamed about her Master, the more memories from her time in "Chaldea" returned. By this point, she could even remember events that had taken place around the penultimate Singularity.....

How absurd was that? She could remember things that, in her current version, she had never experienced. She remembered conversations, trivial moments, and small interactions that should not have existed in her memories, yet now seemed just as natural as any other memory from her own life. It was almost as though a part of that previous existence was slowly being fitted back into her mind, piece by piece, returning to her a version of herself she had not even known she had forgotten. And, for someone who took so much pride in being Oda Nobunaga, the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, admitting that she could remember making chocolate for her Master on Valentine’s Day was, to say the least, extremely strange....

There was no denying that her Master had always been handsome. In fact, his appearance had even become something of a standard of beauty among the Servants. That lancer with the Mystic Face, for example, was not even one-tenth as beautiful as Alear, and that alone said a great deal about just how absurdly handsome her Master was. But his appearance was far from being his only quality. He was also powerful enough to fight high-level Servants in battle and even defeat a monster like that God Slayer who had trained him. On top of that, he was an exceptional magus, capable of reaching a level of Magecraft that made even mages from the Age of Gods seem inferior in comparison.....

And despite his pragmatic and, at times, rather indifferent personality, he possessed a talent that she found even more impressive: his ability to form bonds with Servants. He could understand people who were completely different from one another, whether they were heroes, kings, assassins, or monsters, and find a way to make them trust him. It was not merely a matter of being their Master or possessing authority over them. He could make every Servant feel that they had a place by his side....

That was precisely why she had fallen for him so easily when she was summoned by him again, even though, at the time, she did not possess any of those memories in her mind. She did not remember when the two of them had been best friends, nor all the experiences they had shared in that previous life. And yet, something within her had recognized Alear from the very first moment. And as she recovered those memories, Nobunaga also discovered something that made everything even more complicated: her version from that life had been hopelessly in love with her Master.

Admitting that was, surprisingly, easier than she had imagined. Perhaps because, deep down, she had already begun to understand what she felt for Alear. After living by his side for approximately a month, she had realized just how naturally the two of them seemed to understand one another. Alear seemed to know her better than anyone else, including aspects of herself that she preferred to keep hidden. It was as though, despite all the differences between their lives and everything that had happened, some part of her always ended up finding its way back to him. To her, that feeling was strangely familiar. It was like finding someone who, somehow, seemed to be her soulmate.....

Nobunaga let out a long sigh, resting her face against one hand as she watched her Master from across the hall. The place was so absurdly luxurious that, for a few moments, she simply forgot what she had been thinking about. The main hall had a gigantic central space, large enough to accommodate hundreds of people without anyone having to squeeze together, and its sheer size made the place seem more like an arena than a simple hall. The ceiling rose to an impressive height, supported by enormous columns adorned with golden details, while monumental crystal chandeliers hung overhead, spreading a majestic golden light throughout the entire room. The perfectly polished marble floor reflected the lights like a mirror, and enormous windows occupied much of the walls, allowing daylight to flood into the hall and illuminate the sophisticated furniture, carefully crafted tapestries, and countless works of art scattered throughout the place.

It was such an exaggerated level of luxury that, to her, even the palace of a powerful shogun would have looked like a miserable residence when placed side by side with this. And considering that she had been one of the greatest rulers of her era, it was almost offensive to admit that this single hall was probably worth more than an absurd amount of wealth accumulated by her own clan over generations....

At the center of all that activity was Alear. He walked back and forth while giving instructions to the servants, personally checking every detail of the preparations for the presentation party that would take place that night. Servants carried boxes, arranged tables, and adjusted the decorations, while others checked the flower arrangements, lighting, and preparations for the banquet.

Alear occasionally stopped to correct some detail or give another order, maintaining a calm expression despite the absurd number of things he needed to take care of.

Nobunaga watched the scene for a few seconds before letting out another sigh.

"What a pain..."

She was tired of these complicated feelings. She had never been someone who liked dwelling on problems. Whenever something bothered her, she preferred to confront it directly and resolve everything as quickly as possible. And now there was a rather obvious question occupying her mind: what exactly did she feel for Alear? The memories of her former life had made everything even more confusing, but at the same time, they had made some things very clear. She liked him. She liked him a lot. Perhaps even more than she should have....

So, naturally, her first instinct was simply to talk to him and figure out what to do about it.

The problem was that her Master was far too busy. ⅇℯ𝚕.

"Ah, seriously..."

Nobunaga crossed her arms and made a displeased expression. Alear’s presentation to high society would take place that night, and all of his nobility, along with the servants, were involved in the preparations. Nobunaga knew that the occasion was important. Alear was about to be officially introduced to the elite of the Underworld, and every detail needed to be perfect. Still, that did not make it any less inconvenient for someone who had just decided that she wanted to sort out her own feelings.....

I would make Mio’s observation a little more natural and have Nobunaga’s list of behaviors reinforce the fact that she was genuinely acting out of character:

She followed Alear with her eyes as he moved away to speak with another group of servants.

It was at that moment that Mio approached her.

"Archer-san."

The young woman’s voice was calm, as always. Nobunaga shifted her gaze away from her Master and raised an eyebrow before greeting her casually:

"Ah, Red Demon Girl..."

Mio ignored the nickname, as she had already grown accustomed to doing, pulled out the chair beside her, and sat down at the table where Nobunaga was sitting. For a few seconds, she remained silent, observing the hall around them. Her eyes moved across the enormous golden columns, crystal chandeliers, and the constant movement of the servants, who worked tirelessly to have everything ready for the party that night.

"This place is much more luxurious than the old H?angenti Mansion," she commented in an almost neutral tone.

Nobunaga simply nodded.

"It is."

Silence settled between them again. It was not exactly uncomfortable, but there was a subtle tension in the air, as though Mio were trying to find the best way to say something.

After a few seconds, she finally turned her gaze toward Nobunaga.

"Are you all right?"

Nobunaga raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised by the question.

"Oh? Why wouldn’t I be?"

"You’re acting strange."

"Strange?"

"That is the impression I got when I saw you today." Mio tilted her head slightly, as though trying to organize her thoughts. "For example, you haven’t asked Alear for sake yet, you didn’t go to your room to play some game, and you haven’t complained about being bored."

Nobunaga remained silent.

Mio continued, counting on her fingers as though she were presenting evidence against her.

"In fact, you even decided to stay with all of us and said you would be responsible for the security of the place. You spent the entire morning watching the preparations, helping the servants whenever necessary, and even paying attention to the people coming in and out of the hall."

She paused briefly.

"That doesn’t seem very much like you."

Nobunaga stared at Mio for several seconds, unsure of exactly what to say. The girl had really been paying attention to her behavior.

"You noticed all of that?"

"It’s difficult not to."

"Hmm..." Nobunaga rested her face against one hand again and cast a sidelong glance at Alear. "Maybe I’m just trying to be useful."

Mio followed her gaze.

"Or maybe you’re worried about something....."

Nobunaga did not answer immediately. For a few seconds, she simply watched her Master working, while that uncomfortable feeling tightened in her chest once again. In the end, she let out a quiet sigh.

"Maybe that’s it."

Mio turned toward her.

"What happened?"

The question made Nobunaga fall silent. Normally, she could have answered with some teasing remark, as she often did with the girls around her Master. But the truth was that she was not exactly close to them. Because of that, she found herself surprised that Mio had noticed something was wrong.....

"I just wanted to talk to my Master for a little while." She paused briefly and looked back at Alear. "But he seems pretty busy today."

Mio shook her head.

"Alear wouldn’t mind if you interrupted him." There was a brief pause. She lowered her gaze slightly before continuing, as though carefully choosing her words. "Actually... I’m a little jealous of the connection the two of you have. It’s difficult to explain exactly what I mean. Ever since you arrived at the mansion, I’ve noticed that Alear acts differently when he looks at you. Sometimes, he even seems melancholic, as though he were looking at someone he met a long time ago... someone he lost and eventually found again...."

She gently clasped her hands over her lap.

"And the way he looks at you is different, too. It’s not the same way he looks at me, Maria, or anyone else in the mansion. I know he cares about us, and I believe that, deep down, he truly loves us. But when it comes to you..." She paused briefly, searching for a way to describe something that seemed completely beyond the ability of words to convey. "It’s as though it were a much more complex feeling. Something so deep that I can’t see where it begins, nor imagine where it ends. Sometimes, I get the impression that there is something between the two of you that even you don’t fully understand."

Nobunaga remained silent. Those words had struck precisely at the point she had been trying to ignore ever since her memories began returning.

"...You really pay too much attention to things, Red Demon Girl. But if we’re talking about jealousy, I feel that same jealousy when I look at you and his other lovers. Knowing Alear as I do, I know he cares about all of you, even if he isn’t very good at showing it. The difficulty he has dealing with his own feelings is truly strange. Sometimes, he seems far too pragmatic, almost indifferent, yet his understanding of people has made countless extraordinary individuals choose to follow him. He was able to inspire them, form bonds with them, and even make them feel more alive than they had ever felt in life..."

She then flashed a mischievous smile, resting her chin on her hand as she gave Mio a suggestive look.

"So I don’t see why you should be jealous of me. After all, you have something I still don’t: you can simply walk into his room, close the door, and find out for yourself what makes Alear so special. From what I remember, the stories about his performance in bed were enough to make many women curious even before they knew what he was really like. If you’ve already had the opportunity to experience that side of him, then, Red Demon Girl, perhaps you’re the one who has the advantage here..."

Mio turned completely red. For a few seconds, she simply remained motionless, as though her brain needed a moment to process what Nobunaga had just said. Then her eyebrows furrowed and she turned her face away, clearly embarrassed.

"A-Archer-san! You can’t just say things like that!"

"Why not? I’m just telling the truth."

"That’s not the problem!" Mio crossed her arms over her chest, trying to regain her composure. Despite her serious expression, the tips of her ears remained red. "Besides, I wasn’t talking about... about that kind of thing! I was talking about the relationship you two have!"

Nobunaga let out a low laugh.

"I know, I know. I’m just teasing you."

"Then stop teasing me!"

"Ah, you look so funny when you’re angry, Red Demon Girl."

"It’s not funny at all!" Mio shot her an indignant look, but Nobunaga simply continued smiling. It was exactly the kind of reaction she had expected from someone like Mio, and, for the first time that day, her head seemed a little lighter.

After a few moments, Nobunaga finally stood up from her chair and stretched her arms.

"Well, I think I’ve wasted enough time already."

Mio blinked.

"Are you going to talk to Alear?"

"Yeah. If I keep waiting for him to finish everything, I’ll probably start overthinking things again. And I’m already tired of that...." Nobunaga then began to disappear before Mio’s eyes. Her body gradually lost its physical form, transforming into luminous particles until her presence became almost imperceptible.

"So, Red Demon Girl, leave the rest to me."

"Wait, Archer-san, you can’t just—"

But Mio could not finish.

Nobunaga had already disappeared completely, leaving behind only the empty space where she had been sitting.

Mio continued staring at the spot for a few seconds before letting out a deep sigh.

"...She really does whatever she wants." Despite the complaint, there was a small smile on her lips. At least now Nobunaga seemed to have found a way to deal with whatever had been troubling her mind. She murmured quietly enough for only herself to hear, "Good luck, Nobunaga-san..."

Obviously, Alear had already revealed Nobunaga’s identity to all the members of his nobility. However, in public places or in the presence of other people, the girls still had to call her "Archer," keeping her true identity a secret.....

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(A/N: I gave a more in-depth explanation of the mechanics behind the Dream Cycle; I hope that those who didn’t fully understand it in the previous Chapter have grasped it in this one...

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