“My broken wings dream of the sky,

  but they’ll never know how to fly,

  If we refuse to show trust

  In this love.”

  Kiba and I pressed on, continuing our search to the third floor, where our prey had just fled.

  The darkness here was absolute—pitch black, suffocating. Without the vision of a Devil, it would have been impossible to see even a foot ahead. Fortunately, our eyes were well-adjusted for such space, and we followed the trail of muddy red blood snaking between decaying bookshelves and rotting tables. We didn’t need to hunt it down; it was as though we were humoring the tantrum of a lost child, knowing it couldn’t go far. After all, there’s only so much blood one can lose while still clinging to life.

  The stench grew thicker the higher we climbed. And at the top of the tower, more bodies greeted us—countless, flayed down to the bone. A dozen? Likely more. The macabre display suggested a disturbingly obsessive appetite. I knew that kind of hunger all too well.

  At last, we found the stray, still dragging itself across the filthy stone, refusing to surrender. But before we could grant it the mercy of a swift death, something shot from the shadows, aiming straight for my head like a missile.

  I barely managed to sidestep, deflecting it with my arm. Its long, obsidian beak grazed my shoulder, leaving a deep, stinging cut.

  And it wasn’t alone.

  The creature’s screech summoned an entire flock. Within seconds, we were surrounded. Small, manic things swarmed us, their black feathers barely visible in the gloom. They weren’t fully formed—some kind of sick, hybrid familiars, fur-covered and rabid, with humanoid limbs and the beady eyes of crows. They shrieked and howled in a chaotic chorus, their frenzied excitement building, eager for blood.

  “What the hell are these things…?” I muttered.

  It didn’t matter. Kiba and I exchanged a single nod. The next time one of the creatures jumped forward, its body hit the ground before it even had a chance to scream. Another tried, and it fell in two pieces, cut in half by my whip.

  “Noooooo!” the abomination wailed behind us, its voice cracking in despair. “My c-children! I can have children now! T-they’re mine! I MADE THEM! I made them. WITH LOVE!”

  The madness in its voice spurred the creatures into a frenzy, and they charged together. They weren’t dangerous to me… at all—I could regenerate any damage they might cause by just consuming them. But Kiba didn’t have that kind of insurance, so I decided to just put an end to it.

  I exhaled, letting the chaos around me fade as I closed my eyes, focusing on the rhythm of their heartbeats. Each frantic pulse gave them away.

  “Eight Hardblood Art — Gae Bolg.”

  My blood twisted and stretched into a thin spear, sharp as death itself. It shot forward in a crimson streak, impaling one creature after another in a deadly dance of precision. It steered itself through the crying swarm with sharp turns, the difference in size making it easy to spare Kiba from the onslaught. Still, it took a bit of restrain to stop the heart-seeking attack before it reached him. I could feel my focus wavering. It had been a long day, and my sanity was starting to drip away.

  As the fight came to an end, Kiba had taken a few minor blows from the barrage of beaks and claws, but nothing serious. We were almost done here. What was one more life to take? Hopefully, it’d be the last death this miserable place ever saw.

  I raised my thin spear, preparing to end the abomination once and for all.

  “Hold on, Nyx.” A voice cut through the moment, halting my movement. “If you’re going to stay with us, you’ll need to learn to behave.”

  The rest of the group stepped into the room, led by Rias. They quickly encircled the wounded stray, leaving it nowhere to run. “You might enjoy the chase, but the kill is mine,” she said sweetly, her eyes never leaving the struggling creature.

  In a final act of desperation, the abomination tried to lash out, but Rias didn’t give it a chance. Crimson sparks erupted from her fingertips, disintegrating the monster before it could even cry out.

  “So, Yuuto,” Rias said, turning toward Kiba, a faint smile on her lips as she held a crystal ball in one hand. “What do you think of our new friend? I must admit, I am quite pleased with this performance.”

  Kiba hesitated, his gaze shifting between me and Rias. “You… are bored, aren’t you?”

  “Bored?” I echoed.

  In the next instant, Kiba’s sword was in motion, cutting through the air as it arced toward my throat. I reacted on instinct, bending my knees and sliding forward, then answering back with a spear slam onto his chess.

  “Yuuto?! What is the meaning of this?!” Rias shouted with shock.

  “I’m sorry, President,” Kiba said, his eyes locked onto mine. “But I don’t think the Rating Game’s over until we really know which of us is stronger, is it?”

  “I won’t allow—” Rias began.

  “I don’t know, President,” Akeno interjected with a devilish smile. “It has been a while since we’ve seen Yuuto this fired up. Besides, isn’t this closer to what a real Rating Game is supposed to be? As long as both parties are willing, of course~”

  I gave a sour glance. “If we fight… I don’t think it’ll even be close, and trust me, that’s not me bragging. I just don’t want it to happen.”

  But honesty, as it turns out, wasn’t the best policy. Kiba’s expression hardened, and any hope of avoiding the fight disappeared with the weight of inevitability.

  Kiba summoned a sword, its blade bathed in orange flames, and pointed the tip at me. “If I win, you’ll stop searching for the Excalibur fragments. You’ll give me the one you already have, and I will find a way to destroy it—that way, no one will ever be able to bring back that sword.”

  “I knew having two guys around would turn into this…” Koneko muttered, far less invested than the others. She wandered over to a seat, sitting down with a bored expression.

  “Oh-ho-ho~,” Akeno laughed, pulling her friend away. “Come on, President. Let’s enjoy the show.”

  Rias sighed in frustration, knowing things had spiraled out of control. “Fine. But try to keep the injuries to a minimum. We’re not using a magical field, so don’t expect to fade into light if something goes wrong.”

  And so, it came down to the two of us. But the thing was… I didn’t even want anything from Kiba. This didn’t exactly go against my plans, I just didn’t expect him to be this reckless. Sure, I knew he was a hothead, but I hadn’t expected him to challenge me to a duel just twelve hours after meeting. Guess he was serious about letting no one stand in his way when it came to the Church.

  Then again, with his history of getting his ass handed to him, maybe I should’ve seen it coming. I’d just assumed he would do anything crazy until we started messing with Fallen Angels. Looks like he wasn’t really one for friendly rivalries.

  “And if I win, you’ll have to do my homework for the rest of the semester.”

  Of course, that didn’t even seem to faze him. He kept the same cold, focused gaze. “Very well. But don’t expect me to go easy on you just because I have nothing to lose.”

  The next second neither of us moved. The tension in the air coiled tighter, waiting to snap.

  And then we attacked.

  Kiba charged forward, his sword aimed directly between my ribs, his speed nothing short of impressive. But instead of dodging, I leaned into it. The force drove the blade deep, the hilt pressing against my stomach before he could even comprehend what was happening. His eyes widened in horror.

  “Nyx!”

  Panicked gasps filled the room as Rias’ voice cracked through the tension. I barely registered it. Without hesitation, I swung my open hand across Kiba’s face, hard enough to make his neck crack.

  We stepped back from each other, and I reached down, gripping the hilt of the fabricated sword still lodged in my gut. Blood trickled down, but it wasn’t my first time being mortally wounded. The real issue was that it was a flame sword—parts of the wound had already cauterized, fixing the metal onto my skin.

  “Akeno!” Rias shouted, her panic escalating. “If we don’t stop them, they’ll kill each other!”

  Akeno just laughed, casually wrapping her arms around Rias to hold her back. “Will they? I was under the impression this is how men grew closer.”

  Gritting my teeth, I wrenched the sword from my body, feeling the dull throb of the cauterized flesh. I crouched down, pressing my fingers into one of the many puddles of blood left by the chimera we’d slain just a moment earlier. The battle had left more than enough blood to fuel me—enough to bring me back from death’s doors ten times over, if necessary.

  “I really tried to warn you,” I chuckled, my voice rasping, feeling my mouth dry. My tongue brushed against my teeth, and I could feel it—my fangs, sharper, more unnatural than before. I had to end this, and soon.

  But Kiba wasn’t slowing down.

  Sword Birth: Freezing Sword!

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Now convinced there was no need to hold back with me, Yuuto’s movements shifted. His attacks had purpose, calculated and aimed to kill. I could see the plan forming behind his eyes. If he could freeze me entirely, it might be his win.

  Not today.

  “Second Hardblood Art — Split.”

  Our blades clashed, shadows swirling around us. Kiba was fast—almost fast enough to match me—but speed was all he had. Every time I struck his guard, his body wavered, faltering under the impact.

  With a final, forceful blow, I knocked his weapon aside, pushing him back. But then—

  He stepped forward.

  Kiba drove his foot down and pushed towards me, taking one determined step into my blade. I could see the strain on his face, the way his legs were instantly failing him. But still, he swung. His sword caught the side of my face, ice spreading instantly, freezing the left half of my features.

  “Tell me something…” he grunted through labored breaths, barely able to stand. “That woman—your Queen… is she as strong as you?”

  I couldn’t help but laugh through the ice. Kiba was one stubborn bastard. “Right now? I’d say she’s stronger than me. And if she’s wielding a Holy Sword? I don’t really stand a chance.”

  “I see…” His body finally gave out, nearly going limp. “Then I guess… I have nothing to worry about.”

  “At this point you’re just being dramatic.”

  With a sigh, I released one half of my weapon. The crimson metal lost its shape, melting away and dripping heavily to the floor. But the other part—the part embedded in Kiba’s chest—remained, still solid. Carefully, I focused on repairing the damage as I eased him onto the ground.

  Not a moment later, the girls swarmed around us, their faces filled with worry—making sure I hadn’t actually killed him.

  “There. He’s not bleeding anymore,” I said, stepping back, “but you might want to get him to a real healer. I’m not exactly an expert at fixing other people’s organs.”

  “Kiba, are you okay?!” Rias knelt beside him, gripping his shoulders.

  “Yes, President. I’m—”

  Her hand cracked across his face in a sharp slap, making mine seem gentle in comparison. Then she turned to me.

  “I—”

  I didn’t bother trying to move, I probably deserved mine too.

  Then, she pulled both of us into a hug, which was about as good an outcome as you could hope for when making contracts with a Devil.

  Eh, worth it.

  ?

  I came home late that night, and what surprised me more than not finding the place in flames was the absolute silence. The air felt thick, almost suffocating, drenched in a bad aura I didn’t need demonic senses to notice. Something was off.

  “Nyx! Come, come!”

  Kira's voice came from the small dining room, and I followed it. Inside, I found her and Saber already seated at the table. Kira, as usual, looked bright and cheerful, her energy filling the room. But Saber… she was different. Tense, her posture stiff like a coiled spring, as if trying to meditate away the wave of painful tension crashing down on her.

  “Sit down!” Kira grinned. “You were taking so long playing with your little friends, I went ahead and took care of dinner!”

  I eyed her suspiciously but sat down, intrigued despite myself. “So? What are we having?”

  “I made chocolate pickles.”

  “Chocolate what?”

  That was exactly what it was.

  An open jar of pickles sat in the middle of the table, next to a steaming cup of hot chocolate she served for me. If I hadn’t seen Kira grab a pickle, dip it into the chocolate, and eat it right in front of us, I would have thought I finally got stabbed one too many times to stay sane.

  Did… did I break her brain? Is this mind break? Is this karma—the weight of my past sins crawling on my back?

  “So…” Kira chewed loudly, slurping her bizarre concoction with a delight that made Saber’s jaw visibly clench. “Watchu’ doing out there? Finally found something more interesting than me?”

  I sighed. “I… joined the Occult Research Club, or something like that.”

  Watching Kira swallow was like seeing a duck downing a fish whole.

  “Ugh… Occult Research? That sounds like it’s full of crazy astrology bitches. What are you doing there?”

  “Hanging out with your classmates, I guess. Rias invited me. Akeno’s cool. I’m not sure Koneko likes me though.”

  I wasn’t going to talk about Kiba.

  “Ahhhhh… I see now. You chasin’ skirts, huh? I’ve gotta admit, these Japanese girls are built like wasps—big-tiddy wasps. Just make sure I don’t have to deal with them at school and here, alright?”

  Before I could respond, Saber, who had been silently enduring Kira’s banter, finally spoke. Her tone was cold, her fists tightening on the table. “Master. May I remind you that I am bound to you as your Servant, and as such, it is your responsibility to care for me until the end of this life?”

  “Isn’t that… Shouldn’t that be the other way around?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  But she wasn’t listening. “As long as this mistreatment continues, I will grant myself the privilege of selecting which tasks I deem worthy of performing. Please remember that the next time your life is in peril, Master.”

  She… I can’t tell if she’s serious… No, that’s the worst part. I know she’s serious.

  Kira snickered from across the table. “Geez, just get a room already. You join weird clubs only to come home and flirt with Saber? That’s gross. At least give the girl some preference or something.” She stood up, carrying her plate. “And don’t let the pickles get soggy. I made enough for tomorrow.”

  As soon as she was out of sight, I slumped in my chair, rubbing my temples. “Did that sound like a threat? Or was it just me?”

  Saber remained composed, her posture rigid. “I fear we may have entered a new era of chemical warfare, Master. And without the proper understanding of modern cooking techniques, I have no choice but to place my trust in your mercy.”

  I blinked at her. “Don’t you have, like, knowledge of pretty much everything? You can fly a plane… How hard could using an oven—”

  Her gaze was unwavering, unamused. “As I have not been provided with an appropriate method of sustenance, I shall remain in my spirit form until such circumstances are corrected. Please refrain from calling upon my assistance unless it is a matter of life or death.”

  Before I could respond, she vanished.

  I sat there, staring at the empty space where she had stood moments ago, letting out a heavy sigh. “Well, guess that means I’m eating out. Alone.”

  And then, as if nothing had happened, she materialized again. “As I was saying, Master, it is imperative that I remain by your side at all times. Please allow me to escort you on this mission.”

  I can’t.

  With almost everything being long closed in the middle of the night, I decided to do the complete opposite of what might have sounded logical and hop on a train. This time, strangely, Saber chose to remain in her physical form and board with me. It wasn’t rush hour, so at first I figured it wouldn’t cause any problems. But just to avoid any unwelcome attention, I booked us a private first-class cabin, not willing to deal with any possible weirdos—there had been enough of that already. And it was surprisingly cheap, though Japan in general seemed to be a pretty cheap country as long as you didn’t had to pay rent.

  The cabin itself was spacious, designed to seat four passengers comfortably. The walls were lined with dark wood paneling, and the leather seats invited you to sink into them and forget you were even on a train. The carpeted floor, paired with the wool slippers provided at the entrance, practically begged me to kick off my shoes and relax, letting the warmth wash away the chills of the night.

  It was quiet between us, the kind of silence that carried no weight. Saber didn’t ask questions or seem concerned about where we were headed in the dead of night. She followed me with her usual quiet grace, managing to maintain her royal posture for a few minutes before finally letting herself relax. A soft breath escaped her as she leaned slightly forward, resting her gaze on the frost-edged window. The lights of the city blurred by, glowing streaks against the darkened glass, leaving only fleeting impressions that chased our pace like ghosts.

  There was wonder in her eyes—pure, almost childlike.

  She wasn’t confused, no. On the surface, Saber understood everything she saw. But there was something deeper. She wore the expression of someone who had spent a lifetime behind walls, trapped in a faraway paradise island, reading stories of a world she had never touched. I realized that this, all of this—the passing cityscape, the hum of the train, the quiet backdrop of a thousand lives that came and went to the rhythm of blue collar jobs, like ants dancing beyond the glass—was new to her. And though she seemed captivated, there was an unmistakable sadness lurking beneath it all, a soft melancholy pulling her away from the moment.

  Was she longing to return to that distant dream? Or was she imagining a world where that dream had never existed at all, a world where her kingdom never was?

  I couldn’t tell.

  Eventually, a knock sounded at the door, and we were handed the dinner menu. It wasn’t part of my plan, but good luck telling the girl with the Holy Blade that she couldn’t order anything. After politely asking for my permission, she requested the Japanese menu. Shrimp-topped avocado tarts and fried octopus tentacles. I opted for a glass of red wine, closing my eyes for a brief moment, loosening my cold grip on time and allowing the hour of travel to flow by.

  When I blinked open again, the hum of the city washed over us, more vivid, more alive. Kuoh City was nice enough—but it felt small, barely a speck compared to the spiraling pulse of Tokyo.

  The bullet train slowed, its metallic screeching cutting through the air as we came to a halt at Tokyo Station. With a quiet exhale, I pulled myself up, pushing the weight of myself aside.

  “Come on, Saber. There’s something I want to show you.”

  We stepped out into the cold air, making our way down Marunouchi Street Park. The trees, though already in bloom, still wore their Christmas lights, shimmering from their roots to their crowns, creating a glowing path. Crowds streamed past in both directions, bundled in thick scarves, hands buried deep in their pockets as winter hadn’t yet fully loosened its oppressive rule.

  Winter had technically passed, but a few holiday decorations lingered, stubborn remnants of a season gone. A dozen small stalls were still offering hot drinks and snacks, while street musicians played soft melodies, blending into the rhythm of our slow steps.

  The night was nearly imperceptible under the sheer number of lights and the bustling sound of locals and tourists mixing into each other. They moved between towering statues of beloved characters from anime and video games, scattered along the street like guardians of this modern world—neon flowers commanding the attention of a thousand human butterflies.

  We walked until Tokyo Tower, which was at first just a speck in the distance, transformed into a gleaming sword piercing the clouds above. And finally, we stopped at the edge of an ice rink in Midtown, where a few skaters glided across the ice, performing graceful turns for the sparse crowd that lingered, savoring the last breaths of cold.

  “Master,” Saber finally broke the silence. “Is there a reason why we’re here?”

  “Well, technically, these are Christmas decorations,” I replied, half-joking. “And since it’s already March, I figured we should probably take a look before the heat returns and everybody remembers they don’t get paid by the hour.”

  She leaned forward against the metal rail that bordered the rink, but I could see that wasn’t the answer she had hoped for. Her eyes, though always sharp, held a quiet depth tonight.

  “We’re both new to this world, Saber. You, by circumstance… and me… well, by choice, I guess. I thought we could share this—a night, a sight. I’ve always wanted to travel but never really had the chance.”

  “Travel?” She turned her gaze towards me. “Is this your first night in this city?”

  I nodded, leaning back against the railing. “Few things are as honest as ignorance. It’d be a bit strange to ask you to stay in this world with me without showing you any of it first. It’s not much, but—”

  “I like this,” she interrupted softly, her smile small but genuine. “In my time, nights of peace and celebration like this were but fleeting moments between the storm of endless wars. Or at least… they were for me.”

  “Did you never have the chance to just… hang up the crown and walk among your people? I doubt anyone would’ve recognized you in a dress.”

  She lowered her gaze, shaking her head with a bitter smile. “I never allowed myself the intention. In life, I was a king, and only a king. From the moment I pulled the sword from the stone until the day I died, I never faltered.”

  “Well…” I stepped closer, wrapping my arms gently around her from behind, my chin nearly brushing her shoulder. “You’re not alive anymore. Maybe now is the time to falter.”

  She stiffened in my embrace, her fingers gripping the metal rail tightly. I could sense the war within her—an instinct buried deep, urging her to push me away. The tension in her muscles reminded me of a vase filled to the brim, fragile and ready to shatter. Yet, despite it, she allowed herself to relax, subtly leaning back against me. In front of the eyes of dozens of strangers who paid us absolutely no mind, she let herself be held.

  I closed my arms around the king and held her. One moment, then two, then five—just holding her. In another life, she had belonged to her kingdom, her people, their wars. But here, in this fleeting moment, I held her close, selfishly. I had no intention of giving her back, and I wanted her to know it—to feel it.

  Yet, even as I pulled her from the world and into the quiet of my heart, I couldn’t ignore how her eyes lingered on the skaters, watching them glide with silent fascination.

  “I’ll do it if you do,” I teased.

  She turned to look at me, and suddenly, we were too close—our breaths mingling in the cool night air. Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly turned away. “I-I believe you overestimate my abilities, Master. I might have a certain affinity for vehicles, but this…”

  “Not many ice skaters in Camelot?”

  Her shoulders hunched slightly, embarrassed. “I never imagined willingly stepping onto a frozen lake. Will… will you teach me?”

  “Oh… you still think I know what I’m doing? That’s adorable.”

  Finding two pairs of ice skates wasn’t difficult, though the price made me feel like I’d just been fleeced by a middle-aged Japanese man who most likely made a living out of legally robbing tourists.

  Now.

  Had I ever skated before? On ice? On land? At all? No, not really.

  But how hard could it be?

  Strapping on my new shoe-swords, I managed to waddle my way onto the ice with all the grace of a drunk penguin. Once I was in position, I turned around to make sure Saber hadn’t vanished into thin air. To my surprise, she was right behind me, wearing a sheepish smile that made my heart skip a beat. I couldn’t help myself—I extended my arm towards her, pulling her close the moment she took my hand. It was a good thing, too, because that’s about how long my ability to stay upright lasted.

  It’s always a relief to have a cute girl around who could bench press half a ton, especially when you’re attempting something that’s been known to send a few thousand people to the ER over the years.

  Would I have fallen face-first onto the ice? Probably not. It’s hard to mess up that badly. But I wasn’t about to risk exposing any of my abilities in public, so sometimes you just have to accept the inevitable consequences of your actions. Was I going to stop Saber from clinging to me like her life depended on it, her pretty little face buried in my chest as we drifted in slow, uncoordinated circles?

  Probably not. That, too, was just another consequence I’d have to accept in order to grow as a person, no matter how hard it was.

  Eventually, I took a deep breath and pushed Saber away, sending us both gliding in opposite directions and making her scream. The first thing I learned about ice skating? As long as you’re moving fast enough, falling isn’t even an option. So I leaned into it, letting the ice slip beneath me, picking up speed.

  It didn’t take long for us to reconnect at the center of the ice, still clueless about what we were doing but bold enough to double down. Saber gripped my arm, and we started spinning. I held both of her hands, letting her momentum take her in circles around me before releasing her and tossing her into the distance again. We repeated this dance over and over—Saber spinning circles around me as I let her set the pace, not even trying to keep up. Not that anyone else was, either.

  One by one, the other skaters cleared out, instinctively avoiding the path of the knight in motion. I could see the worried glances, the nervous chuckles, as they watched from a safe distance, wondering just how far she could push herself before gravity decided she’d lived long enough. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t share those feelings, especially as Saber began to jump, catching onto me midair and forcing me to struggle just to keep us both on our feet. All the while, I smiled and pretended it was part of some grand performance I’d been trained to do.

  By the time we finished, I had held Saber in so many different positions—everything from having her glide between my legs to tossing her into the air—that I almost expected a crowd of jealous fanboys to rush at me, trying to take me down.

  And I swear, I could see it in her eyes. She liked making my heart race. Her gaze had turned sharp and confident the moment she understood there was nothing to fear, and somehow consequences were on me tonight.

  “Okay, okay! I give up!” I called out, catching her one last time and refusing to throw her again.

  “Master!” she panted, her eyes burning with determination, her chest heaving as she struggled to calm herself. “Is it time to go back?”

  “Go back?” I repeated, confused. “We were supposed to have dinner.”

  “Oh…” She trailed off, a bit sheepish. “But on the train, I—”

  “Yes, I know,” I answered with a grin.

  “And can we—”

  “Yes, we can.”

  Without another word, she pressed her head into my chest, curling in close—so close that the moment she lifted her eyes, her warm breath kissed my lips. But then, as if realizing the spectacle we had created, she glanced around and saw the entire crowd staring at us, breaking into applause. In a rush of embarrassed realization, she shoved me away, straight into the solid railing.