A Few Hours Later
It had been some time since Gilgamesh rescued Asia and brought her to his home.
There, everyone welcomed the small girl warmly, with Sebas and Gilgamesh preparing a feast of foods she had never tried before.
Everyone was chatting calmly—well, almost everyone.
And that brings us to our current situation.
Somehow, Gilgamesh had managed to pin Mordred to the ground, holding both her arms behind her back and now ruffling her hair with his free hand while the other kept her in place. It was probably for the best that he intervened. Mordred looked like she was about to bring down the entire block if he hadn't stopped her—oh, wait. As he approached, Gilgamesh grinned and shouted at the enraged knight, nimbly leaping onto an adjacent rooftop out of her reach before her blade could find something... soft.
"Hey! Leave my bits alone, Mordred! I need those, you know!"
Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to stop Mordred.
"Come down here, and I'll cut them off, you bastard!"
Gilgamesh's body twisted playfully.
"Ahh, scary! I don't wanna~!"
"Why are you…"
"Mordred!"
Mordred didn't flinch when Sebas shouted at her, but she growled. For a fleeting moment, Sebas wondered if she would disobey.
"Hey, Gilgamesh! That's not fair! He started it!"
"Let it go. You can riddle him with holes if he does it again."
Mordred flashed a murderous grin.
"Promise?"
"EH?!" Gilgamesh hissed from his precarious perch. "What are you, a sadist?! I'm not immortal! That'll kill me!"
But soon after, a smile crossed Gilgamesh's face.
"Is it because you can't do it now?" Gilgamesh teased.
"Damn you!" Mordred shouted, summoning Clarent and charging at Gilgamesh, who had also drawn a sword.
Both clashed, exchanging blows.
Meanwhile, Asia watched nervously.
Valerie appeared and placed a hand on Asia's shoulder to calm her.
"Don't worry, they won't get hurt," Valerie said with a smile.
Asia nodded, trusting Valerie since she was with the man who saved her.
But Valerie's smile widened as she pulled out a magazine from who-knows-where and handed it to Asia.
"Now read this," Valerie said with a big grin.
Asia started reading before realizing what it was.
"T-this is…" she stammered nervously, blushing.
Gilgamesh and Mordred stopped beside Asia, having ceased their fight after Sebas disciplined them both.
Gilgamesh saw Asia's face and, curious, took the magazine and began reading.
His eyes widened when he saw its contents.
"This is porn, Valerie," Gilgamesh said accusingly to the Dhampir.
Mordred stared at Valerie, shocked.
"You pervert, you're not corrupting Asia!" Mordred shouted, grabbing Clarent again.
"Oh, don't be like that. I wouldn't mind exploring Camelot's corridors with you, if you know what I mean~," Valerie said with a sensual smile.
It took Mordred a moment to grasp what Valerie meant, but then she blushed furiously, grabbed Clarent, and charged at Valerie.
The result?
Valerie fleeing from an enraged Mordred while laughing.
Asia watched everything nervously, while Gilgamesh and Enkidu laughed as Sebas chased the two girls.
---
**Later**
It happened after midnight.
Gilgamesh was thirsty and woke up at 3:14 AM, so he decided to head to the kitchen, not to mention he also felt the need to use the bathroom.
While grabbing a drink in the kitchen, he saw Asia in the backyard, just standing there, gazing at the moon in the sky above.
What was she doing at this hour?
Curiosity stirred in his stomach and mind, so he decided to approach her, just in case something was wrong.
"Still awake too, huh?" Gilgamesh called out, and she turned to him with a surprised look.
Simply put, Asia was a beautiful girl. Her long blonde hair swayed in the breeze, her emerald-green eyes and the shape of her face—all of it made her beautiful. And she was different from Rias. That girl might be beautiful, but there was something about her that didn't truly attract him.
It was her aura. The aura Rias radiated was grand, strong, and now he knew it also carried pride. As much as it was hidden beneath her good aura, there was something dark, something vile, and definitely not good. That was why he wasn't so drawn to her, perhaps because it was her demonic trait.
Asia, however, was different. She was beautiful, maybe not as stunning as Rias, but the aura she radiated was different. It was… pure… he could feel it. It was pure, kind, and warm. Her presence somehow brought a calm and comforting feeling to him.
Instead of seeing a simple girl, it almost felt like seeing an angel standing in the middle of a grassy field, pure white wings spreading beautifully, the wind playing with her hair. If you asked him who was more beautiful, Asia Argento or Rias Gremory, the answer was obvious. Even compared to Sona, his answer would still be Asia Argento.
And above all, Asia's aura reminded him of her.
"Hero-san…" Asia greeted him with surprise. "Did I somehow wake you? I'm sorry if—"
"No, no, I just woke up because I was thirsty," Gilgamesh cut her off, waving his hand lightly as he approached. "And you can call me Gilgamesh; I won't mind," he added.
"But didn't Hero-san say it was a rule to call you by that name?" she asked innocently.
"I also said that for a beautiful girl like you, it's fine to break that rule," Gilgamesh said with a small smile as she blushed slightly before shaking her head.
"I can't do that. It's not right for me to get special treatment," she replied softly, and he felt like sighing. This girl was truly innocent, wasn't she? She was almost like a sponge. He was just joking about those rules, but she genuinely believed they were real!
"Then how about I allow it because you're my friend?" Gilgamesh asked, and she blinked.
"Friend?"
Her eyes went blank, along with her expression. It was as if she didn't know the meaning of the word "friend." As if that word had never existed in her life.
"Hero-san… wants to be… friends with me?" she asked, tilting her head to the side, her face still blank.
That expression didn't suit her… That look didn't belong on her…
Girls like her… shouldn't have that expression! A girl with a pure aura and nature like hers… That emotion shouldn't be in her heart!
"Yes, I'll be your friend. Why? Don't you want to?" Gilgamesh asked back with a slight frown, looking at her confused face.
Asia's blank look vanished, replaced by pure panic and a hint of fear.
"No!" she denied, shaking her head. "It's… It's just that…" She lowered her face so he couldn't see her expression. "That someone like Hero-san… wants to be friends with me is…"
"And what's wrong with being friends with you?" Gilgamesh asked again. "You're a beautiful, kind-hearted, and gentle girl. Who in their right mind wouldn't want to be friends with you?"
Asia looked at him in shock. Her green eyes widened, and he could see unshed tears beneath them before her expression turned into a bitter smile.
"I… Hero-san… Do you know my story?" she asked softly.
"Yes, I don't know the details beyond the fact that you were excommunicated because you healed… that devil," he said, noticing her muscles tense.
"That's… That's…"
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Gilgamesh cut her off again, placing his hand on her shoulder, making her look at him. Giving her a small smile, he continued.
"I want to be your friend. I don't care about your past. It's because you're a kind girl who also seems fun to talk to."
"But I don't have common sense; I've never lived outside the Church before," Asia told him with teary eyes. It was as if she was trying to reject him, but at the same time, she didn't want to.
"That's an easy fix; you'll learn in time. I'll help you."
"I don't even know how to speak Japanese, Hero-san."
"We're speaking Japanese right now, didn't you notice?" Gilgamesh asked with a smile, and her eyes widened.
"We are?" she asked back. "How?"
"Magic…" Gilgamesh answered simply, and it was true. He had already learned a spell that allowed him to speak any language.
Asia looked surprised before slowly letting out a small laugh. It sounded beautiful.
"However…" Gilgamesh spoke again, catching her attention. "Being my friend won't be easy," he said. "As you can see, I'm a hero. And heroes always have enemies. If you're my friend, my enemies might target you," he declared, and her eyes widened.
"You want a normal life, don't you? I can tell. But if you're my friend, you won't have that…"
In truth, Gilgamesh wanted to say more, but he found his throat dry for a moment. Everything he said before was true, but it was only the tip of the iceberg. It wasn't even deep enough to reach the core of his situation, but seeing her expression, seeing her eyes full of hope for a normal life, like all students and teenagers…
However, during his pause, Asia surprisingly gave him another smile. It wasn't as radiant as before, filled with bitterness.
"I… I don't think I'll ever have a normal life, Hero-san… Not anymore…" she spoke bitterly. "You're… like me, aren't you, Hero-san? You're gifted…"
Ah…
She understood… She understood what Gilgamesh was trying to say.
"Yes… Like you, I also possess a gift from God. But unlike you, mine isn't for healing, but for destroying. Taking lives…" Gilgamesh replied with a calm tone, his face twisting into an impassive expression.
Asia laughed. "It really was impossible to hope for a normal life, wasn't it?" she asked again with a resigned voice.
"Yes… We're chosen people, Asia… Unlike others, we were born with this gift and power. And, as people say, power always attracts more power. It's impossible for us to live like normal people if those around us would be in danger," Gilgamesh said with a nod.
"But you already knew that. That's why you hesitated to be my friend?" he asked.
"No…" She shook her head. "I knew deep down that I could be your friend. But I… I just…"
"You're afraid of giving up your dream," Gilgamesh finished for her, and her eyes widened.
"If you're my friend, you won't have a normal life anymore. You still held hope of living like normal people, but that chance will be lost if you become my friend," Gilgamesh declared. "But at the same time, you also want it. You don't want to be alone anymore, do you?" he asked softly, and Asia lowered her head, soft sobs escaping her mouth.
"I… Gilgamesh-san… I… It's really impossible, isn't it?" she asked in a heartbroken tone.
She also used his name, indicating she was finally accepting that her dream of a normal life was impossible. It almost made him shed tears for her, but he didn't. He held himself firm and appeared strong; this girl needed him. He couldn't show any sign of weakness now.
"It is…" he confirmed, looking at the girl beside him, staring at the ground as if there was something interesting there.
They stood in silence. Seconds passed and turned into minutes. Soon, five minutes later, she looked up from the ground and raised her head to look at him again.
"I don't have a choice… do I?" she asked sadly.
"We always have a choice," he told her, closing his eyes. "No matter what, we always have a choice. The question is: are we ready for the consequences of our choice? It might lead to our death, but sometimes death itself is better than the other option."
Asia looked at him with an impassive gaze. Then she tilted her head to one side before smiling—a sincere smile.
"Then I choose to accept your offer," she said softly. "Maybe I can't have a normal life, but… that doesn't mean I can't have friends."
"Good choice," he replied with a small smile. "Our adventures won't be easy, Asia…"
"I know… but I'll stick with you…" Asia said with a nod of understanding, and he laughed.
They stood for a while, looking at the sky.
"I think you'd better go to sleep, Asia," he said to the girl.
"Yes, but what about you?" she asked as she stood up.
"I'll stay a bit longer," he said, and she nodded.
He continued looking at the sky for a while.
Seeing Asia reminded him of someone else.
"Gabriel…" he said, but his voice came out as a whisper.
"Still awake, Master?" came a voice behind him, and as he turned, he saw Mordred standing there, eating a cookie.
Starving as always!
"Yeah, and why are you awake?" he asked.
"I could ask you the same thing," Mordred said with a laugh as she sat beside him and started gazing at the stars.
They sat in silence for a while until Mordred spoke.
"I think you were right about that conversation, Master," Mordred said.
He was puzzled until he remembered what she was talking about.
Gilgamesh and Mordred had been talking while fighting in the dungeon.
"Hey, Mordred, I heard your wish was to pull Caliburn from the stone?" Gilgamesh asked while unleashing a wave of ice, freezing the demons.
Mordred, who was cutting them down with Clarent, stopped and looked at Gilgamesh.
"Exactly. Then, when I pull it out, my father will have to acknowledge me as King," Mordred said firmly.
"But what will you do when you become King?" Gilgamesh asked.
"I… don't know," Mordred said, lowering her head.
"I think you already know; you just don't see it," Gil said.
"Don't see it?" Mordred asked, confused.
Gilgamesh nodded before summoning a sword and starting to kill the demons.
He remembered that conversation with Mordred.
"I just wanted to become King to save my father from isolation. He was someone who couldn't laugh or cry. If I became King, he wouldn't have to go through that anymore. I thought it was enough if I tried to take the things he left behind," Mordred said while looking at the stars, and he simply listened.
"I understand now. My father didn't desire gems that shone like stars; he became King for the sake of those stones. That's why I don't need the Sword of Selection anymore. I don't need it," Mordred said, smiling.
He listened to her the whole time and couldn't help but smile.
"I'm not one to say this, much less follow someone, but you would've been an excellent King, Mordred," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Mordred blushed before giving a big smile.
"Of course, Master!" Mordred said, grinning.
They stayed a bit longer, watching the stars.
Another Day
Student Council Room.
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