"Emiya-kun, are you sure you are okay?" I blinked my tired eyes at Reya who asked me that question.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I waved my hand at her. "I'm just a little wound up from that fight with Regeis. It has been a while since I was in a life-and-death situation."
It was most definitely a trialing night with that fellow called Regeis. In some ways, I had to berate myself in my head for getting too lax with my fighting style. It was clear that whatever this world entails for me, the Sacred Gears would most definitely be the most problematic of the lot. I would need to step up my training.
I was now back in the Student Council room on a Saturday morning, with both Peerages sitting around on chairs and sofas, each one of them looking seriously burned out from all the hunting we have done. Even Sona and Rias were lying down on their separate chairs with rings around their eyes and nursing their fatigues with the tea Akeno brewed.
I have already given my report regarding my fight with Regeis, but as promised I have held back the bit of Grayfia coming to visit me. I could understand where she was going about me being somewhat evasive regarding my purpose for being here, and I could also tell that deep under the tough exterior, she was actually heavily concerned for Rias and by extension her Peerage and friends. She was the type who did not like unknown elements that could disrupt her protection.
And I was that unknown element. Joy.
"When was the last time you fought in a life-and-death situation?" Rias asked as she leaned back on the chair she was on and let out a contented sigh.
"The one that got me into this town in the first place." I replied back as I settled for the cup of tea I brewed for myself. "That one knocked me out long enough that I had to lay low here. I am still recovering from that attack."
Technically I am already recovered in terms of the physical aspect, but they don't need to know that or the fact that I needed materials to fix the Kaleidou-Amulet. I might as well keep up the masquerade.
"Still recovering?" Sona straightened slightly as she looked at me. "So during our side jobs and Rias's training, you were still having injuries?"
"Yup, they are mostly healed, but I am still trying to take it easy." I replied as I cracked my shoulders to ease the stiffness. I turned to face Sona only to blink at the serious look on the face.
This was not going to be good.
"Shirou Emiya, although you helping us is a great blessing in its own way, as the student president, I cannot allow a fellow student running around with injuries that may prove fatal in the long run if not properly healed." The 'Shitori Glasses' flashed somewhat menacingly. "Until you recover, you should abstain from our hunts."
"EEEHHH!" Everyone turned to her with baffled expressions, with the exception of Rias who looked on with a resigned look as though she knew Sona would say that.
"But Kaichou, if he is not with us, how are we able to hunt down the other Strays?" Momo asked in a slightly strained voice. "As it stands, they have been avoiding all our other detection spells, and based on what Emiya-kun has told us, other devils could easily block a number of them to let a big group get through."
"I believe that I had asked Emiya-kun for some detection spells of his own design right?" Sona reminded her of her request. "And I'm sure that if we really need something, we can ask him for advice, but we do not bring him along for our jobs until he is fully recovered."
"Are you sure about that?" I asked. "You guys might get into trouble with the type like Regeis."
"If that ever happens we will contact you, but until then you are to refrain from strenuous activities in our field of work." Sona replied back while fixing her glasses. There it was, the 'Student Council mode' that she adopted to ensure anyone listening must obey or suffer the consequences.
Oh well, I might as well use this opportunity for some personal R&R time.
"Okay then, I might as well figure out some spells for you to try out for the town, and I can use this chance to understand the issue with these Sacred Gears." I pointed with my thumb at the spear that was currently resting next to me on the arm rest. This was a very clingy item that even managed to partially pierce through the dimensional pocket I tried to store it in, so I had no choice but to carry it by hand all the way here.
Seriously, my luck stats sucked big time.
"Oh, before I forget, here's something for Shirou." Rias took out a small envelope from the stack of papers on the desk. "Here's the pay for your hunt. Evidently the people involved were wide awake when we reported about Regeis and they got the paperwork done quickly." She sighed lightly as she handed it over to me. "Why can't they be faster at other times?"
I raised an eyebrow when I took the envelope. It was significantly thicker than normal, and the weight was most definitely heavier than usual. "This is a little different from the others."
"I believe that much of it would be compensation for having to go after Regeis." Sona answered back with a tired frown. "Regeis was not someone that should be handled by teenagers like us, even if we are born with abilities considered destructive. Regeis was a Class A Target that could only be dealt with by professionals on the field.
Something like this would be normal." She paused before adding another bit with a straight face. "That and quite possibly the fact that a certain person I know had overheard about that person and basically rampaged trying to find someone responsible for the mess."
Rias snorted ungracefully as she attempted to stop her laughter. I only gave her a glance before opening the envelope and peeking inside. "What the~"
"We did say there was going to be compensation. We split the amount and the remainder is for you." Sona's mouth curled lightly as I took out the cheque from the cash. "And that cheque you are holding would be your reward for taking down Regeis."
"Phew~"
I let out a whistle as I looked at the amount on the cheque; granted it was roughly around the amount of a C-Rank Job in my world, but even then they yielded a lot of cash for those missions, and this was most definitely the highest amount I got from hunting down a Stray Devil.
Though I suspect that a certain maid was involved with this transaction.
"I am going to need another bank account from the looks of this." I folded the cheque and placed it carefully in my pocket. "It would be a little hard to explain why I have a lot of cash entering it recently."
"Oh you would have two accounts?" Akeno remarked as she looked on.
"Actually make that four if I decide to go along with it." I replied back easily as I placed the envelope deep into my jacket and zipped the pockets up.
"... Why would you need so many accounts?" Rias asked while giving me a baffled look.
"In my line of work, that is the minimum requirement." I shrugged back. "The most I ever created for one of my jobs was twenty different accounts for whatever purpose I could think of. After that job, I just closed the accounts and moved whatever assets out before anyone started asking questions."
Oh yeah, that was very trialing for me, not because it was hard to liquidate the assets, rather I had to make Rin did not find out about it. The Jewel-Craft was really expensive work and she was taking a lot of my pay.
"And what work, pray tell, would require you to make that many accounts?" Sona asked in a slightly strained voice as though she was trying preserve what level of sanity she had left.
"Nothing you need to know, so that you would not be an accessory in any illegal proceedings." I replied while giving my most innocent smile, which did not convince her that much as she snorted derisively before clamping her mouth a little late.
"You really are meticulous, aren't you?" Tsubaki remarked while blinking like an owl.
"Well if there's nothing else, I think I will head back." I winced lightly from the popping of the joints as I got up. I was going to need a warm bath and maybe sneak in a nap before going for the afternoon job shift.
"Actually." I stopped to look at Rias with a type of look that I had come to associate with Rin's pondering on an idea that would be a bad situation for me. "There is something I think you might be interested in." She looked to Sona while maintaining the expression. "Would you object bringing him to that event next week?"
"That event?" Sona gave a very big frown at her request. "Are you certain? We never really bought a human along to that place. Also, I thought you want to deal with the matter differently."
"If you are talking about having a contest for that occasion, I think we will cancel that for now, considering all these jobs we are having." Rias sighed heavily as she attempted to make herself more comfortable.
"... I guess you have a point. We are in no condition to have little contest." Sona repled as she moved slightly in her chair. "But what is the rationale for bringing Emiya-kun to that spot?"
"Well since he cannot follow us, that means he won't be under our surveillance whenever we go on our jobs." Rias motioned to me as she explained. "We may be able to spare some people to watch over, but I doubt even we can do much considering the type of attention that is on this town. And if someone like Regeis came here for Emiya-kun, who else will come?" She paused before adding one more line. "And I believe you know of whom I speak of."
Whatever that cryptic line meant, it seemed to have won Sona over, judging from her reluctant nod. She took in a huge breath of air before she turned to me. "Emiya-kun, if you are interested, would you like to come with us for an event this coming Monday? It is just a small issue, but I think it might benefit you a lot."
"And may i ask what is it about?" I asked while raising an eyebrow.
"You just have to come and see." Rias replied with a mysterious smile and a wink, while Sona gave a resigned shrug. I paused for a moment thinking I should refuse, but considering what she just said, I must as well go along just to see what they had in mind.
How bad could it be?
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