24 The Beginning of the Journey pt2

As Alduin left the school, a thought crossed his mind.

"I wonder if things were really as the Gremori girl described them. The stories about the Dragon Cult were exaggerated, so it wouldn't surprise me if Stendarr had banished Lucifer and the fallen angels for something trivial, like stealing a tomato."

"In the Scrolls it is written" Alduin continued, quoting a song:

And the Scrolls have foretold, of black wings in the cold,

That when brothers wage war come unfurled!

Alduin, Bane of Kings, ancient shadow unbound,

With a hunger to swallow the world!

The coincidence between the song lyrics, some facts from Alduin's new life, and the Gremori girl's story made him smile. He had been reborn in a mortal body during the winter of the War of the Three Factions, which was the perfect example of "brother turning on brother." And until recently, he himself could be named as the Dovahkiin.

"Hmm, if you think about the word 'Dovahkiin' an interesting thing comes to mind. It consists of two words: 'Dovah' - dragon, and 'kiin' - born. This can be translated not as 'dragonborn' in the sense of 'born of a dragon,' but as 'born a dragon.' And if you recall that I was the first dragon to be born, and all the others were made in my likeness, then Akatosh's ramblings before my exile to Eterius cease to be nonsense. So what does it mean? The first is about a dragon being born. Then there are words about a mortal somehow linked to dragons, and then about the chaos in Nirn that I must resolve by destroying the world or exiling another one. And then it all repeats" Alduin mused as he stood in front of his house.

As he reached for the doorknob, a sudden realization dawned on him.

"Oh no! Dos that mean I have to meet that monkey again? The only good thing is that she can't level up by eating the souls of my brothers now that the walls have no words" muttered Alduin, as he opened the door.

"I should check Magnus's scroll to at least know where I will meet the new Dragonborn. And if everything goes as last time, we shouldn't hurry to his execution place. But where can I find that thing? I swear, that egghead was drunk with Sheogorath when he decided to create his scrolls. How you even think of something like that, three scrolls, one to remember the past, one to show the present, and one to see the future."

Issei returned home an hour after Tatsumi, and early in the morning, Rias Gremory, apparently not wanting to postpone the matter, pulled all the girls from the Kuoh Academy out of their sleepy nightmare for training.

Alduin laughed at his brother, who barely moved his legs on the way to school. At lunchtime, Momo Hanakai came to his class with a punishment to deliver him to the student council.

"Hanakai-san, can you tell me what the president wants from me?" Alduin asked as he walked alongside the girl.

"Hmm" Momo said, thoughtfully putting her finger to her lips. "Perhaps it's because of your absence?"

"Are all of you in the student council so boring?"

"Boring?"

"Don't you think? When I see you all together, I feel like you're coming from a philosophy seminar. All so heavy and introverted."

"That's not true. The president believes that the members of the student council should be role models and perfect in everything."

"Hmm. If I were as impatient as a year ago, one such role model would have found himself in a trash can."

"And who was that?"Momo asked, frowning.

"Some guy, I forgot his name. Either Saki Gentard or Tsundere."

"Saji Genshiro" Momo sighed. "He's a new member of the student council."

"That's not an excuse"Alduin said, scrutinizing the girl's aura and appearance. "Cultist. Apparently, under a different Dremora clan. Nice appearance and figure… Stop. That's not the time to think about it!"

"I think the president will make from him an example, like Tsubaki-senpai" Momo replied with some malice.

"Wow. A member of the student council showing emotions?! The president had a poker face of the 80th level when she caught me in the kendo club locker room, saying something to Muruyama."

"You barged into the kendo club locker room and lived?" Momo asked, sounding incredulous.

"I did. Why so doubtful?"

"Well… your older brother gets severely beaten up just for peeking through the wall. You should have been sent to the hospital."

"What can I say? The kendo girls just liked me so much that they didn't attack me. Of course, because of my charisma."

"I think it was because of the incident with broken helmet of the kendo club captain from your middle school" Momo challenged Alduin.

"Of course" Alduin said. "Of course. But that also the part of my charm" he added, opening the door to the student council room.

"And where's the rest of the council?"

In the room, besides Sona and Tsubaki, only Saji Genshiro was present, looking intelligent while sorting through papers. Tsubaki was also going through some documents, but she was sitting at the table where Sona had been seated during Alduin's last visit.

The president herself was in an armchair next to a magazine table with a chessboard and pieces set up.

"I forgot to write my explanatory note. I'll go and write it" said Alduin, turning towards the door. But his path was blocked by Momo. "Senpai, are you serious?"

"Yes. Kya!" the girl shouted as Alduin grabbed her by the waist and pushed her aside.

"Tatsumi, I have a proposal" said Sona when Alduin had already reached for the door handle.

"What kind of proposal?"

"Shall we play?" Sona pointed to the chessboard. "If you win, I'll forget about your misdeed. If I win, you'll grant me a favor."

"Maybe we should play cards?" suggested Alduin, flipping the board so that the black pieces faced him.

"In cards, it all depends on luck and skill. In chess, the game's outcome depends on intelligence" Son replied.

"Or cheekiness" added Alduin, looking at Sona. "What kind of favor will it be?"

"If I win, you'll become my secretary" replied Sona.

"How about we change the terms? The loser fulfills the winner's wish?" suggested Sona after thinking it over.

"Let's play, even though I don't think it will change anything for you" said Alduin, casting a lewd glance at Sona and licking his lips to complete the picture.

"Gotcha!" Sona thought to herself, her plan was off to a successful start. Her goal was to engage Hyodo-kun with a game, and then all she had to do was win.

"Kaicho, come to your senses! Why do you need this pervert?" exclaimed Saji.

"Mr. Council Member" Alduin paused for a long moment, then continued, "I ask you to shut up, or else I'll have to take measures. Sona, I suggest we raise the stakes. Each captured piece grants the right to ask a question to which a truthful answer must be given. Agreed?"

"Agreed" replied Sona.

"Why are you so against joining the student council?" she asked, taking one of Alduin's pawns after five moves.

"I'm just lazy" he replied, taking one of Sona's pawns in return. "By the way, is it true that your upper size is zero?"

Sona was caught off guard by this question, and while she tried to collect herself, Saji grabbed Alduin by the shoulder.

"How dare you ask such a question?" Saji fumed.

"Goodbye, member-san of the student council-san" Alduin replied, grabbing Saji by the collar and throwing him out the window.

"Hyodo-kun, what are you doing?!" Sona exclaimed, running to the window.

"I'm epic" Alduin replied with pride. "And it's my turn to ask questions."

"You threw him out of the third floor! Through a closed window!" Sona raged.

"Gen-chan!" a frightened voice came from the street below.

"Nimura, take Saji to the infirmary" Sona ordered.

"Yes, Kaicho!"

"Ask Gremory-cow at the Occult Club, there's a healing nun, or at least someone who used to be a nun, who has this sacred something with that ability" Alduin explained to Sona, who looked surprised.

"I know everything, Kaicho, so you don't have to pretend" he added.

"Nimura, take him to the Occult Club" Sona ordered.

"But-"

"Do it. Say he needs help" Sona commanded.

"Yes, Kaicho!"

"Did you throw him on purpose?" Momo asked Alduin as she walked up to him while Sona tried to calm down.

"He reminded me of a kendo club captain" he grinned at her. "And a little bit of a PE teacher."

"What's the story with the teacher?"

"I'll tell you later, in a more peaceful setting" Alduin replied, turning to Sona. "So what's your answer?"

"It's B" Sona muttered.

"Hmm, hardly noticeable" Alduin made several characteristic hand movements around a chest area, and was forced to catch the black pawn flying at his forehead, thrown by a red-faced Sona.

"Hey! It's your turn."

Sona glared at him and made a move with her white pawn.