Chapter 323: Gabriel's Submission
"My, my, Gabriel is quite the bold, naughty girl," Raphiel said from the side, snickering behind her hand. She looked like someone who didn't think the situation was chaotic enough.
"How about I stay for one more day and teach you how to make snacks? It's quite fun, and Vignette will be here too," Shirou suggested to the Angel.
"Ehh—what a pain. For small stuff like that, you can just stay and teach Vignette, then leave it to her to handle," Gabriel said with a look of pure disdain.
"No, if you act like this, it won't just be me; everyone else will be troubled too," Shirou urged.
"What's the big deal? I've helped them before. Besides, after you all grow old and die, I'll let you all into Heaven. Think of this as an investment. Instead of spending a fortune on a grave, it's much more efficient to give that money to me," Gabriel said calmly while picking her ear.
"That's a total abuse of authority," Shirou said with a wry smile.
"Because! Because! There are no games here, and my phone is out of battery! Other than lying around lazily and oversleeping, there's nothing to do. Now I finally have the joy of food! This is all I'm living for—how could I possibly give it up!" Gabriel flailed her arms, shouting as she rolled around on the floor.
"No, if I don't go solve the problem, everyone might have to stay here forever," Shirou said.
"Even if you go, the problem might not be solved. Shirou, just stay and keep me company! If it's you, I'll give you the highest preferential treatment," Gabriel said willfully.
Outside the door, Satania nodded. She felt it would be fine if Shirou stayed, mainly because his melon bread was so delicious. But before she could speak, she felt a terrifying dark aura emanating from behind her, causing her to gasp in fear.
"I can't watch this anymore!" Vignette stepped forward, looking genuinely angry.
"What!" A grim-faced Vignette glared as she asked. An honest person is most terrifying when they lose their temper because they've already made up their mind from the start. It was like a forensic investigator or a lawyer skilled at finding legal loopholes deciding to become a master criminal to fight fire with fire.
"No, it's nothing." The head guard lady silently moved aside, opening a path for the girl to pass.
The guards familiar with her didn't dare stop her; after all, Vignette was usually friendly to everyone and morally beyond reproach. Honestly, everyone was quite fed up with Gabriel's behavior. Although she could emit holy light, possessed an angel's halo and wings, and held divine tokens proving her identity wasn't a fake, that was exactly the problem. If outsiders saw the Angel Gabriel acting like a "shut-in neet," it would deal an unnecessary shock to the believers.
The Imam of the only mosque in the city—the highest authority among the local clergy—had set the rule to satisfy the Angel's every whim but not let her out. In truth, this played right into Gabriel's hands. Aside from being a bit bored, she had no complaints about a life where she was provided for by humans.
Vignette was the only one who could somewhat discipline Gabriel and stop her from acting recklessly; she was essentially everyone's savior. In fact, there was a tacit agreement behind the scenes that although Vignette was currently just the Angel's attendant, she would one day surpass Gabriel and become a holy angel revered by all.
"Shirou-senpai!"
"Yes?"
Vignette walked into the room, went to Shirou's side, and whispered a few words in his ear.
Upon hearing them, Shirou nodded repeatedly. Then, both of them turned their gazes directly toward Gabriel.
"Wha... what?" Gabriel sat up, feeling guilty under their stares. She scooted her backside two spaces away and asked.
"Zelel..." Shirou uttered the name Vignette had told him. Though he didn't quite understand it, the effect was extraordinary.
"Sister!!! Why?! Vignette! Did you betray me?!" Gabriel stood up as if struck by a bolt from the blue, looking toward the black-haired demon girl in profound shock.
"Give it up, Gabriel! Stop causing trouble for everyone. If you don't want your butt spanked again, you'd better behave," Vignette said sternly, crossing her arms as she stood by Shirou's side.
"Stop bluffing! Even if your true form, Shirou, is the Supreme God who created our world, you've lost contact with the source right now, haven't you!" Gabriel struggled to argue.
"Should I try summoning her once right now?" Shirou said unhurriedly.
"Wait! Ugh... let me think about it," Gabriel said, raising a hand.
"Gab-chan, this is getting a bit bad," Raphiel, who had been smiling all along, opened her eyes to warn her.
"Eh?! Gabriel, if that Angel sister of yours comes over, it won't be a joke," even Satania said, looking over with worry.
"I surrender, I surrender. Let the people outside in too," Gabriel hesitated for a moment before raising both hands in defeat.
"It would have been better if you'd just listened from the start," Vignette said with a smile.
"Using my family to threaten me... as expected of a demon from Hell. I'll remember this," Gabriel muttered through gritted teeth, fuming with rage.
"Hey, hey, don't talk about us like we're irredeemable villains," Shirou retorted.
He was a bit surprised that Gabriel became so obedient so suddenly; it seemed that sister of hers was quite a formidable existence. As it turns out, the "report to the parents" method is indeed very effective against bratty children.
"Kukuku, Hahaha!" Satania ran out, hand over her face, laughing with a dark, sinister grin. "How pathetic, Gabriel! Now you understand, don't you? This is what happens when you oppose the Great Archdemon Satania-sama!"
"You had it coming!" Satania raised one hand high like a ballet dancer, her body arching back as she laughed incessantly like a proud swan lifting its wing. "Wahahaha! Uwah!"
A cushion flew through the air, hitting Satania square in the face and knocking her to the ground.
"Shut up! Don't be so noisy, you mere Satania! Now even my snack time to kill boredom is ruined. I'm so bored, so bored! I want to play games! Any game will do!" Gabriel said with a sob.
"If it's a game console, I can still make one for you," Shirou said, and he projected a PS Vita, a 3DS LL, and the recently popular hybrid console, the Switch.
Although he was currently cut off from the White God and his Holy Grail had been taken, the objects he had scanned with his Analyzing Mystic Eyes were all recorded in his mind.
"Shirou, you really are a god!!!" Gabriel grabbed the devices, shouting with excitement.
"Well, even if I project them, they'll disappear soon," Shirou said.
"No, for Shirou-san, the things projected won't disappear, because he is the one and only Creator God," Raphiel said with a cat-like smile.
"Eh! What do you mean?" Shirou asked in surprise.
"Because the world we currently inhabit is built upon your power. Unlike those primal worlds, the creatures living in these newly born worlds—whether humans, angels, or demons—were all created by the White God," Raphiel explained.
Shirou looked toward Vignette, who nodded.
"No way... if that's the case..." Shirou recalled having some strange dreams. People in some worlds he had visited were fighting tooth and nail over the kitchen utensils he created, causing bloodbaths—things like "Holy Pot Wars" and "Legendary Kitchenware." Could all of those have been real?
"In a way, all living beings are the children of the Creator God," Raphiel said, holding her face.
"Yeah! Papa! Since it doesn't cost money, just project a generator and a TV for me! Actually, just build a whole game center while you're at it so everyone can play together," Gabriel clung to him, rubbing against Shirou.
"It doesn't cost money, but it costs magical energy. And I don't want such a disobedient daughter," Shirou said, vigorously shaking his arm to try and dislodge Gabriel.
"Don't be like that! Having a daughter as cute as me isn't something you encounter easily," Gabriel was already lost in her gaming obsession, her eyes turning into swirling spirals as she held on even tighter.
Whack!
"Gabriel! Pull yourself together!!!" The black trident in Vignette's hand struck Gabriel's head without mercy.
"Uuu..." A large bump rose on the head of the rampaging blonde girl. She finally let go of Shirou and slumped to the floor.
"That wasn't pulling her together; it was knocking her out," Raphiel said, her body trembling as she stifled a laugh.
"I am so sorry, Shirou-senpai. I am so sorry, Senpais!" Vignette picked up the unconscious Gabriel and bowed to Shirou and the others in apology.
"No, it's fine, it's fine. Don't worry about it, Vignette-chan. We've been in your care too," Yuigahama said, waving her hands.
"Well, since she agreed, let her be," Yukinoshita said.
"Uuu... Vignette! Let go of me. See? They said so too!" The revived Gabriel complained, rubbing her sore bump.
"Show a little sincerity!" Vignette said, pressing down on Gabriel's head.
"Honestly! Without my help, even if you went out wandering, you wouldn't get any results," Gabriel pouted.
"I see. So you really do know something, Gabriel. So, do you want to play this or not?" Shirou projected a red-and-white Poke Ball and a matching Switch, waving them in front of the blonde girl.
"Hmph! I want it!" Gabriel looked at Shirou conflictedly but eventually puffed out her cheeks and took the console.
"Now, can you tell me properly what's going on?" Shirou sat down and looked at the girl.
"Fine, fine. Actually, when I came to this world, I received a mission from the World Consciousness," Gabriel said, shrugging her shoulders.
"Eh? EH! Why didn't you say anything before?" Vignette and Satania asked in surprise.
"Because that World Consciousness didn't give me anything good to eat... and it wanted me to run errands for it. Delivering stuff is a huge pain, okay?" Gabriel said with a look of disdain. She then looked at Shirou again. "Your partner is also involved in this mission, so Shirou, you deliver the package in my place."
"A package? Fine." Shirou didn't want any more conflict, so he agreed.
"Mm, wait a second." Gabriel stood up, opened a pocket-like portal of light in the void, and reached in to rummage around. She pulled out a bottle shimmering with the light of a Star Noble Phantasm.
"Not this one." Gabriel took a look and simply tossed it away.
"The Star Bottle symbolizing Aquarius! A Noble Phantasm water bottle crafted from the stars—it's the symbol of the guardian angel of Aquarius!" An elderly white-haired lady cried out in shock and fell to the floor.
This lady was the invited Imam of the mosque, an expert in Islamic doctrine. Serving Allah in the mosque, she led the believers in studying the classics and performing prayers. She was usually dedicated to protecting the mosque and forbidding any "unclean" persons, such as men or non-believers, from entering this pure land. Now, because of the chaos at Gabriel's place, she had been invited over. She never expected to witness a heart-stopping scene the moment she walked in.
"Imam!! Are you alright!" The adjutant beside her quickly helped the old woman up.
"Ignore me! Quick! Go catch that bottle! That is one of the Zodiac, representing the 11th month of every year! It affects the fate of all humanity—it absolutely cannot be broken!" The old lady pushed the adjutant away, shouting with a hoarse voice.
The guards scrambled forward, raising their arms, but they collided with each other and failed to catch the bottle.
A moment before it hit the ground, Asuna, possessed by Minamoto no Raikō, hooked it up and caught the treasure bottle in her palm. She toyed with it curiously. If ancient Chinese porcelain was unrivaled in the world, this treasure bottle was the highest culmination of Western craftsmanship.
At that moment, a golden ripple automatically appeared in the void. Asuna placed the bottle inside, and the golden curtain slowly retracted the bottle. The people of the Abbasid Empire let out a collective sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, Gabriel continued rummaging. This time, she pulled out a trumpet shaped like a lily.
"The Horn of the Last Judgment!!!" As the Imam responsible for rituals, she cried out in astonishment at the sight. The guards nearby turned pale, breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Ah... not this one either." Gabriel tossed it away with another flick of her wrist.
"Careful!!"
This time, Vignette arrived just in time. She crouched down, caught the horn steadily, and returned it to the golden space. Everyone finally let out a long sigh of relief...
"Ah! Finally found it!" Gabriel shouted. This time, the girl pulled a precious sword out of the light hole.
"Shouldn't that be in Roland's hands? Why do you have it?" Shirou recognized at a glance that this was a top-tier Holy Sword no less impressive than Excalibur.
Gabriel explained: "Mm-hm, looks like you know your stuff. That's right, this is Durandal. Since a real Roland doesn't even exist in this world, the story just follows this setting. Some of us who were dragged in have been given various missions by this world. Currently, Roland hasn't received the Holy Sword yet, and my role is to deliver this Holy Sword to the person playing Roland, so she can pass it on to the Imperial Emperor Charlemagne or whatever. In the game, this is an SSR top-tier sword, though I haven't even played with it since I got it."
Gabriel muttered while toyed with the Holy Sword. When she saw Satania nearby, she gave a wicked grin and slowly unsheathed Durandal. She pointed the blade—renowned for its sharpness and durability—at the red-haired demon girl and ran toward her.
"Waaaaah! Gabriel, stay away!" Seeing things turn sour, Satania screamed and began running around the room.
"What? Satania, haven't you been saying you want to duel me? Now's the perfect time—let's fight!" Gabriel chased her, and the two circled around the room.
"Okay! Okay! Stop it!" Vignette pulled Gabriel back and asked in confusion: "By the way, don't you have a convenient skill like Divine Step? Why don't you just deliver it yourself?"
"I tried!" Gabriel said.
"Eh? Then why are you still here?" Vignette asked, puzzled.
"Divine Step... and then..." Gabriel turned her head away, mumbling in a low voice.
"Huh? What? It was too quiet, I didn't hear you," Vignette asked.
"I said! My Divine Step failed! And then!" Gabriel shouted at the top of her lungs, her face turning red as she blew her top: "My panties disappeared!! AHHH... ah..."
"..." Everyone in the room fell into a simultaneous silence...
'So... that's the reason why the Angel has been shut in her room all this time?'
Gabriel bowed her head with a red face, toughing it out as she finished: "Anyway, I'm leaving this to you. Roland is on the front lines of the battlefield where the Abbasid Empire is clashing. You'll know once you ask around."
"Oh... okay." Shirou awkwardly took the precious sword and agreed.
"Imam! Imam! What do we do? The Angel is going to send the Holy Sword to the opposing side?!" the adjutant asked with a scream.
"Gaaaaah..." Unfortunately, the old lady had completely fainted by now, foaming at the mouth. The Treasure Bottle and the Judgment Horn were just too much excitement for an elderly person.
"Waaaaah! Imam! Imam! Someone come quick! Call a doctor!" the adjutant screamed.
"Yes, sir!!" the guards scrambled out.
"If you're going to leave, do it now!" Gabriel whispered to Shirou, looking at the chaotic mess of Arabian women.
Shirou nodded, then looked at his three companions. "I'm heading out for a bit. There's a war going on outside, so..."
"We know. Be careful. We'll wait for you to come back! It's a promise," Yukinoshita nodded in agreement.
"Mm! It's a promise!" Shirou agreed and turned to run outside.
However, what the boy didn't know was that on the battlefield at this moment...
The woman who would later be known as Saint Roland was currently slaying enemies while reciting fourteen-line French love poems. Her long golden hair was tied in a ponytail draped behind her, giving her a dashing and elegant aura. Her eyes were neither pale gold nor emerald green, but a lake-like azure blue—the only thing different from the Artoria in the boy's memory.
The woman's rapier pierced the throat of the last enemy. She then plucked a small white flower from a tree and began playing a game of petal divination. The woman's slender hand plucked the first petal, her eyes full of tenderness as she said:
"You love me."
The woman looked at the second petal, furrowing her brows slightly, and said:
"You love me not."
When it was time to pluck the third petal, the woman had already calculated that there were six petals left. she simply yanked five of them off at once and threw them away.
Then, showing a satisfied smile, she plucked the final petal and looked toward the sky, saying dotingly:
"Oh, Shirou, my little kitten, you really do love me. Are you looking at this sky and thinking of me right now too?"
"Achoo~!!!"
At that moment, Shirou, wearing a projected invisibility cloak and riding a horse galloping toward the other end of the vast grassland, let out a massive sneeze.
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