Cid listened closely to the beautiful blonde girl with a single ponytail in front of him, the tip of his ink pen moving quickly across the notebook as he recorded her testimony.
"Cid, how is it? I told you my Peerage Members couldn't possibly be the culprits."
Closing his notebook and letting out a breath, Cid heard a rough voice beside his ear and turned his head with a smile.
"I understand, King Bael. I trust you, but this is the duty President Sona assigned to me."
"I understand, I understand. And there's no need to be so polite. Just call me Sairaorg. I'm related to your captain, Rias, after all."
With a broad grin, Sairaorg threw an arm around Cid's shoulders, intending to get closer to him, only to suddenly freeze. The hand resting on Cid's shoulder applied a little more force.
"Cid, your body is really... solid. Your defense is almost catching up to mine."
"You're exaggerating, Sairaorg. I only have the physical conditioning a Magical Swordsman should have. My sister taught me this ability, and it only looks tough on the outside. Inside, I'm fragile."
Without changing expression, Cid twisted out from under Sairaorg's arm while relaxing the muscle density just beneath the skin of his shoulder, giving Sairaorg a demonstration of what "iron skin" meant.
That was careless. I didn't notice when Sairaorg got so close. I hope he buys that explanation...
"I see. As expected of someone strong enough to have fought on the World Battlefield. You even know such an incredible ability?"
Good, he believed it. Even if he did, this is still a problem.
Looking at Sairaorg's admiring expression, Cid kept his smile and gave a bow.
"Thank you for your cooperation. Since I've finished investigating here, I'll be going now. I still need to collect information from President Sona. Bye."
"Eh, hey, wait!"
Cid tried to quicken his pace and leave, but the magical power radar he had just activated sensed that Sairaorg's speed had already surpassed the limit of an extra. He had no choice but to stop and turn back with a puzzled look.
"Is there something else?"
"Well, Cid-kun, would you... be interested in joining my team?"
"!"
Did my perfect extra acting show a flaw again?
Seeing Cid's confusion, Sairaorg, who knew what he was doing was not exactly proper, scratched his head in embarrassment, but still brought one palm down heavily on Cid's shoulder.
"I'm serious. Just from that one touch earlier, I could tell you're a prodigy of physical training..."
"I'm very grateful that you think so highly of me, Sairaorg-senpai, but I think you should discuss my transfer with Rias. I really, really have to go now. If I delay any longer, I won't finish today's investigation."
Using a little technique, Cid slipped free from Sairaorg's hand and sprinted toward the door at a speed almost beyond that of an extra.
"Young Master, what was that just now...?"
As Sairaorg watched Cid rush away with a look of regret, a towering giant came to his side.
"Gandoma. It's nothing. I just feel it's a bit of a shame."
"A shame?"
"Right. A shame for that firm will and extraordinary talent of his."
Perhaps because of his usual physical training, Sairaorg was especially sensitive to this area. The instant he touched Cid, he sensed a lean, powerful body that could only have been forged through harsh training.
Even more incredible was that, aside from the physique that spoke of firm will, his body seemed newly born, constantly radiating youthful vitality.
One of those traits alone would not be too alarming, but when both appeared together, Sairaorg could only think of one possibility. A peerless genius with extraordinary talent in martial arts who had accidentally taken the wrong path, causing twice the effort for half the result.
"So, Young Master, are you planning to help him develop his talent and use that to have him join us?"
After hearing Sairaorg's explanation, the giant Gandoma asked.
"No. First, let's see whether we can persuade him to join us of his own will. If we really can't, then I'll mention it to Rias."
Although he very much wanted to pick up this hidden gem, Sairaorg had no intention of taking advantage of anyone. If Cid truly did not want to join, he would only tell Rias to pay more attention to developing him, so she would not waste Cid's talent.
As for Rias transferring him over on her own initiative... Forget it. They were relatives. How could he not understand Rias?
...
My extra disguise must have gone wrong again. Looks like Sairaorg can't be allowed to live. I'll have Doggie take him out another day.
Walking down the corridor, Cid narrowed his eyes as he recalled what had just happened, a dangerous gleam flickering in them.
Still, a prodigy of physical training...
He raised his arm and looked at the lines of his muscles. Well, considering this body of his was shattered and regrown seven times a night on average, he really was a prodigy of physical training.
Most people probably could not understand what that meant, so to put it simply, strictly speaking, his body was only a few hours old. After another few hours, his entire body would be like the "Ship of Theseus," with every part replaced by newly grown tissue.
The results of his training would not vanish, nor would the traces of training disappear. But the positive feedback trail built up during that training would vanish as his body shattered and was reborn.
All those factors combined had created a body that bore the marks of intense training but showed none of the growth traces from positive feedback, making it look as if it had grown entirely through natural talent.
My, my. I never thought my perfect extra disguise had such a huge flaw. Since you helped me discover this loophole, I won't have Doggie kill you, Sairaorg-senpai.
Thinking this, Cid controlled the muscles in his body to conceal both his training marks and youthful vitality, then stopped in front of the door to President Sona's private conference room.
He had originally planned to push the door open and go straight in, but with his magical power radar still active, he could see two people inside who seemed to be fighting. He was silent for three seconds, then changed from pushing to knocking.
"..."
There was no response. The two people tangled together inside did not stop moving either. The already faint sounds grew even quieter, as if the person clearly not Sona Sitri had won and was pressing down on Sona Sitri's back, preventing her from making a sound.
"Sigh..."
Cid sighed silently. Why did he keep running into terrorist attacks lately? Be grateful, Vice President Sona. You just picked up a life.
He took out his phone, tapped through a few screens to the emergency call page, held it behind his back, and placed his finger on the red button in the center.
"President Sona, I'm coming in."
As he said that, Cid's free hand pressed down on the door handle. He was ready to hit the button the instant he saw the culprit.
"Don't come in!"
His finger, only one millimeter away from the button, was stopped by a panicked girl's voice. Not because the voice belonged to a girl, but mainly because the person speaking seemed to be Sona Sitri herself.
Inside the chaotic room, a beautiful girl with black twin tails, dressed... like she was in cosplay, was sitting on Sona Sitri's back. In her hands, she held a set of clothes that matched her cosplay outfit, and the wicked grin on her face had yet to fade as she locked eyes with Cid.
As for Sona Sitri, whom Cid had assumed was being kidnapped, she turned toward him with a look of terror. Her usually proper clothes had been stripped halfway off, revealing a large expanse of skin.
"Ahaha, sorry. Looks like I came at a bad time. President Sona, have fun. I'll come back later."
Cid laughed brightly a few times and turned around to leave as naturally as could be.
"Stop right there!"
Only after blinking did the unknown woman react. She shouted, gathered blue magical power in her hand, and fired it at Cid.
With his magical power radar still active, Cid could map out the trajectory of the magical power in his mind. Rationally speaking, he should dodge here. After all, if that thing hit him, he would have to stab himself again.
"Smack!"
A water bullet caught up from behind and collided with the magical power ray right behind Cid's back. White, frigid mist exploded outward in an instant. Frost spread across the floor from the center of the blast, and the room's temperature plummeted.
"Cold, cold, cold!"
Cid, who was "naturally" right next to the center of the blast, was sent flying by the shockwave. The back of his clothes was covered in ice and snow.
Muttering his lines, Cid lay on the floor and turned his terrified face back toward the room.
Seeing that one strike had failed to take Cid down, the unknown woman gathered blue magical power in her hand again, only for Sona Sitri to grab her and stop her.
"Sona, don't stop me. That guy saw my Sona's body, so he has to be eliminated. My adorable Sona-chan's body was seen by someone other than me. What a blunder."
"It's all your fault! I told you to stop just now, or someone would see us, but you actually threatened me instead!"
"That's why I said it was a blunder. But you share part of the responsibility too, Sona. None of this would've happened if you had obediently let Nee-san change your clothes. Let go of me, Sona. Nee-san won't kill him. He just has to forget what he saw."
"That's not allowed either! Cid, wait outside for a moment. I'll explain after I deal with my sister."
After anxiously saying that last line, Sona Sitri once again grabbed the woman's hand as she gathered magical power, throwing the attack off course. Then she and the woman fell back to the floor and started grappling again.
Cid silently climbed to his feet. His mind spun rapidly for a short while, but in the end, he chose to close the door. Leaning against the wall nearby, he took out a bag of sunflower seeds and waited obediently.
His magical power radar, which he had not turned off, faithfully broadcast the situation inside the room to him in real time. Since he had glanced inside earlier, this time it even filled in the colors.
All right, through the magical power radar, we can now see the two people who are probably sisters wrestling on the floor. Sona Sitri is really going hard against her sister, immediately using water magic.
That woman isn't backing down either. With one casual move, she froze all the water from the water magic. Looks like President Sona is completely countered here.
After freezing the water magic, that woman seized the opportunity... and ran toward the door?
The guard is wide open, her attribute counters yours, and her stats are overwhelming. Instead of instantly taking down Sona Sitri, you're running?
...In short, because of that woman's actor-like behavior, Sona Sitri ended up pinning her down instead and whispered something into her ear.
The pinned woman was still arguing, but as Sona Sitri continued speaking, she eventually gave up resisting. It seemed the winner had been decided.
Sensing the two of them walk toward the door one after the other, Cid fixed his expression and casually used Power of Destruction to erase all the sunflower seed shells in his hand.
"Creak..."
"All right, Cid. You can come in now."
Sona Sitri opened the door with a calm face, as if nothing had happened, and gestured for Cid to enter. The woman behind her looked thoroughly unhappy.
"...Then pardon the intrusion, President Sona."
"Just call me Vice President."
"Understood, President Sona."
"...Forget it. Call me whatever you like."
Sona Sitri gave what seemed like a helpless sigh and led the woman behind her back into the conference room.
"Things got a little out of hand just now. Sorry for the poor hospitality."
"Not at all. I'm the one who came over and disturbed you without warning, President Sona."
Sona Sitri pulled a chair up from the floor and gestured for Cid to sit, then walked toward her own seat. As for the cosplay woman, she did not feel awkward at all when Sona Sitri did not get a chair for her. She simply formed an ice chair beside Sona Sitri and sat down.
"Enough with the pleasantries. Cid-kun, why are you here instead of investigating with Rias and the others?"
"Uh, well..."
Faced with Sona Sitri's question, Cid's gaze drifted aside, as if there was something he wanted to say but did not dare to.
After thinking for a few seconds, Sona Sitri suddenly turned her head and met the eyes of the cosplay woman behind her, who was glaring viciously at Cid.
Seeing Sona Sitri fly into a rage, Cid laughed to himself. The instant Sona Sitri turned back, he immediately returned to normal.
"Nee-san, introduce yourself."
Under Sona Sitri's pressure, the cosplay woman clicked her tongue in displeasure.
"Hello. I am Serafall Leviathan, one of the current Four Great Satans of the Underworld. You may call me Your Majesty Leviathan."
The hostility came from nowhere, so naked and obvious that even Sona Sitri beside her noticed it.
"It's a great honor to meet you, Your Majesty Leviathan. My name is Cid Kagenou. You can call me Cid."
As if he had not noticed that hostility at all, Cid introduced himself with a bright smile.
"That feeling. That's exactly the feeling..."
But Serafall reacted as if something had set her off. She pointed at Cid and shouted.
"An evil scumbag like you is definitely trying to steal my adorable Sona-chan away. I'm going to get rid of you right now..."
Before she could make a move, Sona Sitri stopped her again.
"Stop being so hostile to Cid-kun. Maybe he was wrong to walk in, but no matter how you look at it, the real culprit here is you."
"You don't understand, Sona. The moment I saw him, my sis-con radar went crazy. He's definitely a top-class scumbag."
"That's just your sis-con delusion, Nee-san. Don't go slapping the scumbag label on people..."
Who would have thought that the calm and composed Sona Sitri had a side like this? Now that was something you did not see every day.
The spectator sighed in admiration.