Crossover: The Problem Human of [Arcadia]

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In the tearoom, when Ryo pushed open the door, he only saw Shiroyasha sitting alone on a cushion, sipping matcha.

"Oh? Back already?"

Shiroyasha blinked, then gave him a sly smile. "Did you get your first time?"

"My first… what?"

Ryo frowned, glanced around the room, and asked, "Where's the Aishelia?"

"Athena took her away. Don't worry. She's her personal follower—she'll be fine."

Shiroyasha waved it off, then tilted her head. "Wait, Athena didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Ryo asked, puzzled.

"About her first time!"

Shiroyasha rolled her eyes, grinning in a way that was just a little too knowing.

"…Don't tell me…" Ryo's face tightened. The way Shiroyasha kept harping on first times, and Athena of all people—it was hard not to get the wrong idea.

"So she is a virgin goddess, after all."

Shiroyasha froze, then gave him a weird look. "…What the hell are you talking about?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ryo shot back.

They stared at each other in silence until Shiroyasha finally blinked and muttered, "Wait, you're telling me Athena didn't hit you with her First Warning? That's… strange. You should've ruined her plan, unless she let you off for the Aishelia's sake."

"First Warning?" Ryo asked, incredulous. "That's what you meant this whole time?"

"Well, yeah."

Shiroyasha narrowed her eyes—then suddenly smirked, teasing. "Oooh, I get it now. You've got your eye on Athena, huh? Bold move, kid."

Ryo ignored her and sat at the table. "Forget it. I nearly did get that so-called First Warning."

"Relax."

"Athena might be hot-tempered, but she's got her own way of handling things. As long as you don't rack up three warnings, you're fine."

Shiroyasha waved it off, but then her eyes sharpened. "Still, you trashed her proxy and she let it slide? What's going on there?"

Ryo just stared at her in silence.

"C'mon, you can tell me. I don't meddle in the old fossils' power games." Shiroyasha looked really curious.

Ryo sighed. "Looks like I just got roped in as a peripheral member of the Greek pantheon."

That made Shiroyasha's eyelids twitch—one up, one down, like a crooked cartoon expression. "No way. Athena's really lost her damn mind?"

"She's stubborn, sure, but asking you to…"

She stopped mid-sentence, clapped a hand over her mouth, then darted her eyes around before whispering, "…You're not screwing with me, are you?"

"Why? You think it's that strange?" Ryo asked with a grin.

"Strange doesn't even cover it. This is… beyond words. The problem is..."

Shiroyasha rubbed her face, clearly torn, "Will Athena even still be alive next year that way? Is she really the goddess of wisdom?"

"Really?" Ryo's mouth twitched. "You have that little faith in me?"

"You started a world-scale conflict in seven days and nearly wrecked my sun authority," Shiroyasha deadpanned, knocking on the table. "So tell me, am I wrong not to trust you?"

Ryo had no comeback. When he thought about it, he'd only been in this world for, what, two months? And in that time, he'd already stirred up two messes big enough to shake the gods. His expression turned a bit awkward.

"See? You get it."

Shiroyasha gave him the look you'd give a walking disaster. "I'd cover for you if I could, but you cause trouble on a scale even I can't handle."

"So."

Shiroyasha held up a hand like a warding charm. "If you get into that kind of trouble, just don't drag me down with you. That's all I ask."

That made Ryo chuckle.

Shiroyasha poured him tea, then asked, "So, what's your plan? You gonna actually move into the place the Greeks set up for you?"

Ryo picked up the cup and shook his head. "If I really went there, I'd be dead on arrival."

"At least you have a good brain."

Shiroyasha's expression said, 'You are damn right.'

Greek gods watching his every move? With Ryo's track record, one slip-up and nobody would cover for him. Trustworthy gods were rare in that pantheon.

"As long as you've got a plan." Shiroyasha's face grew serious. "Just keep it clean this time, all right?"

"I know. I'll have backup options ready."

Ryo then grinned. "Speaking of which, since [No Name] just ranked up to six digits and got regional dominion rights, I'll be dropping by tomorrow."

"Oh oh And...." he perked up. "Our alliance with [Perseus] gets formalized tomorrow too. Wouldn't it be better to use the alliance banner for the upgrade?"

"Of course. But do you even have a banner yet?"

"Had one ready ages ago. You'll see it tomorrow." Ryo shrugged.

"Keeping secrets from me now? Cute." Shiroyasha clicked her tongue.

Ryo just laughed, stood, and said, "Then I'd better get back and wait to welcome you properly."

"Yeah, yeah. Go on." Shiroyasha waved him off, watching him leave.

— — —

[Perseus] Community – Alternate Dimension

In a room filled with mirrors—ancient and modern, from all over the world—Algol, the childlike yet bewitching Demon Star, was fussing with her bangs in front of a round mirror.

"Perfect! As expected, Al-chan is the most beautiful!"

She threw up a peace sign at her reflection, then turned and noticed a zanpakutō stabbed into the ground.

"Huh? Where'd this come from?"

The blade gave off a faint gleam.

Algol leaned in, scrutinized the surface, then put a hand on her hip with an annoyed look. "Seriously? Who dumped such a low-res mirror in here? Death penalty!"

The zanpakutō shuddered.

Then, out of the blade's reflection, a miniature Algol emerged, looking smug. "Useless original. I already prepped an escape plan, and here you are preening?"

Crunch!

Algol pinched the tiny sword to powder with one hand. Her expression turned cold. "Guess I gave my avatars too much knowledge. Insulting Al-chan's beauty? Unforgivable."

But as the fragments faded, she suddenly caught the memories from the blade. She blinked. "Cain? Demon Primogenitor? The Cleansing? Asking Shiroyasha for help? What the hell does any of that mean?"

"Why go crawling to that little shorty anyway? Isn't Ryo enough?"

She muttered to herself as she strolled toward the bath. "That brat's beauty blessings are the real prize here. It's just giving avatars too much knowledge was a mistake. Better recycle this one."

She flicked her hand. The zanpakutō re-formed on its own, then dissolved into the air.

With that settled, Algol grabbed a towel, humming as she stepped into a milk-scented bath.

"Hehehe~ Skin whitening treatment number 114,115, commencing now~"

The Demon Star Algol remained as dazzling as everr…

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