Chapter 9 : "Magic.
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"Yes, 'besides being a devil'." She makes the piece disappear. "Those that kill their masters and run away become criminals of the highest order.
They usually go insane by the piece's power and start killing or doing damage that if not controlled can expose our world." Raising an eyebrow she asks. "Questions?"
"No thanks." Shirou then turns pensive. "And that stray? Are you sure that there isn't one around?"
"My contact said they had definite proof… as a devil when I am summoned and receive a request I must see it through, my pride demands that." Shirou now had some questions.
"Isn't that dangerous? You could fall for a trap or something?" She found his concern funny.
"There are safety measures, to call for a devil the wish needs to be sincere." That just confounded him more.
"And it knows how?"
"Magic." Shirou had to admit he walked into that one. "Anyway, do you know any other magus in this school?"
"Honestly I thought I was the only one here that knew about the moonlit world." Shirou couldn't help but scratch the back of his head. "I didn't even know that there was anyone else on the 'know' around."
"You really know nothing about them." Rias was smiling, almost like she knew a joke that he was not privy to.
"There is much more to this town than you know about. That being said, here."
Rias was offering Shirou the pamphlet and he just took it. "What do I do with this?"
"If you have a wish you can call me." She shrugs. "Consider it an apology for scaring you."
"I was not scared."
"Cute, but the way you are holding that sword," she was pointing to it and only then he noticed how he was gripping it, "says otherwise."
"Fine." He couldn't deny it and placed the pamphlet in his pocket. "But what about the stray? Are you just going to leave?"
"There is nothing I can do." Rias stopped to think. "There is no sign of a stray and there was no one missing in the region as far as I know.
It would be easy if there was something weird happening around." The last comment caught Shirou's attention.
"Weird? Like a random gas leak?"
"Sorry to disappoint but gas leaks are not that uncommon."
"They are in the middle of a forest." Now Shirou had her attention.
"Show it to me." It was a demand but one that Shirou had no problems complying with.
The woods behind the academy were not a big forest but it extended enough to the walls of the institution.
When one looks outside it looks like the entrance of a real forest when it was actually, while considerably big, lacking the wood life that would make that a real forest having only insects as the majority of the population.
Once Rias got close to the forest she made another magic circle and summoned a creature that looked like a bat but… cuter?
"Batchan, explore for a bit. Come back if you find anything." Batchan gave her a nod, a salute and flew into the woods. Shirou watched all curiously until Rias moved to enter as well.
"Hey! What are you doing?" His question made her turn around.
"What? Batchan can't scout all this by herself and I am more sensitive to another devil's energy."
"But shouldn't you call for reinforcements or something like that?" Was she insane by going alone where there can be a criminal?
"Thank you for the concern, it is much appreciated however," the smell returned once again, stronger than before,
"I am strong Emiya-kun. So please, go home and let me deal with the stray."
Having said her piece, Rias marched to the woods and Shirou wondered if the demonstration was to reassure him or because of her pride.
Either way it didn't matter since Shirou could go home… As if he would let someone walk in the woods alone.
The duo walked for a bit with Rias taking the lead, the girl turned to see Shirou following her but said nothing about it.
The two kept walking for a bit in silence, looking around for anything unusual.
Shirou didn't have any difficulties walking, the light of the full moon helped illuminate the way but soon the path started to get more difficult and he said. "This is odd."
"What is it?" Rias stopped to listen to his explanation.
"The gardners take care of this place, it shouldn't be like that." Even if the school was in trouble financially it was still a thing that needed to be done to avoid accidents.
"I am sure I saw them entering here once or twice before the 'break'."
The two stood there, each thinking of what that meant when Rias raised her head and then her hand for her familiar. "Report."
"There is a barrier a little further north."
"IT TALKS?" Shirou was shocked.
"So do you." Rias didn't bother turning to him. "Continue."
"Right boss." The voice was so cute but Shirou refrained from commenting. "I didn't find any way to open the barrier but it's not that strong."
"Is it a devil's barrier?" The small bat nods. "Show us the way." The familiar took flight once again and they followed the small creature.
Soon they reached the barrier, to normal eyes there was nothing but Shirou used another piece of magecraft, reinforcement, to improve his vision. "It is a small one."
"You can see it?" Rias asked.
"Yes, it is really small. Small enough that it doesn't go past the tree line."
"Hum~" Rias raises her hand until she can touch the barrier.
Once she found it there was a spike of energy around her and a red aura covered the barrier and when it was completely enveloped it was destroyed. The whole process lasted a couple of seconds.
Once it fell Shirou stood there shocked, there was a cave, with a huge entrance that a whole truck could go into the ground. "How the hell did nobody notice this?" He was really confused.
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