Itadaki no Hecate

The Hatred of Man

It was a Saturday when Yuji left his home together with Hecate. Since there was no school that day, the two were in casuals. To the boy's interest, Hecate had been wearing the blue dress that Konoe Fumina had bought not too many days ago.

Yuji smiled. "Still suits you," he said.

Hecate blinked and glanced at him silently. "I have no other clothes besides the uniform," she said.

"I see," Yuji responded, unsure of what to say about that. "Maybe we could buy more later? Or my mom could have some spare clothes. We could easily say your other clothes were burned in the 'fire'."

Hecate simply nodded in response. After some distance travelling together, Yuji threw her a question.

"So, he really still hasn't moved from the last time I saw him?"

Hecate nodded once. "I would have sensed it if he did," she said. Apparently, she had finer senses than the Flame Haze did, although even she could not pinpoint an exact location without the use of a spell.

"And the Flame Haze hasn't tried to make a move on either of you two?"

"Yes, if she did, she would have used a seeking spell first." Hecate glanced at Yuji. "You are sure he is there?"

"Yeah, I met him there myself. There's something that's been bugging me since the day we defeated Friagne. I really need to ask him today."

"The Flame Haze not acting is suspicious."

"Yeah," Yuji said. He felt the same way. But then again, a Flame Haze, he understood, was one who would stop Denizens from consuming humans. As he knew, Lamies did not consume any humans, so he would be safe, probably. Although Hecate would probably be on her blacklist, thus why the Flame Haze was still here; it could also be that the Flame Haze was originally here for Friagne. Either way, it seemed that she was simply watching and waiting for a chance to surprise Hecate.

Little did either of them realize that they were being tailed. As the two walked together, Keisaku and Eita followed them as discreetly as possible.

"They're finally on the move," Keisaku said. "You already told Margery-san?"

"Yeah," Eita replied. He still doubted whether what he was doing was right, but there was no turning back now. "She's already prepared."

"Alright," Keisaku said. "Just do it like we planned: keep our distance, use the bookmark, and then run away as fast as we could."

Episode 8: The Hatred of Man

At the museum where Yuji had gone to with Kazumi Yoshida, the boy and the Priestess found Lamies. The old man was among life-size sculptures of modern design, examining them with slight interest.

"It's been a long time, Supreme Throne," Lamies said as the two approached him.

"Spiral Organ," Hecate said. It wasn't exactly a friendly greeting with her lack of tone, but at least it meant that she acknowledged - or even respected him.

Yuji glanced at Hecate, then at Lamies with a slightly confused expression. The old man smiled at him reassuringly. "It's just another title of mine, nothing to be concerned about," he said. "I take it you two have reconciled after our last meeting, Yuji Sakai."

"Yeah," Yuji said. "Thanks for making me realize all that. And thanks for telling me Friagne's plan. If it wasn't for that, Hecate wouldn't have stopped him."

"That was your own doing. And you do not owe me anything, we were both acting against the same threat," Lamies said. "So tell me, what brings you here again, my young Mystes?"