Returning Welsh Dragon Hero - Chapter 13

"I want you to come with me on this contract." Rias said to Issei at the end of the school day, with Asia following along with them.

"You need my help to finish a Devil Contract?" Issei asked, sounding skeptical yet curious. "You know I'm not a Devil, right, Rias?" He asked with playful jest.

"No, no, nothing like that." She smiled and waved him off, before gaining a thoughtful look. "Well, maybe if you can use your Sacred Gear's Boost on me, but that's not really the main reason." Her smile returned. "There's a client I got recently and given that your isekai experience is real, I thought it might be possible theirs is true too, so I wanted you to meet them."

Issei blinked at that.

"Wait, you met someone else that travelled to another world? Actually, why would their isekai travel might not be seen as real?" Issei wondered.

"Well, usually when people say they 'travelled to another world', it's likely one of the many realms belonging to other pantheons. or pocket dimensions of some magician, or magician group or organization. Or a Fae Realm, but probability of that is too low nowadays." She explained.

"'Magicians' are the common name of mages?" Issei asked.

"Yes," Rias said before she tilted her head. "Why?"

"Nothing, it just has a different meaning in the other world." Issei said. "And by the way, yeah, I can use Gift. Boosting others." He pointed out.

"Oh, great! It should be easier to get the client's wish then." She said excitedly, before quickly calming herself, and looking bashfully at Issei. "Only if Issei is fine with helping, of course."

"If their wish isn't something bad, then sure." He shrugged with a smile.

"Great! Thanks, Issei." Rias smiled widely.

"I-I'll help too!" Asia spoke up, adding herself to the conversation.

"Thank you too, Asia!" Rias said back, keeping her cheer.

"So," Issei spoke. "You said when people say they 'travelled to another world', it's just usually a pocket dimension, or any of the magical worlds connected to ours that belong to other Pantheons, or mythological beings."

"Yes!" Rias nodded. "It's why hearing about your actual isekai experience is so amazing to me. And now there might be someone else who's the same. I wanted you to meet them."

Rias' enthusiasm was infectious as Issei and Asia found themselves smiling too.

"How do you know their experience is an actual isekai?" Issei asked.

"I did think they just ended in any of the worlds connected to ours, but it sounded nothing like them. You'll see." Rias said excitedly, while being sly in not saying anything conceret to keep up the mystery.

Soon enough the trio arrived to an apartment complex and stood before the client's door. Number 206.

Rias knocked on the door and waited for a moment. Her eyes widened as she remembered something.

"Ah, right. Before we meet them I should mention that the client is—"

The door opened inward.

"Hello, Devil-san! Have you come to grant my wish, nyo~?" A giant buff man in a magical girl outfit greeted the trio in a classical magical girl pose.

"A Magical Girl Enthusiast." Rias finished with an apologetic smile, at the shocked, throw off looks on Issei and Asia's faces. Rias went ahead and introduced the client. "Everyone, this is Mil-tan."

===x===

As the trio sat down in Mil-tan's room surrounded by magical girls paraphernalia.

"So Devil-san, you'll finally make my wish come true and turn me into a Magical Girl with fantasy powers~?" Mil-tan asked while acting like a bashful happy maiden.

"Asia, cover your eyes. Somethings are too overwhelming to see." Issei slowly held a hand up over Asia's eyes, but she easily pushed his hand down, as she saw he was just joking and couldn't help but giggle.

"Let's start with some introductions." Rias began. "To repeat, this is the client Mil-tan."

"Hello~ Devil-san and friend, nyo~." Mil-tan said and winked.

Issei forced himself to keep a straight face.

"...Cute." Asia tilted her head.

Issei's head snapped to Asia's direction with a look of complete shock.

What the hell is she finding cute!? Issei cried out in his head.

"I am Rias Gremory, and the Devil you summoned and I should hopefully now be able to fulfill your wish. These are my friend." She paused to let them introduce themselves.

"I'm Asia Argento, nice to meet you, Mil-san." Asia said with a nod.

"'Tan'! 'San' isn't cute." Mil-tan insisted.

Asia giggled. "Of course. Mil-tan."

"I'm Hyoudou Issei." He said casually. It wouldn't be the first time he met eccentric individual.

He's likely like Da Vinci, someone in love with a concept above all. In this case 'Magical Girls' rather than 'Perfection'.

"Nice to meet you, nyo~. You look like the handsome love interest in 'Magical Girl Milky Spiral 7 Alternative' ." Mil-tan said with a wink.

"Heh," Issei chuckled.

"So!" Rias spoke up and clapped her hands once. "Here's how this would go. To grant the wish, I will use my Devil Magic to make Mil-tan's wish come true. Since this isn't something that can be done by mundane means, and I don't have some magic artifact to facilitate this, we'll use the direct method. However, it seems like it would have taken a lot of Demonic Power to transform Mil-tan into a bonafide Magical Girl, due to his potential. That's where Issei will come in."

"Oh!" Issei said in understanding, curiosity in his expression. "Is that how Devil Contracts work?"

"Basically. As long as the client is happy and the payment is met, then the contract would be complete. Using Devil Magic, specifically the component of making anything we imagine materialize to directly make the wish happen, using the wish that activated the contract as a medium to shape the result of the magic." Rias explained. "Now as for payment, Mil-tan, I want you to tell us everything about your adventures to other worlds." She said with a grin.

"Wait, that's it? For the payment I mean." Issei asked.  

"Payment is calculated by this nifty wish-cost calculating device app we Devils have." Rias showed him the app logo on her phone. It had a magic circle with devil horns at the top and a gold coin in the center.

"Oh wow, they modernized." Issei muttered.

"Of course, we know how to use technology. " Rias said with a pout. "This is even magitech in this case. Magic and technology." She repeated for emphasis.

"Oh wow," Issei said genuinely. "I kinda want one in that case."

"No." Rias said back, even sticking her tongue out at him.

Issei held back a snort, and Asia giggled, while Rias just smile back. A gruff giggle was also let out, as Mil-tan laughed at their antics.

"You are all really good friends, aren't you?" Mil-tan said.

"Yes." Asia nodded.

"Yep!" Rias said enthusiastically.

"Yeah," Issei nodded as well.

"So!" Rias spoke. "Mil-tan, please proceed with the payment, the wish magic circle should be ready and all I have to do is power it up to grant the wish." Rias looked toward Issei, who nodded to tell her that he'll help her with the spell when it came time for it.

"Yes, of course, nyo~!" Mil-tan said with magical girl enthusiasm.

The group sat down, with the trio facing Mil-tan as the storyteller.

"It first started when I wished super really, really hard in my heart." Mil-tan said hands over his chest. The trio leaned in with intrigue in the story. "And nothing happened!" He said cheerfully.

Issei, Rias and Asia faceplanted from a where they were seated, before sitting back up.

"So basically nothing happened!" Issei cried out.

"Oh come on!" Rias said as well, as she was invested.

Asia just smiled throughout the antics, enjoying the conversation.

"So then I went and threw my grief into my muscles at the gym, till all the sadness went away, and only love for Magical Girls remained." Mil-tan said with a happy sigh.

"Ah. I see." Issei deadpanned.

"And right then as I was going home a magic portal hit me and I was summoned into another world to save them from a very bad, no-good Demon King." Mil-tan said gravely.

"Are you serious? What's with the sudden tone shift?!" Issei cried out.

"Yeah, that was a surprising plot twist." Rias nodded seriously, holding her chin.

"What 'plot twist'!?" Issei protested.

Asia kept laughing at the antics.

"I helped the nice people there and beat the bad Demon King, nyo. But sadly before I could tell Goddess-chan my wish, she sent me back home, nyo." Mil-tan said with a sad tone.

Oh wow, even an Isekai Goddess didn't want to deal with him.  

"I then was flying through dimensions, only for another portal to pull me in, and I found myself in a country of witches. It had four castles in each cardinal directions. I asked them to give me magic powers, but they refused and had me fight some weird monster that appear from people like a they were made from the bad dream in people's hearts. Eventually the Lady Witches of the North, West, East and South threw me out, nyo."

"I feel it's more like they were defending themselves from an invading force." Issei said under his breath.

"That sounds like the pocket dimension belonging to the Wizards of Oz! A castle in the north, west, south and east? You landed in the Emerald City." Rias exclaimed.

"Yes,  I think that's what the Lady Witches called it." Mil-tan nodded. "And then as I was throw across dimensions again, a girl was calling for a Spirit's aid, and I wanted to help her, because what Magical Girl doesn't fight for Justice~!" Mil-tan pumped his fist. "I arrived and help this cute mage girl against some bad guys. Key Summoner-chan wanted to summon someone named Taurus, but messed up and got me.

"I was able to help and she was happy with my Magical Girl aid. Sadly we couldn't make a contract, so I was pulled away from that world. But I ended up in the Celesty Spirit World of that world. The Spirits there were nice. they couldn't help me become a Magical Girl either, but helped me leave their world to make my way back home."

"Okay, I'm starting to feel like his journey is approaching to being as crazy as mine." Issei muttered while resting his head against his palm.

Mil-tan talked about how he managed to return home, only to later on be summoned to a different world as part of a hero group, and then other different shenanigans as he went through a couple more world.

"Then finally, I landed in the one place I never even imagined. A paradise for Magical Girls. It's ruler, First Lady-san said I have the heart of a Magical Girl, but I will have to figure out my own path to become a Magical Girl." Mil-tan said with heavy sadness.

Issei bolted upright.

"What... did you just say?" He said with complete wide-eyes focused solely on the magical girl loving bodybuilder.

"Ah, it's what First Lady-san had said to me. That place really was my last hope, that' why I turned to Devil-san when I returned home, since if the Magical Girl Paradise didn't have the answer to my wish, then maybe a Magical Grl Hell would do." Mil-tan clarified, yet the girls' attention was on Issei.

"Issei...?" Asia leaned toward him, placing a hand on his arm in worry.

"Issei, is something the matter?" Rias asked, concern clear in her voice.

"End Sacrifice." Issei finally spoke. "You reached... you were at End Sacrifice?"

 "'End Sacrifice?'" Asia tilted her head at the odd name.

Rias at first had her eyes widened in excitement at the recognition in Issei face. Mil-tan had travelled somewhere Issei had been.

"Issei? Is something wrong?" Rias asked.  

Yet, that look of sorrow and confusion on Issei's face, had Rias starting to feel worried.

"Mil-tan," Issei gave Rias a nod to acknowledge, but focused intensely on the bodybuilder. "You said you met the First Lady in a world of Magical Girls. Can you describe that world? Like location, geography?"

"I'd never forget it." Mil-tan nodded. "It was a beautiful world made of five kingdoms. Connacht ☆ Medb-chan, ruler of the Land of Snow and Honey. It's a very fun place where you can exercise anytime. Nursery ☆ Rhyme-chan, ruler of the Land of Sweets, where you can eat any sweets you want. Medical ☆ Medea-chan, ruler of the Land of Dragons and Sea, where you can relax with a nice sea breeze.

"Then there's Mahatma ♀ Helena-chan ruler of the Land of Dead Bookshelves. Hmm, that place isn't as nice but it has some quiet libraries. Finally there is The Land of Stars and Crystals, where the ruler of that world, First Lady-san lives." Mil-tan explained. "Although I didn't get to see it as First Lady-san has a huge barrier around it, and doesn't let anyone in." He said with a sad pout. "But she talked to me with magic, which was so fantastic, nyo~!" Mil-tan finished with awe.

Asia and Rias were watching Issei reaction with some intrigue. They thought he's be happy, as he seemed to recognize everything Mil-tan described, but the more Mil-tan talked, a sense of quiet melancholy seemed to envelop him.

"Issei, are you okay?" Asia went to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Issei smiled at her before patting her head. Asia smiled at the gesture and let him continue.

"Mil-tan... that place was not a paradise." Issei said to the shock of those present.

"How could you say that, nyo?" Mil-tan protested.

"Yeah, Issei, that place sounds wonderful." Rias said before she remember someone and chuckled. "I think if Lady Leviathan were to hear about it, she's would be over the moon, and determined to do anything to get there."

"Because that world is a graveyard for Magical Girls." Issei stated with a sad smile.

Asia, Rias and Mil-tan were shocked into silence.

"End Sacrifice was a world created by the First Lady to save Magical Girls, but she couldn't do it on her own as her reach to those world was limited. That world was only reached by Magical Girls who had failed." Issei said.

"No!" Mil-tan looked on in horror.

"Magical Girls who were overcome with despair, their magic that acted on their wishes and desires, rather than be motivated by hope became motivated by despair, and thus their souls were pulled into that world as their resting place. The only thing left of them in that place were Echoes." Issei looked at Mil-tan. "You met them, didn't you?"

"The-The friendly ghost-chans at Mahatma ♀ Helena-chan's land were , those were..." Mil-tan said with tears in his eyes.

"Yeah." Issei said, eyes cast down. "Originally all the Magical Girls that landed up there would end up fighting against themselves, trying to gain these jewels that would maintain their existence and make them materalize with living bodies than ghosts. The jewels are crystallized emotions that grant wishes, so it was the only thing that could keep a failed Magical Girl alive in that place." Issei paused as he had repeated himself. He took a breath and continued. "Each time a Magical Girl defeated another, her jewel would grow in strength and brightness. Until eventually only five jewels were left. The First Lady and the other four girls."

"No..." Asia said, feeling sad for those poor girls.

"T-That's horrible! What kind of sick twisted parody of a Magical Girl Paradise is that!?" Rias cried out.

"Mil-tan must go!" Mil-tan stood up. "Mil-tan... Mil-tan must talk to the First Lady, to Mahatma ♀ Helena-chan and the others!" He said with determination as tears ran down his face.

"Guys, guys! Calm down." Issei said, raising his hands to placate them. "Everything ended up fine in the end." he began to explain. "When me, Ritsuka and Ma—Chaldea ended up inadvertently summoned into that world." He said, his calming voice making Mil-tan slowly sit down to hear Issei's story. "We faced a lot of challenges, but eventually we learned by the First Lady did what she did, why everything happened.

"Her wish was to save the Magical Girls of all worlds, to help them save their world and every world and make sure they won't fail and fall into despair again. But while the presence of the Echoes and their wishes that made the jewels, provided the magical energy to sustain Reality Marble, that was all it could do."

"Reality Marble?" Rias perked up at the new term.

"It's um," Issei tried to remember the explanation. "It's a barrier that's made to be a reflection of the caster's mind. No wait, soul?—It's a pocket world." He settled on a term. "The thing is, the First Lady couldn't herself breach the dimension into other worlds, but by chance when Illya, Miyu and Chloe were passing by a Mirror World—"

"Who? Mirror what?" Rias asked with a tilte of her head, which was mirror by Asia and Mil-tan. One could imagine question marks floating over their heads.

Issei took a breath then smile.

"How about I just start from the beginning?"