It was another sunny day, and a blonde magician with striking azure eyes and a staff suddenly appeared in a distant but vacant corner.
He had suddenly emerged from a teal door that had layers and layers of quantized darkness emerging from its depths.
Sensing he was in the right place, the Door shut tightly before any Quantum abnormalities started devouring Reality.
The staff wrapped in crimson binds disappeared into the Magician's coat and was soon replaced with a normal-looking cane and his suitcase.
He was currently located in Milan, a city in Northern Italy. It's Italy's second-largest city and one of Europe's major cultural and economic centers.
It dates back to the Roman Empire and later played an important role in the Renaissance Era as a hub of industry. It also had a strong tie to art due to Leonardo da Vinci, who lived and worked here.
Hearing Da Vinci put a smile on the Magician's face. His head was filled with vivid images of a young artist who would slam their enemies with a massive truck.
'Ah, the good old days of not having to worry about suddenly dying to Honkai, and my brain rotted with only PNGs and live 2D Art.'
Otto moved on with cherry steps of nostalgic memories; the streets of Milan were paved with stone, wrapped around stores carrying traditional goods, and locals going through their day, or were tourists out on their vacation.
The streets were a mix of wide boulevards, narrow old lanes, and elegant squares.
The Magician's eyes widen at the stunning sight of variously designed architecture. It combines ancient, medieval, Renaissance, and ultra-modern styles all in one place.
Currently, Otto was on one of Milan's most famous and lively streets, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. He wanted to view more of the sights of the place, but he had to commit and plan out the murder of a dangerous seamstress.
His target was a Shepherd named Elena and had an obsession with toiling around with bloodveins.
She crafts dresses made from the parts of her victims. The skin used as the base of the dress, the organs as accessories, blood for the color, and lastly, the victim's soul to conduct the outfit that surpasses Beauty itself.
'As expected of a Cult that bathes in blood. Most of them are freaks!'
From his reliable but dead source, she's been the most inactive and least aggressive member. Though he wouldn't let his guard down because a cannibal is still a cannibal.
Through his divination, Otto figured out that Elena was the owner of a Dress Boutique named Sanguine Nights, which, in the Magician's opinion, was the most blatant name he had seen.
A name that screams blaaah, I am a vampire, here to suck you!
Otto couldn't use the exact plan he had for Sinthea because shooting up the place was the fact that her store was a commodity providing dresses of allure...Hopefully not made from humans.
So he was willing to take the time to scout out the place and maybe find a teacher where he can act as a proper Apprentice for a couple of days before making his move.
After drinking the potion, Otto figured it was about 30% digested, but he reasoned that it was so low despite his Combat Class with Bianka was because he didn't understand the insignificance of his own strength, and it didn't focus on studying.
Along with that, he had that nagging feeling that he was flaunting his arrogance during those lessons. All in all, Otto had to act like a proper student and wear some thick glasses while studying for an exam.
Firstly, he needed a base of operation, so he was going to rent out a house for the time being.
Finished with his plan, he made a minute walk to a nearby bus stop, where Otto sat down on a bench and waited for his public transportation.
He could have teleported with his staff, but he was quite drained of Spirituality and didn't want to waste any more if there was a situation where he had to throw hands.
As he waited, his Spiritual Intuition started to nag at him like a child, and he looked to his left, spotting a very striking, familiar woman.
It was a woman of average height and build, with straight black hair in a bob cut style and sharp red eyes. She was wearing black trousers and a uniform shirt.
She had a smoking cigarette in her mouth as her crimson eyes stared straight at his figure with reveling fascination, obsession, attraction, and a little bit of lust.
Otto didn't care about her gaze one bit. All he could think about was, 'Dogs*it, I can't believe it, Limbus Company Ryoshu Expy in Honkai Impact 3rd before Cyrene being playable is simply Lunacy! I can already feel the Project Moon Fans being summoned.'
He went out of his thoughts and addressed her apparent staring.
"Ahem. Miss, do you need something from me? Although I appreciate the sight of your delightful eyes, I feel quite embarrassed by the looks you're giving me."
"H.M.F.Y.," She asked with a sultry tone, and her eyes gazed down at his figure as if he were a piece of art.
"How much for me? As a Magician, my rates are 420 Euros for an event, 615 Euros if you want me to sing, and 820 Euros for my life-ending stunts that I will perform live." He shamelessly promoted himself
"5740 Euros, S.W.M.F.A.W"
"All that money for me to live with you for a week? That's incredibly suspicious! You know...I don't even know your name. What if you're secretly a murderer, and if you're so stacked, why are you taking the Bus?"
"Inspiration. Other lesser painters are such mediocrities; they have no way to recognize the beauty that lies in the ugliness of reality, my muse." She muttered with a sense of conviction as an artist.
Hearing her words, the Magician started to guess her intentions, "So you want me to stay with you because I am getting your brain off its rocks with inspiration?"
Her blank expression started to twist into a full-blown smile. "You can understand me, my sweet muse."
"Must you keep calling me that? Why don't we introduce ourselves before getting into pet names? I am Merlin La Fay, Wandering Magician, who wants to see the world and...Make a living." He coughed at the last part.
She puffed out a cloud of smoke before revealing her name, "Ryoshu, but for my muse, Yoshihide."
"What a contradictory name, Justice, Good, Excellence, and Abundance...I can smell the lingering scent of splattering blood on your clothes. Though I won't judge, this world is quite dangerous after all."
Ryoshu smirked at his words, "I.L.Y.E.W.A.K."
"No, thank you, I am not in the mood for a kiss. Although I appreciate your artistic way of flirting, how can I trust you not to ruthlessly butcher me into pieces in the name of art? How can I trust someone that I met on a dinky bus stop...If you give me a proper answer, I'll give your commission a thought."
Lingering on his words, Ryoshu stomped out the cigarette and sat down next to the blonde Magician. Her hands reached into her inner pocket and handed him a Nambu Type 14 Semi-automatic handgun.
She moved in to whisper into his ear with a luscious smile, "Shoot me if you want."
Otto quickly handed back her gun before anyone could see. Possession of a firearm in public was most likely a crime everywhere.
"You're one crazy artist...That's kinda hot." He teased her with the same expression as hers
Her face suddenly flushed from his unexpected comment, but she gathered herself and stood up from the bench.
"Y.O.N.?"
"Before I answer, let me do some Magic Divination."
"Gullible or stupid? For believing in N.S."
"It works, you just need to have a little bit of Magic in your heart, dear."
The Magician clapped his hands as a sudden golden coin appeared in his hand. With it, he flicked it into the air, and as it spun, the side it landed on was heads.
"Alright, I fold, I'll take the commission since you're quite an interesting woman and definitely not because I am gullible. Is this a one-time payment or multiple throughout the week?" He asked.
The reason Otto accepted was that Ryoshu, all in all, was heavily involved in art and had a fascination with purposeful and creative violence. So she had to have info about the local area since Milan was the town of 'Art' plus...Would it be bad to learn something from her?
Ryoshu pulled out her phone and gestured for the Magician to pull out his too. Her phone case was a butterfly with ruined wings: a wing appears to be flaking, while the other is burning and bleeding. The Kanji on it was "Forest for the Flames."
While the Magician's phone case was a white coffin in the pattern of a Cecilia Flower, half-blooming and half withered.
Glancing at Ryoshu's phone, he saw, within a split second, her home screen was a child bearing a resemblance to her.
'Fate really is twisted.' He thought to himself, after all, the source material of Ryoshu's character...She accidentally burned her child to death in the pursuit of art.
"Here." She knocked the side of her phone onto his, and the sound of a notification ringing presented itself.
Otto was presented with a transfer of a large sum of money into his account and a contact info of Ryoshu, her Profile Pic being her posing for the camera with a cigarette in her hand while blowing a kiss...
'When did she become this flirty...It's kinda frightening me.'
"You love smoking, don't you. Aren't you worried about lung cancer?"
"N.O."
"Suit yourself. Are we still gonna for the bus or do you have a car just in case? I gotta find a place to stay for a bit." She answered by pulling him up with a tight, possessive grip.
"Y."
"You work out or something? Your grip strength is off the roof?" He slightly stumbled forward but was caught by the smoking artist.
"M.C.Y.S.T," She complimented.
"Thanks...You sure are putting a lot of faith in me. What if I decided to run away with the money?"
She let out a heavy breath before her crimson eye glowed and stared at the Magician's azure eyes.
"I know you won't, but if you do, I'll, S.S.Y.N.C., and keep your beating corpse until the very end."
Otto stood still to linger on her words for a bit before muttering softly, "I need an adult."
"I am one, my muse."
...
Walking along a parking lot, Ryoshu and Otto made their way to a Red Toyota. It was covered in several burning butterfly motifs that were clearly painted on.
"I don't know what to say...You must really like butterflies." Otto uttered.
"N.S.S." Ryoshu had a slight smile from his words.
"I used to know some named Sherlock, too bad they died falling off a waterfall." He reminisced about the olden times of England and Baker Street.
"K.A.W.," She curiously asked
"Watson? Attending a school." The dear assistant of Sherlock Holmes was, of course, Fu Hua, and that was a story never to be told again.
"B.S. or Truth, but get in."
The car unlocked with a press of a button from her car key. Otto did as he was told and got in. He noticed the overwhelming scent of cherry paint.
Once seated, the car started to roar as its engine came to life and drove onto the cobblestone roads of Milan.
"Where are we headed?" Otto leaned against the car window, seeing the sights of sleek skyscrapers, wide sidewalks, and green spaces.
"H.O.M.E.," She answered quickly.
"Oh, living with someone like you is bound to be exciting...Though I feel like a bum if I am being paid to be at your side even for a week."
"D.W., I intend to use you completely."
"Hmm. That doesn't sound threatening at all." He sarcastically replied.
"8:00 to 16:00 you're mine...After that, free, don't care what you do?"
"8 hours with you sounds like a delightful time. Say, in between that time, am I allowed to learn from you? I think having someone like you teaching me can open my horizons in the world of Magic."
She snickered at his words, "B.S. What magic?"
"Fine, I'll show you! My greatest one just for you." He pointed at the sun, glowing brightly with its vivid eternal blaze.
Ryoshu followed along, and at the snap of his fingers, that star started to shift into a cartoonish, grotesque version of itself. Its sunny rays were now yellow cones, and on its surface was a toothy, goofy smile.
It was a well-crafted illusion that covered the sight of the driver and soon reverted itself back to normal.
The car swerved suddenly, but straightened itself out. Ryoshu stared at the passenger seat where a cheeky, smiling Magician was seated.
"You look quite cute when you're surprised."