Real talk, I might be dying.
(I have a fever cause of the season change)
Review??
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As I sat across from the Professor in his cabin, I knew a random duster or piece of chalk could come flying through, perfectly aimed at my forehead, at any moment. That was, after all, his preferred way of rebuking me when I messed up. However, the expected attack never came. He sat there with his fingers steepled and brows furrowed in a typical frown.
Maybe that was why he had so many wrinkles on his face-
"Henry."
"How can I help you this," I glanced at the green hills passing us by outside, "This fine evening?"
He was unamused with my politeness. Instead, he stabbed a finger through the air, at the 'Demon King' fiddling with my phone. Well, actually, she still hadn't figured out how to even turn it on yet. I imagined it'd be quite hilarious when she eventually figured out there was a password.
Gray watched the legendary figure intently, perhaps trying to glean some facet of her own plight.
"That kind of presence, I'm intimately familiar with it. That's a heroic spirit-… a servant, isn't it?"
"Yes, definitely a servant. Beyond a doubt."
"Hey, hey we agreed on nicknames, my rooster."
Somehow… hen had changed to rooster.
… I ignored her and turned back to face the Professor. Usually, he'd be losing his marbles at this point. It was somewhat unsettling to be faced with such calm. Oh wait-… I looked under the table. His legs were trembling.
"Professor, are you on the verge of passing out?"
"No, I am not."
He definitely was.
The Professor narrowed his eyes further. "Do you have any intention of explaining?"
"Okay fine~." I raised my hands in mock surrender. "Hephaestion and her Master jumped me. I don't know how, but he had the ability to tamper with my sight despite not even being nearby. I had no choice but to summon a servant, trust me, professor. I'd never lie~"
He sighed, "You would lie if you thought it was funny."
Okay, that was true. It made me feel strange how well he knew me.
"If you wanna know how, I just used the-"
My Professor held up a hand.
"No, I managed to parse just what occurred here after what Miss Trisha Fellows had to say. Somehow, the one who summoned 'Hephaestion' was able to use the presence of the Child of Einnashe and the Rail Zeppelin to deceive the Grail in Fuyuki into thinking a similar ritual was occurring here. I suspect he used the leylines to establish the connection."
That was… pretty much it, actually. It made my Professor all the more admirable, and terrifying. After all, unlike me, he had the worst magic circuits, and no talent for magecraft. He was, as a magus, entirely worthless. The man sitting across from me couldn't even run simple reinforcement without completely exhausting himself.
And yet, he was able to figure out the workings of magecraft with the barest of hints and the most distant of connections.
That was why none dared refuse his place among the Twelve Lords, as Lord El-Melloi II of Norwich.
A hero among the New Agers where I was a pariah.
"But, you already knew this." He steepled his fingers again. "My question is, the deception would never guarantee that you'd be chosen as the master. After all, that was the reason I was put to sleep early the first day. The Grail would have chosen me for my familiarity with it."
My response to that was a sheepish smile.
Somehow, that was enough.
"You tampered with it. You forced it to recognize you alone. I imagine you removed the flaws as well. That's absurd. That quickly-…" Finally, he let out a long sigh, massaging his temple, "No, I suppose this sort of thing is exactly what's made the Clock Tower so wary of you. Still, Oda Nobunaga."
"Me." The servant spoke up, staring at us with shimmering eyes, "What's this about me?"
Waver sweatdropped. "I was about to say what an… an exceptional person to call forth."
"Hm, I know, right? He should hold his head high. It is I, after all. Feel free to sing my praises!" She laughed out loud with her hands at her waist, "Unless you're one of those who would deny me…"
"No-… No, of course not. The greatest Warlord of the Sengoku Era. A master tactician. A great general. Above all, an innovator of the highest order with how you incorporated modern weaponry into your formations. You are perhaps the most famous military commander in that island nation-"
"Damn Professor, you're really riding it."
"What he said. Praise is good, but it shouldn't be for licking someone's feet."
…She asked for it though.
"But, you are right. With me here, victory will no doubt be ours-… wait, is there even a war to fight? I admit my summoning confuses me greatly. There are gaps in what I know of the world. Hmm," She tilted her head, eyes closed and arms crossed. "Oh well, as long as it is amusing! Right, mast-… Henry?"
I gave her a thumbs up.
Having fun was all there really was to life.
"Archer. She's Archer, Professor. I guess calling her something like Fake Archer would be better, though." I spoke up again, drawing my Professor's attention. Somehow, Nobunaga's way of being had managed to make a terribly nostalgic look cross his face. "Since, y'know, I'm not really linked to that war."
The Holy Grail War of Fuyuki drew nearer and nearer. I wondered if Atrum Galliasta had managed to get hold of that dragon he'd threatened me with back at the Twin Towers of Iselma. I'd probably find out eventually, seeing as I definitely planned on participating.
Now, with a servant of my own, there really was no reason to go through the Clock Tower for it anymore, and nothing to stop me from participating either.
The Professor nodded. "That can come later. First, we must deal with the one responsible for our presence on this train. According to Miss Trisha, it is someone the Lord Animusphere has had dealings with in the past acting separately."
I closed my eyes at that.
"He possesses the ability to remotely use the Mystic Eyes of others. That is… I suspect that's how he interfered with yours, as you say." He explained calmly, then looked out the window. "We'll confront him at the auction tomorrow. Take the time to prepare yourself, because I will."
I had an inkling he knew more than he was sharing, but honestly, I trusted him enough to not bother with inquiring any further. Still… using other's Mystic Eyes huh? That was going to be incredibly annoying to deal with.
Who even was this mysterious master?
-
"You have a good teacher, don't you?" Nobunaga noted once we left the Professor's cabin, arms folded behind her head. "Most of mine were too busy trying to gain something so I paid little attention."
I chuckled, "The guy's too good for me."
He was a magus yet possessed none of the traits that defined one. He was weak, but more courageous than anyone I had ever seen. Yes indeed he was good. The best, even. Then, there was all the aura-farming he did, usually at the expense of others. The old magi hated him for that very reason.
"I would like to see how this contraption we ride operates. Your 'phone' is just a handheld portrait of some kind."
"Is it now?"
I snapped a pic of her, and showed it to her.
Her eyes lit up, "Ooh, how curious! It is I. Can it do anything else?"
"Can it do anything else?" Her voice repeated back to her.
"That is my voice! Hm. Give it, I must investigate myself." She held out her gloved hand, except I pulled the phone back. "Why not?!"
"You said it's just a portrait, right? A portrait is boring, so you shouldn't be interested."
"Hey, I never said that! I request that you hand it back to me! You deny Oda Nobunaga?"
I walked off, twirling the phone in my hand. She protested all the way back to my cabin, loud and boisterous. Regrettably, there was no one outside to start bothering so I actually had to excuse myself to my room. That changed when we did enter the room.
The so-called 'Demon King of Sixth Heaven' started jumping all over the car like a brat. She broke the analog radio lying over the enclosed fireplace within the first minute, fiddled with the clock till the thing gave out, then jumped on my bed before declaring it's make to be a testament to modern design and that it was hers thereafter.
Somehow, that wasn't enough.
With a hand at her waist, she proceeded to rip all her clothes off except the excessive hat right there and then, tossing the tattered bits to the side with a pompous laugh. I was forced to avert my gaze, because I really wasn't interested in seeing her naked body despite her apparent beauty. It made me feel like I was cheating… also like a criminal… because this demon king was as unreasonable as a child when not in her demon king mood.
"Wahaha! These are old! Bring me something new so that I might experience the change of eras!"
"I don't have anything for girls."
"Then I shall remain naked!"
Ah hell no.
I ended up offering her one of my black t-shirts and grey jeans. Of course, because she was a good foot shorter than I was, it was a rather oversized getup… or, it was.
She ripped the jeans in half by the knee then held them out to me with both hands.
"Look at this! An invention!"
"No, those exist. They're called jean shorts. Humble yourself."
"Hm. I appreciate the honesty… but maybe you could be, um, a bit nicer?"
"No."
"Kah! Fine! How do I look? Glorious?"
I looked her up and down with a hand on my chin. An over-sized shirt and jean shorts.
"Honestly, the fit's decent."
"Now I have surely become like a modern human. T'is great that I would disappear into a crowd."
Yeah… I doubted that was going to happen with how she jumped at every little thing like I did at every bit of magecraft regardless of the situation. But, somehow, with how proud she seemed of herself, I couldn't muster up the heart to tell her that.
Before we could talk further, there was a knock at the door. Nobunaga's ease disappeared like a true schizo, replaced by a face utterly devoid of emotion. That face was gone the moment I opened the door to reveal an embarrassed Olga Marie standing outside, squirming uneasily.
"How's it going, Olga?"
She fidgeted with her small hands. "I heard you were attacked so I… I thought I'd take a look in case you died! You're too carefree, after all! You fool!"
"Aw, thanks for worrying."
"I wasn't worried!" The child flailed her hands, eyes shut tight, "I wasn't worried at all!"
"Who is this rude child?" Nobunaga crossed her arms under her non-existent chest. "Just when I was showing my Master my glorious body, too."
"Yeah, 'glorious'." The dullest of men would be annoyed by the sarcasm in my voice then, "Maybe take a look at the wallpaper on that phone before calling yourself glorious."
After all, my wallpaper was my wifey.
The Demon King smiled weirdly at that, like she knew something I didn't.
"S-Showing your w-what?!"
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Hope you enjoyed.
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