Chapter 61: Deepening Friendships
Deepening Friendships
When Shirou had first visited the laboratory of doctor Kix in order to collect the Wolpertingers, he'd been fresh out of luck. Both the doctor and the rabbits had been out at the time, so he'd returned to his room empty handed.
The next day though, when he tried again, he entered the laboratory to actually find someone inside.
"So you are the troublemaker I've been hearing so much about."
It was a tall and lean man, with a bald head and impressive blue tattoos that covered every bit of skin that would normally be reserved for his hair. His wiry frame had a lot of muscle, far more than one might expect from a doctor, and when he reached out to shake Shirou's hand, the redhead noted the surprising strength of his grip.
That, coupled with the many scars and the tired, worn look in his eyes even when he smiled, led Shirou to believe that this man had probably served as a soldier for a while, or perhaps as a mercenary. In any case, he'd seen plenty of combat and had witnessed death firsthand on many occasions, whether as a warrior or a doctor.
"I suppose I can't deny that I've caused a fair share of trouble around here. Doctor Kix, I presume?"
"You presume correctly, lord Fujimaru."
It was indeed the man whom Shirou had come to see, and since further introductions didn't seem to be required, the redhead cast a quick look around, trying to find the Wolpertingers he knew should be somewhere in the vicinity.
He came up empty though.
"I was expecting you, sir." Doctor Kix said, drawing the redhead's attention back to him. "There's been some chatter around the Department that you came to my lab yesterday to speak with me, but that you missed me by unfortunate happenstance. As such, I decided to remain here today, in case you would try again. I am pleased to see that I was right, sir."
"Thank you for that, and there's no need to call me 'sir'. You can just call me Shirou." He knew that formality and hierarchy were valued greatly in the Magus Association, but he'd never cared for such high-mindedness himself.
"I'd rather not, sir." Doctor Kix outright refused however, being the first to ever do so, which honestly left Shirou a little bit stunned.
"…Very well, doctor." He recovered quickly though, and took a metaphorical step back, maintaining some professional distance. "I take it you also know why I am here?"
"I do. You are here for the Wolpertingers. The Phantasmal Creatures that manage to continue existing in the World of Man, even in the very heart of London itself." There was a moment of hesitation, before he ploughed on. "If I may be so bold as to ask, sir, do you know how they manage such a feat?"
"I have a suspicion, but nothing concrete yet." Shirou lied outright. There was no other way to call it. He did know exactly why and how the Wolpertingers managed to survive in London, at the very centre of human civilisation, and he chose not to share his knowledge. What else could that be called but lying?
"Is that so, sir?" Of course, he was a terrible liar, always had been, so it was no surprise that the doctor didn't quite seem to believe him. For a moment, it seemed as if he was about to be interrogated, but then doctor Kix inclined his head. "Very well. It is not my place to question a True Magician anyway."
Saved by his reputation!
Shirou nearly breathed a sigh of relief when doctor Kix backed down. His guise as a Sorcerer sure was convenient sometimes. It almost made him feel bad about complaining about it so often.
Almost.
"I am sorry to say we have not made any significant progress on our end either. We have done extensive research on all four of them-"
"Extensive research?" Shirou interrupted him, not liking the sound of that at all. "What kind of research?"
"Pardon me, sir. I chose my words poorly. I analysed them through non-invasive spells and scans, before taking several blood samples that I subjected to a more thorough study. I assure you that the Wolpertingers did not suffer in any way, shape or form."
"That's good to hear." Seeing that the doctor wasn't lying, Shirou's concerns were assuaged. "Did you find anything of note during your research?"
"I am afraid not, sir. I couldn't find anything about them that's out of the ordinary. Well, aside from them being Phantasmal Beasts of course." Doctor Kix rubbed his clean-shaved head in slight embarrassment over his supposed failure.
"Do you need more time with them?"
"…That is a tempting offer, though not for the reasons you think, sir." Doctor Kix looked even more embarrassed now, actually glancing away for a moment. "The blood samples I have taken are sufficient for further study, but to be honest with you, sir, I'll be sorry to see them go anyway. I fear I might have become rather fond of them."
"You've become fond of them?" That honestly took Shirou aback. The doctor was clearly a Magus, not to mention the top-researcher of the largest and most powerful Departments of the Clocktower, while the Wolpertingers were Phantasmal Beasts. That any affection was to exist between them seemed nonsensical.
But he sensed no lie in the man's words.
"Yes, I have become fond of them, though I also have to admit that the fondness isn't mutual." If the doctor became any more embarrassed, he'd be blushing like a maiden. "They mostly ignore me, except if I come bearing food. They seem much more attached to the Vice Director than me."
"To Lore- To lady Barthomeloi?" Shirou almost referred to her by her first name, but remembered just in time that he was trying to defuse the accursed rumours, not inflate them.
"Yes, for some reason. They throw themselves at her feet, begging for attention, while I'm only good to fetch lunch and clean up after them." Doctor Kix pulled a face, but it was clearly meant in jest, for the twinkle of amusement never left his eyes. "Actually, they're not that different from the rabbits I used to have as a kid. Proud as lions, they are."
"I see." That was certainly… interesting, but Shirou wasn't too worried. Knowing Sakura, she'd have them eating out of her hand in no time. "And where are they now?"
"Ah yes, if you would please follow me, sir. I'll take you right to them."
"Lead the way."
Doctor Kix led Shirou deeper into the laboratory, and deeper, and deeper, and the redhead soon noted that the place was a lot bigger than it seemed at first glance. It really went on for quite a while, to the point where it became almost ridiculous.
The Department of Policies really had to have deep pockets to finance all of this, which was further confirmed by how well-stocked and well-maintained the place seemed to be. Rows and rows of white benches were awaiting eager researchers, while countless centrifuges, thermometers, and incubators were lined up to serve.
The cabinets were stuffed to the brim with reagents, desiccants, denaturing agents, and buffers, and large boxes full of pipettes, beakers, test tubes, and vials were standing just out of sight, though very much available should they be required.
Shirou was a little less enthusiastic about the knives and other surgical implements that he could see lying around everywhere, but as long as the researchers here restricted themselves to animal-cadavers and the corpses of people who'd given informed consent, he had nothing to complain about.
Fortunately, there was no shortage of either cadavers or corpses to work on in the coolers of the laboratory. Shirou had heard rumours that a lot of people who agreed to give their body to science actually ended up in the Clocktower after their deaths, and he now knew that to be true. It wasn't entirely proper, as that meant their informed consent wasn't fully informed anymore, but since there was a surplus of bodies donated to medical science and this practice contributed to keeping Magi away from living people, Shirou was willing to close his eyes to it.
In any case, Doctor Kix's laboratory truly was a marvel. It was a testament to Policies' wealth, and a clear sign that they weren't stingy in the slightest when it came to providing for their employees. A text-book example of what a laboratory should look like.
There was one problem with it though. One big problem.
The place was entirely bereft of people.
It wasn't a metaphor, or a dramatic exaggeration. It was the simple truth, spoken as it was. From the moment Shirou had entered the laboratory, he hadn't encountered another soul aside from doctor Kix.
Which was odd. It was evident that the place was frequently visited and used, judging from all the traces of human activity everywhere, and it wasn't that early in the morning that people should still be sleeping, so by all accounts, the laboratory should be stuffed to the brim with researchers and doctors working on their projects while enjoying the generosity of the Barthomeloi-family.
It certainly shouldn't be abandoned. That made no sense at all, and frankly, the utter lack of people combined with all the lab materials lying around gave the place a rather eerie vibe.
If zombies suddenly started coming out of the cabinets, Shirou wouldn't be surprised.
Doctor Kix didn't seem to consider it necessary to explain anything though, walking on steadily without even looking back. It didn't even seem to be an act, an attempt to hide possible embarrassment over the lack of employees. He just genuinely didn't seem to care.
Then, perhaps this was normal after all?
…Except it wasn't. No matter how Shirou tried to look at the situation, this couldn't be normal. There obviously were supposed to be people here. The sheer lack of them was entirely out of the ordinary.
Unless of course, they'd chosen to stay away because they knew he would be visiting today?
That would certainly explain it, though it would also be a little depressing. After hearing all the stories from his father and later Rin about how terrifying the Magi at the Clocktower could be, it felt strange to be the one scaring them instead.
Fortunately, Shirou didn't have to think about that for very long, as he and doctor Kix soon reached a secure-looking door. Made of stainless steel and further strengthened with various Enchantments, it appeared quite capable of withstanding the focused attack of several minor Phantasmal Beasts.
Any notion that the Wolpertingers had been locked in there was disproven though when doctor Kix simply pushed the door open and walked through. He didn't take any measures against sudden attacks, nor did he demand that Shirou take point. He seemed entirely unconcerned about his safety, and that actually relieved Shirou a fair bit.
After all, it strongly indicated that the Wolpertingers weren't aggressive, or at least not to the point where it was necessary to restrain them. He'd already been pretty sure they weren't actively dangerous, as either Lorelei or lady Montmorency would have warned him otherwise, but this was welcome confirmation.
They nevertheless remained Phantasmal Beasts though, creatures born from the inhuman wild, so he didn't let his guard down completely as he followed after the doctor. According to Lorelei, they had killed several people in the Black Forest, if only after having been provoked severely, so he shouldn't think of them as harmless.
As the one responsible for their presence in the human world in the first place, and as the only Demigod in existence, it could be said that he had a duty to take care of them and to watch over them. To make sure they wouldn't harm anyone else. A duty he meant to take most seriously indeed.
Sakura would get her Magical rabbits, as promised, and as long as the Wolpertingers didn't attack anyone ever again, all would be well. However, if things were to go wrong, Shirou was ready to intervene. Should it become necessary to put them down, he wouldn't hesitate to do so, just like he'd killed the Nokken, now over a year ago. Such was the resolve of someone who wanted to become a Hero of Justice and prioritised human lives above all else.
But then he actually entered the Wolpertingers' pen, laying his eyes on the infamous creatures he'd heard so much about, and that hardy resolve melted at once, like so much snow in a furnace.
"Here they are. These are the Wolpertingers." Doctor Kix informed him graciously, if a bit redundantly, beaming like a proud uncle. "Aren't they adorable?"
They were. Adorable to the point where Shirou was left utterly speechless.
The three whelps, barely the size of small dogs, rushed towards him immediately, and started inspecting him thoroughly, pushing his feet and shins with their noses.
Between those adorable noses, their stubby front legs, their floppy ears, and their round, curious eyes, they were the cutest creatures Shirou had ever seen, bar none. It simply couldn't be expressed in words how adorable they were, and even though he could clearly sense their Mystical and wild nature, the redhead wanted nothing more than to grab and cuddle them forever.
Kill them when they turned aggressive? Impossible! What inhuman wretch could possibly do something so heinous?! They were too cute to ever be evil!
The mere sight of them was enough to make his heart melt into a puddle, but although he could have looked at them for hours more, he forced himself to wrench his gaze away from them and towards the mother instead.
Large as a wild boar, though far rounder and fluffier, she was noticeably less cute than her offspring, though still rather cute in her own way. When his eyes met hers however, Shirou was once more robbed of all his killing intent, for those eyes held an immense intelligence and wisdom, far surpassing most of his classmates, both at Homurahara and at the Clocktower. The sort of intelligence and wisdom that belied rational thought, and a possible sense of higher morality even.
He had wondered over the past weeks whether the Wolpertingers would be able to understand him if he tried to communicate with them, but looking at the mother now, he didn't doubt that they could, perfectly well.
"They seem to have taken a real shine to you." Doctor Kix noted, sounding more than a little surprised. "They never responded this well to a guest before. You must be a good sort then, according to them at least."
"Just a coincidence, I'm sure." Shirou tried to assure him, suspecting strongly that their interest in him was born more from the fact that he was a nascent god than because they necessarily liked his character.
"Perhaps it is a coincidence." Doctor Kix allowed, and Shirou breathed a minute sigh of relief when the man seemed to drop the matter again. "Or perhaps it is because the Vice Director likes you so much. All the better, I suppose, considering you'll be taking them with you."
"Indeed." Shirou looked back at the mother, before he decided to approach her, noting from the corner of his eyes that the younglings promptly followed him. They certainly liked him well enough, and so far, it seemed as if the adult Wolpertinger approved of him as well, which was confirmed when she allowed him to place a hand on her head.
He was a little surprised when she suddenly licked his wrist, but since it was clearly a gesture of affection, he soon grinned back at her, scratching her behind her ears.
"Well, I'll be." Doctor Kix muttered, sounding taken aback again. "She certainly never let anyone do that before. You might be a natural, sir."
"Perhaps." Shirou agreed thoughtlessly, before he gave in to his baser desires and scooped up all three baby Wolpertingers in his arms, to thoroughly cuddle them. "Thank you for taking care of them until now. If you ever want anything in return, don't hesitate to contact me."
"My pleasure, sir."
Being a nascent god, Shirou was rapidly developing his own sense of Clairvoyance, his ability to discern truth from lies and see through walls and other obstacles like they weren't even there. Though nowhere near as potent as the Clairvoyance of Gilgamesh or Solomon, it meant that very little could escape his gaze these days.
Its greatest weakness however was the fact that Shirou needed to concentrate at least a little bit to effectively use it, and now that he was completely absorbed in cuddling the four Wolpertingers, he missed how Doctor Kix narrowed his eyes in confusion.
The redhead didn't know it, but the behaviour of the Wolpertingers, especially the mother, was nothing less than outright submissive, as if they'd found the new leader of their pack. A reaction that no Phantasmal Beast, regardless of its rank or power, should ever display towards a human.
Even lady Barthomeloi hadn't gotten that treatment, nothing close to it even, and the fact that Shirou Fujimaru was placed on such a pedestal immediately was a source of bewilderment for the good doctor.
He had no idea what it meant, no idea what could possibly explain it, so he ultimately decided to just blame it on Fujimaru being a Sorcerer. It was the go-to excuse that so many had used before him, and he saw no reason not to use it again.
He would be reporting it to the Vice Director however. Maybe she could make sense of it.
Being the Queen of the Clocktower, Lorelei Barthomeloi always had to maintain some degree of impartiality, both towards the families of the Aristocratic Faction and the families of the Magus Association as a whole. She, just like her predecessors, had to be very careful not to show favour towards any individual or family in particular, because even a single thoughtless act could critically damage the careful balance that the Ruling Families had worked so hard to establish and maintain.
One part of that was that she didn't take on apprentices, for accepting someone as a student was in itself a massive show of favouritism on her part, one that any enterprising Magus could leverage to their advantage, often at the expense of others.
However, she had now made an exception for Tohsaka Rin, a Japanese Magus of little renown but surprising skill. Lorelei had weighed the need for her supposed impartiality against her fondness for Shirou, who was the one who'd requested she teach miss Tohsaka, and found that the latter mattered more to her.
Also, it couldn't hurt to create another link to the most politically involved Sorcerer in centuries, or so she'd say if someone asked for an explanation.
Her allies might grumble and her enemies might cry foul, but Lorelei didn't worry about that. Her largest point of concern was actually that she might prove to be utterly inept at teaching a student in the first place, having no experience whatsoever. She'd tried to prepare as well as she could with the available literature, but that was no substitute for actual experience. Hence, during the first lesson, which happened quite abruptly, she felt rather unprepared.
She needn't have worried though.
Tohsaka Rin was a dedicated, serious, intelligent, and kind young woman whose drive and sincerity didn't allow her to give anything less than her utmost in anything she attempted. She often only needed a few words of explanation or perhaps a small demonstration before she was able to connect the dots herself. As far as apprentices went, she was nearly ideal.
Still, Lorelei didn't want to slack in her responsibilities as a teacher. Even if Rin was an excellent student, that was no reason not to push her to be even better. Learning Magecraft was all about breaking one's limits, so on the second day of training, she took the young woman to a private training facility and had her cast spells until she dropped.
Not literally, as overheating one's Magic Circuits was too dangerous, but they went far indeed, establishing a baseline for Rin's current abilities.
For now, they didn't care about finesse or technique. Lorelei just ran Rin ragged, giving her no respite as she ordered her to cast spell after spell, carefully observing both the results and Rin's physical condition.
She had her blow up training dolls, tear gouges in the stone-covered floor, cut reams of paper into neat little fragments with air-based spells, melt iron with fire-based Magecraft, and demonstrate her greatest feats in Gemcraft. Then, when the black-haired girl was done with all that, she had her do it again, but faster and with more targets.
Though First-Rate Magi like Rin and Lorelei were powerful indeed, their stamina when continuously casting their most potent spells was actually quite low. Magical Energy was a precious commodity for a reason, being slow to form and quick to be used, and even possessing hundreds of Magic Circuits couldn't offset that forever.
Most Magi made sure to compensate for that, for instance by taking Mystic Codes or gems with them, or by regularly switching between Magecraft and physical combat, but since that would defeat the purpose of the exercise, Lorelei didn't allow for such compensation this time. Rin had to get by on her own reserves alone.
That she lasted upwards of twenty minutes anyway was quite impressive in light of that. The black-haired girl might even have tried to continue past that point, but Lorelei put a stop to it. Thoughtlessly pushing past one's limits with Magecraft was extremely dangerous, and not something to be done lightly.
"That's enough for now, miss Tohsaka."
Rin let out a massive sigh of relief in response to the order, sagging in exhaustion as she halted the outward flow of Magical Energy, which caused the three dozen gems that had been floating around her to fall to the ground.
Frankly, it was all she could do not to fall to the ground as well.
Her Magic Circuits, both the ones in her body and the ones in her Crest, were painfully empty, and this was reflected in her body, which now felt three times as heavy as before, to the point where she struggled to keep her eyes open. Her vision was spinning, her head felt remarkably light, and there was a strange sensation in her stomach that resembled nausea but was subtly different in a way she didn't know how to explain.
Safe to say, Rin had reached her absolute limit. Never before had she been pushed to the brink like this, to the point where she'd truly given her all and more. She'd done all she could, and now, all that remained was waiting anxiously for Lorelei's assessment.
Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long.
"Your reserves are… adequate." The Vice Director spoke slowly and meticulously, not wanting there to be any misunderstandings at this point. "The quality of your Magus Circuits is well above average, as is their quantity. Your Crest is quite decent as well, especially for its modest age, and you have incorporated it excellently into your body. Furthermore, you use the Magical Energy available to you with great efficiency, allowing you to continue longer than many Magi with greater lineage and reserves than you. Nevertheless, there is still much room for improvement."
"Of course, my lady." Rin would never be so arrogant as to assume that she had perfected her techniques, so the conclusion did not come as a surprise.
"Your talent for handling gems is quite impressive, as is your talent for wanton destruction." Lorelei eyed the destroyed training dolls in the corner, vanquished earlier by Rin's most powerful offensive spells, with a glimmer of approval in her eyes, before she bent over and picked up one of the gems for a proper look, tossing it back at Rin when she was done. "But by the standards of my family, your skill is still hopelessly inadequate in nearly every conceivable way."
The remark stung, but it was nothing that Shirou couldn't kiss better that evening.
"Your Magic Circuits have been strained enough, so I will not ask that you practise your technique any further today, but over the coming hours, we shall discuss at length the theory behind your spells and the ways by which you can improve." The Vice Director continued, appearing rather pleased that Rin didn't show any petulant anger or disappointment in response to the harsh but fair assessment. "After that, I will assign to you some… 'homework', as I believe it is called."
"Homework, my lady?" It wasn't a word that Rin had expected to hear at the Clocktower, but it seemed reasonable enough. Probably.
"You will study that gem I handed to you and assess by yourself the inadequacies you see in your own work. At our next session, you will present to me at least three strategies in which you plan to better your Enchantment techniques, based on the theory I am about to impart onto you. Should your work be satisfactory, I will aid you in the process of implementing those strategies. Understood?"
"Understood, ma'am." Rin nearly saluted, but managed to change it into a grateful bow at the last moment. "I will make sure to live up to your expectations."
"Excellent." Lorelei graced her with a small nod in acknowledgement of her promise, before she held out a hand and cast a wordless spell to lift the remaining thirty-five gems off the floor. "To give you some perspective before we begin the lesson, I shall demonstrate a technique I developed myself. Observe."
With but a gesture of her hand and a muttered, three-word incantation, Lorelei instantly filled all the gems to the brim with Magical Energy, simultaneously attuning each one to a different element or domain and radically changing their shapes to the point that no two figures looked alike. There was a Ouroboros, several different flowers, a star, multiple animals and fictional beings, a number of Runes, and something that looked suspiciously like Shirou's face.
It was absolutely incredible, and it showed a control over her own Magical Energy that bordered on terrifying.
One of Rin's most vivid youth-memories was her father demonstrating one of his spells to her, a spell that Enchanted one of his gems and changed its shape into that of a Pegasus, a flying horse. Back then, it had seemed like a miracle, and even now that she'd matched and exceeded that level of skill, that memory was still tinted with admiration.
But now Lorelei did the same with less than one-tenth the effort, with thirty-five gems at once, all while not breaking eye-contact with Rin herself for a moment, making her father's achievement feel utterly inadequate and meaningless. It was a show of skill so overwhelming it almost felt like a display of dominance.
It wasn't though. This was no more than a demonstration meant to give Rin an idea of how to go about improving her own techniques. A sign of kindness more than anything, from a teacher who was doing her best to live up to expectations.
Which frankly made it even more overwhelming.
Had she been Shirou, she would have let her jaw drop, perhaps stuttered out a few words of heartfelt praise, but she wasn't that lovable oaf. She was a Tohsaka, whose elegance was her defining feature.
"A most impressive display." She smiled cautiously at her teacher, gaining heart when no disapproval appeared on the lady's beautiful features. "I shall not rest until I can match your prowess."
A very diplomatic answer, which was good enough for Lorelei, who nodded in response.
Unbeknownst to Rin however, the brunette would have appreciated Shirou's hypothetical response much more. She herself possessed a very minor form of Clairvoyance, in the form of unique Mystic Eyes, and as a result, praise given from the heart made much more of an impression on her than praise given diplomatically. She could literally feel the sincerity after all, or the lack of it.
In any case, that concluded the practical part of the training session, and the two ladies moved on to the more theoretical part, relocating to Lorelei's office again, where they could talk to their heart's content in peace and privacy. Lorelei had a great deal of knowledge she wanted to impart, and Rin was ready to absorb it all.
Naturally, their main point of discussion was Gemcraft.
Gemcraft was an interesting branch of Thaumaturgy, that found its origin in the ancient world, potentially being used far before humanity had even come into proper existence, though the veracity of that claim was impossible to prove. It had a rich and storied history, having been developed at all corners of the world pretty much independently, and because of that, it actually consisted of a great number of different yet similar fields all grouped together under one name.
It might seem straightforward at first glance, but any who approached it lightly, lured by the fact that the beginner-spells were relatively easy yet effective, would soon realise that its surprising complexity made the field impossible to master for all but a select few.
True Gemcraft required a mixture of calculation, natural-born talent, and unwavering dedication that bordered on zeal, the latter two of which made it impossible to wield for people such as Emiya Shirou, who did not care for the field nearly enough to properly pursue it.
Rin did possess the necessary calculating nature, talent and zeal however, as did Lorelei, naturally. For them, using Gemcraft was no different from holding up a football using only their knees. A bit difficult, but ultimately nothing complicated, as long as they practised enough.
Though Lorelei had not spent as much time on developing her aptitude for Gemcraft as Rin, because there were many other fields that also demanded her attention, her high-grade tutors, extensive collection of reading materials, demanding family, and once-in-a-millennium Sorcery Trait nevertheless gave her a far greater mastery over the field, so there was much she could impart onto her eager apprentice.
Too much, some might say.
By the time that lady Montmorency arrived, about an hour later, to remind her boss of her tightly-packed schedule, Lorelei was barely halfway through the planned lecture, and it was with regret that the brunette had to conclude the lesson prematurely.
"There was much I still wanted to teach you." She said, her elegant eyebrows scrunched up in a frown. "It will have to wait. I apologise."
"Oh no, please don't! I was reaching my limits anyway." Rin had done her utmost best to keep up with the Vice Director's explanations, but after an hour of intense listening, her attention-span was rapidly approaching its end. "If we had continued much longer, I would have lost focus."
"Noted." Lorelei committed that fact to memory, that Rin's ability to absorb new knowledge lessened greatly after an hour, and resolved to adjust her lessons accordingly. "Give Shirou my regards."
"Your warmest regards?" Rin couldn't resist the temptation to tease her a little, but was taken aback when the teasing went right over Lorelei's head.
"Yes. My warmest regards."
It was coupled with a smile wider and warmer than any the Vice Director had given Rin, or indeed anyone who wasn't Shirou. If there had been any doubt that the bond between those two ran deeper than just friendship, that doubt had just been obliterated.
And as she was ushered out of the office by lady Montmorency, Rin was left bewildered, though not, as one might expect, by the fact that the Greatest Magus of the Modern Age was interested in her boyfriend. She'd known that already.
No, she was bewildered by that warm and wide smile.
How on Earth could a mighty and revered woman like that possibly be so cute?!
"He truly is back then?"
"He is. I just confirmed it myself."
"I see. That is… concerning, especially considering his actions so far."
"Heh, I'll say! He gave you lot a right beating, so much so that they're even calling it the Night of the Broken Moon now!"
Two figures were sitting on a park bench at the very edge of London, in the middle of the night, having claimed it for themselves to have a private conversation.
Several intricate Bounded Fields had been erected around them, making sure any eavesdroppers heard nothing of value, but frankly, they were hardly needed. London was an immense city, filled with countless weirdos and vagrants, so two more oddballs hardly attracted any attention, from anyone.
But both men were paranoid bastards, so the Bounded Fields had been put into place anyway. Just in case someone of importance happened to stumble upon them by sheer happenstance.
It wasn't as unlikely as one might think.
"We lost Gladstone." The first figure, a tall fellow with red hair and wide ears, sighed despondently. "A shame. I rather liked him."
"He was amusing, in his own way." The other man, though he could barely be called such, agreed. "But there are many others like him. Don't waste your time on mourning. Rather, make sure to cut your losses. Gladstone Phamrsolone won't endure torture on your behalf."
"Oh yes, I imagine that dear Gladstone is squealing for his life right now, giving Policies the identities of everyone who has ever associated with us. Don't worry though, I cut my losses ages ago. The Enforcers won't be able to track me down any time soon."
"Are you certain of that?"
"I… Well, less certain than I want to be, honestly. Policies has never been my biggest fan, even before all this, but I was able to stay ahead of them because they didn't care all that much about me. If Gladstone revealed everything though, I might become an actual priority now. To be safe, I'll have to skip London for a bit, if you don't mind."
"I don't mind. I won't claim that you don't matter in the grand scheme of things, because you do, but I have several agents ready to take your place during your temporaryabsence. It is far from ideal, but it'll have to do, for now."
"Aw, I knew you loved me."
"If that is what you want to believe, go right ahead."
"Hehe." Though the red-haired figure was certainly guarded around his companion, he did let out a small chuckle of amusement. "What about Haruri though? I don't think Gladstone was kind enough not to grass on her when he turned his cloak again."
"…Do you have any way of extracting her from the Clocktower on such short notice?"
"I might. I'll need a few things though, things that only you can provide."
"…Name them."
It was obvious that the not-man didn't actually care at all about Haruri, but when he received the list of necessities and established that procuring them would be a small matter, he saw no reason to refuse. He gave his redhaired accomplice a small nod, prompting a grin from him in return.
"As soon as you deliver the goods, I'll put something together to get Haruri out and arrange shelter for her."
"You think she hasn't been arrested yet? That is a surprising amount of confidence in Gladstone's resilience."
"With some luck, her position will have kept her safe so far even if Gladstone didn't."
"If you say so. But if you don't mind me asking, why are you going to such lengths for someone you barely know?"
"Why would I not? We're compatriots, who risked their lives together for a common cause. It would be quite awful if I just abandoned her after all that. Besides, she's a bright girl, she might be able to help me with a few projects that I have going on."
"As a fellow researcher or a test-subject?"
"Excuse me?! What exactly do you think I am?! I'd never use a friend as a test-subject!"
The not-man turned towards the redhead with an inquisitive gaze, peering at his face and expression to gauge his honesty, before letting out a soft sigh when he saw the sincerity in his eyes.
"I do not understand you Magi at all, even after so many years."
"Aw, shucks, that's nice of you to say."
"It was not intended as a compliment."
"Perhaps it wasn't intended, but it certainly was a compliment. If you still don't understand us, we remain something of interest to you, and if we remain something of interest, it means we haven't become boring yet. From one of your kind, not being boring is the greatest praise one can receive."
The redhead spoke candidly, and the not-man nodded thoughtfully, unable to argue with that logic.
"What will you do once you depart London?" The not-man eventually continued, changing the subject. "You mentioned a few projects?"
"Yes, I have some stuff going on with Mystic Eyes, and I'm just dying to know why Mystery is suddenly increasing in the world, but first, I think I'll Summon a Servant."
"A Servant? How will you do so without an active Holy Grail?"
The cost in Magical Energy of Summoning and especially Upkeeping a Servant was immense. In Grail Wars, most of that cost was shouldered by the Grail, which made it possible for all Magi involved to Summon a Servant of their own, but without such aid, the average Magus would be drained in minutes, while prodigies would survive, but with so little Magical Energy left that their own use of Magecraft would be severely limited.
Neither of those were desirable outcomes.
"I can handle it." The redhead was a prodigy among prodigies however, completely confident in his own ability, and the not-man decided it wasn't worth trying to convince him otherwise. "I just need a catalyst to summon the Servant I want. I hoped that I could steal the piece of Iskandar's cloak that Waver still keeps with him, but he moved it somewhere else, and I don't know where. I'll need something else that belonged to the King of Conquerors."
The small rant was concluded with a hopeful gaze, and the not-man sighed again.
"I'll see what I can do."
"You're the best, Stanrobe!"
The mention of a name was of course against all safety protocols, but since they were completely alone, in the middle of the night, hiding behind several Bounded Fields, Stanrobe Calhin let it pass.
When dealing with types like the red-headed fellow, it was important to be flexible and forgiving. That would yield the best results in the least amount of time. They usually closed up under pressure, but if you let them speak, they'd spill everything they knew in short order.
Most humans would not be able to stand the redhead's presence for long. He could be rather defiant, sometimes intentionally so and sometimes unintentionally. He always had a smart remark ready for when he was criticised or otherwise scolded, and he seemed incapable of taking anything seriously, cracking jokes at the most inopportune of times.
Stanrobe hardly cared though. He was too old to be bothered by a youngster's words, and besides, being a spymaster meant that you had to have a thick skin, especially when dealing with Magi and mavericks.
Did Stanrobe sometimes want to rip the redhead's head from his shoulders? Of course, but then, he wanted to do that to every human he came across. There was nothing particularly vexing about keeping his cool in this particular instance, especially since being patient yielded such good results.
Gladstone Phamrsolone on the other hand had been the kind of person who needed a bit of pressure to spill what he knew. When dealing with him, Stanrobe always put on his meanest look, to thoroughly intimidate that pathetic wastrel of a man.
It had actually been quite fun, and if there was anything Stanrobe would miss about that fellow, it would be to see him squirm in discomfort and fear, to see him doubt his every choice that had led him into Stanrobe's claws, but then give in to his greed anyway.
Amusing indeed.
"When I have a Servant on my side, even the Enforcers will think twice before carelessly chasing me." The redhead was still chattering away, already rubbing his hands in glee as he celebrated his imagined victory. "Servants are far greater than Magi after all. From what I heard, they are equal even to your kind, Stanrobe."
"They might very well be."
Being an ancient Vampire, Stanrobe knew far more about Servants than most, and he had to acknowledge that even he would be hesitant to face one directly. However, his redheaded companion didn't seem to realise that there was a great variety between individual Servants.
While the likes of Heracles, Arjuna, Minamoto-no-Raikou, and Siegfried were indeed more than a match for any Dead Apostle Ancestor, the other side of the coin held Servants like Shakespeare, Mata-Hari, and Simo Häyhä, who were relatively weak.
But then, the redhead seemed to be aiming to Summon Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, who was mighty indeed, so there was little need for concern.
Provided he actually managed to Summon the Servant he was after of course, or indeed any Servant at all.
"I know what you are thinking, Stanrobe, but I assure you that I am more than capable of executing such a quaint little ritual, or my name isn't Doctor Heartless!"
Once more, the name was spoken out loud without compunction, utterly ignoring every safety measure in existence, and although Stanrobe was normally the patient sort, the urge to throttle his companion was great.
Unfortunately though, he was still too useful to be killed like that. Doubly so if he actually managed to procure a half-decent Servant.
Admittedly, keeping him on a leash would be far, far more difficult when he had such a potent weapon at his disposal, but the rewards would be more than worth the extra effort.
"Hey there! Yahoo!"
The shout was easily audible over the clamour of the Clocktower's main hall, but Rin, who was just on her way back to her chambers after finishing the lesson with Lorelei, ignored it. It likely wasn't meant for her.
"Yahoo! Rin!"
Okay, so it was meant for her.
Turning around to seek the person who'd called out to her, Rin quickly scanned the hall, before her eyes fell on a familiar figure in the nearby cafeteria.
Long, blonde hair done up in elaborate coils, a very stylish and expensive outfit, and curves to die for, the figure was instantly recognisable as Luvia, the young woman whom Rin had helped a few days prior.
She looked delighted that Rin had turned around in response to her calls, that she'd managed to make herself heard and understood, and she motioned for the black-haired girl to join her at her table.
Naturally, Rin didn't accept immediately. She usually rather disliked suddenly running into people she knew, mainly because it made her feel vulnerable and caught off-guard, as if they were seeing things they shouldn't. Also, it happened with depressing regularity that supposedly coincidental meetings weren't actually a coincidence at all.
But then, Luvia wasn't one of the people from school, or even from Fuyuki, who needed to be fooled with an idol-mask, and since the Clocktower wasn't that big, it wasn't unthinkable that two acquaintances would run into each other by pure coincidence. What's more, Luvia wasn't a rival or enemy, at least as far as she knew, so she had very little reason to attack or otherwise harm her.
All that was to say that this was unlikely to be some kind of ambush, so after only a cursory check to make sure that there were no suspicious figures loitering around, Rin made her way over to Luvia, figuring she might as well hear her out.
The blonde's bodyguards were still present, both the tall, black guy and the elderly butler, but they were both much more unassuming this time, doing their best not to stand out. Sitting at their lady's table, nursing cups of coffee, they now seemed more like servants than warriors, and even though Rin knew that they remained as dangerous as ever, she felt much less threatened as a result.
Funny how that worked.
"Luvia." She acknowledged the blonde when she arrived at the table. "Why did you call me over?"
"Why? Well, no reason, I suppose." Luvia laughed, motioning for Rin to sit down already. "I just wanted to chat for a bit. Or am I disturbing you?"
"No, not at all. I just finished my… morning routine." So far, they had both been sparse with personal details, recognising that being too open would likely just complicate matters between them, and Rin was pretty sure that being the Vice Director's apprentice was a very personal detail indeed, not to be revealed lightly. "I don't have anything scheduled for the afternoon."
"That's a relief!" Luvia's smile was a bit too wide to be genuine, but the fact that she tried to set Rin at ease in the first place was a mark in her favour. "Please, sit down. If you want anything to drink or eat, it's my treat today."
"How generous of you." Rin was no longer hurting for money, but she wasn't going to say no to a free lunch. She was still an elegant lady though, so she made sure not to select anything too expensive from the menu. That would be rude.
Luvia quickly flagged down a waiter, also placing her own order and that of her bodyguards, and Rin's opinion of her increased even more when she paid for them all without batting an eye.
She liked generous people after all.
"How have you been, Luvia? Have you settled in yet?" Rin decided to be the first to break the silence after the order had been placed, though more out of politeness than real interest.
"Oh, I've been grea-!" Luvia started out with a beaming smile, giving the expected nonanswer, before she suddenly stopped, and her smile turned into a slight grimace. "No, I shouldn't lie. Things have been going… less than ideal."
"I'm sorry to hear that." It was a platitude, but a sincere one. "Is the situation very bad?"
"Oh, no, I wouldn't call it bad. It's just… not as good as I hoped." The blonde wore a complicated expression, one that normally wouldn't really give anything away, but that Rin could read like an open book. She recognised it after all. She recognised it very well.
She herself had often looked like that, in the privacy of her own home, back before she'd come to know Shirou and Ayako, before she had reconciled with Sakura. It was the look of someone who was completely stuck in a situation that couldn't be called bad, but also certainly not good. Someone who was just ploughing along, hoping against hope that something would change in the near future.
Maybe Rin could have ignored it in the past, reasoning that Luvia had to be able to handle herself, but now that she had practically stumbled her way into happiness and love, having been rescued from that hopeless situation by a wonderful fool, she couldn't stop that glum look from tugging at her heartstrings something fierce.
Damn her conscience for suddenly forcing all those emotions on her.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" The offer passed her lips before her brain could fully catch up, but Rin didn't regret making it. Helping others was generally quite pleasant, and if nothing else, it'd score her some points with her altruistic fiancé.
"Huh?" Aid was not offered lightly in the Moonlit World however, especially not to veritable strangers, so Rin wasn't surprised when Luvia blinked in shock, before giving Rin a very critical look, searching for any signs of deception.
There weren't any though. The offer was made in good faith, with no ulterior motives. No matter how hard Luvia searched, she'd find nothing amiss.
"That's very kind of you." The blonde ended up saying, the scepticism making place for a nonplussed expression. "I don't know what to say."
"Yes or no would be a start." Rin joked, in an attempt to lighten the mood.
"Heh." The chuckle was born more from a place of politeness than anything else, but it was something at least. "What a strange offer. I can tell you're sincere, but surely, you must know that no Magus would ever allow a stranger to interfere in their personal affairs? Even if it is to ostensibly aid them?"
"Of course I know that, but I wasn't offering to meddle in your affairs. I was offering to help." Rin corrected her, pointing out the subtle difference. "Perhaps you want to vent about a smaller, personal problem, or perhaps you want to take your mind off things by playing a game with me. Maybe we could train together if you're the sort of woman who likes physical exercise, and maybe we can even go a few rounds in the sparring ring, if you dare."
Luvia had relaxed when Rin explained that her offer of help was a casual and unintrusive one, smiling at the offer of playing a game together, but when Rin mentioned the sparring ring, she perked right up again, unable to hide the flash of interest in her eyes.
"Sparring, you say?"
"Indeed." Rin grinned at the blonde's unhidden interest, her blood warming up at the thought of matching herself against a fellow Magus, one who wasn't an unbeatable Demigod. "It seems you're rather eager, aren't you? I wonder if you can back that enthusiasm up with any skill."
"How would you like to be crushed?" Luvia wasn't going to take that lying down, rising to the challenge. "Swords? Spears? Spells? Or just hand-to-hand?"
"Hand-to-hand, though we can use Reinforcement-spells as well."
"You're on!"
They shook on it, both girls grinning widely, not a trace left of the earlier morosity that had threatened to swallow the conversation.
Luvia's bodyguards didn't look too sure, perhaps being concerned about possible accidents, but they didn't protest, recognising it would be futile at this point. Their lady could be immensely stubborn once she'd decided on a course of action, so the chance that she could be talked out of the duel was vanishingly small.
The black-skinned bodyguard, Clown, was mainly resigned, more than used to his lady's impulsive nature by now. She often made his job of protecting her more difficult than it needed to be, but he didn't care. His duties didn't change. He would just have to watch the coming fight carefully, ready to step in if he saw anything untoward or if he saw a threat to his mistress.
The butler on the other hand, Auguste, actually looked rather pleased. Pleased that his mistress, whom he'd seen grow up from a precocious young girl to the fine lady she was now, was having fun. It'd been far too long since he'd last seen her smile like that, since the light in her eyes had been doused by the cruelty of life, and not only did the sight warm his old heart, it also greatly improved his opinion of the young lady Rin.
Never before had his mistress connected with someone as quickly as she had with lady Rin. They'd only met twice, and already, his mistress was confiding in her, joking with her, and now even sparring with her, things she barely, if at all, did with anyone else, even her own sister.
They'd bonded so quickly it almost became suspicious, but try as he might, Auguste couldn't bring himself to even think of doing something as callous as advising lady Luvia to stay away from lady Rin. The innocent look of happiness his mistress wore as she stormed off towards the training grounds with her new friend was seared into his heart, and had to be protected at all costs.
Luviagelita Edelfelt's wishes and safety remained his foremost priority, naturally, but should lady Rin ever find herself in trouble and he was in a position to help, he'd make sure to protect her too.
Nothing less for his mistress' new and only friend.
When Shirou returned to his room in the afternoon, Wolpertingers now safely stored away in his Vault, he wasn't surprised to find it empty.
Ophelia should still be in the Department of Policies with her new team, getting an introductory course on her new job and position, and even though Rin's lesson with Lorelei had finished about an hour ago, he knew there was no shortage of miracles and wonders in the Clocktower that could have captured her attention on the way back, thereby delaying her return.
The idea of the black-haired girl wandering the Clocktower on her own did make him worry a bit, but that was a worry he'd have to suppress. Rin was her own woman, quite capable of taking care of herself, which meant there was no reason for him to stay glued to her side all the time.
So when he left his room again a few minutes later to go and look for her, it wasn't out of concern or worry for her safety, but only because he was bored and he missed her. Nothing else.
Honestly.
Finding a single person within the entirety of the Clocktower would normally be a tall order, but Shirou had a very good nose and a deep familiarity with Rin's scent. It was a wonderful scent, that went without saying, and also very distinct, at least in his opinion. It was the scent of his fiancée, his lover, the woman he wanted to share his life with, and it never failed to cheer him up.
He realised that sounded rather creepy, and might even make him seem like a stalker of sorts, but he had always been very open about his abilities to the people around him, especially his girlfriends, and he had offered, on multiple occasions, to make them a Charm that would hide their scents from him. They'd always refused, but he kept the option open anyway.
In any case, he was just going to tentatively assume for now that Rin wouldn't mind being tracked down. Using his nose, he followed her trail, tracing her steps to find her, like an overgrown bloodhound.
That his nose first brought him to the Clocktower's main hall was no surprise, as everyone passed through there at least once a day, but it did come as a surprise when Rin's trail suddenly veered sharply to the left and headed straight for the training grounds.
That was odd. Rin certainly was a fit and sporty girl, who never skipped out on her exercises and always remained in shape, but she wasn't so dedicated that she'd bother to find her new school's gym on her fourth day there. She had better things to do than that.
In fact, such a thing was downright uncharacteristic for her, to the point where it honestly worried Shirou a bit. He tried not to immediately assume the worst, but he'd already been concerned for her safety despite his best attempts not to, and that was before he discovered that she'd gone down to a fairly isolated location without ever announcing such intentions to him.
Was it any wonder that his imagination was getting the better of him?
He hoped that he was just being overprotective, and that when he found her, she'd laugh at him for fussing so much, but he couldn't be certain of that. Not here, not now.
So he headed for the training grounds too, following the trail that Rin had inadvertently left for him.
The training grounds were an area within the Clocktower that was specifically designated and designed for various forms of physical exercise and physical experiments. It was where Enforcers would gather to train for their missions, where Magi would test their new forms of body-enhancement, and where the nobles of the Clocktower came to stay in shape.
Shirou had visited it once during his first stay at the Clocktower, but never came back after that. It was nice enough, but he usually did his training on his own. He preferred it that way.
Now he was glad though that he'd visited the place before. It made finding his way through the maze of hallways and corridors much easier.
The training grounds were just like he remembered them. A fairly large and open space, littered with countless gadgets, dolls, and equipment meant for physical exercise, protected and fortified with numerous spells both modern and ancient. It was clear that piles of money had been thrown at it, just like at every other part of the Clocktower, creating the sort of opulence one wouldn't find anywhere else in the world, certainly not in a gym.
At this point, it didn't even impress Shirou anymore. It amused him more than anything.
There were a few dozen people milling about, tending to their own matters, but Shirou ignored them all in his search for Rin. Black-haired, fairly short, and definitely the prettiest girl around, she usually wasn't that hard to find, even in a crowd.
Once again, he managed to pinpoint her fairly quickly, and he let out a massive sigh of relief when he saw that she was safe and sound.
Unrestrained, not under the influence of any foreign Magecraft, and clearly not in any form of distress, Rin was currently throwing down with someone in one of the sparring rings. She was grinning widely as she punched and was punched in turn, clearly much enjoying a battle against someone on her own level.
The redhead had no clue how she had ended up there, especially since picking a fight with a stranger was nothing like her, but if she was having fun, that was all that mattered. Besides, he had done exactly the same on multiple occasions, and his fights had resulted in some of his closest friendships to date.
Now that his worries had been put to rest, Shirou relaxed, and he took a short moment of deliberation, before he decided to walk over to the ring. Rin probably wouldn't mind if he watched the fight, and he was curious to see how well she performed against another Magus. Also, he noted with great approval that she was wearing her two-piece sports suit again, the one that so wonderfully complimented her-
Was that an Edelfelt?!
Shirou froze, blinking in abject confusion, before he rubbed his eyes thoroughly and looked again.
Nope, the scene before him did not change.
"Is that all you've got, Luvia?! My baby-sister hit harder than that, when she was four!"
"O-ho-ho! You're certainly a brute, aren't you, Rin?! No finesse, you're just hitting as hard as you can! Is that all you know, miss gorilla!?"
Rin was sparring with a tall, blonde girl of about her age, with blue eyes and very pale skin, whose hair was done up in elaborate coils and who wore a one-piece sports suit that had been woven from Magically-enhanced silk and decorated with various patches of Phantasmal Beast leather.
Those physical features, combined with that pathological need to show off their wealth and that high-brow laugh, almost certainly meant that this was indeed an Edelfelt, and that changed the current situation from an innocent spar to something potentially far darker.
The problem though was that Shirou wasn't sure whether he should interfere or not.
Both girls were really going at it, fighting with the intensity of gladiators who knew only one of them would be allowed to leave the arena alive, but they were smiling and laughing all the while, clearly having loads of genuine fun.
There was not a trace of hostility to be found between them, not a single sign that they had anything riding on the outcome of this battle. It was by all accounts a proper spar, though not as respectful as it perhaps should have been, with the insults that were continuously thrown to and from.
Was it possible this was just a friendly duel? A match meant to establish how well they compared to one another and nothing more? It was hard to believe, but that was what the evidence pointed to.
The redhead hemmed and hawed, unable to decide whether he should step in or not, and he was almost relieved when he noticed the bodyguards standing near the ring, most likely employed by the Edelfelt. At least he could approach them without fearing he'd be interrupting the flow of what seemed to be a merry battle, to ask them what was going on.
The bodyguards had already spotted him, unlike Rin, who was too absorbed in the battle, and they had been keeping an eye on him with increasing suspicion as he kept dawdling near their mistress and her new friend. To them, it must seem like he was a nosey creep at best and an assassin at worst.
He better go and disabuse them of those notions.
"This sparring ring is occupied, sir." The elder of the two, a lean man with an impressive amount of facial hair and a pristine butler suit, informed him in a polite yet insistent tone when Shirou approached them. "Please be so kind as to leave."
"I know that the ring is occupied, that's why I am here." Shirou replied pleasantly, hoping not to unduly escalate the situation. "I was looking for Rin, the one who is fighting with your mistress over there. I was worried when I couldn't find her in her room."
"I see." The old man relaxed a tiny bit, though the same couldn't be said for his large compatriot. "You are familiar with the lady Rin then?"
"You could say that. I'm her fiancé."
As Rin had explained, the term 'girlfriend' held very little meaning in the Moonlit World, especially among the older generations, and that was why they'd decided to make their relationship more official, to leave no doubt about their love and relationship.
"Her fiancé? Oh, pardon my harsh language then, sir. Please, join us." As if Shirou had spoken a magic word, the butler's attitude flipped completely, and he stepped aside, so that the redhead could join him in watching the ring. "Our sincerest apologies for the suddenness and unexpectedness of this honourable match, sir, but I fear that neither our mistress nor your fiancée left us much time or recourse when they decided to do battle."
"That does sound like Rin." Shirou huffed in amusement, confirming once again that for all her talk about how impulsive he was, she didn't exactly think things through either before she took action. Fortunately, that was one of the things he loved about her so much. "How long have they been going at it?"
"About twelve minutes." The elderly butler replied, looking at his large compatriot for confirmation, which he received in the form of a single nod. "Please do not mind Clown's silence, sir. He has never been one for idle conversation."
"It's fine." Shirou easily waved the apology away, though he was a little surprised that the large, muscled, and dangerous-looking man was named Clown of all things. It seemed rather unfitting. "Who is winning?"
"Neither. They seem quite well-matched. Lady Luvia is most adept at wrestling, while your fiancée's footwork and fierce attacks are most impressive indeed. If either of them has a clear advantage over the other, I have yet to find it."
He was right. As they watched, Rin managed to land a punch in Luvia's stomach, taking away her breath, but was unable to capitalise on it when the blonde swept up her leg to try and take her into a leg hold.
Rin retreated, but Luvia pursued, hitting the black-haired girl with a fierce shoulder-check that knocked her down on the ground. When she pounced on her however, Rin caught her by the shoulders, threw one leg across her middle, and flipped their positions upside down.
Luvia responded in kind however, throwing both her legs around Rin's middle and grabbing hold of her arms, before she did a back roll, aiming to reverse positions again.
Rin managed to wrench herself loose halfway through though, and they both landed hard on the ground, with some distance between them.
Clearly being an expert grappler, Luvia made to grab Rin again, but the black-haired girl quickly retreated, though not before dishing out a few quick jabs. Luvia tried again, with the same results, and again, hissing in displeasure when her opponent darted away once more.
"So the gorilla is trying to dance now!?" She mocked Rin, frustrated and elated in equal measure. "What's wrong?! No strength left?!"
"Hardly. I don't imagine you'll understand, but-"
In the middle of her sentence, Luvia attacked again, rushing forward like a boar, but Rin, quite familiar with such tricks, simply stepped out of the way once more, smiling smugly when her opponent failed to hit her again.
The smile disappeared at once though when Luvia suddenly went down low, into a sliding tackle that hit Rin's legs so hard that she was almost knocked upside down.
Hanging horizontally in the air, the black-haired girl had nowhere to go, and Luvia capitalised on it by ramming her fist into Rin's midriff, knocking the air right out of her lung, before taking her into a tight bearhug, to stop her from breathing it back in.
This could very well have been the finishing move, but unfortunately for Luvia, Rin was quite used to bearhugs. Shirou rather liked them as well, not in the least because he just liked hugging her.
In any case, the black-haired girl moved almost on instinct as she raised her arms, brought her hands together, and slammed her fists down on Luvia's head, first from above, then from the right and then from the left, nearly knocking her senseless.
With the blonde left in a daze, Rin drew up her legs, placed her knees against Luvia's stomach, and leveraged herself out of the hold, taking in deep gulps of air as she did so.
Not three seconds later, the fight continued.
"I see what you mean." Shirou hummed, glancing at the elderly butler for a moment. "They are quite evenly-matched. I do think that Rin has a slight advantage however."
The black-haired girl was definitely dishing out more than she was taking, not in the least because Luvia's fighting style resembled that of Shirou, meaning she had plenty of experience with countering it. For now, the blonde was holding strong, but at this pace, she would inevitably give in first.
"I cannot disagree." The butler sighed, seeing the same now that Shirou had pointed it out. "Lady Luvia will be disappointed, though I suppose it will be an excellent motivator as well. She's a driven young woman, who will not take defeat lying down. She will be stronger next time."
"I'm sure she will be."
There was clear fondness in the man's voice as he spoke about his mistress, a fondness that could only come from great familiarity and a close, friendly relationship. It definitely boded well for the Edelfelt's character, though it still was no guarantee. Even the most evil people could still inspire loyalty. Shirou had seen that often enough.
The butler then resumed watching the fight, his lips curled up in a small, approving smile, and Shirou followed suit, though not with a smile, but with a somewhat troubled look that seemed rather out of place.
The butler and the bodyguard didn't notice, disciplined and restrained as they were, but Shirou was acutely aware that he was watching a rather intense fight between two beautiful, scantily-clad young women, one of whom was his own girlfriend to boot. From so close, he could see practically everything, and it was all he could do not to turn red from how quickly his blood was rushing through his veins.
He could see every bounce, every twitch, every drop of sweat, and every inch of exposed skin from almost every angle, and it made his mouth run bone dry. Then, as if that wasn't bad enough, his treacherous mind decided that witnessing two gorgeous girls wrestling in only their thin sports suits wasn't enough, and readily conjured up images of them wrestling while completely naked and covered in oil instead.
That really did it, and Shirou smacked a hand over his mouth, viciously biting down on his own fingers and the inside of his cheeks in order to keep his erection contained. These conjured images were pleasant fantasies indeed, and would certainly have to be revisited later, at night, but this was neither the time nor the place.