It seemed unlikely, yet Waver happened to know that it was completely true. He'd heard it straight from the horse's mouth already, from Shirou, and it meant he wasn't shocked in the slightest.
"When you speak to him again, tell him that I concur with his theory." Waver didn't bother miming surprise. Even if Sisigou would believe him, which was unlikely, Belfeban certainly wouldn't. "In fact, two years is too generous an estimate. I'd say six to twelve months is more accurate."
"Right. I'll pass it on to the old man." Sisigou nodded, not questioning Waver's words at all. With his rise in power had also come a rise in how willing people were to believe him at his word, and Waver had to say he liked it.
"If you don't mind me asking though, mister Sisigou, why are you here?" He then asked a question of his own. "Forgive me for making assumptions, but you do not seem like the kind of man who'd normally accept the role of messenger."
"I wouldn't normally, that is true." The mercenary agreed, before adjusting his sunglasses again. "But with the Grail War starting soon, I reckon the Clocktower will be needing a representative again, no?"
"That is correct. It is customary for the Magus Association to supply at least one participant for the Grail War, and since neither Atlas nor the Wandering Sea have shown any interest whatsoever, it falls to the Clocktower to select that participant. Mainly to the Department of Summoning in fact, as dealing with the Grail War is their prerogative… Ah." Right as he said so, Waver suddenly realised what this was about. "You want to be that participant."
"Let's say that the position was offered to me." Sisigou grinned widely, showing off his pearly-white teeth, but it was not a triumphant or even satisfied grin. "It is not the sort of thing I usually go for. I dislike depending on others for victory, even if they are Heroic Spirits, and it all sounds a bit too complicated for my liking."
"And yet, here you are." Waver pointed out.
"I really could use a wish right now." Sisigou admitted, evidently feeling no compunction about disclosing his true motives. "An omnipotent Wish-granting device… I'm not in a position to refuse such a convenient tool, so when Belfeban called to ask if I was interested, I came over right away."
"That Belfeban. Already recruiting people behind my back." Waver scoffed, not surprised but still a little disappointed by his supposed comrade's behaviour. Shirou and Lorelei had spoiled him with their sincere demeanour and helpful attitude, if casual snubbing like this could get to him. "I take it you're not the only candidate though?"
"Certainly not. Got a fair few contenders, with you being the most notable, lord El-Melloi." Sisigou made a show of looking Waver up and down as if they were about to throw down then and there, before he glanced over at Bazett, who was, as always, lounging discreetly in a corner of the office. "Your bodyguard was mentioned as well."
"I won't be giving up the position easily." Bazett replied immediately, "Not to you, Sisigou, and not to you either, lord El-Melloi. I too have a wish I want fulfilled."
"Please don't pull me into this." Waver held up his hands, getting out from between the meatheads. "I have no intention of joining another Grail War. Once was plenty for me, thank you very much."
"You're serious?" Sisigou turned back to Waver straight away, his hand coming up again to adjust his sunglasses, which seemed to be a tick of his.
"I am." Waver confirmed. "So there is no need to puff yourself up in an effort to intimidate me, nor do you need to 'take me out', as they say."
"I wouldn't dare. If I took you out now, which would be a long shot to begin with, your Sorcerer-friend would have me die a thousand deaths in retaliation." Sisigou huffed, actually relaxing slightly now that he knew he no longer had to fear such a fate. "Alright, then it's just you and me, Fraga."
"There's no one else?" Bazett lifted a sceptical eyebrow. "I find that hard to believe. The Grail War is a fairly obscure Ritual, far away from the Clocktower, but there must be plenty of Magi willing to participate in any obscure Ritual they can find if it may bring them closer to the Root."
"Let me rephrase it. There's plenty of rabble, but it's only you and me who stand a real shot of getting the position, Fraga." Sisigou corrected himself. "Lordie here would have stood a fair chance too, but he's backing down. Other than him, we've only got some lordlings and two-bit researchers to contend with. Piece of cake."
"Right, so that is what you meant." Bazett spent a moment in thought, before she nodded, balling her fist in front of her face. "Shall we settle it right now? There's no point in waiting."
"Except there is. Depending on how things shake out, the Clocktower might need to send two or three candidates." Sisigou held up his hands to motion for peace, and Bazett, never one to waste energy when it wasn't needed, settled down quickly. "I really am only here to scope out the competition, not to pick a fight. That comes later. Perhaps we'll fight for a place, perhaps for the Grail itself. Only time will tell."
"Right." Bazett was a warrior herself, so she immediately accepted that line of reasoning. "Don't think you can study without being studied in turn though."
"Fair enough." Sisigou agreed, before turning to Waver once more. "As for you, lordie, I was also hoping to pick your brain sometime about the Fourth War. Any chance I could convince you to swap old stories with a veteran mercenary like me over a drink or two?"
"I have no problems telling you about my experiences." Waver had learned much during the War, from great men and women who had shared their knowledge freely, and the least he could in return do was share their stories freely himself. "Just let me know where and when."
"You're a proper decent fellow, lordie." Sisigou grinned again, and this time, there was a trace of genuine happiness.
"You exaggerate. If I were truly kind, I would be trying to dissuade you from participating in that mad slaughter."
A Grail War was an event meant to crush the weak and punish the strong. It was a display of brutality, a battle royale where every participant was meant to kill the rest. No one, not even the most experienced of mercenaries, should enter it without being completely prepared to die, and even then, it was best to think twice.
"But I can see your mind is made up. Very well. Do you need help procuring a Catalyst for the Summoning?"
"No need. Belfeban promised to set me up with something real good." Sisigou's grin had lost some of its lustre, showing that Waver's words had gotten to him at least slightly, but he was not the sort of man to back down just because something was dangerous. "Thanks for the chat, lordie. See you around for that drink."
Waver looked on as the scarred mercenary departed from his office, and once the door had clicked shut, he turned to Bazett.
"What about you? Do you need help procuring a Catalyst?"
"Already have one." Bazett shook her head, before showing him her earrings. He'd noticed a while ago that she always wore them, but he hadn't thought too much of it, until now. "These belonged to a great hero of Ireland, someone whose stories I grew up with. You might say they are a personal hero of mine."
"A great hero of Ireland? Ah, yes, I know whom you speak of." Waver nodded sagely. "Doubtlessly, it is Fionn Mac Cumhaill."
"Sir!" Bazett pouted.
"I jest. You mean Cu Chulainn of course."
"Indeed I do." Bazett nodded firmly, looking a bit peeved that he'd even suggest she'd go for Fionn. "Should I be chosen for the Grail War, I will definitely Summon him."
"A sensible choice." Waver saw no issue with her Summoning such a hero. He would have advised against it if Bazett had been one of his students, as the ancient Celts could be a tad dismissive of people who weren't warriors, but there should be no problem on that front for her. Bazett had shed her fair share of blood, enough to garner some respect even from the Child of Light.
He also made a mental note to inform Shirou of her plans, as well as the rest of what had just been discussed. If they were to stop Angra Mainyu, they needed all the advantages they could get, even if it made him feel a little duplicitous to go behind Sisigou's and Bazett's backs like that.
With Sisigou out of the office as well, that left only one person to deal with.
"Apologies for the wait, snake. I hope I didn't test your patience?"
"Not at all." Hishiri Adashino smiled innocently, having waited politely in the corner while the others went first. "Your dealings are most interesting, lord El-Melloi. I wasn't bored for a moment."
"A pity." He replied bluntly. "What do you want? If it's about the Rail Zeppelin…"
"It is not. I am not here on personal business. I was sent in an official capacity by lady Barthomeloi to inquire about Fujimaru."
"I see." Adashino was here on a mission then, so Waver also shifted gears, his scowl making place for a mostly neutral expression. "I regret to inform you that he did not return before lord Carillon collapsed the tunnels. He may yet return via another route, but it is impossible to tell how long that might take. Tell lady Barthomeloi that."
"She will hear your words exactly as they were spoken." Adashino promised, before pursing her lips. "On a personal note however, I cannot bring myself to feel regretful about his absence."
"Yes, you have made your dislike of him pretty clear."
"I would not call it dislike." Adashino protested. "I bear him no ill will. I still wish to see him eat, even if it is not at my table."
"How gracious of you." Waver didn't really believe that Adashino was capable of such open-mindedness, but at least she made an effort to pretend to be polite and well-meaning. He had to give her that if nothing else.
His eyes widened to the size of saucers however when, by some cosmic coincidence, Shirou himself chose that exact moment to enter his office, coming out of nowhere and nearly making Grey and Bazett trip over their own feet in shock.
"Well, you must admit that, in the end, it does not really matter where he is." Adashino smiled bravely, completely missing both the redhead's entrance and Waver's reaction to it. "Knowing Fujimaru, he is almost certainly doing quite well for himself, probably accosting criminals somewhere, or tempting queens into his bed while brazenly disregarding their authority, or causing immense amounts of trouble."
"Or he could be standing behind you." Shirou spoke up, looking highly amused by the remarks.
"Or he could be standing behind me." For a fraction of a second, Adashino's eyes were filled with pure terror, but then she composed herself again, lightning fast. "And, as a gentleman of class, I'm sure he can take a joke in the spirit in which it is given."
"You'll find I can take a lot, miss Adashino, as long as it is nothing but words." Shirou truly looked amused, with only the tiniest amount of seriousness in his voice, clearly showing that he indeed saw the whole matter as nothing but a joke. "What brings you here then?"
"L-Lady… The Vice Director wishes to know about your whereabouts and condition!" For a few seconds, Adashino looked absolutely befuddled that she was still alive after her ill-timed remarks, but then she promptly reported on her duties, nearly saluting.
"I am fine. I found another way out of the Tomb of Albion, an easier way, through which I returned a few hours ago." He explained, hoping that Lorelei would forgive him for not coming to her first thing. "I will visit Lorelei as soon as I can. I have much to inform her of. Please tell her that."
He gave Adashino a ready excuse to leave the office, practically dismissing her even, and she seized the opportunity with both hands.
She left without another word, rushing away as fast as she could without it being outright insulting. Her fear of him was on clear display, and it left Shirou a tad confused.
"Was it something I did?" He asked Waver, Grey, and Bazett, really wondering if he had somehow insulted or scared her without realising it.
"I don't believe it is. She would have mentioned it by now if you had done something specific to frighten her." Waver rubbed his chin for a moment, before deciding that Adashino's weird quirks were not relevant at the moment. "But never mind her. It is good to see you alive and well, Shirou. When the tunnels collapsed, I feared the worst."
"Like I said, I found another way back. I have to admit I also got a bit nervous at the end, but everything worked out." The redhead assured him, indeed looking none the worse for wear. In fact, he looked content, if not outright triumphant, though it was lessened a bit the next moment. "I am sorry for making you worry."
"Never mind the apologies." Waver had never believed Shirou would have died down there, merely that he would be significantly delayed, so he hadn't worried all that much. "Rather, I would have you tell me what you discovered in the Tomb of Albion."
Waver was generally a practical person, especially for a Magus. He knew that research was not the most important thing in life, nor reaching the Root or advancing one's Magecraft. He knew how to prioritise properly, which was probably one of the reasons he was still a third-rate Magus, just like Shirou.
However, despite that sense of realism, so rare among Magi, he was still a researcher and a curious person at heart. As such, he could not stop himself from salivating at the idea of getting a firsthand account of the Tomb of Albion itself. That most Mystical of places, where Mystery was still alive and strong, rather than dying a slow death like on the surface. In such a place, nearly anything was possible.
"Excalibur."
But even so, Shirou's reply still bowled him over completely.
It was so unexpected, so incredibly surprising, coming out of absolutely nowhere, that Waver spent the first few seconds utterly blanked out, hearing but not processing what Shirou had just told him.
"Was that a metaphor?" He eventually asked, considering the possibility that Shirou was talking about an incredible find in general.
"No." But Shirou made short work of that notion. "I met Vivian, the Lady of the Lake, and she gave me the Sword of Promised Victory."
It took Waver another few seconds to properly digest that nugget of information, going from bafflement to disbelief to scepticism and eventually acceptance with lightning speed.
"Does that make you the king of Britain?"
But he must still have been rather off-balance, judging by the stupid question he'd just asked.
"Excalibur doesn't make you king." Shockingly, it was Grey who muttered a response, her hands clenched as she looked at Shirou. "Caliburn does. Did you get it too?"
"That sword was broken." Shirou replied slowly, not seeming at all surprised by her terse tone of voice. Waver wasn't surprised either, nor was Bazett.
"And Excalibur was returned to the lake." Grey hissed, her teal eyes glowing ominously beneath her hood. "Yet you claim to possess it. What are you going to do with it?"
"Return it to its rightful owner, when she is Summoned in the Grail War." The redhead answered frankly, not mincing his words in the slightest. "It is hers by right. I was only given custodianship of the sword, not ownership. I cannot wield it myself. Only King Arthur can."
"…" Grey remained tense even as she fell silent, continuing to stare at Shirou as if he were an ill wind or dark message.
"But then, you are King Arthur's descendant." Shirou recalled, bringing up something that Grey preferred to stay buried. "Technically, you could make a claim to Excalibur yourself. You might argue that you have more of a right to it than an incorporeal memory of the past, which is essentially everything a Servant is. You wouldn't be incorrect either."
"I do not want it." Grey almost spat out, turning away brusquely. She'd hated King Arthur and everything related to her since the moment she was old enough to understand the Arthurian Myth, and that included the legendary weapons mentioned in the epos, among them the most famous fictional weapons in history. "I… I only need Rhongomyniad, and that's because Ad is…"
She didn't finish her sentence, nor did she have to for Shirou and Waver to understand. Ad was allowed to stay because he was her old companion, but other than him, she didn't want anything related to King Arthur within a hundred metres of her.
"If you wish to excuse yourself, you are of course allowed to. That goes without saying." Waver gently reminded her of the fact that she was not obliged to stay here, and it spoke to how much the situation affected her that she took him up on that offer without even a token protest.
"I'll be in my room." She muttered, the anger and spirit from before rapidly draining away. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Shirou waved away her supposed 'transgression' without a thought. "And worry not. Excalibur will remain sealed until the time that I hand it over to its owner. You will not lay eyes upon it, even in my presence."
Grey's only response to that was a nod, coupled with a look of slight relief, before she was gone.
"Tell me more." Waver knew he would have to have a talk with Grey about her clearly still raw wounds, inflicted by her village before he'd taken her away from there and now reopened by Shirou's words, but that would have to wait until later. Grey clearly wasn't in the mood to talk, and as callous as it might sound, he had more important matters to deal with right now.
He was prepared for quite a lot, knowing that Shirou's adventures tended to be grand and baffling at the least. In fact, he anticipated an absolutely buck wild story, welcomed it even, hoping for copious details.
Alas, when the redhead began telling his story, Waver discovered that he wasn't nearly prepared enough after all.
Ever since the adventure in Misaki Town, where Roa had been slain for good, Cardinal Laurentis of the Burial Agency felt like a changed man.
He was still far too old, though his exact age was of no importance, he was still considered an oddball among his fellow Cardinals, and he still had tons of work to do every day, work that became progressively harder to escape from as his assistants became better and better at seeing through his tricks. That much hadn't changed.
But the Wasting Curse that he had carried within him for so long was finally gone. It was no longer gnawing on his bones, stealing his energy, and draining his Spirit. At long last, he was free.
Not only that, but the process of removing the Curse had also reversed some of the aging he'd suffered over the years, returning him, ever so slightly, to his prime.
It went without saying that he was over the moon. Physically, he still wasn't a young man by any means, still as grey and wrinkly as ever, but mentally and spiritually, he very much was a younger man. His body was light as a feather now. He felt like running a marathon, or cycling in the Tour du France, or joining one of those delightful and immensely theatrical television wrestling matches that some of the rank and file often watched.
He didn't do any of that of course, as his body would never be able to withstand the strain no matter what his mind might think, but the desire and the vigour remained. He was a bundle of energy, and it was eliciting even more strange glances from those around him than normal. Some even considered sending him to a doctor.
Understandable of course. They didn't know about the Curse that had been lifted, hadn't even known he had been Cursed in the first place, so they couldn't know why he was so happy. In their eyes, he was suddenly behaving even more erratically than he usually did for no reason, which, considering his advanced age, was cause for alarm.
It was a bit inconvenient, having to dodge those doctor visits, but the Cardinal didn't bother to correct the misconceptions. He could of course tell them that his Curse had been broken, which would put an end to those worries at least, but if he told them that, they would want to know how he'd been Cursed in the first place, and that was… awkward, to say the least.
Despite his reputation as an oddball, he was still a fairly respected man of the cloth, so people wouldn't much like it if they heard he'd gotten himself Cursed while studying the research of a Dead Apostle Ancestor in order to find a way to live longer.
Like he said, awkward.
He'd kept his Curse a secret for a long time, even from his favourite mistresses and children, privately searching for a cure, and while he hadn't been very successful at the latter, the former had proven no great problem at all. Apparently, it didn't occur to people that one of the oldest and longest serving Cardinals might secretly be Cursed because he did something extremely forbidden. Convenient, that.
But everything had changed when he met the new True Magician, Shirou Fujimaru.
Somehow, the lad worked out that he was Cursed within moments of meeting him, and what's more, had cured him with what seemed to be just a flick of his fingers. A powerful Curse, which had resisted the efforts of a Cardinal for years, broken in a mere second by someone barely paying attention.
He'd played it off at the time, laughing kindly while thanking the Sorcerer and continuing their conversation without making a big deal out of it, but thinking back on that feat, that incredible display of power and skill, still made the Cardinal shiver slightly sometimes.
He hadn't really been on board before with some of the other Cardinals who considered it of the utmost importance to keep a sharp eye on Fujimaru, but that little feat had turned that opinion right on its head. Doubly so since the redheaded True Magician actually seemed open to the idea of cooperating with the Burial Agency on some fronts.
There was a lot that could be gained if they played their cards right, and a lot that could be lost if they did not.
Fortunately, Cardinal Laurentis was somewhat of a natural talent at playing cards, if he said so himself. Playing a high-stakes game with a Sorcerer was exactly the sort of thrill he'd enjoy.
Alas, that was something he would have save for later. Being a Cardinal wasn't all fun and games. It also involved a lot of tedious office work, and even the fact that his office was styled like a particularly wealthy alcove in a particularly wealthy church could not remedy that fact.
"The Holy Grail War, you say?" He struggled not to sigh at the words of his current assistant, a lad whose name he could not remember. Normally, the Cardinal always referred to him as 'boy', which the lad was seemingly happy to accept. "I thought we'd have another fifty years before that event would begin again."
"We should have, but the latest reports indicate it should start within the year."
"Heavens, what distressing news." The Cardinal made a show of being shocked, placing a hand on his forehead, even as he groaned loudly on the inside. "For such senseless violence to start again so soon."
"It is most distressing news, Cardinal." His assistant agreed. "The loss of life is always a tragedy."
"Yes." Cardinal Laurentis agreed in turn, the very picture of a holy man worried for the people both in and out of his flock. "The Grail Wars are a brutal, senseless, and truly distressing affair. I should know. I studied them closely, and even witnessed one."
"You witnessed a Grail War, Cardinal?"
"Yes, boy. I did. Years ago. The Third Holy Grail War, to be precise." Laurentis remembered it well. He'd gone there without permission, on an adventure. It had been a youthful folly, born out of arrogance and greed. "I heard that a group of Magi in the Far-East planned to do battle over our Lord's Chalice. Naturally, I had to go and see for myself whether this Holy Grail they spoke of was the real artefact, and if so, steal it in the name of the Church."
"Steal…?" The attendant didn't look entirely happy that Cardinal Laurentis was plainly admitting to having seriously entertained the idea of stealing a holy relic, no matter how justified that act might have been. He was straightlaced like that.
"All for a good cause, boy." Laurentis assured him, hiding his smile at the way the little lad was puffing up his cheeks. It'd probably be best not to mention that he'd honestly been thrilled initially at the idea of teaming up with a Servant and fighting great duels, using clever tactics, cunning ploys, and inspired plans. He might actually get a lecture if he did so. "But the Grail in Fuyuki turned out to be a forgery in the end, so this whole discussion is hypothetical anyway."
Cardinal Laurentis liked to consider himself a dutiful man, despite his many vices, but he wasn't so far gone that he'd risk his life and Soul for a cheap copy. Especially so since the Grail Wars had turned out to be not about great duels or inspired plans, but about brutish violence, senseless betrayals, and petty spite.
When he said he had his vices, he meant he could be lecherous and gluttonous, not murderous and cruel for the sake of it.
These days, he preferred to ignore everything associated with the Grail Wars, something that he usually managed quite well.
Not today though. As a Cardinal, he was supposed to have an opinion about almost anything, and dispense wisdom while he was at it. This was no exception.
"How did they discover that the timetable on the Grail War has been accelerated so greatly?" He found himself wondering. "What news did they receive from Fuyuki to draw such bold conclusions? Do we even have any agents there anymore?"
"No news from Fuyuki. Our informants heard about it from Shirou Fujimaru."
"Did they now? And how exactly did they manage to pry this from the mouth of a True Magician?"
"There was no need to pry. He announced it to all and sundry, apparently. This Sorcerer seems to care little for secrecy. He also appears to have a vested interest in the Grail War."
"Clearly." Cardinal Laurentis privately wondered for a moment whether that was a positive or a negative, before deciding he couldn't be bothered to think too long about it. "Hmmm... In the end, it matters little whether the Grail War starts in one year or fifty. Just make sure we have an overseer in place and leave the Magi to it."
"Therein lies the problem, Cardinal. There is no overseer in Fuyuki anymore." The boy finally revealed the real reason they were even talking about this, jogging Laurentis' memory. "The last one was… uhm…"
"Yes, I remember now." The Cardinal nodded, sparing the boy the discomfort of having to say it out loud. "Kotomine Kirei was forced from the city after some unpleasant business. An entirely overblown event, I'm sure."
"Terribly overblown, Cardinal." The assistant agreed immediately and without batting an eye. "But it would be best not to upset the Magi too much by insisting on his involvement. I advise appointing another overseer to the Holy Grail War this time."
"Oh, very well." The agreement between the Magus Association and the Burial Agency did dictate that the latter was responsible for providing overseers for the War, so they wouldn't get out from under this. "Who else do we have who can take his place? For that matter, who is assigned to Fuyuki right now?"
"Caren Ortensia." The boy shifted a little at the mention of that witch's name, and with good reason.
"Is that so?" Cardinal Laurentis had to think about that for a moment. On one hand, leaving Ortensia at the other end of the world would save him a bundle of headaches. On the other, she was not remotely suited for something as violent as a War, no matter how small-scale. "We will have to replace her."
"Not necessarily, Cardinal." Surprisingly, his assistant disagreed. "Ortensia seems to have some rapport with Fujimaru, developed over her time at the Clocktower, which she can use during her potential time as overseer."
"Ortensia?" Cardinal Laurentis did a double-take at that, unsure how that woman could develop any rapport with anyone, let alone a True Magician. "How… Quaint. Nevertheless, even if we do not replace her, she will need considerable help. She is but a child, with little sway over seasoned Magi. Do we have anyone in mind?"
"Lissenbaum, perhaps?"
"Ariadne Lissenbaum?"
"Are there any others?" The assistant asked rhetorically, before shrugging. "She specifically requested to be assigned to the Grail War."
"Denied." Cardinal Laurentis replied immediately. "She is far too important to send on such a dangerous task. Losing her would be a massive blow to the Burial Agency."
"The overseer is not supposed to participate though." The assistant pointed out. "The chance of losing her should be small."
"There have been four Grail Wars so far, and thus also four overseers. Of those overseers, none survived until the end of their respective wars." Cardinal Laurentis remembered it well, how quickly the supposedly untouchable referees had all been murdered, which was another reason he did not much like the twisted Ritual. "Lissenbaum is strong, but she cannot defeat a Servant. Should she become the overseer or, God forbid, participate herself, her death is nearly guaranteed."
"Understood, Cardinal. I will inform her that her request has been refused, and disclose your reasoning."
"Very good. Send someone we can miss instead. I trust you to find the most disposable agent in our organisation. The troublemaker we're better off without."
"As you wish." His attendant dutifully made a note of it, already considering potential candidates. "Will you be taking an active role in managing this Grail War, Cardinal?"
"No, certainly not." Laurentis promptly refused, not about to saddle himself with such ridiculous amounts of extra work. "I am too old for such nonsense. Do you want me to throw out my back again?"
"Best not." His attendant gracefully backed down, showing it hadn't been much of a serious suggestion anyway.
"Now, enough about the Grail War. Isn't there anything else that we must discuss right now?" Cardinal Laurentis none so subtly moved the subject along. "Is there no news concerning the Dead Apostle Ancestors? What about the Pope's scheduled visit to Angola? Have all threats to his person been removed?"
"To answer your questions in reverse order, yes, all threats in Angola have been eliminated. The lingering Wraiths have been cleared, the Mbwiri lurking near the capital has been slain, and the nest of Werehyenas has been exterminated." The assistant confirmed, and neither man present batted an eye at the idea that a whole family of people who were simple humans except for one night of the month had been killed. "But there is no news on the Dead Apostle Ancestors, aside from the fact that their ranks are still one short compared to the previous year."
"Vlov Arkhangel still has not been replaced? Surprising." It used to be fairly normal for a spot on the Twenty-Seven to remain open for a while after the previous holder had been slain, but in recent years, the Vampires had gotten a fair bit quicker with finding replacements. That they were now breaking that newfound habit again was quite noteworthy. "Do we know where his Idea Blood is located?"
"No, and neither do the Ancestors, apparently."
"Oh?" Now that was very interesting indeed, and Cardinal Laurentis gave his assistant a curious look, only to be disappointed when the lad shrugged his shoulders. He did not know more than what could be found in the general report sent to all Cardinals. "I'll speak to Dilo about it. What else can you tell me?"
The boy gave him a few more bits and pieces of news, nothing too interesting, and they wrapped up their little discussion soon enough.
Just in time for another Cardinal to make an appearance in Laurentis' office.
"Laurentis!" He shouted, perhaps a bit too loudly for the situation, as old men were wont to do sometimes.
"Paul!" Cardinal Laurentis shouted back just as loudly, though with a small grin. "What can I do for you?"
"The Pope has summoned all the Cardinals currently present in the Vatican." Paul's hurried reply made him sit up and take notice however, especially since the other Cardinal looked rather troubled by the summons.
"I take it this is not to discuss the next Easter celebration?" A man could always hope, though that hope was faint and quickly crushed.
"He is calling on us as the leader of the Eighth Sacrament." Cardinal Paul, though aware of the Moonlit World like all Cardinals, had never had much dealings with the Burial Agency, so this sudden development clearly left him ill at ease.
Not that Laurentis fared any better. The Popes were usually rather hands off when it came to the Eighth Sacrament, the current Pope being no exception, so for him to summon them like this…
Something huge must have happened.
"Let us be off." Cardinal Laurentis wasted no more time. With the help of his assistant, he donned his holy robes, put on his holy mitre, grabbed his holy staff, and with Cardinal Paul at his side, rushed down the holy halls towards their holy leader, waiting for them at the centre of their holy city.
All while hoping that they hadn't just ended up in some kind of holy mess.
"So this is Excalibur." Sakura muttered as she stared at the holy sword that Shirou had just placed on the table before them, looking enthralled by its otherworldly beauty and splendour. "Its reputation does not do it justice."
At the moment, she, Shirou, and Ayako were in the Vault together, sitting on a couch with a small table in front of them, upon which the redhead had placed the prize he'd obtained on his recent journey.
"It really is beautiful." Ayako agreed, reaching out to touch the blade, yet thinking better of it at the last moment, retracting her hand. "Also a bit intimidating though. It almost feels as if taking its handle would incinerate me on the spot."
"Excalibur would not be so violent, Ayako." Shirou assured the brunette. "Taking its handle is not so much dangerous as it is simply improper."
"Because it's not ours, right?"
"Indeed. It is King Arthur's, and thus meant for her hands only." Shirou confirmed, looking the sword over for possible stains and spots for what felt like the thousandth time. "I promised lady Vivian I would keep it safe at all costs, and that includes allowing no one to make even the most cursory claim to it."
"Better put it away then, and mention its presence to no one." Ayako suggested, tearing her gaze away from the Sword of Promised Victory without some difficulty, as if to prove she could resist its lure. "The fewer people know about it, the fewer people will try to steal it."
"That is sound advice." Sakura seconded the brunette, though she made no attempt herself to look somewhere else, instead continuing to study the sword. "I do think a lot of people would want this sword for themselves. Not just Magi, but mundane people too. They can be very greedy as well."
"I agree." Shirou sighed, easily able to imagine how every rabid fan of mythology would come rushing over to get a glimpse of Excalibur itself, not to mention all the rich and greedy brats, glory-seeking halfwits, nosy busybodies, and conspiracy cranks who would surely follow. People already went wild over comparatively mundane art, such as the Mona Lisa and the Pyramids of Giza. There was no telling what they would do when it came to the most legendary weapon in the world, one that the vast majority of people believed to be nothing more than a myth.
Pandemonium was probably the best word to describe it, so Shirou listened to Ayako's advice and made to seal the sword in his body again.
He sheathed it into Avalon, angled it so that the tip pointed at his chest, and then he pushed, converting the legendary artefacts into motes of golden light that melted into his skin, until both Excalibur and Avalon had completely disappeared.
And with them, the powerful aura of dense Magical Energy that they exuded.
As Shirou had expected, that aura was much less noticeable and potent in his house than back at the Clocktower, thanks in no small part to the adjustments that he'd made to his home, adjustments of divine power that made an excellent counter against Fae-made artefacts. Even so though, the presence of the real Excalibur and Avalon so close together left its mark all the same, and their absence meant that it was suddenly much easier to breathe again.
That the Knights of the Round Table, never mind King Arthur herself, had withstood such pressure every day went to show that the ancient people truly were hardier and stronger than modern men.
"Are you the king of Britain now, Senpai?" Sakura then asked, also looking rather relieved that the Artefacts had been sealed away again.
"No. For that, I would have had to pull out the Sword in the Stone, and that was Caliburn, not Excalibur." Shirou shook his head, unsurprised by the question, as Sakura had never been as diligent a student of the old myths as Rin and he. "Not to mention that, even if I did somehow find Caliburn, the current Britain is nothing like the one from King Arthur's time. They already have a queen, and a democracy."
"That is perhaps for the best." Rather than looking disappointed he hadn't become royalty, Sakura almost looked grateful. "You are a wonderful hero, Senpai, and certainly my hero, but you probably wouldn't be a great statesman."
"Probably? More like definitely." Shirou huffed, scarcely able to imagine something worse than him becoming the king of a nation. Perhaps it'd work if he were the consort of a ruling queen, someone whose only job was to look pretty next to the throne, but he shouldn't be trusted with any actual authority.
He'd much rather be a good man than a great king, and unless he was terribly mistaken, Thor's essence, what little bit of it remained, fully agreed with that notion.
"Was Thor not the son of a king though?" Ayako asked, vaguely remembering such a thing from the few bits and pieces of Asgardian lore she'd studied after learning of her boyfriend's true nature. "And destined to the next?"
"Yes to the first, no to the second." Thor might have been Odin's most powerful, trusted and perhaps even beloved son, but certainly not the ideal successor. In much the same way that Shirou himself might be Kiritsugu's most powerful, trusted and beloved son, not to mention his only one, but not a good successor to the title of Magus Killer. "Thor's father, Odin, probably never even intended for someone to succeed him. He planned to rule until Ragnarok, when Asgard would fall and all gods would die, eliminating the need for a king."
"Except that not all gods died." Sakura pointed out. "You yourself met one in the Tomb of Albion, right, Senpai?"
"I met Magni, yes." Shirou nodded, before quickly holding up his hands. "But I don't want him to call me king either! That would just be very weird. Him calling me brother was already strange enough, thank you very much."
"It wasn't correct though." Ayako suddenly piped up again, and her grin was sufficiently ominous for Shirou to get a bad feeling about what she was going to say next. "You aren't Thor's son, Shirou, you are his successor, his second self, so to speak. If anything, Magni should be calling you father."
"I've been trying not to think about that." Shirou replied immediately and dismissively, not even allowing that scene to take form in his mind.
"But it is true. You are his daddy."
"Never say that again, and no, it is not true. I might have inherited Thor's essence, but I am not him. I am far more Magni's brother, as strange as that might sound, than I am his… father."
"Quite right, Senpai." Sakura agreed, nodding with a bit more fervour than Shirou had expected from her. "You don't have any children yet. In fact, you can't have any yet. Your first one will be with me after all."
"…Of course." The plum-haired girl could be a tad possessive sometimes, but the best way to deal with that was by not acknowledging it too much.
"Quite right." Ayako only seemed happy to encourage Sakura however, giving the girl a big and amused smile. "I was just joking anyway. I'm sure you and Magni will make for wonderful siblings, Shirou, and nothing more."
"I hope so." Shirou doubted he'd seen the last of the Norse god, so having some rapport would be a very good thing. "I really hope so."
"It's probably the right thing to do as well, considering he lost his whole family during Ragnarok." Sakura, who had for a long time lost her own family, seemed a tad saddened by the fact. "You might be the only one he has left, Senpai."
"Not at all. All the Norse gods survived until this day as Divine Spirits after all, so he can talk with them whenever he wants."
His casual remark took the girls aback far more than he had expected, for it was followed by a sudden, deafening silence.
"Pardon me?" It was Ayako who reacted, giving Shirou a befuddled look.
"After they died, the Norse gods went from actual, proper gods to Divine Spirits, so they're still around. Magni apparently still lives with them in the Reverse Side of the World."
"They're still around?" The brunette asked, her right eye twitching slowly.
"Yes. Think of them as ghosts with the ability to still interact with their surroundings."
"With all their memories and stuff? They can talk like normal?"
"Yes to both. They are the same like before, except they are now Divine Spirits rather than actual gods."
"Then what on God's green Earth was the point of dying?!" The brunette blurted out incredulously, unable to believe her ears.
"It does rather seem to take away the weight of events such as Ragnarok, doesn't it?" Shirou agreed wryly, unable to disagree that the so-called 'End Times' seemed a lot less daunting when it turned out to be no more than an inconvenience to everyone involved. "But I guess it's an inevitable byproduct of how they function. Besides, it's not like nothing happened. By becoming Divine Spirits, their power and Authority diminished greatly, or so Magni claimed."
"But he himself has not diminished?" Sakura asked.
"He survived Ragnarok with his life and power intact. He cannot wield his power on Earth, as Gaia forbids it, but in the Reverse Side, he is as strong as he's always been."
"I see." Sakura nodded happily, while Ayako still seemed stuck on the fact that dead gods were basically no different from alive gods. "Was he kind to you, Senpai? That's what brothers do, right?"
"He was, very much so. He welcomed me into the family, and he even helped me with my quest." Shirou stilled at the memory, only now fully realising that Magni might have saved his life, or at the very least his sanity. "He told me about the enemies that awaited me further down the Tomb, and how to avoid them. If he hadn't, I might not be sitting here."
It had been at Magni's advice that Shirou had avoided battle with the corrupted Nature Spirits and Faeries in the hollow, and although he still did not know what would have happened if he had decided to take a stand and fight, whether he would have won or been torn down, he was very happy he didn't have to find out. Those things had not been the sort of enemies he could have defeated through conventional means.
Something the girls fully agreed with after he told them about that terrifying experience.
It did generate a bit of confusion at first though. Ayako wasn't a Magus and Sakura was one basically in name only, which made it hard for him to properly convey to them that Fairies and Nature Spirits were terrifying creatures even on the best of days. In their minds, Tinkerbell and her ilk popped up first and foremost, not powerful, inhuman beings with a morality utterly incompatible with their own.
The fact that Faeries were among the most terrible monsters in existence, doubly so after they'd been corrupted, was a hard pill to swallow.
It didn't help that words alone could not properly describe the atmosphere and dark pressure of that hollow. Black bowling pins with purple eyes did not sound very scary at all, and creatures that had been twisted into grotesque mockeries of living beings certainly sounded off-putting and alarming, but not to the point where one's brain literally started itching from how wrong it all was.
He could try to paint a picture as best as he could, but it was impossible to visualise it unless one had experienced it themselves.
"That must have been frightening." But even though Sakura could not imagine how terrifying the hollow had been, having only the Wraith in Fuyuki as a comparison, which was not remotely the same, she did see how much it had affected her Senpai. That, more than his words, made it clear that this hollow had been a fearsome place.
She leaned in and softly kissed his temple, in an attempt to make him feel better, and with great success at that. There was just something about her demeanour, so helpful, kind and uplifting, that could make a man regain his spirit and courage in an instant.
"I guess it must have been." Ayako still couldn't quite picture it, Fairies that were so abominable that a Demigod would be scared of them, but she did know that Shirou was not the kind of person who scared easily or exaggerated.
"It was the most terrifying thing I encountered on the entire journey." Shirou spoke without compunction, completely serious. "Perhaps the most plainly terrifying thing in my entire life."
"Oh, so after that, you already had the worst of your journey behind you?" Sakura looked relieved to hear it, trying to find the positives in his story. "The rest went smoothly?"
"Not quite. I encountered Kerberos after that."
"…Kerberos?" Sakura went very still, pursing her lips as a deep frown parked itself between her eyebrows. For a few moments, she pondered deeply on how to respond, neither Shirou nor Ayako daring to interrupt her thinking, before she let out a big sigh and followed it right up with a peppy smile. "It sounds like you had a very eventful day."
"Wha?!" Ayako spluttered in slight shock over the sudden shift in mood, but she recovered quickly, adopting a grin of her own. "Heh, I suppose you're right. Gods, Giants, Divine Beasts, and Nature Spirits. I'm honestly impressed you're still alive after all that, Shirou."
"It wasn't so bad… No, sorry, that's a lie. It was bad." Shirou automatically began downplaying the ordeal, but realised halfway through that doing so would serve no purpose, and would be bold-faced lie besides. "Honestly, I was very glad that I reached my destination after getting past the Jotun. I don't know how much more I could have taken at that point."
"You must have been exhausted." Sakura placed a supportive hand over his, and passed her other hand through his hair.
"Surprisingly, no. I felt just fine." Shirou shook his head however, as he hadn't felt the exhaustion until he'd returned to the surface. "I think I just didn't realise how tired I was. In fact, I didn't even notice I'd been in the Tomb for two days already until Vivian told me directly."
"That's probably another example of the laws of physics, including time, being fluid down there." Sakura nodded in understanding, basically repeating what she'd heard from Rin. "But you made it, Senpai. It might have been difficult, but you made it there and back again. You won."
"Hear hear." Ayako agreed, before apparently deciding she wanted some cuddles as well, as she too scooted closer to lean against him. "All's well that ends well. Now you just have to Summon King Arthur, and we'll be set for the Grail War."
"If we can manage to Summon King Arthur." Shirou generally wasn't a negative person, but with something as important as this, he also didn't want to just assume that everything would work out by itself. "We'll have to make sure to use Avalon and Excalibur as Catalysts. That way, we'll have a high chance that at least one of us will manage to Summon her."
"Seeing that we have at least five attempts, I think we'll be fine on that front." Ayako also didn't want to sell any hides before the bear had been shot, but at the same time, there was nothing wrong with some rightfully earned confidence either. "We've got you, Rin, Sakura, Illya, and… me."
She hadn't actually pitched the idea of her joining the Grail War to Shirou yet, so when she included herself in the list, it was with some uncertainty. However, when the redhead turned towards her with mild surprise, before nodding in acquiescence after only a moment of thought, all her confidence came rushing back until her heart soared in delight.
"So we might have as many as five of the seven Servants." Sakura now looked much more confident in their chances too, though that waned a bit when Shirou shook his head. "Senpai?"
"I doubt the Grail will stop at seven." He said darkly, far too familiar with the creature hiding in there to believe that it would be so easy. "Rin and I spoke on the matter, and she agrees that the Grail has too many contingencies for us to assume that the War will be simple to win."
"Contingencies?"
"One example is that if there are too many Masters on the same side, refusing to fight, the Grail will enable seven more Masters to Summon Servants, so to force them into battle anyway." Fourteen Servants sounded like a headache and a half, something to be avoided if at all possible, but Shirou already half-expected that it would be exactly what he was going to have to deal with. "There are also mechanics to allow for other classes to be Summoned outside of the seven standard ones, classes that might be even more difficult to deal with than the Berserker-class."
Sakura twitched at the mention of the most powerful yet also most unstable sort of Servant, the memory of Kariya's black, twisted knight still sending shivers down her spine. Berserkers were already infamous for being hard to control and being a danger to friend and foe alike, so she could scarcely imagine what a worse class would be like.
"Heavy stuff." Ayako huffed, though in a fairly playful tone, attempting to return some levity to the conversation. She was never one to let herself be brought down by possible future troubles, not when those troubles hadn't even arrived yet, and since her Magus-lovers could be a tad gloomy, almost bordering on melancholic, it fell to her to cheer them up a bit. "But I'm sure it won't be an insurmountable problem. Forewarned is forearmed and all that. Even if the Grail tries something, I'm sure we can handle it together."
"…Yes, I'm sure we can." Sakura agreed after a moment, perking up slightly, and Shirou soon nodded too, also pulling himself back together. "We can handle anything Angra Mainyu will throw at us."
"And he'll know that too." Ayako swore solemnly. "That demon will rue the day he decided to mess with us."
"He will." Shirou could only agree with the brunette's words, as the memories of the Great Fire, his father's illness, and all the other pain and misery of the past ten years flashed before his eyes. "He will never hurt anyone else again. Not if I have anything to say about it. He will rue the day indeed, Ayako, the day that he took my former life from me and made me into who I am today. I will make him see me, and he will know that I overcame him."
His entire life, he'd lived in the shadow of what Angry Mainyu had done to him, and although his current life was wonderful by any measure, with his lovers, his friends, his new family and everything he'd experienced so far, he could not forgive the Dark God for the destruction he had caused. There had to be a reckoning, to ensure something like the Great Fire would never happen again if nothing else, and Shirou was only glad to bring it.
Come Hell or high water, the Fifth Holy Grail War would be the last one. He swore it on his father's name.
"Oh, before I forget though." Ayako suddenly cut through the heavy atmosphere again, brusquely and without a hint of shame. "Have you heard anything more about lord El-Melloi's upcoming wedding?"
The question was so sudden, so out of the left field, that Shirou was genuinely left speechless for a while, but when he finally processed it, and saw the impish expression on her face, he couldn't help but let out a short bark of laughter.
"Nothing, I fear. Frankly, I don't think Waver and Marianne made much progress on their marriage at all, and that might be entirely my fault." He admitted, not ashamed to admit his guilt when it was so obvious that he was the one to blame. "I may have… distracted them, with my antics."
"Shame on you, Senpai." Sakura scowled at him, but since she was an adorable sort of person who couldn't be intimidating to save her life, it came out as more of a pout. "If you're doing that with other people's weddings, what about our own?"
"Our own?!" Ayako started as if someone had touched her with a live wire, blushing a fierce red. "W-Why are we discussing that already?!"
"One can never start too early with planning their weddings." Sakura spoke with great authority, crossing her arms with pride and conviction. "Why should we waste any time when our love is certain?"
"Because it's not good to rush into marriage!"
"My feelings will not change, whether I wait one year or ten." Sakura insisted, something that also put a slight flush on Shirou's face. "People who truly love each other do not wait around uselessly, no matter what challenges they face. They won't allow themselves to be distracted by anything, which, as a matter of fact, is why I am a bit concerned about lord El-Melloi."
"…You mean to say that Waver and Marianne are using my presence as an excuse not to have to go through with the wedding?" Shirou asked after a moment of thought. "Because you think that if they truly wanted to marry, they'd do so regardless of my antics?"
"Correct, Senpai." Sakura nodded, indeed looking rather sure of herself.
Unfortunately, Shirou could not disagree with her assessment. Although he'd made a big splash at the Clocktower again over the past weeks, it should not be of the size that Waver and Marianne absolutely couldn't do anything else but look after him. Making wedding-preparations on the side should not be so difficult, not for people as smart as them.
It was an alarming sign, coming on top of Shirou's already existing reservations, reservations he'd had since the moment the engagement between Waver and Marianne had been announced. Reservations not about practical matters, such as the date and who would get control over what department, but about the marriage itself.
It was very much an arranged marriage, brought into life by scheming elders and plotting leaders who saw ways to take advantage of such a union. The Aristocratic Faction saw an easy way of bringing the Department of Botany, which belonged to Marianne's family, under their control through Waver, while the elders of Botany believed Waver to be nothing more than a plebian who was in over his head, making him easy to manipulate.
It seemed a surprisingly medieval practice, to marry for practical purposes rather than love, but the Moonlit World was nothing if not old-fashioned. Marriages for love were not unheard of, but they weren't a priority to anyone, least of all the noble families.
Most of the time, a Magus would select their partner on the basis of Magical compatibility, to ensure their offspring would be as powerful as possible. That was the absolute priority that all other things usually had to make way for. If Tohsaka Tokiomi, to name an example, had still been alive, he would have approved of the marriage between Rin and Shirou in the blink of an eye, irrespective of who Shirou's father was or how much money and status he did or did not have. The redhead's sheer power mattered more than any of that.
That Rin was genuinely in love with Shirou would have been a bonus more than anything else.
Power mattered most, and surprisingly, it was only on very few occasions that Magi married for the sake of wealth, influence, or land, and marrying into another family to serve as a sort of hostage was practically unheard of.
Yet that seemed to be exactly what the wedding between Waver and Marianne came down to. A means to ensure that the Department of Botany remained with the Aristocratic Faction, with Marianne being both the lynchpin of the alliance and the hostage taken to ensure her department's cooperation.
Needless to say, Shirou didn't think that was the basis of a happy marriage, and he wasn't too pleased with it, both because Waver, his friend, was being screwed over and because of the sordidness of the whole affair.
Two Magi willingly entering a loveless marriage in order to create powerful children together was one thing, their own business, but hostage-taking was simply immoral. It reduced the upcoming wedding to nothing more than a political move, and Waver and Marianne to simple tools to be used by their respective factions.
It was outright unacceptable, and the only reason Shirou hadn't raised a stint about it yet was because the two people most involved seemed surprisingly alright with it. Neither Waver nor Marianne had ever complained, and he didn't detect any hint of reluctance or rancour between them, even with his Clairvoyance.
He might be looking at an actual budding romance, and as much as Shirou disliked the surrounding process, he didn't want to get in the way of that.
The only way to make absolutely certain though was to speak with them alone at some point. He could hear them out, ask a few pointed questions, and draw a conclusion based on his findings. A solid plan.
"I'll talk to them about it." He made his final decision, looking back at Sakura and Ayako. "I'll ask them what they want. Depending on their answers, the whole wedding might have to be cancelled, or else I'll finally get a time and place out of them."
"You do that, Senpai." Sakura agreed happily, always glad to cause some chaos, even if it was only by proxy.
"You mean you're potentially going to ruin someone's wedding?" Ayako asked, before grinning when he nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Are you going to do it right now?"
"No, I have something else to take care of first." Shirou should probably wait with starting more trouble until he'd resolved all outstanding issues. He was strong, but neither omnipotent nor infallible. There was only so much he could handle at once.
He'd told nearly all his friends and family of his adventures down in the Tomb of Albion, visiting them for at least a short while. His girls, Caren, Illya, Sella, and Leysritt, Waver and his gang, Mary and Claire, even Reines and lady Montmorency. He'd all come to know them over the past year, and they all deserved to know he was still alive and kicking despite doing something that would have killed every other person on the planet, up to and including Zelretch himself.
But there was one person he'd been avoiding so far. A person whom he had made a promise to, a promise he was intending to keep the very first time he saw her again.
Which was now.
He rose from the couch he was sitting on, ignoring Ayako's sound of disappointment as her headrest disappeared, taking a few steps forward.
"I still have to fight Lorelei." He spoke gravely, balling his fists at the prospect.
Not out of reluctance or anger though, but out of excitement.
A good while ago, when he had first visited the Clocktower, something that seemed years ago but was actually barely a few months in the past, Ayako had accused him of being a battle maniac, someone who enjoyed fighting and had little time for peace and serenity.
At the time, he had denied it, but he no longer could. Not after all the battles he'd waded through, and especially not after he'd seen Avalon and rather than finding it to be a place of happiness, he'd judged it too boring for him.
Ayako was right, he did love a good scrap. It didn't conform to the ideals of a Hero of Justice, who should strive for peace above all, something he was genuinely conflicted about, but to continue denying it would be to lie to himself.
He was who he was. Now he just needed to see what the girls would think of it.
"Can we watch?"
Sakura surprised him however, and he turned around, finding that both of his girlfriends seemed eager to witness his upcoming battle with the Queen of the Clocktower.
"Watch?"
"Of course." Ayako agreed with the plum-haired girl. "If our boyfriend's going to duel the strongest Magus in the world, we want to see it."
"Are you sure that is wise?" The question slipped out before Shirou could stop it, but he did not take it back. For Sakura and Ayako to go to the Clocktower was awfully and unnecessarily dangerous.
"Wise? Probably not." The brunette admitted easily, before she rose from the couch too, getting right up in his face. "But we don't always have to be wise. We understood when you wanted us to stay here when you were going to play politics and fight minor wars over there, but you can't exclude us from everything you do."
"We want to be a part of your life too, Senpai, and we can't do that if we're stuck here." Sakura backed her girlfriend up, though she chose to remain seated, curling up her legs and giving him an adorable look. "We are not flowers in your garden, so please take us along? Pretty please?"
"Well…"
"Oh, and just so you know." Ayako's lips curled up into a smug smirk, one that promised nothing good. "If you don't want to teleport us to London, we'll buy plane tickets ourselves. One way or the other, we're coming too."
"There's no need for that." Recognising that they were completely serious, Shirou capitulated immediately. "I'll pick you up before the duel and take you to the Arena."
If they wanted to watch so much, he wasn't going to refuse, not to mention that Sakura's remark about him treating them like flowers in his garden really hit home, for it was exactly what he'd been doing. Yes, some might say with good reason, but it wasn't right to always keep them in the dark. They were their own people, with their own desires.
"Do keep in mind though that there is every chance I'll lose the fight."
"That's why we absolutely must cheer you on." Ayako sounded so serious and sincere that the redhead was lost for words for a few seconds. "If Sakura, Rin and me are all there, your chances of victory are much greater. That's simple physics."
"W-What?" That did elicit a reaction from him, a confused one, though it soon dawned on him that the brunette was messing with him again. "Right, physics."
"We knew you would understand, Shirou." Sakura suddenly chose to use his name, something she only rarely did, and once more, it did not fail to fluster him.
Though not so much that he forgot the most important thing.
"Your safety still comes first. That is non-negotiable." He placed a condition on the table, one that he was not going to budge on. "I'll take you to London, but you must promise me to stay with Rin at all times. No wandering off on your own or talking with strange Magi."
"We wouldn't even want to." Ayako promised without missing a beat.
"Indeed." Sakura nodded.
"Alright then." Shirou hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should get them all to London straight away, before remembering that Ayako and Sakura weren't the only ones who would be eager to see his fight with Lorelei. "Let me just ask Illya if she wants to come too, and I suppose Caren as well."
"Ah, I know that I have no real right to ask this after what we just said, but are you sure it's safe to take Illya?" Sakura's happy expression turned worried at the thought of taking the little sprite to London, and with good reason. "Aren't the Einzbern still looking for her?"
"Probably." As much as Shirou hoped that the Einzbern would have recognised the futility of trying to find Illya, he knew too much about Magi to make any overly positive assumptions. "That's why I'll ask her what she wants. If she is fine with the risks, I am too."
It was high time he stopped treating his family like flowers. Yes, the world was dangerous, but if they were willing to accept those dangers, he should not stop them.
The Arena at the Clocktower was, like all other things at the Magus Association, almost excessively opulent and lavish.
In shape, it closely resembled a Roman Amphitheatre, like the Colosseum in Rome. In size, it far outstripped the Roman construction. In opulence, it left the Colosseum and all other competitors in the dust.
High stands hewed from the whitest of marble on one side and the blackest of obsidian on the other oversaw a battlefield covered in what seemed to be powered diamond, if diamond was as soft as cotton and as pliable as fudge. Eight large entrances into the ring had been built in all Cardinal and Intercardinal directions, each closed by a gate made from a different kind of precious stone. The seats for the public had been decorated and covered with satin pillows, velvet blankets, leopard skins, and the finest of crocodile leather, which was especially mind-boggling when one realised there was room for over five-thousand spectators.
It was lavish, it was expensive, it was so colourful it seemed like a fever dream, and all of it was somehow hidden in the heart of London.
Shirou was honestly impressed by it all, and he couldn't help but admire the work, money, and attention that had to have been invested in it. Like so many other places in the Clocktower, it was opulent, magnificent, sumptuous, lavish and luxurious, yet somehow managed to avoid becoming excessive and garish. It was a razor thin edge to walk on, but it seemed the Magus Association's decorators were experienced and professional rope dancers.
Of course, the Arena, a place where fighting and battles were the order of the day, wouldn't have remained as pristine and unblemished over the years if it hadn't been for the protective Enchantments that had been cast over every square centimetre of the ground and the stands, that had been sunken into the foundation even. Deep Magic, positively ancient, entirely dedicated to protecting the Arena's structural integrity and the spectators.
Looking at those Enchantments with his Clairvoyance, Shirou was fairly sure he could break them if he fully dedicated himself to the task, but he wasn't planning to do any such thing. Why would he? Protecting the public was a good thing.
He did consider adding a few Spells himself, just in case, but decided against it in the end. He shouldn't mess with their matrices, and besides, he was fully satisfied with their capacity to withstand any collateral damage that Lorelei and he might dish out during their fight.
Entering the Arena through the Emerald door, Shirou took a deep breath to calm himself down, ignoring the many eyes of the spectators who had come to see the battle between the Sorcerer and the Queen of the Clocktower. Undoubtedly, many of them were hoping for a mutual kill, but they would all be sorely disappointed. The redhead had absolutely no intention of using lethal force, and he knew that Lorelei didn't either.
This was to be an honourable duel. Not a fight to the death.
Decked out in his armour and with Mjolnir in hand, Shirou was ready for the battle, except for one final detail.
His winged helmet.
It was of course an important part of any armour, the helmet, but since it did in fact restrict his vision and looked a bit silly besides, Shirou usually did not wear it.
This time however, he had promised Lorelei that he would fight with no holds barred, and thus the helmet had to be included.
He'd carried it in his off-hand so far, but now that he was in the Arena, he put it on his head, finding himself pleasantly surprised when not a single spectator giggled or smirked or otherwise expressed hilarity at the ornament.
Perhaps it wasn't quite as silly as he'd expected.
The fact that he could have worn a literal clown suit and still been deeply respected by friend and enemy alike did not occur to him, blissfully unaware as he was of his sheer presence and aura.
On the other side of the field, his opponent, Lorelei Barthomeloi, was waiting for him, having just entered through the golden door. She had donned her combat outfit as well. Not a set of armour, but rather what seemed to be combat trousers, heavy steel boots, a white waistcoat over a red shirt, and a beautiful ribbon in her hair.
On her left hand, she wore a gauntlet, while in her right, she held a rapier at the ready. Two weapons that seemed of little consequence on a serious battlefield, yet were utterly lethal in her hands.
"You look good." Shirou complimented her, fully meaning it too. "But are you sure you wouldn't rather have a set of armour? I could lend you one. Not my best, as I'm wearing that myself, but certainly my second best."
"There is no need. This is all the armour I require." Lorelei refused the offer, though with a small inclination of her head that showed she appreciated it nonetheless. "You look good as well. Very dapper."
"Thank you." Shirou smiled at her, receiving a thin smile back.
They might be about to fight, but that was no reason to abandon their manners and good spirits. They both wanted this to end well, and while they would certainly give their all, neither would ever stoop to dishonourable acts.
This was to be a battle for the ages, and not something to sully with cheating or sulking.
Rather, it would be something to enjoy.