Lyrical Sword Chapter 15

Commissioned chapter and beta read by Opal.

Next update is Hound.

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-Midchilda-


A few hours passed since they left Shirou's apartment, two young mages sat inside their shared quarters, engaged in what had become a near-daily ritual—strategizing. Though Teana could say it was closer to her listening to an hour long rant and random plans from her friend. 


“—then I'll sneak up behind him and grab onto him like a koala if I have to, and you shoot him!” Subaru declared excitedly, doing push-ups in the middle of their room, her body covered in sweat. Wearing a dark blue, form-fitting halter-style crop top with a high collar and dark shorts. 


Teana, on the other hand, simply hummed in response, her eyes still focused on the book she was reading. Only stopping when a particular thought about her partner’s plan crossed her mind.  


“Not ideal. He can just dodge you. Stealth isn’t exactly your strong suit—if you haven’t noticed by now.”  


It made sense. Both of them had fought the redhead before and trained together recently, gaining a deeper understanding of his capabilities with and without his Barrier Jacket. The guy could literally slice her bullets mid-air somehow, even when she fired multiple shots. Not just block or dodge them but actually cut through every single one which required more focus which made her believe he was doing so deliberately to taunt her.


“It’s best to just overwhelm him as soon as possible. He’ll eventually get tired out and make mistakes. Or deplete his Mana reserves, this one sounds more feasible than a stealth approach.”


“As if that’s helped us in the past. We’ve tried that twice, and it didn’t work.” Subaru argued back, this time stretching his legs. “He'll just come to us and go on the offensive. His arrows hurt like hell.”


“But at least it’s better than your weird idea—and the fact that you were willing to try stealth. Hmph, what a silly idea.”  


“What do you mean by that!? I’ll have you know that if I wanted to, I could be the best at combat stealth! I could blend into the darkness like an assassin from those movies!”  


The twin-tailed girl made a mental note to stop indulging her friend in watching those kinds of films. 


“Still, I think you have a better chance of punching him in the face with your own strength rather than trying to be sneaky. It just doesn’t suit you, no matter how I look at it.”  


For the past hour, they had been debating different ways to outmatch him, going through several strategies—some reasonable, others so ridiculous that even Teana had to do a double take, wondering if she had heard correctly. This had become their routine by now—not that she hated it, but it was starting to get tiresome hearing all the crazy ideas her partner came up with.  


“It’s not like he’s unbeatable through regular means,” Subaru muttered with a small pout. “It’s just that those swords of his are a pain to deal with. Without them, he should be much more manageable.”  


“Well, yeah, that’s like saying we’d be easier to beat without our devices. The same applies to Instructor Takamichi and Captain Testarossa.“ She resisted the urge to wince upon recalling how deadly those weapons were when wielded by two women. “Other than that, the only way I see us beating him is through regular practice and getting familiar with his fighting style. The problem is that his style, in particular, seems to change every time—it’s not consistent.”  


It was like facing a different opponent every day. Sometimes, he would even switch to a different weapon, wielding it with the same level of mastery, which baffled her. It already took years if not decades for a single person to master a single type of weapon, but Shirou proved himself to be a Master in all categories except for hand to hand.


At least with the latter he regularly kept getting overpowered by Subaru and even her at times. 


Nevertheless, did she find it unfair how his abilities worked? A bit. It was an emotion that had died down over time, but some envy still remained.  


Teana was certain that if he were limited to using only guns, he would still perform just as well—if not better—than her. Oh who was she kidding… he already was better than her upon his first target practice. That was a demoralizing thought, especially considering how much time and effort she had poured into reaching this level, only for someone else to achieve it through sheer talent alone.


“Yeah, that makes sense. No matter how much I think I’ve improved, I still have a hard time keeping up with that man. But at least we get to have fun. I don’t think I’ve made this much progress since I was training with my sister.”  


That, Teana could agree with. Despite all their losses, they always came out of each match having learned something new. Even if it was just a slight improvement, it was still progress. The worst possible thing to face at this moment would be stagnation, but with Shirou around that was impossible.


Finishing her routine, Subaru yawned before going over to the kitchen and grabbing onto a bottle of water. Looking outside the window with a strange glint in her eyes. “You know, even though it’s only been a few hours since we left his apartment, I already kind of want to go back.”  


“You’re hungry again?”  


The blue haired mage chuckled, “Not really. It’s just that whenever we’re all there, it’s more fun, and time passes more quickly. Other than combat, Shirou’s fun to talk to and, well… I just feel more comfortable there. I'm curious to hear more of his stories about his world. Plus trying to get a reaction out of Lutecia is another form of entertainment. Doesn’t he give you the same feeling?”  


“…He kinda reminds me of my mother,” Teana admitted. “Hard to believe that someone like him prioritizes housework and cooking more than anything else. He guards his kitchen more vehemently than his own Barrier Jacket or even his sword. He never uses Rubin outside of training and sometimes even forgets he had it on.”  


She still remembered how casually he had let them observe and even test his weapons, showing no concern about them damaging or misusing them. But when it came to his kitchen, the moment she set foot inside just to retrieve a simple knife, she felt his eyes burning holes into the back of her head, scrutinizing her every movement as if she were about to destroy something. And when he was cooking, no one except Lutecia was allowed inside.  


“Hahaha! Yeah, I get what you're saying. Ah man, now I really want to go there. You know, we should organize a sleepover, not just ending up asleep there because we drank a lot but an actual sleepover. I bet I can get a reaction out of Lutecia if we can sneak up on Shirou and mess with his face a bit.”


“He'll get mad at you. Get ready to be on the receiving end of an hour long scolding.” She reminded the girl who just grinned. 


“I know, I like seeing him become like that.”


There was something odd about the way Subaru had said those words. Teana had noticed small changes in her partner’s behavior lately. It wasn’t that obvious at first, but the more time they spent with Shirou, the clearer it became.  


“Hey… do you like Shirou?” 


“Pft!”  


The moment Teana asked, Subaru spat out the water she had been drinking, coughing violently as she nearly choked. She pounded her chest a few times, her face turning red—not just from the coughing but from sheer embarrassment as if caught red handed.


“W-What!? What is that supposed to mean!?” she stammered, her voice slightly higher-pitched than usual.  


Teana raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “You know exactly what I mean. Do you have feelings for Shirou?”  


A deep blush spread across Subaru’s face as she scrambled to recover. Her eyes darted around the room, deliberately avoiding Teana’s gaze, and she let out an obviously forced laugh.  


“W-Why would you even ask something like that!?”  


“Because you’ve been acting differently around him lately.” Teana leaned forward slightly, watching Subaru closely. “You’re always trying to come up with ways to drag him into some activity like training or sparring, but it feels more like you just want an excuse to spend time with him. And then there’s the way you keep bringing him up in conversation, even when it’s not about training.”  


Subaru wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, composing herself. “It’s not like I’m acting any differently with him than I do with you. He’s just a teammate I get along with really well. Just because we share some laughs and I like eating his cooking doesn’t mean I have feelings for him,” she huffed, crossing her arms.  


Unfortunately, her friend wasn’t so easily convinced. “Really? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you enjoy his company a little more than just as a teammate.”  


Subaru waved her hands frantically. “Okay, if you’re gonna look at it that way, then what about Fate and Nanoha? They act way weirder around him than I do! Does that mean they’re in love with him too!?”  


That made the gunslinger raise an eyebrow. “What if they were?”  


Subaru froze. Her body stiffened as if she had been hit with a stun spell, her eyes widening in shock. She grabbed her water bottle, quickly taking a few gulps before setting it down. A few moments of silence passed before she muttered under her breath,  


“Well… if that’s the case, I don’t see anything wrong with it.” She hesitated for a second, then continued, “Instructor Nanoha does seem to have a good time with Shirou, and Fate’s been getting closer to him lately. She was even using his kitchen today, and you know how much he guards that place.”  


That much was true. If it had been anyone else, Teana wouldn’t have given it a second thought. But she had noticed small details, little things that stood out—Nanoha’s slight frown whenever Shirou was hanging out with others while she was busy with training, the way her expressions softened when she talked to him, the way Fate would quietly observe him when he wasn’t paying attention. Alone, these details didn’t mean much, but together, they painted a picture Teana couldn’t ignore.  


She decided to push one step further. “Would it bother you if it were true?”  


Subaru went still again, letting out a slow, tired sigh and shook her head. “Why would it matter if I was okay with it or not? It’s their lives, not mine. I’d be happy for Shirou and either of them, no matter who ends up with who.”  


Her voice was steady, but there was something off about the way she said it.  


Teana narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure?”  


“Of course I’m sure!” Subaru said quickly, almost too quickly. Then, as if realizing how defensive she sounded, she coughed into her hand and looked away. “…Besides, I don’t have time to think about stuff like that. I have too much to focus on.”  


Teana crossed her arms. “Oh? And what exactly is keeping you so busy?”  


Subaru straightened up. “The whole situation with Jail Scaglietti and the Relics! We don’t have time to think about relationships. You saw how the last attack went. What happens next time if he sends more drones or if he figures out our abilities better and uses it to make better drones that we won't be able to destroy that easily? I don’t want to face that kind of future. I don’t want to let it happen just because I was too distracted by my own feelings and neglected my training. That’s not why I came here.”  


She clenched her fists slightly, a faint tension in her posture. Teana watched her carefully, noting the way her voice was firm but carried a trace of something else—doubt, frustration, maybe even resignation.  


“…And besides,” Subaru added in a quieter tone, her fingers idly tapping against the water bottle in her hands, “it’s not like I’d even know what to do about it if I did feel something.”  


Teana blinked. That was… unexpectedly honest.  


“What do you mean?” she asked.  


Subaru shrugged, shifting uncomfortably. “I mean, I don’t really think about that kind of stuff. It’s not like I’ve ever had a—” She paused, scrunching her nose, as if struggling with the words. “…a crush on someone before.”  


Teana stared at her. “Seriously?”  


“What!? I’ve been busy, okay!?” Subaru huffed, turning her face away. “First it was training, then missions, and then more training… It’s not like I had time to sit around thinking about romance or any of that.”  


Teana gave her a skeptical look. “You’re telling me you’ve never had feelings for anyone? Not even a little?”  


Subaru groaned, rubbing her temples. “Why are we even talking about this!?”  


“Because I brought it up,” she said flatly. “Plus I'm curious now.”


In return, her friend shot her a half-hearted glare before slumping her shoulders with a defeated sigh. “Fine, whatever. No, I haven’t. Happy?”  


Teana wasn’t entirely convinced, but she decided to let it slide—at least for now.  


“…You know, you’re pretty dense about this kind of thing,” she muttered.  


Subaru frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”  


“Nothing. Just an observation.”  


Subaru grumbled under her breath, taking another sip of her water. “Yeah, well, maybe I just have better things to worry about.”  


Shaking her head, Teana knew there was more to this than Subaru was willing to admit, but it wasn’t her problem to solve. At least, not yet. She couldn't say anything in return to that, because, deep down, she understood. It made sense, and truthfully, sharing the same sentiment. Teana didn't have any romantic feelings for Shirou, but she saw him as a close friend—someone she trusted, someone she knew had her back. Keeping him safe, along with everyone else, was a priority.  


And now, with Lutecia added to the mix, the list of people she wanted to protect was only growing. The harsh reality was that, at her current level, she was still far from reaching the strength of someone like Nanoha or Fate. That knowledge frustrated her, but at the same time, it fueled her drive to get stronger.  


"Guess we’ll have to stay single for a while longer," Teana muttered, half-joking, half-serious.  


This managed to make Subaru let out a weak, resigned laugh, stretching her arms behind her head as she leaned back. "Would be convenient if we could all date the same person without having to worry about anything else and still focus on our duties. Life would be much easier and less awkward."  


Teana blinked.  


Then—  


"PFT!" This time, she was the one to nearly choke on her drink, coughing violently as she tried to process what she had just heard. "What the hell are you saying right now!?" She slammed her bottle down, eyes wide in disbelief. "And why did you say ‘us’!? I'm not involved in whatever delusional fantasy you have about Shirou!"  


Subaru immediately realized what had just slipped from her mouth, her face turning red in an instant. "Ah! I didn't mean it like that!" She waved her hands frantically, desperate to take it back. "I was just talking about Nanoha and Fate! I wouldn't want them competing over someone and possibly ruining their relationship! So, like... it’d be easier if they could just share the love together? B-But as if that will ever happen, t-that’s just crazy, h-hahaha!"  


The twin-tailed mage narrowed her eyes. "Uh-huh. "You clearly said ‘us,’ though," she pointed out, narrowing her eyes as she leaned closer. "That means you were thinking about yourself too."  


"You heard it wrong!" Subaru blurted out, looking anywhere but at Teana. "You're just mishearing things because you got kicked in the head during training today!"  


Teana arched an eyebrow. "You were the one who got kicked, not me."  


The moment that realization sank in, Subaru visibly twitched. "T-That’s not the point!"  


Teana, seeing an opportunity, grinned. "Wait, so you do want to turn this into some kind of harem? What, like an old-school monarchy where one guy gets multiple wives? Oh my, that's some strange taste you have there~ What would Ginka say?"  


Subaru sputtered. "That’s it! I had enough of you!"  


She lunged at her friend, locking her in a vice grip and aggressively ruffling her hair and even starting to tickle her stomach vehemently.


"H-Hey, not the hair—hahaha! S-Stop it! I can't breathe!" Teana gasped between bursts of laughter, squirming as Subaru moved to tickle her mercilessly.  


"You heard it wrong, and that’s final!" Subaru declared, doubling down on her attack.  


The two wrestled for a few moments before she finally released her. Teana sat back, panting slightly, catching her breath while Subaru did the same.  


After a moment, the orangette smirked. "Alright, alright, I give up. That’s what you said. I heard nothing else."  


Subaru gave her a triumphant nod. "Good."  


But the smirk Teana wore told a different story. She wasn’t going to let this go. Not yet.  


She wasn’t going to tell Shirou outright—no, that’d be too easy. Instead, she’d get back at Subaru in a much more subtle way. Little things, small remarks, just enough to make her notice but not enough for anyone else to catch on.  


Just as she was scheming, the sharp ring of a phone cut through the moment.  


Ring!


Ring!


Pulled away from their thoughts, both girls were taken aback by the sudden frantic sound of the doorbell ringing. The unexpected noise snapped them back to reality, prompting them to quickly stand and straighten themselves out, fixing their slightly disheveled hair.  


"Who could it be at this hour? Did you order something?" Teana asked, brushing a few loose strands of hair back into place.  


Subaru shook her head. "Nope. Maybe it's Shirou?"  


As soon as that name left her mouth, Subaru flinched, her entire body tensing up as she shot the other girl a sharp glare. She could already see where this was going.  


She smirked at her reaction but quickly raised her hands in mock surrender. "Relax, relax. I'm not going to say anything about what just happened. You know me better than that."  


Subaru exhaled, shaking her head. "Yeah, I guess I’m just a bit cranky."  


Without saying much else, both of them headed toward the door at the same time. She noticed how Subaru’s eyes subtly flicked toward her, as if making sure she wouldn’t try anything sneaky while answering the door. The lack of trust was almost insulting. Almost. She decided to let it slide—for now.  


When opening the door, she was expecting to see Shirou's familiar red hair. But instead, she was met with the sight of a small, trembling figure standing in the dimly lit corridor.  


"...Lutecia?" she said, blinking in surprise.  


The little girl stood alone, surrounded by darkness, her usually composed face contorted in distress. Something was wrong.  


"What are you doing here?" Teana asked, instinctively looking past Lutecia, expecting to see Shirou nearby. But there was no sign of him. That was strange—there was no way he would just let his young protégé wander around at night without keeping a close watch.  


Then, to their shock, Lutecia suddenly clenched her fists and trembled, her large, expressive eyes filled with an emotion they had never seen from her before—fear.  


"It’s Shirou," she whispered, her voice barely steady. "H-He said he'd be back in a few minutes but it has been three hours and he hasn’t come back yet! Please help me—I can’t reach him!"  


The desperate plea sent an immediate chill down Teana’s spine. Subaru, without hesitation, stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the frightened girl, rubbing her back soothingly.  


"Teana."  


"I’m on it."  


Teana didn’t waste a second. She grabbed her device, swiftly dialing Shirou’s number. The phone rang. Once. Twice. A full minute passed, but no answer.  


Frowning, she tried again. And again. Each call went unanswered.  


Glancing up, meeting Subaru’s increasingly concerned gaze. The heavy silence that followed made the air feel thick with tension.  


"He’s not picking up," she confirmed grimly. Her words only made Lutecia’s small body tremble harder.


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(Around the same time)


Back at Nanoha's apartment, the brown-haired girl stepped out of the bathroom, draped in nothing but a soft bathrobe, a machine gently drying her damp hair. Padding barefoot across the room, heading towards her bed, where Fate was already lying comfortably in her nightgown, eyes focused on her screen.  


"Has Vivio fallen asleep?" Nanoha asked as she quickly changed into her sleepwear. However, the moment she glanced over, she had her answer—Vivio was curled up against Fate, hugging her tightly, her small chest rising and falling in peaceful slumber.  


"Well, that was fast," Nanoha chuckled. "She was full of energy just ten minutes ago."  


Fate smiled, gently brushing a few strands of golden hair from Vivio's face. "You know how kids are. She was probably exhausted after playing around with us all day. And she wouldn’t stop asking me to take her back to Shirou’s apartment."  


Both girls laughed, recalling how heartbroken Vivio had looked when they had to leave.  


"I'm glad she’s gotten so comfortable around others so quickly," Nanoha said, sitting down on the bed beside them. "At this rate, it won’t be long before she gets used to being around other kids, too."  


"It’s not just Vivio," Fate added, amusement clear in her voice. "Lutecia was looking forward to meeting Shirou too."  


Nanoha blinked. "Oh?"  


"You saw her expression when she tried your cooking," Fate teased, eyes glinting with mischief. "Safe to say, she was pretty disappointed. I think she’d much rather have a certain redhead’s home-cooked meals instead."  


Nanoha pouted, feeling a twinge of defeat. She hated to admit it, but Fate had a point. Shirou’s cooking was leagues above hers, and even the high-quality meals she ordered didn't quite measure up.  


"Well, excuse me," she huffed. "She didn’t like your cooking either!"  


Fate simply smirked, resting her chin on her palm. "Someone sounds jealous. But you're not wrong, maybe I should ask Shirou to give me private cooking lessons? I bet I’d improve really quickly with him as my teacher. Fufu~!"  


Nanoha’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. For a brief moment, she thought Fate was just teasing her again, but the earnest look on her face said otherwise. With a twitching eye, she kept smiling but her brain stormed with several ideas until a certain agreement between her and Shirou surfaced. 


"That might be a bit difficult," Nanoha said, crossing her arms. "Shirou and I already made plans to spar soon."  


Fate raised an eyebrow. "He actually agreed to that?" Her voice carried genuine disbelief.  


Nanoha’s eye twitched again. "Oi, what’s with that reaction? If this is about the Divine Buster thing again, I swear, I’ll unleash one in our next spar just to make you forget about it!"  


Fate chuckled, shaking her head. "No, no, it’s just surprising. But maybe you can reschedule. After all, me learning to cook would mean our dear daughter would get to enjoy more of her father’s meals."  


Nanoha froze mid-speech from what she was about to say next as all thoughts came to a screeching halt.


"...Excuse me, what?"  


For a second, the woman believed she had misheard, but the more she replayed the words in her head, the more she realized she hadn't. Her expression shifted to one of pure, unfiltered shock as she stared at Fate, who remained perfectly calm.  


Seeing her reaction, Fate finally let out a sheepish laugh. "Oh! Sorry! It’s just a silly little joke Shirou and I have between us. Since we agreed to take care of Vivio together, it kinda ended up with me and him joking about being parents to the girls. With me as Vivio’s mother and him as Lutecia’s father~!” 

Nanoha stayed quiet for a moment before silently uttering, “He’s more like a brother to her than a father, and Lutecia is clearly more attached to m—”  


Her words were abruptly cut off by the sudden ringing of her phone. Glancing down at her watch, she noted the caller’s name and was surprised to see it was none other than Subaru.  


“For her to call this late… that’s unusual,” she murmured, her brows furrowing.  


Fate, who had also noticed the name, shifted slightly on the bed, setting her device aside. “Yeah… it’s not like her to call unless it’s important.”  


Curious and slightly concerned, Nanoha wasted no time answering. The moment she did, however, she was met with Subaru’s panicked voice, frantic and uneven, the distress in her tone immediately setting off alarm bells in her mind.  


The first few seconds from confusion showed on her face as try to grasp what was being mentioned on the other side of the call. Until a few seconds later where her eyes widened and her face started to lose its color. Her grip faltered, and before she even realized it, the phone slipped from her hand, landing with a dull thud on the floor.  


“Nanoha?” Fate called, alarmed by her friend’s reaction. The brunette’s eyes were wide with disbelief, her expression stiff.  


Fate quickly reached out, touching her shoulder. “What happened?”  


Nanoha swallowed, her voice barely above a whisper as the words left her lips.  


“Shirou is missing.”


{Break}


(A few hours later)


An acute pain spread across his consciousness the moment the smallest trace of light reached Shirou’s eyes. It had all happened far too quickly for him to recall everything perfectly. The memories felt fragmented, like wandering aimlessly through a thick fog, unable to grasp the full picture. He could barely remember anything beyond the terrified, pain-stricken voices of those who fought.  


The only bits that came back were the start of the battle—before whatever they had given him took effect. The symptoms were unmistakable, as if moving through water. Every motion felt sluggish, his mind clouded, his limbs weighed down as though burdened by countless boulders. Each attack required immense effort, yet retreat was never an option. Defeat was unacceptable. He had no choice but to push himself beyond his limits.  


There were gaps in his memory—flashes of blood, but he couldn't be certain whether he had actually killed anyone or if that blood was of his own. 


“Hnngh…”  


Regardless of it all, the only thing he could do now was exhale a deep breath, forcing his eyes to fully open and immediately come to face a gray ceiling. The cold surface of a metal bed on his back with his limb enchained making any movements impossible. Limbs… at least That meant he did not lose them during the fight and overall a good outcome in his opinion. The countless burns and bruises across his body told him that the fight did not go as smoothly as he would have liked. Even without looking, he felt several deep cuts across his body, perhaps a few broken bones and even internal bleeding. 


As he was about to use Structural Analysis to check his condition, the boy was immediately shocked when nothing happened. 


“What?” It was a strange sensation, where as soon as the magical energy within his body was about to follow his command, a heavy sense of nausea immediately hit him followed by an intense migrant severe enough to make it feel like his head would crack open at any moment. “Aaaargh!” He let out a pained cry, almost losing consciousness once more though barely able to hang on as the pain started to fade away. 


“Don't bother, every time you try to harness your energy my device activates and blocks such things.” An arrogant voice spoke, raising his head, Shirou came to stare at the mad scientist walking in with a smirk on his face and accompanied by a couple of a few faces he recognized and some he did not. Most of which seemed to have suffered from grave injuries, one even missing a limb. 


They were those that he remembered faintly facing.


The one catching his eyes being the smallest of the bunch, a girl with white hair and an eye patch. “I admit, I couldn't find a way to neutralize your circuits without causing permanent damage, so I had to get creative. Fascinating to see such a different system—I was half a mind to extract, copy, and recreate it. But honestly, it does not offer that much advantage compared to a Mana Core… how unfortunate.”  


The blue-haired scientist spoke casually, almost amused yet genuinely disappointed at his findings.  


"Sorry to be a disappointment," Shirou said dryly, giving the man a deadpan stare. He tried to move his limbs but had no success. "What do you want?"  


Thankfully, nothing on his body seemed to have been modified, nor had he been cut open. Having heard plenty of horror stories from the Clocktower, he greatly preferred to avoid being on the receiving end of such treatment.  


“Come now, there is no need for such hostilities between us. I am no villain, despite what the TSAB would like you to believe. I merely wish to make the world a better place and even use my knowledge to send you back home.”  


"You honestly think I'll believe you after the attack you just launched on Midchilda?" Shirou scoffed. Did this man take him for an idiot? "Also, kidnapping me in the middle of the night doesn’t exactly help your case."  


"What other choice did I have?" Jail sighed, sounding almost exasperated. "It's already difficult enough to get a hold of you for a simple video call, and even when I do, you are openly hostile and unwilling to listen to my side of the story. I had to take some… extreme measures just to ensure I could meet you and make sure you actually hear me out this time."  


"Let me guess—brainwashing?"  


That made the doctor laugh, finding that answer more comical than anything else. "Now, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s start from the beginning."  


The man gently placed a hand on his chest and gave a curt bow.  


"I am Jail Scaglietti, former scientist of the Time Space Administrative Bureau. My research is still being used to this day. Everything I have created has always been for the benefit of humankind, and yet I was labeled a villain and cast aside while the very same things I was condemned for are now being utilized without hesitation. Tell me, Emiya Shirou, doesn't that sound like pure hypocrisy?” He asked, showing an expression of distaste and resentment at the memory of the past. “Those people at the top, they are bigger monsters than I can ever become, I only wish you could see that.”


“Does not matter. I only trust those that have helped me before. Hayate and her group have proven to me on more than one occasion that I can at the very least trust them instead of TSAB as a whole. You are worse, so far, you have given me nothing but more reasons to distrust you. Lying to Lutecia, using her abilities to do your bidding and causing this much destruction.” 


“Because that is the only way these people will understand!” He argued back. “Do you think I have not tried reasoning with them before I was forced to leave? They did not listen, all day they cared about prioritizing their own interests. With my inventions, all of the research I have contributed to the world, we could end all conflicts across the galaxy and establish true peace.”


“Is that why you are trying to gather the relics?”


At that, the man smirked. “Peace cannot be achieved through just words and flimsy agreements signed on paper. It is only temporary, a mere placeholder until one side breaks the scale under the conflict all over again. So unless I do not have the means to make sure such a thing does not happen, I have to create my own way.” 


“A weapon?” 


“Close,” He stepped back, gesturing at the girls behind him. “Rather advancing evolution. Create a species beyond our current self that will have the power and understanding to enforce peace and lead all of humanity to a much better future. My numbers are proof that this can be achieved. With them, we won't need an entity like the TSAB around who has failed many times in the past and hides behind a curtain of lies.”


So in a few words, he was really trying to create an ultimate weapon in the end. Regardless of how differently he worded it and how he used his goals to justify it. Shirou Just saw it as another man hungry for power and making up excuses to justify them or even fool those around him to aid his cause. He was familiar with these kinds of individuals given how many of them were in the Clocktower. 


But that did not completely answer a particular question that had been occupying his mind. “Then why the hell did you kidnap me if the relics are your goal? Do you seriously think that Hayate or the higher-ups will just hand them to you just for my freedom?” It was an absurd idea, even if the girls wanted to take this path for some reason, everyone else would not agree to it. 


Which made him think about another reason why Jail captured him. 


“I'm serving as bait.” He said, completely affronted by that notion. 


Jail clapped his hand, “Wonderful! You are sharper than what I gave you credit for. Yes, you alone wouldn't make a proper bargaining chip if I were to take that path to acquire the relics. Even if Commander Hayate were to cherish you more than others, she would not agree to such a thing. But what if I also had the famous Nanoha Takamichi and Fate Testarossa? Then I am in a much better position to bargain.”


Shirou scoffed, “so much for trying to make me join your cause and understand you.”


“Hahaha! Well that would have been the ideal scenario, I am aware enough to understand how unlikely it is to change your mind now that I've talked to you. Rather come up you are only half right. My goal is not just to use you as bait, that is just wasteful and lazy planning for someone of my intelligence.” He said arrogantly, almost praising himself while the red-headed mage resisted the urge to roll his eyes. 


Jail worked to a terminal, tapping a few keys on the keyboard until a giant holographic screen appeared mid-air where everyone in the room could see a recorded scene of his first mission with the team. Back when they attempted to stop his drones from stealing the relic on the train and where Erio confronted a variant capable of creating an anti-magic field disabling all devices.


She gazed at the ongoing battle, for it did not last that long as his noble phantasms were able to ignore the field and easily cut through the drone.


“Fascinating, even till this day I am having a hard time to truly grasp how that even happened, which is quite rare for someone who researched practically every branch of science and magic.” depressed a few more keys and another footage played, this one of him fighting Zest.


“That man you fought, while not the same as before, he is still one of the best and most dangerous combatants out there. Filled with many years of experience and a master in his field, to have himself get so overwhelmed and defeated in battle against an unknown mage from another world just further increased my interest in you. But of course, we can't forget about this.” 


The final video was that of one of the numbers firing a dangerous looking sniper. The giant beam of pure energy laying waste to everything in its path and closing the distance between it and the target in an instant. Only for all of that energy to come to a halt in the face of a beautiful six petals pink flower blooming in front of him.


After that scene ended, Jail walked up to him. “I have said that your circuits do not have that big of an advantage over a Mana Core… in a way it's even inferior. But these artifacts in your possession, are very much different from anything I have ever witnessed in my life. Definitely magical in nature yet able to ignore an anti-magic field and easily cut through a reinforced hull. A shield capable of blocking an attack of that magnitude that was activated without a device? How intriguing.”


Understanding what he was insinuating or what his goal was with him, Shirou knew that the man was trying to achieve the impossible. “I can't give you these Noble Phantasms.”


Putting aside how these were just mere copies rather than the real thing, even if his constructs could exist as long as he wanted in the real world, they would still disappear if damaged enough or if he willed them to — unless Jail tried to replicate his Tracing spell. 


But even someone like Rin struggled to barely achieve minor success with a single Noble Phantasm after years of practice. He doubted Jail could do it as the magic system in this world differed a lot, adding another layer of difficulty. 


“Ah, such an answer is to be expected from you. In fact, it would have been very unusual for you to accept my proposal without any resistance. But I have time and your friends won't be able to find you anytime soon Even if they mobilize the entirety of TSAB. So get comfortable, my numbers will take care of you and get the information I want. If you continue to be stubborn, then I can always just turn you into one of my cyborgs. Imagine the face you will make upon realizing that by your very hand, you went and killed your own friends.”


“...”


Even though he knew this was a taunt from the doctor to intentionally rile him up, Shirou still felt a burning rage from the depth of his heart rising. 


"Before I leave, you wouldn't happen to have taken someone else under your protection recently, would you? This girl, for example?"  


Jail retrieved a document from his coat, unfolding it with deliberate slowness before presenting it to Shirou.  


The moment his eyes landed on the image, they widened in shock.  


"This…"  


The person in the photograph was none other than Vivio—the same girl he and Fate had been trying to learn more about. They had been searching for any clue regarding her origins, hoping to reunite her with her family… and for him to be interested in her…  


“Going by your reaction, it's fair to assume you have indeed seen her. Good, that makes it easier for me. I will make a deal with you. Both me and the numbers will no longer go after Lutecia or any other one of your friends if you bring her to us. I will of course release you if the deal is agreed upon without causing any harm or permanent changes. What do you say?” He offered, not even a second past before Shirou immediately rejected the offer by attempting to grab onto Jail by breaking through his restraints — only to once more getting buy a large amount of electric discharge coursing through his body. 


“Aaah!” 


Like thousands, tens of thousands of tiny needles stabbing into skin continuously. 


“Like I said, this device will detect the slightest trace of energy and will immediately counter it. You can try as much as you want, but at that rate you will only be risking having your nerves fried and your insides cooked. Would be a shame to lose such a precious resource due to stubbornness.”


“W-Why are you looking for her?” The red-headed boy asked, his body twitching from the remnant charge making him spasm every so often. 


Jail hummed, scratching his chin and looking at the picture of the girl. “Why should I tell you? But then again, knowing the truth will not change anything. Just know that she is the key to achieve true world peace and the key to absolute power beyond your comprehension.” 


With a cold face, he watched the man and his group leave the room leaving only a single one of them standing right in front of him — smiling.


“Hey there!” The brown haired twin-tailed woman waved at him, adjusting her glasses. “We met before a couple of times, I hope you remember me.”


“You were the one who was trying to take Lutecia away.” He replied coldly. 


“Bingo! But I wouldn't say that I tried to take her away, that makes it sound like we were there to forcefully remove the girl. Truthfully, our job was just to escort the young lady back to her home. Unfortunately a certain someone got in the way and made her misunderstand our intentions.” She shook her head, “Had things not gone south back then, there would have been much less destruction in Midchilda. So in a way, we are not the only ones to blame, you are just as liable had you not deceived her. Oh, by the way, my name is Quattro~!” 


He did not say anything in return for he felt it would be pointless. Lutecia had no place to call home with these people, they were just using her as a tool with false promises. He was glad that on his way back she was not with him, had the girl been taken as well, hachi bin captured as well then… then… 


‘I need to calm down,’ Shirou said to himself, Not liking where his train of thoughts were heading. ‘I don't know how much time has passed, but she should have noticed my disappearance by now. She is a smart girl, so I doubt she will do something unreasonable like go to search for him all by herself. Most likely she went to Subaru and Teana, hopefully those two will be able to keep her safe until I get back.’ 


Whether it was being kept chained as a bait or to extract his knowledge on how to trace Noble Phantasms, he could not allow any of those and needed to find a way to escape.


“Don't bother, even if by some miracle you manage to break free from this, there are a dozen of us here with plenty of measures and contingencies for an escaping prisoner. It is more likely that you might end up getting killed first, so be a good boy and just talk to me.” She said with a simple smile. “You are lucky that it is I who was chosen to get the information out of you. Had it been Tre, She would have dismembered your limbs and have the doctor replace them with cybernetics as revenge for what you did during your capture. Even Cinque almost got beheaded back then.” 


Not that he could even remember what happened or who he managed to wound during his capture. His memories were still very much fuzzy about the details. 


“So let's get this started,” She went over to the terminal and tapped a few things, next thing he knew, the metal board he was confined on started to move along with several other mechanical arms descending from the ceiling. Scalpels, syringes and plenty of other tools that made his skin crawl. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Your first option is to cooperate with us and avoid getting ‘altered’ which is the second option, third one, I harvest your brain and get the information we want. I don't know about you, but the first option does sound more enticing than any one of the others.”


“You don't have to do this.” Shirou said, hoping that at least this woman could see reason. “That guy is a madman. You don't need to know his history to understand that whatever he's trying to do will not end well.”


As soon as she heard his words, Quattro started to chuckle which turned into a full blown laugh. “Oh my God you really are naive! Did you really think I'll be swayed with just a few words? I am not just the doctor's ally but his daughter in a sense, I am very much aware of what his goals entail and both of our interests align. Whether you like it or not, we hold all the cards to win this battle against the TSAB.”


Looking at her, it became clear the woman was serious and truly was loyal to the doctor. He gritted his teeth, these people were truly hell bent in their goals. 


“You know, it should be me who is supposed to give you the talk about joining our side. You're in a completely different reality separated from your own, without your friends or family able to reach you. Why waste your time defending the TSAB? While you may not agree with what the doctor is doing and his way of achieving his goals, you should know that he keeps his promises and will not stab you in the back.”


“I will not sacrifice others’ lives Just to go back. It's wrong.”


“But efficient,” added Quattro. “We don't even know exactly how you got here. From my understanding of how time functions in both realities, there's no guarantee that time is moving at the same pace in your world as it is here.  For all intents and purposes, a single day here could be a month over there—or even a year. The longer you stay in this world, the less likely it is that you'll find your friends and family unchanged when you return.”


For a brief moment, Shirou forgot about his anger and genuinely thought about what she said. Imagining the day of his return and facing a world completely different from his memories. Perhaps being too late to even get to give a final goodbye to those who care about before they passed away. Going back to find that at some point, they had all just moved on. 


Seeing his dazed expression, Quattro smiled and approached him. Putting her palm over his head and tussling with his hair. “It is a hard decision to make, but when it turns out that it's for the betterment of those close to you and to see them again, it will be worth it.”


Worth it? 


He thought about the outcome of Jail getting his hands on Vivio and Lutecia. For even if he was not searching about why exactly that man wanted the former — He could make a simple guess that the outcome would not be a good one.


He could not make that sacrifice, not now or ever for that matter. Sacrificing someone else just for his sake? Absolutely unacceptable, he would not be able to bear in the aftermath such a thing without breaking completely. 


So he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and calmed his heart down till all that remained was a single emotion. Opening them back up, his golden brown eyes stared right back at Quattro's, 


Then so be it.


“Trace, on—hn!” Barely having had enough time to recite his aria, powerful active electricity flooded his body right at that moment. The sudden discharge forced the stunned Quattro to back away with frustration soon filling her face.


“You idiot! Haven't you learned from the full? You can't escape! Stop being stubborn and think about your family!”


He would have given her an answer if he could, but at the moment all his focus went to a single thing. Despite the great pain, he did not stop and continued to use more of his magical energy. *A-Argh!” The voltage spiked up with Quattro quickly went to the terminal and switched it up another level, yet he did not stop. 


“You're going to die at this rate!” She shelters come on looking more angry than worried about his life. 


It was truly painful—his entire body spasmed with each current jolting through his muscles and brain. This time, the pain was far worse, like thousands of swords stabbing relentlessly into his flesh. He could taste blood pooling in his mouth, the sharp agony intensifying by the second until it felt as if his entire body was melting from the inside out.  


The sensation brought back memories of his time in the shed—of the excruciating effort he endured just to create a new nerve circuit. It was like pressing a piping-hot bar of metal against his spine, an agony so overwhelming that it nearly broke him countless times in the past.  


But this… this was nothing in comparison!  


"H-Hey, you'll die at this rate!" Quattro called out, her voice tinged with genuine alarm. She hesitated, clearly debating whether to interfere, but ultimately backed away as more arcs of lightning surged, crackling violently against the metal frame. “Are you out of your mind!?” 


He did not listen to her, continuing to scour through his Reality Marble until a particular weapon came to his attention. The smell of burning flesh reached his nose as he used more of his Magical Energy, black spots appearing in his vision and discontinuing until the air above him shimmered followed by the appearance of a large object. 


In fact, several of them. 


Giant great swords as big as a person hovering above, casting a shadow onto their surroundings until they descended. The hunk of metal crashed into the frame he was held at, cleanly cleaving to the material and the shackles that were restraining him. The entire place shook for a few moments as several shots of metal flew everywhere. 


Quattro covered her face, backing away further and dodging several of those swords that landed near her. Still in this belief at what just occurred, for in her eyes that move was no different killing himself. Realizing she could not stay here and needed to inform the others. “Shit!”


From the cloud of dust, I figure jump at her at a great speed and grab the girl by the neck before slamming her onto the ground. Another weight pressed onto her stomach as she tried to get up, pinning her in place and making it hard to move or breathe for that matter. “Guh!” 


Her face comported into an ugly grimace, trying to resist with all her might. For even if she was not as strong as Tre or anyone of her combat oriented sisters, the girl still felt she was more than capable of overwhelming a regular person without a device powering him as they make sure to take away Rubin.


The fact that he was able to summon different kinds of weapons that were able to destroy the metal frame made her understand Jail's interest in the boy even more. But now, she needed to get out of the situation first. 


Yet as she tried to break free, she was not able to overpower his strength no matter how hard she tried. “Don't move, or else I can't guarantee your safety.” 


His hoarse voice got her attention, making the girl look at him and find the boy covered in burn marks and smoke rising from his skin. Somehow he managed to survive and even not faint from all the pain, a method that was even able to incapacitate a cyborg. 


Quattro showed a wry smile, “are you crazy? No, better question is that whether or not you are a suicidal fool. The smallest Miss calculation back there would have killed you. Is going this far really worth it?”


“I already gave you my answer.” 


His grip around her neck tightened, as he also grabbed both of her hands and held them pinned in place above her head. Had this been another scenario, she would have made a joke on how intimate their position was to the point that their lips alone were but a few inches apart. But the smell of burned flesh kind of ruined that moment along with the effort she had to make just to breathe. 


“You're going to show me the way out if you want to live. If you try anything to contact The others, I will not hesitate to kill you right here and right now.”


“You can do that, you honestly think I will betray him? That sort of threat will not work on anyone here, we were made by his hand and even if you kill us, he can always bring us back.” 


“He won't be able to do that if he is dead along with all of you.” Shirou threatened, “I don't know what you are planning nor do I really care for that matter. But if he does not stop then I will make sure he cannot calm anyone ever again.”


Quatro narrowed her eyes at those words. “Then you will only be inviting further problems on yourself. The TSAB while declaring him as their enemy will want the doctor alive.”


“Then they'll just have to do without him.” 


Uncertain whether or not he was telling the truth, Quattro started to weigh the risks. 


While letting go of her neck, Quattro saw face first as motes of light gathered around his hand and took shape in the form of a nasty looking dagger that made her shiver at its appearance alone. Not a regular weapon by any means but magical in nature. “Are you able to create new weapons or are they stored in a separate space?”


A particular light flashed through the boys' eyes as she said that. “... I'll tell you everything if you help me?” He offered, sounding unsure of his own offer himself. 


Quattro raised an eyebrow, looking at him in slight disbelief. 


“Are you serious? Not just the second ago you were threatening to kill me and everyone else here, you sure do change your decision quite easily.” 


“I was being serious, but I don't want to end this in bloodshed if possible.” He said awkwardly, still pointing the knife at her throat. “Listen, I just want to get out of here and that's all.” 


The girl hummed, something to find the situation more amusing than anything else. His offer in particular was interesting, creating such dangerous weapons on a whim was not something that could be ignored. Weapons that were capable of comparing themselves to devices and also able to ignore anti-magic fields. If the doctor had access to such things, then they would have a much easier time to face the TSAB.


Each time she saw him, it was always something new. As much as she wanted to deny it, the girl's curiosity kept growing bigger. 


“Then I don't have much of a choice regardless don't I? If I don't help you, you'll either knock me out or kill me.”


“Yes.” He did not bother to lie or even deceive the girl. A fatal weakness if she had to comment on it, but at least it worked in her favor this time. 


“Then let's move.” She said in a cheerful voice, Her usual smile plastered on her face. 


…


'She is up to something.'  


From the moment the girl called Quattro agreed to his offer, Shirou wasn’t convinced she would help him without causing trouble. A part of him considered knocking her out, and a much smaller, darker part of him even entertained the idea of killing her.  


But he preferred to avoid that as a last resort. It was an option he wouldn’t hesitate to take if the situation demanded it, but for now, his focus was on escaping and warning the others—especially Nanoha—about the doctor’s interest in Vivio. If possible, taking down the scientist now would prevent future problems. However, he had no idea how many of these girls were in the hideout, and he wasn't confident he could take them all on at once. Not to mention the hundreds, if not thousands, of drones likely patrolling the halls, ready to overwhelm him.  


The chances of him running out of energy first were much higher than taking them all down. 


"Ah~!"  


A sudden, almost sensual moan snapped him out of his thoughts. He scowled as he adjusted his grip on Quattro while pulling her to her feet.  


"Easy now, big guy, that’s not how you treat a lady," she teased, her tone dripping with amusement.  


"I don’t have time for your jokes."  


Though his voice remained steady, a faint blush dusted his cheeks. The way her tight-fitting outfit clung to her body that left little to the imagination certainly wasn’t helping, nor was the fact that he had to keep a firm hold on her to prevent any sudden escapes. Shaking his head, he focused back on the task at hand and stepped into the hallway.  


"How many drones are there?" he asked.  


"Don’t bother. The doctor recalled most of them for maintenance, and you’ll probably only run into Nove guarding the place. But knowing that girl, she’s definitely slacking off with Cinque."  


Nove? Another cyborg, he assumed. He was starting to notice a pattern with their names, which likely meant this one was the youngest.  


"Move," he ordered.  


Navigating the corridor carefully, he remained on high alert. But without any knowledge of the facility’s layout, he was walking blind.  


"Wait."  


Pausing, he pressed a hand against the cold metal wall and sent a pulse of magical energy outward.  


"Huh—!?"  


A surge of information flooded his mind as the pulse expanded, mapping out more and more of the area. The signal spread far, showing no signs of reaching an edge—until it eventually couldn't spread any further. His eyes widened in shock.  


This… this wasn't just a building.  


"What… what the hell is this place? A spaceship?" he muttered in disbelief.  


Not only was it a ship, but it was far more ancient and giant than anything he had seen so far. Technology beyond anything he saw in Midchilda.


Quattro, watching his reaction, smirked. "Did you use another spell? Interesting… so it can be used like that too," she mused. Then, with an almost smug satisfaction, she added, "I told you. No matter what you try, escaping this place is impossible. After all, we are inside the Saint's Cradle. A lost Logia.”


At that moment, Shirou realized that escaping wouldn’t be as simple as taking out the scientist. 


“Damn it.”