Reborn in Type-Moon: Starting by Adopting Sakura - Chapter 47

Yuu stared at the circuit patterns carved into the rock face and felt a headache coming on. "Well, this is going to be the highlight of my week."

The magical array was considerably more complex than anything he'd encountered in his textbooks, which was saying something since Clock Tower coursework generally erred on the side of "needlessly complicated." He didn't need to decipher the entire system—just the specific connection points between the Lesser and Greater Grail, and figure out how to redirect a Servant's spiritual essence when the time came. Simple enough in theory.

The actual core remained hidden somewhere deeper in the mountain's guts, which was probably for the best. Even looking at the outer circuits gave him an uncomfortable sensation, like staring into murky water and catching glimpses of something unpleasant moving around in the depths. His instincts were suggesting he really didn't want to know what was down there.

He moved to the outer edge of the circular chamber and started tracing the energy flow patterns. This was going to take a while, no telling how long. He'd packed enough ration bars and water to last three days, though the thought of potentially spending his final seventy-two hours eating what amounted to cardboard flavored with optimism wasn't exactly thrilling.

"Master?"

Serenity's voice drifted over from behind him. He glanced back. She was watching him with an expression that could have melted steel, her dark eyes reflecting the cavern's phosphorescent glow.

"I've been trying to behave myself during the trip here," she said, taking a small step closer. "But now that we're alone... could I maybe get a little closer to you?"

She looked like she was trying very hard to be patient about something, which was probably related to her whole "poisonous to the touch" situation. Being an Assassin whose defining characteristic was "fatal skin contact" had to put a serious damper on normal social interaction.

He walked over and reached out to pat her head gently. "Better?"

Serenity's eyes fluttered closed and she made a small, contented sound that suggested this was probably the highlight of her day.

After what he deemed an appropriate duration of headpatting, he withdrew his hand. "That's enough for today."

"…Mm." The disappointment in her voice was obvious, but she nodded anyway.

Since she had chosen him as her sole Master, her existence in this world was bound entirely to his will, and for the first time since gaining consciousness, that distant, barely formed wish of hers had finally been granted.

Following his instruction, she activated her Presence Concealment and faded from view. Not even a shimmer remained. The likelihood of some hapless tourist stumbling into their underground sanctuary was minimal, but in his experience, the universe had a twisted sense of humor about these things so it was better to be cautious.

Yuu released a long breath, focusing on the task ahead, then turned back to face the sprawling magical circuits that covered the cavern walls.

"Right then. Let's see what secrets you're hiding."

Time had an annoying tendency to slip away when he was deep in analysis work. Three days vanished before he bothered to check his watch—a realization that came only when his stomach started filing formal complaints about the steadily dwindling food supply.

The magical analysis had barely scratched the surface of what lay before him, but unless he wanted to add "starvation" to his list of current problems, a supply run was unavoidable.

Standing at the cave entrance, he addressed the empty air where his Servant presumably lurked. "I need to head out to the city outskirts for provisions. Whatever happens while I’m gone, stay put and don’t show yourself."

"Yes, Master."

…

The three-hour trek back to his car gave Yuu plenty of time to contemplate just how much he'd grown to despise hiking. By the time he collapsed into the driver's seat, his feet were filing formal complaints and his back had joined the protest. He retrieved a phone from his suitcase—one of several he kept for different occasions—and dialed a number he knew by heart.

The connection went through faster than expected, which was either excellent timing or a sign that the universe was finally cutting him some slack.

He pressed the phone to his ear and let a grin creep into his voice. "Riddell, I caught your performance on the evening news today. Absolutely stunning work—though I suppose that's what we'd expect from the world's reigning pop sensation."

"Cut the sweet talk and get to the point, archaeology boy. What do you need?"

Despite her blunt words, he could practically hear the smile in Riddell's voice. She was clearly riding high from whatever performance she had.

May Riddell Archelot—heir to a family that had clawed their way up the magical hierarchy during the Industrial Revolution's smoky chaos—carried the rather dramatic title of "Soot Witch." Technically, she was supposed to be preparing to inherit leadership of the Clock Tower's Department of Botany. In practice, she spent most of her time jet-setting around the globe as an internationally acclaimed pop idol.

She insisted the celebrity thing was just an elaborate cover identity for her magical activities, but anyone who'd seen her light up on stage knew better. The woman genuinely loved performing, even if she'd die before admitting it outright.

Her friendship with Alice Kuonji ran deep enough that when Alice had gotten herself into serious trouble in Misaki City, Riddell had been one of the first to call in favors. Hell, half the reason Yuu and Touko had ended up playing rescue mission in the first place was because Riddell had made some very compelling arguments about friendship and obligation.

Their own acquaintance had started at one of his stepfather's typically extravagant birthday celebrations, where Riddell had managed to borrow one of Alice's PLOYs and then promptly misplace it in spectacular fashion. Yuu had helped untangle that particular mess, and later on, his support had proved instrumental in securing her position as heir to the Botany Department. Mutual favors had a way of building into genuine friendship, especially when both parties appreciated good conversation and had similar senses of humor.

"I need information about Kayneth," Yuu said, settling back in his seat. "Anything current you might have."

Given his suspicions that Lord El-Melloi might be gearing up for a trip to Fuyuki, getting ahead of that situation seemed like basic strategic sense. At minimum, he needed to know if the man had already left London.

"Kayneth?" Riddell's tone shifted to something far more interesting. "What exactly are you fishing for? The composition formula for his Volumen Hydrargyrum? Rare materials from his private workshop? Because if that's your angle, I'm afraid you're out of luck on both counts."

Her voice turned mischievous. "But I do happen to know his lovely fiancée quite well. Ran into Sola-Ui at Lady Melbourne's tea gathering just last week, actually. Fascinating woman—and she brought you up in conversation, as it happens. Said she found you absolutely charming."

Then, because Riddell had apparently decided to embrace her role as chaos agent, she added in a tone that could have tempted saints into sin: "You know, you could always steal her away from him. Imagine what that would do to his precious ego. The great Lord El-Melloi, outmaneuvered in matters of the heart by a younger rival."

"Riddell." he rubbed his temples. "Aren't you all supposed to be part of the same social circle? Doesn't that come with certain expectations about not sabotaging each other's romantic relationships?"

"Oh, we move in the same circles, certainly. But that hardly means we're all bosom friends holding hands and singing together." She gave a wicked little laugh. "Besides, hasn't someone wise said that a true genius needs obstacles to overcome? I'd be doing the man a service by providing him with proper motivation. Character building, you might call it."

He chuckled. "So... what exactly did he do to earn this level of vindictive plotting?"

"Do to me? Excuse you, but I happen to be a genuine British treasure. I'm booked solid for the next eighteen months, I have devoted fans on six continents, I'm the first witch in recorded history to break a hundred million followers across all platforms, and I am officially the Association's most successful public figure. The man wouldn't dare question my vocal abilities—he's far too preoccupied mooning over his precious fiancée to spare any criticism for my artistic endeavors."

"Right, of course." he pinched the bridge of his nose, already seeing the situation clearly. If Kayneth had indeed made some comment about Riddell's singing, the man had probably delivered it in his typical fashion—as what he considered a dispassionate academic assessment, completely oblivious to how it might land with the recipient.

Kayneth El-Melloi possessed many talents, but reading social situations definitely wasn't among them. The poor bastard probably had no idea he'd just made himself a target for one of the most creatively vindictive women in the Clock Tower's social hierarchy.