"Cael Arsya from Japan correct?" Touko Aozaki asked in Japanese.
"Correct"
"You mostly don't look like one even your name isn't like one"
"Does that really matter though? I'm an orphan so, even I'm not clear about certain things like my name"
"let's get to matter. I read your works, You have a pretty good grasp on mystery for someone who only knows magecraft for a few years "
"It's the result of research and understanding. The calculation ability of magic circuits also helps to expect certain things."
Touko Aozaki looked Cael in the eyes, from his words. She can see he doesn't put her rank in his eyes though it's not like that's his arrogance, it's more like he simply doesn't care.
"Anyway, do you know about the various factions in the clock tower ?"
"Slightly, I'm not concerned about it though. I plan to join a department in a neutral faction"
"I am from a neutral faction, I'm speaking on behalf of the head of the neutral faction. He wants you in it if you really want to stay away from the drama of the clock tower. He liked your thesis and sees potential in you"
"I see, please thank him on my behalf. I would gladly join in it"
"Very well, you would be joining in Department of individual fundamentals"
"So, is there any catch? Even if it's a neutral faction, there must be something like a rule I must follow right? "
"I wouldn't exactly call it a catch but you just need to do certain missions until you became an official magus of Clocktower. Apart from that, you can continue your research. We also provide a master for you to learn from. What kind of mage craft do you want to focus on?"
Cael thought doing missions for the next 2 years isn't that bad.
"Runes, healing or power transference or even alchemy"
This piqued Touko's interest.
"You do know that rune magecraft almost died out right? and I don't think you could be an apprentice to most magi if you want to study runes"
"It's just for my research. Mage craft is subjective, Even if the clock tower looks down on the runes, I don't think it's bad to learn them. The end goal for a magus is to reach the root, in my opinion, we need to look for a lot of things to achieve that instead of worrying about interests "
"I can see why you are chosen but those words are mere fantasies and hopes of yours. Still, there is a flaw you missed "
"May I know what is it?"
"In the history of the clock tower, apart from the two magicians we now know, some magi did achieve the goal to reach the root"
Cael is not surprised and he knows where she's going with this.
"But they never returned, they became one with the root attaining the state of nigh-omnipotence yet it cost them to be in a dream-like state where their souls stayed there forever believing they achieved magic. They could probably do anything since they are inside the root but that doesn't mean anything since their state is defined as 'dead' by us"
"Returning from the root is also just as important as reaching it"
With that Touko Aozaki left. She liked the conversation with Cael. It is ...interesting and refreshing in her opinion. She has been caught up in clock tower drama a lot these days and she's even planning to stay away from the association as a whole.
Soon Cael joined as an apprentice under a magus named Noah. After two months, Cael's first mission is given.
Noah looking at the notice finally sighed and thought 'I'm finally going to have time for my research. It's annoying to teach someone but that kid is good and learns quickly. So, I still got lucky'
"Cael Here's your first mission"
Cael read the details of it and got surprised.
"Wow, I expected something more brutal but this is better than my expectations"
Noah asked in a bewildered tone "What did you expect kid? It's not like you can do more serious stuff. Even this mission is just like an errand in my opinion. Meet me after the deadline date of the mission"
"I get it, Master Noah. See you after the mission"
Cael left the clock tower. Under Noah, he did learn many things like bounded fields, healing magecraft, runes magecraft, and black magic type magecraft
His excessive mastery of basics enabled him to learn them. He also created his version of 'Structural Analysis' though, his version is more of an 'Origin analysis' which gives out information about almost everything. It's the Only magecraft he truly liked from Emiya as it is so conventional in his opinion.
He tried it on his ring which didn't do anything. He couldn't understand a thing about it.
Cael also trained his sensing talent.
After arranging certain things, Cael began his journey.
It took him three days to reach Seal Harbour.
"Are you by chance a traveler?" A random guy approached and asked Cael.
"You have sharp eyes"
"It's experience. I'm a guide, I can show you around, for a price of course "
Cael accepted it. He followed the guide and soon, who showed him around the city. After which, the guide showed Cael the final location 'The Fifth Gallery'.
'Let's see if I can find it here'
Looking inside the Gallery, Cael found the thing he was looking for.
Seeing in the direction of Cael, The guide spoke " Oh? That's a nice painting, isn't it?. It's an ancient painting of Christian faith that has been imported"
"Can someone buy it?"
"No Sir, It's only for exhibition."
"I see"
After getting into his room, Cael dressed in all black and used his brand of magecraft he created 'Beauty Maegcraft' to conceal his face showing only a blank dark surface.
Reaching the museum is an easy task, he did an origin analysis on objects to get information about the structure and traps in the museum.
After understanding the setting, he is about to place a bounded field when he sensed someone.
He immediately moved from the top of the museum to the place where he sensed the presence but he is attacked before he could reach the spot.
That's when he sensed the three people coming.
Standing in front of his Assailant, Cael strengthened his legs to run away from there but noticed that he couldn't move.
That's when he noticed the 4 last things he wanted to see now acting like a barrier.
The black keys. Holy sacraments with infinite potential that can produce mysteries due to sheer faith.
"These Magus scum are really here looking for the sacred painting. Why don't we put out his misery and send him to hell"
As the three others came together, One of them spoke.
'I should have expected the church to act once I knew this painting has something to do with Christianity. But, that man that attacked me doesn't look like a Christian, his attire is more like the magus than a Christian faith follower. Then, My guess is only these three are from the church'
Cael got confirmation when he saw the legs of his assailant locked.
"You talk too much. Our task is just to kill anyone that dares to come near our holy painting. Kill those two"
Cael couldn't determine the gender of the voices.
'These enforcers are trained well. This is still not perfect but I have no choice but to use it if things didn't go well'
Just as Cael is about to do something, he saw the other mage in front of him act.
His assailant somehow escaped the grasp and attacked one of the church's enforces.
One of the enforces also began to attack the other mage. While the last one of them kept an eye on Cael.
Cael activated his other magecraft, as blood from inside his pockets rushed out in a straight line at the enforcer watching him.
The Enforcer narrowly dodged the attack or so he thought before a branch of blood divided itself from the line and pierced him from the back of his heart.
Once he's dead, the barrier is deactivated and Cael began to move again.
He saw the other mage fighting with the rest of the enforcers.
Leaving the fighting area, Cael dropped down into the museum from the ceiling as blood covered his legs forming like leg armor.
Just as he dropped down, his magecraft dispelled and the blood dissolved.
'I didn't expect it to last this long anyway'
With that, He took the painting, and the alarm begin ringing.
Cael reinforced his arms and legs with prana and began running away. He escaped using the blind spots of security cameras by smashing the walls of the museum.