[š Shoutout to Guto for joining patreon. Thank you very much.š¤]
Upon arriving at the city hall, the first person Roy and Rin sought out was Kirei Kotomine.
"Indeed, it was you who defeated the Blackened Caster," Kirei said with a gentlemanly smile. "My familiar has confirmed it. Now, let's transfer the Command Seal."
Kirei rolled up his sleeve, revealing the Command Seal etched on his arm.
"Rin, I'll give this Command Seal to you."
"Why?"
Caught off guard, Rin's face was full of surprise as she turned to him.
"You lost one earlier, didn't you?" Roy smiled. "Consider this compensation for dragging you into this mess."
"Do you even know what a Command Seal is?" Rin glared at him, disbelief in her eyes.
"This is an absolute authority over your Servant. It can even save your life in a critical moment, and you're just giving it to me? Sure, we're allies now, but once we deal with the Blackened Servants, we'll be competitors again. You're literally helping your enemy!"
They had signed a binding contract that prevented either from acting against the other until the Blackened Servants were dealt with. For now, they were indeed reliable allies.
But in the Holy Grail War, any Magus seeking victory was ultimately an enemy of the others.
Rin had already resolved to face Roy as a rival once the Blackened Servants were out of the way.
"It's no big deal," Roy replied with a slight smile.
After all, a Command Seal was nothing more than a type of magic.
"You're down to just one Command Seal, aren't you? You sure you don't want to replenish it?" Roy pointed toward the back of Rin's hand, a playful glint in his eye.
"Thisā¦ thisā¦"
Rin's cheeks flushed red as she hurriedly covered her hand.
Indeed, she only had one Command Seal left.
Besides the one she'd used to help Red Archer escape Blackened Saber, she had wasted another right when she first summoned him. He had been so unruly that, in a fit of frustration, she had impulsively used a Command Seal to demand, "Obey all of my orders." The vague phrasing had rendered the Command nearly useless.
"Did you mess up again?" Roy teased.
"Shut up!" Rin snapped, her ears turning red as she shot him a glare.
Though she appeared angry, her flushed face made her look more adorable than threateningāher indignation had no bite.
"Fine. I'll remember this favor. One day, I'll definitely repay you!"
The moment she said this, Rin felt a pang of regret.
Crap. I'm racking up debts faster than I can pay them! How am I going to settle this one?
With some trepidation, Rin extended her hand to accept the Command Seal transfer from Kirei.
"Only by offering yourself could you possibly repay this debt..." Kirei remarked with a teasing undertone as he observed her blush.
His eyes flickered with a trace of malice, gone as quickly as it appeared.
"Hm?" Roy suddenly sensed a subtle wave of hostility directed toward him.
When he turned to look, he locked eyes with Kirei.
Kirei's expression was serene, saint-like, devoid of any joy or sorrow.
But Roy, ever sensitive to malicious intent, didn't miss the fleeting glimmer of satisfaction in Kirei's eyes.
What is this bastard plotting now?
ā¦
The refugee shelter wasn't far from city hall.
After leaving the hall, Roy and Rin made their way to the shelter together.
It was still early morning.
The shelter was quiet, mostly empty except for a few overworked city officials and the dozen or so refugees who had been brought there.
And one manāgrim-faced, radiating frustrationāwas waiting there.
The man had golden hair, dark skin, and a distinctly Middle Eastern appearance. He was none other than Atram.
As they entered the shelter's lobby, Roy immediately spotted Atram leaning against the wall, his face as dark as a storm cloud.
Nearby, Ichika and Miku Nakano sat on a bench, their expressions lifeless and filled with despair.
"Well, if it isn't Mr. Atram himself," Roy said with a flawless smile as he approached. "It's chilly out tonight. Aren't you worried you'll catch a cold if you don't head home soon?"
As Roy spoke, all eyes in the room turned toward himāAtram, Ichika, and Miku included.
Ichika shifted uncomfortably, anxiety clear in her expression.
"Lord Roy," Atram greeted him curtly, ignoring the pleasantries.
Though Roy had been polite, Atram had no interest in small talk. His face was strained with impatience that he barely managed to hide.
"I heard you've chosen these two as your attendants. It's unfortunate, but I also have an interest in them. However, since you came first, I'll let you pick one. I'll take the other."
Ichika's face paled at Atram's words, her expression turning dark.
Roy picks one, and Atram takes the other? How could this even be possible?
"What are you talking about?" Roy asked, feigning ignorance as he looked at Atram.
"Stop playing dumb."
Atram was quickly losing patience, his tone growing hostile.
"No matter how skilled you are in magic, you're still just a youngest son. According to the rules of Fuyuki, you can only choose one attendant. I'm letting you pick first. Isn't that enough respect for you?"
"I don't want just one. I'm taking both of them," Roy said, smiling innocently.
"Are you trying to break the rules?"
Atram's voice rose several notches in volume, his irritation becoming more apparent.
"Of course not. That's why I brought Mayor Tohsaka with me."
Roy's grin widened as he gestured toward Rin, standing behind him, her black twin tails swaying.
Rin cast a disdainful glance at Atram.
The moment she remembered what Roy had told her about Atram's actions, disgust flashed across her face. She immediately turned her head, not even wanting to look at him.
Talking to this guy would dirty my mouth!
"We've already decided. I'll take one, and she'll take the other. You? You get nothing," Roy said, his smile bright and unwavering.
If you think you can outmaneuver Rin Tohsaka, go ahead and try!
Rin's rank as a Magus was Grand.
Granted, much of that rank had to do with political reasonsābeing the mayor required her to hold a high rank, to give people confidence in her leadership.
But regardless, Rin's rank was real. She was, without a doubt, one of the highest-ranking Magi in Fuyuki.
As an Entry-ranked Magus, Atram was several tiers below Rin. He couldn't possibly compete with her.
"Roy, enough with your games!" Atram finally exploded, his face twisted in anger.
His gaze toward Roy was filled with disgust, as though he'd been severely insulted.
"How dare a mere homunculus consider himself our equal!"
"When the law was passed allowing homunculi to earn ranks, I should have opposed it! A homunculus is nothing more than a tool for us Magi! Disposableācreated when needed, discarded when not! You're only lucky that Aoko Aozaki took a liking to you. That's the only reason I've shown you any courtesy at all. Don't push your luck!"
"Oh, right. I heard your old master came looking for you recently, calling you a traitor. Are you nothing but a runaway? Maybe even your magic was stolen!"
Roy's smile remained, though it no longer reached his eyes.
"Tohsaka."
Rin's face darkened as she turned toward Roy.
Still smiling, Roy said softly, "Clear the field."
āāāāāāāāāāāāā
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
š„° Support the translation and help me grow.š¤
Read upto 20 Extra chapter in Patreon