"Happy New Year, Count."
While cooking dinner, Roy didn't forget to send his Servant a greeting, even though the Count didn't celebrate the New Year at all.
"Happy New Year, Master."
"Thank you."
Walk out of the kitchen, Roy served the dishes he had just prepared. Upon seeing the steak and other France-style dishes on the table, the Count frowned slightly. Roy then pushed the food toward him and said, "Come and try it. I specifically learned a few France dishes, but they might not taste very good."
"The taste, you say…"
The King of the Cavern nodded, glancing at the dishes before him. Then, seeing Roy's expectant gaze, he skillfully picked up the knife and fork Roy had prepared and took a small bite, nodding slightly.
"Not tasty?"
Roy felt a bit nervous; this was his first time making France food. Although he had strictly followed the recipe, he still felt uncertain.
"Hmm, indeed, it's quite terrible."
He hadn't controlled the cooking time well, the beef was of inferior quality, and he didn't have all the necessary seasonings. Such food might not even be considered France cuisine.
"Ah? I'm sorry, but this was the only beef available at the supermarket."
However…
The Count set down his knife and fork, a slight smile curving at the corners of his mouth. In that moment, Roy felt he saw a trace of nostalgia in the Count's smile.
This somewhat terrible yet very familiar taste... it really reminded him of her.
"But I like it."
Like it?
"Is that so? As long as you like it."
Seeing that the Count liked it, Roy felt a bit relieved, and his tense emotions finally eased. A hint of relaxation appeared in his eyes, all of which was clearly noticed by the King of the Cavern.
Initially, the King of the Cavern found it hard to understand why his Master could trust him so completely.
From the very beginning, as he descended here in the identity of an Avenger, the anti-hero King of the Cavern naturally had little respect for his Master, especially since this Master was an ordinary person who couldn't even supply basic magical energy. As a Servant, he naturally held a grudge against him and didn't show him any good face, let alone obey his commands; he certainly didn't qualify as his accomplice.
This led to the King of the Cavern often wandering alone, and it wasn't uncommon for him to be absent for several days. If it weren't for the command seals still on the back of Roy's hand, he might have suspected that the King had died outside.
Although the Holy Grail War hadn't begun, the preparations for it had already started. Such rebellious behavior was considered a taboo in the Holy Grail War; if it were any other Master, they would have exploded in anger at the King of the Cavern' actions long ago.
The King of the Cavern thought his Master would use the command seals to restrict his behavior and was prepared for the betrayal of his Master.
However, Roy not only didn't do that but even encouraged the King of the Cavern to go out more, to see the development of the world and experience what freedom was like.
If he encountered trouble, he could always contact Roy and use the command seals whenever needed; Roy wouldn't pry into the rest of the matters.
Thus, this Master and Servant had coexisted in a very peculiar manner for a long time.
To put it simply, they each did their own thing.
Roy wore gloves to cover his command seals and continued his daily life of going out early and returning late, while the King of the Cavern roamed freely, as long as he checked in periodically to report his safety. Roy wouldn't impose any restrictions on him, and their interaction was as if nothing had ever happened, life continuing as normal.
This bizarre mode of interaction was unprecedented in any Holy Grail War. What Master would be so lenient with their Servant? Or rather, this was hardly treating him like a servant or a familiar. Their relationship felt more like… friends?
Until one day when he returned, the King of the Cavern finally couldn't help but ask him.
Why?
Such behavior puzzled him.
It could have been just an accident or some kind of arrangement, but the fact that he was summoned in the Holy Grail War meant he had his own wish. Yet now, he was being completely granted freedom, not caring at all about the Holy Grail War. This contradictory behavior made him curious.
One day, he openly asked his Master this question.
Upon hearing it, Roy merely smiled and replied, "As an Avenger summoned to this world, you know that I did not use the relics to summon you, yet you came from the Throne of Heroes and bonded with me."
"Doesn't that mean you are willing to reach an agreement with me? So I trust you, no matter what kind of missions or purposes you carry with you this time. I am willing to believe in you, even if you are not willing to believe in me."
He had no talents and didn't even possess a magic circuit; such a weak individual had no qualifications to regard himself as a Master.
"I have no talents and don't know how to be a competent Master. I'm not even a basic magus; I'm more of a burden to you. It's only natural that you would be dissatisfied with me, Avenger."
"If doing this makes Avenger happy, then I will choose to do so. Don't mind me; just do what you enjoy. We are merely partners; neither of us is the other's master."
For a Count like him, who was quick to settle scores, deceit and scheming would only invite dissatisfaction and rebellion. Being open and treating each other equally was the best choice.
Hearing Roy's words, the King of the Cavern was momentarily stunned. He studied Roy with his golden eyes for a long time before he laughed, a very relaxed laugh.
"Freedom, huh? Ha ha ha, you really are an interesting fellow who doesn't even qualify as a magus. Perhaps that's why you can be like this. But… freedom…"
"For an Avenger, such a luxurious word as freedom has long been abandoned. Listen carefully; what appears before you is not the redeemed Edmond Dantès, but a vengeful spirit known as the King of the Cavern!"
"Thus, the very essence of my being consists of endless grudges, curses, and lethal, poisonous flames. If you wish to touch me, you must be prepared. Do you truly have the courage to stand with a devil, Master?"
The scorching black flames, carrying ominous grudges and curses, emitted a terrifying heat that made one instinctively retreat. The King of the Cavern looked coldly at his Master through the blazing fire, yet Roy didn't mind these things.
He shook his head and replied, "Whether you are Edmond Dantès or the King of the Cavern, Avenger is still Avenger. That is enough for me."
"If you need it, I can contribute my strength at any time. After all, we are partners… or at least, we should be."
"Partners, huh…" The King of the Cavern scoffed. "Don't talk nonsense. I haven't recognized you as my partner yet. Be careful; partnering with a vengeful spirit like me might suddenly lead to your death."
"It's fine; actually, I quite like the King of the Cavern."
"Hmm? Like me? What kind of foolish thing are you saying? Liking a vengeful spirit like me isn't a joke that's funny at all."
"No, it's true."
"Though the King of the Cavern may be a bit cold, I can see that you are not a bad person; you just aren't good at expressing yourself."
Roy shook his head. "I can tell that the King of the Cavern used to be a very gentle person."
"..."
After a long silence, he slowly spoke.
"What exactly is your deal? With this attitude, you still want to stay by my side? It's just like her… No, she is ultimately her; you are not the same."
After this heart-to-heart, the relationship between the initially estranged Master and Servant grew closer, and the King of the Cavern' murderous intent toward his Master completely vanished over time.
In their interactions, he felt quite satisfied with this Master compared to the evil spirits in the Prison Tower; Roy was quite good.
For such a Master, he didn't mind helping out a bit.
Then, during a few intense conflicts, several troublemaking punks were swiftly taken down by some unknown bizarre attack, rendered unconscious until they were taken into custody, continuously shouting about evil spirits.
Thanks to those contributions, Roy's status in the Fujimura group significantly improved, and he was promoted from an external member to a central figure in the organization.
Though Roy would complain later about the King of the Cavern wasting magical energy and possibly attracting those magus.
In any case, through continuous interaction, the mutual understanding between the Master and Servant deepened. Just like in a casual story, two people with opposing personalities gradually formed a light friendship in their daily interactions.
He had known from the very beginning that the Count was not a bad person; on the contrary, he was quite delicate. For the Master he acknowledged, he would reciprocate without reservation.
Of course, neither side acknowledged this.
This was also a form of unspoken understanding between them.
...
"Count, I have something to discuss tomorrow, so I'll head to bed now. Please help me clean up the dishes."
"..."
Hmm? Is a proud Heroic Spirit really meant for this?
The Count gave him a meaningful glance, nodded, and couldn't help but ask, "What are you going to discuss? Do you need me to accompany you?"
"Don't worry, it's nothing major. I want to resign from this job. The upcoming battles will be dangerous, and I don't want to involve them or make them worry."
"I see… You want to wash your hands of this."
"I guess so; I can't continue down this path anymore."
"Have you considered your life after leaving the organization, once the Holy Grail War is over?" The Count squinted slightly while picking up the coffee on the table, taking a sip and savoring it.
"Master, it's only natural to feel uneasy about leaving your old life behind."
"…"
There's no denying that feeling does exist.
"Thank you for worrying about me, Count, but I should be fine. I've saved up quite a bit over the years, enough to support myself for a long time."
"The Fujimura group has also established good relations with the police. As long as we don't stir up major trouble and gradually transition toward a legitimate path, there shouldn't be any issues."
"I see. Since you're aware of that, I won't say much more."
"Get some good rest. Goodnight, Master."
The Count lightly tapped the table, picked up the dishes, and gently closed the door as he left the room.
"Goodnight."