Credits: Ethan Johnson
"Keep up, Waver!"
Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald impatiently urged his student trailing behind him, dragging a large suitcase.
"Don't tell me you can't even handle this much?"
"Professor, what on earth is in here? It's way too heavy!"
Waver Velvet complained, beads of sweat rolling down his face as he struggled with the suitcase, its weight vastly disproportionate to its size.
"Hmph. That's none of your concern," Kayneth replied coldly.
"I hadn't planned on bringing you to this magical ritual in the first place. You should be grateful just to participate as my assistant!"
"As if I wanted to come..."
Waver muttered under his breath. Unfortunately for him, Kayneth had a sharp hearing and immediately turned to glare at him.
"What did you say?"
Kayneth's tone grew icier.
"Do you think a third-generation magus like you could become the assistant of a Lord if not for the Second Magician personally instructing me to bring you?"
Waver bit his lip in humiliation, lowering his head without responding. He despised the Clock Tower's obsession with bloodlines and family heritage but lacked the resources to prove himself against it.
Just days ago, the legendary Second Magician, Zelretch himself, unexpectedly sought out Kayneth, instructing him to participate in a magical ritual called the Holy Grail War in a far-off land and to bring Waver along as his assistant.
Kayneth initially planned to bring his fiancée, Sola, as his assistant. However, Zelretch's order left no room for debate. Though he hesitated briefly, Kayneth quickly summoned Waver to his office and informed him of the decision in Zelretch's presence.
Waver had been stunned. Could this mean his talent had finally been recognized? That he now had a chance to prove himself? But after some thought, his initial excitement gave way to doubt. Why would the Second Magician specifically request his involvement? What could he possibly offer that warranted such attention?
And so, with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation, Waver Velvet boarded an international flight to Fuyuki City alongside his professor.
Kayneth, meanwhile, used the journey to lecture Waver on the intricacies of assisting in the Holy Grail War, though his explanations were laced with his characteristic arrogance and condescension. Waver, though bristling inside, swallowed his pride, knowing this was a rare opportunity for someone of his standing.
"The trick to sustained reinforcement magecraft," Kayneth remarked as he scrutinized the exhausted Waver, "is to maintain the output just at the level necessary. That way, you can conserve a significant amount of magical energy. Surely you're not incapable of dynamic output adjustment?"
Waver was momentarily at a loss for words, as he had indeed overlooked this technique. Kayneth had briefly covered it in an earlier lesson, but Waver had forgotten. Embarrassed, he quietly adjusted his magic in line with his professor's instructions, finding that while his body remained fatigued, his magical output stabilized, allowing him to continue longer.
"The car will pick us up shortly," Kayneth informed him.
"But no one else must touch the luggage you're responsible for. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Professor Kayneth," Waver replied, though he couldn't help but ask, "What's in it?"
"Something far more valuable than your miserable life!"
Kayneth snapped, refusing to elaborate.
Despite his disdain for a magical ritual in what he considered a backwater like the East, Kayneth had reconsidered his stance after his private conversation with Zelretch. The revelation that this ritual was closely tied to the Third Magic left Kayneth sweating.
Why hadn't the Association paid more attention to this high-stakes ritual? Why had Zelretch come to him personally?
"You must do everything possible to prevent interference beyond the established rules, Lord El-Melloi," Zelretch had said cryptically.
"If necessary, I will intervene myself."
Suspecting the Counter Force might have directed Zelretch to involve him, Kayneth grew increasingly wary of the Holy Grail War's perilous depths. He even reconsidered his initial plan to summon Iskandar using the cloak fragment he had acquired, deciding the King of Conquerors might not be suitable for the dangers at hand.
Instead, after much deliberation, Kayneth borrowed a large sum of money from his future father-in-law and procured a mysterious golden fragment, resembling armor, from India. This relic, he believed, would summon a more obedient and manageable Servant.
Watching Waver laboriously load the oversized suitcase into the car, Kayneth resolved to survive this treacherous ordeal. He had too many research projects awaiting him, too much at stake for the El-Melloi family to leave unfinished. Death in this remote corner of the world was not an option.
As the car set off, Kayneth's thoughts drifted to Sola's beautiful face, and a rare gentle smile crossed his lips.
"Wait for me, Sola. I'll come back to you alive!"