Allegedly, my family was incredibly rich, enough to make me wonder if one of them would end up on a certain list some two decades down the line. Sadly, I had no access to said money. No, I had to walk around looking like some kind of pathetic delinquent who mugged decent folks for their day-to-day needs.
Well, I did mug people. I couldn't even say they deserved it...
Letting out a sigh, I cast a sideways glance at the store clerk who looked like she was either one step away from being swayed by my rough charm and asking me for my number... or calling the police. She gave a troubled smile, rubbing her hands.
Man, girls were so hard to understand.
"Hm," I heard Shuwen grunt behind me. His gaze was fixed on the basket in my hand. "I did not take you for the type to give particular thought to your clothes."
I stared at the colorful, carefully selected collection of black and grey shirts, windbreakers and trousers. Oh, there was a white shirt in there too.
"You wouldn't get it." I glanced at the older women giving him weird stares from beyond the store windows.
He merely cocked his head, making no effort to hide his curiosity and confusion.
"You're dressed like a grand sect master." I tried to explain, jutting a finger to the side, "Do you not see the women literally crowding the sidewalk?"
"I have only ever had eyes for the one woman." He shrugged easily.
Gah.
It felt like someone had punched me. I couldn't even be mad at him for such an unbelievably based take, after all.
"Anyway, I have to be wearing nice clothes to even stand a chance."
"...I do not think so." He paused to breathe, "Ah, youth."
I considered his words as I made my way over to the counter. The weird sales girl was still staring daggers into my side for some god-forsaken reason. Still, there was no point at all in mulling over her, not when I had tonight's encounter to think about.
"Your glasses alone make anything I wear look bland."
My retort was pitiful.
Shuwen pursed his lips, then removed his glasses and held them out to me. "Would you like to try them on?"
"Can I?"
"Kaka!" He threw his head back, "Go ahead. It will do me proud to have a disciple admire me to such an extent."
Really, what the hell was I even doing with the constant, consistent threat that was living in a world like this looming over my head? And yet, try though I did, I could not completely give myself over to constant musings over concern for my newfound freedom. I knew, at some level, that that too was akin to binding myself again.
That would make anyone go mad.
With a deep breath, I took the tea glasses and... realised that they were not made for a head as big as mine. Shuwen was at least a head shorter than me.
"Big head." Shuwen commented off-handedly, then turned his head away with a hand over his mouth, pushing down the ghost of a smile. "We can find ones that fit you?"
I wistfully handed them back just as the cashier spoke out my total. After paying him, I walked out into the main street where I stood out like a sore thumb for my height. In the West, I'd probably blend into the background. The attention felt nice though, so I didn't mind at all.
Walking back home, it occurred to me that there was nothing to do until nightfall and then, I'd fight with my life on the line against an opponent that easily overpowered me in every aspect.
I had the Ten Shadows. Medea was a magus from the same time period as the crest, and one of the most famous and best to ever do it...
At least, Mahoraga was always there.
"I've become potential man."
"You indeed have much potential." My teacher and servant agreed, "If only we could do something about that skittishness of yours. It does not suit a man."
I let my shoulders droop. "You're right. But, you know, I can't help but want to live longer."
"There is no true flaw in that. I vow that I will aid this goal of yours for as long as I draw breath." Shuwen raised a hand to pat my shoulder. "But, for what you desire, you must one day accept that pain is necessary, and pushing through fear is the only way forward in this world ruled by might alone. After all, you do have the potential."
I raised a brow.
"You mean the Crest?"
"That Crest of yours did not teach you to make malleable the flow of Chi so skilfully in less than a week."
While I felt that he was heaping on too much praise, I could not say that it didn't make me feel much better about myself to hear it from someone who was a legend of humanity. Moreso because there was no way to deny him.
Still, manipulating my cursed energy-mana didn't feel all that special.
-
I ran into Bazett again.
At the hotel's reception, of all places. I initially thought that we met there by coincidence but apparently, she'd been waiting for me. That was how I found myself sitting across from her in a rustic cafe near that depressing park where I met Rin Tohsaka. While I was suspicious, Bazett Fraga McRemitz was beautiful enough that I was swayed by my confidence in her willingness to adhere to the rules of the war.
Staring into the black of my cheap cup of coffee though, I should have been more suspicious.
Yes, in the anime, Cu Chulainn was nothing special and kept losing... but I was willing to bet he could easily speedblitz me. Actually, I was willing to bet on even Bazett.
"Are you going to beat me?" I asked plainly.
"What?"
"I'd usually be totally against that but some part of me wants you to. That's weird, right?"
A faint blush tinted Bazett's pale cheeks. "C...Can you leave me out of your deviant fantasies?"
"Hey, I said it was weird too."
I sipped my coffee with a shrug. The slight onset of drowsiness was suddenly blasted away by my caffeine addiction as I focused on the woman sat across from me.
She really was pretty.
I lowered my gaze to my coffee.
"I investigated the death of Tokiomi Tohsaka." She said after a while, narrowing her eyes.
"From here?"
"I have some connections."
"I didn't think you were the type to have friends."
Her shoulders suddenly jerked. When I looked up from my cup, her lips were trembling and I was pretty sure there were tears at the corners of her eyes. I raised my hands, trying to placate the grown woman.
"I'll be your friend?"
Eh, this sort of thing was never my strong suit. Go figure.
"It was an unfortunate consequence. If he was murdered, even if by Kirei as you claim, the Clock Tower has decided that it was a quarrel between magi."
"So we're ignoring it." I nodded.
She jerked again, but gave no reaction, "Quarrels between magi can be decided by themselves so long as the first principle is observed."
The first principle was the concealment of mystery. So, them power-tripping hard and murdering each other was fine so long as the normies didn't find out because of the conflict.
"I thought a society based on knowledge would have graver consequences for killing your own teacher." I took another gulp, staring into her eyes. "Magecraft is knowledge, right?"
"It is one of the greatest taboo among magi. Anyone that does so can not be trusted."
"Then-"
"But there is no proof for your claim."
I scratched my cheek. "True..."
"There is, however, proof of malpractice by one of the other masters." She said calmly. "I've seen reports of strings of strange murders and other incidents all over the city."
Hm, that was possibly Medea... or perhaps... Hmm, I really should have researched Fate more.
"If you help-" She inhaled softly, "-I might be persuaded to think of your claim in a more favourable way. Kirei is an... old acquaintance. We've worked together in the past."
I immediately grew confused.
Was this... some kind of olive branch?
What even was this, actually?
No, nevermind all that, I had no reason at all to go out of my way to help her either. Warning her was more of a heat-of-the-moment act of goodwill. Both of my lives were lived in a way that would not let me agree to her proposal.
And yet, I decided to be different, hadn't I?
But that wasn't reason enough by itself to forgo all logic to do something. No, I was willing to agree because the culprit was likely a servant. A 2-vs-1 situation posed significantly less danger for myself, and even helped reduce the total number of enemies no matter the outcome.
There really was no other reason to say no than my own apprehension about being in proximity to someone like her.
"Alright. Fine."
"Then, tonight is the best time."
Her words became a little awkward, but she began to rise from her seat.
I raised a hand and shook my head. "Tonight's not good, I need to do something else."
"Let's set out... Oh-" Her hand closed strangely, "I see. That's alright. Tomorrow then?"
The disappointment in those words was palpable. At the same time, she was beginning to flush once again.
Seriously, what the hell was this?
Shuwen's laughter rang in my head.
-
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