Fuyuki City, Airport.
Waver looked at the crowd flowing past, then glanced down at the plane ticket in his hand, falling into a long silence.
Today was the day after the Holy Grail War had ended.
Only five days had passed since it officially began.
Five days.
So fast.
The Holy Grail War ended so quickly that Waver hadn't even had time to sort out his feelings, yet in those few days, his state of mind had undergone a drastic change.
He no longer believed he could become a genius.
Nor that hard work alone could close the gap in talent.
No, perhaps hard work did matter, and he would continue to work hard. But the road ahead as a magician would undoubtedly be full of obstacles.
Still, now—
"So, you're sure you want to use this ticket?" The airport staff forced a polite smile.
This young man had staggered in early in the morning, luggage in one hand and ticket in the other, looking suspiciously like he was intoxicated. After a thorough check confirmed he was fine, another problem surfaced.
He had a first-class ticket, yet he refused to board the plane.
If you don't want to fly, why buy a ticket?
If you don't want to leave, why come to the airport?!
But after checking with her supervisor—several times—that this customer was indeed a VIP, the young clerk had no choice but to treat him with courtesy.
Damn rich people!
"Oh no, I—"
"You're not getting on the plane, are you?"
"...No, I want to board. But I'd like to buy a new ticket myself."
"Change your flight?" the clerk raised her brow.
"If possible, just a regular seat... preferably discounted. But, um... would it be okay if I don't have the money?" Waver looked conflicted.
"Of course not." The clerk's smile twitched dangerously.
What was wrong with rich people these days? First-class already booked, yet he wanted to downgrade to economy—and on top of that, begged for a discount. Worse, he hinted at flying for free. Free! Did he think the airport was a charity?
Unbelievable. Completely intolerable.
And to make matters worse, the flight was now delayed. If she reported this, the airport might actually cave for the sake of a VIP and hand out free service. She couldn't stomach it.
Fine. She would keep this little "incident" off the record. Better that than risk her job over an entitled brat.
"Really?" Waver asked weakly.
"Absolutely not!"
Her blunt rejection immediately crushed what little confidence he had left.
Haha, of course it wasn't possible. Asking for something free... what was he thinking?
His eyes grew moist.
The truth was, he desperately wanted to fly back to England. But the ticket in his hand... had been given to him by Arthur.
When they parted the night before, Arthur, ever the wealthy man, had pressed the ticket into his hands—as if he had anticipated Rider's departure and knew this penniless boy couldn't even afford the trip home.
It felt like mockery. As if to remind him that Arthur was Iskandar's enemy.
Accepting it left a bitter taste.
But without it... he really had no money.
And using magic to fool ordinary people? A fifty percent chance of success at best. What about the other half? He'd likely end up arrested as a fraudster, or worse—deported back to England in disgrace, left to be mocked by his classmates.
The dilemma crushed him.
Then, an impatient voice cut through the air.
"I was wondering what kind of idiot was wasting my time. Of course, it had to be you. Ugh, seeing your face just ruined my day."
"Teacher?!" Waver flinched at the sight of Kayneth, instinctively taking a step back.
Was he here to settle the score over the stolen relic?
He guessed right.
"You think you can just waltz away after stealing from me? Humph! Don't flatter yourself. What are you standing there for? I'll buy your plane ticket. Get moving. You've got a new project. If you don't show results, don't think I'll let you off."
Without so much as a glance at Waver's tear-brimmed eyes, Kayneth strode past him with his hands clasped behind his back, boarding with his usual imposing air.
Well, His Majesty's orders must be carried out diligently. Working with the orphan of the Tohsaka family might seem peculiar, but... no. The current head of the Tohsaka family—the girl herself—was exceptionally talented. If circumstances became awkward, this kid could serve as a convenient middleman.
Kayneth nodded to himself as he thought.
After all, Arthur had entrusted his entire business empire to Rin Tohsaka and Sakura Matou. With those two, plus Kayneth's own gains and connections from the Grail War, it would be more than enough to establish a formidable magical organization.
——————
Meanwhile, Arthur exhaled, steadying himself before opening the [Gate of Eternal Calamity] to Britain.
The image appeared instantly.
"Long time no see. Thank you for looking after my body. Manaka... what are you doing?!" Arthur's eyes widened.
On the other side, his body lay peacefully—its face conspicuously covered with lip marks. Manaka's panicked expression only confirmed what had just happened.
There was no need to guess.
Don't even mention it—seeing himself like that for the first time, Arthur had to admit he really was strikingly beautiful. For a moment, even he felt a little dazed.
A blush crept over his cheeks, though he quickly shook it off. This was hardly the point!
I didn't expect this from you, Manaka...
"Your Majesty, I can explain!" Manaka nearly burst into tears.
Morgan and Artoria did this all the time without consequence—so why did the prince have to walk in on her the one time she found the courage?!
Explain? Impossible. There was no explanation.
It's over. The prince must think I'm some shameless nymphomaniac.
Fine, then. I'll just destroy it all. Destroy Britain, destroy the world—then the prince will belong to me alone!
Manaka's mind spiraled into chaos as her composure unraveled.
"Ahem... forget it. Calm down, Manaka. Let's not dwell on this for now." Arthur spoke awkwardly.
Of course he understood her feelings.
But she was still a young girl, both in personality and appearance. Lively, charming, yes... but still undeveloped.
Even Artoria had at least some figure. Manaka, on the other hand—nothing at all!
The thought alone made Arthur feel wracked with guilt.
It was like looking at a real child... no, a little girl... no, practically a baby.
That overwhelming sense of déjà vu left Arthur frozen, unable to move.
-End Chapter-
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