"The training sessions with Scathach... were those real memories?"
"Technically, they were manifestations that were indistinguishable from reality."
"No wonder they felt so visceral. And what about the final trial? The one where I was sent back to the time when Artoria pulled the sword from the stone?"
"That? Oh, that was Sir Kay's memory."
"Kay? Artoria's foster brother? I don't remember him being 'summonable' in the game."
"Just because he isn't in the game doesn't mean he can't be summoned. Reality is often very different from the legends; Sir Kay might not be exactly who you imagine him to be."
"I guess that makes sense. In a Type-Moon world, I wouldn't even be surprised if Sir Kay turned out to be a 'Sister Kay'."
Ereshkigal blinked. "You... you should probably never say that to any of the actual Servants."
"Why not?"
"You might wake up one morning to find your face has been changed and your gender swapped. Some Servants can be quite... vindictive."
Wayland felt a sudden, cold shiver. The thought was terrifying.
And it wasn't just a possibility; there were several Servants who were more than capable of such a feat. Professor Moriarty, for one, would likely find it hilarious.
"Don't worry, though. I'd change you back."
Ereshkigal puffed out her chest, looking full of confidence. "After all, I'm an all-powerful goddess, aren't I?"
"Fine, then. My all-powerful goddess, I have a favor to ask."
"Ask away!" The girl was clearly eager to prove herself.
"Go into the garden and get me a few more spruce branches."
"That's it?"
Ereshkigal pointed at herself. "A goddess? Don't you have any... high-difficulty missions for me?"
"I do, actually."
Wayland gave her a mischievous smile. "Since you're all-powerful... can a goddess like you actually fall in love with a mortal?"
"H-Huh?"
Ereshkigal's hand flew to her face, her cheeks burning. Catching the look in Wayland's eyes, she turned away in an embarrassed huff. "The Goddess of the Underworld only loves the dead! Fine! I'm going!"
'Loves the dead, huh?'
Wayland watched her hurry out and turned back to the nine spruce discs on his table, resuming his work.
His right arm began to thrum with a dull, aching pain.
By the time he'd finished all the talismans, he was exhausted.
"I'm completely out of prana."
Wayland massaged his arm. If he were in the middle of a battle, the consumption would be even higher. Fortunately, his magical affinity was 'Conversion,' which allowed him to learn Runic magic in the first place.
Modern Runic magic was much more wasteful.
The number of modern runes required to achieve the same potency as a single Original Rune was astronomical,seven, ten, or even more.
"Huh?"
Ereshkigal had returned and, hearing his words, her face suddenly flushed a brilliant red. She dropped a bundle of spruce branches onto the table. "I'm going to help Grandmother with lunch!"
She fled the room as if she were being chased.
"What was that about?"
Wayland was left in a state of utter confusion. He stood up, stretched his limbs, and decided not to push himself any further.
He closed the door Ereshkigal had left open and walked out to the main hall.
The table was already set.
In Japan, lunch was often a simple affair,bentos, ramen, or curry,since most people didn't have much of a break during the workday.
However, since Asuka's son was abroad and she wasn't in any rush, lunch was relatively substantial.
Rice, corn, vegetables, and fried fish.
Wayland sat down, pressed his hands together, and offered the usual greeting.
The fried fish looked like shrimp tempura, the batter a vibrant, crispy gold, the aroma filling the room.
***
The Training Grounds of Ryuudou
After lunch, Wayland headed out to the courtyard to practice his Runic Composites.
"Master, we should probably find a different place."
Ereshkigal stopped him. "If Grandmother sees a massive crater in the garden, she might think Godzilla is attacking."
"Fair point."
Wayland nodded in agreement. A single Original Rune was already close to a 'Cause' rank spell; a composite would likely reach the 'Pride' or even the 'Brand' level.
If he lost control, the entire garden would be leveled.
And he didn't have any restoration magic.
Fortunately, the Ryuudou Temple was only a short walk away on Mount Enzou.
"Eresh-chan, keep a lookout for me."
"Got it," Ereshkigal replied.
Wayland took a deep breath. At the moment, he had only mastered two Original Runes: Light and Ice.
The Light rune manifested as a form of explosive magic,a sphere of intense, radiant energy that expanded outward in a shockwave rather than a directed beam.
The Ice rune was different. It could create a waterfall-like wall of ice that could be controlled and directed, rather than just serving as a static defense.
Combining the two into a single phonetic script was a challenge.
They say a triangle is the most stable shape,though 'love triangles' were a notable exception.
He stroked his chin, quickly narrowing his options down to two phonetic scripts.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]