Fate/Magus Path

February 6, 1994.

Clock Tower.

On this day, Lord El-Melloi was feeling a bit agitated.

Inside a spacious office, Kayneth sat in a classic chair, looking displeased. One hand supported his tilted head while the other rested on the chair, and his right index finger kept tapping on the desk.

Standing in front of Kayneth was a young boy, trembling. Watching his teacher, who seemed like he was ready to devour someone, the boy's fragile heart began to race.

From the morning, a persistent thud, thud sound hadn't stopped.

"Waver Velvet!"

"Yes! Professor Kayneth!!"

Kayneth's shout startled Waver, causing him to shiver violently, his body trembling like a short-haired cat with bristling fur.

"Explain to me why this thing is in your hands."

Kayneth rose angrily, picking up a box from the desk. His expression was menacing, and despite the preciousness of its contents, his anger caused him to throw it heavily in front of Waver.

*Bang!*

With a loud noise, the antique red wooden box cracked open, revealing a piece of red fabric inside.

Hearing the loud sound and feeling Kayneth's piercing gaze, Waver trembled even more.

He had just resolved to spread his wings and soar, yet before he could even take off, his teacher had caught him red-handed. In such an awkward situation, Waver had no idea how to explain himself.

"I can't believe it, I really can't believe it. I, Kayneth, actually have a day where I'm betrayed by my own student. Waver Velvet, you've truly surprised me."

"Professor, I…"

"Shut up!"

*Bang!*

Another loud noise as Kayneth slammed his fist on the desk, causing Waver to swallow his words.

"Let's not even talk about two months ago, when you wrote that utterly foolish, downright whimsical paper!"

"And now, you've stolen my relic and even tried to secretly fly to Japan! If I hadn't been watching you closely, you'd have succeeded in escaping. My dear disciple, the esteemed Lord El-Melloi II, Waver Velvet!"

"Huh?!"

Waver panicked even more upon hearing Kayneth's sarcastic remark, hurriedly waving his hands in an attempt to defend himself.

"I didn't, I swear…"

"Shut up, you fool!"

*Bang!*

Feeling the betrayal, Kayneth was humiliated and furious. In his rage, he flipped over his expensive desk, and anyone could see the veins bulging on his forehead.

After all the frustrating events he had been dealing with these past few months, Kayneth had clearly forgotten all sense of aristocratic decorum.

First, this fool Waver wrote that absurd paper in class, forcing Kayneth to suppress the matter to avoid leaving any lingering problems.

But the troubles didn't end there. One day, after reprimanding Waver in his office, Kayneth witnessed a shocking scene as he left.

An elderly man with a tall stature and a white beard passed by and addressed Waver with a chilling greeting, "Good morning, Lord El-Melloi II."

Then, grabbing Waver's hand, the old man enthusiastically said, "Come quickly and take a look at the new magic tool I've developed; the Magical Girl Transformation Device, version 3.0. Hm? Wait a second, why are you still this small? And wearing a Clock Tower student uniform?"

"Uh… who are you?" Waver had a bewildered look on his face as he stared at the playful old man, while Kayneth, standing at the door, couldn't contain himself anymore. Hearing this shocking news, he couldn't keep his balance and collapsed to the ground.

"Huh? You don't recognize me?"

The old man looked surprised, and then he glanced at Kayneth, who had just walked out of the room.

"Lemon Head is still alive in this timeline? Could it be that I messed up the timeline? Lord El-Melloi II, hey kid, what year is it in this timeline?"

"1994…" Waver responded, confused, while Kayneth behind him looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"I see. So I did mess up the timeline. Well then, I'll see you later. I'll go switch timelines now. You work hard, and I'll come find you again in a few years."

And so, the Magician of the Second Magic, the one titled the Wizard Marshal, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, stormed out, leaving behind two massive messes.

From that point on, Kayneth's view of Waver changed drastically, all because of what Zelretch had said.

Waver? El-Melloi II!

From then on, Kayneth, who hadn't paid much attention to Waver before, began to focus all his attention on him. He wanted to see for himself how this fool, who could write such an outlandish paper, had become El-Melloi II!

Under Kayneth's scrutiny, even though Waver had received a relic through the mail, he was immediately caught by Kayneth at the Clock Tower and dragged into the office, leading to the current situation.

...

Looking at the trembling student before him, Kayneth was even more furious.

While Waver was indeed competent in understanding and theorizing about magecraft, was that alone enough to make him El-Melloi II?

But what was it about that future Zelretch mentioned?

What kind of worldline had him passing on the title of El-Melloi to such a third-rate magus?

"Um… Professor, I'm just a third-generation magus. There's no way I could be El-Melloi II... Could it be that the gentleman made a mistake?"

"You think it's ridiculous?" Kayneth shot him a fierce glare.

Waver nodded repeatedly.

"I also think it's ridiculous! But that's exactly what Lord Zelretch said that day! You heard it too, didn't you? Since Lord Zelretch called you El-Melloi II, it means that on some worldline, you really did become El-Melloi II."

"You, of all people…"

"On some worldline, the fool who wrote that essay, a mere third-generation magus, actually succeeded in inheriting the position of Lecturer of the Department of the Spiritual Evocation, the Lord of the Department of Mineralogy, and the ninth-generation magical legacy of the El-Melloi family, didn't you?!"

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

Glancing at Waver, who was still trembling, Kayneth became even more frustrated.

"Reckless, betraying your master, and even trying to sneak off with the relic to Japan to participate in some magecraft ritual! Do your actions really make you worthy of the title El-Melloi II?!"

"If I hadn't sent magical familiars to monitor you in advance, I wouldn't have believed it! My most timid and well-behaved student, Waver, suddenly had such nerve! Or perhaps… in that other worldline, it was exactly this boldness that made you El-Melloi II?"

"I didn't, I swear..."

Waver was on the verge of tears under Kayneth's accusing glare. He didn't know anything about it! He just wanted to prove himself—how did it get this out of hand?

"You did!!"

Kayneth roared like a furious dragon, but after a while, he slumped back into his chair, exhausted.

Rubbing his temples in frustration, Kayneth started to worry about his own future.

Since Lord Zelretch had called Waver 'El-Melloi II,' it meant that in some timeline, Waver had indeed inherited his position and had even grown quite close to Lord Zelretch.

But what worried him more were the other words Zelretch had spoken, something about "Lemon Head still being alive" and needing to "switch timelines" and "a few years too early."

These words suggested that not only was the timeline where Waver succeeded him not unique, it might even be common.

And "a few years too early" likely meant that Waver might inherit the position of El-Melloi much sooner than expected. Yet, with only a ten-year age difference between them, there should have been no need for him to retire so early. This implied that in the next few years, some unexpected event would force him to step down. The most likely scenario was... his own death!

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Kayneth felt a cold chill run through his body. His hands and feet went numb, and his heart sank when he saw the relic on the ground.

Could it be that he would die in that remote place, Fuyuki City?!

No, no, that was absurd. Such a low-level magecraft ritual in the countryside couldn't possibly pose a threat to his life.

But considering the shock that Waver had brought him, this seemed like the most plausible outcome. No, this time, he had to take decisive action with full force!

'I, Kayneth, refuse to die young!'

Glaring at the relic on the floor and at the trembling Waver, Kayneth slowly stood up, making his decision. He ordered, "Take that relic and go pack your things. Prepare to depart."

"Huh?"

"Huh, what? It's just a regular magecraft competition. Didn't you want to go before? Now you have the chance. Take that relic and prepare to leave. You'll be my assistant this time."

As for Sola…

Thinking of his beloved, Kayneth immediately connected her to the future Zelretch had mentioned. There was no way he would bring her into danger, not even a little.

This time, he would go alone. He would make it up to her when he returned.

"And another thing, I care less about that so-called Holy Grail War than I do about Waver Velvet! A mere third-generation magus... what gives you the right to inherit the El-Melloi name?!"

"If you disappoint me in this magecraft ritual, I'll make sure you fully understand what punishment from El-Melloi feels like. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Professor Kayneth..."

With a resigned sigh, Waver picked up the relic from the ground and hurried out.

Only after Waver had left did the irritable Kayneth gradually calm down. He then dialed the ancient telephone in his office, beginning his preparations.

"This is Lord Kayneth. Connect me to the British Museum. I need to rent some of their finest relics... Also, I'll need..."