January 10th, 2004. 9:10 AM.
After completing his exams at the Clock Tower, the winter break had officially begun on December 25th. Wayland had intended to arrive in Fuyuki earlier, but securing his new identity through Hishiri Adashino and Elena had taken more time than anticipated.
His name now: Ritsuka Fujimaru.
Age: 18.
Occupation: Second-year transfer student at Homurahara Academy.
Back-story: Born and raised in London by Japanese expat parents. Returned to his hometown of Fuyuki to care for his aging grandmother.
The details were meticulous. Adashino had even gone as far as to secure a 'real' grandmother for his cover story.
Five minutes later, a white public bus pulled up to the stop.
Wayland dropped three hundred yen into the coin box and found an empty seat near the back.
"Next stop: Fuyuki Central Park. Please watch your step when exiting the vehicle," the driver announced over the intercom.
Wayland looked out the window at the rows of pristine, modern buildings. Ten years ago, this area,the New City,had been Ravaged by a massive fire. Nearly a hundred thousand people had lost their lives.
The official explanation: A gas explosion.
But on the ruins of that catastrophe, the city had built a sprawling central park. In reality, it was a massive public cemetery.
As the bus reached the park, it began to cross the Great Fuyuki Bridge.
The site where Waver Velvet had said his final goodbye to Iskandar.
Thinking of Waver, Wayland felt a pang of regret. He'd intended to ask for a formal leave of absence before he left, but his mentor had disappeared. According to the timeline, Waver was likely already aboard the Rail Zeppelin.
It was a shame, but Wayland hadn't lingered. He'd left a message for Waver and departed London shortly after.
He'd also entrusted Louis with the care of the fairy seed in his dormitory. Louis had been more than happy to help,though his price was a stack of Japanese Blu-ray DVDs and, surprisingly, a signed photograph of a famous voice actress.
'Hey, buddy. I'm here for a life-or-death war, not a shopping trip.'
In the end, Wayland had only agreed to the Blu-rays. 'Fullmetal Alchemist.'
The sun-dappled surface of the Mion River receded as the bus entered the Miyama District.
Following the main commercial street through a series of intersections, they finally arrived at the neighborhood surrounding Homurahara Academy. If Wayland's memory of the lore served him correctly, the Tohsaka and Matou estates were located just to the southeast of the school.
Walking from the Tohsaka manor to the school would take about an hour.
The 'grandmother' Adashino had arranged for him lived much closer,just a ten-minute walk from the campus. It was a three-story traditional Japanese house, a charming wooden structure with tatami-style interiors.
It wasn't quite a mansion, but it was perfect for his needs.
He cleared his throat and called out as he entered. "Grandmother! It's me, Ritsuka Fujimaru!"
The system's translation module instantly converted his words into natural, homestyle Japanese.
Moments later, a silver-haired woman in a traditional kimono stepped out from the hallway.
Her name was interesting: Asuka Yamagami.
Her son had been living abroad for years, and she had a grandson she'd never met. Adashino had simply 'repurposed' that missing grandson's identity, contacting the son and ensuring the cover story was foolproof. Her son told her that Ritsuka was the child of a dear friend from London, coming to Japan for school and needing a place to stay.
Unless someone went to extreme lengths to investigate, the lie would hold.
Of course, it was only temporary. Once February rolled around, Wayland planned to move out and live on his own to ensure the elderly woman wasn't caught in the crossfire of the Holy Grail War.
"You've finally arrived!"
Asuka Yamagami took Wayland's hand, her manner warm and welcoming, with no hint of the awkwardness one might expect from meeting a stranger. "Make yourself at home, dear."
"Thank you."
Wayland nodded and stepped up onto the genkan's elevated wooden platform, removing his shoes and aligning them neatly toward the door.
"Are you hungry, child?" Asuka asked, sliding open the shoji doors to reveal a traditional washitsu.
The room was classic Japanese,a low table at the center, the floor covered in fresh tatami mats, and warm sunlight filtering through the paper screens. The pale yellow walls gave the space a quiet, elegant atmosphere.
"I'm fine, thank you. I ate on the way."
Wayland walked barefoot across the rush-matted floor and sat cross-legged at the table. A tea set was already waiting.
He picked up the teapot and poured a cup for Asuka first.
"How is Ichiki doing in London?"
The old woman had clearly been waiting to ask. She didn't even touch her tea, her expression expectant. "He mentioned a while ago that the economy was struggling and business was difficult... I was too worried to press him for details. Since you've come from London, please, tell me everything."
Wayland nodded.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]