"Now that we've seen the layout, let's go shopping."
They were currently in a narrow alley behind the skyscraper, a place where few people ventured. After a few minutes of walking, they emerged onto a wide, busy street.
To their left sat Fuyuki Central Park.
Wayland took Ereshkigal's hand and led her into the most popular department store in the area.
As soon as they saw other people, however, Ereshkigal's confidence wavered, and she quickly pulled her hand back, looking slightly flustered.
"What do you think of this tableware?"
Wayland pointed to a porcelain plate adorned with a small, red agate pattern. "It's beautiful. Just like your eyes."
Ereshkigal blinked, her face dusting over with a faint pink. "Don't think that just because you complimented me, I've forgiven you for earlier!"
"I was talking about the agate."
Wayland's deadpan delivery earned him a sharp stomp on his foot from a blushing Ereshkigal.
"Fine. We'll take this one."
Ereshkigal lifted her chin, acting as if nothing had happened, though a small smile played on her lips.
Wayland picked up ten of the plates and carried them toward the next aisle. "What kind of bedding do you want?"
Ereshkigal stood on her tiptoes, scanning the shelves until her eyes settled on a set of pale red linens.
"Rose patterns?"
Wayland noted the choice with a smile and headed for the checkout.
By the time they returned to Miyama, it was barely ten o'clock.
"Back so soon?"
Asuka was in the main hall watching television. Hearing the door, she looked up with a smile.
Wayland entered first, balancing the stack of plates in one hand and his keys in the other.
"Careful, Ritsuka."
Asuka stood up to help him with the tableware. "I've cleared out the room next to yours for Ereshkigal."
She headed for the kitchen, leaving the television running.
The news anchor was reporting a recent event.
"Another localized gas leak has been reported in Shinto, resulting in two fatalities."
Wayland's movements slowed as he poured himself a cup of tea. His eyes narrowed.
A 'gas leak' in Fuyuki was never just a gas leak.
'Another Master?'
If he remembered correctly, by early February, only the Saber and Archer classes remained unsummoned. That meant the other five classes had already been active since January.
He wondered who was responsible.
"Grandmother, what kind of trees are those in the courtyard?" Wayland asked.
"Spruce. Why?"
"Oh, no reason. They just look very healthy. I'll go and have a look."
Wayland offered a polite greeting and stepped out into the garden.
The trees were tall and straight, like small towers.
He reached up and snapped off two branches about the width of his thumb, stripping away the needle-like leaves.
Back in his room, he used a small utility knife to cut the wood into short, disc-like segments, each about the size of a thick coin.
He activated his internal circuits.
A pale yellow prana flowed through his nerves, connecting with the ambient magical energy in the air.
He pressed his fingers together and traced two distinct lines.
Isa. The second Original Rune he had mastered,the rune of ice and stillness.
The character settled onto the surface of the spruce disc.
The grain of the wood flared with a sudden, cold light, the disc itself transforming into something that looked more like a polished gemstone.
"Whoa! I can't believe it actually worked. Runic magic really is so much more cost-effective than Jewel Magecraft."
Wayland picked up the finished talisman. 'But jewels still have a much higher prana capacity and output. I've used about a tenth of my total prana on this; it's much better than my first attempt where I nearly drained myself entirely.'
Furthermore, the potency felt close to a 'Cause' rank spell,roughly fifth grade. If used as a surprise attack, it might actually be effective even against a Servant. He had two weeks before the start of the term; he'd spend that time researching Runic Composites and hope that his experiments didn't end in a disaster.
"If you want to learn, I can teach you, you know."
Ereshkigal had appeared behind him without him noticing. She leaned over his shoulder, watching as he held the talisman. She gave a playful wave of her hand. "Young man... I have a full set of Original Runes right here. Do you want to learn?"
***
The Great Ice Blast
"Yes."
Wayland nodded without hesitation. You'd have to be a fool to turn down a chance to learn Original Runes.
Ereshkigal let out a delightful laugh and reached out, tapping him lightly on the head with her hand. "Master, don't even dream about it."
"Huh?"
Wayland realized she'd been teasing him. "When did you get so mischievous?"
"I've always been a 'bad' goddess."
Ereshkigal sat down on the tatami mats, a playful glint in her eyes. "I am the Mistress of the Underworld, remember? A goddess who only cares about the souls of the departed."
"I see. But honestly, as a system created by Chaldea, how did you even get those runes? It's a good system as long as it isn't trying to charge me Saint Quartz."
"Of course it is. Your missions were customized by me, but the rewards were provided by the Heroic Spirits of Chaldea. Those runes came directly from your mentor, Scathach."
"Is that right?"
Wayland remembered the rewards he'd received when he'd reached the Cause rank. They'd been crafted by Da Vinci, save for the gift from Ishtar that Ereshkigal had personally intercepted.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]
Hey, im back, as promised, 2 bonus chapter for you guys, im uploaded all these chapter rn js in case i dont forgot to do it tonight, last week and this week chapter already uploaded, as usual if u find any msitake, let me know, ill fix asap. Also i read the newest review on this fic, i think they're into something? idk u tell me, oh yeah, if you want to leave review or two, please do so, dont be scared, write anything good or bad, but please make it makes sense, these review help a lot.