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Creak…
The library door opened slowly.
A crystal chandelier, hanging from the high ceiling, cast a bright light, illuminating the spacious room.
One entire wall was covered by a massive bookshelf, filled with leather-bound volumes, their spines adorned with faint, purple runes—the secrets of magecraft.
Magic texts, specifically, research notes on the Third Magic, Heaven's Feel.
A large desk, crafted from fragrant teakwood, sat beneath the bookshelf.
Haru sat at the desk, flipping through a volume, his voice calm and even. "According to my schedule, you should be on a plane to London right now, Sola-Ui Sophia-Ri."
Sola-Ui, thanks to generations of selective breeding within her prestigious mage family, was a striking beauty.
Fiery red hair, a naturally radiant complexion, and the refined elegance of a noblewoman—she usually carried herself with an air of haughty confidence, her demeanor as cold and imposing as an ice sculpture.
But now, she stood before Haru, her head bowed, her posture demure, her hands clasped before her—a picture of subservience.
She had good reason to be cautious. Even her mother, the head of the Spiritual Evocation Department at the Clock Tower, would show deference to a True Magic user, a being who stood at the pinnacle of the magical world.
"Yes, Haru-kakka," she replied softly, her eyes darting towards the silver-haired young man at the desk.
Though she'd only met him twice, she couldn't help but admire his delicate features. If not for his short, silver hair, anyone could mistake him for a woman.
"So, tell me what brings you here?" Haru looked up at her, his gaze unreadable.
To Haru, Sola-Ui was just another face in the crowd, neither a captivating heroine nor a memorable side character. Just another person with a tragic fate.
Had she not been hit by Illyasviel's car, she would likely have died at Kiritsugu Emiya's hands eventually.
He'd initially intended to let events unfold as they should, but Illyasviel's pleading eyes and the promise of a special reward had convinced him to intervene, to use his power to twist the threads of fate, to bring her back from the brink of death.
But Sola-Ui, it seemed, wasn't satisfied with simply surviving.
She looked at Haru, his indifferent gaze like a death knell, her heart pounding with fear.
She wanted to flee, but the thought of returning to London, to the life that awaited her there, steeled her resolve. She took a deep breath, forcing the words out.
"I seek your protection, Haru-sama. I wish to be free of my family's control."
"That's not a problem. I'll inform the Sophia-Ri family of your resignation. You're free to go," Haru said casually.
To him, it was a trivial matter.
Sola-Ui stared at him, stunned. Her impossible dream—granted so easily?
"Really?" Her voice was barely a whisper, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Really." Haru nodded, then returned his attention to the documents on his desk, the research notes on the Third Magic. The Holy Grail War would likely end soon, and he had to ensure the successful completion of Heaven's Feel.
Sola-Ui's demeanor transformed. The icy facade she usually wore crumbled, replaced by a cheerful, almost girlish energy.
But then, her expression shifted, her eyes filled with uncertainty as she looked at Haru. His promise of protection—it had come too easily. It felt unreal.
'Human nature,' she thought, a self-deprecating smile touching her lips. Then, her resolve hardening, she approached the desk and knelt before him.
Zip…
Haru looked up, his brow furrowed in confusion as Sola-Ui reached into his pants.
A warm, moist sensation. He sighed.
"I'm offering you compensation," Sola-Ui mumbled, her cheeks bulging slightly.
"That's not necessary. I gave you my word," Haru said gently. But he adjusted his position, leaning back in his chair, a look of comfort on his face.
"A relationship without—quid pro quo—is unstable. That's common knowledge among nobles. And the only thing I have to offer is myself," Sola-Ui said, her voice strained.
Haru fell silent.
"Are you pitying me? There's no need. I-I just don't want to be a tool anymore. I want—a life like Illyasviel's," she confessed, a self-deprecating smile on her face.
"It's not pity. Your technique is just—terrible. You bit me. Honestly, you're nowhere near as skilled as Illyasviel," Haru said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Did she think he was some kind of—saint? He wasn't about to turn down an offering of—flesh.
Then, his expression changed. He sensed Kiyohime approaching. If the yandere Dragon saw them like this—"We should stop, for now."
Sola-Ui's face fell. If they stopped now, all her efforts would be wasted. And finding another opportunity to be alone with Haru…
"Did you know—I'm still—engaged to Kayneth?" she murmured, her voice seductive, unbuttoning her blouse. She knew men couldn't resist the allure of forbidden fruit.
"Kayneth's was damaged because of you. And you're betraying him like this?" Haru glared at her, feigning disapproval.
"But I approve."
He grinned, scooping Sola-Ui into his arms and vanishing from the library.
——
"Hmph…"
The oxen pulling Rider's Gordius Wheel snorted, their hooves sparking with purple lightning as they galloped through the sky, hundreds of meters above the earth.
Waver, clinging to Rider's waist, his fear of heights overwhelming, looked down at a familiar skyscraper.
"Where are we going? We've circled this building three times already."
"I was looking for—Ah, there it is!"
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