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Kayneth turned his head towards the doorway and froze.
Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri stood there, her fiery red hair framing her face, her lips full and inviting, a seductive blush coloring her cheeks. Her eyes, filled with a lovestruck gaze, were fixed on Haru.
She clung to him like a koala, her arms wrapped around his neck, her voluptuous figure clad in a man's white shirt and shorts. Despite the masculine attire, she somehow managed to look—enticing.
"Where are you going?" she purred, her hand tracing circles on his chest. Having just recovered from their earlier activities, and finding the room empty, she'd come looking for him.
Haru's arms tightened around her, pulling her close. A woman, having just surrendered herself, was at her most vulnerable, her need for comfort and reassurance heightened.
Though Sola-Ui had claimed it was a transaction, a quid pro quo arrangement, Haru wasn't about to just walk away. He wasn't that kind of scoundrel.
Sola-Ui, feeling the warmth of his embrace, smiled.
She'd expected him to leave, to dismiss her after their transaction. This unexpected display of affection, this instinctive need to be close to him, filled her with a surprising sense of joy.
Haru patted her rear, then kissed her forehead. "Wait for me here. I'm going to end this war."
Sola-Ui, her face filled with a sudden longing, reluctantly released him. Years of being raised in a noble family had taught her restraint. She knew better than to interfere with important matters, no matter her personal feelings.
She watched as the spatial rift closed, then yawned, stretching her arms. Two hours of exertions had left her feeling rather drained.
"SOLA-UI!!!" A voice, filled with barely contained rage, echoed through the hallway.
She turned, a puzzled look on her face.
"Who are you?" She stared at the man in the Green coat and Green beanie, his face unfamiliar. Sola-Ui usually recognized Kayneth by his distinctive lemon-haired hairstyle.
"Y-you dare to ask who I am?!" Kayneth sputtered, his voice rising in indignation.
"Oh, it's you, Kayneth. What are you doing here?" Sola-Ui's voice was filled with surprise.
She'd assumed he was at the Hyatt Hotel, preparing for the Holy Grail War. The Einzbern Castle was enemy territory.
"What do you mean, 'here'?…" Kayneth's voice trailed off as a sudden realization dawned on him, his face turning crimson.
"Sola-Ui, you are my fiancée! Do you even realize what you're doing?! Consorting with another man—behind my back…" He pointed at the love bites on her neck and arms, his voice filled with a jealous rage.
"That's a rather unpleasant way to put it, Kayneth. And since when did I acknowledge any relationship between us?" Sola-Ui's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Relationship?! We have a contract, recognized by the Clock Tower! A binding agreement!"
"That arrangement will be terminated as soon as I inform my mother. It will cost us, of course, to break the contract. But compared to the friendship of a True Magic user, it's a small price to pay," Sola-Ui said with a shrug.
Kayneth's face paled. He knew she was right. To the Sophia-Ri, a family that valued power and influence above all else, it was a simple, logical decision.
He took a deep breath, forcing his voice to remain calm. "Sola-Ui, I love you. If you just come back to me—everything will be alright."
He looked at her, his eyes filled with a desperate plea. His magecraft, his status, his engagement to Sola-Ui—they were the foundations of his position at the Clock Tower. He'd already lost his magic. He couldn't lose her too.
Sola-Ui, however, looked at him with disdain. He'd chosen her like he was picking out livestock, selecting her from a lineup of potential Sophia-Ri brides.
"I'm afraid my Lover is rather attentive. I'm a bit tired, Kayneth. We can discuss this another time." She yawned, turning and walking towards her room.
Kayneth watched her go, his face a mask of despair, as if he were watching his youth—his future—slip away.
Ten minutes later—
"Professor Kayneth? Are you alright?" Waver waved a hand in front of Kayneth's face, the man's eyes vacant, unfocused, his head covered by the green beanie.
After Rider's departure, Illyasviel had invited Waver to stay at the Einzbern Castle for the night, to help guard the place while they prepared for the summoning ritual.
In return, they would provide him with a plane ticket back to England.
Waver, now penniless and homeless, had gratefully accepted.
Though Illyasviel and Hassan-i Sabbah's questions about his relationship with Rider had been embarrassing, he found the Einzbern surprisingly hospitable, unlike the cold, calculating Magicians of the Clock Tower.
He'd gathered Rider's belongings and was heading to his assigned room when he saw Kayneth, sitting motionless in the living room, his eyes glazed over.
"Professor? Are you okay?" Waver gently poked Kayneth's forehead, a sense of petty satisfaction—welling up within him. "Look at you now, Professor. Reduced to a drooling mess. Who's the failure now?"
Kayneth's eyes snapped into focus. He remembered Sola-Ui, her words, her actions, and he growled, his voice filled with rage.
"That ungrateful wretch—She betrayed me! Just wait—once I master the magic within this hat—you'll regret this! You'll all regret this! I'll be beyond your reach!"
"Magic—in the hat?" Waver stared at the Green beanie on Kayneth's head, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Waver?! What are you doing here?!" Kayneth's voice was filled with a sudden panic.
"Is there—magic in that hat?" Waver asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.
Beads of sweat trickled down Kayneth's face. He knew how Magicians craved Magic, how they would sacrifice anything to obtain its secrets. And now, in his helpless state, Waver could do whatever he wanted.
He looked at Waver, his eyes filled with despair.
Then, a flicker of confusion crossed his face. "Why aren't you trying to kill me? To steal my magical inheritance? I thought you hated me."
"Why would I want your hat? And as for our disagreement, Professor—I thought we'd settled that when I stole your artifact." Waver's voice was a bit awkward as he mentioned the theft.
Kayneth, accustomed to Magicians fighting—killing over the slightest provocation, over scraps of rare materials, stared at Waver, his expression unreadable.
This child's method of revenge—stealing a relic—it was pathetic. An insult to the very concept of a Magician.
"…You're a strange one, Waver Velvet. Has anyone ever told you—you're not a very good Magician?"
"You have, Professor. Last March. And—twice this year. Once in June, and once in July," Waver replied sheepishly.
"Oh, right. That was me, wasn't it?" Kayneth chuckled, shaking his head.
He looked at the young man before him, his expression thoughtful. He needed someone to care for him, and this—naive boy, who didn't seem driven by greed or ambition… he was a rare find.
He couldn't risk another betrayal.
Returning to the Clock Tower in his current state would make him vulnerable. While the magically created hat would ensure his survival, he would have no one he could trust.
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