True Magician (FatexDxD)

Emiya's residence.

The next morning, all the residents of the residence gathered around the dining table as usual to receive their share of breakfast from Emiya's mother. The only exceptions were Gil and Enkidu, who were still minding their own business and had not returned home.

Everything was about the same as it always was, with a couple exceptions. Merlin, battered, burned in places, and clearly exhausted from his prank last night, was quietly devouring his portion, and Mo-chan was glaring at Morgan with a thoughtful and studying gaze, not touching her plate.

- Is it just me, or do you look different today, Mother? It's as if something has happened, and you're certainly happy about it. - The Knight of Betrayal asked.

- Ignore it, it's obviously to do with Merlin and his current condition. - answered for Morgan Artoria, eating her third portion of breakfast.

- Yes, Sir Mordred, the king is right. I don't know what the mage has done, but it is absolutely his fault. - Lancelot supported her, and Archer nodded in agreement with the first two.

- No," Mo-chan shook her head, "I mean, if it was just the flower bastard, Mother wouldn't look so pleased. There's something else. Something bigger.

Now that Mo-chan had insisted on her point, those present took a closer look at Morgan. I, on the other hand, chose to ignore it all and give myself to the two hungry dragons.

- You're just imagining things, child," Morgan said, "Now eat, or you'll go hungry, because you'll be swallowed by one extremely voracious person who can't keep the kingdom intact and has no measure or sense of decency.

- You're rather sarcastic today, Morgan," said Artoria, her eyebrow twitching at the barbs she had heard, "What's happened to make your tongue sharper than usual? Now I'm really curious.

- That is definitely none of your business, dear sister," Morgan replied with a smirk, to which Artoria's mouth twitched, and then Berserker shifted his gaze to me, "What are your plans for today, husband?

- Why do I get the feeling there's a catch in your question? - I said with a raised eyebrow, to which I received a silent snide smile - Nothing much, a couple of visits here and there.

- You mean, nothing that concerns me?

- Uh-oh, I'd advise you to get that right, Romani. - Runeas chuckled as she watched the scene, while the others, already used to this sort of thing, chose to ignore us and concentrate on their food.

- Nothing-" Just as the first letters came out of my mouth, a relatively thin beam of concentrated mana flew a millimeter from my head. I sighed tiredly and turned my head toward Morgan.

- What is it this time, Your Majesty? What else has come into your fairy head?

- Tonight you will accompany me on my walk. - She said with absolute certainty in her voice and without any opportunity to object.

I raised an eyebrow and thought.

With only one case scheduled for tonight, I suppose it was possible that the evening would remain free. I don't know what Morgan is up to, but she's being particularly adamant this time. We'll see what happens. Besides, I don't have much to do anyway.

- All right, whatever your fairy tale soul wants. - I shrugged and received her satisfied smile before pulling the letter Serafall had sent out of my pocket.

Unfolding it and starting to read the contents, I was met with nothing special: a greeting, a couple of the usual 'how are you' type questions with an adjustment for Serafall's temperament, a few lines about Sonja and how great she was, and a round of reverse teleportation that would take me to her office. But here at the very end...

I stared at one particular line of text as it was suspicious. It was definitely Serafall's style, and could be written off as teasing or a joke, but somehow it didn't seem that way to me. It was as if she was joking exactly as much as she was serious.

- Is there a problem, my king? Should I burn this garbage? - Rea-chan asked, walking over to me and peering at the letter over my shoulder. After a couple seconds, her face creased in disgust - How disgusting. I wonder if it was her idea or Sirchechs's?

- What is it, Rea-chan? - Runeas appeared behind my other shoulder, which also read the letter, and then giggled - Well, it's really interesting, isn't it, Romani? "How about adding me to your harem as well, Ro-tan?", eh?

Hearing that line, the Servants looked up and stared at me. Some raised an eyebrow in surprise, others frowned, and a couple didn't care. But all of them, like myself, came to the same conclusion - that this particular line didn't look like a joke.

- Who does she think she is? - A disgruntled Rea-chan commented.

- Her intentions are obvious. - Goetia put in a few words.

- What's her plan? - Archer added, crossing his arms over his chest.

- What are the demons up to? - Artoria joined in, squinting her eyes.

- Should I go watch them? - Grandfather asked.

- And what will you do, husband? - Morgan cooed.

I put the letter aside and closed my eyes, tilting my head back.

There was silence in the dining hall, broken by the sounds of Ophis chewing her food and Tia feeding her instead of me, Aika giggling, and Foo purring as she stroked him. Mo-chan ate her food in silence, Merlin rubbed his chin, and the Assassins waited for orders.

- Well, we all agree there's a catch, right? - I asked the people around me, to which I received nods - But the question is, why would she do that, other than the obvious, of course?

- Artoria said, "If she gets into the harem, she'll essentially have your support, and therefore ours as well.

- Given the Demon Council's plans for you, that could be seen as her spitting in their face," Merlin backed her up, "Someone wants a change, eh?

- Well, I can't blame her for wanting to create a sort of safety cushion for the demon race. - Runeas shrugged.

- Why all the trouble? - Mo-chan didn't understand. Can't we just kill them? We have a damn Counter Guardian among us and a couple of Great Servants on top of that.

- I second what Sir Mordred said," Rea-chan nodded, "I suggest we just get rid of these vermin and you take your rightful place, my king.

- That's all well and good, and in theory we could do it, and Goetia would take the throne of the demons, but there's a 'but'," I shook my head and looked at Aika, "Is there anything you want to say, Alaia?

- Huh? Me? What do you want to hear, Romani-sensei?

- Your words about the plot are well very blurry. One moment you're saying one thing and the next you're saying another. But you and I can both say he's in the shit, can't we?

- I told you it's the outcome that matters.

- And that's where you're inaccurate. The outcome of the whole story is defeating Trihexa. And what's stopping me from just breaking the seal myself, severely weakening the Beast, and letting Issei, in a state of hypnosis, finish him off? Why stall for time?

The answer was silence, which suited no one. Whether Alaya didn't want to or couldn't answer, I don't know, but there's not much we can do about it either. She's conceptually immortal, and I don't think even Grandfather and I's combined Noble Phantasm would somehow get her to talk.

I sighed tiredly and rubbed my temples.

- Okay, that'll be decided after I talk to Serafall. I'm going to Azazel, if anything happens, contact me," I said and stood up from the table and looked at Aika, "I don't know what the circumstances are behind everything that's going on in this world, but I'd like to hear at least bits and pieces of what really matters. Acting blindly is not something anyone wants to do, and especially not me.

- I'll keep that in mind. - Alaia nodded.

I nodded briefly and activated the teleportation circle.

Let's see how a couple of geniuses are doing.

-0-

Azazel's house.

Once at his house, I went straight to the basement where his lab was located. Once there, I saw a tank filled with a clear liquid, and inside it was a woman's body, strikingly similar to Gabriel's face and build.

Scattered throughout the lab were notes, food packages from the delivery, some clothing, and a bunch of other miscellaneous trash. Da Vinci-chan and Azazel were sleeping on one of the particularly cluttered tables, and the sword and book I had given them were a bit off to the side.

I silently walked over to the tank and put my hand to the glass.

How interesting. I doubt they created the body for any other reason than the blueprint I gave. But why a person and not some object or weapon?

I guess Da Vinci-chan did the appearance at Azazel's request, since the latter really does consider his sister to be the most beautiful creature in the world, which is hard to argue with.

And while I was pondering, the woman's eyes suddenly opened and headed straight for me.

Okaay... Now this is really interesting.

-0-

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