I don't own Familiar of Zero and Fate/Stay Night setting and characters. Anything else is my creation, though using it on another people work kind of invalidate the point.
For those that read it the first time, I changed a few things and tried to clean up some mistakes. I hope there are fewer mistakes now at least.
Chapter 1: I know this is his fault
I know this is his fault. Only that bastard could mess up with true magic just because he can. Maybe if I didn't enter that green portal I wouldn't be in this pitch-black place, but then again the last time my father and me tried to avoid his 'invitation' he drugged and dragged us to another Holy Grail War. That became three.
Gift to my father and me my ass! He just wanted to see us run like hell as clueless, headless chickens!
Regardless, I left a note on the table so if they miss me they will know how to find me. Good thing the portal was kind enough to let me copy its markings. They will know how to use that.
It doesn't mean when I find that old bastard I won't beat the crap out of him!
I found myself on some grass field while smoke surrounded me. Last time that happened I was surrounded and separated from my father, in the middle of an incredible fierce battle trying to survive the waves upon waves of soldiers wanting to gut me like a pig. Already on guard and in position to either attack or run I wait for my vision to clear and, if I'm not mistaken, I'm on some form of class?
I can see some kids around my age in black cloaks holding what appear to be wands, some of then accompanied by a small animal at their side.
Maybe it isn't Zelretch fault this time. Maybe someone was messing around with teleportation effects at the Mage's Association and had some success, and I just happened to fall into some kind of experiment field and the magus, the bald man in black robes, just used his apprentices to do the hard work. Just like college. To make sure I'm still in my world I take a glance at the sky, and I see two moons.
Yes, definitely Zelretch fault.
Before I start cursing the old bastard, I saw a petite girl in front of me. Strawberry blond hair and an annoyed look on her face glaring at me. That's when laughs started around us, the girl in front of me started to turn red making a face of apparent fury and embarrassment, except her eyes didn't agreed with what she tried to show.
"Please professor Colbert, let me try the summoning one more time!" The little girl in asked the senior magus with a pleading look, but he appeared to be resolute on something.
"I cannot allow that, Miss Vallière. It is strictly forbidden. When you are promoted to a second year student, you must summon a familiar, which is what you just did."
They completely ignored my existence. Typical magi. If I wasn't in the association, worst-case scenario I would be strapped in a table being dissected alongside with both my parents, and as futile and hilarious it sounds to try to capture my mother, I'm glad aunt managed to push her weight in the Clock Tower. Apparently arrogance and being self-centered are traditions that transcend worlds.
"Your elemental specialty," he continued, "is decided by the familiar you summon. It enables you to advance to the appropriate courses for that element. You cannot change the familiar once you have summoned it, because the Springtime Familiar Summoning is a sacred rite. Whether you like it or not, you have no choice but to take him."
"And I have no say in this?" I asked, annoyed. Last time I checked I didn't made any contract with the world so I'm not a Counter Guardian. Though I'm fairly famous in certain circles, I'm no Heroic Spirit either. The fact I am alive makes my suspicions more and more plausible, but why me and why now?
"Excuse me?" The bald man no named Colbert interrupted my musings and the protests the girl was about to say, clearly surprised by my question. "What do you mean by that? You don't wish to become Miss Vallière familiar?" He look both surprised and excited, probably due to the fact I'm the first 'creature' to refuse to be a familiar once summoned if his question is any indication.
"Does the name Zelretch is familiar to you? Better yet, where do the other familiars come from?" If this was a setup from him it's best to simply go along but if it isn't I don't see why I should stay here if I can help it, there is way to tell what kind of mess I'm being dragged this time. Colbert slightly confused by my odd questions answers them quickly. "I don't know about this person, but all familiars come from various parts of the world even if they seen strange and unusual."
At this, one of the apprentices starts to laugh. "That's just the Zero for you! Not only her familiar is rebellious but it is also a commoner!" I didn't miss the fact I'm addressed as 'it' instead of 'him', and I feel this is not the only or the last time it will happen. Ignoring him for now, since the senior magus is still present, I try to answer the excited man.
"As you can see, I am not automatically inclined to accept her contract. Should the terms, treatment and expectations of the job turn out to be unreasonable I can simply refuse and go back to where I was summoned." I take a glance at the girl's horrified look before continuing. "However the spell itself can't send me back even if I refuse, correct?"
The man replied with a nod and a light of happiness on his eyes. It was quite disturbing. "You are correct. The Springtime Summoning Ritual was created by the Founder Brimir to bring a familiar that is perfect to the magus, bringing from any part of the world and binding it to its new master. Sadly for you, no instance of a familiar summoned being sent back, or even refusing its duties has been recorded until today. I'm afraid if you somehow manage to run you have to travel by your own means."
I let out a resigned sigh. Figures. This has the hand prints of Zelretch all over it, after all which else would design a spell that creates 'familiars' without the need of constant prana supply just because you can? Though summoning a still living creature out of who-knows-where and probably brainwashing it to accept its fate is a new low for him, even if it is the kind of thing he might do if motivated or bored enough. I swear the old bastard doesn't have a craving for blood, but ratter he delights in trolling people.
"Hey you! Stop ignoring me!" I turn my head in her direction. On a second glance I can see how short she really is, her body not really developed and a voice too young sounding. In other words, she could be mistaken for a kid. From the previous reaction of the other apprentices she isn't a good magus either, however she summoned me, the supposed laughing stock casually invoked the Second Magic just to summon a familiar.
"What's your name?" I ask her. Since I'm probably stuck here until my family tries to look after me, might as well make myself comfortable. "Do you wish to become my Master?"
"You!" She says almost exploding. "You got a lot of nerve to ignore me, not only that but asking me if I want to be your master!" She says while pointing her wand at me in a threatening manner while she puts the other hand on her hip. Talk about sense of Dèjà Vu, if she had black hair and twin pigtails I would be worried now. "You should be honored to become my familiar you commoner. I, Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière will make you my familiar, even i-if it ki-kills me!"
Well, I have to admit she have guts. "So, miss Vallière, tell me." I approach her at a slow pace, glaring at her. "What happens if I demand you to try to subdue me? Fight me?" We are a few steps apart now, earning a few gasps from the others. "What if you discover I have more than enough power to fight back?" Our bodies are only a step apart with me still glaring at her, looking down. I try my best to be intimidating, towering the little girl in front of me. Some apprentices are confused by my actions with few of them scared by the tone of my voice, and from the corner of the eye Colbert eyes shift for the smallest of the moments, gone with the previous curiosity and fascination on them.
But I don't care. I press forward half a step making her flinch, but she doesn't back down. Good. "Would you risk your life to bind me to your services?" I lean forward her a little, shadowing her. "Would you face death for what you believe?"
For a moment there was nothing else around us. The snicker from some of the others doesn't reach our ears, neither the sharp look of the senior magus bother us. After a few seconds she managed to gather some strength to steel her gaze against mine.
"I told you before." She says in an almost conversation tone. "You got a lot of nerve to demand something from me commoner." I can see the adrenaline acting on her body, her face reddening and her voice full of resolve. "If it takes me to fight you then I will do it. If it takes me subduing you then I will do it. I will not back down just because you ask, and I will not fail this time!"
Some of the other students are almost bursting into laughs at her and most of the rest started snickering but a few of them, for whatever reasons, had a different look on their faces. A look of respect and admiration for standing up to this 'dangerous creature' even if they doubted her talent as a magus.
"Besides."
Her faint voice is just barely audible to me now, and she is probably unaware of her own words.
"I'd rater die instead of failing again."
"No! I don't want you to go!"
It was a cold afternoon in the last month of autumn, the leaves falling at the Emiya household creating a blanket of orange and red. In front of me there is the man I call father, Emiya Shirou. A man who once vowed to save everyone and to live the ideal of the 'Hero of Justice', but in the end he realized his original ideal was too frail. He wasn't strong enough to save everyone, since nobody is. He risked the whole world being engulfed in darkness and death because he wasn't strong enough to sacrifice one person, the person he loved above anything else. He wasn't strong enough to merely survive, and his sister died to save him.
He changed his ideals from 'save everyone' to 'protect those I love'. He vowed to become stronger; enough to defeat any threat and to always come back safe. He, however, never changed his nature to help people; now he just had a very strong incentive to not forget those who helped him, to not alienate his loved ones, to not become a machine swallowed in an impossible task. Today he was departing to help some people he never saw before to defeat a threat too great it could threaten everyone he loved.
But at the time I didn't cared in the slightest, I was just a small kid to understand. I just wanted my father to stay at home safe with everyone.
"I'm sorry, but I really have to go." I can see the regret in my father's eye. "This enemy is too strong for them to defeat alone and my help could be the only thing to make this mission succeed."
"Then let me go with you! I can help!" I try to argue with him, but even then I knew it was useless. Especially after my last attempt at opening my magic circuits with me 'accidentally' turning some of my nerves into makeshift magic circuits. All my family, specially my father, almost had a heart attack when they found what I was trying to do and from that point on I wasn't allowed to train without supervision.
"You know I can't bring you." He gives me a weak smile and gives me a hug, trying to reassure me. "You know I will come back. I can't go and left you and your mother alone, right? Besides," he separates from me and look at me in the eye, "who will protect your mom and sis when I'm not here?"
I look at the ground, barely holding back my tears.
"I know you have to go. I know how important it is, but I don't want to lose you." My voice volume only a mere whisper, otherwise I couldn't hold myself. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you, mom, sis or aunt. I don't want to know what I would do if I lost any of you."
"I'd rather die than be alone again."
"Is that true?" I ask her, my voice as emotionless as I could.
"Of course!" She replies to me, fire in her eyes and steel in her voice.
"Very well." I told her with a small smile. "I will hold you on that promise." At my words she looks triumphantly at me, confident on her ability to bend me to her will with her previous challenge. Well, we can't have a delusional Master, can we? "When the time comes", I whisper at her ear, "I will stand at your side and stop you."
Her eyes widened as realization hit her, finally aware of what she just said, but she quickly put a neutral face. "So, should I call you master already or there is something else, miss Vallièrie?" She motion for me to take a few steps back and to knell, which I comply and let her complete the contract.
Blessed Earth found in the Gate of North
Blessed Wind blowing from the Gate of East
Holy Fire burning beyond the Gate of South
Holy Water flowing through the Gate of West
Sacred Void that holds the world together
My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière
Pentagon of the Five elemental Powers
Bless this humble being,
And make him my Familiar
After ending this Aria, she touched my forehead with her wand and gave me a soft kiss on my lips before blushing. "It's done."
"Congratulations miss Vallière!" Chirped the bald bundle of energy. Where did those sharp eyes went? Do I have to threaten to kill some students for this man to act his age? It may be amusing on Fujimura-san but on anybody else its just annoying, and on him is disgusting. "You have failed 'Summon Servant' many times, but you have managed to succeed with 'Contract Servant' in one try."
My eyes widen at his words. Summon Servant? I ignore the discussion around me and I try to analyze this information. Surely it is just a coincidence, right? After all the other students have only common animals with the occasional oddity here and there, like that floating chibi-gorgon.
While I'm tying not to panic, I sense my whole body burning up. Something was tearing my left hand while I start to get a mild headache on top of everything. I believe this was supposed to be extremely painful, but once you know first hand how it is to have hot iron burning through your spinal cord and fire in your veins you tend to get a very high tolerance to pain. Heh, 'steel is my body and fire is my blood' indeed.
As quick as the pain came it faded, including the sense of burning and the headache, but somehow I sense something off about me. I can't place it right now but I will check that up later. That's when Colbert approached me and saw my left hand and for a moment I could swear his face changed from all colors of the visible spectrum before settling back into slightly pale, though his voice tone didn't betrayed any emotion.
"Those are very unusual Runes", he said, setting off alarm bells inside my head. If my suspicions are correct then I am in some deep, filthy, pestilent, and worst of all persistent, shit. "Well, let's get back to class, everyone." With a flick of the wrist and a movement of his wand he started to fly, sure it was slow as hell but actual flight is quite rare those days, and soon after he was being accompanied by the rest of the students save one.
"Louise, you'd better walk back!" One of the students yells at a considerable distance.
"She shouldn't try to fly. She can't even manage levitation." This time a girl shouts, earning some snickers from all students.
"A commoner is perfect as your familiar!" Another girl, this one with long blond hair and a big ribbon on her head taunts my new master, earning some laughter from the rest.
I consider myself level headed and I do not indulge into senseless violence. Even if we are around the same age, the occasional missions for the Clock Tower, the help me and my father do at Atlas from time to time, and when they are desperate enough the rare odd jobs from the church made me a real magus. Not a simple apprentice or an amateur, even if I still have a much to learn, but one that saw and experienced death and destruction by dealing with the supernatural and the odd rogue magi with more ego than sense even for a magus.
That's why I learned to not indulge into petty revenge. The fact the three students who picked on my master were hit by pebbles in their heads was a complete coincidence. The fact that now I was glaring at them and had three rocks the size of a baseball in my hand was totally inconsequential, so I urge them to continue.
They were so scared they didn't even noticed there weren't any rocks of that size lying around here.
"Hey", my new master tried to talk to me during our slow walk back to the castle, "who are you? What's your name?"
We walk for a while. It was a sunny day without many clouds with a comfortable breeze carrying the scent of grass and wild flowers, differently from the slightly chilly sun and the scent of leaves and warm sweet potatoes from my home. "Are you listening to me familiar?" She asks again, with a hint of irritation on her voice.
"I'm sorry, but I was appreciating the warmth of the sun since the weather is different from my homeland. My given name Master, is Saito. Saito Emiya." The name Emiya was given to me by my father, one of the two inheritances he gained from his late father, and Saito was something found with me when I was rescued. A simple SAITO written in roman characters in a tag around my wrist, now they mean 'genius person'.
I shook my head in order to dispel those thoughts. No use brooding over such trivial things now. I have a family waiting for me while I take care and instruct my little master. "Now Master," I try to give her an encouraging smile, "can we briefly discuss my official duties?"
"Of course. I had my doubts when I summoned a mere commoner, but maybe you will prove to be an acceptable familiar." She says while waving her wand to nothing in particular before putting back to its place, in what I can only guess as a display of power.
"First off a familiar grants enhanced senses to its master, being his eyes and ears. A familiar also have the duty to protect its master." I nod, so far its fairly standard fare for familiars even for those in my world except for two differences:: I was summoned to this task instead of being constructed; they use runes to 'tag' a familiar to its owner instead of magic circuits, a much more exotic and rare method those days used by weaker magi. "Unfortunately the first don't appear to work so you are useless on that regard, and I doubt you can do much about protecting me." She shook her head, her long hair reflecting the sun.
"On that regard Master." I interrupt her, earning a small frown from her. "I believe my strengths lie on the fact I am human." On her confused look I elaborate further. "An owl, snake or a wolf can't expect to enter into a bar or an inn without being either barred or looked with suspicion, or even ask questions to better gather information."
She slowly nods, probably never thinking on the practical sides of having a human as its guardian. "As for protecting, you won't know unless the time comes. Besides I can call for help and give accurate information about your condition, and at the very least I can perform first aid on you."
"Well." She continues more at ease and comfortable with me now. "A familiar also retrieves items its master desire, reagents for instance. Something along the lines of sulfur or moss."
"On the wild? Most common things can be found on an apothecary, a general store or even the kitchen unless you want something rare, in which case its always preferable for the magus in question to retrieve it. However it is responsibility of the magus to have a well-stocked workshop at all times too." Of course having at least three magi plus a familiar-maid-instructor-guardian on the same compound makes the organization of the inventory a very demanding task. A demanding task usually left for me, the triple-and-half apprentice.
"What do you know about magic, familiar?" She stressed my rank while facing me with both hands on her hips and putting her best glare, the complete Tohsaka set. "Or about workshops? Only researches or professors need those things, and you don't look like either!"
"I do know a bit Master." I can't resist the urge to sigh. They have schools of magic but most of then are hobbyists? "A workshop is the heart of all magi, a place where they can conduct their studies without being spied or interrupted, a place where they have all the need tools for the trade. They vary from magi to magi but they typically have a sizable size, appropriate furniture, some glassware to prepare potions and handle chemicals, tools for various tasks ranging from cutting to measuring to cleaning, common reagents and exotic materials, water and heat source."
"It's mostly right I guess, but that doesn't prove your claims. Normally it's forbidden for even other magi to enter a workshop without proper authorization, but those things can be found on any lesser laboratories of academy teachers or even a pharmacy. For all I know you could be the guy that swept the floor of a noble house and eavesdropped a conversation."
"True." I admit to her. "But would you let a non magi near a laboratory with dangerous materials or let anybody enter inside a pharmacy laboratory? Even someone without the necessary knowledge could steal papers and essays from the workshop owner and I believe no matter where a magus won't like to have its work stolen, and safes are far from infallible." I noticed she stopped walking, intensely gazing at me. "Is something wrong Master?"
"It can't be." She whispers, trembling a little. "You can't be. A-are you a magus?" Her voice shaking, clear fear on showing her whole body language. I had to suppress the urge to sigh. I don't want to discuss this on the open field, but unless I act accordingly things can get out of hand, and I don't want the fact I'm a magus to be wide spread yet. At least not when everything is a mystery for me.
I decide then it's better to ease Louise since there is no need to drop her confidence even more than now. But I don't want to lie to her either, bad things happen when you lie to people who have low confidence and possibly huge amounts of potential, especially if they are female.
Now I'm not sexist or anything, but when your mother has enough prana to have a Heroic Spirit as her familiar you tend to respect the fair gender. The gods help you if you wrong a confident woman, because you will need every scrap of help in order to survive. My father will never slip again to his old habit of underestimating women, trying to 'protect them' by not letting them fight.
He still has nightmares about the wielder of the Fifth Magic. Can't blame him, though.
"I must inform you Master, that I am adopted." There is no use hiding that from her and it will help to explain things. "My whole family have some talent with thaumaturgy and they trusted me to help them with simple things on their workshop since my young age. That's why I know about them and the standard procedure in a general way." She is calmer now, so I ask her before we enter the castle. "Now that I think about it, what kind of thaumaturgy tradition you use?"
"What kind of what?" She asks with a confused expression. "Don't you know how a spell is cast?" Interesting, I wonder if this is due to isolationism or some widespread, easy to use universal system they discovered? Whatever it is, better to answer her before she thinks too much about my early misdirection.
"I do know how a spell is cast, in fact, I have knowledge about several different methods to achieve the exact same result." I reply evenly while she looks skeptical. "As many different persons exist in the world there are different ways to use magic. In fact, this answers both your first and second question so please listen closely." After a half-hearted nod, I continue.
"First, I'm not from this part of the world considering your language. I came from a very distant land, farther than any you see in a conventional regional map." It's true, and there is no need to tell her she managed to uså the Second Magic by pure accident, at least not yet.
"I see." She makes a thoughtful face before her face lit up with curiosity. "But if that's the case how come you can understand me? Surely a land so far away doesn't speak the same language as mine." She frowns a bit, not quite getting the effect she wanted with such delicate features.
"Of course not Master. I have studied your language and a bit of culture for a while now, though very few people of this land would have interest in my homeland." Which is also true, after all she speaks French with some light Belgian accent thrown in, not to say probably only her would have reasons to even suspect my homeland exists. "That's why I wasn't intimidated by the magi here. Back at home they are still powerful and influential, but the non magi are far from helpless politically." Again true, and she appear to accept this reasoning even if she had a sour look at the last part of my tale.
I need to understand this place culture as fast as possible or else I will put my foot inside my mouth, followed by two and half to five feet of sharp metal at the very least.
"Back on topic, there are various ways to use magic documented on my homeland. We call the act of casting spells in general Thaumaturgy, since there are different systems and formula to cast them. In a more formalized form, it is the 'purpose to reenact mysteries, to reshape the world around you and simulate miracles', in simple words, tring to turn the impossible possible. That's the general outline with few exceptions here and there". Like the former Five, now Six, True Magics and it's respective Magicians where the normal rules of Thaumaturgy such as equivalent exchange are tossed into the garbage bin, or the ability to call a Reality Marble and in essense step on the logic of the world for a short time.
"That's why I wanted to know which system you use, to see if there is some parallel with my homeland. If possible I'd also want to know why I'm called 'commoner', and what possibly gave that away since everyone accept this as undisputed fact with a single glance." I state in a matter of fact tone.
"Commoners are everyone that can't use magic, and your clothes are a dead give away for your position." Her reply was quick and textbook like. I had to admit to myself I do look like a forgettable person right now, wearing cheap clothes even if they are comfortable and practical. A blue and white hooded sweater, gray jeans and blue All Stars shoes. I don't have a face too memorable, short black hair with some bangs falling to my face. If I had to define something different about me it would be my sky blue eye color, quite unnatural for a Japanese, but not for those with some kind of sorcery trait or with foreigner blood.
For my dimensional problems, good thing I always carry with me the essential travelers pack with extra changes of clothes, tools and materials for magecraft and other activities with me. Surely that new use for bounded fields was a godsend to the magi world, turning the old problem of space and material storage a thing from the past.
The fact it was shamelessly easy to do and nobody thought about it before earned the recognition of a new True Magic and both its new Magician and Heir to the Clock Tower. Both quite eccentric with a very loose moral code even for your standard magi and yet, at least the heir, is quite friendly and a lovable person even with the rumors about her either being the host of some unknown Heroic Spirit or being one in the making. But then again, nothing says 'don't fuck with me' better than the sealed heads of all Enforcers sent after her inside a book after being designated for sealing. For a change I was lucky, since when they send me there in a mission I managed to only get a few scratches and maybe a broken bone or two. Also the best cake I had in my life.
Back to my master, she had a thoughtful look on her face, trying to decide if she should bother explaining the intricacies of her thaumaturgy system to me. She probably feels conflicted to talk about her magic at first but the prospect to show that she isn't a failure, even if it's pure theory, must be really tempting. After walking a bit more, she decided to talk.
Starting with the basics, she told me a magus need some form of especially prepared implement in order to cast a spell, be it the standard wand, a staff or something more unique such as wand-swords used by some knight branches and a magus without this implement is practically a commoner with a fancy name. I'm not really sure if it is a simple mystic code or merely another aspect of the tradition, but it's worth checking.
Second it was the elements. Everyone had a single elemental affinity that determined the type of spells they had difficulty or familiarity, or even if they could cast them. Typically this affinity is learned by trial and error at the first year or even before the academy, afterwards it's just a matter to practice an appropriate method to channel its power to make simple spells, such as levitation or cleaning spells.
Then it came the power and actual casting of spells alongside with magus rank. Each spell utilizes what I'd call 'elemental spheres' and how many elemental spheres you have access determine your rank and the power of their spells. A Dot magus has access to only one sphere, a Line magus have two, a Triangle magus had three and finally a Square magus had four. There are rumors about the real strength of royalty and being able to use up to six spheres but today it was rare to push them that far to verify those claims, but they are at least solid triangle class magus.
Combining elements in the sphere system is fairly simple: you just have to use an element and occasionally stack it with itself or even another one after you unlock its use. If you are a Wind Line magus you have the highest potential to make spells with wind-wind but also, wind-water, wind-fire and if you're talented enough wind-earth.
Once you open one element for stacking you can't change it and your primary element has priority in the development, being much easier for Wind magi to get wind-wind-wind or wind-wind-water instead of wind-water-water or wind-water-earth, if those last two are even possible at all. Using simple to complex chants to create various effects from subtle effects to brute force enable a very large range of elemental spells, not counting the 'general spells' that magus of any element could cast.
Lastly all spells are powered by what they call Will Power. Iif they use too much they become fatigued and mentally strained, the Will Power taking some time to replenish depending on the magus reserve or spell cast. The Will Power is a clear reference to Od, a person internal magical energy, but I'm not sure if they have the actual concept of converting Od into prana or using Od to start a spell and converting ambient Mana to fuel the rest, or even if they are consciously aware this process is possible.
Unfortunately my young Master had tried all four classical elements with the same result for all spells she tried: a spectacular explosion. Without knowing her elemental affinity she can't even cast the general spells due to lack of proper training on harnessing her power.
"Master." I interrupt her lecture. "You talked about the four classical elements but I clearly heard there were five during the Contract Servant ritual. What about the fifth?" She didn't take that well, if the growling and glaring at me was any indication.
"Don't joke like that." She hissed at me. "Everyone know the fifth element is lost since the time of the Founder." However I'm not intimidated or discouraged since I'm not exactly the norm either, but I had to be careful since this sounds suspiciously as either some form of Designated Sealing or Religious Heresy. If she reacted that way for the five 'normal' elements when I tell her about the compound elements or the more exotic elements, or the just plain weird ones, she will have a heart attack.
Since we are alone however I keep pressing my point. "But what proof they have?" I question her. "If it isn't seen since his time, how are they so sure no one ever appeared again with the same power?"
"Well, they just know!" Truly, my master is really stubborn. Probably it was a good thing since she is still mentally sound and a relatively cheerful girl, if the importance of magic in her position coupled with her success rate says anything, but on the other hand it will take forever to break some bad habits. "If the lost element came back its wielder would be unstoppable, revered as the second coming of a holy figure."
"I'm not sure on the unstoppable part, but certainly they would be revered in some way or another." I ignore her dirty look. "However, what methods they have to discover a void user?" She didn't change her expression, except for her eyebrow slightly rising. "Did they discovered in the past and made it a secret?" I keep questioning her. Apparently they don't ask many questions around here about the fundamentals of their magecraft, probably the Religious Heresy option being correct. "Do they even know how to search void users anymore, if they ever knew at all?"
Her eyes widened for a moment, a hint of hope on her eyes, before she glared full force at me. "You don't know about anything." She says with misty eyes. "Not about me, or the Founder, or the Church or Magic at all!" She then huffed at me, refusing to talk more. Clearly, I have a very moody master.
Inside the castle we finished dinner at Master's room. It was bigger than my room back home but she needs a proper place to work the things I plan to teach her. But for now I need to get on the good graces of my master.
"Master, before you retire for the night, is there something else you require me to do?" Good thing I had the sense to ask her just after she ate. Truly, I have to thank both my parents for teaching me this valuable lesson. The way my aunt became wrapped in their pinky finger immediately after lunch was both admirable and horrifying, my father's tea and mom's dessert combination being practically legendary only improved on that fact. I'm still going to petition the Magus Association to classify that as some form of mind controlling high thaumaturgy one of these days.
"I'm already tired, so I won't need your services until tomorrow. However, there is some laundry to be taken care of." I nod at her affirmatively. It's not like I dislike doing chores but considering both my parents it was practically a battle to have something done. Differently from normal houses both my parents wanted to do all the chores by themselves, so in order to avoid unnecessary discussion we had a rotation system implemented. Normally I had my chores along with big sis, to which she was very glad since she was hopeless at ironing clothes.
"I also need you to wake me up for classes tomorrow. Prepare my clothes for tomorrow and wake me up at dawn for breakfast." She says with authority on her voice but her irritation gone. "Don't forget to take the plates back to the kitchen."
"Understood. I will also use the time I'm out to get acquainted with the castle." I give a short nod and look up at her. "Before I go Master, what about my sleeping arrangements?" When she points at a part of the room with a straw bed I give another nod. I can't really blame her since normally a familiar was supposed to be an animal, and the fact she arranged this straw bed shows her intention on taking good care of her familiar. Besides, I don't think they will arrange a room for me from those originally designated for students or the school staff.
"I see. Master, there is something else you must know." I can clearly see she is starting to get impatient with me, and oddly she is undressing. "Between midnight and four at morning, I must not be disturbed. This time I usually reserve for meditation, and I can't stress enough how important it is for me to not be disturbed unless there is immediate mortal danger."
I can see she understood the weight of my tone, but quickly dismissed me. "One more thing Master. How can you be so comfortable with undressing in my presence?" Sure it is good to be trusted and in case of dangers it is good to be always at her side, but her lack of modesty is intriguing. "You are my familiar. Why should I feel anything about being watched by you, or a bird or even a dog?"
I stare at her for some time.
A dog?
Not wanting to waste more time, I searched for the laundry, greeting the other servants in the way. One particular girl called Siesta was helpful enough to carry the dishes back to the kitchen and inform me where I could find a washboard. Everyone thought I was a newly contracted personal servant, and since I was something along those lines I didn't had the heart to correct then at the time.
After doing the laundry I decided to take a stroll around the castle and to feel the wind. I jumped to the highest point of the highest tower of the castle, lying down and closing my eyes to take a nap while setting my watch alarm to for an hour later. However I was woke up by sounds of flapping wings. Since I didn't feel any hostility and there was still some time before the alarm set off I paid it no mind, not bothering to open my eyes.
Until I felt someone at my side, probably wanting to feel the breeze too. Again paying no mind I tried to feel the air, being a bit chillier than before. That's when I heard a feminine voice.
"How?" How, I echo in my mind. Well, that's quite blunt, not to mention monosyllabic. Taking a guess at which 'how' this feminine voice is referring I try to reply in the same manner, starting a little game with her. "Jumped."
"Impossible." I hear the voice at my side reply, and since she already discovered me here there is no use in denying some facts. "Difficult." I reply, giving enough information that it is possible to simply jump my way to this place. Sure it wasn't one jump, but after learning the trick from Rider I use it whenever I can. Besides I don't want to be told like that to someone that is currently talking with me on the same roof, and trying to achieve miracles is in our job description.
Already with a reply she press on. "Noble?" Even if the fools at the Association have an aristocratic feel they held no such delusions those days, besides 'nobility' became a sore spot for me after a few encounters with a certain 'king'. Deciding to not waste time with lies I speak the truth, "magus", for now. If it came down to it, I could track her down and 'convince' her to not say anything.
She waits for a while before confirming my suspicion. "Familiar." As suspected, the news travels fast here. I guess gossiping will always exist, regardless of world you are. In fact, I bet if the world had only metal and minerals they would achieve sentience just so they could gossip.
"Questionable." I answer her. To be frank, I'm not sure about my status. Apparently my summoning wasn't something common, neither are the runes on my hand. Any of those already raise suspicions but you add the spell used, Summon Servant, my experience with Holy Grail Wars and you need to be blind to not see there is something fishy in all this.
Whatever it is, I still blame Zelretch.
However, the most difficult question yet is perhaps what she believes it was the simplest to answer. "Who are you?" I choose to take my time to answer. I let the minutes pass by, but no sign of her getting away. I let out a sigh. I don't think I have a satisfactory answer even for myself, so I give the only one I feel comfortable with. "Saito Emiya."
I could still feel her presence for a while, but then she disappeared for the night alongside with sounds of flapping wings, the air around me warming again.
Louise: "Just apologize to him, you are no match to Guiche."
Guiche: "She is right. You are nothing more than a commoner, a weak, helpless mongrel
Zero/Familiar Records: a Familiar of Zero and Fate/Stay Night crossover.
Louise: "Chapter two, The strength and knowledge of a true Magus."
Saito: "What did you call me?"