When did things start getting so complicated?

Shirou resisted the urge to rub at his temples while helping Erina make her way back to her campus dormitory room. Erina was leaning off of him, one arm carried over his shoulder and the other centered near her abdomen to center herself.

Her legs had grown weak in her near-death experience and she'd already tried walking on her own, only to stumble and fall on wobbly feet. Her skirt was caked in mud, and the expensive blazer of her uniform was torn and dirtied with small patches of dried blood from the small wound she'd sustained on her shoulder. It was fortunately nothing more than a graze, but the rapid beating of her heart and the adrenaline still running through her veins, meant that she'd bled quite extensively.

Shirou filed 'anemia' as a hypothesis for Erina's physical weakness.

He blinked owlishly in realization before pausing and unwinding the long tie from his neck. "This might hurt," he warned.

Pale-faced, some colour returned onto Erina's cheeks at the mention of pain. Her mouth was already opening in refusal, but his actions were quicker.

Using the long and broader end of the tie, he pressed it to the wound on her shoulder, and quickly looped the rest of the tie around her torso to secure the impromptu bandage. He pulled and elicited a hiss of protest. When she made to open her mouth again, he looped the tie into a knot and pulled again.

She yelped and glared weakly at him, before finally just sighing and scrutinizing him under the dim light of the overhead moon. She was walking in a limp, leaning more of her weight on him as they pressed on ahead. It was more of a hobble really.

For each step Shirou took, Erina would hop on one foot while the other trailed behind, her face resting at the groove of his shoulder. It was an intimate sort of position, and at any other time, Erina might have cared or at least been self-conscious of it, but personal was the least of her present concerns.

Shirou had saved her life and operated in a super secret part of the world that only a select few are privy too.

Unbeknownst to Shirou, but Erina's thoughts began to drift into a tangent.

Although she preferred heart-pounding shoujo mangas, she'd read a fair share of action, mystery, and supernatural mangas as well. This entire situation was similar to the plot of a survival/supernatural manga Hisako would buy for her at the retail stores.

If all stories and legends were based off a grain off truth, then evidently, the world of manga was real as real could be, and there was no denying it. Secret organization, magic, kill orders, and a new transfer student that shakes up the foundation of the school made to train elites despite being denied entry at the start. Everything matched up, and just clicked in her mind.

Perhaps… Perhaps she was the heroine with some sort of relevant power or ability from the very beginning of her life?

Oooohh. Maybe this was it? Maybe this was why she'd never been able to be normal despite her efforts and attempts to escape the shadow and influence of her father.

Erina's lips pursed in alarm.

What did this mean for her? Of course, this moment must mark the start of a sequence of events that lead to personal developments and revelations about herself and those around her. She likely had something special lying dormant from within her.

She just didn't know how to awaken it, or maybe she needed some external factor?

Shirou explained the difference between magecraft and magic to her. If this was like a manga, then following the shounen trend, she who was weak would awaken to the strongest ability. Her potential is likely immeasurable.

Magic. Maybe she had the capability to be a Magician in the magus world tasked with protecting the innocent and leading a double life? Chef by day, Magician extraordinaire in the night.

This was sounding ridiculous even to her, but after tonight, nothing was too far-fetched anymore.

She was a main character, and that meant Shirou was one too.

Scrutinizing Shirou further, Erina determined that this manga may have elements of romance, but as of this moment, she only had minor palpitations in her heart.

Shirou's stern actions were done with good intent, something that Erina was adept at discerning considering the type of high-end individuals she generally associated with. If he was trying to leave an impression on her, he was certainly succeeding.

But of course. He was the main character after all.

"I know it might be difficult, but everything I said to you was the truth," Shirou suddenly spoke up. He'd taken notice of Erina's prolonged silence and assumed she was having second thoughts. For her sake, Shirou decided to remind her of one important thing.

"Remember to tell no one of what you saw today," Shirou stressed. "You will be killed, and next time I may not be there to help. If you're cornered and can't run, your best bet against another magus is image. Magi are generally hostile to each other, but they won't attack a fellow magus without reason, and you can certainly pull of the haughty look."

Erina didn't know if she should be offended at the remark, or not, but simply nodded. "You called me your apprentice?"

Shirou inclined his head. "It was a safety measure that likely won't work anywhere else. Let's just say I've built something of a reputation for the magi that have recently come to Japan. If they give you trouble, just mention my name and say you'll blacklist them. Knowing them, they'll back off."

"Right," Erina said nothing else but confirmation.

Shirou didn't speak again, but neither did Erina. Then again, the both of them had a lot to consider about their futures. Erina may still be shocked about the 'magic' secrecy thing, and meanwhile, Shirou was mulling over damage control. As a magus, he'd just done the exact opposite of the obligations expected of him. Look at Rin, she ended up killing him on their first night. Truly, she was the embodiment of a noble magus if not for the fact that she healed him on the assumption that he was an ordinary civilian.

Great. The both of them could be hypocrites together. Well, actually, ugh, it was more one hypocrite plus one idiot.

Regardless, Erina Nakiri should have died tonight, and Shirou had decided to defy tradition and save her. This was a dangerous game he was playing and he knew it.

Still, it wasn't as if he hesitated in the slightest, and this is why he can't have a normal life.

Well, regardless, what's done is done.

Scouting ahead of him, Shirou made sure the coast was clear before he and Erina entered Totsuki's dormitory area, and it was massive. Large buttress-like arches hung over the entry way. The building itself was Roman-istic in design and elegance, large windows the size of tables allowing in natural light.

Shirou couldn't believe this entire place was reserved solely for Erina.

"It's a privilege you get as a member of Totsuki's top ten," Erina explained hurriedly. "There won't be anyone around from here on since I only allow Hisako to visit me in the late-night hours, so I'd like to reach my room as soon as possible."

Shirou complied and stopped dallying.

Hobbling with Erina using him as a support, the two soon reached the doors of Erina's room where the two entered and Erina gingerly made her way to sit on her bed.

From out of Shirou's view, Erina pulled out her cellphone, her expression determined.

'Hisako,' she texted with purpose. 'I need more manga. It's life and death.'

Erina clicked the send button and soon turned her attention back to Shirou who stood awkwardly near the door. It was only now that all the excitement, fear, and adrenaline was running out that she realized that she'd forgot to say the most important thing. "Thank you. Thank you really for saving me."

She bowed her head. It was the first time she'd ever done so for an individual that wasn't her father, and Shirou thought nothing of it. In fact, he looked flustered and awkward. Exactly like the protagonist of a manga.

"It's not something worth thanking me for. What matters now is that you stay safe and keep your head low," Shirou brushed the matter aside despite Erina inferring what it would mean for him if it was discovered by other magi that he was letting her live.

"Even still. Thank you," she gave him a weak glare, her mouth biting down on her lower lip. "You may think of it as nothing, but you saved my life, and now it's my turn to do my part and one day return the favour."

"Return the favour?"

Before Shirou's eyes, Erina put on a jacket before shifting on her bed. She hung her upper body over the bedside, and used her hands to rummage through a pile of dirty laundry she kept beneath her mattress. Through the laundry, she pulled out an entire stack of manga, a determined gleam in her eyes despite wincing when her injury stung.

In a single motion, she scattered the manga over her bed and began perusing through them for the right genre, unmindful that Shirou was staring at her in growing confusion.

She was doing research.

You know what, he wasn't going to ask. Quietly, so as not to draw attention, he slinked out of the room. He'd already talked about all the important things with Erina, so he believed that it was safe enough to leave her alone to rest for the time being. He'd try to get her more familiar about the moonlit world when she wasn't so rattled from the day's experience. Clearly, she was more affected then she was letting on. Why else would she try to distract herself with manga?

"I found it!" Erina picked out a particular manga and began skimming through the first few pages. "I should be in the opening act, the revelation arc of every supernatural thriller. Based on what the heroine does, I'm supposed to keep low, but regardless of what I do, I'll be drawn into the action anyway. How am I supposed to be normal now? Hmmm. Maybe I can..."

Erina pursed her lips, and assumed a troubled thinking pose. Honestly, she looked like any ordinary girl when she put aside her haughtiness, but by this point, Shirou was long gone.

Erina probably needed some time to think on her own anyway.

What mattered now was how Shirou was going to explain the situation to everyone else.

Rin should at least be able to understand that it wasn't his fault this time.

Really. It wasn't.

Rin didn't curse him.

This was a start Shirou could get behind, and never complain about. The long-suffering stare he was levelled with by both Rin and Luvia however, was something that he wanted to protest but declined from doing so because he preferred a few glares to property damage and personal injury.

Back in his villa funded and owned by Senzaemon Nakiri, he was seated on his knees while Rin and Luvia paced around him. He dared not move just in case he set one of them off which could prompt the both of them to do something illogical.

Both Rin and Luvia were smart yes, but if Luvia was anything like Rin, then they don't think when they're angry. They'll act first, then perhaps feel guilty or regretful later when Arturia is the one who nurses him back to health. Of course, they'd want to help him, but their vain pride would prevent them from lending a helping hand, hence why Arturia monopolized the nurse position whenever he was incapacitated.

Like many times before, Arturia was off to the side, keeping quiet, regal, and listening. She was waiting to intervene in case things got out of hand. Oddly though, she never actively defended him during conversations like these, only stepping in when his life was at risk. A cynical part of him was under the impression that she wanted him to get injured, but his trust in her always overpowered the thought.

Unbeknownst to him, but Rin had called out Arturia's bullshit from behind his back, causing Arturia to fluster at the unrighteous accusation that she wanted him injured just to monopolize him.

While Rin and Luvia silently paced around Shirou, Rin gave a small huff at Arturia whose features were carefully neutral. The minute twitch at the edge of Arturia's cheek, though impossible for an ordinary person to spot, was easily recognizable to Rin who spent enough time getting to know Arturia.

Not this time.

'Shirou already thinks you're an angel and a paragon of virtue. One day I'll expose you for what you truly are…'

Rin grudgingly reeled in her temper at Shirou. From the way he explained the situation, it wasn't really his fault that he'd lured in another girl. Of course, it was another girl.

"I should put a collar on you and keep you close, you womanizing bastard!" Her frustration induced words came out of her mouth before she could put a tight enough lid on it. There was no way she didn't notice Arturia perk up from the edge of her sight, allowing Rin to notice the Gandr already charged at the tip of her pointed index finger.

With harrowing fortitude, Rin clasped her left hand over her outstretched right arm, and gently lowered it back down to her side. She wasn't going to let Arturia win today; however, she forgot that she had more than a single adversary in the enclosed room in the villa.

"Keep quiet Tohsaka," Luvia whispered heatedly, her arms naturally crossing beneath her chest. "Or have you forgotten my sister-in-law is rooming with us in this villa?"

The villa had numerous rooms to sleep in, but Taiga had opted to take a room close to her surrogate brother whose room everyone was currently inside.

Rin stilled, her narrowed gaze fixing Luvia with a murderous glower. "S-Sister in law? You two-faced money grubber, don't get ahead of yourself. I knew Fujimura sensei long before you ever did. I should be the rightful sister-in-law! What-"

Arturia clapped her hands together, producing an acute noise that caused both Rin and Luvia to click their tongues.

"The both of you are forgetting the matter at hand. Weren't we discussing how to help Shirou?" Arturia said without any ulterior motives whatsoever. She coughed into her hand, her cheeks slightly colouring when Rin just stared, but Luvia thought the explanation reasonable.

"So, you saved a regular human and called her your apprentice," Luvia said, breaking everything down in front of Shirou. "Honestly, it was a good move considering how respected you are by the other magi. I'd find it odd if not for the treasure your culinary skills represent."

Magic and cooking.

It was a concept that was still difficult for Shirou to understand simply because he didn't know how he was doing it. It just sort-of happened without explanation or conscious use. It was like magic, but considering that Rin and Luvia discovered the premise behind the food, perhaps it wasn't?

The food gave incremental increases to a magus's potential and magical reserves by stimulating the magic circuits of individuals by imbuing pure magic energy into the food.

You were basically eating a stimulant, addictive in nature simply because it has no adverse effects.

"I figured as much," Shirou admitted. "I called her my apprentice since many of the magi that frequent the food truck all seem so intent on buying my cuisine. Anyways, if its just the magi already here, there shouldn't be much of a problem for Erina unless she reveals the secrecy of magecraft."

"Then she's safe, and no one will find fault with you for saving the girl's life," Rin actually looked impressed. "Emiya, I didn't think you had it in you to use your head."

Shirou chose not to respond to Rin's jab mostly because she was right. He wasn't dumb per say, nor was he impulsive. Instead, he's the kind of guy who'd consider all danger and logical plans, but still choose to run in head-first if it meant saving someone. This made him an 'A' grade idiot in Rin's eyes, and he'd be defeated quickly if he tried to argue the point.

"Regardless, shall I set up a means to monitor Erina Nakiri just in case she divulges the secrecy of magecraft?" Luvia offered. "Unlike a certain barbarian I know, I'd prefer to be useful rather than laze around scheming about ripping off more snobbish magi of their wealth in her spare time."

A tick mark formed over Rin's brow, but she didn't lash out since Luvia already took the initiative.

Shirou looked like he was going to protest, likely because he trusted Erina Nakiri's word alone, but neither Rin or Luvia were as trusting. "See to it that it's done Edelfelt. Knowing this idiot's luck, something is bound to occur."

"Hmmm. For once we agree Tohsaka. I concur," Luvia's mouth curved upward into a small grin. "I'll have something set up by tomorrow."

Shirou frowned and soon stood up onto his feet, but was made to gently sit back down by Arturia. "There's something else we'd like to discuss with you," she explained in a tone that didn't quite sound like it was trouble. It was more of a confused tone if anything.

"What's going on?" He asked, looking towards Rin and Luvia who both suddenly went quiet. This was either a good sign, or a bad sign because neither of the two seemed annoyed or angry, just confused.

There seemed to be a whole lot of confusion going on right now, and it seems this moment was where things would be clarified.

"A lot of magi have been arriving in Japan lately," Rin began, her lips pursing. "Specifically, this area and neighborhood."

"Indeed," Luvia seconded. "I'm lucky to be one of the first magi to visit Japan before the rest came. I at least still own a decent high-rise suite if I ever need another place to stay, but as of this moment, my family's operatives tell me that every nearby house listing has been sold out. You need to do something about them trying to poach you."

When Rin and Luvia put things into that perspective, then obviously it was quite mind-boggling that he was so popular among cold-blood magi.

Shirou abruptly came to a realization. "Rin, Luvia, about how many people did you overcharge throughout the day?"

Thick skinned as both girls were, neither of them looked sheepish for their actions.

"I lost count at one hundred," Rin idly inspected the back of her nails, a broad grin playing at her lips for the suckers she'd swindled. Honestly, it was addictive to watch them squirm at the exuberant prices. So, what if you came from a long line of prestigious magi, you still have to pay. Her inner sadism was showing.

"I stopped counting at two," Luvia huffed and gnashed her teeth. "Really, some of them even dared to suggest that they could out pay the Edelfelt family in order to purchase and monopolize your culinary skill. The nerve of those graceless posturing snobs."

So, two hundred or more then? Shirou's expression hardened. That was a lot of magi congregating in a single area. It was already uncommon outside the Association for more than one magus to live near each other due to the secrecy of their crafts. Over two hundred in a single area was an absurd amount, and if his assumption was correct, this number is only going to keep rising.

"Speaking of which, I did some listening while sampling food, and I ended up hearing something interesting," Arturia perked up in thought. She hadn't deemed it relevant before, but now that the topic had shifted towards the magi coming in from overseas, the information she'd gleamed may prove relevant.

Everyone turned to stare at her. Arturia was a Servant, so her senses were far better than most. The reason no one was really referring to her judgement before was that Arturia wasn't too adept regarding the modern world's understanding of magi. For observations though, Arturia was almost never wrong.

"See, these two magi were bickering near me about locations to set up a facility of sorts. Some collective research association to prevent competition in regards to land acquisition in the neighborhood." Arturia furrowed her brows, one hand resting beneath her chin as she recalled the exact details. "Ah yes, they wish to broker a deal amongst themselves for the pursuit of a similar goal outside the influence of the Association's three Great Branches. I stopped listening from there to focus on eating. The Philly steak sandwich today was delicious by the way. I'd like to sample another if possible, but I do believe that the two magus said something else about starting a revolution."

"They…they what?" Both Rin and Luvia looked utterly confused.

Arturia shrugged. She didn't have much interest in the matter when it was spoken, and she'd given up the mentality of a magus long ago after choosing the path of the sword.

Arturia suddenly nodded when she remembered something she was supposed to give. Fiddling with the small purse Rin had gotten her to start carrying around due to a lack of suitable pockets, Arturia produced a velvet parchment and handed it to Rin. She then closed her purse and hung it over her shoulder where it snuggly hung by her side.

"A magus asked me to give a letter to one of the food truck's cashiers," Arturia explained.

Rin snatched the letter before Luvia could get her hands on it, and promptly undid the seal. Pulling the small letter out, she unfolded it and skimmed over the contents. Her expression had been dismissive at first, assuming that the letter was another attempt to convince her to convince Shirou to work as a personal chef, but this wasn't the case.

Her brows furrowed in consternation as she read the name of the intended recipient again and again.

"This isn't a letter for me or Luvia. This a letter for ugh…" Rin trailed off abruptly while staring at the name of the letter's intended recipient dumbly.

"Who's it for, Tohsaka? Honestly, do you not know how to read?" Luvia snatched the letter from Rin's hands and looked at it herself.

Unlike Rin, Luvia spoke her disbelief out loud. "It's a letter of invitation for an esteemed 'Professor Emiya?'"

There was only one person who still went with that sure name in the room.

Everyone turned to stare at Shirou who subsequently buried his face onto Arturia's lap, much to her inner delight. She was the closest to him, and both Rin and Luvia had seated themselves on his bed.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

Shirou had been through way too many things lately. The situation with Erina first.

Whatever nonsense this was? Second.

He was done for the night.

Outside Totsuki Academy, a large assembly of magi was being held just as the clocks hit midnight. There wasn't enough space to create individual workshops in the vicinity of Totsuki Academy's food truck, so they'd commandeered a nearby commercial building and renovated the interior into a permanent research facility. The current area resembled one of the Clock Tower's numerous classrooms, various crafts used to recreate a learning environment.

"All in attendance, quiet down."

A single spokesperson, Patrick Owels, stood up on a small podium at the center of the newly formed institute. It looked like a professor lecturing to his students.

"This will be the first step on a new road to the Akashic Root."

Due to the abhorrent prices Rin and Luvia had been charging them, many esteemed magi from prominent families decided to do their own research into the field. Many were conveniently successful in their endeavors and managed a process of implementing their od into the food they'd prepared; however, the method was taxing, tasted horrible, and hardly affected the mana reserves and potential in a magus at all. It wasn't worth it, but the idea was too enticing.

Further study was necessary, hence a collaborative effort of individual research for the same cause.

For some, this new undertaking into the unknown was uplifting.

Along with success, came the potential for permanent incremental improvements to a magus's craft despite their natural limitations like circuit number and magical disposition. It was revolutionary for those stuck in the bottom of the moonlit society and for those stuck in a bottleneck.

"Ambition, desire, or whatever you wish to pursue, it matters not here. Let the first meeting commence."

Cooking was as old as mankind and filled with its own charm and mystery... and mystery is the root of all magic and magecraft.

Change was sure to come to the moonlit world.

Unknown to Shirou, but many magi were left in wonderment at his culinary skill, and if not for their own pride, would request his personal instruction on the study. Pride being in the way though, they grouped together and resorted to the next best thing. They categorized him as a peer further along the road of research: A Professor of the craft. It was not a dishonor to seek guidance from a senior.

Numerous thresholds have been broken as a direct result of consuming Shirou's cuisine.

It was an art. A path. A goal.

If there existed three great branches in the Mage's Association, then surely a new branch was gradually forming.

Gluttony.

Led by dean Emiya.

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