Teasing Mash was good stuff. Half the stuff he said to her flew right over her head, as it turned out, she was very sheltered and knew very little of the outside world and typical teenage interactions.
But even she understood when he was blunt enough about things. The squeaks she made were adorable.
Ah, he totally lucked out on his servant didn't he?
He would have happily continued with that train, if he didn't suddenly sense a large mass launching through the air at his head at rapid speeds.
Faeran broke from his mental conversation with Mash and turned his head to the side just in time to let his massive stone axe sword spin through the place his head was in previously and just miss him.
Before it sped past him entirely he reached up and caught it by the handle jerking it to a halt, "Don't be such a cock blocker old man." Faeran sniped without turning around, instead his gaze was on the jagged saw like blade on the end of his axe sword, each one was inscribed with runes he recognised. Sowilo. While in the middle of the huge axe blade he could see another inscribed rune he recognised as well, Ehwaz. Specifically, the same rune that should be getting used on Mash's gear to enhance her physical abilities.
While he didn't know how to use rune based magic. The fact of the matter was that it was Celtic based magic style and the Morganach family was Scottish. It wasn't their specialty or focus, but it was something they knew of at least to recognise them.
"Don't use me as a lackey while chatting up your cute little servant then," Cu replied, "Really the Scottish are as rude as ever."
"Right back at you Irish boy," Faeran snorted, turning his other to look over his shoulder at the blue haired servant, "So why the Ehwaz rune?" he asked.
"What, you don't like it?" Cu raised an eyebrow at him, "Won't do much for you since you aren't wearing it as far as enhancing you goes, but it'll buff the strength of that weapon of overcompensation of yours and make it more durable to."
"No, I'm fine with it cheers," Faeran replied before furrowing his brow, "..Wait, the hell do you mean overcompensating? I've got nothing to overcompensate for."
Not before he ended up here and definitely not after. The few inches he put on from arriving here covered everywhere on his body. Everywhere.
"Sure sure lad, whatever you say. Though I suppose you wouldn't be running around in a skirt if you weren't filled with delusional confidence in your equipment." Cu grinned at him.
"It's Herakles choice in outfit not mine, but even then, it ain't delusional dog boy. There's a reason we Scottish wear kilts, Herakles just so happens to be as well equipped as any true Scotsman," Faeran fired back, "It's probably the reason why he ended up in my soul and not say some Irish dog."
In response, Cu shook his head and chuckled, "Man it's good to see that despite how much time has passed some things never change," he mused fondly, "No wonder the Scottish made enemies of literally everyone. Heh, Shishou was so testy she even had gods picking fights with her."
Faeran found himself grinning along at his words. Man, he'd love to meet Scathach. There wasn't really much on her in legend beyond her status as a teacher of heroes, and he didn't even know what she looked like, but she must have been utterly and absurdly crazy.
Just what he'd expect of a fellow Scot. 'I wonder if William Wallace got on the throne?' Faeran mused idly. Yeah, he totally had to. And considering after getting his guts pulled out and tortured he was still able to resist the pansy English and refuse them with his dying words, he would probably have Battle Continuation as a skill.
"Anyway, now that the banter is outta the way lad, let's get the shield girl and my Master done with." Cu stood up from the pew he was sitting on. He didn't push himself up with his arms or anything, he just pushed hard with his feet on his 'footrest' to get up. Probably marking the bottom of whatever he was wearing on his feet on Kotomine's face.
Heh.
"The sooner it's done the better, aye." Faeran nodded.
'Master?' Mash who had been silent during the conversation between him and Cu spoke up, 'What does he mean?'
'He's gonna put his runes on your gear it'll make it tougher and buff you up some as well,' he replied, 'You'd get more out of it if he tattoo'd it into your skin, and he's probably gonna offer it to Ritsuka, but I'd prefer you didn't.'
'He can do that? How amazing,' Mash gasped in awe, before catching on to what he said next, 'Wait, why would you not want me to get it tattoo'd if it would help that much master? Considering how lacking I am as a servant, every little bit would help, would it not?'
'Oi, first of all, the only thing you're lacking in is your Noble Phantasm, and you'll get a hang of that eventually I'm sure, beyond that you're an absolutely top tier servant,' Faeran made sure to stomp on line of thought that she was at all lacking. With her parameters and skills alone, she was totally worth it, her being so agreeable and good looking was just icing on the cake, 'In the end though, it's up to you if you want to get it done, I'd just prefer you didn't.'
It was enough for her gear and shield, really. It might not be as big a boost as if it were in her skin and not applicable unless she was wearing her servant gear, but by time he was done tonight she'd be able to use Reinforcement on her body, and soon he'd get Mana Burst down for sure, and he'd teach her how to do it as well.
'...I don't understand?' he looked over to her and saw the lavender haired girl was biting her lip.
Faeran rolled his eyes, 'It's just my selfishness Mash,' he assured her, 'Guys look cool with scars. Girls, not so much. I just don't want the runes to mess up that pretty skin of yours.'
Was it sexist? Yes. Did he care about that fact? No.
'...For something as simple as that?' Mash replied, sounding confused, 'I thought you were joking about the things you were saying earlier to tease me Master.'
'Oh no, I was definitely just taking the piss, but I wasn't joking about how attractive you are,' Faeran snorted, 'Like I said though, if you want to get them I won't stop you. I mean, you'll still be just as attractive, I'd just prefer you without them.'
'I see,' Mash replied contemplatively, 'I understand Master. Though my time is short, I'll take your preferences into account and not get them done.'
Faeran's lips quirked up into a smile before immediately turning upside down into a frown as her words fully registered, 'Wait...what do you mean your time is s-'
"Oi, Master, shield lass!" Cu called over to them as he walked towards them, "Follow me for a bit will ya'? Got something he who thinks he's the big boss man wants me to run by ya'."
"Caster?" Ritsuka looked over to his servant as he made his way up to altar. the Irish servant explained to them what he wanted to do, and Mash listened intently to his words, so Faeran couldn't push for answers right now.
A moment later, they both agreed and they followed Cu out of the main room inside a door that led probably to the living space of the church behind the altar.
Faeran watched them go with his frown still on his face, 'The hell did she mean?' he wondered.
That sounded pretty fucking ominous. As if she didn't have much time to live. He didn't like the sound of that at all.
He stared at the door for a few more moments before getting up off the pew and making his way up to the altar where Olga was still concentrating on a golden magical circle. Allowing his rune enhanced axe sword to dissipate into motes of light as he did, waiting upon his call to arms once more.
He had to withhold a whistle. Man it was pretty damn big. Enough for five or six people to sit inside, "You didn't have to go this far you know," he commented, "A normal average magic circle would have been fine."
Olga looked up at him and he noted she had bags under her eyes, her golden family crest shining brightly on her forehead, "This is the least I can do right now," she replied after a deep breath, "The more powerful a magic circle you use as a focus, the less strained you will be. This way, it will help you be fully rested for the battles tomorrow."
"Such a diligent hard working woman aren't you? But I don't dislike that," Faeran found himself smiling slightly despite his previous thoughts just a few moments ago, "Then thanks for your hard work."
He had the urge to say, 'Don't push yourself so much stupid', but he didn't want to hurt her feelings. She wasn't the general person he interacted with in Scotland who knew it was a term of endearment. Like his buddies, he could call his best friend a stupid limp dick faggot, but he knew he was only taking the piss and having a laugh.
Despite how exhausted she was, she smiled brightly at his words, "It's not a problem, at least this meager amount should be expected of someone of my caliber." she replied, proudly, her chest puffing out in pride.
His eyes drifted to her puffed out chest. The unflattering clothing she wore really did nothing to hide he voluptuous bosom, "Well you definitely aren't meager there, that's for sure, good on you." Faeran chuckled.
Her cheeks turned red, "...You're such a fiend, do you know that?" Olga responded with a huff.
"That I am love, but it comes with territory, what with your fiendishly sexy body." he retorted teasingly.
Olga shook her head, "I can see now why you didn't get along with your family, no magus family in their right mind could stomach an heir who acted like this." the white haired woman huffed again rolling her eyes, but despite her words her smile did not lessen at all.
"Sure let's go with that," Faeran shrugged and decided to change the subject, "So, Mash said something to me when we were talking earlier that has got me a bit worried."
Olga lost her lovely smile and frowned, "...Has something gone wrong with her abilities as a servant?" she asked, worriedly.
"Nah, nothing like that I don't think," Faeran waved her worries off, "She just said she doesn't have much time left. I don't think she even meant to tell me and did it by accident."
Olga's eyes slowly closed and she sighed, stepping away from the magic circle and allowing her family crest to fade, "I see, I understand then," she nodded, lifting her hand up to wipe a trail of sweat from her forehead, "This is something only known to the top physicians of Chaldea, myself as the leader of Chaldea and Mash herself." she suddenly said.
Faeran's eyebrows rose. 'So it's an important secret then?' he thought.
Olga cast a glance at the door Mash and Ritsuka followed Cu through before sighing and turning back to look Faeran in the eyes, "Chaldea needed a servant to fix the singularities. Mash was genetically engineered specifically to contain a Heroic spirits soul and become a Demi Servant," she explained, "Quite frankly, Mash is not too far off of that from a homunculus, and like homunculi, she has a very limited life span. She was estimated to have eighteen years of life and as of now, she is sixteen. She has at most two years left to live."
...Ah so it was something like that.
Shit.
Just like Ilya. His chest throbbed painfully at the thought.
"I wasn't particularly happy to learn of it myself when I took over as the leader of Chaldea, I must admit," Olga revealed, crossing her arms and frowning, "A waste too. Mash was the only one able to contract with a Heroic Spirit, quite frankly losing her especially now that she has gained access to her powers is simply unacceptable. Which is why I was trying to reach out to Touko Aozaki to prepare another body for her when her own gives out, but with the damage to Chaldea now...it may be impossible to afford such a thing." she lifted her hand to her mouth and bit her thumb in frustration.
Touko Aozaki...
The puppet woman? The one Rin would get into contact with during Heaven's Feel to get Shirou a body? But wasn't it lacking in sensation and such? Sure she'd live, but being unable to feel?
He hadn't known Mash for a long time. He'd only known her for a day. And talked to her for less than two hours in total. But that was enough for him to understand that she was very sheltered, and was very curious about the world outside of Chaldea. He could practically feel the desire to see the world and experience it emanating through their bond as master and servant.
Faeran ground his teeth.
The puppet body was a moot point more or less right now anyway if Chaldea was as damaged as it was. He understood what Olga meant. Getting Chaldea restored would cost a lot, possibly too much for them to have enough left over to pay Touko Aozaki.
How fucking expensive were the bodies she made? He knew it took Rin and Sakura like three years to get a body for Shirou.
Hell fucking no. Something stirred deep within him. Madness emanating from the depths of his soul and inflamed what he already didn't want to accept.
"It's fine, I'll take care of it." Faeran waved off her worries. Mash was his servant, his!
Faeran was a very greedy person at heart. Frigid even when it came to parting with things that were of value to him. And deep within his soul was a man clad in madness who failed someone important to him in a similar position.
It seemed neither Faeran or Herakles was accepting of that outcome for Mash.
"...What?" Olga looked at him in confusion, "What do you mean, you'll take care of it? How will you do that? Unless you mean to tell me you brought along your family fortune with you?"
Faeran focused for a moment and held his right hand out. Light shimmered and a moment later a beautiful golden and black hilted blade appeared in his grasp.
"...One of the Noble Phantasms we found earlier?" Olga blinked, brows furrowing, "Durandal is it not? Truly an amazing weapon, but what good will a sword do?"
It really was an amazing weapon. Just holding it in his hands he could feel that it would never bend nor break in the face of any enemy. A truly reliable companion for a weapon. But it was just that sheer unbreakable sturdiness of Durandal that made it amazing, "Did you know, Durandal has the ability to achieve three miracles?" Faeran said looking her in the eyes with the utmost seriousness, "It's quite similar to a Holy Grail really, it just needs enough power fed into it to accomplish that miracle."
He didn't know how to explain it. But now that he was bound to Durandal, he could just feel what it could accomplish with its miracles. It may be a waste to use a miracle of all things to enhance a girls life span, a girl that he just met today at that. Something that god damn valuable.
But nobody had ever accused Faeran of being the smartest egg in the bunch. And right now, he didn't see the problem in giving up one single miracle for Mash. Rash though it may be. He had enough magical energy that by giving up one miracle of Durandal he should be able to accomplish it.
"Three miracles?!" Olga sputtered, eyes flying wide, "How absurd! And the king of Heroes just tossed it aside as if it were trash!?"
"Yeah, he's a real piece of work that guy." Faeran shook his head and dismissed Durandal, the Noble Phantasm dissipating into motes of light and disappearing.
"...And you'll just use a miracle, something that valuable on Mash, a girl you just met today?" Olga looked at him dubiously.
It was understandable. After all, while a lot more like Rin Tohsaka than your average magus, Olga still had many values of a traditional magus. And with enough power, like say his magic circuits and command seals enhanced by the divinity of Herakles, well with Durandal's miracles, it should be quite possible for him to punch his way straight to the Root. The Akashic Records, the swirl of all creation.
See, the thing was. Faeran was not at all interested in that. Call him stupid, but being exposed to the knowledge of that, well, it would change him. A lot. He wasn't so stupid he didn't know that.
'Ignorance is bliss' is a phrase someone much smarter than him came up with for a reason. It was like how women seemed more beautiful and elegant when you didn't know they pissed, shit and farted just like men and squirted blood from their vagina every month.
And the more you grew up, the less bright the world seemed. And that fact was compounded within his mind from the memories of Shaw.
So yes, fuck the Root.
Faeran grinned at her, "Well, you did say there was a reason I obviously didn't get along with my family," he shrugged and stepped over into the glowing golden magic circle she had created, "Here's one of the reasons. I prioritise people I value over silly things like the Root. And Mash is my servant now. She's worth way more to me than a simple miracle."
...Besides, once they kicked the shit out of Emiya and Saber Alter, there would be a free Holy Grail ripe for the taking, right? After all, according to Cu, it wasn't corrupted here by Angry Mango. How he didn't know, all that mattered to him was that he could use it.
He could just get the Second Magic with it and hop to alternate worlds and hit up Fuyuki after the fourth Grail Wars and collect tons of Durandal's, by the bucket loads even!
He'd collect so many Durandal's he could sword spam them like Gilgamesh did with all his weapons!
'Really, what was I even thinking about earlier? Me, stupid? I'm clearly a fucking genius!' Faeran nodded proudly to himself.
Oddly Olga didn't comment anything else. She just stared at him intently and contemplatively.
Guess the banter ended for now huh? 'Well, it's about time to get down to work I guess anyway.' Faeran mused. Other things could wait, right now he had to focus on what was important.
Making sure they could stomp in Emiya's ass and spank Arturia into giving up the Holy Grail.
He sat down crossed legged in the huge golden magical circle and flipped open his magic circuits, the rev of a bus engine, the engine of the bus that almost killed him when he was a mere ten year old brat and ruined his future career in football and drew upon the magic circle.
Then, he focused on two of the thirty five command seals he had. And then he began the same process Shaw had learned through his family crest, of imparting knowledge and spell triggers into Magic Circuits.
First, was typical basic spell knowledge. The basics of using Magic Circuits. the basics of hypnosis. The basics simple beginner spells like Gradiation Air, Reinforcement, Structural Analysis and such. He put special focus into imbuing the knowledge of Reinforcement, making sure to outline the process properly for using it on the body.
From there he continued on. He moved on to imbuing the process of creating Bounded Fields and the instructions for standard, basic Bounded Fields such as alarm Bounded Fields and barrier variations.
Next, he focused on another important aspect of magecraft. The creation and usage of magic circles, like what Olga had created. And basic variations, including a summoning circle for summoning servants, and while he was at it he added in the knowledge of the summoning chant he was familiar with.
He lost himself in imparting the knowledge, and it felt like hours had passed by time Faeran opened his eyes again.
"Ah.." he winced. His head was absolutely throbbing. But, it wasn't as bad as it could be thanks to the magic circle Olga had provided.
His eyes drifted over to the first pew in front of the altar where the white haired woman was laying across the hard wooden bench, sound asleep.
She looked cold and uncomfortable laying there.
"...Ah I should have grabbed some basic supplies like covers and shit from Rin's or Shirou's." he shook his head. Stupid of him. There went his sudden genius title.
She was gonna get a cold like that man. "Kotomine better have some bedding in this shithole." he groused to himself and made his way over to the door Mash, Ritsuka and Caster Cu had entered through earlier.