Fate series and characters belong to Nasu and TypeMoon
Author's note summary: fgodestinyawakenings tumblr .com (/) post (/) 679484499539705856 (/) note-for-fgo-da-cdd-issue-6
And also those who has followed me by author, I'm not sure if you have received notifications on one-shot fics on Punishing Gray Raven.
Another new gacha game I've gotten into, so thanks for reading if you do!
"No magic is useless, only useless teacher like that Caster." – Merlin
"… Merlin, what precisely are we doing…?" Ritsuka gazed at the warlock above from the latter's lap. His face grew unamused at his hair decorated with petals, flowers, and a flower crown in the making.
Merlin chuckled at the raven-haired Master, whose head lying down on his lap. His hands weaving the last stalk of flower plucked in his Avalon Garden to the crown. "A moment to deepen the bonds between our friendship, Ritsuka-kun."
Ritsuka frowned with a deadpan expression. He did not know how long he had been here ever since he took a nap after dropping around for maintenance checks in Chaldea. Even there was an established time to find Ritsuko for basic combat with their Servants. He remained stuck in this dream.
And, of course, this dream involved what he presumed to be a lesson from Merlin instead of this. Ritsuka sighed, "You know what would represent a better scenery for our friendship bonding? Magnificent sunset from the twilight as we discover ourselves more common between each other."
"And it is as you suggest," Merlin smiled joyfully at the sarcasm, setting the finished crown on his pupil's head.
Later, his hand moved to cover Ritsuka's eyes before pulling aside.
Ritsuka's blue orbs widened at the now purple-pinkish sunset glittered faintly with stars produced by his half-incubus friend's powers.
Merlin looked at the sky before coming back to his apprentice. "Enjoy the view, Ritsuka-kun?"
"I would lie if I say I didn't," Ritsuka stated. He sat upright and turned to Merlin. "But don't you wish to tell me why you visit me, or I'm going to wake up and meet my sister."
"Now, now, there's no need to rush." Merlin put his hand onto Ritsuka's shoulder and pulled him back to his lap. "You need to relax, or I can't do what I needed to do."
"And, that's?"
"To evaluate your current magic circuit level."
Merlin tilted his head, placing back the fallen flower crown onto the raven-haired Master's head.
"You had activated all of your circuits from the Singularity, no?"
Ritsuka frowned at him. "Well, why don't you say so?"
"That wouldn't be fun, would it?" Merlin laughed. "Now, close your eyes."
With a nod, Ritsuka closed his eyes in Merlin's direction.
The white-haired magus grinned to himself and put his forehead against Ritsuka's.
The surrounding flowers bloomed and glowed in golden light as he uttered an incantation.
"You may open them now, Ritsuka-kun."
Ritsuka opened his eyes to see Merlin's calm grin at him. He sat back up and spotted the bright flowers surrounding them. "Merlin, what is this?"
"The number of magic circuits you have, used and remaining that are available," Merlin's brown wooden staff drew from his rear and tapped at every flower. "25 circuits in total. Nine were used to maintain your Servants and leave only 16 left available."
"Is that something I should be worried about?"
"No," Merlin shook his head, "It's an excellent number that I'm able to teach you magic, Ritsuka-kun."
Ritsuka's orbs widened and exclaimed. "Really?! W-Wait... You're teaching me here and not in the real world?"
"I can't escape out of my prison easily, I'm afraid." Merlin shrugged with ease. "Besides, a bright pupil like you could recall all I taught here. And to apply it back in the real world with no complications."
"Sounds workable in theory. But, not for practical wise."
Ritsuka countered while watching Merlin set his staff away.
Merlin reverted to him with a smile. "It is achievable with me as your mentor. After all, I'm the one who had taught Artoria everything she requires in learning before becoming a king. From politics to sword-fighting, except magic. Unlike that third-rate Caster, you've contracted with."
"That's true," Ritsuka hummed to himself. He later showed a deadpan look and glowered at his half-incubus friend. "Hey, don't go insulting Caster like that!"
Merlin laughed at the dubious face colored on the raven-haired Master. "Fret not, Ritsuka-kun. Though I can't make you a king, you'll ultimately be trained in sword-fighting soon. But of now, you deserve lessons of basic magic from your hard work."
"That's a tremendous faith you have for the first lesson...," Ritsuka's brows furrowed.
Merlin beamed and patted Ritsuka's head. "Your diligence and commitment to learning is something you should be proud of. That Caster of yours is nobody but a worthless druid who can't guide you to your right path.
"Your sister may have better circuits, as he claimed. But the one who came here to me was you. And I see the potential in you to learn magic. You may not master it overnight, but you definitely could if you try."
At another of Ritsuka's deadpan expressions, Merlin chuckled. "Have faith in yourself. That's the most crucial element when you wish to learn magic. You're a wise and brave one, after all."
Another pat to Ritsuka's head had him stop himself from rebutting the half-incubus's comments. It may be sweet-talking at worst, but... There's no reason to doubt the latter, right? After all, if this wizard raised Artoria to be king and identified potential in him... It shouldn't be wrong to indulge his hope in him.
"Hmm... Maybe a story would build up your confidence to learn!" Merlin's familiar hum perked the young raven-haired Master's attention back to him.
"Story?" Ritsuka reiterated with curiosity.
A second later, his blue eyes widened, and he enthusiastically leaned forward.
"Do you mean the stories about King Arthur that were never known to anyone in the entire human history?!"
Merlin laughed at the passion he picked up from the young Master. "Not really, but I'm positive it'd ignite your motivation before our first lesson." The half-incubus withdrew the hand from his head to hold the raven-haired human's own. Both his eyes closed with a fond look as he recounted the tale. "Thousands of years ago, in a land beyond the end…. A young child had become lost deep inside the misty forest upon awakening. He remembered neither who he was nor his destination, only to walk on in prospects he would leave this forest."
"He doesn't even know his own name?" Ritsuka pressed.
Merlin nodded to affirm with his smile remained. "That's right, such a pitiful plight, isn't it? The young boy was still lost, whichever path he took or retracing his own step. The longer he lingered without realizing…. Creatures of the forest soon discovered their delicious prey to be devoured, all alone, unguarded, and perfectly ripe.
"Run as fast as he could. Run as far as he can go… Yet, he still found himself before death's doorstep upon being found and beaten like a wounded animal. Before the creatures ravaged the young boy…. A mysterious figure appeared and saved the boy from being harmed. He introduced himself as the king of this forest where the child awoke, and when he sought for the boy's name…. The young child still could not remember his name. But the overwhelming hunger and injuries made him unconscious."
As the minute Merlin finished his sentence, the raven-haired Master's blue eyes widened in fear and shouted. "Is he alright? What happens to him now?!"
The half-incubus wizard chuckled, again grinned at him. Both of the former's thumbs used to rub to massage his young pupil's overexcitement and worries. "Ahahaha! He is alright, Ritsuka-kun. The beautiful king brings the young boy back to his castle. When he woke up, the king fed the child with a meal prepared by his servants as he sought to further understand his new guest. 'To search and serve a king to return his land back to rightful majesty,' that was the sole reason the child appeared and recalled.
"A sympathy, an impulse or even both at being convinced the boy's hope to seek for a king who he doesn't know himself nor the land he rules…. The king decided to let the child stay in his castle until he remembered. 'Puck,' in the language of faeries, means stubborn and defiance. That shall be the newly appointed vassal's name to the beautiful king; he chose himself."
"Puck…? Hmm, that's likewise the name of the mischievous fairy that appeared in both William Shakespeare's works and in English folklore. What a strange name to give it to the boy." Ritsuka repeated the name with an odd feeling rolling off his voice.
Merlin, however, simply smiled and concluded. "From that fateful meeting with the beautiful King, Puck begins his journey as a vassal to his lord in this unfamiliar land he was plunged into. Along with budding friendship that lasts for eternity in their hearts with his King and his people."
Instead of being touched and awed by the story, Ritsuka, all the moment with a dumbfounded face, spoke minutes slowly after his half-incubus friend. "… Hold… Hold on. Wait. That's it? That can't be the resolution! There's more to this story."
A laugh burst out from Merlin at his pupil's frustration, responded with a teasing grin. "Hahaha! Of course not. But it'd be such a waste to let an excellent story end soon."
"But, it's nothing worse than letting a story linger permanently in a cliffhanger too," Ritsuka frowned with a grumble, withdrawing his hands from the wizard to himself.
Merlin showed to be further amused by the raven-haired Master's pout, lifting one hand to ruffle his hair. "True. Anyway, what do you think? Does it arouse any sorts of emotions in your heart, Ritsuka-kun?"
"Undoubtedly anger and frustration, you're not continuing the story," The raven-haired Master swatted the hand away. He used this chance to not simply smooth his hair but to clear away the petals while musing on himself. "But I'm definitely interested in learning more about Puck's story. Is this an untold tale by Shakespeare before he leaves this King to meet his true liege none other than King Oberon? Or a legend never documented account of Puck?"
Merlin smiled at his student's question, "Yes."
"For which?! Because I'm clear about my memories, I don't recall hearing one of them having secret stories before too!"
"Ahahaha! You don't need to get so agitated, my student. Merlin chuckled heartily, raising one hand to wipe the tears away. "How about this? When we finish today's practice, I'll continue this story and tell King Arthur's journey."
Blue eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Ritsuka's heart still held intrigue at the promise from his half-incubus friend and clarified, "… Really…? You promised, Merlin?"
"Of course, I promise as a pledge to you, my lord," Outstretched his hand again to the raven-haired Master, the half-incubus encouraged. "Now then, our first lesson in learning begins, shall we?"
With another slight nod, Ritsuka brought his right hand to grasp the other.
An action that satisfied Merlin with his pupil's obedience, later shifting to his staff to place onto the ground.
With one snap of his finger from his hand, the staff floated up. It moved to a distance from the pair before settling on the ground. Merlin switched back to his student and guided. "We'll start with a basic levitation spell of floating and moving objects from one place to another. Sounds simple, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Ritsuka responded. It's a handy technique to support, be it in his daily needs and combat. "So, what should I practice with? Make the petals float in the air?"
The half-incubus wizard shook his head and corrected, "Nope, you will make my staff return to us."
He scooted closer to the raven-haired Master and instructed. "For this practice, my staff has no protection against foreign magic to flop against yours. Let's begin."
"Right, let's do this!" Ritsuka hoisted his other hand up, directing towards the magical staff.
"…"
Waiting for the magic circuits to channel through his veins, nothing appeared. Ritsuka stretched and swung out his arm in his second try to cast the spell.
"…"
Or shouldn't that be how magic worked when he contracted and summoned his Caster Servant?
The raven-haired Master narrowed his eyes and concentrated again.
"…"
"… Hey, Merlin…," Ritsuka broke the silence between them after his third failure.
The said wizard beside him acknowledged, "What is it, Ritsuka-kun?"
"This Levitation spell… It is a magic spell, right?" The raven-haired Master asked his half-incubus friend to reaffirm what he was supposed to learn.
"Why, yes?"
"That's correct. One of the most fundamental spells all mages must understand, regardless of all specialized magecraft!"
"Hmm, I see," Ritsuka nodded twice thoughtfully. "In that case, like all magic, there would be incantations to chant, wouldn't it?"
Merlin turned his head to look at his student, one eyebrow lifted at the query. "Oh? I expected it's simple enough that you wouldn't need an incantation, my lord."
"Unfortunately for both you and I, I'm neither a half-blood demon nor talented mage to use magic without requiring lessons in the first place!"
Ritsuka retracted his hand back, facing the white-haired wizard to seethe in irritation.
A loud laugh erupted from the half-incubus, lifting one hand to wipe a tear away, pacifying the fuming raven-haired Master. "Ahahaha! I jest, I jest, my lord. Of course, you need the incantation of this spell. Short and sweet, I would say, and…!"
"…," Ritsuka stared in silence with incredulity, yet waiting for seconds in this timeless dream.
"…," For Merlin, the raven-haired Master swore he was petrified into a statue or perhaps still recalling with the bright grin on his face.
Soon enough, Ritsuka's face displayed a deadpan face and huffed bluntly to break the awkward atmosphere.
"… You… You've forgotten, did you?"
Cheeks turned bright, burning red for Merlin, caught red-handed at the straightforward question. He denied with one hand lifted to brush the accusation. "W-What? No, of course not, Ritsuka-kun! It's been a long time since I needed an incantation, so, um…."
Another sharp stare from the raven-haired human threw his way, making Merlin look anywhere but in his eyes.
Silence returned between them except for the faint murmurs from the half-incubus.
Something about trying to stay calm, and something along the lines 'No, this is meant for' that Ritsuka caught in his ears.
Still, as he remained watching the now totally out-of-character wizard's mouth stumbling out words rapidly, eyebrows furrowed with violet eyes enlarged…
An understanding sigh left the raven-haired Master and decided, "Merlin is acting more nervous. This is new…. Maybe he actually forgot about the magic incantation."
Merlin, whose eyes flitting between his student and elsewhere, offered with a hesitant tone. "You don't suppose I could teach you another way of casting instead of chanting, would you…?"
"If it helps to begin our first lesson." Ritsuka sighed to follow the idea.
After all, he's undoubtedly sure a historically infamous as Merlin bounded to have unorthodox approaches.
"Great, wonderful!" Merlin grinned cheerfully, with a contented face of the trouble he was freed from. "Then close your eyes first."
"Huh?" Ritsuka questioned.
"Don't worry, it's not a prank you are speculating about. Just close your eyes…." The white-haired wizard raised both his hands to spread open. A rainbow appeared between his parting hands and proclaimed as he did so. "And use your imagination…!"
"Ok, now you're just messing with me!" Ritsuka rebuked back at his half-incubus friend for nearly falling to his mischief again.
Another remorseless and merry chuckle escaped from the wizard, later soothed his increasingly vexed student. "My bad, I couldn't help to tease my charming, eager student. Believe it or not, this approach is one of the many foundations you're required to grasp before I teach you about your magecraft. You do not have to fret if it fails, after all… Dreams, imaginations, and illusions are the same born through desire."
"… Even if they are related to creating fabricated images, their effects differ from one another.
"Dreams are the subconscious of people's wishes when asleep, or messages from the divine in myths.
"Imaginations are innovations of the mind.
"And last, illusions trick and deceive people from false expectations to the seer… Right, Merlin?"
Even as Ritsuka couldn't help correcting his half-incubus friend, he expressed a knowing stare with an exasperated frown at the well-known catastrophe done.
Merlin beamed with pride at his accomplishments and acknowledged them.
"Another perfect ten points to Ritsuka-kun for the supplementary tidbit information!
"But it's marvelous that you're straightforward between the three to recognize what is your intent when casting the spell.
"Anyway, close your eyes.
"Feel your surrounding into the depths of your magic circuits to bring innate desire into existence.
"Easy?"
Ritsuka nodded to him with a slight shrug. "It's no different from my mother's test to understand what comes into my mind for an imagination. Let's do this."
"Now then, shall we?" Merlin gestured with a pleased look at his pupil's enthusiasm. Another nod of his to guide the raven-haired Master to shut his eyes.
Ritsuka lifted his right hand again. The half-incubus's voice spoke. "In your mind's eyes, what do you see?"
Within the darkness of the raven-haired Master's view, there was a clear image of Merlin's staff in the same position on the ground.
An elastic hand reached to take the item towards him sounded like the comedy genre comics his old elementary school friends talked about.
However, the wind… A warm memory emerged to Ritsuka's mind of a distant past.
He recalled back during the summer when he was nine years old on his family trip to Macedonia's Stobi archeological site.
Even when the sun-scorched hot burning his skin, a mesmerizing sight, it ever would be. His birth mother brought him to view a formerly ancient city close to the battleground of Phillip V defeated the Dardanians.
Standing at the Roman theater to admire, a welcoming gust of wind blew against the young raven-haired boy. The colorful Stobi map he got from Skopje International Airport loosened in his hold and flew high into the wind. Ritsuka looked back. Next, he started chasing as hard as he could against the current for his map.
One small arm from the raven-haired boy stretched out to the sky. His fingertips grazing against the edge of the pamphlet to grasp hold... Ritsuka's right hand turned over to make a beckoning gesture to the half-incubus's staff. An act called forth the gentle breeze of his childhood to float the wizard staff in mid-air.
The staff glided against the wind was like how a message in the bottle drifted across the ocean. Fingertips grazed against the smooth wooden texture, and his right hand switched to grasp hold.
Ritsuka examined the staff back and forth briefly with engrossed blue eyes. But before he breathed a sigh, a commending clap echoed in the darkness to signify the end of an illusion. And Merlin's pleased tone complimented. "Well done on your first shot, Ritsuka-kun. You can open your eyes now!"
The raven-haired Master opened his eyes and grew confused at what his half-incubus friend meant….
To the familiar pink flower field of Avalon, and—!
Both blue eyes widened as soon as his vision cleared and in view.
It wasn't imagination, hallucination, or an illusion deceived by his teacher.
Dark bark brown wooden staff with lilac and light pink crystal secured at the top was in his hands! Ritsuka whirled to his smiling friend, disbelief painting his face altogether. "M-Merlin, this is…?! But, I didn't think—! And now in my hands—!"
"I know, Ritsuka-kun," Merlin smiled broader knowingly at his cute, tongue-tied student. He lifted his right hand to caress his student's head. You can do it if you put your mind to it!
"You said that but… Without your help, I wouldn't be able to do it."
There is no need to be humble. I agree it's only your first step, and it's a long way to bring my teachings to a reality. So, shall we practice again? Time does not matter in Avalon. Be it an hour, day, or millennia has passed…. In a blink of an eye, everything is a dream. Merlin stretched his hand forward to the raven-haired Master.
Instead of being skeptical or hesitant, Ritsuka nodded with a restless and excited face. Handed the staff back to the wizard, he agreed. "Yeah, though I still can't be late to meet my sister and Mash! But I want to hear more of Puck's and King Arthur's story, like you promised!"
Merlin bowed with a simple nod to acknowledge his young Lord's wish. "As you wish, my Lord. Let us go ahead with our lesson."
Watching the staff go back to its former position, Ritsuka raised his hand while thinking to himself. "As usual, do the same thing, like I train my imagination for my mother…."
=0=
"… ster…," A rough male voice called out to his intended party amid the darkness. The said person didn't reply. "… Oi…!"
A loud audible sigh echoed in the darkness, the rough voice becoming familiar by the second as he grumbled. "… Geez… How… He managed… damn… Will be…!"
"Oi kid, wake up. You're already late!"
"H… Huh…?" Ritsuka finally acknowledged, gathering the strength to clear the blackness from his view….
Upon opening his eyes, the raven-haired Master greeted at sight was his blue-haired Caster Servant. Both of them were in the well-lit server room, with Cu Chulainn kneeling on one knee before his Master sitting on the ground.
The former red eyes narrowed to study his Master with one hand placed on the latter's shoulder. His frown lips interrogated to affirm the raven-haired Master's state. "Kid?"
Still in a daze from his slumber, Ritsuka's blue eyes wander around to view his surroundings. His sight settled to peer over his right hand where his palm was facing out.
On the palm, there was a familiar pink-colored flower he recognized quickly from the land of Avalon inside his dreams. He pondered to himself in a daze. "Flo… Wer…?"
A glowing blue butterfly fluttered out of nowhere, landing on a petal.
It suddenly vanished away simultaneously with the flower…
Like an illusion of his own mind, he murmured. "Ah… It's gone…."
"Hey, kid!" Caster Cu Chulainn's voice called out to him once more.
"Huh…?" Turning his attention back to the front, Ritsuka's mind became more apparent, and he finally acknowledged his Servant.
"… Oh, it's you, Caster. What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" Cu quoted with one eyebrow raised. Next, let out a loud snort. "That should be my question, kid. Imouto-chan got worried you forgot the time because you're on maintenance patrol duty today… Or so you're supposed to."
Followed by the red eyes glancing at the open book placed beside him, Ritsuka recalled his situation.
He completed the maintenance checking patrol, with the server room here being the last place.
Finished his duties hours earlier, he sat down to begin his reading until the appointed schedule for training…
Until an angry sigh slipped from the raven-haired Master, fully recalled what transpired from his sleep. "Ah, that's right… That Merlin, he didn't keep his promise to continue telling both King Arthur's and Puck's stories like he said he would at the end…!"
While Ritsuka can't deny with gratitude thanks to the said wizard teaching him practical also questionable magecraft for mission.…
Merlin bid him farewell at the last minute again with his cheerful smile.
He was back to reality after the darkness slammed into his face.
Shook his head to decide to preserve his anger for the actual culprit, the raven-haired Master explained. "I assumed I had the time once I completed the maintenance check on the server before we start our training, Caster. But, maybe investigating on the identity of Mash's Servant and a magecraft to study may have been too much."
"Dedicated one, aren't you?" Cu chuckled as his gaze landed on the book beside his Master. He picked it up and the title of the book cover. "Jewel magecraft?"
Ritsuka shrugged as a reply. He stood up as his Caster moved back, stretching his arm and neck with a faint groan. "Sadakuni-san suggested I'd try exploring different magecraft that gives more practice on strengthening magecraft. But... Old habits die hard, even if they are odd muscle memories. By the way, where are the others?"
"Oh, them? That Sadakuni suggested looking at Imouto-chan's training while waiting for you. She's taking it tough for herself to train up to his tests of an average Magus." Cu answered as he stood up too to join his Master too.
"I heard from Mash, the previous director offered him as a surveillance member of Chaldea.
"His family magecraft is a hybrid of ninjitsu and onmyodo, making one of the valuable backup frontline fighters when dealing with an army."
Yet the prospect of training much more spartan than an average combat training left a frown on Ritsuka's lips.
He let out an exasperated yet troubled sigh after being reminded of the news when he first learned. "Nevertheless, I'm glad Ritsuko told me she found a magecraft to learn and fight..."
As the raven-haired Master walked to the exit, it wasn't as if he didn't understand or comprehend Ritsuko's decision.
But the best answer was to support her choice and entrust Sadakuni to know what he was doing.
"I'm sure your Imouto-chan will be fine, 'Onii-san,'" Cu snickered at his Master's stressed furrowed eyebrows.
"Never realized you're the type to be extremely protective of your own younger sister."
Ritsuka huffed in return with an unamused expression at the accusation. "I'm pretty sure I care for my sister at a healthy amount, as her older brother should. And I know she'll come to me with her smile once she shares the things she learns and shows off to Mash to charm her, too."
"Oh? That's fantastic! Then... What about you, Master?"
The abrupt question caused Ritsuka to pause in his tracks. Next, he turned behind to throw an odd look at his Servant. "Me? What do you mean 'me', Caster?"
Cu simply chuckled, now sauntering over to where his Master was. "Come on, you're not the forgetful kind, right? Your reason in deciding alongside with us Servants. Well, can't deny I'm glad to have a Master who had the guts to go into the front line like a warrior. And I've seen many reasons men fought."
A laugh that reflected nothing of amusement or joy. Neither the smile reached his red eyes, staring at the raven-haired Master like a criminal or prey to the hound.
However, as Ritsuka moved each step back warily…. He maintained both of his blue eyes against Caster's own red.
"For glory and honor, power, money, vengeance, and just about everything when they wield a weapon." Cu narrated with a shrug. Then, his gaze narrowed to reveal suspicion and a bit of coldness he had to his Master.
"But you, what are you fighting for, Master?!"
Now backed against the wall, Caster Cu cornered his Master and slammed his hand to his side to prevent the latter from escaping.
The loud noise of the impact beside Ritsuka caused him to gulp. His frame tensed with alert in the matter of his Servant planned to attack him here and now.
"I, for my experience in countless battles, couldn't figure out who you really are.
"What are you, Fujimaru Ritsuka?"
Cu interrogated with his body, leaned over, his teeth bared in anger to demand the answer.
"Hey, you… Who are you?"
Inside Ritsuka's thoughts, another voice challenged him with a similar question.
But it held indescribable feelings for the Master.
Who is Fujimaru Ritsuka? What is he…? A firm faith was what his Caster required. Ritsuka recognized words won't be enough… If he needed to get Cu's trust to help Ritsuko and Mash…
"… I'm… I'm Fujimaru Ritsuka, the older brother to my sister, Fujimaru Ritsuko," The raven-haired Master asserted.
His blue eyes gaze back into his Caster's red eyes.
"Right now, there is only one place where humanity continues to exist. Ritsuko needs me. I'm the only family she has left. And not only Ritsuko, Doctor Roman, Mash, and everybody, they need me!"
Grabbing hold of the Caster Servant's hand blocking him, Ritsuka shoved it aside and moved a single step forward. "That's why I wish to fight by everyone's side! You may not believe my words, but I refuse to sit by to do nothing and watch both of them to recover our home."
But, even when strained silence took place between the Master and Servant, it lasted less than a few minutes. Cu broke the atmosphere with a heavy sigh, picking up his hand back to rub the back of his neck. "Well, that wasn't the answer I'm hoping to hear, but..."
"But...?"
At Ritsuka's curious prod, the blue-haired Caster finally smirked at him. "I'm countin' on you, Master. You won't be able to use me like normal, but do what you gotta do."
After grasping the unexpected attitude of his Servant, the raven-haired huffed and let out his own exasperated smile to his relief. "That doesn't mean I'm unsure of my plan like back before. Anyway, we're going to be really late if we stay here to keep talking. Let's get going!"
"Aye, aye, Master!" Cu grinned at the notion, tagging behind to follow his Master towards the exit.
When Ritsuka was about to leave, a sudden realization struck his mind, and he panicked. "I almost forgot, the book!"
"Oh, leave that—!"
Before the Caster offered his aid to help, the raven-haired stretched his hand out in attempting to reach out for the book.
A slight gust of current caused it to float from the ground later drifted across the room towards where they stood.
Once he clutched in his hold, Ritsuka sighed in relief. "That was close, or I'm dead for losing a borrowed book—!
"Caster…?" His own mumbling stopped upon catching his Servant's astonished face.
The red eyes enlarged and unblinking at the magical feat performed, Cu narrowed his eyes with skepticism. "Kid, you..."
"Wait, um... Y-You see, I was reading spell books last night too, to study." Ritsuka hurriedly disclosed to his Servant. Or what else would justify his sudden mastery of magic?
"And I stumbled upon a list of basic spells to practice on the Strengthening magecraft—!"
Halfway through his Master's panic blabbering, the blue-haired Caster grinned with pride. He placed an arm around the former's neck and proclaimed. "What do you know?! My Master is spunky and a true genius in mastering magecraft on his own too. Looks like I don't have to waste time teaching you magic spells after all!"
Though the raven-haired Master was mentally relieved and guilty for lying to the Caster… He frowned internally with irritation at his Caster's joy.
"So that's what he was worried about... Then again, it's better than him knowing Merlin teaching me and his insults..."
It was not as if Servants could materialize in a dream to locate his half-incubus friend for a beating.
In the end, Ritsuka settled with his own agreeing smile. "Yeah, I don't want to trouble you or Sadakuni-san to train me, so I look it up myself!"
"Now, that's more like it! Time to show off to the ladies and that Archer bastard at your new tricks!" Cu decided gleefully at his suggestion. He dragged the Master in his tow towards the exit and to their destination training room.
Ritsuka shared the amusement from his Servant. He rolled his eyes at the declaration to watch Emiya's defeated face. "Right, right, just remember to spare us both once things become over-heated between you and 'Mom,' Dad."
"Hey, don't call me that!" The irritation laced in the blue-haired Caster simply let his Master's chuckle transform into a loud laugh from his teasing.
Towards their destination, Ritsuka certain be it Lev, the King of Knights, or whatever enemies Merlin foresaw...
Their goal towards restoring humanity was in his reach quickly with his sister and friends like this.
End of Issue #6
By the chapter number, we're going to reach the end of Fuyuki Arc at last with one more epilogue to go! I'm not that busy like before, but definitely not a good sign to get judged by your colleagues, boss's big boss if you're idle at work OTL
Anyway, I can't promise but I'll try to finish up for the epilogue to finally head to the New Orleans arc!
And yes, I have realized how weird it is for Merlin to know and talk about magic circuits. I'm going with the idea due to his observation of humanity from everything... He just 'knows' more of explaining to Ritsuka since that's what they were taught with. But I assure he's not looking by the magic circuits with his nature as a half-incubus. I'll say the magecraft he's teaching is related to why Ritsuka is connected to Merlin and Avalon.
Lastly Caster Cu and Ritsuka's relationship for those ask on the pairing, this chapter explains why. Looks like our Ritsuka's speech on fighting side by side with Servants isn't as convincing as he thought, whether he realized it or not, does it intentionally or not... It's kind of why I had a dream someone explain what Ritsuka is. There is more that meets the eye for him too, but I'll put in trigger words for chapter relating to it. Hopefully you do enjoy this issue for Fuyuki arc!