Author's Notes: I own nothing. Familiar of Zero belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi while Fate/Stay Night - Heaven's Failure is a Doujinshi made by Limit Break.
Legend of the Sword Dancer: Academy Days
It was uncommon for Knights to visit the Academy. Some former Commanders would come visit and scout potential recruits from the graduating class, or in some cases, the lower years. It had been quite some time since Lord Mailliart met with Osmond regarding the Staff of Destruction. This time, the Palace has sent the pair of Arthur and Albedo over to examine the staff.
"You're rather looking forward to visiting the Academy Sir Arthur," Albedo noted as both walked the halls towards the Headmaster's Office. "Found any potential recruits lately?"
"There are some who are quite promising," Arthur replied. "But I am not looking forward to that reason-"
"Is it a girl?" Albedo asked.
"No," Arthur answered before realizing his mistake. "Okay, it's somewhat related to that, but not because of a girl."
"Really now?"
"I have a letter from the King," Arthur explained. "I have to personally deliver to a specific student, so I'll leave the examining of the "Staff of Destruction" to you."
Both have arrived in front of the office, and knocked at the door. From behind the door, a loud thud was heard followed by some choice words as both Arthur and Albedo heard a groan. Without any permission, Arthur opened the door and saw the Headmaster dusting himself. The pair looked around and saw scattered papers, and sealed scrolls around.
"Maybe you should get a secretary Headmaster," Arthur suggested. "I think the school has enough funding to hire someone."
"What do you mean by "secretary" Sir Marcillac?" Osmond asked as he sat down.
"A person that assists you with the office work." Arthur explained. "Someone who manages your schedule and your appointments among others."
"Isn't that just the Head Maid/Butler's duty?" Osmond asked.
"Something like that," Arthur said. "But I doubt the Head of Staff will have the time to also manage your daily schedule."
"You have a point," Osmund noted. "But enough of that, seeing that Sir Albedo is here means that you are here for the "Staff of Destruction"."
"Yes Headmaster," both men replied.
There are quite a few things that Emilya couldn't understand even during her life as Emiya Shirou, the speed on how rumors spread among school students. It was just the second subject in the morning but the rumor's that the "Lord of Knights" is in the Academy has already spread like wildfire. When the second subject was done, the students proceeded to the Alviss Hall for their lunch.
It was then by this time Arthur, Albedo and Headmaster Osmond passed by. Normally, Emilya is not the one who gets jealous, but somehow it felt as if she was when some seniors began to gossip about the reason for his visit.
"I take it you want to shove a sword into them?" Karin bluntly asked.
"I do not know," Emilya replied. "This feeling is new to me."
Arthur looked at their general direction, and nodded. Some girls mistook the message and began to swoon, while Emilya understood that it meant I'll see you soon.
"It's not too late to do so though," Karin added. "Your engagement was only recently, and because both of you insisted that there should only be a small party, other families were not so informed, aside from both the Mailliart and Marcillac Family's close friends and the Knights of Round."
"I am not sending a sword flying towards a schoolmate." Emilya replied firmly. "Besides, he will come visit us soon, that nod was somewhat an unspoken message."
"I doubt you could read minds," Karin said. "Or is this another of your secrets?"
"You know the answer already." Emilya smiled.
"I hate you."
"Love you too."
The bell rang signifying that the it was almost time for the afternoon classes. And the pair began to walk towards the classroom in the Fire Tower. Emilya was informed by her sister that classes regarding each element is taught in the Four Elemental Towers, as she had no prior knowledge of how classes are taught in the Academy. And the fifth tower that signified Void was never opened due to it being of the Sacred Element of Lord Brimir.
During her past classes, she was quite the topic of the class regarding her "magic". Her performance on basic level was passable, but not on the level of her peers. She has skills in Wind Magic, must be due to her [Graduation Air] that became her signature spell. Fire and Water, not so much as she can barely cast any spells from them. While Earth Magic was where she excelled purely because of her tutelage under Rex Lapis, and the "loophole" of her Origin.
"The wand is a Noble's Focus, wandless casting is not impossible for it require quite the literal amount of "focus" from the caster to cast a spell." she remembered Rex Lapis's lecture about wandless magic.
With that in mind, she tried her hand at making her own wand, something to help her cast [Elemental Magic]. Before she started for the Academy, she was given the time to buy the necessaries she might need for her stay at the academy. She took the chance to buy extra wands from the wandmaker, and set on dismantling them. And the common wand was of wood wrapped around a neutral core, a clear colored jewel. She took one of the cores and tried her hand at [Jewel Craft].
"Rin would have killed me if she saw that screw up." she remembered.
Though she failed on her experiment, such is the life of a Magus. Still, she always wondered how a simple wand was able to assist her in casting "Halkeginian Magic" and not clash with her Origin. Maybe it was the neutral core, or the difference in how Halkeginian Mages cast magic allowed her to do so. And before she knew, the day was almost over, but she saw a senior student hand a letter to the teacher.
"Misses Mailliart, your presence is requested by the Headmaster." the teacher called out.
When Arthur saw Emilya and Karin sitting together as they passed by the Alviss Hall, and gave a silent message to her as Osmond showed them a secret passage. There the three was soon faced with a large enchanted vault.
"Was there always a secret passage here?" Albedo asked. "I remember spending my nights mapping the school during my time here..."
The Headmaster and Knight Commander both turned towards the Historian.
"Really?" Albedo asked. "Not even the Lord of Knights was curious about the secrets of the school?"
"I assure you Sir Albedo," Osmond laughed. "I have quite the concealment spell cast over this passage, and no one lower than a Square-Class mage should be able to detect it. Don't you agree Sir Marcillac?"
"Yes," Arthur replied. "Though I only accidentally discovered it when I tried to clean this hallway with a wind spell. Though there was a rumor about a certain Germanian Envoy a few years before I started, is that true? I hear-"
"I have no clue of what you mean by that Sir Marcillac." Osmond interrupted.
They arrived at the Vault and Osmond opened it with quite a few specifically cast spell pattern, starting with Wind, Water, Earth then Fire. The Vault opened revealing a spacious room with only the "Staff of Destruction" as centerpiece.
It took one look at the staff, and Arthur already knew that it was not of Halkegina of Origin.
"A rocket launcher?" Arthur thought. "This looks like something Kiritsugu would use."
"The fabled "Staff of Destruction","Osmond explained. "Powerful to kill a Dragon with no incantation needed. I believed it has ties to [Void Magic], as there was a written legend about Lord Brimir using explosive spells against the elves."
"Past tense," Albedo noted, as he began to draw a detailed picture of the "staff". "You said believed."
"I tried to use it as a focus," Osmod admitted. "But it was only until I had hired Rex Lapis as an Instructor did I find out what it really was."
"And?"
"It was nothing more than a hollow tube with a strange metal container at the middle," Osmond said. "Sir Lapis's one of the best Earth Mages in Tristain, and his skill in identifying the craftsmanship and quality of an object has never failed him."
"Yes, but the man is always short on Écu."
"The man refuses to [Transmute] Gold, let him be, there are laws regarding that category."
"In terms of Écu, we have no Écu."
"I hope you are quite done with the jokes," called a voice from behind them. "Your visitor from Oriz Academy has arrived and is already seated at your office."
The three turned and saw the man of their topic stand beside the vault door with his arms crossed. A strangely shaped orb was floating around him, and placed at his back was his "staff".
"To teach the students [Earth Magic], and defend the school if necessary," he stated. "That is the contract, now if you excuse me I have a class to teach."
After Rex Lapis left the three, Osmond dusted himself and proceeded to his office, reminding the two to close the vault when the inspection is done.
"I shouldn't have said that," Albedo noted. "Shouldn't have said that."
"You were the one who started the topic." Arthur reprimanded. "And he technically is still your senior."
Later that day, after their last class, Emilya and Karin were called to the Headmaster's Office. They were escorted by one of the Academy Maids, and soon the office door was already in sight. The maid knocked on the door, and the headmaster called them to come inside. Inside was Arthur and Osmond, with Osmond retelling of where he buried the owner of the staves.
"I would be surprised that Romalia would unearth that grave should you tell Cardinal Sergio where I buried the man." the two heard Osmond say.
"With the stunt the Conquistadors pulled, Romalia request that all "possible Artifacts" be presented, or surrendered to them. Ezra's contacts in Gallia and Germania confirm that both Kingdoms are also searching for more." said Arthur.
"Gallia, there should be others," Osmond said. "But Germania, it is not founded by Lord Brimir's Children , so an Artifact would be difficult to find there. What word of Albion?"
"Albion has halted search for safety reasons, though they are asking for aid in scouring the sea where Albion used to reside." Arthur finished before looking at Emilya and Karin. "My apologies young Ladies, but the headmaster wanted news about the current Artifact Hunt."
"It is nothing Lord Marcillac," Karin assured. "But we may have overheard the discussion."
Arthur stood and pulled two sealed letters from beneath his cloak. "His majesty wishes to meet with the Knight in Red and Iron Masked Knight, and I have already informed the Headmaster of the two of you."
Both girls looked at the headmaster, and he smiled. "I wish you two well on your endeavors, many others tried before you, but only a few managed to become true Knights."
"This weekend, a carriage will come get you two." Arthur explained. "But do not change your clothes while in the Academy."
Somewhere in the Palace of Tristania, Centurion de la Vallerie was walking the halls. He was currently making his rounds around the palace as he was assigned by King Phillip to do so. Suddenly one of the butlers called his attention.
"Lord Vallerie," the butler said. "Princess Marianne is missing from her room again."
"HOW!?"
The princess's room is always guarded by the door, or windows. So no matter the way the Princess should sneak out, at least one of the guards should be able to notice her.
"I'll go look for her." he assured.
POST CHAPTER NOTES:
To answer/reply to some recent reviews:
1. The "Ending Skit" was more of a Cameo, and not a Marvel X-Over for "Legend of the Sword Dancer". Who know who comes next? (Except me of course.)
2. I have a "Familiar" for Emilya ready, and will be introduced in the later chapters when I make it to the Summoning Ritual. I'd give a clue, but that would ruin the introduction (I think...).
3. Nothing beat's the English VA for Zhongli when he delivered that "I will have Order!" when he was introduced.
Author's Ramblings:
Honestly (Looking at the Faves and Follows), I have no idea how I made it this far. Thanks for the support!