Chapter 15: Questioning.
"Excuse me, Takagi-san." Kazuki asked while he and Saber were following the detective, making his head turn. "Can I use my phone to send a message?"
"Sure." the man replied, stopping in his tracks. The magus and his Servant stopped as well, as the former fished his phone out of his pocket and began typing.
"Hello Sayaka. I'm writing to let you know that I might be home a little late, so don't worry. See you later!" he typed. As he finished, he noticed that the detective was glancing at the screen, and thus Saber was slightly glaring at him.
"U-Um..." he uncertainly uttered, making him notice the swordsman's glare as well and quickly stop looking.
"Sorry, Kazuki. Professional deformation." he quickly said "I have to make sure criminals don't type anything suspicious...". Kazuki sighed.
"Right, I understand." he replied, in a much calmer voice, as they resumed walking.
"What did you write?" Saber asked his Master.
"I wrote to my friend." Kazuki replied, in a quieter tone "I told her I might be home later than usual."
"Now you're making it look suspicious, Kazuki." Kuro commented "There's nothing wrong with that."
"Oh, sorry!" Kazuki quickly replied, with a slight bow.
"You don't need to apologize." Kuro replied, with a slight smile.
During the walk, the atmosphere had been quite warm, but that ended once they arrived at the police station.
Once they entered the building, they had to leave their weapons by the entrance. the detective guided them to an office where his superior, a man with a stern look, was waiting for them.
"Aokage Kazuki." the man began as the magus and the swordsman took a seat in front of him "Detective Takagi has told me quite a bit about you." Hearing that statement, Kazuki turned to Takagi, who was standing by his side, with a confused stare, since the detective knew information about Magecraft was to be kept secret. The police superior, with a guttural sound, recalled the gray-haired youth's attention before he could ask any questions.
"It wasn't easy for him to tell me." he continued, in a severe tone. "But I urged him to do so, because we can't allow any more atrocities like the Berserker Murder String happen again." Kazuki's head slightly hung at the mention of the events of 6 months before. "You know Magecraft more than anyone else as far as we know, so, if we are to protect the citizens of Misaki from more catastrophes related to Magecraft, we'll need your help."
"Understood, sir." Kazuki earnestly replied. Despite the secrecy under which the magic world was to be kept, he agreed with the policeman about the danger Misaki could have faced anytime soon.
"I'm grateful for your willingness to collaborate, but I have to ask..." the man said, glancing at Saber "Who's the man accompanying you?" At that point Kuro moved towards him and, once he had reached him, whispered some information in his ear. The man nodded as the detective walked back by Kazuki's side.
"Is that man your Servant?" he asked, to which the youth slightly nodded.
"When did you summon him?" the man quickly asked.
"Right before Takagi-san had asked me to come here." Kazuki replied.
"Can you tell me the details?"
"I had been attacked by a person I didn't know. A man wearing a priestly black cape, armed with an halberd. He had a Servant as well, a Lancer-class… I was about to defend myself with my katana when it began shining, and then he appeared, and the stranger left..."
"What?" Kuro couldn't help but ask "But why did he do that?"
"He had said that the purpose of his attack was to make me summon my Servant..." the youth thoughtfully murmured.
"Since we're at it, tell me more about Servants." the man urged Kazuki to speak "How can one summon them?"
"Of course, only magi can summon them." Kazuki began explaining "They're summoned either through a ritual, or when the magic circuit of a magus touches an object related to a determined historical figure or myth. Servants, in fact, are spirits of legendary historical or mythical figures."
"Yes, I've been informed about that. Anything else?" the man questioned.
"There's a maximum of 7 Servants which can be summoned, one for each class, which means that there can be a maximum of 7 Masters."
"I see..." the man mused, his fingers on his chin "We have you and your Servant, Ryoki Hideki is dead and Berserker has disappeared. Also, you mentioned Lancer, a Servant at the service of the man who had attacked you."
"Exactly, sir." Kazuki nodded "The remaining Servants are Archer, Caster, Rider and Assassin, but I don't know if they have been summoned yet..."
"I understand." the man said "Is there something else I need to know?"
"Actually, sir, I think that there's one more thing worth mentioning..." Kazuki murmured.
"Then don't waste time and say it!" the man urged.
"…This war shouldn't even be happening." the youth said. At this revelation, both Kuro and his superior had astonished expressions on their face.
"What?" the latter asked "What do you mean by that?"
"I know that the Holy Grail War had always been fought in Fuyuki City, never in Misaki, with the Fifth War of 17 years ago being the last one." Kazuki replied "Moreover, 7 years ago, the Mage's Association, a guild to which most of the magi are bound, have officially stopped all attempts to access to the Greater Grail, the true purpose of the war. To put it in more simple terms, it has been officially stated that there wouldn't have been any more Holy Grail Wars."
"You've never told this before..." Kuro said, astonishment still sitting upon his features.
"I'm sorry." Kazuki replied "Must have slipped from my mind..."
"But still, it's happening." the man said, in an irritated tone "Servants are being summoned. How can this be?"
"I don't know, sir..." Kazuki replied, casting his gaze downwards.
"Can you perhaps make an hypothesis?" Kuro suggested.
"I can think of one." the youth mused "It's possible that a magus has been trying to access the Greater Grail or has acquired an artifact which might have allowed him to recreate the war for his own purposes..."
"But it's only an hypothesis..." the man said "We'll need a way to confirm it before the situation gets worse..." At those words, Kazuki immediately stood up.
"Please, allow me to investigate." he said, his voice filled with determination. "I'll search for the other Masters and I'll inform you about any major developments.
"Are you sure?" Kuro asked "You're the one who told me the Holy Grail War consists in Masters killing each other."
"True." Kazuki readily replied "But, as I said earlier, this has happened when the official Holy Grail Wars have stopped. I don't want to abide by the rules of something that shouldn't be happening. Hopefully there are Masters who think the same, knowing of the Association's decision. With their help, it won't be hard to track down the source of this phenomenon."
"The reliability of this plan is debatable as best..." the man said "...But it might be the only possible course of action. How do you plan to inform us?"
"I'll contact Takagi-san directly and I'll pass him the information I'll be able to find." the magus replied, before looking at his Servant, who had been silent for the entirety of the questioning until then.
"Whatever is your decision, I'll support you and protect you as your Servant." he said, with a nod.
"It's decided, then." the man said. "I thank you for your cooperation. You may leave now." the man finally said, prompting Kazuki, Saber and Kuro to leave the room. As they collected their weapons at the entrance of the station, the detective put a hand on the youth's shoulder, making him turn his head to him.
"Let me ask you again, Kazuki..." he asked, concern clearly audible in his tone "Are you sure you're ready to do this?" The young magus casted his gaze downwards.
"I didn't want to be involved in this, Takagi-san..." he murmured "No, I hoped this wouldn't had happened at all... But I can't run away now." He then looked at Kuro with determined eyes.
"I don't want any innocent people to pay the consequences of the actions of mages." He continued "And, since it's in your interest to protect the innocents from harm, I will help you. Some people have already lost their lives 6 months ago because of mages, and that's already too much..." he then cast his gaze downwards once more, one of his hands closed in a fist as the thought of the death of Akane Torikawa crossed his mind.
"Kazuki..." the man murmured, quickly understanding his friend's feelings and putting both his hands on the youth's shoulders.
"I'll end this with my hands." the young magus finally said, looking back at him. After some moments of silence, Kuro spoke again.
"I see..." he said "Good luck."
"Thank you, Takagi-san..." Kazuki replied, with a faint smile "I'll need it."
"Just remember you're not the only one involved into this." the detective said "You don't have to fight alone." After the youth nodded at that, a smile appeared on his own face "Besides, you don't need to thank me. There's nothing I wouldn't do for this town and for my friends." It was then that the youth remembered something important.
"Oh, right!" he exclaimed, before turning to his Servant. "Saber, can you trace my position even though you don't know this town?" The swordsman calmly nodded.
"I can follow your magic signature. It wouldn't be hard for me to find you." he replied "Why's that?"
"A friend of mine will be visiting me." Kazuki explained "Since I don't want her to get involved in this, it's best if she doesn't see you for the time being..." He then turned to Kuro. "Takagi-san, can I ask you to bring him to Tohno-san's mansion?" The detective was surprised by the request, but eventually complied.
"Thank you so much!" he said, with a bow "Once my friend will be back home, I'll call Tohno-san on the phone and tell her that Saber can come home."
"Understood." Saber nodded.
"Thank you for understanding." Kazuki smiled "And, Takagi-san, thank you for the help!"
"Don't mention it, Kazuki!" Kuro smiled back.
"Not to mention, you get to see Tohno-san after so much time!" the youth remarked, as his smile turned into a grin. The statement made the detective chuckle.
"Yeah, you're right..." he replied.
"Kazuki, please stay safe on your way home!" Saber warned.
"Don't worry, Saber, I will." his Master reassured him, with a faint smile. "My first priority will be to keep a low profile and not to draw too much attention."
"Sounds like a plan." Kuro said.
"It's decided, then." Kazuki said, fishing out his phone from his pocket.
"What are you doing?" Saber asked.
"I'm calling Tohno-san!" he said as he dialed the number and made the call.
"Hello?" After some time, the woman replied.
"Good evening, Tohno-san..." Kazuki said "I called because there are two things I have to tell you..."
"What is it, Aokage-kun?" Akiha asked, as calmly as ever.
"Well, first: I've gotten myself in trouble..." the youth replied, not as calmly "And second: you'll be having guests for the evening." As expected, the heiress was left quite baffled by the magus's statement.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I've gotten involved in a supernatural phenomena." Kazuki replied.
"Demons again?" Akiha inquired.
"No, I'm afraid it's worse. Remember the Berserker Murder String of 6 months ago?" After hearing a sound of approval from the heiress, the young magus continued "It's happening again, and it could even get worse this time."
"Are you taking care of it?" the heiress asked.
"Yes, but I'm not alone." Kazuki said "I have a reliable partner at my side." He could swear he had heard her sighing in relief upon hearing, before she spoke once again.
"Well then, remember you can always come to me if you need any help." she said.
"Thank you, Tohno-san." the magus replied "Actually, there is something I need your help with..."
"Hm? And what would that be?" the heiress asked.
"I'll have to drop this partner of mine at your mansion for a bit." Kazuki explained "I need to keep a low profile, for now at least."
"Are you planning to have him come back?" Akiha asked.
"Exactly." the youth confirmed "I'll call you when he'll have to come back." After some time, the last of the Tohno house agreed with the idea.
"Ok." she said "I'll be waiting. Let me know if anything unusual happens."
"Will do." Kazuki replied "Thank you so much!"
"There's no need to thank me, Aokage-kun." she said "Have a good night."
"Yes, a good night to you as well." he replied, with a nod, before closing the call.
"You didn't tell her about me coming to drop him there." Kuro commented, making the youth turn to him.
"I don't have to tell everything about it, do I, Takagi-san?" he replied, with a slight smirk on his face, before winking. Upon understanding his friend's intentions, the detective let out a heartful laugh, as Kazuki joined him.
"Of all people, I wouldn't expect you to pull off such a stunt, Kazuki." he commented. The magus then turned to Saber.
"Well then, I'll see you later, Saber." Once the Servant had nodded at the statement, the youth turned to the detective.
"Takagi-san..." he asked "Please say hi to Tohno-san for me!"
"Will do, Kazuki." he replied, with a nod "Please, stay safe on your way home."
"I will, thank you." Kazuki said, before he parted ways with Kuro and Saber.
As the magus walked home to greet his childhood friend, his mind was set on the bizarre events of that day, which didn't promise anything good.
"No matter how hard you try, there will always be a person or two who will get tangled up in your struggle." The words Akiha had left him came back at his mind.
"I just hope to keep them out of harm's way..." he thought "This struggle will definitely be bigger and more dangerous than what I had to face back then…"