"Thhhha thankyou ser and thankyou for this opportunity to ...to escort you and your wives...Concubines. Your lovely wife and your conbucines...mean...concubines."
The fresh officer was sweating buckets, while the crusty Master Sargeant was ready to puke from second-hand embarrassment.
We reached the city in record time escorted by the 7th Legion and now it was time to depart at the city's entrance. Having recovered a bit over the trip, I was standing tall on our horse, but Rin was taking the wheel on the diplomatic approach. My only duty was to look at them like they were the lowest form of bacteria under my horse's horseshit.
Rin waved and sent kisses their way.
-"Ciao! Ciao! Molto grazie!"
In no time we entered the city proper and I poked her in the ribs.
-"Just how many languages do you know?"
She fanned herself with the Clocktower's Monthly that Elisa gifted her among thousands of apologies.
-"The Clocktower's Monthly is printed in a different language each month. I loathe Agust's Sumerian."
-"Why? No one can know 12 languages. That's stupid."
She patted my cheek and shook her head.
-"That's the world of Clocktower's politics. No one will admit they don't know something, they will offer some generic platitudes."
Here she adopted her Posh Magus persona.
"The last issue was poignant, incisive and yet I have this feeling they didn't dare to reach beyond. Tut tut...Maybe some sponsor silenced their findings ..."
Returning to her Casual Rin, the Rin I have grown used to these past days, she continued.
"A magus will always suspect treachery. Suggest it and they will overlook that you didn't even mention the content of the magazine."
At the bottom of the stairs of the Aqua Regia main entrance, a valet took our horses. Quickly and efficiently, we were directed by a river of employees to the top floor. The lift doors parted and we were greeted by a figure who jumped over Rin.
-"SOrrrry...sorry...sorry.."
Sakura was threatening to snap Rin's back in half.
Both sisters let the waterfalls rip and I walked till I stood close to my parents. No hugs. No head rubbing. Not now. Not here. Not yet.
-"Debrief, son."
My eyes travelled to Mr. Goatee and back.
-"Maybe Rin needs to refresh herself before we tell the tale."
Mum winked at dad and then she hugged me.
-"Awwww my lil baby now is all gwon up and is worried about his widdle little gilfiend. It's soo cuute."
While she smooshed my cheeks, she used the opportunity to whisper in my ear.
"Danger?"
I looked down, poking my fingers together, playing the part of the shy son.
-"Edelfelts."
Mum made a silent gesture and Dad took me under his arm.
-"Go look yourself, champ. When I was your age..."
Mr. Tohsaka guffawed and raised his cup of tea.
-"Go on, have some time with your little rascal, Root knows that I missed my gentle flower."
We moved aside to another room, Mum taking the girls with her. We offered them food and drink, and they descended upon the sandwiches with the fury of piranhas. While mum talked with the sandwich-destroyers, I relayed all the details of our trip to dad.
All of it.
Cave, Executor, Fiia shooting Teflon-coated ammo, the filched passport, ...every tiny and insignificant detail. That's what differentiates Pros from Amateurs. I showed him the contents of the backpack, the stolen diary and the bloody diamonds. There was no room for shame nor self-loathing, I poured all my memories raw. How I left no one to interrogate, how I failed to take into account a possible ambush after the doors. I didn't check for wards, I didn't conjure body armour. I didn't...I didn't so many things and I listed them all.
Dad placed a hand over my shoulder.
-"Enough, son, enough."
I looked down at my feet.
-"I was lucky, we could have died so many times over and so many diffe-"
He silenced me with a finger on my lips. Then he took me by the shoulders and made me face mum. She was on a couch fixing the girls hair into neat braids.
-"Decades ago, I meet a woman for whom I charged against the 26th Apostle Ancestor. I was wary at first when you told me of your contract with her, but now, I think you have found your own Maiya Hisau."
I dried my watering eyes with the back of my hand.
-"Well, gramps gave me his blessings."
When mum joined us, she gave us the rundown. The language wasn't a barrier for her.
-"There is a large scale operation under the tacit auspice of Ibrahim Inc. I know some people who can reallocate them."
Dad shared the cliff notes with mum while she poured over the stolen diary.
-"Lifeforce of rulers... the blood of kings... If memory serves, this isn't a plural but singular. The lifeforce of the ruler. The blood of the king."
She circled the words with her finger.
"The King. Not any king. But a King of Kings."
Dad whispered low, almost with a hint of fear.
-"The cup? The Zelretch-damned cup?"
Mum used a nail, scratching around the diary's backing. A part came off and she tugged at it. It was old vellum, brown with age. She opened it up and it had the drawings of a chalice.
My finger rose, shaking. Well, my entire self was shaking. The Mini Shirious weren't doing better, Mini Shiriu the Red was hiding under my clothes while Toga Shiriou's was straight out passed out.
-"Is is issss that the grial? The..the.."
Mom shook her head in the affirmative.
-"The Holy Grial."
