Rin and I attracted quite a few stares on our trip back to the hotel. Sella, as an Einzbern's Humonculus, had extensive know-how about bodies. Under her tender ministrations, Rin would be up in tip-top shape in no time.

Mum was the resident sniper and demo specialist. My uncle and I excelled in close and personal. But dad was the man with the plan. Using a backup phone, I informed him of the clusterfuck.
-"...and now Sella is patching her up."

He didn't wait, he didn't fricking stutter.
-"Take money for the mahr and pry apart the southern wall on the safehouse 523. There you can find an ancient Jezzail, a fitting shabka for an Edelfelt."

I didn't understand those words. But I DID get the gist of money and weapons for an Edelfelt.
-"You are not suggesting what I think you are suggesting, riiiiiiiiiiight?"

Dad's lighter clicked across the line and I could almost see his smug smile, the same one he got when he schooled me in magical contracts. Taking away my Ice-cream, the monster!
-"Why would I suggest it?"

Rubbing my brain cells together, I tried to see beyond the obvious.
-"If Fiia bats for our team, then she stops helping our adversaries, some juicy intel is a bonus. But I won't allow her to kill my Rin in order to get the spot."
The last part came out in a growl that surprised me.

-"Good. That is a good mindset to have, that will keep you grounded instead of becoming a moronic Magus."
He paused for a drag.
"Poligamy is legal in Egypt."

The phone slid from my slack fingers, the screen cracking on a corner when it met the hard tiles.
-"No way, no fucking way!"
I slapped Mini Shiriou the Degenerate away, the crimson fucker was making kissy faces and lewd gestures with his hips.
"Are you mad? Rin AND Fiia?!"
My throat scored a high note as the impending doom loomed over the horizon.

Dad's reply was flat.
-"Head in the game, son. We are playing for keeps here."
He took a long drag, which was his tell for bad news.
"More than that, who gets the holy cup, if the info that Tokiomi got is reliable, could even shank the Clocktower's Director."

My heart sunk to my ankles.
-"I...I...will take the ...the money and the rifle."
Looking across the room, where Rin was resting after her brush with the reaper, the shreds of my will solidified.
"What does mom think of the plan?"

-"More. Grankids."

-"Figures."

Inspecting the soggy cellphones, I started to run Structural Analysis. And boy, were cellphones a complex machine. I settled down to my usual baby-steps approach whenever I tried to learn something really complex. Screws and frame. Then I tried to project the circuit board, the hundreds of holes and pathways alone gave me an aneurysm.

Rubbing Sella's head, I made up my mind.
-"Please, look over her. I will see if we can expand the family."

Sella put her hands on her cheeks and her eyes sparkled.
-"Should I call Leysritt to get the nursery started?"

-"WHAT?"

She poked me on the nose.
-"Gotcha!"