Prologue
Part 3
1 year ago…
“Hum? Ah, Justeaze!”
A shout from the distance got the attention of the homunculus dressed in white.
A white hood protected her face from not only the harsh winter winds, but the suspicious looks of the locals as well.
Appropriate Boundary Fields had been installed around the perimeter of the bustling town, but it never hurt to be too careful.
The small path that courted the flourishing riverbed was a strangely devoid of life in the afternoon sun that bathed all the passerby’s in its warm embrace. It was somewhat redundant to think that a single woman in white would not have drawn attention to herself.
Yet, like it was a work of some kind of charm, all the people travelling up and down the path left her alone.
Of course, it was a charm. Something simple he had created for her use in this somewhat prejudiced land.
Nevertheless, even with such a charm, he could find her without an effort. Such was the bond that had quickly matured between the two.
“I see you have returned, Nagato. I assume this means that your training with the Wizard Marshall has finally come to an end?”
Justeaze’s voice was as frigid as always, but nobody who knew her actually thought it meant she was being cold.
For example, Tohsaka Nagato was well aware that it was just her way of talking.
Then again, he had always been good when it came to reading people.
Maybe it was because of the fact that although he turned 30 years old next year, he was still a teenager at heart.
Not even the harsh teaching of the Kaleidoscope had been able to break the energetic spirit of the short-haired man.
“Yeah, the old fart really knows how to stretch out everything. I mean, I was supposed to finish it by last year! Why did I have to spend three months overtime in that stinking cave at Hokkaido??”
Nagato complained while making large gestures to emphasis his point.
His flamboyant, red yukata adorned with flames turning into petals of cherry blossoms really suit his personality.
Short, wild hair, cropped beard and shining, cerulean eyes made his already youthful vigor seem even more overbearing.
Tohsaka Nagato and Justeaze had already met about five years ago.
It was then that she had arrived to Japan, in the dark of the night to avoid being found out by local military.
Makiri had already been in Japan, but he was busy relocating their hideaway that had been found out, so it was left up to Tohsaka Nagato to escort her to the safety.
They had met under the moonlight, when the boat Justeaze and her servant had used hit the shore.
Nagato had been there, wrapped in a disguising cloak.
And what truly surprised Justeaze was the fact that this young man, in a land that was famous for killing any foreigners that tried to enter the country, would actually extend his hand to help her out of the boat, smile brilliantly, and say…
“Don’t worry. Whatever happens from now on, I’ll protect you as long as you’re here in Japan.”
Such a casual promise.
— Yet it was given with utmost determination.
As long as Tohsaka Nagato was beside Justeaze in Japan, he would not let any harm fall upon her.
“I believe the meditation period had something to do with the fact that you are trying to achieve your connection to the Root by reaching the natural state of body and mind, complete oneness, also referred to as “Nirvana” in the Buddhist texts…”
Justeaze tilted her head in a slightly confused manner.
She was not sure if the sometimes weird man had already forgotten his long-term goal as a magus.
“I know, I know. Doesn’t mean I have to exactly like it—“
Nagato sighed in an exaggerated way.
“I never understand the concept of doing things before they’re supposed to be done. Stuff like that is just meaningless, in the end, if they do not matter until the given time. Like that meditation. What good is meditation if it’s done before I’m supposed to reach that state of enlightenment? Training I can understand, but doing it just because? That just seems wrong.”
If there was something weird about Nagato, however, it was his way of thinking.
Justeaze had realized it differed not only from her way of thinking, but from that of most other humans.
It was a strange mixture of Japanese-upbringing and idolization of western concepts and manners, combined together by Nagato’s here-and-now personality.
Everything he did happened “now”. It was an explosive personality that would have been branded as “simple” in most cases.
— Yet it was anything but.
A man who could understand so vast periods of times as “now” was nothing akin to simple.
“So, anyways. What are you doing, Justeaze? Just out for a walk?”
“In a way, yes. I have been watching over the construction process of the castle in the woods surrounding this town, but alas, I am not trained in arts of masonry and architecture, hence I am nothing but a figure-head on the construction site. Therefore, I deemed it better to have a moment to breathe and collect my thoughts here, by the riverside.”
The two of them had, indeed, met by the riverside.
The Mion River was as busy as ever, with fishers and merchants alike going up and down the river with their small wooden boats.
Good-natured hellos filled the air every now and then as two boats passed each other.
And, near the center of the river, few ferrymen still offered their services, even though the need for ferries was dying out.
Now that the large, wooden bridge across the Mion River had been finished, almost everyone used it.
The temple-district of Shinto was much easier to access these days than it had been about ten years ago. This was not good news for the monks of the old Ryudou temple.
Even Nagato remembered how he used to take the late-night ferry to watch the moon’s reflection on the river with his wife…
“Really? Heh, yeah, the river really makes your spirit calm down, right? I visit here a lot after the day of work! Good place to catch a breath and think about what you’ve accomplished during the day, huh?”
Nagato chuckled and squatted down to look at the line where the path met the water.
“I see. I understand. It must require periodical visits to the riverside if it is the only way to keep your spirit calm. Have you then been unable to visit here lately, as your spirit seems to have been very out of control as of late?”
“Geh—! Justeaze, that’s just harsh, you know?”
Justeaze shook her head and gracefully lowered her stance, so that now she and Nagato were side-by-side, staring at the river where the stalks grew from the water.
“I did not mean that in a harsh or judging sense at all. I might not know a great deal about humans, but personally, I do find the fact that you are always so spirited uplifting. It is as if I can feel that energy being absorbed by myself, if you would require a metaphor. Ergo, I would not say I do not like it. If I had to choose, I would deem that I find it quite pleasant and that I like it, that is, your presence, very much.”
Though Justeaze did not see it, the moment he heard that, Nagato flushed bright red.
“W-what—!? D-don’t think that flattery will get you anything! I’m a grown man, I won’t be fooled just like that! Idiot!”
Nagato turned his head away from Justeaze with a slight pout on his face.
It was a somewhat surreal sight.
A man as energetic and full of life as Nagato getting embarrassed by the careless words of the aloof homunculus like Justeaze.
However, from the moment they had met, their relationship had been like that.
Try as she might, Justeaze could not understand the workings of Nagato’s mind.
“I do not believe that I was actively trying to achieve something with my words. However, on another note: Have you heard that Shinju was looking for you?”
Justeaze looked quizzically at Nagato.
“She was? Man, I think I must find her soon. Who knows what that girl will do if she doesn’t have her way…”
“Oh, do not trouble yourself about it. I told her that I would remain here, and that if I saw you, would tell you too to wait here until she returned.”
Justeaze turned to look at the large bridge that connected the town of Miyama to the temple-district called Shinto, being the link that truly defined the town that was called “Fuyuki”.
On that bridge, she already saw a familiar sight of a long-haired girl in red, running down the wooden slope with bare feet.
Unlike the dignified and calm people around her, the girl was truly a ball of fire and energy, darting from one place to another in just a few seconds.
“Hmh? Oh, speak of the devil…”
Nagato grinned as he saw the young girl who approached them.
Her long black hair was flowing freely in the wind, having been cut like hair of princesses’ of ancient times.
Her sapphire-like eyes seemed to have a spark ignite in them when they fell upon Nagato and Justeaze.
The twelve years old girl waved furiously when she saw the two and ran up to them, full of energy like only young children are.
“Hey, Daddy! Aneja!”
The girl greeted them with vigorous voice, causing Nagato to chuckle.
He ruffled the girl’s hair, earning an embarrassed giggle from that.
“Good to see you, Shinju. You’ve grown so much during these few months.”
Nagato grinned at his daughter, who grinned right back at him.
To Justeaze, it revealed just how much these two actually resembled each other.
Truly like a father and daughter.
Tohsaka Nagato and Tohsaka Shinju.
Currently the only members alive from the main branch of the Tohsaka family.
Being secretly Christians in a Japan had taken its toll on some other members, but these two had been able to survive.
“So, what have you been up to since Daddy’s been gone, Shinju?”
Nagato asked while his daughter sat on his lap.
Shinju chuckled and puffed her chest proudly.
“I’ve been helping out with the ritual, Daddy! Grandpa Zel said that I was a huge help when it came to deciding the positions of the artificial Circuits connected to the Teleidos Crystal! Something about me being naturally attuned to crystals and gems!”
Shinju explained in a grand voice, apparently very excited about all the things she had been helping with.
“W-what? The old fart took you as a part of the project?”
Nagato’s voice wavered for a fraction of the second, but then it was back to the normal cheerfulness.
Justeaze realized that unlike herself, Shinju might not have noticed that small change in the tone.
It made the homunculus wonder just how well she had gotten to know and understand the man next to her, and in such a short amount of time.
“Yeah! I’m not amazing with all the elements like you are, Daddy, but Grandpa Zel says I’m even more rare type of magus, because I have a rare Origin, or something!”
“Now, now, a rare Origin? Ooh, Daddy’s so proud! So proud! His little angel is finally becoming elegant and rare, like all the gems of the Tohsaka family—“
Nagato spoke it all with a playful voice, and in the end, he caught his daughter in a big, squeezing hug and began to nuzzle against his daughter’s cheek.
Of course, a twelve years old girl like Shinju did not find it that great.
“D-Daddy! You’re being too clingy, like always! L-let go or I’ll lug you straight in the nose! S-stop it! Daddy—!”
But Tohsaka Nagato did not listen, and instead decided to tease his daughter further.
And, needless to say, Tohsaka Shinju did not find this amusing at all.
Justeaze watched the father and daughter continue their silly moment of peace, both exhibiting affection towards each other but in a fairly different ways.
While Nagato was very open and joyful about how much he loved his daughter, Shinju, on the other hand, tried to hide some of it, and only grudgingly said anything about it aloud.
And when she did, it was usually in the form of a very specific denial she made to hide her embarrassment.
To Justeaze, it reminded her of those weird times when she had praised Nagato, and he responded in a much similar way.
—Justeaze wondered that if it was something that was being passed down in blood.
“Well, tomfoolery aside…”
Nagato got up and, to Justeaze’s surprise, put his daughter down at her lap like it had been the most natural thing to do.
Homunculus stared at the child with eyes wide, having completely frozen up.
This was completely new situation to Justeaze, after all.
She had never really interacted with children, and certainly had not been this close to them.
“There are few things I need to take care of. Could you watch Shinju for me while I do them, Justeaze?”
“—Eh, wait, Naga—“
But the man was already making his way up the riverbed.
“Thanks, Justeaze! I’ll be back soon enough, I promise!”
And so, both Justeaze and Shinju had been left behind by the man who had introduced them to each other in the first place.
Justeaze found herself, for the first time in many years, feeling awkward. She had no idea how she should be acting in front of this human child.
Most of the times when they had met, there had been other people there too.
But, now that there were only the two of them…
“So, how’s it going, Aneja? Is your castle ready yet?”
Miraculously the child managed to break the ice just like that, as if it had been the most normal thing.
“Ah—, yes, the construction has been nearly finished. It is already fit for living, though some everyday necessities are missing. I believe that in a year’s time, the castle has been completely finished. Just in time for the ritual, it seems.”
“Eee~, who cares about the ritual? That castle looks incredibly fun place to play hide-and-seek in, you know? When it’s finished, me, Aneja, Makiri and Daddy should spend the whole day playing hide-and-seek!”
Shinju proclaimed with enthusiasm radiating from her.
Justeaze found herself even more confused.
The workings of the mind of a child were completely abstract for someone who relied on pure logic as her.
It was always like this when she tried to have a conversation with Tohsaka Shinju.
“Would that really be something to get excited about? Although you might be able to enjoy it, I have no experience of hide-and-seek so I cannot tell whether or not I would find it enjoyable. And although Makiri and Nagato do both have their ways of having fun, I am not sure if hide-and-seek is part of those ways.”
Shinju snickered and playfully elbowed Justeaze.
“He~, it’s alright! At least Daddy will have fun if he can just be with you.”
Justeaze blinked twice, unable to comprehend what the little girl’s completely honest opinion meant for her or Nagato.
One could say she, being a homunculus, was completely oblivious to the situation.
“What—“
“Oh, come on! Haven’t you noticed it? Daddy likes you, aneja! A lot!”
Shinju giggled as if she was sharing a secret that everyone knew already.
“Well, that is true, I am very capable when it comes to my duties, and thus, I believe that it is natural that a well-performing tool is held in high regard—“
“Not that!”
Shinju sighed in theatrical way, as if she was suddenly the older sister and Justeaze just a little girl.
“I meant that Daddy “likes” you. You know, he likes you the same way he liked my mother. In fact, this is the first time he has liked anyone like my mother after my mother passed away.”
Shinju ended her little explanation by pointing straight at Justeaze.
But Justeaze found no words to answer with.
It was if she had become one of the reeds of the riverbed slowly rocking in the wind.
Well, maybe not exactly.
Although she was silent like the reeds, and as unmoving as them…
—None of the reeds had a faint blush like the homunculus did at that moment.
※※※※※
The heavy wooden doors far beneath the luxurious villa of the Tohsaka family flew open. Unlike the extravagant Japanese style that the whole rest of the house sported, this single place could not have been any different.
It was clearly of western design, with wooden doors instead of paper-made sliding ones.
And if even that did not make the fact clear, the engravings of a all too familiar cross on the hidden doors were enough to tell just what this room was all about.
A single room enshrined in stone, a work of masonry that was not seen often in the traditionalist Japan.
Six pews centered so that they faced an altar at the far end of the room, towering above a magic circle that had been prepared about six years ago.
Nagato promptly faced the bronze-cross behind the altar, modified so that for amateur’s eyes, it looked like it was made to resemble the image of the Buddha.
But Nagato knew the difference.
That man at the center of the cross was not Buddha.
It was his own shepherd, Christ.
The one that guided a lost lamb like himself out of the darkness and into the light during the childhood he had locked away just like this room.
“Hmh. Well, well. Nagato. Was the time you spent in the mountains not enough? Did you already come back for more? Could it be that I accidentally flipped on some pretty unpleasant switch in you? I did say that you amazed me by being the only one left alive and sane after my training despite being a complete fool, but your foolishness knows no bounds if you have come back for more so quickly…”
Nagato’s target had never been the cross, however.
It was the man standing before the altar, sipping imported wine he had stolen from who knows where.
A gallant and old figure, dignified by innumerable years.
His grey beard and red, piercing eyes only served to make him more imposing in a land like Japan.
Dressed in black and silver, he was not the type of a person you could find even if you wished for. He would be found if he allowed it, and that was that.
—And that must have meant he was fully prepared to face Nagato’s current rage.
“Old man. What do you think you’re doing?”
Nagato’s words were hard and cool, and his usual cheerful demeanor was completely gone.
What remained was a steely gaze that did not waver even if Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, also known as Kaleidoscope, stared right back at him.
If there was one thing Nagato had gain during his ten years of training, it was the bravery to face against his teacher without faltering.
“What could you mean? I have no idea, Nagato.”
Zelretch said with a haunt of a smile while taking another sip from the glass.
“My daughter. Why are you trying to make her involved into this ritual? Was it truly important to drag her deeper into the world of the magi?”
Nagato’s rage did not come from himself. No, Nagato was incapable of feeling anger because of himself.
It came simply through his concern for his daughter.
“Nagato, stop being naïve. You do realize just what sort of ritual you are attending to perform here, don’t you? Then leaving your daughter out of the equation and making her blind to the situation around her will bring forth her demise if anything goes wrong.”
Zelretch spoke with power in his voice, having now completely turned to face his apprentice.
“Although they call me a Dead Apostle, don’t be mistaken, Nagato. I am not a one to hurt the innocent. But both you and your daughter will suffer in the long run if you leave her clueless about what is going on.”
“—Tch.”
Nagato clicked his tongue and cast his gaze aside.
The anger had been welling up inside him for a good while now, and when his mentor spoke such words, it felt like he had truly been the fool here.
“Besides, the Teleidos Crystal needs someone to tune it to the perfect harmony for the ritual. Although I have the knowledge, I have already given every bit of help I am ready to give. Thus, the only one with the required skill is your daughter. Her natural affinity with gemstones is astounding, far more than what you have.”
Zelretch shook his head in something akin to amazement. It was the third time Nagato had seen such an unfitting expression on the old Sorcerer’s face.
“I am not completely sure, but…calling her Origin and trait as a magus as “Crystallization” would be fitting— Yet not exactly right. I am still somewhat baffled by the existence of that girl.”
Nagato gave a dry sigh.
“Blame her mother, not me.”
A somewhat uncomfortable silence fell between the mentor and the apprentice. Unsaid memories surfaced in the mind of both of them, memories that were best left alone. Yet, for fraction of a second, but fell deep into those memories.
Both had accepted the crude reality.
Yet there was still a blame that one of them would have to shoulder in the end.
“Ah, yes, that is right—“
Zelretch finally broke the silence by moving away from the altar.
“Apparently we did not manage to fool the Holy Church completely. They have send a, shall I say, watch-dog to track your movements. Not in a threatening sense, though, as they are still grateful to you for having been the leader of their activities here in Japan.”
“Until you, old fart, came to mess with their plans.”
“—Ha, ha, ha! You could say that! Anyways, while we have been talking here, I believe our guest has finally decided to head on down to meet you. Or, at least, I think I’ve been hearing her footsteps for now.”
And just as Zelretch had said, the double-doors were swung open for the second time.
Nagato, naturally curious, turned around, and found himself staring at a pair of strict, menacing silver eyes.
It would have been a lie if he had said he did not recognize the black and white uniform that the woman wore, it was all too familiar to him.
But he had to say that he was not familiar with the large shield that covered the left arm of the person completely.
“—I have arrived here in Japan as a show of appreciation to you, Tohsaka Nagato. My duties are to serve you until the competition of the ritual. Let it be known that my superior also left me with a message to deliver to you.”
Nagato frowned a bit. The heavy tone of the young woman was overbearing.
“And that message is—?”
She cleared her throat.
“Nagato. This’ll be the last time I’ll help you. Let’s hope we don’t meet again. I wouldn’t want to be enemies.”
Having heard that, Nagato gave a somewhat melancholic smile.
“That idiot. How am I supposed to take a Dead Apostle like him seriously if he looks like a little boy…?”
Nagato, scratching his head, then looked at the woman in front of him.
“—Anyways, mind if I ask you your name? Would make it easier for me to help you.”
The woman in black nodded with soldier’s vigor.
“I am here to represent the Shield Knights of the Holy Church, and to be the last favor the Holy Church shall ever grant you, Tohsaka Nagato.”
Silver eyes met sapphire ones.
“—I am Rieschild Stridberg.”
-----------------------------
Next time in Fate/Genesis…
“They are all people that share my dream.”
“…As long as the shame of Eltnams is erased, I don’t care what happens.”
“Don’t get me wrong, Nagato! I promised to help, but I don’t have to get all nice and friendly with you lot!”
“What would you do without me? Uncut jewel is nothing but a worthless pebble.”
“What are you talking about? Why, do you find me different?”
“I ask thee, art thou my Master?”
Chapter 1:
Curtain of a Tragedy rises
Originally Posted by Verg Avesta
Reply With Quote
