Abnormality In Type-Moon: Madness Of Animeverse

"Utaha, pour some tea."

"Sure, where are the tea leaves?"

"Just water will do."

Roy waved dismissively.

Kasumigaoka Utaha raised her eyebrows subtly and headed toward the kitchen.

Serving plain water to a guest? What a unique host.

Even Hayasaka Ai, the maid standing behind Rin Tohsaka, twitched slightly upon hearing this, but she remained dutifully still, her head lowered like a well-trained automaton, showing no reaction. Rin, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind at all. She accepted the water Utaha poured for her, and even casually blew on the hot liquid as if she were used to it.

"Is she your servant?"

Rin's gaze shifted to Utaha, who had taken a stance similar to Hayasaka's behind Roy, trying to mimic the formal demeanor.

"Yes, her name is Kasumigaoka Utaha."

"My, my. It's quite rare for you to take on a servant, and such a lovely girl at that. Living alone under the same roof?"

Rin smiled slyly, her expression hinting at her mischievous thoughts.

Utaha frowned slightly at the remark.

"The house is a bit large, so it needs more hands to manage, that's all."

Roy took a sip of his tea, his tone neutral.

"Oh? You've lived here for three years, and only now you're thinking of getting help around the house?"

Rin narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Roy as if trying to read his true intentions.

"Well, things are about to get busy."

Roy casually waved his right hand, and for just a brief moment, Rin caught a glimpse of the Command Seal, shaped like wings poised to take flight.

"A Command Seal!"

Rin's playful expression immediately disappeared, her demeanor turning serious.

"When did it appear?"

"Last night."

"You're planning to participate in the Holy Grail War? If you didn't have the desire, the Greater Grail wouldn't have given you a Command Seal."

"That's right."

Roy nodded ever so slightly.

The Greater Grail chooses its Masters based on two criteria: magical potential and the will to participate. Given how many mages now reside in Fuyuki City, the fact that the Grail had selected Roy indicated that he indeed had the desire to compete.

"If you want to join the Holy Grail War, you must have a wish you want fulfilled, right? But the current Grail is broken. It can't grant any wishes."

"I'm aware."

"Good. Then I won't say more."

Rin relented, realizing that Roy had lived here for three years; he knew all the relevant details. His personality was such that, once he decided on something, no one could change his mind with mere words. Knowing him well, Rin chose not to press further.

As for terms like "Holy Grail War," "Greater Grail," and "wishes," both Utaha and Hayasaka Ai remained bewildered, clearly out of their depth.

"Just to be sure, your wish isn't something… malicious, is it?"

Roy chuckled. "Like, say, wishing to destroy the world?"

"Don't joke about that."

Rin rolled her eyes at him, clearly unimpressed.

"This world already has enough problems. If anything, we should be finding ways to improve it."

"Does it seem like I'm joking…?"

Roy's eyes narrowed slightly, a soft smile still on his lips as he murmured to himself under his breath.

"What was that?"

Rin looked at him, confused, having missed his quiet remark.

"Nothing," Roy waved it off, taking another sip of tea to warm himself.

"So, Miss Mayor of Fuyuki City, why are you here so early? You must be quite busy, no?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes widened in shock, turning to the twin-tailed girl seated across from her. Mayor? This girl, who looked about the same age as her, was the mayor of Fuyuki City?

This barely sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl was in charge of one of the last four major city bases in Japan, overseeing the lives of tens of thousands of people?

"Of course, I'm here on official business."

Rin's shoulders slumped slightly, her weariness showing.

"Last night, something major happened at the underground cavern beneath Mount Enzō. Someone managed to infiltrate it unnoticed, summoned a Servant, injured the infamous gatekeeper, and escaped."

"Really?"

Roy's expression shifted to one of surprise.

"Yes. The entire branch of the Mage's Association is in an uproar."

Rin lifted her cup, taking a small sip of the tea, the warmth pushing back the chill of the early winter morning.

"That does sound like quite the serious event."

Roy clicked his tongue, seemingly intrigued.

"So, why did you come here first thing in the morning? Shouldn't you be busy handling that?"

"Isn't it obvious? Those old geezers kept pressuring me non-stop!"

Rin sighed, clearly exasperated.

"I told them we should wait for the investigation results, but the elders at the branch were all furious. They insisted I come to you to inquire about… her whereabouts. Honestly, they treat the Greater Grail like it's their personal property."

"The Mage's Association, huh? Even the branch is filled with the same snakes and rats."

Roy nodded in agreement.

"But they're going to be disappointed. Aoko hasn't returned yet. And even if she does, there's no way she'd listen to those old men. If anything, they'd be lucky if she doesn't burn their beards off."

"Let them dream."

Rin didn't seem too concerned. She had expected this outcome even before she came. The only reason she bothered coming at all was to go through the motions.

"Being mayor must be quite the hassle."

"I'm already doing my best just to keep my seat."

Rin fell silent for a moment, her face showing a hint of frustration.

The only reason Rin was the mayor of Fuyuki City was because the city had long been the territory of the Tohsaka family. After her father's death, she became the rightful successor. Despite the turn of the century, the power shifts in Fuyuki had reverted to a feudal-like system, a reality Rin often resented. But with the city's leylines under her family's control, she was the only one capable of using their power to safeguard the city. As a result, the other mages respected her, and her position as mayor was relatively secure.

Her real issue lay with the Mage's Association branch in Fuyuki.

The presence of the Greater Grail beneath Fuyuki had been a well-kept secret until the global catastrophe a decade ago. Afterward, the Grail's existence became known to all, and the Association dispatched families to station in Fuyuki, calling it their "Japan Branch." Among them were ancient mage lineages with millennia of history, making the Tohsaka family's prestige seem insignificant by comparison.

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