"By the way, I've always been curious about the knowledge in my head. Does 'master' here mean something like 'grandmaster'?
And why does the Eastern framework incorporate English terms…?" Harry mused. "Well, I suppose that's just how Japan does things."
Having studied Chinese, Harry also had some understanding of Japanese and knew they often blended English terms in a rather blunt way.
"You're asking me what 'master' means…?" Rin glanced at Harry's distinctly Caucasian features. "Where are you from?"
"I'm British," Harry replied, finding Rin's question oddly out of place.
"A Brit who doesn't know English? That's hard to believe. Do you even have an education?"
"I'm a university graduate!" Harry protested, though he faltered slightly. He'd spent years grinding through Chinese-style exam prep—five years of college entrance exams, three years of mock tests. His English scores were decent, better than his other subjects, but Chinese-style English focused on bizarre details. It wasn't exactly stellar.
He felt a twinge of guilt.
Then Rin rattled off a string of Japanese-style English, testing his reaction.
Harry's response was immediate: "Sorry, what language was that? I didn't catch a word."
"I'll tentatively believe you skipped grades in life…" Rin paused, skeptical. "But a British university graduate who doesn't know English? Are Western universities that lax? Can you just buy your way in?"
Surely not.
"'Master' obviously means 'master'—as in, I'm your master! Isn't that clear enough? You've forgotten way too much!" Rin said, her tone sharp.
Rin felt a flicker of unease. She suspected Caster's muddled state—pointy-headed and all—was her fault, but she wasn't about to admit defeat.
"What? That's the setup?" Harry shot to his feet, his voice ringing with defiance. "The mighty king kneels to no one!"
"If that's the case, you're not my master anymore. Our contract is void. From now on, we'll forge a new bond—one where you serve as my strategist, not my master. Did I mention? I'm technically a distant king myself."
"A puppet king of some obscure British colony at the height of the empire?" Rin scoffed. "Wait, no, that's not right. Even if you were some big shot in life, you're my Servant now! I'm your master—got that?"
Rin knew some Servants, especially kingly ones, were tough to handle. They refused to bow and demanded the respect due a vassal. But those Servants had power to back it up. What kind of king was Dudley?
And Rin wasn't about to cede control. She was already losing ground—there was no way she'd let herself be outdone again.
"My lingering memories suggest you're the dominant one in this pair," Harry said coolly. "But contracts can be renegotiated. I need a strategist to devise battle plans, but let's be clear: I won't call anyone 'master.' You need to remember that."
"A king," he continued, "is the unity of name and power. Those two things alone can never be surrendered."
Harry met Rin's gaze, exuding a faint but palpable aura of authority.
It wasn't hostility, nor was it the supernatural charisma of 霸气—a blend of charm and force. It was simply the weight of his words, yet it made Rin step back instinctively.
Then she bristled.
This nobody, Dudley? Some nameless king who probably crowned himself, leaving no mark on history, dares to shake me?
"I don't care!" Rin snapped.
The girl thrust out her right arm, revealing the three Command Seals etched upon it—her three absolute orders over her Servant. Harry sensed their power, a rule woven into the system.
Servants were bound to obey their Masters, or they risked being forced to destroy themselves under a Command Seal's decree. Only exceptional magical resistance—what Harry understood as magic resistance—could defy the crystallized great magic of a Command Seal.
Harry's fragmented memories held terms like "magic resistance" and "great magic." He could piece together their meaning well enough.
But his instincts told him the magic in those Command Seals posed no threat to him.
"Look at this!" Rin declared, brandishing her arm. "See it? This is proof I'm your master. If you say a king is the embodiment of power, then I, who hold control, am your queen!"
"Oh, daring to rebel against me?" Harry's expression grew grave, his tone formal. "Another self-proclaimed king stands before me."
It wasn't the first time. Self-crowned kings clashing—history showed how it ended. All kings' blood is spilled by the sword.
Harry was always the last king standing.
"You're playing make-believe?" Rin fumed. "If anyone's rebelling, it's you against me, your master! Talking to me like that—think I won't act?"
Rin was losing her cool. She knew she'd been spooked by this childlike Servant again.
"You've got some guts, talking to me like that," Harry said, unfazed. "Come on, then."
"Ha?" Rin's temper flared. She was ready to fight.
"Then I'll make you obey—"
"By the power of my Command Seal—"
If Harry truly saw her as an enemy, he'd have severed her hand already. Too slow—full of openings.
But for now, he'd rather tame her than fight.
"I command you to obey me—"
Predictably, nothing happened.
Harry, an outsider whose vast essence had slipped into a mere spiritual vessel, wasn't even sure if he qualified as a true Servant. Naturally, he was unbound by magic designed to control Servants.
"Want to try again?" he said lightly. "Your command was too vague. Even with your mortal wits, you should know three Command Seals can't just make a Servant 'obey' with one."
Harry thought to himself: This girl seems sharp at first glance, but she's probably not cut out to be a strategist.
"Agh! You—" Rin felt her intelligence being mocked. Mocked by someone who didn't seem all that bright himself. Did that mean she was even dumber? "Dudley, you—!"
"By the power of my Command Seal—"
Reason warned Rin this was dangerous, like walking a tightrope. The three Command Seals were meant to last the entire Holy Grail War. To prevent a Servant's rebellion, only two could be used before forging a true bond, and Command Seals could also teleport a Servant to protect their Master. Every use was precious.
She'd already burned one, but Rin was too far gone.
And from another angle, having wasted one, if she didn't subdue her Servant now, things could get worse. This was a magus's instinct for controlling familiars.
Some magi saw Servants as heroes; others, like the Tohsaka, saw them as mere tools, depending on the Servant. If Harry were a Saber, Rin's attitude would've been different. But some no-name Caster?
"I command you to call me 'Your Majesty' and answer with 'As you command'!"
Of course, nothing happened.
"Your turn's over?" Harry grinned. "My turn!"
He raised a fist the size of a sandbag. "Behold my magic: Fist of Love!"
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, as you command, Dogfoot Queen!"
With one punch, Harry sent the magical girl flying. The already crumbling room took another hit, now in even worse shape.