As we anticipated, the moment Daybit regained consciousness, he inquired about methods to preserve his memories. He readily accepted the spell I proposed—an external storage-type magecraft known as Oblivion Recording.
Since he was still quite young, I decided to leave him in the care of Waver for a while, alongside Myorenji… no, Scandinavia Peperoncino. I sent a message to Waver, informing him that I had discovered the final 'Crypter' and telling him to come and collect the boy.
Upon arriving in Japan, we found Waver already waiting at the airport. He picked up Daybit and immediately flew off on a flight bound for London. Godword, too, returned to the mansion where he originally lived in seclusion.
"…Quite cold-hearted, these guys."
While my comment about them being cold-hearted was half-joking, seeing those who had been bustling around me every day go back to their respective places felt somewhat lonely in more ways than one.
"Anyway… there isn't much work left to do. I need to take Godword, Arcueid, and Shiki Tohno to revert Zephia Eltnam from a phenomenon back into a Dead Apostle… and secure the cooperation of the Atlas Academy. After that, I just need to keep the White Wing Lord's faction in check, seize Chaldea, and oust Marisbury."
When I arrived home, the aftermath of being away for several weeks was evident in the mountain of unread mail. I tore through useless bills for gas and electricity before discovering a single envelope at the very bottom, addressed in quite elegant calligraphy.
Using a finger transformed by the Asura Path to slice the edge of the envelope, I was greeted by the text of a wedding invitation written in equally flamboyant script on charming stationary.
"…So, Miss Ryougi is getting married."
Naturally, the contents of the invitation… detailed a wedding scheduled for two weeks from now. The partner was Mikiya Kokutou… and the venue was the largest wedding hall in the center of Misaki City.
* *
The personal connections held by 'Shiki Ryougi' were, at most, the underworld ties of her family, the Ryougi clan. In that case, there should have been very few people attending the wedding of the current head of the Ryougi family as guests on the bride's side.
However, this time—though it was an exceptional wedding that didn't strictly separate guests between the groom and the bride—there were certainly many guests who looked a bit 'special.'
From foreigners with exotic features to an albino-like family with snow-white hair and crimson eyes; from sisters draped in nearly identical luxury brands growling at each other despite sitting at the same table, to a young man and his family in a corner applauding with genuine sincerity.
The members of the Ryougi family, who had expected the wedding to be filled only with the head's underworld acquaintances, were first surprised by the sheer number of guests, and then doubly surprised by the amount of congratulatory money offered as wedding gifts.
"You finally made it to the finish line. I thought it would be incredibly difficult."
"My father was vehemently opposed to it."
"I suppose he would be. It's problematic for a yakuza family head to marry an ordinary man."
"So I beat him down."
…I beg your pardon?
"He's essentially retired as an advisor now. I believe it's time for the Ryougi family to wrap up the yakuza business and move into the sunlight to some extent. After all, wasn't that the condition under which we contracted—that you would help with 'that part'?"
"That is true. So, how does it feel to be married?"
"…You're asking pointless things."
Turning her head for a moment, she opened her mouth as if suddenly remembering something.
"Speaking of which, someone I don't know came to this wedding. Is he an acquaintance of yours?"
"Hmm? There shouldn't be anyone Shiki-san doesn't know… Miss Fujino, Miss Fujo, and Mr. Godword have all met you. The only ones you might not know are Waver and Arcueid, who took time out of their schedules to come."
People like Ciel or Father Kotomine were too busy with work to attend, and the Einzberns or Kayneth couldn't come because their movements might be monitored.
"Who came that makes you say that?"
"Wait… it's a guy who left a bit of gift money. Someone named Uvall Gusion. Do you know him?"
"…Yes, I know him personally."
Tossing that unpleasant name into a corner of my mind, I gave her advance notice of what was to come.
"The move to Chaldea won't be for at least five years… so around 2010. Will the timing be okay?"
"Four years is enough for stabilization. And as you know, the only people I can realistically take along are you and Mr. Kokutou… and, well, you know, right?"
"Yeah, since we can save everyone once we win anyway… More importantly, why didn't you even sign your name in the guestbook here?"
"Oh, come on. If I give you enough gift money to buy a house, it becomes subject to taxation. That's why I intended to hand it over directly."
As I handed a large attaché case to Shiki, she looked at me with a bewildered expression.
"…Isn't this too much?"
"If you told a magus they had to pay to witness the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception just once, they'd tear out the pillars of their own homes to give you the money. Compared to that, this is a bargain."
To put it simply, it was something like a 'subscription fee' for being my friend this month.
Looking exasperated, she took the briefcase and called over one of her subordinates to carry it away.
"So, where do you plan to go now? After all, the only ones who know your plan are that wizard fellow, the Principal… and that teacher, right?"
"I wonder… I'm thinking of resting for a bit since there's no immediate work… If I really find something I must do, I suppose I'll head to the Whirlpool of Gluttony in England or go do some logging."
"…What? How boring. If anything interesting happens, call me. Managing the organization has been getting dull lately… It was much more entertaining when that bomber was running wild."
"Listen, Miss Ryougi… at least maintain some awareness of the fact that you're currently pregnant."
"Hmph. I don't see how that's a problem."
…Come to think of it, this woman was a monster who went on a rampage as part of her 'prenatal care' in the future. Right.
"In any case, I have no intention of making you hunt Dead Apostles or commit murders for prenatal education, so stay quiet. If I have a reason to call you later, I certainly will."
"Hmph, you'd better."
* *
A wedding is a festival, but ultimately, it serves as a gathering to meet others under the theme of marriage. Naturally, we did not refuse the opportunity to hold important conversations away from prying eyes.
"How have you been, Waver?"
"…Does this… look like… I've been doing well, you crazy bastard?!"
"Whoa, looks like you've been through a lot. Just what happened—"
"What happened…? Do you have any idea how disastrous those kids you dumped on me are?!"
Waver ranted for a while before lighting a cigar. He began counting on his fingers, hammering a list of accidents they had caused or encountered into my mind.
"First, that guy from the Myorenji family… Scandinavia Peperoncino. Just what on earth did he experience for him to try and hang himself within a day of me taking charge? If I hadn't checked on him, he'd have been suffocated at the very least!"
"…I'd appreciate it if you kept an eye on that. He's got a lot of trauma."
"Wodime and Ophelia have already faced three assassination attempts. If not for Professor Kayneth's protection, those two would have been dead long ago… and what is with that Daybit guy? Because too many talented kids are swarming to our classroom, people are starting to sabotage us as part of a power struggle!"
"Oh dear... But how is that other guy? I actually thought the one from the Escardos family would be your biggest problem."
In the Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II, the trio famous for shredding his sanity consists of Gray, Flat, and Reines.
Perhaps because of the future I altered, Reines and Gray haven't appeared yet, but since Flat was connected to Beasts in various ways, I did feel a bit guilty for forcing him onto Waver.
"...I'd rather teach a deluded brat than deal with people attempting suicide or facing assassination threats."
"It sounds complicated… How about sending some of your students to the Department of Mineralogy or the Department of Evocation for an internship?"
"…That's also difficult. You previously crushed the Head of the Department of Evocation and the next Lord. Now that everyone knows there's a connection between you and me, they refuse to take our students. It's not like I can send them to the Department of Archaeology or the Brishisan faction either."
"If you only send the kids to Mineralogy, they'll worry about your connection with Kayneth El-Melloi…"
Waver, who had been listening, brought up his request to me once more.
"Listen, Karma, wouldn't it be better to just officially announce your connection with Professor Kayneth?"
"…True, if we do that, the unnecessary meddling from the Clock Tower would decrease."
"I heard you even summoned someone named 'Romani Archaman.' That means all preparations are effectively complete, so why do you keep delaying the announcement?"
"The Clock Tower isn't the problem, Waver. It's 'that guy.' You know him, right? It seems that bastard even showed up at this wedding hall."
"…What?"
"Uvall Gusion. It's essentially a message intended for me, since I'm the one who holds the 'information.'"
Before Lev Lainur awakened to his Grand Order designation, he possessed three distinct personalities.
Leff Uvall, who values the past.
Lainur Gusion, who values the future.
And Flauros, who controls the two personalities.
"Leff Uvall and Lainur Gusion. You know what that implies, right?"
"…It would be so much easier if we just killed him first."
"It's still difficult… for now, at least."
"Well, that's your business, so whatever. Anyway, you don't have any more students to send me, right?"
"…For now."
Ritsuka Fujimaru is a girl without a shred of talent for magecraft, so I won't bother throwing her into the Clock Tower. After all, her talent isn't as a magus, but as a Master… however, the other one is different.
"…Who else are you planning to send?"
"He's not a boy with world-class talent, but he's someone worth teaching."
"His name?"
"Emiya… no, Shirou Fujimaru."