The magical demonstration for Shiro went perfectly. The kid admired each "trick" I showed, and I saw him gradually getting used to his new surroundings. At some point, the boy stopped fearing me, and we talked freely. I answered within my limited social skills, occasionally explaining the demonstrated spells' workings, even if Shiro didn't understand most of what I said.
All this was meant to distract the kid from bad memories. I doubt his thoughts hold anything besides the fire when it's literally his only surviving memory. And it seemed to work well, as Shiro wasn't actively pressing the fire topic, showing a not-so-bright but sincere smile.
In the end, the kid even guessed I was some kind of hero... Well, in a sense he's right, and I really am a Hero.
In my own head, that sounds more like mockery or worse...
Too much had to be sacrificed on my path... For what? In the end, I died anyway. All my efforts to save humanity turned out to be more than completely meaningless.
And all that was left to me at the end was to destroy the enemy, even at the cost of my useless life...
Ha... I think it's pretty cruel to send me to another world after everything I've been through. Whoever or whatever is behind this, I hope I'll be able to figure out the reason for my own "transfer." It's hard to believe it's all just a coincidence, even if I haven't found any evidence to the contrary yet...
After the "magic show" ended, Shirou, despite the enthusiasm he'd shown, started yawning from fatigue. And that's no surprise at all—he'd woken up much earlier than usual. And considering what he'd been through, it's actually strange that he had any energy left for talking...
In the end, I sent Shirou off to get some more sleep, responding to all his objections by saying I'd put him to sleep myself if he refused. We couldn't do anything anyway, since I had absolutely no information about this world. Just the bare minimum.
I didn't mention that even those scraps had been borrowed from his head.
So the kid slept for a few more hours while I figured out what to do. The problem was, nothing came to mind. With my arrival here, in Shirou's body, everything had become too complicated. Too uncertain. And that was new.
My entire conscious life had been occupied with something. Beyond meeting my basic needs, my life had been a simple cycle of battles, research, and creating the next weapon to keep fighting. And by my third decade, I'd learned to use my inner world—the Great Forge—for creating and then copying handmade items. That had simplified the work considerably, since not every weapon or suit of armor lived long enough to need maintenance. Especially armor.
Shaking off the unpleasant thoughts, I decided to dig a little deeper into Shirou's soul. After all, something had happened for him to develop his own "inner world." There had to be some peculiarity in it. Identifying it would make it easier to understand what we needed to work on. Maybe I'd even learn why I'd arrived specifically with him?
I also wasn't entirely sure if I should seriously teach Shirou magic. What consequences would that have? But after some brief deliberation, the pros far outweighed the cons, and the decision was made in favor of training him. After all, it'd be much more reliable if the kid could protect himself. And by protecting himself, he'd keep me from bursting out under a completely new sky for me.
And I should say, this world is hardly likely to welcome a guest like me. Better for me to live inside the child than to start another cycle of battles against a new "Earth."
From my experience, that never ends well for anyone...
Anyway, I got to work on the investigation, and I have to admit... it was engaging. The last time I'd searched Shirou's memories, I hadn't gone this deep. This time, I delved into his very essence, the Origin, and was greatly surprised, to put it mildly.
The reason for my surprise was the mutation I discovered in the child's soul. He... is a Sword. Literally. His elemental affinity and the essence of his soul are one and the same. And it wouldn't be so bad if the boy just had dual affinity! But Shirou turned out to be a true Sword Incarnation.
Realizing this information, it took me some time to collect my thoughts. In my time, I'd seen plenty of unique "traits," but this one exceeded all my expectations. It's hard to imagine the potential of a skilled Sword Incarnation wielder after proper training.
But first, I decided to find the source of this unnatural "mutation." Because a human simply shouldn't have such traits.
Going through all the options available to me, I could only think of a few possible sources for such an anomaly. The first potential one was the gears floating in the sky above my head. They're not part of his soul, though they do try to "sprout" across its expanse, but... no. Not them. The Gears aren't influencing Shirou's soul in any way so far. Of course, foreign constructs are hardly a good thing, but until I detect any traces of their interference in the kid's soul—beyond them being firmly "stuck" to him, and carelessly removing them could have serious consequences for his still-unformed soul.
Those things are definitely a problem. But one that can be solved later.
The second possible source of the mutation was one artifact. Or more precisely, the scabbard that saved Shirou's life by literally preventing his soul and body from falling apart.
Without much thought, I located the artifact, then reassembled it from the particles it'd broken down into, to begin a thorough study of these unusual scabbards. Soon, I was able to propose a plausible theory for why the child turned out this way.
Most likely, when the cursed fire was "melting" his soul, the scabbard inserted by the man in black became a kind of mold for Shirou. The artifact tried to restore the kid's soul, but with nothing to work from, it... left him with "emptiness," which later formed his inner world. But the changes didn't stop there. Shirou's very "essence" took on the "form" of a sword, since the scabbard was meant to hold that weapon, and the fire "helped" his "essence" take a shape suitable for the scabbard.
In simpler terms, Shirou's soul became a kind of blank, steel that, under the influence of the cursed fire and the "forging" of the life-saving scabbard, took on the "form" of a sword. And his soul didn't resist the changes at all! I also doubt it was just due to Shirou's weakness. It's worth noting that the boy survived noticeably longer in that blaze than the others. Maybe Shirou himself had some trait that set him apart from other people. And if the mere inactive presence of energy channels couldn't save him, then an unusual lineage or affinity could well have influenced his survival.
Though right now, that's unimportant. The child is no longer in danger, and whatever the reason for his survival, it's in the past. Now Shirou is just a boy with excellent magical potential due to his unusual dual affinity.
In general, I don't even know if he was lucky or not... He survived extremely nasty curses, and his survival is due to a chain of incredible coincidences that gave him potential and incredible opportunities for growth as a magus, but...
What's the point of all this for a kid like him? What a curse...
Yet another confirmation that the "world" is never fair to its children...
Eleven hours, thirty-four minutes in the day...
Waiting... It's even pleasant from time to time. At least once I'd finally managed to force myself to relax. I'd projected myself a soft armchair with armrests and was enjoying the clouds of random shapes drifting slowly across the sky. Shirou had woken up about an hour ago and immediately started asking me about various things. The boy was especially interested in the magic I'd shown earlier.
Ha... I suppose childish curiosity is the same no matter the world...
I wasn't against satisfying his curiosity, since I saw no particular harm in it. Though I wasn't sure exactly what to tell him. I didn't want to bring up my home "Earth," since there'd be nothing good for him in those memories. So I had to stick to the basics of magic and ways to apply it. Shirou himself understood little due to his age, but he listened from start to finish, asking more and more questions.
And I have to admit, I enjoyed our conversation too. A simple, relaxed dialogue between me and the child, with no danger threatening anyone and nothing driving me "to work."
And too much time had passed since I'd talked to any living being at all...
And then, during another lecture on the principles of "Reinforcement," a man entered the room. The very one who'd plunged the scabbard into Shirou and then carried him out of the cursed blaze.
He was dressed entirely in black, which, combined with his black hair and dark eyes, gave the impression that his entire wardrobe consisted only of various shades of black. The man himself looked somewhat sickly, judging by his unnaturally pale skin and sluggish movements, as if weakness had overcome him—which could well be a consequence of the now-familiar fire. Though it could also result from other problems we knew nothing about, but that's later.
For now, it's worth noting that this man is surely a magus, since yesterday he'd demonstrated his skills by conceptualizing the scabbard into Shirou's body. So caution was still advised, as we didn't know the rules of this world or its magi.
In my home world, magic had been publicly known for about four centuries after certain events that shook the entire world. Here, things could be different. At least Shirou clearly hadn't believed in magic until I'd shown it to him. And I hadn't found any traces of its use nearby, aside from the fire itself...
Meanwhile, as I pondered, the man quickly scanned the room, then fixed his gaze on Shirou after a couple of seconds. The boy also recognized the man as the one who'd literally saved his life just yesterday. Visible relief appeared on the man's face, and he immediately headed toward the kid, holding a bag of some things in his left hand.
When the man stood next to Shirou, an awkward pause arose between them. Neither knew where to start, but soon, after a short sigh, the man finally spoke up.
"Let's skip the small talk. What do you think is best? An orphanage or adoption by a man you've just met?" The man suddenly made a rather unexpected proposal. I mean, this wasn't how I'd imagined such a meeting. Aren't a future father and son supposed to talk first?.. At least, that's how it was in the rare movies I'd managed to watch in my life. Though it's not particularly important, but personally, I'd want to learn about the potential father first... Anyway, the choice is the kid's—I'm of little use in this situation. I literally have no idea what I'd do in the boy's place...
Shirou thought with his arms crossed over his chest, glancing at the man with one eye. But soon, without extra words, he pointed a finger at his future adoptive father, who, to be honest, managed to surprise me.
Relief clearly showed on the man's face when the boy agreed to become part of his family. He looked like a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders, allowing him to breathe fully for the first time in a long while. And though I didn't understand the reasons for such behavior, one look into the man's contradictorily soft yet weary eyes was enough to realize...
He's not a bad person. Tired, broken, but not bad.
"Great! Then let's get you changed. You need to get used to your new home as soon as possible." The delighted man somewhat clumsily pulled things from the bag he'd brought, dumping them onto the bed in front of Shirou while continuing to grin foolishly.
"And... there's one important detail you should know... Yes, we need to sort this out now. You see, I am a Magus."
Well, I'd already figured that out. Though Shirou was genuinely surprised. Not strange at all. Coincidence or not, the first two people the kid had met since waking up with amnesia turned out to be magi. Who wouldn't be surprised in his place?
The subsequent events flew by quickly, and the kid's new father was already leading his future son outside. The man had introduced himself as Kiritsugu Emiya. By the standards of my old world, he was a rather mediocre magus. Not just because of his initially weak energy channels, but more due to the curse whose trace I'd detected upon Kiritsugu's approach. He'd likely picked it up in that blaze, which wasn't surprising given the tenacious nature of cursed fire. I'd learned all this by analyzing his body when he took Shirou's hand. Fortunately, my skills allow me to channel energy into his body without detection, or there might've been questions...
A truly interesting conversation began once we left the hospital. Earlier, I'd asked Shirou not to mention me until I said so. I doubted his new father would be thrilled about an unexpected "resident" in his adoptive son, but given Kiritsugu's admission that he was a magus, I thought I should reciprocate and honestly reveal myself.
At least, it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Naturally, I planned to speak through Shirou, since I couldn't do it without external transmitters. And it'd be better if the kid started the conversation rather than me, since the situation was just... weird, and I didn't know how the elder Emiya would react to such a revelation.
"Um... Kiritsugu-san?" The boy began hesitantly after a moment.
"Hm? What is it? Ask anything you want. I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but we'd better talk about my secret at home..." So magic is hidden, judging by his words. Or at least he hides it. Or maybe he just doesn't want to discuss it for other reasons.
"No... It's just... Someone wants to talk to you..." ...And if I think about it, I don't even know what about. Maybe just say who I am and that I live inside his adoptive son?..
"...W-what? What do you mean?" Kiritsugu seemed surprised. And rightly so—the situation wasn't simple. A memoryless child, but someone he knows wants to talk to him. Plenty of assumptions there...
"Russell-san wants to talk to you, and he..." I quickly explained what to say, and the boy continued: "...He's in my... inner world." Shirou finished uncertainly, scratching the back of his head.
"...What?" Kiritsugu stopped abruptly and looked the boy straight in the eyes. "You're not sick? The hospital didn't mention any issues besides amnesia..."
"I'm telling the truth! He's a magus too, and after dying, somehow ended up in... my... my inner world." At first, Kiritsugu's gaze was slightly uncertain, but he quickly composed himself and spoke.
"Shirou, you do realize how hard that is to believe?" The new father asked somewhat uncertainly.
"Russell-san says he can provide proof of his existence. We just need a safe place for it, since he's not sure if magic can be used around people in this world." Shirou relayed my words as best he could, interrupting for further explanations.
"This world?.. Anyway, let's head home first. We'll sort out your... resident there." He believed me?.. Probably not. Not sure. But with a sigh, Kiritsugu continued leading us along the road without bringing it up again.
The ride to the new home was quiet, with only the local radio in the car broadcasting news and music. Shirou just sat thinking his thoughts and looking at the surroundings through the window. Kiritsugu seemed like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words to start, and silence reigned in the car until we arrived at the new residence as planned—a fairly large house or estate. Its grounds were surrounded by a stone fence a bit taller than an average person, and upon entering, one could sense a faint, well-concealed magical field that, judging by everything, wasn't for active defense but rather an alert system.
"Shirou, come on. This is your new home. I hope you'll like it." Kiritsugu unlocked the door with a key and went inside, beckoning his new son.
Inside, everything was even better, though a bit unfamiliar. It really was an estate with its own yard and plenty of space for residents. The rooms were furnished quite simply, though. Wooden floors and minimal furniture gave the impression that the owner didn't cling much to material possessions. Shirou looked around in surprise, exploring his new home.
Soon they entered a room adjacent to the kitchen. It was empty except for a fairly large table in the center and cushions in the corner. Taking two, Kiritsugu gave one to Shirou and sat on the other in front of the table, while the boy followed his adoptive father's example, settling opposite.
"So, what did you want to talk about... Russell-san?" Kiritsugu noticeably sobered up. As if switching from a sloppy man to an experienced killer. Even if only for a moment, the change was sharp enough to surprise even me. Though disbelief still lingered in his gaze, it was clear the man was serious, making Shirou squirm uncomfortably in his seat.
Well then, let's begin...
"...To start, he'd like to demonstrate his abilities so you'll believe he exists." My little "landlord" began speaking, then followed my instructions and placed his hand on the table, palm up.
While the kid slept, I'd experimented a bit with my ability to interact with the outside world via magic. The results were... mixed. On one hand, I could use my full range of abilities. On the other, I had to do it through Shirou's energy channels, since I was in the middle of his inner world. Yes, the mana originates from me and flows through my own channels first, but to exit outward, I have to use the boy's channels. And they're completely undeveloped. Fortunately, something small won't harm him at all. Might even help.
All that's left is to earn Kiritsugu's trust. And nothing in the near future should threaten my or Shirou's existence.
Well, at least that's what I'm hoping...
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: patreon.com/Granulan