Abner regretted overlooking his compatibility with Leonidas, leading to this awkward situation. This was the most embarrassing part of using a Holy Relic to summon a Heroic Spirit: while it let one determine which Heroic Spirit would be summoned and avoid the greatest variable of randomness, compatibility with the Master became an awkward issue.
The best solution was, of course, Command Spells. But there were only three Command Spells, and each use meant one less. Abner truly did not want to waste something so precious on such a trivial matter.
Moreover, the more specific a Command Spell's order was, the stronger its restraining power. A vague command like "Improve your attitude" probably would not change much, even with a Command Spell.
And if he really used one, the relationship between him and Leonidas would probably become irreconcilable.
But Lancer had already been summoned. Rather than regret it, he should first consider how to make Leonidas display his full strength.
Fortunately, Leonidas did not seem hostile toward him. It was more like he had given Abner a show of force. Judging by his appearance, he did not seem like the sort of Heroic Spirit full of crooked schemes. As long as Abner avoided offending him, they might get along quite well—probably...
Furthermore, Lancer Leonidas possessed exceptionally impressive parameters. Just as he claimed, he would likely find few equals in direct combat.
With Abner's magecraft support added to the mix, he was practically a weapon of mass destruction.
Yet as Abner looked into Leonidas's stern, imposing eyes, doubts rose in his heart again.
Fortunately, Abner was Lord El-Melloi II's disciple and did not possess a Magus's arrogant airs. If it had been some other Clock Tower elite, they would likely have put on a bravado-filled display for the sake of face on the very day they summoned Leonidas, angered him, and been killed by their own Heroic Spirit.
Of course, if it had not been Abner, those people would certainly have summoned Heroic Spirits who looked especially powerful.
"My name is Leonidas."
As though determined to burn that name into Abner's heart, the giant's voice seemed almost tangible, tearing at his eardrums and truly shaking him to the core...
"I understand, Lancer."
"Leonidas."
"Fine... King Leonidas."
It was clear that Leonidas deeply disliked the designation Lancer. Perhaps it was because the title reminded him of the word servant. As a Spartan slave owner, he would never be willing to be called a slave, would he?
Heh. Before the war had even begun, he had already lost two advantages.
Abner could only mock himself in a teasing tone. The first loss was compatibility, which had already been mentioned. The second was that once a Heroic Spirit's true name was exposed, their strengths and weaknesses would also be revealed to their opponents.
Still, Abner remained fairly calm.
Anyone who saw the combination of a round shield, spear, and red cloak would think of Sparta. Moreover, a large inverted V was emblazoned on the shield—the emblem of Sparta. From there, anyone could deduce that Lancer's true name was Leonidas. That was the downside of being too famous.
For example, the Sabers of the Fourth and Fifth Holy Grail Wars, King Arthur. The moment that golden sword was revealed, their true name became known immediately.
Yet Leonidas was the sort of person whose true name only gave you a bigger headache once you knew it. Abner could not think of any way to exploit Leonidas.
"Leonidas."
Leonidas repeated it once more.
"You are a free man, not a Spartan. There is no need to address me with the title of king. I am merely a warrior. I have no need for such empty titles as king."
Free again.
Abner smiled bitterly, feeling as though he had begun to understand Leonidas a little better.
A hero who fought for freedom regarded freedom as more important than anything else. And this freedom was not merely for himself. He would defend his own freedom to the death, while also fighting for the freedom of others.
But that only made Abner more curious. What exactly was the matter with the Helots, who had been called Sparta's slaves throughout history...?
Looking at Leonidas's torso, like a living bronze statue, Abner simply did not have the courage to ask directly.
"Understood, Leonidas. Then you may call me Abner as well. This is our residence. In your terms, it is..."
Abner found himself at a loss for words. He had intended to say Magic Workshop, but he feared that such a term steeped in occultism might anger this valiant warrior.
"A bridgehead. Is that the word you mean?"
Leonidas supplied a term that carried an obvious sense of aggression.
"Ah, that's it."
"I understand. That thing called the Holy Grail told me all this when it summoned me. Though I hate occultism, a contract is a contract. You provide me with the power to exist in this world, and I repay you with shield, sword, and spear."
As if to reinforce his point, the spear that had been embedded in the floor until just moments ago was pulled free by the strength of his wrist muscles. The steel-blue shaft spun lightly around his wrist, each revolution surely stirring up a rush of sharp air.
Though his technique was not flawless, his sheer mastery of strength more than compensated for that flaw.
"Ah, I trust you, Leonidas. Please... no, let us achieve victory together."
Abner subtly changed his wording again.
Speaking was an art. No matter how kind-hearted someone was, if they did not know how to speak, they would only anger others. Someone who knew how to speak could stab another in the back and still make them accept it willingly.
Abner was clearly the latter type. If he knew what the other person disliked, then he simply would not say it. Words such as "Bring me victory" would surely anger this man, who cared greatly about status and position, because they placed the speaker on a lofty pedestal.
Moreover, this feeling of speaking was fresh to Abner. At the Clock Tower, as a Magus and heretic of Lord El-Melloi II's faction, he rarely had opportunities to communicate normally with others. Perhaps he would discuss academic matters with older Magi, but then Abner could only listen. Or he might discuss research topics with students, but then he had no need to consider their feelings.
Communicating with someone as an equal, considering their status and what they liked or disliked—this painstaking way of speaking gave the socially isolated Abner a strangely fresh feeling.
Just as Abner was about to say something, an antique-looking machine in the corner of the room, decorated with a massive ruby, suddenly began to vibrate. The gem suspended by silk threads moved as though an invisible hand were using it as a pen tip dipped in ink, writing marks onto a sheet of A4 printing paper without a single mistake.
This was a magecraft device Tohsaka Rin had lent him, a Mystic Code the Tohsaka Family had used as a communications device since ancient times. It functioned much like a fax machine. Through resonance between the two gems, it could transmit information from the other side with perfect accuracy.
What made it superior to a fax machine was that, as a magecraft tool, its data could never be intercepted midway.
What made it more troublesome than a fax machine was that there were only a few of these devices in existence, making them highly impractical for general use. If not for concern over the Mage's Association's reaction, Tohsaka Rin would probably have used a fax machine directly.
Abner gave Leonidas an apologetic look. The hearty warrior waved grandly, signaling for him to attend to his business. The burly man walked over to the window frame, curled a finger, and tapped it twice. Finding the sill quite sturdy, he casually drew the short sword from his waist and began using the windowsill as a whetstone to maintain it!
The sight left Abner speechless. A Lancer who used a sword? That really was rare.
But on second thought, the Archer in the Fifth Holy Grail War used twin blades too. Was this some kind of trend?
Ah... perhaps he could use it as a blind spot... disguise Lancer as Saber?
Abner's active mind began racing at high speed, while his hands did not stop moving. He quickly walked over to the gemstone device and picked up Tohsaka Rin's fax.
There was only one line of large, messy handwriting. The writer's urgency had already been transmitted to Abner through the machine.
Mina has gone missing!
Before you continue