"Hello, who is this?"
In a dimly lit French-style room, a handsome man with long black hair picked up the phone and asked calmly.
Then Luvia's voice came through the receiver.
"Teacher! It's Luvia!"
The handsome man with long black hair twitched at the corner of his eye, suppressing the urge to hang up. He flicked the cigar in his other hand and continued coldly.
"Luvia. How is the mission you and Rin were assigned going? It has been a week, hasn't it? My two finest students, have you already collected the cards and come to report back to me?"
"..."
After he spoke, all that awaited him was over ten seconds of silence. The handsome man with long black hair sensed that something was wrong.
"What? Did something happen? Let me make this clear first: if it is some trivial matter like Rin ambushing you, do not bother telling me."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tohsaka Rin's voice came from the receiver again.
"Tea! Teacher, what are you talking about~? Ahaha~ How could I possibly do something like that?"
Long-haired man: "..."
At that moment, the handsome man with long black hair dearly wished he could bring himself to hang up. Though the people on the other end were his two most outstanding students, they were also his biggest headaches.
"Get to the point."
The handsome man with long black hair put down his cigar, steadied himself, and waited for their answer. Then—
"Teacher! Cough, cough, this is how it is. We have encountered a tiny little issue with our mission here, really, just a tiny little issue! Although it is still within the two of our control, for the sake of safety, assurance, and successfully completing the mission, we were hoping..."
Luvia said shamelessly. How could the handsome man with long black hair not understand his own student? He frowned after hearing that.
"Looks like you have run into serious trouble."
The other end: "..."
"Did you forget? Before you left, I told you that this mission would also serve as a trial for you. I will not provide you with any assistance. That is all."
The handsome man with long black hair was about to hang up after saying that, but Luvia's roar came through again.
"Tea-tea-teacher! I just acquired an antique! It is said to be the sword of the King of the Macedonian Empire!! Are! You! Interested?!"
When Luvia said that, the handsome man with long black hair froze. An imposing, towering figure could not help appearing in his mind.
"You really are my good student. Fine, tell me. What do you need me to do?"
In the end, the handsome man with long black hair yielded. Though he did not know whether it truly was that King's sword, he chose to help.
"Hehe~ You do not need to personally take action, Teacher. As a Lord of the Clock Tower, how could you act so casually? How about this? Send Gray over. I am sure Gray can easily resolve the problem here."
Luvia said with a giggle. The handsome man with long black hair faintly heard Tohsaka Rin muttering quietly on the other end.
"Teacher's combat ability is not that high anyway. It would be useless even if he came."
"()"
The handsome man with long black hair wondered if his authority as a teacher had grown weaker. It seemed he needed to properly discipline the two of them.
"Gray?"
The handsome man with long black hair looked at the girl beside him. She stood quietly at his side, and astonishingly, she looked almost exactly like the Black Saber from the alternate space yesterday, aside from the color of her hair.
"Teacher."
Gray carried a small birdcage in her hand. Gentle and quiet, she waited for the handsome man with long black hair to give his orders.
Although Gray was the true final disciple of the handsome man with long black hair, she was usually more like his bodyguard and maid, tending to both his daily life and safety.
"Gray, pack your things and make a trip there. You do not need to worry about me."
The handsome man with long black hair spoke. Gray's gaze flickered, but she ultimately nodded and turned to make preparations.
Watching Gray leave, the handsome man warned the people on the phone.
"Gray will arrive in the next couple of days. Though I do not know what serious trouble you have encountered, try to be careful. You are both my students, and I do not want anything to happen to you. All right—
When will you send the item over?"
"Cough, cough. Do not worry, Teacher. I will call my family right away and have someone deliver it to you."
"Mm. Stay safe.
Beep, beep, beep~"
After speaking, the handsome man with long black hair hung up and sat weakly on the sofa. That imposing figure of the King appeared in his mind once more.
On the other side.
"Yay! Done! There will be no problem once Gray arrives!"
Luvia wore an expression of relief. Though she did not want to admit it, Gray's combat ability far surpassed theirs. Even if they transformed into Magical Girls, they would not be her match. Of course, that was assuming they fought with their lives on the line.
Then Tohsaka Rin asked.
"Did you really find the sword of the King of the Macedonian Empire? When Teacher summoned that King back then, he only found a fragment."
To her surprise, Luvia replied indifferently.
"Of course I was fooling Teacher. How could something that ancient be found so easily?"
Tohsaka Rin: "(;)"
"Relax, I have already sent my butler to look for it. Even if he cannot find the sword, finding something else will do. We will stall him for now and deal with it once this matter is resolved."
Luvia stretched lazily, her outstanding figure making Tohsaka Rin's eyes burn with envy.
Just as Tohsaka Rin gritted her teeth—
"I'm back~"
The front door opened, and a gallant hero—no, a handsome red-haired young man walked in. He passed through the entryway and came face-to-face with the people in the living room.
"Huh! Tohsaka! And Luvia is here too!"
The handsome young man looked at Tohsaka Rin and Luvia in surprise, while the two women were equally startled to see him.
"Shirou!"
"E-Emiya! Why are you here?"
The two women's expressions instantly changed, and they became as shy as young girls in love.
Emiya Shirou scratched his cheek and said with a smile.
"I'm Illya's older brother. I come over to see her whenever I have time. What about you? Is school on break? Why are you here?"
Emiya Shirou had also studied at the Clock Tower, essentially as Tohsaka Rin's study companion. He had worked for Luvia as well, so they knew one another well.
Moreover, there was something unusual in the way Emiya Shirou looked at Tohsaka Rin. The two had studied, eaten, and lived together at the Clock Tower. Though neither had made their relationship clear, their feelings for each other had long surpassed ordinary friendship.
"Cough, cough! It is nothing. You could say we are completing a graduation assignment. Luvia and I came here to finish a mission. If we can complete it, the Jewel Mage will accept us as disciples."
Tohsaka Rin did not hide it. There was nothing she needed to hide from Emiya Shirou anyway.
Emiya Shirou nodded after hearing that.
"I see. The Jewel Mage... becoming his disciple is truly something to envy. Oh, since you are already here, do not leave today. I bought groceries, so I will make something delicious for you later."
Emiya Shirou raised his left hand, which held a large bag filled with ingredients.
Tohsaka Rin's eyes lit up when she heard that.
"Sure! It has been so long since I last had food made by Emiya. I am looking forward to it."