Starting in Type-Moon, but an A Certain Magical Index Magician

"Ah?"

Illya did not quite understand what Mephistopheles meant.

"How about restoring Heracles's consciousness, letting him exist and act by relying on the mana of the Leylines, and freeing him from the Holy Grail's control?"

Those words finally moved Illya. She stared at Mephistopheles in disbelief, only asking after a long while, "C-can it really be done?!"

She was so careful, as if afraid that the beautiful sight before her was only a dream.

Mephistopheles gave her an affirmative answer. "Most likely. As long as I successfully analyze the Holy Grail, I can't say the success rate will be one hundred percent, but ninety-nine percent won't be a problem."

At that, he smiled. "After all, for you, Heracles is actually your most important family member now, isn't he?"

Illya did not deny it. She merely nodded.

That giant, who had now lost the ability to speak, was her best family!

There was no doubt about it!

Girls' Rivalry

Walking to school, Shirou Emiya felt that the road was unexpectedly difficult to walk today.

It was not because of road construction or anything like that. In fact, there were not many people on this road, and it was quite spacious.

Even if he suddenly went wild on this street and acted a little chuunibyou, Shirou Emiya felt there would not be any problem.

The main reason he found the road difficult was the two girls beside him, Rin Tohsaka and Sakura Matou.

One was the school's famous young lady, while the other was a gentle and adorable underclassman. If an ordinary boy saw two girls walking with him, he would probably be insanely jealous. Unfortunately, Shirou Emiya did not think this was a good thing.

They had been walking for over ten minutes since leaving home. During those ten minutes, Rin Tohsaka and Sakura Matou had not said a word. Yet even without speaking, Shirou Emiya could feel the atmosphere between them.

It was an atmosphere of competing against each other, one that clearly told strangers to stay away.

After thinking briefly, he chose to slow his pace slightly and let the two walk ahead of him.

Perhaps their silent contest had finally come to an end. After a while, the two began talking.

Rin Tohsaka spoke first.

The girl Shirou Emiya remembered as a young lady who was almost always alone and seemed to have few friends said to Sakura Matou, "Matou, you seem to be very interested in certain people."

What was Rin Tohsaka talking about? What did she mean by "certain people"? Was she talking about Mephistopheles? Shirou Emiya listened and thought to himself.

"Certain people?" Sakura Matou smiled faintly. "What are you talking about, Tohsaka? I don't quite understand."

"Is that so?" Rin Tohsaka smiled as well, as if the other girl had said something very amusing.

That made Shirou Emiya feel even more strongly that taking a step back and letting the two walk ahead had been the right choice.

If he had been walking alongside them right now, he would definitely be incredibly awkward—awkward enough to dig out a whole building with his toes.

At the same time, Shirou Emiya could not help analyzing the situation.

Strange. Isn't Mephistopheles a Servant? He shouldn't have appeared in the past. Why is Sakura so concerned about him? And Rin Tohsaka has clearly noticed it too. With Sakura's personality, she shouldn't be talking like this, but she obviously seems to be confronting Rin Tohsaka...

Could there be someone who looks a lot like Mephistopheles, someone Sakura has met and is even fairly close to, so she became very curious after seeing Mephistopheles?

Or is it because she saw that Rin Tohsaka seems to have a good relationship with Mephistopheles, and she was curious about that, so she is acting like this?

But... Sakura and Rin Tohsaka do not know each other. They have no connection. She shouldn't be doing something like this...

The more Shirou Emiya thought about it, the less he understood what was happening. Whether it was his understanding of Sakura or Rin Tohsaka, he suddenly felt as if he had spent several years at this school for nothing and knew nothing at all.

He could not help sighing. He truly did not know Rin Tohsaka's real circumstances. If not for what happened last night, he would never have known that she was a magus, much less that she had summoned a Servant and was participating in the terrifying Holy Grail War.

No, he had not even known about the Holy Grail War. He had always thought that, as Kiritsugu's child, he was somewhat special. Now, it seemed that he was merely an ordinary person.

Thinking I was a hero was chuunibyou, and thinking I had special magic was chuunibyou too. But now it seems that I'm actually ordinary. Everyone is the same. Ignoring the contest between the two girls, Shirou Emiya thought silently.

Right. Should I just learn from Mephistopheles too? His magic seems pretty powerful, and it's even more... more mysterious than what Kiritsugu taught me. It's like magic from legends.

As Shirou Emiya thought that, he hesitated again. But it wouldn't be good to trouble someone so casually... Still, I really do want to learn...

On the other side, Sakura Matou's answer had revealed almost no information, yet she clearly intended to compete with her. That made Rin Tohsaka fall into thought.

Sakura will most likely participate in this Holy Grail War too. After all, Shinji Matou has already left Fuyuki City. That action was obviously meant to prevent any accidents.

Emiya is also a Master, so there is no need to hide too much from him. But I still don't know whether Sakura is truly participating in this battle. I can't say it outright. Even so, her attitude toward Mephistopheles...

Thinking that, Rin Tohsaka said, "Matou, I have a question. I hope you can answer it."

"What is it, Tohsaka? If I know the answer, I will certainly tell you."

"I just thought you and Mephistopheles seemed to get along very well, so I was wondering whether you knew each other."

"Is that so? I also feel that Mr. Mephistopheles and I get along very well. It is almost like meeting an old friend I have not seen in a long time."

"Is that so? An old friend you have not seen in a long time? That is quite surprising. As I recall, this is his first time coming to Japan."

As Rin Tohsaka spoke, she once again sank into thought.

Wait. Mephistopheles said that he had almost joined the Clock Tower as a student, and many of his habits make him seem like a modern person. Could this world have an alternate counterpart of him from another world? And has Sakura actually met that counterpart?

No, I have to carefully ask him what era he is from today. If that really is the case, dealing with Sakura will be quite troublesome. It might even change Sakura's social circle...

As Rin Tohsaka thought that, she fell into another worry.

But what if the person she knows is the Mephistopheles I summoned? No, not necessarily knows—judging from how she is now, she is at least extremely interested in Mephistopheles. If she keeps approaching him, I do not even know what trouble might arise afterward...

What should I do? How am I supposed to explain my relationship with Mephistopheles? If I handle it badly, Sakura might get the wrong idea...

In the end, Rin Tohsaka could only suppress the matter for the time being. Before figuring out exactly what Sakura's attitude was, she realized that she was completely on the defensive and could not launch an effective counterattack.

Because of that, she could not help complaining about the person who was not there.

Ah, this is all Mephistopheles's fault. Why does Sakura care so much about him?!

Magic Name

Mephistopheles looked at Shirou Emiya. Afraid that he had not heard clearly, he asked, "What did you say? Say it again."

"I said, can I learn your magic?"

Shirou Emiya had no choice but to repeat himself. He looked a little embarrassed, but he still steadied himself and explained, "I think your magic is very special, and knowing another skill can never hurt."

"Aren't you afraid I won't teach you?" Mephistopheles asked with a smile.

"No. I thought there might be requirements for taking on disciples or something, which is why I asked. Even if it really doesn't work, at worst I'll just be rejected. I won't lose anything." Shirou Emiya shook his head. "Even if it doesn't work out, I can choose to study basic magecraft theory."

"That is true. Even if I reject you, you will not lose anything. If it succeeds, then it will be a good thing." Mephistopheles nodded, looking at the boy who was preparing ingredients.

Of course, Mephistopheles knew what kind of person Shirou Emiya was. It could be said that Shirou Emiya from any world was a good person—either on the road to saving the world or on the road to saving those close to him.

Therefore, Mephistopheles was very willing to accept the request—or perhaps it should be called a plea—that this boy had made.

So Mephistopheles smiled and said, "My answer is yes. But before that, I want to ask you something. Why do you want to learn magic?"

"Why? Because I'm curious?"

"There are many reasons for curiosity, but fundamentally, it can be considered a thirst for knowledge." Mephistopheles said, "I am different from magi like Rin. Or rather, I am different from the vast majority of magi. When learning magic, I hope you will first confirm your goal."

"Confirm my goal?"

"Many magi in this world seek the Root in pursuit of truth. Their goal can be called Veritas—in Latin, it means truth. They can be called seekers of truth. This is a magic name.

"A magic name is a title a magician establishes for their own goal and inner obsession. Once one recites their magic name, it means that they will no longer hold back for the sake of their goal. In other words, reciting a magic name when facing an enemy is equivalent to fighting with all one's strength."

Listening to Mephistopheles, Shirou Emiya could not help frowning. But soon, he said, "But rather than fighting to the death, wouldn't reciting a magic name be more like declaring, 'For the sake of my magical path, I will not retreat'?"

"Very smart. That is exactly the reason. Fighting to the death is merely a situation where, in order to achieve your goal, you have no choice but to eliminate whoever stands in your way. Well, that does not mean you must kill them. It just means having the determination to kill. Of course, it is also fine if you are determined to beat them down so they can no longer stop you."

"Rather than killing them, it would be better to beat them down..."

"In most cases, that is indeed true. After all, many people have their own factions. Killing them outright can easily cause major trouble."

Mephistopheles nodded in agreement. "For example, some are from royal families, while others are from the Church. Of course, it is better to directly eliminate those guys who summon Evil Gods without caring about the consequences."

"Evil Gods?"

"They are the sort of monsters where, if summoned, at least everyone in a city will suffer. They might even turn an entire region into an extremely dangerous place, causing massive disasters afterward. And the magicians who summon them are not actually trying to have the Evil Gods grant their wishes. Most of the time, they are doing it for research..."

"Research?! You mean magicians intend to study gods?! Ah!!" Shirou Emiya's eyes widened slightly. Then, in a moment of carelessness, the kitchen knife cut his finger.

"Be more careful. Learn to multitask." As Mephistopheles spoke, he casually tapped Shirou Emiya's finger. The wound rapidly healed.

Seeing that miraculous scene, Shirou Emiya asked enviously, "That is magic too, right?"

"Of course. I borrowed a little of an angel's power to rapidly heal the wound and replenish the life that was lost."

"A-an angel?!"

"Yes. In terms of the human body's structure, it cannot bear too much life beyond its own limits. However, life lost due to accidents can be replenished. That is what is called replenishing mana." Mephistopheles explained, making Shirou Emiya freeze for a moment before immediately listening attentively.

This was all knowledge!

Magic knowledge!

"Special methods can extend the lifespan of the human body, but it is ultimately false. You cannot escape the final judgment, or rather, you cannot remove the concept of bodily death from yourself.

"So if you truly want to rely on magic for longevity, there are ways. Unfortunately, immortality is impossible unless you can cross the Abyss."

Cross the Abyss? That made sense. Only by overcoming difficulties as vast as an abyss could one be qualified to obtain the power of true immortality. It was perfectly natural.

Shirou Emiya thought that, but said aloud, "Abyss... that is a good metaphor. It immediately shows how difficult the path of magic is."

Mephistopheles smiled but said nothing.

The Abyss was not a metaphor, but a literal description. On the Tree of Life, there was a hidden Sephirah. Within the Sephirah called Knowledge lurked terrifying demons. If one could not cross the Abyss, one could never reach the Upper Three of the Tree of Life.

The Abyss was the boundary between humans and nonhumans!

Or rather, the Abyss was the boundary between humans and gods!

However, for Shirou Emiya, who had not truly begun learning magic, this was not knowledge he needed to know yet.

It was even possible that he would never need to know it in his entire life.

Shirou Emiya only felt that the magical knowledge Mephistopheles spoke of was especially interesting. After finishing the food in front of him and beginning to plate it, he suddenly thought of something. "By the way, Mephistopheles, do you have a magic name?"

"I do. That Veritas I just told you about is my magic name. But to avoid conflicts, since many people have the same goal, my magic name is Veritas000, with three numbers added."

"Numbers, like a serial number." Shirou Emiya nodded, indicating that he understood. Then he thought for a moment. "Are the numbers merely identifiers, or do they have their own meaning?"

"That depends on what you hope for. If you want them to have meaning, then you should choose the numbers carefully. If they are simply to prevent duplication, then casually choose numbers you like."

Mephistopheles did not hide anything and answered the question seriously. "I have to say, the fact that you can ask this question proves that you have talent."

"Then do the numbers in your name have meaning?"

"Of course they do. I was very serious about it. They have to have meaning!"

"I see. Then it seems I need to think carefully about my own magic name too." Shirou Emiya spoke as he glanced at the girls in the living room.

"Rin is learning too, and Illya is learning too. Do they have magic names?"

"Not yet. It is not time for that."

That answer stunned Shirou Emiya. "Then have I already reached that point?"

"They were born into mage families, while you were not. You are only an ordinary person. Even if you have practiced magecraft, you know nothing about these things. The field you are about to enter is unknown—purely unknown. That is why you need to clarify your goal first."

Seeing how seriously Mephistopheles answered, Shirou Emiya nodded lightly and remembered every word.

"I know what magic name I should choose."

Following the choice in his heart, the nightmare that had troubled him for so many years seemed to have found a solution.

"I want to take salvation and protection as my name!"

He chose that magic name without any hesitation? Was that just what one should expect from Shirou Emiya? Kiritsugu Emiya's influence was truly immense. Still, a magic name was not entirely fixed. If one's goal changed, the magic name could naturally change as well.

And the word itself did not need to change, though its longer explanation could. In the end, it was up to Shirou Emiya himself.

Mephistopheles was not too surprised. He was merely a little sentimental, then offered his suggestion. "Salvus? Or Salvare would work too. As for the numbers, choose according to your own preference."

After all, Shirou Emiya clearly did not understand Latin.

Mephistopheles's Big Revelation

Night fell, and Mephistopheles silently leaned against the sofa in the living room. Although Shirou Emiya's house looked like a typical old Japanese residence from the outside, its interior had sofas and other furnishings alongside Japanese-style tatami mats.