8 A Misunderstanding

Fuyuki, Japan,

Docks,

In the dark night, a single young man could be seen walking down to the docks, using a cane, it was more than apparent that there was some kind of problem with his leg to any who saw him.... But, none did or rather, there was strangely no sign of life in the docks other than him and two people walking behind him.

A woman of immense beauty with the features of a fox, namely a tail and ears, following behind him with a spring in her step and a white haired woman in a maid dress, walking with her hands over stomach and closed eyes.

Yet, at the same time, something strange seemed to be going on. Something that would make any man do a double take and question their own beliefs. For each time the cane tapped against the ground, the lamps built to the sides would switch on and off.

"Umm, Master. What do you think you're doing?" Tamamo no Mae, finally unable to help her curiosity, ended up blurting out the question that had been on her mind ever since 'this' started.

"Umm, Tamamo. What do you think I'm doing?" Roman joked with a small smile, not worried about hiding his ability from his servant. She'd not betray him and even if she did, it no longer mattered if his prowess remained a secret or not. He was almost done playing the cripple.

"That's what Tamamo is asking. Mou, Master, you might be putting yourself in a lot of danger!" Tamamo chided with her hands locked together, looking up at Roman with eyes shining in curiosity, she had a lot of questions to ask but was silent because he was busy.

"Blew out the lights, am now making fires inside." Roman pointed up at the lights with a nasty grin, "Fuck the church." The money for fixing this wouldn't be coming out of his pockets.

"I believe the government will be paying for this, Master." Thea reported with a small bow, ever so dutiful.

"Huh..." Roman looked at her strangely, "Fuck the government then I guess." The Trambelio shrugged, not much bothered, it wasn't like anyone was watching him at the moment.

He'd checked.

"Not that. What is THIS?" Tamamo pointed all around, maybe the inept idiots of the modern age couldn't see it but what her Master was doing right now was completely insane. Something even servants couldn't rightly do and he seemed to be misunderstanding it too.

Seeing the fox servant so animated, Roman only sighed, "Magecraft?"

"This... This isn't magecraft! Master, do you think I'm an idiot?" Tamamo narrowed her eyes, she was very smart, yes, very very smart, no she was very very very smart. If he thought she couldn't understand this then he was in for a surprise, she'd get it.... eventually!

"Yes, yes I do." Roman's answer was, as always, given with a straight face and amused eyes.

"Hm Hm, I see you think I'm an idiot. Then Tamamo will give you an explanation.." The Caster looked rather proud of her 'devious' scheme, she'd waste his time this way... "This looks like simple conversion at first glance. While somewhat surprising you're using prana directly.... Actually, how are you doing that?" He was human, how was he even doing that?

"Go on." Roman's tone carried a hint of intrigue, the Trambelio was curious about what she had to say. He had indeed been using it as a means of conversion for the most part after all.

"This is not magic, but it isn't magecraft. If I had to say..... No, I can't come up with a term for this. Master, I don't understand how you're doing this but you.... You seem to be imparting your desire onto the world in exchange for prana....." Tamamo stopped in her tracks, "Yeah, this is cheating. Master you cheat..."

"......" Roman didn't know whether to believe her or not, the servant did have a habit of exaggerating things. So far as he knew and checked, it just allowed him to convert prana into stuff and bring about the 'result' of running a specific type of spell directly, skipping the process, "Thanks for your input."

Tamamo puffed out her chest, a smug smile forming on her face, the servant was only happy at getting a powerful master, not that she wasn't curious about his abilities.... She just wasn't curious enough.

"Of course, your input is the only useful thing you can do with how weak you are." Roman didn't believe in holding his tongue if the other person was a woman, "Relatively speaking of course." After all, she could probably trash any modern magi in an instant.

"Wha?" Tamamo no Mae gasped, a hurtful look on her eyes that soon changed to a pout, "Master, you're too mean.." She punched his shoulder, puffing up her cheeks with small tears in her eyes.... Well, she much preferred someone blunt and upfront than someone who would use her maiden heart and then throw her away! Indeed!

"Heh." Thea once again sneered at what she decisively thought a harlot, it wasn't easy to get her Master to be nice to a person. Of course, he was always nice to her... She followed behind Roman, nodding to herself.

"Hahaha! Boy, you need to put on some muscle!"

A distinct, heavy and loud voice, one that made Roman smile in approval, "It looks like he succeeded." The magus was actually pleased, there weren't really many he could call actual friends and so he valued the few individuals he could in fact, call friends.

"Can you not do that? What if I fall into the water?!"

"That must be Lord Waver." Thea pointed out, recognising the second voice, who could forget the manch-*ehem* magus' path-*ehem* distinct and unique voice and way of talking.

"That is indeed, Waver." Roman nodded at the maid's words, it was nice to have confirmation.

"I see you have allies. Wise move, Master. Shameful as it is, even with the boost my homeland gives me, I fear I might not be able to win this by my lonesome." Tamamo's ears slightly drooped down, there were always ways for her to get stronger but she wasn't one to hide her shortcomings from her own Master. Also, wasn't this master a little too uncaring about her identity? ... Not that she minded.

... Besides, the slight happiness she felt from her Master when he heard the young voice affirmed for the Caster-class servant that he was one worth serving. Any who treasure those they hold dear can not be truly bad... Or so Tamamo no Mae believed.

Not a few moments later, they'd arrived at the stairs leading down the pier. The moon leaving a beautiful shadow on the calm waters and the gentle breeze only served to add the the beauty of such a scene.

There, out at the pier, stood Waver accompanied by a veritable giant of a man. With short but fiery red hair, he was as tall as he was bulky, sporting a massive frame with bulging muscles barely concealed by the tight white t-shirt hugging his body, the jeans seemed to be doing their job though.

"The King of Conquerors, I'd heard you were shorter." Roman smiled widely, looking up at the Rider-class servant as he walked down the pier, "Is that size compensating for something?"

"Romaaan!" Waver shouted in exasperation, did he not understand the danger he was putting himself in right now?! This was Iskandar, the King of Conqueror! What if he got upset at him or something?

Tamamo's ears stood on end, and despite being well aware of how she was outclassed, the servant jumped in front of her Master, protectively holding out her hand in front of him, "If it devolves, forget me and run." She whispered with cautious eyes.

Iskandar himself stood with wide eyes, staring at the absurd magus walking up to him.

Roman only shook his head, moving Tamamo's hand out of the way with a smile, "I might be an idiot for it, but I won't be doing that." The magus, was a peculiar one.

Strangely enough, Iskandar started laughing loudly, "Interesting! Magus, tell me your name!" The Conqueror King's surprised face turned into a pleased one, his eyes shining in excitement as a wild grin formed across his face, he didn't think to meet one such as him here.

"Roman Trambelio, pleased to make your acquaintance." Roman 'bowed', much like an entertainer would after his show, this was turning out to be a rather amusing event.

"Amazing. I am the King of Conquerors, Iskandar!" The Rider introduced himself, banging a fist on his chest. This magus was a sight for sore eyes, sharply contrasting with his own Master.

Thea, only sighed standing behind the man she called Master. The way he was raised and his already peculiar personality combined to make this, well, not that she particularly minded. Eccentricity was good, especially because her master was somewhat self-aware.

"You there, Caster. Offer me your fealty, let us win this war together." Iskandar raised a balled up fist, a warm grin on his face, the rider class servant was a rather amiable and easy to get along with man after all, desiring only adventure.

Tamamo no Mae looked at him as if he were an idiot, "You there." First she mocked him, "Are you perhaps retarded?" Then she placed a hand over her chest and spoke in a cutesy voice, "Besides, Tamamo's already chosen someone to devote herself to."

Waver looked at the fox eared girl with a small blush, she was undeniably beautiful so it was understandable, in fact, Roman was the weird one.

"I see. A shame." Iskandar was barely bothered by her words, "But.. .have we met before?"

"I'm certain we've not." Tamamo's behaviour now was sharply contrasted with how it had been with her Master, "Could you not come near me? You're messing with my fur."

"....." Iskandar slightly tilted his head, "If it's a fight you want, I'm happy to give you one." The Rider was confident of his own power... Only, he felt as if an ant was crawling up his skin so he looked down to see Waver pushing him behind... or at least, trying to,

"No Rider, you must not!"

In contrast, Roman's way of stopping Caster was different. "Eep!" He simply grabbed and pulled on her tail making Tamamo welp and rub it in slight dismay, "You have to tell me first.."

Roman looked at her in slight contemplation, so it was cool if he asked?

"That aside, Waver, let's be allies. I'm not that interested in winning if you are indeed hell bent on it, though I find that hard to believe..... Unless... You're a bitch?"

Waver looked at him with a suspicious gaze, wasn't Roman being a little too nice, "Why?"

"Oh come one. Haven't I already told you? It's cause we're friends." Roman's words seemed honest and true and the Rider behind Waver nodded in approval, friendship was a splendid thing to witness.

"If you are a true friend of my master, I, Iskandar, have no problems." Unexpectedly, the King of Conquerors had no problem working with people who refused to work under him.

"Then..." Waver held out his hand with a confident smile, they'd known each other for years and Roman had Caster, in case it was a backstab, Rider would be able to easily overpower such a servant... Not that Waver thought it so, in the end, he did trust Roman to some degree.

Roman shook his hand and then hit him in the knee with his cane, "Be more upfront about shit. I don't mind not being trusted."

Waver, who had fallen back on the wooden pier, could only laugh awkwardly, "Sorry."

"Now then, we need to head to one of the Edelfelt mansions."

"...Mansions belonging to a fiance that dislikes you...."

"I believe in using everything at my disposal."

"Master has a fiance?!"

"Then we can make Matou disappear!"

"Wait, what?!"

"Excuse me you two, can you not ignore Tamamo?"

"Can it, harlot."

"Hahahaha!"

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Share thoughts mfs.

Also, which cunt commented that homunculus can only live for two months? Are you bloody retarded? Thea's a damn Einzbern homunculus on top of that. What the fuck is wrong with you?