35 An Ever-Shifting World

(A/N: Nyx_Celeste pointed it out and yeah, I'll affirm it. Some of these chapters may appear a bit woozy cause I was sick and sleep deprived when I wrote them. The double update's my apology of sorts.)

Fuyuki, Japan,

Fuyuki Church,

"I feel you have something on your mind."

".....Indeed."

Gilgamesh sat in the empty Fuyuki Church, right at the front with a glass of red wine in his hand. The King of Heroes was dressed casually, only wearing a white shirt and blue jeans with a golden necklace around his neck, a small amused smile crossed his face as he stared out of the window, mildly entertained.

"Is it related to the Magician?" Gilgamesh glanced at his current 'Master', the foreigner had proven himself to be worthy of his attention with this stunt of his. Even now, a massive battle was brewing in the city... not to mention how he'd wiped out a massive part of it already.

"Yes." Kirei nodded shortly, this servant, despite his arrogance was more perceptive than he would like him to be, it was even dangerous. The priest's eyes turned hollow, looking at the corpse of his father, Risei Kotomine, lying just at his feet with multiple black keys lodged in his back, killing him was a good opportunity for himself and a good move, no doubt this war would be annulled if the old man had his way.

"Well then, what are you waiting for? Out with it." Gilgamesh was slightly impatient, they'd done nothing ever since the Great Holy Grail War started, it was getting annoying.

"A person such as the 'Magician', a personality like that to be more specific, I doubt he has many truly close to him...." Kirei placed a hand on the podium, the corners of his lips upturning ever so slightly, if he could rearrange the terrain casually, then, what if he was seething with rage? "What if these people were to... say, meet accidents." The priest knew it was wrong but his earlier talk with Gilgamesh had made him certain of himself, this was the way he was, there was no changing that.

"Oh? You're a sick man, Kirei." Gilgamesh slightly grinned, pleased with the plan, he wondered what kind of chaos and events that would bring about, humanity could go destroy itself for all he cared.

"I aim to please. Of course, if he is anything like Magi, their accidents would be minor inconveniences at best but..." The dark haired priest looked at the King of Heroes, waiting for the latter to finish his sentence instead.

Gilgamesh leaned forward, "But if that was the case, he never would have explained himself... He seemed close to that homunculus wench and inexperienced sham." This was about to become even more intriguing than before, the magician would be grateful that he was getting such attention from him, the King of Heroes would make sure of that.

"There's also another problem, if he could fool the Clock Tower for more than a decade, then he can predict us coming too..." Kirei wasn't so sure of this to be completely honest, the older houses probably had a hint to his 'talents'... Well, except the newer ones and the ones with 'sticks up their asses' who were too sure of themselves to doubt.

"In the end, he is a human. Patience will do us good, there will certainly be a moment when his hubris or joy makes him lower his guard." Gilgamesh stood up with a grin, it was time to make an 'ally'.

"Where to?"

"To declare our 'alliance'."

"Hmmm..... I suppose the scapegoat can be my father's murderer." Kirei lightly smiled at Risei's cold corpse, even in death the man was serving him some purpose.

"Indeed." Gilgamesh faded away chuckling.

-

London, England,

Clock Tower,

Department of Astromancy,

The office of the Lord of the Department of Astromancy, undoubtedly one of the strongest department and studies, was unexpectedly humble in appearance. Quite smaller in size compared to the others but with dark polished expensive furniture, a painting hung from one of the side walls and a bookshelf lay just opposite to it.

The Lord himself sat a table directly in front of the back wall, natural light coming in from the open windows behind him. Shoulder length pale hair, dull golden eyes and a thin stature, he was certainly attractive but that didn't really matter,

"What brings you to my humble abode, Lord McDonell?" He asked calmly, politely smiling at his guest. This visit was a little unexpected, thankfully, one of his offices had been ready.

"Lord Marisbury Animusphere." McDonell greeted the man with a small nod of his head, his massive frame sharply contrasting with the person he addressed, the chair he sat on seemed to look like it was built for a child.

"I.. have found connections between you and my son." He spoke sternly, narrowing his gaze. It had been very hard and took him days but he'd found people who'd seen the two talking, getting information after that was easy...

"Hm?" Marisbury raised a brow, "I was of the belief our tracks were covered rather well." His smile slightly widened.

These two people were magus, the respective Lords of their Families, very old families. Such tact was to be expected, an aura of arrogance too permeated the office.

"They were, unexpected of my son." McDonell closed his eyes, he'd begun investigating the kid after their latest discussion. There was no way someone like that had been lazing around, he was liable to do something stupid to prove himself and as his father, McDonell wanted to stop him before that, he owed him that much after all the time he'd spent neglecting Roman's very existence.

"A lot of what he does is unexpected from someone like him." Marisbury praised, standing up from his seat, it had been quite the shock when he learnt of just how competent the 'cripple' actually was, sure his 'talent' was lacking but, "His personality is rather..... intense. I fear even I would be swept up by his momentum."

"And yet he can't hide his own information." McDonell cut him off, it was something no one would openly talk about but, information about Roman was too openly available, even newer families could learn much about him just by asking.

"That.." Marisbury leaned down with a small smile, "That is also what I was referring to, where do you think this information comes from? As humans, we tend to believe what most believe if there's enough evidence instead of doubting it. Of course, I, among some others, am an exception to this." Still, even he'd been fooled into believing that what the majority knew was the truth, there was much evidence behind it after all.... That man was talented in ways other than what a magus would seek.

"Then..." McDonell's eyes widened by the slightest bit, was this man implying what he thought he was?

"The source of this 'openly available information' is Roman himself. He is 'crippled', talentless and none question what they see with their very eyes." Marisbury placed a hand on the table, slightly enthusiastic, Roman was among the best specimens he'd ever seen.

".....But older families do know that his circuits are of high quality, even if the masses believe otherwise." McDonell was slightly taken aback, had he been the one too caught up in his own hubris?

"But do they know precisely how high?" The Lord Animusphere was enjoying this conversation, it was an amusing one.. At the same time, he also praised Roman's foresight considering the young man had hinted at something of this nature happening in their last interaction.

"....." McDonell felt he'd made some sort of mistake, magecraft wasn't what completely made a man.

"You my lord, are too focused on valuing merit, which is precisely why he could fool even one such as yourself. You ignored the things that didn't garner merit in our world." Marisbury lightly laughed, enjoying the expression on the Trambelio's face. The Animusphere Family was among one of the many families whose support his 'son' had garnered over the years.

"One thing does not add up in all this." McDonell narrowed his gaze at Marisbury, a fierce aura about his person, "How come you, who prefer seclusion, know all this and...." From what he could see, it seemed that Marisbury supported his son.

"I suppose for that we would have to go a bit back...." Marisbury sat back down, reaching inside his desk. It had been quite the shock when he learned of the man's true nature and more so when he was the one who'd been approached, his investigations were noticed far too quickly. Well... Roman had his support, so long as he remained loyal to the deal they'd made.

"Lazy, unmotivated, ambitionless, leeching off the family, is that an apt description of his current image?"

"...Yes." The Trambelio accepted this fact begrudgingly.

"Tell me Lord McDonell, do you remember the death of your second wife?"

"....What relation does that have with this?" McDonell clenched his fist, clearly annoyed with the question, it was not a pleasant memory to recall, more so because the woman had been pushing for a divorce with him beforehand.

"Do you remember how she died?"

Marisbury continued, pulling out a number of files, Roman had already made up his mind, there would be no more lying low after he returned. The Clock Tower would be facing massive changes.

Changes that had been a long time coming. Events that had taken years of planning to ensure, it was going to be something worthwhile.

With enough wealth to cripple national economies, Roman Trambelio was a massive threat in the political battlefield as well as the literal to those that opposed him.

"A thunder strike...." It sounded like complete bullshit but that HAD been a natural phenomenon (God knew he'd done everything he could to investigate if there was a perpetrator), lightning had fallen on the woman and she'd been burnt to a complete crisp, "Heading to my son's mansion."

"That.... was no freak accident."

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Share thoughts.

That aside, that last accident bit regarding Roman's mother is related to the chapter 'A Look At The Past - Tamamo's Side' in case you don't remember.

Did he do it knowingly? Or unknowingly? Would someone like Roman do something like that knowingly?

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