"Excuse me, may I ask your name?"
Darnic's tone was low, almost gentle, as he spoke again, unfazed by Waver's stunned reaction.
"W-Waver. Waver Velvet. I'm sorry, I was really rude just now. This is Professor Kayneth's package… Do you want it?"
Realizing he'd just acted like a fool in front of the legendary magus, Waver stammered out a panicked apology.
"It's alright. May I call you Waver?"
Danic offered a warm smile. He took a moment to assess Waver's clothes, his mannerisms, then gracefully steered the conversation away from the package.
"You're a low-bloodline magus, aren't you?"
He said it casually, but firmly.
"Yeah… three generations."
'What does he want? Is he mocking me?'
Waver stared down, shoulders tense. He was used to snide remarks about his lineage. It wasn't smart to lash out at someone like Danic, no matter how unfair the comment.
But to his surprise, Danic didn't follow up with a sneer. Instead, his voice turned sharp with conviction.
"Bloodline is a shackle. A tool used by the Clock Tower's nobles to keep talented outsiders like us in our place. They cling to their rotten rules just to suppress the capable."
Danic's tone remained calm, but every word struck with the weight of undeniable truth.
Waver's eyes widened. For the first time, someone, a figure this respected, was actually validating what he believed. Still, he hesitated.
"Actually… I don't think it's that—"
"Don't lie to me, Waver," Danic cut in, smiling as he clapped a hand on Waver's shoulder. "You know who I am. You should know I didn't come from any noble house, not like the Clock Tower aristocrats."
He leaned in slightly.
"I built the Yggdmillennia clan, because I wanted to break away from that decay. I wanted to create a home for magi judged by their talent, not their pedigree."
Then came the words Waver never expected.
"You have potential, Waver Velvet. Real talent. Would you consider joining Yggdmillennia?"
"I..I… Yes! Of course I would!"
Waver's cheeks flushed red with excitement. This was it, the recognition he'd always dreamed of. Who cared about old names or old families, when someone like Darnic believed in him?
Darnic offered a knowing smile and extended his hand.
"After you graduate, I'll be waiting."
Then, with a polite tone, "Now… may I see Professor Kayneth's package? I'll deliver it to him myself. No trouble."
Waver's hand reached for it, but froze mid-motion.
He hesitated.
Being appreciated was exhilarating, but… no matter how friendly Darnic seemed, Waver hadn't forgotten the reality. Darnic and Kayneth were rivals. This package might contain crucial details, perhaps even the true name of Kayneth's Servant. In the Holy Grail War, that knowledge could tip the balance entirely.
If Waver handed it over now… would he really be proving his worth? Or would he be selling out?
"I—I'm sorry! I really have to give this to Professor Kayneth myself."
Waver bowed deeply. "I'm sorry, truly."
"Tch."
Danic's expression darkened. His fingers drifted toward his chest, toward that thing. Even hollow, it could cloud a mind at close range. But before he could act—
"Keep your hands off my student, Darnic."
A cold voice cut through the air.
Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald had arrived.
He didn't even glance at the package. Instead, he grabbed Waver by the shoulder and pulled him behind, as if shielding him.
Golden hair slicked back with a hint of obsessive precision. Regal bearing. A posture soaked in noble pride. And that hairline… perhaps a bit higher than it once was.
"Still resorting to petty tricks, I see," Kayneth said coolly. "So much for our 'rivalry.' I'd expected better."
Darnic didn't flinch.
"This is the Holy Grail War, Professor. There's no room for 'better.' It's kill or be killed. You and your old ideals won't survive long."
"I'll keep that in mind, Now get out of my sight."
Darnic sighed, as if disappointed. "Very well. Goodbye, Waver. Kayneth… I'll see you both in the war."
Only when Danic's presence had fully receded did Kayneth let out a scoff. His gaze turned on Waver, dark and disapproving.
"Waver Velvet. I used to think your foolishness was a product of ignorance. I tried to be patient. But now? You can't even tell right from wrong. And you dare talk about changing the Clock Tower?"
Waver clenched his fists. What the hell was this? He had just resisted temptation, for Kayneth's sake, no less! Did that mean nothing?
Driven by indignation, Waver snapped back.
"You just don't see it! Darnic believes in me. He even asked me to join the Yggdmillennia clan!"
"…And you think that means something?" Kayneth's gaze narrowed with disbelief. "You truly are an idiot."
He pinched the bridge of his nose, then muttered, "They call him 'Eight-Tongued Darnic' for a reason. He says what people want to hear. That's all."
"You know what kind of family Yggdmillennia is? They split their magic crests, hand them out to the desperate like candy, and scrape together stray techniques to cobble a system together. Their 'seals' barely qualify as identifiers, let alone heirlooms."
"Anyone who joins them without foundational knowledge becomes nothing more than disposable cannon fodder."
Waver's throat tightened. Of course… he knew that. Anyone studying at the Clock Tower did.
And yet…
"So what? I still admire him! At least he gave me a chance!"
"You don't get it." Kayneth's voice turned cold again. "Darnic's own circuits and talents are top-tier. He had every opportunity. The only reason he formed that clan was because his bloodline couldn't last, his descendants would lose everything he built. So instead, he built a monster of a family, feeding on the leftovers of others."
"And even I have to admit, his research into souls? That's Grand Master level. Dangerous."
Kayneth's tone was dismissive, but the respect in his eyes was real.
"And you, Waver Velvet? Even if you have talent, I doubt you'll ever surpass the likes of Darnic. Unless you turn yourself into something inhuman."
The words struck deep. Waver lowered his head, lips trembling.
He wanted to protest. Wanted to scream.
But he couldn't.
Still… Kayneth didn't walk away.
"…But you are my student. And if my judgment was wrong, that reflects on me. So…"
Kayneth turned, hiding his expression. "How about we put your claims to the test?"
"…Huh?"
"If you want to prove yourself, then participate. Join me. Come to the Holy Grail War as my assistant."
For a moment, Waver was speechless.
Then, eyes wide, fists clenched—
"YES! I'll prove it! I'll prove everything to you!"