Chapter 36

It didn't take much convincing, really none actually, to get access to 'grandfathers' library. I guess he accepting that familial connection so I don't really need to keep thinking about it like I have. I am not Zelretch, I have a large portion of his memories, but I'm just Wilhelm. I'm okay with thinking of the old man as my grandfather.

He had quit the collection, not nearly as big as the library back at the College, but there was a lot more applicable to my situation.

There were a few things I wanted to grab, I wasn't looking to thoroughly extend my repertoire but I didn't believe in keeping things I already learned at a low level.

Lets see now…..his books are sorted by region and there is a decent sized section on eastern arts.

Ah! Here we are.

A book on Onmyouji Arts. Wonderful this is exactly one of the things I was looking for, in fact this may even be the book I recalled from my previous life. I'll need to do more than just take a cursory glance at it.

That also reminds me, I need to gather a lot of supplies for Talisman making and also create a good stockpile while I'm here. There are a lot of interesting and unique ways that Talismans can be employed to further boost or amplify my other spells.

"You know, If you want to ask me questions, I wouldn't get mad." I saw Rin and Artoria sitting by out of the corner of my eye. They had been like this since Zelretch left for business and I came in here to browse.

Interesting there are some sword techniques here as well, Grandfather really outdid himself on his collection. Hmm, should I also pat myself on the back? It weird how familiar all of this is, but the details are just empty.

"Are you really a devil?"

I stopped, turning towards Rin who asked. I took a glance at the cross adorning her neck. "I found out about my heritage a little over a month ago. For most of my life I thought I was a normal human."

If I recalled correctly, she was some manner of Christian, probably Catholic? Or alteast she was raised as such, some ideas probably stuck with her even as she delved into Magecraft.

"Does it bother you?" I might as well cut to the point.

"….no, I just…don't know what to think. I never would have guessed I'd be meeting a literal devil before." Rin said quietly, her eyelids drooping. "....did what you mean what you said about the old man thinking of me as a disposable piece?"

Well crap, did I make her feel like this because of my own poor words?

"Rin, why do you think you were even there to listen in on that conversation?" I looked at her, but she showed no signs of answering, just dropping her eyes down. "It's because we both trust you. I don't go around shouting my secrets to the heavens, I don't make it a habit of telling people that I'm a half-devil." I fully turned towards her, giving me full attentions. "You are more important than you realize."

"How? I'm barely making an progress on my research and here you are mastering everything and you haven't even had access to it for more than a month!?" She threw her hands up in anger. She shimmered down, voice quieting. "What am I even doing here?"

Oh.....did me being here make her self conscious? Or perhaps I'm just the catalyst for all her bottled emotions coming to the forefront? Just how much stress has she been under this past few months?

"How many students do you think Zelretch has taken in his lifetime?"

"I don't know, maybe a few dozen." She sighed.

"Try over a few hundred. Do you not understand how amazing it is that you are here, right now? You have heard the stories about Zelretch's students, how they all turn mad or have a bad ending, correct?" I saw her nod meekly so I continued. "Every student he's ever taken in has had the protentional to use the Kaleidoscope, yet you are the only one to ever reach this point. Does Zelretch think of you as a 'piece' to use, well sure. I'm piece, you're a piece, even he's a piece, whether we like it or not, we're all stuck on this chessboard, but that does not mean he doesn't care about you. Now a 'disposable' piece would not be privy to his secrets, not be told of what his plans are for the future and how bleak it was looking. You are one of his 'people', take pride in that fact."

She looked deep in thought I just left it there for her to mull over, changing the conversation back to where it was previously. "What about you, Miss Pendragon, does my heritage bother you?" I questioned, turning back towards the bookshelf.

"I do not see how it changes anything. I had non-human knights serving me during my rule. If I could survive Merlin being a half-incubus, I don't have any trouble being around someone who is a half-devil." Her tone even.

"Huh, are those stories about one of your knights being a giant true?" I turned around rather excitedly; I was quite the fan, but I didn't want to come off too strong.

She smiled slightly, almost reminiscent. "A half-giant actually." She corrected. It seemed like a lot of that going around. Though I guess those with human blood are more prone to interact with humanity. "He was quite gentle, he didn't like to hurt people and stayed away from the front lines. He liked to hunt the phantasmal species that invaded human villages. I remember meeting his parents once and was surprised to see them happily married."

"What about you?" Rin interjected, sliding her knees up to her chest while sitting. "What's a devil family like?"

"I wouldn't know, Human Mom died when I was young and I'm a bastard, Father never made an appearance." I shrugged.

"Mmm, my parents died too." Rin said quietly. "But I guess you already knew that."

And awkward silence.

She was being rather open with me, now that I think about it her time here was probably…..hard. I'm like 90% sure that one Shirou Emiya doesn't exist on this world-line, how her Holy Grail War went, I have only guesses to work on. I think Artoria may be her only friend here…..I could only imagine all the shit she's had to put up with here.

"Well this conversation got depressing." I broke the awkward silence that was in the room. "Alright, I've decided."

"Decided what?" Rin picked her head up.

"We're friends for now on." I just nodded to myself.

"Wait, what?"

"Indeed, you have occupied the coveted third spot on my friends list, if you perform better, you may be promoted."

"What do you mean you decided we're friends!?" She stopped for a moment. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN THIRD PLACE? I'm alteast first place material." She flipped her hair back. "Do you have any idea how many people would kill for me to be in their 'first place'." She crossed her arms. "Third place." She scoffed, but it wasn't hard to see that little upcurve of her lips.

"Perhaps you should take notes from second place." I waved my hand towards Artoria.

I saw Artoria's lips curl up ever so slightly. "I can provide you pointers, Rin."

"When the hell did you two get so close!?"

"Maybe if you were a more attentive friend, you would have noticed." I shook my head, clicking my tongue. "We have even shared each other's deepest darkest secrets, like how Artoria steals your shampoo every morning."

"How dare you." Artoria stood up, 'scandalized'. "I told you that in complete confidence. You have been demoted to second place on my friends list for this treachery." She turned towards her female companion. "Congratulations, Rin, you have been promoted."

It seems like the King of Knights can joke.

"You both are stupid." Rin muttered, a small smile on her face, and I heard Artoria give a one of the cutest little laughs. "Better not be stealing my shampoo." She grumbled, only getting a bigger smile from us.

I ran my finger across several book spines, reading the labels before stopping on one that sounded interesting.

'Splitting the Sky', it was a martial technique from…..China? Interesting, lets add this to the pile I'm taking.

Alright! No more adding stuff, I got enough to work on. I was going to be firm in my resolve, damn my short attention span! Well, I got pretty much all the books I wanted, a few more I grabbed off the shelf while I was talking to them, what else?

Basically I just need supplies…..any equipment I can find on short notice that's worth taking? I could probably check out my Grandfather's stockpile of mystic codes but I don't think there's anything up to what I ne—"

Sudden realization hit me. "Hey Rin, you're still the second owner of Fuyuki, right?"

Second owner, basically the hidden-side authority for the designated area. Any outsiders had to come through her if they did anything in her territory and she was tasked with watching over the Leylines.

"Yeah, why?" She scrunched her eyebrows, seemingly trying to figure out my thought process.

Well, shit, if she wasn't I would just ignore any other owner, but I already declared her my friend, I can't really cheat her now. "Hypothetically, if there were items of value, ownerless, in Fuyuki, how would you propose splitting such a bounty if I were to uncover them?"

"Hypothetically….." She narrowed her eyes. "I would be demand 70% in payment for whatever you start digging up in my territory."

Damn, what a heartless bitch. I approve! "40%."

"65%"

"30%"

"What, you can't go back down!"

"You know what, I feel like going on a midnight walk, I do so wonder where I'll end up, perhaps a nice sea-side city out east?"

"Dammit, fine! 50%"

"50%, but I get first pick."

"Hmph, whatever, its not like I'm doing any work." She huffed. "What are you even getting, I don't think there's anything impressive there, the old man already confiscated all remains of the Grail."

"Well since you already agreed, I would direct you to your companion who fought in the 4th Grail War." I handed the floor over to Artoria.

She just blinked at me in confusion. "I recall my time in that war, but I do not know what you speak of.

"You don't recall a certain blonde Archer shooting Noble Phantasms into the river…..possibly deciding not to recover them for some reason?" I smirked.

"Noble Phantasms!?" Rin practically shouted. "NO! I demand a redo!"

"No take backs!" I quickly opened up a portal and jumped in.

I heard an angry shout on my way through, probably nothing important.