Chapter 40: Alliance

With Kayneth's consent, Sola-Ui could barely contain her excitement as she activated the summoning card.

A Command Spell appeared on her hand, and a summoning circle manifested in the center of the room, glowing with mystical energy.

Kayneth observed the process closely, a bit surprised. He was familiar with the ritual for summoning Heroic Spirits, but he was still intrigued by the spontaneity of this method. The summoning circle looked identical to the standard one used in the Holy Grail War.

In a flash of light, a tall figure stepped out of the circle.

It was a beautiful woman with long, flowing blue hair, dressed simply in a sailor suit, holding a purple spear with a distinctive heart-shaped tip.

Kayneth's eyes widened. Another Lancer? Was he cursed to be surrounded by Lancers?

"Um, may I ask who you are…" Sola-Ui asked, clearly in awe of the regal figure before her.

The woman smiled gently. "My name is Brynhildr, and my class is Lancer. Please, Master, don't treat me too gently."

"Brynhildr!" Sola-Ui's face lit up with recognition.

Brynhildr, daughter of Odin, the eldest of the Valkyries in Norse mythology, a legendary and tragic heroine known for her fierce loyalty and love. Sola-Ui couldn't believe she had summoned such a revered figure.

"It's really her… Brynhildr?" Kayneth was equally astonished.

Though she might not hold as prominent a title as some of the gods, Brynhildr was still a divine warrior.

"Valkyrie, if I may ask… what is your luck stat?"

Kayneth asked this without thinking, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Brynhildr looked at him calmly and replied, "My luck is… E."

"…"

Kayneth felt as though a bolt of thunder had struck him.

While luck may not be everything, it certainly made a difference in the unpredictable battlefield of the Holy Grail War. He now had multiple Lancers in his entourage, and they all had E-ranked luck.

Was he cursed? Or was his own luck secretly E as well?

Kayneth briefly questioned his life choices.

---

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Knock, knock, knock…

Kayneth snapped out of his daze, motioning for Sola-ui and Brynhildr to stay quiet. He walked to the door and checked the peephole.

Through it, he saw that the visitor was indeed a hotel staff member. He secured the door with the chain lock before cracking it open.

"What is it? Didn't I request not to be disturbed?" Kayneth said, irritation clear in his voice.

"My apologies, sir," the waiter bowed respectfully. "There are two guests downstairs asking for you. Although you requested privacy, they insisted on seeing you…"

"Two guests?" Kayneth frowned. "Who are they?"

"One is a young man dressed in green, and the other is a middle-aged man in red," the waiter replied carefully. "They said they were your students, so I came to inform you."

"It's them!"

Kenneth instantly knew who it was—Waver and… well, El-Melloi II.

However, he was puzzled. Why had they come to find him so soon after the quiz session ended? And how had they even tracked him down?

To his knowledge, he hadn't shared his location with anyone in the group chat. Just last night, Kiritsugu Emiya had tried to follow him, but Kenneth had cleverly evaded him. Diarmuid had even led Emiya on a wild chase through Fuyuki City, only returning to the hotel once he confirmed they were safe.

"Let them come up," Kayneth ordered, still puzzled.

Despite being wary of Emiya Kiritsugu's recent surveillance attempts, he wasn't concerned about meeting his own students.

"Yes, sir." The waiter hurried off to fetch the guests.

A few minutes later, the elevator doors opened, and Waver and El-Melloi II stepped onto Kayneth's floor.

"Do you think Professor Kenneth will agree to our proposal?" Waver asked, looking slightly anxious.

"Relax," El-Melloi II replied confidently. "The professor will definitely agree."

Waver seemed to take some comfort in his companion's confidence.

Knock, knock, knock…

They knocked on the door, and this time, Diarmuid opened it, stepping aside to let them in.

---

"Waver Velvet…"

Kayneth regarded the two visitors with a mix of surprise and curiosity. His gaze lingered on El-Melloi II, taking in the sight of his former student, now grown into an imposing and seasoned figure.

Sola-Ui, standing beside Kayneth, observed El-Melloi II with interest as well.

"Professor." El-Melloi II bowed respectfully, though his eyes discreetly assessed the room.

He quickly noticed the Command Spell on Sola-Ui's hand and the presence of Brynhildr, who stood calmly with her spear.

It only took him a moment to deduce most of the situation.

"Please, have a seat," Kayneth said, gesturing to the chairs across from him.

The two sat down. While El-Melloi II appeared calm and collected, Waver fidgeted slightly, feeling awkward under Kayneth's scrutinizing gaze.

For any student, being in front of a strict teacher could feel unsettling, especially one they had a complex relationship with.

"How did you find my location?" Kayneth asked, getting straight to the point.

El-Melloi II seemed to have anticipated this question. He smiled slightly before beginning his explanation.