Conviction

"Heh, doing what one knows to be impossible, yet fearlessly walking on such a path—such heroic spirit. Truly befitting of a king who once conquered the world. Waver, you've summoned a Servant that suits you very well."

The voice of a stranger suddenly echoed in the not-so-spacious room.

Hearing that familiar voice, Waver's face turned pale in an instant.

"Lancer!"

Golden spiritual particles converged from nowhere, bathing the cramped space in brilliant gold.

Arkhan, wearing modern clothing, materialized with a warm smile, like a gentle older brother next door.

Waver, like a startled rabbit, immediately hid behind Iskandar, nervously scanning the room as if looking for someone.

"Don't bother looking; it's just me. Your teacher went to the Holy Church to receive the command spell reward."

Arkhan, without any sense of invading privacy, sat on the floor as if he owned the place.

"But seriously, your hideout is too simple. Just a couple of familiars and no magecraft or bounded field for protection... If your teacher sees this, he'll definitely give you a good scolding without mercy."

"He already looks down on me anyway..." Waver muttered.

"If you want respect, you need to show some actual results. Your teacher is called a genius because no matter how incredible the theory is, he can produce practical results. You should be aware of that." Arkhan said casually.

Hearing that, Waver clenched his fists tightly. Despite feeling a bit resentful, he had to admit that Lancer's words made a lot of sense.

"As a mere third-generation mage without any guidance from renowned teachers, and mostly relying on self-study, you indeed have the right to be proud."

Arkhan spoke while gazing deeply at Waver.

"But you should also be aware that from the moment you step onto the higher stage, your past is irrelevant. Indulging in past vanity will only hinder your progress. You disdain the elites and nobles flaunting their ancient bloodlines, completely ignoring the excellent achievements they've made. Is this out of pride or insecurity? I believe you know better than I do."

"I... I..." Waver's lips trembled, but in the end, he couldn't utter a word of refute.

"For mages, theory is always just theory. Only actual results can support the correctness of their theory. Attempting to overthrow the bloodline theory with just a paper, without presenting any results, is simply unrealistic." Arkhan calmly stated. "If you can't understand, consider this—If you were in your teacher's position, faced with such a paper, how would you react?"

"I... I would probably think the one who wrote them is a clown..." Waver pondered for a moment, before speaking with dejection. 

"Very good. Recognizing this indicates that you've started to grow." Arkhan smiled, snapping his fingers. "Now, let's go back to the beginning, leave behind the vanity of honor, bloodline, and family. Choose your future path based on your true self."

"What path?" Waver looked at Arkhan in confusion, while Iskandar's eyes sparkled with interest.

"First..." Arkhan raised a finger. "I'll deal with Rider here, eliminate you from the Holy Grail War. Then Kayneth will use the charge of theft to expel you from the Clock Tower. You'll go back to where you started, continuing to be a genius."

"I refuse." Waver replied without hesitation.

"Oh? Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?" Arkhan's eyes glinted with interest. "If you go back to the Clock Tower, you'll face challenges hundreds of times more difficult than before. Do you really have the courage to confront all that?"

"If it were the old me, I would be afraid, fearful, and might even retreat..."

Waver looked up at Iskandar, who flashed him a hearty smile at the right moment. A slight curl formed on his lips as he turned to Arkhan, gaze serious.

"But not anymore. I won't be confined by that narrow world again. I want to do what I want, even if it's difficult, even if I might spend a lifetime without finding the answer. I want to... I want to go and see the vast sea that belongs to me."

After a moment of silence, Arkhan shook his head, smiling, and raised a second finger.

"Alright, let's talk about the second option then."

"Kayneth won't just expel you from the Clock Tower. He'll use the influence of El-Melloi and his fiancee, Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, to promote you to the position of Lord."

"Lord?!"

Waver's mind felt like it had been struck hard by a hammer, and his eyes quickly became blurry.

It was well known that there were twelve departments in the Clock Tower, each with one Lord. The power and status of a Lord were at the pinnacle of the entire Clock Tower. Those who could hold such a position were from the top mage families.

How could such an opportunity fall into the hands of a commoner and third-rate mage like him?

"But don't get too excited..." Arkhan added calmly. "Even with the combined efforts of the El-Melloi and Sophia-Ri, pushing an outsider to the position of Lord won't be easy. So, your only choice is the Department of Modern Magecraft Theory."

Modern magecraft was the lowest-ranked among the twelve departments, with the least resources. The students there were said to be the most unruly in the entire Clock Tower, making it the least favored place in the Mage's Association.

However, upon consideration, Waver felt that the Department of Modern Magecraft Theory might be the most suitable place for him.

Most of the students there were young people from the new era. He could use this opportunity to change the mindset of the next generation of mages. The more challenging the place, the more likely achievements could be made.

"But with your current status, even as a Lord of the Department of Modern Magecraft Theory, it's still not enough. You need a few more years of experience. Also, to avoid the resentment of other families, you must attach yourself to the El-Melloi. This means, that even if you become the Lord of the Department of Modern Magecraft Theory, you can't use your real name. You can only be called El-Melloi II."

Arkhan stared at Waver with a serene gaze.

"Can you accept these two conditions?"

"..." Waver hesitated for a long time but finally nodded. "Yes... But, what are the conditions from my teacher?"

He was deeply aware that obtaining the position of Lord wouldn't be that easy. He was prepared to be ruthlessly exploited.

"Your teacher hasn't decided on specific conditions yet. He plans to tell you on the day you take over as Lord. However, there is something that requires your help right now." Arkhan said calmly while crossing his hands.

"My help?"

Waver was slightly surprised, then seemed to understand something, turning to look at the towering Iskandar beside him.

"You mean... us?"

"Yes, both of you." Arkhan smiled and nodded. "We want to ally with you two."