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Chapter 71
🕑 Added 2025-09-13 14:46:23 +0000 UTCIt was a difficult pill to swallow for someone like him.
Waver Velvet accepted that he could never be exceptional no matter how hard he fought or how desperately he grasped for a place among those of monstrous talent and those who sat at the crux through the efforts of none other than themselves. This was a bitter truth he'd come to accept, and it did not stop his desires or his ambitions.
No, what upset him now was that the Clock Tower, whose core ideal should've been pursuit of greater knowledge, were so readily set on curbing one among their own who could pursue those greater heights. Just... just so that they were not outdone.
As a man who desired the same, it upset him.
As a teacher who cared for his student and wished him well, it upset him further.
Despite appearances and his own thoughts on the matter, as Lord El-Melloi II of the Twelve Lords of the Clock Tower, he was more than privy to a motion concerning one of his permanent students. And, as an individual whom many sought to curry favor with, he'd even been handed the information outright by someone he'd never even met before.
Then, through her own means, Reines confirmed what he knew.
For his exceptional talents and the mysteries he learned to enact by deceiving the very texture of the world, Henry was going to get a Sealing Designation. The highest recognition beyond any rank within the institute. A death sentence meant to keep those above, above.
Waver knew Henry would only be excited by the prospect and charge it head-on, but that was because that boy well and truly believed in his own talents. He found no reason to fault him for that belief either. And as the King of Conquerors Waver had sworn loyalty to nearly a decade ago would have confirmed, that very belief, so wanton and whimsical and unapologetically self-absorbed, was exactly what made him that very thing.
It was the sort of mindset he'd expect from an actual heroic spirit. Or maybe that was simply Waver's pride in a student speaking.
Still, he was worried. Henry had allies, yes. But those very allies had put forth the motion along with the evidence needed.
Even now, he watched and waited, impatiently tapping a foot against the carpet as his cigar slowly burnt out. He watched the main branch for any hurried movement, for an Enforcer to come knocking on his door. He waited for the Carillon Observatory responsible for handing out those Designations to ring that damned bell of theirs.
Impotently, Waver El-Melloi II hoped well and truly that the evidence was deemed insufficient, so his scare was just that, a scare. A lesson for his student. Nothing more. If it was not, then the whole Clock Tower would become his enemy. Waver feared what he would do in such a situation.
"Professor... you'll burn your fingers."
"...?" Waver craned his neck, then realised that his cigar had almost burnt out. "Ah, yes, thank you, Gray."
He quickly put it out against the ashtray.
Gray gave a quiet nod and... stood, one hand over the other. "Professor, I think... you shouldn't be so worried. I believe..."
"You look like you're about to die, dearest brother. Surely you don't think you can be free of this mortal coil without paying your debts first, yes?" Reines offered amusedly from across the table, one leg crossed over the other. His sister had a wicked smile play across her lips and he knew she enjoyed his misery terribly. "If you care so much, let me help you out. The solution's pretty easy. He can just accept one of the many ludicrous offers sent his way. In fact, if he quit being stubborn, he'd have a pretty easy life. Only, he's as stubborn as you."
"My lady, I must-"
"No, he definitely believes he'll win now. He faced Scarred Red and won."
Scarred Red. Touko Aozaki.
"That is besides..." Waver quickly corrected himself, "He will come out alive, I believe this. But not unscathed. It's simply unreasonable that he must suffer through it for being a good student."
"Huh. He's partially to blame, dearest brother. Even a toddler knows that showing off is never a good thing, in our world-"
"Crazy way to cope with the fact that you have nothing to show off."
Waver wasn't even surprised when Henry was suddenly climbing in the window, he just offered a nod in greeting. As was typical, his student was dressed in a beige wool sweater a size too big and grey trousers that made it seem like he just got up and decided to leave while lounging around at home.
He lowered his aviators and fixed Reines with a mocking grin.
Definitely not the look of someone on the verge of being at the receiving end of a witch hunt.
"I do. I'm simply not an idiot like you."
"Damaged Crest. Useless Eyes. Twelve. No offensive capability. A tongue that has nothing to back it up and is your only way of making people think you matter. Did I mention twelve?" He listed off, making a show of his fingers.
Henry, in Waver's experience, was someone who could meet Reines head-to-head in a field she excelled in. That was, annoying others for no particular reason.
"Why is me being twelve a problem? I'm fifteen, anyway."
"Sorry, I forgot. Ten."
"Mmm. Fine. You caught me off-guard this time." Reines threw her hands up with a sigh, relaxing into a cushion. "It's not worth it to mess with a brat that could cause millions in damage just because his feelings were hurt."
"Brat. You, calling someone else a brat. Ya perpetually angry midget."
"You childi-...Grrr..."
"Don't be mean to each other." Gray cut in between the two. "Friends shouldn't target each other's insecurities."
Henry stared at the hooded girl in awe, then raised his hands in surrender much like Reines and plopped down on the floor, back against the wall. Even Waver knew his apartment wasn't the cleanest, yet he didn't seem to care.
"Damn. I didn't know you could be like that."
"This is a surprising side. My adorable Gray has been infected with snark, you working class Londoner."
Waver realised that to be an opportune moment to discuss what he wanted. Honestly, he'd considered warning Henry but decided to do it at a later date. Now that the moment presented itself though...
"Henry. The Sealing Designation-"
His student gave him a thumbs up. One look. One look and Waver knew that he was fully aware of the state of the Clock Tower.
"That's boring, Professor. I came here about this." The ignoble youth fished a letter from his pants and tossed it to Waver. "Yvette filled me in. I wanted to know if you had something to add."
Of course, Waver recognised the letter immediately. Gray did as well. It was the very same letter he too had received... or rather, the letter had been shoved down his throat. The sender had taken his most prized possession, the artifact he'd used to summon a heroic spirit of his own during the Holy Grail War a decade ago.
The one remnant of the King he'd sworn loyalty to.
A tattered red scarf.
He had no choice but to go.
For Henry however, an invitation spelt something else entirely.
But, Waver kept that to himself. No doubt if he told Henry, he'd try to attack the Rail Zeppelin itself. Wait-
"Did they take something?"
"Nope."
That was a true relief.
"Then I must recommend that you not go, Henry. You asked Yvette, so you know they specialise in Mystic Eyes. The risk just isn't worth it."
"Professor..."
"But I know you well enough to be certain that you will..."
He also knew full well that trying to convince him was a fool's errand. For some awful reason, the prospect of life-threatening danger spurred his student into action like little else. But, he also knew how to counteract this. He couldn't call himself a proper teacher if he didn't have methods for dealing with each and every single one of his students.
"Then, Henry, a favour first."
"You've been asking for those a lot..." Henry pursed his lips. "But yeah, sure. I'm free anyway. Till tomorrow. Wait, this isn't some way of making me avoid the Rail Zeppelin, is it?"
Waver sweatdropped.
Unlike Flat, Henry used his head often enough.
But, he would still listen. All Waver needed was a day. Once the Rail Zeppelin began its course, there was no conventional way of locating it whatsoever. The train moved all over Europe over the course of the auction held aboard.
Conveniently, there had been a string of unexplained missing persons cases in North Yorkshire. Waver had a habit of keeping up with the local news, more to feed his own desire for knowledge and a chance to discover some incident related to mysticism but-... hm, yes, this would be sufficient.
Even with his disposition, it'd take Henry a day at the very least.
Waver carefully picked his words, lying through his teeth, "I need you to look into a village out in Yorkshire. I suspect there's a magus involved... skilled enough to avoid detection from the Clock Tower. Considering the nature of local folktales from that region, there's probably something you can-... Hm, you get my meaning."
"I guess that's close enough that I can be back here if someone touches my family so... alright. I guess I'll take Luviagelita on a date."
It took a fair amount of effort to stop himself from showing the relief on his face.
Reines amusedly glanced between them. She knew, didn't she?
Wait, Henry had the same glint in his eyes.
...Even Gray?
-
Hope you enjoyed. Please, do comment. It keeps me going.
I apologise for the missed updates. I planned on updating twice the previous two days but I came down with a couple of nasty headaches that left me unable to even think. I didn't want to sacrifice the quality just to pump out chapters. I will however, make it up to you. Pinky promise.
Mahou Shoujo Luvia, this is canon art btw.
Comments
Bleap
Woah, nice.
ytm
I was on the fence about Luvia but the art sealed the deal.
Bleap
frfr
Kevin Valentin
Dang, can't imagine being 10 couldn't be me major cringe. Maybe Reines should try not being child smh
