Chapter 97: Your Majesty, Why Did You Rebel?
(Note: I changed how Reines addresses Waver. Instead of "Brother Dear," it will be "Onii-sama.")
Waver, accompanied by Ethan and Mash, followed the traces of magical energy deep into the forest.
Soon after, they spotted a small cave not far away.
After confirming the stone marker left outside, Waver cautiously looked into the cave.
There were no signs of magical energy inside.
"There's a mark left by Reines here. This must be the place. You two, follow me."
After verifying once more, Waver confidently stepped forward toward the cave entrance.
Swoosh———!!
Suddenly, a hidden string on the ground was pulled tight. The next moment, a loop of rope snared Waver's leg and hoisted him upside down into the air.
"——————?!"
Seeing Waver get caught off guard, Mash and Mordred immediately took combat stances.
"Oh my, there's no need to be so tense, everyone."
A voice, tinged with amusement, came from within the cave.
"This place has been meticulously fortified with barriers and traps by Onii-sama. Anyone with ill intentions won't be able to enter."
The owner of the adorable voice gradually revealed herself—it was Reines.
Then, she looked forward and deliberately put on an expression of surprise.
"Ara? Who would've thought it was Onii-sama?! What are you doing up there?"
"Reines, what the hell are you thinking?! Get me down this instant!!"
Waver, still hanging upside down, shouted in frustration.
"Oh? Could it be that Onii-sama stepped into his own trap? This kind of trap doesn't require magic, just a bit of technique to catch its prey."
Reines covered her mouth and chuckled.
"I don't remember ever setting up such an ancient trap here!"
Waver shouted, his entire view flipped upside down.
"There's no such thing as an old-fashioned or modern trap. Only efficiency determines their worth."
Reines walked closer in amusement and poked Waver's tensed-up face, which was stiff from anger.
"But stepping into this kind of trap… Even Sima Yi would probably laugh out loud."
Watching this sibling interaction, Ethan was momentarily at a loss for words.
"Senpai, should we… help?"
Mash hesitated as she looked at Ethan.
"This is their family matter. We'd best not interfere."
"Are these two… idiots?"
Mordred tilted her head and arrived at this conclusion.
Meanwhile, Waver's upside-down predicament was being broadcast live, and viewers in the stream had a full view of the situation.
[Still, my Waver is unmatched in beauty. That long, silky black hair—tsk, tsk, tsk.]
[Waver: NO! NO! NO!!!]
[Reines: YES! YES! YES!!!]
[All the Holes is a GOAL!!!]
[Even as a Servant, Waver still suffers at Reines' hands. He's bound to have a nervous breakdown sooner or later.]
[Right? Just look at how haggard he is. Does he even look like a man in his forties?]
[Comment above—wait… what if Waver actually isn't even 30 yet?]
…
"…Hello… Can you hear me?"
The communication link with Doctor Romani had been interrupted for a moment before his image finally reappeared on the screen.
"We've conducted a thorough analysis. Lord El-Melloi II's real name is Waver Velvet. According to records, he participated in the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki and survived. His summoning to this era is likely related to that experience."
Doctor Romani's expression was extremely serious.
"In any case, he is a professor from the Clock Tower, not someone with whom communication is entirely impossible. Therefore, we recommend making an effort to establish contact and negotiate with him."
"Communication? Of course, I'm already having a very intimate conversation with Onii-sama."
Reines ran her fingertip across Waver's forehead, where he was trying to suppress his anger, as if she were soothing the wrinkles forming there.
"——————?!"
Doctor Romani stared at the scene before him in utter disbelief.
Realizing that he was being watched in such a humiliating situation, Waver immediately struggled and shouted.
"Enough already?! Let me down this instant!!!"
"Honestly, Onii-sama, you're way too careless. Oh well, keeping you hanging like this would be quite disrespectful to Kongming-sensei. Trimmau!"
"Understood, Oujou-sama."
Trimmau suddenly appeared, its arm transforming into a sharp blade, slicing through the rope in a single strike.
"Uwaa!!!"
Seeing Waver about to plummet headfirst into the ground, Reines merely waved her hand lightly, and Trimmau instantly shifted into a cushion, catching him gently.
"In the time we lost contact, just what exactly happened over there…?"
Doctor Romani looked as if he had missed several crucial episodes.
"This… is a bit hard to explain all at once…"
Ethan sighed.
"I'll explain in detail later. The important thing is that Lord El-Melloi II is no longer our enemy."
"Oiya, who are you all talking to?"
At some point, Reines had sidled up next to Mash, curiously peering at Doctor Romani's image.
"Hmm, this is quite an intriguing form of Communication Magecraft. Could it be an application of some research from the Astromancy Department at Clock Tower? It looks rather similar to the magitech held by the Animusphere Family."
"And… who might you be…?"
Being addressed so directly, a flicker of annoyance crossed Reines' face.
"To think I'd have to introduce myself to a mere communication officer… Even in this situation, that's not amusing at all."
"A… mere communication officer…?"
As if struck right in the heart, Doctor Romani collapsed onto his desk, his face twisted in pain.
"Hey, communication officer, do you happen to know someone named Olga Marie? The heiress of the Animusphere Family—she's something of a friend of mine."
"Huh?! You know the Director?"
"Director?!"
Reines' eyes lit up.
"Oiya, did I just hear something interesting? Could it be that the poetic prodigy who inherited her Lordship, after leaving the Clock Tower, has become quite the big shot?"
"Well, um…"
Faced with Reines' pressing questions, Doctor Romani hesitated, unsure how to respond.
"Ahem… That's enough fooling around."
Waver straightened his clothes and presented himself before everyone with a serious expression.
"Everyone, regardless of our circumstances, we're currently facing an almost unwinnable situation."
Waver furrowed his brows, speaking in a grave tone.
"We are now up against the entire Roman Empire."
"The entire Roman Empire?!"
Doctor Romani was stunned and immediately pressed further.
"Then what about the Roman Emperor of this era—Nero Claudius?"
"At present, she is nothing more than a prisoner, awaiting public execution in the capital."
Waver's face was solemn as he spoke slowly.