Inside the brightly lit living room, Kamitani Yuu and Cú Chulainn sat on the sofa, staring at one another in a heavy silence.
Once the summoning ritual had concluded, Yuu had promptly sent Sakura back to her room to sleep.
"Hey now, little Junior Disciple, don't you have anything you want to ask me?"
As if to shatter the stagnant atmosphere, Cú Chulainn took the initiative to speak, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "Could it be that you're simply too starstruck seeing your Senior Disciple in the flesh to find your voice?"
"I wouldn't go that far," Yuu replied immediately, his voice steady. "Besides, Senior Disciple, you still haven't answered my question."
"Are you truly Cú Chulainn, or are you Odin?"
"Sigh..."
Faced with Yuu's persistent questioning, Cú Chulainn let out a soft sigh, a look of mild helplessness crossing his face. "Prying into someone's secrets isn't exactly a polite habit, you know."
"Still, consider this answer a gift for our first meeting." At this, 'Cú Chulainn' locked eyes with Yuu, his gaze unblinking. He admitted frankly: "You're right. I am Odin."
"Since Divine Spirits aren't supposed to be summoned by the Holy Grail, I simply borrowed the Saint Graph of that Irish Child of Light."
"As for how to address me, you should stick to 'Senior Disciple.' It's much easier on the ears."
"I see." Yuu nodded calmly, as if he had expected nothing less. He followed up immediately: "Then can you tell me the reason for your manifestation? A standard Holy Grail War shouldn't be enough to draw down a Great God like yourself."
"It seems you know quite a lot, little Junior Disciple."
Odin gave Yuu a half-smile, then pointed a finger toward his own eye. "I saw something interesting, so I decided to descend to the mortal realm."
...Something interesting?
Does he mean the Class Cards I possess, or is this world destined to become a Singularity?
Hearing such an ambiguous explanation, Yuu's brow furrowed instinctively as he ran through the possibilities in his mind. As for his identity as a transmigrator, he didn't think that alone would be enough to catch Odin's eye. After all, the Nasuverse wasn't lacking for visitors from other universes. A god like "Old Man Odin," who could observe parallel worlds, had likely seen his fair share of Outer Gods and Machine Gods.
"Rest easy, this world isn't one of those seven Singularities," Odin said with a casual wave of his hand, signaling that Yuu shouldn't overthink it. "And no crisis threatening Human Order is about to occur."
"I'll take your word for it," Yuu said noncommittally.
When it came to the cryptic riddles of someone like Odin, Yuu knew better than to trust them blindly. It was safer to believe only half of what he said to avoid being led into a trap.
But as a God of Magic, Odin should be proficient in Imaginary Element magecraft, right? Looking at the Norse God before him, a sudden thought struck Yuu.
Sakura's alignment was exceptionally rare. In the history of the Clock Tower, magi possessing the Imaginary Element were few and far between, and systematic lineages for such magecraft were even scarcer. Those who had truly delved deep into the Imaginary Element were limited to the likes of Lev Lainur or the Black Princess, Altrouge—neither of whom were viable candidates to be Sakura's teacher. One was a descendant of a Demon God Pillar prone to madness, and the other was a True Ancestor who didn't even exist in this specific world.
Teaching Sakura had been a persistent headache for Yuu. Now, Odin's appearance felt like the perfect solution to his problem.
"Senior Disciple," Yuu said, his gaze turning a bit more earnest and his tone respectful. "Do you know anything about Imaginary Element magecraft?"
"I know a thing or two."
As if reading Yuu's mind, a subtle, unreadable smile surfaced on Odin's face. "What? You want me to teach that little girl by your side?"
"Yes," Yuu nodded.
"The girl's talent is indeed impressive, and she carries the scent of Runes. It wouldn't be impossible for me to teach her..." Odin paused, his tone shifting. "However, knowledge always comes with a price."
"I could grant her the knowledge of the Imaginary Element, or even the authority to use Primordial Runes. But, little Junior Disciple, what can you give me in return?"
"..."
Yuu fell silent. In his eyes, Odin was right. To gain something, one had to pay an equivalent price. Equivalent Exchange was the most fundamental rule of the world. Even this Norse God had sacrificed himself, hanging from the World Tree for nine days and nights, just to obtain the Primordial Runes.
Currently, Yuu was essentially penniless. Aside from the Demonic Spear, Gáe Bolg, he had nothing of value to offer in a trade. Furthermore, the Holy Grail War would last two weeks at most. In such a short time, Sakura likely wouldn't be able to learn much anyway.
Should I just forget it?
Even without developing her specific alignment, Sakura could still become a first-class magus based on the power of Age of Gods Runes alone. Yuu knit his brows, weighing the pros and cons.
However, just as he was about to give up, Odin spoke again. "But then again, who told me to be your 'Senior Disciple'? If I have the time, I suppose I can teach the girl a few things."
Yuu was startled. He shot Odin a surprised look before nodding slightly in gratitude. "Thank you, Senior Disciple."
Regardless of Odin's true motive for appearing, Yuu felt the god wouldn't harm him. As far as Divine Spirits went, "Old Man Odin" was generally considered to be among the more morally upright.
"By the way, Senior Disciple, do you have a way to purify a corrupted Holy Grail?" Having settled the issue with Sakura, Yuu moved to his primary reason for joining the war.
"Oh? You mean that vessel reeking of filth?" Odin's crimson eyes shimmered as if sensing the Greater Grail beneath Ryuudou Temple. A look of distaste crossed his face.
"There is a way... but I'll need your help."
"Mine?" Yuu pointed at himself, confused.
"Yes." Odin nodded, his gaze landing on Yuu's face—appearing to look straight through his eyes and into the Class Cards hidden within his mind. "I need to borrow the power of those 'interesting little cards' you carry. Only then can I completely purify the malice within the vessel."
"..."
Even though I hid them, my 'cheat' was discovered anyway...
Yuu lowered his head, his expression becoming solemn. He began to wonder: Should I really lend the Class Cards to Odin?
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