Capítulo 25: Chapter 25: Target!
"Ah, every day is so exciting now," Waver sighed as he sat down at the table after freshening up.
The battle from the previous day was still fresh in his mind. It was his first time being so close to the action, even though he had just been sitting inside the cockpit of his mech. He had still gotten a firsthand taste of the tension among the Servants.
It was even more thrilling than he had imagined. The power of the Servants far exceeded what magi like him had anticipated. If he had been there in person, he probably wouldn't have lasted a second.
"The body of a woman was found today at Fuyuki Plaza. She was shot multiple times, and her identity is still being confirmed. Authorities also reported a gas explosion nearby. Citizens are urged to..."
The television droned on, reporting the news, while Waver sat in silence, watching the images of the bloodstained scene.
He knew exactly what this news meant. A Master had been killed yesterday, and it was someone he knew.
It wasn't just the single victim being reported by the news. One of the other casualties was his own teacher, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, the highly esteemed professor who had mocked his paper and crushed his spirit. The woman in the news was merely Kayneth's fiancée.
Even now, thinking back on it made Waver tremble with fear. Nobody had died before, so it hadn't felt real. But now that someone he knew had perished, he finally grasped how close death was in this war for the Dragon Balls.
This war for wishes was terrifyingly real, and one slip-up could mean his own life would be forfeit.
"You're deep in thought," a voice called from the couch. "Are you afraid?"
Waver looked at his Servant, lounging with legs crossed, sipping tea with a grace that made Waver feel small by comparison.
"I'm just wondering why I'm even here in the first place," Waver admitted with a sigh.
Originally, he had come to prove himself. His paper had been harshly criticized by Kayneth, and the insult had driven him to join this war out of spite. He had wanted to prove Kayneth wrong, to show him that he, Waver Velvet, was worth something.
He hadn't thought it through, hadn't considered the consequences. Now, here he was, lost and confused.
"By the way, what is your wish?" Lelouch asked, glancing at the news footage as he sipped his tea.
"My wish, huh? Honestly, I'm not even sure," Waver muttered, his face falling.
Becoming the strongest mage? Becoming a ruler of the world? Or maybe acquiring immense wealth? All those ambitions seemed so far out of reach, too unrealistic.
"Is it to prove your talents? To gain recognition from others? Or to become a reliable adult?" Lelouch interrupted with a knowing smirk, listing off potential wishes.
Waver nearly choked on his tea.
"That..." His face flushed red as he stammered, trying to form a rebuttal, but no words came out.
"How... How do you know that? Is this some kind of emperor's insight?" Waver finally asked, feeling exposed.
"Well, though we haven't known each other long, I've come to understand your nature fairly well," Lelouch replied, intertwining his fingers beneath his chin with a faint smile. "And that's why I trust you."
"You've always wanted to prove something to that mage, Kayneth. But now that someone more talented than you has died, while you're still alive, you're questioning yourself. Hearing the news of his death makes your initial determination seem foolish, and all the passion you felt back then has vanished."
Waver couldn't argue with Lelouch's analysis. It was spot-on.
"You're right," Waver sighed. "Looking back, my paper really did have issues. Maybe Kayneth was trying to protect me in his own way by being harsh."
It was one of those revelations that often comes too late. People tend not to realize the value of something until it's gone. Leaning back on the sofa, Waver stared at the ceiling, feeling deflated.
"Is this what it's like to lose your sense of direction?" Waver murmured. The disillusionment weighed heavily on his young mind.
"Rider, you're so much more impressive than me. You became an emperor at such a young age. Your wish must be far grander than mine."
Waver looked over at Lelouch, admiration in his voice. Summoning a figure like the emperor of Britannia felt like an extraordinary achievement in itself.
"Even as an emperor, I'm still human," Lelouch said. "As long as you're human, you'll have worries. In that regard, you and I aren't all that different.
"There was a time when I was just an ordinary student too."
Lelouch paused for a moment, his tone softer.
"If you feel like you've lost your goal, why not take a moment to observe the people around you? You might find new inspiration by looking at others, and from there, you can start to ask yourself what your true dream is."
Lelouch gave Waver a reassuring smile.
"At the very least, I'll be here to protect you during this war. You can count on that."
For some reason, Waver felt an odd sense of encouragement from those words. The gloom he had been feeling started to lift, if only slightly.
---
"Kariya," Kariya Matou muttered to himself as he walked down the street, glancing at the road cordoned off with police tape.
That was the site of yesterday's battle between the Servants. The Church had already stepped in to clean up and suppress the scene.
"Berserker is strong, but Sakura..."
From the news alone, Kariya could deduce what had happened. The other Masters were beginning to fall.
But his real concern was for Sakura. She was too fragile to be thrust into such a dangerous battle, even if Berserker was powerful.
If other Masters discovered Sakura's vulnerability, she would be in danger. The best way to protect her would be to either hide until the war was over, or end it quickly.
Hiding wasn't an option, but ending it? That might be possible.
"That golden Servant Berserker couldn't defeat… His Master is Tohsaka Tokiomi."
"If I kill Tokiomi, Berserker will be free to win."
A plan began to form in Kariya's mind. He wasn't a Master, but he could still help in his own way. He could dirty his hands for Sakura's sake. Even if it meant facing the hatred of others, it would all be worth it if it meant keeping her safe.
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