Chapter 10

"Speak."

Yiwen pulled out a chair from the dining table and sat down, crossing her legs in a decidedly unladylike manner, sending a glare to Levi that clearly said, "If you don’t explain properly, you’ll regret it."

However, Levi was not bothered by this small threat. Pushing his luck was one of his specialties. Since Yiwen had already let them in, her anger had mostly subsided. Besides, Levi had always suspected whether she was really angry or just using it as an excuse. After all, the two had been together longer than most people’s lifetimes; how could a little vague suspicion lead to a fight?

Levi thought it was more likely that she was venting her frustration at being trapped on campus and unable to go out. That’s why he hadn’t acted immediately. However, his concern and indulgence for Yiwen directly hurt the black-clad girl who had just become his servant. It could only be said that selfishness was a hidden emotion in everyone. A killer who always caused him trouble could never compare to a lifelong partner. At least, that’s what Levi truly believed at the moment...

"Um, I think you remember the 'Holy Grail War,' right?"

"'Holy Grail War'... You really followed that book?"

When Levi mentioned that name, Yiwen remembered the past from ten years ago. A time she had never witnessed firsthand but deeply regretted, a time when she felt the sorrow of being sealed more acutely than ever before.

"Didn’t I tell you not to participate in such a dangerous game? If it weren’t for Nagi’s damn seal, I’d play with you however you want! But now..."

Ten years ago, Levi had only been a spectator in that chaos, not interfering much. But the one time he actively joined the fight to help a friend, the outcome was something that even Yiwen found terrifying. Not only did he fail to save his friend, but he also returned to Mahora with life-threatening injuries. If it weren’t for Levi’s special constitution, which even he couldn’t explain, that day ten years ago would have been the day Yiwen and he parted ways forever.

"You’re too late to stop it."

Levi raised his right hand, and as the sleeve slipped down, a dark red pattern, like a tattoo, was clearly visible on his forearm.

"Don’t worry, that was just an accident. I’m well aware of the dangers of the Holy Grail War and have made all the necessary preparations. And this time, I’m not alone; I’m a formal participant with a Heroic Spirit."

Levi pointed to the black-clad girl beside him. Seeing Yiwen’s still anxious gaze, Levi spoke again.

"Besides, there’s also Al, right?"

Although she disliked Alberio Imma, who had sealed her, Yiwen couldn’t deny his strength. Seeing Levi’s confident demeanor, which didn’t seem fake, she gradually relaxed her tense nerves.

However, Yiwen had other plans. When necessary, she could still find help. The old man who spent his days in the Mahora principal’s office was a good candidate. After serving as his gatekeeper for fifteen years, it was time to get some payback.

Thinking about her earlier mood, Yiwen found it a bit amusing. Yes, as Levi said, the incident ten years ago was just an accident. In the real world, where even the name 'magic' was taboo, how dangerous could their game be? Just looking at the performance of the girl earlier, Yiwen knew there were plenty of magic teachers at Mahora who could handle her.

"Chachamaru."

Yiwen called out to her servant, who had just finished cleaning up the wood shavings at the door.

"Tell Rando to come over tomorrow. Tell him I have a job for him."

"Yes, Master."

After assigning her homeroom teacher a task without his consent, Yiwen’s mood improved, and she turned to look at the black-clad girl who had made her uncomfortable from the start.

"Servant Assassin."

The moment the black-clad girl opened her mouth, Yiwen felt a sense of achievement. Even during the intense fight earlier, the girl hadn’t made a sound, not even the footsteps that should have been heard. Just this alone made Yiwen acknowledge her qualifications as an Assassin, at least better than the idiots who shouted their attack names when trying to assassinate her.

"Finished?"

But such an introduction clearly didn’t satisfy Yiwen. She didn’t want to waste time prying into the girl’s tightly sealed lips and turned her head to Levi.

"There’s no need to talk about the Holy Grail War; I’m not interested in that. But you two, did you know each other before?"

A woman’s intuition didn’t disappear even after becoming a vampire. Although the two didn’t seem to interact much, Yiwen noticed something off. If they were just newly signed master and servant, why did Levi and the girl move so naturally together?

"Sort of. Rather than friends, we were more like former colleagues."

Recalling that distant past, Levi felt a bit nostalgic.

"At the time, we were both killers. She was a freelancer, while I mostly hunted those on the wanted list. Our work inevitably led to some friction, like taking the same target. Over time, we became acquaintances, I guess."

Compared to the dangerous and somewhat lonely days of the past, Levi preferred his current peaceful life with Yiwen. If it weren’t for the need to remove the curse to ensure her safety, he wouldn’t have any interest in participating in the life-threatening Holy Grail War.

"By the way, her name is Eve, and her codename as a killer is 'Golden Shadow.'"

After a moment of reflection, Levi finally remembered to mention her name first.

"Is that it? Nothing else?"

Humans often use special terms to describe wedding anniversaries, like calling a 60th anniversary a 'diamond wedding.' Clearly, he was hiding some secrets.

But Yiwen wasn’t the type to pry and cause discomfort. Accustomed to solitude, she understood the importance of mutual respect and tolerance more than others. Her symbolic follow-up question was a warning to Levi not to push his luck.

Seeing Levi shake his head, Yiwen shrugged and returned to her room upstairs.

"Coward."

Just as Levi was relieved that Yiwen wasn’t going to press the issue, he heard this comment from beside him.

"Are you talking about me?"

"Of course."

Eve’s clearly resentful gaze made Levi very uncomfortable. To be honest, he hadn’t hidden much from Yiwen. They had met many times, but almost always for their respective jobs, often in adversarial roles. Levi couldn’t understand why Eve was so persistent in clinging to him, as if they were bickering siblings or even a couple.

"Alright, I surrender, I admit fault. Noble Miss Golden Shadow, let’s call it a day. Shall I take you to the guest room to rest?"

"Hmph."

Eve glanced at Levi’s clownish performance and took the lead up the stairs.

Levi, still marveling at how difficult modern women were to please, hurried to follow, fearing that Eve might cause more trouble.