"Alteration or Henka (変化) is an intermediate-level magecraft that serves to add a property, element, or new effect to an object—something that the original object fundamentally doesn't possess. To make it clearer, an example is like this."
Ritsuka held up a plastic marker in his hand into the air. In an instant, bluish magic circuits faintly glowed on the back of his hand. Suddenly, the color of the marker faded into a solid gray. Ritsuka then released his grip, letting the marker fall to the floor.
*Clang!*
It was not the light sound of plastic that was heard, but rather a quite loud sound of solid metal clashing.
"Woaaah! Brother turned the plastic into metal!" Rikka exclaimed with eyes sparkling in amazement.
"It's not just ordinary metal. Look at this." Ritsuka picked the marker back up. Once again, his magic circuits lit up. This time, the gray color on the marker transformed into a dazzling golden gleam. Not only that, one end of the marker suddenly sharpened, resembling a knife's blade.
"This is what it means to instill a concept or property. I added the material element of 'gold' and the property of 'sharpness' of a knife to this marker," Ritsuka explained. He then placed the golden object on Rikka's desk.
Rikka curiously touched the tip and immediately winced slightly upon feeling how sharp and cold the tip of the marker was, just like a real dagger.
"Now then, how about it? Do you guys want to try it?" Ritsuka offered with a smile. "Since Alteration is the connecting bridge between Reinforcement and Projection magecraft, this knowledge will be very good and easier to master as your initial foundation."
"Brother, I want to try learning it!" Rikka exclaimed enthusiastically, grabbing a pen from her desk.
Seeing that amazing demonstration, Rin and Sakura were no less enthusiastic.
Both of them held their respective writing tools with faces beaming with impatience.
Ritsuka chuckled softly. "You may, but remember one thing: for this first practice, you are only allowed to try adding hard material elements like metal, gold, or diamond. Never add dangerous properties like that sharpness earlier. I will be watching you from here."
"Yes, Teacher!" the four of them answered in unison. They then began to focus their concentration on their respective pens.
Ritsuka stepped back and sat back relaxed on a small sofa in the room. Not long after, Aoi walked out from the direction of the hotel kitchen. The elegant woman brought a tray containing warm tea and a plate of sweets, then carefully placed it on the table right in front of Ritsuka.
"Here, please enjoy. You must be very tired from having to take care of so many things since earlier," Aoi said with a gentle woman's smile.
"Ah, thank you very much, Aoi-san," Ritsuka replied, returning the smile. He picked up his cup. "Tea in the morning always feels so delightful. Just like the British proverb, 'Keep Calm and Drink Tea'." Ritsuka then sipped his tea elegantly.
'Do my people have that motto?' Arthur said.
Aoi tilted her head slightly, intrigued. "Do you have an English acquaintance, Ritsuka-san?"
Hearing that question, Ritsuka's movement stopped for a moment. His memories immediately drifted away, picturing a certain figure whose hobby was devouring Chaldea's cafeteria food stock.
Ritsuka looked at Aoi with a smile. "Yeah, something like that... but my acquaintance is just a gluttonous King who is a huge fan of junk food and burgers."
'You mean... my female version, right?' Arthur suddenly protested. The Holy Knight's tone sounded a little offended.
Ritsuka had to hold back a small laugh. 'You are included too, you know. After all, the two of you originate from the same foundation of legend and existence.'
'Master, please do not equate us. I am not at all as gluttonous as she is. I still know the limits of my meal portions, and besides... I am good at cooking,' Arthur denied firmly.
While Ritsuka was still exchanging silly jokes with his Servant, in another corner, Sakura could be seen looking down at her pen. The little girl muttered to herself in a low voice, as if she were talking to something.
"No... I will not rely on you. This is a task given to me by Brother. I will not borrow your power this time..." Sakura whispered with a determined expression.
Ritsuka, who happened to be looking in her direction, managed to read Sakura's lip movements. A warm smile slowly blossomed on the young man's face. 'Sakura really is a very honest and hardworking child,' Ritsuka thought proudly.
Beside her, Rin could be seen frowning, focusing all her concentration on the object in her hand. She almost succeeded in altering the pen's material, but her magic kept fading and repeatedly failing at the last second. Nevertheless, the signature Tohsaka unyielding perfectionist nature only made her even more fired up to try.
On the other side of the table, Rikka was instead scratching her head. She was completely confused and did not understand the theory of Alteration explained at all. But miraculously, Rikka was the smoothest when it came to activating and flowing Mana through her Magic Circuits. Ritsuka had to occasionally walk closer to correct his sister's posture and give direct guidance.
Meanwhile, Mash was the one who mastered the material the easiest. Considering she had long been accustomed to studying Magus theory in Chaldea, this kind of basic magic felt like a warm-up for her.
From her small sofa, Aoi sat quietly watching the scene.
Her eyes didn't stop noticing how patiently Ritsuka taught Rin and Sakura. In the past, Tokiomi also often taught Rin magecraft, but the atmosphere was always filled with tension—too stiff, formal, and filled with heavy expectations like an authoritarian teacher.
Conversely, Ritsuka's gaze and guidance felt so warm. The young man exuded a very strong aura of protection, more closely resembling the figure of an older brother or even a loving father figure. Aoi gave a small smile, truly enjoying the peace.
A cool morning breeze slowly blew in through a gap in the open window. The wind brushed Aoi's face and gently caressed her hair. The warm and laughter-filled atmosphere in the room felt so alive... exactly like a happy little family.
---
"Senpai, are you sure you want to perform the summoning ritual now?" Mash asked.
She was already on standby clad in her combat armor, planting her large shield onto the floor. Beside her, Rikka and Assassin Emiya were also standing guard vigilantly.
Seeing that serious preparation, Rin frowned in confusion. "Brother, is it true you can summon a Servant? Isn't the rule of the Holy Grail War that one Master can only have one Servant?" she asked, staring at Mash's shield which was far from normal.
"That's true. Besides, I thought you were the Master of this particular Servant," Aoi added, pointing politely toward Assassin Emiya in the corner of the room.
Ritsuka smiled calmly as he stepped into the center of the room. "That is indeed the official rule of this war, right. But, I am not an official participant in this Holy Grail War. I am an outsider."
"Hah?! Then how did you manage to get Command Spells?!" Rin grew even more confused.
"This is the result of special research from a secret organization tasked with protecting the earth and the survival of humanity—they protect humanity from all threats of humanity-incinerating monsters, immortal monsters that cannot be killed by ordinary means, and they even protect humans from alien invasions, but everything is done in secret," Ritsuka answered casually.
Rin's eyes sparkled with awe, as if looking at a hero. "Waaah! You're so cool, Brother! Brother, I want to see the organization later, okay!"
"Alright, alright, Brother will show you later," Ritsuka chuckled, briefly patting Rin's head before turning back to look at Mash.
"I haven't performed a Servant summoning in quite a while; the last time was when summoning Saber Alter, and Rikka already has Assassin and Rider. Now it's my turn. You guys don't need to worry, this will just be a regular summoning ritual. Besides, we really do need extra combat power to guard Aoi-san and the kids."
Mash nodded firmly. "Alright then. Please begin, Senpai."
Ritsuka closed his eyes, focusing his Mana. 'Arthur, who should I summon this time? Do you have any recommendations from the ranks of the Knights of the Round Table?'
'If you ask for my advice, Master... how about Sir Gareth? Although statistically she is not the strongest, she is a very loyal, persistent, and delightful knight,' Arthur suggested.
'Oh, that's a great idea! Gareth, huh... Hehe, it makes me want to play with that energetic little puppy. Even though she's a bronze-tier Waifu, her behavior is so adorable!' Ritsuka replied cheerfully. He then raised his right hand high. 'Alright, let's just summon Gareth this time.'
'You really like Sir Gareth.'
'Of course, who doesn't like that little puppy? And she is the reason I hated Lancelot for the first time.'
At the same time, a boisterous secret conversation was taking place within Sakura's mind.
"Aaaaa... I hoooope... Aaaaa... he summons one of my childreeeeen..." Tiamat's motherly voice echoed with her signature tone.
"Hah? You have way too many children. Which child are you talking about?" Kama sneered sarcastically.
"Maa~ maa~ Whoever the Servant Senpai summons is, it won't be a problem! Because in the end, this cute BB-chan is Senpai's best supporter! Hehehe—"
Suddenly, BB's arrogant laughter was cut off. An awkward silence enveloped Sakura's mind.
"What's wrong, Big Sister BB?" Sakura whispered softly. She wondered why the hyperactive AI had suddenly gone stiff and quiet.
At that very moment, the summoning magic circle in front of Ritsuka began to light up. Sakura stared at the light intently.
"W-wait... This feeling... Impossible!! SAKURA, STOP SENPAI RIGHT NOW!!!" BB screamed hysterically, making Sakura's ears ring.
"Eh? What? Why?"
The magic circle responded swiftly. Instead of emitting Chaldea's standard bright blue light, the circle suddenly mutated. An incredibly magnificent cosmic aesthetic exploded from its center, radiating golden-blue stardust that swirled like a small galaxy in the middle of the hotel room.
Seeing that anomaly, Ritsuka's eyes widened completely. His heart dropped. He recognized that magic circle very well!
"Damn it! There won't be time! Sorry, Sakura, I'm forcibly taking over!"
In a matter of seconds, Sakura's body tensed up. The tips of her purple hair lengthened and faded slightly.
"Eh? Sakura, what's wrong with you?!" Aoi exclaimed in panic, confused seeing the drastic change in her daughter.
"SEN-SENPAI!! STOP THE RITUAL RIGHT NOW!!" BB screamed using Sakura's mouth. Her tone of voice was laden with unfeigned terror.
Hearing that scream, Ritsuka turned his head stiffly like a broken robot. Cold sweat poured heavily down his temples. "B-BB... you're too late..."
WHOOOOOSH!!!
A planetary-scale explosion of energy swept across the entire room. In the blink of an eye, the hotel's walls, ceiling, and furniture were obliterated, erased by something manifesting itself.
The scenery around them completely changed. They were now standing on a vast expanse of glowing blue meadow blown by the night wind. In the distance stood a majestic ancient castle that seemed to touch the sky, adorned by an incredibly beautiful yet intimidating scattering of a sea of stars and cosmos.
Aoi and Rin hugged each other, scared half to death because they had suddenly been transported to a foreign place. Mash immediately took a defensive stance in front of Rikka, and Assassin drew his weapons with full vigilance.
Meanwhile, Ritsuka and BB could only stand frozen with trembling bodies.
In the middle of the blue meadow, stood an extremely beautiful woman. Her golden-blonde hair fluttered gently. Her eyes, glowing red like blood, stared straight at them. The woman wore a regal white-and-blue dress that exuded majesty, as if demanding the entire world to bow at her feet.
Ritsuka swallowed hard with difficulty. He forced an awkward smile. "A-aha... sorry, I just wanted to check something... Y-you don't know who I am, right?"
The majestic figure fell silent for a moment. Then, an elegant smile appeared on her lips.
"It has been a long time... Ritsuka."
Hearing that terrifying confirmation, Ritsuka's smile vanished instantly. Despair was clearly painted on his face.
"Senpai... this time, you really summoned the most troublesome thing..." BB whispered softly from beside Ritsuka. Out of sheer terror toward the entity in front of her, BB didn't dare to look directly into her eyes at all.
"This power is already completely beyond my control. Let alone protecting you, I can't even do anything to her," BB continued with a trembling voice. She then patted the back of Ritsuka's hand in resignation. "Senpai, you are on your own this time. The Brain of the Earth... Archetype: Earth... I leave her entirely to you."
---
On a vast, remote tropical island, the sea breeze gently swept across the white sand. However, the island's tranquility was broken by the bustling activity of dozens of people—a mix of heavily armed mercenaries and Chaldea staff in their signature white uniforms busily inspecting the location.
"So... we are really going to do it here?" Olga asked, standing at the edge of the beach with her arms crossed, looking out at the expanse of the untouched island.
"Of course, Madam Director! This is where we will build our new country!" Koko Hekmatyar exclaimed cheerfully. She spread her arms wide toward the sea. "Using HCLI's resources, I managed to buy all the property rights to this island! Hehehe... Even though the amount of money spent was absolutely insane, it's worth it! This island, which is almost the size of Singapore, will be the main stage of our new country!"
"Koko, you've really acted beyond boundaries this time. Father was given a massive headache by your crazy behavior," a deep voice chided from behind.
An adult man with pale silver hair and a faint smile exactly like Koko's stepped over to approach them.
Koko immediately clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Tch! Kasper, what did you come all the way here for, huh? This is my personal business."
Kasper Hekmatyar, her older brother, merely shrugged casually. "The HCLI Board specifically asked me to supervise you directly. Your impulsive actions haven't only caught my attention, Koko. The CIA, the FBI, and even the intelligence agencies of various countries now have their eyes on you. They are all wondering, what exactly are you trying to build in this puppet state of yours?"
Kasper glared sharply at Romani Archaman, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Chaldea staff who were monitoring the surrounding topography with devices that Kasper didn't even recognize.
"Ah! You must be Koko-chan's older brother, right?"
A cheerful voice cut through the tension.
Da Vinci stepped forward and extended her hand with a confident smile. "Nice to meet you. My name is Leonardo da Vinci!"
Hearing that name, Kasper's eyebrows raised slightly. He returned the petite girl's handshake with an appraising look. "Hmm... your parents must be huge fans of the genius, to the point of naming their own daughter after him."
Da Vinci merely gave a small smile. "Ara~ Let's just assume that's the case."
However, before Da Vinci could pull her hand back, her petite body was suddenly lifted forcefully from behind and hugged tightly by a short-haired woman.
"My~ My~ What a very sweet child! Look at this, Kasper! Her face and body are petite exactly like a doll!" she exclaimed with eyes sparkling in adoration, rubbing her cheek against Da Vinci's cheek.
"H-hey! Who are you?! Let me go!" Da Vinci protested, struggling.
Koko hurriedly stepped forward and pulled Da Vinci away from the deadly woman's death grip. "Chiquita, let her go! You already have another kid in your squad, don't you? If you want to play, go play with Jonah over there! Don't bother her!" Koko scolded.
Chiquita only pouted her lips in disappointment, while Kasper chuckled softly seeing the small chaos.
After the situation calmed down a bit, Kasper quietly detached himself. He watched Olga, who was busy giving instructions to Romani with a serious face. With silent steps like a snake, Kasper sneaked up and was suddenly standing right beside the Director of Chaldea.
"So..." Kasper whispered right near Olga's ear. "...Are you the one who instigated Koko to create this puppet state for the benefit of your organization?"
"WAAAHH!!"
Olga jumped in shock, nearly dropping the tablet in her hand. She turned around with a flushed face, caught between shock and anger. "Y-you!! Could you not appear suddenly like a ghost?! You startled me!" she scolded with her chest heaving.
After managing to catch her breath, Olga cleared her throat softly and straightened the collar of her uniform. "To answer your question just now... I wasn't the one who instigated her; it was your sister who instigated me. I accepted her offer purely because it aligns with the main goal of our organization."
"Hoo... then what exactly is the goal of your mysterious organization?" Kasper leaned his body slightly, looking at Olga with sharply narrowed eyes. "We have deployed all means to investigate your background and your people. But strangely... we couldn't find even the slightest trace of a track record about you all—"
Right before Kasper could dig any deeper, the back collar of his suit was roughly pulled by Koko.
"Listen here, Kasper," Koko hissed with a gaze that suddenly darkened, losing its cheerful nature. "I allowed you to set foot on this island only as an observer. Not to interrogate my guests of honor! If you dare to act out of line, I will kick you off this island myself!"
Sensing his sister's anger, Kasper slowly raised both his hands in a gesture of surrender, although a cunning smile never left his face.
"Whoa... alright, alright, Koko. I understand. I won't bother her again."
Hearing that, Koko snorted in annoyance and released her grip.
At the same time, Olga let out a sigh of relief. She then saw Dr. Romani walking hurriedly toward her.
"Director," Romani called out. He leaned his body and whispered as quietly as possible so as not to be caught by Kasper's sharp ears. "The Mana content in the air of this island... it turns out to be as dense as our world."
Hearing that report, Olga immediately grabbed Romani's arm and dragged him slightly away from the HCLI crowd to speak privately.
"That's good news," Olga responded seriously.
"Then, what about the Counter Force? Have you confirmed it?"
Romani nodded while looking at his tablet screen. "We haven't been able to confirm it for sure yet. But, we've conducted a trial by creating a few simple instruments using Projection magecraft. The result... the projected objects lasted for a very long time without fading in the slightest! We don't know for sure whether this world has a planetary will like Gaia or a collective human will like Alaya, but one thing is certain: the existence of our magecraft seems to not be rejected or suppressed by the laws of this world at all."
A satisfied smile was finally carved on Olga's face. "Perfect. If the conditions are this ideal, we can immediately move on to the next stage."
"Understood." Romani jotted a few things down on his tablet, but then his movements stopped. He looked at Olga with a face full of worry. "But, Director... are you truly sure this is a good plan? The risks are extremely high. As that silver-haired man said earlier, our radar systems have started detecting the movements of several military ships and reconnaissance drones from neighboring countries watching us from a distance. I'm just afraid... our actions of establishing this new country will instead ignite a massive war in this world."
Olga fell silent for a moment. Her gaze softened as she looked at the vast horizon of the ocean.
"It's alright, Romani. I've already thought of dozens of backup plans to handle the worst-case scenario if that happens," Olga answered in a soft voice. She then turned to look at Romani. "Yes, this is indeed a very high-risk gamble. But... if by building a base and military strength here we can provide support for Ritsuka moving forward... then I will take risks no matter how great."