Ayanokouji’s Guide to Using Tools at Butei High - Chapter 19

Archer’s lips curled into a cold sneer in response to my question.

“It seems you speak with such self-importance only because you have no idea who I truly am.”

It’s possible that my own way of listening was a bit flawed, so I subconsciously wondered if he simply didn’t understand what I was saying, which led him to call my explanation self-important.

“Sir, is there something you need? Surely you didn’t come here just to ask what this object is?” I poured a cup of Darjeeling tea from the set beside me and served it to him.

Archer scrutinized my movements with ruby-like eyes that held a cold, metallic quality. From the moment I poured the tea to the moment I pushed the cup in front of him, he maintained the exact same posture.

“You are clearly not of the world of magecraft. Entering these muddy waters and joining the Holy Grail War—what is it you hope to gain? This King finds himself quite interested.” Archer spoke this way, but his tone wasn’t one of genuine curiosity; it was a posture of ‘I am giving you the chance to speak, so perform well.’

This was my first time dealing with someone whose ego reached the heavens. To put it simply, aside from the novelty of it, I felt nothing special. “The reason is simple. Mr. Matou saved my life in a moment of peril. By all dictates of reason and emotion, a drop of kindness received should be repaid with a gushing spring.”

Archer gave a cold snort. “Spare this King from your attempts to gloss over the truth with such words. Few mortals can hear the name of the ‘Holy Grail’ without their hearts being stirred. Did you not enter the Fuyuki Church to wait for an opportunity precisely so you could draw closer to the Grail, only to be targeted by the Assassin guarding the church?”

Explaining it that way was also logical.

An ordinary person probably wouldn’t place eavesdropping devices in various locations in advance to gather information just to protect themselves, and then accidentally get targeted because they didn’t understand the existence of magecraft.

My way of doing things was a bit circuitous after all.

Archer derived a sliver of pleasure from my silence. With a playful look in his eyes, he propped his face up with his right hand and continued to watch my expressionless face. “Tell this King your wish; give this King some amusement. Perhaps then this King might hide the fact that you installed eavesdropping devices both at the church and here.”

Hearing this, I realized that the man before me was no outdated antique, nor had he been led away from his rhythm by my words. However, I also knew this person thought freely, emphasized individualism, and was currently very bored.

I cast a hollow glance toward the study, hoping they would finish early and take this man away.

Archer followed my movement and looked toward where Tohsaka and Matou were located, breaking into a grin. “What? Afraid to speak? Since you have the gall to eavesdrop on the progress of the Holy Grail, do you lack the courage to give voice to your own desires?”

“Regardless of what wish I may have, is it not true that only the chosen ones have the right to make a wish?” I couldn’t rationally explain my own principles of action—personally, I didn’t think they would be convincing—so I simply went along with Archer’s words for now.

“But haven’t you set your sights on Matou Kariya? Are you not currently capturing his heart to make him walk step by step according to your will?” Archer didn’t care at all how shocking his words were.

Though his phrasing was strange, he had guessed quite close to the reality of the situation, if we were to look at it purely from a consequentialist perspective.

“As a participant in the Holy Grail War, were you not also summoned because you have a wish of your own? Even if I told you what I wanted to do, you wouldn’t yield to me, so what point is there in saying it?”

Archer’s gaze became meaningful. “Though you say that, your heart doesn’t truly think so, does it? It matters not if you refuse to speak; this King naturally has ways of finding out.”

I wish you success.

This was equivalent to multiplying a number by zero. No matter how exaggerated or miraculous a number one finds, when multiplied by a zero that represents non-existence, it all amounts to nothing in the end.

“Exaggerations aside, you are truly filled with insoluble contradictions and riddles. You feel like an ordinary person who can be seen through at a glance, yet I still find you inscrutable.” Archer narrowed his long eyes, staring at my unmoved expression. After a pause, he raised his voice and said, “Mortal, this King is commending you. Those who can pique my interest are few and far between; you should be profoundly grateful.”

I felt like an actor who wasn’t fully immersed in the role. Every time he said “This King,” I felt as though I were participating in a stage play.

I did my best to maintain respect for this former ruler, using honorifics throughout. But if he was just looking for someone to chat with, I really had no interest in accompanying him.

“I apologize for interrupting you, but may I go to the restroom?”

The moment I said this, Archer’s expression became quite unpleasant. Lowering his voice, he said, “You actually dare to make this King condescend to wait for you?”

I thought for a moment, fished a Nine Linked Rings puzzle out of my pocket, and handed it to Archer. This was a small toy that came with the snacks I bought on the way over. In my estimation, Edogawa wouldn’t like this gift, so I had removed the extra item from the food packaging.

“Then I shall leave you with this ‘curiosity,’ a pinnacle of human wisdom that has evolved hundreds of solutions and has been passed down for a thousand years.”

“Ha?” Archer looked at me in disbelief.

“The logic used in the process of ‘disassembling and reassembling the Nine Linked Rings’ has been found to strictly correspond with the cyclic codes used in radio communications invented by the modern American mathematician Frank Gray. This is enough to demonstrate the far-reaching thinking and cutting-edge vision of this object.”

“Ah?”

I made my exit before he could stop me. After waiting for a while, I went to find Matou Kariya. I didn’t expect Archer to have returned to the study; when I entered, he was having a private chat with Kariya. Seeing me come for Kariya, he wore an ‘I knew you would come here’ expression.

Kariya followed Archer’s movement and looked my way.

I didn’t know what Archer had said to Kariya, but Kariya’s expression didn’t look very bright. As if afraid I would read too much from his face, Kariya quickly avoided my gaze, while Archer smirked nearby.

…Sowing discord?

When it was over, Kariya walked back with me and saw me to the hotel. The content of his talk was nothing more than having successfully persuaded Tohsaka to use the Church’s power; he didn’t mention a single word about Archer.

It was only when we reached the hotel lobby that Kariya finally spoke: “Archer said you installed eavesdropping devices at both the Church and the Tohsaka residence…”

So Archer did talk after all.

I just didn’t know if this would cause me trouble—how many enemies I had made, or how much unnecessary suspicion Matou Kariya now harbored toward me.

I was in the middle of thinking.

Kariya was clearly not finished speaking. With a heavy gaze, he said, “You don’t need to do this much for me.”

“???”

I wasn’t sure if I had misheard.

Immediately afterward, following Kariya’s suppressed, emotional exclamation of ‘You are too good to me,’ he hugged me tightly.

What on earth was this…