Chapter 57: Compounding Troubles

Chapter 57: Compounding Troubles

To prevent any misunderstandings, Thomas used the time Shirou took preparing tea to change his clothes and revert to his original form. When the latter returned, carrying tea and snacks, he barely even batted an eye at the change. Instead, he offered everyone a cup of tea before sitting opposite the group and remarking, "I had thought your behavior didn't match your appearance. I take it you were planning to infiltrate Amazon Lily...?"

Nodding his head, Thomas answered, "I'm searching for a Caster Card to compliment my Mana-Mana-no-Mi. We were able to track one or more to this location."

Narrowing his eyes, Shirou chose to be a little more forthright, revealing, "The cards you seek belong to my little sisters. If you can help us gather the remaining cards, lending you a Caster Card is not impossible..."

After blinking in surprise, Thomas's expression became increasingly wry as he asked, "By 'sisters,' do you mean Illya, Chloe, and Miyu...?"

Narrowing his eyes further, Shirou remarked, "You sure know a lot for someone 'unrelated' to our circumstances..."

Maintaining his wry smile, Thomas shook his head and revealed, "First off, my name is Thomas. And in the world I originate, you and your sisters are fictional characters from an anime. I never really got into it, but anyone who is a fan of the Fate Series is at least tangentially aware of the Kaleid series you originate from."

As he was aware of the existence of the infinite multiverse and parallel worlds, Shirou's reaction to Thomas's words was a tired sigh. One Piece actually appeared in the Weekly Shonen Jump of his world, but he didn't have time for such childish hobbies as a kid. As a result, nearly everything he knew about it was second or third-hand information.

Setting aside his lamentations, Shirou met Thomas's gaze and asked, "So, how do you want to do this? Do you want to explain your circumstances first, or should I start...?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas replied, "I don't mind sharing, but I've explained my circumstances to several people in a very short period. It would be nice to hear someone else's story for a change..."

Nodding his head, Shirou took a moment to drink from his cup of tea before muttering, "My sisters and I managed to flee to this world thanks to a failsafe within the Kaleidosticks, powerful magical items that use the Second Magic to link parallel and alternate realities..."

Staring at his bandaged left hand, Shirou's expression became somber as he revealed, "Our world was on the verge of collapse after we failed to prevent the opening of Pandora's Box. At the very last moment, we were transported to the domain of the man who created the Kaleidosticks, the wielder of the Second Magic, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg..."

Interrupting Shirou's account, Thomas remarked, "I was also transported to this world by Zelretch around fifteen, maybe sixteen months ago. My world wasn't in danger of being destroyed, though. I just...wandered into his dimension on accident."

Waiting until Thomas had finished speaking, Shirou replied, "I see..." in a calm, ostensibly uncaring tone. Then, as if he hadn't been interrupted, he continued his account, explaining, "During our encounter, we were able to broker a deal with Zelretch. He promised that if we were able to assemble the 63 Install Cards scattered throughout this world, we would be given a chance to rewrite the fate of our own. That was three years, five months, and seventeen days ago..."

"..."

Feeling a little unnerved by Shirou's 'intensity,' Thomas fell silent for several seconds. The former had clearly been through a lot, so much so that it appeared he was on the verge of giving up completely. And who could blame him? Depending on their power and who was in possession of them, assembling all 63 Install Cards would be a monumental task...

"Do you at least have a way to track or locate the cards?" asked Thomas.

Nodding his head, Shirou replied, "So long as we're within a few hundred kilometers, the Kaleidosticks can pinpoint their location. The problem is that this world is enormous, the weather is nonsensical, and there are no dependable maps. And don't even get me started on the corruption of the World Government..."

Recalling the incident that had transpired at Sabaody more than a year prior, a hateful glint appeared in Shirou's eyes. Because they didn't bow like everyone else, a wayward Celestial Dragon abruptly shot him before attempting to take his sisters as 'pets.' When they defended themselves, the Marines dispatched an Admiral to capture them. If not for the timely intervention of Silvers Rayleigh, the First Mate of the former Pirate King, they may have suffered a fate worse than death.

Smiling wryly, Thomas replied, "I'll pass. I'm not too good with honorifics and the like. Also, even if it turns out to be true, I don't consider myself a pawn of Zelretch. At least not yet."

'Shrugging' with her wing-like attachments, Ruby replied, "Yeah, yeah, believe what you will. The moment you signed a contract with that old monster, you basically became his slave. Even if you take your life or use something like the Ruler Breaker to try and nullify it, it won't free you from the contract. You'll just become something like a Heroic Spirit, serving at our Creator's behest until you've fulfilled your purpose."

Largely finished with what she had to say, Ruby turned around and flew away, adding, "There's a reason you're here right now~" before departing the living room in the direction of Illya, Chloe, and Miyu.

In the wake of Ruby's departure, Thomas furrowed his brows, muttering, "I never thought a stick could be so annoying..."

Nodding his head, Shirou replied, "Yeah, Ruby can be kind of...intense at times. Her sister is a lot easier to deal with."

Shifting his gaze to Shirou, Thomas asked the question at the forefront of his mind, specifically, "So, what's the deal with those three? Didn't you mention you've already been here for three and a half years? They seem a little...young. And those outfits..."

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Shirou explained, "It's the traditional wear of Amazon Lily. As for their appearances...it's the result of something called Chrono Dysplasia. Outsiders are not bound by the same 'rules' as people native to this world. While we need to eat, sleep, and recover from injury, we do not age in the conventional sense. Unless your circumstances are even more different from our own, the same should apply to you."

To help Thomas understand, Shirou pointed out, "You mentioned that the world we originate from was an anime back in your world, correct? When you watch anime, you can rewind, fast forward, rewatch episodes, or even skip to the end whenever you want. It's kind of like that. From an outside perspective, time within another universe doesn't really exist. Every reality has its own Temporal Axis, and each person is bound to the flow of time in their host reality. In other words, unless your reality is somehow linked to this one, you shouldn't age."

Smiling wry, Thomas replied, "Well, that's convenient..." before looking to Vivi and musing, "Looks like I don't have to worry about becoming an old man while you're still young and beautiful..."

Returning a smile, Vivi replied, "I like older men. A bit of salt and pepper in your hair and beard would suit you."

Not wanting to be left out, Astolfo appended, "She's right. Older men give off a more 'dependable' feeling. Besides, so long as you're young at heart, it doesn't matter how old you are~!"

Exhaling a light chuckle, Thomas was about to remark that the duo were too good for him but was interrupted by Shirou asking, "Do the three of you have any food allergies? I'm about to start preparing lunch for Miyu, Illya, and Chloe. You're welcome to join us."

Since they still had much to discuss, Thomas nodded his head, replying, "Sounds good," while Vivi raised her hand and sheepishly revealed, "I'm allergic to certain types of shellfish..."

"I'll keep that in mind," replied Shirou. Then, just before departing for the kitchen, he looked back at Thomas and said, "Chloe is a very promiscuous girl, and she is naturally drawn to sources of Magical Energy. Please be on your guard..."

Without waiting for Thomas's reply, Shirou turned around and departed the living room. In his wake, Thomas exhaled a sigh before shaking his head and muttering, "Of course, they would be lolis..." as he visualized Zelretch laughing his ass off.

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(A/N: The Kissing Demon has entered the chat.)