[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/sqVuHkG.png[/img]
[h2][i]Master: [color=salmon]Mercedes[/color][/i][/h2]
[i]City Outskirts, Tokyo[/i] | [color=blueviolet][i]Night[/i][/color][/center]
	When Archer still did not to speak to her, Mercedes moved on quietly. Several thoughts swirled around her mind, some about the Grail War she presently found herself in, but most relating to her servant. Though he was invisible to her eye now, she could feel him through their bond. In the attic room, she'd gotten a faint feeling of... [i]something[/i] through it, but not a clear message. As she'd talked about herself to him as they walked, she'd gotten what felt like a hint of kinship. The servant was still with her, they had already shaken hands and made a pact through the Grail together. He didn't dislike - or so she assumed. Why did he not speak? As she thought over the summoning ritual, wondering if her lack of expertise in that area of magecraft had somehow affected the servant, a sudden epiphany came to her.

	What if he [i]couldn't[/i] speak? There were many heroes of history rendered mute through injury of the body or mind, or had curses laid upon them that stole their voice. Was Archer just such a hero?

	Her mind changed direction, bringing up every historical figure she could think of that met that description. Most magi studied the history and theory of Grail Wars, and read up on heroic spirits in hopes to one day fight in one. Mercedes had no such day dreams, but she wasn't totally ignorant to the heroes of the past. She was once a young mage too. Still, the answer didn't immediately come to her. A mystery to solve once they returned to her base. The wonderings of the Grail War fresh in her mind, she was reminded that since she was chosen by the Grail to compete, she must have some desire for it. She supposed that was true. Some selfish wish, deep down within herself... another mystery, for another time.

	Mercedes said nothing more as she worked her way closer to the city's edge, moving quickly and idly drawing runes in front of her from time to time. They were small spells of deflection, designed to keep curious pedestrian eyes from lingering on her for too long. They wouldn't fool any half-decent magus, but they didn't need to. After an hour of walking, the red haired woman approached an old gravel trail, leading up a small hill. She climbed the trail and came upon a small ramshackle building. From the outside it appeared as what could only be described as an abandoned shed. The area wasn't devoid of homes by any means, and the city was perfectly visible from it. Behind the shed was a field and some broken fence work. The previous owners of the property had likely been homesteaders that preferred to move up country when the bright lights of the city began to reach all the way toward their little farm. Now, it belonged to the Fomonar family, hastily but confidentially acquired as soon as the burning red marks had appeared on the woman's hand.

	[color=salmon]"Home sweet home,"[/color] she laughed, checking up on the runes carved into the earth around the building. A bounded field. After a quick touch-up, she opened the door which led immediately to a few short steps downward. The area opened up to a much larger space, well lit and cozy with a large plush futon and a fur pelt of some kind laid on the floor. Mercedes' workshop.

	Besides the futon and pelt, a large wooden table stood in the center of the room with a few chairs tucked beneath it. A few empty take-out containers still sat on the table, and Mercedes scooped them up and dumped them into a wastebasket nearby. [color=salmon]"I'm not exactly a Michelin star chef,"[/color] she chuckled as she did so. Above the wastebasket, mounted to the wall, was a huge board with the map of Tokyo Prefecture. There were several places on the map circled or outlined, and beside it were documents pinned to the board. Missing mages, potential participants in the War. Areas where magi were likely to gather. Although Mercedes hadn't planned to be a part of this War, she was diligently preparing for it.

	[color=salmon]"Archer,"[/color] she called, waiting for the man to give her his attention before continuing, [color=salmon]"I've been thinking about it. You can't actually speak, can you?"[/color]


[center][@King Cosmos][/center]