Chapter 307: C307
Adashino Hishiri took the lead, heading towards the underground workshop to inspect the rituals there.
Shirou and Waver, along with the others, strolled leisurely behind her, engrossed in conversation.
"By the way, where were you all this time? I heard you went missing nine years ago, and I was quite saddened," Waver asked, a tinge of sadness in his voice.
Shirou replied with a sigh, "It's a long story, but I'm finally back now. And what about you? From the looks of it, you've become a lecturer at the Clock Tower and even do some detective work on the side?"
"Yeah," Waver nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I'm a teacher these days."
Reines chimed in, her voice filled with pride. "Well, Waver is now the second-in-command of the El-Melloi faction, overseeing most of its affairs and taking charge of Modern Magecraft Theory. He goes by the name Lord El-Melloi II now."
Waver wore a helpless expression, his shoulders slumping slightly.
"Oh, really?" Shirou glanced at her briefly before shifting his attention to Waver. He asked with genuine curiosity, "So, did Kenneth actually allow you to take over the El-Melloi faction? And on top of that, become the head of Modern Magecraft Theory? Setting aside other matters, would the other members of the Archibald family agree to it?"
Waver clarified, "It's more of a duty and responsibility that comes with the position of Lord. As for the actual power within the El-Melloi faction, it still rests in the hands of my teacher. Additionally, having an extra Lord for the Modern Magecraft Theory Department serves to strengthen both the El-Melloi faction and the Aristocratic factions."
He nodded, understanding the situation.
The Clock Tower consisted of twelve departments, each headed by a Lord and their respective families. These Lords were divided into three main factions based on their political stances: the Aristocratic Faction, the Democratic Faction, and the Neutral Faction.
The El-Melloi faction belonged to the Aristocratic Faction.
And thanks to Kenneth's favor and protection, Waver did indeed find himself aligned with the Aristocratic Faction.
"So, if we put it simply, you're basically being used as a pawn by Kenneth?"
Waver shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. "Not exactly. My intention was to pursue my own path in Magecraft, which led me to transfer to the Department of Modern Magecraft Theory and become a Lord. However, my teacher believes that without the support and backing of a faction, I would struggle to make significant progress. So, until I am strong enough to fend for myself, I have chosen to seek shelter under the wing of the El-Melloi faction."
"That doesn't sound like something Kenneth would typically say."
Waver responded, his voice tinged with amusement. "My teacher has undergone quite a transformation after his involvement in the Holy Grail War. However, he still possesses a peculiar way of speaking that tends to irk people and make them want to punch him."
"But you're also working as a detective now?"
"Well, um..." Waver avoided eye contact, his cheeks flushing. "During the last Holy Grail War, I sort of...borrowed my teacher's relic without asking."
He risked a glance up, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. "He was nice enough not to be mad once he found out. But he still insists I pay him back for the value of the artifact." Waver attempted a weak chuckle.
"I've repaid some of it! But there's still a good chunk left. And if I want to advance my magecraft..." He scuffed his shoe against the floor. "I pick up some occasional detective work to earn extra funds. Help pay him back."
"I see," Shirou nodded.
The rest of the group observed Shirou and Waver with curiosity.
In their eyes, Waver was an unconventional Lord. While he displayed genuine care and concern for his students, his demeanor exuded strictness and discipline, giving off an air of maturity.
However, in the presence of this unfamiliar person, he seemed to regress into a more youthful and immature version of himself, creating an impression of immaturity.
Gray discreetly moved behind the group, her eyes shifting between Waver and Shirou. She reached into her pocket and pulled out Add, whispering softly, "Add, Add. Who exactly is this person? It seems like he has a close relationship with our teacher."
"You're such an idiot, Gray! Put me back already! I don't want to come out!" Add retorted in a hushed voice.
"Oh!" Gray fumbled, quickly slipping Add back into her pocket.
She glanced up and met Shirou's gaze, her eyes widening. Flustered, she yanked her hood down in a panic, breaking eye contact. Heart pounding, she kept her focus glued to the floor, unable to bring herself to look at him again.
Waver raised an eyebrow. "You noticed, huh?"
Shirou nodded slowly. "Yeah...I actually saw that little girl when I first got here." He let out a weary sigh. "It's complicated. Brings up a lot of mixed emotions."
Waver leaned in, his voice filled with understanding. "When I first met that kid, I felt the same conflicted emotions, wondering about a lot of things. You're feeling similarly, aren't you? Thinking back on your role in that war..."
Shirou shook his head. "No, you've got the wrong idea. I haven't thought about the Grail War in years. It's just - when I look at her eyes, old memories come flooding back... And let me tell you, that girl and Saber are like night and day, especially as she gets older."
"Ah?" Waver was taken aback
Reines wore a smile as she listened intently. She had often found herself at a disadvantage when facing him. Now was the perfect chance to dig for info and gain the advantage.
However, Shirou shot her a quick glance before speaking. "Let's focus on your problem first. Once that's handled, you can buy me dinner, and then we'll have a proper conversation."
Waver acknowledged his words with a slight nod.
Actually, Shirou didn't really mind if others found out about his involvement in the Fourth Holy Grail War or his transformation into a Servant by merging with a Heroic Spirit's Saint Graph.
After all, in this modern world, there were only a handful of individuals who could truly pose a threat to him!
However, the knowledge of him being the Eternal King was a different story altogether. It was crucial to keep that information hidden from others, as its revelation could have profound and disruptive consequences on the established order.
The group made their way into the underground workshop.
Adashino Hishiri had already set the rituals in motion and was carefully examining them.
As she caught sight of the others entering, she nodded calmly and remarked, "The puzzle has been solved. Rituals 1, 3, and 19 have experienced a reverse transformation in the leyline due to the victim's rituals. Additionally, Ritual 50, originally placed on the ground by the victim, became the triggering factor that led to his own demise."
"It's a rather tragic outcome," Reines sighed, her eyes gleaming with a hint of satisfaction.
To her, the loss of a life held little significance in the world of magi, as it was all too common. However, witnessing someone meet their end through their own actions brought her a sense of delight.
"So, we can consider this case closed!" Waver declared.
"Indeed, if we look at it from the perspective of resolution, we can consider this case solved. However..." Adashino Hishiri's gaze shifted towards Shirou as she questioned, "I'm curious, how did you, as a guest of Reines, come to know about this? There's no information about you in the Clock Tower. Moreover, as a magus affiliated with the Department of Policies, your quick grasp of the situation leads me to suspect that you've had some involvement in this case."
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