NABC Page 43
Page 43
The expected pain did not come. After opening her tightly closed eyes and confirming that she was safe and sound, Kuonji Yuzu breathed a sigh of relief and expressed her gratitude to the cushions that had supported her.
She stood up, the tea bag in her arms gone. She stiffly raised her head and saw a man with a tea bag on his head staring at the witch who had just gotten up in front of the French windows.
As the saying goes, what you fear most is what happens. Fortunately, Kenneth didn't mock Kuonji Aratsu's thought process. He took the tea bag off his head, his empty eyes looking at the teapots that were eager to come running around. Without any sense, Kenneth instinctively chose one of the teapots behind the stairwell that hadn't yet come to life.
Kenneth walked past Kuonji Yuzu, who was scratching the soles of her shoes with her toes. The sound of boiling water came from the kitchen. Not long after, Kenneth, who had brewed black tea, returned to the French windows with the teapot. He sat on an ordinary wooden chair and then turned his expressionless eyes to Kuonji Yuzu, who was standing there.
Noticing the two cups of black tea on the tea table, Kuonji Yuzu looked at the man whose eyes were still lifeless in surprise. It was only now that Kuonji Yuzu realized that the man in front of her had become more and more like a human being in the past few days. If it weren't for the fact that his mind was still empty, Kuonji Yuzu would definitely think that Kenneth had regained consciousness.
"Is it the Einzbern family?"
Einzbern—this is the origin that Kuonji Aratama guessed based on Kenneth's appearance and abilities. In order to take back the mansion from Kenneth, Kuonji Aratama is determined to find out Kenneth's true identity before he wakes up. However, facing the homunculus family that is particularly mysterious in the entire magic world, Kuonji Aratama, whose social circle is not even big enough to count on one hand, is in a dilemma.
It's been a long time since I've been in contact with Aozaki Touko. I still vividly remember the physics lesson she taught me a few years ago. Unless absolutely necessary, Kuonji Arita would never have anything to do with her again. As for Aozaki Aoko, she was the one who taught her magic. In Kuonji Arita's opinion, Aoko probably doesn't even know what Einzbern is...
After eliminating the two correct answers, the choice for Kuonji Aratsumi to make is obvious: her childhood friend, Lydia, who has always wanted to take her back to England.
If she had a choice, Kuonji Aratama really wouldn't want to contact this overly lively childhood friend, Lydel, who is outgoing and has athletic abilities far exceeding those of the average magician, excelling in singing, dancing, and rapping; Kuonji Aratama, on the other hand, is quiet, can only do the dog paddle when swimming, can't do a single pull-up, and is a poor, weak witch who serves as an audience member in physical education class.
However, faced with that homunculus family that even the magic world knew nothing about, Kuonji Yuzu had no choice but to ask Lydel, the ruler of the Clock Tower, for help. Having figured out what to do next, Kuonji Yuzu was about to return to her room when she looked up and met Kenneth's empty gaze, which was straight and devoid of any emotion.
However, those colorless eyes exuded an undeniable aura, not only of mystery but also of the commanding presence of someone who had long held a high position. Her gaze fell upon the still-steaming black tea, and with a strange sense of submission, Kuonji Yuzu stood before the French windows. Only when she picked up the cup of black tea, which contained no added ingredients, did the man who had been watching her turn his gaze to the steel jungle outside the window.
As she savored the tea spreading in her mouth, she squinted her eyes in enjoyment. The black tea alarm in her body subsided, and the embarrassment of this morning also dissipated. She glanced at the remaining pot of tea, calculated the time difference between Japan and the UK, and laboriously dragged a chair to the French windows. Stealing a glance at the unresponsive Kenneth, Kuonji Yuzu finally felt completely relieved and picked up her teacup to enjoy her afternoon tea.
A chirping sound rang out; it was the call of a robin. The hand that was turning the pages of the fairy tale paused, and she looked up. In front of her, the anthropomorphic fairy tale creatures were dragging a bound robin toward her like a treasure. Looking at the little guys who were showing off their good looks, Kuonji Aryuu instinctively ignored the robin's cries for help, thanks to their good looks and novelty.
With a slight upturn of her lips, she waved to the group of restless little creatures, exuding an aura of fairy tales. As the fairy tale creatures, who were using robin feathers as fans, approached, Kuonji Yuzu laid out her fairy tale on the table. Her slightly clumsy voice rang out as the fairy tale witch began to tell these creatures born from fairy tales the fairy tales she had woven.
In front of the mansion's floor-to-ceiling windows, the witch, once again immersed in her own world, instinctively forgot about Kenneth sitting on the other side. In the quiet mansion, the girl's voice, though soft, sounded particularly clear. Humans are, after all, social animals, and interaction with their own kind and with the world is always a necessary means to enrich human consciousness and emotions.
As Kuonji Yuzu recounted her emotionally charged story to the fairytale creatures before her, Kenneth listened intently to the girl's description. His lips moved, uttering a few broken syllables, and ripples appeared in his empty eyes. As his interaction with the world deepened, a corner of Kenneth's long-dormant consciousness began to awaken.
Chapter 113 The Sea Within the Stars
Albion, the Spirit Tomb, is 60-80km underground, the limit of human descent. It is the designated base of the seal and the location of the "Observatory" Kallion. Relying on the magic of fairies, Morgan appeared unimpeded in this physical passage leading to the planet's inner sea.
As Morgan gazed at the dragon corpse before him, which, even in its shattered state, was still determined to dive deeper into the planet, its downward obsession still powerfully resonated with him even in death.
Overwhelmed by a strange sense of familiarity, Morgan conceived the idea of fulfilling the other's obsession. The eye that housed the dragon's obsession had become one with the earth's veins over the years. Deeper underground, the broken dragon claw was only a thin barrier away from the inner sea of the star.
In the 10-40km vein corridor of Odvina, Morgan appears as the Lady of the Lake. The circuits left behind when the fairies moved the "Fairyland" to the inner side of the world are activated, blurring the boundary between the inside and outside. The mystery of the inner side of the planet dissipates. Ignoring the turmoil caused by her actions in the Tribunal of the Mystic Arts, Morgan returns to the inner side of the planet the moment the passage opens, carrying the dragon claw that failed in its mission.
Having chosen a propitious spot to bury the dragon's claw, it has not returned for a thousand years. The fairies on the inner side of the planet have changed batch after batch. Ignoring these things whose minds are full of chaos, Morgan stood in front of a towering spire, knocked away the "No Entry" sign that appeared in front of her, and kicked open the door of a white-haired online scammer.
"Hahaha, isn't this Morgan? What brings you here? Sit down, sit down, and tell me how Artoria is doing."
It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it, because the mere mention of the ahoge (cowlick) caused Morgan's already not-so-wealthy mentality to explode instantly. He kicked over the tea table that Merlin had set up, and transformed into a berserker, he grabbed the online scammer's gills and gave him a good beating. Seemingly still not satisfied, a black magic wand appeared, and Morgan swung it down.
"Wait! Morgan, stop right now!! This black, hard thing will break Merlin!! Damn it~~"
thump—
Amid Merlin's scornful wails, the solid wand fell. The Watchtower remained peaceful as always, the sun, a product of concepts, rising and setting, until Morgan, panting heavily, finally withdrew the wand from Merlin's head after spitting out mochi from some online scammer's mouth.
Where is Lily's body?
Morgan kicked Merlin, who was pretending to be dead, and then, sweating profusely, summoned a chair and sat down. The white mochi flew back into his body, straightened the broken bones, and Merlin, rubbing his deformed face, finally got up from the ground.
"Are you really going to do this? The seat has no concept of time. Countless aspects were born when she stepped onto the seat. When the original body on the seat returns, those aspects will also descend. Her body cannot accommodate all the possibilities."
"The boundary recording tape? Don't worry about that, I have a way to handle it. Tell me quickly, where is her body?!"
Back then, Morgan personally rowed the dying Artoria into Avalon. Morgan's purpose in returning to Avalon this time was to take away the body that had not died. However, a thousand years later, everything had changed. The place where she buried Artoria's body had disappeared. In Morgan's knowledge, the only person who could do this was the white-haired online swindler in front of her!
Morgan's plan is insane. The body that carries the soul is the initial cause, the ahoge (cowlick) that becomes a Servant is the trigger for the return, and the sleeping Artoria on the throne is the result Morgan wants. By interfering with the rules of the throne through the law, and using the Holy Grail system as a basis to open a hole to the outside world, she can plant a Servant, Artoria. Morgan can find the real Artoria and also get a whole truckload of Artoria. Faced with such huge benefits, even if she gets hung up by a lamppost, Morgan is willing to try.
"Have you made up your mind? If so, your future will become very difficult."
Surprisingly, Merlin, a despicable person, actually spoke seriously. But who is Morgan? She is a witch. What kind of witch is she if she doesn't go crazy? Sensing Morgan's obsession, Merlin, who already felt guilty towards Artoria, stopped trying to persuade her. He tapped the bricks with his wand, and in the sea of flowers outside the watchtower, the sleeping King of Knights emerged amidst the flowers.
"Over the years, the Heroic Spirit named Artoria has given rise to several possibilities, some of which have become inextricably linked to the history of humanity in other worlds. Before their mission is completed, do not try to bring those possibilities down, or you will attract the attention of some people."
Although he wanted nothing more than to stab the online scammer in front of him to death, Morgan also knew that the other party had eyes that could see across the world. He kept Merlin's reminder in mind. As Morgan nodded in agreement, the sea of flowers below dispersed, and the knight king who had been sleeping for thousands of years appeared before him.
The scrolling light flashed before his eyes. With this still-breathing body, Morgan left Avalon, located in the Inner Sea of the Stars, and came to the weak point of the barrier to communicate with the surface of the world. Just as Morgan was about to return, his foot stopped, an arm burst out of the ground, and then a white-haired, golden-eyed fairy with two horns on its head rose from the coffin.
"Mother."
Morgan: (☉_☉)
The next second, the naked fairy clung tightly to Morgan's leg. Morgan was stunned when he sensed the aura of the Albion dragon emanating from her.
"I planted a seed, and finally it bore fruit. Today is..."
The inexplicably annoying melody echoed, and Morgan, who had no interest in taking care of the child, looked at the fairy he couldn't shake off with a look of regret. He felt like his brain was about to split open. In the past, Morgan would have definitely knocked the fairy away, but now, Morgan, who was no longer so crazy, didn't bother to get angry with a newborn fairy.
Realizing that the other was born because of her, Morgan casually took out a piece of cloth and tossed it to the fairy on her leg. Soon after, Morgan walked into the El-Melloi house with her pendant. Upon seeing the fairy on Morgan's leg, the fairy uttered a cry of "Mama," and the once noisy hall instantly fell into an eerie silence.
*Crunch!* Artoria, busy eating, took a bite of half her plate; Aozaki Aoko, fighting with the strange creature, was pinned to the ground by a doll; Aozaki Touko, intending to smoke, attempted a reverse smoke...
"Cough cough cough, Morgan, is this your daughter??"
Flustered, she exhaled the smoke from her mouth and looked incredulously at the fairy hiding behind Morgan. Facing the stares of the crowd, Morgan roughly led the fairy away and explained:
"Her? She's a fairy who's somewhat related to me. Just think of her as a local specialty from the inner world."
Morgan, whose eyes were only on Artoria, had no intention of taking care of the child. Ignoring the tearful fairy in his hands, Morgan tossed her to Irisviel, who was overflowing with maternal instincts.
"Um, Morgan, now that you've brought her back, what's her name?"
"Name? Let's call her Meiliuqina."
Under the influence of the cosmic consciousness, even though the fairies of this world did not slack off, the born Roland still received the name she deserved. Before the Age of Gods dissipated, the fairies had already entered the inner side of the planet. The appearance of the fairy Roland immediately attracted the attention of modern people, including Aozaki Aoko. Artoria, who had no interest in fairies, picked up her rice bowl and continued eating after spitting out the ceramic plate in her mouth.
Chapter 114 Awakening and Lost Territory
In Misaki City, in this urban legend of the mansion inhabited by a witch, a group of children from the neighborhood, hoping to test their courage, peered into the flower-filled courtyard from the vine-covered gate. As the tables, chairs, and benches that had come to life ran past the mansion's gate, under the cover of night, the group of adventurous children were chased out of the mansion's grounds by flying plates and teapots amidst screams.
Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor, watching the unruly children disappear down the hillside, Kuonji Yuzu refocused her gaze on the documents in front of her. The teacup beside her was still steaming. On the other side of the tea table, in Kuonji Yuzu's eyes, the lifeless man was still staring at the steel jungle outside the window. The bell rang, and Kuonji Yuzu, adhering to her biological clock, put down the documents in her hand and went upstairs.
As darkness deepened, orange lights illuminated the concrete road below, completely shrouding the mansion atop the slope in darkness. Before the floor-to-ceiling windows, the shadowy figures obscured by the sunlight reappeared. In the man's perception, the reflection in the glass was both familiar and strange, and the golden earrings shone brightly on the clear mirror.
The shattered images flashed before his eyes, and the dizziness that had lasted for days returned. The golden earrings lit up, the heavy breathing stopped, and he looked up to see the documents the witch had left on the table. He reached out, and the moment Kenneth touched the file, the clock tower's protective spell shattered, revealing the documents that Lydel had acquired from Aozaki Touko at great expense.
The Holy Grail, a wish-granting cup that appears once every sixty years in Fuyuki City, is part of a grand ritual planned to reach the "Root"...
The magically manipulated text conveys its meaning directly to the heart; Command Seals, Servants, Masters... one by one, the terms describing the Holy Grail War flash before one's eyes, and the corresponding images surge into the mind like waves.
The Fourth Holy Grail War concluded several months ago. Besides the three starter Servants, the one representing the Clock Tower in the Holy Grail War was Lord El-Melloi, the former ruler of the Mineral Division, whose summoned Servant was Karna, the great hero from the ancient Indian epic poem, the Mahabharata.
"Karna...Karna...Karna!!!"
Painful murmurs escaped his lips as jumbled and disordered memories filled his empty mind. Familiar names overlapped with figures from fragmented memories, and the figures in the dark space became clearer as the broken images were pieced together.
"Don't give up, there are still people in the world waiting for the unique you..."
The crimson flames straightened the trembling body, shattered the shackles that imprisoned the past, opened the tightly closed eyes, and the blood-red eyes shone with a seven-colored light. Fragments of memories began to piece together, and the past memories emerged clearly. From then on, there was no more confusion in the eyes, and the eyes that peered into the soul were eerily pure.
His gaze fell upon the empty mansion, and memories of the past surfaced. He placed his palm on the wall of the mansion before him, closed his eyes, and the comedic mansion responded to Kenneth's 'visit request.' The layout of the mansion clearly appeared in Kenneth's mind. His gaze shifted to the second floor, where there was a telephone that could contact the clock tower. After a moment's thought, Kenneth walked toward the magic workshop on the other side of the mansion.
"Is it here?"
With control of the mansion, and without triggering any alarm devices, Kenneth stood in the magic workshop of Kuonji Aratsu. Having separated from the source, apart from the earring given to him by Karna, all of Kenneth's costumes were lost. The situation was still unclear, and there was no need to risk exposure for the sake of temporary efficiency. After weighing the pros and cons, Kenneth began to use the materials at hand to make costumes for communication.
Meanwhile, in the Clock Tower, undercurrents were swirling. Despite Aozaki Touko's impeccable defense, El-Melloi not only did not decline as in the original story, but also gained considerable benefits in the power struggle during this period. Faced with such an outcome, how could the old foxes who had been plotting for so long possibly agree to it?
The democrats are determined to expand their influence and acquire the Department of Modern Magic. Euryphus, who is outwardly on good terms with the aristocracy, attempts to steal El-Melloi's control over the Department of Minerals. Meanwhile, Meastia, who appears neutral but actually wants to take a bite out of the conflict between the two factions, is waiting for a higher price.
Inside the Clock Tower's conference room, the struggle for interests began once again. Due to the Clock Tower's sluggish efficiency, the agenda, which had been postponed several times, was once again placed before everyone.
"Before we decide on the matter of the Modern Magic Department, I have a proposal."
Seeing that all the representatives present were focused on him, Lord Euphoria, who had already embraced the democratic camp, projected a document onto the crystal in the center of the conference table.
"You've all probably heard about the unusual activity in Albion a few days ago. This is the investigation report from the Bureau of Mysterious Remains Dissection: the Vein Corridor, Odvina, located 10-40km underground in Albion, has been activated. The 'Fairy Domain,' which we previously designated as unminable, has unleashed mysterious forces far exceeding those of the current era..."
All the magicians present knew what Euryphus was talking about. These families, standing at the top of the clock tower, had long ago secretly sent people to infiltrate that isolated area. However, some things could never be brought to the forefront. Under their tacit understanding, the magicians, each with their own ulterior motives, pretended to be interested as they listened to Lord Euryphus's explanation.
"so..."
Deliberately drawing out the last syllable, Lord Euryphus glanced around at the assembled magicians, his gaze settling on Aozaki Touko, who was also looking at him. His expression was serious as he said:
"Based on the current investigation, I can confirm that the moment the Vein Corridor was activated, the passage to the Inner Sea of Stars opened, and the future of the magic world unfolded before our eyes. The Spirit Tomb Albion is not insurmountable. I propose that we lift the blockade on the Fairy Domain and begin mining Albion downwards!"
Lord Euryphus brought the actions of various families to the forefront with a seemingly legitimate reason, brandishing the banner of the future of the magic world and grafting his own objectives onto the tacit actions of the various monarchs.
As early as the beginning of the disturbances in the Spirit Tomb, all well-informed families knew that the passage to the Starry Sea had opened. However, in the world of magic, the reason why mystery is called mystery is that the fewer people who possess it, the stronger its effect. When the monarch standing at the top of the Clock Tower focused his gaze on the passage to the Fairy Realm, other magicians had already lost the opportunity to compete for mystery.
Now, citing the future of the magic world, Lord Euryphus actually wants to share the spoils, which is unacceptable to these families. Facing the hostile gazes, the centuries-old magician remained expressionless and continued:
"Therefore, I propose bypassing the Bureau of Excavation of the Secret Relics and instead having the various families jointly establish a new mining organization, recruit talented magicians, and jointly develop Albion. For the future of the magic world, let's continue mining the spirit tomb Albion downwards!!"
The true intentions were revealed. Now, Aozaki Touko finally understood Lord Euryph's plan. Although the Department of Dissection of the Unknown Bodies, which was responsible for mining Albion, was separate from the twelve families, the majority of magicians who came out of the Mineral Department went to the Department of Dissection of the Unknown Bodies. It can be said that the two departments that had the strongest control over Albion in the entire Clock Tower were the Mineral Department and the Archaeology Department.
Now, Lord Euryphus's proposal to bypass the Bureau of Secret Corpse Dissection and establish a new institution can be said to have directly slashed El-Melloi's artery. On the surface, magic burns money, but in reality, it burns various precious physical bodies. Looking at the unmoved Mayastia, Aozaki Touko sighed in her heart. She had lost this battle.
Faced with this overt scheme, Aozaki Touko couldn't accept it. Establishing a new organization would greatly reduce the risks of operating covertly, and the subsequent distribution of profits could be discussed later. Moreover, since the other party dared to bring it up, the news would be released regardless of success or failure. No magician could resist the allure of the Hoshinakai. Under the banner of reviving the magic world, any magician who dared to obstruct it would be crushed.
"Lord Euryphus, how should this organization be arranged?"
With the cooperation of his comrades, Euryphus, who had been meticulously planning, took out a document he had prepared in advance and distributed it to the representatives present. The document had only one meaning: the twelve families would take the lion's share, while the scraps would be given to the families that had become his vassals. As the one who proposed the idea, Euryphus would lead the construction of the new organization.
With Euripis and Transpelio working in tandem, the representatives of the aristocratic faction closed their eyes. The democrats had already resorted to tactics that would inflict heavy losses on both sides, and the tide had turned. There was no point in continuing the negotiations in Albion. The spoils of Albion were redistributed, and El-Melloi, who dominated the Minerals Department, lost ground in Albion.
"Teacher, your methods are as ruthless as ever."
"No, no, I'm just an old woman, but you have the courage and spirit of people your age."
Extinguishing the cigarette between her fingers and watching her teacher leave, Aozaki Touko pouted. At that moment, she had the idea of having Morgan deal with those old bastards.
Chapter 115 Arrangements for the Clock Tower
Rome!! .jpg
The neon lights have entered nightlife, while the sun has not yet set on the clock tower in London. In order to determine Kenneth's whereabouts, even though Morgan used Aoko Aozaki as a tool to make up for the lack of mystery, Kenneth's location is still shrouded in a fog.
"finished?"
With Morgan's nod, Aozaki Aoko, who had been sitting cross-legged, jumped off the altar, rubbing her aching legs. She looked at Aozaki Touko, who was leaning against the door, puffing out smoke. Having been offered as a sacrifice for so long, Aozaki Aoko could no longer suppress the surging primal power.
"Hey Orange, why are you stopping me? They're just a bunch of old fogies, I refuse to believe I can't handle them!!"
Glancing at the flustered Aozaki Aoko, Aozaki Touko revealed a look of pity as if she were looking at an ape. Realizing that Aozaki Touko was looking down on her again, Aozaki Aoko, who was holding back her anger, rolled up her sleeves as if she wanted to have a go with Touko.
"Qingzi, not everything can be solved with fists. I will take action when the time comes. Threats will only make them cling to each other more tightly. Now is not the time to overturn the table."
Immediately afterwards, Aozaki Touko, who was leaning against the door, continued Morgan's analysis.
"That's right, there are still a few old foxes who haven't jumped out yet, and it seems they're planning to reap the benefits without lifting a finger."
"That one named Meastia?"
Nodding in agreement with Morgan, Orange closed her eyes and struggled to recall the information she had received.
"Well, he's the one who's expressed the strongest intentions so far, but he's associated with many people, so I can't be sure who else is involved yet..."
As the conversation deepened, although she could understand each word individually, Aozaki Aoko couldn't grasp the meaning when they were put together. Staring at the two who skipped over her and started discussing how to write the Black Hand, Aozaki Aoko, who hadn't used her brain in a long time, felt like she had been hit with an 80.
Staring at the two people discussing how to use underhanded tactics right in front of her, Aozaki Aoko, who was used to solving problems with her fists, felt that she couldn't stay or leave. Seemingly noticing a certain mage who wasn't good at thinking, Morgan ended her conversation with Aozaki Touko and looked at Aozaki Aoko, whose eyes were wandering.
"Qingzi, you're quite familiar with that plant-based monarch, aren't you? I need some things to concoct a potion, could you please run errands for me?"
Having received the arrangement, Aozaki Aoko, who had long been bored, quickly rushed out of her room, changed her clothes, and hurriedly left the El-Melloi residence.
"Did something happen that deliberately sent my silly sister away?"
"Well, there are some things that are better left unsaid in front of her, after all, I care a lot about my image in her eyes."
Pulling up a chair and sitting down, Aozaki Touko picked up the tea in front of her to moisten her slightly dry throat, lit another cigarette, and looked like she was listening attentively. It was at this moment that the formal attire Aozaki Touko was wearing made a sound. Looking at the unknown signal, Aozaki Touko gestured to Morgan, who understood and set up a barrier.
Immediately afterwards, a familiar male voice rang out, and the two, preoccupied with trivial matters, exchanged a glance, both revealing expressions of surprise.
"Orange, I'm sorry to disappoint you, you can't squander my fortune on my grave anymore."
Although her voice was hoarse, the familiar joke made Aozaki Touko take a deep drag on her cigarette, hold her breath for a few seconds, exhale a thin stream of smoke, and reveal a relaxed expression.
"Ah, it's too late. I've already squandered most of your fortune, big boss."
There was no warm greeting after their reunion. Using their usual way of communicating, Aozaki Touko told Kenneth about the situation at the Clock Tower during this time, and then handed the dress to Morgan, who was waiting quietly to the side.
"You're a crazy guy. You really have a talent for being a witch."
"If you witches are willing to accept a man, I wouldn't mind playing the part. By the way, how's your sister? With my current abilities, creating a body for her wouldn't be difficult."