(Because I'm going to a barbecue, I got today's portion in advance, and by the way, was it strong last time, and I asked for a ticket!) ）

It all started the other day.

Darkness spreads through the lobby.

But it's not material darkness.

If there's one glimmer of light, it's the soft light that shines from the chandelier on the ceiling. The light through the crystal reflects the bright colors on the large round table covered with soft blankets.

However, it gives the feeling of dominance, and it is still dark.

The concept, called darkness, flooded the lobby. Ancient Norse scripts on the walls and chandeliers, and then, magic circles painted on velvet carpets, maintain this

A state of darkness.

It's like a cemetery at night.

Like the moon that is lacking.

With some horror.

It's like magic.

That's it, the darkness that can't be shaken off. If there are people in it, maybe even the spirit will be eaten away, and the darkness will be full of oppression.

"—Is there only one person chosen?"

There were three people present. One was an old man, with a straight back despite his short stature, and the wrinkles on his face were as shiny as those of a work of art carved from wood. Locke, head of the Summoning Department. It is rumored that Belferbon has been in office for more than 50 years since he became the head of the department, but there is no conclusive conclusion on this.

Listening to the words of the old man who was muttering in a hoarse voice, a young man nodded and said:

"I've read that report, and it's such an unpleasant, intolerable guy who turned hundreds of thousands of people into ghouls. It's a shame that she did it. ”

It was a red-haired young man with clear eyebrows. With his tenacious and noble will gaze and elegant countenance, it was clear at a glance that he was in the upper class. There was a sense of purpose in his words.

The man's name is Bram. Nusare. Sophiali. He is the successor to the head of the séance department and also serves as a first-class lecturer at the Clock Tower.

The old man nodded in agreement, turning his gaze to the last one who remained silent. It was a young girl, with light, soft, charming blonde hair dreadfully coiled on her head, and her slender body was dressed in an antique dress, and the mere presence here made the air have a tendency to freeze, quite an astonishing presence, and to some extent it could also reflect her strength.

"What do you think? Ermello's agent. Miss Assistant. ”

Hear the words. The girl's gaze returned to focus, and she spoke:

"It's Miss Arthur. While it's normal that you want to respect who I am, give hope a strong emphasis on form, because anything else is just a headache for me. ”

"Disrespectful. So. What do you think? ”

"We have to change our approach. Since the association is in a situation where it cannot officially intervene. Then only maximum support can be taken. Didn't that person ask for it? Prepare a batch of magic materials for him. ”

'Thanks to him, we had the opportunity to fight back. If you have four servants in your hand, you obviously have a better chance of winning. ”

"But. Who will transport the magic materials? If you are an immature magician, you will be killed. The enchantment that envelops the entire Fuyuki City, even that person, can't guarantee that it won't be noticed. ”

After a brief silence, Bram. Nusare. Sophiali said with a frown.

"It's better to hire an outside magician. This Holy Grail War is a danger we have never experienced before. Of course, the clock tower must also provide some other assistance, and the clock tower will be responsible for the capital turnover and vehicle arrangement. ”

Bram and Artoria agreed. The impact of this Holy Grail War on the Magic Association is self-evident, if it is just a matter of transporting magic materials, just send some third-rate magicians to get it, but it is said that this batch of magic materials is used for the puppet manufacturing of a rare magician, and even so far they have no clue, compared to the puppet army against ghouls, that furnace can awaken a treasure that rivals a first-class servant, this time the clock tower finally found the phantom beast favored by the heavens- The heart of a baby unicorn will be transported along with the magic materials as a preparation for the hearth. In terms of sending candidates, it will definitely be too late to spend time sifting through them at this time, compared to those mercenary magicians who can be hired casually, which are much more efficient.

"Then there is an old man who decides the candidate, I believe that with the old man's vision, I can still find some reassuring guys."

"In that case, I'll prepare the materials. Although I was ordered to be in danger, this little thing was not difficult for me. ”

Listening to Bram's words, Belfepon tapped the ground with the base of his cane and declared:

"This is very different from the imitations of the Holy Grail Wars that are taking place in various parts of the world today in every way. In terms of influence alone, it has surpassed any Holy Grail War. I beg you to take your spirits together. I must let Kurohime know what a foolish act it is to steal the relics of the clock tower. ”

☆

In the UK. It is known as the 'clock tower' of the headquarters of the Magic Society. The British Museum in London is home to a large number of self-respecting people from all over the world who claim to have dominated the long history of magic, as well as ambitious magicians.

It is a matter of time before a thousand people fight for this, and a thousand people give up for it. But it's not too much to have a little fantasy, right?

At least, that's what the Lion Raiders thinks. He was also a student of the Clock Tower, and after only a few years of absence, he had become less accustomed to the atmosphere. The biggest evidence is that a student he accidentally bumped into just now ran away unnaturally before he could apologize.

Magicians sometimes become 'unacceptable' because of the drugs they use or the magic they perform. This is not a shame, but rather something to boast about, and there is no need to feel inferior, which is common knowledge among magicians.

- Obviously so, isn't the treatment he received a little unreasonable, the lion thought to himself.

Just walking on the sidewalk normally, he was physically examined three times by police officers (each time he gave a hint and fled). As soon as he arrived at the Clock Tower, he was questioned four times by the magician who was on guard, and the students who passed by in the corridor looked at him with extreme fear.

Discriminatory treatment like this is not correct! Whenever the lion robber wants to complain like this. That's what they'll answer:

"It's not that we're too cowardly, it's that you're terrible!"

What hurtful words. Indeed, he admits that his appearance is a bit fierce, and that his clothes are a little different from those of ordinary magicians, which is admitted. However, I never forgot to keep a smile on my face-

The lion robbery who was so thinking about it didn't understand how terrifying it was for him to laugh. The scars on the face, the beastly gaze, the muscular physique, the black jacket sewn from the skin of the monster. In addition, because he galloped on the battlefield as a free man who ate bounty rice, his whole body was filled with the thick smell of blood and gunpowder. In this way, even magicians who do not have a normal sense of ethics will still be afraid of terrible things.

"It's really terrible for you to laugh."

The old man teased while comforting the lion who wanted to curse.

This is the Clock Tower, the head of the Summoning Department, Locke. Belfburn's office.

In a booth on the wall of the room, there is a skull of a beast that looks like an ape and an elephant combined. The scroll, which is obviously more than 1,000 years old, has not been carefully guarded and has been set aside. In what seemed to be a deadly glass bottle above. A small snake soaked in formalin with a head divided into nine strands.

"It's still the same here. There's all sorts of weird stuff. ”

The snake soaked in formalin, if the lion's eye is correct, is probably the cub of a mythical creature.

With that in mind, he sat down on the couch where he was picking.

"Nothing. Although rare, they are all known to exist. It is not false to say that it is valuable. ”

"The hatchlings of Hydra (hydra) are actually soaked in the formalin. Is this the level of preciousness? ”

"It's a fake."

Belferbon said proudly as if he had succeeded in a joke. The lion robbed him at a glance. I didn't plan to fight with him and silently sip the medicinal soup. Although it is spicy enough. But because it has a recovery effect, I still drank it willingly.

"Without further ado, you are not invited for anything else. Do you know the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City? ”

Lion Tribulation frowned slightly.

"It's kind of a good idea."

The so-called Holy Grail War. It is a battle that revolves around the Holy Grail, which is rumored to grant a universal wish. A very special war between magicians who summon the Heroic Spirit as a servant and fight each other until the last one.

Perhaps it was the Society's lax surveillance of this small Eastern country that it didn't become aware of until the Holy Grail War was repeated four times.

The almighty wish machine manifests itself in the backwoods of the Far East, and even if it is a joke, there must be a limit to it—the Magic Society's knowledge is only to this extent.

However, during the Fourth Holy Grail War, one of the Clock Tower's first-class instructors, a famous nobleman, was killed. His death almost led to the demise of a school and a well-known family. Fortunately, it was the man of the Clock Tower who won the Holy Grail War, or the student of the fallen nobleman, so he naturally took on the responsibility of the leader of the school with glory. Of course, the identity of the 'winner' alone is not enough to convince the public, and it is largely because of the results of his victory.

- A genuine heroic spirit, whose identity is still the famous King Arthur.

He also mastered the construction of the spell system and created a new school of séance.

It's because of him.

Now, the Subspecies Holy Grail War is taking place all over the world. However, most of them are small-scale, and there are up to five Heroic Spirits summoned, and even if the ritual is established, it will not be able to fulfill the omnipotent wish.

However, no one thought so, they only wanted to get a servant who obeyed their orders, and then sign a permanent contract with him, so that they could get the most powerful helper, even against the guild.

"Well, Fuyuki's Holy Grail War. What is its true purpose? ”

"Summoning Heroic Spirits?"

Belfabon grinned and smiled in disgust.

"No, it's to reach the "root vortex" and make holes. ”

"What?"

For this unexpected answer, the lion robbery couldn't help but be dumbfounded. According to Belferbon, the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City does not require Heroic Spirits. It's the magic that comes after they die. Use the Little Chalice to store its magic, and finally use this unimaginably vast amount of magic to open the path to the roots. This is the real Holy Grail War.

"So, isn't the Holy Grail War being held elsewhere a big joke?"

Belferbunken first said:

"Yes. The essence of it is deviated. Just to use the magic of the death of other servants, the last one signed a permanent contract with the servant he loved. But as far as I know, the number of successful people is zero at the moment. ”

Lion's Raid is undoubtedly a first-rate magician, but he doesn't have the ability to structure a subspecies Holy Grail War. In other words, unless that person is the one who started this incident, no one can really succeed.

"So, old man. What the hell do you want me to do? ”

"Don't worry."

Belfibon put an end to the hassled lion robbery.

"Now comes to the point. The man who brought the spell system and the Heroic Spirit back to the Clock Tower was a success story, but he did so with the help of the Holy Grail of Fuyuki City. So. Someone has their eyes on this Holy Grail War. ”

"Who is it?"

"No, one of the twenty-seven ancestors, should it be said two? According to information from the clock tower, the other two were not there. ”

"Do you want me to make sure of that thing?"

"That's our ultimate goal, and you don't really have to worry about it. But. The clock tower intends to entrust you with the delivery of a shipment of 'munitions'. In the process, you may meet the True Ancestor and his helpers. ”

"So to speak. Which is it? ”

"Elt Luki. Brunstadt. ”

"[Kurohime]?!"

The lion's eyes widened.

Even among the twenty-seven ancestors, she is one of the most terrifying existences, known as the princess of the black, and her status is very noble. There was even a camp of Dead Apostles led by her. Including the First True Ancestor [Primate Killer], the two knights of black and white, and the Dead Apostles such as the Night of Wallachia, all of them were twenty-seven ancestors without exception. In terms of strength, it is also ranked first, and its overall strength is not lost to the 'anti-Elte Luqi' faction at all.

It's a foul for this horrible guy to go to the Holy Grail War.

"Where did you get the confidence to win over [Kurohime]."

"The winner of the last Holy Grail War plus four servants."

"It's a lot of money."

"Hmph, if [Kurohime] thinks that he will win by stealing two important holy relics, then he is very wrong. As soon as the clock tower got the information, she was currently only surrounded by the [Primate Killer], and the rest of her entourage had been separated due to the recent attack. ”

Belfebon was unusually angry.

"In that case, there is a good chance of winning."

The lion robbed and mused to state his judgment.

"As I said earlier, you don't have to worry about the specifics, just get the things to that person."

"I have a couple of questions."

"Please."

"First, am I alone?"

"Yes, so there aren't many things, just two big packages. If you are a regular sedan, you can just throw it in the back. Too many people are easy to show their feet. ”

"Second, I can't guarantee that it will be delivered, what if I find out? If there's only one [Kurohime], I'm not an opponent. ”

"Don't worry about that, someone will pick you up at the predetermined location. If something happens in the middle of the process, I believe that the person in charge of answering will also notice it and arrive quickly. You just need to make sure that the goods have not been damaged beforehand. ”

Zhilu said. Then the honorarium will be paid to me in advance. If you're willing to nod your head, sign the contract. ”

Hearing the words of the lion, Belfeibon frowned.

"For such a simple task, the pay is already very good."

"It's a high-risk task, and there's no guarantee that it won't be discovered. What I can get, I want to get my hands on first. ”

"Well, do you have anything you want?"

Hearing this, Lion Raid got up from the couch and took out the formalin-soaked Hydra hatchlings from the display case. And, of course, with the glass bottle itself.

"Give me this."

"It's a fake, is it okay?"

In response to this question, the lion robber nodded without a trace of hesitation. In an instant, Belferbon's face immediately sank. And it's no wonder, because this 'fake' is a real guy. Even if all the lion robber's property is sold, I'm afraid it won't be less than one-third of the value of this thing.

"Okay, I'll take this thing"

With a happy face, the lion snatched the glass bottle into a box specially designed to hold the catalyst, and then tucked it under his armpit.

"Bram has the cargo ready, and so are the vehicles. You can go with peace of mind. ”

"Don't be so unlucky, I'll be back."

Belferbon was about to say, 'I'm not welcome you,' when he suddenly moved, picked up the microphone on the table and said, "What is Bram?" Something ready? That's great, what am I going to do with that guy? Is this what she means? In that case, it's safer for us anyway. ”

With that, he hung up what appeared to be the phone. In fact, this is a magic guide made using empathy techniques, and as long as someone takes the initiative to contact it, the owner of the room will have a sense of it.

"Looks like good news."

As soon as the lion robbery was finished, Belfeibon's face became more and more ugly.

"I always feel that I have suffered a loss, and I have let you get such a good reward for nothing."

"Huh? I don't know what's going on, but it's none of the business. Besides, it's just a fake, so don't worry about it so much. ”

Faced with the lion robbery who deliberately pretended to be stupid, Belfeibang snorted dissatisfiedly and said:

"Time is of the essence, someone will arrange the vehicle for you. By the way, celebrate, your mortality rate has decreased, someone is going to accompany you, and a companion may be able to give you some chance to escape. ”

"Don't say that, I'm quite serious about the commission, it's a hundred times more valuable than my life, I'll at least run away with them."

"Then the rest of your life will attract unprecedented 'surprises'."

"Just kidding, don't take it so seriously." (To be continued......)