With Shinji's promise in hand, Waver felt a great deal of relief and, after agreeing on the delivery ti, got up to leave. Shinji had only promised to provide combat equipnt; Waver still had other preparations to make himself, like arranging classes, organizing personnel, packing, and so on. With only three days left, ti was tight.
Shinji remained seated on the sofa in the sa position until Waver closed the door behind him. Then, he finally stood up, a hint of apology crossing his previously sincere expression.
"I'm sorry, Waver. There's another reason I recomnded Caules—the mastermind behind this will disguise himself as Caules and stay close to you. While it's not impossible to expose him, doing so would make it much harder to catch his fox tail later. His disguise ability is only second to Touko's Cinderella. Instead of letting him lurk in the shadows, it's better to keep him where you can see him."
With his chin propped on his hand, sighed, sowhat helpless.
"I originally wanted to use this opportunity to help Waver help him for the last ti, but it seems like that's not going to happen. Things never go as planned. No, it's not ti to give up yet. I can make so modifications to the equipnt. Your supposedly perfect disguise will beco your greatest mistake."
A smile brimming with lethal intent curled on his lips.
"Co to think of it, your existence is also a threat to the Holy Grail War. Although you weren't supposed to interfere according to the original plot, my intervention has already changed things. Now I have another reason not to let you off. If I rember correctly, you were kidnapped by fairies once. How interesting, I also have so teachings from the Fairyland. Let's see whether your Fairy Privilege is stronger or my Wisdom of Dún Scáith is superior. Since you've made your move, it's ti for to respond."
As he spoke, Shinji picked up his phone and dialed a number that had been dormant for three years but had recently been reactivated.
"Hey, Touko, it's ."
"I can't return for now; I have two troubleso matters to deal with and might need your help."
"Rita Rozay-en, one of the Twenty-seven Dead Apostle Ancestors, is a good friend of yours, right?"
"Don't ask how I know, just tell if you can contact her."
"As long as you can reach her, I want you to ask her to ensure Waver's safety on the Mystic Eye Collection Train."
"Rembering your exploits from back then?"
"Hahaha, that Rozay-en lady has a big heart, becoming friends with you after you ssed up her event. That's true love right there. When will you introduce ? I'd like to et soone with taste as good as mine—no, as good as a vampire's."
"Relax, relax, even though I do so moonlighting as a Dead Apostle hunter, your friend is different."
"Yeah, it's three days from now."
"Not sure if it'll be in ti? No worries, do your best. I have other preparations too."
"That's it for now. I need to call so other people. Bye for now~"
Since the Mystic Eye Collection Train began operating, there have been disturbances, but all were swiftly crushed by the train's powerful asures—except once.
In the 1980s, Touko and the Lugh Beowulf caused a disruption, leading to the cancellation of the auction. But that incident was suspicious in itself.
Before Touko's incident, the train only operated in Northern Europe. Afterward, its route expanded to all of Europe, making it seem more like a business expansion than a disruption.
Even more interesting, the train's special sponsor list included a notable na: Rozay-en Eye and Glasses Shop. This na remained as a sponsor until the Lugh Beowulf left Touko during the events of Mahou Tsukai no Yoru.
This was Shinji's most crucial evidence for suspecting a connection between Rita Rozay-en and Touko.
With this promise from the train's owner, Shinji could finally be at ease—if Touko managed to contact her friend in ti.
Rita Rozay-en, the Fifteenth Seat of the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors, is a rare second-generation Ancestor—aning she inherited her castle and status from a blood-related Dead Apostle.
A woman who claims to be an artist, she has peculiar hobbies even among Dead Apostles and is a hedonist who does as she pleases. Because of her similar nature, she beca good friends with Touko. Like Touko, as long as the situation is interesting enough, getting her help isn't difficult.
However, her character is even more twisted than Touko's. Despite being a hedonist, she is perpetually unfulfilled, leading her to be trapped in boredom, indulging in decadent pleasures day after day. It's not uncommon for her to shut herself away for ten days to half a month. As Touko ntioned, three days might be cutting it too close.
Fortunately, Shinji has other connections.
"Hey, Kenneth, it's , Shinji. Long ti no see."
"Well, we've been in touch, but we haven't talked about this kind of stuff, so it feels like it's been a while."
"Don't worry about it, don't worry about it, I'm just talking to myself."
"Hey, hey, don't be so heartless. We've known each other for ten years. I know this is your experint ti, and I wouldn't disturb you if it wasn't important."
"Your star student Waver is in trouble."
"Don't worry, you don't need to step in, and it wouldn't be suitable for you to anyway. Just let pick sothing from your treasure vault. You wouldn't mind, right?"
"I knew it, you're getting more generous with Waver. Ah, I wish I could have taken a picture of how smug you were back in the day."
"Alright, alright, I'll spare you the embarrassnt."
"I'll co by at noon for lunch. I just found sothing good."
...
"Hey, young lady, it's . You don't have any other afternoon tea appointnts, do you?"
"Great, save it for . I need your help with sothing."
"I'll explain when we et. If we're lucky, I might even bring you a big gift."
...
"Hey, it's . I need a batch of weapons."
"There's no ti to place an order. I need them in a day. I'll co by and pick up whatever you have."
...
"Hey, I need two miniature satellite positioning devices, the latest model."
...
After making nearly ten calls, Shinji finally set down his phone.
The people he contacted ranged from high-ranking lords of the Clock Tower to rcenaries on the battlefield and double agents navigating both the mystical and mundane worlds. These were the connections he'd accumulated over ten years. Though he rarely needed to use them, when the ti ca, they could unleash trendous power. Now, that power was starting to show.
"Can you and your Servant withstand this? The inaugural head of Modern Magecraft Theory, once a major figure in the Clock Tower, now a renegade, Dr. Heartless."
Veteran powerhouses and new-generation monsters are about to clash in a fierce showdown on the stage known as the Mystic Eye Collection Train.
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