In the end, although the Valualeta faction lost one of its most powerful families, Inorai had clearly anticipated it. Thanks to her efforts to steady the situation, the overall damage to the faction was kept within acceptable limits.
However, to maintain the faction's influence, Lord Valualeta could no longer afford to monopolize soone like Shiomi. As a result, the previous restrictions that required going through Valualeta to contact Shiomi were lifted, and Trumbellio—one of the three major noble houses within the Democratic Faction—began to increase their contact with him.
There was no split within the Democratic Faction, but Valualeta's previous handling of internal matters had led to so underlying disagreents.
Shiomi understood that this wasn't sothing Lord Valualeta could control alone.
Even so, he had still underestimated just how much attention he had drawn—and so...
"Sigh..."
Shiomi sat slouched on the study sofa, feeling the weight of it all.
Especially in matters related to Iselma, he had essentially been the central figure. Thanks to coordination between the two Democratic Lords, the Clock Tower hadn't investigated him directly, but had instead invited him under various pretenses to help with the aftermath.
Because of that, Shiomi had been swamped with official business throughout October and November. He didn't even have ti to assist El-lloi II in retrieving the stolen relic of Iskandar—he had to leave that to Sakura and Gray.
"You look exhausted, my husband," Morgan said, placing her hand gently on his forehead.
"Not really," Shiomi opened his eyes. "I just realized... my life as a Magus had been too simple. I never really confronted the realities of the Magecraft world."
Morgan looked intrigued. "Go on."
"We often say that Magi have values completely different from ordinary people, and can't be judged by common standards of good and evil," Shiomi reflected. "But if you dig deeper... as long as we still consider ourselves human, we inevitably carry all the traits of humanity."
He opened his eyes and t Morgan's gaze. "Have you ever heard of Buddhism's Five Aggregates and Eight Sufferings?"
"I know a little," Morgan replied. "But I'm no Buddha—I can't have a profound discussion with you about that."
"I don't know much either," Shiomi admitted with a wry smile. "But I've co to understand at least this—no matter how lofty their ideals, even Magi who chase the Root are still bound by the sa suffering. That's why, in the end, they're human."
He looked at her again, eyes searching. "So... I've always wondered. You're a fairy. Even though you look like us, the world you see—it must be completely different from ours, right? Like Gray's village, or the Atlas Institute, or the perfect beauty Iselma sought..."
Like ripples disturbing a still lake, Morgan smiled faintly, her eyes reflecting his face.
"Don't make fairies out to be so mysterious... When I first ca to this world, I was just a child."
"...I see." Shiomi smiled, finally understanding.
He figured the recent ss with the Clock Tower had really worn him down—hence why he suddenly started rambling like this to Morgan.
"Sakura's back. Gray too," Morgan said.
Most Magus residences were protected by boundary fields, so the mont soone crossed them, those inside would imdiately notice.
"They're back already, huh." Shiomi sat up. "Ah... that reminds , the Holy Relic. Are we really going to have Sakura go down the sa road I did?"
There had been a deeper reason why Shiomi hadn't prepared a Holy Relic for the Holy Grail War. Those things were expensive, and there was no guarantee the summoned Servant would even be a good match.
After weighing everything, he'd found the cost too high for the potential return, which was why he'd made the choice he had.
So when he went downstairs and brought it up with Sakura, she didn't seem too concerned.
She said El-lloi II had offered to lend her the relic as thanks, but she wasn't very fond of Iskandar. She felt she wouldn't sh well with such a bold, domineering figure.
So, even though he was a top-tier Servant, Sakura considered him more of a backup plan than a first choice.
"So, El-lloi II finally decided to withdraw from the Fifth Holy Grail War?" Shiomi rubbed his temples.
"Yes," Sakura nodded.
Just then, the doorbell rang again. Shiomi stood up to answer it.
It was the local mail carrier with a delivery.
What he received, however, was a package about the size of a household first-aid kit, which struck Shiomi as odd.
He examined the sender and recipient information.
The recipient's na was written in English—his own—and the sender's was written in the sa way.
"Uh... Aoko Aozaki..."
Shiomi scratched his head.
It was Aoko Aozaki.
But he had never actually t Aoko herself, only heard a few remarks about her from Touko.
Which ant there was no chance the Fifth Magician would randomly send him sothing.
That left only one likely possibility.
It was from Touko.
He'd heard she often used her sister's na to borrow money, so mailing sothing under the sa alias to avoid being tracked made perfect sense.
There were several other "victims" of Touko's na-swapping antics—so even her old classmates.
Even now, with her Sealing Designation lifted, she still clung to this habit, if it could be called that.
While stepping back inside, Shiomi untied the string around the package and peeled back the carefully wrapped paper. Inside was a plain but remarkably sturdy box.
"Dad, was that mail for you?" Sakura asked as he returned to the living room.
"It was forwarded through the Clock Tower." Shiomi set the box on the table in front of her. "It's addressed to , but it's actually for you."
"Huh? For ?" Sakura looked surprised.
Shiomi unlocked the Rune-sealed box and slowly lifted the lid. Resting on a deep blue cushion inside was a fragnt of ancient wood, carved with a tiworn pattern.
Even a single glance was enough to feel the centuries embedded in it.
"The more options you have, the better—including Holy Relics."
That was all Shiomi said.
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