Chapter 371

【Olga Marie: "Old Mr. Lufrue, you don't actually intend to drag out this farce, do you?"】

【"That goes without saying... Since you understand the situation, what I have to say is simple."】

【Lufrue stated bluntly: "I, in the name of Lord Yulifeis... oppose the Re-development Plan of the Spirit Tomb Albion."】

【There was no surprise, but the Second still asked with a feigned air: "May I ask for the reason?"】

【Lufrue: "Because it is dangerous... Is that reason not enough?"】

【The Second: "No, it is sufficient. As a Lord, one must consider the stability of the Jewel Jewel Mage world. Even more so for a junior like me."】

【Olga Marie: "The Celestial Department holds the same view."】

Waver: "Really, not surprising at all."

Shishigou Kairi: "However, is it really just because of the danger?"

Fiore: "Who knows about things like that?"

【At this moment, Lufrue suddenly changed his tune: "However, what if the success of the re-development plan could be guaranteed?"】

【The Second raised an eyebrow: "What does that mean?"】

【Lufrue: "The brat from Trambelio would only put forward such a proposal if he had considered it to this extent... Otherwise, he wouldn't have deliberately brought up the plan in this situation..."】

【The Second agreed: "Indeed, it is best to assume he has some sort of countermeasure."】

【"Oh, oh, I will certainly do so."】

【Lufrue said in a low, hoarse voice: "And then... you seem close enough to Trambelio that he would specifically invite you to a gathering... So, wouldn't it be possible for you... to find out Trambelio's calculations..."】

【"..."】

【The Second's expression darkened; the reflection of the light made it difficult to see the eyes hidden behind his lenses.】

【However, even Gray, who was listening on the Reverse Reverse Reverse Reverse Side, shuddered at the terrifying implication of those words.】

【Wasn't this just asking the Second to be a spy for him?】

【To actually ask a Lord to be a spy for oneself—one has to wonder if the other party is confident or arrogant.】

Waver: "!!!"

Rin Tohsaka: "This old man... is a bit too presumptuous!"

Fiore: "Is this an attempt to force someone into submission?"

Caules: "It feels entirely like relying on seniority to bully others."

Kayneth: "..."

What could he even say about this situation?

It really is ruthless, Master, to actually have his own successor act as a spy for him, to have a Lord act as a spy for him, this is truly—

It seems it would be better not to get too close to this teacher and father-in-law of his in the future.

【The Second did not get angry, but after a moment of silence, he asked: "Is there any profit to be gained?"】

【Lufrue was taken aback: "Oh, mature enough to demand a return?"】

【The Second said blandly: "No, I don't mean for myself. I am referring to the benefits the Aristocratic Faction would gain by not re-developing Albion."】

【With one sentence, the old man's face went completely stiff.】

【"... on't talk like a precocious child, young man."】

【The Second: "Forgive my rudeness. However, since you want me to probe Trambelio, such information is indispensable. The other party isn't naive enough to trust someone who comes empty-handed, right?"】

【Lufrue: "... understand. Let's scrap the previous proposal."】

Shishigou Kairi: "Hahaha, impressive."

Rin Tohsaka: "Um, what happened? How was it resolved in just two sentences?"

Feng Xi: "In the end, it's about advancing to retreat, and using the issue of trust to force the other party to give up, and Yulifeis can't really force a Lord to be a spy for him."

Rin Tohsaka: "???"

Feng Xi: "Simply put, the Second's meaning is: I can be a spy for you, but since I'm one of your own now, you should give me something in return. I don't want much, just tell me what benefits your Aristocratic Faction can actually gain by opposing the re-development plan."

Rin Tohsaka: "Benefits!"

Feng Xi: "Hey, you don't really think they oppose the Spirit Tomb re-development plan because of a ridiculous reason like danger, do you?"

Feng Xi: "These people are all profit-oriented. There is only one reason for their opposition: they can gain higher profits by opposing it than by supporting it. And this is their biggest secret right now, which must absolutely not be known by the Democratic Faction."

Feng Xi: "Yulifeis wanted the Second to be his spy, so the Second made Yulifeis give something first; after all, trust is mutual. Unfortunately, Yulifeis clearly couldn't do that."

Feng Xi: "Since even basic trust can't be established, then don't even mention the spy business."

Rin Tohsaka: "So, it's that complicated!"

Feng Xi: "What else did you think?"

Waver: "That's why I dislike participating in political struggles; it's too much trouble."

【The Second: "I am very sorry for failing to meet your expectations."】

【Lufrue: "No, I can understand... I see, so that is the reason why El-Melloi has not directly disappeared from the Clock Tower. Looking back... you and that guy Heartless... also have similarities."】

【The Second: "Did the Modern Magecraft Department during Dr. Heartless's era belong to the Aristocratic Faction?"】

【"No... He did not join any faction. If I had to say... it should have been the Neutral Faction... but he also didn't fawn over Meluastea..."】

【Lufrue said in a deep voice: "The Grand Resolution is in three days... Remember that well..."】

【After speaking, he raised his index finger, a gem took on a peculiar hue, and the old man's figure vanished in an instant.】

Rin Tohsaka: "He left quite decisively."

Feng Xi: "After all, since things have been laid out, there's no need to be hypocritical."

Caules: "Rather than a negotiation, it felt more like coming to deliver an ultimatum."

Shishigou Kairi: "That girl from the Animusphere family was just there to go through the motions."

【Olga Marie talked to Gray for a few moments, then flicked her finger and disappeared without a trace.】

【The next moment, a large number of pedestrians inexplicably returned to the road, and the entire street became extremely noisy.】

【Indeed, one cannot underestimate any Lord family.】

【The Second explained: "Neither old Mr. Lufrue nor Olga Marie were physically present. They just slightly shifted the coordinates of this street to create a simulated field that others couldn't see. In this way, the existences within the shifted field don't need to be physical entities. Not to mention me, this kind of magecraft should be as simple as child's play for old Mr. Lufrue and Olga Marie."】

Rin Tohsaka: "I see, I thought it was some kind of spatial magecraft."

Feng Xi: "You think too highly of them."

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Spatial magecraft isn't something that can be used casually."

【Yvette: "By the way, was that counterattack just now thought up by you, Teacher?"】

【The Second: "No, just as you imagined, it was Reines's idea. She said that if the other party suddenly approached us, there was a high probability they would ask us to probe Trambelio for intelligence. At that moment, we had to seize the handle and demand to know the benefits the Aristocratic Faction or Yulifeis would gain from it. In the event that El-Melloi were to defect to the Democratic Faction, that information would be indispensable, and Lord Yulifeis, upon hearing this implication in the statement, would likely make some adjustments."】

【"In old Mr. Lufrue's eyes, he would probably prefer that I, with my unclear stance and difficulty to handle, simply join the Democratic Faction and be eliminated together, but he likely thought it wasn't worth revealing his hand for this matter."】

【Gray: "Is that so?"】

【The Second: "Hmph. Honestly, I can't keep up with that kind of confrontation. Magecraft aside, politics is not my specialty."】

Waver: "So Reines had already guessed it and set up a countermeasure."

Kayneth: "Hmm, Reines did well."

Sola: "It seems that in terms of politics, Reines is more capable than you, Waver."

Waver: "Yeah..."

【The Second: "Yvette, you should head home from here."】

【Yvette: "Eh! Isn't the matter only half-discussed? If anything, now is the time to Matsuwanko Matsuwanko Take a cute mistress to a fun place!"】

【The Second: "Go back."】

【Yvette pouted, somewhat dissatisfied: "I understand. However, Teacher must tell me the details later."】

【After Yvette left, Gray asked: "Teacher, what happened?"】

【The Second: "As we just discussed, that possibility also exists for the Lords of the Aristocratic Faction."】

【Gray: "In other words, the fact that a Lord is an accomplice of Heartless—"】

【The Second: "Yes. We haven't fully determined the reason why Lord Yulifeis—old Mr. Lufrue—refused to re-develop Albion. Of course, the superficial reason he mentioned just now is very likely everything, but that doesn't rule out the possibility of Heartless's intervention in between."】

【"As for Olga Marie, even more so. Not to mention whether she herself has had contact with Heartless, her father, the current Lord of the Celestial Department, Marisbury, had originally commissioned Heartless to investigate the Holy Grail War."】

【"He said the date for the meeting is in three days."】

【Gray: "February 2nd, the Grand Resolution will be held..."】

Waver: "February 2nd! Finally, there's an accurate date."

Kayneth: "This is indeed important information."

Now, not only is the date of the Grand Resolution confirmed, but the time range for the start of the Fifth War is also confirmed.