Chapter 377

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "..."

【Hartless: "This is the first time I've officially greeted you, Miss Aozaki."】

【Aozaki Touko: "I heard the name Dr. Hartless back when I was a student. At the time, I had almost no contact with the Modern Magecraft Department, and I feel very regretful about it now... no, but you have shown me something very interesting."】

【Hartless: "Are you referring to the crack leading to Albion?"】

【Aozaki Touko: "Don't play dumb, former Department Head. You went to the trouble of using a Noble Phantasm to break in here. The crack is only a part of it. Compared to me, who just arrived, you should know better what kind of nature this place itself possesses, right?"】

【"For example, the Wandering Sea's 'Podandes.' For example, the Sea of No Return leading to the Otherworld (a famous Western anomaly, an abyss that swallows everything)."】

【"Although the principles of the two are different, the result is very similar to this time. Like carbonated water, a bubble floating up with a glug. I love drinking sweet, syrupy soda in glass bottles; do they still put marbles in the bottles in Japan now?"】

【"The map of Human Order on the surface has likely not strictly determined the coordinates of the Spirit Tomb Albion. The coordinates sway and fluctuate, moving irregularly. The uncertainty of these coordinates is similar to the dynamics of modern quantum science. Because it does not depend on reality, it can conversely be everywhere. A piece of terrain from the Spirit Tomb Albion, originally located tens of kilometers underground, could simultaneously exist near the surface."】

【"In other words, although it is extremely unreasonable, this isolated space itself is wandering within the Spirit Tomb Albion."】

【"Bubbles separated from Albion are born and then disappear, disappearing and then being born. Bubbles born like this connect to the main body of Albion and disappear shortly after, which is why the magi of the Clock Tower and the survivors of the Burial Agency have not noticed until now."】

【"However, you, as the former Department Head of the Modern Magecraft Department, know about it. You know that these bubbles appear beneath the old school building... how is my deduction?"】

【Hartless: "Hmm... you are indeed impressive. Crown-ranked Puppeteer."】

Kayneth: "So it was temporary, not permanent."

Waver: "But Miss Aozaki saw through the essence of this place at a glance; she really is amazing."

Kayneth: "After all, a Crown-ranked magus isn't just a title."

Feng Xi: "This is where I should tag a certain magus with the surname 'Da'."

Kayneth: "..."

Fiore: "Mr. Feng Xi, my uncle is already dead, so please don't make jokes about him anymore. Besides, his surname isn't 'Da'."

【"Hey, hey, Princess, if that's the case..."】

【After listening to Aozaki Touko's analysis, Svin whispered.】

【Reines: "Hmm, if so, it confirms the suspicion of smuggling in Norwich in the past."】

【The source of Hartless's funding had many unclear points from the beginning, whether it was the funds provided to Yvette at the Rail Zeppelin's Mystic Eye auction, or helping Izelma win the bid for Siegfried's Bodhi leaf; the amounts spent on these two things were not something an ordinary wealthy person could just casually produce.】

【However, since such a space exists and one can regularly collect cursed bodies from Albion, there is nothing strange about it.】

【But why does Hartless want to go to the Spirit Tomb Albion now? And why go so far as to destroy the Slur and use a Noble Phantasm?】

Waver: "Indeed, why so urgent? Why go to the trouble of causing such a big commotion?"

Rin Tohsaka: "Is time running out?"

Waver: "He shouldn't be the type to make such a mistake."

【Hartless: "Then, Miss Aozaki. What is your business coming here?"】

【Aozaki Touko: "Hmm. I accepted a small search commission. Although this kind of commission suitable for explorers doesn't really suit me, I have to consider human favors. The content of the commission is to search for your disciples."】

【"I'll ask straight out, what did you do to your former disciples?"】

【Hartless: "What do you mean by 'what did I do'?"】

【Aozaki Touko: "I'm not asking a difficult question. I'm purely asking you, whose disciples were they, former Department Head?"】

【"What does this mean?"】

【Aozaki Touko's words immediately left Reines feeling confused.】

Rin Tohsaka: "Hmm? What does this mean?"

Waver: "... oes this mean those five people aren't Hartless's disciples? Could the investigation data be wrong?"

Kayneth: "Or perhaps, there is something wrong with this Hartless."

Waver: "How is that possible? That would be too chaotic."

Shishigou Kairi: "It's starting to become inexplicable again, leaving one confused."

【"What a headache."】

【Hartless frowned and said: "I told them to dedicate their lives to the most brilliant things. And they possessed brilliant things worthy of that. Therefore, both sides received the results they deserved."】

【Aozaki Touko: "I see. That's excellent. Since you say they received the results they deserved, that's great. But if so, why are you heading to Albion? Why leave the position of Department Head and spend ten years causing a case like this?"】

【Hartless smiled faintly: "The reason is boring. Even if you asked any other magus, they would probably give the same answer. This reason is simply too boring—too trivial. It's not much different from a reason like pricking one's finger on a thorn while picking a flower."】

【Aozaki Touko said directly: "Do you still remember a disciple named Kuro?"】

【Hearing this name, Hartless showed no fluctuation.】

【Aozaki Touko: "Including the missing ones, I could track the footprints of your other disciples until recently, but I couldn't find any information on the disciple with this name. The last information was about ten years ago. On the eve of your retirement, when you left your position as Department Head of the Clock Tower."】

【Hartless: "..."】

【For an instant, it was as if invisible blades were clashing between Hartless and Touko.】

Kayneth: "His emotions have changed; it seems that boy really has a big problem."

Waver: "But I really admire Miss Aozaki Touko; Hartless erased all the information, yet she was still able to find it."

【"... hat said, I didn't expect you to appear either."】

【After a moment of silence, Hartless directly changed the subject.】

【"Whose commission did you accept? Someone who went out of their way to find a Crown-ranked Puppeteer?"】

【Aozaki Touko: "It's not that exaggerated. I received a plea out of human kindness, and I once displayed puppet works in a corner of an exhibition. This time I was also entrusted by such a boring favor... ah, starting from the past when I wanted to become some kind of immortal, I've really come a long way."】

【Hartless: "But choosing this timing, the other party should be someone related to the Grand Resolution, right?"】

【Aozaki Touko: "I have no obligation to answer that question."】

Rin Tohsaka: "These two, you don't say, I don't say."

Kayneth: "However, it's very likely to be Inorai; this woman is not simple."

Waver: "Indeed, if it's a participant in the Grand Resolution, then Lord Barthomeloi is the most likely candidate; after all, she is Miss Aozaki's teacher."

【Hartless was silent for another moment, then said slowly: "This is a bit of a headache. Depending on the situation, the new Department Head might break through the countermeasures I set and come... I thought so, but running into you was unexpected. Since you won't answer, I can't reveal the cards in my hand."】

【"Oh, oh, have the negotiations broken down?"】

【Aozaki Touko shrugged and was about to turn and leave, but stopped and looked back: "You don't intend to let me go back, do you?"】

【Hartless: "You're joking, and you are too clever. To me, you are too important and too dangerous; one person is equivalent to the entire Clock Tower. If it's convenient, I would like to ask you to say a little more."】

【Hephaestion: "That's right, let me test what this so-called modern magus is like."】

【"Then, it can't be helped."】

【Aozaki Touko looked up at the ceiling, shaking her head as if very helpless.】

【A 'click' sound rang out at the same time Aozaki Touko shook her head.】

【A large number of Rune runes suddenly surrounded Hartless and the other, exceeding a thousand in an instant. And the trajectory of the runes' appearance was exactly the route Aozaki Touko had walked before.】

【She had actually laid down runes with her ankles while walking.】

【Because she didn't chant, Hartless and Hephaestion were negligent in their defense.】

Rin Tohsaka: "Using her feet? As expected of a Crown-ranked magus!"

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Is this a Rune rune!"】

Kayneth: "Many of these Rune runes were lost long ago; she re-analyzed and reconstructed them."】

Feng Feng Fuxi: "Oh, is this the Western magecraft spell—"】

Feng Xi: "This rune is called a Rune, said to have been created by the great god Odin of Northern Europe."】

Feng Feng Fuxi: "So it is the writing of the gods."】

Waver: "Does this count as getting the upper hand?"】

Conqueror King: "Kid, she's not that easy to deal with. After all, no matter what, she is a magus of the Age of Gods."】

【Aozaki Touko: "I applied the runes I made in the past that produce runes. Since returning to London, I've been carrying a few more runes with me."】

【Hartless was unhurried, saying faintly: "Faker."】

【Hephaestion: "Sick Wind (Harpies in Greek mythology)."】

【Immediately, an ominous wind blew through the underground, and thousands of rune flames were extinguished on the spot.】

【Hephaestion: "The idea of burning a Heroic Spirit in the name of God is good, and the quantity is impeccable. But for that spell, don't you think I, who directly evokes a fragment of God, would be more advantageous?"】

【Because Faker's language is different from modern magi, she is a magus of the Age of Gods who can directly borrow the power of sporadic deities.】

【Even after leaving the Age of Mythology, many natural phenomena have lost their form as deities, but magi of the Age of Gods who have concluded contracts can still exercise that power today.】

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "To think it was broken so easily!"】

Kayneth: "And her incantation was very short, this is—"】

【Hephaestion: "Hail Fern (a general term for the goddess of water in Greek mythology)."】

【The moisture in the air solidified on the spot, directly binding Aozaki Touko's limbs.】