Fate: Question And Answer System of Traversing Heroic Spirits

[Luvia led Gray and Reines to the basement of the mall where a ritual room had been set up.]

[In the center of the room stood an ancient Egyptian-style stone statue, encrusted with a variety of shimmering gemstones.]

[As the three of them stepped inside, a group of puppets in ancient Egyptian designs appeared.]

[These constructs were part of the defensive mechanisms Luvia had installed in the area.]

[Since this entire mess was her doing, Luvia didn't allow Gray or Reines to intervene. She chose to deal with the situation herself.]

[Luvia started by unleashing a barrage of gem-based magecraft, clearing out most of the puppets with remarkable precision.]

Watching the scene, Rin's expression turned sour.

Her gaze flicked between the gems Luvia scattered like ammunition and her own meager collection of precious stones.

Look at her, then look at herself.

Rin's father had only ever given her a small stash of gemstones for practice, and she used them sparingly, saving every piece as if her life depended on it.

Meanwhile, Luvia's gem magic was like a machine gun. In less than a few seconds, she had fired off enough gemstones to cover an entire area in destruction.

Even Tokiomi couldn't help but sigh. "The Edelfelt family truly lives up to its reputation for wealth."

While the Tohsaka family wasn't exactly poor, their income was largely dependent on Tokiomi himself. Such extravagant use of gems was far beyond their means.

[However, Luvia's generosity with her gems only went so far.]

[After eliminating the majority of the puppets, she shrugged off her coat and waded into the fray.]

[Yes, she began fighting the puppets physically.]

[Over-the-shoulder throws, backbreakers, German suplexes, Luvia's arsenal of wrestling moves left the audience speechless.]

[With a combination of brute force and technique, she dismantled every remaining puppet on her own.]

[Trimmau, Reines's mercury maid, observed the scene with excitement and began narrating in a lively tone.]

["Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on this elegant figure, seamlessly blending grace with deadly skill! Behold the human crane of Northern Europe, the modern-day Hercules!"]

["What in the world did Flat program into this maid?"]

[Reines sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.]

Achilles: "Her fighting skills are pretty good, I'll admit. But calling her Hercules? That's pushing it."

Chiron: "Indeed. Hercules doesn't need to rely on such techniques in battle."

Chihiro: "It's just an exaggeration, you two. Why take it so seriously?"

Chiron: "Hahaha, I suppose you're right. It's just… hearing Hercules's name, I couldn't help but comment."

Achilles: "Yeah, I've always wanted to fight Hercules to see who's the strongest hero in Greece."

Iskandar: "Hercules, the God of Strength? I'd like to meet him as well."

"..."

The Tohsakas—father, daughters watched the video in stunned silence.

"This is the daughter of the Edelfelt family?"

Rin stared at the screen, her jaw slightly agape.

Even Tokiomi, normally composed, looked bewildered.

"Is this really a woman?" Rin muttered. "With that kind of violent fighting style, she could probably go toe-to-toe with a Heroic Spirit."

"Human crane… That nickname really fits," Tokiomi murmured.

Waver, however, was preoccupied with a different issue.

"Can you speak?" Waver asked, addressing the mercury maid he had obtained from the treasure chest.

"I can, Master," the maid replied calmly.

Waver frowned. "Then why haven't you spoken until now?"

The maid tilted her head slightly. "Because you, my Master, did not give me permission to speak."

Waver blinked, then sighed. "…Fair enough."

[Gray hesitantly approached Luvia, concern in her voice. "Are you alright, Miss Luvia?"]

[Luvia dusted herself off, her expression calm. "It's no big deal."]

[Luvia put on her coat, brushing herself off as she said proudly, "Wrestling is a compulsory course for the ladies of the Edelfeldt family."]

["Wow! Is that what it takes to be a proper lady?"]

[Gray and Trimmau clapped their hands in amazement.]

[Reines sighed, placing a hand on her forehead. "Don't take her seriously."]

[Finally, Trimmau stepped forward and destroyed the ritual stone statue. The barrier dissolved, and peace returned to the mall.]

[As the sky darkened, Reines took Gray to say goodbye to Luvia before heading home.]

"Wrestling… a compulsory course for the ladies of the Edelfeldt family…"

Tokiomi instinctively glanced at Sakura. An image popped into his head of a grown-up Sakura with bulging muscles, effortlessly throwing enemies to the ground.

Tokiomi's expression darkened slightly. Perhaps he needed to reconsider the adoption arrangement.

Meanwhile, Rin had a completely different thought.

"I should learn a fighting skill too," she muttered to herself. For reasons she couldn't fully articulate, she felt a strong desire not to fall behind Luvia.

"Kirei knows Bajiquan," Rin thought. "I'll ask him to teach me one of these days."

["I'm back, Master."]

[Gray immediately went to El-Melloi II's office upon returning.]

["It seems like you were dragged all over the place. I'm sorry for the trouble, my dear sister."]

[El-Melloi II stood by the window, his back turned to Gray, his appearance partially obscured.]

["No, it's fine. I actually had a lot of fun today," Gray replied softly.]

[However, something felt off. Gray's instincts kicked in, and she asked cautiously, "Master?"]

[El-Melloi II turned around with a troubled expression. "I'm sorry. Something very important to me has been stolen."]

[Gray froze, her eyes widening. "A holy relic… could it be?"]

[El-Melloi II nodded grimly. "Yes, Reines probably told you about it. It's the cloak of Iskandar, the Heroic Spirit who fought alongside me ten years ago."]

Iskandar: "Ah, my holy relic has been stolen again?!"

Kayneth: "I don't usually comment, but I suddenly feel quite pleased."

Kayneth: "Waver Velvet, you've come to this day at last."

Waver: "Teacher, you don't need to look so smug about it."

Kayneth: "Oh, I absolutely do."

Sola-ui: "Did one of Waver's students do it this time?"

Tohsaka Rin: "A dissatisfied student steals Waver's holy relic to sneak into the Holy Grail War and prove themselves? Sounds about right."

Sola-ui: "Is this some sort of tradition in the El-Melloi classroom?"

Kenneth and Waver, almost in unison: "No, it's not!"

["The thief also left a letter in the box."]

[El-Melloi II held up a black envelope, reading aloud, "You are cordially invited to my banquet. Please be sure to attend. Sincerely, Rail Zeppelin."]

[Gray's eyes widened. "The Mystic Eye Collection Train?"]

[El-Melloi II nodded. "It's an event where various Mystic Eyes are auctioned off once a year."]

[He continued, "The venue is a moving train, and most of the attendees… well, they're not exactly ordinary people."]

["Are you going to attend?" Gray asked hesitantly.]

[El-Melloi II was silent for a moment before turning to her. "Gray, will you come with me?"]

Kayneth: "The Mystic Eye Collection Train… It's always such a troublesome place."

Sola-ui: "Troublesome? Is it dangerous?"

Kayneth: "Not dangerous in the conventional sense, but it's best to avoid it if possible."

Sola-ui: "Why is that?"

Kayneth: "Because the train isn't governed by the Mage's Association or the Holy Church."

Kayneth: "Its operator is a Dead Apostle."

"Dead Apostle?!"

Tokiomi and the other magi in the room were visibly shaken.

Dead Apostles—a term synonymous with vampires—were the sworn enemies of the Holy Church.

To magicians, they were creatures that fed on the blood of the living, dangerous entities with power far beyond human comprehension.

The vampires of Europe, the Chupacabra of South America, the aswang of Southeast Asia, and the jiangshi of China all fell under the category of vampires.

In the world of Type-Moon, vampires were classified into nine ranks, from lowest to highest: the dead, ghouls, undead, night creatures, night demons, lower-level Dead Apostles, upper-level Dead Apostles, successors, and finally, the True Ancestors.

For a Dead Apostle to operate something as prominent as the Mystic Eye Collection Train for years without consequence, they must be incredibly powerful.

(Trivia: Fou, or Primate Murder, is also a True Ancestor, the very first one, but has been removed from official records.)

[In the early morning, El-Melloi II brought Gray and Caules to an old-fashioned train station.]

[Before them stood a steam train—at least, that's what it appeared to be at first glance.]

[Caules looked slightly sheepish as he spoke. "Sorry, I bypassed protocol and requested to join you."]

[El-Melloi II waved it off. "It's fine. Flat and Svin are both busy with after-school classes anyway."]

[He adjusted his scarf and added, "But be careful."]

[Gray tilted her head. "Is this train really that dangerous?"]

[El-Melloi II glanced at the train, his expression serious. "The Mystic Eye Collection Train deals in Mystic Eyes created by non-human vampires. The train itself exists in a different dimension."]

[He scanned the passengers gathering nearby, lowering his voice. "The person who stole the holy relic may be among these passengers. Even if they're not, most of the people boarding this train are anything but normal."]

[The station was filled with a strange assortment of individuals: a wealthy woman adorned with jewels, a Middle Eastern oil tycoon, a dark-skinned African chieftain, and even a pale, ghostly woman who resembled Sadako.]

Fiore: "Look, Caules, that's you in another world."

Caules: "Sister, that's obviously not me."

Fiore: "Still, it's nice to see my brothers represented."

Caules muttered under his breath, "Yes, yes, whatever you say."

["Is that why you brought the Mystic Eye Killer?"]

[A familiar voice rang out as a figure approached them. It was none other than Hishiri Adashino.]

["Why is it you again?"]

[El-Melloi II frowned, clearly annoyed. "I figured the Department of Policies would make a move after hearing about the theft. I just didn't expect them to send you."]

["I heard another Lord would be involved. Turns out, it's the famous Modern Magecraft Department."]

[At that moment, a young, haughty female voice cut through the air.]

***

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