Chapter 143 - 50.2

The spiteful, angry-looking man hanging around in Caren's vicinity was rather scary, especially since it was apparent that he wanted nothing more than to hurt someone, preferably female. So far, he hadn't done anything yet, but Caren kept an eye on him all the same, in case he snapped and went for the weakest woman around, that being her.

A family passing her by, consisting of a mom, a dad, and four children, was plagued by all kinds of family-troubles, such as toys that had been forgotten at home, phones that hadn't charged properly, and roast beef sandwiches that had been prepared in copious amounts yet didn't appeal to any of the family-members.

A young man nearby was tearfully saying goodbye to his parents, for a week-long holiday with his boyfriend, who, Caren noted, appeared to be even older than the young man's parents.

Another couple, a man and woman this time, had been about to board the plane to Hokkaido, but had missed it, because the man's other girlfriend had shown up and made a scene. Now both women were angrily berating the man, rather publicly at that.

A group of four friends, all male, were busily eating their way through their supply of candy, having been informed that it was too much to take on the plane, and they were slowly turning green as their stomachs began rebelling. Caren wouldn't be surprised if a trip to the bathroom was in order after they had finished.

A gigantic, beautiful woman wearing a prim-and-proper suit was marching from one side of the hall to the other, followed by her bodyguards, carrying such an air of power around her that everyone in her way scrambled to move aside.

And then there was the streaker, a man wearing a heavy overcoat whose perverted intentions were so obvious that he'd been arrested before he'd taken three steps.

All of that, in just a few minutes. Airports really were a prime spot for people-watchers like Caren.

The white-haired nun looked around a bit more for other interesting sights, before her ears pricked up when she heard the sound of a quarrelling couple. A man and a woman, too far away for Caren to hear what they said exactly, arguing busily in tones that spoke of their fondness for each other.

As they got closer, the white-haired nun managed to pick up a few words here and there, if she strained to listen.

"…Letter said that the representative would be here."

"…No name or description?"

"…Nothing, as can be expected of… Church is so inefficient…"

"…Responsibility…"

"…Second Owner… Hospitality is essential for… Continued cooperation…"

Hold on a second!

Caren sat up straight when she registered what those fragments were actually saying, and she rose from the bench when she connected all the dots.

Then, as if her movement was what they had been waiting for, the crowd in front of Caren parted, allowing two people to approach her, both of them coming to a stop when they saw her.

One of them was a beautiful teenage girl, a few years younger than Caren herself, with black hair done up in adorable twin tails, a face of a model, a red shirt, a black skirt, and black stockings that were just short enough to leave an appealing absolute zone between stockings and skirt.

The other was a very familiar figure.

"Shirou!" Caren beamed when she saw the red-haired, golden-eyed Sorcerer, and she flew at him for a hug, not wasting a second on wondering why on earth he was here, in this airport.

"Caren?" He spluttered, catching her smoothly despite his shock. "What are you doing here?!"

"I'm on the job." She replied, her voice muffled because she was pressing her face into his chest, all her worries about her new assignment melting away like snow under a summer sun.

"On the- Are you saying you are the new liaison from the church?" He asked, his hands, which were currently on her shoulders, twitching in surprise.

"Yes, I am." Caren confirmed happily, before breaking the hug and taking a step back. "What about you? Do you live here, Shirou? Please say yes."

"Yes, I live here." Shirou nodded, to Caren's absolute delight. "I have for all my life."

"Amazing!" Caren cheered. "It must be divine providence that brought us together again!"

"Divine providence?"

"What else can it be?" Caren asked rhetorically, thanking the Lord profusely for this unexpected blessing. "To think I would be reunited with the man who stole my heart just when I'd lost my hope of a happy future. What could this be but an act of God?"

"Wha-!?"

"Stole your heart, is it?" The black-haired girl huffed from beside him, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips even as she glared at Shirou. "Why does that not surprise me?"

"You!" Caren proclaimed, turning towards the girl and taking her hand. "You must be one of his girlfriends."

"Eh? Oh, yes, that is correct." Rin nodded, a bit taken aback by Caren's forwardness, before shooting the redhead another glare. "He told you about me then?"

"No." Caren replied bluntly. "He told me nothing aside from the fact that he has girlfriends, and that they are beautiful. Since you are here with him on top of being beautiful and madly in love with him, I deduced that you had to be one of those girlfriends. I'm glad to hear I was correct."

"M-Madly in love?" The black-haired spluttered. "I-I am not-"

"It is obvious to anyone with eyes that you would gladly marry and fuck him if he even as much as hinted at the fact that he wants to." Caren interrupted her, rather certain of that observation. "Your horniness is evident from your expression and body-language."

"W-What?!"

"Please don't be ashamed. I would sleep with him too." Caren grinned. "I suppose that makes us sisters-in-arms, doesn't it? Compatriots united in our sexual desires. We should have a threesome."

"Please don't talk so loudly about that in a public hall." Shirou hissed, as Rin was currently too flabbergasted to give a coherent reply.

"I am not ashamed of my feelings." Caren professed, not lowering her volume one bit, before Shirou placed his hand directly over her mouth.

"Even so." He told her sternly, and his glare was sufficiently powerful to convince her to nod obediently. "Rather than saying such outrageous things, you should introduce yourself instead. You know, like a normal person?"

"Hehe." She giggled in response to his scolding, her mood so excellent she felt like dancing in joy, before turning towards the black-haired girl. "Caren Ortensia, Exorcist of the Burial Agency and new representative in Fuyuki, as assigned by the Pope."

"…My name is Tohsaka Rin." The girl eventually responded, the name making Caren's eyes widen.

"Tohsaka?" She asked, her gaze shifting from Shirou to Rin and back. "You are the Second Owner I was assigned to?"

"Correct." Rin nodded firmly, composing herself again. "As the last member of the Tohsaka-family, Fuyuki falls under my authority."

"Oh my." Caren mumbled, taken aback at the coincidence of being assigned to the city belonging to Shirou's girlfriend.

"As such, I welcome you as an official representative of the Burial Agency, meant to oversee the local church and mediate during the Grail War." Rin continued, bowing stiffly. "Welcome to my city, Caren Ortensia. I hope you'll find it to your liking."

"I'm sure I will." Caren beamed. "Now can we have a threesome?"

"…You sure are bold for an agent of the church." Rin noted dryly, giving her a complicated look. "Is that not in violation of your vows and stuff?"

"Said between you and me, I was rather selective in my vows." Caren confessed with a giggle. "In my humble opinion, it is ridiculous to swear abstinence when God has put handsome men like Shirou on the world for us to enjoy."

"That is a sentiment I could not possibly disagree with." Rin grinned. Unlike before, the salacious comments did not unbalance her at all, likely because she was prepared for them now. "But you are a bit too early to ask to be included in our relationship. I don't even know you."

"Something I strive to change as soon as I can." Caren promised. "Once you see what a beautiful, kind, magnanimous, and charming person I am, you'll undoubtedly warm up to me."

"Magnanimous?" Shirou huffed disbelievingly, before hastily dodging the kick she aimed at his knee.

"We'll see." Rin said non-committedly. "You'll have to meet the others first."

"I'd be glad to." Caren nodded. "I am most anxious to see the women who managed to stake their claim on Shirou's heart."

"Frankly, it's not even that difficult." Rin smirked. "All you need is some confidence and he'll roll right over."

"Really? That is quite unlike his reputation at the Clocktower."

"He can be a bit rough around the edges to certain people, but really, he's just a big softy inside. I assure you."

"Girls, 'he' is right here." Shirou said, interrupting them. "And 'he' thinks it would be best to move this discussion elsewhere. Also, you should be talking less about me and more about the arrangements of the upcoming cooperation you will or will not enter."

"Right you are, Shirou. We should not forget about our duties." Rin nodded earnestly, before addressing Caren again. "Ortensia-san, please follow us to our car. Once we're on the road, we can talk further."

"Lead the way." Caren beamed.

"What do you want?"

Ciel, one of the Burial Agency's top Executors and most feared agents, bit out the question when a single hooded figure entered her private sanctuary.

"I have a report on Michael Roa Valdamjong." Was all the hooded figure had to say in response, and just like that, he had captured Ciel's complete and unwavering attention.

"Continue." She ordered.

"He has reincarnated." The hooded figure said slowly.

"That was inevitable."

"We have a name now."

"Tell me."

"Shiki Tohno."

The name meant nothing to Ciel, ringing not a single bell in her mind, yet she branded it into her brain, determined not to forget it until that incarnation of Roa had been destroyed as well.

"Where?"

"Misaki Town, Japan."

Ah yes, that place. She knew it, if only by name. Misaki Town was located right on top of one of Asia's biggest leylines after all, making it a point of importance for the Burial Agency.

"We have looked into the matter and discovered that Shiki Tohno attends Private Misaki High School."

"Roa hasn't awoken then?" If this Tohno could hang around in a school without causing a bloodbath, the old vampire couldn't have exerted much influence yet.

"Strangely enough, he does not appear to be the Shiki Tohno we are looking for."

"Elaborate."

"His link with Roa is undeniable, and he is definitely no mundane, yet he does not seem to be the Serpent's eighteenth incarnation."

"Huh…"

"More research is required. Your new identity as a pupil of Private Misaki High School has already been created."

"Good." Rather than rely solely on the reports of others, she'd do her own investigation. Apparently, her handlers had anticipated as much, and had already taken care of everything.

"Will you be departing for Misaki Town?"

"At once." She nodded stiffly. "Leave me."

"As you wish." The figure nodded, but he did not move right away. "Be cautious. The Seers indicate that the White Princess is on the move. She likely shares your goal."

"Hm." Ciel made a noise of acknowledgement, and with that, the conversation was truly over.

Once the hooded figure had left again, Ciel started packing her meagre belongings, preparing to head out.

She threw a few clothes into a suitcase, packed her favourite toothbrush, and ate all the curry she had left in her sanctuary. It would be a waste to let it spoil in her absence after all.

Then she left her sanctuary, on her way to her superior's office, to pick up her identity papers and plane ticket.

As she had expected, everything had already been arranged for her by the time she entered the office, and before the clock's shorter hand had rotated thrice, she was on the plane to Japan.

On a mission to destroy the Serpent of Akasha, once and for all.

"Here we are." Shirou said once they arrived at the car, or rather limousine, that he'd borrowed from old man Raiga, holding the door open for the ladies.

"Luxurious." Caren remarked as she got inside, taking place on one of the immensely soft seats. "Is it yours, Tohsaka-san?"

"It isn't, I'm afraid." Rin laughed, half sincerely and half pained. "It's merely borrowed, so I could receive the church's emissary with sufficient aplomb. I do not own a car myself."

"Rin never really needed one." Shirou elaborated, taking place in the driver's seat. "Fortunately, I know someone who owns several, and since I'm on good terms with them, I can always borrow one."

"You will be driving us, Shirou?" Caren asked with some surprise, remembering from their time in Germany that he did not have a driver's license.

"That's part of the reason I came along." The redhead laughed with good humour. "To be the butler and chauffeur."

"We did not expect that the emissary would be someone who is already familiar with Emiya-kun." Rin explained further, looking a tad embarrassed. "As such, I thought it would be a safe bet to take him along as my servant."

"To serve as your secret bodyguard?" Caren guessed.

"Partially, yes, but also because… I do not actually employ any servants." Rin admitted reluctantly, aware she couldn't hide that fact anymore. "As such, I asked Emiya-kun to pretend."

"Why?"

"Because I can hardly admit to the Burial Agency that I am so destitute that I cannot afford to have any servants." Rin grumbled, rubbing her face with her hand. "Though I guess that cat is out of the bag now."

"I'm not sure what you are worried about. Most agents of the Burial Agency would look more favourably upon you if you told them that you did not employ any servants." Caren tried to console her. "Living frugally and humbly is one of Christ's teachings after all."

"Even so, it is also a sign of weakness." Rin argued. "Money is power, and a lack of money usually denotes a lack of power as well."

"So it's a reputation-thing?"

"Exactly, so please don't tell anyone that Shirou is my driver. I can't have the church thinking of me as poor."

"Employing a True Magician as your chauffeur will make the Burial Agency think many things about you, Tohsaka-san, but that you are poor will not be one of them." Caren huffed with some humour.

"I… suppose that's true." Rin blinked in surprise, as if she hadn't considered that before.

"What does she pay you anyway, Shirou?" Caren directed the question at their redheaded driver, curious as to why he was acting the part of the servant.

"She calls me a fool and an idiot at regular intervals." Was the response she got, his tone light-hearted and loving.

"Ah, so you like abrasive women." Caren smiled, before she dug deep in her residual knowledge of Japanese Language and Culture, left after years of not even acknowledging the country's existence. "A Tsundere, right?"

"Precisely." Shirou confirmed her guess happily. "She can be rather prickly, but underneath, she's a-"

"Chauffeurs shouldn't talk, idiot!" Rin's furious comment was coupled with a Gandr to the back of his head, but his Magic Resistance easily dispelled the small curse, making it no more than the equivalent of a light slap.

"She did the thing!" Caren gasped, pointing at her. "Shirou, did you hear that? She called you an idiot!"

"I heard." He laughed, before holding up a hand in surrender when Rin's glare became alarmingly intense. "I will shut up now."

"Good." Rin barked, before turning towards Caren, visibly calming herself down. "So, Ortensia-san, you are to be my new liaison with the Church?"

"Guilty as charged." Caren smiled, going along with the change in subject easily enough. "I'm here to replace your previous priest, and… to apologise for his lacking conduct on behalf of the Burial Agency."

"…" Rin didn't immediately reply, her mouth twitching slightly, which was understandable, as a single apology wasn't nearly enough to make up for the suffering and pain that Caren's father had undoubtedly caused over the years.

The mood in the limousine darkened, and the two girls looked at each other awkwardly, both of them still struggling with the scars that that evil creature masquerading as a man had left on them.

"So you'll be staying here, Caren?" Shirou was the one who spoke up instead, sounding as if he wanted to move the subject along a bit. "In Fuyuki, I mean?"

"Correct." Caren nodded quickly, grateful for the straw he was offering her. "I am to keep an eye on Fuyuki and its surroundings and report any relevant happenings to the Burial Agency."

"So what Kotomine was doing as well?"

"Indeed, though I hope I'll perform the job better than he did."

"Where will you be staying?" Rin inquired, her voice friendly and curious once more as she asked the practical question.

"The rectory, I assume." Caren replied, referring to the part of a church meant for the priest's residence.

"That might be a problem." Rin said somewhat brusquely. "I burned the rectory after Kotomine fled."

"Eh?" Now that took Caren by surprise. "Why?"

"Because he was also a Magus, and I have no idea what kind of sick experiments he might have been performing in there." Rin explained, crossing her arms strongly. "So I burned it, all of it, and I am exercising my authority as Second Owner when I tell you to stay away from there. I have quarantined the place, so you'll have to live somewhere else."

"Naturally, we'll take responsibility." Shirou added, his tone much kinder than Rin's. "You can live with us, Caren."

"Can I?" Caren had been a bit concerned when the Second Owner had admitted to burning down her place of residence, but that concern was promptly buried under a flood of delight over being invited to stay at someone's house.

"Of course. I wouldn't have offered it otherwise." Shirou nodded.

"Then I would be glad to." She beamed, joy and elation filling her to the very tips of her fingers and toes.

"Then do you want to go to the church first to take a look at your new working space or straight to my house to drop off your luggage?"

"According to my briefing, the local church isn't visited by a lot of people, is it?" Caren answered his question with a question of her own.

"Not a lot of people?" Rin scoffed with a half-smirk on her face. "No one at all, rather."

"Then there is no need to go to the church." Caren was a little disappointed by the lack of believers, but it wasn't as if she'd expected any different. Not in Japan and not after her father had led the congregation for so long.

"We'll go straight home then." Shirou nodded.

"Ah, but are you sure you are alright with me staying at your place?" Caren didn't want to ask the question, but she felt she had to. "Concerning my parentage and all."

"Why would it matter who your parents were?" Rin asked, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

"…You didn't tell her." Caren surmised, turning to Shirou.

"It wasn't my place to tell anyone else." He replied shortly.

"That is very nice of you." Caren smiled appreciatively at Shirou, before turning back to Rin. "But I'll just tell you now. Kotomine Kirei, your previous priest, is my father."

There were a few beats of silence following her declaration, as Rin's expression froze and her body stilled.

Then the black-haired girl leaned forward to grab Caren's hands, giving her a look filled with immense pity and sympathy.

"I'm so sorry for you." She professed, squeezing Caren's hands in a show of support. "I can't imagine how hard that must have been."

"O-Oh, w-well, he got rid of me fairly quickly, s-so I didn't live with him for long." The nun stuttered as Rin's sudden sympathy completely took her aback. She'd been prepared for a lot of reactions, but not this one. "Y-You seem to know him well."

"Know him!? That bastard was my caretaker ever since my father died." Rin snarled, before giving Caren another sympathetic look. "I was able to mostly shut him out of my personal life at least though. As his daughter, he pretty much had total control over you, didn't he?"

"N-No, not really. My mother raised me alone at first, and when she died, he sent me to relatives in Italy." Caren shook her head, before squeezing Rin's hands in turn, feeling a certain kinship with the black-haired girl. "Rather, it is you who suffered under him for the longest, isn't it? That must have been hard."

"It certainly wasn't easy." Rin nodded, the kinship that Caren felt reflected in her blue eyes.

It was a show of support and understanding between two people who had suffered under the same individual, and it resulted in a friendship that formed faster than Shirou could have possibly anticipated.

For a few minutes, the girls focused on nothing but verbally eviscerating Kotomine, loudly discussing all his various flaws in detail, and only when they'd gotten it out of their system did they return to more serious matters.

"I will be serving as the Burial Agency's agent here now, but I cannot fight." Caren stated bluntly, not wanting there to be any kind of confusion about her physical capabilities. "So I'll be relying on the two of you to do all the fighting for me should it become necessary."

"That should present no problem whatsoever." Rin straightened her back with a proud expression on her face. "Fuyuki is a very calm city. Aside from some minor incidents, there have been no issues relating to the Moonlit World whatsoever since the last Grail War."

"Speaking of which, how is that going to be arranged?" Shirou inserted himself in the conversation again. "Are you supposed to oversee the Grail War as well, Caren?"

"Nominally, yes, but I expect my superiors will replace me long before the event itself will take place." Caren replied, smiling languidly. "Really, I am more of a temporary stopgap rather than a serious overseer. I expect that after a few years, they'll start looking for an actual replacement for Kotomine."

The Holy Grail War wouldn't happen for another fifty years after all, so there was plenty of time to find a skilled replacement for Caren, someone who was in fact capable of keeping seven bloodthirsty Magi under control.

Her response didn't seem to be received well however, as both Shirou and Rin flinched.

"What's wrong?" Caren asked, worry worming its way into her breast at their wary expressions.

"I have heard, from a somewhat reliable source, that the Fifth Grail War is due to start in less than three years." Shirou revealed, making Caren's heart skip a beat in shock. "So if the Burial Agency wants to replace you with someone more equipped to handle seven Magi with their Servants, they need to do it soon."

"In only three years?" Caren asked, not even trying to hide her shock.

"Less than three years." Shirou corrected her. "And considering who it was who told me, it is entirely possible that the War will start as early as next month. It is one of the reasons I decided to come along with Rin to meet the Church's new liaison, even though I would rather stay hidden. It is very likely we'll be forced to work together soon."

"And before you ask, we don't have any concrete proof." Rin grumbled, interrupting Caren before she could ask that exact question. "Otherwise, we'd have made it known by now, to both the Burial Agency and the Magus Association."

"We did think about leveraging my reputation, but even that likely won't be enough to get people to take it as seriously as they should." Shirou sighed, his grip on the steering wheel increasing slightly. "To most people, it's only a third-rate ritual in a far-off country to begin with, whether it starts in fifty years or in five months."

"Then what do we do?" Caren asked, her mind abuzz with the new revelations, and she cradled her head in her hands in an attempt to stave off a headache.

"Fight the Grail War ourselves." Rin responded bluntly. "At the moment, our group has at least two guaranteed Masters, and possibly as many as four. With such a power block, we should be able to stall the War until we can safely destroy the Grail."

"Destroy the Grail?" Caren was starting to get the idea she was missing an awful lot of important information. "Not use it?"

"It has been corrupted." Rin replied in a matter-of-fact tone, before she held up a single finger when Caren stared at her in shock. "It all started seventy years ago, when the Einzbern summoned a Servant known only as 'Avenger'…"

"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Caren mumbled, lying sprawled out on the couch in the Emiya-estate, a dark cloud hanging above her head. "The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work."

"Is she alright?" Ayako asked unsurely, looking at the small woman as she muttered prayer after prayer, switching at random between gospels and scriptures.

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

"I don't think she is." Shirou rubbed the back of his head, giving the nun a pitying look. "The news that the Grail was corrupted and liable to destroy the entire world if handled improperly was already a shock, but when we told her that the being responsible was an analogy of the Devil, she pretty much shut down."

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

"Should we help her then?" Ayako looked like she wanted nothing more than to console Caren, whose looks at least were those of an adorable girl. "We can't leave her like that, can we?"

"And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years."

"I think we should leave her be for now." Shirou shook his head slowly. "Just let her get it out of her system. I'll keep an eye on her in case she does anything drastic."

"Hm." Ayako didn't seem to agree that doing nothing was the best course of action, but for now, she went along with what he said.

As said before, Caren had taken the news of the Grail's corruption especially bad. Not just because it was liable to destroy the world, but also because of the being doing the corrupting.

Of course, Angra Mainyu and Satan weren't completely similar, and in fact had wildly different origin stories and motivations, but the results of their existence were too alike for any Christian to be comfortable with.

"To think I would have to help in the struggle against the literal devil." Caren lamented, having apparently run out of Bible verses that directly mentioned Satan. "God, You truly send me Your hardest challenges. Is this because I was planning to break my vow of celibacy? Do You punish me for my moment of weakness, oh Lord? But certainly, even You can see that some men are worth it? Besides, I am forbidden from sampling the goods, but not from looking at them. Even if it is in the shower."

"…"

…Even in her lamentations, Caren managed to engage in borderline harassment. Shirou didn't know whether to despair or to be impressed.

"Ahahaha..."

"Pardon me?!"

As this was the first time Ayako and Sakura had met Caren, they were understandably perturbed by her behaviour. Caren had greeted them politely enough upon entering the house, but she was doing a good job of undercutting every good impression they might have had of her now.

At first, Caren's state of abject confusion and despair had garnered sympathy from them, but that was slowly running out as the nun switched from Bible verses to unconcealed confessions of her many sins.

Fortunately, Rin's return to the living room provided a much needed distraction for the duo.

"Nee-san, how is mother doing?" Sakura asked, as the black-haired girl had just made a phone call to the mental clinic where Aoi was still admitted.

"She's bored, and just about ready to go home." Rin replied, struggling to suppress a stupidly happy grin. "The doctors haven't found anything wrong with her, and they expect it's only going to be a few weeks now until she gets a clean bill of health."

"Hey, that's great!" Ayako beamed, thumping Rin on the back hard enough that a normal man would have stumbled forward. "Congratulations!"

"You should save your congratulations for mother. She is the one who got better." Rin huffed, but there was no denying her happy wiggle, one she didn't even try to hide from them.

"Your mother was healed?" Caren suddenly appeared amongst them, looking as composed and dignified as any nun, making them all start in surprise. "That is most wonderful news! God must have been smiling upon you."

"Weren't you just on the couch?" Ayako spluttered, her gaze rapidly switching between Caren and said couch.

"Yes, but I realised I was drowning in self-pity, which is against Christian norms, and decided to harden my heart." Caren explained how she'd recovered from her bout of depression in mere seconds. "It didn't seem like being depressed was going to get me any hugs from Shirou anyway, so why bother."

"Pardon me?" Shirou blinked.

"Nothing. Tohsaka-san, will your mother be moving in here as well? It might get a bit crowded, don't you think?" Caren seamlessly changed the subject, asking a question that reminded the redhead that he hadn't given her a proper tour of the house yet. "Not that I'd ever advocate for kicking anyone out on the streets to make room. Least of all me."

"No one is getting kicked out on the streets." Shirou promised, rejecting the idea at once. "Though it may not seem like it from the outside, there is plenty of room in my house for all of us. I'll give you a tour later to show you what I mean."

"Please do." Caren nodded instantly, jumping on the offer.

"And even if there wasn't enough room, my mother likely won't move in here in the first place." Rin added. "Her home is the Tohsaka-estate, and that is where she will return to once she is dismissed from the hospital. A familiar environment would be better for her, especially during the first months."

"That is probably the wisest choice." Shirou wouldn't claim to be an expert on psychology, but even he could see the wisdom in bringing Aoi back to her own home. "There's no need to cause her unnecessary stress by forcing her to live in an unfamiliar place. Not on top of all the things you still have to tell her about."

"Ugh." Rin made a face at the reminder that her mother had to be updated on everything that had happened over the past eight years, much of which has been unquestionably bad, like Zouken's worms and Kirei's betrayal.

And even that would be easy, compared to having to talk about Sakura's fate. A conversation that hung above the sisters like a dagger waiting to strike.

Even though no one was saying it out loud, having Aoi live in the Tohsaka-estate was every bit as much to keep her and Sakura separated as it was to preserve the woman's fragile mental health. They all feared, even Sakura herself, that having mother and abandoned daughter living together under one roof would cause numerous ugly conflicts and arguments, and none of them were willing to deal with that just yet.

Reconciliation could happen, if Sakura agreed with it, but it would be on the plum-haired girl's terms or not at all.

"It just became really awkward in here." Caren remarked, looking around at their faces, appearing a bit puzzled with the situation. "I sense mommy issues."

"I'll help of course." As if she'd been waiting for Caren's words, Sakura spoke up, taking Rin's hand with an expression of utter determination. "I won't leave you alone in this. She's my mother too after all."

"Sakura…" Rin whispered, before she smiled. "Thank you."

"But, Rin." Ayako stepped forward, a worried expression on her face. "If your mother is going to return to the Tohsaka-manor, does that mean you will too?"

"Yes." Rin said bluntly, confirming what the other three had already feared. "I will have to. I cannot leave her there on her own."

"I see." Shirou muttered, closing his eyes in resignation. "Well, I'm not going to stop you, but I won't pretend we're not going to miss you either."

"Rin." Ayako's eyes became misty with tears, and she launched herself at the black-haired girl for a hug. "Do you really have to go-?!"

"Oh, stop that!" Rin barked, bringing her fist down on the brunette's head. "This isn't farewell, you idiots! I'll still come here, just not all the time anymore."

"That's exactly what I am sad about!" Ayako professed, still tightly hugging her. "It is a decrease in my quality Rin-time!"

"You overly clingy girl." Rin snipped, though she couldn't hide the undertone of fondness in her voice. "We don't need to live together to be in a relationship. Some time apart can be a good thing."

"I still don't like it." Ayako stubbornly insisted. "It will be weird, to live here with the three of us without you."

"Then perhaps, instead of only looking at me, you should go home more often as well." Rin pointed out. "How long has it been exactly since you've spoken to your parents?"

"Ehk!" Ayako flinched at the black-haired girl's remark, before smiling guiltily, more than aware that she was neglecting her family a bit. "Ahahaha, did you really have to bring that up?"

"She is right though." Shirou remarked. "I imagine that when school starts again, they will want you home more often."

"Which is not unreasonable for parents to want." Sakura added, giving the brunette a melancholic smile. "You shouldn't let your relationship with them go to waste. They only want you back with them because they love you."

"Alright, alright." Ayako groused, holding up her hands in surrender. "I get it. Once the holiday is over, I'll go back home. You don't have to gang up on me."

"Sorry, Ayako." Sakura pouted, looking down guiltily.

"Oh, no. No need to apologise." The brunette hastily assured her, still utterly defenceless against the plum-haired girl's pouts. "You are right after all. Neither Rin nor I can stay here indefinitely. Not when we are still minors. It's just that… I enjoyed our time together."

"Aw." Rin cooed, patting the brunette's head with a smile.

"You didn't then?" Ayako huffed, stoically, or perhaps happily, bearing Rin's pats.

"I did." Rin assured her. "But it is like you said. We cannot stay here indefinitely, not when we have responsibilities."

Rin needed to take care of her mother, Ayako was still a minor living with her actual family, and Sakura and Shirou, though they lived alone, were under the care of Taiga.

Although they'd pretended for a few weeks, they didn't actually live together nor did they live independently.

"What about me?" Caren asked, raising a hand to remind them that she was still present too.

"You'll stay here in my house, as my guest." Shirou replied, turning to her. "My house is the safest place in Fuyuki, and it will also be our base of operations when dealing with the Grail War. It is for the best if you live here."

"Many thanks!" The nun beamed at him, before placing her hands together. "I do have a question though, if I may."

"Go ahead."

"Can I inform my superiors about the fact that the Holy Grail War is due to start in a few years at most?"

"You can." Shirou nodded immediately.

"I can?" Caren clearly hadn't expected him to agree so easily, and she blinked a few times in confusion. "But if they believe me, they might send more agents, which will increase your chance of being discovered. Didn't you want to keep your place of living a secret?"

"I did." Shirou nodded unabashedly. "But I'm willing to take a few risks if it means that more people are aware of the threat and taking steps to mitigate the damage. I cannot prioritise myself anymore."

"The Church is traditionally the faction that cares the most about damage to the surroundings and the local population." Rin added. "They don't care much, per sè, but a little is better than not at all. In that light, getting them more involved is indeed worth a risk or two."

"On that note, I was actually planning to inform Lady Barthomeloi about the Grail War as well, alongside the fact that the Grail has been corrupted." Shirou suddenly revealed, getting a surprised look from all the girls. "She cares much more about innocent bystanders than you would expect, and she wields a lot of power. I believe she could really help us."

"Will that involve telling her about your place of living?" Rin inquired carefully.

"Even if I don't tell her, she'll be able to draw her own conclusions once I tell her about the Grail War." Shirou huffed in amusement. "She is not dumb."

"I never thought she was." Rin breathed in deep, her eyes becoming unfocused as she ran a thousand mental calculations, before she let the air out again. "Can she keep a secret?"

Could the Vice-Director of the Clocktower keep a secret? Shirou didn't even dignify that with an answer.

"Then you better tell her." Rin accepted his silence as the confirmation it was meant to be. "Could I join you by the way? I believe my research has finally reached the point where I can proudly approach her about an apprenticeship."

"Of course." Shirou nodded readily.

"So we're going to involve more people now?" Ayako asked, tapping her chin with a finger in thought. "I can't really think of anyone myself."

"Duh." Sakura huffed softly, before squeaking when Ayako pinched her side.

"As if you are any better connected." The brunette scoffed.

"What about Lord El-Melloi?" Caren inquired.

"I am going to contact him as well at some point." Shirou nodded. "His input will be invaluable, especially since he's already participated in a Grail War before. Plus, he already knows where I live, so that's not an issue."

In the end, as much as Shirou wanted to maintain his privacy and to have no one in either the Clocktower or the Church to be aware of his place of residence, he simply didn't have a choice anymore. To obtain help and support, he needed to show his hand to certain people and hope that they would agree to keep his secrets.

Besides, once the fighting started, it was going to get out anyway that he lived in Fuyuki. That was inevitable.

The Grail War made it impossible for him to continue his simple life. That was a fact, and he would be damned if he did anything but take it completely seriously from the very start.

The fate of the world was at stake after all.

The hour was growing late in the black forest, and the sun was reaching the point where it was starting to sink beneath the horizon.

This sunset marked the end of the seventh day of Lorelei's current hunt, the seventh day of a mission filled with twists and turns. It had started out as a simple outing to dispatch a runaway Chimaera yet had evolved into a quest that revealed more information than the brunette had ever expected or wanted to learn.

The news that both Mystery and Phantasmal Beasts were returning was sufficiently mind-blowing that Lorelei had been forced to compartmentalise in order to properly continue the hunt. She had isolated the conversation with the wise owl and stored it in a corner of her mind, so it wouldn't interfere with her thoughts and actions.

To fight a Phantasmal Beast, she needed every bit of focus she could muster.

Currently, she had arrived in a location that seemed like exactly the place she had been looking for. There had been no animals around for quite a while, not even insects, and there were massive residues of Mystery everywhere, suppressing all other sensations that should have been present in an ancient forest like this.

It was beyond doubt that the creature which had killed those poachers and had managed to elude her and her team for so long was located nearby. It could not have been clearer if it had left a sign out for her to read.

In other words, she might very well be on the verge of her first battle ever with a real Phantasmal Beast.

The prospect of facing off against such a creature would have been enough to send any Magus running for the hills, and even Lorelei hesitated to proceed, wondering if she shouldn't call in reinforcements first.

A large part of her current apprehension was caused by the fact that she had no real idea what she was dealing with. It was a Phantasmal Species, yes, but that was an immensely broad term. It could refer to Kelpi and Kobolds, which Lorelei could probably handle on her own, but also to near-Divine Beasts such as Dragons and Sphinxes, which would crush her in the blink of an eye.

In the case of the latter, her team wouldn't be of much help either, but just like when she'd entered the wise owl's forest, they would at least be able to bring word to the Clocktower if she was brought down.

With that in mind, she again set a beacon for her followers to track, and then she sat down on the ground, to wait for them to arrive.

In the meantime, she checked her equipment, mainly her riding crop and her rapier, but since they were both in pristine condition, having barely been used since their last visit to the blacksmith, that barely took a minute, afterwards leaving her with little to do.

Until a pinging noise suddenly sounded from within the inner pocket of her jacket.

Surprised as well as curious, Lorelei reached into the pocket to retrieve a small folding mirror, the one that Fujimaru had given to her before his departure and was meant as a communication device between him and her.

As per his instructions, she touched the mirror's surface with the tip of her index-finger, and watched as it rippled like water, the pinging noise stopping at the same time as two faces appeared in the mirror.

One of the faces was Fujimaru, the other an unknown black-haired girl, who Lorelei presumed to be Tohsaka Rin. They were set against a simple background, a mostly empty room, with nothing that immediately caught her attention or allowed her to make any sort of conclusions about their exact location.

Likely, that room had been chosen on purpose for exactly that goal.

"Lady Barthomeloi." Fujimaru greeted her politely.

"Fujimaru." She returned the greeting, her voice a tad frosty.

She still remembered his blatant declaration of distrust towards her upon his departure, his stark refusal to even consider telling her where he lived despite the fact they'd fought a legendary battle together, and she would be lying if she said that it didn't still deteriorate her mood whenever she thought about it.

She had never cared about such things before, not really, but with Fujimaru, his sudden distant behaviour really stung for some reason.

"Do you have a moment to talk?" He asked, noticing but not commenting on her icy tone. "Or is this a bad time?"

From the way his eyes flitted to the scenery behind her, he'd noticed she was in a forest, and he'd already drawn his own conclusions.

A part of Lorelei was tempted to refuse his request, and to demonstratively shut off the mirror, but the other, larger part of her refused to entertain the thought of doing something so petty.

Also, she genuinely didn't have anything to do at the moment.

"I am on a hunt." She responded in a clipped tone, before a sigh inadvertently escaped her lips. "But I can speak with you, for a few minutes."

"Then I would like to introduce Tohsaka Rin to you, or Rin Tohsaka, in European terms." Fujimaru appeared to recognise that a few minutes really meant a few minutes, and he wasted no time in getting to the point.

"Rin Tohsaka." The black-haired girl introduced herself, inclining her head respectfully. "Second Owner of Fuyuki, Japan."

"Fuyuki?" Lorelei repeated, the name ringing a few bells in her head. "From the Grail War?"

"The very one." Tohsaka nodded, the smile on her face perfect and unmarred as she spoke in very decent English. "My family has ruled it for generations, of which I am the most recent."

"I moved to Fuyuki a few years ago with my dad." Fujimaru added to the story, and Lorelei couldn't stop her eyebrows from twitching at the blatant revelation of his living place. "That's one of the reasons I know Rin."

"Why are you telling me this now?" The brunette asked brusquely. "Did you not wish to keep the location of your home a secret?"

"I did, and I still do, but the situation has changed." Fujimaru's expression turned unreadable, making Lorelei raise an eyebrow. "There have been some… concerning developments, which I need to discuss with you, and they involve the place where I live."

"So you judged it reasonable to reveal your place of residence to me?"

"Of course. I trust you enough to know that you will not reveal the name of my hometown to anyone else."

"…I see." Lorelei felt strangely pleased at his words, at the fact that, though rather late, he'd seen sense in the end, but she didn't show a hint of those emotions on her face. "What is it that you want to discuss? Miss Tohsaka's apprenticeship?"

Lorelei had promised him that she would take miss Tohsaka as her apprentice after all. In fact, the very reason she had the folding mirror in her possession was to one day be contacted by miss Tohsaka to arrange the details of said apprenticeship.

"That is one of the things we wanted to discuss, yes." The black-haired girl's smile widened, and Lorelei had to admit she was quite skilled at faking smiles. "Perhaps we can talk about it for a minute or two before we move on to other matters?"

"Very well."

"Then first, I would like to start by thanking you from the bottom of my heart for this opportunity." Tohsaka said warmly, saying all the right things to stroke a Magus' ego. "I never expected to be able to apprentice under the Vice Director of the Clocktower herself. It is nothing short of a dream come true."

"Your apprenticeship is a reward for Fujimaru's services." Lorelei informed her, feeling it was best to have that clear immediately and not let incorrect assumptions exist for any longer than they had to. "Had it not been for him, I likely would not have looked at you twice."

"I fully realise that." Tohsaka nodded, not seeming the least bit bothered by Lorelei's rather direct statement. "And I intend to repay Shirou for this completely. Nevertheless, I felt an expression of gratitude towards you was in place as well."

"Very well." If the girl was so adamant about professing her gratitude, Lorelei would not stop her.

"Then, in more practical terms, could I send you my resume and some excerpts from my research? So we can determine what my apprenticeship would look like?"

"Of course." Lorelei nodded her assent. "Send them to the Department of Policies. I shall read them and I shall prepare several lesson plans for you to choose from, depending on your preferred focus. I have never taught an apprentice before, nor have my forebears, but I am confident that I shall complete your training successfully."

"Thank you so much!" Tohsaka beamed at her. "I have never received instruction from a fellow Magus before, at least not a competent one, but I am confident too that I shall not disappoint you during our cooperation."

"You do not lack in confidence, that is good." Lorelei noted, not unhappy with miss Tohsaka's self-assured demeanour. "When you become my official apprentice, many shall hound and harass you out of jealousy and spite. Also, I shall demand nothing short of your full, undivided attention, as well as every bit of effort that you can possibly invest. Are you equipped to handle that?"

"I am."

Tohsaka's answer was instantaneous and did not lack in conviction, something that rather pleased Lorelei to hear.

It seemed teaching the friend of Fujimaru might be less of a chore than either Lorelei or Lady Montmorency had expected.

The two women spent a few more minutes discussing the precise terms and conditions of the apprenticeship, going over the length, the contents, the amount of guidance Tohsaka would receive during her projects, and several other matters, before a lack of time forced them to wrap it up early.

"Accompany Fujimaru when he returns to the Clocktower this winter." Lorelei ordered the black-haired girl. "These matters are easier to discuss in person."

"I will." Tohsaka nodded eagerly, her smile becoming a bit more sincere. "I look forward to meeting you in real life."

"As do I. Now, Fujimaru." With the matter of the apprenticeship over for now, Lorelei switched her attention to the redhead. "What else did you want to discuss?"

"The Fifth Holy Grail War will happen sooner than expected." He revealed, his expression grim, as Tohsaka took a small step back to give him more of the screen. "Rather than fifty years, it likely won't even take three for it to begin."

"Is that so?" Lorelei hummed noncommittally, not sure why that was relevant to her. "I will inform all parties at the Clocktower who are involved in the Grail War of this once I return, though I suspect they would have learned of it by themselves soon enough."

It remained silent for a few moments after that, as Fujimaru and Tohsaka kept looking expectantly at her, but since Lorelei still did not know why she should care about their ritual, she kept her quiet too, waiting for them to continue.

Eventually, they did.

"You… seem to be taking this rather well." Fujimaru remarked carefully.

"I do not know much about the Holy Grail War, certainly not enough to be concerned about it." Lorelei shrugged ever so slightly. "It is a minor Ritual designed in order to gain access to the Root. According to the records of the Barthomeloi-family, it has been in progress for centuries without yielding any sort of result, aside from decimating several important Magus-families. The Barthomeloi and all its branch-families are forbidden from participating in it, and it has been designated as irrelevant and inconsequential."

"Ehk…" Tohsaka's mood appeared to deteriorate at the implied criticism, as she slumped so much she almost disappeared from view.

"Harsh but true, I suppose." Fujimaru laughed uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his head, before his expression turned serious again. "But I am afraid the Grail has been corrupted, and if it is allowed to manifest in the upcoming War, it will affect the entire world."

"Affect it how?"

"Total annihilation."

Now that sounded like something Lorelei should care about.

"Elaborate."

Fujimaru obeyed, and Lorelei listened with growing astonishment to a tale of heroes, Masters, Servants, Homunculi, and Dark Gods. A tale that was yet unfinished, that had swallowed numerous great names such as Emiya Kiritsugu and Kayneth El-Melloi and might very well result in the total destruction of humanity if it ever came to fruition.

But even though the situation was apparently dire, there was one thing that had to be said immediately.

"You realise, do you not, that very few Magi will believe you?" She replied once Fujimaru had finished his tale. "This sounds exactly like a fad that a deceptive participant would spin to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies, to sow chaos in their ranks, and to give themselves an advantage during the war."

"I realise that." Fujimaru nodded. "But I assure you I am telling the truth."

"I believe you." She responded at once. A Sorcerer wouldn't make up a tale like that merely to get an advantage in a minor ritual, and even if one would, she did not believe for a second that Fujimaru would be so deceptive. "Though if you expect me to remedy the situation, I must remind you that there are limits to my power. Even if I forbid the Magi of the Clocktower from participating in the Grail War, which would already be an overreach of my power, there is not much I can do once they ignore my orders and leave for Japan. The Magus Association wields little power in your country, as you are probably well aware."

"Of course, I don't expect that you will be able to change much about the situation." Fujimaru nodded, not surprised by her warning. "Nevertheless, I wanted you to know, and to be prepared in case we fail to stop the completion of the ritual."

"Then consider me warned." Lorelei nodded. "If there are other ways I can support you, do not hesitate to let me know. Although I cannot guarantee anything, I will do my utmost to assist you in your suppression of the Grail and Angra Mainyu."

"Thank you, lady Barthomeloi." Fujimaru smiled, and while those words were pleasant to hear, she couldn't help but think she would have preferred him to use her first name, for some nebulous reason. "Not just for the help, but also for believing us."

"I do not know you to be a liar." Lorelei responded, as that was naught but the truth.

"If there is anything I can do to repay you, you only need to ask."

"Then…" Lorelei hesitated for a single moment, before continuing. "I hope you will believe me as well, when I tell you that Mystery and Phantasmal Beasts are returning to the world."

She was blunt in telling him, feeling it was best to bring the message as clearly and concisely as possible, like ripping off the Band-Aid in one go.

Since the moment she had been evicted from the Wise Owl's domain, she had wanted to inform Fujimaru about the return of Mystery and involve him in the matter of combating the Phantasmal Beasts and the other negative consequences that this return would bring about. That he had contacted her now just allowed her to do it sooner rather than later.

During their competition, he had shown himself to nearly be her equal in combat, and he was sincere and noble enough to actually care about the world above his own interests. When it came to difficult situations, there was no one she'd rather have beside her than lady Montmorency and him.

They had fought together, he had always been honest with her, and her every instinct told her she could trust him, so trust him she would.

Likely, he wouldn't immediately believe her, but she could-

"Are you hunting one right now?!"

"Hm?"

Lorelei blinked once at the question, partially because of the contents, but mainly at the tone it was asked in. Rather than disbelieving, it was almost urgent, hasty.

"Are you hunting a Phantasmal Beast right now?" Fujimaru repeated his question, leaning in closer to the mirror, his voice becoming even more hurried. "You are in a forest, so maybe a wolf? If it's a boar, you need to get away immediately, because Demon Boars are really bad news. In fact, why are you out there at all? Hold on, I believe I can-"

"Shirou." Tohsaka stepped back into the frame, giving him a small push. "Calm down. Lady Barthomeloi wasn't asking for your help. She just wanted to tell you about the return of Phantasmal Beasts."

"A return you appear to already be aware of." Lorelei noted curtly.

"Oh, yes." Fujimaru nodded, his voice a bit calmer again. "I already know that Phantasmal Beasts are returning to the world, and also that Mystery is returning."

"Of course. I should have known that a Sorcerer would already be aware of such a momentous happening." Lorelei inclined her head in a polite apology, feeling no small amount of relief at the fact that he was already aware of the issue. "And to answer your earlier question, mister Fujimaru, I am out here, hunting this Beast, because it has killed people, and will likely kill more if I do not stop it."

"Right, it's hard to argue with that." Fujimaru let out a slow breath, nodding in agreement, before he fixed his jaw. "Do you have any idea what kind of beast you are hunting?"

"No. The wise owl did not provide any details when he informed me of my opponent's true nature."

"The wise owl?" Fujimaru asked, before he shook his head. "Never mind. Alright, Lady Barthomeloi, I have fought and defeated a Phantasmal Beast myself when I was weaker than you are, so victory isn't impossible, if this particular Beast is below you in power."

"Better hope it isn't a Sphinx or Dragonkin then." Tohsaka added from the background, as she had walked out of view a few seconds before.

"The Beast I am hunting prefers stealth, and although it is mighty, I have seen no evidence it commands any Magic of its own or possesses any quantity of Divinity." Lorelei summarised her findings so far. "It is small enough to make its way through dense forest without breaking any branches or leaving any traces, and it does not appear to act violent towards prey animals. Predators however are hunted down without mercy, human poachers included."

"Let's see then." Tohsaka reappeared on the screen, holding a pile of books she had just fetched from somewhere off the screen. "Where are you currently, lady Barthomeloi?"

"I am in the Black Forest, in Germany." She replied.

"The Black Forest, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany." Tohsaka mumbled, promptly throwing aside all but one of the books she been carrying, before opening it on a random page. "The Celts called it 'Abnoba mons', the Romans 'Silva Marciana'. It's a forested mountain range. Let's see if I can find some local legends."

"Do you need-?"

"No."

"Alright then." His offer for help rejected, Fujimaru turned back to Lorelei. They both looked at each other, staying silent for several seconds, before he cleared his throat. "So, how are you doing?"

"I am surprisingly nervous." She replied honestly, casting a look around. "I have never dealt with Phantasmal Beasts before."

"As long as it is a low-ranking one, I'm sure you can handle it." He tried to assure her. "Like I said, I fought one and won, so you should be able to as well."

"What manner of Phantasmal Beast did you fight?" Lorelei asked, genuinely interested in his answer.

"A Nokken. It's an aquatic creature of German myth that lures unsuspecting people to its lake in order to drown and eat them." He replied, scratching its temple. "Huh, it also came from Germany. I wonder if there's something special about the place."

"There could be. I would have to look into that."

"Lady Barthomeloi, what time is it over there with you?" Fujimaru suddenly changed the subject, narrowing his eyes.

"Near sunset." She gave him an estimation, as she did not know the exact time. "Why?"

"Because I can see the sun setting behind you, and it's giving me a very bad feeling." He replied, narrowing his eyes as he looked over her shoulder into the distance. "Please stay on your guard, my lady."

"My guard was never down." She assured him, casting another look around, keeping a very careful eye on the treeline, wary of ambushes from the shadows.

"Alright, I'm back!" Tohsaka chose that moment to reappear, holding a small list in her hand and wearing a proud grin on her face. "I have found several creatures from German mythology that might fit your description."

"I am listening."

"At first, I thought it might be an Askafroa or a Bahcauv, as those are genuinely dangerous creatures from German folklore, capable of killing groups of people while not being on the level of Divine beasts, but I discarded them, as they would never leave prey animals alone. After that, I considered the possibility it could be a Drude, but those creatures don't actively kill people. Fänggen live exclusively in Tyrol, and Lindwurms are near dragonkin in power, and thus absolutely lousy at stealth." Tohsaka quickly described the options she'd discounted, before looking straight at Lorelei. "That only leaves one option."

"Which one?"

"The Wolpertinger." Tohsaka replied, her expression tightening. "And Shirou was right about sunset being a bad thing. It is a crepuscular creature, active primarily during the twilight period. If you are in its territory, it was probably waiting for exactly this moment to ambush you."

"Can you describe the creature?" Fujimaru asked.

"It looks like a rabbit." Lorelei spoke up before Tohsaka could, drawing surprised looks from both teenagers. "But it is the size of a male adult boar, and it has deer antlers and the wings of what I believe is a pheasant."

"Correct." Tohsaka nodded, giving her an impressed look. "Were you already familiar with the beast, my lady?"

"No, I am looking right at it." Lorelei corrected her calmly, before turning the mirror around, showing the two what she was seeing in front of her.

There, just outside the shrubbery, stood her opponent.

Huge as a boar, with mighty front paws and massive hind legs, the beast could not possibly be mistaken for a normal rabbit.

On top of that, the enormous antlers, ending in razor-sharp tips, and the powerful wings currently folded on its back gave it a certain foreign, alien air, as if what Lorelei was seeing was not actually real.

The head, oddly small for its size, was angled to the side, so a beady black eye could look straight at her with an intensity that rivalled that of Dead Apostle Ancestors, and the lips were pulled apart slightly, baring teeth that seemed too large for its mouth.

Lastly, its plain brown fur was stained heavily with blood, blood she was willing to bet was human.

There was no doubt that this was her quarry.

The monstrous Phantasmal Beast had shown itself at last.

"So cute!"

The squeal from the mirror, in a voice Lorelei did not recognise, instantly broke all the tension that had been accumulating, and the brunette promptly turned the mirror back around to look into it.

There, standing in-between Fujimaru and Tohsaka, was a purple-haired girl, with flushed cheeks and a wide smile, who appeared delighted with the fact Lorelei was now facing off against a giant rabbit.

"Sakura." Fujimaru identified the interloper, taking her by her shoulders. "This is not the time."

"But Senpai! It's a rabbit!" She protested. "A cute baby rabbit!"

"I am rather certain it is an adult." Lorelei corrected her.

"All rabbits are babies!" 'Sakura' argued back with such conviction however that the brunette was left without anything to say in response. "Can I have it? Please?!"

"That seems to be unwise." Lorelei immediately gave the rational reply, before raising an eyebrow when both Fujimaru and Tohsaka, who seemed like rational people themselves, hesitated to respond. "It is a dangerous Phantasmal Beast."

"Yes, of course, but you see, Sakura wants it." Fujimaru argued, with Tohsaka nodding fervently in agreement. "So I have to try at least."

Lorelei's eyebrows went up so much they almost disappeared into her hairline. What kind of power did 'Sakura' hold over these two for them to be so willing to accommodate her even when her requests were utterly impractical and far beyond the reasonable?

"It is my duty to kill it." She reminded the three, keeping a careful eye on the creature, which seemed strangely content to wait for now.

"Can I convince you to capture it instead?" Fujimaru tried. "I'm willing to negotiate. Name your price."

Lorelei opened her mouth to refuse the audacious request, barely above the level of a poor jest, before closing it again, reconsidering.

While this whole situation was entirely ridiculous, and Fujimaru's request even more so, the brunette could in fact see the practical side of keeping the 'Wolpertinger' alive.

Phantasmal Creatures were after all beings that belonged exclusively to the Magical side of the world. They were creatures of Mystery, fully separate from the World of Man. That made them invaluable as research objects in the Modern Age.

Furthermore, Phantasmal Beasts were also great sources of Magical materials. While Lorelei doubted it would allow itself to be dissected, its hair and samples of its blood would already be priceless resources, especially since the amount of Phantasmal Creature-based supplies were dwindling at an astounding pace.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, capturing the Wolpertinger alive and giving it to Fujimaru would mean the redhead owed her a favour. A favour from a Sorcerer was something more valuable than a thousand Phantasmal Beast-corpses, and if her family ever learned she had passed up an opportunity to obtain such a favour, they would be wrother with her than ever before.

The fact that the Beast had killed people became utterly irrelevant in the face of such an prospect.

Even her hatred for all things inhuman was no hindrance, as it hardly applied here.

She hated Dead Apostles, Wraith, Ghouls, and all creatures like them because they were mismade parodies of human beings. They mocked the simple perfection of the human form, a perfection the Barthomeloi took pride in. As such, all Barthomeloi despised such creatures with a vengeance, and Lorelei most of them all, unable to bear the experience of being mocked by the mere existence of those horrid monsters.

Phantasmal Beasts on the other hand were just animals, beings that had existed since before humanity did. There was nothing mocking or degrading about them, and as such, Lorelei felt rather neutral towards them, unable to summon the searing hatred that she normally felt during her hunts.

"I can make an attempt to capture it alive." She thus allowed, before holding up a finger when Fujimaru made to reply. "But you will owe me a considerable favour."

"Of course." He nodded without a second thought, giving her a beaming smile. "Thank you, Lady Barthomeloi."

"Hm." His words of gratitude were pleasant to her ears, and Lorelei had to forcibly suppress a smile of her own. "Then I shall part with you for now. I have a 'Wolpertinger' to capture."

"Good luck!" The purple-haired girl clenched her fist in front of her face, a warlike expression on her face. "Please be gentle with it!"

"…I must ask, Fujimaru." Lorelei found herself saying, giving the purple-haired girl a perturbed look. "Who is this girl?"

"This 'girl' is Matou Sakura." Sakura spoke up before Fujimaru could, pouting angrily at Lorelei. "His girlfriend."

It was more than a little odd that that pout was one of the cutest things Lorelei had ever seen.

"Don't take unnecessary risks." Tohsaka said, proving herself more grounded in reality than the other girl. "Capture it if you can, but if it is too dangerous, kill it before it can kill you."

"Indeed. While I would prefer it if you could capture it alive, nothing is more important than your survival, my lady." Fujimaru agreed, causing another pleasant tingle in Lorelei's stomach. "I'll be waiting for you to contact us again after you have won."

"I shall." Lorelei nodded, pleased even more by his confidence in her victory. "Goodbye."

She then dismissed the image in the mirror, before returning the object to her inner pocket.

Then she fully focused on the Beast, crouching down slightly in preparation for the battle.

The Wolpertinger, which had been strangely passive so far, also crouched, narrowing its black eyes.

But even though it had already shown itself willing to kill before, even though it had slaughtered several groups of people, it emitted strangely little killing intent.

In fact, Lorelei almost got the sense that if she were to turn around and walk away, it would let her go without attacking or pursuing.

How odd.

Though ultimately, irrelevant.

"You'll be coming with me." She said, unsheathing her rapier and preparing her spells.

The rabbit merely grunted in response.

Then the battle began.

"Greetings, Fuyuki flight-control, this is flight RA3212, requesting permission to land."

"Hello flight RA3212, this is Fuyuki flight control. It is five past three, the sky is cloudless and the wind force is two. You may land at landing zone three."

"Thank you, flight control." 

The plane that landed at Fuyuki's airport, only a day after Caren had arrived, was just one of many that day.

It hailed from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, in Delhi, India. It was carrying about a hundred passengers, fifteen of them being Indian, with the rest coming from all over the world.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport was one of the biggest airports in Asia, and a site where a great many transfers took place. Its location made it an excellent midway point for people travelling from Europe to East-Asia and vice versa, something that was usually not done in a single flight, and because of that, more than half of its revenue came from people and goods in transit.

However, since Indira Gandhi International wasn't tremendously strict on checking passports and identities, it was also a very popular point of transfer for people who had nefarious goals in mind, people who appreciated the fact that they didn't have to use their own identity to board one of its planes and who made grateful use of the customs agents' penchant for being bribed easily.

Most of the passengers on flight RA3212 were perfectly innocent. They were tourists, business people on legitimate business trips, or people visiting relatives. There wasn't a single terrorist or smuggler among them.

There were, however, two people in the plane with less than honest intentions.

One of them was a Spanish man, the other a Polish woman, although they'd both moved to London over two decades ago, making them actually English.

They were, in a word, mercenaries, people dedicated to selling their services to the highest bidder. Both of them were capable of utilising Magecraft, but neither were actual, dedicated Magi. In that sense, they were similar to Emiya Kiritsugu, though not nearly at his level.

These mercenaries were not assassins though. They were specialists at gathering information, but not killers-for-hire. As such, they were generally used as scouts and reckon-agents, obtaining the intelligence that their masters needed to launch an offense of their own.

Most Magi had no use for them, for people who wouldn't even kill when commanded to, but there were a few individuals and families who made grateful use of their services.

Among those families was the Edelfelt.

The Edelfelt largely preferred to fight their own battles. They were almost all warriors and assassins, and never shied away from doing their own dirty work. They were very prideful when it came to matters like that and considered it shameful to hire outsiders to kill their enemies.

However, the Edelfelt were also very recognisable, if not by their looks then by their attitude, which made covert information gathering rather difficult for them. Scouting an enemy's stronghold was near impossible after all when you had distinct blonde hair, a typical laugh, and an insurmountable need to flaunt your wealth at every opportunity.

For tasks like that, and tasks like that only, they tended to employ outsiders.

The two mercenaries had been in the employ of the Edelfelt for quite a few years now, and when they had been told to go to Japan, they had obeyed their masters without a second thought, only pausing long enough to obtain proper disguises and forge fitting identities.

During the long flight, interrupted once at Indira Ghandi, they practised their backstories and new personalities, and fully prepared for any questions that might be asked by overzealous busybodies.

When they exited the plane in Fuyuki, they appeared to be nothing more than a normal couple on a normal trip to Japan, profiting from the fact they had no children to have their vacation at the very end of the summer holiday, when most tourists had already left.

The Spanish mercenary wore short yellow trousers and a yellow short-sleeved shirt, coupled with sandals and white socks, creating a deliberate image of a dumb, fumbling tourist who had no idea of what he was supposed to do now that he was no longer at the office every day.

The Polish mercenary on the other hand had the image of an exasperated wife down to a T. She wore a white sundress coupled with a wide-brimmed hat and high-heeled open shoes, with in her hand a somewhat expensive purse. The typical sneer, inherent to every exasperated wife, was also on her lips.

Their luggage consisted of two of the most standard suitcases on the market, and once they had retrieved those from the luggage bands in the airport, they headed outside and called for a standard taxi to take them to their standard hotel.

"Good morning." The female mercenary said once they were inside the hotel, addressing the receptionist in clumsy Japanese. "I have reservation under name Gwen Stacy. This is husband Flash Thompson."

"Stacy-san… Yes, I have it right here." The receptionist, a cute brunette with a button nose, replied happily after checking her logbook. "I'll go and get your key cards at once."

"Why do I have to be Flash Thompson?" The man, Flash, grumbled in English once the receptionist was out of earshot. "Couldn't I have been Peter Parker?"

"No. Peter Parker is too well-known, even here in Japan." The woman, Gwen, replied without ever dropping her beaming smile. "They'd know we are using fake names right away."

"Does it matter if they know?"

"It does. They might report us to the police, and if the Second Owner has an informant posted there, we'll get found out immediately."

Of course, Flash knew that as well, but he was bored and in the mood for a little arguing, so he pretended to be ignorant. Gwen was perfectly aware that he was being petulant for the sake of it, but since she was bored as well, she answered his questions sincerely, if with a little annoyance.

Fortunately for them, the receptionist returned with their key cards before Flash could feel the need to complain more, and after Gwen had paid the remaining sum for their room, the duo headed upstairs with the elevator.

"This is a pretty good room." Gwen remarked once they entered through the solid oaken door, spinning once to take in everything inside. There was a double bed, a table against the wall, two chairs and a poof, and a door leading to a decent bathroom with a bath and a toilet.

"I had expected more for the price we paid." Flash grumbled, putting the suitcases down in a corner.

"Staying in Japanese cities is expensive." Gwen shrugged. "Besides, the Edelfelt are paying the bill, so you have nothing to complain about."

"True." Flash nodded with a sigh, before he stretched a little, groaning as he did so, feeling how the kinks in his spine, caused by the long flight, disappeared one by one. "Shall we get to work then? With the salary the Edelfelt are paying us, we better have something to show for it soon."

"Yes, let's." Gwen nodded, before unfolding the map of Fuyuki that she had taken from the receptionist's counter. "It seems we found ourselves in a rather big city. Fortunately for us, the Tohsaka never made a secret of where they live."

"Seems a bit foolish for a family in such an isolated position." Flash remarked, smiling confidently as he glanced at the map as well. "But it helps us now."

"Don't get too excited, the Tohsaka manor is probably very well defended." Gwen cautioned him, following a few streets on the map with her finger until she arrived at the correct address, provided by the Edelfelt themselves. "Here. This is it. The manor."

"It may be defended, yes, but our goal was never to get inside, was it?" Flash grunted, retrieving a telescope, binoculars, and a long-distance camera from his suitcase. All of them were of the highest quality available and had been enhanced further with Magecraft. "We just need to keep an eye on the Second Owner and log everything she does."

"Yes." Gwen agreed, retrieving her own equipment. "And we need to pay particular attention to anyone coming by her house who seems like they are involved in business dealings with Tohsaka. Doubly so if gems are involved."

"Ah, the good old Edelfelt, always trying to muscle in on other people's business." Flash sighed with no small amount of fondness, more than aware of why their employers wanted them to focus so much on gems. "Better make sure then to log everything that seems like possible blackmail material as well."

"Of course. That's included in the job description." Gwen nodded.

Blackmail material was incredibly convenient to have. It made negotiations run that much smoother and ensured that you could always get your just due. In both the mundane world and the Moonlit World, proper blackmail material was worth its weight in gold and then some.

'But hold on', a layman might say. 'Isn't collecting blackmail material on Magi easier said than done?'

Magi were heartless people after all, without any personal connections, and they tended to care little about their reputation or the people around them.

A picture of a Magus committing adultery would have very little worth as blackmail material for instance, and threatening relatives was rather useless if they didn't give a damn about their relatives in the first place.

Flash and Stacy had done jobs of this kind before however, and they knew, better than most, that Magi in remote areas tended to... soften, by lack of a better word, over time.

With very few rivals and an abundance of peace, these Magi sometimes formed connections with some of the people around them. These people could be police officers, business owners, local politicians, or even just neighbours.

Of course, these kinds of connections weren't on the level of friends or loved ones, but one would have to be a complete sociopath in order to remain isolated completely for all their lives.

If Tohsaka had a few people in her neighbourhood whom she was close to, it would only be normal.

Those people were the ones whom Gwen and Flash were supposed to find. The Edelfelt would pay good money for their identities, as they had numerous times in the past.

Then all it took was a few pictures of those people, preferably inside their own homes, and the most elegant hyenas above ground would have another tool in their toolbox for the upcoming negotiations.

A simple plan, but proven strangely effective time and again.

Their preparations finished, the duo left the hotel, kindly waving goodbye to the cute receptionist, and set out for the Tohsaka-manor, using the map to navigate through the streets.

As the hotel had been specifically selected for its convenient location within walking distance of the Tohsaka-manor, it was unnecessary to call for a taxi. They just had to follow one of the major roads in the city for a while, and then enter a residential block, in which the manor was located somewhere in the middle.

However, that the two locations were close to each other as the crow flies did not mean that getting from one location to the other was automatically easy, and once they were inside the residential block, they had to make frequent stops to orient themselves.

"Alright, in about twenty metres, we need to take a left turn." Gwen said, her eyes flitting between the map and the road in front of her.

"All these streets look alike." Flash made the complaint that had been uttered by countless men all over the world who first entered a new city, looking around grumpily at the houses that to his eyes looked nearly identical. "You'd think they would introduce some variety, but no, they just have to make it difficult for us."

"Turn left here." Ignoring his whining, Gwen led them around the corner, and onto a street that indeed looked very similar to the one before. "In another fifty metres, we turn right."

"And who made this maze?" Flash continued his complaining, gesturing around. "Left, right, left, right, left, right, and so on, curving from one side to the other. What's wrong with straight roads?"

"If you want straight roads, go to America." Gwen huffed, not taking her eyes off the map. "Alright, we take a right here."

They turned right onto a new street, which again looked very similar to the one before.

"Another red car." Flash huffed, pointing at said car, standing in an open garage. "There were red cars in the previous streets too. I didn't know the Japanese liked red cars."

"Uhm, I think we need to turn left here." Gwen muttered, less certain of herself than before, peering at the map with a hesitant look, though she did lead them onto the next street with hesitation.

"Another red car?" Flash was getting more and more confused, before looking at another house. "And another green window? In the previous street, the house in that location also had a green window."

"Turn right."

"Red car, green window, yellow slide." Flash counted the same things in this new street as well, beginning to notice more and more details as he kept seeing the same picture over and over again.

"Turn left."

"Red car, green window, yellow slide, white fountain."

"R-Right? No, left."

"Red car, green window, yellow slide, white fountain, weirdly shaped chimney."

"Left!"

"Red car, green window, yellow slide, white fountain, weirdly shaped chimney, front door ajar…"

"SHUT UP!" Gwen snarled, finally fed up with all the chattering beside her while she was trying to concentrate. "You're confusing me!"

"I'm confusing you?!" Flash spluttered. "What about this place!?"

"I don't know!" Gwen screamed, throwing the map onto the ground, her expression a mixture of rage and confusion. "I have no idea where we are anymore!"

"I do." Flash huffed, trying to put on a strong front even as sweat poured down his neck. "We never left that first street."

"…What?"

"Every time we turn a corner, we end up at exactly the same street again." Flash explained, looking around at the mundane, ordinary street that had seemingly become their prison. "We are trapped in a loop."

"What?" Gwen repeated, her eyes so wide they almost came tumbling out of their sockets, before she looked around. "Bullshit!"

"I'll prove it! Take a good look around and remember what you see."

Gwen did so, imprinting her surroundings into her mind.

"Now come." Flash grabbed her wrist, pulling her along. "We turn the corner over there."

They did so, they turned the corner, and they saw…

"It's the same street." Gwen breathed, goose bumps breaking out all over her skin, especially when they came across the map they'd supposedly abandoned earlier. "It's the same fucking street!"

"I told you." Flash nodded, unable to take any satisfaction out of being proven right. "We're fucking trapped!"

Gwen then promptly turned back, retracing her footsteps, and found herself again on the same street, almost walking into Flash's back, as he was still looking in the direction she'd gone a moment before.

Multiple other attempts to leave the street proved just as futile, and eventually, the duo had to give up before they needlessly exhausted themselves.

"We must be trapped in a Bounded Field." Flash hissed, wiping the sweat from his brow. "The Second Owner knows we are here."

"Damnit." Gwen swore, realising that that was indeed the likeliest explanation. "How did she figure it out? We didn't use any Magecraft whatsoever."

"Rather useless to think about that now." Flash grunted, looking up at the sky. Then, in an impulse, he placed his hand around his mouth like an amplifier. "OI! SECOND OWNER! IF YOU'RE THERE, PLEASE LET US GO ALREADY! WE'RE SORRY!"

"What are you doing?"

"WE ARE SORRY FOR COMING HERE WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION! WE PROMISE WE'LL GET OUT OF YOUR CITY IMMEDIATELY IF YOU LET US GO!"

"Stop that!" Gwen smacked him over the head, glaring angrily at him. "We've got enough problems without you trying to make me deaf!"

"It was worth a try." Flash argued.

"It was stupid!"

"You got any other ideas?"

"…"

"Thought so." Flash huffed, before he started heading for the corner again. "Let me just check if it worked."

"It didn't." Gwen insisted, but she nevertheless followed him, rounding the corner at the same time as he did…

Before they both had to step aside to dodge a running salary man going in the opposite direction.

"Pardon me." The salary man apologised, and then he was off, leaving Gwen and Flash to look around and realise that...

"The hotel!" Flash almost cheered, pointing at the large building. "We are back! We are out of the loop!"

"How?" Gwen mumbled, her eyes again wide as saucers, not just at the fact that they were out of the loop but also that they had been seemingly teleported back to their hotel. "Don't tell me it was the apology."

"Who cares?" Flash huffed, turning around and grabbing her wrist. "Come on. Let's get our stuff and get the hell out of here. Job's a bust. We'll tell the Edelfelt to send someone else."

"That would ruin our reputation and our working relationship with them." Gwen protested. "To give up after a single day-"

"It's better than dying." Flash countered, not able to muster much care about his reputation at the moment. "Let me remind you, the Second Owner knows who we are, knows why we are here, and is powerful enough to trap us in a Bounded Field before we can even realise she is doing anything. We cannot win."

"But we can try to talk with her." Gwen came up with a new plan on the spot. "We can send her a letter, meet up with her, and try to learn about her that way. At the very least, we won't be going back without having tried multiple avenues of attack."

"No." Flash refused her immediately however. "No. I can see where you're coming from, but the way I see it, we've been given one single chance to get the hell out of her city, and I don't intend to pass up on that chance."

"Even so-"

"No." Flash struck down any notion of protest. "We leave or we die, it is as simple as that. Are you so loyal to the hyenas that you are willing to give your life for them?"

"...No." Gwen grumbled, having to admit that their masters inspired little personal loyalty, before blinking as the looked at his leg. "What's that in your pocket?"

"Hm?" Flash looked down at his pocket, noticing it was bulging outwards ever so slightly, before reaching into it and retrieving a piece of paper in a very distinct shape. "A letter?"

"What does it say?"

"Let me see."

Flash opened the letter, his eyes flitting across the lines of text, before he lowered it again.

"Well shit."

"What is it now?" Gwen asked in a mixture of apprehension and exasperation.

"It's from the Second Owner." Flash mumbled, looking rather out of it. "She, uh… She wants to talk to us before we leave the city."

"Ah…"

"We never should have taken this job." Flash lowered his head, a dark cloud of depression forming over him. "Never should have taken this job."