Chapter 164 - 60.2

It came out more as a question than as a statement, but since the Vice Director hadn't tortured or killed her, or even yelled at her or placed her under immense pressure, she could only conclude that the Queen of the Clocktower was a surprisingly nice person.

Goredolf gave her a disturbed look, before he turned to Rin. The black-haired girl had talked before about how terrifying the Vice Director was, so he hoped for some support from her.

"Lady Barthomeloi certainly is terrifying." Rin repeated what she'd said earlier, making him perk up hopefully. "But that doesn't mean she isn't nice. She promised to protect Ophelia when she didn't have to, and Shirou says she's kind. I trust first impressions, and I trust Shirou, so…"

She didn't have to finish her sentence to make it clear what she wanted to say, and Shirou promptly gave her a high-five, one she eagerly reciprocated.

"…You are all crazy." Goredolf concluded, his voice very serious indeed, before he turned around brusquely, clearly done with them all. "Toole, come! We are leaving. There's nothing more for us here."

"As you say, lord Goredolf." His faithful Homunculus-maid, who had waited patiently and discreetly in a corner of the hall while they had their short conversation, bowed deeply in response to his order, and she remained bowed until her master had stormed past. Then, she rose again, to address Shirou, Rin, and Ophelia. "Please forgive his mannerisms, my lord, my ladies. Ultimately, he means well. Even when he attacked you, lord Sorcerer, and even when he insulted you."

"There is nothing to forgive." Shirou shook his head, giving her a reassuring smile. "I know he acted out of the goodness of his heart when he came to Ophelia's defence in the garage, and his insults were born from confusion, not malice. He is… refreshingly honest."

"Refreshingly honest?" The maid cocked her head to the side, before she smiled as well. "Most would have called him rude or insolent. You argued with him to protect the Vice Director's reputation, but you are surprisingly kind yourself as well, aren't you, lord Fujimaru?"

"Call me Shirou, and I do try to be as nice as I can. I don't know if I always succeed though."

"Stop with the false modesty. Of course you are kind." Rin huffed, rolling her eyes, before she blushed a bit when he gave her a warm smile in return.

"TOOLE!"

"I hope you and my master will have a chance to speak again soon." Upon hearing the cry of her lord, the maid made to leave, but not before giving him one last glance. "He has very few friends, you see, while he is actually quite the social person. He could be a valuable and reliable companion if you gave him a chance."

Then she was off too, leaving Shirou standing in the hall with Rin and Ophelia, the latter of whom clearly had many questions she wanted to ask now that they had a moment alone. Questions that soon slipped out.

"Uhm, please forgive my curiosity, but who are you?" She asked Rin, whom she'd never met or even heard of before.

"My name is Tohsaka Rin, Tohsaka being my family name and Rin my personal name." The black-haired girl replied promptly, turning to the girl while quickly plastering on her idol-smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you, miss Phamrsolone. Or do you prefer Ophelia?"

"O-Ophelia, a-and you don't have to smile like that if you don't want to." The young woman might not be very world-wise or academically schooled, but as a child of two Magi, someone who had been involved often in her parents' affairs, she recognised fake smiles when she saw them, and Rin's smile was fake indeed.

"Yes, quite." Putting on her idol-smile had been a reflex more than a conscious decision, and Rin dropped it immediately. "Sorry about that, I meant no offense. I've just been smiling for so long now that it's become second nature to me."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing." Shirou remarked, reaching out and touching Rin's lips with the tips of his fingers. "I like it when you smile."

"Charmer." Rin smirked.

"I like it when you smirk too."

"Oh, stop it."

"And when you blush."

"I wasn't blushing!"

"I even like it when you're grumpy."

"Stop it!"

Rin was just too much fun to tease, and Shirou gladly indulged, thoroughly enjoying how she squirmed under his barrage of compliments.

That the black-haired girl was secretly enjoying this every bit as much as he did was the cherry on the already-delicious cake.

Poor Ophelia only looked confused at their casual flirting though.

"Are you… Are you lovers?" She asked, pure innocence dripping from every word.

"Yes. Rin is my fiancée."

The term 'girlfriend' held little meaning in the Moonlit World, so Rin and he had decided that they would openly announce their betrothal in an official capacity. To make it clear they were in a romantic relationship, and that he would unconditionally support her in her every action.

"C-Congratulations, b-but what about…?" Ophelia gulped once, glancing over at the office they'd just left, before looking back at the redhead, lowering her voice to a whisper. "What about lady Barthomeloi?"

"Oh, for the love of-!"

The fact that even this sheltered girl had heard of his supposed relationship with Lorelei made Shirou cast his eyes to the ceiling in desperation, unable to answer because he had to suppress a massive groan.

"If she can share, she's welcome too." Rin whispered back though, grinning when the other girl turned a beet red. "Anything else you want to know about us?"

"H-Huh? Oh, well, n-not right now, I think." Ophelia stuttered, shying away from the sordid details.

"No? Then let's talk about you. You're supposed to be in hiding after all, and we're the ones who are going to hide you. Isn't that right, Shirou?"

"It is, but you don't have to get involved if you don't want to, Rin. I made the promise, so it's my responsibility and mine alone."

"Oh, you fool." Rin shook her head, smiling fondly at him. "I'm your soon-to-be wife. It's my duty to support you, and support you I will. We can hide her in our room. We do have a room, don't we?"

"We certainly do. The same room I had last time in fact, in the Department of Modern Magecraft Theories. According to Waver, no one has taken or even entered it while I was away. Even my Bounded Fields are still in place."

It was hardly surprising. Very few individuals were brave or stupid enough to willingly enter the supposed Workshop of a Sorcerer without permission, and Waver wasn't going to allow any of those few individuals anywhere near his Department.

With the sole exception of Flat Escardos, but he was an isolated case.

"Then let's go." The black-haired girl ordered. "The journey to London was easy enough, but with everything that happened afterwards, I'm feeling a bit tired. I think I want to turn in for the night."

It was true that the sun had set quite a while ago, and that the fall-out of the sudden fight in the garage had taken a lot of time and energy. Furthermore, Rin wasn't one for complaining lightly, so when she said she was a bit tired, she meant she was exhausted. Hence, Shirou didn't waste any time in taking her arm to escort her to their room, Ophelia following closely behind.

"Oh, wait!" But the black-haired girl stopped again before they left the Department of Policies, turning to Ophelia. "If you're going to be a wanted woman, we can't have you walking out in the open. One moment."

She fished a gem out of her pocket, one infused with her Magical Energy but not yet attuned to any specific purpose, and muttered a quick spell, before handing it over the brunette.

"This will disguise you." She explained, and when Ophelia took it, her appearance changed indeed.

Her hair became a lighter shade of brown, her facial features became softer and more rounded, her eyes narrowed a tad, and her waistline increased a fair bit.

Just like that, she didn't look like Ophelia Phamrsolone anymore, but like someone else entirely.

"Nice work." Shirou complimented his ever-capable girlfriend.

"It was nothing." She humble-bragged, preening at his praise. "Ah, but do continue telling me how awesome I am."

He did exactly that, whispering sweet compliments into her ear on the walk to their room, with Ophelia trailing after them, doing her best not to listen, unsuccessfully.

When his whispers became sexually tinted however, she could no longer bear it, and she brusquely interrupted him with another question, about something Shirou had said earlier but never elaborated upon.

"Uhm, about what you said earlier, lord Fujimaru." She began loudly, drawing Shirou's attention away from admiring Rin's delectable bottom. "About… A-About, uhm, w-when you said… Uh W-When Lady Barthomeloi… T-That is… When she… A-And you…"

She found formulating the question to be most challenging however, stuttering and halting continuously, until she just fell silent in embarrassment.

Since her parents weren't exactly the most encouraging or permissive of people, Ophelia had long since learned to hold her tongue, to never ask questions, and just do as she was told. Hence, being open to other people was anything but natural for her.

Never before had she spoken up so brazenly to ask a possibly intrusive question, and it showed in how troubled she was.

"You can just call me Shirou, Ophelia." Shirou remained most kind however, slowing his pace. "And take your time. Try to formulate your question in your head before you say it out loud. Don't worry about its contents either, I promise I won't bite."

"That's true. He only bites me, when I ask him to." Rin winked at the brunette in a most salacious manner, and although said brunette gasped in shock, it did ease the tension just enough for her to blurt out her question.

"Did you mean it when you called me a friend earlier?!"

And that was the crux of the matter.

Ophelia, like most young people, was desperate for friends, people whom she could trust and confide in, who shared her hobbies and viewpoints in life, and could help her and be helped by her in turn in the journey to adulthood.

She'd never had a friend though. She didn't have anyone. Not a companion, compatriot, or a rival. Her parents had carefully kept her isolated, with such success that most Magi didn't even know that Gladstone and Hermione had had a child together.

So when Shirou called her his new friend, it made a deep impression on her.

To his credit, the redhead swiftly noticed as much.

"Of course I meant it. Anyone who is willing to go as far as you to bring criminals to justice is a friend of mine. Also, you seem nice enough." If he'd managed to befriend people like Svin and Flat, he could definitely befriend Ophelia, who seemed ten times kinder and a thousand times more polite than those two knuckleheads combined.

"I didn't do it for justice." Too honest for her own good, Ophelia promptly corrected him. "I-I turned in my parents for revenge, f-for what they did to me."

"Ah, but what is justice but another form of revenge?" Rin asked philosophically, before giggling when Shirou gave her a light push against her chin.

"Rin is overgeneralising, but she is not wrong. No matter your motives, you really helped a lot of people with your actions. You're definitely brave, and you have been nothing but kind so far, to everyone. I see absolutely no reason why we can't be friends."

Once again, Ophelia's first instinct was to deny it all. To tell him she wasn't brave, or kind, or worthy of being his friend.

"Nonsense." But she hadn't even spoken yet before Shirou huffed, waving his hand dismissively. "That doubt I see in your eyes, it has no place there. You should just believe me on my word. I'm never wrong about these things."

That made Rin burst out in laughter, and she had a hard time suppressing it, even when he gave her an unimpressed look.

"I… I-I…" Ophelia wanted to believe him, she desperately wanted to, and when she met his eyes again, and he nodded at her without a sliver of doubt, she allowed herself to believe. "T-Thank you, f-for having me."

"No thanks needed. It's a pleasure to have you with us. Now come. We have spent enough time in these halls. It's better if we don't linger for too long, considering the circumstances."

Once at their room, Shirou quickly ushered them inside, before he turned around and applied a few more Bounded Fields and Runes, just to be certain. The chambers had already been a fortress, and now they were even more so.

"I don't think anyone saw us together." He then said, looking a lot more serious than before. "Did you spot anyone looking at us, Rin?"

"No one. We managed to stay hidden on our way here." Rin too had lost her smile, as she carefully inspected the defences for any flaws or holes. "I cannot guarantee it of course, but so far, I think no one but us knows that Ophelia is staying here."

"Let's keep it that way, until you can get your new identity." Shirou told the young woman, who nodded in agreement. "I'm pretty sure I can repel anything the Magi here can throw at us, but I'd rather not put that to the test. For now, you'll have to stay inside when you're not wearing your disguise, until we can speak with Lorelei again."

"I understand." Frankly, being confined to a safe haven, away from her parents and together with her new friends, sounded just fine to Ophelia. Better than fine even. "Is… Is there anything I can do to repay you?"

"Don't worry about that. Just sit down and let me prepare a private room for you. Then I'll see about a simple dinner."

Shirou had been referring to his room in the Department of Modern Magical Theories as just 'a room', but it was much more than that. It actually consisted of multiple rooms linked together. There were two bathrooms, two separate workrooms, and no fewer than four bedrooms, all linked to the central drawing room, where they were now.

Plenty of space for the three of them.

"I'll be sleeping with you." Rin said immediately, receiving a thumbs-up from him in return.

Experienced as he was in householding, Shirou did not need long to prepare everything for the two ladies he now shared his chambers with. From the Vault, he took Rin's and his luggage, as well as general items for Ophelia, which he then put in the correct places. He made the beds, aired the sheets, dusted the furniture, and swept the floors, all in a few moments at most.

Before long, he was back in the drawing room.

"Now then, before I get started with the food, I think it is time for proper introductions." He said, turning to Ophelia. "As you know, my name is Shirou Fujimaru. Fujimaru is of course not my actual name, but it will do for now. My hobbies are cooking and messing around with electronic applications. As for my standing in the Clocktower, I am a Sorcerer and an unofficial member of the Aristocratic Faction."

"My name is Tohsaka Rin, or Rin Tohsaka here in Europe." His girlfriend then took over from him, bowing slightly to Ophelia. "I'm a Second Owner, from Japan, and I came here to learn under the Vice Director, who has most graciously agreed to take me on as her apprentice. I'm also this guy's fiancée. My hobbies are research and I suppose also gossiping."

It wasn't a lot of information, from either of them, but it was enough for now.

"M-My name is Ophelia Phamrsolone." Ophelia was the last to introduce herself, clumsily trying to mimic Rin's bow. "I am… I was a member of the Department of Spiritual Evocation, but I don't think I am anymore. M-My hobbies are…"

"Yes?" Rin gently prompted her when she fell silent.

"I don't really know." She admitted, realising that things such as 'eavesdropping on her parents' and 'enjoying Monday-morning' weren't actually proper hobbies.

"We understand." Fortunately for her, both Shirou and Rin were aware that children in the Moonlit World were often treated as little better than property, so they didn't pry. Instead, the redhead gently patted her shoulder in encouragement. "You'll have plenty of time to find a few once this whole matter has blown over."

"Which will hopefully be sooner rather than later." Rin added, crossing her arms. "Not just for your sake, Ophelia, but also because Shirou and I will be in a lot of trouble if we stay away from home for more than four weeks at most."

"With some luck, Lorelei will be able to see us tomorrow." Shirou assured them. "Maybe it'll take a bit longer if everything goes wrong unexpectedly, but if she takes too long, I'll go and see what's keeping her. I promise."

"Hm." Rin nodded in approval.

"How… How can you be so casual with the Vice Director?" Ophelia on the other hand appeared quite puzzled by nonchalant attitude towards the Queen of the Clocktower, a woman about whom she'd heard many terrible stories.

"With Lorelei? We're friends." Shirou explained, still ever so casually.

"F-Friends? O-Oh, I see." True friendships weren't unheard of in the Magus Association, but it was still rather rare for someone to openly express their true feelings like that. Furthermore, Shirou's claim actually contradicted a few rumours Ophelia had picked up on recently. "So you aren't… courting her?"

"No." Shirou's smile became rather pained, as if he'd had to deny such rumours far too often already. "I already have three girlfriends, so I am most certainly not courting her, nor is she courting me. Believe me, I have noticed nothing of the sort, so it isn't happening."

"Pfft!" That made Rin chortle again, as her drink nearly went down the wrong pipe.

"Alright, that's it!" Her constant laughing had gone too far, and Shirou rose, snatching the black-haired girl right up from her chair and throwing her onto a nearby couch.

"Kya!" Rin's squeak did not sound particularly intimidated though, which was further confirmed by her grin being as wide as ever.

"You are going to stop laughing." Shirou demanded.

"Or what?" She challenged him brazenly, in a way that would have most other Magi running for the hills in fear of being caught up in Shirou's retaliatory strike.

"Or I'll give you something to really laugh about." He threatened her.

"Huh?" Rin blinked in confusion.

"Huh?" Ophelia seconded that.

"Take this!" Then Shirou seized her by her sides, and began tickling her.

"AH!? AHA AHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHA!" Evidently, the black-haired girl was very ticklish, for she laughed uncontrollably in response, twitching and turning every which way in an attempt to get away from his fingers. "AHAHAHAHAH! S-STOP! PLEAAHAHAHAHAHA!"

But Shirou didn't stop. He pinned her down on the couch and continued without remorse, grinning cruelly as Rin frantically writhed and squirmed beneath him, begging for mercy as well as she could. Mercy that wasn't granted.

As for Ophelia, she watched the spectacle with wide eyes, for some reason unable to look away despite the immense intimacy of the moment.

It seemed Sorcerers really did function differently from what she'd expected.

"Hm? Hrrrnnhhmmm… HUH?!"

When he awoke, the first thing Gladstone noticed was his dull headache. An annoying headache, akin to a hangover yet subtly different in a way. As if some tiny man was softly yet consistently hitting the inside of his skull with a miniscule hammer.

It was far from the worst pain he'd ever felt, or even the worst headache, but still, he tried to bring up a hand to rub his temples, to hopefully provide some relief.

Only to find that he couldn't. He couldn't move his limbs at all.

At first, he was only a little surprised and confused, still too groggy to realise what that meant, but then his clarity began to return, and he realised with no small amount of alarm he was not only sitting up on a chair for some reason, but that he was also bound to that very chair.

"W-What?!"

His wrist and ankles had been strapped to the metal frame, so tightly that he couldn't move them at all, while the chair itself had been bolted to the floor. Furthermore, his Magic Circuits were utterly unresponsive, seemingly paralysed to the point where he couldn't cast a single spell.

Looking around, he found himself in a small, inhospitable chamber that seemed an awful lot like an interrogation room, with nothing and no one in sight that could help him.

Confusion was rapidly replaced by panic when every attempt to free himself ended in failure, and when he finally understood he was completely stuck, his memories of the previous day returned in a flash.

He remembered how his trading with the Dead Apostle Ancestors had been discovered and he'd fled his Workshop with his wife and daughter. He remembered making his way to the garage, and he remembered feeling hopeful when they'd almost reached the car.

But then, the new Sorcerer had appeared, after which everything had suddenly gone black.

One did not need to be a genius to work out he had been captured, and considering how close the new Sorcerer was to the Vice Director, he was now almost definitely in the hold of the Department of Policies.

Where traitors went to die.

Gladstone's heart rate soared, cold sweat broke out on his back, and he began breathing faster and faster, until he came close to hyperventilating in sheer panic.

"Finally awake?"

He froze stiff however when the door swung open and a man walked in, the last few vestiges of his pride not allowing him to show such weakness to another Magus. Even though he was utterly terrified, his very instincts forced him to bury that fear in a flash.

The newcomer was tall and thin, with slightly gaunt features, a prominent nose, heavy eyebrows, and a bald head that had been covered in various blue tattoos. He could have been called handsome by people with below-average standards, but Gladstone couldn't care less about that right now.

"Who are you?" He demanded, with all the natural-born authority that a lord of his stature and importance possessed. "Why have you imprisoned me? I order you to release me at once!"

"I am doctor Kix, head physician of the medical team of the Department of Policies and senior researcher." The bald man replied stoically, not showing any of the deference that Gladstone was due. "You have been imprisoned because of your crimes against humanity. You will not be released."

Gladstone's blood turned to ice in his veins at the dismissive response, but he still didn't let it show on his face. If he showed weakness now, he was doomed.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I want to speak to-"

"Save your arguments and protests for people who care." Doctor Kix interrupted him most rudely. "Lady Barthomeloi wants me to put you to the question to find out who your accomplices are, so that is what I will do."

It was as if a spike of ice was stabbed right into Gladstone's spine. Policies was famous for their insanely effective methods of interrogation, and to be subjected to those methods was a nightmare come true.

It was almost enough to make him cough up everything he knew, especially since he felt no loyalty whatsoever towards either the Dead Apostle Ancestors or his supposed accomplices. They had been business partners, but nothing more.

However, at the same time, his dislike of Policies ran deep, and his pride remained unbroken, so just rolling over for this gaunt doctor like an obedient dog didn't appeal to his sensibilities at all.

Terror was practically racing through his veins, but for all his faults, Gladstone was still a First-Rate Magus, who excelled at ignoring his own emotions, especially those based on fear. To be a Magus was to walk with death after all.

"If you're going to torture me, do your worst." He said eventually, setting his jaw in a show of conviction. "I am not scared of you. My pride goes beyond any pain."

"A lot of men think that, until the pain starts." The doctor smirked tiredly, continuing to be infuriatingly indifferent. "But I'm not going to torture you. Torture fouls interrogation. I have long disliked it, and fortunately, lady Barthomeloi has come to progressively see things my way. She has given me a lot of freedom for this one, provided I obtain the information she wants."

"I am still not going to give you anything."

"Not even for your family's sake?"

"…?"

"You are going down, Gladstone, that is inevitable at this point. Perhaps you are even fine with that, if you took a calculated risk." Doctor Kix said, ignoring Gladstone's spluttered demand to be addressed by his proper title rather than his first name. "But your wife and your daughter, did you intend for them to go down with you?"

"H-Hermione and Ophelia didn't know anything about my crimes. Never did."

"Normally, that wouldn't matter. I fear that Policies doesn't see ignorance as innocence. You messed up, Gladstone, completely and utterly, and not only have you doomed yourself, but your family as well. Your legacy will soon be nothing but dust." Both men knew that crimes of such magnitude as Gladstone's were enough to get entire families wiped out, to have them consigned to oblivion, and it could not be more obvious that Gladstone's resolve started wavering already. "But it doesn't have to be that way. Lady Barthomeloi is willing to be quite merciful. Your family and your name can still live on, even after you are gone, provided you cooperate."

"The… The Neutral Faction! T-They'll come for me! They won't stand for this blatant tyranny!"

"Come for you?" For the first time, a glint of humour appeared in doctor Kix's eyes. "Yes, they'll come for you and yours alright. I doubt it will be to free you though, once they hear that you sold them out to the Dead Apostle Ancestors."

"W-What?"

"They don't know yet of your capture, but once it does become known, lady Barthomeloi and lady Montmorency will make it very clear precisely why you were arrested. They'll break the habit of a lifetime of secrecy and expose every sordid detail of this affair. Tell me, Gladstone, will your allies still come to free you? Or will I return one day to find you committed suicide by stabbing yourself in the back forty times?"

"T-That won't… It's not like that…"

"I am your only hope, Gladstone. Your family's only hope, and the only way through you can preserve even a sliver of your precious legacy." Doctor Kix stressed once more, before he rose from his chair. "Think about that for a while. I have a few rather demanding rabbits I need to take care of, so I'll return in a few hours, with some food and drink. I hope you'll have made the right choice by then."

"W-Wait! You can't just leave-!"

But he did. The doctor left without another word, closing the door behind him and leaving Gladstone alone in the silent, inhospitable room.

Defiance was his first response. He cursed at the empty room, loudly declaring his will to continue resisting the damned cunt who thought she could jerk him around without consequences.

Anger was present too, anger at Policies for daring to interfere with his business like that, and anger at himself for being so powerless in the face of it.

Worry and fear for his own fate and that of his family only fuelled that anger, and threatened to turn it into an ugly hate. Hate for those who dared to humiliate him.

However, after two hours of being alone and in the dark, both literally and figuratively, that defiance and anger began to reach their end. Gladstone was ultimately a rational person, not an emotional one, so his brain couldn't help but start considering his options.

And when seen rationally, accepting the doctor's offer was far and away the best of those options.

Neither the Neutral Faction nor the Dead Apostle Ancestors would come to free him. The former because he betrayed them and the latter because he was of no more use to them. If they'd bother with him at all, it would only be to kill him.

To kill his family.

Lady Barthomeloi was as good as her word though, everyone knew that, and if she promised to be merciful towards his family in exchange for information, she would indeed be merciful.

His legacy could still endure, even if he wouldn't be around to see it.

Gladstone liked to think of himself as a practical person, though many would have called him mercenary, cowardly, disloyal, and capricious instead. After thinking about it calmly, he saw no reason to die or suffer for the Dead Apostle Ancestors. Certainly not when they wouldn't do the same for him.

Pride was good and well, but it shouldn't get in the way of his goals. That would be putting the cart before the horse.

His dislike of Policies and its dogs was as strong as ever, but as said before, Gladstone was a First-Rate Magus, and more than used to ignoring such inconvenient emotions.

Not long after, he made his final decision.

"I'm back, and I brought some grub." As if sensing the shift in the situation, doctor Kix then returned with a tray full of bread, butter, and cheese, which he placed in front of Gladstone. "You have probably noticed that your Magic Circuits aren't functional here, so don't try anything stupid after I've released you."

With a wave of his hand, the bindings on Gladstone's wrists and ankles loosened, allowing the fallen noble to eat his fill.

Which he did. He promptly started gorging himself on the food, rather hungry after not eating anything for nearly twenty-four hours.

Only when he was done did he look back at the doctor, swallowing his pride like he'd swallowed the bread.

"I gave the information to Stanrobe Calhin, the Duke of Predation." He revealed, and doctor Kix nodded, making a note of it. "I wasn't alone either. Haruri Borzak and a fellow who called himself 'Doctor Heartless' were always there too."

"Haruri Borzak?" Doctor Kix's eyes widened considerably at the name. "And Doctor Heartless?"

His surprise was warranted. Haruri Borzak was the main apprentice of Inorai Valualeta Atroholm, one of the leaders of the Democratic Faction, while Doctor Heartless was the former head of the Department of Modern Magical Theories, which was now headed by Lord El-Melloi II.

These were big names indeed, just like Gladstone's own, and not the kind of people you'd expect to see working with the Dead Apostle Ancestors.

"I can assure you they were with me every step of the way." Gladstone swore, placing a hand on his heart in a mocking show of sincerity. "Why, they should be arrested immediately, just like me."

Even as he said so however, he knew things wouldn't be nearly that easy. Doctor Heartless already had several killing orders against him for various other crimes, many of them quite atrocious, but no one had managed to track him down so far. Haruri Borzak on the other hand was easily found, but was also nearly off-limits, being the apprentice of Atroholm and thus well ingrained with the top-brass of the Democratic Faction. Not like Gladstone, who'd been nothing more than an inoffensive figurehead for the Neutrals, but properly ingratiated with the bigwigs of her faction.

Bringing her to justice would require some extremely careful politicking, especially since some voices in the Clocktower were already whispering that Policies was fabricating accusations against lady Barthomeloi's enemies, which this would just seem to be the latest incarnation of.

Giving out information turned out to be surprisingly fun. Gladstone actually felt in control again as he made his interrogator squirm in response to his revelations, and he could even imagine how he'd give the Vice Director many sleepless nights.

It was a tiny silver lining on a massive, pitch-black cloud, but a silver lining all the same. He should be happy with what he could get at this point.

It made the bread and cheese taste all the sweeter indeed.

"I have more names for you though." He grinned, feeling no compunction whatsoever anymore about spilling his guts. "I hope you've got lots of paper, because you're going to need it."

"This is the cafeteria where I ate most of my meals the previous time I was here." Shirou told his audience, which at the moment consisted of only Rin and Ophelia, both of whom were hanging on his every word, if for different reasons. "They have good food for decent prices, and the staff are very friendly, yet still appropriately professional. Waver and Lorelei, or I should say, lord El-Melloi and lady Barthomeloi, were also quite positive about this place, and let me tell you, they aren't satisfied easily."

It was the day after he and Rin had arrived at the Clocktower, after Gladstone and Hermione Phamrsolone had been arrested and Ophelia had come to bunk with them. They'd all had a good night's sleep in spite of all the hecticness, and Shirou made sure to serve a hearty breakfast in the morning, which was followed by a tour of the Clocktower, just like Grey had done for him when he had first arrived. Just a quick show of the highlights, coupled with his own favourite spots and recommendations.

Since it was Rin's first time at the headquarters of the Magus Association, she eagerly drank in everything he told her, and quite frankly, so did Ophelia. Even though the young woman had lived in the Clocktower for most of her life, she had never gone anywhere except her family's Workshop, office, or living quarters. Everything beyond that was as new to her as it was to Rin.

Of course, since Ophelia could very well be a wanted woman, or was about to become one at least, they couldn't have her go around as herself. As such, she was still holding on to the gem that Rin had given her, which changed her appearance considerably. It should be enough to make her unrecognisable, and on top of that, Rin did her best to place herself between Ophelia and anyone getting too close to them, just in case.

The early hour and the subsequent lack of other people certainly helped with that.

"It also helps that this cafeteria is quite close to the dormitories of the Department of Modern Magecraft Theories, and thus, our room." He went on praising the establishment. "I must warn you though that it is close to a few other departments as well, so you might get several different factions eating here at the same time. That could get a bit awkward."

"Understood. Does that mean that all Magi who stay at the Clocktower have to eat at places such as this?" Rin didn't seem too enthusiastic about that. Even though Shirou, and thus by extension she as well, was very rich, she was still quite miserly, and generally preferred home-cooked meals to food made in a restaurant.

Especially when it was Shirou's home-cooked meals.

"Not at all. Most dormitories have their own kitchen, ours included, and besides, many Magi actually live outside of the Clocktower, in their own houses." He replied, digging into his memory for the precise figures that Waver had given him. "It is actually estimated that Magi own quite a lot of the real estate in London and its surroundings. They travel to the Clocktower when they have business here, and otherwise stay at home. The only ones who do live inside the Clocktower itself are those who come from far away, such as you and me, Rin, and those who have made a permanent base here for convenience."

"Such as the Phamrsolone-family." Ophelia helpfully added.

"Clearly. So that means that if a certain Finnish family were to stay here, they would stay at a dormitory?"

"Correct, and since they are allied with the Democratic Faction, they'd mostly likely stay at the Department of General Fundamentals." Shirou confirmed, not needing any more detail to figure out she was talking about the Edelfelt. "Which is very far away from our dormitory, in case you were wondering."

"I'm glad to hear that."

That settled matters on the topic of dormitories and places to eat, and Shirou then showed the girls the marketplace, where various merchants and families were plying their trade, and the communal garden, which had been planted by the Department of Botany for their own use centuries ago, but had long since been released to the public.

Especially the former was of interest to Rin, who had been looking for a way to sell more of her gems. Shirou's Vault was practically overflowing with the things, and he'd given so many of them to the black-haired girl that even she didn't know what to do with them anymore. Selling them was the most logical solution in light of that.

Eventually, when they'd passed all the highlights, the trio doubled back and returned to Shirou's favourite cafeteria, where he treated the girls to lunch. After that, Rin stood up again to excuse herself for a bit.

"I'll nip back to the market for a moment and see if I can rent a stall." She explained when she saw Shirou's questioning gaze.

"Do you want me to come along?"

"You don't have to hold my hand all the time. I can manage this much by myself." She huffed, though her smile took any possible sting out of her words. "I'll stay in the public spaces, I'll watch my back, and if anything goes wrong, I'll scream as loudly as I can."

"Alright. Ophelia and I will wait here for you. I have a few things I need to discuss with her anyway."

"You do?"

The young woman looked awfully worried again, and while Shirou tried to reassure her, Rin went back to the marketplace, to see if she could find any written instructions on how to rent a stall or perhaps even someone who seemed to be in charge of the place.

She didn't get very far however before her search was rudely interrupted.

Just as she was crossing the main hall, having barely left Shirou's sight, the heavy doors of one of the Clocktower's entrances were thrown wide open, and with a lot of pompous flair, three individuals walked inside, momentarily capturing everyone's attention.

The first of them, walking in front, was a gorgeous girl of about Rin's age, with long, blonde hair, a flowing, blue dress, and haughty features that were even further accentuated by her smug, little smile. Her hair was done up in coils that must have taken hours to style properly, while she carried a small handbag decorated with various gems in her right hand and an ivory umbrella in her left. Both items seemed more valuable than the average house, yet the lady carried them around like they were mere trinkets.

Behind and to the right of her, a large, black man was peering around the hall, evidently looking for anything that might threaten his mistress. With his imposing stature, clean-shaven head, and three-piece suit, he couldn't have looked more like a stereotypical bodyguard if he'd tried. Still, stereotypical did not mean amateurish or incompetent, and he seemed strong enough.

On the lady's other side, Rin could see a smaller, elderly gentleman who looked more like a butler, carrying two suitcases in both hands. His excessive amount of facial hair made it a bit difficult to see his expression, but he seemed to be watching his mistress for any sign that she wanted something from him. By all accounts, he looked rather harmless.

Rin wasn't so easily fooled though. Her instincts, honed after years of living together with Kirei and later Shirou, both of whom also didn't seem very dangerous at first glance, warned her in no uncertain terms that the butler was clearly the most dangerous of the three. Undoubtedly, he was also scanning the hall for any possible threat, just like his younger colleague, and stood ready to take care of whatever problems might crop up. He was just much less obvious about it.

In any case, their entrance was quite flamboyant, and the lady did not make the rookie mistake of looking around the hall afterwards to see if everyone was suitably impressed. Instead, she marched on, like she didn't give a damn about what people thought of her, which brought her straight into Rin's path.

Seeing how haughty the young lady looked, the black-haired girl expected to be brushed aside or ignored at best, but the blonde girl surprised her by stopping right in front of her.

For a moment, Rin considered walking away without a word. She was alone now after all, and although she was hardly defenceless, she wasn't obtuse enough not to acknowledge that without Shirou at her side, the odds were decidedly not tilted in her favour.

Should this devolve into a fight, it would be three against one, putting her at a major disadvantage on unfamiliar territory, surrounded by people who would be indifferent at best and hostile at worst. She did have several tricks up her sleeve, but while those might be enough to avail her against the lady and the big bodyguard if she was incredibly lucky, the butler was a different story. Should this actually end in battle, running away while screaming her head off was definitely her best option here.

But then, she might be making a mountain out of a molehill. The blonde woman hardly seemed hostile after all, and it was unlikely she'd try anything in the middle of the Clocktower's main hall. Furthermore, Rin had been raised all her life to value elegance and politeness. As long as someone hadn't harmed her in some way, it was improper to ignore them or attack them.

It could also not be discounted that the blonde's cleavage was most impressive, and the blue dress was sufficiently tight to hint at all the curves underneath. Appearances mattered, whether people wanted to admit it or not, and the blonde was gorgeous indeed. Gorgeous enough that she deserved a chance to explain herself.

In the end, Rin made a split-second decision to hear the other girl out, though she kept her spells and a cry for help ready on her lips. If the worst came to the worst, Shirou was only one call away.

"Good morning." The blonde girl smiled, still looking quite haughty, though not unkind, before she looked around the hall with a discerning look, as if passing judgement on the place. "So this is the famous Clocktower, headquarters of the Magus Association? How… quaint."

"Isn't it just?" Rin smirked, recognising the subtle taunt for what it was. "Yes, you successfully managed to find your way here. Well done, you big girl, you. Have yourself a lollipop."

"Oho ho ho, nice." The noble lady evidently approved of Rin's verbal counter, grinning widely as she held out her hand in greeting. "Luvia's the name. Savour it when you say it out loud."

"Rin." The black-haired girl introduced herself in turn, not as bothered by the lack of family names as she was by the outstretched hand. She was far from familiar with the proper European decorum, but she got the sense that just shaking it was probably not the correct response. In the end, she decided to play it safe and copy what she'd seen people do on tv. "Charmed to meet you."

She took the hand and brought it up slightly, lowering her head to brush her lips against Luvia's knuckles, as was proper when meeting noble ladies.

It turned out to be the wrong response though, she saw that immediately in Luvia's surprised look, but fortunately, the other girl let it pass without comment, even if her bodyguards had tensed at the unusual behaviour, seeing a possible threat.

"Tell me, Rin, are you familiar with the Clocktower?"

"I'm afraid not, Luvia. I only arrived yesterday. I can't help you with anything but the most basic layout."

"Perhaps that is enough. I am looking for the Department of General Fundamentals or, alternatively, the marketplace."

"I haven't found the Department of General Fundamentals yet, but I was actually on my way to the marketplace myself." Rin wasn't quite sure whether she should help this girl, whom she didn't know at all, but she was so polite and pleasant to talk with that she couldn't bring herself to lie and dismiss her. "You can come along if you want. It's not far from here."

"Capital!"

The next moment, they were on their way already, and Rin found herself nearly swept up in the blonde storm.

"You have probably figured out by now that this is my first time visiting the headquarters of the Magus Association. I am really quite excited to be here. Of course, I mainly came to advance my Magecraft and do some research into this and that, but I have a few great plans to reach the Root too, and if I can make a few alliances here and there, I won't pass them up either. Ah, but since you're bringing me to the marketplace, I guess it's not a secret anymore that I want to trade some stuff as well. There's really so much to do in so little time. What do you think?"

"What do I think?" Rin blinked once, before she narrowed her eyes at the other girl in irritation. "I think you talk and talk and talk, but you say very little. You give the illusion of openness so that I feel obliged to respond in kind, but you actually keep your cards close to your chest. You're a shrewd one, Luvia."

"Ho ho ho! Right back at you, Rin." Luvia grinned, the thin pretence of blonde innocence falling away at once as she didn't even bother to deny it. "I'm glad to see the first person I met here at the Clocktower is no fool."

"And I'm glad to see you're enjoying yourself. However, if everything that comes out of your mouth is just going to be idle chatter and mind-games, I'd prefer it if you stayed silent. I'm not in the mood, nor do I have the time, to match wits right now."

"Can't match what you don't have." Luvia quipped, before holding up her hands in surrender when Rin glared at her. "Sorry, sorry, that was the last one, I promise. I won't say anything anymore."

"Don't exaggerate. I'm not saying you can't talk at all. I just don't want any more games. Play them with the other politicians if you want, but I have no stake in this. You say you came here to do research and to learn? So did I, and I intend to take it seriously."

"Of course." To her credit, Luvia seemed to understand Rin's point, inclining her head in acceptance. "I apologise. I let my nerves get the better of me and treated you like a potential enemy when I should have treated you like a potential friend. Will you give me another chance?"

"Of course, you seem pleasant enough, as long as we keep our conversation at least mostly sincere."

"Understood. Allow me to be frank then. Why are you going to the marketplace? I'm not asking for some kind of ulterior motive, I'm just curious."

"I want to see if it's possible for me to open a stand there myself for a few days. What about you?"

"I know a few people there, people I want to talk to." The reply was a bit vague, but that was fine. Rin didn't mind vague, as she understood that Luvia had secrets of her own. "Also, I want to see for myself what the stands have on offer. I'm looking for a few specific resources."

"Which resources?"

"Mind your business." Luvia's smile didn't shrink in the slightest after the rebuke, nor did Rin's. "Ah, but I suppose I can tell you one of them is gems."

"Gems?"

"Hardly surprising, I know. Everyone and their mother is looking for them these days, though you can't find them anywhere anymore." This time, Luvia's smile did fall, making place for a hint of frustration, a frustration that Rin knew very well and instantly made her feel a kinship with the girl. "I have to try though. Ah, but please don't tell me we are going to be rivals now? Are you after gems too?"

"Hardly." Rin huffed, rather amused at the sheer coincidence. "Rather, we might be able to do business together."

"Business?"

"You want to buy gems, I want to sell them." Rin explained, before taking a small pouch out of the pocket of her sweater. "I have some right here-"

The black-haired girl suddenly realised she was talking to an empty space, as Luvia had frozen stiff a few paces back, her bodyguards stopping accordingly, and she turned back to face the noble girl.

"Luvia?"

"How much?" The blonde didn't waste time on pleasantries, instead going straight to the negotiation.

"Uhm, let me see." Rin had already done some market-research, determining a fair sum in accordance with the prices from before the gem-crisis, and she fished a pre-made price tag out of the pouch, showing it to the blonde. "This much for the lot of them."

"Deal."

The next moment, Luvia placed a huge pile of cash into Rin's hands, a fair bit more than the actual price, before snatching up the gems like they were a worm and she was a starving bird, smiling like she'd found water in the desert.

It seemed a bit excessive to behave like that, but Rin understood. She knew like no other how vexing and despair-inducing it could be to search for gems and not find any. Still, there was one thing that did confuse her.

"Why do you carry this much money around?" It really was a lot, to the point where she almost struggled to keep hold of it all.

"For emergencies." Luvia replied as if it were only natural, taking one of the gems out of the pouch to admire it in the light, before she turned back to Rin. "Are you selling these because you are in financial trouble?"

"Certainly not. I am selling them because I recently obtained a huge number of them and decided to sell the ones I don't use."

"Tch. So I can't get more of them out of you for lower prices."

"Oi! You could at least try to hide your disappointment that I'm not bankrupt!"

"Tch."

"Oi!"

Rin shook her head in sheer disbelief over how much of a handful the blonde seemed to be, and then shot her bodyguards a pitying look, which they both expertly ignored.

"If you have any more gems, sell them to me directly." Luvia implored her, looking ready to grab her by the shoulders.

"I refuse. Others should get a chance as well to obtain the resources they need."

"Is this about the price? Because I can pay you more than this if you want, more than almost anyone else. No need for some kind of public auction."

"It's not about the price, it's about fairness."

"Fairness? Why should we Magi care about fairness?"

"You don't have to care if you don't want to, but I certainly do. If you want more gems, you can buy them at my future-stand at the marketplace, just like everyone else."

"…Fine." Rin drew a line in the sand and she maintained it, and to her credit, Luvia understood quickly that Rin wouldn't budge. "I look forward to visiting your stand then. Keep a few gems back for me."

"That at least I can promise." Rin laughed, before she gestured to the side with her head. "Now come on. We have to get to the marketplace and we've wasted enough time already."

She was of course entirely right in saying that. What should have been a quick trip to obtain some information had turned into a right mess the moment Luvia had appeared, taking close to half-an-hour while it should have taken no more than a few minutes.

The black-haired girl couldn't bring herself to get mad about it though. Luvia was an amusing person, someone whom Rin felt a surprising connection with, so the time they'd spent together didn't feel like wasted time at all, in spite of what she claimed.

There were limits though, so Rin quickly dragged the blonde along to their destination, where they soon parted ways again.

The black-haired girl managed to obtain a leaflet detailing everything she should do to open a stand of her own, while Luvia managed to find her allies, who were going to take her to the Department of General Fundamentals.

"Thank you for your help, Rin." Luvia professed her gratitude, as she well should after everything Rin had done for her. "I look forward to seeing you again."

"Good luck with your business, Luvia. Until next time." Rin smiled back, but after Luvia turned around and left, she didn't yet leave herself, but lingered a bit, to watch the other girl walk away.

The sway of the blonde's hips was simply divine, and the fact that she didn't even seem to realise it only made it better. She was a bombshell, there was no doubt about that, and Rin did indeed wish they'd meet again, if only to subtly oogle her further.

She was a terrible pervert after all.

"I'm finally back!" Caren practically cried as she stormed into the Emiya-estate, dropping her suitcases the moment she crossed the doorpost and generating the kind of racket in the late evening that would have made the neighbours angry if the Bounded Fields hadn't smothered all the noise.

"Welcome home, lady Caren." Sella stood ready to catch the luggage however, smoothly scooping them up before they even hit the floor, with a grace that was simply inhuman. "Lady Ayako and lady Sakura are currently in the drawing room."

"And Shirou?"

"I am afraid that lord Shirou and lady Rin have departed for London already. They left yesterday."

"Bummer, though I suppose I can't say it comes as a surprise." Caren had already known that yesterday had been the departure date, but it didn't cost anything to hope there might have been a slight delay in their plans. No such luck though. "I'll be in the drawing room too then."

"Very good, my lady."

Though she'd lost most of her initial momentum, Caren still zipped into the living room with considerable speed, practically bursting inside. Neither Sakura nor Ayako seemed surprised to see her though, probably because they'd heard her coming.

"Welcome back, Caren." Sakura happily greeted the white-haired nun, smiling beautifully at her. "How was the conference?"

"Horrible, though perhaps not quite as bad as I feared." She'd met up with Ciel there after all, whom she hadn't seen or spoken to for over a year, and seeing the adorable Executor again had been a welcome distraction from the dull slog that otherwise permeated the summit. "I met an old friend, whom I still get along with quite well, so we spent most of the week together."

Amusingly enough, Ciel had been just as happy to hang out with Caren as vice versa. The formerly immortal Executor wasn't exactly popular in the Burial Agency either, being too different for most of them to accept. Hence, she had agreed to stick with the white-haired nun, despite being the frequent target of pranks, jokes, and teases at her hands.

Normally, Caren would have made an effort to tone down her bullying, if only because she tremendously appreciated Ciel's presence, but the news that the prickly, grumpy, and moody Executor had actually managed to get herself a man had been so surprising and wonderful that the floodgates of teasing could not possibly be closed anymore.

Looking back, she'd definitely been excessively cruel to the poor girl, but Caren felt bad about it now, and that made it okay. The doctrine of the Church said so.

"That is good to hear." Sakura was blissfully unaware however of the cruelties that Caren had heaped upon her poor friend, so she let out a small sigh of relief that the nun hadn't spent the whole week alone. "And did they discuss anything interesting at the conference? Anything of note?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. Hell and damnation, our shared hatred for all inhuman beings, death to Magi and Sorcerers, and our plans for the massacres we're about to commit. After that, we spent a while talking about how much we despise Shirou Fujimaru in particular, how the Moon Princess should die a fiery death, and whether we'll have forty or forty-one Holy Days the coming year."

The near-banality of the last talking point made Sakura blink in confusion, but Ayako seemed rather wroth with Caren's colleagues. Justly so, of course.

"No offence, Caren, but I think I like your coworkers even less now than I did before." The brunette frowned, getting up from the couch, where she'd been resting her weary head on Sakura's lap. "Unless you're just winding us up?"

"No offence taken, and no, I'm not winding you up at all. Hatred and vile were spewed everywhere and the xenophobia was off the charts."

"That must have been terrible." The brunette muttered, a note of pity appearing in her eyes.

"It was truly excruciating, but it could have been worse." Caren did her best to smile laconically like Shirou always did, showing that she endured despite the pain she'd suffered. "The rank and file were… zealous, as always, but at least the bishops and Cardinals made an effort to present a more reasonable front."

"Remind me again, the bishops and Cardinals were the bigwigs in the Church, right?"

"Yes. They are the spiritual leaders, who direct the flock in the name of the Pope, who is God's voice on Earth." Caren explained patiently. While this was all common knowledge in Europe, it wasn't so in Japan, so a quick reminder was never amiss. "They are aware of the Burial Agency's existence and often contribute to its cause, but they are proper Catholics too. They practice and preach moderation, even towards the hated enemy."

"Oh, well, that's something at least, right?" Sakura perked up hopefully, and Caren was almost sorry, and shamefully delighted, to crush that hope again.

"That doesn't mean you should tempt fate. Based on previous experiences, I'd say that Shirou should avoid associating with them at all costs if he doesn't want to be burned at the stake. It really would be for the best if he kept his distance from Vatican City, or Italy in general, for the coming… forever, basically."

"Noted." Sakura was evidently disappointed, largely on Shirou's behalf, as the redhead had often expressed the hope of maintaining at least a cordial relationship with the Burial Agency, but she didn't let it bother her too much. "Did you learn anything else while you were in Tokyo?"

"No, not really. Just some stuff I already knew." They had been summoned to the meeting in order to discuss the Night of the Broken Moon after all, an event that Caren knew more about than even the highest ranking members of the Burial Agency, purely by virtue of being close to Shirou.

"Wait, so if I understand you correctly, you spent an entire week at the conference, just to hear things you already knew?" Now Sakura looked at Caren with clear pity too, and the nun froze in fear and alarm. "Forgive me for saying this, Caren, but it rather sounds like you've had a wasted week."

"Whaaaaat?! No, not at all, silly! I have… I've had…"

Caren did her utmost to think of something worthwhile, anything useful she'd learned or done at the summit, anything that would mean she hadn't lost an entire week of the happiest time of her life for nothing, but she came up short at every angle.

Lord Above, Sakura was right!

Nothing of value had been discussed, no interesting facts had come by, and she'd learned absolutely nothing new. It had just been a lot of petulant complaining and murderous grumbles from supposedly devout types that could be summarised in three sentences at most.

"…Ahahahahaha."

The realisation came paired with a wave of exhaustion suddenly washing over her, and she sagged, all remaining strength leaving her limbs in a flash, and the only reason she didn't fall flat on her face was because Ayako quickly caught her.

"Whoa there!"

"Alright, you're getting dinner and a bath, and then it is off to bed with you." Sakura ordered as she got up and made for the kitchen, taking charge of the situation. "Ayako, can you take care of the bath? Ask Sella to help you if needed. I'll prepare something light to eat."

"Sure thing." The brunette nodded, shifting the nun's body until she was half-supporting and half-carrying her.

"You don't need to do that." Caren shook her head, trying to get back to her feet. "It was just a… a…"

"A sure sign that you've pushed yourself to exhaustion." Ayako finished for her, frog marching her to the bath hall. "Come on. We can talk more tomorrow. For now, you have deserved your rest, surviving that ordeal intact. From what I heard, you've been working hard."

"…I have indeed been working hard." Listening to endless complaining and hatred without blowing her top was hard work indeed, no one with any sense would deny that, least of all someone as actively-minded as the brunette. "I also didn't tell anyone about Shirou. I've kept everyone's secrets, I promise. I didn't have to lie to my superiors, because they didn't talk to me, but if they had, I would have lied to them, definitely."

"You are a marvel, Caren." Ayako grinned at her, meaning every word she said, and the heartfelt compliment pleasantly scratched a certain itch in the nun's brain. An itch she very much wanted to have scratched again.

"Please compliment me more." She almost demanded without an ounce of shame.

"You're a star for making it back here in one piece." The brunette indulged her. "You're an excellent spy. I bet they never suspected your true allegiance for a second."

"Of course not." Caren would have puffed out her chest in pride had the situation allowed it.

"You're the woman of the hour. Your steadfastness is only matched by your wit and guile. It is clear we can rely on you when it counts."

Especially that last compliment really hit the spot, and Caren almost shivered in delight, the strength leaving her legs again for a completely different reason than exhaustion.

Ayako continued to whisper sweet compliments into her ear while helping her into the bath, and she even assisted Caren with washing her back and combing her hair. Together, it made for an outright divine experience, which was a term that the nun did not use lightly.

The meal Sakura had prepared for her in the meantime was simply divine too, just the right balance between fat and healthy that she'd craved after seven days of mass-produced sandwiches and cheap salads. A home-cooked meal that would make any of her coworkers green with jealousy.

She really was being spoiled, and if this was the reward she could expect after attending a conference, she might have to attend a few more. She was a glutton for punishment, mainly because of her inborn talent, but there was nothing wrong with being pampered either.

After she'd been put to bed, Caren only had a few seconds of thought left before sleep claimed her. In those few seconds, she prayed, thanking the Lord for the blessings He'd suddenly heaped upon her.

She didn't know what she'd done to deserve them, but she hoped they would never end.

After completing the tour of the Clocktower with Ophelia and Rin, Shirou had brought the girls back to their room, where they both chose to stay. Ophelia was still supposed to be in hiding after all, and frankly, she'd had enough of open spaces for one day, while Rin wanted to prepare for the impending meeting with Lorelei and had thus shut herself away in one of the vacant rooms to practice her Magecraft a little bit more.

Shirou had gone out again though, not because of any pressing issues or impending disasters this time, but because of something much more pleasant.

He wanted to see some old friends again.

Granted, it had only been several months since he last saw them, which wasn't terribly long in the grand scheme of things, but it was long enough to miss them, and now that he had the opportunity to visit them, he wasn't going to pass it up.

Naturally, the one at the top of his list was none other than his first ally and now greatest confidant in the Clocktower, the only man to know his real name and all the history that came with it.

Waver Velvet.

If someone had told Shirou a year ago that he'd become fast friends with one of his father's enemies from the Fourth Holy Grail War, he'd have been surprised and confused, unable to envision how such a thing could possibly happen.

It had happened though, through a series of events even he was hard-pressed to fully recount, and he was all the happier for it. Sufficiently so that he highly anticipated seeing Waver again, in no small part because he wanted to see how the man was doing.

Over the past months, while Shirou had been fighting Ancestors and lounging around at school, Waver had faced his own challenges, which were no lesser than Shirou's own. He was now the lord of three Departments, two of which were infested with enemy infiltrators, was betrothed to a woman he barely knew, and played a central role in the Aristocratic Faction as one of its most important members. He was probably busier than ever, and had more responsibility piled onto him than he ever wanted or asked for.

Knowing him, he was handling it well nonetheless, albeit with a lot of groaning, complaining, and grumbling, but even so, it was only polite to check in every once in a while. That was what friends did for each other.

Actually getting to Waver was harder than expected though. Shirou had already been proud of himself for remembering that the lord had moved from the Department of Modern Magecraft Theories to the Department of Mineralogy, mostly out of political considerations, but he failed to account for the fact that being more important also meant having more guards in place.

A veritable host of them stood between the entrance of Mineralogy and Waver's office, and although his rank of Sorcerer and friendship with Waver made it easier for him to get past them than for most, they still caused considerable delay.

Not that he was angry about that. It was wonderful that Waver had managed to find people who'd even block a True Magician's way for the sake of their lord's safety. Those were exactly the kind of guards one needed to stay alive in this shark pool. The redhead wholly approved, and allowed himself to be searched for weapons or other dangerous tools without protest.

The only thing he was a bit sorry about was the fact that he wouldn't be able to surprise Waver anymore, as the guards had undoubtedly sent word ahead, but that was a minor matter. Nothing worth getting upset about.

"Is Waver in a meeting right now?" Shirou asked when several guards halted him again, not ten metres away from his destination.

"No." One of the guards responded, while doing a cursory check for weapons or active curses. "He is expecting you."

"Very good." Once he was cleared for the final time, Shirou walked on to the door of the office, and although he was apparently expected, he nevertheless still knocked, if only to make sure that Grey wouldn't pull out Rhongomyniad and blast him for being an intruder.

"Enter."

He immediately received permission to come inside, from a voice he recognised right away as Waver's, and he opened the door, unable to suppress the smile on his face.

"Shirou!" The first one to greet him wasn't Waver however, or even Grey, but Flat Escardos instead. The boy looked as frail as ever, with his unhealthily pale complexion, his excessively thin limbs, and his pale blonde hair that only made him look even more emaciated, but there was no denying the wide grin that appeared on his face when he saw Shirou. A grin that honestly alarmed the redhead a bit. "You're back!"

"And you retain your talent for stating the obvious, Escardos." Svin Glascheit, also present in the office, sniped at his friend in response, before nodding at Shirou in greeting. He was still as handsome as ever, to the point where he made every other man in the vicinity look plain in comparison, and he seemed to have put on a bit of extra muscle over the summer, making him even more dreamy.

It seemed the eccentric duo were still part of Waver's retinue, despite the lord's recent rise into pre-eminence. They'd clearly made themselves at home in the office already, and were undoubtedly driving Waver to despair with their every action.

It was good to see that some things never changed, and Shirou responded to their greetings with a quick nod and a kind word, before he turned towards the man he'd come to see.

"Waver! It is good to see you again."

"And you, my friend. Welcome back." Waver had already risen from his chair when Shirou had entered, ignoring Flat and Svin's interruption, and although the smile on his face couldn't be called big or wide or beaming by any meaning of the words, for his doing, it was quite happy. "It has been far too long."

"Nearly five months." Shirou agreed, ignoring the fact that they'd seen each other not twelve hours ago in Lorelei's office, as that had hardly been a proper meeting.

"That long already? Time does fly when you're not having fun."

Waver's remark got him a funny look from Grey, who realised he'd used the idiom wrong, but she didn't say anything about it.

"You look well." Shirou noted, truthfully, as Waver did seem a little healthier than when Shirou had left. Like he ate better, and perhaps did some regular exercise too. Not a lot, but enough to get a little more meat on his bones.

"I could say the same about you. You're even taller and bigger than last time." Waver's lips curled up in a tiny smirk, barely even there, which nevertheless conveyed a wide berth of emotions.

The two men approached each other confidently, intent on exchanging proper greetings, but when they stood across from one another, they suddenly fumbled, uncertain of what to do.

Thumping each other on the back hardly seemed appropriate for their station, and a bit too familiar for either a British lord or a Japanese teenager, but awkwardly keeping their distance would not be satisfying either.

Eventually, Waver tried to settle the matter by holding out his hand for a shake, judging it fitting enough, unaware that he was only making the situation worse.

As a Japanese citizen, Shirou wasn't used to shaking hands, or touching others in greeting at all. While in England, he always had to consciously force himself to take someone's hand every time when offered, because his first instinct was always to bow instead.

Bowing was not the correct action to take here though, but neither was doing nothing. Shirou had to do something quickly, and when he spotted Waver's outstretched hand, he fell back on the only instinct he had that held a solution for his current problem.

Thor's instinct.

His hand shot out and grasped Waver's forearm rather than his hand, in a typical Asgardian greeting. A greeting that was usually done between fellow warriors.

Waver seemed a bit thrown by it, but he recovered with admirable speed. It was only a minor mishap, barely worth mentioning, so the lord quickly adjusted and reciprocated the gesture, clasping Shirou's forearm in turn.

That was his second mistake.

Shirou was still running on Thor's instinct, trusting the Asgardian's far greater experience with social interactions to see him through the situation. However, when an Asgardian was faced with a brother-in-arms who clasped forearms with equal enthusiasm, there was only one thing he could do.

Before Shirou realised it, he'd suddenly pulled Waver into a strong, manly embrace.

"We're hugging now?" To his credit, Waver adjusted with lightning speed again, awkwardly patting Shirou on the back. "Right, yes, we're hugging now. Very good, very good."

It wasn't good though. It was horribly wrong!

Realising that his behaviour was utterly beyond the pale, Shirou immediately crushed the foreign instincts, letting Waver go again as if the man had burned him.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I apologise for… That should never have happened!" Blood rushed to his cheeks, and he almost looked down in shame, cursing Thor in his mind. Whatever compromise they'd been searching for, a hug hadn't been it.

"Yes, well, pay it no mind. We're… We're all victims of our own… enthusiasm… sometimes." Waver made an admirable attempt to brush it aside, but he too looked rattled, nearly more so than if Shirou had taken a swing at him.

Truly, it was British prudishness at its finest.

But as rattled as he looked, he was already recovering quickly, straightening out his suit with a deep breath. Meanwhile, Shirou forced down the blush, and soon, they both seemed ready to leave the odd incident behind them.

At least until Shirou heard a very familiar giggle, one that made him wish for the ground to swallow him whole, as he remembered that Waver wasn't alone in his office, and that his companions were not limited to just Svin and Flat.

"Was that a manly greeting between manly men?" Bazett Fraga McRemitz asked, apparently still employed as Waver's foremost bodyguard. She was holding a hand over her mouth to hide her grin and stifle her laughter, but she wasn't successful at either purpose. "Because it was very manly. Honest."

"Y-You can't just hug Sir!" Grey on the other hand seemed outraged, or as outraged as the normally reticent girl was capable of being. "That isn't…! It's not…! You can't…!"

She didn't seem capable of expressing just what she thought of his brazen act, too shocked and affronted to form coherent sentences, and Shirou actually found himself a little grateful for the fact. Had she been any less proper and composed, he would undoubtedly have been on the receiving end of an epic rant.

"I never would have imagined you to be capable of such familiarity, mister Fujimaru." Svin also had an opinion he wanted to convey, but at least his opinion was rather mild. "I suppose you learn something new every day."

"Don't worry about it, Shirou." Flat even seemed to be trying to cheer Shirou up, looking surprisingly supportive. "I also hug Waver sometimes. He doesn't mind."

The twitch in Waver's brow suggested he very much did mind, but he didn't speak up, perhaps recognising a lost battle when he saw one.

Yes, the peanut gallery had a lot to say, as always, and it instantly made Shirou feel like he was back in his home away from home. It was like nothing had changed since he left, which was oddly comforting despite him being the target of their teasing.

The gang were almost all here, hanging out in Waver's office as if they had nothing better to do. A few were absent, such as Reines and Melvin, but Shirou could only be grateful for that. Knowing those two, they'd just have revelled in his embarrassment.

There was however one person in the office whom he wasn't that familiar with, someone who had only joined Waver's retinue when the redhead had been about to leave the Clocktower. A relatively new addition, one might say.

Even so though, there was no mistaking Marianne Archelot, the head of the Department of Botany and, if Shirou remembered correctly, Waver's soon-to-be wife. A great beauty by any measure, she was sitting at Waver's desk, to his left, leaving little doubt about their relationship. For the record, Grey had claimed the place on his right.

"Mister Fujimaru." The blonde lady had refrained from commenting on his faux-pas so far, and now, she gave him a cautious yet reassuring smile. "I don't know if it is my place to say this, but please do not worry about any suggestions of impropriety over your chosen method of greeting. You are Waver's friend, whom he appreciates very much, so I must agree with young master Flat. He does not mind."

She spoke without a hint of mockery or scorn. Instead, kindness and gentleness permeated every word, and she finished by giving them a hesitant yet warm smile, setting both men at ease immediately.

Even better, after hearing such a warm and sincere declaration, Bazett and Grey quickly closed their mouths, recognising that more jokes and complaining would only make them look bad. Svin and Flat on the other hand, rascals that they were, seemed too obsessed with Marianne herself to continue making smart remarks.

She was astoundingly beautiful after all, and they were hapless teenage boys.

It resulted in a moment of blissful silence, which Waver then quickly filled by moving the conversation along, away from the moment of awkwardness.

"How have you been?" He asked, partially to distract from Shirou's earlier mishap and partially because he was honestly interested. "I heard nothing from you, but since that was always the plan, I assume nothing untoward happened while you were away?"

"That depends entirely on your definition of untoward." Shirou huffed. A lot had happened over the past months, ranging from him getting another girlfriend to killing a Dead Apostle Ancestor, but ultimately, he hadn't been hurt, he hadn't lost someone dear to him, he still had his house, and he was still rich. "But I'm doing fine. Certainly no worse than when we last saw each other. What about you?"

"I've been drowning in more work than ever, and I've become more important than I ever wanted, but I've been as well as can be expected too." Waver's reply was as guarded as Shirou's own, mentioning barely any details, but both men understood. Magi and supposed Sorcerers could not afford to be open in an impromptu meeting. Certainly not in a location where the walls had ears. "I wish I could tell you that I completed a long-held goal, or that I achieved something momentous, but that would be a lie."

"That's not true!" Grey suddenly interjected, ever willing to be Waver's cheerleader when he was being too hard on himself. "Sir has managed to take control over both his new Departments without killing anyone and he has helped to create peace in the Magus Association."

"A fragile peace." Waver smiled thinly, referring to the fact that Gladstone Phamrsolone's arrest could very well tear it apart again.

"But Grey's point about establishing your control over both the Department of Mineralogy and the Department of Botany in virtually no time at all was well-made. It was a great achievement, and you know it." Bazett argued, coming to Grey's aid. "Cease your self-pity and excessive humility, my lord. It is misplaced and unnecessary."

Harsh words, but Shirou agreed. It was exactly what Waver needed to hear.

"I'm sure you did very well." He decided to add himself, giving the man a broad grin. "Don't be too hard on yourself."

"Do I really want to hear this from you?" The lord sniped, before he sighed, inclining his head. "Yes, very well, I did achieve a few things of note. Most of it however was due to the hard work of my allies and underlings. One must give praise to whom praise is due."

While speaking, he gestured at the other people in the office, even going as far as to include Svin and Flat, and he clearly had many more individuals in mind too. It was a nice gesture, only slightly undercut by the fact he was obviously trying to deflect attention again.

But Shirou didn't point that out. He wasn't here to put the man on the spot. That would be very bad form and served absolutely no purpose.

"Do you have any idea when the wedding between you and Marianne will be?" He asked instead, as that was something he'd been wondering about for a while now. "I've been waiting for the invitation you'd send me, but I haven't received anything yet."

"Right, yes, apologies for that. The wedding has been… delayed, slightly." Waver seamlessly went along with the shift in topics, pursing his lips in slight displeasure. "You have not been passed over. There have simply been no invitations to send at all yet."

"I… see." Shirou hesitated for several very long moments, creating an almost awkward silence, as he wondered whether he could ask about the cause for the delay. Were it almost any other kind of event, he would have asked without compunction, but weddings could be sensitive affairs, and romance could drive even the most reasonable of people quite mad.

Fortunately, he didn't have to ask.

"We've been trying to set a date for months now, not in the least because our allies keep insisting how important it is that we are married quickly, but current events are… not ideal."

"What Waver means is that continuous developments in the political sphere keep changing the terms and conditions of Botany's impending alliance with the Aristocratic Faction, terms and conditions that need to be put in black-on-white before the contract is finalised." Marianne added helpfully. "And when I say that the contract is finalised, I mean that we are married."

"It also does not help that we have been frightfully busy, as I alluded to earlier, dealing with emergency after emergency." Waver's hand twitched, as if he wanted to grab a cigar but couldn't, for some reason. "I wish I could say that the troubles are arriving one after another, but I'm afraid they come in battalions. You will notice that yourself very soon, if you haven't already."

"That's not ominous at all!" Shirou deadpanned, eliciting a small smile from Marianne. "And I'm sorry to keep pressing the issue, but is there any chance your wedding will take place within the next four weeks? It would be really convenient if it did."

Shirou was on a very tight schedule after all, with an unforgiving deadline.

"It is unlikely, though not, I suppose, impossible." Waver paused, glancing at Marianne, before looking back at Shirou. "It depends on how things progress from here."

"Though we believe that the arrest of Gladstone Phamrsolone will likely cause another large delay." The blonde lady casually admitted that Waver had told her all about Phamrsolone's fate, despite Lorelei's orders not to, but Shirou pretended he hadn't heard a thing. "Within the next four weeks would be ideal, but it's not terribly realistic, so please, don't count on it."

"I understand." In that case, Shirou would have to make do with what he could get. "You'll let me know if there's anything I can help you with?"

"Of course, and you will be one of the first to know when a date has finally been set." Waver promised.

"That goes without saying." Marianne agreed wholeheartedly.

"Then I'll do my best to attend." Shirou promised in turn, before he dropped the matter of their wedding, recognising there was no more to tell.

It shouldn't be too difficult to get another week off from school when the time came. As long as he maintained his perfect grades and his university-cover story, the principle and the faculty board would be more than happy to facilitate his unusual schedule. The girls might be a little harder to convince, but if he told them he'd be attending a friend's wedding, they'd likely be more inclined to agree than if he went for work. They might even want to come along.

"But that's enough about Waver's love-life. What about yours, Shirou?" Flat decided to interrupt, claiming the limelight again.

"Mine?"

"We heard from Waver that you brought a girl to the Clocktower this time." Flat wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully, his grin nothing less than salacious. "Is she your fancy woman?"

"Fancy woman?" Shirou had heard the term before, and knew what it referred to, but it was rather surprising to hear such an old-fashioned term come out of Flat's mouth, especially since he said it in a tone that suggested he thought he was being uncouth. "In a way, I suppose. Rin is my fiancée."

He didn't think it was that much of a reveal, but he was proven wrong when all eyes in the office went wide in shock, up to and including Flat's.

"Fiancée?!" Bazett gasped, her mouth falling open.

"Y-You're going to get m-married?" Grey squeaked, her piercing blue eyes round as saucers.

"Since when?!" Svin spluttered, wholly taken aback by the news.

"With whom?!" Flat added, so surprised he couldn't even think of a teasing remark. "I didn't think you liked women at all!"

"W-What? I told you I have several lovers." Shirou nearly blushed at Flat's insinuation. "I-I just decided to marry one of them."

"And the others? Will they be your concubines?"

Yet again, Flat was wholly sincere, but his question was nevertheless enough to actually make Shirou flush a spotty red.

"Leave it, Flat." Waver came to his rescue though, curbing Flat's curiosity with a hard glare, before he turned to Shirou with a lop-sided smile. "I believe congratulations are in order then, and I take it I shall be invited to the wedding?"

"That… That goes without saying." The almost banal question returned a great deal of sense to the conversation, sufficiently so that the excited atmosphere calmed down a bit.

"What is her name?"

"Tohsaka Rin."