I, Kenneth, am going to get to the root of the problem today.

Page 11

"He's just a third-rate magician, why would I care about him? If something happens to him, no one will write songs for me anymore, that's right..."

"Hmph, as expected, just a third-rate magician. He takes so long to finish such a small matter. Let me show you what a genius magician is!"

Setting down the letter in her hand, Lydel began to write a reply with great flair and eloquence... Turning our attention away from Lydel, in El-Melloi's classroom, Kenneth stared expressionlessly at Waver, who had raised his hand.

"Weber Velvet, is there a problem?"

Lowering his hand, Weber took a deep breath and looked with his dark eyes at Kenneth, who was standing in front of the podium.

"Professor Kenneth, the theory of the World Egg can be used to explain the formation of Reality Marbles. Reality Marbles are a great magic that manifests mental image storms. Professor Kenneth, you said before that it is difficult for an individual to manifest mental images, but if the mental images of multiple people highly overlap and are concentrated in one person's release, can it be possible to replicate the Reality Marble?!"

"hiss!!!"

Kenneth's heart skipped a beat when he realized that his classroom had fallen silent again because of Webber, that stubborn kid. Suddenly, everything seemed so dull and meaningless.

"Weber, can't you just calm down? Do you know that jumping around like that will get you soaked in formaldehyde?!"

"And another thing!! You haven't even encountered Red Archer and the Conqueror King yet, how did you manage to replicate their Reality Marbles just from your imagination?! Did you even read the script?!

……

Kenneth cursed inwardly, but put down his pointer expressionlessly. Knowing what Kenneth was thinking, Reines immediately turned her 'tax evasion' gaze to Webber, who was biting his lip.

"Weber Velvet!!!"

Kenneth's tone suddenly rose, and Webber, who was called out by Kenneth, instinctively shivered. The others in the classroom also turned their mocking gazes toward Webber, who had his head down.

"Waver Velvet!! Your idea is utterly absurd!! A Realified Boundary is a person's mental image eroding the world!! Remember, its starting point is the person!!"

"You're just a mediocre talent whose family lineage has lasted no more than three generations!! You might think your wildest ideas are feasible, but that's just wishful thinking on your part!! Only a magician like you, who isn't even third-rate, could come up with such a joke! Sit down!!"

The classroom was filled with laughter. Webber, who was under the spotlight, sat down amidst the mocking laughter, making an angry face. Kenneth gave Reines a subtle signal before continuing the lesson.

The bell rang, and Kenneth, who was so angry that he couldn't stand it, stormed out of the room. This time, Kenneth wasn't even sure about Webber's hypothesis. After spending nearly a year in the Clock Tower, Kenneth had a clear understanding of those unscrupulous magicians.

Given the nature of that group, if Kenneth dares to give the nod today, many magicians who hear the news will dare to put it into practice. As for how to put it into practice, it depends on who they are with. All I can say is that those magicians, who have no bottom line, are capable of anything.

With a stern face and an aura of unapproachability emanating from him, Kenneth slammed the office door shut. The next moment, Kenneth's expression returned to its previous calm.

"Weber, Weber, give me a break! If you keep jumping like this, I'm afraid you'll die before I do!!"

"You're my designated tool, how am I supposed to slack off if you leave?! You're destined to be El-Melloi II, I'm telling you, even suppressing... cough cough, even the Jewel King, the Jewel King can't keep you."

-------------------------------------

Meanwhile, El-Melloi's classroom had become empty. Sensing the surrounding silence, Weber, who had been keeping his head down, finally raised his head.

"Bloodline! Talent! I don't believe in that stuff. Mr. Kenneth, you just wait, I'll make you look at me in a completely different light!!"

"Hehe!! That's a great idea. So, how do you plan to impress my older brother?"

Upon hearing that familiar voice and sensing the owner's wicked sense of humor, Weber, who had just uttered such bold words, instantly deflated.

Ignoring Waver's reaction, Reines, who had been observing him for a long time, activated the shielding magic recorded in the classroom and stood lightly in front of Waver, her skirt trailing behind her.

“I am Reines Elmello Archizorti, greetings, Webber Velvet.”

Although he didn't know why the little princess of the El-Melloi family remembered his name, Waver didn't have time to think about it now. After reflecting on his previous tone and finding that there was nothing seriously wrong, Waver's courage swelled up again.

"I will prove my idea is correct; I will definitely provide evidence to support my viewpoint!!!"

Hearing Webber's resounding reply, Reines remained outwardly calm, but her heart was completely filled with joy. Just thinking about how Webber, who had worked so hard, would be thoroughly berated by Kenneth made Reines feel like she was about to burst into a frenzy.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Tohsaka and Einzbern

Upon hearing Waver's bold words, Reines sprouted horns resembling those of a little devil from her hair. Struggling to maintain her elegant demeanor, Reines looked up at Waver, who seemed to be on fire.

“Weber Velvet, my brother is a recognized genius in the Clock Tower. If you want to prove yourself to him, you must be fully prepared. Mediocre ideas will not impress my brother. Do you understand?”

Although he didn't understand why the El-Melloi princess was telling him all this, Waver still thanked Reines. After Waver left completely, Reines's lips parted in a grin, she cupped her cheeks in her hands, and her eyes gleamed with a predatory red light.

"Sparashi! Weber Velvet, I can't wait to see your expression when you confidently present your paper and get it rejected! Ah!! That misfortune, what kind of resentment will you show then!!"

As a person who enjoys having fun, Reines was almost unable to restrain her desire to manipulate Waver. The tightly closed classroom door was pushed open, and a magician belonging to the El-Melloi school stood respectfully behind Reines.

"Miss, I've already warned those dishonest people, and I've also sent people to inform the families who have designs on Mr. Velvet. We've also bought all the houses near Mr. Velvet..."

After listening to the magician's report, Reines handed him a pre-prepared letter of introduction.

“You’ve done a great job. Just remember not to let him notice or the other students. Give this to the library. The Velvet family can’t provide the materials he needs for his thesis. Ask the library to temporarily increase his access. Remember, it must be done discreetly. Whether it’s a coincidence or a misunderstanding, just don’t let him know we’re there.”

"I understand."

Watching the magician leave, Reines placed one hand on her chest and the other on her cheek, her bright blue eyes completely filled with excitement.

"Weber Velvet, let's see how far you can go with all this hard work..."

After finishing today's classes, Kenneth's teaching work for the week came to an end. As he got into the car to return to the El-Melloi family home, Kenneth couldn't help but fix his gaze on the box that the Summoning Department had sent.

The box contained none other than a sacred relic sent by Locke Belfebon: fragments of the spear of Karna, the hero of charity and son of Surya, the sun god in the Hindu mythology 'Mahabharata'. Even after countless years, the fragments of the spear still radiated a burning magical power.

"As expected of a divine spear that even Gilgamesh's treasury did not possess, this mysterious power is so great that it could not only be used as a holy relic, but also be used to create a weapon comparable to a Noble Phantasm."

P.S.: Gilgamesh doesn't actually have Sun's spear, so Gilgamesh always asks Sun to offer the spear as tribute whenever they meet.

"Little Sun's strength and character are both guaranteed, and with Artoria's allure, Morgan shouldn't have much of a problem. As for the Conqueror King, hmm... I should be able to fool Waver a bit. I already have three Servants before the Holy Grail War even begins, this advantage is on my side!!!"

Just as Kenneth was contemplating popping champagne at halftime, in Fuyuki City, at the Tohsaka residence...

Upon learning that Kenneth was going to participate in the Holy Grail War, Tokiomi Tohsaka panicked. After sending his wife and daughter back to her parents' home overnight, Tokiomi Tohsaka secluded himself at home for more than half a year. Looking at the Command Seals in his hand, Tokiomi Tohsaka took a deep breath and carefully picked up the phone.

“Father Kotomine, I am Tokiomi. Regarding the Holy Grail War to come, for the sake of the peace of Fuyuki City, I hope we can cooperate more deeply.”

"Lord El-Melloi of the Clock Tower will also participate in this Holy Grail War. I think, compared to the magicians of the Clock Tower, Father Kotomine understands my character, so..."

......

Meanwhile, in Germany, at the Einzbern residence, a man holding Kenneth's file held a cigarette between his fingers, the cigarette already burned out, but the burning sensation on his skin did not elicit the slightest sign of pain from him.

"Is this Lord El-Melloi? Kiritsugu, are you concerned about him?"

A gentle voice sounded from behind him. The man named Kiritsugu Emiya stubbed out his cigarette and looked at another document with a serious expression.

"No, I can't beat that monarch in magic, but he would definitely lose to me in a real fight. I'm not worried about magicians like him, I'm worried about this man."

"Kirei Kotomine?"

Following Kiritsugu Emiya's gaze, Irisviel looked at the priest in the photograph.

"Judging from the information, he seems like an ordinary priest. Kiritsugu, do you think he's dangerous?"

Nodding, Kiritsugu Emiya extended his finger.

“Here, and here too. I became Tokiomi Tohsaka’s apprentice three years ago, but then broke with him because of the Holy Grail War. I can’t understand it.”

"Can't understand? It's understandable to break up for the Holy Grail, isn't it common for masters and disciples to break up and brothers to kill each other for the sake of the omnipotent wish-granting machine?"

"No, that's the strange thing."

Spreading out the documents in his hand, Kiritsugu Emiya placed his fingertip on Kirei Kotomine's resume and analyzed:

"This man embarked on a pilgrimage from a young age, but at the height of his glory, he chose to enter the Holy Church, skipping two grades to become the top student in the academy, willingly becoming a tool in the mud of the church?"

"Could it be because of his father? I remember his father was in the church..."

"No, absolutely not. The path he took completely deviated from his father's. He chose to become an agent, and during this time he didn't stop at all, relentlessly hunting without giving himself time to adjust. An ordinary person would definitely break down under such pressure. Therefore, he is abnormal, and..."

At this point, Kiritsugu Emiya's tone became serious.

"Moreover, the risks of his actions far outweigh the rewards he can obtain. His actions are not for profit or honor. I cannot see any human desires in him. His resume is completely devoid of any passion. Even a saint could not do this. How could such a person, who should not be called a living puppet, have any desires, and how could he break with Tokiomi Tohsaka for this?"

"Kiritsugu, you mean...?"

Taking a deep breath, Kiritsugu Emiya tidied up the documents on the table and lit a cigarette. As he exhaled the smoke, an ominous feeling began to brew. As a notorious magician killer, Kiritsugu Emiya was very familiar with this feeling; it was the aura of death.

"call--"

"The break is a lie; these two have formed an alliance, and... I have a feeling this man will be my greatest enemy in this Holy Grail War. Based on the current information, Kirei Kotomine will be the biggest variable in this Holy Grail War!!"

As the cigarette burned out, Kiritsugu Emiya stubbed it out, his gaze fixed intently on the photograph in his hand, on the man whose color scheme matched his own.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Visiting Old Director

"Lord, that murderer named Ryunosuke Uryu has gone to Fuyuki City, and there are no abnormalities so far."

“Is that so? Keep an eye on him, and make your move as soon as the Command Seal appears on the back of his hand.”

"I'll make the arrangements. Oh, by the way, about the Tohsaka family..."

After hearing the report from the magician sent to Japan, Kenneth's anxiety subsided. Tokiomi Tohsaka met with Risei Kotomine, Kariya Matou returned to the Matou family, and the Einzbern family sent people to repair the castle. Everything indicated that the Fourth Holy Grail War was proceeding according to its original trajectory.

"Hopefully, nothing else will go wrong."

"The Conqueror's Cloak hasn't been found yet, the Holy Grail War is still more than half a year away, and Waver's thesis is already in preparation. Given all this..."

As Kenneth twirled the pen in his fingers, his thoughts drifted away.

"Lord, Lord Animusfia will be here soon. Is there anything else I need to prepare?"

Roy's voice pulled Kenneth back to reality. He checked the time and realized it was indeed the appointed day. After tidying up his messy desk, Kenneth pushed open the study door and appeared in the hallway.

"Prepare it according to etiquette, and send it to my study in a moment. Lord Animusfiah, I will personally entertain you."

After giving Roy his instructions, Kenneth turned and headed toward El-Melloi's house. El-Melloi and Animusfia both belonged to the aristocratic faction, and since they were equals and the other party had sided with him regarding Aozaki Touko, Kenneth felt obligated to greet him.

Inside the study, after Roy finished serving tea and left the room, Kenneth looked at the old director sitting opposite him. He had silver hair, a side ponytail, and wore a well-tailored suit. Well, in terms of looks, he was a little less handsome than Kenneth.

A little confused by Kenneth's nodding and shaking gestures, Maris Billy, who had important matters to discuss, didn't think too much about it. He took out a gem and gestured to Kenneth, and seeing that Kenneth didn't object, he infused it with magic.

The blue light spread, further enhancing the secrecy of the study, which Kenneth had enchanted with multiple layers of protection. Once he was certain that everything was in order, Maris Billy pulled out a stack of bound documents from his jacket.

"I think El-Melloi is aware of Animusfia's long-cherished wish."

Nodding, Kenneth took the documents from Maris Billy and examined them. Although Kenneth probably knew more about his family's long-cherished wish than Maris Billy, he still had to put on an act. Noticing that Kenneth seemed very interested in what he was holding, Maris Billy, thinking there was a chance, immediately explained to Kenneth.

"The mystery has vanished; this is a universally acknowledged fact in the magic world. Our Animusfia family's long-cherished wish is to return to that era filled with mystery, through the transfer of pseudo-spiritual particles. This is the method that our Animusfia family has found."

Seeing Kenneth's interested expression, Maris Billy's face also lit up with a hint of joy.

"Pseudo-spiritual transfer, a magic built on the theory of reverse summoning, if realized, could achieve time reversal. At that time, the entire magic world would have an abundant source of power, and those magics that had disappeared due to the fading of mystery could be realized again. I wonder if the El-Melloi family has any ideas?"

Putting down the documents in his hand, Kenneth understood what Maris Billy meant: four words, "Join us, pay up." Maintaining his expression, Kenneth said calmly:

“I am indeed very interested in the theory of pseudo-spiritual transfer, which is self-consistent. However, it is only a theory and it is too difficult to put into practice, or rather, almost impossible. Even though the pseudo-Earth environment model, CARNEADDES, has been completed, it is only the beginning of the theory being verified.”

Kenneth calmly offered his thoughts, then proceeded to nitpick.

"The construction of the subsequent near-future observation lens, SHEBA, is extremely difficult. The only thing capable of handling such a massive flow of information is the pseudo-spiritual calculus called Hermes from the Atlas Institute. Getting the Atlas Institute to send out this thing is no less difficult than time travel itself."

"Moreover, even if the above conditions can be met, the money required to build such a massive magic workshop is beyond what a single family, organization, or even a country can support. I really don't see a future for this plan."

......

As the saying goes, laymen watch the show, while experts see the details. As a magician who knows a little about magic, Kenneth directly exposed Marisbury's grandiose scheme. Marisbury, who had been working on this for years, had long since developed a thick skin and even nodded in agreement when Kenneth was nitpicking.

“That’s right. Just the creation of the simulated Earth environment model, CARNEADDES, has already drained the Animusfia family’s wealth. But it is the success of the simulated Earth environment model that proves that Animusfia’s plan is feasible. As for the simulated spirit particle calculator, I have also found a solution.”

At that moment, Gordon... cough cough, Kenneth's heart skipped a beat.

"The Contract of Atlas?"

Seeing Maris Billy nod affirmatively, even Kenneth, who was skilled at managing his expressions, could hardly keep his face in check. Luckily, he had killed Rafe early. If the two personalities representing the past and future in Rafe's body had awakened, the human reasoning would have been completely destroyed. Taking a deep breath, Kenneth looked at Maris Billy with a serious expression.

"Has Atlas's contract been found?"

Kenneth swore that if Maris Billy dared to nod, he, Kenneth, would absolutely not mind playing the role of the bomber. Just as Kenneth was thinking about how to make a dirty move, Maris Billy, sitting opposite him, gave him a polite but somewhat awkward smile.

"You son of a bitch, why are you acting all high and mighty when you can't find anything? You almost scared someone to death, you know that?!"

Suppressing his inner rage, Kenneth closed his eyes and pretended to be deep in thought. Realizing that Kenneth might join the group, Maris Billy stopped his bluffing and quietly waited for Kenneth's answer.

“Yes, if Animusfia can find Atlas’s contract, we, El-Melloi, will join them.”

Kenneth's voice was heavenly to Marisbury. After visiting many families and conglomerates, Marisbury finally found a partner who was interested in cooperating. With a smile on his face, Marisbury took out another document from his pocket.

"The Holy Grail War is the ritual you'll be participating in next, Archibald. I'd like to ask you to investigate something for me."

"Here comes the important part!!"

Thinking to himself, Kenneth pretended to be interested. If there were some lighting and he wore glasses, Kenneth would look exactly like Commander Ikari.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Eating Oranges from a Rich Man

Maris Billy's expression turned serious as he handed the documents to Kenneth.

"As Archibald said, the money required to build such a massive magic workshop is beyond astronomical, so I hope you can help me investigate whether the Holy Grail in Fuyuki City has the power to grant wishes."