——Ah, don't ask, don't ask anymore. I'm too lazy to recall. No, it's not that I'm too lazy to recall. It's just that I don't want to recall because I'm afraid.
When Ayaka traveled across the vast land of this country, she successfully forgot the past and got rid of the torture of sin.
——I haven’t seen her for a while...
The girl wearing a red hood who appeared at the opera house just now, just imagining the girl's smile under the hood, made Ayaka break out in cold sweat.
After being taken to the police station, Ayaka took the elevator several times. To be honest, it really made her anxious. She couldn't remember how many years she hadn't taken an elevator. Not only that, she even tried not to go where there was an elevator.
of buildings.
Because whenever Ayaka sees the elevator, she knows that "Little Red Riding Hood" is standing behind her.
Although the police couldn't see it, Ayaka did detect the scent of Little Red Riding Hood in the elevator in the police station. Ayaka turned pale with fright and restrained herself from looking in that direction. She kept thinking in her heart: I
I have never met her, and her affairs have nothing to do with me.
Until the end, Ayaka didn't know whether the girl in the red hood was a "ghost" or a "hallucination" produced by her own consciousness, or "something" different from the two.
For Ayaka, the most important thing is that she can see Little Red Riding Hood.
——Obviously I came to this city to escape that girl, why did things turn out like this?
Just when Ayaka thought about this issue again, the situation changed.
"Are you okay? You look very tired."
The man who had appeared at the opera house suddenly appeared in the corner of her field of vision again.
Ayaka was immediately frightened and jumped out of bed.
Seeing this, the man who entered the room at an unknown time comforted him: "Don't be so afraid. You can pass through the wall as long as you transform into a spirit. The interrogation has been temporarily suspended. I was put in a single cell a little ahead, so I came to see you."
."
The man seemed to be something like a ghost, easily entering the sealed space from the outside.
Now, the man was much closer to Ayakashi than he was at the opera house, which made Ayakashi stand up warily, leaned her back against the wall and asked: "Didn't I ask you not to interfere with me?"
"You are not my Master, are you?" The man answered Ayaka's indifferent question.
"...Yes, I am not your master." Ayaka asserted as if she was avoiding something.
But after hearing this answer, the man smiled like a mischievous child and replied: "Then I don't have to obey your orders!"
"What……"
"That is to say, I can interfere with you at will. I will take care of your daily life." The man said matter-of-factly, "This is my freedom."
Seeing the man's happy expression, Ayaka shook her head in disgust and said, "Please, leave me alone."
"Although I really want to fulfill every wish of the people, I have reasons not to obey in this matter."
"reason?"
Seeing Ayaka's surprised look, the man told her bluntly: "I guess it's the magic that was implanted in your tattoo... You replaced the magician who originally held the command spell, and your magic 'thread'
Connected with me."
"...Huh?" The abrupt explanation made Ayaka frown.
"In other words, I rely on your magic power to appear in this world. We are obviously not a master and a servant, but we share weal and woe." The man ignored Ayaka who was stunned and continued: "If it weren't for you,
At the scene, I will not be able to appear in this world because I cannot obtain magic power from the Master. Thank you for your great kindness."
After saying that, the man stretched out his hand as if he wanted to shake hands with Ayaka.
Ayaka waved away the man's hand, glared at the man and said: "...If you want to thank me, then leave me alone."
"That won't work! I will take good care of you and mind your own business. Even if you cry and say no, I will take the trouble to save you. Because if you die, I will also disappear, so there is no way to take it.
Reaching the Holy Grail.”
"Why do I need your rescue?"
"Because regardless of whether you are the Master or not, since you are connected to me through the magic thread, you will naturally be regarded as a target by other war participants."
"Awful……"
Seeing Ayaka's troubled expression, the man said: "Be optimistic, at least this situation is better than having the skin peeled off and then applying a layer of salt and then being in the same situation. It won't hurt at least."
"Your example is really extreme..."
"Some people always say that, saying that no matter what I do, I am extreme." The man took Ayaka's words as a compliment and said with an embarrassed look.
Ayaka probably understood his reclusive nature from this, so she changed the subject and inquired about him: "You are from a noble family, right? Wouldn't being arrested by the police hurt your self-esteem?"
"
"This is much better than when I was imprisoned in the castle on the top of the mountain. After all, I can go out freely. Moreover, if you are punished on my behalf, it will hurt my self-esteem even more. Ah, but I didn't save you for my self-esteem.
"
"So I said, you don't have to save me..." Ayaka sighed helplessly.
It was completely different from the speech in the fire truck. The man said in a relaxed tone at this moment: "Anyway, you can call me the swordsman. Although it is very disgraceful not to announce your name to your benefactor, I will find him in the future."
I’ll tell you my real name when I get the chance.”
After saying that, the swordsman looked at Ayaka again and asked seriously: "Can you also tell me? Why are you in that place and what are the tattoos on your body?"
But soon, he struggled for a moment, and seemed to realize that he was rude. He shook his head and said that the other party did not need to answer this question first, but asked another question that he thought was more important: "...I'm sorry, I'd better tell you first.
Give me your name."
············
Passage inside the department.
Police Commissioner Orlando walked quickly on the road leading to the single cell area. I wonder if he knew that the swordsman was talking to Ayaka.
However, just as Orlando came to the elevator door, a female department clerk ran towards him.
"Ah, Director, you are here! A guest wants to see you."
"Let him wait... no, wait."
Orlando thought to himself, if it was someone like a politician, let them wait, but if it was Faldius or Minqiu... Anyway, let's ask the person's name first.
So Orlando stopped and asked the clerk: "...who is it?"
"He said... he was a priest of the church, but he looked suspicious..."
Orlando couldn't help but frown, and also thought of a possibility.
This may soon turn into an ominous premonition, which was confirmed by the clerk's next words.
"He has been insisting on seeing you and said that as long as he tells you that he 'wants to talk about the stolen cup in Japan', you will understand..."
············
urban area.
Next door to the police station, there is an extremely tall building.
The stalker was now on the roof of this building. She calmly adjusted her breathing while focusing her attention on the police station below.
Previously, the stalker collected intelligence on the street and learned that the swordsman heroic spirit was brought to the police station. So, she planned to sneak into the police station and carry out the assassination in a safe state.
After some observation, the stalker noticed a terrifying fact.
Several layers of magic barriers were set up in the area of the police station, sealing off the area outside the formal entrance, turning the entire police station into a fortress.
Even if a stalker enters through the front entrance with his hidden aura, five or six layers of barriers are set up inside to be able to see through this stealth technique.
She just passed by during the day and didn't notice any of this.
These barriers are so cleverly made that they not only function as surveillance, but also prevent the surrounding magicians from noticing.
The stalker further concentrated his observation and found that there were several "magicians' breaths" inside the building.
--incredible.
For Stalker, although the city is filled with countless "heretics", she is still a little afraid that a magician regarded as a "heretic" by many religions can actually take the judicial and administrative organization of a city into his hands.
believe.
Considering the power of the clock tower, perhaps this is not an uncommon thing in modern times.
However, at least for Stalker, a person who has nothing to do with the Clock Tower, this is a shocking fact.
Chapter 3 5: Group image VS virtual image in the early morning of the first day
There are many people in this city who believe in the same god as the stalker but in different sects.
In this environment, magicians who are not even pagans are trying to secretly dominate the city.
——We can’t let them go. Since an organization can set up such a large-scale magic barrier, it cannot be unrelated to the Holy Grail War that is also being held here.
More importantly, her "enemy" the swordsman Heroic Spirit is also here.
The stalker took a deep breath and determined to break into the enemy's position.
The leader of her time could dance through any barrier.
She knew that her skills were not as flexible as the leader's.
All she can do is imitate the techniques from the previous boss and use them in battle.
She will keep running forward before she hits the wall and is shattered to pieces.
——It doesn’t matter. If I can achieve something as an immature person, it means my life is meaningful.
——No, there is no need for meaning. I just need to empty my mind and rush over.
The stalker hid his calm decision under his black clothes and jumped high into the air.
While falling, all barriers are forcibly cut off.
Doing this may be noticed by the other party, but it doesn't matter.
She will eradicate all enemies.
Determined, she turned into a cannonball and rushed into the police station.
A few seconds later, the barrier set up above the police station was shattered without touching the ground - the fanatic believer was determined to fight alone, and her battle began.
If there was any miscalculation on the part of Stalker, it was just one thing - she was not alone, she had a cruel reinforcement.
However, she definitely didn't want to see that person.
············
In front of the casino "Crystal Hill", entertainment street.
"The casino is really nice."
Since being interviewed in front of the Opera House, Flatt was so excited that he lost all sleep and ran to the entertainment street to hang out. Then on a splendid avenue, he was attracted by the particularly dazzling neon lights of the casino.
Xuan Hao followed him, and the two of them looked like tourists wandering around.
Bennett is still transformed into Flat's watch. Seeing the Master's appearance, it is obvious that he is ready to have some fun again. This is simply not doing his job! Aren't they here to participate in the Holy Grail War?
So, he quickly advised: "This state prohibits people under the age of twenty-one from entering casinos."
"Ah - then I can't get in. What a pity, I haven't played in a long time."
"Have you been to a casino elsewhere before?" Xuan Hao was speechless for a while, thinking that this guy has really gone to a casino to gamble? This guy is obviously just a teenager.
Hearing Xuan Hao's surprised tone, Flatt replied in a nostalgic tone: "My hometown is in Monaco, and there is a very large gambling boat floating on the sea nearby. I once went in to play. In fact, there is an age limit there, too.
But after something happened, the boss of the gambling boat made an exception and let me board the boat...but the condition was that he wanted to see the magic I used, so I showed him a few tricks."
"Your life experience is really completely opposite to the magician I know."
"I hate it, please don't praise me like that."
"Well, I won't say any more. If this is your way of survival, then you can do whatever you want, and I will silently pray that you will not be killed by other magicians."
"Hey? But sir, didn't you say you would guarantee my life?"
"It seems that there is such a thing?"
Xuan Hao smiled jokingly, then changed the subject and continued to ask: "But since you said you want to see magic, is the owner of the gambling boat also a magician?"
"Hmm - it seems so originally." Flatt seemed to like this trick and immediately forgot about the previous question.
"...originally?" Xuan Hao was a little confused.
"Well, that person changed from a magician to a death disciple."
"Dead Apostle?" After hearing Flatt give such a strange explanation, the dial of the watch tilted slightly.
"It's a vampire...ah, you can understand it if you say vampire, right?" Feeling the movement on his wrist, Frater explained.
The sudden words made Bennett's dial deform and twist: "I'm familiar with this..."
"Does this mean you've ever been a vampire?"
"Hmm... do vampires also exist in this world?" Bennett was a little confused, "At least I don't seem to see any records about vampires from the knowledge given by the Holy Spirit."
What the heroic spirits obtain from the Holy Grail is the minimum knowledge necessary to fight in the Holy Grail War. Bennett did not see any records about vampires from the knowledge of the Holy Grail, which may mean that the Holy Grail determines "the intelligence of vampires and
The war has nothing to do with it.”
Thinking of this, Frater decided to give Bennett a simple explanation: "Vampires are of course real, but in the magic world they are usually called vampires or death apostles. There are different ways to become a vampire.
For example, some people were bitten by vampires and became members of the same race a few years later; some people took the initiative to transform from magicians into vampires in order to live forever or pursue their origins."
"Can a magician become a vampire?"
"Of course!" After saying this, Flatt suddenly became interested, "I'll tell you quietly, in fact, among the big shots in the Clock Tower there is a Dead Apostle Magician."
"I think you might become a vampire without even thinking about it because you're very handsome." Bennett couldn't help but complain when he saw Flatt's excited expression.
However, Flatt replied with an unexpectedly serious attitude: "Although he is indeed handsome, I don't really want to be one myself. After all, I have issues such as blood-sucking impulses."
"It's surprising that you also have such common sense ethics."
"Moreover, the efficiency is too low."
"Ah? What do you mean by low efficiency?"
But Flatt continued to answer Bennett's question, pointing to a street corner and saying, "Ah, whatever you say comes."
"What's wrong?" Bennett was confused.
Flat's eyes were fixed on a young man standing on the sidewalk leading to the police station. He looked at the young man who vaguely exuded an edge and said a word as if nothing had happened.
"There is a man over there who is smiling at the police station... I guess he is a Death Apostle."