The establishment of the Time Travelers Alliance began in the first year of Conan

Chapter 369 Weber's First Deduction Show
Faced with Irisviel's proposal to "buy the Holy Grail," neither Rider nor Waver would agree.

And Weber wouldn't be foolish enough to say something like "I can just have the cup, not the wish" like some light novel protagonists.

After all, doesn't this simply mean that there's something wrong with him/her?
So Rider just laughed it off and moved on.

He simply said, "Let's discuss these things after we get the Holy Grail, since we haven't even been to that academy yet."

Kenneth nodded in agreement, while reminding the others that there were more than three master-servant pairs who had entered this world.

"We can discuss the distribution of the Holy Grail and the two wishes later, since we both belong to the Beika Town Detective Academy camp."

"Don't forget, if there were corresponding arrangements based on their pre-entry identities, then Archer and Caster should have entered as well."

Then, in a somber tone, he spoke about two other entities that everyone had to take seriously.

"Furthermore, if that priest and Berserker also come in... don't forget that they are supposed to be subordinates of that person."

"But from this perspective, that god was actually quite fair to us!"

Irisviel shared her opinion.

In fact, her tone now carried a greater sense of confidence.

"Because now, we're all just ordinary people, aren't we?"

Kenneth glanced out of the corner of his eye at Lancer, who was hanging his head and saying nothing.

A slightly subtle, hearty smile appeared on his face.

"Yes, it seems that he might actually want us to have a fair fight."

He clapped his hands lightly, drawing the attention of the others.

"In short, according to my information, the train will arrive at the station around 10:00 a.m."

"As for everyone's luggage..."

Kenneth raised his watch to indicate that he had received the news.

"I remember it said that the luggage would be transported into the school by a special person in the luggage compartment."

"After all, things like clothes and bedding are like props in a play, so there's no need for the actors to prepare them, right?"

It has to be said that Kenneth really did have the air of a school teacher at that moment.

After informing the people present of the information written on the sticky notes, he pushed Lancer's wheelchair toward the back of the food cart without any hesitation.

"Let's discuss the specifics at the academy, after all—"

Kenneth yawned as if he were very sleepy. "After all, we're just ordinary people now."

Weber watched as Kenneth pushed his wheelchair out of the pneumatic door through the aisle of the food cart.

With a hissing sound as the door slowly closed, his last words reached us before being caught in the car door.

"Now that everyone knows the location of the school, we can just take a taxi directly to the school after leaving the station."

As for the question of "where the money came from," everyone tacitly avoided mentioning it.

After all, even if people become ordinary people, their minds and wisdom remain unchanged.

If you can't even afford the travel expenses to campus, then there's probably no point in participating in the competition for the Holy Grail.

The idea of ​​"going to the academy together" was not even on everyone's radar from the start.

No matter how many times it's said, everyone is ultimately a "rival" in the Holy Grail War, and no one has forgotten that.

If someone feels that because the situation has changed, everyone can truly "amicably" turn enemies into friends.

That would be incredibly naive, even laughable.

With "detectives" comes "crime"—that much is obvious.

Otherwise, where would the "cases" come from for people to solve?

Furthermore, if things really develop as Weber described in his "detective story"...

Saber's sword, Lancer's dual pistols.

Why are these sharp weapons still in their hands, instead of in the "baggage car" that Kenneth mentioned?

……

"Yes, kid, you're absolutely right."

After listening to Weber's reasoning and analysis of the situation, Rider nodded in agreement.

He added, "If you assume that everyone is on the same side, you'll probably suffer a big setback later."

"Rider, so you also discovered that Kenneth was lying?"

Rider crossed his knees and sat cross-legged on the bed opposite Webber, then lowered his hand that had been supporting his chin.

"It seems that my wisdom will be underestimated by my Hephaestion."

Iskandar then revealed what Kenneth had been secretly thinking throughout the conversation.

"That guy keeps implying that we should work together, but he's also subtly suggesting that the right to seize the Holy Grail will ultimately fall to us."

"Furthermore, he claimed that all he needed to do was find a way to break the curse, and he would then give up the Holy Grail."

As he spoke, this bold and forthright king couldn't help but snort coldly—what a clumsy trick.

"You mean, Mr. Kenneth lied about this?"

“No,” Iskandar shook his head, “I mean, this kind of divisive tactic is indeed obvious and effective.”

“Your teacher did not lie about these points. After all, we can find out the truth as soon as we go to that detective school. He had no need to do that.”

The Conqueror King raised his wrist and projected his identity information again.

"Haven't you figured it out yet, kid Webber?"

He pointed to the empty "faction" column.

"See that? Our positions are all empty."

"If it's really like that guy said, and they all belong to the Detective Academy, then there's no need to go through all this trouble."

At this point, Rider became somewhat curious.

"So, kid, how did you figure out your teacher was lying?"

This statement made Weber's expression turn serious.

"It's not that I'm lying, it's just that Professor Kenneth has been misleading us ever since we started talking about the Holy Grail."

Waver said in a deep voice, "Leaving here has absolutely nothing to do with the Holy Grail, and there's not even a need to make a wish."

He pinpointed the crux of the problem.

"Because we are still in the Holy Grail War, inside the Noble Phantasm of a Heroic Spirit."

"Even though we no longer have magic, leaving this place should only require the consent of that heroic spirit."

"This already says a lot, and besides—"

Weber pointed out that Kenneth actually had some issues with his motivations.

"He really didn't need to tell us all this, did he?"

Mr. Kenneth could have easily kept all this information from them, not telling them anything about the "Academy," the "Triple Crown Tournament," or anything else.

"He could have easily chosen not to come out and see us, couldn't he?"

This was so strange and bizarre to Weber.

He walked to the door of the sleeper compartment, closed the door, locked it, and then made a gesture as if he were going to force it open.

The sleeper berth door remained completely still.

……

Now, thanks to Weber's reminder, Rider finally figured out what was strange about this place—

Can a person suddenly change their behavior pattern and act in a way that is completely different from their past habits in a very short period of time?
Lancer's Master didn't behave like this at the harbor.

Whether it's setting up barriers, concealing their presence, or carrying out ambushes and underhanded attacks...

Clearly, Kenneth is a traditional magician who places great importance on his own safety.

In other words, he will not leave his workshop without a guarantee of safety.

“Kid, you’re right. Lancer’s Master has left his safe location.”

Iskandar frowned, paused for a moment, and then added a sentence at the end.

“They even brought Lancer along.”

The two exchanged a glance, both sensing the same suspicion.

Weber then continued Rider's words.

At this moment, his words took on the air of a detective making a judgment.

"Yes, subconsciously bringing Lancer along was Kenneth's biggest mistake!"

"Furthermore, he could have operated the watch directly and communicated with us remotely to give us that information, but he chose to do it in front of us."

It was far too deliberate.

At this very moment, the monarch of the Clock Tower made a crucial oversight.

Weber then revealed the true purpose of his teacher Kenneth's trip—

"What he really wanted to show us was the image of Lancer as harmless and weak."

"In short, Rider, it seems we still need to be wary of Lancer in the future."

“Hahaha,” Iskandar stood up and patted Webber on the shoulder, “I didn’t expect you to improve so quickly, kid.”

"Don't worry, I will keep an eye on them. After all, one of my professions is to be a 'bodyguard'."

The speaker may not have meant anything by it, but the listener may have taken it to heart.

Rider's words gave Webber a jolt.

Wait, what about our respective "professions"?
Weber recalled how Professor Kenneth had addressed him and others not long ago.

—Another set of logic.

Weber slowly began to speak, “There is another set of logic here.”

"Even though Lancer is pretending to be unable to move, it still reveals a different set of logic."

"Mr. Kenneth is really playing the role of a teacher at the so-called 'Beihana Town Detective Academy'."

Weber immediately realized that this was actually an extremely important detail. "We've been overlooking something all along."

"Since the 'faction' section says 'tentative,' what about the 'class' section?"

There's no reason why the content of a 'career' should remain fixed indefinitely.

Thinking about it this way, Weber even felt a little... creeped out.

"Must everyone act in a logical manner...?"

"What would happen if we didn't do that?"

Weber gently bit the tip of his tongue, forcibly suppressing the turbulent thoughts churning within him.

"But from this perspective, it is indeed fair in the final distribution."

He explained to Rider, “Obviously, as a student, I am at a huge disadvantage.”

Weber, who had previously studied at the Clock Tower, knew very well that, in terms of power, the profession of "student" was inherently limited by his "teacher".

"So, no wonder the final participants had to be students; it's a kind of check and balance based on their status."

"Otherwise, if Kenneth, or any other staff member who might be a school teacher, gives me an order like 'lock up,' I won't be able to go anywhere."

"Furthermore, it's quite simple why you, Rider, are not affiliated with the school."

Weber remembered clearly that Rider's job title was simply "driver/bodyguard".

“Then Rider, you have more freedom than I do, which means we can operate in the open and in the shadows.”

Before they knew it, only Weber's deductive reasoning could be heard in the carriage.

After he finished speaking, only silence remained in the room, along with Iskandar's burning gaze.

"I never expected that you could see so much."

A sigh, seemingly tinged with regret, rang out.

"In that case, I will follow your arrangements from now on."

Weber smiled confidently.

"Don't worry, Rider, I will definitely get my hands on the Holy Grail in the end."

Immediately afterward, his words paused almost imperceptibly for a moment.

"So, Rider, the police station you got on the map earlier was behind the dining car, right?"

“That one,” Rider recalled, “that carriage should be at the very back, just walk to the end.”

"What, kid, do you want to go and see for yourself?"

“Hmm,” Weber waved the map in his hand, “I can use returning the map as an excuse to go and see if I can find any more clues.”

Seeing Weber walk towards the carriage door, Rider instinctively stood up, ready to follow.

"Rider, you can just stay in the carriage and rest."

Weber's words startled Iskandar.

But Weber then explained his reasoning: "Didn't Miss Irisviel just say that you had a conflict with the train police earlier? It wouldn't be good if you went over there and caused trouble again."

“And,” Weber pretended to yawn, “one of us has to be fully rested.”

As he spoke, the figure walked out of the room and closed the door again, and the room became quiet once more.

……

Although they were separated by only a door, at this moment, as they lay back in bed and walked down the aisle, they couldn't help but think about the same thing.

"Has Weber discovered something?"

"Rider...is he hiding some information from me?"

An old farmer who was dedicated to wiping out half of all life in the universe once said that being cursed by knowledge is a painful thing.

This is indeed not a lie.

At this moment, Weber felt hesitant and troubled.

Although I don't know why I suddenly became so perceptive and wise.

But in fact--

From the moment he returned to the carriage and began talking to Rider about everyone's strange behavior, Webber knew, even though he really didn't want to say it, that he had been testing Rider all along.

Whether it's a topic about "professions," the unusual behavior of "Teacher Kenneth," or something else...

—This is true for all of them.

"What secrets did Rider and Miss Einzbern share at the very beginning?"

Weber was somewhat annoyed that he had woken up so late.

Or perhaps, why is my talent that ability called "Discerning Eye"?

Weber knew very well that Rider must have made some discovery before he regained consciousness.

More importantly, he hasn't even said it yet.

"I wish I were still as slow-witted as I used to be."

For a moment, Webber had the idea of ​​running back and confronting Rider directly.

Even giving up the Holy Grail or a wish is fine.

This is something only young people can do.

At this moment, in Webber's heart, his friendship with Rider outweighed any possible secrets.

He didn't want to doubt his friends because of these things.

Looking out the train window at the sky, which was gradually brightening, Weber sighed and tried to comfort himself.

"In any case, Rider must have had his reasons for doing that."

Weber thought to himself with some frustration, but then he couldn't help but recall Rider's words that made him realize something was wrong.

So, which sentence made Webber realize that Rider was hiding something from him?
Perhaps even Rider didn't realize that it was his agreement with Weber's inferences that led to this—

"In this way, we only need to catch the criminals, and we might win, or even obtain the Holy Grail."

It was this sentence that made Weber realize something was wrong.

Did you notice? The key to the problem is time.

Before Kenneth even brought up the "Triple Throne," Rider had already hinted at the "victory" and the "Holy Grail."

more importantly--

If the second half of the sentence is still just a hypothesis...

So where does the premise, namely the intelligence to "catch the criminals," come from?
Even Kenneth hadn't mentioned this.

"Detective camp, criminal camp..."

Recalling his own guess, Weber sighed again.

All he can do now is pray that the clues about Rider were indeed found in the police station.

At that moment, standing in front of the police station, Weber politely knocked on the door.

He was greeted by a male train police officer who looked somewhat tired.

Weber saw that his name tag read—Nakano Yu.

……

Seeing Weber holding the map in his hand, a hint of surprise flashed in Nakano Yu's eyes.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

Weber's gaze lingered for a moment on the wall of the police station—on a poster that read "The Greatest Detective Capital in the World" for Beika Town.

There were also several lines of promotional text that were specially marked on the side.

"Crime will be judged by detectives!"

"100% case-solving rate!"

"Come join us! The happiest city for detectives in the world!"

Weber frowned as he looked at the word "criminal" written on it.

Could it be that Rider didn't intentionally hide it, and it was just a coincidence?

But at this moment, another important question arose in my mind.

Weber couldn't help but ask, "Officer Nakano, may I ask about Beika Town?"

After receiving the other party's consent, Weber showed a slightly embarrassed expression.

He pointed to the poster.

"I'm a prospective student at the Beika Town Detective Academy. I'd like to ask, why is it a 'detective academy'?"

"Is this city dangerous?"

"Hmm, just like those two guys from before..."

To Weber's surprise, the train police officer in front of him actually showed a look of pity.

"I thought you came here because you knew about the situation in Beika Town."

Weber scratched his head. "Uh, is there something wrong with this city?"

"Since you're a student at the Detective Academy..."

Talking to himself like this, Officer Nakano took out a book that looked like it had been gathering dust for a long time from the bottom drawer of his desk.

"Since I graduated from there myself, I'll give you this book."

This is a book with a striking red and orange cover.

As if it were specially designed for easy portability, the cover is the perfect size to fit into a pants pocket.

However, its thickness clearly contradicts the original design intent.

Weber saw that it was written in several languages—

"The Guide to Happy Living in Beika Town"

(End of this chapter)