Walking in the Question and Answer System of Heroic Spirits

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "..."

[Hartlech: "This is the first time I'm formally greeting you, Miss Aozaki."]

[Aozaki Touko: "I'd heard of Dr. Hartless since my student days. Back then, I had almost no exposure to modern magic, and I regret it now... No, but you showed me some really interesting things."]

[Hartles: "You mean the fissure leading to Albion?"]

[Aozaki Touko: "Don't play dumb, former class president. You specifically used your Noble Phantasm to break in here. The rift is only part of the whole. Compared to me, who just arrived, you should know better about the nature of this place, right?"]

"For example, the wandering sea 'Podanders.' For example, the sea of ​​no return leading to another world (a famous monster in Western Europe, an abyss that swallows everything)."

"Although the principles are different, the results are very similar. It's like carbonated water, with a bubble rising to the surface. I love drinking sweet soda in glass bottles; do they still put marbles in Japanese bottles these days?"

"The map of humankind on Earth is mostly not strictly defined by the coordinates of the Tomb of the Spirits, Albion. These coordinates fluctuate and move irregularly. This uncertainty is similar to the dynamics of quantum mechanics in modern science. Because it does not depend on reality, it can be ubiquitous. A piece of terrain that is located tens of kilometers underground in Albion may also exist near the surface."

"In other words, although it is extremely illogical, this isolated space itself is wandering within the spirit tomb Albion."

"Bubbles that are separated from Albion are born, disappear, and are born again. Bubbles born in this way are connected to the main body of Albion, and then disappear shortly afterward, so the magicians of the Clock Tower and the survivors of the Secret Corpse Dissection Bureau have not yet discovered them."

"However, as the former head of the Department of Modern Magic, you know something. You know these bubbles appear in the basement of the old school building... What do you think of my theory?"

[Hartlez: "Hmm...you're really impressive. Grand Puppeteer."]

Kenneth: "It turns out it was temporary, not permanent."

Weber: "But Miss Aozaki saw through the essence of this place in one go. She's really amazing."

Kenneth: "After all, the title of Grand Magician isn't just a name."

Feng Xi: "Here I have to tag a certain magician surnamed Da."

Kenneth: "..."

Fiore: "Mr. Feng Xi, your uncle is dead, so please stop joking about him. Besides, he didn't even have the surname Da."

"Hey, Princess, that's not right..."

[After listening to Aozaki Touko's analysis, Sven whispered.]

Reines: "Hmm, if that's the case, it confirms Norwich's past smuggling suspicions."

[Hartles's funding sources have always been shrouded in mystery. Whether it was the funds provided to Yvette at the Magic Eye auction on the Magic Eye Train, or helping Izeluma acquire Siegfried's Bodhi Leaf, the amounts spent on these two events were not something an ordinary wealthy person could easily afford.]

However, since such a space exists, allowing for the periodic collection of cursed materials from Albion, it's not surprising at all.

[But why is Hartres heading to the Spirit Tomb Albion now? And even going so far as to destroy Sla and use his Noble Phantasm?]

Weber: "Indeed, why the rush? Why make such a fuss?"

Rin Tohsaka: "Is it because time is tight?"

Weber: "He shouldn't make that kind of mistake."

Hartres: "So, Miss Aozaki, what brings you here?"

[Aozaki Touko: "Hmm. I've taken on a few search requests. Although these kinds of requests, which are more suited to explorers, aren't really my thing, I have to consider social niceties. The request is to search for your disciple."]

"I'll be blunt: what have you done to your former disciples?"

Hartracey: "What do you mean by 'how is it'?"

[Aozaki Touko: "I didn't ask any difficult questions. I'm simply asking you, whose students were they, the former deans?"]

"What does this mean?"

Aozaki Touko's words left Reines somewhat bewildered.

Rin Tohsaka: "Huh? What do you mean by that?"

Weber: "...Does this mean those five people aren't Hartress's apprentices? Is there a problem with the investigation data?"

Kenneth: "Or perhaps, there's something wrong with Hartles."

Weber: "How is that possible? That would be too chaotic."

Lion's Tribulation Realm: "It's starting to become inexplicable again, making people completely baffled."

"This is really a headache."

Hartress frowned. "I told them to dedicate their lives to the most brilliant things. And they had achieved the brilliance befitting that. So, both sides got what they deserved."

[Aozaki Touko: "I see. That's excellent. Since you say you got the result you deserved, that's very good. But if that's the case, why did you go to Albion? Why did you leave your position as dean of the faculty and spend ten years causing such a case?"]

Hartles chuckled lightly, “The reason is boring. Ask any other magician, and they’d probably give the same answer. It’s far too trivial—far too mundane. It’s no different from a reason like getting your finger pricked by a thorn while picking flowers.”

Aozaki Touko asked directly, "Do you remember a disciple named Kuro?"

Upon hearing this name, Hartres showed no reaction whatsoever.

[Aozaki Touko: "Including the missing, we were able to track down all your other disciples until recently, but I couldn't find any information about the disciple with this name. The last information was about ten years ago, on the eve of your retirement from your position as Dean of the Clock Tower."]

Hartles: "..."

For a fleeting moment, it seemed as if invisible blades clashed between Hartres and Orange.

Chapter 337: Aozaki Touko VS Hephaestion

Kenneth: "His mood has changed; it seems that the teenager really has a big problem."

Weber: "But I really admire Miss Aozaki Touko. Hartless erased all the information, yet she was still able to find it."

"...Even so, I didn't expect you to show up."

After a moment of silence, Hartres abruptly changed the subject.

"Whose commission did you accept? Did you specifically seek out a certain Grand Doll Maker?"

[Aozaki Touko: "It's not that exaggerated. I've displayed dolls in a corner of exhibitions before, just because I received requests out of courtesy. This time it was also due to that kind of silly favor... Ah, I've really gone far since I wanted to become some kind of immortal."]

[Hartres: But choosing this timing, the other party must be someone involved in the Grand Prix decision, right?]

[Aozaki Touko: "I have no obligation to answer that question."]

Rin Tohsaka: "If you won't tell me about these two, I won't tell you either."

Kenneth: "However, it's very likely that it's Enola. That woman is no simpleton."

Waver: "Indeed, if it is a participant in the Grand Order, then Lady Baljeretta is the most likely candidate, after all, she is Miss Aozaki's teacher."

Hartles paused for a moment, then slowly said, "This is a bit of a headache. Depending on the situation, the new Dean of Studies might break free from my plans and come here... I've considered that, but running into you was unexpected. Since you won't answer, I can't reveal my hand either."

"Oh, so the negotiations broke down?"

Aozaki Touko shrugged, about to turn and leave, but then stopped and turned back, saying, "You're not planning to let me go back, are you?"

Hartles: "You're joking, and you're far too clever. To me, you're both too important and too dangerous; you're worth the entire Clock Tower. If it's convenient, I'd like to ask you to say a few more words."

Hephaestion: "Indeed, let me try my hand at what is called a modern magician."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it."

[Aozaki Touko looked up at the ceiling, shaking her head in apparent helplessness.]

A 'click' sound rang out as Aozaki Touko shook her head.

A large number of runes suddenly surrounded Heartres and his companion, exceeding a thousand in an instant. The trajectory of these runes followed the same path that Aozaki Touko had previously taken.

She had actually planted runes on her ankles while walking.

Because she did not chant, Hatrees and Hephaestion were less vigilant.

Rin Tohsaka: "Using his feet? As expected of a Grand Magus!"

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "So this is a rune!"

Kenneth: "Many of these runes were lost long ago; she reinterpreted and reconstructed them."

Fuxi: "Oh, so this is a Western magic incantation—"

Feng Xi: "This rune is called Rune, which is said to have been created by Odin, the great god of Norse mythology."

Fuxi: "Is this the script of the gods?"

Weber: "Does this count as winning the first round?"

The Conqueror King: "Kid, she's not so easy to deal with. After all, she's a magician from the Age of Gods."

[Aozaki Touko: "I've been using the runes from the production runes I made before. Since returning to London, I've been carrying extra runes with me."]

Hartres remained calm and simply said, "Faker."

Hephaestion: "The Gorgon (the harpy in Greek mythology)."

Immediately, an ominous wind swept through the ground, extinguishing thousands of runic flames on the spot.

Hephaestion: "The idea of ​​burning heroic spirits in the name of God is excellent, and the quantity is impeccable. However, regarding that spell, don't you think it would be more advantageous for me to directly invoke a fragment of God?"

[Because Faker's language differs from that of modern magicians, she is a divine magician who can directly borrow fragments of divine power.]

Even after leaving the mythological era, many natural phenomena have lost their divine form, yet the magicians of that time, who forged contracts with the gods, can still wield that power.

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Wow, you solved it so easily!"

Kenneth: "And her spell is very short, it's—"

Hephaestion: "Hail ferns (a general term for the Greek goddess of water)."

The moisture in the air instantly froze, binding Aozaki Touko's limbs.