Walking in the Question and Answer System of Heroic Spirits

[“—Hey! You’re not kidding, are you?”]

[“—Of course not. I will pass on my reasoning to you in order, and you can organize it into your own explanation as you speak.”]

【"—Don't say such unreasonable things, brother!"】

Aozaki Touko asked with a teasing look, "What's wrong, Princess El-Melloi?"

Reines: "...It's nothing, I'm just struggling with how to bring it up."

[The people here won't just passively listen to a detective's reasoning; they'll likely continue to interfere in order to steer the deductions in their favor. Even if the disciple disappearances caused by Hartres are related to the Grand Order Decision, the Grand Order Decision isn't a place to find the culprit.]

For the reasoning to proceed, it's necessary to pique the interest of at least half the participants, if not everyone.

Furthermore, it is also necessary to maintain a theoretical framework sufficient for apprehending the criminal, based on the elder brother's reasoning.

This is akin to performing aerial acrobatics to entertain the audience on the ground while simultaneously approaching and shooting down enemy fighter jets.

Lion's Robbery Jie Li: "It seems this is truly a great challenge."

Rin Tohsaka: "It should be fine. It's not like I haven't done two things at once before."

Weber: "As long as nothing unexpected happens on my end, it'll be fine."

[“Brother, are you able to catch up with Hartres?”]

[“I will try to go as fast as possible.”]

[“—I don’t want to ask you for a favor, but I have to. Even if I do my best to find Hartles’ accomplice, it will all be for nothing if you don’t catch Hartles.”]

After all, even if the accomplice's identity is discovered, the other party might change their attitude and propose using the power of the entire Clock Tower to support Hatres.

Ultimately, without stopping Hartres, nothing would have been possible.

"Hmm, this seems like a good starting point."

Reines glanced around at everyone and said, "Everyone, do you know Dr. Hartless, the former head of the Department of Modern Magic?"

Olga Marie chimed in, "Unfortunately, I've only heard his name. He left the Clock Tower by the time I was old enough to remember."

[Reines: "In recent months, the students of that former Dean of Studies, Hartres, have been disappearing one after another. Yes, Miss Ashira, of course you know about this. Because one of them—your colleague, Karl-Heinz Islay—was murdered at the Bureau of Unseen Corpses Autopsy, and Ms. Adashino Ryori there examined the crime scene."]

[Himeri Adashino: "I did examine the scene."]

Reines: "I believe Dr. Hartrace is the culprit in the disappearance case."

[Enolae: "Oh, that guy?"]

[Margo Daniel: "What's wrong?"]

[Inolai: "I was just surprised, because he used to seem quite close to his disciples."]

"By the way, you had quite extensive exchanges with the former modern magic department, didn't you?"

Marg Daniel looked at the old man and asked, "And what about Mr. Rufreus?"

[Rufreus: "...what's the point of spending time...on a mere academician who isn't even a monarch...?"]

Chapter 360: The Trap – Students Are Just for Selling

[Rufreus: "Ah...so what if this useless new generation of master and disciple kills each other...what does it have to do with me? Are you planning to waste meeting time with such irrelevant matters, El-Melloi..."]

Reines nodded, an expression indicating she understood the details perfectly.

[Ah, how despicable! Only now does she truly understand her brother's feelings. However, she only wants to stand on the side that tramples on others' feelings, not to empathize with them.]

"No, sir, this matter is related."

Reines stated seriously, "Because Hartres was an accomplice in this Grand Order decision."

Weber: "That girl, really..."

However, it's good to let her experience this feeling occasionally.

[Our gaze shifts to the Second Prince.]

[Fruka and the others inquired about the outcome of the Grand Prince's decision, but the Second Prince was already too preoccupied to answer them.]

[Qingxuan thought for a moment, then asked, "El-Melloi II, may I connect to your magic circuits?"]

[Second Generation: "It's alright."]

After receiving the Second Prince's nod, Qingxuan lightly flicked his index finger, and a feather-like shape appeared at his fingertip.

The feather floated lightly between Nise and Seigen, its surface glowing with a light resembling a magic circuit.

In an instant, the details of the meeting were instantly transmitted into everyone's minds.

[Grey: "What is this?"]

"It's a magic spell Ashburn uses to share information. It's the angelic magic that strips away the city of Adela..."

[Qingxuan said self-deprecatingly, "Although in this case it only concerns the way magic is used, Ashburn's magical characteristics boil down to sharing. Because the magic there still resides within me."]

[Furuka exclaimed in surprise, "I never expected that Aozaki Touko and Adashino Hishiri would appear at the Grand Rank Decision."]

Luvia suddenly realized something and said nervously, "Everyone, it seems we're about to face a critical moment!"

In the darkness, a bolt of lightning struck them.

"Lead.me!"

[Fruka hastily threw a knife, which quickly veered off course in the direction it indicated, successfully avoiding a fatal blow.]

However, the violent impact shattered his defensive magic, and the aftershocks alone sent the others flying.

[Kiyogen: "Mr. Furuka!"]

[Furuka, clutching her burned right hand, groaned, "I'm alright..."]

Luvia looked up at the sky above the cave and shouted, "Dragon!"

[That's right, the attackers were a chariot pulled by those two skeletal dragons.]

[Second Generation: "Demon Heaven, the wheels!"]

Rin Tohsaka: "It's Faker's Noble Phantasm?!"

Koles: "Wait a minute! Wasn't Faker supposed to be on his path to godhood? Why is he here?"

Lion Jie Li: "Kid, look closely, there's no one in that car at all."

Koles: "Unmanned, driving?"

Fiore: "Faker's Noble Phantasm, can it act automatically?"

Webber: "No, it's magic. Those two bone dragons are clearly puppets similar to skeleton soldiers. Faker probably had them lying in ambush here."

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Hartles, did this man even guess that the Second Prince and his group would come down from here?"

[Fruka: "Damn it, Hartres also knows about the existence of this Void Hole...?"]

They should have considered this sooner.

Since Hartles didn't reach the ancient heart via the crack in the clock tower, he likely knew of other shortcuts. If he anticipated their pursuit via these shortcuts, setting a trap here would be perfectly reasonable.

However, they also discovered that there was no one on the chariot.

"The dike has been breached."

[Headed over by Hartres, he covered one eye, and two Command Seals glowed on the back of his hand.]

[He already used one Command Seal during the Mystic Eyes Train incident.]

"He's here. Just as I expected. Although I thought it would be better if this prediction were wrong—no, if he could understand me. Nothing would be more reassuring than that."

Inside the pillar of light before Hatteres, Hephaestion is undergoing his rebirth.

"Let's settle this once and for all, El-Melloi II."

Hartles glanced at the connected pocket watch and said, "Faker, I command you with a Command Spell—endure for two thousand years for my sake!"

Kenneth: "He used up a Command Spell? No wonder he was able to escape from the Holy Lance's attack last time."

Koles: "Now that Hartres only has one Command Seal left, it's good news for the Second Prince."

Fiore: "Yes, every additional Command Seal adds another variable."

Weber: "Can we make it...?"

Let's turn our attention back to the Grand Prix decision.

[Rufreus: "Hehehehehe... to actually say... a prisoner... oh. This little girl from the Modern Magic Department... she's quite stubborn... but once the words are out, it's too late to take them back..."]

Reines: "Of course."

"No... there's absolutely no need to listen..."

[After staring at Reines for a few seconds, Rufreus sneered, "Marg Daniel... continue chairing the meeting... This occasion... is not a place for people to idly imitate detective deductions... Even if a mere anatomy bureau member dies... it has nothing to do with us. The same goes for Hartres's disciple... What's the point of wasting time on such matters in the Grand Order...?"]

"Doing this makes sense."

[At this moment, Ryori Adano spoke up: "On behalf of the Department of Law and Politics, I would like to suggest that the incident involving Hartres's disciples may affect the Grand Order decision."]

Rufreus's face darkened. "You! What are you planning..." he said.

"I was just doing my duty."

[Himeri Adashino still wore that sly smile, saying, "As long as it involves the order of the Clock Tower, we have the right and the obligation to do our utmost, even in matters concerning the Grand Order."]