Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

Aoi Tohsaka stood up and began tidying up the tea set.

"Rin, Shirou-kun is my friend, please don't be too rude to him."

After saying that, Mrs. Tohsaka disappeared into the kitchen.

The two moved to Rin's room.

Before Shirou could even sit down, Lady Tohsaka began to question him.

"When did you become so close to my mother?"

She stood with her hands on her hips, looking fierce.

Any female high school student would find it hard to accept that her mother is so close to a boy at school.

Shirou: "Hmm... half a year ago?"

Rin Tohsaka: "Six months ago?"

The girl frowned, then seemed to suddenly remember something.

"Could it be during the time I wasn't feeling well?"

Shirou nodded.

"Oh, I see... then there's nothing we can do..."

Rin Tohsaka, a little embarrassed, smoothed her black hair over her shoulder.

I did cause Shirou a lot of trouble during that time and I owe him a lot of favors.

So that's how it is. Amamiya-san became friends with my mother while taking care of me.

Although I still feel uneasy, since it was my fault, there's nothing I can do about it...

That being said, I always felt that the way my mother looked at Shirou just now was especially tender... Was that just my imagination?

"So, is there something you want to talk to me about today?"

Rin Tohsaka sat down on the edge of the bed, crossed her arms over her chest, and crossed her beautiful legs, which were covered by black over-the-knee stockings.

With her clever mind, she had already guessed that what was going to be discussed next was something that couldn't be explained in the Amamiya family's living room.

Shirou handed her the prepared envelope.

The girl opened it and her eyes widened: "This is... an invitation to the Rail Zeppelin!?"

Rin Tohsaka had only heard rumors about it, so it was no wonder she was shocked to see the real legend today.

Shiro explained, "Didn't I go to France a few days ago?"

You must have heard the whole story from Sakura, right? That's why you found this in your room after you got back.

Upon hearing this, Rin Tohsaka revealed a mischievous grin.

"I see, so that's what you came to discuss with me today..."

Who put this in your room? In other words—

You suspect that a "traitor" has appeared in your life.

Shirou frowned and said, "That's going too far, Tohsaka."

Rin Tohsaka disagreed: "Is that really how it is?"

I've also disturbed your house, so I know very well how well-defended that mansion is.

"It would be impossible for someone who wasn't on the inside to put this invitation in your room."

Shirou: "...It was just a letter, calling it betrayal is too much of an exaggeration."

Rin Tohsaka: "Don't you think everything is too much of a coincidence, Amamiya-san?"

Miss Karen fell into a deep sleep after being attacked by the enemy's Mystic Eyes, and just then, someone delivered an invitation to the Mystic Eyes Collection Train.

No matter how you look at it—it seems like someone deliberately led you there.

"..."

Shirou was speechless, but Rin Tohsaka looked delighted.

"Oh dear, who could it be?"

Judging from the suspects, one of the Einzbern family members is the most likely candidate, right?

However, it's not impossible for Matou to be involved, and even Fujimura-sensei might...

Oh right, and me too—"

"do not talk."

Shirou angrily interrupted Rin Tohsaka, who was beaming with delight.

"...Sorry, I made an inappropriate joke."

The girl realized that she had gone a bit too far in her prank.

Shirou shook his head: "Regardless of their intentions, it's a fact that someone in my family left this letter in my room."

"What are you planning to do? Are you going?"

Shirou responded with a soft "hmm" without hesitation.

Rin Tohsaka stretched: "I thought so too. Sigh~ I'm going to be busy from now on."

"Tohsaka, what did you mean by what you just said?"

Rin Tohsaka blinked: "What do you mean...?"

"Didn't you come here to tell me all this because you were planning to invite me to the auction with you?"

"Hey……"

Shirou hadn't thought that far ahead at all.

The "Magic Eye Collection Train" can only be entered by those who have received an invitation, and each invitation allows two companions.

Neither a traditional magician nor a nobleman, he had no concept of attendants and originally intended to go to the auction alone.

After Rin Tohsaka's reminder, he realized that his actions were indeed somewhat inappropriate.

That magician-collecting train should be full of magicians, and Shirou knows absolutely nothing about the magicians' society.

Even from the perspective of finding a guide for yourself, it would be better to bring a companion.

Shirou hesitated, "But, is it alright? Tohsaka, you must have your own things to do too..."

Rin Tohsaka smiled happily: "This is what I've been waiting for—the chance to pay back all the favors I owe you in one go!"

"That's not what I actually wanted to say..."

"what is that?"

"The 'Magic Eye Collection Train' is a magical train that ignores physical terrain and operates throughout Western Europe..."

If you come with me, we'll have to ask the school for leave.

Rin Tohsaka said speechlessly, "Amamiya-san, when did you become so studious? Didn't you skip class quite often?"

"No, the key point is that we'll take leave together."

"what……!"

Rin Tohsaka covered her half-open mouth.

Because of that fainting incident, Shirou's relationship with Rin Tohsaka became the talk of the school, and it only gradually subsided over the past six months.

　If the two of them take a week off this time, it's inevitable that rumors will arise again.

Rin Tohsaka, of course, didn't care about the other students' idle thoughts, but there was one exception—

Sakura Matou becomes the younger sister of someone else's child.

Rin Tohsaka didn't want her to misunderstand her relationship with Shirou Amamiya.

Unlike me, that girl only has her senior from school...

"Sorry. Just pretend I didn't say anything. I really can't... oh dear!?"

Rin Tohsaka was interrupted halfway through her sentence: "Tohsaka, can you come to the auction with me?"

Shirou gripped Rin's hand tightly.

"Woo..."

The power emanating from that hand gave the girl the illusion that she was being intensely needed.

"...You're hurting me."

"Ah, sorry."

Rin Tohsaka hurriedly pulled her hand back, then bit her lip and said, "Okay, I'll go with you, alright?"

"Really? Thank you, Tohsaka."

"........."

Rin Tohsaka didn't dare look into Shirou's grateful eyes and silently turned her head away.

I'm sorry... Sakura.

……

……

Three nights later, the fog was extremely thick.

Shirou and Rin Tohsaka arrived at the location specified on the invitation.

Rin Tohsaka was wearing what was said to be her family's signature red dress and black skirt, with a trench coat over it, looking very capable.

Shirou's attire was no different from usual, except that he now wore a pair of glasses.

This is a magical costume called "Mystic Eye Killer," which has the effect of blocking the gaze of those with magical powers. The creator is Touko Aozaki.

This was the first time Rin Tohsaka had seen Shirou wearing glasses, so she couldn't help but steal a few more glances at him.

The invitation indicated the location as an old train station on the outskirts of London.

It lost its function as a station decades ago and can only be considered a relic of the Industrial Revolution, retaining the vicissitudes of a hundred years ago.

"Is this really the place...?"

After frantically confirming that the address was correct, the two climbed over the fence and entered the station like thieves.

They had only taken a few steps when a stern female voice came from afar.

"—Shirou? Could it be Shirou!?"

Upon hearing his name, Shirou instinctively turned around.

What appeared there was a blonde girl so dazzling that even the night seemed to fade into darkness.

She is sixteen years old, the same age as Shirou and Rin.

That handsome face can only be described as perfect, noble and elegant, reminiscent of a naturally formed gemstone.

The girl had a head of gorgeous and exaggerated Roman curls, and a blue dress wrapped around her young and healthy body, outlining her beautiful and well-proportioned curves.

"It really is Shirou!! He looks so good with glasses too?!"

After Shirou turned around, the curly-haired girl's eyes lit up, and she waved enthusiastically.

Rin Tohsaka looked curiously at the girl in the distance, then looked at Shirou and asked.

"...Is it someone you know?"

"Ah."

Shirou nodded in agreement.

One of the few magicians he knew during his short career as a magician.

Luvia Zelita Edelfelt, the current head of the Edelfelt family, whom she met due to a past entanglement.

Unexpectedly, she was also a guest of the "Magic Eye Collection Train".