Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

"Three months ago, Theresa went to the depths of Albion, the Tomb of the Dead, and never returned."

Albion, the Tomb of the Dead.

The Clock Tower magicians' greatest asset, which can also be said to be the common origin and foundation of magic after the Common Era.

The Magic Association's three departments each have their own distinct core leadership.

The Clock Tower's "Haunted Tomb Albion".

The Seven Weapons of Atlas.

The five "hidden divine principles" of the Wandering Sea.

The magicians gathered in London mined less than one-thousandth of the resources of "Albion" over 1500 years, yet they created the Clock Tower, the world's largest magic organization today.

Then, the true nature of Albion, the Tomb of Spirits, is actually...

Please accept my condolences. Shirou paused for a moment before saying, "I understand the general situation. Miss Olga Marie's goal is 'Rainbow'... Heh, she seems determined to get it."

"Yes."

Olga Marie proudly puffed out her small chest.

Since coming into contact with magicians in this world, Shirou's concept of money has been completely overturned.

The families of the twelve monarchs were all incredibly wealthy, able to freely use national budget funds. It wouldn't be surprising if they owned a few plots of land or even one or two oil wells.

"Determined to win? That's what you think, but unfortunately, asking the auctioneer won't make any difference."

A female voice interrupted their conversation; it belonged to a pink-haired girl with an eye patch.

"Ugh, the two most incompatible people..." Shirou thought to himself.

“Yvette L. Lehman”.

Good afternoon, Lady Olga Marie.

Yvette gave a casual greeting and then sat down in the seat next to the two of them.

"Really! Lord Shirou, being a womanizer isn't good, you know~"

The girl skillfully wrapped her arm around the boy's: "You already have such a lovely mistress and you're still not satisfied? This time you actually made a move on the young lady of the Animusfia family... You hopeless Lolicon!"

"........."

Olga Marie's amber eyes seemed to spit fire, so Shirou quickly changed the subject.

What did you mean when you said "asking the auctioneer is useless"?

Even auctioneers don't know the details of the items they're interested in until the day of the auction.

Born into a prestigious family of Mystic Eyes, the girl has participated in several auctions to date, and no passenger knows the operation of the Mystic Eyes Collection Train better than her.

Yvette smiled alluringly: "Only the acting manager knows which guest it is."

"guest……!?"

Shirou and Olga Marie were taken aback.

In other words, the most important items at the auction were not from the collection of Twenty-Seven Zulita Roggean, but rather eyeballs freshly plucked from the passengers!

"As for exceptions, the only exception is when the target does not show up on their own before the auction begins—or when they receive an invitation but do not take the train. Only then will the agent manager tell them who the target is."

"The holder of the 'Rainbow's Eye is among the passengers?" Olga Marie exclaimed in astonishment.

“Or perhaps it was a guest who boarded the train on the day of the auction,” Shirou added.

……

……

The rest of the time was spent on a peaceful train journey.

In the afternoon, I was invited by Reines to have afternoon tea in her room.

Also present were Olga Marie, Yvette, Rin Tohsaka, and Luvia.

Reines said that since everyone was a young person of similar age, this was a good opportunity to strengthen their friendship.

Upon hearing that Rin Tohsaka and Luvia were interested in entering the Minerals Department of the Clock Tower after graduating from high school, Reines showed great enthusiasm.

Is this guy... planning to start an organization like the Isshinkai (Clock Tower ver.)? Shirou couldn't help but think.

As a member of the branch family of the twelve monarchs who control the minerals of Kokishua, Reines would probably be overwhelmed with gratitude and utterly flattered if she were to welcome him with such hospitality.

However, Rin Tohsaka and Luvia are both people who have no interest in politics and power, so Reines's attempts to win them over were not very successful.

As a result, half the time of the tea party was spent arguing between Rin and Luvia, while the other half was spent by Reines and Yvette teasing Shirou.

"What a surprise... I thought Lord Shirou wouldn't be good at this kind of social interaction, and I was actually looking forward to seeing you make a fool of yourself."

"Ugh... I'm so sorry I've gotten used to tea parties where everyone except me is a girl!"

"Hehehe, is this the kind of magnanimity of a man who takes both the Cangqi sisters and the witch into his harem?"

The second day of the "Magic Eye Collection Train" ended in the atmosphere of a spring outing.

After dinner, Shirou toured the entire train, trying to find the acting manager before the auction.

Because Rin and Luvia told me that they met the acting manager when the train stopped for a rest.

What does "not human" mean?

"It means exactly what it says, Amamiya-san... The acting manager is not human, but a magical illusion."

Rin and Luvia seemed to see a glowing white woman, which was the shadow left behind by Zulita Rogan, the acting manager of the train and a Dead Apostle Twenty-Seven.

Finally, Shirou searched from 6:30 to 9:30 but didn't see anyone like that, so he had to return to his room dejectedly.

Ignoring the two people wrestling with pillows in their pajamas on the bed, Shirou said "Goodnight" and covered himself with a blanket.

……

……

At three in the morning, Shirou woke up from his sleep.

In the stillness of the night, Rin Tohsaka and Luvia Zelita slept soundly on their beds on either side of each other, with only the swaying of the carriage and the sound of its movement proving the passage of time.

"Ok?"

Shirou noticed a wisp of mist drifting in through the crack in the door. He instinctively became alert, thinking it was an attack, but it didn't seem to be.

The mist was neither poisonous nor magical; it was more like a guiding phantom.

Is this an invitation for me to come over?

After thinking for a moment, Shirou got out of bed and got dressed.

He followed the mist through the cold, quiet corridor.

A deep, resonant sound echoed throughout the carriage. From the other end of several pressure gauges, regulating valve levers, brake valve levers, and water injectors, came the muffled crackling sound of iron and coal burning together.

Shirou finally arrived at the only forbidden area that invited guests were not allowed to enter: the locomotive of the Mystic Eyes Collection Train.

It is said that the train's power largely comes from the magical energy of the spiritual veins along the route, but the locomotive itself has many parts that imitate classic steam locomotives.

It's likely because the train's owner himself really liked this style.

Even though their power has far surpassed that of humans, they still prefer traces left by humans in certain places. There are many such strange people among the Twenty-Seven Ancestors.

Then, Shirou saw a beautiful woman he had never seen on the train before, standing gracefully through the gaps in the mist.

Not only that, but brightly colored flowers rippled around the woman, making the place seem like an otherworldly realm unlike anything in reality.

Shirou has seen many beautiful women before, including some with a bewitching allure, but this is the first time he has encountered one as intense as her—

It is a rose.

Where the woman stood, dozens of bright red roses bloomed.

Not only her surroundings, but also her beautifully curled blonde hair was adorned with a dazzling rose crown, making the woman look like the embodiment of a flower.

"Welcome, Lord Amamiya Shirou. It seems you've been looking for me everywhere."

The woman raised her crimson eyes and met the boy's gaze.

The next instant, Shirou had the illusion that his consciousness was being sucked into the other party.

He quickly overcame the feeling of weightlessness and asked, "Are you... the acting manager?"

The woman shook her head slightly and said with a smile, "It would be too impolite for you to see my clone."

I am Rita Rogan, the manager of this Magic Eye Collecting Train.

"...I never expected that the person who invited me to a late-night rendezvous would be the ancestor of vampires."

Shirou joked.

Rita Rogéan, the fifteenth seat of the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostles.

If fairies and elves are the immune organs born from the planet's will, then Dead Apostles are the foreign objects and toxins that invade the planet's environment.

Once a vampire reaches the level of "Ancestor," their power is comparable to that of the highest-ranking fairies, and their very existence is a law that disrupts human reason.

In Leticia's world, it seems that there is no such thing as an "ancestor".

Shirou finally realized that the distortion of his world was no less than that of other parallel worlds, or even more so.

Shirou decided to get straight to the point: "My friend has been attacked by the Mystic Eyes and is currently in a coma. I hope to use your knowledge to heal her."

“It was just a small favor,” Rita Rogan said calmly.

"It's not that easy after all... Huh? Is it okay?"

"Yes, since it's Lord Shirou's request, there's no reason to refuse."

The Rose Maiden said, "After this train journey is over, I will accompany you to Japan to cure your friend of the curse of the Demon Eye."

"........."

This guy is actually a good person, surprisingly?

I'm sorry! I had preconceived notions!

Because you're a glamorous, flower-like beauty like the teacher, I subconsciously mistook you for an unreasonable person! I'm so sorry!

"But I also have a condition."

Sigh, there really is a "but".

Shirou asked, "Could it be about my 'eyes'?"

He had a vague feeling that the target of the Magic Eye Collection Train was probably himself.

Rita Rogéan nodded in agreement, but what she said next was completely unexpected by Shirou.

"I want you to get off this train immediately."

Rose, the vampire, said seriously, "If you stay in the car any longer... your life will be in danger."

The "Eye of the End" throbbed with pain, proving that the woman before him was not lying.

She wasn't threatening Shirou; she was genuinely worried that he might die a violent death in her territory.

Volume 6, Chapter 284: The Artist's Young Lady Who Loves Counterfeits (Self-proclaimed)

"I'm going to die? What do you mean?" Shirou asked.

"........."

Rita Rogéan did not answer his question directly.

She turned her graceful profile and cast her crimson gaze out the car window.

Outside the train, plains and forests rushed by, bathed in the starlight of the deep night, tranquil and calming.

After a long while, Rita Rogan parted her bright red lips.

"I am an artist."

Shirou's lips twitched. What was this guy saying all of a sudden?