Chapter 46: Luring and Abducting the Neglected Girl

Clock Tower, cafeteria.

"Shinji, are you here to find the geniuses of the Clock Tower, or are you here for the food?"

Touko, pulled into the cafeteria by Shinji, had a face full of question marks.

"Senpai, do you know when the geniuses of the Clock Tower gather together?" Shinji answered with a cheerful smile. "It's when it's mealtime."

Touko, being teased, gave Shinji an unfriendly look and muttered, "Maybe someone is cooking up something special."

"People who can cook up something special, I can't even dig them up."

Shinji would never approach those who could set up their own kitchens in the Clock Tower. Either they were the offspring of a big family, or they were apprentices of a professor. How could Shinji possibly recruit them?

Understanding this, Touko had nothing to say and could only sit down with Shinji in a corner of the cafeteria.

Shinji held a sandwich in his hand, taking bites, while his eyes wandered around the cafeteria.

After scanning the area, Shinji did see quite a few familiar faces. These people were chatting in groups of threes and twos.

For example, the Lord of the Astromancy Department, Marisbury Animusphere, was conversing with several of his students.

It was this guy who caused so much trouble that the position of Chaldea director was as dangerous as the President of South Korea.

However, in this world without the Holy Grail War, Shinji didn't know if this person had established the Chaldea organization.

Shinji did not receive any indication of cooperation from Marisbury Animusphere, indicating that the person was not interested in summoning heroic spirits.

In addition to the first director, Shinji also saw the chubby director Goredolf Musik. He was concentrating on dealing with a piece of frost-cooked steak.

Counting Olga Marie, who was with her father, Shinji suddenly realized that the first three generations of Chaldea magi directors had gathered in the cafeteria.

"Well, if I summon the Animusphere duo, wouldn't that be a grand slam?"

With his gaze withdrawn, Shinji muttered quietly.

"What grand slam? Are you interested in the number of female students at the Clock Tower?" Touko asked curiously.

"Senpai, don't imagine me as someone who only thinks with the lower half of my body."

Shinji finished the remaining sandwich in one bite, patting off the crumbs on his hands. "Okay, decision made. I'll abduct a few male students to Japan next. That way, senpai, you won't misunderstand me anymore."

"That's too much, you're not even sparing the guys."

Seeing Touko's teasing eyes, Shinji helplessly held his forehead.

"I'm really dumb... I shouldn't have argued with girls about this."

Touko picked up her empty plate and said to Shinji, "Excuse me, I'm going to meet with my teacher."

Shinji quickly said, "Please give my regards to the head of the Atroholm family."

Touko's teacher was none other than the Lord of the Department of Creation, Inorai Valualeta Atroholm, one of the three giants of the Clock Tower.

Even if Shinji was a bit disrespectful, he still had to be polite to such a big shot.

"By the way, if you have promising talents in the Creation Department, please try to attract them. I offer generous salaries, including meals and accommodation, and provide ancient Heroic Spirits for magical ritual consultations."

Shinji shouted after Touko's retreating figure.

"To think you would actually try to woo my teacher, aren't you afraid of getting beaten to death?"

Touko rolled her eyes but still gave Shinji an affirmative gesture, indicating that she was willing to give it a try.

"Thank you, senpai."

Touko smiled slightly, waved her hand without turning around, and left gracefully.

Shinji withdrew his gaze and said, twisting his neck, "Next... it's time to find people."

After surveying the cafeteria, Shinji had some preliminary candidates in mind.

Among them, Director Goredolf Musik was Shinji's top choice.

Coming from a prestigious alchemist family, Goredolf had a profound foundation. Despite his seemingly arrogant appearance, the Fate/Grand Order storyline revealed that he was a decent person, someone trustworthy.

However, perhaps due to the playful banter with Touko taking too long, when Shinji wanted to approach Director Goredolf, he found that the man was no longer in the cafeteria.

After circling around the cafeteria a few times, Shinji couldn't find any trace of Director Goredolf.

"Darn it, which department does he belong to?"

Just as Shinji paused at a corner of the corridor, a nearby door suddenly opened.

A magus carrying documents walked out, complaining, "Damn it! Why did you make so many demands!? You think doing any of this is easy?!"

The magus, being too careless, almost collided with Shinji.

"Hey! I say, you! Eh!? Senior?"

The magus, who was about to scold, stopped himself when he saw Shinji's face.

"Senior Matou, why are you here? Could it be... you're here to discuss a collaborative research project with us?"

The magus swallowed his saliva and asked excitedly.

"Collaborative project?"

Shinji was momentarily stunned. He looked up and glanced at the sign on the door.

"Department of Summoning Documentation Room... How did I end up here?"

Shinji now understood why the magus had asked him that way.

The fact that he was summoning Heroic Spirits for a movie shoot wasn't a secret within the magus community. Seeing Shinji in the Department of Summoning, the magus probably thought Shinji was facing difficulties with a magical ritual and sought help.

"Senior Matou, which professor are you looking for?"

The magus grabbed Shinji's hand and shook it vigorously, like a fan meeting his idol.

"Well, I just wanted to check some information," Shinji waved his hand and discreetly withdrew it.

"Who were you so angry with just now?"

"Well, about that..."

The magus glanced towards the depths of the documentation room and explained, "Our group wanted to deconstruct the ritual you use to summon Heroic Spirits. However, that person keeps saying we haven't considered certain aspects, constantly redesigning it as if she already knows the results— Ah! My apologies!"

Seeing Shinji looking at him playfully, the magus quickly apologized. To him, summoning Heroic Spirits was an extremely secretive family tradition.

It was one thing for their team to secretly research it, but openly discussing deconstruction wasn't appropriate.

"Calm down, If you want to deconstruct it, then go on ahead, I wish you good luck," Shinji patted the magus on the shoulder and walked towards the interior of the documentation room.

Shinji, not really concerned about the magus's attempt to deconstruct the summoning ritual, knew well that summoning Heroic Spirits required an immense amount of magical energy, something that even he, as a Master, couldn't handle alone. The 7 Servants in Fuyuki City were able to stay in the present world because they used the magical energy of Fuyuki City's leylines. Shinji, as a Master, only acted as a kind of adapter.

"I'm just browsing around; you don't need to notify me," Shinji said as he entered the documentation room.

"Okay."

The disappointed magus replied and then left the room.

The Documentation Room of the Department of Summoning was filled with stacks of books and parchment scrolls, creating a gloomy atmosphere under dim lights.

Shinji didn't stop to peruse these materials; instead, he walked straight towards the depths of the room, interested in the "person" the magus had mentioned.

Sitting at a wooden table, a long-haired girl continuously wrote something, chanting under her breath.

"Cu Chulainn is obviously weakened by the Lúin runes; this greatly deviates from his legendary image... In other words, the opponent should have a different aspect, one skilled in Rune magic but not in spear arts... The Holy Grail summoned only a single side of the Heroic Spirit..."

The girl's brown hair was disheveled, hanging over her shoulders. A large black eyepatch covered one of her eyes, making it difficult for her to see.

Suddenly, she stopped writing and looked up blankly.

"Who's there?"

As Shinji was standing on the side covered by the eyepatch, the girl could only see a blurry figure.

"Did you make this research on Heroic Spirits?" Shinji picked up a sheet of paper from the table, asking with interest.

The girl was caught off guard, took a while, and then nodded slowly.

"Impressive..." Shinji praised in a low voice.

Despite the chaotic and disorderly nature of the information on the paper, Shinji could see that the girl had unique insights into summoning Heroic Spirits. She not only predicted the existence of different forms of the same Heroic Spirit but also analyzed the influence of evolving legendary stories on their spiritual cores.

Indeed, she was a promising student in the future Department of Summoning.

Shinji observed the long-haired girl, and the curve of his smiling lips became wider and wider.

The girl, also looking at Shinji with her uncovered left eye, couldn't contain her excitement, which the dim light of the room failed to conceal.

"What's your name?" Shinji asked gently.

The girl hesitated for a moment and then answered in a soft voice, "Ah... O-Ophelia. Ophelia Phamrsolone."

"Phamrsolone from Germany?"

Shinji stroked his chin, asking a question he had already confirmed.

"Yes— yes," blushing, Ophelia nodded.

"Why do you want to study Heroic Spirit summoning?"

"My family's long-cherished wish is to come into contact with demons... I believe that by using the summoning of fictional Heroic Spirits, we might also be able to summon... demons..."

Ophelia's voice became quieter as she spoke, preparing herself for Shinji's potential mockery.

However, Shinji reached out and touched his own long hair.

"Hmm?"

"Interesting idea, with your own unique perspective," Shinji said gently, "You're really great."

"Thank you..."

Ophelia's cheeks turned crimson, and she stiffly nodded her small head.

"I need a secretary by my side; are you interested?"

"Huh?"

Ophelia widened her eyes, not expecting Shinji to say something like that.

"Since we want to perfect the summoning ritual, isn't it most convenient to observe the Servants up close?"

Shinji's handsome face revealed a sinister smile, and his gentle yet magnetic voice seemed to entice like a demon tempting humans into signing a contract.

"Are you interested, the high-achieving student from the Department of Summoning?"

"I just entered the school..." Ophelia corrected in a soft voice.

"What's your answer then?"

Ophelia stared blankly at Shinji.

Finally, as if gathering courage, she suddenly exclaimed, "Thank you very much, Mr. Shinji!"

"Well, I'll take that as your agreement."

Shinji chuckled, waved his hand, and walked toward the door of the archive room.

"I've been at the Clock Tower lately. Once you're done packing, come find me."

"Of course!"

Ophelia stared blankly at Shinji's retreating figure for a long time before coming back to her senses.

Touching her slightly warm cheeks, Ophelia's once confused eyes gradually became determined.

"Hehe, to think I would got one of the Crypter, how lucky~"

On the other side, in a good mood, Shinji began humming a tune in the corridor.

Suddenly, a cold voice interrupted her.

"Oh my~ It seems you are having a good time, aren't you, Shinji? How does it feel to lure an ignorant girl?"

"Lissy! Why are you here?"

Seeing Cloris standing in front of her, Shinji was startled, almost climbing the wall like a cat.

Cloris sneered, "I came to the Clock Tower to discuss the next collaboration with Waver. He mentioned you were here, so I came to find you."

"How much did you hear?" Shinji asked nervously.

"From 'You're really great,'" Cloris replied.

"I think I can explain."

"No need to hurry; we have plenty of time for explanations."

Cloris laughed, putting her arm around Shinji's shoulder. She opened the door to an empty classroom next to the corridor.

"Wait..."

Without giving Shinji a chance to explain, Cloris threw her into the room and "bang," closed the door.