C371

Shirou hopped in his car and made his way to the London airport. As he arrived, he spotted Lorelei, who had been patiently waiting for him.

What caught his attention, though, was the extravagant sight of the Barthomeloi family's private passage. It was exclusively reserved for their personal use.

He couldn't help but marvel at the capitalist country, where capitalists reigned supreme!

Especially for a prestigious family like the Barthomeloi, who have maintained their influence for thousands of years in both the surface and inner worlds, they truly represent the cream of the crop in a country like this!

Lorelei had arranged a private plane for Shirou, demonstrating her exceptional skills.

"You've done an good job, Lady Lorelei. Your efficiency is truly impressive."

"It's just a small matter, not worthy of Your Majesty's praise," she quickly waved her hand and said, "Is there anything else that the Barthomeloi family can assist you with during your return to Fuyuki?"

"The Barthomeloi family should remain in London. This incident is connected to parallel worlds, and the intruders are either Heroic or Divine Spirits from that world. It's better for you to stay here. Your efforts in stabilizing the situation are already a significant contribution."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" she responded promptly, acknowledging his decision.

As a family that has reached the pinnacle of the Clock Tower, Lorelei herself holds the unofficial title of the uncrowned queen, representing the cream of the crop among the elites. Naturally, she understands the gravity of the current situation.

Not only that, she was well-informed about Chaldea's affairs as well.

Shirou, accompanied by Gray and the rest, boarded the plane and prepared for their departure.

He placed the large teddy bear he specially bought for Ritsuka on one seat, and the red tea and silverware he brought for Sakura on another table.

Speaking of which, Arcueid also bought a lot of silverware in London.

However, unlike the household items he had bought, most of her silverware consisted of crosses and decorative pieces.

She slipped on these silver crosses and donned the white coat she had purchased.

It's quite ironic how someone labeled as evil by the Church, a vampire in need of purification, managed to give off a saintly and benevolent aura.

It's really left him speechless.

Even after getting on the plane, she couldn't stop fidgeting.

When she saw Gray and Miyu, her joyful smile was unmistakable, revealing her whimsical nature like that of a young girl.

It's obvious that she genuinely enjoys the company of Gray and Miyu.

Well, to be exact, this golden retriever doesn't hold any particular dislike towards anyone except Roa.

Arcueid's energy was simply overpowering, making it a challenge for him to handle, let alone Gray and Miyu.

Miyu, being quite clever, wasted no time. As soon as she stepped onto the plane, she dashed into the restroom and locked the door.

In contrast, Gray was caught by Arcueid, becoming nothing more than a helpless doll at her mercy. The excruciating torment brought tears of sadness streaming down her face.

Artoria couldn't just stand there and watch anymore. After all, Gray was now her Master, someone under her protection. How could she allow Gray to be bullied like this?

So she decided to possess Gray, with the intention of stepping in and pushing Arcueid away. However, in that very moment, she came to realize the true extent of Arcueid's strength...

Even with the Factor of the Red Dragon coursing through her veins, it became clear to her that pushing away this powerful True Ancestor through sheer force was an impossible feat.

Feeling a sense of helplessness, she donned a serious expression and mustered the words, "Arcueid, you're too close! Please keep your distance!"

She appeared perplexed, gazing at Artoria with a quizzical expression before asking, "Wait, are you Artoria?"

"Yes, that's right! It's me! So..."

Artoria, wearing a serious expression, wanted to keep her away from Gray. Little did she know, after acknowledging her identity, instead of actually letting go of Gray, she tackled her to the ground, rubbing her face against Artoria's.

"It's been so long, Artoria!" she rubbed her face with a joyful smile.

"Let go of me, Arcueid!" she shouted. "Release me now!"

Artoria understood Shirou's anguish as the golden retriever's strength proved to be too immense. Unless she willingly let go, she couldn't push her away.

Meanwhile, Shirou glanced at their commotion, then turned to look out the window at the Britannia that was growing increasingly distant.

He had a feeling that something was shrouding Britannia. Perhaps it was due to the influence of the "Age of Gods" from that parallel world seeping into this world.

...

In London, a girl stood on top of the Elizabeth Tower, wearing a large cloak. She gazed at the plane as it grew increasingly distant, her expression calm and peaceful.

"It's probably for the best that they're gone. It's better not to get involved. My king, and especially my poor sister..."

"These matters here, it's best if you don't get involved."

As if sensing something, the girl's delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed, and she turned around, extending her palm.

In the forefront of her palm, intricate magical runes appeared, with peculiar lightning intertwining and flickering within.

However, the passersby bustling below the Tower of Elizabeth didn't notice a thing.

And rightly so, for the girl had already cast a concealment spell upon her appearance.

Not to mention ordinary people from the surface world, even magi or fairies won't be able to perceive her presence.

That was her confidence.

Over 1,500 years ago, she was a skilled mage of the Age of Gods. And now that more than 1,500 years had passed, no one knew the extent of her mastery in magecraft.

At least, in terms of magecraft, at this moment, she was not inferior to the nasty magus who was imprisoned in the stone tower by the Fairy Queen.

The dazzling runes glimmered with a mesmerizing glow. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning crackled and roared in the distance, but just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished into thin air.

However, that lightning had indeed struck something.

"Morgan—!!!"

"Give up, I won't let you succeed," the girl said gently.

"It's all your fault! It's all your fault..."

The accusing voice continued to echo in her ears before gradually fading away.

Morgan let out a heavy sigh, her head tilted back as she watched the plane grow increasingly distant. "You're right. It's on me."

"The past is already set in stone. We can't turn back the clock, and at the same time... I can never undo the mistakes I made over 1,500 years ago."

Her eyes briefly grew dim before she turned on her heels and walked away.

She roamed in the shadows and walked through the abyss, protecting this world all by herself, yet... nobody knew. And she preferred it that way. The world only needed one person to endure the eternal solitude.

Perhaps, this was her punishment.

More than 1,500 years ago, she was a king who made the fateful decision to abandon her throne without selecting a successor, leaving the once prosperous kingdom to crumble and descend into internal conflict.

As a result, when the kingdom faced invasion from external enemies, the situation deteriorated further, ultimately leading to its utter collapse.

She let out a deep sigh, burdened by the weight of her actions. The shame she felt was so overwhelming that she couldn't bear to face anyone.

...

Fuyuki City Airport.

After spending many years away, sixteen-year-old Tohsaka Rin found herself overwhelmed by a mix of emotions as she finally returned to her homeland.

Standing by the airport window, her gaze fell upon the statue of the Savior of Light, a renowned landmark in Fuyuki City, further deepening her already complex feelings.

"Mama, look!" a young girl exclaimed, pointing excitedly at the statue. "It's Ultraseven!"

"Yes, dear. This city is now harmonious and peaceful because the Savior of Light descended here nine years ago. It has become a city of light. So, you must be a good girl, okay?"

"Yes, yes."

As Rin observed the interaction between the mother and daughter, her emotions became complicated.

She knew deep down that there had never been a Savior of Light.

The person who had supposedly saved the city nine years ago was none other than her childhood friend, the one she had been determined to surpass.

He was simply a complete fool, and nothing more.

Yet, that fool would never come back.

Rin shook her head, pushing those thoughts from the past to the side.

She didn't return to Fuyuki City to dwell on such matters.

No, she came back for the family inheritance.

But...

"Ohoho... Isn't it my foolish little sister, Miss Gorilla? I didn't expect to meet you here. Ahh, well, I suppose there's no helping it. After all, I am both a respected goddess and your older sister."

The arrogant and sarcastic voice echoed in Rin's ears, causing a few furrows to appear on her forehead.

Rin turned her head to glance at Luvia, who was clad in a blue gown and stifling her laughter behind a hand. Taking a deep breath to suppress her anger, Rin mustered a smile and asked, "I can't help but wonder why this woman with golden drills insists on following me, even though all I'm doing is returning to claim my family's inheritance."

"Do you even need to ask?" Luvia chuckled. "As 'twins' and your 'older' sister, it's my duty to look after my immature, foolish 'little' sister. And as the 'younger' sibling, you should graciously accept your 'older' sister's concern with gratitude."

Rin's frown deepened, but she managed to restrain her anger and responded with a forced smile, "Dearest Luvia-neesan, I genuinely appreciate your concern."

Luvia paused for a moment, then looked at Rin carefully before bursting into proud laughter.

Nine years ago, the Tohsaka family's magic crest was destroyed, and Rin was sent to the Edelfelt family by her father, Tokiomi. It was there that she formed a "twins" bond with Luvia and established the Edelfelt Twins' Magecraft.

For the past nine years, Rin and Luvia had developed an exceptional partnership and cooperation when it came to magecraft. However, in their day-to-day interactions, they seemed to be constantly at odds, unwilling to back down.

Oddly enough, both Rin and Luvia had been raised with impeccable manners, making it almost inconceivable for them to engage in pointless fights with others. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, it seemed as if they were bitter enemies from a past life. Despite their upbringing and good manners, their arguments were never-ending and often escalated into physical confrontations whenever they crossed paths.

The crux of their conflict lay in their twin sisterhood, a matter that had yet to be resolved.

Rin couldn't possibly accept Luvia as the older sister, and Luvia was absolutely unwilling to be seen as the younger sister.

But now, Rin unexpectedly conceded, which greatly pleased Luvia.

Sure enough, there are benefits to being possessed by a goddess.

She smirked, satisfied with her small victory over her sister who seemed incapable of showing any respect.

Luvia had wasted no time in sharing the information about the Castle of Separation with her family. The most important detail she emphasized was that she still held the Divine Core of Astraea, the Goddess of Justice. Contrary to what some believed, Astraea hadn't vanished; instead, she resided within Luvia like a guardian spirit.

As a result, the Edelfelt family started regarding Luvia as something akin to a god.

And now, this naive little sister was about to demonstrate her supposed respect for her esteemed elder sister, Luvia...

However—

Before Luvia could revel in her self-proclaimed victory, Rin seized the moment and swiftly delivered a punch straight to her gut.

"Ugh—!"

Luvia's cry of pain filled the air as she shot Rin a furious glare, demanding, "What on earth do you think you're doing, Tohsaka?"

"Foolish Luvia! You can't seriously think I'd be your little sister, right? It would be way too embarrassing, especially with that hairstyle of yours. A golden drill? Seriously, who does that? It's just ridiculous!" Rin chuckled, unable to hold back her laughter.

Luvia gritted her teeth. She hadn't expected that Rin's show of respect was just a ruse to catch her off guard!

"Hah! You're quite the sly one, Tohsaka! It's about time I teach you a lesson about the authority of an older sister!" Luvia lunged forward, attempting to grab Rin, who mirrored her movements.

Their hands locked together, both of them abandoning any pretense of maintaining their ladylike demeanor. Right there, in the midst of the bustling airport crowd, they engaged in a fierce exchange of insults, all while grappling with each other.

But it had to be acknowledged that their strengths were evenly matched, and determining a clear victor seemed far from easy.

Luvia clenched her teeth and shouted, "Lady Astraea, lend me your power!"

"Hey, hey, hey, Luvia! Using the power of a goddess is too despicable!" Rin exclaimed in alarm. If Luvia were to use the power of Astraea, she would have no chance of resisting.

"I refuse," Astraea said as she emerged from Luvia's body, once again using her divine power to become invisible to others. Sporting a gentle smile, she continued, "Sisterly conflicts should be resolved among sisters."

"Eh? Why?" Luvia panicked.

Rin chimed in mockingly, "You're just too wicked, even the goddess can't stand it!"

"Damn it!" she gritted her teeth. "Don't get too cocky, Tohsaka! Today, I'll make you completely surrender!"

"Just you?" Rin responded with a contemptuous expression.

"Yes!" she nodded.

"Let's move to another place," Rin suggested.

"Sounds good!" Luvia agreed.

The two exchanged cold snorts and reached a temporary truce.

With the airport crowd casting curious glances at them, deeming them as strange women, they confidently walked out of the airport, exuding an aura of authority. They proceeded towards the outskirts of Fuyuki City, where the population was sparse.

Then—

"Boom! Boom!"

On that day, the people of Fuyuki City remained oblivious to the cause behind the frequent sounds of explosions coming from the outskirts.

...

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