C344

Shirou and Lorelei strolled down the corridor, their footsteps echoing softly. He glanced at her and asked, "Lord Barthomeloi, any news from Waver? Has he found anything useful?"

She beamed with excitement and replied, "No need for the formal 'Lord' address, Your Majesty. You might not remember, but Barthomeloi's ancestors were your court mages. One of them even received the Third Red Dragon Badge, the highest honor you ever awarded!"

Red Dragon Badge? Shirou's memory jogged, recalling the merit system he had once established. It was true, the badge held immense significance and was a symbol of utmost valor.

As memories flooded back, he recalled that during the Camelot dynasty, only three Red Dragon Badges had ever been awarded to magi.

Morgan and Merlin were the recipients of two of those badges. And then there was the third badge... It belonged to a diligent magus with a sunny smile, a person who took their work seriously.

He remembered that when he first implemented the merit system in Cornwall, he awarded this magus a bronze medal. At the Ceremony, the magus wanted to touch the bright silver badge awarded to Merlin, but was promptly rejected by Merlin without any hesitation.

He couldn't help but let out a sigh. "So, it was him..."

Lorelei's eyes sparkled with anticipation, and she couldn't contain her excitement any longer. "Your Majesty... have you finally remembered our ancestor?"

"He was an excellence magus."

Her eyes sparkled with sincerity as she added, "Yes! Our ancestor was truly exceptional, the pride of the Barthomeloi family. We've always looked up to him and strived to follow in his footsteps!"

Observing her earnestness, he couldn't help but feel that the Barthomeloi family had lost their way.

When he spoke of "excellence," he wasn't merely referring to magecraft expertise. It encompassed much more—the warmth of that magus's sunny smile and his remarkable leadership qualities. Undoubtedly, he possessed a unique ability to unite magi, surpassing even Merlin in that regard.

As time passed, that magus rose to prominence as the leader of the court mages, succeeding Merlin. Yet, it became apparent that the Barthomeloi family had taken a wrong turn...

The harmonious and united community of magi, which had been fostered by that magus, had now transformed into the Clock Tower—a fragmented society riddled with chaos and conflicting factions.

But never mind, he wasn't interested in getting involved in the pretend games of the Clock Tower. He'd rather leave it as a toy for Zelretch to play with.

Shirou strode ahead with quick steps, while Lorelei lagged behind with slow ones, giving the impression that the Queen of the Clock Tower had taken on the role of a secretary accompanying her boss in the mundane world.

In truth, it was usually Lorelei who took large strides forward, with others following closely behind.

However, in the presence of the Eternal King, who had been worshipped by the Barthomeloi family for generations and was believed to have dominion over all creation, none of the members of the Barthomeloi family dared to display even the slightest hint of disrespect.

It was only natural. The Barthomeloi family were known for their extreme aristocratic attitudes, looking down upon almost everyone outside their own lineage. Even the heads of the Barthomeloi family throughout generations considered only those who had attained the level of a Magician of the Second Magic as their equals.

Yet, only in the presence of the Eternal King, the very source of their family's glory, would the members of the Barthomeloi family willingly bow their proud heads.

However, Shirou had no interest in how others perceived him. He always prioritized efficiency when completing tasks, deviating from this approach only when absolutely necessary and leaving other matters for later.

Treating everything as equally urgent, being indecisive in making decisions, allowing emotions to drive actions, and exhibiting slow efficiency were actions that he considered foolish, fit only for children.

Instead, he adopted a different approach. He understood the importance of prioritizing tasks, making thoughtful decisions, finding a balance between rationality and emotion, and keeping his true feelings hidden in his heart. This was his current attitude.

The fire that once blazed in his eyes no longer burned as fiercely as it did nine years ago.

In the past, its warmth was intense, capable of melting even the coldest and most frozen hearts. 

It was the demeanor of a hero, not a king.

The fire in the eyes of a king, however, burned with a calm yet dazzling intensity. A king was someone who could see the path clearly, illuminating the way for others and leading them forward with unwavering resolve. How could a king be driven by emotions?

The hero of nine years ago had matured and, in doing so, he faded away, leaving behind only the king.

...

Shirou and Lorelei entered the main hall, where everyone who had survived stood, except for Gray, whom he had instructed to rest.

"Have you discovered the truth, Waver?" Shirou asked.

Waver's eyes instinctively darted towards Wallacia Night behind Altrouge, then he nodded in confirmation.

"I'll leave the stage to you. Put an end to this farce."

Waver took a deep breath and spoke, "This is both a resurrection ritual and a sacrificial ritual! It's a magus's way of passing on his legacy to his child!"

People exchanged glances, and it was Luvia who spoke up first, asking, "The magus you mentioned, is it the owner of Adra Castle, Geryon Ashborn?"

"Exactly!" he affirmed with a nod.

She furrowed her eyebrows and voiced her confusion, "But as far as I'm aware, Geryon Ashborn's child passed away at a young age. How can there be any talk of legacy or inheritance?"

"That's a question for Orlocke Caesarmund."

Orlocke chimed in, "Are we talking about Butterfly Magecraft?"

"Yes!" Waver confirmed. "Caesarmund once shared with me that he and Geryon were conducting research on Butterfly Magecraft. This particular form of magecraft simulates the transformative process from a caterpillar to a butterfly. In a way, it can be seen as a form of resurrection ritual."

Orlocke added, "I had warned His Majesty and the young lord that this could potentially be a scheme for Geryon's own resurrection. However, based on what the young lord has revealed, it seems that Geryon's true objective is to bring his son back to life?"

"Yes," Waver confirmed with a nod. "By the time we entered the Castle of Separation, the 'chrysalis' for resurrection had already been implanted inside a specific guest. Whether it's the 'evil spirits' within this Castle or the monsters, they all serve as mechanisms to ensure the chrysalis breaks free and completes the resurrection process."

Confusion spread among the crowd as they exchanged puzzled glances. The whole situation felt incredibly strange, almost too surreal to believe. Orlocke Caesarmund's confirmation sent shivers down their spines, as if they could vanish at any moment, their bodies taken over by someone else.

One of the magi asked, "So, who is this invited guest that has been implanted with the 'chrysalis'?"

Waver hesitated, briefly glancing at Rosalind Istari, before finally revealing, "It's Heine Istari."

"My... my brother?" Rosalind Istari's hand shot up to cover her mouth, shock and disbelief etched across her face.

A magus frowned and voiced his confusion, "But wasn't Heine Istari already dead?"

"Yes, he was initially chosen as the vessel for resurrection, destined to be the one brought back to life. It was Geryon Ashborn's original plan. However, Heine Istari discovered this."

Luvia asked, "What do you mean?"

"Heine Istari became aware of his own abnormality, or rather, that his very personality was being eroded," Waver explained. "He went to Geryon's workshop in search of answers. Unfortunately, he stumbled upon an unsettling presence within the workshop. In order to avoid alarming Lord Barthomeloi, Heine invited her elite magi to accompany him underground. Sadly, he underestimated the power of the anomaly and paid with his life."

He continued, "That anomaly turned out to be the Heroic Spirit concealed within the depths of the workshop—Lancer, also known as Diarmuid Ua Duibhne."

Luvia's brow furrowed in deep skepticism, "Your reasoning seems rather naive and filled with loopholes! Besides, it was Geryon Ashborn himself who extended the invitation to us. The isolation of Adra Castle from the outside world was also a result of Geryon's Holy Grail. The Heroic Spirits present in the Castle are likely nothing more than fakes crafted by Geryon Ashborn and..."

"Please, don't be too hasty, Lady." Waver said. "The real show is about to begin."

Luvia, though still skeptical, fell into a contemplative silence, her frown lingering on her face.

Waver scanned the crowd, his eyes eventually landing on Shirou. He posed a question, "Before I disclose the answer, Your Majesty, don't you have anything to add?"

"What is it that you expect me to say?"

Waver briefly closed his eyes, reopening them as he continued, "Geryonn Ashborn was nothing more than a pawn in someone else's game. He was being used by someone."

Confusion spread among the onlookers as they exchanged glances, whispers of speculation starting to circulate.