"So, no one wants to back out? I'd like to see who among you thinks they can take my life," Oroc said as his gaze swept coldly over the entire room.
In terms of magical power, he was undoubtedly the strongest among those present. Beneath him was Luvia—while Heine was perhaps more renowned, Luvia's overwhelming wealth gave her a different kind of advantage.
Of course, that applied only to the magi present. Technically, Daniel and Gray weren't true magi. Gray was a gravekeeper, and in her possession was the legendary Noble Phantasm "Shining at the End: Rhongomyniad," capable of battling even Heroic Spirits. The fact that El-Melloi II had survived this long through various crises was thanks entirely to her protection.
His reason for taking in Gray in the first place was to prepare for the Fifth Holy Grail War. Since the Heroic Spirits summoned were spiritual in nature, he'd sought an expert in spirits. And that expert was Gray.
Seeing no one challenge him, Oroc signaled his young assistant to wheel him away. Once he'd left, El-Melloi II finished his inspection and instructed the nearby servants to take Hazuki Ayano's body away. How the body would be handled would depend on further decisions from the Policies Department.
Once the body was removed, the butler came around to ask where each guest would be dining. Though the servants and staff at the Separation Castle were ordinary humans, they appeared well-trained. Even after witnessing a death, they showed no fear.
As with the previous day, everyone except Oroc gathered at the second-floor hall. The food was again exquisitely prepared, but few had the appetite to speak.
"Rin, Gray, the food's not bad. Why aren't you eating? Still thinking about earlier? Don't worry about it—she didn't really die."
Daniel's casual comment drew immediate attention from everyone present. El-Melloi II was the first to react, practically jumping to ask him.
"What do you mean by that?"
"No need to be so worked up. She's from the Policies Department. Do you really think someone like that would die so easily? Magi have all kinds of ways to fake their deaths."
"I need to go check for myself."
After a moment of silence, El-Melloi II abandoned his meal and hurried outside. Gray instantly followed. Daniel and Rin, however, remained seated, unbothered.
"…It wasn't her body."
Before long, El-Melloi II and Gray returned. Seeing the curious stares around him, he confirmed the truth. Initially, the shock and his obsession with the "angel" clues had clouded his judgment. But Daniel's reminder had prompted a closer inspection, and now the truth was clear.
"Steward, care to explain?" Luvia immediately turned her sharp eyes on the castle's butler.
"I don't know what you mean, my lady," the butler replied calmly.
"No need to ask. He doesn't know anything," El-Melloi II interjected, halting Luvia's interrogation.
"So the Policies Department is playing games from behind the scenes?" Furuka's expression turned conflicted. The situation had grown dangerous, and he was clearly contemplating leaving—but the lure of the inheritance made that a difficult choice.
Unlike others, Furuka wasn't interested in repairing a magic crest. He was fully aware of his limits as a magus. He had only come for one thing—money. Anything capable of repairing a crest would be priceless.
After a moment of hesitation, he got up and quietly returned to his room.
Luvia soon followed, her butler in tow. Then Shijin, Heine, and his little sister left as well.
"Sigh…"
Seeing them go, El-Melloi II sighed softly. He had hoped to discuss the current situation with everyone.
"Rin, let's go. We came all this way, might as well explore the castle a bit."
After breakfast, while El-Melloi II returned to his room to continue researching the angels and the castle, Daniel and Rin—who weren't particularly interested—set off to wander around.
Given what Heine had said, and Hazuki Ayano's faked death, it seemed the attacks would likely come at night. During the day, the castle appeared safe.
"Hey, Rin, don't focus solely on gem magecraft. Your affinity allows you to excel in other systems as well."
While the Tohsaka family was famous for their gem magecraft, that didn't mean it was their only strength. Take Tokiomi, for example—he had been particularly skilled in fire-based magic. Gem magecraft could be used in harmony with other styles. In fact, it was ideal as a method for storing magical energy, which could then be drawn upon when needed.
Rin carried ten gems she had spent the last decade charging with mana—each capable of unleashing an A-rank spell. Her most precious gem, the red pendant she used to revive Shirou Emiya after he was killed by Lancer, contained the magical energy of generations of Tohsaka heads.
In the world of the Moonlit World, with enough mana, anything was possible. Even the fabled wish-granting Holy Grail functioned on the principle of overwhelming magical energy. The same went for the Infinity Stones—one snap erased half the universe because of their power reserves.
Rin had the rare "Five Great Elements" attribute, which meant she could learn virtually every type of magic the Moonlit World had to offer. Her talent surpassed even Sakura's.
"I know. I've already started studying," Rin replied with a nod. Since coming to the Clock Tower, she'd become painfully aware of her weak foundations. Thankfully, under El-Melloi II's guidance, her progress was rapid thanks to her brilliance.
In the front courtyard, Daniel and Rin came across Luvia and Furuka, who also seemed to be exploring. It appeared the two had joined forces—a magician after money and a wealthy noblewoman. A rather fitting pair.
"You two sure look relaxed. Out on a date?"
"And what's it to you?" Rin snapped back at Luvia's sarcasm.
Daniel and Rin were mostly wandering casually, while Luvia and Furuka were clearly working. Furuka was throwing knives at various locations, while Luvia used gemstones.
"Divination?"
Gem magecraft could be used for many purposes, including divination. Rin, however, had never learned this and had no intention to. Gemcraft also allowed for leyline detection—one of the secrets to the Edelfelt family's rise.
Furuka, on the other hand, was using knife-based divination. El-Melloi II had previously explained that he was a skilled spellcaster. The Clock Tower's Lords often kept tabs on powerful mages, using them for tasks the organization couldn't publicly handle.
"To think the Tohsaka family would stoop to consorting with that disgrace of a Lord…"
"What's with that attitude, you gold drill-head?!"
Curious, Daniel followed Luvia out of interest to see what she was investigating. She didn't seem to mind. If anyone else had done the same, she might've reacted differently. Heine, for example, had secretly investigated at night to avoid tipping others off.
But upon spotting Rin, Luvia's demeanor shifted noticeably.
"Everyone knows that Lord wormed his way into a little girl's favor to rise to power. Some even say he murdered his own teacher."
"Huh. So that's the rumor? Fascinating," Daniel laughed. The idea that El-Melloi II had earned his position by currying favor with a child was oddly believable—Reines was younger than Rin, after all. Not many knew how devious she truly was. To outsiders, it might look like she simply enjoyed El-Melloi II's attention and granted him the title temporarily.
"Knowing Reines, she probably helped spread that rumor herself," Daniel added with a chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Luvia frowned.
"Nothing. But you sure seem to hate him. Did he do something to offend you?"
Luvia snorted and fell silent. The truth was simple—El-Melloi II had seen through the core of the Edelfelt family's gem magecraft with a single glance.
It was like a stage magician whose secrets had been instantly exposed. Once revealed, others could replicate the technique. Perhaps that's why they were still called "mages"—in both worlds.
In fact, some magi even did television shows. One famous example was the zombie cooking show, where contestants had to cook dishes so delicious that even zombies would enjoy them. To regular viewers, it was all makeup and special effects. But in truth, those zombies were real.
While gem magecraft shared a foundation, each practitioner and family had unique styles and nuances.
"Found it."
While continuing their exploration, Furuka finally discovered a hidden underground door. However, it was sealed by a magic lock he couldn't bypass.
Furuka's greatest strength was his ability to avoid danger—he had escaped from many deadly situations using his divination.
"Step aside," Luvia said, pulling out a red gem. She attempted to blast open the door—but clearly underestimated its durability. One gem wasn't enough.
Seeing Luvia fail, Rin couldn't help but snicker. Luvia glared at her, then pulled out four rare, multicolored gemstones—each clearly priceless. Rin's eyes sparkled at the sight.
As a fellow gem mage, Rin instantly recognized them as top-tier gems. Each one was worth a fortune—together, they were worth millions.
To Rin, this was a king's ransom. But for Luvia, it was nothing. Even the parasol she carried cost tens of thousands.
"Never seen gems this fine before, have you?" Luvia teased smugly, aware of the Tohsaka family's financial woes.
"There's nothing impressive about a few shiny rocks." Rin, unwilling to show weakness, refused to admit it.
BOOM.
Just as the two were locked in a staredown, a loud crash interrupted them. The magically sealed door had been kicked clean off its hinges. Daniel calmly lowered his foot.
"What the hell?" Furuka stared, eyes bulging.
Magi could enhance their bodies with reinforcement spells—enough to lift several hundred kilograms. But there was a limit. Luvia's failure had proven how tough the door was.
"That smell…"
As the door flew open, a vile stench poured out. Even Daniel wrinkled his nose.
Luvia and Furuka's expressions turned grim.
"Ugh."
As they descended the stone steps into the underground chamber, Rin nearly vomited. What they found below was far worse than Hazuki Ayano's "death."
"Is this where they repaired the magic crests?"
Furuka's face darkened as he looked at the torture devices lining the walls, many still stained black with old blood.
"Or perhaps where they stripped them."
Luvia's tone grew solemn—for once, she didn't bicker with Rin.
"Rin, go back upstairs."
"…Okay."
Rin didn't protest. She nodded and left. For a high school girl, this scene was far too brutal. Even Daniel's expression soured as he glanced around.
Despite all he'd seen, many of these torture devices were new to him. He'd heard of things like the Iron Maiden—after all, he'd met Isabella—but the "Brazen Bull of Phalaris" was a first.
And it wasn't the worst.
"So this is the base system of the Separation Castle… I see now."
Ignoring the torture tools, Luvia searched for documents. Soon, she found what she wanted. At the same time, Daniel discovered something for himself.
"Magic crests… in a way, they're a lot like Command Seals."
The chamber held damaged magic crests. Using his surgical powers, Daniel examined them and quickly understood: magic crests were artificial organs—ones that could be inherited.
He had known this in theory, but this was the first time he'd seen one up close. As valuable as they were, he couldn't exactly ask Rin to let him study hers.
"So the rejection and side effects… all due to the magical circuits. But with my fruit's ability, that's simple enough. Maybe I could help Olga Marie recover hers."
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