The scenery before their eyes elongated in an instant.
The forest was replaced by a hall that was spacious to an almost excessive degree.
By the time the sensation of his feet touching the solid wood floor registered, Flat finally realized that the teleportation had already ended.
He shook his head to dispel the slight dizziness, then looked up to take in his surroundings.
This place looked like the living room of a certain private club.
A massive Persian carpet was spread in the center of the hall, featuring intricate and magnificent patterns. Scattered across the carpet were several leather sofas, a long coffee table, and...
A lot of people.
Flat took a rough glance; there were at least twenty.
Some were sitting, some were standing, and some were leaning against the walls.
Most were between their teens and early twenties, dressed in various styles, but without exception, they all carried the distinct aura of magi.
The moment the three of them—including Olga Marie—appeared, all sound in the hall came to an abrupt halt.
The sounds of conversation, arguments, and the rustling of paper all vanished.
Everyone's movements froze.
More than twenty pairs of eyes simultaneously locked onto the three intruders who had suddenly appeared in the center of the hall.
Flat could sense that at least a dozen different types of magecraft were activated at the same time, ready to be unleashed.
The density of magical energy in the air rose sharply.
Defensive barriers, offensive incantations, binding cursed techniques...
But when they saw Hippolyta and Flat being dangled by the back of his collar by Olga Marie, the solidified air deflated like a punctured balloon with a 'psst'.
The hostility, vigilance, and intent to attack vanished in an instant.
"Flat?"
"It really is him!"
"And Rider..."
"Who's that next to them...?"
Low-voiced discussions resumed, but they were no longer hostile; instead, they were filled with curiosity and confusion.
Flat steadied himself and waved at the people in the hall, a brilliant smile on his face.
"Yo! Good evening, everyone!"
His voice, however, provoked even more reactions.
"Good evening my foot!" A girl with long golden hair stood up from a sofa, hands on her hips. "Do you know how worried we were?! You suddenly went missing, and your phone wouldn't pick up. I thought you were already dead!"
It was a lie, of course—actually, she had only come along for the fun because that person was coming too. But if one had to say, she really was a little worried; after all, this guy was an idiot.
"Sorry, sorry, Luvia~" Flat scratched his head. "A lot of things happened~"
"What do you mean by 'a lot of things'! Also, who is that person next to you—?"
Luvia's gaze shifted to Olga Marie.
Then she froze.
Not just her; everyone in the hall who saw Olga Marie's face clearly froze.
If the previous silence was due to vigilance and hostility, then the current silence was pure, brain-dead bewilderment.
Olga Marie released her grip on Flat's collar and let go of Hippolyta's shoulder.
She smoothed her long hair, appearing completely oblivious to the twenty-plus stunned gazes. She walked to the nearest empty three-seater sofa and sat down, occupying the entire sofa by herself.
She crossed her legs, propped her elbow on the armrest, and rested her chin in her palm. Her amber pupils lazily swept over everyone in the hall. Her posture was not that of an outsider intruding into someone else's base, but rather a king in her own living room listening to reports from subordinates.
"You..." Luvia opened her mouth. "Are you Olga Marie? Why are you here?"
Her tone was full of uncertainty.
It was no wonder.
At the Clock Tower, Olga Marie Asmleit Animusphere was famous for being serious, old-fashioned, and humorless.
She always walked with a perfectly straight back, her pace fast and urgent, her brow always furrowed.
However, everyone could understand; after all, she was of the direct lineage of a Lord. Given that her talent was both outstanding and yet not outstanding enough, the pressure was inevitably immense.
Consequently, communication between them was minimal, so they couldn't imagine why she would appear in Snowfield City, let alone when she had become so familiar with Flat.
Especially with this outfit and posture—you're telling me this is Olga Marie?
You'd be better off telling me that Lord El-Melloi II was going to wear women's clothes to class tomorrow.
"Ah, about that—"
Flat raised his hand, just about to explain, when a voice came from the other side of the hall.
"Yo, Rider is back already? Flat is here too?"
Flat turned his head.
Tohsaka Rin had walked in through a side door.
She wore a dark coat and a short skirt, her long black hair tied back.
She held a cup of black tea with steam still rising from the rim. Her gaze paused on Flat's face for a second before shifting to Olga Marie on the sofa, her eyebrows arching slightly.
At almost the exact same time, the voices of Flat and Tohsaka Rin rang out together.
"Umm, actually, this lady is the President of the Earth, Miss U-Olga Marie."
"Olga Marie? Flat, did you kidnap her and bring her here?"
Flat: "...?"
Tohsaka Rin: "...???"
The two looked at each other.
Flat and Tohsaka Rin simultaneously saw the words 'what kind of nonsense are you talking' in each other's eyes.
Everyone else in the hall fell silent too, looking at Flat and then at Olga Marie. The expressions on their faces transitioned from bewilderment to 'I think I just heard something incredible'.
President of the Earth?
Who?
Olga Marie?