Shinji Matou at Your Service-Chapter 871 - : What Will They Choose?

Roa's assessment of Arcueid was uncannily accurate—though how could it not be, after being hunted by her over a dozen times? These insights were hard-earned lessons, paid for in blood.

Just as Roa predicted, Arcueid constantly keeps part of her mind connected to the world, allowing her to immediately sense when Roa awakens. So, the moment Fiore destroyed the bounded field Araya had placed on Roa, Arcueid, aboard the Mystic Eyes Collection Train, sensed his presence.

At that moment, Arcueid erupted.

Her crimson eyes turned gold, and a terrifying surge of power erupted from her. Since her vampiric urges had been fully drained by Shinji, her power was at an all-time high, and the energy she released in her emotional outburst was even more terrifying. All of that energy surged through the connection between her and the train, flooding its propulsion system in an instant.

Anyone with basic knowledge of vehicles knows that to accelerate a car, you press the gas pedal, feeding more fuel to the engine. The Mystic Eyes Collection Train works similarly, except the fuel is Arcueid's power.

As a result, the train, which had been cruising steadily, suddenly accelerated, jumping from a normal speed of 150 km/h to nearly 300 km/h—almost as fast as a high-speed train.

Keep in mind that the train doesn't have seatbelts, and passengers can move freely within the carriages—playing cards, drinking tea, sleeping, gaming, chatting, or eating instant noodles. Well, maybe not the noodles, as that could get you in trouble—but the point is, there's a lot of freedom on the train.

Because of this, the train's acceleration and deceleration are usually done with strict precision, making such a sudden speed boost a major taboo.

Rodin, the conductor, and Leandra, who were in the cockpit, were relatively okay, just feeling a strong sense of acceleration. But the passengers in the back weren't so lucky. The sudden speed increase caused people to fall, slam into walls, spill tea all over themselves, and, well, those in the bathroom... Let's just say it was too horrific to describe, and you can imagine the rest.

In short, the passenger carriages were in chaos. Before anyone could recover, the train suddenly decelerated, and the falling, slamming, spilling, and bathroom horrors repeated all over again.

Even the most patient passengers couldn't take it anymore and rushed to the front of the train, led by none other than Lorelei Barthomeloi, the Queen of the Clock Tower. Already agitated by Shinji's departure and Arcueid's natural aloofness, her residual anger flared anew as she prepared to unleash her fury. But when she reached the cockpit, she saw the deputy manager, Rodin, and Leandra surrounding Arcueid, each taking turns to dissuade her.

"Princess, you can't leave now."

"If you leave, no one will be able to power this train."

"We're still in the area of depleted ley lines."

However, Arcueid was not listening, coldly commanding, "Step aside. Don't block my way!"

Sensing the unrestrained killing intent emanating from Arcueid, Lorelei knew something was wrong and asked, "What happened?"

Perhaps recognizing her connection to Shinji, Arcueid slightly restrained her killing intent.

"I sensed Roa's presence, not far from here. I'm going to kill him!"

"The Serpent of Akasha!"

Lorelei frowned. As the leader of Barthomeloi, a family dedicated to exterminating Dead Apostles, she was well aware of Roa's existence and his connection to Arcueid. If she said it was true, it certainly was.

"Where? I'll go with you!"

"Even Barthomeloi—"

Waver, who was lagging slightly behind, rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

Olga Marie cautioned, "Lord Barthomeloi, isn't this a bit rash?"

Lorelei glanced at her coolly, exuding the natural authority of the Clock Tower's queen.

"This is Britain, the heart of the Clock Tower. As a member of the Clock Tower and the head of the Department of Policies, I must protect this place and eliminate any threats."

"I was just trying to give you a friendly reminder," Olga Marie muttered quietly, her spirit slightly dampened.

"You should come along too. And anyone else—every member of the Clock Tower present here will join this operation to hunt down the Serpent of Akasha. The Department of Policies has the authority to mobilize the Clock Tower's mages in times of invasion. Isn't that right, Adashino?"

"As you say, Lord."

Adashino respectfully bowed to Lorelei. "However—"

"No 'however.' This is a decision from Barthomeloi. If there are any objections, let the other Lords take it up with me. For now, follow orders."

Lorelei's overwhelming authority left the magus with mixed reactions.

Some, trusting Lorelei's judgment, immediately agreed, like Waver and Adashino.

Others were less enthusiastic, feeling resentful, like the equally high-status and strong-willed Luvia and Olga Marie. Especially Olga Marie, who, coming from a lineage of Lords and being the heir to the Department of Astromancy, was used to giving orders, not receiving them. Despite Lorelei being a Lord herself, she was still just a few years older.

However, Olga Marie knew she wasn't in a position to oppose Lorelei—at least not until she officially inherited her Lordship. So, she begrudgingly agreed, planning to get even later.

Having asserted her authority and silenced the room, Lorelei turned to Arcueid.

"You don't mind having a few extra hands, do you?"

"I don't, but—"

Arcueid shook her head, a hint of confusion crossing her face.

"I can't sense him anymore. It's happened a few times now—what could he be doing?"

This wasn't the first time Arcueid had sensed Roa's presence, only for it to vanish shortly after as if swallowed by the void. Initially, she thought Roa had been unlucky and killed right after awakening, but now it seemed that wasn't the case.

Regardless of the reason, one fact remained—Lorelei's authoritative mobilization had been rendered moot before it even began. While this didn't have any significant impact, it did slightly undermine her queenly authority. It also reaffirmed one thing in her mind—she and this woman just didn't get along. That womanizer Shinji, that big womanizer! I'll make sure he pays for this!

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As she vented her frustration internally, she didn't notice the three faint red marks quietly appearing under her sleeve.

Not just her, but among the magus standing behind her, several others with strong desires and knowledge of the Holy Grail War also found similar red marks appearing on them. What will they choose?