Shinji Matou at Your Service-Chapter 887 - : Spreading a Wide Net

Vampires.

In the mysterious world, they are a powerful force capable of standing on par with the Mage's Association and the Holy Church. If they weren't so loosely organized, lacking a unified leader and cohesion, they would unquestionably be the most powerful faction in the secret world.

Much like humans, vampires vary significantly in strength. The weaker ones could be easily destroyed by Shinji with a flick of his hand. But the stronger ones, even someone like Shinji today would have to handle with caution, especially now that Arcueid isn't by his side.

Which kind are they dealing with this time?

To be honest, Shinji hopes it's the weaker kind, but he can't deny that the odds favor the latter. The timing coincides with the start of the Holy Grail War, and the appearance of vampires around Fuyuki City seems too convenient to be a mere coincidence.

Moreover, Shinji's reputation as a vampire hunter is well known. Over the years, he and Arcueid have killed many Dead Apostles. It's not impossible that some ancient creatures or powerful factions have marked him for revenge. While Lorelei Barthomeloi's guards have dealt with many spies, there's always the chance that a few slip through, so preparing for the worst is necessary.

Unfortunately, at this critical moment, the one person most likely to know more, Zelretch, has gone silent. Shinji realizes it's no coincidence—the old man is doing this on purpose. The more important the situation, the more he avoids getting involved, likely fearing his intervention might disrupt things unfavorably.

It seems the old man is determined to uphold his role as a passive observer of parallel worlds, even disappearing when the Greater Grail activated prematurely.

In the end, it all comes down to Shinji relying on himself. He had hoped to enjoy a final moment of peace before the storm, but it seems that wish is shattered.

As Shinji stepped out of the limousine provided by the Ryougi family, he sighed deeply. While lost in thought, he accidentally bumped into someone.

"Sorry, I didn't notice."

"I'm sorry."

Both of them apologized simultaneously, their voices familiar to each other.

"Mitsuzuri?"

"Ah, Matou!"

Mitsuzuri Ayako flinched, almost jumping in surprise. Shinji quickly checked to see if he had accidentally hurt her with his strength.

"Are you okay? Did I bump into you too hard? I was lost in thought and didn't watch where I was going."

"No, no, it's fine. I was lost in thought too. I'll be going now."

With that, she hurried off, losing her usual confident composure.

"She doesn't seem fine at all... but whatever, if she says she's fine, I won't dwell on it. I've got more important things to think about."

The distraction only lasted a moment. Shinji soon refocused on the vampire issue.

Unbeknownst to him, Mitsuzuri had stopped after running a few steps. She turned around, gazing deeply at the young man walking away. Thoughts swirled in her mind:

"How did he do that?"

"If he's so skilled at archery, why wouldn't he compete with me?"

"I'm not such a fragile girl; I won't be easily crushed."

"Should I invite him to join the archery club?"

...

While Mitsuzuri was caught in her thoughts, she felt someone tug at the hem of her skirt, followed by a familiar, exasperating voice.

"Little Mom."

"I told you, don't call me—"

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Her words were cut off by another, more mature voice from the roadside, belonging to a beautiful woman dressed in a kimono.

"Mana's right. We do look a lot alike."

"Ah, yes."

Mitsuzuri stood frozen, staring at the woman whose face resembled a more mature version of the child's.

"I'm Ryougi Shiki, Mana's mother."

"Mitsuzuri Ayako."

At that moment, time seemed to stand still.

...

Meanwhile, Shinji, having reunited with Sakura, changed their original plan to go shopping and cook dinner at home. Instead, they hailed a taxi and headed to the Fuyuki City Police Department, where Fujino and Kirie worked in the Information Technology Department. This department had become one of the Matou family's biggest covert operations in years.

Of course, they didn't take a straightforward approach like simply having the girls take police exams. That method was too low-level and unreliable. Instead, the Matou family took a more direct and lavish route—money.

No, they didn't resort to bribery, which is illegal, risky, and doesn't hold up well. Matou's approach was more grandiose and aboveboard, one that the entire Fuyuki City government and even Hyogo Prefecture couldn't oppose.

Their method involved police-civilian cooperation via technological advancements. Using Shinji's foresight of future trends, they focused on the surveillance camera systems that would become widespread in the 21st century. The Matou family invested in relevant companies and suggested to the government to install the system, eventually securing a contract for half of Hyogo Prefecture's surveillance infrastructure.

Under the guise of giving back to the community, they made Fuyuki one of the first cities to install surveillance cameras.

Naturally, these advanced electronic systems often encounter technical issues, much like the occasional malfunction of traffic lights in Shinji's original world. To prevent these from becoming a problem for the government, they provided a dedicated maintenance team. Thus, Fujino and Kirie smoothly entered the police department and even secured an office with unrestricted access to all of Fuyuki's surveillance cameras.

This access allowed them to monitor every major street in Fuyuki City. While alleyways were harder to cover due to technological and governmental limitations, this system still gave Shinji a significant advantage in overseeing the city's affairs.

The system had two main purposes.

First, to monitor spies sent by various factions and protect the Matou family.

Second, to prepare for the upcoming Holy Grail War. Information is key in any conflict, and by controlling the city's surveillance, they could quickly locate the Masters and track their movements.

Now, this system had another use—finding vampires!

Once Shinji explained Shiki's warning to Fujino and Kirie, the two immediately got to work. After some time honing their skills, they swiftly switched between various camera feeds.

While vampires might appear human, they have distinct characteristics—Among them are their blood-red eyes. Even in Fuyuki, where foreigners aren't uncommon, such eyes would stand out.

As the girls worked, Shinji kept busy as well. He checked with familiar officers to see if there had been any unusual cases recently—such as disappearances or bodies drained of blood.

Soon, a vast net to catch vampires began to spread across Fuyuki City.