Type-Moon, I, Sakura Matou, Rewrite Destiny

"Kischur Zelretch, Marisbury, you're from the Department of Law and Order. Do you intend to interfere?"

85. Come and duel the Matou Family.

Although Bartholomello Lorelei had not yet earned her 'Queen' title from the Clock Tower at her age.

Certain signs were already visible at this time.

Facing the appearance of Kischur Zelretch and Marisbury, both Lords, Lorelei, who was still standing on El-Melloi's territory, didn't take them seriously.

Instead, she directly invoked the name of the Department of Law and Order and issued a warning to Kischur Zelretch and Marisbury.

Feeling so disrespected, Kischur Zelretch's expression naturally turned quite grim, while Marisbury merely smiled indifferently.

"Bartholomello Lorelei, this is El-Melloi's castle!"

"So what? As long as they are members of the Mage's Association, the Department of Law and Order has the right to jurisdiction."

The main body of the Clock Tower, on the surface, was very much like a school, and the twelve faculties of the Clock Tower were akin to the twelve subjects within a school.

The heads of the families belonging to these twelve faculties were what people in the mage world called Lords.

But... outside of these twelve faculties, there was an independent 'heretical' faculty: the Department of Law and Order.

Unlike the twelve faculties that specialized in mystery, the Department of Law and Order's research focused on three main areas:

How to use the Clock Tower's Magecraft and power to interfere with real society.

How to maintain balance among the various factions of the Clock Tower.

How to ensure the stability and development of the Clock Tower.

If the other twelve faculties were composed of Magus who explored mystery, then the Department of Law and Order was composed of Magus who commanded Magus.

In other words, the Department of Law and Order, in a sense, existed as the administrators of the Clock Tower.

Faced with Lorelei's aggressive stance.

Kischur Zelretch and Marisbury naturally did not want this matter to escalate further and bring the Clock Tower's highest council – the Grand Council Resolution – into the picture.

However... whether the matter could be settled was not up to them, but to Lorelei.

If Lorelei could not be stopped from being relentless, this matter would inevitably lead to the intervention of the Grand Council Resolution.

Just as Kischur Zelretch, with a livid face, pointed at Lorelei, unsure how to make this young lady put aside the matter for the day.

Marisbury, standing beside him, spoke.

"Lorelei, that's enough. If you insist on making a scene... the factions will become unstable."

"It's fine. At worst, I'll take him to the Grand Council Resolution. Even if the secret of Fuyuki City cannot belong to Bartholomello, it can at least belong to the Clock Tower."

Although Lorelei was prone to emotional outbursts due to her age.

As the most perfect crystallization of Bartholomello's thousand years, Lorelei was no fool; on the contrary, she was very intelligent.

Faced with Marisbury's tactic of using the potential for inter-faction disputes over spoils, Lorelei did not hesitate to retort.

Worried about disputes between factions due to uneven distribution of spoils? Fine, I'll take the secret of Fuyuki City directly to the council for everyone to share.

A wry smile, whether genuine or feigned, appeared on his face.

After realizing Lorelei's superior strategy, Marisbury, who knew he had underestimated her, changed his approach.

"You're truly troublesome, Lorelei. However, Kischur Zelretch and I will not allow the Department of Law and Order to take Old Man Matou away today... Let's duel, Lorelei."

He took a step forward and stood before Lorelei, looking down at her, who only reached his navel.

Marisbury shamelessly proposed a duel to Lorelei, a young girl still within the realm of loli.

"Hmph~ Trying to rely on a Servant..."

Normally, if Marisbury dared to say that, Lorelei would have made him understand why she was called the pinnacle of modern Magecraft.

However, now, Lorelei, who had a tentative duel with Artoria before, did not choose to agree.

She lacked confidence.

It was enough to be embarrassed once today; there was no need for another potentially embarrassing battle.

"I refuse your duel, Marisbury... My target is him, not your Department of Celestial Arts... If there's to be a duel, it should be between me and the Matou Family, not you."

"A duel with the Matou Family... I accept on behalf of the Matou Family!"

Orochimaru spoke up. He, who had been standing silently to the side, observing and analyzing the situation, finally spoke.

He had, by deliberately misinterpreting Lorelei's words, 'forcibly' accepted the duel.

At Orochimaru's choice, Marisbury's eyes, which had hoped to perfect the Command Spell sub-system of the Destiny System through Zouken Matou, immediately turned somewhat unpleasant.

However, as Orochimaru declared his acceptance of the duel on behalf of the Matou Family, neither Orochimaru's nor Lorelei's gaze was directed at Marisbury anymore.

"Hahahaha... Interesting. Very well, I, Bartholomello Lorelei, agree to accept your duel with the Matou Family... As punishment for losing the duel, your entire Matou Family will spend the rest of your lives awaiting research arranged by me."

"Oh~ Is that your wager for the duel..."

Looking at Orochimaru with eyes that seemed to view him as a clown, Orochimaru, at this moment, was undoubtedly seen by Lorelei as a foolish bumpkin from the countryside.

However, when she thought about how she had been outmaneuvered by this fool not long ago, Lorelei's gaze turned furious once more.

"A wager, there's no wager. Do you really think anyone in your Matou family can beat me!"

"Heh... what if there is?"

"There is no 'what if'... but I don't mind giving a little comfort to the delusional. State your hypothetical 'what if'."

"Cough, cough. After all, the stakes involve the entire family, it's a serious matter. Regarding the conditions for our Matou family's victory... let's discuss them when the duel begins."

"As you wish!"

On one side was Lorelei, who had absolute confidence in herself. On the other was Orochimaru, who saw this as an opportunity, but the specifics of what he would gain would be decided by Sakura.

In short, both sides, believing they had already won, readily agreed and began discussing the duel's details as if no one else were around.

There weren't many details to discuss, anyway. It was just a matter of the time and location of the duel...

And as Lorelei and Orochimaru were discussing the duel's details.

Marisbury, who had returned to Kischur's side and looked at Zouken Matou with an unnatural glint in his eyes, spoke softly to Kischur.

"Kischur, Old Man Matou cannot lose..."

Kischur glanced at Leysritt. Knowing that his faction still needed Zouken Matou's combat power and that he served as leverage for dealing with various factions, Kischur's eyes showed a complex expression before he nodded.

"I understand. I will grant Old Man Matou access to all El-Melloi Craft Essences..."

"That's not enough, Kischur. Craft Essences can't shorten the gap between Old Man Matou and Lorelei..."

86. The Confrontation... Waver Velvet

The outcome of Kischur and Marisbury's discussion.

Apart from the few involved parties, no one else knew.

But judging by Kischur's flushed face and Leysritt's teary eyes after the discussion.

The result of the discussion seemed quite unfavorable for the El-Melloi clan...

As for Marisbury, judging by his return to his usual gentle demeanor, the outcome seemed to be very much to his liking.

Just as Marisbury and Kischur finished their discussion.

Orochimaru's side had also reached a conclusion.

The duel would take place at a certain manor belonging to the Bartholomello family, and the time... would be a week later.

After Orochimaru and Lorelei signed the contract for this duel...

Under the contract's binding force, this duel had become an inevitable reality.

With a satisfied smile, Lorelei led her team away. As Lorelei left the manor, Kischur, with a dark expression, finally couldn't hold back his outburst.

"Zouken Matou, I think we need to have a serious talk."

"Old Man Matou, I also believe we must have a serious talk. Do you know how much of a price Kischur and I will have to pay for this duel you took upon yourself?"

Looking at Kischur, who was clearly emotional, and at Marisbury, who was trying to placate Kischur, the figure of Zouken Matou, Orochimaru, did not reply. Instead, he raised his hand in a stopping gesture, then took out a mobile phone from his pocket and began to skillfully type out a message.

As the technological waves went back and forth...

Orochimaru, who was reporting his day's encounters and various intelligence to Sakura, soon received a reply from her.

A sinister grin, filled with wildness and madness, appeared on his lips.

Then, instinctively, Orochimaru stuck out his long tongue and licked his own eyeballs. This smile and action almost scared the young Leysritt to the point of wetting herself.

Logically, Orochimaru shouldn't have done something that so obviously broke character and could lead to his identity being exposed.

But after receiving Sakura's message, Orochimaru did it anyway.

"Hehehe... Lord Kischur, Lord Marisbury, could you spare a moment?"

"..."

"..."

Silence and hostility were Kischur and Marisbury's replies.

They had seen Orochimaru when they visited the Matou family on the day they left Fuyuki City.

Furthermore, the magecraft used by this 'Zouken Matou' in his recent fight with Lorelei was snake-based, not insect-based magecraft. Combined with Orochimaru's recent actions, Kischur and Marisbury, while not 100% certain, were filled with suspicion.

The reason they didn't expose him immediately or attack him was that they were in a difficult situation.

After all, if they exposed Orochimaru now, the duel between the Matou family and Lorelei would become a farce.

And as one of the instigators, the El-Melloi and Animsphere factions would certainly not be easily forgiven by the Bartholomello family.

Therefore, Marisbury, who still needed the power of the Clock Tower to achieve his Chaldea Plan, and Kischur, whose faction was in a weak period, could only endure and swallow this bitter fruit.

"Hehehe... Please don't show hostility. We are not enemies... Oh, and Lord Marisbury... Romani Archaman asked me to send his regards..."

"Roman..."

Marisbury murmured the abbreviation of Solomon's name in his ordinary human form.

Then, he turned to Kischur and nodded after quickly reaching an agreement through some secret magecraft.

"Kishur Zelretch and I have time..."

"Then please, the two of you, come with me somewhere..."

As he spoke, Orochimaru smiled with satisfaction, then walked behind Kischur Zelretch's wheelchair, patted the head of Lenice, who didn't understand what was happening, and then pushed Kischur Zelretch out of El-Melloi's castle with Marisbury.

One day and one night.

Kischur Zelretch and Marisbury disappeared with Orochimaru for a day and a night.

When the two of them returned, everything seemed as if nothing had happened.

There were no signs of battle on either of them, nor did they appear particularly happy.

It was as if their disappearance for the day and night was just to handle a minor matter.

However, during that day and night, news about the Matou Family and Lorelei had already spread throughout the Clock Tower.

"Overestimating themselves... That Matou Family really is a noble family that emerged from the countryside."

"Exactly... But this time, the El-Melloi faction is in trouble. The head of the family was already 'crippled' and now they've offended Bartholomello and the Department of Law and Order... Tsk tsk..."

"It's not just El-Melloi; it's said that Animsphere is also involved. Apparently, the head of Animsphere wanted to duel the pinnacle of modern magecraft at first, but was refused..."

"Acting recklessly just because they picked up a Servant, they deserve it... But tell me, do you think the Association might hold a Holy Grail War after this duel?... If only I could participate and get a Servant..."

Carrying a thick stack of books, he walked through the crowd discussing the latest current events.

Returning to his seat, the 'invisible' Waver Velvet, while appearing indifferent to the matter, still pricked up his ears after returning to his desk, listening to his classmates' discussions.

However, unlike most people at the Clock Tower who supported Bartholomello's idea, Waver Velvet, who was internally strongly resistant to the Clock Tower's bloodline theory, hoped that the Matou Family would win.