Chapter 68: Murder Case—Aiga Makes Her Move (Please Subscribe!)
Aiga giggled as she pressed her hand against the Servant's chest. Dark-red magical energy flowed from her hand and seeped into the Servant's body, making it struggle and roar wildly!
"Roar!"
"Ha ha ha! Rin-chan, I think you'll definitely like this little gift."
After signing the contract with Marisbury, Rin hummed a tune as she jogged all the way back to her room.
The moment she entered, Rin eagerly called out to Sakura.
"Sakura! I have good news to tell you!"
Sakura looked curiously at Rin, who had shoved open the door, rushed in, and hugged her.
"What's wrong, Sis?"
"Sakura, didn't I say I'd let you live in a huge castle and become a princess..."
At this moment, Waver brought Gry to the door of Kotomine Kirei's room. He knocked, then opened the door and walked in.
"Master, Lainas."
"Grandmaster, Miss Lainas."
"Mm, Waver, you're here."
Lainas greeted Waver and walked over to the sofa. Only after Waver sat down did she take a seat beside him and look at Kotomine Kirei, who sat opposite them. Gry did not receive the same treatment and could only stand beside the sofa, watching the group.
"Master, why didn't you stop Rin from speaking with Marisbury alone just now? Didn't you say—" Waver suddenly remembered something and stopped speaking.
"There was no need. What could Marisbury possibly give Rin that we cannot? Could he hand the entire Animsphere family over to her?"
"Then, Master, if we did not come to the Mystic Eye Collection Train to stop Rin's meeting with Marisbury, what did we come for?"
"Dr. Heartless—the previous Department Head of the Modern Magecraft Department before you. I received intelligence that someone saw him board this train in France. He is my objective this time!"
"I don't understand, Master."
"Albion's Tomb. I discovered that man was a survivor of the tomb, and I have already decided that the El-Melloi family must strengthen its influence over Albion's Tomb. Therefore, I intend to capture him and obtain more intelligence. But you and Gry need not concern yourselves with this; I will handle it. Prepare yourselves during this time. I hope that after accompanying Rin in the Holy Grail War, I will still be able to see you again."
Gry froze upon hearing Kotomine Kirei's words and looked at Waver.
"Master, is the Holy Grail War really that dangerous?"
"Gry, the Holy Grail War itself is certainly dangerous, but there is no need to worry if you are with Rin. I think this time will probably be another one-woman show for her. Those idiots coveting the Holy Grail will likely die miserable deaths..."
It was lunchtime.
Rin brought Sakura and Fujino out of their room and headed to the dining car.
"Look, that's Rin Tohsaka! I want to have her so badly. With her, our family could save a hundred years of effort!"
"Hey, keep your voice down. Don't let her hear you."
Rin had long since grown accustomed to such Magi. Ignoring them, she led Sakura and Fujino to an empty table and sat down.
"Miss Rin Tohsaka, it has only been a few days, yet you remain as dazzling as ever!"
At that moment, a young man carrying a glass of red wine approached Rin's table with feigned elegance and familiarly sat down beside her.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Miss Rin Tohsaka, have you forgotten? We met at the El-Melloi family banquet a few days ago. Ah, right, I forgot to introduce myself. I am William Brichsan, the second son of the Lord of Legacy."
The newcomer was the young man who had previously claimed at the El-Melloi family banquet that Rin possessed over a hundred Magic Circuits.
"Oh, hello, William. If there is nothing else, please move aside. I am having a meal with my sister and disciple."
William Brichsan remained unmoved by Rin's attempt to drive him away. He still shamelessly lingered at her side, with no intention of leaving.
"Oh, Miss Rin Tohsaka, you intend to eat as well? Then perfect, let us eat together."
Rin's eye twitched as she looked at the shameless man. She slapped the table and rose to her feet.
"Hey! Can't you understand human speech? I'm telling you to leave. Don't you get it?"
Such blunt rejection left the spoiled young master William Brichsan standing there awkwardly. Yet knowing the gap between himself and Rin, he did not dare act out here. He could only leave the dining car in humiliation and resentment.
Rin did not take something as trivial as chasing away a fly to heart. After William Brichsan left, she called over a waiter and began ordering.
However, after leaving the dining car, William Brichsan's face immediately darkened. He ground his teeth and cursed Rin as he strode back to his room.
That damn country she-monkey! How dare she reject the friendship of the Brichsan family!
"Oh, were you calling Rin-chan a she-monkey?"
William Brichsan, who had just opened his door, froze. Looking at the girl before him, he asked, "Who are you?"
"Were you the one who just called Rin-chan a she-monkey?"
Sensing the malice emanating from Aiga, William Brichsan realized that something was wrong. He hurriedly turned around, intending to open the door and flee the room.
"Damn it, damn it, why won't it open..."
"So it was you. Say, would you please die? Rin-chan is my prince. She'll definitely like your head as a gift."
After saying that, Aiga grinned. Countless shadowy hands stretched from William Brichsan's shadow, firmly pinning him in place.
Then, a hatchet made of shadows appeared in Aiga's hand. Wearing a savage expression, she walked toward the captured William Brichsan.
"Aaaaaaah!"
After finishing lunch, Rin returned to her room with Sakura and Fujino. Suddenly, she received a notice from the auctioneer and was gathered with a group of bewildered Magi in another carriage.
Once everyone had arrived, the auctioneer and conductor finally explained why they had summoned them.
"Sorry to disturb everyone during your lunch break, but a murder has occurred aboard this train. We have convened everyone as a routine notification."
Upon hearing the news, the Magi began discussing it among themselves, and the carriage descended into chaos.
Waver frowned as he looked at the chattering Magi, then stepped forward.
"Quiet, everyone, please be quiet! Miss Auctioneer, who is the victim? Who discovered the scene? And has the scene been preserved?"
As Waver raised several critical questions, everyone stopped discussing and turned to look at the auctioneer.
"The victim is William Brichsan. The conductor discovered the crime scene. While inspecting the train, he noticed blood seeping out from William Brichsan's room and discovered the murder. The scene has been left untouched."
Lorelei, who had come merely to watch the excitement, heard the victim's name. She yawned boredly and turned to walk back toward her room.
"Boring. A piece of trash died, so what? I'm going back to my room. If it is something this boring again in the future, do not disturb me!"
Marisbury likewise shrugged. Without saying anything, he left the carriage with Olga Marie.
"Waver, you handle this matter. Lainas, let's go take a look around the train!"
With the three great Lords gone, the Magi began to stir again. Some even whispered to their companions about which Lord had supposedly killed William Brichsan.
Rin, who had also intended to leave, froze when she heard William Brichsan's name. A bad feeling rose in her heart.
Chapter 69: Aiga Attacks! (Please Subscribe!)
Rin followed Waver and the others to William Brichsan's room with a grave expression.
Before she even entered, she smelled an overpowering stench of blood.
When she saw the scene in the room, Rin covered her mouth, kept Sakura and Fujino outside the door, and then retched.
Waver frowned as he examined William Brichsan's corpse. William Brichsan's limbs had been severed with a sharp weapon, and his entire torso had been cut open. His snow-white spine, mixed with blood and shredded flesh, lay exposed to the air. More importantly, William Brichsan's head was nowhere to be seen.
Hoshino Rieri raised her arm and hid her expression behind her sleeve as she spoke in a cold voice.
"How miserable. Department Head Waver, what do you think?"
Waver ignored Hoshino Rieri. He crouched down, magical light glowing from his hand, and began examining the corpse before him.
Unable to endure such a bloody sight any longer, Rin pulled Sakura and Fujino away from the crime scene and headed toward the rear of the train to get some air.
When Rin brought Sakura and Fujino to the rear compartment, the figure that appeared before her made every hair on her body stand on end.
Seeing Aiga covered in bloodstains, wearing a sickly smile as she stared at her with lovestruck eyes, Rin hurriedly shielded Sakura and Fujino behind her.
"Sajyou Manaka!"
"Rin-chan, you came? Rin-chan, this is my gift for you! Please accept it."
As she spoke, Aiga opened the box on a nearby table, lifted out William Brichsan's head, and casually tossed it at Rin's feet.
Because Rin had protected her too well, Sakura, who had always lived in a peaceful environment, was terrified the instant she saw the severed head. She screamed and covered her eyes, not daring to look again.
Fujino, who had experienced many things alongside Rin, was in much better condition. Though she also felt physically sick, she forced herself to endure it. Supporting Sakura with one hand, rainbow light rose in her eyes as she prepared at any moment to attack Aiga alongside Rin.
Only then did Aiga seem to notice Sakura and Fujino behind Rin. Her eyes brimmed with killing intent as she looked at them, and terrifying magical energy poured from her body—power enough to make ordinary Magi tremble all over.
Not good! Rin immediately realized that Aiga had shifted her target to her sister and disciple. She cried out inwardly, then shouted urgently.
"Fujino, take Sakura and leave now! Go find Lorelei, Kotomine Kirei, and Marisbury for help, quickly!"
"Rin-chan, why do you want to bring other people into our date?"
Black-and-red magical energy erupted from Aiga's body, instantly dragging the entire carriage into some kind of alternate space.
"Rin-chan, once I deal with those two people interrupting our date, I'll eat you!"
Rin's expression turned grave at Aiga's words.
"Sakura, pull yourself together. Fujino, take care of Sakura first."
Having said that, Rin took out a gemstone containing starlight. Disregarding everything else, she desperately drew the starlight from within it, hoping to enter Starlight Mode quickly.
"Rin-chan, are you rejecting me? I'm so sad! Rin-chan, you're a bad girl!"
"Urgh!"
Rin, who had been gathering starlight, stared in disbelief at the spike that emerged from her shadow and pierced through her abdomen.
Intense pain struck her in an instant. Rin vomited a mouthful of blood, and the agony forcibly interrupted her spellcasting. The starlight she had just accumulated within her body began rampaging through her as her magical energy went out of control.
"Master! Go die!"
Seeing Rin grievously wounded by Aiga, Fujino instantly flew into a rage. She desperately activated her Twisted Magic Eye, intending to twist Aiga apart.
Aiga casually extended one slender hand and effortlessly blocked the twisting force emitted by Fujino's Mystic Eyes with a single finger.
At that moment, Sakura heard Rin's pained cry and Fujino's furious shout. Her feelings for Rin finally overwhelmed the fear in her heart. Opening her eyes and seeing Rin kneeling in a pool of blood, Sakura's heart trembled.
"Big Sis, what happened? Big Sis, don't scare me!"
Rin looked at Sakura beside her. Clutching the wound in her abdomen, she forced out a smile.
"I'm fine, Sakura. Quickly find a way to escape with Fujino. We can't beat her."
"No, I won't leave Big Sis behind."
Having long been carefully protected by Rin, Sakura had often wished that she could help her. But reality had made Sakura feel powerless time and again. The emotions that had accumulated within her finally erupted at this moment. It seemed as though some switch inside Sakura had been flipped, and she turned her hollow gaze toward Aiga.
"It must have been you. You must have hurt Big Sis. You made Big Sis like this. It's all your fault. Yes, it's all your fault!"
Rin stared in shock as Sakura's hair gradually turned white and blood-red patterns appeared on her skin. This is corruption! No, Sakura has never come into contact with All the World's Evil. This feeling is... Origin! Did Sakura's Origin awaken?
An indescribable expression hung on Sakura's face. Sitting in the pool of blood Rin had shed, she held Rin and began humming a chilling nursery rhyme.
As Sakura hummed, Little Red Riding Hood appeared with an expression as though she had been played with until broken. Then, Little Red Riding Hood pulled a chainsaw covered in tentacles from beneath her skirt and charged at Aiga with shrieking wails.
Fujino also noticed Sakura's "transformation." Seeing Sakura's familiar entangle Aiga, she immediately stopped using her Twisted Magic Eye. She turned to glance at Sakura, who had become terrifying, took a deep breath, then knelt on the ground and began to pray.
Aiga tilted her head curiously as she watched Little Red Riding Hood charge toward her. Then she extended her left hand and caught the chainsaw swinging at her. A tremor of magical energy from her hand shattered the tentacles that were reaching toward her from the chainsaw.
"Oh, an Origin awakening? As expected, Rin-chan, as long as I'm with you, I can witness sights unlike anything before."
Then Aiga extended her right hand, glowing with Reinforcement Magecraft, and grabbed Little Red Riding Hood by the head.
Crack!
As Aiga exerted force, Little Red Riding Hood's head was crushed in her grip.
As Little Red Riding Hood died, a tear slid from the corner of Sakura's eye. Then Sakura's singing became higher and stranger. Together with Fujino's prayers nearby, it produced a wondrous chemical reaction that made one feel as if they were in both heaven and hell.
As Sakura sang, Little Red Riding Hood's corpse on the ground began to wriggle. A furry paw stretched out from the corpse's stomach, followed by a gray wolf standing on two legs, which crawled out from Little Red Riding Hood's body.
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