Damn It! Matou Shinji!

"Come on, King Gilgamesh, you have to cut me a little slack," Shinji hurriedly explained. "It's not like I have a choice~ If I want to make a movie starring you and Enkidu together, the first thing I have to do is build up your popularity. Otherwise, no one will watch your movie."

Gilgamesh wasn't about to believe a word of Shinji's bullshit. He raised an eyebrow and retorted, "Is my popularity not enough already? You think I don't know you've been using my pictures to swindle people out of their money?"

Shinji fidgeted with his fingers and explained distractedly, "You're still not quite popular enough with Japanese housewives. Otherwise, Ea toys wouldn't be selling worse than Curry Sticks."

"Hmph!"

Gilgamesh tilted his nose skyward and snorted with all his might. The sound was so loud that Master Shinji feared he'd send a snot flying.

"If you really can't wait and want to act alongside Enkidu soon, Gilgamesh, it's not like I don't have a solution. I can add flashback scenes to the movie and arrange for Enkidu to appear."

"Huh?"

Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes. Besides irritation, there was a hint of wariness in his gaze.

No one offered a favor without expecting something in return.

Gilgamesh knew Shinji all too well. Was he really the sort of person to summon Enkidu just to shoot a few scenes, when it was such a bad deal?

Sure enough, as soon as Shinji finished making his suggestion, he pulled Yan Qing over from the side.

"However, since our movie budget is limited, we'll have to make Little Yi Ge dress up as him. When the time comes, Gilgamesh, just pretend you've had too much bootleg liquor and play along for real."

"I'LL K-K-KILL YOU!! Shinji, do you believe I'll use this oldest rope in the world to strangle you to death?!"

As he spoke, the furious Gilgamesh lunged straight at Shinji.

"Hey! I'm doing this for your own good! You're the one who said you wanted to act with Enkidu..."

Thud!

Before Master Shinji could finish speaking, Gilgamesh's fist was already flying at him. The meeting room descended into chaos.

Chapter 43: Damn It! Matou Shinji!

With the loyal Heroic Spirits Artoria, Cú Chulainn, and Heracles protecting their master, Shinji ultimately escaped being strangled to death by Gilgamesh.

After making a commotion, the two sides finally agreed to meet halfway and reached a tentative agreement.

Gilgamesh would appear in the FZ movie and provide the Noble Phantasms needed for filming.

In return, Shinji promised to hurry up preparations for Gilgamesh and Enkidu's movie, aiming to start filming within three years.

"Brother, are you sure it's okay to make a promise like that?"

On the way home, Sakura asked with some concern.

Shinji, looking glum, grinned and said, "It's fine. I never promised that I'd be the one making the movie. I can just find some two-male-lead production and stick Golden Gil and his green-haired boyfriend in it."

Sakura tilted her head, puzzled. "Will anyone besides you make movies in Fuyuki City?"

Shinji raised an eyebrow smugly. "Why wouldn't they? There'll be plenty in the future."

"So... Shinji, that's why you came back to see me?"

In the living room of the Matou Residence, Matou Zouken gazed speechlessly at Shinji, who sat smiling across from him.

"Now that FSN has succeeded, it's time to move on to the second stage, Grandpa."

Shinji propped his chin on the back of his hand and spoke with a grin.

The second stage he had in mind was to use the success of the movie, the cost-effectiveness of Heroic Spirit Actors, and an excellent team of Magecraft experts for post-production to attract other productions to film in Fuyuki City.

Of course, before moving on to the second stage, Fuyuki City's infrastructure needed to catch up.

This would require Type-Moon Company to recruit a large number of Magecraft workers, as well as Fuyuki City to build a professional, fully equipped studio.

"We can use the large warehouse where I filmed FSN for the indoor scenes. As for the outdoor locations... Grandpa, what do you think of the hills behind Fuyuki City?"

Hearing his grandson lay out his plans as if they were already settled, Matou Zouken shook his head slightly.

"That's private land belonging to the Einzbern Family. If you want to build anything there, you'll need the whole family's permission, won't you?"

Shinji pushed the FZ proposal toward him, brimming with confidence. "No problem. I'll use the two of them as bait and cast them as the leads. Irisviel won't be able to resist."

Given Irisviel's excitable nature, if Shinji suggested the fun idea of having her and her husband make a movie together, she'd probably agree without a second's hesitation.

"Anyone who knows you is in for a sorry time. You've got them all wrapped around your finger."

"Aw, Grandpa." Shinji chuckled. "It's a win-win, really."

"I see... But, Shinji." Zouken's smile suddenly vanished. He pointed at the FZ proposal and said, "Do you have something against your grandpa? You made me out to be so terrifying."

"Oh, Grandpa. What does Makiri Zolgen's dirty business have to do with you, Matou Zouken?"

Smack.

Zouken tapped Shinji on the head with his cane.

"Don't get fresh with me, boy. He may be a villain, but he's still your ancestor," Zouken reminded him.

"If you really don't want to do it, Grandpa, I'll change the script so that Uncle goes down the path of evil after going crazy from a broken heart."

Shinji had always been very accommodating with his family.

Besides, this version of FZ didn't need to lead into the HF route, so there was no problem making his uncle suffer a little.

"Shinji, you really are your uncle's nephew."

"Why, thank you, Grandpa."

"Boy, I wasn't complimenting you!"

Zouken angrily raised his cane again.

Shinji hadn't gone to talk to his grandfather just to give the old man high blood pressure. He wanted his grandfather to help him find Japanese Magecraft families to work with.

As FSN grew more and more popular, Japanese Magecraft families became increasingly eager to get in touch with the Matou Family.

Shinji wanted the old man to pick out suitable partners from among those families.

After all, he'd only need more and more mages in the future, so working with local Japanese mages was inevitable.

His grandfather had an extensive network in Japan's Magecraft community, making him the perfect person to negotiate with them.

The only difference was that before, Shinji had begged them to work with him and been turned down. Now, they were the ones begging for a chance to join in.

Shinji believed that with his grandfather's shrewdness, he'd secure the best possible terms for the Matou Family.

After finishing his conversation with Zouken, Shinji went to his room and enjoyed a good, long nap.

He didn't slowly drag himself out of bed until evening, when he could no longer keep his eyes shut.

As he gazed at the orange-red sunset outside the window, Shinji suddenly remembered that it had been a long time since he'd checked in on a certain senpai.

So he gave up on having dinner at home and ambled out of the Matou Residence to find Touko.

After several months, Touko had completely gotten used to her new identity and role in Fuyuki City.

Although Shinji hadn't given her any assignments all this time, she hadn't been idle at all.

As a mage who pursued Magecraft, Touko's thirst for arcane knowledge was endless, and Fuyuki City happened to offer her an inexhaustible supply of it.

The Heroic Spirits who had lived in the Age of Gods were like living encyclopedias of ancient Magecraft.

After spending her days hanging around with Cú Chulainn and the others, Touko felt that she'd greatly expanded her knowledge of Magecraft and made a lot of progress in Magecraft techniques.

In particular, Yan Qing's knowledge of Chinese Daoist arts and Cú Chulainn's runes had given Touko a great deal of inspiration.

She could collect a paycheck every month without working—the base salary Shinji gave her—and learn from the Heroic Spirits to fill her head with knowledge.

This perfect life of researching the arcane had made Touko so happy she'd forgotten all about the outside world. Even if someone tried to make her leave now, she wouldn't budge.

When Shinji found Touko, she was working in her studio.

Touko was sprawled over the workbench, carving a piece of wood with her right hand while jotting down notes with a pen in her left.

Seeing that she was busy, Shinji didn't approach her right away. Instead, he stood in the doorway and watched.

Perhaps because the studio was too hot, Touko had casually tied her work clothes around her waist and was wearing nothing but a white sleeveless top, giving Shinji quite a view.

The only thing that left Master Shinji disappointed was Touko's figure. Compared with Miss Rin, her figure was already excellent, but it still fell short of the curvy, mature beauty he remembered.

Looks like the rumor about Touko secretly padding her chest when she makes a doll body for herself is true.

Since Magecraft had declined in this world, Touko naturally wasn't using a doll body now. It gave Shinji a chance to see the flaws of the "original model."

But unless Shinji had lost his mind, he'd never say what he was thinking out loud.

Only when Touko stopped working and looked up to wipe away her sweat did Shinji call out to her.

"Senpai, busy at work?"

Touko turned toward the voice. When she saw Shinji, a smile immediately appeared on her face.

"You're here, kohai."

"Yeah."

Shinji didn't stand on ceremony. He grabbed a chair and sat down across from Touko.

Touko put her work clothes back on and elegantly lit a cigarette.

"So the busy man finally has time to come see me today."

There was an indescribable note in Touko's voice, though it carried a touch of reproach, as if she were an abandoned pet.

But she wasn't really upset with Shinji; otherwise, she wouldn't have smiled at him. Her words were more like a little complaint.

Shinji had lured her to this unfamiliar city with the promise of helping her fight the old man, only to spend all his time on his own affairs and leave her to her own devices.

If Shinji hadn't paid her every month and given her the only chance in the world to discuss Magecraft with Heroic Spirits, she would have left long ago if anyone else had treated her that way.

Especially since she hadn't seen Shinji in over a month. It was only natural that she'd felt a little put out.

Still, Touko was quite happy to see Shinji now. At least it meant that her young kohai hadn't forgotten her completely.

Shinji had picked up on the feelings hidden in Touko's words. This dollmaker, who was so cool and distant in front of others, was teasing him like a tsundere girl. He found it rather amusing.

But they weren't all that close yet, and Shinji couldn't tease Touko the way he did Rin.

So he could only give her a gentlemanly smile and say, "Looks like you've been enjoying life in Fuyuki City, senpai. I've had a lot on my plate lately and haven't taken care of you. I'm really sorry about that."

"Glad you know it." Touko narrowed her eyes and let out a lazy little snort. "Well, as long as the pay's good, I don't have much to complain about. This place has advantages you can't find elsewhere."

"I'm glad you like Fuyuki City, senpai."

Touko ignored Shinji's flattery and asked curiously, "Then why did you have time to come see me today? I heard from Cú Chulainn and the others that you've been pretty busy lately."

Shinji replied, "Because I missed you, senpai, so I'd like to take you out to dinner."

Touko raised an eyebrow. "You're being this nice? You're not planning to get me drunk and do something indecent, are you?"

"I'd never do that."

Master Shinji, who now had a psychological aversion to drinking, hurriedly denied it.

"I just thought that a senpai and her kohai should spend some time getting closer."

Touko still looked at Shinji with deep suspicion.

"Senpai, what do you take me for? How could I do something so sleazy?"

"You're the one who harassed every woman in the Clock Tower. You have no right to say that."

Touko frowned, looking somewhat displeased.

Shinji raised both hands and gave her a French military salute. "All right, all right. Just consider it a bribe, senpai."

"A bribe?"

"Yeah. I'm going to the Clock Tower soon, and I want you to come with me."

Shinji smiled as he revealed his purpose.

Meanwhile, at the Clock Tower's Modern Magecraft Department...

"Achoo!" *2

Kenseth and Waver both sneezed at the same time in the office.

"Why did I sneeze too?"

Kenseth rubbed his nose and grumbled.