Don't Call Me Master, Call Me Director

"Come on, let's go see the geniuses at the Clock Tower."

Touko retorted grumpily, "So, you brought me here just to be an interviewer?"

Chapter 46: Kidnapping a Girl Starved for Affection

Clock Tower, Restaurant.

"Junior Matou, are you looking for the geniuses at the Clock Tower, or the food at the Clock Tower?"

Touko, who had been pulled to the cafeteria by Shinji, had a question mark written all over her face.

"Senior Aozaki, do you know when the geniuses at the Clock Tower gather together?" Shinji replied with a grin. "Of course, when they eat together during meal times."

Having been countered, Touko shot Shinji an displeased look and pouted, "Who knows, maybe some people are getting private lessons."

"I can't poach the ones who can afford private lessons, either."

Those who could get private lessons at the Clock Tower were either scions of prominent families or apprentices to some professor. There was no way Shinji would go after them.

Understanding this, Touko was speechless and could only sit down with Shinji in a corner of the restaurant.

Shinji ate a sandwich while his eyes darted around the cafeteria.

After scanning the room, Shinji actually saw many familiar faces, who were now chatting in small groups.

For example, the Lord of the Astronomy Department, Marisbilly Animusphere, was discussing something with a few of his students.

Actually, compared to the Lord of the Astronomy Department, Shinji was more familiar with the other identity of the man: the first director of Chaldea.

It was this guy who set a bad precedent, making the position of Chaldea's director as dangerous as the presidency of South Korea.

However, since there was no Holy Grail War in this world, Shinji wasn't sure if the man would establish the Chaldea organization.

I guess not.

Shinji hadn't received any indication of cooperation from Marisbilly, so it seemed the man wasn't interested in summoning Heroic Spirits anymore.

Besides the first director, Shinji also saw the stout director, Goredolf Musik, in the cafeteria. The man was intently focused on a piece of marbled steak.

Including Olga Marie, who was by her father's side, Shinji suddenly realized that three generations of Chaldea's directors were gathered in the cafeteria.

"Wow, if I summoned the Suzumura couple too, wouldn't that be a grand slam?"

Shinji muttered to himself, retracting his gaze.

"Grand slam? Are you talking about the number of women at the Clock Tower?" Touko asked curiously.

"Senior, don't imagine me as someone who only thinks with his lower body."

Shinji finished the rest of his sandwich in one bite and said, dusting the crumbs off his hands, "Alright, I've decided. I'll abduct a few guys and take them to Japan next, so Senior won't misunderstand me anymore."

"That's too much, you won't even let the men go."

Seeing the teasing in Touko's eyes, Shinji helplessly held his forehead.

"I'm such an idiot... I shouldn't have argued with a girl about this."

Touko then picked up her finished tray and said to Shinji, "Excuse me for a moment, I see my teacher."

Shinji quickly said, "Please send my regards to the head of the Atollhom family."

Touko's teacher was the Lord of the Creation Department, Einzbern Atollhom, one of the three giants of the Clock Tower.

No matter how informal Shinji was, he had to be polite to that big shot.

"Oh, right, if you have any promising talents in your Creation Department, please try to lure them. I offer generous salaries, room and board, and ancient Heroic Spirits to provide explanations for Magecraft spells."

Shinji shouted after Touko's retreating back.

"You're trying to poach my teacher, aren't you afraid of being beaten to death?"

Touko rolled her eyes, but she still gave Shinji a thumbs-up, indicating that she was willing to try.

"Then I'll trouble you, Senior."

Touko smiled slightly, waved her hand without looking back at Shinji, and gracefully walked away.

Shinji retracted his gaze, twisted his neck, and said, "Next... it's time to find someone."

After looking around the cafeteria, Shinji had a few initial candidates in mind.

Among them, the stout director Goredolf Musik was Shinji's top choice.

He came from a renowned Alchemist family and had considerable skill. Moreover, despite his arrogant appearance, the plot of FGO showed that this fat guy had good character and was a trustworthy person.

However, perhaps it was because he chatted with Touko for too long, but by the time Shinji wanted to find the stout director, he found that the man had already left the cafeteria.

Shinji searched the surrounding area for a while but found no trace of the stout director.

"Damn it, which department was he from?"

Just as Shinji stopped at a corner of the corridor, a door beside him suddenly opened.

A Mage carrying documents walked out, constantly complaining, "So many demands! You'll always be working alone!"

The Mage who came out was too reckless and almost bumped into Shinji.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! Mat... Matou Shinji!"

The Mage who was about to start cursing, upon seeing Shinji's face, forcefully swallowed his words back.

"Senior Matou, what are you doing here? Could it be... you're here to find us for our joint research project?"

The Mage asked, swallowing hard with an excited expression.

"Joint research project?"

Shinji was taken aback by the question. He looked up at the sign on the room.

"Spirit Evocation Department Archive... How did I end up here?"

Shinji now understood why the other person had asked him that.

The fact that he summoned Heroic Spirits for filming was no longer a secret among Mages. Seeing him in the Spirit Evocation Department, the other person likely assumed he had encountered a problem with his Magecraft and wanted to resolve it.

After all, summoning Heroic Spirits was right up the Spirit Evocation Department's alley.

"Senior Matou, which professor are you looking for?"

The Mage grabbed Shinji's hand and shook it vigorously, like a fan meeting their idol.

"Well, I just wanted to look up some information."

Shinji waved his hand, subtly withdrawing his hand.

"Who were you so angry at just now?"

"Well..."

The other person glanced towards the back of the archive room and then explained, "Our group's project is to deconstruct the Magecraft used by you, Senior, to summon Heroic Spirits. But that person keeps saying we haven't considered certain aspects and insists on redesigning it, as if she already knows the outcome... I'm sorry!"

Seeing Shinji looking at him with amusement, the other person quickly apologized.

In their eyes, Magecraft on the level of summoning Heroic Spirits was definitely a highly guarded family inheritance technique.

It was one thing for their team to secretly research it, but to openly talk about deconstructing it in front of someone felt wrong.

"You want to deconstruct it... Then good luck to you."

Shinji patted the other person's shoulder and walked towards the interior of the archive room.

Shinji didn't really care about this Mage's desire to deconstruct the Magecraft for summoning Heroic Spirits.

Putting aside whether they could reproduce the Holy Grail War system, the Magic required to summon Heroic Spirits alone was beyond what Mages could handle.

Even Shinji couldn't afford the enormous amount of Magic. The seven Servants currently in Fuyuki City could remain in the world because they were using the Magic from Fuyuki City's Ley Lines, with Shinji, the Master, merely acting as a conduit.

If the people in the Spirit Evocation Department tried to forcibly summon Heroic Spirits, there would only be one outcome: being drained dry by the Heroic Spirits.

"I'm just going to look around, you don't need to entertain me."

Shinji said to the doorway as he entered the archive room.

"Okay."

The Mage replied with a hint of disappointment and then left the archive room.

The Spirit Evocation Department's archive room was filled with mountains of books and parchment scrolls. Under the dim Lighting, the room's atmosphere felt quite oppressive.

Shinji didn't stop to browse the materials but walked directly towards the depths of the room, intrigued by "that person" the Mage had mentioned.

A long-haired Girl sat at a wooden desk, constantly writing something and muttering to herself.

"Cú Chulainn's Rune abilities are clearly weakened, which is a severe deviation from his legendary image... In other words, that person should possess a Spirit Core proficient in Rune Magecraft but not in spear techniques... The Holy Grail summons only a single aspect of a Heroic Spirit..."

The Girl's brown hair was casually draped over her shoulders. A large black eyepatch covered one of her eyes, making it difficult for her to see.

Suddenly, the Girl stopped writing and looked up blankly.

"Who's there?"

Since Shinji was standing on the side where she wore the eyepatch, the Girl could only vaguely see a silhouette.

"Is this your research material on summoning Heroic Spirits?"

Shinji picked up a piece of paper from the desk and asked with interest.

The Girl was taken aback by the question. After a long pause, she slowly nodded.

"Amazing..." Shinji murmured in evaluation.

Although the information on the draft paper was disorganized, Shinji could still see that the Girl had her own unique insights into summoning Heroic Spirits.

Not only did she predict that the same Heroic Spirit could have different Spirit Cores, but she also analyzed the impact of legend evolution on a Heroic Spirit's Spirit Core.

She was indeed a promising student from the future Spirit Evocation Department.

Shinji looked at the long-haired Girl, the curve of his lips widening.

The Girl also looked at Shinji with her left eye, the one not covered by the eyepatch. Even the dim Lighting of the room couldn't hide the excitement on her face.

"What's your name?" Shinji asked gently.

The woman opened her mouth and replied in a voice as faint as a mosquito's hum, "Ophelia... Ophelia Pham Soroine."

"Pham Soroine from Germany?"

Shinji stroked his chin, asking a question he had already confirmed.

"Y-yes. Yes."

Ophelia nodded, her face flushing.

"Why do you want to research Heroic Spirit summoning?"

"My family's long-held wish is to make contact with demons... I thought that by using the fact that hypothetical Heroic Spirits can also be summoned, I could summon... demons..."

Ophelia's voice grew softer and softer, and she had already braced herself for Shinji's mockery.

Instead, Shinji reached up and touched his long hair.

"Hmm?"

"That's an interesting idea. You have your own unique perspective," Shinji said softly. "You're really amazing."

"Thank you..."

Ophelia's cheeks turned crimson, and she stiffly nodded her small head.

"I'm short a secretary. Are you interested?"

"Eh?"

Ophelia's eyes widened. She hadn't expected Shinji to say something like that.

"If you're going to perfect the summoning ritual, isn't it most convenient to observe a Servant up close~"

A charming smile spread across Shinji's handsome face, his gentle yet magnetic voice like a demon tempting humans to sign a contract.

"Interested, top student of the Spirit Evocation Department?"

"I only just enrolled..." Ophelia gently corrected him.

"So, what's your answer?"

Ophelia stared blankly at Shinji.