"Time travel... That really is a bold idea. That technology is already close to True Magic, isn't it?"
Roland shrugged and gave an amused smile, not answering the question immediately.
Technology involving time was an extremely advanced field of research even at the Clock Tower. The fact that Kiritsugu Emiya's Time Alter Magic Formula pointed toward a path to the Root in its research direction was proof enough of its worth.
That went doubly for something as outrageous as time travel. Whether one returned to the past or went to the future, it involved changes to world lines, and even the possibility of branching parallel worlds.
"Yes, that is unquestionably on the level of True Magic. But time travel alone is not enough to represent the entirety of a True Magic. That is why I have my doubts."
Touko Aozaki spread her hands, yet gave her answer with certainty.
Time travel might be part of a True Magic, but it was not its entirety. She was quite confident in that judgment, almost as though she had witnessed it herself.
"Oh?"
Roland raised an eyebrow. Whatever had occurred to him, the smile on his lips deepened.
"Even if time travel doesn't represent the entirety of a True Magic, the level of that technology is unquestionably infinitely close to it. Even before the act begins, it could bring Heroic Spirits from the Ghostliner to interfere at the Counter Force's urging. It's a very dangerous undertaking."
Roland leisurely picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip.
"-But yes, Miss Touko, you guessed correctly. I can indeed do it."
Ever since receiving the prophecy from the Mother of Mifune yesterday, Roland had considered whether he really would need to return to the past.
After all, difficult though the technology was, it truly