Leviathan flew in the sky for about two hours.
Mayuri lay on its head, one hand supporting its chin, the other occasionally patting its scales, signaling it to turn to the left or right.
Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash sat on the back of Leviathan, holding onto the protrusions between the scales to keep their bodies steady.
Below is a complete view of the Pharaoh's territory.
Oasis cities, the winding Nile River, golden pyramids, and endless farmlands and villages.
"What are we looking for?" Ritsuka Fujimaru called out from ahead.
"Have no idea."
"You don't know?! Then why did you say you wanted to search the Pharaoh's territory?!"
"Didn't the First Hassan say that someone was waiting for us in the Pharaoh's territory?"
"Then let's see where it's most suspicious."
"You're being way too casual!"
"What else can we do? Knock on doors and ask?"
Ritsuka Fujimaru choked.
Leviathan circled twice more in the air, rounding a hill to the west of the pyramid, before Mayuri patted its scales.
"Wait a moment."
"What's wrong?" Mash looked up.
"There."
Mayuri pointed in a direction.
On the back of the hill, amidst a blanket of yellow sand, lies the ruins of a building.
No.
It's not wreckage.
The building's structure was so well-preserved.
Unlike the mud and brick houses in the Pharaoh's territory, the building's exterior was made of white synthetic material with smooth curves and regular geometric structures, making it stand out from its surroundings.
More importantly, there are Sphinx patrolling around the building's entrance.
There are at least a dozen.
The enormous sphinx paced back and forth around the building, its eyes scanning everything warily.
"What kind of building is that?" Mash squinted.
"I don't know, but it's definitely not from the Pharaoh's era." Ritsuka Fujimaru frowned as she looked at the white walls.
Mayuri felt the same way.
That building is completely out of step with this era.
"Let's go down and take a look."
Leviathan began to descend.
The dozen or so Sphinx immediately sensed the movement in the air, raising their heads in unison, their golden eyes locking onto the enormous dark purple figure in the sky.
Several Sphinx opened their mouths and emitted low, warning growls from their throats.
" Leviathan, ignore them."
Leviathan did not slow down and landed directly on the open ground in front of the building.
The Sphinx took a few steps back, but did not attack.
They could sense the aura emanating from Leviathan, a being of a higher order than themselves. Instinct told them not to act rashly.
Mayuri jumped off Leviathan's head, Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash followed suit, climbing down from its back.
" Leviathan, wait here."
Leviathan lay on the ground, yawned, and slowly closed his eyelids.
The three walked towards the white building.
Upon closer inspection, Ritsuka Fujimaru got a clear view of the building.
Above the main gate is a stone lintel with several blurry letters engraved on it.
" The Atlas Institute... no, it's the Atlas Institute?"
Ritsuka Fujimaru read the words on the lintel.
" Atlas Institute?" Mash saw it too. "That name sounds familiar..."
"I don't remember either." Ritsuka Fujimaru shook her head.
The three of them walked through the gate.
The gate was not locked.
The interior is as modern as the exterior, with white corridors, metal door frames, and recessed lighting fixtures.
And those lights were still on.
"There's still electricity here...?" Ritsuka Fujimaru was taken aback.
"It's not electricity." Mash approached a lamp and examined it carefully. "It's powered by a Magecraft circle. This building itself relies on magic to operate."
But where exactly is this place?
"You've finally arrived."
A voice came from deep within the corridor.
The three of them turned around at the same time and looked in the direction of the sound.
At the end of the corridor, a figure leaned against the wall.
A long black trench coat, highlighting her slender and tall figure.
A pipe was dangling from his lips, wisps of white smoke rising from it.
His eyes were sharp and calm, carrying an oppressive sense of knowing everything.
He showed no intention of making a move; he simply stood there, like a host waiting for guests.
Welcome to Atlas Institute.
His voice was deep and composed.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time."
Ritsuka Fujimaru instinctively took a half step back.
"Who are you?"
Sherlock Holmes.
The man took off his pipe and bowed slightly in greeting.
"The job title is Caster."
" Sherlock Holmes?!" Ritsuka Fujimaru's eyes widened.
That Sherlock Holmes?
Sherlock Holmes?
"Yes, it's the Sherlock Holmes you're thinking of." Sherlock Holmes's lips curled into a slight smile. "But please don't define me by the characters in the novels."
"Why are you here?" Mash stepped forward, blocking Ritsuka Fujimaru's path.
"Waiting for you."
Sherlock Holmes put the pipe back in his mouth.
"More accurately, they are the Chaldea."
"You know Chaldea?"
"Of course." Sherlock Holmes nodded. "I've been asked by my friend Babbage to wait here for the Chaldea."
" Babbage?" Ritsuka Fujimaru paused, "The Babbage we met in the Fourth Singularity?"
"It seems you do know each other."
Sherlock Holmes turned and walked deeper into the corridor.
"Come with me. This isn't the place to talk."
"Why should we believe you?" Ritsuka Fujimaru didn't move.
"You don't need to believe me." Sherlock Holmes stopped and glanced back at her. "You just need to follow me and see for yourselves whether what I say is true or false."
"I am a detective. A detective's job is to uncover the truth, not to fabricate lies."
Ritsuka Fujimaru hesitated for two seconds.
Then she glanced at Mayuri.
Mayuri leaned against the wall, looking utterly bored.
"Why are you asking me? Go if you want, don't go if you don't."
"You really are..."
Ritsuka Fujimaru sighed.
"Okay, we'll go with you."
Sherlock Holmes nodded, turned and continued walking forward.
The three followed behind him.
The corridor went deeper and deeper, and the light grew dimmer and dimmer.
Sherlock Holmes ' footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, the white smoke from his pipe leaving a faint trail behind him.
After walking for about five minutes, Ritsuka Fujimaru suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, about Chaldea— "
She raised her wrist and looked at the communication device.
The screen is filled with static.
Communication was interrupted.
"No signal." Mash checked her communication device as well. " Chaldea can't contact us."
"This building is protected by a special barrier," Sherlock Holmes said without turning his head. "Signals coming in from the outside will be blocked, and signals coming from the inside cannot penetrate it."
"So now Chaldea can't see us anymore?" Ritsuka Fujimaru frowned.
"Yes. But don't worry, the barrier won't harm you. It only isolates communication between the inside and outside."
Sherlock Holmes stopped in his tracks.
At the end of the corridor was a heavy metal door.
The metal door slid open silently.
Behind the door was a huge circular hall.
In the center of the hall, there is a machine.
The machine occupied most of the hall, with a height of at least ten meters and a width of more than twenty meters.
Its shape resembles a giant trident, with the main stele extending from the ground to the ceiling.
"This is..." Mash's voice trembled slightly.
" The Trismegistus Hermes."
Sherlock Holmes stood in front of the machine, looking up at the three metal stone tablets.
"Spiritual particle calculation device."
"Your Chaldea's spirit particle calculation device is the successor to this machine."
" Chaldea's spirit particle calculation device was manufactured and supplied by the Atlas Institute."
Ritsuka Fujimaru was stunned.
" Chaldea's calculation device... was it built here?"
"Yes." Sherlock Holmes nodded.
But that's a long story.
He turned around and faced the three of them.
You've come here to find the truth.
Me too.
Sherlock Holmes's gaze sharpened.
"I've been waiting here for a while, precisely to use this Trismegistus Hermes to uncover a buried truth."
He paused for a moment.
"During the 2004 Fuyuki City Holy Grail War, one thing was erased from all records."
Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash exchanged a glance.
"An event that was erased...?"
"Yes," Sherlock Holmes said in a deep voice, a pipe dangling from his lips.
He turned to Trismegistus Hermes.
"The victor of that Holy Grail War has been altered in all publicly available records."
"I want to know, who exactly won that war?"
A few seconds later.
Trismegistus Hermes provided the answer.
A mechanical, emotionless voice came from the machine.
" The Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City."