Fate: How About a New Savior?

Generally, seasoned and cunning Magus tend to be more discreet when debating or sharing their opinions, often masking sharp words with a veneer of politeness.

But younger Magus are far less restrained—especially when drunk. And most of the guests invited to Iselma's social gatherings were on the younger side.

"From the sound of it, are you saying the Clock Tower can manage just fine without the younger generation?" Shiomi smiled faintly.

"Hahaha. The Clock Tower was built for Lords. You lot get a few scraps and suddenly think you're something special?" The alcohol was clearly fueling the Magus's growing hostility.

Shiomi responded with a casual shrug. "If all nobles are like you, it's better to toss the whole lot into history's trash bin."

"What did you just say?"

It was clear Shiomi had pushed things too far. The young Aristocratic Faction Magus was visibly provoked.

"In the world of Magecraft, strength speaks louder than anything else. If you look down on grassroots Magus like us, why not demonstrate your family's 'legacy and power' right here?"

Shiomi dramatically looked around, and others nearby nodded, echoing their agreement with murmurs of "Yeah, exactly." Then, without warning, his tone shifted as he delivered a bombshell:

"I've met plenty of nobles—but how do you measure up against the Clock Tower's child prodigy, the former Lord El-Melloi?"

The crowd of Magus who had been drawn in by the commotion immediately broke into hushed whispers.

Tenkei Shiomi wasn't exactly a towering figure, but among the younger generation—especially those from the Democratic Faction—many were familiar with him. Those from the Aristocratic Faction had mostly only heard the name, with few chances to meet him.

But the moment he mentioned "the former Lord El-Melloi," even those who hadn't known who he was immediately caught on.

Back when Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald was still alive, the Aristocratic Faction he belonged to had been one of the Clock Tower's premier noble houses. They were part of the Barthomeloi faction led by the current Wizard Marshal and one of the few noble groups that maintained ties with the larger Aristocratic Faction.

Now, that once-proud noble house had fallen apart, reduced to little more than a name—and the cause was standing right here: an Eastern man.

The man from the East. The former El-Melloi.

Those two sentences combined were enough to make most Aristocratic Faction Magus shudder.

The once lively hall plunged into a chilling silence.

While it wouldn't escalate into a full-blown Magecraft duel, a few younger Magus from the Democratic Faction couldn't help but secretly hope Shiomi would decapitate a few more of the Aristocratic Faction's inflated egos.

"Ow, ow, ow… Pfft—pfft, I'm soooorry…"

A staggering figure stumbled through, slurring his words and lurching between Shiomi and the Aristocratic Magus.

A wine glass arced through the air.

Shiomi reached out and deftly caught the falling glass with his champagne flute—steady, not a drop spilled.

Unfortunately, no one paid attention to his smooth move. The drunken young man who had broken the tension lay sprawled on the floor, reeking of alcohol, his presence making everyone uneasy.

The banquet had barely started, and he was already hopelessly drunk.

The unpleasant scene instantly killed the mood.

The antagonistic noble Magus turned and walked away. The Democratic Faction Magus who had gathered around Shiomi quickly dispersed as well, not wanting to be near the drunkard. Only Shiomi remained, holding two different wine glasses, gazing indifferently down at the pale-faced young man.

"How drunk are you really? Did you drink that much, or is it Magecraft?" Shiomi smiled. "I'm guessing it's the latter?"

"…Ah, nothing escapes your eyes, does it?" The young man got to his feet and pulled two pills from his suit pocket. "This one makes you instantly drunk, and this one's the sobering pill—"

As he spoke, he swallowed one of them. In less than ten seconds, the reeking stench of alcohol that seemed to ooze from every pore vanished completely.

"Yumina?" Shiomi asked.

"Brishisan. My name is Maio Brishisan Clynecks."

"Oh~"

Shiomi let out a soft sound of interest.

Brishisan was a prestigious name. While they didn't hold the top-tier authority of the Barthomeloi, their lineage stood tall in both historical significance and research achievements—a textbook example of the Neutral Faction.

Given the Brishisan name as his middle name, it meant Maio was either a direct member or under their patronage. Shiomi figured he was most likely from a branch family, but just the presence of someone from Brishisan made it clear how significant this Twin Towers gathering really was.

"But I didn't expect to run into the infamous 'Noble Slayer' here. What an—honor…"

Maio's complexion remained pale—apparently naturally so. He wore a smile as he flattered Shiomi, but when he reached for the wine glass, his hand missed.

"Where did that ridiculous nickname come from?" Shiomi's eye twitched. Even a blind man could tell he was annoyed.

"B-but… you really did kill the previous El-Melloi in a direct one-on-one fight during the Holy Grail War nine years ago—no, almost ten…" Maio fumbled his explanation.

Before he could finish, a new voice gently interrupted.

"Maio." The voice was soft and familiar. "If you know you're facing the 'Noble Slayer,' maybe keep quiet. Otherwise, you might end up another notch on his belt."

Shiomi handed the wine glass back to Maio, then turned and smiled at the newcomer.

"So the rumors were true. You really did come, Touko." His tone shifted to a familiar warmth, completely different from the polite distance he'd kept with Maio. "Your Sealing Designation's been lifted."

"It's been a few years now," Touko Aozaki replied with a smile.

"Well, that's good news." Shiomi shrugged. "Your teacher once said if losses on the front lines kept up, she'd have to send me back to deal with sealing you again."

Touko chuckled. "That would've been awful. I'd hate to run into a Rune Magus like you."

"What kind of teacher's scared of their own student?" Shiomi teased.

That only made Touko more amused. She played along with his banter.

"Isn't that exactly what they mean by 'the student surpasses the teacher'?"

Though both knew the truth, Touko kept up the act, continuing to play the role of Shiomi's Rune Magecraft mentor.

...

At that moment, cheers erupted from the back of the hall, drawing the three of them to look.

At the far end stood a spiral staircase leading to the second floor. On the terrace-like upper level stood a pair of maids who looked exactly alike, as if they were twins. Their flawless features could easily lead one to mistake them for the Princess of Gold and the Princess of Silver.

It was clear—the real Princess of Gold and Princess of Silver were about to make their entrance.

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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