Tokyo Singularity (17) Ritsuka is in trouble...
Xia Youjie: "..."
He paused, then abruptly looked up to stare directly at Fujimaru Ritsuka. He suddenly realized that the only thing he remembered about that ordinary man's appearance was a vague outline.
"He can't remember, there's something wrong with him!"
Xia Youjie stood up excitedly, attracting the attention of most of the people who had come to the dessert shop to escape the heat. Fujimaru Ritsuka leaned forward and pressed Xia Youjie back into his chair. She thought to herself that the runes were indeed very effective; not a single sound had been transmitted.
"Now we have another clue. Although we can't be sure whether the person next to Avenger is a Servant summoned by the Holy Grail or a sorcerer from this world, his ability is undeniable; he was able to bewitch at least one Special-Rank Servant."
Gojo Satoru immediately grasped the key point: "Could it be the same kind of information erasure as Jack the Ripper? Six Eyes didn't see anything this time either."
“No, Jack’s information erasure process is accompanied by a white mist. As long as it’s just about blurring faces and concealing whereabouts, there are countless Servants who can do that,” Fujimaru Ritsuka explained.
At least two-thirds of Casters can do it.
From what she could see, she couldn't rule out the possibility that the unremarkable man was the mastermind. But the clues were still too few to draw any further conclusions, and she sighed inwardly.
If it were Mr. Holmes… She lowered her eyes and pursed her lips, forcing her thoughts to stop at this moment and rethink the important matter.
Let's take it one step at a time. Let's start by investigating the known clues, and then answer the other questions when we meet that Avenger again.
"Next," Fujimaru Ritsuka concluded, "our main objective is to find the places where the Avenger might appear..."
—
A few days later, as evening approached, the summer sun still hung high overhead, blurring the distant scenery as if it had melted.
Dressed lightly, the girl, suspended high in the air, casually crossed her legs, one hand supporting her chin, sullenly muttering to herself in the shadows of the trees, avoiding the sunlight.
"For five whole days, I have gained nothing. I have truly failed to live up to the Master's trust."
Shuten-dōji had just arrived at this singularity when she was taken away by Oberon to investigate a broad and frighteningly broad mission: to track down forbidden areas hidden by Onmyoji. She worked diligently for her Master for five days, searching half of Japan, but still found nothing.
Frustrated, so incredibly frustrated!
"Ah, Shuten-dōji, you really are here..." Fujimaru Ritsuka, who had also come to hide in the shadows for some peace and quiet, exclaimed in surprise.
But before she could finish her greeting, her gaze suddenly darkened. A purple sleeve fluttered by, as if the fragrance of fruit wine was drifting into her mind.
"Oh dear," the girl with demon horns leaned down from mid-air, flashing a bright smile, her voice rising slightly at the end, "Boss, it's been a long time."
"Long time no see!" Ritsuka tugged at the girl's sleeve with practiced ease. The girl, who had just been so unpredictable, obediently landed on the ground.
The two stood side by side under the tree. Fujimaru Ritsuka listened to Shuten-dōji's complaints and optimistically comforted her, saying that good things come to those who wait, and perhaps the clues would come to them on their own.
After dealing with Jack the Ripper, Fujimaru Ritsuka first went to resolve the issue with Zenin Maki. She found some time to ask Gojo Satoru if there was a safe place to take in a young sorcerer; money was not an issue.
—Regardless of Chaldea, her salary alone would be enough for her to live comfortably for several lifetimes.
It seems that because Ritsuka's speech at the Zenin family was impressive, Gojo Satoru suddenly became interested and said that he also had a child who was being used to pay off a debt, and that the child was also of the Zenin family bloodline, so why not raise them together?
He muttered to himself, referring to the twins as an ominous sign to the Zen family, the sons of the fearsome sorcerer assassin. It would be perfect if these ominous beings brought death to one or two of the rotten oranges.
Then Xia Youjie, who was listening in, slapped him on the shoulder to wake him up from his dream, saying that relying on children was not as efficient as him killing a few himself.
But this matter was indeed settled roughly like that.
After that, Ritsuka spent her days going out to find clues and her evenings reporting and summarizing information with Chaldea. Occasionally, she would also meet up with Haibara Yu after completing a mission for dinner.
From a purely lifestyle perspective, this is definitely one of the unique aspects that makes her life incredibly comfortable. If someone else were here, they might have lingered a little longer to enjoy life.
While Fujimaru Ritsuka comforted the dejected Servant, she herself spent more and more time searching for clues each day.
"Ah, Ritsuka, we were just about to look for you!" Just as Haibara Yu thought of her, his signature lively and bright voice rang out. Under the blazing afternoon sun, he pulled Nanami Kento along as they ran towards Fujimaru Ritsuka.
"Nanami and I found a newly opened restaurant in Ginza. Do you and your friends have time to have dinner with us today?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka stretched and waved to Nanami, "Alright, Shuten and I will gladly accept your offer."
Just as the group reached the entrance of the college, an unfamiliar man got out of a black sedan and walked straight toward them.
It's not that no one knew him at all. Fujimaru Ritsuka saw Nanami Kento's expression suddenly change, and he put his hand to his forehead, looking like trouble had come knocking on his door.
“These are people from the Kamo family; they work in the director's office,” he said. Why would someone from the director's office come to the vocational high school and walk towards them?
"Hello, this must be Ms. Fujimaru Ritsuka?" The middle-aged man looked weary, like a corporate slave, with the stitches on his forehead barely visible. He said calmly, "I hope you can come with me to the director's office."
Upon hearing the words "Director's Department," Haibara Yu and Nanami Kento's expressions instantly changed.
"What's the reason?" Haibara Yu stopped the man, his previously smiling tone turning serious.
"The Directorate suspects that this unregistered sorcerer is connected to the cursed sorcerer who murdered the high-ranking officials."
Haihara Xiong: "???"
Senior Natsume clearly stated that Ritsuka was the hero who captured that curse master! He argued vehemently with the people from the General Headquarters, but Kamo just listened calmly; he showed no sign of being moved.
The management department is a piece of crap.
Kenjiro Nanami, who was listening in, thought to himself with sharp criticism. He raised his head, moved a little, and hid half of his body behind Yu Haibara, then started typing blindly on his phone.
It's more believable to believe that they are interested in the suddenly appearing Fujimaru Ritsuka and want to use her for experiments than to believe this reason.
Gojo-senpai and Natsuyu-senpai took Ieiri-senpai to the Zen-in family. He and Haibara, two ordinary students, couldn't stop the people from the Directorate General's office, and could only hope that they would hurry back.
"Hey, you actually want to take the boss away in front of me?"
Shuten-dōji wrapped his arm around Ritsuka's shoulder, his sharp yet mocking gaze fixed on Kamo. The icy pressure forced Kamo to look away, and he realized that he had subconsciously held his breath and couldn't breathe.
"Boss, you're really popular." Shuten-dōji whispered in Ritsuka's ear, his voice light and airy, both disgruntled and seductive.
"Is there anything I can do for you?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka paused slightly, glancing around. She saw the man with stitches on his forehead slowly take a step back because of Shuten's gaze, then casually point to the two high school students beside him, his intention clear: a threat.
Then, without warning, she met a pair of familiar blue eyes.
Fujimaru Ritsuka blinked, a gut feeling forming in her mind. "...Shuten, you go with Haibara and the others." She looked up and met the eyes of the person from the General Manager's office across from her.
"Since you put it that way, let's go."
Kento Nanami naturally saw this despicable threat as well. His hand, hidden behind his back, tapped the keys on his phone even faster, almost creating sparks.
Meanwhile, the Zen family was entertaining three third-year students from a vocational high school. Listening to the tedious conversation, Ieiri Shoko rubbed her fingers together, then reached into her pocket, trying to pull out a cigarette.
Suddenly her phone vibrated. She paused, then took out her phone. On the lit screen, Kento Nanami's plea for help was clear and glaring.
...They've fallen for it.
Shoko Ieiri clicked her tongue and immediately grabbed Natsumi Yuuki's clothes. Before he could helplessly hand her a lighter, she shoved her phone screen right in front of him.
After Xia Youjie read the message sent by Nanami Kento, his jaw suddenly tightened, and he kicked Gojo Satoru, who was talking eloquently at the front. When Gojo Satoru turned around, confused, he said seriously:
"Something happened to Ritsuka; the General Manager's Office took her away."
Gojo Satoru's face still held the relaxed and carefree air from their earlier conversation, but upon hearing Xia Youjie's words, his expression froze. "...Huh?"
"Fujimaru Ritsuka has been taken away by the General Manager's Office." Ieiri Shoko calmly repeated, then stepped forward and placed the phone into Gojo Satoru's hand. "It's time to go, Gojo."
The screen's blinding, cold light shone into Gojo's icy blue eyes. As if understanding something, he turned and suddenly looked coldly back at the Zen family head, "You revealed it?"
The head of the Zen temple sighed softly and lowered his head, tacitly acknowledging Gojo Satoru's statement.
"Fine, very well." Gojo Satoru's anger reached its peak, but he chuckled lightly instead. He immediately pulled his two colleagues away, leaving behind the final remark: "Those old men in the General Manager's Office are as disgusting as ever."
Watching the three young men leave, the Zen family head leaned back in his chair, wearily resting his forehead on his hand. "What did Naoya say?"
“The young master said… he did nothing wrong, and even if he had to kneel for another day, he wouldn’t think he was wrong.”
Out of jealousy, when the director came to inquire about the aftermath of Jack the Ripper, Zenin Naoya exaggerated and smeared Fujimaru Ritsuka to the higher-ups, ruining the efforts of Gojo Satoru and others to hide her.
Is that what you call correct?
“Then let him continue kneeling!” The head of the Zen family closed his eyes. “The position of the Zen family heir… should also be reconsidered.” He said softly.
"That thing Mr. Gojo mentioned?"
"In a few days, I'll find some time to talk to Zenin Maki and the others."
"...You agree?!"
Just as Gojo Satoru and the others were rushing back, Fujimaru Ritsuka had already been taken to the General Manager's Office.
Walking down the dimly lit wooden corridor, the flickering candlelight was reflected in Fujimaru Ritsuka's eyes. For a moment, she felt as if she had returned to the Heian-kyo era, a time without electronic devices.
Good heavens, is this still modern times?
"Mr. Kamo!" A slightly surprised voice came from the opposite corridor. A sorcerer in his early forties walked quickly to them. The longing in his eyes made Fujimaru Ritsuka feel like a lab rat being watched.
"You really brought this unfamiliar sorcerer with you? Should I help you call a meeting with the others?"
A note from the author:
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