Night. Neo-Camelot House—in its dining room located on the second floor.
"So, in the end, she still wasn't found."
At the dining table, Morgan, seated in the main chair as director, looked around at the several people, all of whom looked exhausted, then tasted a bowl of soup with an expressionless face.
Indeed, she wasn't found.
After rescuing Artoria and Artoria Caster, Ritsuka and the others continued to be busy searching for the vampire. However, even with Caster's Magecraft and Baobhan Sith, as well as real-time tracking using surveillance cameras from Morgan, they still failed to capture her.
"We're sorry, Shachō..."
Ritsuka bowed her head in frustration.
Morgan let out a soft sigh: "Ah, never mind. Don't discuss work at the dining table. I had already anticipated this failure. After this, I will inquire with the Ryougi Family. Since it is something requested by that woman, she will not object to providing some information."
"Then I will also come along." Melusine said. "If a fight breaks out, I can restrain her."
"Hmm."
(Is it already certain that there will be a fight with Miss Shiki?)
As mentioned before, the relationship between Morgan and Shiki could not be called good. As long as they didn't meet, there was no problem, but once they met, these two equally highly competitive individuals often began to aggressively compete and taunt each other even before they spoke much, continuously attacking each other with words until it eventually escalated into physical conflict.
Of course, the root of their conflict was essentially an idiot who hadn't returned home for six years.
"Rather than that, Mash and Ritsuka, why are you here today?"
Just then, Artoria Caster, who was putting beef next to the table into a hotpot, asked the two of them with a curious expression.
Ritsuka explained: "Actually, it's about my thesis. Since the topic relates to King Arthur, I wanted to ask the person directly..."
King Arthur?
Everyone simultaneously looked towards Artoria, who was elegantly eating there.
"I see, I understand the situation."
After finishing the beef in her bowl, Artoria wiped her lips: "I will provide as much help as possible to assist you in completing your thesis, Ritsuka."
"Thank you, Lia-san!" Ritsuka immediately felt relieved.
"But Ritsuka, you'll also be graduating college, huh." Artoria smiled, as if remembering the past, "I remember the Clock Tower once sent you an invitation."
Thanks to Chaldea's connections, coupled with the service of saving humanity, when Ritsuka graduated high school, the Clock Tower indeed invited her to officially begin studying Magecraft there—specifically Lord Riddell from the Department of Botany.
However, Ritsuka politely declined.
"Well, it feels like it would be very troublesome to go there, and I don't have a very good impression of the Clock Tower..." Ritsuka smiled bitterly, "Besides, if I just want to learn Magecraft, I can directly ask Shachō, or Caster and Baobhan."
Artoria Caster and Baobhan Sith were Magi taught by Morgan and Naoki, and Morgan herself was a Divine-level Magus. Her magic level was among the highest of Heroic Spirits. No matter how powerful the Magi at the Clock Tower, even if tied together, they would not be enough for Morgan to fight with one hand.
"Then, what are your plans after graduation, Ritsuka?" Baobhan Sith asked, "Work directly here? Okāsan (Mother) will surely agree; we're all already close."
"Our place is not a formal company, and the work is not stable. This is not a good place for a new graduate. It's better to come after he's thirty or forty. Before that, just find a stable job step by step." Morgan said while taking a piece of rice cake. "You majored in history... How about a job at a museum? I can connect you to any museum throughout Japan."
"Or you could also work directly at Chaldea."
"Becoming a freelancer and traveling the world is also a good idea?"
"..."
A table full of people simultaneously began discussing Ritsuka's future career plans, looking like an entire household of parents crowding around the only junior in the family.
Indeed, that was the case.
Among those present, only Mash and Artoria Caster were of a similar age to Ritsuka.
"By the way, are you two staying overnight?" Barghest suddenly asked.
"Yes. Sorry for the trouble."
"In that case, how about we have a ladies' party tonight?"
"Hasn't it already started now?"
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
At the same time. At a ramen shop in Misaki City.
"Slurrrrp~~~ Slurrrrp~~ Slurrrrp~~~~"
Savoring a bowl of ramen, after finishing the broth and noodles in one gulp, the blonde vampire girl put down the bowl.
"Huuu~~~~ Full, full."
After letting out a thoroughly unfeminine sigh, she placed several banknotes on the table. The girl walked out of the ramen shop onto the night street.
Looking at the night scenery in front of her, the girl stretched out her arms strongly: "Ughh~~~~ Hmm! It really doesn't matter how many years pass, this city is still the same. When was the last time I was here? —Ah, no, based on the time here, it should be several years later."
"By the way, I met so many people I know today. First Aunt Melusine and the others, then Aunt Ritsuka and Aunt Mash. Aunt Morgan should also be here right now. Should I go see her?"
Thinking that, the vampire immediately shook her head in less than two seconds.
"No, no, no. Better not. Morgan currently shouldn't be in a good mood to talk. If I go straight to her, my butt might get fractured... Well, it's better to use the remaining time here to look around this era."
"Oh-ho? This era, it sounds like you're from another era."
Just then, that voice suddenly sounded beside the girl.
The girl's body instantly stiffened. Then, she turned towards the direction of the voice. Through the crowd, a figure wearing a blue kimono and a red jacket was immediately spotted by the girl.
(Crap! The person I least wanted to meet has arrived!)
If she had to rank the people she feared most, the girl would definitely place the person in front of her at the very top.
The reason... it could only be said that no one in her family was not afraid of her, except for a certain idiot.
"It seems you've been causing quite a commotion in my territory these past few days."
"Uh... not really. I-I was just looking around as usual..." The girl said, backing away, "B-Besides, you... are you taking a night stroll?"
"Yes, and also out to catch bats."
(Ugh!)
Seeing the icy blue eyes of the person in front of her shine, the girl immediately trembled several times, then—
"I am truly sorry, I was wrong, Auntie Shiki!"
The girl's body honestly knelt before Shiki.