After Da Vinci returned to the workshop, the task of helping Melusine debug her equipment was handed over to her. As for Shiomi, he left Da Vinci's workshop alongside Touko.
"The analysis results are in regarding those substances on the Bleached World that appear to be somewhere between sand grains and soil," Touko said as they walked. "The findings confirm they are still materials native to this planet. However, the process of their origin and transformation remains unclear."
"At least we can confirm they are not genuine extraterrestrial visitors," Shiomi added. "Morgan mentioned that through analyzing the Fantasy Tree, she'd deduced the true form of the Alien God. But, lacking concrete evidence, she only shared this with me."
"So the 'Alien' label is merely superficial? The Bleaching is actually identical to the Incineration of Humanity—both orchestrated by some hidden will on this planet?" Touko didn't seem surprised.
Rather, faced with this world-ending situation, every possibility must be considered, every conjecture allowed, then subjected to verification to determine plausibility. Reaching the mastermind's location and uncovering their true purpose is a crucial process.
"For now, that's about right," Shiomi nodded slightly. "And things have stabilized recently, haven't they? Sion used the Spiritron Calculation Engine, Trismegistus II, and the Paper Moon as substitutes for Chaldea and the Near-Future Observation Lens: Sheba. They discovered that even on this Bleached World, Singularities can still be observed forming and vanishing."
"I know. But some minor Singularities vanish shortly after detection—likely Servants summoned by the Counter Force resolving those minor issues themselves," Touko replied. "Besides, haven't you been handling the rest of those minor Singularities with your children and students?"
Of course, since the minor Singularities encountered thus far have all occurred prior to the Bleaching of human history, reliable Rayshifting can be achieved using substitutes alone, and Chaldea can provide effective support for these incidents.
Despite Earth becoming a blank slate, four Lostbelts still persist, rooted in the bleached land. No one can say for certain why these Singularities appear, nor what consequences might arise if left unchecked. Therefore, Chaldea adheres to its consistent policy: resolve them whenever possible.
Fortunately, the intensity encountered thus far has been relatively mild compared to Lostbelt campaigns. Even Ritsuka Fujimaru, an entry-level magus, could remark on its ease. Everything has proceeded smoothly so far.
"That may be true," Shiomi said, looking at Touko, "but there's something you don't know. Before the Earth's Bleached World incident occurred, I learned a fact from somewhere: Rayshifting cannot reach the era after 2017."
"Wait, so while Chaldea was busy dealing with the Mage's Association, you already knew the Bleaching would happen?" Touko looked at Shiomi.
Shiomi shook his head, his expression equally somber. "Had circumstances not been so dire, had I not been overwhelmed by the situation, I truly intended to keep you at Chaldea... to keep you by my side..."
"I see." Touko couldn't help but smile. "I'm sorry for worrying you."
"Quite worried, actually." Shiomi deliberately stiffened his expression, nodding repeatedly. "You were like a gust of wind—always appearing without warning, vanishing without a trace."
"At least when I broke up with you back then..." Touko trailed off, suddenly frozen in place.
Only then did she realize she really had left without a word back then—quite irresponsible of her.
"See? You just up and left without a word. When I got back that day and saw you and your luggage gone, I thought the Clock Tower's Sealing Designation Enforcer had arrived." Shiomi spread his hands helplessly.
"Aren't you exactly that?" Touko teased with a smile.
"But I never got the assignment to arrest you. After all, the Clock Tower doesn't think I'd arrest my own 'teacher'," Shiomi chuckled. "Besides, it's pretty well-known that I don't resemble a Magus at all, aside from my Magecraft abilities."
"What can I say? It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing back then. Plus, my mind was completely focused on returning to Misaki and reclaiming control over the land Leylines..." Touko said nonchalantly.
Shiomi knew this well. Later, when they met in Tokyo, she had told him about this period after their separation.
It was an undeniable crushing defeat.
Touko had lost to her younger sister, Aoko, who had inherited the Fifth Magic. She had also been cursed: if she ever set foot in Misaki again, she would transform into a Madagascar rainbow frog.
—Though Touko had broken the curse herself by swapping bodies.
"But when we met again in Tokyo, you seemed to have sunk into self-destruction far more than when we first met," Shiomi said.
Magic be damned, Mystery be damned—she worked hard to earn money only to spend it recklessly, even to the point of not being able to pay her employees.
Shiomi had felt too embarrassed to ask her for the money she owed him and ended up covering the debt himself.
"Compared to that, you've been living the high life—raising a daughter, marrying a wife," Touko teased. "It wasn't until my Sealing Designation was lifted that I found out you'd actually participated in Fuyuki's Holy Grail War and killed a Clock Tower's Lord..."
Life and death hold little mystery in the magician's world.
What was extraordinary was that a Caster without background or lineage dared to kill—and succeeded in killing—the Lord of the Clock Tower.
"Remember back at Twin Tower? You said if you'd brought me along when you returned to Misaki, our chances might've been better?" Shiomi added.
"You remember that. But if I'd won, becoming an existence that could influence the foundations of human reason—that would've been even worse." Touko teased Shiomi openly, mocking herself as well.
She had come to terms with everything, even able to laugh about the injustice her grandfather had suffered.
Of course... she only shared this with the man before her.
"Who knows. Unless we truly went back to that time, we couldn't be certain of the outcome," Shiomi said. "But I'd definitely be on your side."
Touko had no doubts. "Then I'd much rather you use your current strength to help my past self."
"Unashamedly greedy, my goodness..." he exclaimed dramatically. "Do you want me to chop your sister in half with an axe? Or would you prefer I stab her to death with a Nether spear?"
"You're the strange one—actually contemplating how to kill Aoko?" Touko chuckled uncontrollably.
"Enough, enough. Let's drop this bloody topic." Shiomi waved his hands dismissively, still laughing.
"Nothing else planned. How about we grab a drink? Let me show you my moonshine skills."
"I've already tasted it, but I wouldn't mind another round."
Touko gladly accepted the invitation.