Section 4: Triangle Magus

All right, let's see what happens toda

C-come quick!

The relic's been stolen!!!

D-did you say stolen!?

... ...

(Not one word. Anything could set them off right now...)

(One little push is all it would take to have them at each other's throats. As we'd be caught in the cross fire, I'd rather not see that happen.)

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...As you can see...

...the linden leaf, the perfect catalyst with which to summon Siegfried the Dragon Slayer, has been stolen.

...What sort of security measures did you have in place?

As I demonstrated to all six of you yesterday, I didn't leave it anywhere that an ordinary thief could have taken it.

True. But that wouldn't be much help if the thief was a skilled mage.

...Oho. I'm surprised to hear you so willingly giving voice to your own ineptitude.

That aside, I can say from what I saw yesterday that the catalyst's defenses focused on alerts.

What's that mean?

It means that we should have heard an alarm blaring throughout the mansion, no matter how it was stolen.

That security spell has been passed down in my family for generations.

But I am not a mage, so I have no real idea of how it works.

You two. As mages yourselves, surely you understand.

Magecraft may be capable of anything, but it is far from perfect.

To steal the catalyst without setting off the alarm...

...would require two skilled mages working together.

Even I could not do this alone.

So what, you're saying the two of us are in cahoots?

If you ask me, I think it's way more likely that the owner faked this theft so he could keep his heirloom for himself.

...I can only say that I would never do such a thing.

I have no reason to want to keep it for myself. It's nothing but a burden for me.

As it plays such a valuable part in Holy Grail Wars, there are no end of people who have designs on it.

Trust me, I have no irrational attachment to it just because it happens to be a family heirloom.

Well then...who DID steal it?

...Now what do we do? This is quite the pretty pickle.

... ...

Yan Qing.

Given that the blame for this theft lies with Sieg, I suggest we

Now I see. It was you.

...Oho, interesting. Care to repeat that?

No, no, it's okay, you don't have to hide it. I mean, you and Sieg go way back, right?

It makes perfect sense for you to cut a deal ahead of time.

...How dare you!?

Yeah, yeah, act offended all you want. Doesn't change the fact that you're still the most likely suspect.

...Well, well.

I knew not to expect much in the way of manners from a man of the sea...

...but if you're willing to goad us into a fight, you have more guts than I thought.

...Just so we're clear, I didn't steal it.

If anything, I had a better chance in the auction.

It wouldn't make sense for me to go to the trouble of stealing it.

I did not steal it either. If anyone here would have a motive to steal it...

...wouldn't that be the skilled mage with the least money to spend?

...Oh?

Makes sense to me.

Your family might have a long history, but they haven't done well keeping up with the times.

The whole reason you're taking part in this Subspecies Holy Grail War is because you need money, right?

Prince of Lan Ling and I both have money to spare, so there's no reason for either of us to assume the risks involved with stealing it.

That sounds like a challenge to me.

...!

Wait! Please, wait! I'm begging you, don't fight here!

...I have a suggestion.

Everyone here, human and mage alike, has their own possible motives, and their own reasons to be suspected.

So I say we at least let everyone make their case to someone impartial, without any stake in this outcome.

？！

(Indeed, you have every reason not to.)

Mr. Moriarty. Fujimaru.

I'd like you two to be the judges. I do not, however, want you selecting suspects.

I only want you to determine who we can rule out. Once we know that, we should be able to resolve this.

Thank you...!

...That's fine with me, of course.

？！

However, we have one condition.

What is it...?

It's simple.

We can't leave ourselves open to accusations of bribery, or this will all be for naught.

So I would like a mage from an opposing faction to be present during our questioning.

For example, when we speak to Alexander, I would request that either Count Vlad or Prince of Lan Ling be present.

Though of course, I will also insist that they refrain from comment during the proceedings.

That sounds safe and reasonable. I trust all of you are okay with that?

...Fine with me.

Then I shall go first. One of you, come with me.

...All right, I'll go.

The thief is almost certainly Prince of Lan Ling.

？！

I know that I did not steal it.

And Alexander has the least reason to steal it himself. Thus, by the process of elimination, it must be Prince of Lan Ling.

He is the only mage here whose power is ill-suited to fighting a Holy Grail War.

And if he wished to resell it, he would not want to waste his own money in an auction.

Hmm.

Furthermore, Prince of Lan Ling's magecraft is particularly well-suited to thievery.

He could have easily used his beauty to manipulate others into doing his bidding

But let us not forget, Count Vlad, that you have just as much of a motive as he does.

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... ...

...That is true. But, I was also quite confident in my chances at victory.

I would never resort to petty larceny to acquire what I desire.

And so I believe the guilty party is Prince of Lan Ling, and ask that you proceed accordingly.

That is all I have to say.

Hmm. So Count Vlad will be keeping an eye on me, huh.

...I think it was Alexander, though.

？！

From where I stand, he is the most suspicious of those present, by far.

Yes, on the surface, it may seem like he has the least motive. He is certainly the richest of us, thanks to his dealings with legitimate businesses.

But if you consider it from a different angle, wealth is all he has.

He has no connections to the Mage's Association, so taking part in this Subspecies Holy Grail War is the only hope he has to advance.

If he failed to win the auction, he would have nothing left at all.

Hm?

I'm not sure I follow. How would losing the auction leave him off any worse than before, then?

You mean you didn't know?

We each had to pay an enormous fee just for the opportunity to bid.

And we don't get it back if we lose.

So if, by some chance, he did end up losing the auction, he would then be no more than a penniless third-rate mage.

Whereas Count Vlad and I both have our legacies to fall back on.

Seems to me that the ability, or lack thereof, to pick one's self up again after a setback would be a substantial motive. Don't you agree?

Hmm. Whatever the others might say, I know I didn't take it.

So I can only guess it was Count Vlad.

I'm pretty sure Prince of Lan Ling has enough money to go toe to toe with me in an auction, after all.

...Of course, if push came to shove, he could have always resorted to trying to take it by force...

...but if that was his plan, he could have just waited until after the auction was over.

So yeah, I think I have to go with Count Vlad here.

？！

I'm sure he was just bluffing.

He might be a talented mage, but it still would've been risky for him to come under the spotlight there.

Not to mention Izo's gang doesn't seem like they'd be much help.

Oh, hey, I just remembered we had a deal, didn't we? Did you find out anything useful?

I don't mind you sharing what you know.

Information that basic will come to light soon enough anyway.

Hmm. Magecraft that charms targets with beauty, huh...

I'm sure it has its uses, but he'd be the first to die in a Holy Grail War unless he had a powerful Servant.

...Hmph.

Blood magecraft?

...Blood is definitely an important catalyst for magecraft.

And if his family's been developing it for hundreds of years...

...it could be something miraculous, combat-oriented or not.

？！

But anyway, figuring out which of them stole it isn't automatically going to bring it back.

Wait, hang on. I just had a thought.

Maybe someone in one of this city's gangs got greedy.

That relic is damn near priceless, after all.

Somebody might've gotten in touch with another mage to try and sell it for an even higher price.

Anyway, that's all I've got to say.

...Care for a drink?

For you, we've got water and dihydrogen monoxide. Which would you prefer?

？！

Hahaha, you know I can't go letting you have alcohol. Anyway, I'd say we've learned some rather interesting tidbits so far.

Every one of them insisted they had not committed the theft.

And they all named someone different for the culprit.

Money, skill in magecraft, timing...

All three of them enjoy success in one area, but none of them have it all.

？！

A good question, to be sure.

Each of them is suspicious, each had motive, and certainly each had opportunity.

And on top of all that, not a one of them has an alibi.

A wonderfully convenient state of affairs for whoever is behind this, wouldn't you agree?

？！

Oh come now, don't tell me you've forgotten?

This all took place in the past, so I happen to know what occurs next.

With each side's agent suspecting the other, the three gangs will wage a battle so fierce that it envelops the entire city, resulting in tremendous loss of life.

At least that is the outcome as I heard it.

But, we still have to stop that from happening, don't we?

Well, I can't blame you for that. I almost forgot, too.

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...Now then.

Given what we already know and just learned, I did some digging of my own.

Eavesdropping on the various gang members' conversations, stealing a glance at their ledgers... That sort of thing.

And as it turns out...

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Oh, if it isn't the apprentice bartender.

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You shouldn't be wandering around so late at night, not with this mansion's security being so lax.

？！

I was born in this city, you know. I plan to die here as well.

That may not mean much to you since you're not from here, but for me, there could be no better end.

But with each year that passes, that seems less and less likely.

Between all these telegrams and now ships circling the globe, the world just keeps getting smaller.

And while I've never seen one myself, they say they even have ships that can fly nowadays.

Ships have allowed this city to flourish, and now, everyone wants a share of the profit for themselves.

I just hoped to prevent that desire for profit from breaking out into a war.

？！

How did you know that?

...Yes, I am. I think I have been in this game as long as I can stand.

Anyway, I'd better be on my way. This wind is absolutely freezing.

...Tch, so the geezer's finally acting his age.

You hear that, apprentice? The old man wants to retire, huh?

What a joke. Once he retires, that'll be it. This city'll become one big battleground.

Me and Yan Qing'll be fighting each other tooth and nail for control of the place.

And in the end, some outsider'll just come waltzing in and take it all for themselves.

...This city's only going to get bigger and bigger. We can't go closing it off to the outside world.

I can't blame Yan Qing's gang for going wild sometimes.

Frankly, people have even started complaining about them to me.

They say they see them being rowdy at restaurants, or getting drunk, and all kinds of petty stuff like that.

？！

Believe me, I wish it were that simple.

People in our business don't take the peaceful approach seriously. That's just the way of the world.

...By the way, that bartender friend of yours is pretty strong, isn't he?

From the looks of it, I'd say he's... Nah, never mind.

You don't seem the bloody sort. Nothing wrong with that.

(Sigh)... If only the world was a little simpler...

Oh hey, it's the apprentice kid. You figure out who the thief is?

...On second thought, don't tell me. I think it'd only complicate things if I found out now.

I saw Izo grumbling. Did something happen?

Sounds like he's got it rough.

And of course, his men are all brutes. He's the only one in that gang who actually thinks before he acts.

Still, I know what he means when he says he wishes the world were simpler.

It's been twenty years since me and my crew wound up in this city, but they still refuse to accept us.

It's hard not to get a bit depressed when you can't even go out for a meal and not have it be a big deal for people to bitch about.

So I decided to bring everyone together...

...to make the city admit they needed us.

But now, we've got mages involved, and we're all fighting for control of some weird relic.

...I don't even know what to make of it. Life is freakin' bizarre, and there's no knowing what's what you know?

？！

Some things, you just have to suffer for. At least, that's what I want to think.

Though honestly, I'd rather be living on easy street. I mean, who wouldn't?

So don't go making the same mistake I did, kid. Make sure you choose a fun life, not a hard one.

？！

Hahaha, tell you what. If you ever decide to settle down in this city, that's when I'll listen to your sob story.

But anyway, I probably shouldn't be seen talking with you for too long.

So, see you tomorrow.

？！

I can't say I approve of you going off on these nighttime walks without a Servant.

But then, there are guards from all three gangs keeping an eye on things.

I suppose the odds of something dangerous happening are

Well now, how is THAT for timing!?

But what could they possibly be thinking, going after us?

I'm not sure whether they're out to make a show of their incompetence or to actually take out their rivals.

In the end, it won't matter if they manage to take us out or not.

Just the fact that they tried is an egregious violation of trust!

As for why they would go to such deplorable lengths...

Ah, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Once again, now is not the time!

？！

Right you are.

That they all have firearms trained on us would seem to be a clear expression of hostile intent.

So I have no compunction against crushing this lot.

Oh, and by the way, this may come as a surprise to you, but I am QUITE potent in a fight!

All right then, let's show these goons what for, my young bartender Master!

What's all the commotion?

...Huh?

I thought I heard gunshots...

Oh, don't worry, everything's under control! Just a slight misunderstanding!

I assure you we're quite all right. Now go on, get out of here!

Listen to me.

If you three get mixed up in this now, it will only make the situation worse!

... ...

...All right. Yan Qing, Izo, I trust you're both okay with that, too?

...Fine by me.

I'm going to bed. I've had enough of this shit for one day.

...There we go.

I don't think we would have gained any pertinent information from questioning them anyway.

Now then, tell me, Master: Who do you think sent those thugs after us?

Diarmuid? Yan Qing? Izo? Alexander? Prince of Lan Ling? Vlad III?

Every one of them is a viable suspect. They all have motive, opportunity, and the money with which to hire the thugs we've just dispatched.

However...

Just because they had motive, opportunity, and money to send people after us, does it necessarily follow that they did so?

What do you think?

Yes, exactly! The rules for these kind of skirmishes don't apply to you.

That's true. They are most certainly not good people.

But, neither are they so evil that they would readily order the murder of an innocent young man.

？！

They are, of course, citizens of the underworld and mages, respectively.

Were it truly necessary to achieve their goals, I have no doubt they would kill us.

But by that same token, they would not go out of their way to kill us when there is no pressing need to do so.

Anyway, tonight is the final night, making tomorrow the final morning.

The morning when everyone shall draw the losing straw, and lose something precious to them.

All right, Master, let's bring this case to a neat, tidy close!