Ayanokouji’s Guide to Using Tools at Butei High - Chapter 20

Matou’s mind is too complex; I cannot see through it. I don’t know if he was intentionally putting on an act in front of me or if he was being sincere, because his logic is incomprehensible to me. However, according to my intuition, he was ultimately trying to gain my trust, which is why he suddenly hugged me.

So, I restrained my urge to throw him out.

“The Holy Grail War officially began with the battle at the warehouse district last night.”

Matou placed his hand on my shoulder. I looked at it several times, wondering when he would finally remove it.

“Don’t easily interfere or get involved in the serial murder cases you are investigating. There will be a result within three days.”

I nodded and said: “I understand.”

“The true Holy Grail War will only formally begin once Caster is dealt with.” Matou knew exactly what he needed to do and asked me: “Regarding the purification of the Holy Grail, do you have any thoughts on that yet?”

Yesterday, he told me that this Holy Grail had already been corrupted. The Matou family decided to wait and see, while the other two families are still actively striving for victory in the Holy Grail War. However, if it is corrupted, whether the Holy Grail still possesses the ability to grant wishes remains unknown.

Seeing that I had not yet answered, he continued to ask: “How did your research on the phone go yesterday?”

I didn’t have a single clue about yesterday’s phone. Being completely ignorant like this already felt quite awkward. I don’t know where Matou got his confidence from, but he said I would know the answer soon.

The only information the phone left for me was—

“If you are a city, then take one step back.

If you are not a city, please take one step forward.”

This information is clearly deficient.

If it really was left for me by “me,” I believe this phone is not yet ready to be used; there is no direct connection between the two.

As for the purification of the Holy Grail, I think it’s better to leave it to the professionals. Forcing a solution when one is ill-equipped is too much trouble. Besides, in the end, I never said I wanted to help him purify the Holy Grail.

Winning the Holy Grail and purifying the Holy Grail are two different things. Asking a few more questions doesn’t mean I am some warm-hearted person who wants to solve everything.

After seeing Matou Kariya off, my attention was drawn to a flash of bright golden hair near the lobby. My footsteps faltered for a moment; I pretended not to see it and continued toward my room when the other person’s voice rose.

“Ayanokouji-kun, isn’t it? Come here.”

I sighed inwardly, walked over to Archer, and said: “Archer, what are you doing here?” I hadn’t felt anyone following us on the way back. Is this what they call a spiritual body?

“Waiting for you here.” Archer’s long, fair fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop as he said: “Our business from this afternoon isn’t finished yet.”

I was thinking about inviting him to sit at a nearby café, but before I could speak, a string of silver-grey objects was tossed at me. I caught it and looked—it was exactly the Nine Linked Rings I had given him. He had already solved it.

“Did you think a mere Nine Linked Rings could stump this King?”

If you had been stumped, then I would think there was a problem here.

“Nothing you want to say to this King? This King finished it in barely ten seconds.” Archer adjusted the jewelry on his wrist, even though the jewelry was already sitting perfectly fine in its original place.

You actually went out of your way to count the time, didn’t you?

“You are truly excellent,” I said perfunctorily.

Archer let out a cold snort: “Is this King’s wisdom something you could ever hope to reach?”

I thought that would be the end of it.

Archer stood up and gestured in my direction.

“Come with this King for a moment.”

Without waiting for me to say anything, he turned and walked straight outside.