Fate Q&A: Chapter 231: Atlas

["By the way, he said there would be more guests arriving, didn't he?"]

[El-Melloi II finally recalled what Bersac had mentioned during their first meeting.]

["Let's go meet him."]

[The two headed toward the hill. Upon reaching the top, they looked back and realized they could see the entire cemetery and swamp from this vantage point.]

[Reines: "Haha, is that the swamp everyone keeps talking about?"]

[After being repeatedly warned not to approach, Reines's curiosity had only grown stronger.]

["We're not breaking any rules just by observing it from afar, are we?" she added.]

[The swamp was surprisingly large, no smaller than the cemetery itself. However, it appeared completely ordinary at first glance.]

[Perhaps the villagers prohibited approaching it because many had met with tragedy there.]

[The two arrived at the windmill hut, which was old and in disrepair.]

[The windmill blades were broken, unmoving even though the wind was strong.]

[El-Melloi II stepped forward and knocked on the door. When no response came, he pushed the door open without hesitation, leaving Reines no time to stop him.]

[Upon entering, they were greeted by a surprising sight.]

[The dilapidated exterior of the hut belied its interior, which was filled with all kinds of modern machinery neatly arranged.]

[No, to be more precise, these were magical tools designed to resemble modern machines. For example, a computer-like cube device, but without a keyboard or mouse.]

[The craftsmanship clearly didn't belong to the magi of the Clock Tower but rather another, more mysterious and powerful organization.]

[But weren't their members supposed to remain hidden underground? What were they doing here?]

Kayneth: "What?! Members of that organization appearing here? That's highly unusual."

Tohsaka Rin: "Which organization?"

Sisigou: "You've guessed it by now, it has to be them."

[At that moment, El-Melloi II heard the sound of footsteps coming from a corridor within the cabin.]

["Cut it off."]

[A blond man in his mid-20s appeared, draped in a long cloak. Though his eyes were closed, he moved as if he could see perfectly well.]

[Despite his youthful appearance, there was no mistaking that his true age was far beyond what he seemed.]

["Cut it off," the man repeated softly.]

["After all, this is where the new Lord of modern magecraft meets the Director. But the stage design is all wrong. The producer, screenwriter, and director must be held accountable for this oversight. Even if the minimalist approach isn't bad, a dramatic scene still needs the proper form."]

["Ah, I was supposed to greet you at the entrance, but the sunlight today is rather strong. My body doesn't handle it well. Even though I've taken precautions, direct sunlight is always troublesome."]

Kayneth audibly gasped when the man appeared on screen.

Kayneth: "No… it can't be… It's him!"

[Reines froze, utterly shocked by the realization.]

["Zepia Eltnam Atlasia…"]

[El-Melloi II's voice was hoarse as he murmured, "The Director of Atlas Academy."]

Tohsaka Tokiomi: "!!!"

Tohsaka Tokiomi: "You're joking! The current Director of Atlas Academy… here?!"

Though he had never met the man, Tokiomi had certainly heard of him. The figure before them was none other than the Director of Atlas Academy, a Dead Apostle who had lived for nearly six hundred years.

[Atlas Academy, one of the three major branches of the Mage's Association, was also known as the "Titan's Pit." Nestled in the Atlas Mountains of Egypt, it had existed since ancient times as a haven for alchemists, dedicated to saving and calculating futures.]

[The alchemists of Atlas, despite their limited magical circuits, sought truth through intellect rather than raw power. This philosophy had led them to create tools and weapons so advanced they could reshape the world.]

[In fact, the academy was rumored to possess seven weapons capable of ending the world, though they were all strictly sealed.]

Sisigou: "Now that's a real heavyweight. What's someone like that doing here of all places?"

Waver: "How can a figure like that appear in such a remote place? This is ridiculous!"

Emiya Kiritsugu: "He's definitely not here on a casual stroll. This has to be connected to the village—and likely to Gray as well."

[Zepia: "Oh, you don't seem all that surprised."]

[El-Melloi II: "I am surprised. I'm just not letting it show on my face."]

(Though, inwardly, he was on the verge of fainting from fear.)

[El-Melloi II had assumed the visitor from Atlas would be a mere researcher or minor figure. He hadn't expected to encounter the director himself.]

["What is the Director of Atlas Academy doing in a place like this?"]

[After calming himself, El-Melloi II asked his question directly.]

[Zepia: "I'm just staying here for a while, collecting some data."]

[El-Melloi II: "Wouldn't it be inconvenient for the head of Atlas to remain here?"]

[Zepia chuckled. "We're not like the Clock Tower, which still balks at running telephone lines. Wherever we are on this planet, there's no barrier to sharing information. For me, there's no need to live like a mole underground."]

Tohsaka Rin: "Global information sharing? Is something like that even possible?"

Chihiro: "It's not impossible. In fact, with certain magical advancements, it's actually quite feasible."

[Zepia turned toward Reines. "You must be Reines El-Melloi Archisorte, correct?"]

[Reines nodded hesitantly, unsure of what to make of the man.]

[Zepia: "Ah, so this time the script involves both of you arriving together. Fascinating."]

[El-Melloi II: "Script? What are you talking about?"]

[Zepia poured drinks for the two of them before continuing, "Let's begin with what you're most curious about."]

["I'm sure you're wondering why someone like me would have any connection to Blackmore Cemetery."]

["You might even say, 'Just meeting you in a place like this has thrown everything into chaos,' wouldn't you?"]

[Zepia explained that Blackmore was not just the name of the cemetery but also of an ancient Dead Apostle tied to the family that founded it.]

[This Dead Apostle had been a bird-wielding magus who gained fame over 2,000 years ago but had long since perished.]

[The family responsible for the cemetery had named it in his memory, continuing his tradition of bird-based magecraft.]

Sisigou: "So, Blackmore Cemetery is actually named after a Dead Apostle? Makes sense."

Tohsaka Rin: "Wait, Dead Apostles can die?"

Kayneth: "Of course. They're not truly immortal, just long-lived. The Holy Church has eradicated several over the centuries."

Kotomine Risei: "Indeed. That's part of our sacred mission."

["Wait!" El-Melloi II interrupted. "What you just said, it's completely throwing us off track!"]

[Realizing his own words had inadvertently fallen in line with Zepia's prediction, he stopped himself.]

[Zepia: "I apologize if my approach made you uncomfortable. I simply thought it would streamline our conversation. After all, you were bound to ask similar questions eventually."]

[El-Melloi II: "...Is this the Mystic Eye of Future Vision?"]

[Zepia: "Not quite. While it shares similarities with future vision, it's fundamentally different."]

["Consider the difference between a novel and an opera. They may both tell stories, but their methods are entirely distinct."]

["Now, would you care for some cheese? Brainwork requires proper nutrition, you know."]

[El-Melloi II: "What exactly are you calculating?"]

[Zepia: "Possibilities—vast and uneven. I knew you would visit this place, but I couldn't determine the exact circumstances. For instance, I wasn't confident you'd bring the Princess of El-Melloi with you."]

["We exist within an array of possibilities. By calculating the ripples of divergent phenomena, we can identify common patterns."]

["But infinite possibilities cannot be fully explored. New ones emerge constantly, making the process endless."]

["That's the essence of my existence as Zepia Eltnam Atlasia. to calculate and narrow the infinite into something manageable."]