With a sharp crack, Heine effortlessly caught the spinning object—revealed to be a monk's alms bowl.
"The Flying Bowl Technique of Shugendō?" Heine mused, examining the bowl with a mix of curiosity and recognition316.
Seigen grinned, puffing out his chest. "Sharp eyes! The founder of Shugendō, Taichou, mastered this art. In Japan, his fame is second only to En no Ozuno. When he performed this trick while begging, crowds would cheer and shower him with offerings!"
"Do all Japanese monks have such eccentric skills?" Flew muttered under his breath.
"He's not a monk—but yes, they're full of surprises," Kanade replied, recalling viral videos of Japanese monks chanting sutras with electric beats3.
"Thank you for the demonstration. Allow me to return the favor."
Pale blue Magic Crests shimmered across Heine's body as the air warped with surging mana.
"Wait! I was just joking—!" Seigen scrambled backward, but it was too late.
"Convert."
Heine's foot struck the ground, and the floor tiles morphed into a storm of blades—a testament to the Istari family's mastery of alchemy316. Seigen barely dodged by leaping onto a chandelier seven meters above, a feat reminiscent of Shugendō's Leaping God Technique3.
As Seigen wiped his brow in relief, he noticed the stunned gazes below. His alms bowl had returned to his hand, now holding ten pounds and a stone rose crafted through alchemy. The blades dissolved into petals, raining down as delicate roses—stone yet light as air.
"More lifeless than the dead, more alive than the living," Gray, the gravedigger, marveled at the alchemical miracle1116.
Kanade studied the rose, silently acknowledging Heine's flair. "Handsome and this level of showmanship? In the art of charm, I bow to you," he thought, mentally crowning Heine as his senior in courtship.
Seigen, defeated in spirit, fell from the chandelier. Yet Heine extended a hand: "While Rosalind is off-limits, I'd gladly share tea with you."
"I've no interest in men… but for someone as handsome as you, I'll make an exception," Seigen grumbled, ending the spectacle peacefully.
Click, click, click.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the hall. Orlock sneered: "Of course. Drawn by the scent of treasure like a vulture."
"It seems I'm the last to arrive."
A woman strode in—her golden corkscrew curls and azure gown radiating the majesty of a Valkyrie. Two black-suited bodyguards flanked her.
"It's her! The Lady Crane!" Kanade's memory sparked.
Luviagelita Edelfelt, scion of Finland's magical elite and master of Gem Magecraft, lived up to her nickname. Kanade recalled her infamous brawl with Rin Tohsaka over Emiya Shirou—where two magi resorted to Bajiquan and wrestling, cementing their titles as "Magical Muscle Rin" and the "Lady Crane"1216.
"A truly formidable personage has joined us," El-Melloi II remarked, voicing the room's collective thought16.
"Hmph! Another hyena lured by my friend's spoils!" Orlock's glare could melt steel16.
The Edelfelts, dubbed "The Most Elegant Hyenas," were reviled by traditional magi for their Renaissance-era rise and brazen acquisition of magical treasures16.
"I'm flattered by Lord Orlock's assessment—though 'hunter' suits me better," Luviagelita countered, her smile razor-sharp. "But for you to come here… could your family's Crest be failing? Our history may be brief, but at least ours aren't rotting away."
"Sharp-tongued brat!" Orlock hissed. "And you? Did your Crest crack under the weight of your arrogance?"
"Oh dear, no. I'm here to acquire this restoration art—for my family's future prosperity."
The Unspoken Truth
Kanade realized most attendees likely had damaged Magic Crests. El-Melloi II's presence made sense—his predecessor, Kayneth, had been crippled by Kiritsugu's Origin Bullet, leaving the family Crest 98% ruined816. But what of the others?
The Magic Crest, a magus's life's work crystallized into an organ-like construct, could deteriorate over centuries. Repairing them required specialists like Griven Ashaburn, the late restorer whose legacy drew this gathering316.
For the Edelfelts, acquiring such knowledge meant power. For Heine, it was a chance to restore his family's honor. And for Kanade? A step closer to returning home—and the soft life awaiting him with Shiki316.
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