Don't use Type-Moon references in Oregairu!

126. Preparations before the purge

As night fell in London, the city lights shone through the light mist, illuminating the bustling metropolis. Lijiang Galahad stood silently in his office at Buckingham Palace, gazing out at the scene.

He turned off all the lights in the office, burying his aloof and languid handsome face in shadow. Standing at the boundary between light and shadow, he murmured to himself, "It's a pity that light can't illuminate every corner of the world."

"Hmph~ My great Lord Galahad, the only remaining knight of the Round Table, do you still have the leisure to ponder such philosophical questions?" The clown [jealousy] on the sofa spoke impatiently, "You should know that the three guys you sent in have been brought up now."

As a long-established cult that existed before the world's upheaval, the Seven Deadly Sins had many informants. Therefore, the moment Fujimaru Ritsuka and the Knights of the Round Table returned safely from the Spirit Tomb Albion, the news had already reached [Jealousy].

When he rushed over to inform his partner, the guy was still acting all high and mighty, showing no enthusiasm whatsoever.

This guy is usually so smart, why can't he understand how detrimental this news is to him?

[Jealousy] He frowned. He didn't think Galahad was such a hopeless teammate, but the other party's indifferent attitude was really puzzling.

"So what? Although I know their movements, I didn't issue the order to send them out. I wasn't the one who carried out the attack either, and my record of entering the Spirit Tomb to set up the Apocalypse Array has been covered up." Lijiang Galahad said expressionlessly, as if it were none of his business.

[Jealousy] is like watching a king strip naked and running naked through the street for his own amusement, a look of utter disbelief on one's face: No way, bro. Whether it's the person who issued the order or the person who covered up the information, this kind of thing will definitely be investigated. How could these guys who have secret connections with you not be dug out at a time like this?

Moreover, that Apocalypse Array is clearly related to the current Four Horsemen of the Round Table, so you'll definitely be under special scrutiny.

Such issues, which involve major events, can usually be concealed, but under major actions, no one can escape unscathed; it's only a matter of time.

Wait, is it a matter of time?

[Jealousy] vanished from the spot in an instant, leaving only an echo, her voice filled with extreme exasperation: "You're playing with fire!"

Lijiang Galahad curled his lip, looking disdainful: "You're not the real person, what are you afraid of?"

He looked at the lights in the distance, where there seemed to be some commotion, and couldn't help but smile strangely: "The show is about to begin."

-------------------------------------

They were not attacked when they led the Knights of the Round Table to the Council’s headquarters.

The information regarding the Knights of the Round Table and the magic array on the second level of the Spirit Tomb was also submitted as usual.

Communication with other people was not restricted in any way.

All they had to do was stay in the rooms arranged by the camp temporarily. Even Violet, with Fujimaru Ritsuka's guarantee, stayed in a suite with them.

Everything went very smoothly. Fujimaru Ritsuka felt like she was playing a dual cultivation game with a cheat code that guaranteed success, and she could have any chaste married woman she wanted.

Or has the world adjustment mode been activated?

"Don't you guys think something's wrong?" Sitting on the sofa in the suite, Fujimaru Ritsuka asked her friends around her with a bewildered look.

In the five-bedroom hotel-style suite, the people present now are Chaldea members, mercenary Tsukamoto Yakumo, and suspect Violet.

They also somewhat bewilderedly agreed with Fujimaru Ritsuka's opinion.

Unsolicited kindness is always suspicious, but Fujimaru Ritsuka was a bit troubled. He and everyone else couldn't understand why the committee trusted them so much.

Left with no other choice, he decided to seek help from outside the arena and decisively contacted an old fellow who had been wandering the land for a long time and had a decent network of connections—Bei Mu Nishu.

"...That's roughly the situation. But Mr. Kaiki Deishuu, I don't understand at all why the committee is being so friendly to us."

"Hmm? The committee trusts you completely, and you're still not at ease?"

“Isn’t that obvious?” Fujimaru Ritsuka rolled her eyes, looking quite uncomfortable. “It’s like we were labeled as [heroes] from the start. If we were the committee’s top enforcers, that would be one thing.”

Kaiki Nishu said thoughtfully, "Oh, then you'll be soon."

"what?"

"The current situation is very simple. The reason why the committee is able to control Albion is that Britain does not have enough naval power, is politically suppressed by the United States, and has been economically suppressed by Germany and France in recent years. With weak military and limited assets, it is impossible to refuse other big rogue states from rushing in to divide it up."

"On the other hand, the flaws exposed are too great. Concealing the news of the monster tide is like dumping nuclear wastewater into the Atlantic Ocean... no, that's putting it mildly. It's like directly sabotaging someone's mine that earns them several million a year." Bei Mu Nishu said with disdain. "We finally managed to collect material taxes from the Spirit Tomb Albion, and we're already quite well-off, but everyone tolerated it, since I could also get a share. Now you want to smash up this mine that everyone is sharing?"

"But it's still a bit embarrassing to be making moves on someone else's territory for so long, so the committee has been gearing up for some big moves lately. At least it will prove that we're here to contribute to Britain in the spirit of international humanitarianism. That will at least serve as a fig leaf."

Fujimaru Ritsuka chuckled: "Ah, so what we've done is just providing them with ammunition, right?"

Kaiki Niishu nodded, but there was something else on his mind: Add to that the fact that many awakened individuals from other organizations gave Chaldea some face after hearing its name. And then the scouting team they sent out earlier was wiped out—you guys are cleaning up everyone's mess.

In data terms, that's [Honorable Chaldean Savior +5000], [Excellent and Reliable Ally +100]

He didn't say it aloud, but everyone understood. In fact, anyone who had awakened to the memories of Chaldea was curious about why Fujimaru Ritsuka was here, but since they had gained the abilities of a hero, it didn't seem strange that the savior was here.

Although it seems very strange no matter how you look at it, Kaiki Deishuu is good at putting aside things he doesn't understand and thinking about them later.

"But speaking of which, aren't the British making any small moves to resist?" Fujimaru Ritsuka asked Violet bluntly, drawing subtle glances from her companions.

Brother, is it really appropriate for you to talk about this in front of others?

Violet didn't seem to have any particular thoughts; she just stared blankly at the image of Kaiki Deishuu, seemingly lost in thought.

Bei Mudshou shrugged. He did recognize the Round Table Knight over there, but he didn't care at all—any Awakened who had ever been active in London knew this girl's style: extremely withdrawn. Without orders from superiors, she was unlikely to act on her own initiative, and while she had some basic moral principles, she could easily abandon them once she received orders.

Therefore, he spoke bluntly, criticizing Britain: "What effective measures can you expect from a country experiencing so many incidents during a refugee crisis?"

"No...you're going too far with that. The leftists have just gone too far with political correctness. It doesn't mean they're indifferent to being taken advantage of. After all, it involves their own interests, not the personal safety of ordinary people who don't have much money."

"Hmph, as you say. The key issue is that several high-ranking officials in charge of specific matters have run into trouble during this period, including that prince. Buckingham Palace even specially sent Galahad, the last Knight of the Round Table, to assist in the work. London is now focusing all its efforts on tracking down suspicious individuals."

Fujimaru Ritsuka immediately understood.

Since 2015, due to the Middle East unrest, a large number of refugees have flooded into Europe. Under the agreements signed by the EU, European countries can accept refugees or deport them to other countries. However, with the accelerated Brexit process in Britain, if they do not properly handle their domestic refugee problem, they will no longer be able to deport refugees to other European countries once Brexit is finalized.

At a time when the country is already embroiled in the refugee crisis, several incidents of curses directed at high-ranking government and military officials have further complicated the situation. It's worth noting that this time, the Queen's husband, the Prince, is involved.

Even in a constitutional monarchy, the British royal family, with its vast wealth and the rarely used power to dismiss the prime minister, is not entirely a figurehead. Now that even a prince has fallen, who will be next? It's no wonder that members of the royal family are taking the matter seriously and making demands on the cabinet.

The key factor is the strength of the other major powers. Britain now has an excuse, so let's just send it.

After analyzing the situation, Fujimaru Ritsuka suddenly understood, and the emotions that had been clouded by the conspiracy in her heart were cleared away. She couldn't help but smile and thank Kaiki Deishuu: "Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Kaiki. By the way, you are extremely well-informed and have great connections. Do you have any suggestions for our next step?"

Bei Mudshou coughed, his already monotone speech becoming even more mechanical, almost monotonous: "Wait, then the committee should assign you tasks. Someone wants you to take the lead in some tasks related to purging cultists. There are quite a few refugees in London right now, and it could easily cause a big problem."

Fujimaru Ritsuka blinked and exchanged a knowing look with everyone: they instantly understood. So, they want us, as a friendly civilian organization, to investigate some cult members, then follow the trail to certain high-ranking figures, and give Britain a taste of their own medicine, right?

After turning off the communications, Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others discussed the situation for a while and made an assessment of it. They then rested to regroup.

Clearly, the committee now has goodwill towards its members. As for using Chaldea to test the waters? If they don't find out who's suspected of causing trouble in London, Fujimaru Ritsuka will worry about someone shooting at the undefeated king.

However, the break lasted only a few hours before someone rang the doorbell.

Fujimaru Ritsuka opened the door and saw a familiar face.

"It really is you, Mr. Kaiki Deishuu."

The stern-faced Kaiki Deishuu showed no intention of going in for a detailed discussion. He anxiously handed the file to Fujimaru Ritsuka, gesturing for him to open it: "Through our investigation and tracking of those two manipulated Knights of the Round Table, we received bad news. There are cultists among the high-ranking officials in Britain."

Fujimaru Ritsuka whistled, carefully examining the document: "Ha...you politicians are so corrupt, you've already got yourselves smeared so quickly..."

Realizing something was wrong, Fujimaru Ritsuka stopped talking and silently looked at the documents.

The arrival of the Beki Mud Boat also prompted the Chaldean members, who were resting fully clothed, to come out of their rooms.

Kasumigaoka Utaha was particularly curious, and she asked Kaiki Deishuu from afar, "May I ask how you obtained information from the Knights of the Round Table?"

“Your magical skills are still lacking. The committee brought me and another awakened individual with the power of a great witch here to investigate.” Bei Mu Nishu replied with a grim face, “What’s entwined within the spirit origins is a hidden power provided by a certain grand ritual. It’s spread throughout the British Isles, and we’ve already found the places where this aura resonates. It’s consistent with the auras of the high-ranking officials and the prince we cursed before, and through analysis, we finally pinpointed it to the homes of several people.”

"After a brief period of clearing away the influence, the Knights of the Round Table also revealed some information in their memories that had been manipulated or misled. We just raided a couple of small fry and obtained more evidence, all of which is in Fujimaru Ritsuka's hands."

After hearing the answer, Kasumigaoka Utaha was a little curious and wanted to go closer, but Fujimaru Ritsuka blocked her view with his hand and said, "This is not something you should be seeing. Listen to me."

Shi Yu opened her mouth, intending to say that she had seen all kinds of storms, but after accidentally glancing at a corner of a few photos, she stopped speaking.

Even if it's just the tip of the iceberg, what it contains is not simply bloody; it fully reveals evil intentions, the sins in people's hearts, and the primal mixture where bestiality and humanity are indistinguishable.

Kasumigaoka Utaha turned around, using her body to block her curious companions behind her, and shook her head solemnly.

Fujimaru Ritsuka quickly switched the documents in her hands, then folded them up and handed them back to Kaiki Deishuu.

He looked coldly at Bei Mu Ni Zhou: "Tell me, where are you, and how many people are you?"

Kaiki Deishu silently handed him a piece of paper. Fujimaru Ritsuka tucked it into his pocket, then turned to his Chaldea companions and said, "Everyone except Abigail, prepare to set off with me."

He silenced Abigail's restless protests with a look: "Be good, we'll be back soon."

Seeing the unprecedented seriousness in her leader's eyes, Abigail had no choice but to nod obediently.

Bei Mudshou nodded silently in agreement: "To carry out a purge, the children should be kept away."

127, London is burning?

"Fujimaru, what will happen to Abigail if you keep her hiding and avoiding facing these things?" Kaiki Deishuu, driving the extended RV, rested his hand on the steering wheel, clearly disapproving of his decision.

Fujimaru Ritsuka ignored his insincerity, but his sharp eyes noticed that Kaiki Deishuu's face showed a hint of relief and a sense of accomplishment at that moment.

Fujimaru Ritsuka knows this old man very well; he's a two-faced guy, and a total tsundere.

In the Monogatari series, he once took the blame for helping Senjougahara's mother, who was trapped in a cult, and sent her away. Even though Senjougahara later misunderstood him as a con artist who took money but did not do his job well and ruined his family, he never said a word.

This time, even though these high-ranking officials suspected of being high-ranking officials were having such a wild time that they were practically inhuman, he was still very cautious about bringing up his own group of young men and women. He only allowed Fujimaru Ritsuka to see the whole truth, and he certainly wouldn't let Abigail get involved.

"You're clearly very happy with my arrangements, aren't you? Hmph, you probably also consider that I'm the head of Chaldea, so you don't want to offer any suggestions." Fujimaru Ritsuka sat in the passenger seat, looking completely indifferent.

Bei Mu Ni Zhou remained silent for a while, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, before turning at a crossroads.

The neon lights of the night shone through the windshield onto his face, concealing Bei Mu Nishu's expression. He spoke in a hoarse voice, "Ah, I never imagined there could be people who would do such a thing. I couldn't bring myself to let children see those adults who are so despicable, not even of the same species."

"Throwing beautiful boys and girls onto islands for pleasure, dismembering and torturing humans and broadcasting it live for entertainment, using the bodies of young people to create drugs that can delay the symptoms of aging, and using inhumane techniques on non-volunteers in an attempt to gain supernatural abilities." Bei Mu Nishu's face darkened, two deep nasolabial folds revealing the shock in his heart. "These bastards actually dare to imitate the practices of those magicians dug out of those demonic caves!"

He didn't muffle his voice, and even those in the back of the train could hear him.

Kasumigaoka Utaha covered her mouth, as Kaiki Deishuu's words reminded her once again of the horrific scene in the photos she had seen before. The others, who hadn't witnessed the scene in the photos, reacted slightly more naturally, but everyone's face had turned pale.

Fujimaru Ritsuka shook her head in disagreement: "Mr. Kaiki, I know you're thinking of the scene of Hohenheim and his disciples researching magic, but do you really think these people are the same as them?"

Bei Mud Boat gripped the steering wheel and then shook his head.

Yes, Fujimaru Ritsuka isn't trying to whitewash those magicians whose methods were utterly inhuman, but at least in Hohenheim's era, most of their magical research was still aimed at pursuing the root of things, rational yet sometimes fanatical. It's not quite the kind of half-bad, half-good case like doctors stealing corpses for medical advancement, but it's certainly not the lowest form of evil.

Their current goals are more about satisfying their insatiable greed, indulging their desires, and revealing only the most twisted and extreme human malice, recklessly venting their most base pursuits.

"While I can't say dog ​​poop smells good just because cat poop stinks, at least my anger is even greater when I'm cleaning up this pile of poop." Fujimaru Ritsuka took out the Twilight Muramasa from her bosom, half-drawing it from its sheath. The blade, which seemed to glow with an eerie red, reflected a face that looked like a demon.

“Mr. Beimu…”

"Ok?"

"You just mentioned Abigail, and I actually have another reason. You've probably heard of [the Chain]. Abigail is closely related to the Outer Gods. You know, some dark being particularly enjoys watching humanity's ugly and wicked acts. Could Abigail, being connected to the Outer Gods who control the scales of space and time, summon some related being because of such heinous crimes?"

Fujimaru Ritsuka said quietly, admitting that he did have such concerns. He couldn't stand it if a big-breasted AI suddenly appeared, claiming that humans were the most popular, and then went on to cause trouble and destroy the Earth.