Shinji Matou at Your Service

Inside the Lady Windup, how should I put it—it's a completely different style.

The exterior blends the spirit of the Type 59 tank with the multi-turret religious core, creating an ultra-modern fantasy style. In contrast, the interior of the fortress is decorated in a medieval, retro style.

The walls and floors appear to be of brick and stone, adorned with exquisite murals and carpets, magical chandeliers on the ceiling, and luxurious sculptures and furniture—all exuding an air of aristocratic elegance and opulence. It hardly looks like the interior of a war fortress.

At this moment, Shinji, Ciel, and Caren suddenly remembered that the fortress's owner, Merem Solomon, also held the title of Crown. He was the unique collector among the Dead Apostles and one of the few super-rich individuals.

Merem was pleased with their expressions. Showing off his collection and seeing the envy in others' eyes was one of the great joys of collecting. If it resonated with his guests, all the better.

Shinji met Merem's expectations, carefully examining the room's layout and asked with some uncertainty, "Is it just my imagination, or does this place look a lot like the Millennium Castle Brunestud?"

"Ahahaha, you noticed! Yes, I modeled it after the Millennium Castle Brunestud. But due to limited space, I only replicated a small portion and added some furniture. Feel free to sit anywhere. If you're tired, there are rooms over there too. Don't worry; although Lady Windup may seem clumsy, her performance is guaranteed."

Merem's words were not empty. The Lady Windup combined mystery and technology, constantly evolving. Advances in technology ensured that she always maintained top-tier firepower. The fantasy nature of the imaginary daemon itself meant she was not bound by the physical laws of the technological world. Her ammunition reserves, power supply, and even the structure supporting the fortress all emerged from fantasy.

In any era, whether in the surface world or the realm of understanding, she was the ultimate war machine capable of breaking cities and destroying nations.

This was the true war fortress, the mobile fortress!

Shinji thought for a moment and said, "Is there a lookout or something? I want to go outside and watch the battle."

"Yes, you can reach the top or bottom levels by taking the stairs on either side of the corridor. I suggest the lower level; the top level is the Lady Windup's shoulder, and it's easy to fall off when she swings her sword—I'll leave the watch to you."

"Okay."

Understanding that Merem was showing goodwill, Shinji nodded in appreciation.

The Lady Windup's inherent advantage meant that the defeat of Forest of Einnashe was only a matter of time. What lay ahead was the contest for the Crimson Fruit, and watching the battle would allow him to seize it at the earliest opportunity.

Merem had seen through this and agreed to assist Shinji and the faction he represented, Arcueid, in this way.

However, just because Merem was willing to help didn't mean others would be.

"I'll go too."

Ciel said, staring intently at Shinji, clearly planning to stick with him to the end, completely forgetting their previous teamwork with the RPG Vulcan cannon.

Merem didn't mind Ciel's attitude. He waved to Caren and said, "Sit here; I'll give you some emergency treatment."

Of course, Shinji was even less concerned.

Among the trio, the only one he had to be cautious of was Merem. Although he supported Arcueid, he was now a member of the Burial Agency and seemed to have no intention of leaving. At least on the surface, he had to stand on the same side as Ciel, so he couldn't allow Shinji to harm her.

Of the Four Great Daemon Beasts under Merem's command, the Left Arm Daemon King of Rats lacked combat power and usually took the form of an old man as Merem's public substitute, so he could be excluded. The Right leg Demon King of the Land had already been devoured by Forest of Einnashe, so it could be temporarily ignored.

The remaining two, the ultimate war fortress "Lady Windup and another yet-to-be-seen, highly mobile King of the Sky, were formidable. Facing one would be manageable, but if both were deployed, even Shinji in his current state wouldn't have much of a chance. Moreover, Merem had collected countless treasures over the centuries—just the ones he was visibly wearing numbered nearly 20, each emanating an aura not belonging to this era. In a real fight, the outcome would be uncertain.

As long as Merem didn't intervene, Shinji wasn't afraid, even if Caren and Ciel were determined to obstruct him.

Following Merem's directions, Shinji reached the end of the corridor, descended the stairs, and entered the watchtower.

The tower's design still mimicked the Millennium Castle Brunestud, located at Lady Windup's waist. Although the view wasn't as good as the tower at the shoulder level, it was more stable and didn't sway back and forth.

Through the pre-set lookout holes, the outside scene was visible.

Artillery fire flattened the ground, wiping out all enemies who dared approach.

A giant sword cleared the way, sweeping aside all obstacles.

Though the battle tactics were simple and crude, they were surprisingly effective. War is like that—strategies, tactics, and schemes are just the struggles of the weak; the strong only need to rely on raw power.

The Lady Windup was undoubtedly on the side of raw power, and her steady advance gave Shinji time to rest.

Before encountering that magus symbolizing freedom, he had already planned to rest, but a series of events had unfolded, leaving him without even a chance to eat.

After another scan of the battlefield, confirming that there was no sign of the Crimson Core, Shinji reached into his backpack again.

This time, he pulled out not a weapon but an iron pot, a gas stove, and a can of fuel.

By now, Ciel was numb with shock. Who knew how much more could come out of that seemingly ordinary backpack?

"Are you... going to cook?"

"Yeah, I haven't eaten in six hours. Want to join me?"

As he spoke, Shinji took out a kitchen knife and a cutting board.

"I'm not bragging, but my cooking is better than most professional chefs."

Ciel was tempted. She hadn't eaten in a long time either. Although she wouldn't die from not eating due to the blessings of the World Order, her bodily functions and personal state would deteriorate significantly.

However, she eventually shook her head, unsure if it was due to caution, a lack of appetite, or simply feeling that the atmosphere of the battlefield didn't suit cooking.

"I'll pass; you eat by yourself."

"Really not eating?"

Shinji confirmed once more.

"Really not!"

Ciel turned her head away decisively.

"That's too bad," Shinji replied, a sly smile on his face.

Ciel instinctively felt something was off. Just as she was about to ask, she saw Shinji pull out a label-less glass bottle from his bag, containing a thick, golden liquid that was almost solid.

The moment the lid was opened, the girl's face changed.

"This... this is..."