Shinji Matou at Your Service

This is the world of Type-Moon, not a gourmet film set.

Yes, that's right, this is Type-Moon, not a gourmet film set.

Shinji told himself this as he looked out the window at the endless waves of trees and the never-ending bombardment.

However, his newly firm resolve was shattered again within seconds.

"I don't even know what to say anymore. I tolerated Ciel's Curry Nun, but Caren, what's your deal?"

Yes, not only Ciel but Caren also had an expression that was on the verge of bliss, and the happiness on her face was even more intense than Ciel's.

Shinji felt that something must be wrong with his cooking. It made sense for Ciel to be obsessed with curry, but he had never heard of Caren being a curry fanatic too. She, like her father, the spicy tofu fan Kirei Kotomine, was a die-hard fan of Koushuuensaikan Taizan's famous dish, Mapo Tofu.

If he had served up the legendary dish from Koushuuensaikan Taizan's restaurant, that would've been one thing, but a bowl of golden curry rice? The title of Mapo Tofu is weeping! — Could the Curry Nun have such a powerful influence?

Shinji was overthinking it. For Caren, there's no fundamental difference between Mapo Tofu and Curry Rice. It was only because her father's image as the Mapo Tofu pries was so deeply ingrained that this misunderstanding arose.

To be precise, Caren's preference wasn't for any particular dish or specific type of food, but for strong, stimulating flavors. Whether it was Mapo Tofu or Indian curry, she'd also be fine as long as it was rich, spicy, and flavorful, she loved it, and the more intense, the better.

The reasons for her strong taste preferences are twofold: First, she inherited her twisted nature from her father, Kirei Kotomine. Because of the emptiness in her heart, she instinctively seeks spiritual satisfaction, and stimulating food is one way to achieve that. Just as sweets can make people feel happy, spicy and numbing flavors bring Caren joy.

Second, her body is tempered by the power of the demonic entity she's endured. After suffering injuries repeatedly, her sensory functions have gradually dulled. The bland diet provided by the church hardly registers any flavor for her, so anything that she can taste, even if it's so spicy it feels like hell, makes her feel as though she's in heaven.

This is one of the reasons why Ciel appreciates Caren and is willing to help her. Among the entire Burial Agency, no, in the whole church, only Caren can join her in eating curry every day without getting tired of it.

Normally, a chef would feel pleased to see guests experience happiness from the food they prepare. But at this moment, Shinji felt nothing of the sort. The exaggerated expressions before him were affecting his appetite. He had prepared two big bowls of rice for himself, but in the end, he only ate one. Of course, the remaining bowl wasn't wasted, as Ciel and Caren happily shared it—despite their stomachs already bulging from the meal.

So, having shot himself in the foot, someone could only reluctantly leave the cleanup work to the two girls while he, bored and restless, observed the battle from the lookout. From this angle, a bowl of curry that distracted two people who were hostile towards him could be considered a successful transaction.

With this in mind, Shinji's mood brightened considerably. He even began to anticipate the appearance of the Crimson Core, the sooner, the better. Everyone knows it's not wise to exercise after a meal, especially when you're stuffed. Thus, the sooner the Crimson Core appears, the less pressure Shinji would face.

Perhaps due to his training over the years, his hopes transformed into reality in relation to the Third Magic.

At the edge of his vision, beyond a dark, ghostly forest, there was a vivid splash of red. Just by appearing in his sight, it evoked the image of an endless sea of blood.

Shinji was certain that this was the destination they sought—Crimson Core.

Instinctively gathering his magic, he prepared his Noble Phantasms in their spirit form, ready to materialize them at any moment. As soon as they were within range, he would dash forward without hesitation, disregarding whether he exposed more information to the church.

Closer and closer, he could already make out the general shape of the Crimson Core.

It was the tallest, largest, and most expansive tree in the entire Forest of Einnashe. Unlike the surrounding dark forest, the mother tree that served as the core was crimson from top to bottom, from branch to leaf. Whether it was due to the blood it was absorbing or because it was inherently that color was unclear.

The life force emanating from the tree was on an entirely different level than its surrounding minions. It was a life force befitting the name Twenty-seven Dead Apostle Ancestors, and it was no less imposing than Lady Windup, perhaps even stronger due to absorbing the King of the Land.

With its appearance, the resistance from the tree group became noticeably stronger, and the vampire beasts swarming the forest began appearing in large numbers. Some charged at the war fortress alongside the trees in a desperate assault, while others circled, trying to infiltrate the fortress through its several lookout points.

Although their attempts were thwarted by Lady Windup's tight artillery coverage, Shinji could sense that her movement speed was slowing down.

This won't do; things can't go on like this. I need to speed things up. I need to reach the Crimson Core before Caren and Ciel are no longer in their post-meal state.

What should I do?

His first thought was the Noble Phantasm, but he quickly dismissed the idea. The range of the Noble Phantasm wasn't as far as the artillery, and it consumed a lot of magic. In his current state, where he couldn't replenish his mana, he could only use it two or three times at most.

Modern weapons? Not good either. His small world only contained individual equipment, and even if he fired with all his might, it was still far inferior to Lady Windup's full-body artillery, a drop in the bucket.

Then—Shinji's hand unconsciously moved towards the opening of his backpack—should he use his final trump card?

Just as he pressed down on the buckle, ready to fully open the backpack and take everything out, a bold idea came to mind.

Deep within his blue pupils, the light of his soul flickered, and his strong mental power was unleashed, spreading throughout the entire fortress.

This wasn't some kind of spiritual shock but simply a signal, directed at Lady Windup herself, or rather the machine?

Though Lady Windup was an automaton puppet, she was, in essence, a manifestation of a phantasmal species by Merem, so she possessed a soul. The fact that Merem could scold her as a simple-minded fool also indicated she had intelligence.

If she has intelligence, then communication is possible.

If she has a soul and can communicate, then there's room for Shinji to maneuver.

"Are you there?"

"…"

No response, and certainly no one responded with, "Not here, Commander!"

Perhaps Lady Windup's simple brain couldn't comprehend this kind of greeting, so Shinji switched to a more straightforward approach.

"Lady Windup, Lady Windup. Do you copy? Over."

"Lady Windup, calling Lady Windup. Please respond if you hear this. Over."