What conditions are required to become a Great Power?
In this maddening TYPE-MOON world, I believe there are three prerequisites for standing tall as an independent faction.
Capital, Manpower, and Influence.
Capital refers literally to the financial power one can mobilize. Manpower signifies the capabilities and strength of the members within the group.
And Influence.
This is, in fact, the most troublesome and difficult category...
If you look at the facts, Capital and Manpower have already been satisfied.
In terms of Capital, there's no way we'd be lacking since the Einzberns—a lineage of millennary magecraft—are backing us. As for Manpower, we have Connected Ones crawling out of the woodwork; what more could I possibly need?
Furthermore, since Waver's classroom—destined to be called the 'Den of Thieves' in the Clock Tower—is running smoothly, elite staff members will undoubtedly start being mass-produced like a factory in about three years.
However... the real problem is Influence.
The influence Aoko-neesan wields as a 'Magician,' or the influence I have by fraudulently claiming to be a 'User of the Third Magic,' is ultimately nothing more than personal prestige. In a struggle between Great Powers, such individual influence is almost meaningless. On the surface, the Holy Church and the Mages' Association are in a state of ceasefire. If I pressured them by threatening to drop meteors on the Clock Tower every time, I'd be no different from a dictator conducting diplomacy with nuclear weapons.
In the end, Influence is something that naturally forms when you co-opt numerous groups; it is established by aggregating their fundamental 'power.'
"Comms check. Heart."
[Comms clear, Beauty. So, why did you contact me?]
"I wanted to check on the current state of Chaldea's shares. How's the situation?"
[The United Nations is starting to look for an exit strategy. To them, the Animusphere observatory was merely an object of gratitude; they likely feel further involvement is unnecessary.]
"Then, in terms of sheer manpower, it's 2:1... If we just absorb a little more of the capital, Animusphere will fall behind us financially. There's no evidence that the El-Melloi Classroom has intervened yet, right?"
[None. Marisbury isn't paying much attention to the shares yet. For him, the management of CHALDEAS is the only priority.]
"Good. Then it's time to start taking over those shares."
Sion Eltnam Sokaris consumed the Fruit of Einnashe I provided, suppressing her vampirism. She returned as the next Director of the Atlas Academy after inheriting the research data from Zepia—both from his five hundred years as the Night of Wallachia and his prior time as a Dead Apostle.
Waver's classroom at the Clock Tower had produced its first graduate. Through a thesis on Magic Circuits and Historical Perception—or something of that nature—they were immediately awarded the rank of Pride. I heard that helped slightly reduce the harassment directed at Waver...
"How are the homunculi we infiltrated doing?"
[Two were discovered. Marisbury dismissed them under the guise of voluntary resignation... Since we didn't use our formal authority as the majority shareholder but tucked them in like spies, his reaction was only natural.]
"Then it's almost time to exercise our rights as the 'Majority Shareholder.'"
[Does that mean...]
Yes. It's almost time to go and seize Chaldea.
*
Chaldea is my forward base for the war against the King of Demon Gods, and it is also a sort of refuge.
Naturally, the list of people to evacuate to Chaldea was drawn up long ago, and I had already relayed the word to my allies.
First, my parents... Some people might frown at that, but so what? The primary reason I'm attempting to fight that unreasonable madman in the first place is for my parents.
And effectively everyone who decided to join my organization.
From the Clock Tower side: the Crypters currently in Waver's classroom, Waver Velvet, Kayneth El-Melloi, and his fiancée... though they are essentially a married couple now, Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri.
From the Holy Church: Kotomine Kirei, who requested participation as an Executor, and perhaps Ciel Elesia if I request her dispatch... plus Sister Yuika and Ritsuka-neesan.
As the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors are fundamentally opposed to the Human Order, there will be no participants from them, with the possible exception of Merem, who obeys Arcueid's every word.
From the people of Misaki City: the members of the Tohno family who already have half a foot in my camp; Arcueid, who is practically stuck to Shiki Tohno; the Witch of Fairy Tales and Soujuurou-bro... and Beowulf, who basically changed his affiliation to my house.
As for Mifune City: Godword-sensei, who acts as our literal cheat code; Touko Aozaki; the Ryougi couple; and Kirie Fujo, who is currently training her Dual Existence.
Beyond those, Manaka Sajyou from Tokyo and her 'hobby-mate' whom she forcibly dragged along, Celeinke... and maybe Ayaka Sajyou?
"I think it's best to insert about three people first."
[One of them must be the Magus Killer. If you send Kiritsugu Emiya, what do you plan to do with Irisviel and Illyasviel?]
"There's a risk of wiretapping or magical surveillance, so I'll send them together under the guise of 'Family Welfare.' Chaldea's staff regulations actually have a clause about providing accommodation for family members to ensure staff well-being."
[I wondered why you insisted on adding such a clause; so that was the reason. Who are the others? Do you plan to send a Connected One?]
"No... if I did that, the King of Demon Gods' terminal might pull something stupid. If I sent Connected Ones without supervision, 'Leif Light-Flauros' would definitely make a move."
[I still don't quite understand that bizarre nickname.]
Well, it's a fairly intuitive nickname if you ask me.
Considering how he thrashes around at the very end, doesn't 'Light' suit him perfectly?
"Anyway, the remaining two are Kirie Fujo and Fujino Asagami."
[Dual Existence and the Mystic Eyes of Distortion... There's no risk of them 'Awakening,' and since their minds have already shattered once, it would be meaningless for the King of Demon Gods to attempt brainwashing.]
"Exactly. Their specialties are also useful. No matter how great a magus one is, Kirie Fujo's Dual Existence is impossible to perceive unless you possess Mystic Eyes. And Fujino Asagami... well, it goes without saying."
She's the woman who nearly killed even me.
Since she possesses insane offensive power that can penetrate even Shinra Tensei, if 'Leif Light-Flauros' tries anything funny with her, she'll probably be the one to kill him instead.
[Fine. I will recommend those three as staff members during the next meeting.]
"Thanks for the hard work, Elder Acht."
Jubstacheit hung up the phone, and I turned my gaze toward my inbox, where the number of unread emails was rising like a wildfire.
Predictably, the source was a public IP from the Clock Tower... specifically, the Department of Modern Magecraft where Waver Velvet works.
The content was extremely simple.
[The holy relic of the Twin-Horned King has been stolen. The culprit is presumed to be the one you mentioned, 'Doctor Heartless.' Olga Marie Animusphere has requested to accompany the 'Mystic Eye Collection Train.' She is scheduled to board with Kadoc Zemlupus, Daybit Sem Void, and Scandinavia Peperoncino. Exercise extreme caution regarding the 'Case Files' that may follow.]
"Doctor Heartless... So it's finally time for the Rail Zeppelin to move."
It's still too early for Shiro Fujimaru and Ritsuka Fujimaru to move.
That said, taking Arcueid Brunestud to the Rail Zeppelin would be pure madness. It wouldn't be us, but Rita Rozay-en's side that would freak out and riot... And Touko Aozaki is out of the question. After all, the only reason the Rail Zeppelin auction ever failed was because of the havoc she and Lugh Beowulf wreaked. There's no telling what problems would arise if they went.
"...I'll have to go alone this time."
Aoko-neesan is wandering about, saying she has personal business to attend to, and Godword is stuck at Atlas Academy dealing with Zepia and Sion's vampiric impulses. I must handle this matter myself.
Besides, this will be quite an important event for me as well.
It's a cruel story for Young Lady Olga Marie, but she needs to perceive the culprit who murdered her father as a 'good person.'
One way or another, it's better for her to stay alive after the Restoration of the Human Order... and if she's going to be alive, it's better if she's on our side.
"As for an invitation... I don't really need one."
The fact that my eyes are the Rinnegan is common knowledge now, ever since I dropped that meteor. If it's the Rail Zeppelin—the train that's obsessed with rare Mystic Eyes—they'll welcome me aboard whether I have an invitation or not...
Though I wonder if they'll actually be able to catch me.
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