Since Kenneth returned to the Clock Tower, many people have said that he has changed.
Less sharp, more smooth, less impetuous, more calm. In general, he became more like a lord, more like a noble, more like a superior.
Members of the same faction, such as Barthelmero and Sofia Li, are happy about the growth of their allies, while members of the hostile faction, such as Trumberio and Baruyereta, are worried.
However, if they were to see the following scene, the reactions of allies and enemies might be reversed.
"What did you say-?"
Kenneth slammed his hands on the desk and roared loudly.
"—You gave the intact core of the Son of Fuhailin to Lorelaia?"
The one who could make Kenneth so angry that he completely lost his image was naturally Shinji.
"Yeah." Shinji nodded and took a few steps back calmly, "Can you keep your voice down?"
"Hmph, there is a soundproof barrier in the study, so no one outside can hear it."
"I'm not worried about being heard outside, it's your saliva that sprayed on me."
Kenneth was immediately furious: "If we hadn't signed the certificate, I would really want to beat you up."
"Are you sure you can beat me?" Shinji blinked innocently.
"You are not allowed to use any treasures." Kenneth added the restriction.
"You can't win without me." Shinji patted the smallest waist bag on his waist, "Before I left Fuyuki to travel, Emiya Kiritsugu gave me some special bullets. Do you want to try them?"
"You—" Kenneth's face turned red with anger. Of course he knew what Shinji was referring to. Although he didn't know the principle of that thing, Kenneth knew that it was the biggest threat to the magician, and he himself suffered greatly from it.
"Okay, calm down, calm down - Shinji, you should also stop talking." Sora, who was making tea on the side, walked over to Kenneth and patted him on the back gently, using tenderness to dissolve his anger. This time it was real tenderness, not a disguise.
Since returning with Kenneth, she moved directly into the Archibald family and never returned home. She was using practical actions to prove to everyone her attitude of standing by Kenneth's side - even though she had not officially married into the Archibald family.
Sora's family, Sophiali, was happy to see this happen. During Kayneth's disappearance, the Sophiali family not only did not help El-Melloi, but also deliberately alienated the relationship between the two families, causing a rift between the originally close allies. After Kayneth's return, Sora's father, the head of the Sophiali family, has been trying to repair this rift, and Sora's actions can be said to be exactly what he wanted.
With Sora's mediation, the increasingly heated atmosphere in the room was eased, and the two moved their conversation from the desk to the sofa.
"I say, it's just a core, why are you so excited?"
"It seems that you really don't know." Kenneth shook his head helplessly, "Of course not just the core, the key is an intact core. The last complete core appeared two hundred years ago, which caused a huge disturbance at the time. In order to fight for this core, many families were seriously injured, and several families were completely devastated."
"So exaggerated?"
"That's not an exaggeration. Look at the secretive attitude of Barthomello. It's because they are afraid that the news will leak out and cause all kinds of unnecessary trouble. If it weren't for this, they should have launched a propaganda offensive long ago. Barthomello will not miss any opportunity to strike at the Dead Apostles."
"I see. No wonder there was no news from Lorelaia after she returned home. I thought something had happened to her." That's why Shinji came to find Kenneth.
"With a treasure like this, there won't be any problems. No matter what other competitors achieve, they can't match this core."
The inheritance method of Barthomello is stricter and more cruel than any other magician family. They will select candidates suitable for the origin mark from all the vassal families, and then train them while letting them compete. The strongest one will become the new head of the family.
This method, similar to the method of selecting a crown prince by an emperor, can only be supported by the long history and profound heritage of Bartmero. Other families should be happy to have a suitable heir, but they would never be as generous as Bartmero.
"Wait, after talking for so long, I know this thing is precious, but why is it precious?" Although one can tell something from Loreleija's cautious attitude along the way, even hiding the "chariot", Shinji really doesn't know why this core is precious.
"It's normal that you don't know, because it's too rare. The most precious thing about a complete core is that it's still alive. Magic power comes from life force, and such a core is equivalent to a high-quality spiritual vein that can be used at any time."
"Secondly, it can also allow humans to break the limitations of life and extend the life of magicians. Only with life can we continue research or development, so it is so attractive to magicians."
"In addition, it can also be used to transform 'Dead Apostles'. You know, many magicians choose to transform into Dead Apostles through magic rituals when their lives come to an end. However, the ritual cannot guarantee 100% success. The success rate is determined by the quality of the materials used and the composition of the ritual. The core of the complete 'Son of Fuhailin' is a top-level material with 100% success."
Hearing Kenneth's long speech, Shinji touched his nose a little embarrassedly: "I think I'm a little too generous?"
"It's more than generous. It's simply—" Kayneth ignored Sora's eye contact and showed no mercy to Shinji, "—stupid. So stupid. If you give me the core, I'll give you all the autonomous dolls as well."
"You said so. If I can get one, I can get the second one." Shinji perked up. "Since Lorelaia is accompanying me this time, some things are not convenient to use. Otherwise, it would be much faster."
"You can find it first. You may not come across one of these things for decades. Unlike the mother body 'Fu Hai Lin', 'Fu Hai Lin's Son' basically does not live for more than a hundred years. Once the vitality in the core is exhausted, they will die."
"Just wait and see, maybe I can get the legendary True Red Fruit directly."
Shinji was full of confidence. He still had the "Child of Fukailin" in his memory. Although he didn't know the exact location, he knew the triggering conditions. Not only the child, he also knew that the mother "Fukailin" would reappear in a short time.
"I hope I can see that day, but let me make this clear first - I only want the core. If you really get the True Crimson Fruit, please don't look for me and don't let me know any information."
Kenneth's answer was decisive and without any hesitation.
PS: The lord's family has many branches, and each branch has its own seal. The competition is for the oldest source seal, so even if you fail, you won't have the troubles of Tōsaka Tokiomi.