Chapter 289

Because of Rin's presence, Bazett still couldn't fulfill her wish to check on Shinji's health, so she had to endure for now.

With Bazett and Cu Chulainn's arrival, the Servants Saber Lily and Rider also emerged from their hiding places and logged in to the guest room.

Knowing the topic was likely related to the magi and the mystical side, Sakura made a brief appearance to serve tea and then left under the pretext of preparing snacks.

In the large guest room, four Servants and three Masters sat in an oddly silent atmosphere.

Cu Chulainn, who never reads the room, was the first to break the silence, pointing at Saber Lily, who was standing behind Shinji and about as tall as the sofa back, and joked.

"What's this? A mini version of Saber? Haha..."

Immediately, Saber Lily's face darkened, and Shinji waved his hand, saying, "Don't cause a scene in front of others."

Understanding Shinji's meaning, Saber nodded, then resumed her original form under Cu Chulainn's astonished gaze. She pointed her thumb outside.

"Lancer, if you want a sparring match, I'm ready anytime!"

"Perfect timing! I haven't had a good fight in a while!"

With that, the two Servants promptly left.

Since Shinji didn't stop them, Bazett didn't either and let Lancer go. After they left, Bazett frowned and spoke again.

"Shinji, something feels off here. From the moment I got off the plane, I've felt several familiars watching me. This never happened before! It's strange!"

"It'd be stranger if it didn't happen..." Rin sighed, rubbing her forehead. "It's normal for local magi to monitor incoming magi to see if they have any ulterior motives."

"But it never happened before!"

Bazett shook her head, then seemed to remember something and frowned at Rin. "I remember... you're the overseer of Fuyuki's leylines, right? So that means..."

"Yes, my automated monitoring familiars. They activate whenever an outside magus enters Fuyuki."

"Alright, I was being presumptuous."

Finding this reasonable, Bazett didn't dwell on the issue but looked at Shinji again, her expression turning serious once more.

"Shinji, I've heard some serious changes have happened in this country. I suggest you stay safe!"

"You mean Shinjin, right?" Rin sighed, resting her chin on her hand and looking at Shinji. "This guy's the one who initiated that. Thanks to him, I was forced to leave the Mage's Association and join Shinjin."

Seeing Bazett's puzzled expression, Rin kindly explained the events of the past week. Meanwhile, Shinji was calculating how to persuade Bazett to change sides.

Eventually, she would be his ally. Keeping her in the Mage's Association would be a waste. From what Shinji knew, Bazett wasn't well-treated there.

She did the dirtiest and hardest jobs, only receiving a few superficial compliments in return. Only someone like Bazett could endure such work.

...

After Rin's explanation, Bazett finally understood what Shinji had done. But her first thought wasn't about the complexities.

It was...

"Isn't it dangerous?! Doing something like this could put you in harm's way!"

Seeing Bazett getting agitated and grabbing Shinji, Rin's expression became more complex. She felt annoyed but also couldn't understand why Bazett was so devoted to Shinji!

She only had eyes for Shinji!

Shinji gestured for Rin to stay silent and smiled warmly, reassuring Bazett, "I'm fine. I did this to ensure that the people I care about aren't manipulated by the Mage's Association."

Then, Shinji began his performance, lowering his head with a pained expression. "Bazett, I'm sorry for lying to you. The truth is... Sakura isn't without magical potential. In fact, she has a very rare magical attribute!"

"What?!"

Shinji nodded, his face full of remorse. "Yes, Sakura possesses the extremely rare imaginary number attribute. I hid this from you to protect her. If the Mage's Association found out..."

Shinji didn't finish, but Bazett understood. Such a rare attribute would cause a huge uproar in the magus community, leading to one outcome: Sealing Designation.

On the surface, it's an honor, but in reality, it's a form of captivity.

"No need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong by protecting your sister."

Bazett shook her head, her expression softening. "Now that Shinjin controls the entire mystical side of Japan, your sister Sakura doesn't have to worry anymore. Congratulations."

Seeing Bazett's genuine smile, Rin was filled with a thousand questions. What had Shinji done to make Bazett so loyal?

"Thank you for understanding, Bazett."

Shinji's grateful smile was so natural that Rin couldn't detect any falsehood. She even admired his acting, thinking he deserved an Oscar!

"But now, the Mage's Association can no longer extend their influence here. We might..."

Bazett trailed off, but her meaning was clear: they might not be able to meet as often anymore.

Then, Rin witnessed Shinji's masterful persuasion. His tactic was simple yet effective: appeal to Bazett's emotions!

His sincere, heartfelt expressions made Bazett waver!

"…Bazett, I know you joined the Mage's Association because you feared living a life of obscurity."

Turning to look out the window, Shinji continued, "I've often wondered what achieving something significant truly means. At first, I thought it meant creating a legacy that everyone would remember. I tried many things: music, writing, founding the world-changing Mt. Group, discovering unknown asteroids... In many eyes, these are great achievements, but I never felt fulfilled."

"So, I always gave up just before claiming the final recognition that would cement my name in history."

"I see..."

Bazett stared at Shinji, finally understanding his actions. She'd heard about Shinji's endeavors but always wondered why he quit at the brink of success.

"Then... I found my answer."

Looking back with a warm, sincere smile and a slight blush, Shinji made Bazett swallow nervously and ask, "What is it?"

"Protecting those I care about is enough."

Shinji's words stunned Bazett into silence.

"Protect... those you care about?"

"Yes. Everything else is unimportant. This is the true, often overlooked, great achievement of life. Even if unnoticed by the world, achieving this brings true peace to one's heart. It might not earn you fame, but it's a personal great achievement. Protecting those you care about..."

Rin was shocked. Shinji's words sounded logical and his expressions were convincing enough to almost make her believe him!

"A personal great achievement..."

Bazett murmured, repeating Shinji's words and finding more sense in them the more she thought about it.

"If you don't have anyone, it's okay. You just need to find someone."

"No, I do have..." Bazett reflexively replied, then blushed deeply.

Seeing Bazett's reaction, Rin realized just how manipulative Shinji was!

"That's good..."

Shinji said softly, then smiled again. Bazett saw genuine happiness in his expression, leaving her momentarily dazed.

"Bazett... would you stay and help me achieve this personal great achievement? Help me protect those I care about and provide them with a safe, carefree environment?"

Seeing Shinji's seemingly sincere invitation, but sensing a hidden, unseen motive, Rin couldn't hold back any longer.

"Wait!!"

Rin stood up and grabbed Bazett's hand, which was already reaching out to Shinji.

"This guy is just a..."

Before she could finish, Shinji quickly covered her mouth, smiling at Bazett again. "Bazett, take your time to think it over. You don't need to decide right away. Just consider if you want to switch sides."

"O... Okay."

Realizing she'd almost made a hasty decision, Bazett nodded. She had nearly declared her departure from the Mage's Association on the spot!