Ian couldn't have imagined it in his wildest dreams.
No sooner had he sent his message than a reply came from Ophelia in less than ten seconds.
[Ophelia]: Who?
[Ophelia]: Who are you bringing over?
[Ophelia]: You... wouldn't be thinking of doing a two-girls-one-guy thing, would you?! I don't like that kind of stuff, I only want one-on-one!
The string of replies on the screen made Ian pause, surprised by her immediate response.
He was certain he wasn't hallucinating, and also very firmly believed that this wasn't a time when a normal person should be awake, before finally sending a reply.
[Ian]: My dear Ophelia-san, aren't you sleeping? It's this late already.
[Ophelia]: Of course, I was sleeping... you woke me up.
[Ian]: I woke you up?
[Ophelia]: Yes.
[Ophelia]: I set your messages as a special notification.
[Ophelia]: I'll know immediately as soon as you send a message.
[Ian]: ...
Looking at the incredibly direct message from Ophelia on the screen, Ian couldn't connect her at all with the extremely cold and aloof top student magus he knew before.
However—
Ian was somewhat surprised at how terrifying the destruction of a person's growth by a magus family could be.
Ophelia's values and perceptions had probably become distorted under such circumstances.
Now that she had been "developed" once, she had instead erupted into a completely different form.
Were there similar victims in the magus families he didn't know about?
Ian felt a pang of emotion for a moment.
His fingers typed out a line of reply.
[Ian]: Sorry, I should have sent you more messages.
[Ophelia]: Don't give me that.
[Ophelia]: I don't like that kind of clingy conversation, just communicate with me in your usual way.
[Ophelia]: Speaking of which, why did you send me a message at this time? Aren't you sleeping?
The ball was kicked back into Ian's court.
He hesitated for a moment, then still sent a picture of his current situation to Ophelia.
[Ian]: Image.jpg
[Ophelia]: ...
[Ophelia]: Where did you find another wild woman this time? Mashu will cry!
[Ian]: She's not some wild woman, it's Fujimaru Ritsuka-san, whom I told you about before.
[Ophelia]: Oh, it's her... you did say you'd bring her back.
[Ophelia]: Wait, no! Isn't she also a Master candidate? Why isn't she in her own room, but in your bed?
[Ian]: It's complicated to explain, but everything is relatively harmonious for now.
[Ophelia]: ...
[Ophelia]: Forget it, I don't care, do whatever you want, just remember to come to me on Sunday.
[Ophelia]: And when is the person you want me to meet coming?
[Ian]: Haven't asked yet, I think she's sleeping.
[Ophelia]: ...
[Ian]: ...
[Ian]: Should I ask now?
[Ophelia]: You can.
Holding onto the hope of that very small possibility, Ian opened the group chat "Chaldea Reading Club Enthusiasts" and found the user with the lotus flower icon bearing the name "The Highest Excellence is Like Water."
[Ian]: Are you there?
Almost exactly like with Ophelia, Akuta Hinako-san replied to Ian almost instantly.
[Akuta Hinako]: Yes.
She really is there...
Ian hesitated for a moment, decided to ignore this strange fact, and went straight to the point.
[Ian]: I'll take you to meet that person now, is that okay?
[Akuta Hinako]: Okay.
Ian could feel that the other person didn't want to chat with him any more than necessary.
But the man didn't mind.
After all, he didn't have anything else to say either.
After agreeing on a meeting place, Ian got up, tucked the blankets around the girls on the bed, and left the room.
In a certain corridor of Chaldea.
Ian and Akuta Hinako-san met.
However, unlike before, this time the literary girl wasn't holding a book, but rather carrying something covered tightly with cloth.
Their eyes met, and the gaze was as cold as ever.
But both Ian and Akuta Hinako-san knew that hostility was completely meaningless at this moment.
"Akuta Hinako-san, shall we go?" Ian said directly, getting straight to the point.
"Mm," Akuta Hinako-san nodded, at the same time holding the thing in her hands even tighter.
Throughout the journey, she maintained this cautious demeanor, looking very concerned about the thing she had brought this time.
Although Ian felt a bit puzzled by this, he didn't ask any further questions.
This was an unspoken rule between him and Akuta Hinako-san—never inquire about things the other person didn't want to reveal.
After a long period of silence, the two finally arrived at Room 016.
This was Ophelia's room.
[Ian]: Open the door, I've brought the person.
Not long after the message was sent, the door in front of Ian opened.
Click.
The door closed.
Silence returned to the hallway.
Inside the room.
Ophelia looked at Akuta Hinako-san, who was holding a large bundle, a hint of doubt in her eyes.
"And this person is..."
"Akuta Hinako."
Ian glanced at the literary girl, hesitated for a moment, then continued.
"A friend of mine."
Akuta Hinako-san didn't show any dislike for this title.
On the contrary, she quickly played along with the role.
"Yes, I'm his friend," she affirmed, nodding slightly.
"Is that so?"
Ophelia didn't seem to completely believe this statement, but she didn't delve any further.
After all, no matter how uncomfortable she felt about Akuta Hinako-san, she still had to give her "sex friend" Ian some face.
"I understand."
"You're the one who wants to summon a Servant, right?" Ophelia asked, turning her attention to Akuta Hinako-san.
"Mm," Akuta Hinako-san nodded.
"Then what's your approximate level of understanding of the summoning process?" Ophelia followed up.
"I've already brought the Saint Graph Fragment," the literary girl said directly, revealing her answer.
"..."
"..."
As soon as these words were spoken, even Ian knew that the person before him was definitely not a novice. Because an outsider generally wouldn't use the term "Saint Graph Fragment."
Not only that, Akuta Hinako-san also seemed to be concerned about Ophelia's qualifications.
"Are you really as capable as Ian says?" she asked, her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Eh?"
Ophelia looked at Akuta Hinako-san, puzzled.
"Ian... said I'm very capable?" she asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"Yes," the literary girl nodded. "He said if you can't solve it, then no one in Chaldea can."
"..."
Ophelia looked at Ian, and her face actually turned red.
She pinched the man and said coquettishly,
"Don't praise me like that outside... it's quite embarrassing," she mumbled, trying to hide her blush.
Although it sounded like a reprimand, Ian could sense that she was actually very happy.
"Alright, alright," Ian chuckled softly.
"Next time before I praise you in front of others, I'll write you an application form."
"Stop being so glib," Ophelia retorted, though a smile played on her lips.
Watching the two flirt, Akuta Hinako-san coughed a few times, indicating that she was still waiting.
Ophelia quickly returned to her professional demeanor and began to provide her "credentials."
"Don't worry," she reassured Akuta Hinako-san.
"Although Ian's words were a bit exaggerated, if we're talking about summoning, I personally have quite a bit of experience."
"In addition—" Ophelia took out a badge.
It was her proof of identity—the mark of the Clock Tower, the highest institution of magical learning.
And judging from the complexity of the surface patterns, it was probably not the kind that ordinary members could obtain.
"This Clock Tower badge should put your mind at ease a little, right?" Ophelia asked, holding out the badge for Akuta Hinako-san to see.
Facing the proof offered by Ophelia, Akuta Hinako-san didn't even glance at it.
But it wasn't that she didn't accept the other person's explanation, it was just that her focus wasn't on the badge, but on the name.
"Oh... the Clock Tower," Akuta Hinako-san said, her gaze thoughtful.
"I've heard of that place—it's where very powerful magi gather, right?"
"Mm."
Ophelia retracted her Clock Tower badge.
"It's good that you know," she said, a hint of pride in her voice.
"With that, you should be able to trust me, right?"
"...Mm," Akuta Hinako-san nodded. "I trust you."
"That's good."
Ophelia's gaze swept over the two of them.
"I just so happen to have been researching summoning recently."
"Wait here for a moment, we should be able to start very soon."
She could be truly seductive when she wanted to be.
But when she got serious, she was also truly serious.
Ophelia prepared everything needed for the summoning—at this moment, she was very solemn, not at all like the person who would say "let me see your thing" in a chat.
But it had to be said that Ian found this kind of contrast, which she only showed to him, quite interesting.
And just as the man was watching the magus with great interest, he suddenly felt a gentle tap on his shoulder.
Ian turned his head.
He saw that Akuta Hinako-san, who had been unwilling to communicate with him earlier, had actually taken the initiative to strike up a conversation.
"Um... can I ask you a question?" she asked, her voice soft and hesitant.
"Sure," Ian said with a slight smile. "But only if I think I can answer it."
"I know."
Akuta Hinako-san held her bundle even tighter.
"I want to ask... why did you say I wasn't human that day?"
Ian knew she was referring to the sentence he had left her with when they parted.
"Oh... Akuta Hinako-san, if you're talking about that—" Ian began, his gaze thoughtful.
"Maybe you could say it was something like intuition?"
Of course, Ian couldn't tell Akuta Hinako-san the actual situation—it was the manifestation of the Heian-kyō memories working within his body.
There was no need to tell her about this, as it would create a lot of unnecessary trouble.
"Intuition?"
Akuta Hinako-san looked at Ian warily, an indescribable emotion in her eyes.
"I don't think you have the ability to perceive that."
"Just what are you?" she pressed, her voice low and intense.
"Akuta Hinako-san," Ian retorted with a cold look in his eyes.
"Your old habit seems to be acting up again—threatening isn't a good way to communicate."
"What's more, this is an act of mutually revealing secrets."
"Our relationship shouldn't have reached this point yet."
"..."
Akuta Hinako-san didn't respond to Ian's words.
She knew that her threat had no meaning for the man before her.
He had a flexible moral compass and many hidden cards that she didn't know about.
He was the kind of person it was best not to be hostile towards.
Just at this moment, Ophelia had prepared everything needed for the summoning.
She spoke, her voice clear and confident:
"I'm ready."
"Akuta Hinako-san, bring over the Saint Graph Fragment you've brought."
"Sorry, just pretend I didn't say anything just now," Akuta Hinako-san apologized hastily, then walked over to Ophelia's side.
It was still that simple summoning circle.
However, Ophelia seemed to have further optimized it after summoning "Mordred" last time.
Compared to the previous one, it clearly had a lot more content.
And the mysterious veil over the thing Akuta Hinako-san had been holding was lifted at this moment.
It was an iron sword, but it looked quite old.
Its surface had a large number of patterns, the complexity of which was breathtaking.
Every curve of the streamline was just right, silently telling of a craftsmanship that couldn't be described by ordinary logic.
Both Ian and Ophelia showed extreme surprise at the sword before them.
"Where did you get this sword?" the top student magus couldn't help but ask, her eyes wide with astonishment.
"...Someone gave it to me," Akuta Hinako-san said, brushing it off.
"Can we start now?" she asked, eager to begin.
"..."
Realizing that Akuta Hinako-san didn't seem too willing to say more, Ophelia very wisely ended the topic herself.
"Alright then."
"Give it to me."
However, even such a simple request made Akuta Hinako-san seem a bit hesitant.
She asked cautiously;
"Do you have to be the one to place it?"
"Can't... can't I put it in myself?"
"You..."
Ophelia was a bit displeased by Akuta Hinako-san's strange caution.
After all, it wasn't her who had proactively requested this summoning.
Now, this hesitant appearance was practically saying, "I still don't trust you."
Fortunately, Ian smoothed things over in time.
He took Ophelia's hand and comforted her.
"It's okay."
"Akuta Hinako-san is just like that, don't mind her."
"But really, can't she put it in herself?"
"It's not that she can't," Ophelia muttered softly, "but she has to be very careful, I don't think she knows these rules."
After all, if she did, she wouldn't be looking for magi everywhere.
"Then—"
Ian kissed Ophelia's forehead lightly.
"Will you teach her, please?"
"You..."
Ophelia held her forehead, turning her slightly reddened face away.
"Just... just this once!" she conceded, her voice a bit flustered.
"Mm, next time I'll kiss other places to get you to agree," Ian teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"You shameless jerk!" Ophelia complained, but her body language betrayed her actual feelings.
She patiently instructed Akuta Hinako-san.
And the latter listened to these steps very attentively.
Time passed little by little.
Akuta Hinako-san began her attempt.
She successfully placed the sword, which looked anything but ordinary, into the summoning circle.
Instantly, a clear blue light floated up from the summoning circle, gradually gathering into a humanoid form.
Ian knew that this was a sign of successful summoning.
Soon, a powerful Servant would appear here.
However—
The situation changed in an instant.
The originally stable blue light seemed to be blown by the wind, beginning to sway like wildfire towards the man's direction.
Whoosh.
The blue light disappeared without a trace.
A silent fact echoed in Room 016.
The summoning... had failed?