The difficult issue Reines and Melvin brought up with Lord El-Melloi II was a case involving a former student of his, Mary Lil Fargo. Mary is the only daughter of the Fargo family, a branch of the Animusphere family that rules over the Astromancy division. Responding to Mary who felt she needed her former mentor's assistance, Lord El-Melloi II and Gray visit the Fargo estate to witness the dismantled corpse of Mary's father, Ernest Fargo. Disjoined from traditions of Astromancy, the crime scene is representative of Modern Magecraft. Lord El-Melloi II dives in to elucidate the matter.

Primary Lecturer Wills is an authority in the Spiritual Evocation division. His father, Sir Trevor, owned the Marburry Workshop that utilizes an entire wasteland to operate as a Magical Workshop. However, the Workshop went out of control, causing many casualties including that of Sir Trevor himself. Lord El-Melloi II, seeking assistance from Spiritual Evocation in order to participate in the Holy Grail War, begrudgingly accepts the request to solve this case. However, what awaited the entourage who arrived at the mansion was Hishiri Adashino, a member of the Policies Department that investigates and enforces rules within the Clock Tower.

One peaceful day, Gray heads by herself to see Reines. With an unexpected turn of events, the two head out to Carnac, an established department store, to go shopping. Not accustomed to shopping in a department store, Gray continually is at Reines' mercy. Furthermore, Luvia coincidentally joins the two midway, causing the three girls to start a tea party.

While giving the gravely wounded Lord El-Melloi II an arduous treatment, Gray and the others harbor doubts about an existence of a Servant whose Master is nowhere to be seen. Shishigou and Luvia are continuing their investigation in London where they visit Jean-Mario Supinerra and inquire about a serial murder that took place seven years ago. The respite was momentary as the course of the Rail Zeppelin has been altered, and the train plunges into the Forest of Dead Apostles, the Child of Einnashe. Gray, worried about the weakened Lord El-Melloi, decides to assist Karabo's group that is acting to resume the train's progress. Furthermore, Melvin, who has arrived at the Mystic Eyes Collection Train after hearing of rumors, joins the entourage. Olga Marie, barricading her lonely self after refusing to help Gray, finds a "certain something" in her own room.

As Adashino's deductions are playing out, Lord El-Melloi II makes his comeback. He sees a clue to the identity of the true perpetrator of Trisha's murder from Gray's testimony, and requests Melvin to delay the Mystic Eyes Auction from starting. His objective is to seek assistance from Olga Marie, and grasp conclusive evidence to overturn Adashino's deductions. Meanwhile, in London, Shishigou gathers up Flat and Svin in order to proceed with certain preparations. As each of them reflect upon their own ideas, the fated Mystic Eyes Auction finally begins.

Several days after the incident on the Mystic Eyes Collection Train, there was a solemn ritual at Modern Magecraft Theories for Svin's ascendance to the rank of Pride. Lord El-Melloi II looked upon the ritual full of emotion as this ascendance to Pride was while his student was still in his teens. Meanwhile, Gray could not shake off the uneasiness that Lord El-Melloi II would depart for distant lands to participate in the Holy Grail War. While in thought, she bumps into Melvin in the streets bustling with the approach of Christmas.