A dimensional journey starting from the Dragon Clan

Although there is no guard, this room located at the deepest part of the Scuradio family's base is actually a magical place.

One of the great-great-grandson's guards was a magician. Without him to lead the way, the others would not have been able to recognize the corridor leading to this room. In the Sculadio family, which has a large number of people, the carefully selected magicians tried their best to build this huge complex magic workshop--this is the main residence of the Sculadio family.

There are 35 layers of powerful barriers, several defense structures and countless evil spirits hidden inside.

In the past, there was an example of a magician's workshop being blown up along with the building, so a system was established to deal with both attacks from high altitudes and damage from underground. If we want to strengthen magic defense on this basis, we can only imitate the clock tower and the Wandering Sea, the headquarters of the magician, or the labyrinth or demon world that is very close to the source and is accumulated by a powerful magician throughout his life.

And being in the center of the strongest barrier, let alone murderous aura, there is not even the breath of insects here.

Apart from my own life, there is no other threat here──

Galvaroso slowly opened his respirator, stared into the void and said:

"...Are you here? The darkness that announces the end."

Void gave no answer.

But nevertheless, Galvaroso continued talking as if talking to himself.

"...Ah, I know. I know, I knew it many years ago..."

Breathing would have been painful without a respirator, but nonetheless, he said what he had wanted to say all along.

"I got this magic eye at an auction and spent all my personal property to transplant it...I don't know if it's incompatible or just too good. It keeps repeating...repeating...but it can only reflect one future."

It can be seen that the colors of his left and right eyes are slightly different. He showed a self-deprecating smile and continued to talk to the void:

"This is today, the scene on the day I died..."

However, Void still didn't answer anything.

However, as if he confirmed that the other party was definitely listening, Calvaroso showed a reassuring expression.

"Today is that day...I know...I've known it ever since Olivia pestered me for that fox puppet."

The [Magic Eye] transplanted to Calvaroso.

The magic eye transplanted at a certain train auction really allowed Galvaroso to see the future.

The future of where you are now.

After giving the fox doll to her great-great-granddaughter, her eyes were covered by [darkness].

"To put it simply. The youngest girl in the family...Olivia, as long as you don't give her a doll, maybe you can change your destiny. I have also thought about it...Is this what is called old...rather than giving her a doll? Seeing Olivia's expression about to cry, it would be better to die frankly..."

In a space that is supposed to be empty of people, Galvaroso talks to silence.

It is no longer possible to see that this is the cold leader who once plunged the opposing organization into the abyss of terror, but as an old man who is about to die, constantly conveying his words to the unseen.

"This is a joke. I have destroyed so many organizations and killed so many people before I finally climbed up... Ah, bring me the darkness of death... If you are really here, please listen to me... Can’t end here yet… No, I can’t die yet.”

Maybe it was because the respirator was removed and the oxygen gradually faded, so his face became pale.

However, despite this, there was still something that needed to be said, and he organized his words while reaching out to the void.

"For the magicians who hope to extend my life... It doesn't matter even if I am no longer me... Although Bazdilot objects... but other magicians... kill the souls of the leaders of this country... Cover their personalities. This stupid thing like turning this country into a paradise for magicians... stop it... let me... end it... I just... magic... I just want to use magic..."

From the middle, it became just fragments of words, and could no longer form a coherent language.

However, those words were like a curse as he tried his best to stay in this world.

"Ah, ah, the woman I fell in love with at first sight, my wife, is also a magician... There are few magic circuits that are the same as those of a layman... She was killed by the guy from the clock tower... Magic... Magic... I have always Yearning for...like a child...I also want...to use magic like her...to be in...the same world...to see...the same scenery...with my wife...for this I will hold the power of the organization in my hands...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ah!"

As if to atone for his sins, he told his past intermittently.

As the words are listed, the eyes also have emotional fluctuations.

Then, at that moment when my heart was finally broken by the terror of death——

The darkness stretched out from the void, gently covering those eyes.

[It] does exist.

Although it is not a supreme being, under the protection of this level of defense measures, the Death Messenger quietly entered the center of the huge magic workshop.

"do not be afraid."

A mysterious voice echoed throughout the room, but it seemed only Calvaroso could hear it. Although it was just a simple word, it resonated quickly with the chaotic emotions.

"...Ah, is that okay? A man like me?"

The man who shed tears from the invisible [Demon Eye] said, "The darkness is just wrapping the man's life with loving darkness."

"The judgment is neither you nor me, leave everything to the night."

The darkness, which had turned into a human form at some point, put its hand on the man's head and made a faint sound.

"On the other side of light sleep, wake up peacefully"

After that, the darkness disappeared from the room at some point, and only an old man was left who closed his eyes with a relieved expression and no longer needed to breathe.

Because I admire magic.

For such a childish reason, for a man who insists on walking in the shadow of magic society and the United States, this may be an too peaceful ending.

············

Snowfield meat processing plant now

Due to the battle between the heroic spirits equipped with huge machines and Alcides, the meat factory was already in a state of destruction.

However, it is currently being restored under the cover of Francois Prelaty's Noble Phantasm.

In this distorted space, the magician Bazdilot Cotilio, the Maser of Alcides, is collecting [undestroyed elements] to build a simple workshop in the meat factory.

Looking at the figure of Bazdilot connecting with a certain place through the magic communication machine placed there from a distance, the magicians of the Sculadio family who were his subordinates whispered to each other.

"Hey...Mr. Bazdilot, when do you go to bed?"

"Don't you know? That person is very special. He seems to be able to function normally if he sleeps for a few seconds a day."

"...Really or not? Then if you persist in using magic for a few days, you can still understand it."

"Not only that, even eating is the minimum. Rumor has it that in order to hunt down a hostile magician who was building a workshop deep in the snowy mountains, he went without food or water for 30 days in a row, and finally cornered him."

The magicians who whispered this looked at their superiors who were working with frightened eyes.

"It's great to be on the same side as that person... Facing such a terrifying heroic spirit, he never flinched even a step."

"Yes, I don't know what kind of magician the other person is, but I can't imagine that he will lose."

Although they are magicians, their status in the family is not very high. However, unlike these people, the voice of a calm middle-aged man echoed in the silent factory.

"No...Bazdilot is not invincible. He himself has not concealed it and has suffered many setbacks."

This man was the one who had stayed under Bazdilot for the longest time.

He came as a supplement to the subordinates who were subcontracted by the hostile magician, and he is also a high-ranking magician in the Scuradio family - even so, he is still dwarfed by Bazdilot. s position.

This experienced magician told the young people of the family what happened to Bazdilot.

"He was once beaten to the brink of death by an agent of the church. He was struck preemptively by the free magician Lion Jie. Half of his lungs were broken by Magro of the Dai family. Most of his magic circuits were burned off by the monk Daiglan. . He also had a fight with a guy named Wu from the Marvell Chamber of Commerce, and both sides lost. Originally, before he came to our family, when he was an enemy of Schopenheim Abbey, an organization that was also famous in the Clock Tower, Be prepared to die.”

"Is that so?"

"The truly terrifying thing about that man is that he never gave in. No matter whether his internal organs were rotting or he was threatened to break his lover's neck in front of his eyes, he didn't even move an eyebrow. And he was threatened to break his lover's neck. That guy... also planned to use magic while Bazdilot was wavering, but this time he guessed wrong."

Facing the magician who was talking calmly while lighting a cigarette, the surrounding subordinates held their breath and asked:

"…What happened to the magician in the end?"

"It's still the same. He was thrown into the machine with his accomplices and turned into magic crystal. Well, it's just that he cried harder than the others."

In front of the man's sight was a huge machine developed by the magician Atram Garri Asta that transformed human life force into magical crystals. It was damaged in the battle with the giant heroic spirit a few days ago, so it is currently in a non-operational state.

Even so, during the Holy Grail War, there was sufficient crystal reserve for Alcides to use his full power, so there was no problem.

"Well, that man dedicated his life and his family to Mr. Calvaroso Scuradio... That man can cry, shout, etc., I never..."

The man who was telling all this calmly suddenly stopped. Because Bazdilot, who was doing communication work in the workshop, had left his seat at some point and walked to the warehouse behind the meat factory.

"Mr. Bazdilot...what happened?"

Not knowing what he was going to do when he went to the warehouse, his subordinates, who had not received instructions, could only wait like this.

So, after a while—

Bazdilot emerged from the large open warehouse door. Then, seeing his figure, the magicians under his command widened their eyes. Because he is holding a musical instrument in his right hand.

Of course, if it were just an ordinary musical instrument, it wouldn't be so surprising. No, even if the strings were made of human skin, they probably wouldn't be surprised.

The question is, what kind of instrument it is.

What Bazdilot grabbed was a piano that was bigger than his body.

"..."

Incomprehensible, the magicians were silent among themselves.

──?

──Ah, no...piano...eh?

At first glance, the black mass looked like it was being dragged along, but he was actually lifting the piano off the floor with just the strength of one hand. I don’t know if it’s the result of strengthening my body with strengthening magic or domination magic.

The power far beyond the limits of the human body, which was not commensurate with Bazdilot's physique, and the strange move of "moving the piano" made the magicians even more confused.

He continued walking towards the cold storage of the factory.

"B-Mr. Bastillo!? What's wrong!? That, piano?"

I don’t know why I put the piano in cold storage.

Indeed, everyone knows that one of Bazdilot's specialties is the piano, but no one knows why he put the piano in the cold storage. And putting the piano in cold storage will significantly shorten the life of the piano. If the tuner and pianist saw it, they would definitely faint.

...Things like this made the magicians even more confused.

While he was wondering if that was a magic dress disguised as a piano, Bazdilot spoke expressionlessly.

"Scuradio, Chief Calvaroso has passed away."

This time, the magicians' minds went blank. Bazdilot put aside the magicians who couldn't keep up with their thinking, opened the door of the cold storage, and disappeared into a forest-like space made of disintegrated beef.

After the door was closed, the cold storage fell into darkness

In the center of it, there is a pitch-black piano, just like the red and white world composed of red meat and fat, eroded by the foreign body "black".

Like a work of art, the eerie, cold storage room is as big as a tennis court.

In the center, Bazdilot, expressionlessly placing his fingers on the keyboard, remained motionless.

There was no white breath around his face, and it was even as if his breathing had stopped. Silence blended with stillness, and the frozen air became sharper, piercing the magician's skin.

Time seemed to be frozen and stood still. In fact, only one minute passed──

Bazdilot was still not breathing, but his fingers began to slide lightly.

"Hey, the leader is dead, what's going on?"

"etc."

For everyone waiting uneasily outside, someone made a quiet gesture and began to listen carefully.

At this time——

A soft piano melody came from the cold storage door. The beautiful and illusory melody calmed the hearts of these confused men as calm as water.

"...Requiem, "Day of Tears"...?"

The old man whispered.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The great composer composed the music himself in his later years and completed it as a successor to his apprentice after his death.

The melody of one of the [Requiem Mass].

The people imprisoned by the sad but loving piano sound immediately accepted the meaning of Bazdirot's words "Gavaroso Scuradio is dead".

But I have to accept it.

"Mr. Bazdirot...for the chief"

One member of the ground floor listened with tears streaming down his face as he played from the cold room.

I had heard that Calvaro had died not long ago, so he may have brought the piano to Snowfield so that he could play the requiem whenever he heard the bad news.

The men paid tribute to this awareness and to Bazdilot who expressed his condolences without changing his face, and remembered this performance in their hearts.

Maybe if others saw it, they would still be criticized and said, "No, can you really take the piano with you?" But Bazdilot's subordinates are not in such a mood right now.

They once again realized what an extraordinary man their boss, Bazdilot, was.

──But.

──Why do you have to perform in a cold storage?

When such questions came to mind again, the performance also came to an end.

After a period of silence, the cold storage door opened.

"Mr. Bazdirot!"

Several people ran up to him, intending to ask him for details. "When did the leader pass away?" But at this point, the words stopped.

Not just language. The men were frozen in time, unable to say anything.

It seems that now is not the time to talk to Bazdilot. His face was as expressionless as ever, full of mechanical killing intent. Behind him, the huge cold storage had turned into a red and black hell.

Red and black.

The interior of the cold storage is dominated by these two colors. Dozens of pieces of beef that were supposed to be hung were all knocked off the hooks.

Some pieces of meat were beaten to the wall and turned into red meat, and some pieces of meat were broken into pieces with bones and scattered on the floor. Meat slices and blood were scattered everywhere. If it were in another place, these meat slices would definitely be burnt and carbonized.

And something like red and black mud was moving between the meat. It seemed that it was not using the destroyed pieces of meat as food, but as [cattle carcasses] for prey.

"Well."

One of his men collapsed to the ground.

They are also low-level magicians or magicians. If you just watch it, it won't be scary. However, like a child throwing a tantrum, the magic power mixed with murderous intent and hostility leaked out from the room. Being hit by such magic power, he couldn't help but scream.

They are just pure fear.

He is afraid of his boss, Bazdirot. Playing such a beautiful melody, the magic that caused this tragedy occurred, and it ended in the room, which shows the abnormality of his rationality.

Bazdilot looked at his subordinates who were lying limply on the ground, and returned to the cold storage as expressionlessly as ever.

“…the piano was stained.”

A few slices of beef stuck to the piano legs.

The red and black [mud] avoided the piano beautifully, as if only that part was open with a barrier.

The next moment, the piano was swallowed by the sea of ​​mud and disappeared completely as if it had sunk.

Bazdilot closed the door of the cold storage and walked towards the center of his workshop as if nothing had happened.

So, in place of his still motionless subordinate, the Servant who had been in spiritual form until now appeared first and spoke.

"It's a bit surprising."

"what do you mean?"

"You turn out to be someone who enjoys playing."

Alcides did not mention anything about Bazdilot's feelings, but simply sighed "It's surprising that you can play the piano." 】For such an avenger, Bazdilot just responded to his words lightly.

"In order to adjust my mental state, I also spent a lot of time on practice... This piece of music was only heard by Mr. Scuradio occasionally and he liked it."

After a short pause, he explained the reasons for playing the piano just now.

"I promised to play the requiem for him if he ever had a chance."

When Bazdilot turned to Alcides, he asked.

"It seems that your physical damage has recovered. Last night, we really suffered a big loss."

"No problem. Being chased by the Amazon Queen in that state is somewhat tricky."

Alcaides took part in yesterday's battle on the road and has not disappeared yet. He is one of the few people left in Snowfield (reality).

Last night, the [Black Mist] overflowed from the hospital, and the moment it covered his body - Alcides used an ability in his Noble Phantasm [Twelve Glory] to summon four [Diomedes]. He successfully escaped from the scene with three demon horses.

However, he aimed an attack at the cavalry that pursued him at that moment, Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons, and injured his hand. Now the injuries Alcides suffered at that time and the injuries to his ribs and abdomen had disappeared.

The power of the [Devil] that was taken away from Berserker now belongs to him. At first glance, it looks like Alcides has not changed at all since he was summoned and transformed.

But——Bazdilot just asked the Servant the facts behind this indifferently.

"How many more days can I last?"

Then, Alcides answered bluntly:

"If I stay sensible, I can still hold on for 3 to 4 days."

"That's right, the advantage over the impostors disappears. ...No, if we consider that they just fall into madness instead of disappearing, is it still in our advantage?"

Alcides was indeed poisoned by [(Hydra) Hydra]. Moreover, because the [Black Mud] in turn swallowed up the poison, the physical body was prevented from collapsing.

But - the [deadly poison] that drove himself to death and indirectly drove his third wife to commit suicide did enter his body. Despite this, the body has not been eroded, which is still affected by the power of [Twelve Glory].

This is thanks to the power captured when getting the [Erymanthus Wild Boar]. However, this is not the strength of the boar itself. This was the power captured during the march, and the biggest prey that was defeated at that time was not a pig.

Something that was taken from Chiron as his mentor during the difficulties Alcides went through during his lifetime.

That is the [immortality] he holds.

The centaur Chiron, who was endowed with immortal power, was eroded by the poison of Hydra due to an accidental shot by Alcides.

Unable to bear the extreme pain and suffering, Chiron transferred his [immortality] to Prometheus and lost his life. Therefore, although Alcides lost the twelve substitute lives held by his original spiritual base, as a Noble Phantasm - [Immortality until transferred to Prometheus], ​​he resided in it as the only substitute life. in one's own body.

But activating it would be equivalent to inflicting the pain he experienced on himself.

Even now, the constant pain - the pain of being forced to choose death even when he was alive, is still eroding his body. But due to the influence of [Black Mud], those pains and sufferings were transformed into strength and eliminated.

"Do you regret it? You killed your teacher."

"...If I were to follow my feelings, which were committed to revenge, I should have naively thought that I would be happy to have liberated my teacher from the curse of the god [immortality]."

After answering in a roundabout way, Alcides continued.

"...Now the mud has won. However, this poison is a symbol of my death. Although it is only a little bit, it is not only the physical body of this spirit base, but also continues to swallow my spirit. This is a fact."

However, he didn't look afraid.

Although it was alleviated by [Black Mud], compared with the usual poison, the unbearable pain still flowed through his body endlessly. Alcides used his revengeful heart to endure it while creating a kind of A different spirit than usual.

However, the date he just told the Master was the time he could still hold on.

"That's enough. Just get the Holy Grail before you can't hold on any longer." Bazdilot said.

Alcides asked in surprise under the cloth:

"I thought you had no interest in the Holy Grail?"

"If my master really dies, I will indeed have no interest in the Holy Grail."

At this point, his eyes narrowed slightly.

This was very rare for him who usually didn't express his emotions very often, and his voice revealed emotions close to hatred and murderous intent.

"There are some magicians in the family who did unnecessary things... They copied my master's personality into the minds of others... and these 'replacements' are all dead. For various reasons."

"oh."

"In other words, this is not a chain of deaths caused by a side effect of magic. There must be someone else involved. And it is conceivable that an organization would have such an action at this time."

Then Bazdilot suppressed the growing [Black Mud] with his own spiritual power, and declared as if he wanted to congratulate his heroic spirit:.

"After getting the Holy Grail, if its power is enough. After destroying this country──I will take back the name you gave up and tell it to the world. Subvert the common sense of the world and destroy the taboo of mysterious things. The name...let the name of [Hercules] (the glory of the goddess) be established in human society, and let the name of [Hera] (the goddess) disappear from the world."

"...That's natural."

On this day, this moment - for the United States, the worst possibility was born. If Bazdilot obtains the Holy Grail - its power will be used to avenge the nation.

In other words, he will inject all the power of the Holy Grail into Alcides and make him a [sacrifice] to fulfill his wish.

Faldius made only one mistake.

These assumptions about Bazdilot Cotilio, a ruthless magician who prioritized the concealment of mysteries as a textbook magician, or magician, are completely wrong. If you are a magician who was a cog in a huge organization, if the command tower of that organization is gone, in order to fulfill your long-cherished wish as a magician, you will choose to join another organization that can get the greatest benefit.

Of course, Faldius also wanted to kill Bazdilot, so he planned to use this momentary opportunity to deal with it.

However, this was where Faldius, a magician, miscalculated.

As he believed, most of the family's magicians used the resources of the Scuradio family to conduct their own research, looking for ways to reach the source, or as mercenaries of magicians to find the most suitable backers.

But other parts, including Bazdilot, are different.

Different from the way magicians think──In addition, there are also a small number of people who act differently from ordinary people.

Among these people, Bazdilot Cotilio has deep roots in the Scuradio family.

However, it is difficult to understand simply because of his temperament. Compared to the [root], family has become a higher purpose. He has become something other than a [magician].

Bazdilot Cotilio, he is not a magician.

Not a magician.

Nor a clergyman.

His soul has been deeply rooted in the Scuradio family community.

Deep and complex.

That was exactly what Faldius, a magician, could never understand, his mind.

However, Faldius still did not understand this fact.

············

This is……

After coming back to her senses, Sajo Ayaka found that her consciousness was in the distant scenery.

Ayaka quickly grasped her situation. This time, just like the previous time, she was looking at his "past" from a swordsman's perspective.

My consciousness is clearly clear, but my body doesn't obey my orders.

She remembered that she had seen Richard running in the wilderness with his fellow knights before, and met a strange man in a car who claimed to be Saint Germain——

The situation this time is very different from then.

In the quaint stone city, it is surrounded by magnificent decorations. However, Ayaka was convinced that this was [a child's perspective] from the fact that the height of her sight was only as high as the table and the size of her hands that could be seen from time to time.

──…….

──That guy’s childhood experience as a swordsman?

The body that cannot move according to its own will seems to be playing an instrument.

Even if the listener is Ayaka, he can tell that it is a beautiful melody. It was completely unexpected that the sound of a child's hands was playing, echoing through the stone walls. Even if he was performing alone, the sound became as rich as if he had heard an orchestra perform, and reached Ayaka's ears.

"Ah, no wonder I seem to be pretty good at musical instruments. I've been learning them since I was a child..."

I heard Ayaka playing impromptu at a live house, and I thought about it - when the performance ended, the adults in sight also started to praise her.

"Oh, you are indeed Lord Richard! Is it possible that in this short period of time?"

"Not only musical instruments, but also arts and martial arts. For example, he defeated the princess's guards with swordsmanship a few days ago."

"Truly worthy of that [Incomparable Woman], the son of Eleanor of Aquitaine."

In front of me, the men dressed in the style of the times spoke in unison with words of praise.

However, Ayaka understood.

Already understood.

Behind those admirations lay fear and jealousy of it.

Moreover, even if you look at the young swordsman's eyes and behavior, you would think that he is not happy.

After a while, the boy returned to his room and met a beautiful woman who greeted him.

"What's wrong, Richard, you look so ugly."

At this time, Richard's voice reached Ayaka's ears for the first time.

"……Mother."

"ah?"

"This beautiful person...could it be said that she is the swordsman's mother?"

A woman who goes well with the word "stately". The luxurious castle did not diminish her presence.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the entire existence of this castle and soldiers was to protect her and set off her.

Ayaka feels that she is probably the queen who appears in the story. Then, the woman who could be said to be the personification of the beautiful ancient city spoke to the swordsman with a smile full of love as a mother on her face.

"Tell me about it, Richard. Although mom won't help you unconditionally, I won't laugh off what you said as a joke either."

Young Richard hesitated for a while before telling his mother clearly.

"…Mother. I'm scared."

"Afraid? What are you afraid of?"

"I...I can do anything and do it well."

"…What?"

"——This is really an incredible thing to say."

“—but, um….”

"——No, no, after all, you still said something extraordinary."

Although Ayakashi complained twice in her heart, of course it could not reach the other party's ears.

"With the swordsmanship I learned, no one in the city is my opponent. I thought I was a prince, so they showed mercy to me, so I slipped out of the castle and attacked the thieves who were proud of their bravery. , but unexpectedly defeated them easily."

"..."

"——What is this kid doing?"

"——Is he an idiot?"

"——But this is indeed the style of a swordsman!"

"The same is true for music. No matter what instrument I learn once, I can quickly become proficient in it. Bowing, painting, wrestling, hunting, fishing, gunning, horseback riding, Persian chess, nine-piece chess, no matter what I do, I will become proficient immediately. Get up. No matter how it started, I got better at it faster than anyone else. Soon no one could beat me."

"Ah la ah la"

"If this continues, I won't even have a single friend. Everyone will look at me with jealousy. I want to have a good relationship with everyone and be liked by people, so what should I do? Should I subordinate him? It’s better to be merciful and pretend that you’re not good at anything?”

"——Wow, if you weren't a kid, I would really want to kick you in the back."

"...But no matter what, a normal swordsman would never say such a thing..."

"——Is this what is called growth... No, but I still feel that he has not changed at all."

Ayaka was thinking about these things in a daze, but remembering the eyes of the adults who were full of jealousy and awe before, she felt a little sympathy for the young Richard.

"——Ah...if you keep looking at me like that, you will definitely become distorted."

But——my mother, who was listening to what Richard said, smiled happily.

"Didn't you say you can't laugh? Mother!"

Richard exclaimed awkwardly, and his mother replied:

"No, what I said was [I won't take it as a joke]. Although I laughed, I didn't laugh off what you said."

While stroking Richard's cheek, the queen said:

"Great, Richard. You are indeed a genius."

"——It was actually affirmed."

Ayaka was a little surprised, Richard's mother smiled and said to her son.

"But that's all. What's the point of being a genius?"

"ha……?"

"You just do the best you can, and you don't achieve anything. [What you can do] and [what you leave behind] are completely different."

As a son, the mother comforted Richard and at the same time carved her own words into his soul.

"Before bragging about your dedication to the problem of thieves in the city, let's lament the misfortune of those who have been abused by thieves, and think about ways to overcome it. To create an environment for the thieves you defeated, for the sake of this country Be ashamed of the situation. I will be ashamed with you."

Then, the mother continued to talk while hugging her son's body.

"You cannot become a hero by genius alone, Richard. On the contrary, even if you have no talent, you can become a hero as long as you follow your own pace (path)."

"A hero?"

"Well, just like that hero like King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, or the Paladins of Charlemagne. The least talented Kai Qing in the Round Table, it is because he has no talent that he becomes the hero who supports the Round Table. You You need to know how they built this land and how they united everyone. If you can really do anything, Richard, you should value the talent of [inheriting the family business] more than anyone else."

Then she started talking.

The story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Lancelot, Gawain, Tristan, Galahad, Percival, Gareth, Agraven and even Mordred, known as the betrayal knight. The mother told their story as if she had witnessed it with her own eyes. Lancelot, Gawain, Tristan, Galahad, Percival, Gareth, Agraven and even Mordred, known as the betrayal knight. The mother told their story as if she had witnessed it with her own eyes. Maybe I went too far halfway through, and mythical stories began to appear that Ayaka had never heard of. The story started to go off the rails. In the end [King Arthur's EX Curry Stick opened up the world with one sword. When he learned that King Vortigern planned to shoot down the moon and destroy London, King Arthur threw Merlin back to the moon. Lancelot ate five billion Picts in one go to protect the lake. ] While telling these fragmented stories, Richard had fallen asleep with a calm face.

Ayaka's vision also began to become blurry, and the mother gazed tenderly at her son's face.

Afterwards, the mother gently stroked her cheek and said.

"Haha, no matter how much I say, Vortigern can't bring down the moon. I was the one teasing you...it's time to wake up."

"Um - Mother...? What happened to Bediwell?"

"Good morning, lovely Richard. I'll tell you that next time."

Then, the mother changed her tone slightly here.

"Before that, Richard, I must show you what hell is like."

"Eh?"

"You went out of the city without authorization in order to defeat the thieves. As a mother, I can't do it without punishing you."

Although the mother is still smiling, the great mother's huge thunder (Richard will be taught a lesson) has fallen -

At the same time, Ayaka's consciousness returned to darkness again.

············

"…Xiang, Ayakashi, are you okay?"

It was not a child's voice, but the usual swordsman's voice that reached Ayaka's ears.

"Um?"

When I woke up, I was in a church.

Looking at the swordsman in front of him, he couldn't help but jump when he remembered what happened in his dream.

"Are you...injured? Are you okay?!"

"Ah, although I haven't fully recovered, I can already move. Anyway, more than half a day has passed. It would be terrible if the golden archer's attack was of a type that could damage even the spirit base, or if it was poisonous. ”

"This is great..."

Ayaka breathed a sigh of relief.

Facing her like this, the swordsman averted his eyes slightly and lowered his head in realization.

"I'm sorry! In order to use healing magic on my companions, I borrowed a lot of magic power from Ayaka. That's probably why Ayaka slept until noon. I'm sorry!"

Although the swordsman looked embarrassed, Ayaka grabbed his arm tightly and said angrily:

"It doesn't matter! I'm not angry with you because of that kind of thing!"

"Eh? Ah, is it because I boasted about Haikou before and still lost? Indeed, that is"

"Idiot! It's not this! It's not because of that kind of thing!" Facing the panicked swordsman, Ayaka spoke out in annoyance rather than anger.

"You...you left me in the church so that when I die, I can be protected directly...because the failed Master in the Holy Grail War will be protected by the overseer..."

"This...this should be good for Ayaka."

"If you have time to worry about me, take good care of yourself... This is not self-flagellation. I will say the same thing whether you are a king or a queen. Swordsman! You have to cherish yourself more! Ah, already, there are many more I want to say something, but I can’t find the right words...and...thank you. Thank you for protecting me again..."

Ayaka already understood.

If the swordsman wanted to dodge the attack that hit the church roof, he would have dodged it long ago.

However, if the church is destroyed, Ayaka hiding inside will probably die.

"...I'm sorry for causing you to worry again. We were supposed to take the heroic spirit away from the church, but if that heroic spirit doesn't attack quickly in an almost sudden attack, I think we will never win... No, Since I lost, it’s just an excuse.”

The swordsman said helplessly, exhaled, and looked up at the ceiling. "The golden hero also saw through me. Maybe I'm not serious enough about this war... Maybe it's because I haven't found the deepest desire to get the Holy Grail."

He once said half-jokingly: "We want to bring back all kinds of songs and heroic stories."

But actually this is a dream that can be realized even without the Holy Grail.

"However, if I really have any wishes that I want to realize... then, I will involve you in [the war]. Although this is not my original intention."

"I have been involved for a long time, and just now, even the church was blown away."

As soon as Ayaka finished speaking, she noticed.

The ceiling that the swordsman looked up to was indeed that of the church.

Why was the church that was supposed to collapse due to the attack of the golden heroic spirit unscathed?

"Okay, so what is this? Is this also a swordsman's magic?"

"It's a shame, if I could. When I destroy a theater, I'm the first to fix it. There are things I can't do."

Facing the self-deprecating swordsman, Ayaka finally calmed down and let out a big sigh - adjusting her glasses, she said those words as if to hide her shyness.

"...Mother, I can do anything. ...Is that what you said?"

As a result, the swordsman became stiff on the spot. Then, while sweating, he asked with a smile on his lips.

"……Did you see that?"

Richard said tremblingly when he learned that this was the story of Ayaka seeing the "past" through the magic channel.

Although she was thinking "I'm talking too much", Ayaka shifted her gaze and confirmed this.

"...Well...she is a very beautiful mother."

After this, the swordsman lay red-faced on the church floor.

"...Do you still think you can do anything now?"

Ayaka accidentally asked the swordsman who had regained his composure. Because it was not a teasing question, but a question with a serious expression, Richard also answered it seriously.

"I am no longer a child. However, I am confident that I can do most things. Probably because there is such a character engraved on [the seat]."

"Oh...actually you seem to be able to do everything. There seems to be nothing you're not good at except observing people's emotions."

"You're going too far, right? There are things I couldn't do before I was alive. Although I can do them now based on the knowledge given by [Zuo]..."

"Is there anything you can't do?"

Richard hesitated a bit when Ayaka asked with interest. After a moment of hesitation, he looked away and answered.

"……English"

"Eh?"

"I...although I can speak French, Italian and Persian...but my English is not good. I am obviously the king of England."

Richard looked embarrassed, but Ayaka's nervousness broke for the first time after being in a daze, and she smiled as if she was surprised.

"It's not good to laugh at other people's things they're not good at, idiot."

"I'm sorry. But, but... I obviously said [I can do anything] so confidently..."

At this time, Ayaka took another deep breath, wiping the tears under her glasses while looking at the swordsman.

"...It's good to be alive, swordsman. Thank you very much."

"Ah, let's have each other."

The swordsman saw Ayaka's smile and shouted loudly as if he was satisfied with this.

"Okay, it's time to make a change! Even the shame of the past has been known to others. I have nothing to lose! I must defeat that golden delivery next time! No matter what you say, Ayaka, I will protect you. Ayaka! Because I am a man who can do anything!"

Ayaka understood.

That was not showing off, but that his spotless heart did not give in.

Although there was such a huge difference in strength and he almost died, his heart (ideal) was not broken (given in). Ayaka looked at Richard with envy, but the atmosphere was immediately broken by the visitor.

"...It's the swordsman and Sajo Ayaka, right?"

The church door was opened and several policemen stood at the door.

On the street between the hospital and the church, the policemen were fighting with another archer.

"Oh, are you all safe too? Wouldn't it be amazing if that scary-looking archer survived as an opponent? How amazing!"

The female police officer who is considered a central figure said to the swordsman who praised him frankly:

"...Can you please join us?"

"police……!"

Ayaka whispered into the tight air.

The swordsman looked up at the ceiling as if he had remembered something and shrugged his shoulders.

"When you said that, I remembered that Ayaka and I were fugitives who escaped from the detention center."

However, the policewoman shook her head quietly and offered the swordsman a deal.

"No, I don't want to ask you about your crimes right now. I want to offer temporary cooperation."

"Fight together. Who is the enemy? The last thing I remember is that the golden archers fell from above... How is he? Or is the owner of the strange shout I heard before I lost consciousness the enemy?"

The female police officer confessed the truth to the swordsman who bit him like a child (for questioning).

"We are probably isolated in a [world] similar to an inherent barrier."

"isolation?"

"You can see people on the streets, but everyone is bound by some kind of existence. There are no people in the police station and government agencies, and you can leave the city. However, if you leave to a certain distance, the roads are again connected to the city. Connection. Although it can be inferred that this is a distortion of space, it cannot be concluded that this is definitely the case."

After that, the female police officer still calmly described the situation they encountered.

Next to her, who calls herself Vera, you can see a policeman hanging a broken prosthetic hand. It was obvious that the church was completely surrounded.

"I'm looking for Masters and Servants who are in the same situation as us. I hope you will join us."

"The world? Quarantine...what is this?"

Richard said to the surprised Ayaka:

"...It's like an inherent barrier. Well, it's a fake world created by magicians and monsters. But from what you said, it seems to be different from ordinary inherent barriers. To follow the Is separation the goal in this [world]?”

After hearing the swordsman's question, Vera lowered her eyes for a moment and said:

"As a magician or heroic spirit at the root of this [world]..."

"I think it's necessary to use our hands to crusade."

············

When Sigma woke up, he found himself in the atrium of a residential house.

"……what happened?"

Sigma, who had just woken up, tilted his head, then quickly confirmed the condition of his equipment and observed the surrounding situation.

The surrounding area was not a hospital. The casino building standing in the center of the city looked far away. He judged that this was a residential area far away from the central city.

Looking towards the ground, the girl known as the assassin was lying on the lawn.

There was something like a pillow under her head and a thin blanket covering her body.

Sigma noticed that his body was covered with the same blanket, but the position of his head was not a pillow, but a small cushion.

──Did someone knock me out?

The assassin appeared to be unharmed, and upon closer inspection Sigma was able to confirm that she was simply asleep.

It is said that heroic spirits that manifest themselves using temporary bodies do not need basic sleep.

If so, it can be considered that her sleep was due to some external factor, and the spirit base was transformed into a sleeping state.

Was it that vampire who did it?

Although Sig thinks so, he is still alive.

"Um"

The assassin girl seemed to have regained consciousness and slowly put on her black coat on the tender green grass.

"Where is...where...?"

"Are you okay?"

"Ah, it's that monster"

"I do not think so"

Can't sense any sign of the vampire

However, this pair of Sigma felt creepy.

"The guy... ended up saying some disturbing things."

Hearing the assassin's words, Sigma recalled what the vampire claiming to be Jesta had said.

"——That beautiful scenery... I look forward to you personally purifying all the filth."

"Maybe there is some kind of trap. Although there is no injury at first glance, there may be some kind of magic spell applied to the body or clothes."

"Why do you want to do such a roundabout thing? Just deal with us when we are unconscious."

"People with bad taste exist wherever they are. My boss is one of such people, and I think that vampire also belongs to this type of person with bad taste."

Sigma calmed down and let the magic flow through his body, carefully checking whether any strange spells had been cast on his body.

Immediately afterwards, Sigma gave an example of bad taste:

"Some magicians will pretend to let a person escape, but in fact they are giving him a hint that he will kill his wife and children as soon as he arrives home. There is no special meaning in doing this, it is just to enjoy this kind of thing "

Forget the purpose of reaching the ultimate limit of magic, and use magic to satisfy your own happiness and business activities.

For those who are quite vicious even among mages, many people do such things.

But in the final analysis, as long as it meets the purpose of "cultivating magic and mystery", magicians can do more cruel and vicious things, so it is impossible to judge at a glance which one is more troublesome between "magician" and "magician" .

When Sigma gave an example, the assassin frowned and raised her hand slightly. She used the magic perception ability of the "meditation nerve" to confirm whether there was abnormal magic power inside Sigma's body.

"...It doesn't look like any strange spell has been cast on it. However, I can't see through a mental wedge of this magnitude without the use of magic power..."

"Ah, I used magic to analyze it myself and found no problem. Are you okay?"

"No problem"

Under the current circumstances, Sigma could only believe the assassin's words. He began to re-confirm the surrounding situation, and then he discovered some sense of violation.

"...?"

From the time he woke up until now, it would be fine if any of the "Shadows", the observers, made sarcastic remarks to him.

However, now even the shadows have not appeared, and it can be clearly felt that the magical bond with the Servant has weakened in the past two days or so.

"This is……"

I tried to call it with words, but there was no response from the shadows

I always feel like there is a reaction, but it's like the Internet lines suddenly become congested, preventing normal information exchange.

"what happened?"

"I can't get in touch with my servant. Although I don't think he is dead..."

"The Lancer...if he hasn't disappeared, use the Command Seal to summon him when you encounter a dangerous situation."

──Command Seal, huh?

——What will happen if it is used?

——Although the shadows have said that the observer is high in the sky.

From the moment he first met the assassin, Sigma lied to the people around him that his heroic spirit was "Richard Chaplin as a spearman."

Sigma, who still didn't fully understand the true identity of the observer, began to think about how to use his command spell.

"...GPS (GPS here should refer to the observer's power) does not work"

Through the movement trajectory of the data terminal it carries, Sigma determines its own coordinates.

"Judging from the location of Crystal Hill, that's right. This is a residential area in Snowfield, a corner of Snowfield City."

Snowfield was once several different cities, which were eventually unified into one municipality. As a souvenir, people still call this place Snowylk. It is said that this is a high-end residential area where many celebrities live.

"Let's go outside for now. It would be troublesome to be held at gunpoint as an intruder."

Because it is not necessarily the owner of the house who prepares pillows and blankets for us.

He knew that even in the United States, this was one of the few states with extremely loose gun control. He was about to walk forward - but before he could confirm whose courtyard this was, the door of the mansion in the middle of the courtyard opened.

"...Oh, are you awake?"

What appeared there was an Asian man with a gentle expression.

Sigma saw his face and became more vigilant in his heart.

Because he had seen this face from the photo materials delivered by Faldius and Francesca in advance.

"Who are you……?"

Although it was rude for someone suspected of trespassing to ask the other party's name, Sigma asked decisively, and in order to fight back no matter what happened, he put his body into a posture defensive posture.

However, the man did not show any displeasure, but announced his name with a gentle smile.

"Ah, first time we meet. I'm Minqiu. I work as the director of the private library next to here."