Chương 30: Vol 2. Chapter 8. Picking Sides.
Placing down the receiver, I glanced at the prone Morgan, lounging on the sofa.
"It would seem your latest draining of the leyline finally broke the camel's back," I said while making my way towards the sofa.
Seeing my approach, Morgan tucked in her knees, giving me just enough room to take a seat.
"It is about time, I'm surprised they didn't try to do anything about it, until now," she mused, before glancing back at the floating crystal ball, displaying a resigned Artoria, and a gleeful Irsiviel and Mother.
Pulling out my phone, I dialed Mother's personal number.
I watched as Mother fumbled around with the bags she was caring to pull out the phone, though the crystal ball.
"Alistair? What is it?" Mother's voice was cheerful as she spoke.
"Are you still being babysit?" I probed, despite fully knowing the answer.
There was an audible pause, before I got an answer. "I am still with Irisviel and Artoria, if that is what you meant," her tone was laced with annoyance, which caused me to grin.
"Good to hear that they are taking good care of you," I teased before continuing. "But I just got a call from the church, where the priest informed me that he will be giving an important announcement in twenty minutes, so I've sent a familiar to the church."
Pausing momentarily, I finished my reason for calling her. "So, I was wondering if you could invite the two over, so that they can get the information as fast as possible," I proposed.
Mother didn't respond, but I could see that she had moved the phone from her ear, and was speaking to Irisviel and Artoria.
Waiting a moment, I saw as a few nods were exchanged, before Mother put the phone back to her ear.
"Sorry about the wait, but they have agreed to come over," she explained.
I gave a low hum, before speaking. "Good, grab a cab, or whatever, and get back to my house, I'll be waiting."
Removing the phone from my ear, I ended the call, before pocketing the device.
Glancing at Morgan, I shot her a sly smile. "From a scale from one to ten, how satisfying was it to watch your little sister be forced into dresses?" I propped with a hint of humor.
Morgan tilted her head in my direction, and gave a satisfied sigh. "Certainly an eight, bordering nine," she said wistfully. "It could have only been better if she had a mental breakdown, or experienced something similar."
How kind… or is this the rumored, tough love an older sibling shows? Aka, their bullshit reason to bully their siblings.
Giving a small stretch, I pursed my lips, before standing back up.
"I'll do some quick cleanup, and take a shower," I explained, before getting up from the couch.
Glancing back at Morgan, I raised a brow. "And just to be on the safe side, you have moved any traces of your workshop or tools into the neighbors house, right?" I probed.
Morgan gave a huff, before snapping her finger.
Suddenly, I got drenched by ice cold water.
The cold water was followed by the melodious laughter of Morgan.
Silently, I moved a hand, and swept my wet hair out of my face. It would seem that showering just became a top priority, as I refuse to do anything while soaking wet.
"I'll take that as a yes," I said dryly.
Quickly, I pulled out my phone, which was now fried.
I tossed it over to Morgan, who deftly caught it.
"Just fix my phone, as I still have a need for it," I explained.
She gave a small nod, and she quietly conjured a few Fae runes.
Seeing her start to work, I waddled out of the room, while dragging a trail of water behind me.
I'll need to fix that… or more probably ask Morgan to do it while I shower.
~~Fate/False Order~~
A trio of women were seated in a taxi, with a disgruntled driver, as he sped through Fuyuki.
From what the white haired foreigner had told him, the tall blonde would give him two hundred thousand Yen if he got them to their location within ten minutes.
So naturally he was driving as if he was being chased by the cops.
As they entered a residential district with traditional looking Japanese houses, Rosalind pointed towards a house in the distance. "There! There!" She said in broken Japanese, which caused the driver to drive in the direction of the house.
As the car pulled up to the runway, Rosalind pulled out two bundles of ten-thousand Yen, and stuffed it into the driver's hand with a smile on her face.
And with that, the three exited the vehicle, while bringing the purchased outfits for Artoria and Rosalind's baggage.
"So is this Alistair's home?" Irisviel asked inquisitively, while giving the traditional home a once over.
Rosalind gave a slight snort, while pointing up at a flagpole. "That's what tipped it off for me," she said with amusement.
The two others craned their necks up to look at the point Rosalind was pointing too.
And the two saw the Union Jack hanging proudly in the air, from atop the flagpole.
"Yes, that does seem like something he'd do," Artoria said with a twinge of amusement, while looking at her countries 'new' flag.
Rosalind gave a happy hum, before moving towards the entrance, with her two babysitters following her in toe.
As she reached the entrance, she clicked the doorbell, and waited for her son to open the door.
After a minute of waiting, she pressed the button again.
"Maybe he is indisposed for the moment," Artoria interjected, only to be interrupted by Rosalind dismissing her comment, by pressing the doorbell once more.
Hearing no response, Rosalind gave a small frown, before a small smile graced her face.
Quickly, she started spamming the doorbell, causing a continuous sound of the bell ringing.
Not even thirty seconds into her little spamming bout, the door swung open, revealing a wet Alistair in a bathrobe.
"The door was unlocked," Alistair spat with annoyance, before looking over his mother's shoulder, meeting the two other women's gaze.
Artoria was as expressionless as usual, while Irisviel had a slight blush while looking at him.
Smiling, Alistair walked aside, allowing them to pass through the doorway.
"Welcome you two, I thank you for taking care of my Mother, and I hope that she didn't cause too many problems," he exclaimed with a smile, pointedly not looking at his mother.
Rosalind's brow twitched, and she swiftly entered the house, while purposefully stomping her heel, and rolling her luggage over her son's foot along the way.
Alistair didn't flinch at his Mother's childishness, and gestured for the two to enter.
The two blankly looked at the Mother son duo, before speaking up. "She was a delight," Irisviel said with a smile, before looking at Artoria, who promptly spoke up.
"Your mother was certainly very… enthusiastic, during our time together," she said in the most neutral tone imaginable.
She had naturally phrased it as kindly as she could, as Rosalind was a terror to her during the torture, the two woman called a window shopping spree.
Smiling at the two, Alistair gave them a nod, and shot Artoria a smug smile, as if saying that he found her struggles earlier today amusing.
"There should be a pot of tea and some snacks ready in the living room, I'll be with you two in a moment," he said, before walking deeper into the house.
Irisviel quickly stepped through the entrance, and unceremoniously dropped all the bags she was holding, followed by Artoria entering the home, and closing the door behind her.
Politely, the two took off their shoes, and put on the readily available guest slippers.
After that, they walked into the house, and started sliding opening a few doors, while in search for the living room
It only took a few attempts, before they were met with a very western looking room, despite the overall Japanese theme of the room.
There, they saw Rosalind pour tea into four teacups. "What tea is it?" Irisviel probed, before walking up to the dinner table, with the snacks and beverages.
Rosalind turned her face to look at Irisviel, while flashing a small smile.
"Jasmine, I believe," she said before placing the teapot down.
Artoria moved to seat herself down in one of the unoccupied seats, grabbed the closest cup, and took a small sip.
She gave a small satisfied sigh, upon tasting the drink, before placing it back down.
"I can see why our people like this drink," Artoria remarked with satisfaction.
Rosalind gave a few slow nods in agreement, while Irisviel raised a brow. "You should try coffee, it's a better drink," Irisviel stated with utmost confidence.
At the homunculus's statement, Rosalind slowly turned her head to look at the blasphemer.
"I beg your pardon?" Rosalind said with mild irritation lacing her tone.
At this, the red eyed woman gave an amused look. "Oh, sorry, I seem to have forgotten the English's worship of warm leaf juice," she said apologetically.
There was now pin drop silence in the room, as Rosalind stared daggers into Irisviel.
"I'm sorry, but someone who drinks dried and burnt, ground up beans has no right to comment on my 'leaf juice', thank you very much," Rosalind bit back, causing the homunculus to frown.
"You make it sound unpalatable, it–" "It is unpalatable without things like milk and sugar," Rosalind cut Irisviel off, who gave a pout at being interrupted.
Artoria was just calmly sipping her tea, while watching the bickering woman, content to watch the two bicker.
Just as it was about to heat up, footsteps were heard from the hallway, causing the three to look in its direction.
Quickly, Alistair entered the room, wearing a red sweater and black trousers, holding a mug saying: Blow me, I'm hot.
Silently, he raised a brow while looking at the room's inhabitants. "I could have sworn I heard some chatter? Did I miss something?"
Before the two bickering adults could answer, Artoria spoke up. "Nothing too important, Alistair," she silently shot the two adults a disapproving look, before fixing her gaze at the young man once more.
"I was hoping you could broadcast the church's emergency message," she asked politely.
Smiling at her request, Alistair gave a nod, before walking over to the table, picking up the 4th —untouched— teacup, poured its contents into his own mug, and placed the cup back down.
"Sure," he said offhandedly, and then snapped his fingers.
A small steam cloud formed in front of the table, allowing everyone seated to have a good view, as it suddenly projected the inside of the church.
Seeing this, Rosalind glanced at Alistair with a raised brow. "Are you scrying?" She asked in an impressed tone.
Shaking his head, he gestured at the projection with his mug. "No, I'm just projecting my temporary familiar's sight, and using the steam to refracture the image," he explained concisely.
Irisviel seemed to perk up at the mention of familiars, and was about to speak, but stopped at the sight of the priest walking up to the podium.
All of them fixed their gaze onto the man, as he positioned himself behind the podium.
"I thank you all for your prompt arrival, at such short notice," he said in a deep voice, while gripping at the ends of the podium.
Before he could continue, Rosalind tugged at her son's sleeves, and whispered something into his ear.
Whatever said caused her son to give her an amused smile, before flicking his finger in the direction of the projection, causing letters to form at the bottom, writing what the priest had just said, but in English.
"I have invited you all here tonight to tell you that the Grail War is in grave peril," he explained in a stern tone.
Both Irisviel and Saber to gained a serious look.
"We have identified Caster as being the person behind the recent draining of Fuyuki's Leylines, causing mass hospitalization of the residents of the city."
"Thus, in accordance with my emergency powers as overseer, I am temporarily altering the rules of the Grail war," he declared sternly.
"All Masters are to cease any ongoing combat, and the one who defeats Caster…" as he spoke, he stared gently pulling up the ends of his left arms sleeve.
"...will receive an additional Command Seal as their reward," he said while displaying his forearm in full, revealing dozens of red lines dotting his skin.
"These are unused Command Seals left by the fallen Masters of the past Grail Wars. They should prove to be of immeasurable value to all of you," he explained calmly, before continuing.
"Once Caster's destruction has been confirmed, the Holy Grail War will recommence," he said while slowly pulling his sleeve back down, before suddenly stopping.
His mouth started to open and close, before shutting itself closed suddenly.
At the priest's odd actions, the four room's occupants glanced at one another with a twinge of worry.
"One more thing," the priest spoke in a strained tone.
"While I am on the topic of rule breaking, I must confess my own breaking of the rules," the priest's tone was dull, but his face on the other hand showed signs of horror at what he was saying.
"The Church has been working in tandem with Tohsaka Tokiomi, along with my son, the Master of Assassin, whom I have been providing the church's protection, despite still being an active master, have grouped together to aid him in claiming the Grail."
There was an audible pause, before he continued, visibly struggling against whatever was making him speak.
"For full transparency, Tokiomi's Servant is Archer, King Gilgamesh of Uruk, and my son's Servant is Hassan of the Hundred Faces," his face was turning red, and his knuckles were turning white while tightly gripping the end of the podium.
Risei started to audibly pant. "I will atone by… k-" he was visibly fighting against himself.
"...k-killing myself," he rasped out.
Hesitantly, he unlatched a hand from the podium, and a black key handle fell into his empty hand.
He moved the handle in front of his mouth, which he opened, and with a terrified face, the handle sprouted a long, thin blade, which skewered itself though the roof of his mouth, and popped out on the other side of his skull.
Irisviel let out a yelp, at the gruesome scene, and covered her mouth, while the other three only hardened their expression at the sight.
The priest's eyes rolled over, before he slumped forwards, draping himself over the podium.
"I think…" Rosalind paused what she was about to say, at the sound of an evil cackle on the other end of the screen.
Soon, a woman wearing a cloak walked up to the podium, and smoothly pulled the black key out of the priest's mouth.
"Welcome, dear viewers," Caster said with clear amusement, while drying off the priest's black key on his robes.
"I am regretful to inform you of the priest's untimely end, but there is good news," Caster amusement was palpable.
Swiftly, she swung the blade, and separated the arm with the Command Seals, before deftly catching it.
"Since the Church is unable to provide the described reward, I, in place of the deceased priest, find the bounty on my head to be moot, due to lacking payment, and will have the war resume in full," she had a twisted smile on her face while speaking, as if this all was some sort of joke.
"And with that, I bi–" Just as she was about to finish, the sound of an explosion and metal striking stone was heard, as swords, spears and weapons of all shapes and sizes tore through the ceiling.
"You overstep, mongrel," came a confident, but icy cold voice from the ceiling.
Slowly, I man in golden armor, and with equally golden hair, gently glided down from the hole in the roof.
Caster had barely dodged the thrown weapons, and the shields she had erected were torn through, like a knife through hot butter.
"Ohoho, so the hiding king deigns to show his face," Caster taunted, while conjuring a few magic circles in preparation.
Archer seemed to pause, before slightly tilting his head, as if studying Caster.
"A mere puppet dares to speak on me hiding my face, while hiding your own?" At his frigid tone, tens of golden portals opened around him.
"A filthy cur like you shouldn't even dare to address me. Kneel, and perhaps I'll make your end swift," he spat, and slowly, weapons started to emerge from the portals, hanging threateningly in the air.
The witch seemed to still, before a wicked smirk crossed her lips, and she knelt to one knee.
"Oh, how generous of you, your mag— Trofa!" The witch cut herself off midway through her speech, and space folded around her.
But just as quickly as she yelled her spell, dozens of blades pierced through the spot where she had stood, and clearly one of them must have struck its mark, causing a small splat of blood to dot the blades piercing the ground.
The golden man clicked his tongue, before turning his head around, looking directly at the familiars, who were rooted in the same spot as before.
"Who gave you permission to look at me?"
Suddenly, a wall of blades emerged from the space surrounding him, before flying into the spot he was looking.
The steam that had been projecting the video, suddenly dispersed at Archer's attack, breaking the visual.
The room was now drenched in silence, before a ringing sound came from Irisviel's pocket.
Swiftly, the homunculus pulled it out. Seeing the name on the screen, she covered it, and gave a nervous smile to the three Pendragons.
"I need to take this, I'll be in the hallway if you need me," she said nervously, before swiftly exiting the room.
Her retreat was followed by silence, as the three occupants stared at one another.
"Mom… could you please make contact with the church, and see if you can validate if what Risei said was true? As it could just be gibberish Caster had him spew… but based on what I just saw from Archer, I'm starting to think that it had some truth to it," Alistair asked his mother gently.
Rosalind gave her son a pensive look, before slowly nodding. "Yes… I think I'll do that," she said to herself quietly, before standing up.
"I'll need to make a few calls, as I'm not sure which section is in charge of supervising the war, but I should be able to get something out from the Burial Agency," she responded quickly, before walking over to a door.
"I'll have my calls in the garden, I'll inform you if I learn of anything, or something happens," she explained, before opening the slide door, and entering the garden.
Now that they were alone, Alistair fixed his gaze on Saber, who looked tense, while gripping her cup of tea.
"Artoria," Alistair gently said, causing the Servant of the Sword to look at him. "What are your thoughts on Archer," he asked, genuinely interested in her opinion of the man.
Saber's brows furrowed, and she cupped her chin.
"He is strong," she said flatly, just before sharpening her eyes. "His ability to conjure forth innumerable blades, which all seemed to be a Noble Phantasm, poses a problem," she ascertained.
Raising a brow, Alistair spoke. "A larger problem than Caster, with all those Command Seals?"
Saber pursed her lips, before nodding. "Even larger than Caster, as I assume she'll use some, if not most, of the Seals to fuel her existence, instead of drawing any more attention by draining the leylines."
At her words, Alistair gave a hesitant nod. "I probably should not be the one saying this, but you should see if you and Irisviel can form an alliance with another Servant, as the threat of Archer is too large," he proposed.
Artoria gave no visible sign of affirmation, but her not speaking against Alistair's suggestion spoke volumes on her thoughts about the subject matter.
As the two sat alone, Irisviel opened the door, and popped her head inside. "I'm sad to say, but we need to leave, now," she said with a twinge of nervousness to her tone.
Artoria merely nodded and stood up, which Alistair mirrored.
"It's a shame, but I would probably do the same in your situation," he said, before flashing them a smile.
"I'll show you two out, it's the least I can do."
—
131 Hours, 46 Minutes And 42 Seconds Until Zero
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A/N
Welcome back, my reader Overlords, please add this to your library and give me some comments, stones and Reviews, as it would be much appreciated.
Oh, and great news! This novel has reached 500K views! Woop woop! I'd post another chapter if I could, but keeping up is already hard enough.
Boom, chapter done, and Gilgamesh has finally entered the fray! Cannon has officially been well and truly fucked with the theft of the Command Seals!
What did you all think of the 'suicide' of the priest? Was it expected, did he have it coming (as most priests do) or did he deserve better?
Now, give me your thoughts on the chapter, and tell me what you'd like to see!
Next chapter is another dream loop thing, so spit out your ideas, while I have the time to implement them!
Btw, I have made a Discord server for the fic, come on and chat with me!
https://discord.gg/Z2meVadH
Now I'm tired, so have a nice day, and send me some stones or some shit, I need motivation, or some shit like that.
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