Soul, Existence, and Oath

Heroic Spirits, these heroes from legends, are remembered by the world.

When the world has a need, they descend as entities with immense power, disappearing after completing their mission, returning to the boundary record of the world's outer layer with a record of their deeds.

It is based on this mysterious phenomenon that the summoning of Heroic Spirits became possible, and the Holy Grail War came into being.

In the Holy Grail War, the information of seven Heroic Spirits is gathered. When they return to the world's outer layer, the Greater Grail in Fuyuki City, with its unimaginably vast magical power, stabilizes the channel, allowing Magus to travel to the ultimate mysterious land—the Root.

This was the original purpose of the Holy Grail War.

Shiki discovered this information by chance in the Matou family's library.

Guided by some related clues, certain memories were quietly awakened in his mind, and he recalled some secret records about this Holy Grail War.

"Heroic Spirits, huh... So, Mr. Lancelot, do you remember anything from your childhood?"

Shiki looked at the Servant not far away.

The Heroic Spirit, previously shrouded in dark smoke, had now revealed its true form.

Beneath the knight's armor was a handsome European man with long hair. His dashing appearance made Shiki feel inferior.

Especially his melancholic eyes, which, while slightly detracting from his handsomeness, added a unique charm, likely making him popular with women.

This knight was Shiki's Servant, a Berserker. He was the one who, in ancient legends, held the undisputed first seat among the Knights of the Round Table—Lancelot.

Upon hearing Shiki's question, Lancelot remained silent for a moment before replying in a remarkably mature and magnetic voice, "Master, I cannot recall my youth. It's as if from a certain point, I suddenly matured and became a Knight of the Round Table."

Such an answer did not surprise Shiki.

Previously, when he used his Magic Eye, observing with the power of the Hell Path, he had sensed the Heroic Spirit's soul to be very "fresh." At that time, he already suspected that the essence of Heroic Spirits might not be the souls of living people.

"Then, Mr. Lancelot, are you not suspicious of this?" Shiki pressed.

This question caused the knight to fall silent again. Finally, he sighed and said, "Master, you wish to ask if I am truly the legendary Knight Lancelot, don't you?"

Shiki's heart stirred as he sensed that these heroes seemed to share a common understanding of their own existence.

"Then, Mr. Lancelot, are you willing to answer this question?"

Lancelot looked deeply at his second Master, this human who had performed an astonishing feat, miraculously able to perfectly endure the side effects of the Berserker skill for him. He chose to respond directly.

"Master, we Heroic Spirits are copies of heroic legends, shadows of the deceased. This is the true form of Heroic Spirits. We have never truly lived, nor have we truly died. This is the state of our existence as Heroic Spirits."

"...As I suspected..." Shiki murmured.

Recalling the intelligence he had previously acquired and combining it with Lancelot's answer, he confirmed some things. This conflicted with his previous thoughts, and some plans had to be reordered.

The souls of Heroic Spirits were temporarily granted. Even if they returned to the world's outer layer, they would not have a significant impact on the world. Therefore, the success rate of reaching the Root by relying on the Greater Grail's vast magical power to stabilize the channel became very slim.

With such a low success rate, could his wish still be realized?

However, upon thinking of the mysterious existence within the Greater Grail, Shiki became invigorated.

Even if he couldn't achieve his goal in the end, he wouldn't gain nothing. He had to try step by step.

To achieve his own goals, understanding each other was crucial, so the conversation continued.

Seeing his Master fall silent, Lancelot pondered for a moment and then asked, "Master, hearing my answer, what are your thoughts? How do you view us? I truly wish to know your answer."

Shiki quickly finished reading an ancient book in his hand, gently placed it back, and then walked up to the knight.

He looked up at Lancelot, who was nearly a head taller than him, and smiled slightly, "Mr. Lancelot, regardless of the nature of existence, soul and consciousness are the most crucial. Whether you are the legendary hero or not, the one standing before me now is a knight with a noble and pure soul and consciousness, a living Heroic Spirit."

"Then, Master, do you also acknowledge our way of existence, and our dreams and wishes? Even though these dreams and wishes were inherited from others."

Shiki walked past the knight, picked up a new book, and said with a smile, "Mr. Lancelot, in a way, life is not much different from your existence. One day, people will be forgotten, forgotten by the world. The traces of their existence will also vanish with time, just as your 'fake' life will disappear after this Holy Grail War ends. The only difference is the time span."

These words caused the knight to fall silent. Is this Master's perspective?

"However, Mr. Lancelot!"

The knight looked up. Shiki was sitting in a chair, looking at him earnestly.

"Mr. Lancelot, does the meaning of things have to be argued about who is right or wrong?"

"I don't know." Was it appropriate to discuss meaning with a shadow of a hero like him?

"Yes, I really don't know."

Shiki put down the book he was reading, which was about controlling bugs through magic. He wasn't interested in such content.

At this moment, the exchange with his Servant was almost complete. It was time to take the crucial next step.

Shiki walked up to Lancelot, smiling, "The meaning of existence, perhaps Mr. Lancelot currently has only one wish he wants to fulfill. Isn't that the meaning of your existence right now? Why should borrowed ideals and wishes have no meaning? Who decided that? And who can refute it?"

"..."

"A fake life, perhaps many people don't approve, thinking that fake is inferior to real. But I want to tell you, Mr. Lancelot, that life doesn't need others' approval. Only you can affirm or deny your own life. Others' opinions aren't that important, don't you think so, Mr. Lancelot?"

"Affirming myself and denying myself..."

Can a fake life also earn respect?

Recalling his feelings since regaining consciousness, both in words and emotions, Lancelot had truly experienced respect through the contract connection with Shiki. This was completely different from his previous Master, Matou Kariya.

Matou Kariya only respected his immense power. Whether verbally or in his heart, he treated him merely as a tool to achieve his dreams.

The young man before him, in some ways, overlapped with the King who also respected their wishes and established the Knights of the Round Table.

Lancelot's mood was indeed a little different. He smiled, extended his hand, and said, "Master, I am fortunate to have a collaborator like you. I believe that regardless of our past or future, at least for this moment, I, Lancelot du Lac, the foremost knight of the Round Table, offer you my sincere respect."

As he spoke, a gleaming Noble Phantasm appeared in his hand. The knight knelt on one knee, raising his sword and planting it upright before him. Ancient knightly etiquette was recreated in this library.

"I swear here, I, Lancelot, shall become the sharpest blade in my Master's hand, cutting down any enemy that stands in our way."

This oath surprised Shiki somewhat, but he quickly adjusted. He had experienced such rituals before.

Although the forms and appearances differed, the underlying meaning and determination were identical.

He placed a hand on the knight's shoulder, also solemnly making a promise: "I swear here, I, Hōraisan Shiki, shall do my utmost to live up to your trust, and use this power granted to me with caution and wisdom."

With the pronouncement of this oath, a new contract was established between the two.

This was a powerful alliance between Master and Servant, built on mutual understanding and respect.

"Then, let us advance hand in hand, fighting on this battlefield and letting all our enemies witness our strength and resolve!"

But before that, Shiki suddenly remembered something and asked his Servant curiously, "By the way, in legends, was King Arthur a man or a woman?"

"..."

Lancelot looked at Shiki with a hint of helplessness. His Master seemed a bit too curious.