Who's in Favor? Who's Against?! (Part 2)

And so, carrying a strange commission to save the world, the figure of the Jewel Magician appeared before Rovey without warning and answered many of his questions, the most important of which was...

"Abandon the Holy Grail, Outsider. The Holy Grail cannot fulfill your wish. Crossing universes and parallel worlds is different. The magic power and concepts it consumes are far beyond what the Third Magic, the Heaven's Feel, can achieve. Even my Second Magic cannot do it."

Without deception or hesitation, Jewel Magician went straight to the point and told Rovey the truth he had always wanted to verify.

"Oh, is that so... Well, that's really bad luck."

Hearing the answer from the Jewel Magician, Rovey wasn't surprised and didn't say anything more. He just scratched his head and continued to listen attentively. The Jewel Magician had no objections to this. He only needed Rovey to listen and then do what he was told.

"For you, all you did in this Holy Grail War was probably to defeat the King of Heroes, purify the Holy Grail, and wish to return to your world. It's a pity that although Merlin knew your wish all along, he was worried that if you knew the answer in advance, you would lose the will to participate and deprive his king of the opportunity to be freed, so he chose to keep it a secret. Now, everything is over, so this old man, who may seem a bit strange, has appeared here to meet you and tell you this cruel truth."

"Although it may sound shameless, I can tell you very clearly that the Holy Grail has already been chosen by Justeaze and me for a more suitable wisher. Since your wish is too grand and difficult to fulfill, the Holy Grail has lost much of its meaning for you. But as I said when we first met, while you brought changes to this world, you also brought destruction, and you have made a complete mess of the future. Even the guardians of the Counter Force and even the [Grand] Heroic Spirit have appeared because of your influence, but they have not chosen to attack you."

He spoke casually, but the implications of his words were impossible to ignore. In fact, the very casual way he described these major events made it easy to understand just how extraordinary and exaggerated this person truly was.

"Although the world has changed dramatically, and because of your interference, it is very likely that the future will end in being judged and completely abandoned by Human Order, there is still a way to resolve this. Kid, if you don't want to suffer the treatment of the Evils of Humanity Beast, then please listen carefully to what I am about to say."

"... Gurgle."

When the sound reached his ears, Rovey realized that the strange sound was coming from his own throat.

Although he and Scáthach had just fought a serious Gilgamesh to a standstill, even managing to overpower him, Rovey naturally didn't naively believe he truly stood at the pinnacle of this world's hierarchy, not even with Scáthach by his side. Rovey knew this world was incredibly complex; the pinnacle wasn't the King of Heroes, the Sun King, or any special being, but rather the truly powerful figures independent of it all: the Buddha, the Holy Spirit, the Jewel Magician, the Orts, and those... Beasts.

When he actually faced these real big shots, everything he had managed to acquire seemed so powerless.

Do you really think a mere modern Western Magecraft system, along with a Philosopher's Stone and a wand imbued with the magic power accumulated over forty years by the Fuyuki City Holy Grail, can challenge the true ceiling?

Don't be ridiculous. If these supreme beings really wanted to crush him, an outsider, he would have no chance of resisting.

It is precisely because of this profound understanding that Rovey has always kept a low profile, only taking action when he was absolutely certain of defeating Gilgamesh. Now that he has obtained everything and is ready to claim his prize, he is ready to try to accomplish what he wants.

This kind of big shot suddenly jumps out and tells you that your efforts are in vain, that you can't do anything, that the Holy Grail has already chosen a more suitable person to make a wish, and that you can step down.

Such an experience is nothing like running a marathon and about to reach the finish line to win, only to find out upon arrival that the victory has already been predetermined by the organizers. What can he do but accept it, except for forgiving?

Because the Jewel Magician truly meant him no harm, otherwise he would probably be half-dead by now.

What the other person said must be true, because he had no reason to lie to a poor, weak, and helpless Magus like himself, so...

This Holy Grail must be given up.

Otherwise, today it's the Jewel Magician, tomorrow it'll be Red Archer, Black Archer, and Heroic Spirit Emiya Kiritsugu, all lurking around him, trying to eliminate him. In fact, if the Counter Force or this world really sees him as some kind of huge threat and sends out Grand Servant, then there will be no way out for him.

Therefore, Rovey decisively chose to give up the opportunity.

Since the Jewel Magician has stepped in, it means he has a way to stop the anomalies in this world, just by using the Holy Grail. Anyway, Rovey originally planned to replenish his magic power and repair the damage after trying that wish. Now, this choice is just to let someone else repair it for him, which is not so unacceptable to him, and he has no choice but to accept it.

"Well, go and purify the All the World's Evil according to your previous plan. With your soul and the preparations you made in advance, that little bit of malice is unlikely to cause any waves. Afterwards, you can either promise to restore the world or give the Holy Grail to Kirei Kotomine to use. In short, let's leave it at that for now. Your strength is too weak; at best, you can only make a name for yourself on the modern stage. Saying too much is useless for you at the moment."

The Jewel Magician did not smile; instead, he appeared deep in thought.

"I understand your grievances. After all, I can understand why you have to give up the prize after playing so hard throughout the entire match. It's just that you made such a big fuss this time, and I came in a bit of a rush, so I didn't prepare anything. Otherwise, we wouldn't be just talking without doing anything now."

"Here's what we'll do. You follow my instructions to finish dealing with the Holy Grail and the rest of the matter. Then I'll give you some compensation. In short, you definitely won't feel like you've been taken advantage of."

"Okay... then let's do it your way."

Having gradually adapted to the ominous aura and pressure emanating from the Jewel Magician, Rovey's state also improved, and he no longer needed to rely on wild thoughts to stabilize himself. His thoughts returned to normal. He looked at the hand that had unconsciously gripped Scáthach's hand tightly due to nervousness, then glanced at Scáthach beside him with a half-smile, his expression somewhat embarrassed, before quickly releasing his grip. As his thoughts returned to normal, he suddenly realized the crucial part of the Jewel Magician's words.

When he realized that the Grand Rank that the Jewel Magician had mentioned had appeared, the hairs on his body stood on end instantly.

"Which Grand Rank has appeared so far?"

"[Grand Assassin] Hassan Sabah, the Old Man of the Mountain".

A playful smile appeared on Jewel Magician's face.

Thump thump thump—!

For a moment, whether it was a hallucination or not, Rovey seemed to hear the death Evening Bell in his ears, and his heart suddenly tightened.

"Well, don't worry. Because of your good deeds, the old man hasn't declared you dead yet. However, I still advise you to hurry up and clean up this mess. Otherwise, when you see the Blue Flame Skull, no one will be able to save you."

Jewel Magician turned around, then raised his palm and directly opened a rift in the air leading to a parallel world. He seemed to have no intention of continuing.

"This conversation should end now, and you should hurry up and get to work. Oh, right, kid, after you purify the All the World's Evil, you don't need to return the magic power. You can keep that interesting Mystic Code that combines modern Western Magecraft for yourself. I will draw on the enormous magic power required by the Holy Grail from the Great Source of other worlds to help you make up the difference."

After a slight pause, the Jewel Magician added in a low voice.

"Remember this simple truth: mystery attracts mystery, and anomaly begets anomaly. As an outsider, your mystery is naturally immeasurable, so hurry up and become stronger, because the next one to come looking for you might not be someone as easy to talk to as me, who will treat you with kindness."

"Outsider...as long as you remain in this world, your story is destined to be extraordinary, and I look forward to your future performance."

At this moment, inside the gymnasium in Fuyuki City.

The broad, kind hands were now holding a pure golden cup that had already dispelled the All the World's Evil.

"I'm back, and then..."

"It's nice to see you again, Saber."

Rovey stepped out of the shadows, having completed the purification work. He looked at everyone present with mixed feelings.

"Um."

Artoria's voice was somewhat low.

Her long, flowing blonde hair was soaked by the rain and looked somewhat disheveled. She stood there motionless, raindrops dripping from her body, running down her armor, battle skirt, and sword blade onto the ground, mingling with the blood left from the previous battle.

Kirei Kotomine and Emiya Kiritsugu were surprised to see Rovey return unharmed, as they noticed that the Black Mud in the Holy Grail had disappeared.

At this moment, what remains in Rovey's hands is a true, complete, and pure Holy Grail.

This really is...

"Absolutely gorgeous..."

Seeing the Gilgamesh cup in Rovey's hands, everyone present was unconsciously drawn to it.

"Let me see, Master."

Unlike Kirei Kotomine and Emiya Kiritsugu, who were watching with bated breath, Scáthach happily approached Rovey and began to play with the complete Holy Grail in her hands.

"Hmm, so this is the Holy Grail... Hmm, it certainly has a huge amount of magical energy. It seems that the Jewel Magician has already poured the promised magical energy into it?"

"Yes, this area now contains all the magical energy that Fuyuki City has accumulated over the years. To a large extent, it can be considered an all-powerful wish-granting machine. If you have a wish, Scathach, this thing should be able to grant it to some extent."

"Of course, if this magic is not enough to fulfill your wish and heal the wounds of this world, I can add this as well."

Rovey nodded slightly, not worried that Scáthach would use the Holy Grail in her hand. In fact, he was already prepared to throw the Philosopher's Mace back into the Holy Grail.

"Huh? My wish... never mind, I have no intention of using the Holy Grail."

Upon hearing that Rovey wanted to throw his hard-won Supreme Mystic Code into the box to help him fulfill his wish, Scáthach shook her head and raised her hand to stop him.

"No, my wish can only be considered a success if I achieve it myself. Using something like this to take a shortcut is not what I need."

"I see... So, we're still going to continue with that, right?"

Seeing Scáthach's choice, Rovey sighed helplessly. He now understood Scáthach's thoughts and agreed with them. So...

"And you, Saber? What is your wish? It shouldn't be to return to the old Britannia, right?" Rovey looked at Artoria and asked, "The magic power given by the Jewel Magician is very abundant. If it's just a small wish, it can still be fulfilled now."

"No, my wish was fulfilled not long ago, and I will no longer be trapped in the self-blame of the past."

Saber shook her head, then gave a somewhat hesitant answer.

Even when faced with the Holy Grail, she was still somewhat confused, and her eyes were still filled with longing, though she suppressed it.

She did not give up her wish, but only gave up the opportunity to make a wish this time. She was willing to try, as Rovey said, to travel all over the country and experience different scenery that she had never seen before, and make a decision again at the end of this journey.

And when she accepted the magic of the old man named Jewel Magician and appeared here, she was already prepared to destroy the Holy Grail herself if there was really no other way at the last moment.

"I see... Then I wish you good luck on your journey ahead. If everything goes well, Saber, perhaps we can meet again in a café in Britain in the near future."

Seeing that Artoria had truly let go of that heavy wish, a smile appeared on Rovey's face. He was also happy for Artoria.

"Yes, I will. When the time comes... I will also tell you what I have seen and heard over this long period of time."

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it too."

Ignoring the bewildered looks on Kirei Kotomine and Emiya Kiritsugu, who were completely clueless about the situation, Rovey once again offered Artoria his sincere blessing.

"Oh, right, Rovey, there's one more thing."

Just as Rovey had finished asking everyone and was preparing to do the most important thing, Saber suddenly turned around and called his name again.

"Um?"

Rovey turned around, looking puzzled.

Suddenly, his eyes fell upon Saber's beautiful face, her hair wet with rain, and her metal fist clad in armor.

As the old saying goes, what goes around comes around.

Now, Rovey has personally experienced this profound truth.

Bang!!

Because it was a sneak attack, and Artoria had no intention of killing, her iron fist struck Rovey's face accurately in the blink of an eye. The powerful force caused his nose to bleed and his Venus. He even vaguely heard the sound of his nose breaking.

However, these are still within Avalon's effective range.

"Um?"

Seeing Rovey suddenly attacked, Scáthach raised an eyebrow and, without any hesitation, swung her magic spear and placed it against Artoria's fair neck. Just one more step and the magic spear would pierce through her.

However, Scáthach's next move was interrupted by Rovey, who was covering his bleeding nose and raising his hand.

"It's alright, it's just her little temper," Rovey said, then used the power of the healing angel to stop his bleeding before looking at Saber again. "But you really do hold grudges."

"Hmph, even I would be angry after being beaten up by you using such despicable means."

Artoria turned around and gave him a bright smile. It seemed that the punch had made her feel much better, and she was also very considerate of Rovey, only throwing one punch before stopping. She had only gotten some revenge for the fight and had no intention of retaliating.

"Ha!" Rovey pinched his nose and chuckled. Artoria smiled back at him, and at that moment they successfully buried the hatchet and became true friends who could confide in each other.

Compared to that awful guy, Emiya Kiritsugu, perhaps these two are a better match.

At this moment, Artoria understood why the King of Heroes, the King of Conquerors, and Scáthach favored this young man. As Master, as a partner, as a close friend, and as a mentor, he was impeccable. Faced with such a person, no hero could possibly dislike him.

"However, Rovey, as your friend, I still have to give you a piece of advice: don't always hang out with that guy Merlin. He'll definitely lead you astray."

Artoria sighed, "I don't want you to become an annoying person like Merlin when we meet again."

"Don't worry, I am human, and I always will be human. That Nightmare can't compare to me in any way." Rovey smiled.

Splash! Splash!

"Here you go, Saber."

"Avalon ..."

The rain intensified, and in these final moments before Artoria vanished, Rovey retrieved Avalon from his own body, intending to return it to its rightful owner. This was a request Merlin had given him: to return Avalon to its rightful owner after he had finished using it. Rovey had initially thought Merlin would personally retrieve it, but returning it to Artoria was, in a way, returning it to its rightful owner.

However, Artoria refused to let Rovey return the item.

"No, consider this scabbard a token of my affection for you. Having already lost it once, I am not worthy to hold it tightly again. Return it to me when we meet next time."

"I see..."

Rovey nodded and did not refuse her suggestion. "Then I will keep it for you for now."

"Well, Mr. Rovey, if you ever participate in other Holy Grail War in the future, please summon me using Avalon. At that time, I will become your sword, and you will become my shield, and we will move forward together."

At the last moment, Artoria suddenly spoke up, completely disregarding the true Master Emiya Kiritsugu, who felt betrayed, and Scáthach, who felt she had been outdone twice by other Servant.

Emiya Kiritsugu: 'This feeling of being abandoned is actually quite subtle, but...'

Thinking about the terrible things he had done to Artoria, he realized that there was a reason why she had abandoned him.

Scáthach: 'What's going on? The King of Heroes is one thing, but now the King of Knights is trying to steal someone else's Master? Don't you guys have your own Master?! Why are you always eyeing other people's Master?!'

Scáthach, who witnessed her Master being given gifts by other Servant twice in one night, was clearly not in a good mood.

The crucial point is that he could only watch helplessly, unable to stop anything. After all, it was a token given to Rovey by the heroes, a recognition of him, and his own glory. No matter how unhappy he was, he couldn't take away the glory created by his Master. So he could only watch helplessly, feeling rather conflicted.

"Rovey Crowley, I believe that if it were you, you would definitely be my best partner. By the way, the food you prepared at the Banquet of Kings was delicious, but unfortunately I didn't get to enjoy it properly because of Iskandar and Gilgamesh. If we meet again, I hope you can cook it for me again."

"Ah... fast food? Are there any other cooking methods for this?" Rovey raised an eyebrow.

He couldn't fathom what kind of technology was involved in his fire -Magecraft heated fast food.

"I don't know." Artoria answered honestly, "Perhaps I just want to feel at peace again. But if you use the scabbard, I believe you can bring me back to life. However, I might still be confused then, or I might still have the same wish as this time, or perhaps everything will have changed drastically. Anyway, please bear with me then."