Starting from Adopting Sakura in the Type-Moon World Chapter 18

Rovey snapped his eyes open, then flipped his palm and snapped his fingers in midair. The immense magical power latent within him stirred with new activity at once.

In the next instant, an abnormal and formidable force tore apart the intricately woven dreamscape directly before his eyes.

White feathers fell from the spiritual domain, and the overwhelming energy they radiated scattered the sea of flowers in a single moment.

Within the dream, the faint whispers like those of a flower spirit vanished without a trace, just like that ignited field of blossoms.

"Someone actually tried to meddle with my spiritual domain?!"

Back in reality, Rovey's eyes flew open, a flicker of alarm flashing in them.

Though the memory just now, like most brief dreams experienced by countless lives in this world, would soon be forgotten by the brain, its details hard to describe.

But forgetting wasn't the same as disappearing.

Since it had come, it must have left its mark.

And the culprit behind it all was no stranger to him.

"...Merlin. What a troublesome guy. Going that far."

Clenching the two cracked Talisman Stones in his hand—ones meant to ward off curses and special mental attacks—Rovey murmured to himself.

He already had an answer for what had just happened.

What he didn't know was why the other party kept pestering him.

Was it just for fun?

Maybe. For someone like that, it could certainly count as a reason. But was it really worth all the effort to drag him into a woven dream?

Rovey felt there was more to it than met the eye.

What exactly did He (Merlin) want?

Starry Sky.

"Huh? What's with this guy? Who puts several layers of mental defenses on themselves even when sleeping?"

"And that's not all—he even set up a forced escape spell, leaving big brother no chance. With all those precautions in his own Magic Workshop, just how afraid is he of being ambushed... Does he really need to be that cautious?"

On the white tower in the paradise, a certain Flower Magus who had just suffered a loss at someone else's hands snapped open his eyes.

Clearly, Merlin was utterly taken aback by the fact that his attempt to enter someone else's dream had ended with him being kicked out.

After all, he hadn't expected anyone to set up a double magical prohibition while sleeping—one layer to protect the spiritual domain, another to guard against curses or special contact.

His dream illusion was a form of mental magic. The moment contact was made, the other party forcibly severed the link and broke free from the spiritual domain.

This left Merlin feeling a bit stumped.

Originally, he had planned to use this dream tea party to explain the current situation, take credit for his help with Queen Scáthach, and then leverage that goodwill to strike a deal—getting Rovey to do some tasks for him.

"And he didn't give me a single chance..."

Recalling his recent experience, Merlin sighed helplessly.

Here he was, the illustrious Flower Magus, a Nightmare, a legendary existence qualified to succeed as Grand Caster—and he'd been kicked out of a dream. How embarrassing. If Morgan and Vivian ever found out, they'd laugh at him for ages.

Still, considering that the other party was this generation's heir to the Law Book's magical lineage and a Foreniger with an off-the-charts soul intensity, it wasn't entirely unacceptable.

If it had been an ordinary Magus, even with prior precautions, they couldn't have blocked his magic.

So... what now?

Give up?

Of course not.

Leaving aside the bet he'd made with the Jewel Magician—where losing meant becoming Magical Girl Merry—the very nature of the other party's existence and its inherent singularity made it impossible for him to let go.

He'd already savored enough of the ordinary, tedious Holy Grail War processes. No matter how he deduced, he could never achieve his goal.

Now, with this variable in play, it gave him a good opportunity—though he wasn't sure if it was for better or worse...

But then again, he'd waited through such a long stretch of time, and this was the most unique instance yet. There was no reason to let go easily.

And... honestly, he was quite intrigued by that Foreniger and the story development that broke the mold.

With that thought, a slow smile curled at the corner of Merlin's mouth. His Clairvoyance, brilliant as a rainbow, once again crossed the distance between worlds, fixed on the young man.

"Now then, interesting young man... I hope you'll bring a different answer this time. I hope you'll help me awaken my lost, naive, and stubborn king, so she can truly rest..."

He murmured softly, his hands never stopping their work.

"Sure, his soul intensity is off the charts, and he's got all kinds of defenses. But don't underestimate me—the one who could become the legendary Grand Caster. Though it's full of obstacles, with enough preparation, I can still find a way in."

"So... rest well for now."

"Sleep, sleep... interesting young man. Before long, our tea party will begin. For now, let big brother prepare properly..."

His frivolous voice echoed quietly from the tower, carried by the warm wind, blowing on and on...

Until it reached the far side of the dream, lingering softly by Rovey's ear.

"Merlin... him again. He really is a persistent ghost."

Listening to the murmurs echoing in his ears, Rovey slowly opened his palm, letting the petals drift through his fingers before vanishing into thin air.

"So it's settled on me, huh..."

Though his impression of that guy Merlin wasn't the best, Rovey was very clear on the abilities he possessed.

Setting aside Merlin's personality and his tendency to be unreliable, his Clairvoyance was genuinely useful. If he could win him over for help, it would certainly grant a significant advantage.

As for why Merlin kept seeking him out, Rovey had already guessed part of it—

It was for the king he served, Saber, wasn't it?

If that was all, then there was no reason they couldn't cooperate.

'But for now, the preparations are just about done. I should go out and take a look.'

After thinking it over seriously, he slowly stood up from the bench and stretched toward the sunlight streaming through the window.

"I wonder where Scáthach and Aozaki Touko have wandered off to? Is it really okay to be running around during a tense time like the Holy Grail War? They said they'd help improve the purification ritual, but they always end up shopping during the war. Looks like I'll have to tighten their allowances a bit..."

Gazing at the flawless white sky outside the window, Rovey stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, on the streets of Fuyuki City.

A white-haired beauty was strolling leisurely under the sun.

"Irisviel, how do you feel?"

A golden-haired beauty in a sharp black suit, arm in arm with a woman of unearthly purity, asked.

"Hmm... it feels wonderful, Saber."

"This is my first time leaving the castle at home. Everything out here is something I've never seen before. I'm really happy."

Irisviel stood on her tiptoes, twirling happily around Artoria, a joyful smile blooming on her face.

It was her first time seeing the outside city, having never left that frozen castle of ice and snow. Everything in the outside world felt so fresh to her. Like a pure, untainted blank slate, she experienced true freedom in this unfamiliar city, and her most genuine smile emerged.

"Irisviel..."

Watching that flawless, beautiful smile, Artoria, following behind, was momentarily lost.

That pure, innocent smile moved her, and she couldn't help but think of her own past self.

Had the original Artoria once been as beautiful and pure as Irisviel?

But Irisviel, inexperienced with the world, clearly didn't realize just how captivating her appearance was to ordinary people.

Her light steps and a smile that could melt the winter snow constantly drew the gazes of passersby, making them stop and stare.

And beside her, her guardian—the Saber-class Servant, Artoria—possessed a beauty no less striking.

On this snow-covered street, two beautiful flowers bloomed fully in the pure white world, revealing joyful smiles.

Meanwhile, Emiya Kiritsugu, Saber's true Master, had already arrived in the city ahead of time.

However, to conceal his movements and facilitate his special operations during the Holy Grail War, Kiritsugu chose not to travel with Artoria. Instead, his wife, Irisviel, stood openly with her as a cover.

With some time left before the Holy Grail War began, he let Saber accompany Irisviel out, while he hid himself to investigate information about other Masters and their Servants.

Though Artoria strongly opposed Kiritsugu's decision to put Irisviel at risk and didn't support her venturing out, even the stern Knight of the Sword softened her heart when faced with the beautiful princess's request, agreeing to accompany her for some fun.

"Don't look so worried, Saber. Kiritsugu gave us permission to move freely anyway... So, Saber, let's go try some food we've never had outside."

Sensing Artoria's tension and seriousness, Irisviel, on her rare outing, took the initiative to suggest eating to cheer her up.

"That shop over there looks..."

Pointing at a Japanese restaurant by the street, Irisviel was about to make a suggestion when a cool female voice suddenly rang out beside them.

"If you're looking for something decent to eat, it's better to skip that awful place. This country's taste in food really isn't great. If I may recommend, go to the end of this street—there's a nice restaurant called Enma Hall."

The cool voice sounded in their ears, making Saber, already on alert, widen her eyes. She spun around sharply, staring warily at the speaker.

The woman standing before her simply smiled slightly.

A well-fitted brown-and-black trench coat showcased her tall, elegant figure. Purple hair, wine-red eyes, tailored pants, a white sweater, and a black shoulder bag—a woman exuding a unique charm appeared behind them. Beside her stood a red-haired woman with a cigarette in her mouth, her expression a mix of confusion and surprise.

When she saw Artoria and Irisviel casually strolling down the street, her eyes betrayed a hint of shock.

For the same reason Saber was on guard...

As they approached, both sides sensed the immense magical energy radiating from each other—far beyond that of ordinary Magi—and an aura that didn't belong to this era.

If this were anywhere else, Aozaki Touko might have thought she was mistaken.

But where was this?

Fuyuki City, the site of the Holy Grail War.

In other words... not only was there the troublesome figure beside her, but other Magi and Servants were also out strolling in broad daylight?

Now that was a surprise...

Still, surprise aside, the moment she saw this strange master-servant pair—especially the golden-haired girl beside him radiating immense magical power—Aozaki Touko immediately went on alert.

Before coming over, she had already quietly removed her glasses, switched personalities, and prepared herself for battle at a moment's notice.

Beside her, Scáthach showed no particular reaction, whether to Artoria's wariness or to Aozaki Touko's growing tension.

"No need to be so guarded."

She directly called out what was on their minds, then gave a calm smile.

"Even if it's the Holy Grail War, it's daytime now. People from the past shouldn't disturb the peace of the present, so we wouldn't just start fighting in the street, would we?"

"And don't look at me with that suspicious gaze. I'm not following you. On the contrary, the ones strolling openly down the street at a time like this are clearly you."

Scáthach said this with a composed expression. Faced with this chance encounter, she had no intention of doing anything—and likewise, no interest in hiding anything.

Chapter 24: Trick and Ambush!

"Saber, we..."

On the streets of Fuyuki City, sensing the shift in atmosphere, Irisviel took a few steps back, hiding herself behind Artoria, her expression growing tense.

As a special homunculus, she had a keen sensitivity to magical energy and was far more familiar with the presence of Servants than the average Magus.

So she naturally understood what had put Saber on guard...

The purple-haired woman standing before them, clad in a stylish trench coat, exuded a magical aura and pressure so terrifying it felt utterly alien to modern Magi—a dread presence from the distant Age of Gods. The moment she laid eyes on her, Irisviel's body couldn't help but shudder.

Though the woman's aura wasn't as aggressive as the Sword Heroic Spirit Saber's, to Irisviel's perception, it was as deep as an abyss. The danger she posed might even surpass that of the Saber beside her.

Irisviel might be inexperienced and somewhat innocent in nature, but she wasn't foolish. On the contrary, she could assess her situation and recognize her place.

Before setting out, Kiritsugu had repeatedly warned her to be careful.

This was no ordinary city in the outside world. From the moment the Holy Grail War began, Fuyuki City had become a battlefield for heroes from myth and legend.