Starting from Adopting Sakura in the Type-Moon World

As a warrior, Scáthach was immensely proud, never one to cater to anyone—she was born to the ruling class. She possessed a kingly aura, understanding that she must reign over all as a queen who brings happiness to her people.

And from every angle, Scáthach was undeniably a powerful and fitting hero. As the Shadow Queen of the magical realm in Celtic mythology, she far surpassed the originally planned Caster, Cú Chulainn, in strength.

Though the class she manifested in this summoning was not her most suitable Lancer but Caster, for the Queen of the Land of Shadows, who had mastered all the Primordial Runes, this posed no real issue.

By simply using Runes to make slight adjustments to her Saint Graph and this fabricated body, she could simultaneously possess both the Caster and Lancer classes. Even if the later modifications might not match the full power of her original Lancer form in its prime, it was more than enough for her needs.

Moreover, she had also offered her help and advice on the challenges Rovey had tackled.

The reason she chose to set up the Magic Workshop underground near the gymnasium was that it was closest to the Greater Grail's descent point. By influencing the Leyline there, she could directly manipulate the Greater Grail using the circulating magical energy, gaining a significant advantage.

But if Rovey only wanted to win the Holy Grail War, he wouldn't have summoned Caster.

What he sought was the true Holy Grail—one that hadn't been corrupted. And since he knew that the Einzbern Family, that troublemaking clan, had summoned the Avenger, Angra Mainyu, in the Third Holy Grail War, he had his own plans.

Summon a Magus from the Age of Gods, conduct a purification ritual with them, and claim the true Holy Grail after winning the war.

Though Scáthach's appearance had caught Rovey off guard, and her personality wasn't exactly suited for a Caster who fights from a fortified position, none of that mattered.

Without a doubt, Scáthach was a woman of immense talent and sharp insight. From the very beginning, she had been the one to understand that she was different from ordinary people. She also possessed a precise eye for seeing through others' qualities and temperaments—especially in distinguishing whether someone was mundane. She could see through a person's talent and potential.

Even the famed Hound of Ulster, Cú Chulainn, had been recognized by her in this way, and she had placed great hopes in him. For her intriguing Master standing before her, she held a similar mindset of nurturing him. So she didn't personally oversee the ritual herself. Instead, she simply handed him a few Primordial Runes related to purification, magic, and curses, pointed out a few issues, and let Rovey handle it himself.

And the result?

Wasn't this pretty good?

"You've done quite well. Did you really grasp those runes I gave you this quickly? Your learning speed is honestly a bit surprising to me..."

Scanning the workshop and the ritual array Rovey had completed in this time, even Scáthach couldn't help but let out a remark.

"Seriously, your magical talent is almost absurdly excessive. Even among my disciples, this speed would rank among the top. And the secrets you carry make me curious too. If you're the one, you might actually be able to accomplish what I'm hoping for when everything is nearly over."

"That thing you're hoping for... You really trust me, huh."

Hearing Scáthach bring up that vaguely headache-inducing matter, Rovey didn't respond directly, just gave a helpless smile.

"It's not about trusting you—it's about trusting my own judgment. After all, that's why I came here, and that's why I ended up with you, isn't it?"

"Yeah... Then I'll thank the Queen of the Land of Shadows for her favor. Anyway, I'll do my best."

Rovey shook his head, not planning to dwell on that issue for now.

"Good." Scáthach nodded slightly.

"By the way, you actually went to investigate with Touko... I thought you two would never do something like that?"

Just a moment ago, Aozaki Touko, who had returned not long before, had called to tell him that they'd spotted the Einzbern Family's Servant and Master on the street.

From her description, he learned that the Servant was a golden-haired, emerald-eyed, petite heroic spirit—likely Saber—while the other, with white hair, was a homunculus from the Einzbern Family.

From Aozaki Touko's account, Rovey immediately understood that they'd run into Irisviel and Artoria while out shopping.

This piece of information was highly significant to Rovey, as it confirmed that the Saber group hadn't changed—it was still the configuration of King Arthur, Artoria, and Emiya Kiritsugu.

That was enough.

"Yeah, we weren't planning to, honestly."

In response to Rovey's question, Scáthach nodded without hesitation and said:

"We just happened to run into them on the street. But even I didn't expect that besides us two, there were other Masters and Servants bold enough to show themselves openly at this stage. Should I call that audacity born of skill?"

'And you two think you should be out in the open...'

Rovey gave a wry smile, feeling quite helpless with this somewhat self-centered queen.

"Right, Aozaki Touko should have told you everything, Master? The other side is a homunculus and a sword-wielding heroic spirit—they must be the Einzbern Family's participants you mentioned."

Scáthach shrugged and continued.

"But even though those two were very close, the homunculus was wearing gloves that covered her Command Seal, so I couldn't confirm she was the Master."

"I see... Got it."

Hearing this, Rovey nodded, inwardly acknowledging Scáthach's observation. He already knew that Irisviel was just a decoy thrown out by Emiya Kiritsugu.

"By the way, Scáthach, where's Touko? Why didn't she come back with you?"

After chatting with Scáthach for a while, Rovey only then noticed that Aozaki Touko hadn't returned with her. That caught him off guard.

After all, given her shameless personality, shouldn't she be sticking close to Scáthach like a lackey, buttering her up to get more Runes? Why had she suddenly vanished? Had she changed her ways?

"Oh, that interesting little girl."

Seeing Rovey bring up Aozaki Touko, Scáthach casually replied, "I just gave her a Primordial Rune. She's busy finding a quiet place to study it now, so she didn't come back with me. She said she was going to rest at some place called the Hyatt Hotel. Shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"The Hyatt Hotel... Hah, she sure knows how to pick a spot."

Hearing that name, Rovey's expression shifted almost imperceptibly, and he silently offered a prayer for her.

'Hope she's okay...'

"By the way, Master, have you thought about the battle plan I proposed earlier?"

"From my brief contact with that golden Saber today, I'm quite confident that if I deliberately release my presence to lure other groups' Servants into challenging me... they'll take the bait."

Scáthach recalled the Artoria she had met earlier that day and spoke with certainty.

"Besides, since you weren't by my side today, they've likely already assumed Aozaki Touko is my Master... so when the time comes, I can have her appear alongside me."

"Having Senior Touko stand in for me on the surface, huh... Yeah, it's highly feasible, not a bad idea at all. Only..."

He glanced at the eager Scáthach before him and couldn't help but grumble inwardly, 'Isn't this supposed to be Lancer's role? You're Caster now...'

But he also knew that even if he tried to object, the Queen of the Land of Shadows was unlikely to agree anyway.

So Rovey nodded decisively, directly approving Scáthach's proposal.

As for Touko's wishes on the matter... those didn't matter.

Given her personality, as long as he tossed out a few Primordial Runes, she'd gladly accept.

After all, a puppet that could be swapped out anytime with enough materials was far less valuable than the Primordial Rune legacy from the Age of Gods.

"Since that's settled, then it's decided, Master. When the time comes, I'll join Aozaki Touko in battle to test that Saber from today. Though I didn't interact with her long, I could sense her pure and clear combat aura. She's the perfect opponent for an opening match."

Seeing Rovey agree, a smile crept onto Scáthach's face, and she offered some praise for the Artoria she'd encountered.

"Alright, then let's lock that in for now. Before that, I need to go investigate... whether my unlucky teacher has actually arrived here as expected."

Chapter 26: I Have Been Betrayed Twice (2/4)

Lord of the Mineralogy Department, Head of the Spiritual Evocation Department...

Leader of the El-Melloi Faction, one of the youngest Color-Rank Magi in the world, a super-genius with the potential to reach the Grand rank in the future...

These are my titles and positions, my renown. Each one stronger, each one higher than the last.

My name is—Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald.

It's a name nearly known to all in the world of mystery. As the ninth-generation head of the prestigious Archibald mage family, he is not only of illustrious birth but also blessed with rare talent and intellect. Without a doubt, he is a prodigy on the path of magecraft.

With such abundant resources and a resounding reputation, his future is boundless. He is far beyond the likes of mediocre mages like Tokiomi Tohsaka. Even facing the legendary Grand Puppet Master Aozaki Touko, Kayneth is confident he can hold his own.

Hold his own... Hmph, perhaps with his talent, he'll soon surpass that Grand Puppet Master by a wide margin!!

But even a genius like him has troubles he can't resolve. Especially over the past week or so, Kayneth's mood has been exceptionally foul. So much so that things have deteriorated to the point where this mage prodigy has to pop a few fast-acting heart pills just to steady his nerves.

The reason lies in the events that have unfolded around him recently—events that have stirred more complex emotions in him than everything he'd experienced in his previous twenty-plus years, and are equally hard to judge.

A few months ago, his prized disciple, who suddenly left the Clock Tower without forgetting to ask for a long leave—the sixth-generation head of the Crowley Family, the Clock Tower Alchemy mage he valued and planned to recruit, Rovey Crowley—had not returned since leaving. He even missed the Pride rank ascension ceremony that Kayneth had meticulously arranged for him.

This had Kayneth, who had spent half a year promoting the event in advance, planning to introduce Rovey to his teacher, the Lord of the Spiritual Evocation Department, Yulifis, upon his promotion to Pride, and thereby absorb the Crowley Family into his El-Melloi Faction—all to help his proud disciple enter the Aristocratic Faction—in an utterly foul mood. All his efforts felt like those of a fool.

Because of this incident, he lost face before the Clock Tower's factions. Worried about his wayward disciple's prolonged absence, Kayneth spared no expense to scour the world for traces of Rovey.

It wasn't until recently that a mage from the Intelligence Department reported: "Your disciple has appeared in the Far East and has made contact with a local mage family. He is highly likely still staying in that city."

Relieved to learn Rovey was safe, Kayneth breathed a sigh of relief. For now, everything else was secondary—as long as that little brat who hadn't contacted him in months was alive.

But when he heard the name of the city where Rovey had been spotted months ago—Fuyuki City—Kayneth couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Fuyuki City...

This city, even by the standards of the Far East, wasn't particularly famous—just a nameless little countryside spot on the map.

But that name was all too familiar to him, because the address of the mage ritual he planned to enter was this very city—Fuyuki City.

The Holy Grail War... Fuyuki City... and now his wayward disciple...

From these scattered clues, Kayneth gradually pieced together many things.

So, that brat had gone behind his back to participate in some countryside mage ritual?!

As a teacher, Kayneth was naturally furious that his student had concealed things from him, left without a word, and even missed the ascension ceremony he'd arranged just to join a rural mage ritual.

This reignited Kayneth's interest in the Holy Grail War, which he had originally planned to skip out of concern for Rovey's safety.

The Holy Grail War held no appeal for him—it was just a gathering of country mages at best. But... since that wayward disciple was there, it was worth a personal trip to teach him a lesson and make him pay for his actions.

As a teacher, it was his duty to appear when a student strayed from the right path, to correct their mistakes, or to expel them from the sect—or even execute them as punishment...

If it were any other Lord, being treated this way by a student would surely lead to enmity. But he was a magnanimous man, willing to give that wayward disciple another chance.

He decided to go himself, to showcase his true skill as a teacher in that countryside ritual, thoroughly awe Rovey, tie him up, bring him back, and re-hold the ascension ceremony.

So, what he needed to do now was simple: acquire a Sacred Relic, prepare a magical furnace, study the rules of the Holy Grail War, and craft more Mystic Codes.

Though Kayneth looked down on such a rustic mage ritual—the Tohsaka and Matou Families weren't worth his notice—he had to be cautious when it came to his beloved disciple.

A dual practitioner of Alchemy and magecraft, Rovey could flexibly wield various Mystic Codes. His dual Wind and Water attributes perfectly matched many of the El-Melloi Faction's theories and Mystic Codes. Even Volumen Hydrargyrum could be used flawlessly in his hands.

Others might not know, but as his teacher, Kayneth was fully aware of Rovey's abilities.

Not to mention anything else, just the Hallcraft theory—combining Alchemy arrays with magecraft and Mystic Codes to create a mobile Magic Workshop—was enough material for a promotion to Pride or even Color-Rank.

So, he truly couldn't afford to be careless with this beloved disciple, or he might end up losing.

According to the usual plot in movies, when a disciple rebels, the teacher goes after the wayward student, fights him for three hundred rounds in an isolated place, and gradually gains the upper hand through experience, until he slaps him down, ties him up, brings him back, and makes him reflect on his mistakes, slowly guiding him back to the right path.

But there's also the plot where the master is no match for the rebellious disciple, gets ambushed in battle, caught off guard, and killed with a single palm strike, allowing the traitor to escape and wreak havoc.

Given Rovey's level, the second scenario wasn't impossible—in fact, it was highly likely!!

As a genius and the one who knew his own student best, Kenneth had naturally anticipated this possibility.

He was arrogant, but not a fool. The world was full of geniuses, and in the cruel path of magecraft, naivety could cost you your life.

So he outright scrapped the absurd idea of bringing his fiancée Sola-Ui along to the countryside for a magical ritual that doubled as a vacation. Instead, he threw himself into preparations, ready to wage a spectacular master-disciple war against his rebellious student in that Far Eastern city.

But just as he was crafting his Mystic Code, renting a magical furnace, and selecting the perfect Sacred Relic—only a step away from setting out—something even more infuriating happened.

The top-tier Sacred Relic he had just chosen was gone!

And according to the courier's testimony, the thief who stole his relic was none other than that commoner student who had recently made such inflammatory remarks and courted death—Waver Velvet.

The stolen relic was a fragment of the cloak belonging to the legendary King of Conquerors, Iskandar, who had built an empire spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa. It was a treasure among treasures, one of the highest-grade Sacred Relics, and Kenneth's trump card to crush his rebellious student.

But he never expected that before he could even play his trump card, someone would snatch it away mid-course.

For this war, he had meticulously prepared, acted with caution, and guarded against all the Lords trying to trip him up—all to capture that traitor Rovey. Yet who could have guessed that, just as everything was falling into place and he was about to strike, his Sacred Relic would vanish? And stolen by a mediocrity he looked down on!

Without a doubt, this was completely beyond Kenneth's expectations. To participate in this magical ritual with peace of mind and drag his rebellious student back, he had gone to great lengths to fend off prying eyes from all factions and the mutual sabotage among Lords—but he had never thought to guard against a backstab from his own student.

And twice—yes, twice!!

After these two experiences, Kenneth truly understood the saying: "Guard day and night, but the thief within is the hardest to catch."

He had been betrayed twice, both times by his own students. This undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to Kenneth's proud heart.

But by the time he realized it, it was already too late. Waver, having stolen the relic, borrowed money from a classmate and flew straight to the Far East—to none other than Fuyuki City.

Fine, fine... Fuyuki City again. One after another, they all ran off to Fuyuki City, and they all swiped relics or gear from him. Truly, a single master couldn't raise two different kinds of disciples.

One, relying on his status as Kenneth's direct disciple, roamed freely through his home, making off with a load of gear and materials, plus a fragment of a Noble Phantasm, and fled to that small Far Eastern city to prepare. The other directly stole a fragment of his cloak just to add to his troubles.

Leaving aside that fool Waver, Rovey of all people should never have done something like this!

Kenneth had been grooming him as his successor, planning to arrange for Rovey to marry into the family once his younger relative came of age, and then slowly pass the El-Melloi Faction on to him. And yet he dared to treat him like this? This was the most heinous betrayal.

Kenneth's life was complete, and it was certainly meant to be happy. Betrayal was absolutely unacceptable!