Chapter 370

Under Dragon Flower, the Dharma was revived, the world was at peace, there were no epidemics, the weather was favorable, the harvest was plentiful, most people were tall and lived to be 84,000 years old, and the number of sentient beings who were saved was countless. Therefore, the number of sentient beings saved was immeasurable.

This prophecy is actually similar to the Church's Apocalypse Great Apocalypse, both being eschatological. Even some sects of Daoism extended their Faith in "Jinque Housheng Taiping Dijun" during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, thus claiming that there would be a calamity called "Jiashen End Calamity," in which the Savior Jinque Dijun would become "Li Hong Zhenjun" and rule the world, bringing peace to the world.

The Dharma’s End will eventually end, and all will be redeemed.

So, what is the cost?

Universe stained black, Planet piled high with corpses, everything in disarray—all existence cries for help, yet there is no possibility of salvation.

Because of the Sutra of the End of the Dharma, it will be an era in which even all praiseworthy 'actions and thoughts' will melt away and fall, a time pervaded by suffering and ugliness.

The immeasurable time was too distant for Ivia at present, but too close for Dragon Flower, who Present World with her, because she wanted her master, Ivia, as Maitreya Bodhisattva, to pass through the tribulations ahead of time and become a Buddha, so that her master would not have to witness so much 'suffering' in the years to come.

Maitreya's journey is from Bodhisattva to human, and then to Buddha. Therefore, Dragon Flower plans to do the same: first, let the Bodhisattva fall into the state of Ignorance human beings, and then let the Od emanating from him encompass all the concepts of 'human' in this world. Wouldn't that work?

Don't love specific people, because they are too numerous and ever-changing. Instead, use the abstract concept of humanity to save me, who has become this person. Wouldn't that allow me to overcome my tribulations sooner? If this continues in other worlds, one day all 'people' will be saved.

For Dragon Flower Bodhi, Ivia was her only salvation; no reason was needed, for that was the meaning of her birth.

Too shiny, it's dazzling.

Because that's what makes a radiant emotion.

When Dragon Flower had this thought, Ivia was spending two thousand years having Kama devour her concept of 'Papiyas'. The deficit of 'Buddha' was filled by Dragon Flower, who appeared because of Maitreya. After all, Dragon Flower was the place where Maitreya attained enlightenment, and should have been an unconscious thing like the Bodhi Tree of the Savior. However, because of the Ritual and emotions involved, her mindset was slightly affected.

Just as the voice that reached Ilya's ear during Ilya battle with Chloe had said—

"Uproot the root of obsessive love and attachment with all your might; a piece of spiritual clarity is the old foundation."

Originally there was nothing, so where could dust settle?

So, after learning of Dragon Flower Bodhi's thoughts, Ivia said:

"Are you sure it's okay?"

"No problem, of course no problem, absolutely no problem, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely no problem."

I'm happy and grateful that you're doing this for my own good.

Ivia smiled.

"However, I have no such intention."

"... I understand, I will destroy myself."

"No, let's continue."

Ivia stopped Dragon Flower's self-destruction, and looking at the face that was transformed into her own familiar figure, she spoke softly.

"Since you're so fixated on what you believe to be my 'redemption,' then I'll do it this way."

"I dare not presume to judge other worlds, but in this world where I have lived for some time, in my world Ivia, darkness and Fate are irrelevant. Happiness and the Future are not found elsewhere, but are created from the very place where all living beings stand—"

"After all, whether it's the dazzling Sun or the tranquil moonlit night, it all looks so beautiful because, at every moment, I am with the people in me and with the people in me. So even in the face of this 'me,' there will still be people who stand up and resist, in order to live in today full of smiles."

In order to live in the tomorrow that I once gave up, I hope that the day after tomorrow, and the future, will be the same.

That was a distant memory, but for Ivia, it felt like yesterday.

Are you ready?

On the day of the duel between Kavia and the Supreme Brahman, within that sealed 'room,' the man's will toward humanity posed this question to the people before him.

The farmer, bound in chains, crawled on the ground, desperately reaching out his hands in pleading. So he removed the chains from the farmer and those following him, helped the farmer to his feet, and handed him a sword.

Even after obtaining the sword, the man was still trembling; he had been like that from the very beginning, as were the people behind him. They could only tremble.

What's even more terrifying is that this has been the case for him and his family since birth, whether it's the previous generation who have already resigned themselves to their fate or the next generation who are still growing up but also believe that this is how it is.

But for Kavia at that time, he was once again certain of the reason why he was able to fight through countless years and cycles of reincarnation.

Because these people were more afraid than he was, because for them everything was too powerless. Unlike himself, as the Aspected God, he had the power to return by simply surrendering and erasing everything about 'Buddha'. They didn't have that right; all they had was that short, worthless life.

The suffering of natural disasters, the oppression of Caste, the Violence of force, the sarcasm of language—all these are facts that cannot be avoided from birth and can only be accepted. He and those behind him are by no means the material to become heroes in the Age of Gods. They are weak, cunning, selfish, and often inexplicably gentle towards people they have no connection with. At times, they may have moments of courage and passion, but they can only be considered supporting characters in hero stories.

Nevertheless, Kavia felt that this was enough, that was sufficient.

Because it wasn't they who saved them, but rather they who chose to save themselves.

If anyone in this world wants to fight, then I have an inescapable duty to do so, regardless of my status.

"The Future Buddha Maitreya, whose name at this moment Ivia, hereby reveals his teachings."

He declared this, and then continued.

Light will always shine, and the good will always be discovered. Just like the clash of swords on the battlefield, it is the most hateful yet most alluring smell. The scent of resistance is smelled by people as if caressing them, but it will not disappear immediately. Instead, it will spread like ink drops into a pool, its colors scattering, like an exploding pearl, forever imprinted in the depths of memory.

So--

Dragon Flower is a place for all living beings to be saved, or quite the opposite, all living beings are saved at Dragon Flower.

"Chance, inevitability, miracle—that is the essence of all living beings."

Chapter 403 "Give Up"

The setting sun cast a blood-red glow on the horizon; it was the moment when Chloe was being taken by Ivia to Ilya's house.

Looking at the somewhat familiar Japanese-style detached house before her, Chloe sighed:

"I don't think I need to come here. I'd rather go back and cook with Number One and the others."

"That's true, but actually, both you, Kuro, and Mrs. Irisviel want to see each other again, don't you?"

Even though the girl sighed, Ivia still brought her here.

The two arrived at the door, Ivia gently knocked.

"Please come in, who is it?"

A pleasant female voice came from inside the room; both of them recognized the voice.

As soon as the door opened, a person dressed in white turned around in the bright room and looked in their direction; it was Ilya's mother, Mrs. Irisviel.

Chloe recognized Irisviel at a glance; the mother who had abandoned her ten years ago was standing right in front of her, gazing at her.

Even though she had already reassured herself, when they actually met, Chloe's eyes widened for a moment, and she was speechless. Then, as if missing a screw, Irisviel blurted out:

"Oh dear, how come there are two Ilya? Ilya, come and take a look."

"... ah?"

Having just returned home after parting ways with Ivia and watching Magical Girl with Leysritt, Ilya exclaimed in confusion upon hearing Irisviel's words.

Only after hearing Irisviel say those words did Chloe move, shifting her gaze from Irisviel and saying calmly:

"They just look somewhat alike..."

"Mrs. Irisviel, this is my sister, Chloe von Einzbern."

Upon hearing this, Irisviel's expression shifted between tears and laughter.

"Really? It seems we really are relatives."

Although she had heard that Chloe was Ivia's sister, she hadn't expected her name to include "Einzbern." Just thinking about it, Irisviel could imagine the speculations people in Ilya and Chloe's class had been making about the relationship between the three of them these past few days, which she found quite amusing.

At first Ilya and Ivia didn't look like they had met before, but their relationship gradually warmed up. Now that 'sister Chloe's has transferred here, and because they share the same surname and look so similar, it's possible that Chloe sees Ilya as a substitute for Ivia.

In fact, Irisviel's idea coincided with that of Ilya's three friends:

Ivia and Chloe are siblings. Chloe looks a lot like Ilya, which is why Ivia and Ilya have such a good relationship. In short, Ivia's feelings are based on the fact that 'Ilya and Chloe look very alike'...

For Suzuka Kurihara, one of the trio who was well-versed in internet culture, this kind of writing always felt like 'white moonlight literature,' with Chloe as the white moonlight and Ilya as the meal replacement—basically, that's the kind of writing it was.

"Mom--"

Ilya, who had been called by Irisviel and walked over with a blank expression, first saw Ivia, and then, just as she was about to laugh, she saw Chloe behind her. Her face immediately fell, and she raised her fist defiantly.

"Kuro, what brings you here?"

"Tsk, I wouldn't have bothered coming if my brother hadn't dragged me here."

"Didn't you go straight home after school? How come you were there so fast?"

"I was just waiting at the school gate because I was told that in the afternoon. Your silly goodbye really made me want to laugh."

The two, seemingly connected by a watch face, stood head to head at the doorway, staring at each other.

"They really have a good relationship."

Irisviel clapped her hands. "Your little sister can borrow me for a bit, okay Ivia? And Ilya, you can take a bath with Mom too."

Although it was a request, before Ivia could respond, Irisviel grabbed Ilya and Chloe in each hand and ran back to the second floor.

However, Ivia's plan was simply to let Ilya understand Chloe's true identity through Irisviel's explanation, so she didn't say much and just went to the living room to watch True Magic Girl Bushido Musashi with Leysritt.

Leysritt had initially planned to show Ivia Ilya's sweetheart, the 'Theater White Magical Girl' video she had taken of him and Ilya that day, but after thinking about it, she realized that Ivia's reaction that day didn't seem likely to be like that. Therefore, she decided to wait until there were more people around before showing Ilya this embarrassing moment.

Moreover, Ilya should thank herself, because it was through my efforts that a new White Magical Girl was added to Musashi's side story. She's a rich young lady with a butler's role, and even her lines haven't changed much, which will definitely give Ilya an immersive experience.

Just imagining Ilya's reaction upon learning all this Leysritt's lips curl into a slight smile.

In the Bathroom on the second floor, the small, slightly oval-shaped pool that could barely accommodate two people had been transformed by Irisviel into a large pool that could hold four. The pool water emitted a faint steam, with a thin stream of heat rising from the center, and the surface of the water rippled slightly with the steam.

Even though Irisviel forcibly dragged them into the bath, Chloe and Ilya remained in a standoff.

Summer is coming soon, and dealing with bugs in the park is a real hassle.

"... Um?"

Ilya looked at Chloe with confusion.

"First, I must rid my brother of this most deserving pest in the world. I'm ready to die!"

"Eeya!?"

Chloe threw a punch without hesitation, Ilya quickly crouched down to avoid being hit directly, then retorted.

"You just said 'go to die'!? You said it, right!? What kind of talk is it to so easily say you'd be killed!"

"Still the same old immature brat who doesn't know how to reflect on himself and thinks he has everything. What do you mean by putting lubricant on the feet of guests who rarely come to visit?"

"... I just mistook it for shower gel!"

"Here we go again. When she can't win an argument, she starts rambling on and on. She's as cute as a childish Magical Girl, so adorable~"

"Ugh... Kuro, your personality is absolutely awful. And you even claim to be Ivia's sister."

"Okay, okay, little Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya, grow up quickly~"

So! Don't make that face!

With Chloe's provocative tongue-out gesture and strange hand gestures as a signal, the 'sisters' battle has begun once again.

"It's truly unfortunate to have met you here. Watch me make you cry and beg for surrender!"

"That's exactly what I wanted to say, Kuro!"

However, the next second, Irisviel struck each of the two hot-blooded individuals, calming them down.

"A lot of strange things happened while Mom was away. Ruby has already told me the details."

"Ah?"

Completely bewildered by these words, Ilya looked around blankly and realized that Ruby was not here. She even questioned her about how she could tell her mother this, so she could only squat down and draw circles in the pool.

"We were exposed to our family! We're doomed..."

Unlike the distraught Ilya, Chloe stared at Irisviel with complete indifference.

"Alright, I'm sure you're wondering why Chloe is so similar to you, Ilya?"

"... Um."

Ilya had always been puzzled by Chloe's intense malice and hatred towards her. Although she was much better now, Ilya could tell from the night they first met and when she retrieved the Berserker Class Card that Chloe's words at that time were truly from the bottom of her heart.

"This question needs to start with what you are, Ilya, because it begins with a Ritual — the Holy Grail War."

"As the name suggests, it is a struggle surrounding the Holy Grail, a contest to seize the Holy Grail that can grant any wish, and you were born to become the Holy Grail."

Before Ilya could understand the meaning of these words, Chloe spoke first.

"That's not right, Mrs. Irisviel. I was born to become the Holy Grail. Before my birth, I was constantly adjusted and endowed with all knowledge, but you sealed me away—sealed my functions, sealed my knowledge, sealed my memories—"

At this point, Chloe stepped forward and stared intently at Irisviel.