Chapter 42

See you next time.

"See you, my foot! Who's asking to see you!"

In that instant, Shion felt as if she could see the "ugly face" of the first Pope from two thousand years ago from these words. He was too smug, talking about not marrying or having only one wife. This was clearly a philandering scumbag Pope deceiving a pure-hearted young dean, only to cruelly abandon her in the end.

This was her conclusion, shared by all seven of her partitioned thoughts.

From that moment on, this displeasure took root in her heart, refusing to leave.

How could he not know how to use it? He was absolutely doing it on purpose! As expected, none of these religious people are any good; they're all people who rely on sweet talk!

From then on, Shion scoffed at the Church's invitations to hunt Dead Apostles. Simply put, she found the entire Church an eyesore.

Shion also had one wish for the Holy Grail War: to summon Pope Novia and then, using all her Command Spells, make him willingly admit his scumbag behavior to this stone.

Therefore, if this Subspecies Holy Grail War in the labyrinth were a self-summoning, Shion would have been willing to participate. Unfortunately, it wasn't a self-summoning.

The reason she was so sure she could summon Novia with high probability was her belief that since this stone had been sent out and then brought back, it should be imprinted with the Pope's aura, making it a Holy Relic.

'This isn't a request, but a trial mission from the Dean, my dear daughter.'

"You should have just said so earlier. Why be so roundabout? Fine, I'll deal with it."

The note reappeared out of nowhere on Shion's desk. After a quick glance, Shion crossed her arms and muttered.

"But this kind of thing should be handled by those guys from the Holy Church, right? After all, I don't want to encounter those guys. Just hearing them drone on about Novia, or God, makes me sick..."

078: The Six-Six-Six Planetary Magic Circles in the Labyrinth

After several days of travel, Novia and Sajyo Aike, who had accompanied him, arrived at the first floor of Alcatraz's Seventh Labyrinth, the entrance connecting to the outside.

This labyrinth looked ordinary at first glance, but a unique atmosphere permeated the seemingly perpetual dim space.

"Um, Novia, why did you drive away those personnel subcontracted by the Mage's Association?"

Aike, standing beside Novia, asked like a student questioning a teacher, raising one hand and displaying a 'confused' expression.

"Those are just people the Mage's Association sent to their deaths. There's no need to watch them die."

Personnel subcontracted by the Mage's Association referred to individuals whom the Clock Tower, instead of delving into mysteries, used as tools for magic. They were brought in as collaborators under the guise of cooperation. It could be said that these people were neither part of the magical world nor the ordinary world. Most of the time, they accepted tasks from the Clock Tower to help collect valuable items for magical catalysts and the like.

"I see, I see, I understand!"

Aike touched her head with a sheepish smile, looking as if a light bulb had gone off.

"It's good that you understand."

Novia probably knew why Aike liked to appear as if she saw through everything. It was likely her way of hoping he'd perceive her as pure and lady-like for her age, subconsciously improving his impression of her.

However, Novia calculated the time and realized that soon, the Great Serpent, used by the mastermind Wolfgang Faust against the Servants in the Subspecies Holy Grail War, would arrive at the first-floor entrance and annihilate almost all the subcontracted personnel who were supposed to gather there.

This would serve as the opening of the Subspecies Holy Grail ritual, turning this place into a sealed space of death from which escape would be impossible until the ritual's end.

But that moment was also when Novia intended to summon Nero and Melusine. Because although the four Servants in this Subspecies Holy Grail War were theoretically self-summoned and could maintain their existence without a Master.

That was merely because no one had realized at that moment that the Subspecies Holy Grail War had already begun, leading to summonings based on fate. And the fact that people were almost all killed by Wolfgang at the start was also due to this.

Subspecies Holy Grails, which were derived from Fuyuki City in Japan, typically summoned Servants and absorbed the vast magical energy from their souls, functioning as wish-granting machines.

The forced mutual combat of Servants in the Holy Grail War was for this very purpose. In the end, Servants were merely sources of magical power to fulfill wishes. Originally there were seven Riders, and a Subspecies Holy Grail could have at most five. This difference in numbers indicated its significant deviation from being 'omnipotent.'

However, in recent years, the number of Mages holding Subspecies Holy Grail Wars has been increasing. They likely believed that even if it wasn't omnipotent, it could still bring immense benefits, which is why they were rushing into it one after another.

"By the way, Novia, I've looked at the structure here. It seems to incorporate Kabbalistic thought and planetary magic circles connected to the planets of the solar system in its design. This should be the one corresponding to the Sun magic circle, and there are six Sun magic circles on this floor alone."

Aike whispered in Novia's ear, seemingly just to make sure he could hear her clearly, but in reality, she was looking for a suitable excuse to get closer.

Then, she continued in an expectant tone:

"Corresponding to the Sun, this 'labyrinth' has a total of six hundred and sixty-six rows of Sun magic circles. It's clearly the number of the beast recorded in the Book of Revelation, edited by the Pope of the same name as yours in the New Testament. That's right, I actually really like the Church's Bible. I have them at home, it's true. Why don't you come visit my place after this is over?"

Although Novia had passed away before John compiled the Book of Revelation into its current form, perhaps Nero, after reading it, had vaguely understood something, and thus included the Book of Revelation as part of the New Testament.

However, just as some speculated that the Holy Spirit in it was a metaphor for the first Pope Novia, it was natural for others to speculate about the woman who poured wine upon the Holy Spirit. Some considered it a simple story, while conspiracy theories suggested that Novia's disappearance was actually due to Nero seizing power and killing him. John's use of a woman was supposedly to prevent the truth from being passed down.

However, Aike's actual main point was the latter part of her statement, an invitation as enticing as a cat doing a backflip.

"Sure, we can talk about it after this matter is over. After all, I quite like how you are right now, Aike."

Novia replied with a smile, but Aike inexplicably felt as if her undisguised thoughts were known through his smile. Furthermore, the word 'like' he uttered made her face flush red again.

Speaking of which, if Aike hadn't brought it up, Novia wouldn't have even remembered the Beast of 666. After all, in his opinion, Nero should have understood him in the end and left peacefully, so she shouldn't have transformed into a beast again...

Then, Novia thought, he would have to take responsibility for summoning the lonely Nero and Melusine and giving them physical bodies.

Just as Novia was lost in thought, a rumbling sound shattered the previously quiet atmosphere.

"Aike, a demon beast is coming."

"There's nothing to worry about. Novia, you don't even need to make a move, I'll handle it," Aike said with a light laugh. "But are you worried about me?"

"Of course. Looking at this demon beast, it's clearly meant to devour young girls."

"Wow, that's truly terrifying."

After Aike said this with a smile, she faced the Great Serpent that was approaching in a straight line from the other end of the passage, its grating sound of scraping against the surrounding stone walls and floor filling the air and obscuring the entire passage.

As if surprised that someone dared to stand in its way, the Great Serpent roared in anger and charged towards Aike—

The young girl gently pressed her forehead against its, then, using some unknown magic, pulverized the giant Great Serpent until not even a trace of its original form remained.

"What a shame, only a little bit of it is edible now," Aike said with a hint of regret, then she smiled brilliantly. "I'll cook it all for you, Novia... Huh? What's this?"

Because three scratches inexplicably appeared on her right hand, the girl looked at Novia beside her with curiosity.

But for some reason, Aike felt that although Novia seemed unchanged, his magic had suddenly increased significantly.

"It's finally started. And all the surrounding magic power has converged in one place. It looks like these Servants are about to start fighting until only one remains. A pathetic slaughter, you wretched heroes."

At the very bottom of the labyrinth, where the pseudo-Holy Grail was located, Wolfgang Faust, a Vampire Species and descendant of Arcadia, smiled. Then, as if discovering something, he looked towards the blonde man who had appeared out of thin air behind him.

"...White Knight?"

(Chapter 079: Love at first sight? It's just hormonal stimulation.)

"I didn't expect you to be so amazing, Novia."

In the hall at the deepest part of the first level of Alcatraz's seventh labyrinth, a shallow pool of water surrounded the area, only barely revealing the ground. In the center lay a blue demonic beast that resembled a horse, its meat already cut off by Aike.

"Alright, let's eat and rest a bit."

Aike cast a projection magic to create objects from empty space, and a metal frying pan appeared in her hand. Then, she used water element conversion magic, filling the pan with water, and conjured fire.

"I need to finish cooking before the ingredients disappear," the girl said with a shy smile. "The ingredients are all fine. Along the way, I picked out some 'parts' from the Phantasmal Species and chimera you defeated that I thought were edible and have been carrying them. You should eat more to replenish your magic, after all, you're borrowing the power of some Servant now, aren't you, Novia?"

In this 'devil's den,' demonic beasts that were rarely seen with modern eyes were everywhere. But for Aike, none of that mattered. The most important thing was being able to spend time alone with Novia and deepen their relationship. That was enough for her.

"Mmm, almost."

Originally, Novia had planned to summon Nero or Melusine using himself as a medium during the brief interval when the Great Serpent attacked, the very moment the pseudo-Holy Grail War began. But it failed; no Servant manifested.

To be precise, there was one. Because surrounding magic power did indeed arrive, but Novia absorbed it in the blink of an eye, as if it had never come. The power provided to him was like a completely dried-up ocean current flowing into a river. It couldn't be said to be entirely useless, but it was like a drop in the bucket.

Fortunately, the demonic beasts here were specifically provided by Wolfgang Faust as sustenance for Servants without Masters to replenish their magic, which allowed Novia to gain some replenishment. His current state could be considered a pseudo-Servant, and Aike naturally became his Master. However, for some reason, Aike's magic could not be transmitted.

Although Novia's current power was not complete, it was more than enough to easily clear the Phantasmal Species demonic beasts here. He walked through dark passages, disarmed traps, and crushed demonic beasts.

"It's done! Novia, please try it."

Aike used the edible parts from the monsters defeated by Novia along the way, adding magic catalysts like treant roots as vegetables. Thus, the dish looked like a stew with vegetables.

She watched Novia eat with great anticipation, wondering what it would taste like. She hoped it would be delicious for Novia. Even though this was the first time she had cooked in over twenty years, it should still be okay.

Previously, Aike would 'lock away' certain things she didn't want to know, deliberately ignoring them. But now, even without 'locking away,' she genuinely didn't know if it tasted good. This was a truly wondrous feeling for her, second only to her secretly decided plan of bringing Novia home.

"...Is it delicious?"

"You didn't put any salt in it."

Although Novia didn't directly answer whether it was delicious or not, upon learning that she had forgotten the salt, Aike naturally knew it was definitely not good.

"I-I'm sorry. I was too hasty. I didn't even think of that. Novia, you don't have to force yourself to eat it..."

Aike gently tugged at Novia, who was still chewing, her expression apologetic.

"It's fine, just be careful next time. You just accidentally forgot. It's not inedible, just a bit bland."

He was simply stating facts. Although salt was used in the Roman Empire, due to its important status, only the wealthy could obtain it in large quantities. Ordinary people, and even the poor, could only get a small portion.

Novia had eaten similar-tasting food during the early days before he and Lucius reached Rome. Therefore, it wasn't unbearable, as it still looked like a proper dish.

Afterward, the two planned to proceed to the second level of the labyrinth. The stairs to the second level were quietly located in a corner of the hall; it was quite a long staircase.

After walking past the final corner of the stairs, upon entering the second level, the two saw a figure's back.

"So the Clock Tower has already dispatched Mages to deal with this."

The purple-haired girl said expressionlessly, turning towards the two behind her.

She gave off an inorganic aura, completely devoid of human emotional fluctuations, as if one were facing a humanoid metal object.

Shion looked at the two in front of her, and information naturally surfaced in her mind.

Sajyo Aike, the eldest daughter of the Sajyo family in Japan, a thirty-seven-year-old girl who could only live properly by relying on her younger sister studying at the Clock Tower.

However, at this moment, she didn't appear to be as unkempt and magically inept as the rumors suggested. Instead, she exuded a natural elegance and surging magical power. As expected, rumors couldn't be trusted. Evaluating a person required long-term observation. She might be an ace secretly cultivated by the Sajyo family or the Clock Tower.

As for the person beside her—

Instantly, Shion fell silent because she could feel her heartbeat inexplicably quicken.

Love at first sight?

Shion didn't think so. She merely believed it was due to various hormones in her body, such as phenylethylamine and dopamine, which had undergone unknown changes due to the magic in this place.

It was impossible for her, absolutely impossible, and she couldn't find any reason for it.

'Cut-off Line 2'

The purple-haired girl sealed her thought partitions and shifted her gaze back to the silver-haired youth.

"What's your name?"

Shion asked earnestly, her sharp eyes fixed directly on Novia, as if he were the only one in her sight, with no one else present.

"Shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking for someone else's name?"

In Shion's eyes, the person's smile seemed to carry a recognition of herself, causing her to subtly frown. A flicker of anxiety, her first ever, arose within her, but she calmed her mind and continued speaking.

"If you wish to know my name, it is Shion Elnatan Atlastraxia."

"I'm Sajyo Aike," Aike said first, a smile fixed on her face.

Her endearing voice didn't match her age, but it did match her appearance. If not for the slightly strange smile on her face, Shion might have mistaken her for a princess from a fairy tale speaking to her. Unfortunately, for some reason, there was a hostile aura.

"Yes, I'm pleased to meet you, Sajyo Aike."

While Shion replied earnestly, she stared fixedly at Novia, as if observing something. Her gaze was like a pair of eyes that could devour people, and such a stare inadvertently made Aike grit her teeth. How dare someone provoke her, a lady, so openly.

"Novia, that is my name."

In that instant, though Shion's expression remained unchanged, her gaze sharpened slightly.

080: Ancestor! Witness Greatness!

"No... Novia... Novia..."

Shion muttered blankly, her purple braided hair swaying in the dim demonic den. The way it swung was as precise as geometric shapes. Rather than being a person, her first impression was that of a human-formed number.

It's merely the same name, this name, but why would I react that way to someone called by this name...

Shion, unable to find a clear answer to the question arising in her heart, initiated Thought Partition to begin her discussion.