Chapter 519

Dee answered frankly, and the Disguise User nodded in agreement.

"Yes, after all, you've completely severed all three aspects of yourself as a human being. Right now, you're just in Union Phase. When the ending arrives, we Servant will begin our final showdown—the final Holy Grail War."

"The final Holy Grail War? I hope so. What are your thoughts, you who believe in the false covenant?"

Five hundred years of long-cherished wish, a performance that took years to compose, my own attempt to mend the relationship between the East and West Church, the lies I endured for the birth of Angel —all of this was to witness the day when the Lord's miracles come, that the Lord can do anything.

Therefore, His Excellency Novia, chosen by the Lord, can do anything under the Lord's Mind Poimandres.

"You actually asked that?"

Cleopatra chuckled. "In my day, everyone believed in the New Covenant. I just happened to be the one explaining it. Ah, the Church that doesn't even answer the cries of the poor is nothing but disgusting parasites."

Dee held her breath very subtly... her reaction was extremely subtle.

The change was so subtle that Cleopatra, who was skilled in Alchemy, would not have noticed it.

"The Alchemy who raised me once said to me: 'Let us praise God, but then let us descend to those who have received the Was Scepter from Him. Let us begin with Novia, and let our hymns with him also make us accustomed to offering praise to the Almighty and singing pious hymns.'"

Therefore, our praise must begin with him, be practiced with him, and then be realized in sincerity before God; the aim is to enable us to master the practice of piety towards God and praise of Novia.

"... Sorry, I really didn't realize that. I always thought you were Heterodox Faith."

"That just shows you have no taste, no wonder—"

Cleopatra snorted and then fell silent.

However, John Dee seemed completely unconcerned and continued the Disguise User's unfinished prayer—

"Correspondingly, the Holy One's challenge often causes the enemy to retreat. Even his statue is a haven of tranquility amidst the howling storm; the appearance of his image can bring swift victory, and if he is unthreatened and intact, he can protect those around him. He is Perfection, he knows everything, he understands everyone, and he will be accepted by all."

"He received this title because he swiftly ascended to the Supreme Being kingdom, because he governs the discourse that brings peace, and because he was born to transcend all evil, just as his name is a symbol of peace."

"He takes care of the earth and Love God; he adds radiance to the world."

Dee stared at the sky above Underworld Tokyo with eyes brimming with extreme excitement and pleasure, revealing a fervor that Cleopatra could not surpass among all those she had ever seen.

"Your virtue—indeed, your name itself—is the arbiter of peace—"

"Novia, the Holy One."

Chapter 531 "You—listen carefully."

"You should be the one who gives death to all; only that is you."

For Eri, the Underworld Tokyo of Erice had always been a strange sight, devoid of color yet not unpleasant. Ever since she began living there, she had always felt that beneath this land lay another realm, one she had often dreamed of since childhood, on the other side of darkness, in a strange world unknown to humankind.

As soon as a gust of wind blows, those who are unwilling to simply vanish into nothingness will wail endlessly around the girl.

It was supposed to be a hometown that one would cherish for a lifetime, yet the girl felt as if she could never leave this place, or perhaps, as long as she never left, she could end her life without encountering a fatal disaster.

Peaceful days have finally returned.

People readily accept this fact; exhausted and hurt, they don't even want to know the details of the matter.

To celebrate the arrival of peace, the people of Tokyo have restarted the Kanda Festival, which had been suspended for several years.

But Erice had already sensed it, through the 'death' of her mother Izanami; the scent of death penetrated deep into her nasal cavity and lingered for a long time.

The war for the Holy Grail, which can destroy and rebuild the world, has not yet come to an end.

That being said, as an outsider, she always had to spend a lot of time answering the curiosity of Tokyo about her.

What's it like to have a Servant is a famous Deity?

"... It's like being nearsighted but not being able to wear glasses; everyone else has to drive, but you can only walk; when you arrive in an unfamiliar place, the GPS navigation in your hand is a defective product."

Even though Erice had to explain to others with all her might, they still only had a vague idea that she would be fine, because the world was in Chaos and people needed local Present World as a source Deity spiritual support, especially those who had contracts with Deity.

Every time Erice encounters this kind of misguided worship, she learns one thing.

That is, whether it is oneself or pretending to be the mother of one's Servant, it is just a kind of entertainment to satisfy people's feelings of dependence or to temporarily relieve boredom.

People who thought she was a friend didn't actually consider her a friend, at least not those who came to play with her at the festival.

After all, any Servant would subconsciously fear her, and Master would also feel the Servant's feelings; that's just how it is.

Back on the bustling street, the festival decorations were still Gilgamesh, but even though it was over, it felt like an empty space that had never existed.

"You didn't come here alone to sightsee, did you? Didn't Nami accompany you?"

"Of course, Lord Masakado..."

Young Erice crossed her arms, "It's my responsibility to ensure the safety of the festival."

"That's true, but I never expected my Master to close the Shrine prematurely using illness as a reason."

The tall man raised his chin and gestured.

Along the extended line in the direction he indicated, between the many stalls, a girl the same age as Erice, still wearing her Miko maiden outfit, ran anxiously towards them.

"What's wrong, Erice? You're planning to have a festival without even inviting me?"

"I'm just in charge of security for the celebration, so of course I'll take a look around while I'm at it..."

As Erice walked past her, a faint scent of perfume wafted into her nostrils.

Ten years later, she, who was originally Miko, will likely have grown into a beautiful woman, attracting many men.

The young child prayed in this way, hoping that at least some decent options would appear in the Miko's life.

"... Yes, I know, my mother is Izanami."

Upon hearing this, Erice touched the motionless white insect in her hand and calmly looked at Shrine Priest A Xiu, who had told her this.

Was she the last one in Tokyo? Does that mean when I was in Tokyo, everyone knew my mother was Izanami? Or rather, this insect-like body wasn't my mother's true form, but rather the insect that supposedly fell from her face in legend... Does that mean I'm also Three Noble Children's sister? But it seems I only have one mother; is it because Izanami gave birth to me Servant? Oh well, all that's too far in the past. The real problem is that John Dee...

Thinking about this, Erice couldn't help but sigh.

Putting aside the fact that Cleopatra, one of the founders of Alchemy, was fully prepared, and with Rushana under her control, not only was her own fighting strength insufficient, but she also had two little Miko Servant had disappeared. It seemed like there was absolutely no chance of victory...

This allowed Erice to gaze at the scenery outside the bay window through the Shrine's window.

The world seen through that window always stirred up a nameless Nostalgia in Rise's heart, a literal sense of "Nostalgia." Although Erice tried to describe this feeling as "the atmosphere of Chitose," all she really wanted to say right now was "Nostalgia."

"This is so troublesome."

"... Um?"

Erice squinted at the small white worm in her hand. "Hey, Mom, you're awake."

"I woke up early. I was being watched by that old man and was suppressed for a while... but because of Myoken, oh well, never mind. I overheard that Alchemy's words afterward, and it really infuriated me. How come I couldn't see how deep his thoughts were back then? No wonder he's always preaching everywhere; there's not a single good one among those from the West!"

"So, is there any way now?"

"Of course I've already devised a plan. Just fight according to my strategy."

Izanami declared confidently, "Our chances of winning will definitely increase dramatically! After all, this is the battlefield where I won and Erice you, Tokyo! There's absolutely nothing to be afraid of! Rest assured, I'm here!"

"What? It's not a big deal!"

Erice seemed relieved, then changed the subject, "... Is she very strong?"

Immediately, both mother and daughter fell silent.

A few dozen seconds later, Izanami sighed and said to the silent Erice:

"If I were still alive, I should be able to hold them off so you could evacuate..."

"Looks really strong."

Erice touched Xion's mouth, preparing the Wicked Spirit's abilities: Demon King and Magic Bullet Shooter.

Knowing that the other party is stronger than oneself is enough; how much stronger is irrelevant. As the weak, one can only rack one's brains and use every means to defeat the strong. This is Erice's current thought, and it is also what the Demon King once told her.

To be honest, although she outwardly seemed indifferent to the Demon King, Erice still had great faith in Demon King power, and therefore found it unbelievable that he would say such a thing.

"Using every trick in the book to survive is everyone's approach. Of course, there are good and bad aspects to this, but ultimately, no one can develop a universal set of value principles that everyone can accept. No one can claim to have seen the whole world or fully understand the happiness and suffering of every group... Sorry, I've gone on and on. Just consider this a random rant, Erice."

Since we're in a desperate situation, we must fight to the death no matter what.

"Yes, I won't hide it anymore, I'm very strong, but since it's a mess that Mother didn't handle well, if I were stronger, Tokyo wouldn't have been destroyed. Anyway, even if I die now, I will always be by your side, Erice."

"Hehe..."

Upon hearing this, Erice suddenly chuckled softly.

The girl, who had always kept a cold and aloof expression since arriving in Tokyo, revealed a rare, childlike, innocent smile.

"Laugh, what are you laughing at...?"

"Because Izanami, you're a liar. Even without that reason, even if it had nothing to do with you... you would still fight alongside me."

"Huh?"

Izanami used the same verbal tic as Erice, "What do you mean?"

"After all—you are my mother."

After Erice said it so casually, Izanami was speechless.

"Of course, I think Tiamat's mother can do it too... but with her strength, she should be able to survive. We can only do our best."

Actually, there is a solution, and I know it myself.

Izanami was caught in a dilemma.

I knew from the beginning, but at the same time... I didn't want Erice to know.

Compared to the Erice of the past, the current Erice has changed too much in Izanami's eyes. Back then, all the medical Servant in Tokyo secretly told her that if things continued like this, Erice would eventually develop a mental illness... But now, she seems quite healthy, she just needs to smile more.

Suddenly, silence enveloped the surroundings. The world fell silent.

However.

Those who can sense it will probably still sense it.

In that silent world, a murderous intent seeped out, like a drop of venom.

That murderous intent gradually swelled and spread—

Realizing that continuing down this path would only lead to certain death Izanami finally spoke to Erice, "... There is actually another way, but the probability of death is too high. I was originally thinking of waiting until you were older, stronger, and found a man you truly loved before letting you go."

Ignoring the idea of 'finding the man she truly loves', Erice slowly stood up, placed the little insect possessed by Izanami on the ground, and stared at it intently.

Please tell me, Mom.

"The Planet is located in the Inner Sea of Tokoyo in the heart of Japan. Once you get there, all you need to do is keep moving forward, Erice."

Erice sniffed Don slightly, inhaling the scent of the sea so close at hand.

The surroundings were quiet and deserted, with only the incessant sound of waves and the smell of seawater in the air.

The waves sometimes advance and sometimes retreat, never ceasing.

The bubbles rising from the white sand that seemed to emit a pale blue light were like a large number of pearls washed ashore by the waves, dyeing the sea and horizon a dark blue. The moonlight falling from the sky made the waves shimmer with a diamond-like white light.

The Inner Sea is the birthplace of the Planet's heart, its Reality Marble; Avalon in Britain Planet one example, while in Japan it is...

Land of Tokoyo.

It is a country located across the sea, which is recorded in Book such as the Kojiki, Chronicles of Japan, Man'yōshū, and Fudoki. It is an Avalon people can live forever without aging or death and can be rejuvenated.

Sukunahikona emerged from the Tokoyo and assisted the Ōkuninushi in establishing it.

Mikenu, in order to assist Jinmu in unifying Japan, rides the waves to the Tokoyo to suppress the sea.

Tajimamori obtained oranges in Tokoyo and spread them throughout the world of Japan.

In the Man'yōshū, Urashima Taro crosses the sea to the Tokoyo, where a goddess dwells, where one can live forever without aging or death.

After Izanami spoke of the Tokoyo with a conflicted expression, Erice found that the scenery in front of her had changed in the next instant.

This is no longer Kanda Shrine in Tokyo, but a scene that feels strangely familiar.

The dazzling sight, hidden deep within my heart, now lies on this surging sea, a place where the horizon is enveloped by the azure ocean. This is where all change comes to an end with death, a place where time stands still.

Erice forcefully tossed her black hair back, staring sternly at the endless sea:

"How am I supposed to move forward? Not even a single ship—"

Izanami sighed. This is the entrance to the Tokoyo, and only with the approval of this sea can one Tokoyo.

The requirement to gain recognition is to defeat the Great Sea God Ōwatatsumi. The Land of Roots, which is managed by the Susa-no-O, and the Yomi where he is located are both beneath this seabed. On the other side of the sea is the Tokoyo of Inner Sea of Stars, located in the Japan Region, or perhaps the Dragon Palace of Ryukyu.