The Big Bad Wolf, a full three meters tall, looked ferocious. Having just emerged from Little Red Riding Hood's corpse, it let out an excited howl before swinging its massive claws at Aiga.
At that moment, Fujino stopped her prayers. A massive magic circle appeared centered on her. Rin, who was lying in Sakura's arms, felt a strange magical energy healing her wounds.
"Master, the temple is complete. Once you recover, take Sakura and run!"
Understanding Fujino's intentions, Rin anxiously reached out, trying to grab her.
"Stop, Fujino! If you Servant-ize here without the Holy Grail or ley lines to provide mana, your magic circuits will burn out!"
Suddenly, a giant wolf's head slammed into Fujino, sending her flying as she was about to Servant-ize. As the Big Bad Wolf died, a dazed smile began to appear on Sakura's face.
Aiga slowly walked over to Rin's side. Ignoring Sakura, who stood there with a vacant smile, she snatched Rin from Sakura's arms and kissed her on the lips.
"Mmph!"
Rin, attacked and having her first kiss stolen, was filled with shame and indignation, biting down hard on Aiga's lips.
Aiga released Rin, used Healing Magecraft to heal her, and then, touching her bitten lip, suddenly vanished from Rin's sight.
"Rin-chan, I'm looking forward to our next date!"
Section 72 Chapter 70: Child of Phul Appears! (Seeking Subscriptions!)
"Sakura, Sakura!"
Hearing Rin's call, Sakura groggily opened her eyes. Looking at Rin, who was anxiously calling her name, she weakly murmured.
"Sister!"
At this, Sakura recalled what had happened earlier. She quickly sat up, darted in front of Rin, shielded her, and anxiously scanned their surroundings.
"Sister, where's the enemy!"
Seeing Sakura nervously looking around, Rin quickly comforted her.
"Sakura, it's okay now. We're back in our room."
Hearing Rin's words, Sakura finally came to her senses.
"It's so good that you're okay, Sister!"
"Sakura, you're still very weak. I'll help you back to bed to rest."
"Okay!"
Rin helped Sakura back to bed, then carefully tucked her in.
After lying down, Sakura, recalling the scene she had witnessed, asked Rin with confusion.
"Sister, when I opened my eyes, I saw you injured and collapsed. What happened afterward? Did you defeat the enemy?"
Rin shook her head, still shaken.
"Sakura, we were spared by Aiga. But back then, if it weren't for you, Sakura, we might all have died there."
"Me?"
"Yes, Sakura, you awakened your Origin. However, your Origin is very unusual, so I had no choice but to seal it for you using a Temple Spell. Promise me, unless it's absolutely necessary, or you can control this power skillfully, don't break the seal before then, okay?"
Hearing Rin's words, Sakura finally remembered the memories from when she awakened her Origin.
It turned out Sakura's Origin was emotion, specifically malicious or twisted emotions. Through the amplification of emotions, Sakura's Fairy Tale Magecraft seemed to have shifted towards "Dark Fairy Tale." Simultaneously, since the Fairy Tale Familiars were essentially the materialization of Sakura's negative emotions, any damage to a summoned fairy tale character would cause a strong backlash of the opposite emotion to Sakura.
Little Red Riding Hood's murderous intent had caused Sakura to shed tears of compassion, while the Big Bad Wolf's rage had left Sakura's 'pleasure'-filled brain blank.
Precisely because of this, to prevent the still-weak Sakura's emotions from becoming twisted, Rin, after understanding Sakura's Origin, had no choice but to seal it. However, no matter what, it was a rare power, and Rin didn't completely block Sakura's path, leaving the switch to unlock the seal in Sakura's hands. This was because Rin firmly believed that Sakura would eventually mature enough to control this power.
Sakura looked at Rin, who had a solemn expression, and nodded in agreement.
"Sister, what about Fujino?"
"Fujino is also injured. She's resting in the next room."
"Sister, you should go see Fujino too. She'll definitely want you by her side when she wakes up."
"Okay, then Sakura, you get some good rest. I'll come check on you later."
After speaking, Rin left the room and walked into the corridor of the carriage.
"Finished discussing with your sister?"
"Yes. Lorelei, thank you for your trouble these past few days. I didn't expect you to be willing to help me and guard us for two days."
Lorelei leaned against the carriage, turning her head away with a tsundere attitude.
"It's not for you! I'm just interested in the person who defeated you."
Rin shook her head at Lorelei.
"Lorelei, that person is an opponent even a magician wouldn't be able to defeat. Stop being curious about them."
"Hmph! None of your business. Go check on your disciple!"
Rin parted ways with Lorelei, went to the next room, opened the door, and walked in. Fujino lay on the bed, unmoving, like a Sleeping Beauty.
Rin went to Fujino's side and carefully adjusted the blanket on her.
Fujino had been unconscious ever since Aiga forcibly interrupted her Servant-ization that day. Her entire being seemed to be trapped by a nightmare. Apart from the occasional sound of her breathing, she was just like the Sleeping Beauty in fairy tales, sleeping soundly and not waking up.
Rin had also checked Fujino's condition through various means, but found no abnormalities whatsoever.
Just then, Fujino suddenly opened her eyes.
"Master!"
"Fujino! You're finally awake!"
Fujino looked at Rin before her with confusion.
"Master, have I been asleep for a long time?"
"Yes, Fujino, you've been asleep for two days!"
"Really? Master, I had a dream, a very, very long dream. In it, there was a strange version of me, constantly telling me something. Oh, right! She also taught me a way to enhance my Mystic Eyes... but I can't remember any of it now..."
Seeing Fujino frowning and pressing her temples, trying hard to recall.
Rin sat on the edge of the bed and hugged Fujino, saying, "It's okay, Fujino, it doesn't matter if you can't remember. As long as you're safe!"
After settling the newly awakened Sakura and Fujino, Rin went to the dining car alone. After instructing the waiter to bring some light food for Sakura and Fujino, she sat alone in the dining car, watching the passing scenery outside the window, lost in thought.
"Rin, how are things? Have Sakura and Fujino woken up?"
Rin turned her head and looked at Waver, who was slowly walking over with Gry. She nodded.
"Yes, they've woken up."
Waver sat opposite Rin with Gry.
"It's good that they're awake. Why does Rin look so preoccupied?"
"I'm thinking about the person who attacked us. I have a feeling she's going to act again!"
"She?"
Screech~~~
Suddenly, an inertial force acted upon Rin, Waver, and Gry, causing them to stumble. Immediately after, the train's broadcast sounded.
"Announcement! This train is heading towards the Child of Phul, this train is heading towards the Child of Phul. Please do not panic, we are handling the situation."
Screech~~~
Rin felt another inertial force hit her, pushing her to the right.
"We regret to inform you that the train has entered the Child of Phul. Until service is restored, please ensure your personal safety."
Rin felt the train stabilize and turned to look out the window. The train, which had been traveling through a sun-drenched plain moments ago, had now stopped inside a withered forest engulfed in wind and snow.
"Am I that much of a jinx?"
Rin rolled her eyes, a hint of self-doubt in her expression.
"Rin!"
Rin turned in the direction of the voice and saw Lorelei, her expression excited.
"Lorelei!"
"Hahaha, that old fox Traberio didn't lie to me after all. Rin, the target is here. Let's go!"
With that, Lorelei excitedly grabbed Rin and pulled her towards the outside of the car.
Being dragged along by Lorelei, Rin helplessly turned her head and shouted to Waver.
"Waver, could you please look after Sakura and Fujino? I'd appreciate it!"
Rin, who had just stepped off the train with Lorelei, faced the wind and snow outside and couldn't help but tighten her clothes, shivering.
"Oh! Rin, Lorelei, you've come too?"
At this moment, Kirei Kotomine had already brought Lainas and was standing outside the car, facing the front of the train against the wind and snow. They were looking at the Magus who were about to burn the forest to clear a path for the train.
Lorelei frowned as she watched the Magus casting their spells.
"What are they doing? Committing suicide?"
As expected, the Magus who had been proudly casting spells to burn the forest were quickly impaled by several branches and hung from the treetops!
Lainas looked at the impaled Magus and couldn't help but quip.
"Indeed, they are committing suicide!"
Section 73 Chapter 71: Servant Finn.
"Filthy Dead Apostle, die!"
"Boom!"
Legend has it that blood drips from the ripened fruits of the Phul, and some of these blood drops turn into seeds. After a period of dormancy underground, they evolve differently from the mother plant. The so-called Child of Phul is their ultimate form.
Rin held her forehead, watching Lorelei continuously casting spells around them, and couldn't help but shake her head. Rin could understand Lorelei. As Lorelei of Bartholomello, she naturally harbored animosity towards all Dead Apostles, which was understandable. However, this kind of inefficient approach, besides exhausting herself, was of no help in defeating the Child of Phul.
With a casual Storm Magic Bullet that shattered a large patch of 'withered wood', Lorelei turned to look at Rin, who was standing by watching the show, and couldn't help but ask.
"Rin! Why aren't you acting?"
"Oh! Sorry, I zoned out. Go, Witch-King Slayer!"
Rin casually tossed a gem, summoning the Witch-King Slayer.
Lorelei, pleased as she watched the flame giant Rin had created, praised her.
"Rin, choosing you to share this honor was absolutely the right decision! You truly are someone I approve of. Come on, Rin, I'll assist you!"
With that, Lorelei unfurled several magic circles, simultaneously connecting to the Witch-King Slayer's core to enhance it.
Instantly, under Lorelei's reinforcement, the Witch-King Slayer's size doubled, swelling to tens of meters, and its temperature rose to nearly 6,000 degrees Celsius, the surface temperature of the sun!
Feeling the mana within her being rapidly drained, Rin twitched the corner of her eye and offered Lorelei a stiff smile. 'Ah! Damn it, I was just going through the motions. What is this? Wouldn't it have been better to just shatter the Child of Phul's core? Why waste mana on this pile of rotten wood?'
Lorelei, completely oblivious to being a "bad teammate," continued to attach various Reinforcement Magecraft spells to the Witch-King Slayer, eliciting a series of silent cries of despair from Rin.
Looking at the flame giant emerging in the distance, Lainas glanced at Kotomine Kirei beside her.
"Brother, aren't we going to help?"
Kotomine Kirei stood with his hands behind his back, facing the wind and snow. He looked at the flame giant not far away and simply shook his head at Lainas's question.
"No need. When Bartholomello deals with Dead Apostles, anyone other than her teammates will be treated as an enemy. We just need to wait here for our prey. Dr. Hartless, aren't you going to show yourself?"
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