Why Did It Turn Out This Way?

Why Did It Turn Out This Way?

The sky gradually darkened.

That was putting it mildly. When Luo Zhen and the others completed the Spiritron Transfer to this era, the sky had already been dark, as if it had been swallowed by an unseen force. The oppressive atmosphere had been overwhelming.

But now, the sky seemed to have grown even darker, making that oppressive feeling even more intense.

Under these circumstances, Luo Zhen and the others found a place to hide.

It was a church located in a remote area.

"One of our enemies is that troublesome fellow who can snipe from several kilometers away. Talking in a place with a wide field of vision would be practically suicidal, so we should go inside."

Caster, who had made that suggestion, entered the church first. Luo Zhen and the others exchanged glances before following him.

After entering the church, everyone arrived at a chapel with its tables and chairs in disarray.

"Ah~~ We can finally relax."

Caster spoke in a languid tone before sitting directly on one of the pews and leaning back, even tossing his staff aside.

"Senpai, please sit here."

Mashu supported the utterly exhausted Luo Zhen and helped him sit on another pew. As if she did not want to leave his side for even a moment, she gripped her shield tightly and stood guard beside him.

Watching this, Luo Zhen felt the weakness caused by the complete depletion of his magical energy, while inwardly feeling helpless.

Having watched helplessly as Luo Zhen took a fatal blow head-on to save her, Mashu seemed to still be shaken by what had happened.

As a result, her clinginess had increased almost exponentially. She did not want to leave Luo Zhen's side even for a moment and continued guarding him.

Given this girl's personality, she must be brooding over her inability to protect me, right?

As Luo Zhen thought this, he began desperately activating his Magic Circuits, converting his life force and generating new magical energy. Meanwhile, Olga Marie seemed to have regained her composure and recovered the bearing befitting Chaldea's director.

"So you're one of the Servants of the Fuyuki City Holy Grail War, the Caster, correct?"

Olga Marie spoke in an aggressive tone.

Caster merely spread his hands, completely ignoring her hostility as he replied casually.

"Well, don't be so wary of me. Didn't I already say that, at least, I'm not your enemy?"

The Servant maintained the frivolous attitude he had displayed ever since his appearance.

That attitude displeased Olga Marie greatly. She glared at Luo Zhen, leaving him completely baffled.

Is her menopause acting up again?

Luo Zhen had no idea that Olga Marie was acting this way entirely because Caster's mannerisms and conduct somewhat resembled his own.

Although Luo Zhen was not as frivolous as Caster, his absentmindedness and individualistic style really were somewhat similar.

Olga Marie did not point this out. Instead, she snorted.

"Whether you're an enemy or not isn't for you to decide. We'll judge that for ourselves." Olga Marie spoke to Caster without the slightest courtesy. "We were attacked by Servants as soon as we arrived in Fuyuki City. Since you're also a Servant, we can't let our guard down around you."

After all, Luo Zhen had said that the Servants of Fuyuki City had very likely attacked them because of the Holy Grail War.

To win the Holy Grail War, the Masters and Servants had to fight one another until only one team remained. That was why they had targeted Luo Zhen and Mashu, who were likewise a Master and Servant.

Since the person before them was also a Servant, he might attack them for the same reason.

They absolutely could not afford to be careless.

However, just as Olga Marie was thinking this...

"This Servant should be fine."

Luo Zhen, whose complexion had recovered slightly but who was still weak, suddenly said this.

"Fine?"

Olga Marie was slightly taken aback.

Even Mashu, ignoring Fou perched on her shoulder, looked somewhat confused.

"Oh?" Caster seemed interested. He asked Luo Zhen, "Although I said it myself, why do you think I'm fine and not an enemy?"

The answer was very simple.

"Archer and Berserker, who have attacked us so far, both have those strange black patterns on their bodies, right?" Luo Zhen looked at Caster while generating magical energy and spoke bluntly. "Two different Servants have the exact same characteristic. At first, I thought it was something caused by the Fuyuki City Holy Grail War's unusual summoning system, but you don't have them. From that, it's clear that there's another reason."

Since that was the case, Caster, who did not have those patterns, was clearly different from the Servants who had attacked them.

"Based on that alone, we can conclude that you're at least different from those people." Luo Zhen spoke with extreme calm. "Although we still can't say for certain that you're not an enemy, you shouldn't be one of their allies either. Once we've established that, it's worth talking with you."

Upon hearing this, Mashu and Olga Marie exchanged glances and fell silent.

Clearly, both women approved of Luo Zhen's judgment.

Caster, meanwhile, grinned.

"I see. Calm-minded, yet bold in action. No wonder that fellow Archer was willing to lure Berserker out and send him to attack you, then prepare to strike from the shadows while you were engaged in battle."

Caster revealed this shocking information to everyone, causing them all to show looks of astonishment.

So that troublesome Berserker had been lured there by Archer?

And that Archer had actually hidden nearby, preparing to attack while they were fighting?

Thinking of Archer's arrows—powerful enough to shatter buildings—flying toward them while they were battling that overwhelmingly powerful Berserker, even Luo Zhen could not help feeling a lingering fear.

But since it had not happened, that proved...

"You were the one who stopped Archer, weren't you, Caster?"

Luo Zhen made this assertion.

"I merely stopped some irrelevant people from interfering." Caster spoke indifferently. "It would have been a shame if someone had disrupted such a wonderful battle."

That had to be the truth, right?

Although Caster certainly had not acted solely for that reason, everyone could still hear the sincerity in his tone.

In light of this, they understood.

The person before them was a true hero.

Unlike Archer, who had not hesitated to launch a sneak attack from the shadows, and Berserker, who had gone mad, this Caster possessed the glory, dignity, and convictions of a Heroic Spirit.

This gradually caused everyone to develop a sense of trust toward Caster.

However...

"One thing has nothing to do with the other." Luo Zhen did not abandon his questions because of this. Instead, he looked directly at Caster and said, "Since you're a Servant in the Holy Grail War, could you explain to us why Fuyuki City turned out this way?"

This was the problem that needed to be resolved most urgently. It concerned the abnormality that had caused Fuyuki City to burn down, and even the reason behind the Singularity's appearance and the destruction of human history.

This was the one question that had to be solved no matter what. Only then could they unravel all the mysteries.

Unfortunately...

"I don't know."

Caster's straightforward answer left everyone dumbfounded.