The Battle of Siegeswalda: Arrival / The Battle of Siegeswalda: Prelude

Saber's expression was full of complaints, indicating that she had been harboring resentment about this for a long time.

Although they look no different from ordinary pigeons, if you were to catch one at random, you would find that there is not a single spark of light in their eyes.

That was a reconnaissance tactic used by the Red Faction, but because of his previous slacking off, Wang Xiaoming didn't want anyone to disturb their trip. So Lily to use Magecraft to disguise them as a pair of tourists, so they wouldn't attract any attention.

Speaking of this, Wang Xiaoming suddenly remembered something—

"Oh, right, Saber."

"What."

Saber looked at Wang Xiaoming with a questioning gaze.

"Did you go to the church in the mountains before?"

Just then, Wang Xiaoming and his two companions were standing in an open space with no tall buildings obstructing their view. Wang Xiaoming glanced around and spotted the mountain that the "supervisor" had invited him and Shishigou to visit.

"Didn't you go?"

Saber asked in surprise, but when she turned to Lily, she nodded knowingly. "Actually, it's better not to go."

Then Saber recounted her experience of going to church with Shishigou, the seemingly easy-going priest, and the Semiramis who made her extremely wary.

"Thank you for reminding us. We'll be more careful in the future."

After listening to Saber's warning, Wang Xiaoming nodded and expressed his gratitude to Saber. However, he was met with a somewhat suspicious look from Saber, who then turned to Lily and said, "Caster, your Master is so weak, can she protect you?"

"Eh, shouldn't I be the one protecting the Master?"

Lily tilted her head, looking somewhat puzzled.

"Come on!"

Saber chuckled.

For some reason, although they hadn't spent much time together, Saber and Lily seemed to get along very well and quickly became familiar with each other, even their tone of voice became quite casual.

"You just need to protect yourself; leave the rest to me."

She straightened her back, her tone filled with intense confidence.

"..."

Seeing this, Wang Xiaoming inexplicably had a feeling that his partner was about to be poached.

"You look really cool, Saber, but I'll let you in on a little secret..."

Lily whispered in Saber's ear:

"Actually, my Master is really amazing too~"

Therefore, throughout the rest of the trip, Saber's occasional displeased glances left Wang Xiaoming completely baffled until the trip ended.

As the sun set, Shishigou, who had just returned from investigating the morgue, reunited with Wang Xiaoming and his group.

Japanese server sword farming, Chinese server swimsuit farming, wishing everyone good luck with their drops (thumbs up)

Chapter 197. The Battle of Sighisoara. Entrance.

Not only in Romania, but also from the perspective of Europe as a whole, Sighisoara is a unique city.

The uniqueness here refers to its "unchanging" aspects. Although the population is only a small 30,000, visitors can feel as if they have stepped back into the Middle Ages simply by walking along this historic street. The uneven cobblestone streets, the houses that have remained unchanged since the 16th century, and the square where the Witch's trial was once held are all still there.

Places like Vlad III's birthplace (now a hotel), the iconic clock tower, and the Church on the Hill at the top of the old town are all tourist attractions. These are places that allow foreigners to experience "medieval Europe."

Now, Sighisoara is shrouded in panic because of a series of murders. Tourists visiting the area are being killed one after another, and their bodies are found with their hearts gruesomely removed.

Aside from the bodies, the perpetrator left no evidence. The victims were also completely unrelated. Only a very few people knew the truth. The victims were all Magecraft —meaning that something extremely "abnormal" had occurred in Sighisoara.

How's the situation on your end?

After successfully reuniting with Shishigou, Wang Xiaoming asked him about his investigation into the deceased.

"This probably confirms my guess."

Despite his self-deprecating words, Shishigou revealed a rather confident smile, "The condition of the deceased is basically the same as what's written in the newspaper, but there's one thing the newspaper didn't mention—the hearts of all the deceased were ripped out."

"Heart?"

"For Servant, the heart is the location of their Spirit Core. But for humans..."

Seeing that his Servant still didn't understand, Shishigou clenched his fist and punched his chest. "This is the organ where magical energy gathers."

The idea that magic is Servant by extracting the heart of Magecraft is precisely what Shishigou previously suspected about the culprit in this serial murder case.

Saber pondered for a moment, then muttered something under her breath.

"... Eat it raw?"

"This kind of thing would be even more terrifying if you had to cook it."

As soon as Saber finished speaking, Shishigou followed up with a seamless retort.

Eating it raw could barely be considered a ritual, but cooking it and then consuming it is simply perverse...

"Hey, could you guys please not discuss this during dinner...?"

Wang Xiaoming stared speechlessly at the master and servant sitting opposite him, then turned his gaze to the food on the table in front of him, and suddenly felt unable to eat it.

Meanwhile, Lily, sitting next to Wang Xiaoming, was covering her mouth and snickering, which instantly made Wang Xiaoming feel a sense of crisis.

[Maybe... we should limit Lily's contact with those two in the future; they're going astray.]

"Well, it definitely isn't some proper Heroic Spirit."

After ending this pointless discussion with a resolute remark, Saber's brow furrowed with displeasure.

In any case, Saber was once a knight, and she would naturally feel indignant upon witnessing such "heretical" behavior.

"Anyway, I'll handle Assassin. Even if he isn't, I won't show any mercy."

Far from being angry at Saber's "unauthorized decision," Master Shishigou nodded in agreement. It was only right; as one of the Three Knight Classes with the highest overall qualities, Saber was a rare and unmatched figure even in the "Great Holy Grail War" where heroes gathered.

Only--

Considering the other party's despicable actions... it seems that as the Master, I am in more danger than Saber?

With their Presence Concealment, Assassins are considered the nemesis of Master. Although Assassins have low overall combat ability, if they successfully assassinate their Master, even the most powerful Servant will be forced to retreat in defeat after losing their mana supply.

Shishigou reviewed the records about the Holy Grail War Clock Tower. In a certain Subspecies Holy Grail War, a Master summoned an Assassin killed all the other Master and ended the Subspecies Holy Grail War in just three days.

However, with two Servant currently on our side, it seems there's no need to worry about this issue?

"So, Caster, can you take charge of the support?"

Saber was left to handle the fighting, while Lily, who seemed less adept at combat, stayed by Shishigou and Wang Xiaoming's side to prevent any unexpected situations from arising.

"Yes, I will try my best."

Under Wang Xiaoming's encouraging gaze, Lily nodded vigorously.

As night fell, the lingering twilight dispelled the reluctance of the setting sun, and for a certain "mother and daughter" residing in Sighisoara, this was the perfect opportunity for a [hunting] trip.

However, it seems they've encountered some trouble now?

"There really isn't a single person left."

Looking down at the deserted streets through the third-floor window, the woman sighed. Ever since "that news" spread, the entire city had become like a ghost town, and no one dared to go out at this hour of the night.

"It's time to move to a different place."

As if resigned to her fate, the woman drew the curtains and turned to walk back into the room. But the moment she stepped into the bedroom, a small voice reached her ears, and at the same time, a child appeared in her arms.

"Mother!"

"Mom's here~"

She gently stroked the child's hair in her arms, her voice incredibly tender, revealing a deep-seated affection and fondness.

The woman's name is Reika Rikudou, one of the [Black] Master participating in this Great Holy Grail War, and the child in her arms is her Servant, the Jack the Ripper -- Jack the Ripper.

"Mom, should we go somewhere else?"

Assassin looked up at Reika Rikudou and asked her.

"That's right, Trifas should be next?"

Assassin nodded vigorously, but his expression immediately turned somber:

"It might be a bit dangerous over there."

"... Is it another Servant?"

Suddenly remembering the knowledge about the Holy Grail War that Assassin had taught her, Reika Rikudou asked her about it.

"Yes, if we go there, a battle is inevitable, and if we fail, we will undoubtedly die."

The girl in his arms spoke in an incredibly calm tone about the situations she might encounter in the future.

"Now that you mention it, it sounds a little scary."

Reika Rikudou spoke in a leisurely tone, but she did not stop Assassin's idea because she knew Assassin's wish.

That's why Reika Rikudou is determined to do everything in her power to fight for that sliver of hope for Assassin.

"So, how about we go over there and observe the situation first? If we get a chance, we can have a big meal; if there's danger, we can just run away."

Since Reika Rikudou is just an ordinary person, her abilities are not up to par as Master, and she cannot provide Assassin with the magical power to remain in the mortal world. Therefore, Assassin can only replenish his magical power by "eating".

Given the current situation, Sighisoara, which is inaccessible for hunting, is no longer worth staying in, so Assassin has no objection to the suggestion made by Reika Rikudou.

So, with Assassin's nod, the duo's next destination was set. Next, they just needed to pack their things and leave the city. Suddenly, Assassin looked up:

"Mom, it looks like the Magecraft is here again."

"Let's have one last meal before leaving Sighisoara."

Reika Rikudou spoke terrifying words without changing her expression.

"... Okay, but Mom can't come today. It might be more dangerous than usual."

"Understood. I'll wait for you here. Be careful on the road."

Upon hearing Reika's words, Assassin smiled happily and then jumped out of the third-floor window. Reika smiled and waved at her retreating figure, watching her leave.

At the same time, a car slowly came to a stop in the small town of Sighisoara. Then, the rear door opened, and a girl in a wheelchair, with the help of a young man beside her, easily touched the ground.

"Let's go, Archer--"

After looking around at her surroundings, the girl spoke to the young man beside her.

Bonus chapter coming later Orz

Chapter 198. The Battle of Sighisoara: Prelude

Sighisoara under the cover of night--

Having finished dinner, Wang Xiaoming and Shishigou were strolling along the historic streets of this city.

The group is searching for the serial killer in the city, but before they can find out, they have to deal with some other trouble.

"Hey, Master! If that guy doesn't come soon, I have a feeling we're going to get arrested by those cops!"

Watching the police officer's retreating figure disappear into the distance, Saber unabashedly mocked Shishigou. Shishigou, the target of her taunts, could only helplessly spread his hands to express his innocence.

Saber was right; the four of them had been patrolling the city for about half an hour. In that time, they had already dealt with four or five groups of police officers on nighttime patrols to guard against the "murderer."

With his towering stature and menacing face, the Kairi Shishigou's presence on the night streets was so overwhelming that even the most Suggestion Magecraft couldn't conceal it.

"Caster, do you have any ideas?"

Seeing Wang Xiaoming struggling to suppress his laughter, he asked Lily, "Because we're fighting in the field, to avoid revealing our identities, we can only address Lily by her job title."

"Please wait a moment."