Epilogue: Gordes and the Homunculus

Upon hearing Fiore's terms, Lord El-Melloi II was instinctively stunned.

Was it Fiore's condition that was unacceptable?

No, quite the opposite, it was precisely because the conditions were so generous that the Lord El-Melloi II showed such an expression.

After the Third Holy Grail War, Darnic began to take in various impoverished Magecraft families, quietly building his power. During this time, the exact amount of wealth and information Yggdmillennia accumulated remains unknown.

But without a doubt, if this wealth were used for his own purposes as Fiore promised, then the down-on-his-luck El-Melloi would surely return to the glory he enjoyed when his mentor, Lord El-Melloi, was still alive, in a very short time!

"This..."

Lord El-Melloi II frowned again, beginning to weigh the pros and cons of the matter. However, the sound of the door being suddenly pushed open drew the attention of the two people inside the room—

"We agree!"

The girl who entered the room was none other than Reines El- El-Melloi Lord El-Melloi II's adopted sister, Archisorte.

Watching Reines stride in, and Gray, her inner disciple, following behind her, constantly apologizing, "I'm sorry, Master, I couldn't stop Miss Reines in time."

Our Lord El-Melloi II feels today might be another day of stomach aches.

After discussing some specific matters with Reines, who had seized the right to negotiate, Fiore, seeing the sky beginning to darken through the window, asked to take her leave. As for some minor details, they would be discussed after the merger was successfully completed.

"Then I shall take my leave."

"I cannot see you off any further."

After seeing Fiore out of the room, Reines stood at the doorway, watching her receding figure thoughtfully. Only after returning to the room did Reines ask her brother:

"Didn't the intelligence report say that the current leader of Yggdmillennia has a leg problem?"

Perhaps because it was right around the time class ended, the teaching area of Department of Modern Magecraft Clock Tower was bustling with activity. Fiore, who was moving through the crowd, had to stop and take a short break.

"Let's keep going..."

Just as Fiore was about to take a step, a figure suddenly ran past her and accidentally brushed against her arm.

In the instant she lost her balance, Fiore had already closed her eyes, bracing herself for pain, but just as she was about to fall, a strong arm caught her. At the same time, a voice suddenly rang in Fiore's ear—

"Don't push yourself if you haven't fully recovered."

Opening her eyes, Fiore found Chiron, dressed in casual clothes, standing in front of her. Perhaps because he didn't want to attract attention, Archer had even put on a pair of glasses to cover his overly sharp eyes.

But shouldn't he have returned to the Throne of Heroes after the Great Holy Grail War ended?

"I just wanted to test my limits."

After regaining her balance with Archer's help, Fiore blushed slightly and tried to explain. Judging from her expression, she didn't seem surprised that Archer hadn't left.

As for Archer, he shook his head helplessly after hearing Fiore's words:

"Although the Greater Grail helped repair the mutated circuits in your legs, the muscles in your legs, which haven't been used for a long time, have weakened to the point that they can no longer support your body, so you are now..."

Looking at the incessantly chattering Archer, who wore a "here we go again" expression, Fiore could only shake her head and smile wryly. She began to wonder if her decision to "let Archer stay" had just created more trouble for herself.

The Holy Grail can grant the wishes of the victor, while the Greater Grail, possessing the soul and magic of two Holy Grail War, can grant multiple wishes.

Therefore, in the collapsing Hanging Gardens of Babylon, facing the already activated Greater Grail, Archer revealed Fiore's original intention for participating in this Great Holy Grail War— "to heal her legs."

Having learned through telepathy that his wish had taken effect, Archer's lack of a wish was less a matter of not having one, and more a matter of being forced to accept the summons from the beginning and never having considered his own desires.

Therefore, he generously gave Fiore the right to make a second wish.

Then, he heard Fiore's somewhat timid voice coming from the other end of the voice transmission—

Please stay.

Although Archer wasn't the only Servant left behind, that's a story for another time.

Seeing Fiore seemingly lost in thought, Archer shook his head, then inquired about the progress of the negotiations with Fiore -El-Melloi's faction:

What was the outcome of the negotiations?

"Just as you said, Lord El-Melloi II is a very easy person to talk to."

"After all, he's [Big Ben☆ London Star]..."

Perhaps thinking of something amusing, Archer's lips unconsciously curled into a slight smile. But then Fiore raised another question:

"Speaking of which, Mr. Ming, he..."

Although Fiore, who remained on the ground, did not witness Wang Xiaoming and Lily's sudden disappearance firsthand, she heard about it from Archer and the other participants in the battle.

Fiore was deeply grateful to the man who had helped her so much during the Great Holy Grail War, and therefore naturally became concerned about his whereabouts.

"Dad should have gone back by now."

Archer thought for a moment before answering. After all, in his memory, Wang Xiaoming had also had several experiences of "going on long trips".

Archer shrugged, noticing the lingering worry on Fiore's face.

"Actually, there's no need to worry about him. If something had happened to him, I wouldn't be standing here."

"I see..."

She shyly raised her eyes. Even though those days had passed, Fiore still harbored some inexplicable feelings for the man before her. These tangled emotions were like a ball of yarn left after a cat had played with it, entangled in the girl's mind and refusing to let go.

Therefore, even now, she still unconsciously maintains a certain reserve that she herself feels is not so necessary.

"Then, please take care of me from now on, Archer, oh no, Shirou."

"Yes, nice to meet you, Fiore."

The next plan is to finish the Kara no Kyoukai storyline, and then move on to the Case Files.

Touko Aozaki's home field, after all, Magecraft is also a Caster (not really).

And it's a chaotic scene (probably).

Chapter 291. Epilogue: Gordes and the Homunculus

"I'm so angry!!!"

In the castle of Yggdmillennia, Gordes, who had just returned from the Mage's Association, was storming angrily toward his room, his obese body trembling as if in response to his master's rage.

In the corridor, the androids passing by him seemed to be used to this kind of thing. After giving him a slight bow, they went about their own business.

"Those bastards!"

Back in his room, Gordes's mind raced again with the ugly faces of the Magecraft in the Mage's Association. He slammed his fist on the heavy table.

"..."

With a blank expression, Gordes raised his right hand again. Once the pain subsided, he began rubbing his hand, anger resurfacing on his face.

"How dare you spy on my technology!"

Judging from Gordes's indignant expression, he had clearly forgotten that his own technique was also "borrowed" from Einzbern.

[Yggdmillennia] ultimately joined the Mage's Association under the "guidance" of Lord El-Melloi II, just as Fiore had agreed with the El-Melloi faction.

Although the whole process was uneventful, it was only natural that Fiore and the others would be treated differently after joining the Mage's Association, given their previous status as "traitors" and the decline of the El-Melloi faction.

Thump thump thump--

The sudden knocking caught Gordes's attention. Before the homeowner could speak, he heard the doorknob turn, and then a woman walked in...

"If you want to vent your frustrations, I'm happy to oblige, but please don't touch the room's furnishings; it will cause trouble for the artificial beings responsible for cleaning."

A hard, cold sound, or rather, a sound instantly reminiscent of metal, reached Gordes's ears. Turning his head, he saw a woman standing at the doorway of the room.

With just one glance, one could be certain that the voice belonged to the woman before them. The indifference in her crimson eyes and her neat, short gray hair revealed her resolute character.

The homunculus Tool is currently the leader of all the homunculus in Yggdmillennia Castle, and also the tutor hired by Gordes.

What are you doing here?

Looking at the uninvited Tool, Gordes asked him somewhat impatiently.

"I only heard from the homunculi that someone had returned from the Mage's Association looking like a stray dog, so I came to investigate in person to avoid causing a commotion."

Tool's reply remained indifferent, but this indifference was a great humiliation for Gordes, who roared at Tool:

"What do you know, you scoundrels...?"

"If it were you, I think you would have presented your hastily completed research results only after being flattered by the other party, and then returned in a huff after failing to answer their questions several times."

Completely unfazed by Gordes's expression, Tool stated his conclusion, and looking at Gordes's expression of having been hit where it hurt, it was clear that Tool's guess was indirectly confirmed.

"You bastard..."

After seriously considering the disparity in combat strength between the two sides, Gordes, gritting his teeth, silently lowered his clenched fist and then brought up another topic—

"Where did that brat Gordes run off to?"

Gordes, the eldest son of Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia, was also the main reason Gordes hired Tool.

"That child is practically a carbon copy of me, so I hope you can discipline him properly when the time is right."

He had said those words to Tool, but now, looking back, Gordes even wondered if he had lost his mind at the time.

Just as Gordes had predicted, only one day later, Gordes saw the expressionless Tool "discipline" his son with his fists and feet.

After all, he was his own son. When he saw Gordes's wailing and howling appearance Gordes subconsciously stepped forward to stop Tool, and then naturally got a good "lecture" from Tool.

From then on, Gordes never dared to interfere in Tool's education of his son again.

"Gordes is currently being led on a tour of the castle by Lord Siegfried."

Yes, in this Holy Grail War, Siegfried, the dragon-slaying hero Siegfried, also wished to remain in this world. It wasn't that she was forced to stay by Gordes, but rather that she made this wish herself by praying to the Holy Grail.

Afterwards, Gordes asked Saber about it, and Siegfried gave him a blunt reply, "I want to stay and see the world, and continue to serve you."

"Who wants you to serve them!"

As he shouted this, Gordes turned around and summoned men to make room for Saber.

As for Gordes's own wishes--

More than half a year has passed since the nightmarish Great Holy Grail War. Looking at Tool, who can still move freely beside Gordes, everything is self-evident. It's just that Gordes has always used the excuse that "the time was almost up, so I just made a wish."

"Go check on that brat."

Having vented his resentment, Gordes stood up again and walked towards the door, with Tool following behind him without saying a word.

The two were not difficult to find. After asking a passing android, Gordes quickly spotted the two figures, one large and one small, from the backs of their backs on a tower.

Just as he was about to approach, Gordes suddenly heard his son's question.

"Hey, Saber, what should I do to make people like me?"

Sitting on the steps of the Clock Tower, Gordes, with a troubled expression, asked the man standing next to him.

As a hero who "grants the wishes of others," Saber, who is welcomed wherever she goes, seems to have never encountered such a situation before. However, after considering her own circumstances, she offered her answer in a tentative, suggestive tone:

"Then how about we try not to disappoint others first?"

"But this is so difficult."

After briefly considering Saber's suggestion, Gordes's expression seemed even more distressed. Little did he know, Gordes, who had witnessed this from the shadows, was already considering how to discipline his "good-for-nothing" son.

"How about this then...?"

Saber's voice once again drew Gordes's attention. "Let's strive to become Masters first."

"Dad?"

After hearing Saber's words, Gordes looked incredulous. "Could it be that anyone would actually like a man with such a terrible personality?"

"You brat, what did you say?!"

No sooner had Gordes finished speaking than a roar came from behind him.

Turning his head, he saw his father charging towards him like a pig charging at him. With an agility far beyond his chubby frame, Gordes leaped up from the ground and dashed off, leaving behind a series of cries for help:

"Aaaaaah, Saber, help me!"