Spirit Origin Fragment

After dropping Shirou and Sakura off at school, Wang Xiaoming took Lily to the agency where Touko Aozaki, wanting to thank her for taking care of the two children for him during this time.

To Wang Xiaoming's surprise, the moment he stepped through the gates of the Garan no Dou, an indescribable oppressive atmosphere enveloped him.

"W-what's wrong?"

Looking at Touko Aozaki's scrutinizing gaze, which was wrapped in tape, Wang Xiaoming felt inexplicably guilty.

Ignoring Wang Xiaoming, Touko Aozaki turned her gaze to Lily beside Wang Xiaoming.

At first glance, a hint of amazement flashed in Touko Aozaki's eyes. Although Fujino Asagami had described the girl's appearance before, she was still amazed by Lily's lovely appearance after seeing her in person.

Only...

Watching Touko Aozaki walk to her desk and pick up the phone, Wang Xiaoming, still somewhat confused, heard—

"... Officer, I want to report someone molesting a girl here."

"Hey, hey, hey, you've gone too far!"

Having finally snatched the phone from Touko Aozaki's hand, Wang Xiaoming breathed a sigh of relief and began to introduce Touko Aozaki and Touko Aozaki people around her to Lily.

"This is Aozaki Touko, a highly renowned puppeteer of our time."

Hello, Miss Touko Aozaki.

Lily greeted Touko Aozaki very politely.

"Ah, hello..."

Touko Aozaki, wanting to respond, realized she still didn't know the girl's name. Wang Xiaoming, ever perceptive, offered a suggestion. "Just call this child Lily."

"Hello, Lily."

"This is Fujino Asagami, Touko Aozaki's disciple..."

After Wang Xiaoming turned around to introduce the others, Touko Aozaki finally had a chance to take a good look at the unfamiliar girl named "Lily."

Although it was just an ordinary outfit, Lily's extraordinary noble temperament could not be concealed by a simple attire.

Coupled with her naive and innocent demeanor, even if that guy claimed the girl before him was a princess who had been stranded here, I'm afraid...

Wait--

Touko Aozaki had seemed somewhat indifferent for some reason, noticed something amiss after refocusing her attention on Lily.

That's... a spirit?!

"Come here first--"

Touko Aozaki grabbed Wang Xiaoming by the collar and, ignoring his struggles, dragged him into her workshop.

The three girls left outside the workshop stared at each other, looking at the closed workshop door, until Kirie, sitting in a wheelchair, broke the silence first:

"Hey, Miss Lily, hello. I'm Kirie Fujou, just call me Kirie."

"Hello, Ms. Kirie..."

"Ahem, what's wrong? Why are you so startled?"

After being pulled by the Touko Aozaki and led into the workshop by Chengzi, Wang Xiaoming coughed twice and then asked her a question.

"Stop playing dumb--"

After removing his glasses, Touko Aozaki seemed to exude an even colder aura. He took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and then spoke:

"That girl... she can't be human, right?"

The opponent must have used Magecraft to conceal their presence, but the unusual magical fluctuations still alerted Touko Aozaki. After all, as a [Grand] level Magecraft, Touko Aozaki still needed to be a skilled Magecraft and have keen eyesight.

"..."

"Silence isn't the expression you should be wearing right now, is it?"

After a long silence, Wang Xiaoming finally showed a helpless expression:

"... It's not that I'm unwilling to tell you, it's just that I'm afraid no one would believe me if I did."

Upon hearing this answer, Touko Aozaki, who was smoking a cigarette, silently walked to the window. She looked out the window. The room had no electric lights; the only illumination came from the sunlight outside.

Outside the window, the daylight was bright. For a while, Touko Aozaki silently watched the street scene at midday in summer.

"Okay, okay..."

Wang Xiaoming raised his hands in surrender, took a deep breath, and then asked Touko Aozaki:

"The Holy Grail War, you know about it, right?"

"Was it the one you and Emiya Kiritsugu participated in together three years ago?"

After hearing Wang Xiaoming's question, Touko Aozaki seemed thoughtful. Although the Holy Grail War was not well-known in the Mystic World as a secret ritual in the Far East, even those Magecraft who knew about it would argue about whether the Omnipotent Wishing Machine existed.

Touko Aozaki, as a local Magecraft, and based on the snippets she had overheard from Wang Xiaoming... she was at least certain that the Holy Grail War truly existed.

However, what she didn't expect was that she heard...

Wang Xiaoming shook his head and said:

"That was just the beginning of the story..."

Then, Wang Xiaoming started to talk. "Back then, I was just an ordinary person..."

Not only the Fourth Holy Grail War three years ago, but also his recent experience in the Great Holy Grail War in a parallel world, Wang Xiaoming had told everything he could, except for some things that had to be concealed. And--

The existence of Medea.

Time flies. By the time Wang Xiaoming had roughly recounted his experiences in the two Holy Grail War, the setting sun, shining through the window, had already bathed the unlit workshop in a deep red.

"The Great Holy Grail War, the Second Magic, parallel worlds... your experiences are truly..."

After agonizing for a long time, Touko Aozaki finally seemed to come up with a suitable adjective.

"Inconceivable."

Wang Xiaoming shrugged to indicate his innocence. Having seemingly processed the massive amount of information, Touko Aozaki began the question-and-answer session:

"So, the 'Lily' outside the door is actually Medea, the [Witch of the Age of Gods]?"

"To be precise, she should be Medea in her teenage years."

"That's Medea too..."

Faced with Wang Xiaoming's emphasis, Touko Aozaki rubbed her temples, which were slightly aching. Now, recalling Lily's endearing appearance, Touko Aozaki could only manage a bitter smile.

After all, the name [Medea] is absolutely legendary among modern Magecraft. Who would have thought that this [Witch of the Age of Gods] would appear before them in the form of a young girl?

"Never mind, let's not talk about this anymore..."

Touko Aozaki waved her hand. Since it had already happened, it was obviously impossible to erase the reality. A mocking smile then appeared on her face.

"Speaking of which, you're probably the only one who's already standing before the Holy Grail but didn't have a chance to make a wish, right?"

Faced with Touko Aozaki's teasing, Wang Xiaoming could only offer an awkward but polite smile.

"But..."

Touko Aozaki frowned again as she spoke, "Maintaining the Servant's presence requires sufficient mana. Do you have enough mana?"

From Wang Xiaoming's explanation, Touko Aozaki has gained some understanding of the Holy Grail War ritual. Apart from the Master, most of the magical power needed by Servants in Servant manifest world still needs to be supplied by the Greater Grail. Now, Lily's connection with the Greater Grail has been severed.

In this way, the burden of supplying magic power to the Servant falls entirely on the Master, namely Wang Xiaoming.

"Ah, the magic supply isn't a problem right now, as for the reason..."

After hearing Touko Aozaki's question, which was probably one she was concerned about, Wang Xiaoming thought for a moment and then answered seriously:

"I guess it's because I've become stronger."

Chapter 297. Spirit Origin Fragment

As consciousness gradually emerged from the darkness, Wang Xiaoming opened his eyes and found a familiar figure standing before him—

At that moment, Circe was squatting in front of him, looking at Wang Xiaoming with an indescribable gaze. His expression held surprise, emotion, and a hint of melancholy...

However, upon seeing Wang Xiaoming wake up, the emotion in her star-like eyes instantly switched to a playful one, and she greeted Wang Xiaoming:

"Oh, you're awake?"

"Hiss--"

Wang Xiaoming was about to get up and say hello, but the sudden sharp pain and numbness he felt as he propped himself up made him gasp.

Not only that, but a feeling of emptiness that made him feel weak also traveled all over Wang Xiaoming's body at the same time.

"Don't waste your energy..."

As the voice rang out, Circe lightly tapped Wang Xiaoming on the head with her wand. "Your magic has been completely drained, what are you doing moving around?"

Not even having the strength to respond, Wang Xiaoming could only look at the Witch in front of him with innocent eyes.

"Look at what's in your arms," Circe said irritably.

In my arms?

After being reminded by Circe, Wang Xiaoming, who had broken free from the numbness, realized that there seemed to be something pressing on his chest in his arms.

Struggling to lift his head, Wang Xiaoming's gaze shifted downwards, and he discovered—

Lily was curled up in his arms like a small animal, her eyes closed, as if she were dozing off.

"I didn't expect you to bring this little troublemaker along, and in Servant form at that..."

At this point, Circe suppressed the urge to smash her wand on Wang Xiaoming's head, "Do you know how much mana Servant consumes after severing their connection with the Greater Grail?"

Hearing Circe's impatient voice, Wang Xiaoming's thoughts drifted back to the last scene before his consciousness was severed—

It seems like golden spiritual particles appeared out of nowhere and enveloped me, Lily, and Jack the Ripper. Now, looking at it this way, I and Lily are here...

"Crack... Circe... Sister, have you... seen a silver-haired... little girl?"

Wang Xiaoming's voice was completely hoarse, and it took Circe a lot of effort to understand what he meant.

"Little girl? I didn't see her."

"That's... good..." It seems that Lily's transfer this time is due to a problem with her contract with herself; Jack the Ripper must have stayed in that world.

Reika will definitely be able to take good care of that child.

Seeing Wang Xiaoming breathe a sigh of relief, Circe was truly amused and exasperated. "You're barely managing to save yourself, and you still have time to worry about others."

It seems they haven't grasped the seriousness of the situation yet...

"Ooh~"

Just as Circe was wickedly plotting how to "deal with" this idiot who couldn't grasp the seriousness of the situation, a soft moan suddenly came from Wang Xiaoming's arms.

Lily, who had been lying in Wang Xiaoming's arms, woke up.

"Master?"

Lily had just opened her eyes and looked up to see Wang Xiaoming. She instinctively reached out to touch her Master's cheek, but after trying, she got the same result as Wang Xiaoming.

In the end, Lily, who had collapsed into Wang Xiaoming's arms, could only manage a silly smile that was a mixture of confusion and bewilderment.

"Two idiots..."

Circe glared at the master and servant before her, her teeth clenched. The warm atmosphere between the man and woman always stirred within her, a woman of great stature, an urge to raise a torch.

Upon hearing Circe's voice, Lily finally turned her attention to her, and then showed a rather surprised expression:

"Eh, is that Auntie?"

"--Ugh, calling someone 'Auntie' right off the bat! That's really hurtful!"