Magecraft-Medea's Power

But Wang Xiaoming had no time to admire any of it. The instant he saw the figure, scattered memories came rushing back along with another wave of pain.

"Uncle!"

Seeing Wang Xiaoming's pained expression, Little Shirou hurried to his bedside and looked at him anxiously. Then, as if he'd thought of something, he turned to Caster.

"Let me take a look..." Caster hesitated briefly, then walked over to the bed and placed a hand on Wang Xiaoming's forehead.

[What is this?!]

That was Caster's immediate reaction. Under her Magecraft for detecting magic, Wang Xiaoming—a completely ordinary man with no magical energy—had nothing to hide from her. And because of that...

"A soul covered in cracks."

In Caster's eyes, Wang Xiaoming's soul was covered in fine cracks, as if it would shatter at the slightest touch.

Caster was curious about how this man had managed to stay alive, but first, she'd better calm him down.

"Ugh..."

Once the pain had eased a little, Wang Xiaoming opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a flowing purple robe.

He never would have expected Little Shirou, the protagonist of the future, to summon her.

Medea—who should have appeared as Caster in the Fifth Holy Grail War—had shown up ten years early.

The two of them had no reason to cross paths at all, yet somehow Little Shirou had summoned her.

Was it because they were both Saber fans?

Jokes aside, Wang Xiaoming was filled with confusion and fear. Could an ordinary person like him really survive this brutal Holy Grail War?

Rely on his memories?

Give him a break.

The Caster team from the original story had been wiped out. Who knew if what happened next would follow his unreliable memories?

Maybe he should just run. The thought of deserting rose in Wang Xiaoming's mind once again.

As long as he could get away from this city...

"Uncle?" Seeing Wang Xiaoming lost in thought, Little Shirou suddenly called out to him.

At the sound of his voice, Wang Xiaoming looked down and met Little Shirou's worried eyes.

Could he really leave behind the child who'd saved him and run away on his own?

Wang Xiaoming asked himself honestly.

Leaving a little kid in the middle of this Holy Grail War would be one thing if the Servant were easy to deal with. But Wang Xiaoming knew who this Caster was, and she was not an easy Servant to get along with.

He'd saved Little Shirou by chance, but now that he had, there was no reason to abandon the child!

The confusion in Wang Xiaoming's eyes gave way to determination.

No matter what, he'd take the kid and clear this dungeon!

But the first problem was... he had to stay alive.

As far as he could remember, those mages had an utterly bizarre sense of right and wrong. An ordinary person with no magical energy absolutely wasn't allowed to get involved in the Holy Grail War. If they found one, they'd eliminate him.

He'd either get stabbed to death or... stabbed to death. He didn't have any gems he could use to revive himself!

What was he supposed to do? Wang Xiaoming had no idea.

Should he seek refuge with the Church?

In Wang Xiaoming's memories, the Holy Church served as an oversight body during the Holy Grail War. One of its duties was taking in Masters who had already lost.

But the priest at that church didn't seem like a good person...

Better not. Besides, Caster definitely wouldn't agree to that plan.

In the current situation, Little Shirou had Command Spells, but the two of them were still at a disadvantage. Against Caster, the Command Spells could barely count as a deterrent.

Even if he used all three Command Spells, Caster...

Wait—

Wang Xiaoming suddenly froze, as if he'd remembered something.

"If you're having trouble thinking clearly, I can take care of that for you," Caster said abruptly from the side.

Her voice brought Wang Xiaoming back to his senses. He smacked his forehead and cursed himself for being an idiot.

The best teacher was right here beside him, and he was still looking for other solutions!

"Miss Caster!"

"What?" Under Wang Xiaoming's eager gaze, Caster instinctively took a step back and asked warily.

"I want you to teach Shirou and me some basic Magecraft."

"Why should I?" Caster shot back.

The idea that [ordinary people must not get involved in the Holy Grail War] was common knowledge implanted in every Servant by the Holy Grail upon their summoning. Caster naturally knew it, and understood what Wang Xiaoming was thinking.

But why should she help him?

That was what Caster truly thought. Even if he was her Master, she had no obligation to do this.

"No, you will help us." Wang Xiaoming smiled mysteriously. "Won't you, Miss Medea?"

"..."

Though she didn't know how he'd recognized her, there was no point hiding it anymore. Caster reached up and pulled back her hood. Her aqua-blue hair spilled down.

"I'm becoming more and more curious about you."

Medea stared at Wang Xiaoming, her tone laden with meaning. There was even an unmistakable hint of murderous intent.

During the Holy Grail War, Servants hid their true identities to keep their weaknesses from being exposed. They would never reveal their real names to anyone but their Masters.

But Medea was certain she hadn't revealed anything. So how had this man discovered her true name?

If he didn't explain, she absolutely couldn't let him live!

So it really was her.

After comparing her to the memories in his mind, Wang Xiaoming confirmed the woman's identity once again.

Medea, a figure whose life had been steeped in tragedy.

"An elf?"

Little Shirou was clearly focused on something different from Wang Xiaoming. Medea's pointed ears reminded him of the forest messengers in his fairy-tale books.

GJ! That's the way, Shirou! What a compliment! No wonder you grow up to be a human bulldozer!

Seeing Medea's expression soften ever so slightly, Wang Xiaoming gave Little Shirou a mental thumbs-up.

"Miss Medea, according to my memories, you weren't supposed to appear until ten years from now."

Wang Xiaoming took a deep breath, ready to [come clean].

Medea said nothing as she listened. Wang Xiaoming continued on regardless. "In the Fifth Holy Grail War ten years from now, a handsome man summons you. Unable to put up with his behavior, you trick him into using all three of his Command Spells, then kill him."

"..."

Medea's expression turned strange. Putting herself in that situation, she had to admit it sounded like something she might do.

"Without your Master supplying you with magical energy, you eventually meet your end in the Holy Grail War."

The highest level of lying was to make nine parts truth and one part lie. Wang Xiaoming felt he'd done a pretty good job. He didn't expect Medea to believe everything; if she believed even half, they could keep talking.

"You said the Fifth Holy Grail War would begin ten years from now?" Medea asked about something unrelated to herself.

"That's right. The Fifth Holy Grail War, ten years from now—"

"Impossible!" Medea said coldly. "The ritual of the Holy Grail War takes place in sixty-year cycles. How could the Holy Grail gather enough magical energy in just ten years?"

"Because something went wrong in the Fourth Holy Grail War, the one happening now. The Greater Grail had accumulated a great deal of magical energy, but the Fourth Holy Grail War ended in a rush before most of it could be used. That's why the Greater Grail filled up again in only ten years."

Wang Xiaoming spread his hands and explained with complete nonchalance, as if to say, believe it or don't.

"Then what exactly went wrong in this Holy Grail War?"

"I only know that something will go wrong. I don't know the specifics. But right now, the biggest thing that's gone wrong is probably us. You two were supposed to show up ten years from now, but instead, you've teamed up in this Holy Grail War."

"Huh, me?"

Little Shirou, who had been quietly listening to the story, hadn't expected his uncle to bring him into it. He pointed at himself, looking bewildered.

"That's right. The story of you ten years from now is a different matter." Wang Xiaoming patted Little Shirou's head and smiled. "If you're interested, I'll tell you about it another time."

"Was that man the Master of the Caster who was supposed to be in this Holy Grail War?" Medea asked thoughtfully, recalling the scene of her own summoning.

"Yes." Wang Xiaoming nodded. "He'll summon [Bluebeard]'s original, Gilles de Rais."

"So he really is scum."

Though Medea had lived long before Bluebeard's era, there was no concept of time on the Throne of Heroes. She'd heard a little about Bluebeard's legend.

"So you know the true names of all the Heroic Spirits taking part in this Holy Grail War?"

"You could say that. It's as if someone crudely stuffed information about them into my memories. Some of it's still blurry, but I can always remember a few details."

Medea nodded, recalling the cracks covering Wang Xiaoming's soul.

"So I'll provide you with information about this Holy Grail War. You can see for yourself whether it's true. In exchange, I need you to teach us the basics of Magecraft. What do you say?"

"Deal."

The cover hadn't been approved yet. I'd originally planned to wait until it was approved before updating...

T_T

Chapter 11: Magecraft—Medea's Power

After reaching an agreement with Medea, Wang Xiaoming spent just one more day in the hospital before preparing to leave. Medea easily took care of his injuries and all the hassle of getting discharged. Magecraft really was convenient. In high spirits, Wang Xiaoming hummed an unfamiliar tune as he walked out of the hospital, greedily breathing in the fresh air, free of the smell of disinfectant.

It felt like I was alive again!

Little Shirou seemed just as happy to leave the hospital, no longer as subdued as before.

For the two of them, what they'd just been through was no less than being given a new life.

There was also the matter of adopting Little Shirou. Before Wang Xiaoming was discharged, the head of the local police in Fuyuki City had heard the news and quietly paid him a visit. When Wang Xiaoming mentioned that he wanted to adopt Little Shirou, whose parents had been killed, the official told him to stop by the police station's household registration office when he had some time.

This "hero" title sure came in handy. After taking care of a series of matters, Wang Xiaoming couldn't help but sigh. At the same time, his mischievous streak took over:

Wang Shirou...

Wang Shirou...

Wang the neighbor...

Tsk, the human bulldozer would probably be even more unstoppable when he grew up.

There was one more thing. While chatting with the police official, Wang Xiaoming noticed that he'd secretly slipped him a hotel key card...

The landlady of the inn where the newspaper had arranged for him to stay had been casually killed by Ryunosuke, so he couldn't stay there anymore. After the police finished gathering evidence and taking statements, they considered Wang Xiaoming's status and what he'd done, then put him up in the most expensive hotel in Fuyuki City.

"This is the place."

Standing outside what was supposedly the biggest hotel in Fuyuki City, Wang Xiaoming still felt pretty amazed. He'd never stayed in such a luxurious hotel in this life. As for his last life... ahem, he'd better check in first.

"Yikes—"

Wang Xiaoming had barely taken a few steps into the lobby when a chill swept through his body from the inside out.

"Uncle..."

Little Shirou, who had been following behind Wang Xiaoming, tugged at his sleeve and said, "Caster just told me we've walked into a bounded field."

"Uh, could you ask her if it's still in time for us to run?"

Wang Xiaoming felt bitter inside. Who else could have set up a bounded field here, if not one of the Masters taking part in the Holy Grail War?

Had he just walked straight into someone else's line of fire?