After all, he had not known that fictional characters could also become Heroic Spirits as long as they were famous enough.
Now that he had seen Bluebeard's crazed obsession with Jeanne d'Arc, he finally understood.
This guy was Gilles de Rais, the real-life inspiration for Bluebeard in the fairy tale.
Gilles de Rais had developed mental problems after Jeanne d'Arc's death. To research alchemy, he had tortured 300 children to death and had ultimately been burned at the stake.
That also matched this guy's perverted mindset, words, and actions.
The Masters in the group also understood who he was now.
[D: Mysterious Heroine X, a parallel-world counterpart of Artoria born in Mysterious Space-Time.]
Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Hmm? Another parallel world?"
Kayneth: "Mysterious Space-Time? What sort of place is that?"
Waver: "So this one really is King Arthur."
Feng Xi: "Of course she counts. Didn't it say she was Artoria's parallel-world counterpart?"
[E: An Artoria from a parallel world. Rather than drawing the holy sword as a girl, she chose the holy lance Rhongomyniad as her weapon. Her growth never stopped, and her body matured to an age befitting her status as king. Years of using the holy lance made her an existence close to a Divine Spirit.]
Artoria: "???"
Waver: "This is King Arthur from a parallel world!"
Rin Tohsaka: "The difference is way too big!"
King of Conquerors: "Hahaha, what's so surprising about that? I looked very different when I was young, too."
Waver: "How different?"
King of Conquerors: "In your words, I was a Beautiful Youth."
Waver: "Beautiful Youth! You?"
It was not that Waver did not believe him, but with Iskandar's massive build, it was simply hard to imagine that he had been a Beautiful Youth in his youth.
[F: A male King Arthur from a parallel world, wielder of the holy sword of the planet, Arthur Pendragon.]
"!!!"
Now everyone in the group was dumbfounded.
Waver: "A male King Arthur! So one really does exist!"
Tokiomi Tohsaka: "We were all misled..."
Rin Tohsaka: "Heh, I'm never believing any information the system gives us again."
Kayneth: "Thank you, system, for reminding me what it felt like to be at the mercy of exams."
[The correct answers are D, E, and F.] [Congratulations to Feng Xi on obtaining 5 Saint Quartz.] [Bluebeard forfeited this question.] [Everyone else answered incorrectly. 1 Saint Quartz deducted.]
Waver: "Huh? Feng Xi, you got it right!"
Feng Xi: "I just tried some reverse thinking and picked the options that seemed the least likely."
Feng Xi: "That's what my experience with exams taught me."
Waver: "What kind of experience is that..."
Kayneth: "Hmph, why not spend that effort studying properly?"
Feng Xi: "Do you think studying would let you answer the questions in this group?"
Kayneth: "..."
[Feng Xi had the highest win rate in this round of questions, followed by Kiritsugu Emiya in second place and Waver in third. They are awarded one gold, silver, and bronze treasure chest respectively.] [Today's questions have concluded. They will resume tomorrow.]
Waver: "Today's questions really turned my worldview upside down."
Kayneth: "Indeed. There was far too much information."
Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Waver, what did you get from your treasure chest?"
Waver: "Oh, that..."
Waver: "Wait, why should I tell you!"
Kariya Matou: "Hmph, Tokiomi Tohsaka, you're as disgusting and hypocritical as ever, trying to catch someone off guard and pry out their trump card."
Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Hmph, Kariya Matou, since when did someone who isn't even a mage get a say here?"
Kariya Matou: "Heh, sorry, but I'm already a mage now."
Tokiomi Tohsaka: "You don't even have Magic Circuits. Are you trying to make me laugh?"
Chapter 14: The War of the Holy Grail begins, summoning Heroic Spirits
(Irisviel)
Kariya Matou: "Haven't you noticed yet? The shop in this group sells Magic Circuits. Each one costs just one Saint Quartz."
Kariya Matou: "I've already bought four Magic Circuits."
Tokiomi Tohsaka: "What!"
He really had not known that. After all, his attention had been on items like the Jeweled Sword.
Kayneth: "You can even buy Magic Circuits!"
Magic Circuits were a mage's most important asset, vital organs that mages used to convert life force into magical energy.
Without Magic Circuits, one was destined never to become a mage.
The more Magic Circuits someone had, the more magical energy they could use.
Of course, having more Magic Circuits was not necessarily better. Quality could make up for quantity.
The number of Magic Circuits was determined at birth and would not increase due to external factors.
But now an exception had appeared: this mysterious system.
They could actually increase their Magic Circuits with Saint Quartz earned from answering questions.
If word got out, it would probably shake the entire Mage's Association.
None of them had taken a proper look at the system shop before. It seemed they would have to study it carefully next.
"What an incredible system."
Waver had already arrived in Fuyuki City and taken a room at an inn.
But he had no time to concern himself with that now.
A gold treasure chest and a bronze treasure chest sat before him.
They were the rewards he had earned from answering questions yesterday and today.
He had not opened his treasure chest yesterday because he had been on a plane.
He would begin summoning a Heroic Spirit tonight, so he would open them both now and see whether he could get anything useful.
"Hmm? What's this?"
Waver stared at the card and dagger that had appeared in his hands, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, at the Einzbern Family's castle.
"Irisviel, there's been a change of plans."
Kiritsugu Emiya found his wife polishing Avalon and spoke with a serious expression.
Irisviel asked in puzzlement, "What's wrong, Kiritsugu? Are you not planning to summon King Arthur anymore?"
"No, the summoning will stay the same."
Looking at the card in his hand, Kiritsugu Emiya said gravely, "What needs to change is the person performing the summoning."
Back in Fuyuki City, in Feng Xi's hotel room.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host on obtaining the Heroic Spirit Summoning Card - Chaldea Version!"
Delight appeared on Feng Xi's face.
Haha, I finally drew something good.
Chaldea used the "Guardian Heroic Spirit Summoning System-Fate" to summon Heroic Spirits. The summoned Heroic Spirits could remain in the present world until they were sent back or defeated.
In other words, a Heroic Spirit summoned with this card could remain in the present world indefinitely.
That way, he would have two Heroic Spirits at his disposal in this War of the Holy Grail.
Unfortunately, even if he really won this War of the Holy Grail, there would be no benefit.
After all, Little Angra had already corrupted the Holy Grail into that wretched state. It could not grant wishes at all.
"I'll save it for now and use them together tonight."