The third day of marching.
The direction is different from before.
Previously, we traveled west from the teleportation point; this time, we're heading southwest from the People of the Mountain camp.
Hassan of the Hundred Faces Doppelganger led the way.
Mayuri walked in the middle, holding Fou in her arms, looking utterly bored.
Ritsuka Fujimaru walked beside her, munching on her breakfast rations as she went.
Green hues began to appear on the distant horizon.
At first, it was just a faint patch of green among the sand dunes.
Then the green grew more and more abundant, until it finally merged into one vast expanse.
Palm trees, shrubs, and meadows.
At the edge of the desert, an oasis, like an emerald, is set in the yellowish-brown earth.
In the center of the oasis, a colossal pyramid rises from the ground.
The white limestone exterior reflects a dazzling light in the sunlight, and the spire is covered with gold leaf. The golden light and sunlight intertwine, making the entire pyramid look as if it is on fire.
There is a city surrounding the pyramid.
White stone walls, neat streets, crowds of people coming and going, the sounds of vendors hawking their wares in the market, and the laughter of children playing by the fountain.
Compared to the barrenness of the People of the Mountain, this place is like another world.
"Wow..."
Ritsuka Fujimaru stood at the edge of the oasis, looking at the scene before her, speechless.
Mash was also stunned.
"This is the Pharaoh's territory..."
"That's amazing..."
The residents had smiles on their faces.
It wasn't the numb, forced expression of People of the Mountain, but a genuine, relaxed laugh.
People on the street were dressed in clean linen clothes, children were chasing and playing, and vendors were enthusiastically greeting customers at their stalls.
The gap in quality of life is too large.
"Fu!" Fou poked her head out from Mayuri's arms, her ears perked up.
"That is the Pharaoh's territory."
Hassan of the Hundred Faces clone turned around.
"Leave the rest to me. I have a way to get you to see the Pharaoh."
Her "solution" was actually quite simple.
She walked up to the guards at the city gate, removed her face mask, and revealed a skull mask.
Then he said, "The messenger of the People of the Mountain has come to negotiate with Pharaoh."
The guard's expression changed.
He stared at the skull mask for two seconds, then turned and ran into the city.
About half an Tokiomi later.
An official in a white robe ran out of the city, panting heavily.
"The Pharaoh has agreed to receive the messenger. Please follow me."
Hassan of the Hundred Faces's clone winked at Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others.
The group followed the officials into the city, through the bustling streets, and headed towards the pyramids.
The closer Mayuri expression became.
At first, he only frowned slightly.
Then her pace slowed.
" Mayuri?" Ritsuka Fujimaru turned around.
Mayuri stood in the middle of the street, head down, her long, pale blonde hair obscuring her expression.
"... So annoying."
Her voice was very low.
"What?"
"Here."
Mayuri raised her head.
"This pyramid."
She pressed her hand to her chest.
"My Spirit Origin is... I hate this place."
Mash immediately became alert.
"Miss Mayuri, are you alright?"
"It's nothing. It's just..."
Mayuri frowned, her expression suggesting she was enduring something uncomfortable.
She had experienced this feeling before.
The moment I first saw the King of Conquerors during the Fourth Holy Grail War.
That kind of disgust and rejection that surged from the depths of the soul, indescribable in words.
It's like an instinctive conflict between two completely different essential aspects of existence.
but why?
What do Pharaohs and King of Conquerors have in common?
Mayuri thought for three seconds.
Then I gave up.
"Forget it, let's go."
She shook her head, suppressing the discomfort.
"I can endure it."
Ritsuka Fujimaru looked at her expression with some worry, but Mayuri had already started walking forward.
The group passed through the massive portal at the base of the pyramid and entered the internal passageway.
The walls on both sides of the passage are covered with ancient Egypt murals and hieroglyphs, and the torchlight flickers on the walls.
At the end of the corridor was a spacious hall.
The hall floor was paved with golden stone bricks, and two rows of guards in golden armor stood on each side.
In the very center of the hall stood a huge throne.
A person sat on the throne.
Ozymandias.
Pharaoh.
He sat on that throne, his posture casual, yet every detail exuded the majesty of a king.
Short black hair, golden eyes, a bare upper body covered by a golden breastplate, and the lines of his abdominal muscles clearly visible in the torchlight.
A white cloak draped over his shoulders, and a long scepter with blue and gold stripes rested on the armrest of the throne.
He looked at the group of people walking into the hall.
Golden eyes swept over Ritsuka Fujimaru, lingered on Mash for a second, and then on the clone of Hassan of the Hundred Faces for half a second.
Then it paused on Mayuri for three seconds.
Mayuri was also looking at him.
Their eyes met in mid-air.
Mayuri's sense of disgust reached its peak at that moment.
But she held back.
His expression remained unchanged.
Welcome to my territory.
Ozymandias spoke.
"The messenger of the People of the Mountain."
His gaze shifted to Hassan of the Hundred Faces.
"I have already received the 'gift' you sent last time."
Hassan of the Hundred Faces Doppelganger knelt down on one knee.
"Your Majesty, we have come here to formally negotiate with you—"
"No need."
Ozymandias raised his hand.
Hassan of the Hundred Faces clone was interrupted.
"I have no interest in the affairs of the People of the Mountain."
His golden eyes bypassed the clone of Hassan of the Hundred Faces and looked back at the three people standing behind him.
"I'm more interested in you."
He pointed at Ritsuka Fujimaru.
"Phineas Chaldea, the Human Order Continuation Guarantee Organization. Master from a distant era."
Ritsuka Fujimaru paused for a moment.
Ozymandias leaned back on his throne, his tone as if he were reciting a document.
" Orléans, Rome, the Atlantic Ocean, London, North American Continent."
"You have repaired five Singularity and reclaimed the Holy Grail five times."
"Your names have already reached my ears."
Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash looked at each other in bewilderment.
How did he know?
"Your Majesty, how could you—"
"Pharaoh knows everything."
Ozymandias interrupted her, his tone matter-of-fact.
"Anything that happens on this land will reach my ears."
Ritsuka Fujimaru decided not to investigate further.
Anyway, if you ask him, he probably won't give you a straight answer.
"Our purpose in coming to this Singularity is to retrieve the Holy Grail and restore Human Order."
Ritsuka Fujimaru straight to the point.
Do you know the whereabouts of the Holy Grail?
Ozymandias looked at her.
A meaningful glint flashed in his golden eyes.
Then he laughed.
He rose from his throne, his white cloak billowing behind him.
He walked to a stone pillar next to the throne and pressed his hand on its surface.
A crack appeared on the surface of the stone pillar.
He took something out of the crack.
A golden cup.
In the torchlight, the golden cup reflected a dazzling luster.
The Holy Grail.
Ritsuka Fujimaru's pupils contracted slightly.
Mash held her breath.
The clone of Hassan of the Hundred Faces froze, kneeling on the ground.
You mean this?
Ozymandias held the golden cup in his hand and casually twirled it, as if displaying an ordinary ornament.
Mayuri leaned close to Ritsuka Fujimaru's ear from behind.
" Ritsuka Fujimaru, if we get the Holy Grail, will we be able to resolve this Singularity?"
Ritsuka Fujimaru hesitated for a moment.
"Probably, maybe. That was indeed the case before. But this Singularity is too strange, I'm not entirely sure. Should I ask around?"
She took a deep breath and looked at the Pharaoh before the throne.
"Your Majesty, are you the true culprit behind this Singularity?"
The hall was silent for a second.
The golden guards on both sides gripped their weapons tightly.
Ozymandias's expression remained unchanged.
He simply tilted his head slightly, as if looking at a child who had said something amusing.
"You really dare to spout such nonsense, little girl."
There was no anger in his voice; instead, there was a hint of amusement.
"However, there is one thing I need to make clear."
He held the golden Holy Grail before his eyes, his golden pupils reflecting the light emanating from the chalice.
"The reason for the emergence of this Singularity has little to do with me."
"As for why the Holy Grail ended up in my hands?"
He set down the Holy Grail, his golden eyes sweeping over everyone before him.
"Of course, I obtained it honestly and fairly."