The afternoon tactical meeting ended in a wonderful atmosphere.
It was called a tactical meeting, but it was more like a one-man show by Darnic.
Vlad III occasionally added a word or two, while the rest mostly nodded along.
Astolfo wanted to speak, but every time he opened his mouth, Celenike covered it with her hand, and in the end he could only make muffled whimpering sounds.
The core content of the meeting was very simple:
The Red Faction, representing the Mage's Association, has arrived near Trifas, but their exact numbers and Servant composition are still unclear.
The overseer of the Holy Church Shirou Kotomine, has entered the city, nominally as a neutral party.
The Ruler, the referee of the Great Holy Grail War, is also expected to arrive in Trifas soon.
Darnic's instructions were: after Ruler arrives, Black Faction should take the initiative to make contact, show goodwill, and try to gain the referee's support, or at least prevent the referee from siding with Red Faction.
After the meeting, everyone dispersed.
Astolfo was dragged away by Celenike.
Heracles followed Fiore and disappeared somewhere.
Siegfried didn't say a single word from the beginning to the end of the meeting.
Throughout the entire castle, Mukuro Hoshimiya didn't know a single person.
So she began to wander around the castle.
The interior of the Millennia Fortress resembles a medieval labyrinth.
Occasionally, you might encounter a few android servants in gray uniforms, walking quickly past with their heads down, their eyes as empty as unwound toys.
Mukuro Hoshimiya walked for about twenty minutes.
He bumped into Astolfo at the corner of a secluded corridor.
To be precise, he stumbled upon Astolfo carrying a human-shaped object on his shoulder.
The "humanoid object" was about 1.6 meters tall, with messy, medium-length flaxen hair draped over its face, and wearing only a thin pair of shorts.
Her body was so thin it looked like a paper doll.
She slumped limply against Astolfo's shoulder, making no move.
He's unconscious.
"What are you doing, Astolfo?"
Mukuro Hoshimiya spoke first.
Astolfo turned around, his large Roland eyes instantly lighting up.
" Mukuro! It's you!"
His expression looked like he had found a savior.
"I found a little guy who asked me for help! Just now near the underpass, he suddenly rushed out, grabbed my trouser leg, said 'Help me,' and then fainted!"
Astolfo patted the android on the shoulder.
"We need to find him a safe place to hide him now. If he hides in my room, my Master will definitely find him. My Master's nose is sharper than a hunting dog's; he absolutely won't be able to hide it."
He glanced at Mukuro Hoshimiya, his canine tooth flashing at the corner of his mouth.
Can I use your room temporarily?
Mukuro Hoshimiya shook his head.
My room only has one bed.
"If he moves in, I won't have a bed to sleep in."
"Well..."
Astolfo's expression instantly fell.
"Oh, I see... What should we do then...?"
Just then...
Heavy footsteps echoed from the other end of the corridor, around the corner.
Each step caused the stone floor to vibrate slightly.
Heracles emerged from around the corner.
The giant's body almost filled the entire width of the corridor.
His eyes still held that characteristic murky look that came with his Mad Enhancement state.
He saw Astolfo.
Then I saw the android on Astolfo's shoulder.
" Astolfo."
"The android on your shoulder..."
"Could it be... the one Caster is currently... searching all over the castle for...?"
His speech was halting and disjointed, as if there was a wall between each word.
The impact of Mad Enhancement skills on language ability is evident.
Astolfo tilted his head, and the android on his shoulder almost slipped off; he quickly steadied it.
"Probably not!"
The credibility of this answer is approximately zero.
Because when he said that, his eyes were clearly darting to the left and right.
"Oh, right, Heracles!"
Astolfo seemed to have suddenly thought of something, and his eyes lit up again.
"Could I use your room for a moment? This child is in very bad condition; he has a high fever and is breathing very shallowly. If his condition continues to deteriorate, he may die!"
child.
These two words seem to have triggered some hidden keyword.
Heracles's eyes flickered.
A fleeting moment of clarity flashed in those eyes, clouded by Mad Enhancement.
He hardly hesitated.
"... Can."
"Come with me."
Heracles turned and walked deeper into the corridor.
Astolfo followed after them, carrying the android.
After thinking for a moment, Mukuro Hoshimiya followed.
The three walked down the corridor for about two minutes and arrived at Heracles ' room.
The room was large, but almost sparsely furnished.
A huge wooden bed, a wooden wardrobe, and a full-length mirror.
Astolfo gently placed the android on the bed.
Her flaxen hair was scattered on the gray pillow, and her face Pale it was almost transparent.
Then the problem arises.
comminicate.
Heracles wanted to inquire about the specifics of the androids, but his Mad Enhancement shattered his ability to speak.
Astolfo wanted to answer, but he couldn't quite understand what Heracles was saying.
The conversation between the two people turned into:
"How is he...?"
"Hmm? You mean this child? He fainted, and then..."
"Your temperature is very high... you need to... get checked..."
"Check? You mean tell him to get a checkup? Where can he get a checkup in this condition?--"
"No... I'll... check..."
"You? What are you going to do—"
Mukuro Hoshimiya stood to the side and listened for more than a minute.
My temples started to ache slightly.
She raised the Michael, and the tip of the staff shone with a silvery-white light.
"Close."
The silvery-white beam of light pierced precisely into Heracles ' body.
The power of "closure" of the Michael.
Her target was not Heracles's physical abilities or mobility, but rather the B-rank Mad Enhancement skill he possessed.
A silvery-white light circulated within Heracles' body, then fell silent as if locked in place by something.
Heracles ' body stiffened for a moment.
Those cloudy, deep brown eyes were like a mirror that had been wiped clean; the turbidity faded, revealing a clear and calm gaze beneath.
His shoulders relaxed.
His breathing became steady.
His aura transformed from that of a "dangerous behemoth ready to go berserk at any moment" to that of a "reliable mountain that makes people feel at ease just by standing there."
The contours of her face have also changed.
The Mad Enhancement muscle lines softened, the fierce aura between his brows vanished, replaced by a calm, gentle, and slightly weary heroic demeanor.
Heracles looked down at his hands.
Then he looked at Mukuro Hoshimiya.
"... Thank you."
His voice was completely different from before.
Deep and clear. Each word is complete and fluent.
Astolfo's eyes widened.
Wow! You're talking normally now!
Heracles ignored Astolfo's exclamation.
He walked to the bedside, bent down, and gently placed a hand on the android's chest.
Pale golden magic seeped from his palm and slowly flowed into the android's body.
The inspection lasted about a minute.
Heracles withdrew his hand and straightened up.
" Magic Circuits go berserk."
His tone was calm, like an experienced doctor describing a patient's condition.
"The large-scale Magic Circuits within my body experienced a severe magic overload some time ago, resulting in several minor damages to the circuits themselves."
Coupled with physical exhaustion, both muscles and internal organs are in a state of extreme fatigue.
That's why he fell into a coma.
"He should wake up after resting for a while."
"But given his current physical condition,"
Heracles ' expression darkened slightly.
"I'll probably only live for another two or three years."
The room was silent for a few seconds.
Astolfo's lips pressed into a thin line.
That usual smiling expression disappeared.
"Two or three years..."
"This is how the androids are designed from the factory." Heracles ' voice was devoid of emotion, as if stating an objective fact.
" The Magic Circuits are of poor quality and cannot withstand high-intensity magic extraction. Androids used as batteries already have short lifespans."
"It's a miracle that this child managed to escape from the underground facility."
Mukuro Hoshimiya leaned against the wall, remaining silent.
She glanced at the Pale, thin boy on the bed.
Flaxen-colored, tousled hair; a slender body.
Like a flower that was broken before it even had a chance to bloom.
"So what's next?" Astolfo asked. "Where will he stay after he wakes up?"
I'll take care of him.
When Heracles said this, there was no room for negotiation in his tone.
"This room is already big. He can stay here."
Astolfo looked at him.
Then he grinned.
"Can I come see him occasionally? After all, I'm the one who found him."
"... Can."
"Very good!"
Astolfo clapped his hands, and his smile returned to his face.
"Then it's settled!"
Heracles nodded.
Then he suddenly looked at Mukuro Hoshimiya.
"There's one more thing."
"The skill you just used sealed my Mad Enhancement."
"Um."
How long can it last?
"Theoretically, it can remain sealed indefinitely as long as I don't actively unseal it."
Heracles remained silent for two seconds.
"... Don't untie it."
Heracles ' eyes held neither rage nor chaos.
There is only the tranquility of a great hero who has been repeatedly crushed by fate in the long myth, yet has never yielded.
"Knew."