In the dimly lit chapel, the girl standing before the altar addressed Shiomi.
"Sakura?" Scáthach asked, puzzled.
"She really does look like Sakura," Artoria nodded.
Morgan let out a cold snort and stepped forward first. "Even if our strength is weakened in the present world, we're still Heroic Spirits recorded in history. Has your judgment dulled so much that you'd mistake her for Sakura? That's impossible."
As she spoke, Morgan had already reached the girl who resembled Sakura and was now looking down at her.
"As expected of Mother! You saw through it right away!" the girl beamed with a bright, respectful smile.
"...Well, she really does look like her," Morgan muttered, turning her head with a touch of embarrassment as if admitting her initial judgment to Shiomi had been wrong.
That child—Morgan had raised her from a young age, personally teaching her magecraft and grooming her to become one of the top Magi of this era.
The smile on the girl's face, clever and obedient, was unmistakably reminiscent of Sakura.
"Enough with the jokes, BB," Shiomi said as he walked over. "I carried out the Rayshift alone, just as you asked."
"Well, you did bring three Servants along," BB huffed. "But I'll overlook that rule violation just this once—for Dad's sake."
After everyone sat down on the church pews, Scáthach spoke up.
"So, are you going to introduce her? Who exactly is she?"
"More importantly, why are you all sitting like this?" Shiomi muttered.
Morgan and Artoria were seated snugly on either side of him, each holding onto one of his arms, while Scáthach stood behind the bench, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and resting her chin lightly on his forehead.
"To protect your safety, of course," Morgan said matter-of-factly. "Even if she looks almost exactly like Sakura, BB… you and Sakura are on completely different levels."
BB puffed out her cheeks and pouted. "I wasn't planning anything bad! But Mother says things like that about me… it's not fair…!"
"There, there. Don't cry," Shiomi said, trying to console her.
BB immediately switched back to a cheerful smile with a playful "ehe~," making Shiomi regret being so soft.
"Can you give us an explanation?" he asked.
"Well then, let me start by explaining SE.RA.PH's current state—"
"No, I mean... within reason, tell me about my own situation," Shiomi cut in. "The one who first sent me to the Land of Shadows to survive, where I was found and became master's disciple—that was you, wasn't it? Or rather, Mooncell, right?"
For the first time, Shiomi asked the question without holding back.
"So you're more interested in that than the situation right in front of you?" BB seemed slightly surprised. She placed her hands on her hips, tilted her head, and looked at him. "Still, under the circumstances, I guess it's fine to share a little."
Tapping her palm lightly with the tip of her pointer, she began pacing slowly along the chapel aisle, trailing one hand along the wall.
"Mooncell needed you to become strong enough, so it had to pick a suitable teacher. Among the historic figures known for training heroes, Queen Scáthach was the most compatible with you. That's why you were sent to the Land of Shadows."
"And physically compatible too," Scáthach added with satisfaction, whispering into Shiomi's ear.
"...Uh..."
Shiomi was at a loss for words.
As if that remark had lit a competitive spark, Morgan slipped her hand under his clothes, gently caressing a particularly sensitive spot on his back, forcing Shiomi to steady himself.
"S-So, why exactly does Mooncell need me to become so strong?" he asked loudly, using the question to shift his focus.
"Don't you already know?" BB said with feigned confusion. "You've made it all the way here—why bother asking something so redundant?"
Artoria, focused on listening to BB and unaware of any oddity, slowly responded.
"To save the world…"
"Correct, King of Knights." BB smiled. "Dad here is the chosen 'Messiah.'"
"There are countless people in the world—why choose me?" Shiomi asked calmly, attempting to slip free from Morgan's grasp. "I don't even believe in any god. How could I possibly be a savior?"
"Well, that part's classified," BB replied, making it clear she couldn't go into details. "Mooncell imposed a lot of restrictions. This is all I'm allowed to say for now."
As BB approached the side aisle near Morgan, Morgan pulled her hand back.
"Then who exactly are you? Why do you look so much like Sakura?"
"Me? I'm an advanced AI created by Mooncell to guide Dad on his path. I was modeled after Sakura, using data from an incident that's now fallen into the realm of imaginary numbers."
"An AI? So you're not human?" Scáthach was taken aback.
BB gave off no mechanical impression—in fact, she looked completely human.
"Exactly. Unlike humans who are organic lifeforms, I'm an informational lifeform." BB proudly placed a hand on her chest, flaunting her identity. "My personality, thoughts, and everything else were modeled after Sakura, who's currently in Chaldea. My appearance is locked at seventeen! I'm an eternally youthful and beautiful AI!"
"You're even more troublesome than Sakura," Shiomi muttered.
"Oh?" BB was genuinely surprised this time.
Morgan, unusually sympathetic, said, "Are you really unaware, or is it just the blinding bias of fatherly love? That girl's scheming nature is no less than Caren's."
"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Scáthach smiled. "She might look delicate, but she's more than capable. That should put her master at ease."
"Ahahaha..." Shiomi gave a dry laugh, weighed down by the guilt of being a less-than-perfect father.
"So then, what exactly is Mooncell? After the Rayshift, we heard an announcement saying that this Holy Grail War—where 128 Masters and Servants are pitted against each other—would reward the victor with Mooncell. Isn't Mooncell supposed to be the Holy Grail?"
BB's expression grew more serious.
"To be precise, this space known as SE.RA.PH isn't the real SE.RA.PH. And this so-called Holy Grail War between 128 Masters and Servants is just a crude imitation of the actual Moon Holy Grail War."
Clearly, if they wanted a real answer about what Mooncell was, they needed a full understanding of this Singularity's circumstances.
"Then please," Shiomi said sincerely, meeting BB's gaze, "start from the beginning and explain everything to us."