Chapter 71: The Deal is Struck!
「 What exactly do you intend to do? 」
Romani's voice turned serious. It was clear he suspected Akira had a specific, perhaps dangerous, plan in mind. To hold a Holy Grail while asking for data on the systems behind them was a move surely backed by a grand design.
"That is none of your concern. Trading one Holy Grail for such data is actually a bargain for you."
His words weren't wrong. If they could secure a Holy Grail just by handing over information and data, they were indeed making a massive profit. However, Akira was no ordinary person, especially with a powerhouse like Tiamat backing him. Under these circumstances, Akira's request made Romani highly hesitant about whether to comply. He had no way of knowing if this action would lead to an irreversible disaster.
A long silence followed as the other party failed to give an answer, but Akira was in no rush.
"By the way, you've cleared seven Singularities by now, yet you don't even know the true form of your enemy, do you?"
「 What are you implying? 」
"Hmm? No way... You don't actually believe that 'Solomon' is the King Solomon from history, do you?"
「 You have information about him? 」
At this point, Romani grew emotional. As the true Solomon, the existence of this fake 'Solomon' was of vital importance to him. Especially the enemy's actions—the Incineration of the Human Order—which burned all of humanity as if they were mere kindling. Such a thing was truly horrific. He could sense the opponent wasn't Solomon, but he couldn't prove it. He couldn't simply announce he was the real Solomon, and the only witness who knew, the first Director of Chaldea, was long dead.
At that moment, Akira smiled. He held the absolute winning card. For Chaldea, information on Goetia was the thing they craved most. After all, fear stems from the unknown, as does helplessness. Only after knowing the enemy's details could the best strategy be devised. Otherwise, fighting in total darkness was suicide.
Not to be rude, but in these seven Singularities, it was only because Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash were the protagonists protected by sheer luck that they survived. Otherwise, no amount of lives would have been enough.
「 What do you want? The data on the Holy Grail, Servants, and Command Spells? Fine, I agree. 」
Romani's voice rang out, clearly laced with a hint of urgency.
"Romani, are you dreaming? One Holy Grail, plus information that is vital to your survival, is only worth that much? Do I look like a fool to you?"
Essentially, Akira already felt he was losing out on the first transaction. He hadn't expected this man to be so greedy.
「 Then, what else do you want? 」
"The manufacturing method for Saint Quartz."
Akira stated his terms with a smirk. Saint Quartz was a type of currency in the 'game' used to summon Servants. However, in this world, those objects really existed. Saint Quartz were stones where divine power resided—objects crystallized after a future concept had been confirmed, known as Pseudo-Spiritron Crystals.
Chaldea possessed that technology. After all, both Servant summoning and Demi-Servant experiments had one prerequisite: summoning the Servant in the first place. Yet, since ancient times, the only methods to summon a Servant were through a Holy Grail ritual or specific Summoning Spells.
「 Very well. The complete data on the Holy Grail, Servants, Command Spells, plus the manufacturing method for Saint Quartz... it shall all be given to you. 」
"Hmm? You were so hesitant just a moment ago. Why so decisive now?"
「 Because Chaldea has reached its final stage. We are standing on the brink between life and death. To gain even a slightly higher chance of success, the things you ask for are trivial. 」
"Truly as expected of you, Romani."
He really was the 'King of Mages' Solomon. When a decision had to be made, his courage was second to none. Over the past year, seven Singularities had been cleared one by one, and his contributions were truly irreplaceable.
"Excellent. Since the deal is struck, give me what I want, and I shall give you what you desire."
「 Wait a moment. If I give everything to you, what if you break your word? 」
Romani hadn't lost his common sense in his haste. He remained cautious. Akira was currently in Mesopotamia, in an entirely different timeline. Even if Akira cheated them, there would be nothing Romani could do.
"This is a contract. Those who violate the contract shall vanish within the river of fate."
The contract was set. Akira established a one-sided contract as a show of his sincerity.
「 Fine... 」
Romani sighed. He felt he had been narrow-minded. Then, Mash brought out her shield, the Round Table of the Knights of Camelot. Once connected to Chaldea, a massive amount of information was transmitted. With Akira's current brain and memory capacity, recording it all was child's play.
The principles of the Holy Grail, the rules, and the structure...
The Servants...
The Command Spells...
Vast amounts of data flooded into Akira's mind, becoming his knowledge.
"Incredible. A summoning technique like this, the crystallization of pure mana, and such rigid rules... to think humans created this."
Akira, having recorded it all, muttered in awe after finishing his digestion of the information.
「 Now, you have obtained what you wanted. Where is the item we desire? 」
"A contract has been made. I will not break it."
After stating that flatly, Akira tossed Goetia's Holy Grail to Fujimaru Ritsuka, who was standing nearby. Fujimaru Ritsuka stared at the Holy Grail in her hands with a strange feeling. In this Singularity, it felt like she hadn't done anything, yet it was all over. This was vastly different from her experiences in the previous Singularities.
「 The manufacturing method for Saint Quartz has been sent. Please receive it. 」
"Understood."
New data, new knowledge. Akira continued to read and process it all. Soon, these things were fully understood by him as well. At the same time, he realized once again that the humans of this world were truly remarkable.
Saint Quartz could be considered the crystallization of pure mana. In a sense, it could be understood as energy crystallized from the Holy Grail itself. No wonder Saint Quartz was so miraculous that it could even summon Servants.
On the other side, Romani felt as though time was moving at a snail's pace. Every minute and second felt like an eternity. He desperately wanted to know the information about that 'Solomon'—including his true goal and his true identity!
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Join my Patreon here:
patreon.com/FaaanzKun
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —