"The Einzbern family's summoning is no small feat. Your strength…" Rin Tohsaka hesitated before saying, "If you go recklessly, you might be gone in an instant."
Morpheus scoffed, "Seems like you don't think much of me, Rin!"
"You're an Archer, but your stats are… Your highest stat, Agility, is only D…"
Rin glanced at Morpheus's status panel again, covering her face with her hand.
[Class: Archer]
[True Name: ???]
[Strength: E]
[Endurance: E]
[Agility: D]
[Mana: D]
[Luck: E]
[Noble Phantasm: ??]
[Class Skills:
[Magic Resistance: E
[Independent Action: EX
[Inherent Skills:
[???]
[???]
[???]
[???]
[Noble Phantasms:
[???]
[???]
[Tarot Cards
[Rank: E
[Type: Divination Tool
[Ordinary cards bought from a street vendor, beautifully designed but seemingly without special use.]
Seeing this lengthy panel filled with question marks and abysmal stats, Rin felt that her occasional thoughts of "maybe I should try the Holy Grail War" were already impressive.
Morpheus shrugged, though Rin couldn't see it.
This wasn't his fault... it was the Root's.
Apollo had once said the Root wouldn't record him fully, capturing only fragments, making his past deeds seem like a fabricated history.
This resulted in a panel riddled with question marks, as if taunting the Master: "Your Servant has secrets. Build rapport to unlock them!" But even the Root might not know how to reveal them.
Fortunately, Morpheus was here in his true form. The question marks posed no issue; as he used his powers, they'd gradually resolve, officially recorded.
At least Morpheus knew what those question marks represented.
But because he was his living self... not a spirit or Heroic Spirit, just a human... his stats were low. Even his E-rank Magic Resistance came from being an Archer.
All stats being at least E was a perk of being a Servant.
An unprepared magician could be taken out by a dagger or gun.
Still, he needed to restore some of his Master's confidence. Any more blows, and she might either give up or, worse, abandon noble pride and forfeit.
"Rin, do you really want to win the Holy Grail War?"
Rin answered without hesitation, "Of course!"
Morpheus pressed, "What if your choice causes others pain or even death?"
This time, Rin didn't respond immediately. She could say she'd die for the Grail, but she couldn't say others should die for her victory.
Even knowing participants accepted life-or-death stakes, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"That Einzbern girl from earlier... she probably won't live much longer," Morpheus said, seemingly off-topic. "Even if she survives this War, she likely has less than a year."
Rin froze, frowning. "What's going on? Is her life tied to the Holy Grail War?"
"Of course. You may not have noticed, but I'm certain... she is the Holy Grail."
Morpheus's words silenced Rin. Her brows furrowed, her mind racing, but she couldn't grasp his meaning.
Rin knew little about the Holy Grail... only that it granted wishes. That was it.
Her limited knowledge left her unable to refute his bizarre claim.
As a magus, she knew magi were often mad... most were, at least.
But if true, this was like saying, "Do you want to kill this little girl? Go ahead, she's your enemy. Just do it."
It sounded tempting, but the thought alone felt evil and terrifying to Rin.
"Isn't there another way?"
"I'm certain if you want the Grail, that girl will face immense pressure... not from defeat or victory, but regardless of the outcome, her fate is sealed."
Rin said nothing more, quickening her pace home. Morpheus stayed silent, hiding nearby, curious about her choice.
Silence. Endless silence.
Even at home, Rin mechanically entered the study, locking herself in. The clash between her lifelong goal and a truth that might defy her will would trap anyone in such a dilemma.
Morpheus wasn't in a hurry. He took ingredients to the kitchen, starting dinner.
He trusted Rin was a good person who'd make the right choice.
…
In the study, Rin's mind was restless. Morpheus's words echoed like a curse.
"Why am I fighting in the Holy Grail War?" she questioned herself.
"For victory, to uphold my family's honor and achieve a perfect win!" she said softly. "That's why I'm in this."
No other reason... just victory. She hadn't even thought much about wishing on the Grail.
But this simple goal faltered when faced with the weight of others' lives.
"I'm not some shameless jerk… I can't say, 'For my victory, you must die'…"
Rin muttered, shaking her head. She knew her heart, but she still had things to do.
She was a magus, not a fool!
Standing, she left the study. Smelling a savory aroma, she asked casually, "What's for dinner?"
"Ratatouille."
The dish's name sparked Rin's anticipation. She peered into the pot, seeing not just vegetables but several fried chicken drumsticks.
Rin was surprised. "First time I've seen ratatouille with fried chicken drumsticks."
"A small personal tweak. Fry the drumsticks first, then stew them with the vegetables. Tastes great."
Morpheus lifted the lid, serving a drumstick and a heap of vegetables per person... rich and delicious.
There was plenty left for seconds.
Savoring the meal, Rin quickly finished hers. After hesitating, she said, "I need proof."
"Proof?"
"Proof of what you said," Rin insisted. "Without evidence, I can't just abandon the Holy Grail War based on your words."
Morpheus thought for a moment. "Getting proof is simple enough."
"Then show me. You said it's simple."
"It is, but we need to wait for the War to officially start," Morpheus shook his head. "And to prove it, I might do things you won't understand."
"I won't understand? If you explain, I should get it."
"Alright, then wait. I'll bring the proof to you," Morpheus said, grinning as he finished his food.
He pulled out two cups and a peculiar clay jug, like something from an antique market. Rin blinked. "What's that?"
"Something most people can't taste," Morpheus said, tilting the jug. White liquid poured out, filling the cups.
He poured one for himself, then put the jug away.
Pushing a cup toward Rin, he invited, "Try it?"
Rin curiously picked it up, sniffing it... no odd smell.
She tasted it with her tongue, then frowned, puzzled. "It's just milk. Not exactly rare, is it?"
"Sure, regular milk is common, but milk poured by my hand isn't," Morpheus said, downing his cup.
Rin scoffed at his words, forgetting her noble manners, but drank the milk. Afterward, she asked, "Is this a Noble Phantasm too?"
Morpheus didn't answer, countering, "Can't you see my panel?"
"It's all question marks!" Rin protested. "You're hiding something! Why all the question marks?!"
Morpheus smiled. "Check again."
Rin curiously looked at his panel. Nothing seemed different... still question marks.
But the Noble Phantasm section had changed slightly.
[Noble Phantasms:
[???]
[???]
[Tarot Cards
[Rank: E
[Type: Divination Tool]
Ordinary cards bought from a street vendor, beautifully designed but seemingly without special use.
[Hestia's Jug
[Rank: EX
[Type: Anti-Banquet Noble Phantasm
[A gift from Hestia, one of the Greek gods, in gratitude to a mysterious mortal who joined the Gigantomachy.
It endlessly pours fresh milk. Though the milk is ordinary, the jug is a divine construct, imbued with unfathomable mystery.]
An EX-rank Noble Phantasm, gifted by the Greek goddess Hestia!
Rin stared at Morpheus, who was washing dishes in the kitchen, humming, looking nothing like someone tied to the Age of Gods!
But the panel didn't lie. He'd produced a milk-pouring jug, and her dream last night seemed to confirm one thing.
Morpheus was indeed an ancient being from the Age of Gods, with many secrets. This EX-rank Noble Phantasm, though seemingly useless, hinted at other trump cards!
Rin recalled the bow he'd shown her, claiming it was from Apollo.
"That bow... was it really from Apollo?"
"Oh, that?" Morpheus wiped his hands, waving to summon the ornate, ancient bow.
"It's normal you can't see it on the panel. The Root isn't omnipotent... it can be disrupted. I didn't notice that before," he said, mana surging. The faintly glowing bow erupted in dazzling light!
The light faded, the bow returning to normal, but Rin could feel its immense power!
"It's like I'm showing the Root my stuff, saying, 'Look, my Noble Phantasm, record it.' Same as pouring milk from the jug."
Rin checked the panel again. It had updated.
[Bow of God of the Light
[Rank: EX
[Type: Anti-Person Noble Phantasm
[Max Targets: ?
[A gift from Apollo, one of the Greek gods, in gratitude to a mysterious mortal who joined the Gigantomachy.
A divine construct, the finest Noble Phantasm, unreplicable by humans. No arrows needed... when drawn, light gathers into arrows, automatically tracking targets.]
Another EX-rank Noble Phantasm, another divine construct. Rin took a deep breath, rubbing her eyes.
It was indeed EX... she hadn't misread!
Was he wholesaling divine constructs?!
***
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