Over the next two days, Matou Sakura behaved much as she always had... or rather, as she did initially. But Emiya Shirou could still sense subtle differences. Sakura's attention often drifted toward Morpheus, as if it were a long-ingrained habit.
Shirou didn't ask about it. He felt it was her secret, not his to pry into unless she chose to share.
Days passed like this, and after about a week, the group faced their first exam... or rather, the first exam for everyone except Tohsaka Rin.
Morpheus stood calmly at the doorway, watching the frenzy of students tackling their papers inside. He then glanced to the side, where another figure stood: the girl named Artoria.
"Curious?" Morpheus asked.
Artoria shook her head. "Just… intrigued."
She gestured toward the room. "Shirou, Illya, Rin... these people should be rivals, yet here they are, not only getting along but studying magic under a Servant as their teacher."
"Servants being summoned just to fight is what's strange, don't you think?" Morpheus said bluntly. "Take you, for example. Your swordsmanship is exceptional, and you have real combat experience from the age of cold weapons. That's something you could teach others."
Artoria shook her head. "This era doesn't need that knowledge."
"Not necessarily. There are still plenty of enthusiasts for historical fencing. Plus, learning swordsmanship for self-defense isn't a bad idea. And you're from that era... historians could verify their theories by asking you. It'd be a dream come true for them."
Artoria stared at Morpheus, surprised he'd even consider such things.
Morpheus grinned proudly. "Much more useful than fighting and killing!"
Artoria nodded helplessly. She couldn't argue. As a king, she knew fighting was the worst option.
But wasn't this the Holy Grail War? How had it turned into this... going to school, then coming home to study? It felt like moving from one classroom to another.
Morpheus, after speaking with Artoria, glanced elsewhere. Someone had been hiding there for days, watching everything unfold.
It was Matou Sakura's Servant, Medusa.
Since she didn't want to reveal herself, Morpheus didn't call her out. He figured Sakura had sent Medusa to observe for so long that it was about time for her to approach him.
Sure enough, late that night, around one in the morning, Medusa appeared.
The purple-haired woman, wearing her blindfold, looked at Morpheus and said in her cold, emotionless voice, "Someone wants to see you."
Morpheus asked directly, "Sakura? She wants to meet me?"
"Yes." Medusa nodded, then leapt away, leaving the Emiya residence.
By now, most of the house was asleep, and Medusa's stealth was impressive... none of the other Servants were roused.
Morpheus didn't hesitate. He followed her out, trailing Medusa at high speed to the school.
There, under the moonlight, stood Matou Sakura.
"Finally, I get to see you, Morpheus-nii!" Sakura called out happily.
Morpheus froze. Her attitude confirmed she knew him, but he genuinely had no memory of her. Pondering the hidden mystery, he said honestly, "We've been seeing each other at the Emiya house, but Miss Matou, we shouldn't be that close."
"I can tell you really don't remember me," Sakura said, shaking her head. "I don't know why, especially since you're here as a Servant, but I met you ten years ago."
"Ten years ago?!" Morpheus exclaimed, urging her, "Tell me more. Maybe I can figure out what's going on!"
Sakura didn't refuse or hide anything. She shared her experience from ten years ago. As Morpheus listened, his expression shifted, and he sank into thought.
"I appeared ten years ago and helped Sakura?! Deception and trickery? That sounds tied to Hermes. The god of eloquence carries a sense of deceit, and trickery is connected… not to mention Hermes is the god of theft.
"But appearing ten years ago? That's inexplicable. My divine miracles? Divine miracles…"
Morpheus asked, "What miracles did I show you?"
A faint spark flickered in Sakura's eyes. "The scene of the world's beginning... not the birth of a planet or the cosmic explosion, but something older. A primal force descending from nothingness, creating this world!"
"Genesis Lightning?!"
"Yes, Genesis Lightning! You really are Morpheus-nii... you know it!" Sakura shouted joyfully, but Morpheus was stunned.
He appeared ten years ago and showed her Genesis Lightning?!
No way. That couldn't be him now. Maybe a past him... or a future him. His current self could force similar powers, but not with that level of control…
Why would a future version of him appear here?
As Morpheus pondered, he sensed something familiar about Sakura. He stepped forward, but Medusa blocked his path, loyally protecting her Master.
"It's okay, Medusa. Morpheus-nii won't hurt me," Sakura said with a confident, trusting smile.
Medusa stepped aside, allowing Morpheus to approach. He reached out, not touching Sakura's body but the pendant hidden under her clothes.
"As I thought… the Eye of Horus…"
Morpheus felt the familiar power. He'd given this to Atalanta, and it should've stayed with her. Even if it became a Noble Phantasm after her death, it shouldn't be in this world.
It belonged in Fate/Grand Order's Proper Human History... unless the pendant crossed worlds too!
"Uncle Kariya gave it to me, saying it'd bring good luck… and that night, I met you."
"What a… twist of fate," Morpheus muttered, shaking his head. Two artifacts he'd made: one given by Tohsaka Tokiomi to Rin, the other by Matou Kariya to Sakura.
One likely summoned a future version of himself from another timeline, blessing her and averting tragedy.
The other acted as a beacon, guiding him through spacetime turbulence to this era.
Something unseen seemed to be orchestrating this.
Morpheus didn't think it was Gaia's doing, but perhaps Alaya's.
Maybe this was the choice of Human Order?
Smiling faintly, he asked, "The fire in your eyes... you gazed upon the world's creation. Did you comprehend any magic?"
Sakura nodded, then shook her head. "I understood some, but I'm not proficient. I can only roughly channel the power and manifest it in the real world."
As she spoke, she raised her hand. Morpheus saw mana condense, transforming into elements.
Earth, wind, water, fire, aether... five elements united, even combining to form different substances.
"…" Morpheus was silent for a long moment before murmuring, "Genesis Lightning…"
Even a scaled-down version, it was true Genesis Lightning... capable of creating matter from nothing, unlike Morpheus' version, which was just raw energy bombardment.
It wasn't as powerful, but in control and mastery, Sakura's Genesis Lightning surpassed his.
"Worthy of someone who witnessed Genesis Lightning…" Morpheus said softly, then asked, "What about your followers? The magic they learn... is it the same?"
"They can't learn it. They can't comprehend or understand how it works. All I can teach is elemental magic... based on earth, wind, water, fire, and aether... using their own mana to condense it."
Sakura looked embarrassed. "I know more, and I'm a Matou magus, but I can't bridge the gap. Without foundational magic knowledge, it's hard to progress…
"I thought about destroying the Grail earlier, but my group's strength wasn't enough, so I didn't dare act. Only when this Holy Grail War began did I see an opportunity."
Seeing Sakura blame herself, Morpheus shook his head and gently pinched her cheek. "No, you're already impressive. And you've built a secret church... a true esoteric leader. You're a qualified head of a magical cabal."
"Really?! A magical cabal, yes, that's the right term!" Sakura beamed at the praise, and Morpheus asked, "Since it's a church, do you have a god you worship?"
"Yes, the God of Magic, Morpheus!"
Morpheus froze, his jaw dropping. It took him a moment to react. "Wait! God of Magic, I get, but why Morpheus? Me?!"
"Yes! You said you walk the path of magic, not yet a god, but aiming for the top of the Tree of Life.
"I thought if I created a church for you, like how Heroic Spirits are born, and gave you a divine role, it'd help you reach that goal sooner!"
Sakura's answer stunned Morpheus again. He hadn't expected her to do something like this for him.
Still, he had to clarify.
"Divinity brings benefits, and a divine role grants understanding of natural concepts, but it's not necessary. In fact, such faith can influence the god itself."
As he spoke, Morpheus felt a new power... one that hadn't existed moments ago.
Divinity. He was intimately familiar with it from his time in Greece, surrounded by gods.
Divinity was forming within him, growing clearer and stronger!
Because he'd just learned what Sakura had done, had their connection finally aligned, granting him the position of God of Magic?
But it was bizarre. Though he'd gained divinity, it wasn't true godhood... still restricted, more like a marker, akin to Heracles' demigod status.
Seeing Sakura's guilty expression, Morpheus couldn't blame her. It was well-intentioned and beneficial, but for him, it wasn't exactly good news.
"I once refused Zeus' offer to become a god…" Morpheus sighed, then smiled. "But no matter. This opens a path I hadn't considered."
"C-Can it be undone?!" Sakura asked anxiously.
"I suspect it was a future me who appeared to you, and he'd know what you did. If we reason backward, your actions didn't cause major issues... or the alternative path I'm envisioning is viable."
Using a pagan god's identity to explore the path of a Magic God, without becoming one, just absorbing knowledge, then using demigod power to cross the abyss.
It was a feasible plan, though it required vast knowledge... perhaps even the abyss' own secrets.
"Maybe, after getting the Grail, I'll try ask Akasha…" Morpheus muttered.
Sakura looked up, blinking. "So, should I tell them not to destroy it?"
"No need. Most Masters and Servants are with us now. There's no fight left," Morpheus nodded. "Plus, I'm studying the Grail's structure. Your body… the Grail fragment... is it inside you?"
"Yes, it's there. I can't hide it. It gives me immense mana, though I don't need it."
"Perfect. Join us at the Emiya house to study magic. I'm teaching them, and while you lack foundations, you have something akin to an original grimoire," Morpheus smiled. "Let's see how to summon the full Grail while preserving the Servants and Masters!"
Nearby, Medusa thought of the Emiya household... three Masters, three Servants. Adding them, what was this? A Holy Grail War?
What kind of Holy Grail War was this?!
And with Morpheus' silver tongue, would he end up pulling in the remaining Servants and Masters too?
***
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