Chapter 84: Summoning the Heroic Spirits
"So, this is the gift from our Mage Tower to Your Majesty, accompanied by the newly established patent system approved by all members of the Mage Tower. According to the provision set when the empire was founded, 'Mages shall not interfere in politics, and mages have the right to establish laws applicable only to mages.' Your Majesty, I trust you won't deny it. As for the specific matters regarding remote communication technology and patents, Scar will discuss them with you. I'll return to filming now."
With that, Durin intended to unilaterally cut off the remote communication connection. However, the Emperor, unable to suppress his curiosity, suddenly spoke up, "Baron Durin, may I have a look at your filmmaking process? It would satisfy my curiosity."
"Um, well..."
Although Durin didn't see any harm in showing it to others, the thought of accidentally broadcasting the Headless Horseman during his livestream made him hesitate.
Seeing this, before the nobles could even think of reproaching him for his disrespectful attitude toward the Emperor, the Emperor spoke up first, "Do you feel I haven't rewarded you yet? Well then, Baron Durin, what kind of reward do you think you need? Do you need me to arrange a marriage for you?"
"What?!"
Originally expecting the Emperor to offer something enticing, Durin was taken aback by the suggestion of getting him married off and exclaimed, "No, no, no! I'll show it to you, Your Majesty, just please don't do this to me!"
"... "
Noble marriages were quite common, and knights being rewarded with marriages by the Emperor for their deeds was even more so. After all, it was a way for the royal family to add fresh and powerful bloodlines. But now, seeing Durin, a mage, also being granted this honor, before the nobles could even envy him, they found him behaving as if he had heard something utterly terrifying, almost driving the nobles, who longed for such an opportunity but could never obtain it, to despair!
Anyway, seeing Durin's apparent reluctance, His Majesty didn't say much more. He simply smiled as he watched Durin slowly adjust the livestream to a magnificent-looking hall, evidently intending to continue the filming process.
On the other hand, Scar silently returned to his seat. However, unlike his mocking attitude from before, the attitudes of all the nobles present toward Scar had undergone a complete change at this moment—surprise, speculation, jealousy, all mingled together, forming a complex torrent of gazes directed at Scar, whose expression remained unchanged.
Despite appearing as just an ordinary intermediate-level mage, Scar's collaboration with the renowned Baron Durin to create groundbreaking inventions drew admiration from some and jealousy from others. Many intermediate-level mages present believed Scar simply got lucky finding a collaboration with Durin and thought they could do the same given the chance. However, they forgot that while they idled away their lives at the Mage Tower, Scar had been studying alchemy under his brother's influence since childhood. The difference between them and him wasn't talent; it was simply a matter of effort.
The filming continued in the livestream, unaffected by the invisible onlookers. Durin wasn't worried about someone stealing filmmaking technology; in fact, he welcomed it as it meant more patent fees for him.
As the actors took their positions, the crucial scene—the Summoning of the Heroic Spirits—began in full view of the audience.
.....
Inside the city of Einzbern, Irisviel watched with curiosity, surprised by the simplicity of the preparations.
"Is this ceremony really that simple?" she asked.
"Although it can't be done too casually, summoning a Servant doesn't require a particularly large-scale ceremony," Kiritsugu explained as he checked the lines of the summoning circle drawn with mercury for any distortions or irregularities. "In reality, it's not the practitioner who summons the Heroic Spirits to this world, but the Holy Grail. As masters, our role is to anchor the summoned Heroic Spirit to this world and provide the minimal amount of magical energy needed to maintain their physical form."
"I see..." Irisviel nodded in understanding as Kiritsugu stood up and placed the holy relic of the Fate—Excalibur's scabbard—on the altar.
"Everything is in place, just as it should be."
As if attuned to the summoner's will, Emiya Kiritsugu's expression hardened. The magical crest of the Emiya family etched on the back of his hand began to surge with frantic energy. Slowly, Kiritsugu initiated his incantation:
"I declare, heed my command, let my will merge with thy sword!"
.....
"I pledge to uphold all goodness in the world and eradicate all evil!"
.....
"You, who descend from the heavens, heed my call! O guardian of balance!"
With the intensity of thunder and lightning, or as if a portal to another realm had opened, the gathered magical energy coalesced into a tangible form. The King of Knights, a relic of ancient history and celestial remnants, descended gradually!
At this pivotal moment, the golden-haired girl stood atop the pulsating magical circle and exclaimed loudly, "Are you my master?!"
As her voice resonated, the scene came to a close.
.....
The Heroic Spirit summoning scene concluded. Just as Durin was about to direct the staff to take a break and handle the remnants on the ground, an unexpected event unfolded. Suddenly, the summoning circle, initially a mere decorative piece crafted by Durin's imagination, emitted a faint glow, surprising everyone.
Originally intended as a visual effect from Durin's recent use of teleportation magic, the summoning circle was never meant to possess any functional purpose.
Yet, to the astonishment of all, including the watching nobles, a blurry figure materialized above the summoning circle!
"This..."
Incredulous, Chase quickly shielded the silver-haired woman beside him, who was too nervous to swallow her saliva. Standing too close to the summoning circle as the main actors, they now faced an unimaginable terror. Then...
"——!"
Suddenly, accompanied by a sinister, laughter-like wind, the Headless Knight, patrolling outside, as if sensing something extraordinary, brandished his sword and rushed toward the hall.
Upon witnessing the blurry figure gradually materializing from the enveloping mist, Durin, who had been confident that the summoning circle couldn't possibly be functional, now swallowed hard and muttered to himself, "Damn, is this for real? Can't believe we're actually summoning a Heroic Spirit for the sake of a film shoot."
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