What's going on? Isn't my Master supposed to be a descendant of Perseus? Why is he using Gilgamesh's moves?
What is history even about? Has it been distorted? Perseus and Gilgamesh?
Could it be that Zeus was cheated on, and Gilgamesh is Perseus's real...?
No! Rider dared not think further; the situation was becoming too complicated!
As usual, Gilgamesh stood on the school field fence, his hands in his pockets, looking at the familiar Noble Phantasm in Shinji's hand. He snorted and retrieved his Noble Phantasm that Shinji had knocked away back into his treasury.
Seeing that Gilgamesh didn't accuse him of stealing, Shinji returned the golden longsword to his system space.
Watching their eerily similar techniques, Rider couldn't help but imagine a twisted, epic ancient human-god drama that defied all sense of time and logic!
"Shinji, it seems you have ignored the king's advice," Gilgamesh said.
"Gilgamesh, that's not right. I promised not to touch that ritual, but I never said I wouldn't look into other things," Shinji replied, pulling Rider's job card from his pocket. Gilgamesh snorted again, saying coldly, "Just this once. If you dare interfere in the king's affairs again, you will face punishment!"
"Don't worry. These blackened Servants are much weaker than real Heroic Spirits. I'm just curious and want to study one."
"Oh? Are you planning to be rude to the king (turn him into a card)?" Gilgamesh taunted.
"No, I just thought playing a card battle game with these cards would be interesting."
Gilgamesh paused, then laughed heartily. "Hahaha, Matou Shinji, you are amusing. That would indeed be interesting! But are you ready to face the wrath of all Heroic Spirits?"
Shinji shrugged, "How will I know unless I try? Besides, the technology to make these cards doesn't exist in this world. I may not even be able to decipher it."
"Very well. The king expects much from you! Don't disappoint me! Hahaha..."
With that, Gilgamesh left, laughing, while Rider, whose plans had been disrupted by Gilgamesh's appearance, quickly stuck close to Shinji.
"Wait, the red marker is still in the classroom," Shinji said.
Red marker? Rider was confused. Why would they need that for their duel? Usually, they just fought with their weapons until one of them was defeated.
...
By three in the morning, Rider, her legs weak and her body overflowing with mana, finally understood the purpose of the red marker.
Bastard! Scum! Shameless!
Following Shinji, Rider gritted her teeth, glaring at her Master, who was half a head taller.
Why did I end up with such a shameless Master? Is this my fate?
"By the way, Rider, you can't dematerialize for a week."
Hearing this, Rider's anger soared. This damn Master not only told her that the marker's marks couldn't be washed off but also said she couldn't dematerialize for a week!
Is he even human? Is he really human?
...
At 3:30 AM, as they returned home, Rider pondered how to hide the marker's marks from Sakura for a week.
Shinji, meanwhile, was deep in thought, looking at the gifts and other items in the living room.
After a moment, he realized what had happened. A lady from next door must have visited while he was out.
Seeing the uncleaned tea set, it seemed his sister and Luvia got along well without any conflicts.
Leaving Rider to clean up the tea set, Shinji went to the basement he had modified during renovations to study the newly acquired Rider job card.
...
While Shinji was fully engrossed in studying the job card, at the Emiya residence, Miyu, who was having a sweet dream (about her brother), suddenly felt something was wrong.
This technique, this "hehehe" laughter—it had to be an experienced person!
"Who's there?!"
Startled, Miyu threw off her blanket, only to see a glowing magic wand floating before her, laughing "hehehe."
"Miyu-chan, allow me to introduce myself. I am Magical Ruby-chan, your companion. Do you want to become a magical girl?"
Seeing the bizarre wand, Miyu's forehead turned black with irritation. She grabbed the blanket and covered the wand tightly.
"This is not a dream. There is a suspicious creature here!"
"Wait, wait, wait! Ruby-chan is not a suspicious creature! Ruby-chan is a 'Friend of Girls' who upholds love and justice!"
"A suspicious creature should be thrown out as garbage. But is it combustible, non-combustible, or recyclable? I'm not sure."
Feeling herself being wrapped in the blanket and lifted, Ruby struggled to free herself.
"No, Miyu-chan, it's wrong not to listen to others!"
Ruby, bending her staff as if placing a hand on her hip, lectured the frightened girl.
"Who...are you?"
Seeing the trembling girl, Ruby thought she fit her preferences perfectly—a girl with no common sense. Perfect!
"Miyu-chan, as I said, I'm your friend. I came to help you! I know all your troubles! For instance, the dream you just had, full of girlish feelings~"
"Girlish feelings?" Miyu tilted her head, confused. "What does that mean?"
Seeing Miyu's puzzled expression, Ruby silently praised Shinji. Only a girl like this could...no, was suitable to be her Master!
"Girlish feelings mean love! But it seems your love has a forbidden taste to it. Who is it? Is it the red-haired big brother under the same roof?"
"No... it's not!" Miyu shook her head but then seemed to realize something. "So, this is love..."
Seeing the opportunity, Ruby approached Miyu and gently coaxed her, "Come, Miyu-chan, use me to become a magical girl and fulfill your wish~"
"No, I don't want to. You're suspicious and unknown. You should be thrown away..."
Grabbing Ruby to throw her away, Miyu suddenly found she couldn't let go of the wand.
"Hehehe, it's easier than I thought. Through blood contact, Master recognition is complete. I have also taken the little girl's heart as the key to activation. Now, for the final step! Please tell me your name..."
"Miyu Emiya."
Uncontrollably, Miyu spoke her name and gripped the wand with both hands.
"Yay~! Now Master registration is complete!"
...
Sensing the commotion in Miyu's room, Shirou immediately rushed over.
Whoosh—
"Miyu, what's wrong?!"
Opening Miyu's door, Shirou asked anxiously, but upon seeing Miyu in a pink magical girl outfit holding a wand, he quietly stepped out and closed the door.
"Well... do elementary school kids like this kind of thing now? Hahaha, it's fine to play dress-up games, but don't stay up too late, okay?"
"Shirou! What happened? I felt a strong surge of mana..."
Saber, who arrived late, was already in her armor, ready for battle. But seeing Shirou's gentle eyes, she stopped.
Shirou shook his head gently, signaling Saber not to pursue the matter. He had noticed yesterday that Miyu had secrets she didn't want to share, but so what? As long as she was a good child who needed help, that was enough for Shirou Emiya.
After all, there was a real magical girl in reality!
And I found her!
My friend (Shinji) would probably be thrilled if he knew!
"But..." Saber frowned, hesitant.
"It's fine, Saber. Even though we've only spent a day together, you should have realized that Miyu is a good kid, right?"
"Yes..."
Saber thought about it. Miyu was indeed a good, well-behaved girl who cooked delicious food. From her experience, anyone who could cook well wasn't a bad person!
"Then let's keep an eye on things for now. I'll stay vigilant!"
"There's no need to be on guard. Hehehe..."
"No! From now on, I'll keep an eye on Miyu during the day!"
"You mean during lunch?"
Saber blushed. How did he see through her real intention?
But it wasn't her fault. It was torturous to eat the cold lunch Shirou prepared in the morning while he was at school!
The difference between a cold lunch and Miyu's carefully prepared meals was too much for her knightly principles!
...
"Miyu-chan, there's no need to explain~ They won't ask any questions~ Shirou-san and Saber-san won't pursue it~ By the way, Miyu-chan, there's a threat to love and peace lurking in this city! Let's go out right away!"
Hugging her knees in the corner of the room, Miyu muttered, "Ruby, I want to cancel the contract..."
"Impossible~ The contract is complete~ You are now my Master~"
Seeing the shameless wand swaying before her, Miyu's gaze grew colder.
"Anyway, the threat is real! It's something called a job card, but with Ruby-chan, it's no problem!"
Hearing the term "job card," Miyu's expression changed.
"Ruby, the job card...is it real?"
"Of course! So, are you interested now?"
Swallowing nervously, Miyu asked, "Can you really handle those things?"
"No problem! But Miyu-chan, you need training first!"
"I...I understand. I can contract with you, but you have to help me collect the job cards."
"Deal!"
Thus, in a world where magical girls shouldn't exist, a magical girl was born! Congratulations!
And the happiest of all was Ruby, the experienced wand. A girl with no common sense was the best to train...the future looked promising!
...
At 7 AM.
Seeing the card similar to a job card that Shinji had created after a night's work, Rider didn't know what to say.
Unlike job cards, Shinji's card lacked any magical power, just her name and picture on it.
"Hey, don't underestimate my creation! I even integrated the latest 3D projection technology! Look!"
Placing Medusa's card on the specially designed game board he had spent all night working on, something amazing happened! Rider saw a 3D holographic projection of herself appear above the card, complete with health and mana bars.
"And it can use skills too!"
Pressing a button on the board, Shinji activated the tiny 3D projection, which then moved!
"Bellerophon!!"
Seeing her projection summon Pegasus and use its skill, Rider was amazed at her Master's creativity.
"But what's the use? Can it attack?"
Shinji laughed, pointing to the opponent's health bar on the board. "Of course! Since it's a card battle game, it can attack the opponent! See, the opponent's health has dropped a lot!"
"No, I mean, can it attack real enemies?"
"Are you kidding? How can a game compare to reality?"
Rider fell silent, realizing that Shinji's night's work was just a toy.
She didn't notice that her card was only three stars. In the future, when this 3D holographic card game became popular, she'd probably go crazy.
Shinji lay back on the sofa, holding the job card he had recovered the night before, and sighed, "It's no use. I want to study and replicate these real job cards, but I can't make any headway.
Unknown technology, related magic (substitution magic), and the most important condition (Pandora's Box) are all absent in this world. Trying to replicate these cards without these conditions is just a pipe dream. The best I can do is make game cards like these."
"What exactly is this card?" Rider asked.
"Who knows? Anyway, it's none of our business. I was just curious."
Shinji put Rider's job card back into the system space and looked at the game board with interest.
"However, it might be worth continuing to develop this game and include all the Heroic Spirits. It could be quite profitable!"
Rider wanted to say that there was no point in wasting time on something that had no practical use, but seeing her Master's enthusiasm, she wisely remained silent.
As long as you're happy!