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"Yes, I will continue."
Roy didn't hesitate for even a second, giving his answer with unwavering certainty.
"No matter what happens, I will achieve my goal. At this point, there's no turning back. I will never give up."
"Until I fulfill my ambition, I won't break."
Despite the traces of youth still lingering on his face, his demeanor was resolute.
His eyes gleamed with an unyielding light, as though retreating had never once been an option in his mind.
"I see. I figured you'd say that."
Aozaki Touko let out a long sigh, as if she had expected his response all along.
"I almost wish I'd never taught you magic."
Her gaze lowered, making it hard to read her expression.
It was unclear what kind of regret her words carried.
"Really? I'm grateful you taught me magic."
Roy chuckled, and a rune symbol floated up in his palm, flickering like a tiny figure dancing in the air.
"Especially this whole set of Runes."
They were versatile—extremely useful.
Though they weren't the primordial Runes created by Odin, at this point, a complete set of Runes was still a level of mysticism any mage family would go mad for.
Touko remained silent.
"Alright, enough of this gloomy talk. Touko, you were away for quite a while again—did you come across anything interesting?"
"Oh, there was plenty. Kanbusu City is a mess, Tokyo's been overrun by a wave of cursed spirits, and the most bizarre thing of all—a man-made island suddenly appeared in the middle of the Pacific. Honestly, the world's getting weirder by the day."
"What?! A man-made island?"
"Why are you so surprised?"
"What's on it? Don't tell me there's a Fourth Progenitor or something like that?"
"I've been meaning to ask—you always seem to know about the strangest things."
"Just tell me, is there or isn't there?!"
"No, not a single vampire in sight."
"Phew, that's good. Or maybe… that's kind of a shame."
"But there's a lot of demon activity. I ended up setting up an exorcism company just to make some money after my funds ran dry."
"Really?"
Roy's face brightened.
"Are you finally thinking about saving up some money?"
"Nope. Every time a demon showed up, some no-name little company would swoop in with dirt-cheap prices and steal the job from the Exorcism Bureau. I spent a whole month there and didn't make a cent, so I left."
"…"
Touko's time wandering the world was far more colorful than Roy had imagined.
Especially in this increasingly strange Type-Moon world, there was no shortage of new, intriguing things to pique her curiosity.
"Master, excuse me. Could we speak privately for a moment?"
Golden lights gathered in the air, coalescing into the figure of a young man in splendid, elegant robes.
It was Rider.
He materialized beside the two of them, cutting into their lively conversation.
"I'll leave you two to talk then."
Touko, though clearly interested in Rider herself, shrugged and walked away from the veranda, leaving Roy and Rider in private.
"Rider, you're back. So, what do you think of this era?"
Roy patted the spot beside him, motioning for him to sit.
Rider, not one to stand on ceremony, gracefully swept his robes aside and sat cross-legged next to him.
"It's fascinating, to be sure. But considering the cost—the lives of over six billion people sacrificed to create such an interesting scenario—I can't exactly smile about it."
"As expected of you, always thinking of the bigger picture."
"Haha, thank you for the compliment, Master!"
Rider laughed heartily, his eyes narrowing into foxy slits as he beamed with joy.
"Speaking of which, there's actually something I wanted to ask you, Master. It's the reason I wanted to talk to you alone."
"Oh? What is it?"
"Last night, I briefly glimpsed your past in a dream."
Rider's smile faded slightly, his features taking on a more serious, inscrutable look.
"Because it was incomplete, I wanted to come back and confirm something. Master, what is your true goal for participating in the Holy Grail War? In other words, what is your wish from the Holy Grail?"
The atmosphere on the veranda stiffened for a moment.
Roy's smile vanished as well.
He raised a hand, instinctively moving to remove his glasses.
But just as his fingers touched the frame, his hand froze.
"…Ah, I suppose it makes sense. A Servant and Master are mentally connected. I guess there's no helping it."
Roy sighed as if he'd given up, then a relaxed smile slowly spread across his face—one that curved upward like a lion preparing to hunt.
"Alright, since I need your help to achieve my wish, I'll be honest with you."
"My wish, and the reason behind it…"
Roy revealed his ambition and the events that had shaped it, holding nothing back.
By the time he finished speaking, Rider's expression had completely changed.
"Are you serious, Master?"
"Even if you manage to win this Holy Grail War, the likelihood of your wish coming true is astonishingly slim! Are you really going to fight for such a far-fetched goal?"
"If I don't try, how will I ever know if it's possible?"
Roy smiled confidently, his face betraying no hint of doubt.
"I just want to know—Rider, are you willing to stand by me and lend me your strength?"
Rider's expression shifted several times.
In his eyes, admiration, pity, and respect all flickered in turn.
"I owe you an apology."
Rider rose to his feet, dropping to one knee beside Roy in a half-kneeling position.
The carefree, casual demeanor was gone, replaced by solemn respect.
"It seems my long years of cultivation have dulled my mind. I had a dream and doubted your character, which led me to test you. For that, I apologize. I judged you unfairly."
"Having a deity apologize to me—looks like I'm not doing too badly."
Roy chuckled, unfazed.
Though, that long pause Rider took earlier had given him quite a scare.
For a second, he thought Rider was about to renounce him as Master and leave. That had really freaked him out.
"I, Rider—no, I, Jiang Ziya, disciple of the Primordial Celestial, solemnly swear that as long as this Heroic Spirit form of mine persists, I will protect you to my last breath and do everything in my power to help you achieve your wish!"
Rider—also known as Jiang Ziya, the legendary strategist of the Zhou dynasty—made this vow in the name of his master, the Primordial Celestial.
As a disciple of the highest Taoist deity, and a Taoist deity himself, the sincerity of Jiang Ziya's oath was nothing short of extraordinary. If any of his fellow immortals witnessed this, they would have been left speechless.
For Roy's wish held a weight that even immortals found staggering.
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