[Gordes reached out to grab the homunculus, but the homunculus instinctively waved his hand, knocking Gordes's arm away.]
[Gordes: "Hmm, it actually has self-awareness."]
["I… want to live," the homunculus murmured, his voice trembling with a faint sense of determination.]
[The homunculus subconsciously raised his hand, and a faint glow appeared, revealing a magic circuit etched onto his fragile body.]
["Release limiters!"]
[Gordes's reaction was quick. He immediately crossed his arms and summoned his own magecraft. His hands were covered with black magical energy, forming a shield just in time to block the homunculus's desperate strike.]
Chihiro: "This feels like Armament Haki! So subtle yet so deadly."
Gilgamesh: "What is Armament Haki?"
Chihiro: "It's a fictional skill from a manga series. The technique looks pretty similar to this magecraft."
Gilgamesh: "Oh? What manga? I might read it someday."
Chihiro: "It hasn't been released yet."
Gilgamesh: "Hasn't been released?"
Chihiro: Yeah, the first chapter's set to release next summer."
Gilgamesh: "…"
He frowned, suspicion evident on his face.
"Hmph, I feel like you're playing tricks on me, but I can't prove it."
[Meanwhile, the homunculus's attempt to resist ultimately failed. Gordes delivered a crushing blow with his reinforced fists, sending the homunculus flying backward. He collapsed to the ground, too weak to rise.]
[It wasn't surprising that Gordes had used so much force. If he hadn't defended himself in time, the homunculus's attack might have taken his life.]
[The screen suddenly froze.]
[Question: What will happen to the homunculus in the video next?]
Gordes: "What else could happen? This weakling just took one of my amplified punches. There's no way he'll survive."
[Ding! Gordes answered incorrectly. 1 Saint Quartz will be deducted.]
Gordes: "WHAT?!"
Celenike: "Idiot. Try thinking before you speak."
Gordes: "I didn't even submit an answer! I was just making a casual analysis!"
Darnic frowned slightly. "It seems casual remarks during these questions will still count as answers."
Kayneth: "Perhaps it's possible to deduce the correct answer from the video's hints."
He recalled Jeanne d'Arc's appearance earlier in the clip. Since the video had shown her, it was logical to assume she wasn't there just for decoration. Jeanne must have been heading toward the scene with a purpose.
Kayneth: "It was Jeanne who saved the homunculus."
Ding! Congratulations to Kayneth for partially answering the question correctly. You have earned 1 Saint Quartz.
Darnic: "So partial answers are valid."
Kayneth: "It seems I was only partially correct. Something is missing."
Kotomine Shirou, his expression calm and composed, interjected. "It wasn't just Jeanne. Astolfo must have worked with her to save the homunculus."
[Ding! Congratulations to Kotomine Shirou for partially answering the question correctly. You have earned 1 Saint Quartz.]
Kotomine Shirou: "Even that wasn't the full answer?"
Semiramis: "What else is missing?"
Chihiro: "The ones who worked together to save the homunculus were Jeanne, Astolfo, and Siegfried."
[Ding! Congratulations to Chihiro for fully answering the question correctly. You have earned 3 Saint Quartz.]
Gordes: "WHAT?! (?⊿?)?!!!"
Siegfried: "..."
Waver: " Wow Siegfried."
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "Considering he's a Heroic Spirit who devoted himself to protecting others, it's not surprising he'd make such a choice."
[The video resumed.]
[When Gordes knocked the homunculus away, Astolfo had already been struck down by Siegfried.]
[Siegfried: "Why are you protecting him? Did he ask you to help him?"]
[Astolfo: "No, I chose to help him on my own."]
[Astolfo shouted passionately, "Is it wrong for a Servant to help someone? Are you telling me to forget the love, glory, and justice I once held dear?"]
[Astolfo's voice grew even firmer as he declared, "I am Astolfo, one of Charlemagne's Twelve Paladins! I will never abandon that child. I swore it!"]
[Astolfo's heartfelt words pierced Siegfried's heart, and he immediately released him.]
[Without hesitation, the two rushed toward the homunculus together.]
[Gordes, seeing them approach, blurted out in defense, "This isn't my fault! I had no choice! I was almost killed. If I hadn't used my magecraft in time..."]
[Astolfo knelt down and gently picked up the dying homunculus, his face filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry. I came too late. This is all my fault."]
[Siegfried silently watched Astolfo and the homunculus, and his mind began to wander to his past.]
[To Siegfried, the Holy Grail was a tool to grant wishes. But in this moment, the homunculus before him was like a living Holy Grail—a person who embodied hope, frailty, and humanity's need for protection.]
[Siegfried reflected on his philosophy as a hero. With his overwhelming power, he never interfered unless someone explicitly sought his help.]
[Even if a kind person was being bullied, he would not step in unless asked. Similarly, even if a villain requested his assistance, he would fulfill the request without question.]
[He had always believed that one person couldn't save everyone. He could only answer the calls of those who reached out to him.]
[But this approach had also drained him. Immortality had robbed him of the thrill of battle. Fighting had become just another job. He had no dreams, no hopes, no vision of the future, only a hollow existence.]
[Yet, watching Astolfo's resolve and hearing his words stirred something within Siegfried. For the first time in a long while, he realized he wanted to act, not because someone asked him to, but because he himself wished to.]
[Siegfried turned to Gordes with a serious expression. "Master, can you heal that homunculus?"]
[Gordes scoffed, his pride wounded. "Are you kidding me?"]
[Siegfried's gaze didn't waver. "I want to save him."]
[Gordes's temper flared, and he shouted angrily, "As a Servant, you don't get to give orders to your Master! Your job is to obey, not command!"]
[Siegfried's tone turned colder. "So, you don't plan to save him?"]
[Gordes snapped back, "I told you not to order me aro—"]
[Bang!]
[Before Gordes could finish, Siegfried delivered a clean punch, knocking him unconscious.]
Tohsaka Rin: "Well done. I've been annoyed with that pompous man for ages."
Kayneth: "Actually, there's nothing wrong with Gordes's reaction. Most magi think that way. I admit, I had the same mindset in the beginning."
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "That's true. Not every magus can view Heroic Spirits rationally."
--
Meanwhile, Gordes groaned, rubbing his face as he scrambled to his feet. "Damn it! Saber, you... you actually hit me! And for that thing!"
Even as he shouted, Gordes kept his distance from Siegfried, his body instinctively retreating despite his indignation.
Siegfried's expression softened slightly as he repeated, "I want to save the child."
"Thank you, Saber!" Astolfo said cheerfully.
Celenike glared at Astolfo, her jealousy bubbling over. "Quiet, Rider!"
She gritted her teeth, furious. To her, the homunculus was nothing but a low-quality creation. Even if it had developed self-awareness, so what?
Yet, Astolfo protected it so fiercely, holding it in his arms—something he had never done for her.
Avicebron turned to Darnic, his tone calm but questioning. "What's your opinion on this, Darnic?"
Though Avicebron still wanted to use the homunculus as the core for his project, the situation had grown far more complicated. With Astolfo, Chiron, and now Siegfried all protecting the homunculus, half of the Black Faction's Servants had aligned themselves with it.
While Astolfo and Siegfried might be easier to manipulate, Chiron would not be so easily swayed.
Darnic thought for a moment before giving a subtle nod to Grand Duke Vlad, who returned the gesture.
Darnic spoke firmly, "Once the homunculus regains consciousness, I will take responsibility for him."
His tone turned slightly sharper as he continued, "But I hope the situation in the video doesn't truly come to pass. Remember, our enemy is the Red Faction. We can't afford internal conflict."
Astolfo nodded eagerly. "That's right! I'll take care of him when the time comes!"
Celenike clenched her fists, her frustration almost palpable as her teeth ground together.
Darnic glanced at her but chose not to comment. "Very well. It's decided."
Siegfried and Chiron exchanged a look and nodded in agreement.
[Just then, Jeanne d'Arc appeared on the scene, her arrival timely.]
[Jeanne: "Black Saber."]
[Siegfried turned toward her, surprised. "Ruler?"]
[Astolfo blinked in confusion. "Ruler?"]
[Siegfried looked back at the unconscious homunculus, his expression solemn. "Once again, I find myself on the wrong path."]
[He murmured quietly, "I wanted to abandon someone right in front of me who didn't even make a wish for me. I didn't think for myself, but instead placed the responsibility of choice on others."]
[His voice grew softer, almost as if he were speaking to himself. "I can't atone for what I've done. Maybe it's me who placed this fate upon him, one he didn't deserve."]
["But even so," Siegfried said, his tone resolute, "I still have a life to dedicate to him."]
[Jeanne noticed the shift in Siegfried's demeanor and stepped forward urgently. "Wait a moment!"]
[Before anyone could react, Siegfried drove his hand into his own chest.]
[Puff!]
[The screen showed Siegfried forcibly removing his own heart and implanting it into the homunculus.]
Tohsaka Rin: "This... this… this…!"
The shocking sight left her momentarily speechless.
Waver: "This is what it means to be a hero, isn't it?"
Iskandar: "Sacrificing yourself to save another—Siegfried, is it? I admire your conviction."
Artoria: "You are a true hero, Siegfried."
Sigurd, watching quietly, whispered, "Siegfried… I am not as good as you."