The halberd in Leysritt's hands kept blurring as she moved around Black, dealing stupendous, magical and physical blows.
However, the monstrous creature kept appearing between her and the man who had… harmed Illya, taking all blows as if they were nothing.
"Oh, come on!" the monster was growling, its voice burning through her mind. "Let me eat just one arm!"
The black-eyed man chuckled at that, completely ignoring her.
Suddenly, Sella came running, her Magic Circuits burning with magical energy. Putting her hands together, she fired a blue-purple ball of magical ball.
Even before it reached them, Leysritt's pupils dilated, sensing the magical energy infused in that attack.
It seemed, like her, Sella had poured her everything into taking down this man as well.
Then, something happened that made Leysritt lose her grip on the halberd in shock, her eyes popping out in disbelief.
…
The Yellow Sign's one stroke lit up on Black's forehead.
The Ad Infinitum dissected the magical spell coming at him, formulated the counter, and generated the new spell within a fraction of a second.
Black lifted his hand and his fingers danced in the air, writing an incomprehensible character in Ancient Magical Script.
Sella's magical spell hit it and… vanished right into it, both the ball of magical energy and the character melting into the seams of space as if they had never existed.
With a tink, the halberd fell as Leysritt stumbled back in shock.
"Weaving spells to confront the root of magic…" Leysritt mumbled, shocked. "… You know First Magic… Who are you?!"
Black laughed. "No, it was not First Magic," he told her, holding up his hand, stopping Venom from licking her face again. "It was similar to one of the First Magic's uses, but almost the same concept.
"Miss Sella here used the Spell of Destruction. I created a Spell that deceived Sella's spell in thinking that it had already executed itself. And, so, it shouldn't exist anymore."
Leysritt's hands were shaking, Sella's face losing all color next to her.
If what this man claimed to have done was true, then wasn't that an even more terrifying accomplishment?!
Even the most accomplished Magus couldn't counter Spells so fast, even if they could read their nature instantly, unless already prepared.
This man… Leysritt and Sella thought together, coming to the same conclusion as Illya's when she had seen Kai. This man is dangerous…
Yet, it was the same man who had consumed their mistress.
Both maids shared a glance, ready to sacrifice each other and activate their Magic Circuits, almost burning their life force to exact revenge.
"Please," Black said, devouring their Fear. "If you are spiritually connected to Miss Illya, then you must know that she's not truly dead."
A strange calmness descended on the two maids as they stared at the black-haired man, hearing his words.
He had consumed the girl. Consumed!
What did it matter if she was still alive within him?! What did it matter if they could feel her soul and consciousness, even though her body had literally become a Lesser Holy Grail within this man?!
Wasn't that even worse than death?!
"I am going to win the Holy Grail War," Black declared, making it sound as a matter of fact. "Once that happens, I will let Illya's soul and consciousness go, transferring her to a new Homunculus body. Till then, I would like to maintain the status quo of the girl as the Grail Heart. I had no other choice."
Of course, Black wasn't actually saying these words to the maids, but to someone else.
Someone who wasn't truly alive, but existed in the Holy Grail War System eternally.
Someone who could help him guide toward sealing Angra Mainyu's Will before it broke through even the Ad Infinitum and corrupt Black.
But, first, he needed to convince that someone through the maids.
Fortunately, and coincidentally, Kai was someone who had made a living on manipulating others.
"You two are deluding yourself, just like Illya," Black said, his smile vanishing. "Even with Berserker, Illya would not have won the Holy Grail War. I am not a prophet, but can you really say with all your heart that Illya would have won the Holy Grail War… with her frail physique?
"The Grail is corrupt. There are unknown players in the War that you must have an idea about. Your mistress had already struggled and gone through enough.
"If she had won the War, then perhaps… If she had not, then don't you know what kind of fate must have awaited her?
"I am not a saint. Of course, I have done this for selfish purposes. But this way, your mistress still has a chance of coming out alive from this mess…
"… and continue the legacy of the Einzbern family as she was meant to be."
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Venom clapped, forming two more arms. "What a speech! Moved me! OK. I have decided. I will not eat these two…"
Black held back a twitch on his mouth.
Opposite Black, hearing his words and ignoring the monster, the two maids just didn't know what to say.
On one side, they had already lost everything.
On the other side, they could gain their mistress back… if…
"How can we trust you?" Leysritt hissed, anger flashing across her eyes. "Who knows what kind of tricks you must have used to ambush her!"
This time, Black frowned.
"Words mean something when you rise to the level where I stand, Miss Leysritt," he told them. "I may be a demon, but not a liar."
Leysritt and Sella balled their fists as they looked at him.
"What… What do you want?" Sella asked, stepping forward.
Black let out a gentle smile. "For now…" he said, stepping forward as well. "A tour of the castle…"
…
After a while, Black found himself standing alone in the Ceremony Chamber of the Einzbern Castle, staring at a magnificent stained window.
It was depicting three people standing together, all reaching out to the Holy Grail in the sky.
Suddenly, the very magic distorted around Black as time and space seemed to melt away.
"I ask of you—"
Black turned around and faced the person he had been hoping to meet as per Lucky Intuitions.
Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, the core of the Greater Grail, lifted her head and planted her ancient, red gaze on him, finishing her words.
"— Why do you seek the Root?"
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