Mages only pursue efficiency.
To reach the Root faster, they will give everything they can as humans.
If a normal person survives too long in a post-apocalyptic world.
They will also lose their humanity like this.
From another perspective, it is logical for mages to lack humanity; it's all just natural selection.
In the harsh environment for mages.
Mages can only survive by choosing cruelty, at least that's the path of modern mages.
Of course, this is also what Moran wants to avoid.
He won't let Britain reach this point.
"…A pity? Why a pity? Aren't you affiliated with Faldeus…"
Yuukaku Kuruoka wanted to say something.
But the Word Spirit aura released by Moran suddenly dissipated, and their cognition returned to normal.
Almost instantly, they understood.
What the man before them had done.
"…Are you a participant in the Holy Grail War?"
Yuukaku Kuruoka narrowed his eyes, his tone indifferent.
The couple realized they had been subjected to mental manipulation; the man before them was a mage no less skilled than they were.
However, they didn't see through the essence of the mental manipulation power.
Nor did they see the depths of Moran.
This was fortunate, and also unfortunate.
It was also because of this ignorance.
The Kuruoka couple were confident in the defenses of their mansion, and their attitude didn't reveal any fear.
Only while communicating with Moran.
Yuukaku Kuruoka was already secretly mobilizing his spells, locking all the mansion's magical mechanisms onto Moran.
It's just that he didn't know.
That these small actions couldn't hide from Moran's eyes at all.
"Hehe, I'm not a Master. I'm just an audience member interested in this Holy Grail War. My appearance here is more of a whim."
Moran's words relieved the couple.
A mage who could directly manipulate their minds without giving them time to resist. If possible, the Kuruoka couple didn't want to be enemies with such a troublesome mage.
"However, it's a pity… you don't know my identity, nor do you know the orders I've given to my subordinates."
"Your… identity…?"
"It's nothing, just someone indulging in the mundane…
Moran Edelfelt Pendragon—that's my name.
In the end, I still want to give a final greeting to that child's parents, which is you.
After all, it's a courtesy of being human."
Moran had a faint smile on his face.
Although it was so peaceful that you couldn't see a trace of hostility, it gave people a creepy feeling for some reason.
In an instant, when the Kuruoka couple felt that unrestrained, terrifying aura, they seemed to glimpse an abyss that humans must never look at directly.
A chill rose like centipedes crawling on their backs.
Their spines were about to burst out of their mouths.
Their breathing was disordered, and their hearts were pounding in sorrow.
Without any explanation, without any reason.
The noble eyes, like a devil's, reflected the two of them.
—How dazzling, those golden eyes.
It wasn't that their eyes met.
It was just that they saw "that eye."
Just like that, the blood in their bodies began to boil, and the rationality on the surface gradually disappeared.
What they felt at first was pure survival instinct.
—They can't stay here, they can't look at that thing.
—They can't let it know, they can't let it see.
But even if their biological instincts knew these things.
Their rationality, on the verge of collapse, also knew one thing.
—No matter what they do, there's no saving them.
Not even a moment to blink.
They were oppressed by that vast, unseeable atmosphere.
"Awoo… oogu… gaa…"
"Why… why…?"
The Kuruoka couple, who had fallen to the ground, had lost their human form, leaving only two lumps of wriggling, struggling, unsightly flesh.
"Why? There is no why. It's just that I happened to decide to protect your daughter. As a king, the judgments I make must naturally eradicate the source. That's all."
Moran was still calm.
In fact, he wasn't averse to the Kuruoka couple's magical endeavors. There were far worse things in the magical world than these two.
Of course, Moran was mostly indifferent in this process.
If Tsubaki Kuruoka hadn't summoned the Pale Rider, if Ciel hadn't pleaded for her salvation.
Then, Moran wouldn't have offered salvation either.
There are such victims every moment in the world. Whether he saves them or not depends on his mood.
Although it's cruel, that's just the way it is.
He's not some great saint.
From the beginning, Moran has been very true to himself.
He will only save things of value.
This value is naturally determined by himself, not by the universally accepted values promoted by the world.
As a king, he is the balance that measures value.
"If you really want to know why, you can only say that you two were very unlucky as mages."
Moran shrugged and chuckled.
Indeed, he had no malice towards the Kuruoka couple.
It can only be said that the two were too unlucky.
It wouldn't be a problem to say that good is rewarded with good, and evil is rewarded with evil.
"…"
The Kuruoka couple couldn't utter a word.
Or rather, their vocal organs had completely collapsed, along with that pile of flesh losing its activity.
Just for such a simple reason.
They lost their lives.
Although it was a very comical and absurd thing, it was perfectly reasonable in the world of mages.
"However, Ciel values this child very much… In that case, I have to put in more effort. I can't help it; she really treats me like an omnipotent magician… But it doesn't make a difference."
Moran said, revealing a doting smile.
Having finally reunited with Ciel, he didn't want to see Ciel with a mournful face right after meeting her.
Therefore, he had to take care of Tsubaki Kuruoka's matter.
"Little girl, don't leave the stage so quickly; your dream has just begun. You said you wanted to see magic, right?
Hehe, as the saying goes, see the Buddha off to the West. This time, I'll give you a big discount."
Moran said, waving his hand forward.
The two lumps of flesh, almost on the verge of mental collapse, flickered with light, and something seemed to be drawn out.