"We just heard some unusual sounds and were concerned it might be an enemy intrusion, so we came over to check it out," Shirou awkwardly explained.
Lying wasn't exactly Shirou's strong suit; in fact, he found it exceedingly difficult.
Even Arthur inwardly braced himself, convinced a battle might break out here.
"Oh, really?" Astolfo nodded thoughtfully and walked inside, completely unconcerned.
This Rider truly defies all logic. Arthur covered his face, unsure whether to laugh or sigh.
How Astolfo believed such a flimsy excuse was beyond comprehension.
"Hey, are you alright?" Ignoring Shirou and Arthur, Astolfo rushed past them and threw himself toward the boy on the bed.
Truthfully, it wasn't that Astolfo genuinely believed Shirou and Arthur's weak excuse—although that did slightly influence him. The primary reason for his reaction was that Astolfo could see neither Shirou nor Arthur intended any harm toward the boy.
Furthermore, Astolfo genuinely trusted Shirou and Arthur wouldn't hurt anyone innocent. After all, it was Caster who intended to use this homunculus as a core for his Noble Phantasm, and the Yggdmillennia clan supported the idea—but Shirou and Arthur weren't part of the Yggdmillennia family.
Coupled with the noble, knightly aura Arthur naturally radiated, Astolfo had no issue with them discovering his secret.
Indeed, he wasn't even actively trying to conceal it, just as he'd previously informed Archer. He never intended to keep this matter strictly hidden.
"Rider, why are you back so soon?" the boy asked weakly.
"Hmm... When I got there, everyone was arguing pretty badly, so I snuck away while my Master wasn't looking," Astolfo openly admitted. If it hadn't been for Lancer and Archer stepping in, his Master probably would have ended up in a brawl with Saber's Master.
Recalling the scene gave him chills; it was fortunate he'd left, or he might have found himself fighting Saber directly.
"So, what's his situation now?" Arthur asked, indicating the homunculus.
Astolfo immediately began to explain everything to Shirou and Arthur clearly, recalling the details as he spoke.
"I see," Shirou nodded in understanding. From deep within his heart, he approved wholeheartedly of Astolfo's actions.
Even if this person was a homunculus, he was still a living being. His life shouldn't be at the mercy of others—not even his creators had the right to arbitrarily decide his fate.
At least, that was Shirou's personal belief. He could never treat someone capable of thought and speech as a mere object.
"Please don't tell my Master about this!" Astolfo clasped his hands pleadingly towards Shirou and Arthur.
"No, we wouldn't reveal it to them," Arthur assured him calmly. "But do you intend to keep hiding him here indefinitely? If this is something Caster requires, he'll eventually discover it."
Arthur and Shirou exchanged a glance, both silently agreeing to keep Astolfo's secret, but understanding clearly that hiding wasn't a permanent solution.
"I'll find a chance to get him out of here," Astolfo said resolutely, determined to save this homunculus who yearned desperately to live.
"No, actually, there's no need to hide him at all." Arthur regarded the homunculus carefully before turning back to Astolfo.
"You could simply ask Lancer directly to protect this homunculus. Given the character of the King of Romania, he probably wouldn't refuse your request."
"With my support, as well as Archer's, Lancer would likely agree immediately, and this homunculus could live openly in the castle like the others."
Arthur nearly fell into Astolfo's flawed logic himself. The one who ultimately held the decision over this homunculus's life wasn't Caster or the Yggdmillennia clan, but rather Vlad III, the ruler currently leading the Black faction.
With Vlad's permission, there would be no need to hide anymore within the Yggdmillennia castle. Astolfo could even request permission for the homunculus to live freely outside the castle, should he desire.
Even without Arthur's presence, a joint request from Rider and Archer alone would suffice to free the homunculus from Caster's influence. So long as Lancer stood firm, Caster would not dare touch the boy.
"Is that really possible?" Astolfo could hardly believe it. Could things truly be so straightforward? Merely making a request to Lancer would grant this boy freedom?
Arthur nodded confidently.
At present, Rider was considered Lancer's ally. Asking to protect a single homunculus was hardly a difficult request. Should Caster contest it, Lancer might hesitate slightly, but Archer's support would settle the matter decisively.
The King of Romania wasn't so obsessed with winning the Holy Grail War that he'd disregard morality. And with Arthur himself also backing the decision, it was essentially guaranteed.
"In that case, I'll ask Lancer right now!" Astolfo stood up immediately, intending to hurry toward Vlad's chambers.
"Wait!" Arthur quickly called out, stopping him.
"There's no immediate urgency. If you wait until after you've achieved some accomplishment in the Grail War, your request's chances of success would rise significantly. You might not even need to invoke my name."
If Astolfo rushed to request immediately, it would certainly succeed, but mentioning Arthur might force Lancer's hand unnecessarily. It would seem as if they were pressuring Vlad into a decision.
However, if Astolfo made notable achievements in battle first, this request could naturally serve as his reward. Such timing would also give Vlad sufficient space to weigh the matter properly.
"Of course, it depends on how urgently you wish him to gain freedom. If you feel this matter cannot wait, going now isn't an issue either," Arthur gently added.
Ultimately, the only one who'd face possible consequences would be Astolfo himself—not Arthur, and certainly not the boy.
Astolfo glanced at the homunculus again, noticing how frail he appeared, still suffering from violent fits of coughing. Clearly, he was in no condition to survive independently just yet.
"I'll wait a bit longer before going to see Lancer," Astolfo finally decided. Given the boy's current physical condition, it was clear he needed more rest and care first.