"Not only that — humanity is now pushing into realms magi could barely touch before: worlds beyond the stars, the universe itself."
"This is the progress of an era, the wheel of history, an inevitable tide. We cannot stop it; all we can do is embrace the change. I, too, am human — witnessing humanity conquer the night and then the planets naturally fills me with pride."
"Heh… for a magus, Master Crowley you don't seem to despise technology at all," Zouken Matou sneered, then let out a rasping laugh.
"Not every magus rejects technology or the progress of the age. I simply accept it. And I have long held one important truth: that humans are, in essence, stars."
"That ought to make sense to you, who lived through an age of technological revolution," Rovie replied.
"But beyond the epochal changes of the age, the transformation in you is truly earth-shattering. Am I right, former righteous comrade — Magchiri Sorgen?" Rovie smiled faintly, a cold mockery in his tone.
The words were like a blade, and they struck at a buried truth within Zouken. His tree-dry pupils contracted sharply.
Chapter 12 — Presenting the Old Worm an Unbreakable Alliance (2/2)
"The rotten body creaks like branches; the aged soul has wandered so far. Turning back, one finds the road already lost."
"…Heh, you really surprised this old one."A hoarse, grotesque voice echoed across the tower at night.
"Magchiri Sorgen is a familiar name—I have not heard it from another for many years."
When Zouken heard that strangely familiar yet alien name, his movement visibly stalled.
His gaze swept the young stranger in Fuyuki who'd upended his plans; unease filled his eyes.
Because the current Matou heirs were undisciplined and worthless, the family's magecraft had stagnated and decayed. Zouken had already given up participating in this Fourth Holy Grail War and had put his hopes on the next one.
Yanyu Matou and Tsuruno Matou were incompetent—one had abandoned the Path for a woman, the other was utterly useless—so even in time, nothing would change. Zouken himself could not appear openly for many reasons, and his decrepit body could not sustain intense combat; thus he had begun searching outward for talent to prepare for the next war.
By chance, the Tohsaka household — one of the Three Great Families — produced two suitable geniuses, and their head, Tokiomi Tohsaka, was struggling over their succession. To Zouken, this was providence.
He intended to lure Sakura Tohsaka into the Matou fold, use magic marks to induce Tokiomi to hand her over, then slowly modify her into a tool he could use in the Fifth Grail War.
Before he could act, Rovie disrupted everything and shattered Zouken's plan. The alchemist noble from the Clock Tower had beaten him and adopted the girl.
Learning this incensed even Zouken's rotten soul.
But what could he do? The man was a legitimate Clock Tower noble with a Lord's backing—far beyond the Matou's power. Zouken had no heart to storm the Clock Tower and reclaim Sakura; he had to grit his teeth and swallow his pride, then find other paths.
Just when he was about to give up, a strange letter arrived addressed to "Magchiri Sorgen — personal." That forced Zouken to probe the truth: who was this person who knew of him?
When he climbed to the agreed tower in Fuyuki, Rovie did not hide and immediately revealed his identity.
"Yes. I sent that letter. I also know your true name — the century-old prodigy Magchiri Sorgen," Rovie said plainly. "It turns out you are the current Matou head, Zouken."
"Hoh. I did not expect the Crowley head in the Clock Tower to know so much about me — even unearthing the name I'd buried a hundred years. Such craft is truly remarkable…" Zouken conceded with a bitter laugh.
"But your summoning me here is not just to confirm names, is it? Your coming to Fuyuki surely has deeper purposes, no? It seems Todokoro Tokiomi didn't notice at all." Zouken sneered, belittling Tokiomi.
"You brought me here for what?" Zouken asked.
"Ah — you've nearly forgotten your own name. Truly fallen. The once-righteous comrade reduced to this is pitiful. But that's not the point. The reason I called you is simple." Rovie's tone was calm.
"Magchiri Sorgen — how about joining me to win the Grail War? At this point you have no better options. A talent like Sakura Tohsaka is rare; your remaining time is limited, and even if you found someone you'd lack the years to train them. Rather than wait and rot, join me and take this last chance."
"Do you mean… ally with me to seize the Grail?" Zouken's eyes shifted; his impudent smile faded.
"Of course. We have no enmity; why would I seek to harm you?" Rovie answered.
Zouken hesitated and thought seriously. Finally, in that dry rasp he asked: "You are serious?"
Rovie had spoken the truth. Zouken had little left to hope for. Continuing to bide his time was pointless. Cooperation offered a chance. But then—
"Did you adopt Sakura merely to cut off my options and force me to cooperate?!" Zouken's desiccated pupils shrank; he stared at Rovie in disbelief.
"Yes, there is an element of coercion. But more than that — I wanted to save her. That girl's potential is enormous; a virtual-number (Imaginary) attribute is extremely rare. Why let you butcher that talent by forcibly reshaping her merely to fit your broken schemes?" Rovie said flatly.
Rovie's words told Zouken that his plan had been seen through. That terrified the old man — his identity and schemes had always been secret, unknown even to his own inept descendants Yanyu and Tsuruno.
"How could this fellow know?" Zouken thought. Is it future sight? Who was this monster?
"If I agree to cooperate, what about the Grail?" Zouken asked, heart pounding.
Zouken admitted he was tempted. Teaming with Rovie would give them Rider-class power and, combined with Zouken's ancient knowledge and Rovie's assistance, their odds would rise greatly. But the final state of the Grail remained uncertain…
"Do not worry, Matou-sire. I've studied the ritual since its inception. Over time the Greater Grail's accumulated mana has reached unimaginable levels. After sacrificing seven Servant souls, the power to reach the Root is not impossible. From what I understand, your desire is to regain life and escape death — distributed thus, the Grail's reward can be partitioned between us."
Rovie smiled lightly. "I do not plan to use the Grail to reach the Root. I am fascinated by the Grail War itself. If you remain uneasy, we can sign a magical writ."
Zouken fell silent.
"What class of Servant will you summon? Have you secured Master qualifications?" he asked after a pause.
"Caster. For reasons, I'll summon a Caster. Don't worry about quality — my catalyst is top-tier." Rovie removed his glove and showed three fresh red lines on the back of his hand — Command Seals recently taken from an assassin — then said calmly.
"Very well. Come to the Matou house in a few days; I shall give you an answer."
After a long internal struggle, Zouken finally chose.
Rovie had expected no other outcome. Without options and with great hope, Zouken had to accept. Even knowing Rovie planned to trap him by adopting Sakura, the chance was too good to refuse.
It was an overt stratagem — an intractable one for Zouken.
If Rovie had merely blackmailed him, Zouken would have fought to the death. Instead he'd accepted because the prospect of success with their combined forces was real.
With those words, the old man's decrepit body dispersed like insects into the night. Rovie's face remained calm, though a flash of undisguised disgust passed his eyes.
But that was irrelevant so long as they could win. Even if Zouken eventually turned on him, the victor would be Rovie.
Still, it was sorrowful to see a once-righteous comrade rot into this — time was a cruel thing.
If the old hero was to die in the shadow as a worm, Rovie thought he might as well send him off properly — let him leave the world in human form. A small act of funeral for Magchiri Sorgen's idealistic past.
Chapter 13 — You Old Codger, You're Such a Rascal! (1/2)
"The Tower of Atonement squeaks, piercing the world like light."
"Heh — this is an amusing development. What an interesting human," Merlin said from the Sea of Stars, stirring his tea and opening his eyes.
"I recall Vivienne built that tower to be sealed for eternity. How did someone slip in?" he mused.
"Haha — with the Lady of the Lake's mastery, even gods would struggle to breach that place," replied the Gemstone Old Man (the jewel-adorned elder) with a teasing tone.
"Certainly, Avalon and the Thousand-Year City of Cú Chulainn share peculiarities. After so many parallel worlds, positioning of Avalon can be estimated. With the Second Magic's assistance, entry isn't impossible. Compared to the Other Side of the Shadow Realm, this place is relatively simple."
The jewel-adorned elder sat, poured tea, and watched Rovie's small hoard of high-tech items and miscellaneous novels and art he'd strewn about the tower. He grinned and teased Merlin.
"Say, calling this place a prison is odd — flowers and towers hardly fit the idea of incarceration. You appear to live rather comfortably, Merlin."
Merlin sighed. "Being confined a thousand years doesn't feel luxurious. There are flowers and a tower, but no companion who can discuss things with me. Still, it's a fitting punishment."
"You've earned it, old lecher," the elder replied. "Besides, you gained something you'd never had: true human emotion."
"That's true — I experienced emotion for the first time. It wasn't as pleasant as I imagined," Merlin said.
"You didn't come to scold me, I suppose?" the elder asked.
"You mean the Holy Grail War?" Merlin's tone was certain.
"Of course. My pupil built that system with exceptional skill. As his teacher, I'm naturally invested."
"Over many observed parallel worlds, the ritual's template repeats. I could write the script with my eyes closed."
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