The mountain path leading to Ryuudou Temple was long and quiet. Stone steps on both sides were lined with ancient trees, shutting out the bustle of the day.
Leo climbed steadily, each step deliberate and measured.
His crimson head hood, modeled after the Kamen Rider V3 design, looked completely out of place in this ancient, solemn temple setting—like a special effects hero who had wandered onto the wrong film set.
He couldn't remove the hood.
It was his only "safety device" right now, capable of temporarily sealing away the bewitching charm that could shatter rationality.
He mixed in with the pilgrims as a devout (and eccentric) visitor, his gaze not lingering on the solemn Buddha statues or ancient architecture, but instead searching discreetly through the crowds and corners.
He was looking for a woman. A purple-haired ancient witch.
However, from afternoon until dusk, he had explored nearly every corner of Ryuudou Temple open to the public, yet he hadn't sensed even a trace of magical residue.
The monks at the temple cast curious glances at this strange man in a hood, but none approached to question him, which made Leo sigh with relief.
He remembered that horrifying bad ending all too well—anyone who tried to ask the people at Ryuudou Temple about Caster would trigger a curse set by Medea, causing both the questioner and the questioned to die.
He didn't dare gamble. He could only use the most clumsy, most primitive method.
The sun's remaining rays painted the entire mountain in warm shades of orange. Tourists and pilgrims gradually dispersed, and the temple was about to close.
'Did I arrive too late? Or too early?'
He didn't know.
His memory of the Holy Grail War's timeline down to the "day" was hazy—he only remembered the general sequence of events.
If Medea had already formed a contract with Kuzuki Souichiro, then Ryudou Temple at this moment would already be a heavily fortified magical workshop. Staying any longer would be courting death.
But if he gave up now, what was he supposed to do?
Continue hiding like a rat in the streets until Rin Tohsaka or Akiha Tohno found him, and then got "collected"?
No.
Leo clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.
He had no way out. Rather than passively waiting for the end, he might as well actively seize that sliver of hope.
'I'll gamble! I'll wait here!'
He made his decision.
If he couldn't find her during the day, then he'd gamble that she'd appear tonight!
Gamble that she'd collapse in front of this temple's mountain gate, just like in the original story, when her magical power was exhausted and she was at her weakest!
The night swallowed the last traces of light like ink.
The temperature in the mountains plummeted. Leo found a spot near the mountain gate—where he could monitor the entrance while remaining relatively hidden—and crouched in the bushes.
Time passed second by second, from initial nervous anticipation, to mid-night restlessness, to late-night numb exhaustion.
The mountain wind whistled through the treetops with a "whooshing" sound, as if countless eyes were watching from the darkness.
After an unknown amount of time, cold raindrops began falling from the sky. At first just scattered drops, but soon they became a light drizzle.
The rain soaked his clothes, and the icy chill crept through his collar into his skin, making him shiver involuntarily.
He pulled out the bread he'd bought during the day—already half-eaten—from his pocket and mechanically stuffed it into his mouth, chewing to replenish his dwindling calories.
'Will she really come today?'
Even he was starting to doubt it.
Perhaps the plot in his memory had deviated?
Or perhaps he, this unexpected butterfly that had crashed in, had already flapped his wings and changed the original trajectory?
Just as Leo's will was about to be eroded by cold and despair, as he was considering whether he should give up and find a bridge to sleep under, a faint sound pierced through the rain and reached his ears.
Thud.
The sound was soft, like something heavy falling onto wet grass with a muffled thump, accompanied by a breath being desperately suppressed.
Leo's body instantly tensed. All his fatigue and cold were swept away in an instant by adrenaline.
He suddenly raised his head from the bushes. Those enormous green compound eyes on his V3 helmet precisely locked onto the direction the sound came from—in a patch of shrubs not far ahead!
She came!
He practically crawled over on all fours, his movements clumsy from excitement.
The rain blurred his helmet's vision. He could only blink hard and push aside the wet branches.
Then, he saw her.
In the dim light, a figure was curled up on muddy grass.
But it wasn't the mature, tall, purple-haired woman full of witch's charm that he'd expected.
It was a girl.
A girl who looked no more than fourteen years old.
She wore a white dress with pale pink accents in a fantastical princess style. Her beautiful light purple long hair lay scattered in the mud, tangled with grass and filth.
Her small face was deathly pale, her delicate brows furrowed tightly together, her lips slightly parted, breathing rapidly. Each breath seemed to take all her strength.
That face was unmistakably Medea. But it was her form as the princess of Colchis, before betrayal, in her innocent "Lily" state.
Leo's mind went blank with a ringing sound.
'What the... how is it young Medea?'
The massive gap between expectation and reality left him momentarily stunned.
His planned script was to find a powerful, experienced, but psychologically wounded divine-age witch, and then try to convince her to form an alliance using his "silver tongue" and that damned charm of his.
But this... this girl who looked so frail she'd topple over with a push—could she really become his combat strength to face other Servants and Masters in the Holy Grail War?
Disappointment washed over him like cold rainwater.
But just two seconds later, Leo forcibly suppressed that disappointment, and his brain began to spin at an astonishing speed.
'No, I can't be fooled by appearances! She's Medea, a rare divine-age witch! Even if her appearance is that of a girl, her magical knowledge and talent are absolutely top-tier! And besides...'
His gaze fell on the girl's pale face.
'In this form, Medea's heart should still be a blank slate, relatively pure and kind, still harboring the most beautiful illusions about "love" and "trust"... doesn't that mean she'd be easier to convince, easier to build trust with?'
Risk and opportunity coexist!
A mature Medea, one who'd been betrayed, would have a heart full of distrust and wariness toward men. Convincing her would be as hard as moving mountains.
But an innocent Medea Lily, while possibly lacking in combat experience and mental fortitude, would be extremely malleable!
If he could extend a helping hand at this moment and gain her trust...
This was an even better opening than finding the adult version of Caster!
This thought made Leo's heart pound fiercely again.
He knew he had to seize this opportunity.
He took a deep breath, adjusted his state, then carefully stepped out from behind the shrubs, trying to make his footsteps sound as non-threatening as possible.
Raindrops pattered against his V3 helmet with soft "tapping" sounds.
The girl curled on the ground seemed to sense someone approaching. She struggled to open her eyes—a pair of beautiful but dimmed purple eyes, full of wariness and weakness.
She saw a tall figure standing before her. The rainy night blurred the outline, but the most striking thing was that oddly-shaped helmet, still vivid red even in the darkness.
"........."
Medea Lily opened her mouth but couldn't produce a sound. She could only muster all her strength to direct her wary gaze at this suddenly appeared stranger.
Leo stood before her, looking down at her.
He didn't speak immediately. Instead, he rapidly organized his words in his mind.
First impressions were crucial. He couldn't appear as if he'd been waiting for her deliberately—that would expose his intentions.
He had to play the role of a "kind-hearted passerby."
"Um..."
He finally spoke. His voice, processed through the helmet's voice modulator, sounded somewhat muffled and distorted, but his tone was deliberately very gentle.
"Are you... alright? Do you need help? You seem to be... badly injured."
As he spoke, Leo slowly crouched down, trying to meet her at eye level to reduce his intimidating presence.
He extended his hand but stopped mid-air, not directly touching her, to show respect.
"Don't be afraid. I'm not a bad person."
"Just a... well, Kamen Rider passing by."