Abnormal Moon

…………

"Are you ready? It's time to remove the bandages!"

An uneasy voice came from beside me.

Everything was pitch black, and my eyes were covered by something.

After a while, someone removed the covering from her face, and she instinctively opened her eyes.

The light shone blurrily into my eyes, causing a sharp pain in my eyeballs, and tears inevitably streamed down my face.

After an unknown amount of time, the blurry scene before my eyes gradually became clear.

The first person to appear before him was an old man whose body was wrapped in bandages and tattered armor. His face was obscured, but his voice indicated that he was very old.

"It worked! It worked!"

The old man stretched out his wrinkled hand and tremblingly touched his eyes. Tears of emotion streamed down his face, wetting the bandages on his face.

The old man was so excited that he could hardly contain himself. It was as if he had finally fulfilled a long-cherished wish. He looked at himself as if he were looking at the most precious treasure in history, giving people the illusion that "if he had to choose between himself and the other to live, he would not hesitate to give up his own life to choose himself."

Passionate emotions can move even a saint.

My own eyes welled up with tears, which streamed down my face.

It wasn't for the old man's long-cherished wish.

It was for the sake of the light that had been absent for so many years.

The old man was very good to himself.

He not only restored his sight, but also made more than 30 people in the small village regard him as a "saint," and they devoutly knelt down to worship him and believe in him.

It's like believers kneeling before Jesus, making it seem like kneeling before him will get them into heaven.

He went to great lengths to create magic imprints for himself, and no matter what he wanted to learn, he worked hard to help him build the imprints.

Whether it was knowledge, strength, or status, the old man wholeheartedly taught and gave him everything, his sincere enthusiasm was absolutely genuine.

That old man truly regarded him as his successor and nurtured him with his life's ideals, dedicating all his essence to him without any impurities.

but--

"It's a pity I couldn't see your furiously distorted face; it left me a little unsatisfied!"

A huge fire burned the village to the ground.

He tilted his head back and laughed loudly and shrilly, mocking the old man.

They denied everything about him and destroyed everything he had.

…………

Rider opened his eyes.

"So, this is the Master's past, isn't it?"

His eyes were unfathomable, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

He stood atop the tallest building in Fuyuki City, his gaze sweeping over the entire city like a lighthouse, as if his eyes could take in the whole city.

early morning.

A cool breeze blew, rustling the vegetable leaves in the fields.

A chill swept over, making one shiver involuntarily.

It seems a bit colder today than yesterday.

Roy poured himself a cup of hot tea and sat down on the porch. In winter, the porch was also covered with glass to separate it from the front yard. Although the temperature was still low, there was no cold wind, so drinking a cup of hot tea was quite pleasant.

He pounded his lower back and gave a somewhat bitter smile.

"I have the will, but not the ability!"

"That's why I already said, 'Should I replace a part for you?' and you said no."

A teasing voice came from behind.

Aozaki Touko came out wearing a white loungewear set. The slightly oversized set concealed her enviable figure. Her bright orange-red hair was tied into a low ponytail on one side of her chest, with the ends tied with ribbons.

This orange, dressed like this, inexplicably had a wifely vibe, making Roy's heart skip a beat.

"At least give us a new body, what kind of nonsense is it to just replace a single part?"

Roy rolled his eyes and gave Aozaki Touko a speechless look.

Aozaki Touko also came to the corridor with a cup of hot tea, and she looked Roy up and down for a while.

"You look so weak and listless. You must have vented your anger, right? How are you feeling? Is there anything else that feels uncomfortable?"

"My lower back is uncomfortable, and my kidneys are also a bit sore."

"That's your own fault."

"Indeed, they went too far."

"No, I mean, it's utterly useless."

"Orange, do you want to argue with me?!"

Roy jumped up from the ground in anger, pointed at Orange's nose, and cursed wildly.

Aozaki Touko looked very pleased.

"Okay, let's get down to business."

Orange sat down next to Roy and took a sip of water.

"I don't need to elaborate on the curse on you; I believe you know it in your heart. You were able to withstand it with your own willpower before, but it's hard to say what will happen afterward. I don't need to explain why; you understand, right?"

"Yes, because I summoned multiple Servants."

Roy pursed his lips unhappily, sat down, and drank some plain water to moisten his throat.

A Master can only contract one Servant.

This is not only because the Master needs to provide the Servant with magical energy, but also because the magical energy required for two Servants is something that an ordinary Master simply cannot afford.

On the other hand, because of the contract with a Servant, the Master has to bear a great deal of mental pressure. There will be a connection of memories and spirit between the Master and the Servant, which will cause the filth in the Servant's spirit to flow into the Master's spirit. If the Master contracts with a Servant with the characteristic of mental pollution, then the Master's spirit will also be polluted.

Roy only had one Servant, Okita Souji, so his mental burden was small, and he could withstand the curse if it broke out.

However, he has now contracted with two Servants, and his mental burden is much greater than before.

"The curse of the Greater Grail, the mental burden of multiple Servants, and your inherent destructive impulses."

Aozaki Touko's expression was more serious than ever before, her eyes fixed intently on Roy.

“If this continues, you might break down mentally before you even achieve your dream—I want to ask you one more time, are you really determined to do this?”

Chapter 29 Willing to be a Pawn

"Yes, I will continue."

Roy didn't even think before giving his answer.

"No matter what, I will realize my dream. Now that things have come to this, there is no turning back. I will never give up."

"I will not break down until I achieve my dream."

The boy's face still had a hint of childishness, but his demeanor was incredibly composed.

His eyes shone with an indomitable light, as if going back was never an option on his menu in the first place.

"I understand, then I won't say anything more."

Aozaki Touko seemed to have anticipated his answer and could only let out a long sigh.

"I wish I hadn't taught you magic before."

She lowered her eyes, making it impossible to see her expression.

His words suggested he was regretting something.

"Really? I'm very grateful to you for teaching me magic."

Roy laughed, and a character appeared in his palm, swaying like a little person dancing.

"Especially this entire set of runes."

It's incredibly versatile and easy to use.

Although not the primordial runes created by Odin, the chief god of Norse mythology, at this time, a complete set of runes was already a mystery enough to drive any magician's family crazy.

Aozaki Touko remained silent.

"Alright, let's not talk about these spoilsport things. Orange, you've been away for so long this time, did anything fun happen?"

"This is no ordinary number. Guanbuzi City is in complete chaos, and it is said that a large number of cursed spirits have appeared in Tokyo. The most amazing thing is that an artificial island suddenly appeared in the Pacific Ocean. Oh dear, this world is getting more and more strange."

"What?! An artificial island?"

Why are you reacting so strongly?