The warm afternoon sun shines softly on the outer walls of the ancient temple rooms, and the sun slowly sets from the blue sky.
The air in the room was still cool and quiet, and only a little light shone in from the small skylight, leaving the room shrouded in the faint dimness of sunset.
It was almost evening.
After glancing at the scenery outside the window, Saber, who was kneeling on the carpet, stood up from the room and felt an unspeakable feeling in her heart.
The Holy Grail is about to arrive, and the almighty wishing machine is within reach.
Desire, expectation, excitement, fear, hesitation...
Her thoughts were churning, her mood could not calm down for a long time, and Artoria couldn't understand what was wrong with her.
She should have had nothing but pure joy.
It is undeniable that the Einzbern family, which currently has two servants, has the absolute upper hand. Not only does it hold the Small Holy Grail, but Ryudou Temple has also set up a magic workshop, and the probability of finally getting the Holy Grail is very high.
But after arriving in this era, the scenes she experienced quickly flashed through Artoria's mind.
Warehouse Street, Matou Residence, the abandoned factory, the King's Banquet... She seemed to have been led by the nose, plotted many times, and failed to win in several battles.
Saber also realized that she didn't perform well, and her relationship with her Master was also very poor, and she was very passive every time.
On the opposite side is her teammate, Caster, who still seems inscrutable to this day.
From the time Hassan's existence was exposed in Warehouse Street, he designed the melee at Matou House, cooperated with Kiritsugu to kill Lancer... he seemed to have been leading the rhythm of the Holy Grail War.
She was somewhat admiring, but also somewhat unconvinced by Wu Ming's strategy and force.
Pushing open the door, Saber, wearing a dress, glanced at the sun in the sky and entered the temple courtyard.
She got rid of distracting thoughts, stopped thinking wildly, walked around casually, and found someone under a tree.
Wuming was lying casually on the grass, with his back leaning against a big tree, his arms resting on the back of his head, as if he was resting.
Saber originally thought that the other person was just closing his eyes and concentrating, but when she walked in, she found that he was actually asleep.
How long has it been and he is still so careless.
King Daimao was quite speechless. After gathering his skirt, he sat on the grass and stared at his face with his beautiful eyes.
Breathing evenly, with a leisurely expression on his face.
Wu Ming, who was asleep, felt very ordinary and gentle, like the big boy next door.
His appearance and temperament don't look like a magician, a knight or a swordsman at all.
It gave her the feeling of an ordinary young man in a rural town that she met when she was living on a farm.
Saber sighed and looked at him with complicated eyes.
Sometimes Wuming gave her the same feeling as her sworn brother Kai. He was very venomous, but he was also very caring and reliable. Sometimes she has a temperament similar to Merlin's, casual and free, as if she doesn't care about anything in the world.
At certain moments, Wu Ming would give her a feeling that was very similar to herself, or completely opposite to her.
Very contradictory.
Maybe even he himself didn't realize it. His character was complex and changeable, full of compromises with the world, but also concealed amazing resilience and edge.
Such a heroic spirit must have had a complicated past experience.
She was still a little curious, but when she thought about Wuming's loss of both his ideals and his name, she knew that it would definitely not be a very pleasant experience.
Therefore, Saber did not dig deeper or ask questions, because it might be exposing his scars, just like she was unwilling to tell her story to others...
The dreamlike beauty was shattered, and consciousness returned.
When Ren opened his eyes, what came into view was the mottled old wall, the fiery red sunset, and Saber wearing a sky blue dress on the grass beside him.
It feels like a world away.
Looking at the familiar girl in front of him, Ren's lips curled up slightly. After listening to Merlin's nagging for a few days, he even felt a sense of intimacy towards her.
"You're lucky to see a beautiful girl when you wake up. Girl, how long have you been staring at me like this?"
Ren yawned and said in a lazy tone.
Saber withdrew her gaze and said naturally: "About half an hour, I see you rest once."
I don't know why, but I just looked at him quietly for a long time.
"Are you attracted by my handsome appearance? It doesn't matter. If you confess your love to me, I won't be pretentious like someone else and accept it on the spot."
King Daimao snorted softly when he heard this. He was used to his nonsense, so he forgot about his words without thinking much about it.
She turned her head away and warned: "If you don't want to be struck by my sword, don't speak so openly."
"Aha, someone seems to have been defeated by Karen Reinhardt. I actually want to ask her, as a famous knight king, how does she feel when she is defeated by an unknown knight?"
Ren showed a funny expression and couldn't help but complain.
He could feel that after defeating her last time, the very competitive King Da Mao was quite unconvinced and always wanted to regain his position.
hateful!
Saber's face turned dark immediately. She suffered a disastrous defeat for the first time in her life and lost a knight. She was naturally very upset.
Subconsciously clenching her fists, flames ignited in her green pupils, Saber said coldly: "Wu Ming, don't be so proud. Let's duel again if we have a chance!"
"Crazy girl... Ahem, girl, I rarely do things that hurt people. Last time I cut you like that, I felt a little guilty."
Oops, I said the wrong thing again. Ren was shocked and quickly waved his hand, as if he was coaxing the little girl.
Crazy woman, this is the second time.
Saber gritted her silver teeth and was trembling with anger. In addition to her flat chest, short legs, counterfeit money, and the fiasco not long ago...she has not forgotten any of these things!
This guy is so hateful. No one has ever commented on her like this before... Do you really think she has no temper? !
Resisting the urge to draw his sword and kill people, King Da Mao stared at him fiercely: "Wu Ming! Do you know? I really want to give you a beating!!"
"Tsk, tsk, you know what? I like it best when others look at me and look like they're unhappy, but they can't do anything about it."
Ren shrugged his shoulders, looking very shabby.
"Wu Ming, you... can you say it again?!"
Anger was about to overwhelm her reason, and a surge of magic power surged through Saber's body, looking at him with murderous intent.
"Ah, that's enough, girl, please stay in this state of wanting to cut someone into eight pieces! Your preoccupied, wavering and hesitant state just now is not good."
Ren said lightly, projected a recliner, lay down on it, and threw another chair to her.
He was not so bored as to deliberately make her angry.
Distracted, anxious, hesitant... The Holy Grail is about to come, and King Da Mao's mentality is unbalanced. This time, she is obviously more affected by his presence.
Saber was stunned when she heard this and calmed down her momentum. After a moment of silence, she realized that she was indeed out of state.
She sat on the chair, still staring at him with unkind eyes:
"Humph, thank you for reminding me, but I still feel very angry. I will settle the score with you again in the future!"
She had been bullied by him many times in the past few days, and Saber was filled with anger and unwillingness. She always had the urge to push him to the ground and rub him.
If you don't beat him up, you won't be able to get over it!
"Women are really stingy. A few words of truth... Oh, it's just a slip of the tongue. I remember it for so long." Ren curled his lips and realized that she was still angry about those things at the beginning.
Saber couldn't remember how many times she had been angered by him. She looked at Wuming angrily with a sullen face:
"Do you have to quarrel with me?"
"I'm sorry, I was wrong. I apologize to the beautiful Miss Knight King." With such a scary look, he realized that she might go crazy, so Ren didn't dare to provoke her any more.
Just bully her once a day and you can't bully her all the time.
After talking to Merlin, he already knew the temper and character of King Daimao very well, and he could judge her state in just a few words.
"If your tone could be more sincere, I might forgive you." Saber pouted, feeling a little tired of this ally.
Her favorable impression of Wuming is as strong as her dislike. There are times when I like and appreciate him very much, and there are also times when I hate and dislike him very much.
Even she herself didn't know which one was more important, but both impressed her deeply, and she didn't deny that the way of contacting and getting along with him was unprecedented.
He is not her teacher, not a Knight of the Round Table, not one of her people, and currently not an enemy, nor even a friend in the general sense.
She didn't know how to get along with him.
Under the setting sun, Ren and Saber were silent for a moment.
They are always like this. Regardless of the length of communication, as long as they talk in the end, most of them end in a quarrel.
"Artoria, I realize that you and I have nothing to talk about anymore. I'm sorry, I accidentally made you angry again just now."
After Ren spread his hands, he suddenly showed a bright smile.
After the Flower Magician told Wang's story, he had "Wu Ming's memory", and coupled with his own previous impression of her, he knew very well what she was thinking.
Seeing his sunny smile and sincere tone, Saber subconsciously looked away and stared at him.
"It's a bit strange. I obviously have a lot to say to you, but I feel it's unnecessary. I always feel that you are so familiar to me, even though it's just my one-sided feeling."
Ren continued, his tone much gentler. After speaking, he immediately stood up and walked towards the temple.
He already couldn't bear to bully her, and the longer they got along, the more so.
At the beginning, he was basically merciless and showed no mercy when he chopped her, but now, especially after gaining the memory of "Wu Ming".
Once she gets angry, she subconsciously wants to apologize.
He knew that he was affected by it, and there was nothing he could do about it. Completely accepting a person's memory and power would of course affect himself.
It's pretty good now, it will take some time to get used to it. When he received the memory of "Ren" in the giant world, he was a little schizophrenic.
"Hey, Artoria, why are you dazed? It's time to prepare dinner. Come over and help wash the dishes."
Saber had been silently watching him walk away until these words came to her. Her eyes lit up and she immediately chased after him.
"Wait, I'm coming right now!"
There's no need to think too much. After the Holy Grail War is over, she won't be able to see this strange guy anymore.
It's better to eat first...it's more important to replenish your physical strength and energy first.
The two were busy in the kitchen for a while, and dinner was quickly prepared.
It's actually not even five o'clock in the afternoon, so it's a bit early to have dinner, but if you don't eat now, you won't have time later.
"This may be the last meal. Don't you have anything to say?"
Emiya Kiritsugu picked up a piece of beef with chopsticks and asked calmly.
Saber was immersed in destroying the food and ignored Father Kiritsugu. She was already ready and there was no need to say anything.
Renye glanced at Kariya who was a little distracted: "Kariya, Tokiomi is dead, but you don't seem very happy."
"Well... I should be very happy, but..." Kariya sighed, a little speechless.
Tokiomi was killed by his disciples and had nothing to do with them. Even if Kotomine Kirei poured dirty water on Emiya Kiritsugu, there was still a way to clarify it afterwards.
Logically speaking, he should be happy.
But at this moment, there is only loss and bitterness in my heart, as if my strength has been drained, and I have lost my purpose and support.
At the dining table, Kariya put down his chopsticks and sighed:
"I actually know that he is better than me. I have always been jealous of him. His rescue of Xiao Sakura that night made me impressed. This proves that he still cares about family ties in his heart...
If...he wasn't bent on pursuing some illusory source, he would probably be a good man..."
Kariya talked a lot without hiding his emotions and thoughts.
The inner inferiority complex, jealousy of Tokiomi, unyielding devotion to Tohsaka Aoi, sympathy for Sakura... Among them are the kindness of ordinary people, the dark thoughts of wishing for the death of a love rival, the sense of justice to save people, and the impure motives. Guilty and angry because of Sakura's tragic fate...
He fully revealed the emotions and mentality of an ordinary person who had his childhood sweetheart taken away by a "rich, rich and handsome" due to various scruples and hesitations.
Everyone just listened silently, listening to an ordinary person talking about his love and hatred.
It took a long time for Matou Kariya to calm down. While he breathed a sigh of relief, he felt empty in his heart.
Saber looked at Kariya and seemed to have something in her heart.
She admired the other party's action of saving Sakura, but her dark thoughts about killing her love rival and his wife made her frown.
Ren nodded slightly. Tokiomi took a lot of blame, but according to the virtues of magicians in the Moon World, he and Director Ken were considered to be more humane magicians.
Of course, Tokiomi is not without his dark spots. He was originally chatting with Matou Kariya across servers on the rooftop. At that time, Kariya was delirious and did not tell what happened to Sakura.
However, the two talked about Sakura and Rin's future.
Kariya said they belong to different families, and in the future the sisters or their descendants may fight each other over the Holy Grail.
The pot king Tokiomi actually said, this is just right. If you don't put your eggs in one basket, your winning rate will be greater.
It's okay for sisters to kill each other.
The winner reaches the source, fulfilling the long-cherished wish of the Tosaka family, and the loser also dies with honor, bringing glory to the family.
Damn it!
Ren was dumbfounded. What kind of thinking was this? However, Tokiomi is relatively normal among magi.
Ren really doesn't like the magicians in the moon world.
Some people say that Father Kiritsugu is a chuunibyou, but in fact, he is someone who cannot stand the concept of a magician, and he is also a victim.
He had seen too many magicians who did not regard ordinary people as human beings, killing and experimenting at will. This was the origin of Emiya Kiritsugu's idea of saving the world.
"Matō Kariya, Muming is right. You shouldn't come to participate in the Holy Grail War. You have a completely ordinary mentality." Emiya Kiritsugu glanced at Kariya and suggested, "I think you can leave here now. ”
He already understood the character of Matou Kariya. Of course, the other party was not a saint, but he was not a bad person either.
—————
Kariya is like an ordinary person with a somewhat extreme personality.
The bright and dark sides of people are vividly displayed in him. Of course, like most ordinary people, there is more goodness.
Compared with the real good people, Matou Kariya is a little more dark and extreme, but he is not a bad person. He does not lack courage and kindness, and there is no need to criticize him too much.
He is more conscientious than the old Chongzi and the originally crooked Matou Shinji.
Arturia stared at Kariya, her lips moved slightly, she wanted to say something, but finally chose to shut up.
If it were in the past, she would first praise the other person for saving others, and then reprimand him for his dark and dirty side.
But now, she somewhat understood what Wu Ming said.
People──are actually impure.
Pure good people and pure evil people are rare. Most people have both. It is inevitable for people to have bright and kind thoughts and dark and dirty thoughts.
But Saber still firmly believes that guiding people towards order and kindness is more important than advocating cold-bloodedness, cruelty, selfishness, and darkness.
She didn't rebuke Kariya.
Withered white hair, a thin body, and one blind eye, this is what this man looks like now.
After paying such a price, it is no longer necessary to criticize him harshly. Kariya now understands what he is doing.
Sure enough, after a moment of silence, Matou Kariya raised his arm and showed the two command spells to the Magician Killer:
"Emiya Kiritsugu, you should understand. People who are motivated by their own interests and emotions, whether they are kind or evil, their actions are controllable.
But Kotomine Kirei is different! "
Kariya glanced at Muming, from whom he learned who Kotomine Kirei was, and then he continued to stare at Emiya Kiritsugu.
“Tokiomi is dead, but I don’t want to give the Holy Grail to Kotomine Kirei, because I’m not sure what someone like him, who doesn’t care about good or evil and only pursues pleasure, would do with the Holy Grail.
I am not trying to be brave and want to stay here. I still have two command spells. If something unexpected happens, I can summon Wu Ming back to Liudong Temple in time to deal with emergencies. "
"Kariya, you are really confident in me." Renn smiled slightly.
Saber's little mouth pursed, a little dissatisfied. Matou Kariya was obviously worried about her and didn't believe in her strength.
Emiya Kiritsugu showed a rare smile and stared at Kariya:
"You are somewhat aware of the Master now, but can you safely hand over the Holy Grail to me? Or does he want to avenge Tokiomi?"
He wasn't trying to chase Kariya away, but he just wanted him to be mentally prepared.
"Kiritsugu, at least you still care about your wife and have normal human emotions. Mine Kirei is a guy who feels pleasure after watching his relatives and friends die tragically, or even killing them with his own hands.
He is too dangerous.
Don't get me wrong, I won't be sad if Tokiomi dies, and I'm not standing up to stop Kotomine Kirei for justice.
I'm just afraid that he and the King of Heroes will do crazy things with the Holy Grail. Even if I leave, this will be affected. Moreover, I firmly believe that my servant is stronger! "
Kariya said calmly, he had enough awareness.
Father Kiritsugu nodded in approval, and Ren even grinned and patted Matou Kariya on the shoulder:
"Very good, you are indeed my master. What you said in the last sentence is right. I am the stronger one now!"
Ren knew that Kariya's idea was not wrong.
The situation this time was completely different from before. If he and Saber failed, the consequences would be really unpredictable.
A guy like Kotomine Kirei, if he knows that the Holy Grail is contaminated, he will definitely find a way to bring about the birth of "evil in this world".
As for Mr. Jin, even if he hadn't bathed in black mud and washed his brain, he might not be able to stop Mapo.
By then, the entire Fuyuki City and even surrounding cities may not be safe.
"Hmph!" Saber pouted and hummed softly.
She was a little unhappy that she was always underestimated. Unfortunately, she really didn't have a good record now, so she didn't refute.
"Very good, everyone is fine now."
Emiya Kiritsugu took out a lighter and lit a cigarette. After his wife and Maiya left, he was at his best.
Kariya just smiled softly, and Saber nodded.
Her mentality was a little unbalanced before, but after all, she is a knight king who has experienced many battles, and she quickly adjusted herself.
As for Ren, he is always ready.
No one asked him any questions at all. The three of them had different opinions on him, but no one questioned his condition and strength.
Everyone gathered around a table, looked at each other, and smiled. At this point, no more words were needed.
Renn stood up first. He glanced at the bloody setting sun outside the door, and the smile on his face gradually widened:
"Haha, the Liudong Temple attraction is now officially open to the public! Tickets are free, and we are ready to pick up guests!!"
