I want to just drift through life in Type-Moon.

Page 166

"That unworthy disciple! He always makes fun of me! This is the third time!" Da Vinci slammed his fist on the table, a rare display of anger. Although this action was mostly performative, intended to divert attention from himself, it was clearly not very effective.

Even though the two argued loudly, everyone still looked at them with strange eyes.

"I don't know anything! You have to believe me!" Dr. Roman looked around frantically to explain, trying to find someone who wouldn't look at him strangely. But everyone who met his gaze either looked away or gave him an "I understand" look. Even the innocent Mashu looked at him with a probing gaze.

Realizing the truth, Roman deflated, muttering, "I'm not gay—I don't know what Leonardo is like down there—don't look at me like that—"

Rafe patted Roman on the shoulder reassuringly, looking at him. "Romani, I believe you. We all know what Ling said was just a joke—"

Roman looked at Rafe with teary eyes, deeply moved by the friendship between the two.

"—So, just be more careful next time you and Da Vinci are together."

However, the budding friendship was betrayed the next second, and Roman turned pale and slumped on the table, clearly his mind had been emptied.

"Is it really okay for you to make such a fuss about Romani and Da Vinci? They're watching right now." Olga still had some conscience; she raised the bracelet on her wrist, the green indicator light of which was flashing continuously.

“I know they’re watching, but what does it matter? They can’t just rush over and hit me.” Ling shrugged, then looked up with a mischievous smile. “Although I can’t see what’s going on at Chaldea, just imagining it is interesting. Since it’s interesting, fun, and there’s no immediate retribution, what’s wrong with talking about it?”

“That guy really needs to be taught a lesson—” Da Vinci looked at Ling’s wicked grin with a wry smile, and could only shake his head in the end.

"This Servant's personality is quite interesting~" Looking at Ling's mischievous yet cute smile on the screen, Orange had an urge to pinch it. Unfortunately, she wasn't in that world, and her counterpart in that world hadn't appeared yet.

“This Servant’s behavior is very problematic.” Waver pushed up his glasses. “From beginning to end, he hasn’t gotten to the point. If they’re looking for Miss Aozaki from that world, why are they wasting their time there?”

Weber attempted to analyze Ling's behavior, even recalling his actions, expressions, and words after meeting Ling from beginning to end, but none of these things connected. So he asked Leonardo da Vinci, "What is the purpose of Lord Animusphia and the others in finding Miss Aozaki from that world?"

"They want to find Miss Aozaki to solve the problem of the Einzbern family's lifespan for creating humans." Da Vinci did not hide anything and directly stated their purpose in listening to them.

"Wow, that kid really thinks highly of me. This is a huge project!" Orange exclaimed.

"Ridiculous!! How could the Einzbern clan possibly agree to such a thing!" Gordelf Mujik stared at the screen through gritted teeth. "To solve the problem of that level of androids, we need to carefully study the foundation of that series of androids, which is tantamount to completely exposing the very basis of our family's existence! How could the Einzbern clan possibly do such a thing!"

As someone whose family also relied on androids and alchemists as pillars, Mujik knew the seriousness of the matter better than anyone else. At this moment, Gordelf's expression became extremely serious and earnest, making Orange, who had thought he was going to criticize her, look at him with new respect.

"I thought you were going to say I didn't have that ability." Orange looked at the fat man with admiration. Although they hadn't spent much time together, Orange was already certain that this man was one of the few clear-headed and rational magicians among the aristocratic faction.

"Hmph! The renowned Grand Puppeteer of the Clock Tower, though I hate to admit it, I, Gordelf Mujik, am no match for you. If you were to analyze the foundations of the various families' homunculus systems, you could solve most of the problems. Even the Einzbern family, whose homunculus technology has reached its pinnacle, could reach another new peak with your help."

Goldef showed a hint of disappointment, but quickly cheered up. "Only those blind fools who don't know their own worth would blind themselves to unrealistic fantasies about everything in the world. I'm here to revitalize the Mujik family, how could I be blinded by such things?"

Goldeff's words were indeed quite charming. If it weren't for his physique, his demeanor and charisma alone would be enough to captivate a number of women.

“Indeed, that Servant’s idea is a bit too naive.” Waver agreed with Gordelf’s opinion, but then he saw Aozaki Touko shaking her head.

"Don't jump to conclusions. I think these problems should have been resolved by the time that Servant came to [me] for help. Besides, you've overlooked a lot of things." Orange pointed to the Emiya family and the homunculus maids on the screen.

"Leaving aside the maids who were clearly mass-produced and looked a bit dazed, the mother and daughter were obviously special creations of the Einzbern family, and might even be the rulers of the Einzbern family." Orange's conclusion wasn't entirely correct, but it was at least mostly right. "Anyone who brings these special creations to [me], or even multiple samples of androids, even without seeing the Einzbern android design base, I'm confident I can recreate them with my own technology!"

Orange's words were filled with convincing confidence.

"—" Weber frowned as he looked at her, opened his mouth but didn't speak. He originally wanted to say that it was 1993 on the other side, and with your technology at that time, could you really do it? However, after thinking about it, he realized that asking this question would only increase the embarrassment. Whether Aozaki Touko here admitted it or denied it, it would have no impact on the timeline on the other side.

“Miss Orange—” Suddenly, Grey, who had been standing quietly beside Webber, spoke up.

"Hehehe~ Little Grey, is there a problem?" Even though they had only met once, Orange addressed Grey in a very affectionate way.

"Could you take off your glasses?" Gray didn't refuse Orange's address, but instead made a request that everyone found strange.

"That's fine, but isn't it better for me to talk to you like this?" Orange squinted her eyes behind her glasses.

"—There's something I'm really concerned about, so I'd like you to answer it seriously." Grey lifted her pretty face from under her hood, revealing a small corner of her pointed chin.

"Okay, whatever your question is, it depends on my mood. If your question makes me feel good, I can answer it," Orange said in an extremely indifferent tone after taking off her glasses.

"—Why doesn't that golden wolf turn back into human form?" Gray's question was very strange and obscure. Even Waver looked at his disciple with a puzzled look. Then, the image of another disciple flashed through his mind, and he immediately understood the key to the question.

Weber turned around abruptly, staring intently at Ling's hand, and then repeated in a tone of having discovered the truth, "So that's how it is—so that's how it is."

The actions of the master and apprentice left everyone bewildered, while Orange calmly looked at Gray and said, "Beo in his wolf form is his strongest form. This state indicates that he has extremely high hostility and vigilance towards his surroundings—that's my answer. Are you satisfied with this answer?"

Grey nodded, then bowed to Orange. "Thank you for your answer, Miss Orange."

Weber rubbed his temples. The long journey over the past few days had dulled his mental sharpness. The golden wolf's fur color was unusually similar to that of his student, Sven Gulashet, who had been by his side for years. Coupled with Sven's behavior after activating his beast magic, and after Gray's reminder, he finally understood why Ling had said those things to the golden wolf.

“That golden wolf is on guard against something. Although it has no hostility towards that Servant or Lord Animusphia, it is always on guard against something, or rather, on guard against someone.” Weber’s words were like a signal, and the smart ones turned their attention to another man on the screen.

"—The Magician Killer, Kiritsugu Emiya, that's a notorious guy." Waver frowned as he looked at Kiritsugu's figure on the screen.

"Yes, that strange Servant was actually comforting Beo the whole time, otherwise Beo would have pounced on him long ago." As Beo's owner who had raised him for a while, Orange knew his temperament well. In Beo's dictionary, there was no word for "patience." So it seems that Beo was enjoying the Servant's touch, which actually made him suppress his hostility.

"Hmph, that lowly stray dog—" Goldef Mujik looked at Kiritsugu Emiya on the screen with extreme contempt. It was only after Orange and the others analyzed it that he realized what this man with the nickname "Magician Killer" must have done.

“Huh? That can’t be right. Mr. Emiya is the son-in-law of the Einzbern family. The woman next to him is his wife, Irisviel von Einzbern, and the little girl is his daughter, Illyasviel von Einzbern.” Dr. Roman, who had regained some composure, joined the conversation and revealed the Emiya family’s relationship to Weber and the others.

"Ling's purpose in going to see Miss Aozaki this time was to solve that young lady's health problem. As a father, how could he come with hostility? You've got it wrong, haven't you?" Dr. Roman scratched his face, somewhat puzzled.

"You mean that little girl is a hybrid of a human and a homunculus?" Gordelf stared wide-eyed at Ilya. "The Einzbern were actually capable of this? Ridiculous! Utterly absurd!"

Ignoring Goldliff, who seemed to be stuck in some kind of predicament, Orange took off her glasses and analyzed the situation rationally before replying, "Being non-hostile doesn't mean being harmless. Since it concerns his wife and daughter, if the negotiations fail, he will definitely do something. The most likely thing is that he will try to achieve his goal by threatening [me]. That's why Beo has been on guard."

This analysis is very reasonable, and everyone suddenly realized the truth.

“Actually, I guessed that something was wrong from the moment Beo transformed. After all, given Beo’s current personality, he wouldn’t transform rashly. Moreover, he said that he had no hostility towards that Servant or Lord Animusphier. So now it seems that the problem lies with Emiya Kiritsugu.”

"However, it seems that the magician assassin did not communicate with that servant beforehand, otherwise they wouldn't be stuck outside now, unable to get to the point."

Orange gave a sarcastic sneer. Indeed, if it were her, she would have ordered Beo to kill him as soon as she discovered that Kiritsugu Emiya was problematic. [Magicians are inhuman], she never accepted threats and never wanted to try any danger.

“If that’s the case, then Ling’s current actions make sense,” Da Vinci continued, picking up where Aozaki Touko left off. “On one hand, he wanted to calm the golden wolf down by explaining and reassuring it. On the other hand, he wanted to let Mr. Emiya know that they had no chance of winning and to proactively dismantle the ‘backup plan’ he had set up. Tsk tsk tsk, when did that kid become so cunning?”

If Ling were here, he would definitely loudly refute that you are overthinking things, because his behavior is purely out of hesitation that he is stalling for time, because even now, he still doesn't know how to face Aozaki Touko.

Even though he naturally called Aozaki Touko "Touko-nee," he knew that Aozaki Touko, who was hiding in the building, did not recognize him. As for Emiya Kiritsugu's backup plan, he only discovered it from the coldness that flashed in Beo's eyes as he looked into the distance, and that same coldness also appeared when Beo looked at Emiya Kiritsugu.

Based on her knowledge of the Fate/Zero story and the fact that Hisa Umi wasn't even here, Ling easily guessed that Hisa Umi was probably aiming at this place from a distance with a sniper rifle or something else. She even suspected that when Emiya Kiritsugu found this place and discovered that Aozaki Touko wasn't there, he might have left some explosives in the building.

—After all, this person has a criminal record.

Chapter 392 The Magician Assassin's Negotiation Tactics (Part 2)

Rin isn't incapable of understanding Kiritsugu Emiya's actions; after all, there's no trust between them. Therefore, Kiritsugu's choice to take precautions in his own way is understandable.

However, his actions caused a ripple effect. Beo's intent to kill Kiritsugu Emiya was genuine, and the only solution now was to buy time and allow things to take a turn for the better.

There are two possible turning points: either Kiritsugu Emiya withdraws all his backup plans, or the main culprit shows up. Of course, Rin could also warn Kiritsugu Emiya, but if she did that, the negotiations with Touko Aozaki later would become even more passive—after all, nobody likes talking to someone who's pointing a weapon at them.

Now, Ling can only gamble on whether Emiya Kiritsugu is sober. After saying so much about Beo, he should know that even if they all attack together, they can't defeat this golden wolf, especially since Ling isn't on his side.

"I'm not that bored. Compared to that, I'm more interested in how this golden wolf got here, and what Aozaki Touko did to make this fantasy creature follow her?" Olga's words pulled Ling back from her brief thoughts. Compared to Ling's frivolous ramblings, she was more concerned about the beautiful fantasy creature in front of her. This was an ultimate life form that surpassed all modern magicians, existed only in the Age of Gods, and was completely unrelated to the life system tree on Earth. If she could find such a fantasy creature as her familiar like Aozaki Touko, then she could command the winds and rains throughout the entire magic world!

Ling withdrew her gaze from Kiritsugu Emiya and said in a disdainful tone, "What's so boring about this kind of century-old mystery? As for why Beo met Orange and how he followed her, of course I know about that, and I also know what you're up to, but give up. Beo is the last fantasy species to appear in the modern world, and He will soon return to the inner planet, so just give up."

Olga looked at Beo with a slightly regretful expression, then asked, "What about Fou—"

“Fou absolutely cannot leave Chaldea, so don’t even think about it.” Ling looked at Olga very seriously. “Don’t even think about taking Fou. If you bring Fou into human society, she will die.”

Ling did not reveal Fou's true identity because he did not want Fou's life in Chaldea to be affected. When he said "will die," he did not specify who it was. Therefore, both Olga and the people on Chaldea's side thought that Ling meant that Fou would die if she left Chaldea. The only two people who knew Fou's true identity, Da Vinci and Dr. Roman, remained silent.

"The Fantasy Species are perfect beings. They do not belong to this era. Whether it is Fou or Beo, they are just passersby on the surface of the Star. They will leave when they have completed their mission or when they feel that this world is no longer suitable for them."

Ling stroked Beo's upright ears. Upright ears and droopy ears are the biggest differences between wolves and dogs. It is said that dogs have droopy ears because they have become more and more dependent on humans after being domesticated. Cats also have upright ears, which proves this point, because cats are less dependent on humans and are relatively more independent.

"Back then, Beo felt that there was nothing in this world that could attract him, nor was there anything he wanted. Because he was without desires, he seemed to have no weaknesses. He was simple and completely capricious, so he did not care about the good and evil of humans or the good and bad of werewolves. Beauty was irrelevant to his surroundings, but he instinctively despised all other creatures except himself."

"He felt helpless against this instinct. He didn't know the meaning of his life, nor how to face himself. The werewolves were also helpless against this 'sun,' and they always kept their distance from him. He was trying hard to think. He wanted to understand what life was and what was lacking. If he was omnipotent, then he wanted to know what his future would be like. Because he felt that if he continued like this, then he seemed to have no meaning to his life at all."

"Beo eventually left the village and returned alone to the cave where he had been discovered by the werewolves. At that time, he was still called Rug. He felt that he could only spend his life alone as the son of God, and believed that this was his destiny."

At this point, Orange, who was listening to the story in Chaldea, learned for the first time what kind of life Beo had led before finding him in the cave. Her rare moments of emotion made her sigh slightly, and at the same time, she regretted not having truly understood him in the past.

“However, this fate was finally broken by an outsider.” Ling’s tone rose a little, and Beo also laughed happily, because He remembered what happened back then, that is, His first encounter with Aozaki Touko.

"That period should be when Touko was stripped of the Aozaki family's magic crest, and then she traveled the world in despair, looking for a way to prove herself to her grandfather. Most importantly, Touko wanted to see what magic was, after all, she had paid so much in the past, and then Aozaki denied her past with just one sentence. Anyone would be unwilling to accept that."

"Yeah, yeah, when Orange found me, she was making a huge fuss like a crazy woman and even took me around without permission. She was so cool!" Beo said with a happy expression.

Olga couldn't understand why such a description could lead to the conclusion that he was handsome. In the end, she could only attribute it to Beo's closed-off life in the past, his lack of worldly experience, which was why he was lured away by Aozaki Touko back then.

"Is she cool? She is, after all. After all, Orange Sister's casual attitude towards life is a good reference for someone like you who doesn't like to be tied down. To put it simply, you two are on the same wavelength. I think the reason you're willing to follow Orange Sister is because you want to learn this way of life from her, right?" Ling nodded thoughtfully.

"At the beginning, that werewolf village was your whole world. Sister Orange bought you from the werewolf village at a high price and made a contract with you using her hair that she had accumulated over twenty years. Although the contract itself had no binding force on you and could be easily broken with your mysterious nature, you still followed Sister Orange and left that village. With Sister Orange's guidance, you saw a wider world. So, Beo, do you think this world is interesting?"

Beo tilted his head and thought for a moment, "It was quite interesting, but it's gotten a bit boring lately~"

Beo, speaking frankly, looked around at the buildings and said, "Orange said she wanted to stay in this city for a while, and she's been running around these past few days, completely ignoring me. Meanwhile, Kusajuro keeps saying he has to go to school and work, so I'm a little lonely."

Listening to Beo's words, Chaldea's Orange finally understood why Beo had left her back then. The call from the Sea of ​​Stars was one reason, but more importantly, it was probably Beo's loneliness. Yes, she had indeed neglected Him at that time.

Even though He was still a child, I took Him away from that village, but I only fulfilled the duty of a guide and ignored Beo's feelings.

"Beo, do you regret leaving that village?" Ling asked softly to this last fantasy creature born in the wrong era.

"Of course I don't regret it, because I've had a lot of fun since I left with Orange. I've been learning at the Clock Tower, traveling all over the world, fighting all sorts of magicians, defeating countless mysteries, and even witnessing magic! These days have been really, really fun!" Beo looked at Ling with sparkling eyes.

“And when I was feeling bored, I met someone as interesting as you, so I decided to stay by your side for the time being!” Beo stood up again, took two steps forward, and broke free from Ling’s caress. Ling’s eyes flickered slightly. He wanted to reach out and comfort him again, but under Beo’s unusually calm gaze, he ultimately did not reach out again.

"But before that, to repay Orange's previous kindness, let me complete her orders first." Beo withdrew his gaze from Ling, then grinned at Emiya Kiritsugu and his group, his gentle aura turning into a burning atmosphere, and a heavy panting sound came from his throat.

Caught off guard by this change, Olga stumbled back two steps, then looked at Golden Wolf with fear and confusion, "What happened! Weren't we talking so well?"

Beo's body changed again, golden flames engulfing it as it absorbed magic from the air. Its body grew larger and larger, transforming into a gigantic beast. It whispered in a tone filled with ferocity and pleasure, "Orange has been watching all along, and she just told me she found something very dangerous in the building. It made her very angry, so we'll talk about the rest of that place after I finish my work!"

"You and this girl are not his companions, Orange has already determined that! And now that the culprit has been found, there's no reason for us to let you go! So—I'll kill you!!"

The previously relaxed atmosphere began to thicken, making it difficult to breathe, and the air seemed to freeze.

Enveloped by this unimaginable killing intent, Kiritsugu Emiya and his party's expressions changed drastically. Several maids collapsed to the ground, and Irisviel had already activated her magic when the golden wolf's gaze was fixed on them, but the effect was minimal.

With an iron will, Kiritsugu Emiya suppressed his nausea, drew his pistol from his pocket, and fired several shots in quick succession. At the same time, another crisp gunshot rang out, and something struck Beo's forehead, but it was deflected by Beo's body hair. This was like a signal to start a war. With powerful legs and a strong back, Beo pushed off the ground on all fours, creating four craters in the concrete beneath his feet. His golden body, like a burning cannonball, left a rapidly disappearing afterimage on Ling's retina.

"—Don't hurt that little girl." Ling knew his guess was right. He didn't know if it was because he had been infected by the Einzbern family, but Kiritsugu Emiya had indeed done something unnecessary again. He could only let Beo vent his anger. However, he hadn't forgotten Illya's safety, so he reminded him, hoping that Beo would listen.

At the same time as he fired the shot, Kiritsugu Emiya had already distanced himself from his wife and daughter, instantly leaping to the other side of the car and using the vehicle as temporary cover. However, before he could figure out what to do next, the cover was torn apart and thrown away. The Golden Wolf was nearly three times faster than he had imagined, and the stretched Lincoln cut into several pieces made Kiritsugu Emiya realize that this was different from all the opponents he had encountered in the past.

"Kiritsugu!" Irisviel cried out in alarm, then cast a spell in front of the golden wolf—"ShapeistLeben!" (Shapes, I give you life!)

Soft, delicate metal wires were scattered between her fingers, and she wove magic in one breath with just two short incantations. The Einzbern family was known for its alchemy, and Irisviel's inherited family magic was about the creation, processing, and application of matter. Therefore, the magic that Kiritsugu tailored for her was unmatched in its activation speed.

The silver threads crisscross and form intricate outlines, intertwining and combining to create complex three-dimensional objects, much like rattan crafts. These objects possess fierce wings, beaks, and sharp claws, and are exquisite silver thread crafts based on the image of a giant eagle.

This is just a replica – “kyeeeee!!”

With a high-pitched screech like a metal blade slicing through the air, the silver eagle took flight from Irisviel's hand. It was a Homunculus, created on the spot using alchemy, a "weapon" that Irisviel, now facing a life-or-death situation, had given life to. Manipulating the form of metal was Irisviel's true skill.

Its bullet-like flight was far beyond everyone's imagination. However, this giant eagle, which Irisviel had created with all her might to block the Golden Wolf, couldn't even stop the Golden Wolf for a second. No, to be precise, Beo didn't even care about this thing at all—the moment the Silver Thread Eagle touched Beo, all the fine threads that made up its body broke and dissolved!

Despair flashed in Irisviel's eyes. She finally realized that Ling hadn't been joking when he said that modern magic was ineffective against fantasy species.

—Strength, speed, and defense are all top-tier; this is a fantasy species! An opponent that modern magicians cannot handle!

Chaldea also saw Beo's actions on the screen, and a series of analytical data were displayed intuitively.

"The burst speed is 300 meters per second, close to the speed of sound. The estimated strength of the limbs is 80 tons, and that's not the maximum strength. The fur just took a hit from what appears to be a Walther WA2000 sniper rifle and five Glock 17 pistol bullets. The defensive capabilities of the fur are impossible to estimate!" The reporting officer read out the data recorded earlier.

Although most magicians didn't have a deep understanding of firearms, they at least knew what it meant to withstand a sniper rifle attack with their bare hands. Therefore, they looked at the golden beast with fear in their eyes. If they had thought Beo was beautiful before, they now had to add "terrifying" to their list of feelings.

Modern mysticism has no effect on it, and firearms, as another branch of human evolution, seem to be the same. This fantasy creature would be an invincible existence in human society!

Chapter 393 Oranges, Oranges, and More Oranges (Part 1)

In Chaldea, only Touko knew that Beo still had weaknesses, even after Beo deliberately strengthened his body and fur after losing to Shizuki Sojuro.

However, this represents Beo's progress, which is why there is such a scene. Otherwise, the sniper shot just now would have made him dizzy for a while. Moreover, that sniper shot was indeed effective, because under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for Emiya Kiritsugu to avoid the first shot.

However, what happened next was a bit unexpected. If it was normal to be able to dodge Beo's first attack, then the next few attacks were a bit problematic.

In the middle of the field, the moment the cover was destroyed, Kiritsugu Emiya saw the sharp claws sweeping towards his body right in front of him. He instantly judged that if this attack hit him, he would definitely be torn to pieces. However, this attack, which seemed unavoidable to others, was something he could dodge.

"Time alter—triple accel!" Kiritsugu uttered the prepared incantation quickly, and as he chanted it, the magical power within his body began to surge rapidly.

Just as Beo was about to slice open Kiritsugu Emiya's body, Kiritsugu dodged the fatal blow with almost unbelievable speed. He crouched down and rolled to the left and right, escaping the arc-shaped attack range before Beo's strike reached its longest straight-line distance. He then stood up and jumped back to his feet, reaching behind him to pull out a flashbang, biting off the safety ring, and throwing it forcefully in front of Beo.

After becoming a Servant, her dynamic vision was greatly enhanced. Upon seeing what Kiritsugu threw, she immediately reached out to cover Olga's eyes and closed her own eyes as well.

"—What are you doing—" Olga found her view blocked and instinctively shouted at Ling, but then a strong white light illuminated the surroundings, and she also saw light coming through the gaps between Ling's fingers.

"It was a flashbang. Olga, you enhanced your eyesight just now, didn't you? If you look directly at that bright light, your magically enhanced vision might go blind." Ling explained after seeing the intense red light disappear through his eyelids. Although he felt he would be fine even without his eyes, he decided to try it again at a safer time.

Then he looked over at Ilya and Mrs. Alice, and saw that Mrs. Alice had already raised her arm to block his eyes, while Ilya was being pressed tightly against the back of her head with her other hand and pulled to the side into her arms.

Beo was stunned by the bright light, but that did not affect his attack. With his superhuman intuition, he accurately located Kiritsugu Emiya and launched a swift and deadly attack.

The screen on the Chaldea side also flashed white light, and then quickly returned to normal. In less than three seconds, Kiritsugu Emiya had already moved fifty meters away from Beo.