Chapter 59

Fujimaru Ritsuka didn't know when she had fallen asleep, but this sleep she slept very satisfyingly.

Although the time to truly feel at ease had still not arrived, her tightly wound nerves and exhausted body had undoubtedly reached their limit; after all, during those previous half a month of tense, uneasy days of walking on thin ice, she had not rested properly even once.

Every night was as if she were trapped in a nightmare...

Even in sleep, she was like an alert cat...

The slightest movement or sound could startle her awake from light sleep...

Of course this was also unavoidable; the enemy and the environment never gave them a chance to catch their breath, those waves of attacks inevitably left them scrambling, every rustle making them jumpy.

Therefore, in this long-lost peace, just a slight relaxation, and Fujimaru Ritsuka's waking will slipped away silently like sand in an hourglass; her consciousness separated from the real world at some imperceptible moment and slid into the depths of sleep.

Who knows how much time passed, until a certain moment—

As if sensing gentle morning light falling on her eyelids, Fujimaru Ritsuka slowly woke.

The moment she opened her eyes, what met her gaze was a full view of twilight scenery; the sky was dyed by thick dusk like a gorgeous oil painting, gold, orange-red, deep purple blending into each other, like a magnificent and tranquil scroll of the firmament.

This made her blank out slightly; it wasn't that she thought she had slept until evening, after all some time had passed and she had long since grown accustomed to the Fairy Kingdom's daytime and twilight scenery.

She just subconsciously thought of another question.

Wait, last night we actually camped directly in the wild...

Seems there's no impression of it; could it be that she was too tired at the time and just fell asleep directly...

Such a thought reflexively flashed through her mind; Fujimaru Ritsuka quickly sat up, but the scene that immediately followed plunged her into confusion again. She rubbed her still-sleepy eyes, focused carefully, and confirmed she wasn't seeing wrong.

The bonfire embers beside her still faintly retaining warmth were strikingly visible; several carriages encircled the surroundings, forming a temporary camp. Inside the camp, several people were busy with their own tasks, while by the lakeside a few little girls were frolicking, cheerful voices drifting over.

Peaceful and harmonious, a scene that made one feel doubly at ease.

Fujimaru Ritsuka subconsciously shook her head, looked around; only now did she gradually recall last night's events. This wasn't a dream, but something that truly happened; she had indeed arrived at the Land of the End, and had been rescued by this team before her eyes.

Just then, a gentle and melodious voice came.

"Ah, you're awake..."

Fujimaru Ritsuka looked toward the sound's direction and saw a girl with silver hair and crimson pupils, of noble bearing... no, though calling her a girl works, it doesn't seem entirely accurate either.

For a moment she didn't know how to describe her.

Although the other party indeed looked very young, about seventeen or eighteen, the subtlety was the aura about her, as if simultaneously possessing a noblewoman's elegance and composure, and a child's innocence and harmlessness.

These two completely different auras coexisted harmoniously on her without any conflict or discord, complementing each other, fused together incomparably smoothly, making this woman exude an astonishing charm, like a princess who makes one a bit troubled.

"Looks like you rested well; then, want to eat something now?"

This silver-haired, crimson-eyed princess bloomed a brilliant smile like morning light and said cheerfully: "We just ate, but seeing you sleep so soundly we didn't wake you..."

"Ah, okay, thank you..." Fujimaru Ritsuka was slightly dazed but still subconsciously responded, nodding repeatedly in thanks.

Only now did she realize the woman before her should be a member of the team. Just last night she hadn't seen her much, because at that time besides that youth, the others seemed to have already rested and didn't get up to greet her...

"You're welcome... oh, by the way, my name is Alice." The silver-haired, crimson-eyed woman smiled and introduced herself.

Without a doubt, she was precisely a new team member with seniority in a certain sense, one of the employees Xia Zhi had once planned for.

—Alice von Einzbern.

Originally an artificial human created by the Einzbern Family to prepare for the Fourth Holy Grail War, and also the "Holy Grail" itself in that Holy Grail War.

Originally she was indeed already dead, but after death, as the Lesser Grail, Alice entered the inside of the Great Holy Grail, came into contact with "All the World's Evil," and then as if becoming a special kind of earth-bound spirit, was bound within the Great Holy Grail.

Her existence was thus able to continue.

And as the entire Great Holy Grail was refined into a True Elixir by someone and swallowed in one gulp, she naturally followed along and changed household registers... in short, quite a fantastical experience, though for the person involved it probably wasn't very interesting.

But on closer examination it counts as a blessing in disguise; although her soul was bound by the Great Holy Grail, it was precisely this binding that allowed her soul to remain intact. As long as she is placed into a Blank Doll—she can live on in a form almost no different from when alive.

This is also why Alice was able to appear here.

Actually, in the original contingency plan, she should have joined the team much faster... only unfortunately at that time Vivian had not yet made a Blank Doll, and Xia Zhi misjudged the situation and summoned Artoria too early, triggering intense conflict between the sisters.

Enemies meeting, eyes red with hatred, naturally they directly started tearing into each other—

The fight at that time was fierce, just short of pulling hair...

The fierce battle affected the original camp; the unfinished semi-finished dolls and prepared related materials were all destroyed in one go, and afterwards a series of events occurred, forcing Alice's joining time to be delayed.

Until last night, because the mission to recruit Melusine concluded, the now-free Vivian finally completed a Blank Doll.

"I, I'm Fujimaru Ritsuka..." Hearing the silver-haired, crimson-eyed woman introduce herself, Chaldea's Master also quickly responded, giving her own name.

"I know, Miss Ritsuka, Mr. Xia Zhi already told us... then, please wait a moment—" Alice smiled lightly, then waved her hand, turned and walked gracefully toward the other side of the camp, steps light as wind.

Truly a gentle person...

Fujimaru Ritsuka watched her leave, let out a light breath, and felt even more that this team must all be gentle and kind people; whether yesterday's Mr. Xia Zhi or now Miss Alice, they were all such people.

Right, where's Mr. Xia Zhi?

Thinking of this, she hurriedly looked around.

Just turned her head and saw that person walking toward her with a hearty smile.

"Good afternoon, Miss Ritsuka, looks like you rested well..." Xia Zhi sized up the Master Lady and spoke directly: "I have something to tell you; sorry for deceiving you last night..."

"Eh? What?"

The Master Lady looked blank; how had she been deceived?

————

————

The other side.

"Saber, is there any breakfast left?"

Alice walked briskly to the other side of the camp and called out.

Immediately after, she seemed to suddenly remember something; that exquisite face instantly showed a worried, troubled expression.

Could it be it's already all eaten...

"There is... that Miss Ritsuka woke up?"

The swordswoman girl turned her head at the table's edge, her cheeks slightly puffed. She set down the bread she had just taken a bite of, watching Alice nod vigorously while shoving a plate on the table.

"Of course there's more. You two hardly eat anything... take these."

"Good, good... I thought you'd eaten them all." Alice lightly pressed her chest, speaking with a tone of slight relief.

"That's too impolite, Alice..." Several black lines appeared on the Knight King's forehead, feeling this was like distrust of herself: "Even I wouldn't eat all the food while someone hasn't finished their meal."

"Right, Saber, sorry..."

The silver-haired, red-eyed girl laughed embarrassedly a few times, and facing her like this, Artoria naturally wouldn't take it to heart.

Actually, being able to see Alice again was what made the Knight King overjoyed. If not for having enough time from last night until now to calm down, she might still be very excited right now.

After all, in the Fourth Holy Grail War, she had built deep friendship and bonds with the other party.

The true Master back then, Kiritsugu Emiya, had ideals that clashed with hers, and their grudges grew greater until they nearly turned against each other. And yet, Alice, as the Proxy Master, got along very well with her.

To the two of them, it was like the relationship between a "knight and the protected princess."

But the final outcome was truly regrettable...

The knight had not been able to keep her oath, nor protect the princess well.

This was Artoria's eternal unwillingness and regret in her heart. She had thought there was no hope of making amends, but never expected to have the chance to see Alice again. At that moment, she could not describe the excitement in her heart.

It could even be said, for a moment—

She felt Morgan's face wasn't quite so hateful.

Alice walked to the edge of the table with a smile, preparing to take the food on the tray. Artoria stared at her, fell silent for a moment, and still couldn't help but ask: "Alice, what do you think of the current situation?"

Although she was excited at first, after calming down, the Knight King couldn't help but start thinking about more questions, such as the Master's intentions.

"What do I think?"

Alice turned her gaze strangely, saw her friend's serious expression, and immediately understood.

She thought for a moment, then showed Artoria a very gentle smile, speaking in a reassuring tone: "Don't worry, I have no complaints about the status quo... or rather, I'm actually happy."

"Happy?"

"Yes, being able to see you again, being able to see Ilya again—shouldn't I be happy?" Alice said gently. She had never thought she could have such a luxurious opportunity.

"Ilya?"

"Yes, Mr. Xia Zhi brought Ilya too, just like my situation. As the Lesser Grail, an important part of the Great Holy Grail, he can preserve Ilya's soul completely and take her away from that world..."

This silver-haired, red-eyed girl, recalling the daughter only one year younger than herself in her memories, also had light of gentleness and love flashing in her eyes.

(Chapter End)