Chapter 256

【Boarding a diesel train at Paddington Station, arriving in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, two hours later, then swaying on a bus for about five hours, the final leg of the journey began: hiking up the mountain on foot.】

【Looking at the rugged animal path beneath his feet, Reines was curious as to why the Second would come to such an inaccessible place.】

【However, the Second was in no mood to explain to her at this moment, because he... was already exhausted and lying on the ground.】

【It was clearly he who wanted to come here, yet he was also the first to be unable to hold on.】

【"No, no, no, you wouldn't be calling yourself tired from just this much, would you, my brother? You only need to keep your magical energy circulating a little, right? Isn't that easy as pie on land with such abundant magical energy?"】

【Reines unceremoniously switched to her sharp-tongued mocking mode.】

【"Please don't happily attack other people's shameful points."】

【The panting Second lowered his head to express his protest.】

Iskandar: "Kid, this won't do. How are you already exhausted from this little bit of mountain road?"

Waver: "... ut the chatter, I will absolutely not become like that."

【After resting for a while, the two continued their journey, and the Second also explained what he was coming here to do.】

【He was here to increase the means that would allow him to win in the Holy Grail War.】

【Regarding this, Reines shook her head in helplessness; why was he so obsessed with the Holy Grail War?】

【Just as the two were about to reach the summit, a large group of black birds appeared from the forest, circling around them continuously.】

【Second: "Are those crows?"】

【"Crows carry souls."】

【Accompanied by a low voice, a man in black appeared where the flock of crows had just flown up from.】

【That was an old man of about sixty, wearing an old-fashioned travel hat on his disheveled hair.】

【Despite his advanced age, one could still see the sturdy physique beneath his coat.】

【"It is the same here in Britain. In the Celtic mythology of the continent, crows also frequently appear. They are guides for the dead, birds of the gravedigger, and thus they cry out 'Nevermore'."】

【The man continued, a crow landing on his shoulder.】

Kayneth: "Gravedigger... I see, is it the Blackmoore Graveyard!"

Waver: "Teacher, where is that?"

Kayneth: "It is one of the oldest graveyards on this land, and it is also widely circulated in the world of magi. I hear the gravedigger there is extremely powerful."

Waver: "I see, so this is the reason why the future me went there."

Artoria: "Blackmoore's Graveyard, is it..."

Although the video hadn't reached it yet, the matter was already obvious; the Second met Gray right here.

Gray's location was now clear.

【Second: "You mentioned a gravedigger, could it be that you are..."】

【Man: "What business do magi from the Clock Tower have with me?"】

【Reines thought to herself: "To think he knows we are magi from the Clock Tower; did he deduce it, or was he eavesdropping on our conversation in the dark all along?"】

【The Second bowed and said: "Hello, I am El-Melloi II."】

【The man nodded and returned the bow: "It is truly rare to have guests visit one after another, and all to visit me."】

【"I am the gravedigger 'Bersac Blackmoore'. If you have something to say, come with me."】

【The man turned and left, and the Second hurriedly followed with Reines.】

【Soon, they arrived at a small village nestled against a steep rocky mountain.】

【The population here was at most a hundred or so, and most of the buildings were made of brick, feeling as if they had already experienced over a hundred years.】

【Although the villagers coming and going were all wearing modern clothing, it probably wouldn't seem strange even if they all changed into medieval or modern-era attire.】

Waver: "This village doesn't look out of touch with the outside world, but it also feels a bit self-secluded."

Rin Tohsaka: "According to the plot in movies, this kind of village must hide a secret."

Illya: "Does that even need to be said?"

【"Oh my, Mr. Bersac. What happened to the two over there?"】

【Just as they entered the village, a round-bodied middle-aged man wearing priest's vestments called out to them.】

【Behind him followed a young nun, about twenty years old, with blonde hair and tea-brown eyes, which, paired with faint freckles, looked particularly charming.】

【The Second and Reines recognized at a glance that these two were from the Holy Church, and they subconsciously became vigilant.】

Kayneth: "The Holy Church. Hmph, these guys are truly like ghosts that won't go away."

Rin Tohsaka: "Uh, I thought priests of the Holy Church were all sturdy; it seems I was wrong."

Compared to Karabo and Kirei Kotomine, this priest who just appeared in the video was simply at the other extreme.

That waistline was almost as big as his height; I really don't know how he maintained that physique in such a remote village.

【"Father Fernand."】

【Bersac said faintly: "They are guests who came to find me; can you let them pass?"】

【"Oh my, please go ahead, the doors of the church are always open."】

【Fernand's gaze turned to the two of us, the Second, without hiding his suspicion in the slightest, and he squinted his eyes and bowed hypocritically: "Hmm, nice to meet you, my name is 'Fernand Croze'. May I ask for the names of you two?"】

【"El-Melloi II."】

【"Reines El-Melloi Archisorte."】

【They reported their names one after another, while also observing the priest's reaction, but he did not show any particular emotional change.】

【Either he had never heard of the name El-Melloi, or he was very good at controlling his emotions.】

Kayneth: "Heh heh, he's really acting quite well."

As a person of the Holy Church, how could he not know the names of the twelve Lords of the Clock Tower.

This guy is either pretending not to know, or he is from this village and has never left, so he really doesn't know the reputation of El-Melloi.

Kayneth leaned more towards the first situation.

That gravedigger Bersac knew the name of El-Melloi; it's impossible for a person of the Holy Church not to know.

【Fernand: "Oh oh, are you two siblings?"】

【"Yes, we are so close that we are inseparable no matter where we go! Right, my brother?"】

【Reines grabbed the Second's arm, but the other party was clearly somewhat unwilling.】

【"By the way, who is the nun over there?"】

【"I am Sister 'Irumia'."】

【The young nun said in a frivolous tone, seeming difficult to approach.】

【Fernand: "Then, there are still believers who hope for me to visit today, please allow me to leave first. I am very sorry, can I trouble Mr. Bersac to Matsuwanko Matsuwanko Take them to the church?"】

【Bersac: "Of course, that is exactly what I intended."】

【"I am very sorry, this is just an ordinary small village, please rest slowly."】

【After exchanging greetings, Fernand walked away swaying, but Irumia deliberately slowed her pace and came to Reines's ear.】

【"It is best not to stay long."】

【Leaving this sentence behind, she immediately hurried to catch up with the priest.】

【However, hearing this sentence actually made Reines, who likes to stir up trouble, excited.】

Rin Tohsaka: "Here it comes, the common trope in movies."

Illya: "Next, someone should die."

Waver: "Hey hey, don't be a jinx."

【Led by Bersac, they soon arrived at the church located at the north end of the village.】

【It was a simple church with scale-like walls covered in ivy, and one could tell at a glance that it had been around for some years.】

【Opening the doors of the church, the space inside was unexpectedly spacious, the ceiling was also high, and it was cleaned very neatly, making one feel a calm atmosphere.】

【Although it couldn't be called luxurious, the pews and metal candlesticks were spotless, showing the piety of this village's faith.】

【However, the statue of the Virgin Mary enshrined behind the sanctuary was somewhat wrong.】

【That statue of the Virgin was painted pitch black, and although she was holding the infant who was the Savior, her posture was completely different from common statues of the Virgin.】

【She was tall, her physique was majestic, and her eyes looked down at us with great spirit; she was closer to a female general than a merciful mother.】

【Second: "... lack Madonna."】

Rin Tohsaka: "Black Madonna? What is this?"】

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "It is a branch of faith in Christianity, relatively niche, so not many people know about it."】

Kayneth: "To think this place actually believes in the Black Madonna."】

【Reines: "What is going on, brother?"】

【Second said in a low voice: "Black Madonna statues are rarely scattered in Europe and other places; famous examples include the Virgin of Montserrat Monastery, the Virgin of Le Puy Cathedral, and so on."】

【"These Black Madonna statues have very different faces from ordinary Mary statues. This phenomenon can also be seen in patron saints and other icons, and it is speculated that it was caused by absorbing the Earth Mother Goddess and pre-Christian beliefs."】

【"Are you curious about that statue of the Virgin, magi?"】

【Seeing their appearance, Bersac turned his head and asked.】

【The Second nodded and said: "Because it is quite rare."】

【Bersac: "I heard that it is an antique passed down in the village; Father Fernand should know more about it, right?"】

【Second: "I see, if it is in this area, does it belong to the Celtic of the islands? No, it is also possible that the origins are different, and there was cultural exchange..."】

【Bersac: "Before I Matsuwanko Matsuwanko Take you to my house, can you pray to the Virgin first? This counts as a rule in this village."】