Chapter 258

【"Um... good morning."】

【The dilapidated door opened by itself again, but the person outside pulled the door shut out of politeness.】

【Reines: "It's okay, you can come in."】

【"O-okay..."】

【The door was pushed open, and it really was the girl Gray whom they had seen yesterday.】

【"Um, Mr. Bersac told me to lead the way for you... uh, we met at Mr. Bersac's hut yesterday..."】

【Reines: "Oh, of course I remember."】

【The girl breathed a sigh of relief, not knowing if she was particularly timid or simply unaccustomed to facing outsiders.】

Irisviel: "Oh my! She is really more lovable the more I look at her!"】

Artoria: "..."】

【I didn't expect the early Gray to be so timid; she is completely different from the way she always rushes to the front to fight later.】

【Is it because she followed the Second and changed her personality under his guidance?】

【Looking at it this way, the Second is still a pretty good master.】

【After the two packed up and walked out of the hut, they happened to see Gray looking up at the sky helplessly.】

【I don't know whether to say it was a coincidence or fitting, the originally clear sky changed, covered by dark clouds.】

【However, standing under the cloudy sky, she blended into the gloomy scenery, just like a fairy from a distant winter country.】

【Reines: "Hi, sorry to keep you waiting."】

【Gray: "... o, it's okay."】

【When she lowered her head, a gust of wind blew from the Reverse Reverse Reverse Reverse Side, lifting the girl's hood.】

【"Ah!"】

【Seeing that face, the Second called out in astonishment.】

Rin Tohsaka: "He was startled."】

Waver: "He would definitely be startled; after all, they look almost exactly the same."】

【Reines: "What's wrong, my brother?"】

【Second: "... o, it's nothing."】

【"Ehehehehe! I didn't expect it, slow-moving Gr..."】

【Suddenly, an exceptionally sharp voice emerged, and then stopped abruptly.】

【The Second and Reines looked at each other, watching the girl suddenly wave her right hand forcefully in front of them, somewhat looking at each other in dismay.】

【"What was that voice just now?"】

【"It should be an auditory hallucination. No, please don't mind it."】

【Gray said in a serious tone, making Reines suddenly somewhat confused.】

【However, after all, it was someone else's privacy, so it was not good for them to ask too much.】

Illya: "Heh heh, this box is always so funny no matter when."】

Waver: "Is the Holy Spear already in Gray's hands at this time?"】

【Subsequently, led by Gray, they headed to the graveyard, and during the journey, they talked with the residents and discovered several things.】

【For example, although this is the Wales region, English is basically still used.】

【Also, the village is roughly a gourd shape that is concave from north to south, the church is located in the center, the graveyard and swamp are on the north Reverse Reverse Reverse Reverse Side, and the hunting hut where they stayed last night is located on the west outskirts of the village.】

【And, Gray is unexpectedly revered by the villagers in the village.】

【Although not all of them are like this, about half of the villagers on the road will bow to Gray very respectfully before talking.】

【This is not respect, but being as cautious as meeting a noble.】

【Their attitude feels like piety when facing a holy image.】

Kayneth: "It seems Gray's identity is not a secret at all in this village."】

Shishigou Kairi: "Did the whole village participate?"】

Artoria: "..."】

【On the way, they went to the church to Matsuwanko Matsuwanko Take a look, but Gray didn't know much about the origin of the Black Madonna either.】

【However, Gray told them that the people in the village are very pious to the Black Madonna; whenever everyone gets married or gives birth, they will definitely report to that Virgin.】

【Soon they arrived at the graveyard from yesterday.】

【They didn't look carefully yesterday, but looking at it today, they realized that this place can't be called a graveyard at all; it's simply a mass grave.】

【Tombstones engraved with their respective names and simple experiences were casually inserted into the ground; the further back the stone tablets were, the more dilapidated they were, looking severely worn, and they had probably been there for some years.】

【However, it is quite clean here; it seems it is because Bersac and Gray clean it often.】

【And the only thing here that can be called a graveyard is the rusty iron gate on the Reverse Reverse Reverse Reverse Side.】

【The Second looked at it carefully and found that a crow pattern was carved on it.】

"Crows, huh..."】

【My King is now even more certain that this village is related to Morgan.】

【Because crows are exactly Morgan's familiars.】

【"Does this graveyard regard crows as sacred objects?"】

【Gray: "Yes, this place is managed by Mr. Bersac, but the landlord seems to be someone else."】

【This sentence made the Second stunned; he didn't expect this graveyard to actually have an owner.】

【Gray: "Why did Mr. El-Melloi II come here?"】

【Second: "Um, I have something I hope he can help with, so I came to ask him to lend us a gravedigger."】

【Gray: "Then, is Mr. Bersac going to the city?"】

【Second: "If he accepts my request. Is there any problem?"】

【Gray: "... o, that..."】

【After a conversation between the two, the Second could be considered to have understood a part of this little girl.】

【She has never left this village, likes to read detective books, and lacks self-confidence.】

【At the same time, she is also the next gravedigger of Blackmoore, chosen by Bersac nine years ago. She and Bersac can also be considered to have a master-disciple relationship.】

【Gray can see spiritual bodies from birth, but because of this, she is relatively afraid of spiritual bodies, so she has always not understood why Bersac chose her to be a gravedigger.】

【The Second also found out that the gravedigger of Blackmoore will only be chosen in the village; it feels like this village has signed a contract with Blackmoore Graveyard.】

【He comforted Gray for a while, and the three were preparing to go to Bersac's hut, when a thin middle-aged woman appeared at the entrance of the graveyard.】

【"Ah, you really are here."】

【Gray: "Mother."】

【That's right, this woman is Gray's mother.】

【She is about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, her appearance is not particularly beautiful, but her calm expression exudes a softness that makes people relax; she seems to be a gentle woman.】

【Gray's mother: "It's time for worship, let's go back and pray."】

【Gray: "But, Mr. Bersac asked me to lead the way for the guests..."】

【"That won't do. Although the gravedigger's work is important, you cannot be absent from worship. Besides, haven't you always said that you are afraid of this graveyard? You can't push yourself."】

【She stepped forward and held Gray, saying: "Because your body is very precious."】

【The Second frowned. This sentence, how it sounds, feels strange; is that what a mother would say to her child?】

【Gray's mother: "Two guests, I am very sorry, you don't mind, right?"】

【Second: "I understand. She has introduced the environment in the village to us generally, thank you."】

【"... m, please absolutely do not go to the swamp."】

【Leaving this sentence behind, the girl followed her mother away reluctantly.】

【At the same time, the Second also took the opportunity to ask for Gray's name.】

Rin Tohsaka: "Really, what do you mean by 'body is very precious', is this what a mother should say?"】

Rokudo Reika: "Although the words are unpleasant, I can see from her eyes that this mother's love for her daughter is real."】

Irisviel: "What a pitiful child, her life is completely planned by others, and she has no way to do what she wants to do."】

Irisviel: "But fortunately, she met the Second and was saved."】

Waver: "..."】

Second: "..."】