Fate: I Will Eventually Become the Hero of Justice

Mordred idly kicked pebbles out of boredom as Sisigou set up a campfire and began roasting some meat he had bought from the store.

The juicy aroma of the sizzling meat wafted through the air, making her mouth water.

Sisigou shook his head. "If you're really hungry, why not go with your father?"

She wiped her mouth and glared at him, saying: "What nonsense! How could I go with him?"

"So you dislike your father then?" he asked, turning the meat over the fire.

"Hmph." she just humphed twice, refusing to answer.

"Seems you don't." he commented.

Incensed, she shot back, "I didn't say anything! Don't put words in my mouth or I'll sue you for slander!"

He smiled knowingly. "The fact that you won't answer makes your true feelings clear enough."

"You're completely mistaken!" she insisted. "I can't stand him! I dislike him, especially dislike him, super dislike him!"

"Funny, you don't seem nearly as disgusted as when you called Kotomine a 'heretic'." he said with a smile.

She went silent, frowning as if poked in the heart, glaring at him: "Master, you're testing the limits of backstabbing!"

She hated when others guessed at her inner thoughts, especially when they were right. Her true nature was an open book to her Master, and it gave her a headache.

"You remind me so much of my foster daughter," he said wistfully, a tinge of regret in his smile.

"Foster daughter?" she looked up, curious. "Come to think of it, you've never told me anything about yourself, Master."

"Oh, my life isn't worth mentioning."

Sisigou was the seventh head of the Sisigou clan, famous for their necromancy. Due to this, the clan was cursed to be unable to have offspring.

That's why even the foster daughter he wanted to adopt died during the transferring of the Crest.

"So your wish for the Holy Grail is to break the family curse and make the clan prosper?" she asked.

"Perhaps. But on second thought, that's probably not my true wish. What I really want is likely to change her death..."

Sisigou trailed off with a pained smile, staring blankly at the charred meat in his hands. Lost in memories, he had let it burn without noticing.

Seeing the blackened meat, she bit her lip but remained silent, not wanting to interrupt her Master's reminiscence.

Despite being a king, Mordred had never formally taken the throne and lacked a monarch's arrogance. If anything, she had a compassionate heart, much like her mother.

"She was a lot like you," Sisigou mused. "Wary and confused about how to interact with me when I first took her in. She feared and mistrusted me, yet deep down we both wanted to get along. In time, we became as close as any father and daughter. You and your father remind me of the past."

Tch! More preaching!

She scowled. "Your meat is burning, meddlesome Master!"

Sisigou glanced down. "Ah, you're right." He patted his head ruefully. "Let me toss this and start another."

As he moved to discard the charred meat, she darted in and snatched it up.

"What are you doing?"

"Waste is shameful," she declared, taking a defiant bite. "It's still edible to me... Mm...doesn't taste too bad."

Sisigou said oddly: "It's burnt though."

"As long as I have something to eat, I'll make do," she said with a careless shrug. She tore off another chunk of the tough, blackened meat and chewed it stubbornly.

Shirou and Mordred were at the outskirts of Trifas to avoid getting caught between the Red and Black Factions.

Due to the Holy Grail War, Trifas was dimly lit. The outskirts were even darker, like primordial times.

Suddenly, sticky sliding sounds emanated from the bushes.

Mordred and Sisigou tensed warily, senses on high alert. They could feel hidden danger lurking, like hunters in the dark eyeing prey.

She materialized her sword while Sisigou drew out his Mystic Code.

"What do you think, Sir Galahad?" he murmured.

"Hmph. Hiding in darkness is my fotre," she declared confidently.

Without warning, an enormous gray creature burst from the ground at Sisigou.

Calmly, she yanked her Master back and swung her sword in one smooth motion, bisecting the creature's limb from its body.

The lifeless halves fell to the earth with a heavy thud.

The creature resembled a massive octopus that lived beneath the soil. A writhing mass of tentacles sprouted from its soft, grayish-black sac body. Aside from the squirming appendages, it had no discernible features.

No, wait - at the front was a lump that could be its brain, nerve center, or some diseased organ controlling this horrifying, nauseating being.

Even bisected by Mordred's sword, the two halves continued writhing on the ground like immortal earthworms.

Sisigou looked baffled. "What in blazes is this thing?"

"Most likely a familiar summoned by one of the Servants," Mordred replied coolly, swinging her sword to lop off the creature's head.

Its body dissipated into ether.

She scoffed. "A mana construct, just as I thought. A mere summoned beast."

Just then, strange sounds emanated from around them - click click click. Another bizarre creature burst from the earth, lunging at Mordred.

She swung her sword in a practiced arc, slicing the new assailant in two. More sloshing noises followed as several more beasts erupted from the soil.

Calmly, Mordred raised her sword to strike the creature's head-lump. But before she could, a torrent of glowing swords and spears rained down from afar, impaling the oddity.

Mordred turned to see Shirou rushing over with Mash.

Reaching her, he looked Mordred over worriedly. "Are you hurt?"

Annoyed at his concern, Mordred snapped, "Don't underestimate me!"

Relieved, he examined the strange creatures and frowned. "Chthonians...?"

Mash also seemed shocked. "M-Mr. Fujimaru, aren't these Caster's monsters?"

Shirou nodded grimly.

He and Mash had been on their way to rendezvous with Mordred after dinner. He hadn't expected her to be attacked and had reflexively intervened.

But what was truly surprising was the nature of the attackers - Chthonians!

Caster of Red, François Prelati, had already been defeated. Shirou had witnessed his Saint Graph dissipate personally.

So why were his Cthulhu-esque creatures appearing now?

Could there be another Cthulhu Mythos Servant in this Grail War? No, that should be impossible. All Servants had already appeared.

Was it the mysterious council guarding the Grail that Gray mentioned?

Shirou's brows furrowed deeply.

More Chthonians emerged from the churned earth.

Though unclear of their origin, since they came, they would become food for him!

Shirou's mind stirred as he unleashed black mud like a giant net.

But the Chthonians were crafty this time. Seeing black mud, they spewed concentrated acid to resist it.

Too bad for them, the frontal black mud was just a feint. While they focused on it, black hands grabbed them from underground and dragged them down to be consumed.

Some of the stronger ones endured and charged out of the soil...

But Mash was ready. She stepped forth and raised her shield, preemptively blocking the incoming acid.

Sizzle! 

The Chthonians' corrosive spray failed to penetrate Mash's shield. Glowing runes were engraved upon it, lighting up with a holy aura when touched by the acid. Endowed by an indomitable will, the shield stood resolute as long as Mash's mind and spirit remained unbroken.

Mordred watched this happen, her gaze lingering on the shield. It seemed...familiar somehow. Reminding her of a certain knight's shield from memory...

While threatening to other heroes, the mana constructs posed no real danger to Shirou - if anything, they supplemented his reserves when consumed.

Having absorbed this batch of Chthonians, [Mortal Awakening] reached 80% completion. 

The crisis was resolved.

Shirou smiled at Mash appreciatively. "Quick reactions there, Master. You've really improved."

Mash scratched her head, puzzled rather than proud. "I...I don't know what came over me. My body just moved on its own before I realized it."

Hearing this, he looked thoughtful. With Mash having fused with Galahad's Saint Graph, her instinctive response was likely due to the guardian will ingrained in his spirit.

He turned to Mordred. "No injuries then?"

Irritated, her eyebrows twitched. "I told you not to underestimate me! I could have handled this easily without your help!"

Before he could reply, Mash frowned disapprovingly. "Didn't I teach you to be humble and polite?"

Mordred scowled back. "Who are you to lecture me?"

"As long as it's wrong, it should be corrected, regardless of whether I have the right. Or do I need to teach you that again?"

Mash stepped forward aggressively with a frigid aura, making Mordred instinctively retreat a step with cold sweat.

At this moment, it was Mash who seemed like the king, not her.

That lecturing tone, along with that shield...she recognize him now! 

Mordred broke into a cold sweat.

She realized whose Saint Graph Mash now carried - her knight, and the one she had always feared most.

"But..." Mordred hesitated.

"No buts! Do I have to teach you all over again?" She raised her shield threateningly.

Flinching back, primeval fear of the shield arose within Mordred, bringing with it painful memories she'd rather forget. "I'm sorry!" she blurted out. "You were right and I was wrong!"

Mash raised an eyebrow. "Are you apologizing to me?"

Hastily, Mordred turned to Shirou instead. "I'm sorry, Assassin! I know I was wrong. Thank you for your help earlier, I'm deeply moved. Thanks again..."

Shirou: "????"

He glanced at Mordred sneaking looks at Mash, then at Mash's stern, rigid expression.

'What's going on?' he wondered.

But then he realized - with Galahad's Saint Graph inside her, Mordred wasn't afraid of Mash herself, but rather of Galahad inside her.

Something must have happened between Mordred and Galahad after he left.

Why was Mordred so frightened of Galahad?

Shirou was quite curious.

Meanwhile, Mash was also confused.

For some reason, seeing Mordred irritated her. She also felt deep sadness and an urge to lecture Mordred for saying tactless things.

Most perplexingly, she wanted to tell Mordred something but didn't know what.

It was driving her mad.