"...Although I think it's unlikely, I still want to ask, is that why you called me?" Director Orlando rubbed his temples and asked helplessly.
"No?" The person on the other side of the phone said confidently.
"Really……"
Director Orlando is skeptical?
I'm afraid that calling a woman or giving me a recipe was just an excuse to call. What he really wanted to say was about the battle between the servants in the desert. I'm afraid he was embarrassed to speak, or he wanted to test me.
That's right?
Director Orlando guessed this, so he apologized: "I hung up the phone in the middle of my sentence last night. I'm sorry. Because of this, I didn't have time to ask you...what do you think of that incident in the desert?"
In order to prevent the other party from talking nonsense, he took the initiative to bring up the desert.
However, a straightforward question came over the phone: "What is that? Did something happen in the desert?"
"...Didn't you notice?" Director Orlando was speechless for a moment.
Although he had known that this guy was unreliable, he didn't expect that the other party would be so outrageous.
Does this guy only have women and enjoyment in his mind?
"I fell asleep after drinking yesterday. When I woke up, I made that phone call to you, nothing else." The person on the other side of the phone replied matter-of-factly.
"It seems that I am too stupid to expect you to have normal opinions like a heroic spirit." Orlando felt helpless from the bottom of his heart and was greatly disappointed with the person on the other end of the phone.
"Don't call me again in the future, let me contact you."
After Orlando said these words, he wanted to hang up the phone. He made up his mind that even if there was another call, he would ask his secretary to answer it, or not answer it at all.
Until the next second, he heard the proper name coming from the phone.
"Are you so cold to that chick named Francesca, brother?"
Francesca!?
The moment this name came out of the warlock's mouth, Orlando froze.
The Warlock probably sensed Orlando's reaction through the brief silence on the phone.
So he continued happily: "Are you finally willing to listen to me carefully? Or what? What the guy named Faldius said is easier to understand? What the Japanese friend named Caoqiu said is more interesting to you?"
"You...why...how much do you know..."
The Master and Servant can share memory, cognition or five senses. But since Orlando has completely turned off this sharing, it is impossible for the Warlock to read Orlando's memory.
But why does the warlock know my confidential matters? Did he pretend to be working all the time, but actually turned into a spirit to explore the information here?
Or... could it be that the "old witch (Francesca)" really went to find him?
Orlando doubted even this, but the real answer was actually very simple.
"As long as there is the Internet and a phone, many things can be solved easily. Do you underestimate the sharp tools of modern civilization? Or do you think that I will not be able to type on the keyboard?"
"Nonsense! This kind of information cannot be found on the Internet!"
"Well, it means that I have my own way. Brother, isn't it the same for you? You don't fully understand me, right? For example, you don't know my Noble Phantasm. We all have our own secrets, and I'm just doing rough work.
I exposed it a little bit during the breaks of tiring work, and regarded it as a rest."
When Orlando stopped talking, the warlock continued to talk as if he had remembered something important: "Ah, that's right. When I mentioned Japan, I remembered that the place called Fuyuki seems to be very good.
The flow of dragon veins is almost as good as this land. However, I can't sense any dragon veins, so it doesn't matter. Speaking of land, next time, do you want me to give it to the indigenous people here, the girl named Tini Cherk?
Make a phone call? Just say that the police chief is one of the magicians who organized this celebration, and he inserted several spies into your organization. Oh, I'm so sorry, I'm just asking you to listen to me here.
If it were my own book, I could write longer lines. Just talking to other people still has to be reciprocal, right, brother?"
Hearing the warlock's deliberately malicious laughter, Orlando clenched the receiver and shouted: "You bastard... don't say any more! You know you..."
However, before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by the warlock.
"You're afraid of being overheard, aren't you?"
"..." Orlando fell silent for a moment.
"Whether it is through magic or electronic means, eavesdropping can be carried out. Even if your phone has a complete security system, there is no guarantee that my phone and the lines in the middle will not be tampered with. Haha! So, I will
If you continue to chatter, it will get you into trouble, right?" the warlock joked with a smile.
Although the warlock's tone was very frivolous, Orlando felt bottomless pressure from it. He was very disappointed with himself for being careless just now, and at the same time made a deep introspection.
A few seconds later, Orlando corrected his perception and took corresponding countermeasures: "That's it, I sincerely apologize to you. I underestimated you too much."
"Why do you have such an attitude all of a sudden? It's so disgusting." The warlock said nonchalantly.
"What I mean is that I already know your abilities. If you still don't shut up, I have my own plans." Orlando explained coldly.
"Oh, do you want to block my mouth with a command spell? But, you know what? There is an easier way to block my mouth than using expensive command spells. It's a pity that you are not a beauty, otherwise I can ask
You silenced me with a kiss." The warlock still didn't care.
"Stop talking nonsense. What do you want?" Orlando asked calmly.
He knew that the other party was talking so much nonsense because he just wanted to get something from him.
However, the Warlock's attitude was still so indifferent and said: "Didn't I say it? Brother, treat me to a big meal so that I can shut up. I will not directly participate in the battle. After you are defeated
Before that, I would fill my stomach and make this farce interesting and funny."
"..."
Orlando's face turned slightly gloomy when he heard this.
It took a long time for this guy to call and he was really ordering takeout!?
Was it because he thought too much that the other party had to show some strength?
············
night.
Snowfield Central Crossing.
Important facilities in the city, including the Casino Hotel "Crystal Hill" and the City Hall, are gathered on Street 7. In the center of this street is a huge intersection. At this time, a striking girl is standing here
On the intersection.
She was a beauty who looked about twenty years old, with smooth white hair, snow-white skin, and fiery red eyes.
In the eyes of ordinary people, she is already quite eye-catching. But in the eyes of the magicians attracted by the name of the Holy Grail War, she is eye-catching in another sense.
A magician looked at the woman from a distance and whispered to his companion: "Look, isn't that an artificial human?"
"Yes, with such a high standard, he must be from the Einzbern family."
"They are indeed here. After all, the system of the Holy Grail War has been plagiarized. How can Einzbern continue to be silent?"
"But she's too upright. Could it be a trap?"
Whispers of wariness and confusion came from every corner of the city.
I wonder if this girl as white as snow has noticed that she has become the subject of discussion.
The girl just stared at the sky quietly, staring at the whole world surrounding her. Her eyes were burning with boundless anger, as if she wanted to deny the whole world.
somewhere.
There is a man secretly observing the white girl from a distance.
Seeing the image of the white girl reflected in the crystal ball, the observer couldn't help but smile.
"Haha! It's coming, it's coming! The last guest has finally arrived."
The girl - Francesca, wearing a Gothic Lolita dress, was spinning her umbrella in the dark while laughing with an intoxicated expression.
"I wonder what kind of chess pieces she has brought with her. I am really looking forward to it. It would be interesting if she could give up her pride and bring someone like the descendant of Tohsaka. However, if you think about it carefully, you will know
impossible."
Francesca shook her head at what she said and continued to walk around in the dark room, muttering to herself: "Anyway, it has begun! The time for subversion is finally here! I have to work hard too.
OK!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the crystal ball glowed brightly, projecting countless images on the surrounding walls and ceiling.
From the King of Heroes traveling with Tiny, to the heroic spearmen living with wolves in the forest, to the office of the police chief who is supposed to be her companion - various scenes appear and then disappear.
After Francesca admired the heroic spirits in the picture one by one, she turned her attention to the empty picture.
It looked like an opera house there. Probably because there were no performances, only an empty stage and auditorium could be seen.
When a certain figure suddenly appeared in this empty space, Francesca browsed through the heroic spirits in each image again, and whispered softly in a delicate voice, as if she was speaking love words to the whole world.
"Come on...it's time to drive out the fakes."
············
From that day and that moment, Snowfield's fate began to change.
Holy Grail - Even the true Holy Grail requires the souls of seven heroic spirits to complete it. With only six fragments gathered, at best, it can only be a replica with incomplete power.
They have gone to great lengths to set up various arrangements, and it is impossible not to understand this.
I'm afraid their real purpose is to treat this fake Holy Grail War as "preparatory work" and wait until the system is indestructible before executing the real Holy Grail War.
There is another possibility, that is, the "real thing" is being fought elsewhere, and the Holy Grail War in Snowfield is just a cover-up to attract the attention of the Association and the Church.
Most people in the Magic Association think so.
Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that "he actually wants to summon seven servants, and the six are just Faldius lying." But what's the point of him telling such a lie?
While many magicians are puzzled, the masterminds behind the scenes are quietly taking action.
Use the false Holy Grail War as a sacrifice to awaken the real Holy Grail War.
Everything is ready, all it takes is turning on the switch that reverses the entire system.
And this switch is to summon the last servant in this false Holy Grail War and the first heroic spirit in the true Holy Grail War - the "Swordsman".
All it takes is to summon a hero who is a bridge between the real and the fake.
Everything went steadily according to plan, and the switch was pressed smoothly - until the moment the swordsman hero was summoned.
Yes, this is a Holy Grail War that is both true and false.
While the false Holy Grail War is going on, the real Holy Grail War will also begin after the original 'Swordsman' is summoned.
This swordsman is the bridge between reality and fiction. He is the last heroic spirit of the false Holy Grail War and the first heroic spirit of the real Holy Grail War.
In other words - the real and fake Holy Grail Wars overlap, this will be an unprecedented melee, and a total of 13 heroic spirits will participate!!!
However, until now, no one has.
Even Francesca, the mastermind behind the scenes, didn't notice.
On this stage that belongs to heroic spirits and magicians, a variable has appeared.
He is neither a heroic spirit nor a magician, he calls himself a human being.
However, it has the power to subvert the world.
············
Generally speaking, a Holy Grail War is time-limited, and the time limit is seven days.
But how to calculate the time of this Holy Grail War that is half true and false?
Actually the answer is very simple.
Because if we just engage in a false Holy Grail War, we cannot 'fill' the Holy Grail with the souls of the six heroic spirits. Therefore, this war can only start from the moment when the real Holy Grail War begins.
Everything before this is preparation work, which can also be called ‘Day Zero’.
And now, tonight, this Holy Grail War that is half true and false has ushered in its ‘first day’.
············
first day.
late at night.
Snowfield Opera House.
This opera house is a little far from the city center and was located here when the city was first built.
Although it is a building with a history of more than 50 years, it feels old in many places, but the sense of solemnity has not diminished at all and has even become deeper with the passage of time.
There are currently no performances scheduled here.
In fact, the place was closed to others a week ago on the grounds that "some areas are under renovation."
The performance hall is usually silent, but tonight is a little different.
On the stage covered with ancient wooden floors, a scene that resembles a drama is being staged.
There is no audience, no script or performance, but anyone who looks at it will feel that it is a play.
However, even the people involved on the stage did not know whether what they were acting was a tragedy or a comedy. ()