Chapter 63: The Courtyard of Disappointment (2)

The dry wood was thrown into the fire and began to crackle. The flames grew a little brighter, illuminating the faces of Tatsuya and Morgan.

The Einzbern Forest was only about four kilometers away from the castle. The two of them sat on a fallen tree trunk, a burning bonfire in front of them.

"Is this all we need to do?" Tatsuya asked Morgan.

"That's enough. When I formed an alliance with the Einzberns, I visited the castle. At that time, I had already started preparing for the Holy Grail War after the alliance ended." Morgan looked into the burning fire. "For Artoria, the 'Garden of Disappointment' is very suitable."

"'Garden of Disappointment'..." Tatsuya nodded.

In reality, "The Garden of Disappointment" is less of a spell and more of a ritualistic magic bound to a ceremonial garment. No chanting is required; it simply needs magical energy to be activated according to the user's wishes. However, if the caster's own abilities are insufficient, they may be consumed by it.

"But this won't just affect Artoria. If there are others in the castle, they'll also be drawn in," Morgan explained. "So, it's better not to go near it for the time being, my husband. Unless you want to experience it yourself."

Tatsuya's expression soured as if he had just tasted fresh lemon juice, his facial features tightening. "No thanks."

Although he wasn't sure what he might encounter, Morgan had already explained the principles of the "Garden of Disappointment" to him while they were making the fire earlier.

It reduces the visitor's heart to nothingness, causing them to suffer the pain of self-blame, and reveals the cold courtyard of warm deception. If one can endure to the end, they may leave the courtyard, but their heart might disappear before that.

But Tatsuya didn't want to experience it, not because he feared what he might see, but for other reasons.

"Do you think my magic is vicious?" Morgan asked calmly.

"Once magic is used as a tool for conflict, there's no longer a distinction between vicious and not vicious. The Holy Grail War is a matter of life and death. It's better to say—" Tatsuya, who was warming his hands by the fire, remarked, "Are you too soft-hearted? If you and I worked together, it wouldn't be difficult to level Saber's camp and the castle, completely excluding them from the Holy Grail War. But you chose this roundabout method. This isn't the way to win without fighting."

"But you didn't object," Morgan smiled.

"Just expressing my feelings." Tatsuya lowered his eyes and continued to warm his hands by the fire.

His eyes reflected the firelight, giving them a somewhat intense look.

Be it vicious or cruel, she knew he would never use such words to describe her.

She intended it as a joke, but it inadvertently came across as self-deprecating, which made him angry.

"It's a bit boring to just sit by the fire and wait for the results," Morgan said.

"'Garden of Disappointment' is your magic. You should be able to see what's happening inside, right?" Tatsuya raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not interested. Whether it's Artoria or anyone else, what they see in the 'courtyard,' and whether they can get out or not, has nothing to do with me." Morgan placed her palms on her knees, looking relaxed. "This forest is so pristine, and now it's even darker with heavier dew—"

She patted the seat next to her with one hand and said, "Come sit over here. It's a little warmer than the fire."

"No need. I'm not an ordinary person. If a mage can't even keep warm, then it would be..."

He stopped midway, noticing Morgan's determined attitude that allowed no refusal.

"We're still fighting, I won't listen," Tatsuya turned his face away, deliberately avoiding her gaze.

Otherwise, just one glance, without any charm or magic, would make him obey her will.

"Since you won't come, I'll come to you."

However, he had forgotten that they were only sitting across the campfire from each other, with no natural barrier between them. They could easily move a few steps and sit next to each other.

Although Morgan didn't do anything but sit down next to him, he found himself feeling a little disappointed, as if he had expected something more.

It was unsettling.

"By the way, once the 'Garden of Disappointment' is deployed, anyone who rashly approaches, aside from the target, will be dragged in," Morgan said.

"Why are you suddenly saying this?" Tatsuya didn't quite understand.

"I'm worried my husband might get impatient and decide to kill Artoria and her group suddenly. At that point, I'd have to undo the magic hastily for your sake."

"Am I that cruel?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Tatsuya suddenly looked up. He sensed the presence of others in the forest.

"There's more than one person; there are a lot of them," Morgan closed her eyes, connecting her consciousness to the forest's barrier.

After analyzing the barrier, she chose not to destroy it but instead infused her own magic into it, thereby intervening in the barrier's surveillance system and gaining control of the entire Einzbern Forest.

Anyone entering or leaving would be detected, even if they didn't trigger the forest's defense spells.

"A lot?" Tatsuya raised an eyebrow slightly.

"One is human, heading towards the castle. They'll arrive in two minutes at most," Morgan continued. "As for the others, they're all Servants, but their auras are extremely weak."

"The presence of multiple Servants... Is it Assassin?" Tatsuya crossed his arms. "That means Assassin has some ability to create clones. While it might weaken his own strength, it's perfect as a Servant for assassination and intelligence gathering."

Morgan opened her eyes. "The Servants' auras are still increasing. It seems they're planning to send all of them to stop us here."

"But they're not in the castle..."

"Too clever is too clever," Morgan thought it was such a coincidence.

————————

Emiya was jolted back to consciousness by the loud roar of a car engine.

Emiya Kiritsugu noticed that he was sitting in a dilapidated pickup truck, with the girl beside him leisurely holding the vibrating steering wheel.

The car had left the village and was heading deep into the jungle.

"Where is this..."

"Are you awake, Kelly?" the girl asked.

Hearing this name, which seemed to come from another world, Emiya Kiritsugu looked at the girl in surprise, his eyes wide with astonishment.

It was the horizon of a bleached memory, blurred by blood and smoke.

To Emiya Kiritsugu's smoke-filled soul, it was a memory of an origin that was no longer accessible.

He looked tentatively at the rearview mirror of the pickup truck. Through the old mirror, Kiritsugu saw a face he could no longer clearly remember, but it was definitely his own face from when he was young.

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