Chapter 28: No Other Way

"Don't ask about that."

Despite Aozaki Touko's usual openness, she clammed up the moment this question was raised.

"This is something Roy absolutely cannot talk about. If, one day, he decides to tell you, then you'll naturally get your answer. But if he doesn't want to, then you must never bring it up. Do you understand?"

Seeing Touko's firm expression—one that said she wouldn't reveal anything no matter how much they asked—Kasumigaoka Utaha had no choice but to drop the subject.

Her mind, however, was swimming with unanswered questions, and yet no one was willing to give her any clarity.

Aizaka had a sudden realization.

Could this topic that Touko deemed untouchable be the same "forbidden subject" Tohsaka Rin had mentioned?

If so, then the reason for Roy's mental instability, which Touko hinted at, must tie into that "past from three years ago" that Rin had spoken of.

In other words, whatever Roy experienced three years ago was likely the root cause of his psychological issues.

Aizaka felt she was close to the truth.

But, out of caution, she kept silent.

Tohsaka Rin had warned her not to dig into Roy's past, or else she should run as far as she could. That meant the subject was clearly dangerous.

And since she wasn't really part of this household, and would soon be leaving, why bother getting involved in such a mess?

———

"Are you ready? Time to remove the bandages!"

An anxious voice echoed nearby.

Everything was pitch black—his eyes were covered by something he couldn't see through.

After a while, he felt someone gently undo whatever was wrapped around his face, and his eyes instinctively blinked open.

Blurred light filtered into his vision, causing his eyeballs to throb with pain, and reflexive tears welled up at the corners of his eyes.

He didn't know how much time passed before his hazy surroundings began to take shape.

The first thing he saw was an old man wrapped in bandages and wearing tattered armor. His face was hidden, but the voice betrayed his advanced age.

"It worked! It worked!"

The old man stretched out his wrinkled hands, trembling as they gently touched his newly opened eyes. Tears of joy trickled down his own weathered face, soaking into the bandages wrapped around his head.

The old man was overwhelmed, as if he had just fulfilled a lifelong dream. His gaze toward him was one of profound reverence, as though he were gazing at the world's most precious treasure. It gave off the strange impression that, if he had to choose between his own life and his, the old man would sacrifice himself without a second thought.

The intensity of the emotion was enough to move even a saint.

Tears welled up in his own eyes too, spilling down his cheeks.

But they weren't for the old man's dream.

They were for the return of his sight—after so many years of darkness.

The old man had been exceptionally kind to him.

Not only had he restored his sight, but he had also convinced over thirty villagers to revere him as a "saint," kneeling before him in worship.

They treated him like a messiah, as if bowing before him would guarantee their salvation.

The old man went to great lengths to craft magical crests for him, and whatever he wanted to learn, the old man would meticulously engrave the knowledge into the crests.

Be it knowledge, power, or status, the old man spared no effort in teaching and bestowing everything to him. His sincerity was beyond reproach.

The old man truly saw him as his successor, someone to carry on his life's work, pouring all his essence into him, without a shred of deceit.

But—

"What a pity I can't see the look of twisted rage on your face. It would've made things more satisfying!"

A great fire consumed the village, reducing everything to ashes.

He had stood there, head held high, laughing mockingly as the flames roared.

He had rejected everything the old man stood for, and destroyed it all.

———

Rider opened his eyes.

"So, this is the Master's past."

His expression was unreadable, his thoughts hidden behind a veil of darkness.

He stood atop the tallest skyscraper in Fuyuki City, his gaze spreading out like a beacon, surveying the entire city as if he could take it all in with a single glance.

Dawn had come.

A cool breeze rustled the vegetable leaves in the fields.

The chill crept in, causing an involuntary shiver.

Today seemed colder than yesterday.

Roy poured himself a cup of hot tea and sat on the veranda. In winter, the veranda was sealed off with glass to keep the front yard separate. Though the temperature remained low, without the biting wind, it was rather pleasant to sit and enjoy a warm cup of tea.

He massaged his lower back, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

"Too much spirit, not enough strength."

"I told you long ago, why not let me replace some of your parts? But you insisted you didn't need it."

A teasing voice called from behind him.

Aozaki Touko emerged, dressed in loose, comfortable house clothes. The oversized white outfit hid her alluring figure, and her vibrant orange hair was tied loosely into a low ponytail with a ribbon at the end.

For some reason, dressed like this, Touko gave off a distinctly housewife-like vibe, causing Roy's heart to skip a beat.

"At least suggest replacing the whole body. Just swapping out parts is kind of weird, don't you think?"

Roy rolled his eyes and shot her a deadpan look.

Touko joined him at the veranda, also holding a cup of hot tea. She studied Roy for a moment.

"Judging by how lifeless you look, I'd say you've gotten it all out of your system. How's your body holding up? Still feeling unwell?"

"My back hurts, and my kidneys are sore."

"That's on you."

"True, I did go a bit overboard."

"No, I mean you're pathetic."

"Touko! Are you trying to pick a fight with me?!"

Roy jumped to his feet in indignation, pointing at her as he spewed a string of curses.

Touko's smile was nothing short of delighted.

"Alright, let's get serious."

She sat down beside him, taking a sip of her tea.

"You don't need me to explain your curse to you. You've always relied on sheer willpower to endure it, but that may not be enough anymore. And you know why, don't you?"

"Yeah, because I've summoned multiple Servants now."

Roy scowled and took his seat again, gulping down the tea to soothe his dry throat.

A Master could only contract with one Servant.

Not only because the Master had to supply their Servant with mana—just keeping one Servant running required a tremendous amount of magical energy. The mana drain from two Servants was something most Masters simply couldn't handle.

On top of that, contracting with a Servant put an enormous mental strain on the Master. A psychic connection was formed between them, allowing the Servant's memories and mental state to bleed into the Master. If a Master bonded with a Servant prone to mental corruption, their own mind would be at risk.

Previously, Roy only had one Servant, Okita, which kept the mental strain minimal. Even when the curse flared up, he could bear it.

But now, with two Servants, the burden on his mind was far greater.

"The curse from the Holy Grail, the mental strain from contracting multiple Servants, and your preexisting destructive impulses."

Touko's expression turned unusually serious, her gaze locking onto Roy.

"If you keep this up, you might lose your mind before you even get the chance to achieve your goal. So I'll ask you again—are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

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