Didn’t See That Coming? I’m Out!

"Your Majesty, this victory now officially belongs to the Yggdmillennia Clan in this Romanian Holy Grail War!"

With a deep breath of relief, Darnic stepped forward and placed a hand over his heart in respect.

"Simply astounding… Is the Holy Grail War already over?"

Berserker Frankenstein's Master, Caules, known as the weakest Magi in the Yggdmillennia Clan, looked in awe at Karna, the Red Lancer, whose unparalleled might had been crushed by Selene in mere rounds of hand-to-hand combat.

"We actually survived, Berserker… I honestly didn't think I'd make it! Being the worst among us, I expected to be the first one out!"

Caules turned to his partner Frankenstein with excitement.

"Mm, mm…" Frankenstein replied, nodding along.

"Darnic, I've fulfilled my promise, and now the rest is up to you and your kin," Selene said before pausing suddenly. "Ah, there's one more thing."

"Your Majesty, what might that be?" Darnic asked, puzzled.

Without responding directly, Selene bypassed him and made her way to the portly man standing nearby, Yggdmillennia's very own Gordes.

"Your name… Gold-something? Ah, never mind, 'Fatty,' the knowledge stored in your head interests me."

Whoosh!

At once, Siegfried stepped protectively in front of his Master, his muscles tensing as he warily regarded Selene, who simply watched him with a faint smile.

After all, Siegfried had every reason to be cautious. With the two sides having fought each other in pitched battle, and with over seven Servants eliminated, the Greater Grail now held enough mana to activate. The wish-granting machine was at hand, but only one wish could be made.

Now, what if the war was about to take a new turn—a conflict within Yggdmillennia itself over the Grail's power?

"Rider, stop right there!" Siegfried shouted.

Though Siegfried understood how vast the power and Noble Phantasm gap was between himself and Selene, he only hesitated for a brief second. In the end, he reacted without thinking, moved by an instinct deep within: to protect his Master.

Even knowing his chances were slim, Siegfried showed no sign of backing down.

The atmosphere grew tense, and the others fell silent.

Not only the other Servants and Masters, but even Darnic and Celenike went on high alert, their eyes warily darting from one person to the next.

"Oh? Siegfried, are you…" Selene said, realizing Siegfried had misinterpreted her intentions.

"Easy now… Siegfried, I have no desire to fight. Hey, 'Fatty,' come over here for a word," Selene said, waving him forward calmly.

"Y-yes, Your Majesty. Saber, withdraw and show proper respect! If Rider wished to kill me, it would only take an instant."

Gordes gulped, steeling himself as he scolded Siegfried into standing down, then humbly approached Selene.

"Relax, I simply want to make a deal, an equivalent exchange. What I seek is the alchemical knowledge in your head—not your head itself."

Selene spread her hands, shaking her head in mild exasperation at Siegfried's misplaced concern. "Honestly… I'm not some brutish tyrant who enjoys killing, you know. Besides, what would I do with his head? It's so fat, even ghouls would find it unappetizing—too much cholesterol."

Selene quipped with a dry chuckle.

Uh-huh, sure you're not, everyone thought. The unsaid response flickered through their minds, yet, no one dared voice it, not in front of Selene. Heroes after all, knew when to keep their mouths shut.

"Uh… what is cholesterol?" Jeanne asked, curiosity getting the better of her as she folded her white lily battle flag neatly.

Holy Grail knowledge had granted Jeanne the basic knowledge needed to live in the modern world, but she certainly hadn't been granted access to full biology lessons.

"It's nothing, just a necessary nutrient in the human body. But Jeanne, you really were an unnecessary Ruler here, weren't you? Not discovering the anomaly until nearly the end of the Holy Grail War…"

"What? How was I to know this fourteen-Servant Holy Grail War would wrap up so fast!" Jeanne shot back.

Her interruption lightened the mood.

"Oh, I see. Well, if you need anything, Your Majesty, I guarantee I'll meet your request," Gordes said, clearly relieved, though still somewhat unsettled by Selene's jab at his weight.

Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia—although, on another timeline, he might have earned the moniker "King of Useless Command Seals" for his arrogance and foolishness, here, he knew better. As the Yggdmillennia Clan's greatest technical asset, Gordes was far from incompetent. His Musik family had, after the Third Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City, acquired portions of the Einzbern family's own techniques.

After sixty years of study and advancement, Gordes had actually outstripped his predecessors and even surpassed Einzbern in some fields.

Though the Einzbern Homunculi still exceeded Yggdmillennia's creations in raw capability, in areas like production, mass usage, and specialization, the Musik family excelled. Gordes's own son, Gordes Musik, would go on to build upon this foundation and, in the future, achieve tremendous success in the Mage's Association Clock Tower.

Selene had her reasons for wanting this knowledge—mass production, scalability, durability. The Einzbern had their talents, sure, but they were also far too costly and time-consuming.

"What do you need from me, Your Majesty?" Gordes asked courteously.

"A simple memory extraction will do. Relax, I'll cause no harm," Selene said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"..."

"A-all right, Your Majesty, I accept," he finally managed to stammer. Sighing, he glanced at Siegfried to reassure him before giving a nod.

Selene raised a brow, briefly surprised by how quick Gordes's decision had been. Without another word, she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Then let us begin. Just relax."

"Right."

Gordes wasn't a fool; he knew refusing Selene would be pointless. She wouldn't have asked without being prepared to take what she wanted. And really, did a goddess need to lie to him? Clearly not. No, it was probably that his knowledge was really that valuable.

And so, Gordes's thoughts turned a bit self-satisfied: Even gods themselves praised his alchemy! It was as good as it got, wasn't it? He grumbled to himself a bit too—sure, he was large, but did she have to mention it so often? Still, he'd made up his mind. He'd start a diet… just as soon as tomorrow.

"Imperial Privilege: Specific Memory Extraction. Synchronize. Scan. Imprint."

Bzzzz

True to her word, Selene used a memory extraction spell, far gentler than the spirit-shattering Soul Searching technique.

He didn't know how long it took, but soon Gordes found himself watching every memory he had ever experienced with alchemy play back as if on a projector.

When he came to, he heard Selene's voice.

"That will do, Gordes. You have my thanks—your knowledge is indeed fascinating."

Gordes blinked, pressing a hand to his temple.

"It's done. Now, an equivalent exchange."

The golden light of pure energy flickered across her palm, drawing intricate patterns in the air. Interwoven particles formed a dazzling outline as if crafted by the finest artisan, taking the shape of a two-headed eagle with fierce wings, sharp beaks, and talons.

The golden eagle was fashioned into a beautifully intricate, diamond-shaped piece.

With a snap of her fingers, a rich violet energy gathered around Selene, coalescing into multiple gems. Removing the corrosive properties from her energy, she melded it with foundational concepts of her subjects' equipment back in her realm, creating a near-perfect gemstone, and inlaid them into the eagle's eyes and body.

Though she lacked native materials like her world's Orichalcum and other divine metals, Selene's hopes were high. The natural resources and mythical beings unique to this place surely had the potential to serve as effective substitutes.

Ka-caw!

With a high-pitched cry, the golden eagle emitted a bright purple-gold light.

"Gordes, though this is simply a keepsake, the knowledge within should bolster your fighting capacity."

Selene flicked the eagle into Gordes's hand.

"What… is this?" he gasped, feeling a new awareness expand in his mind as he gripped the small statue.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, truly! I'm in your debt!" he exclaimed, bowing repeatedly.

Nodding, Selene turned her gaze to her former allies, her faint smile hinting at amusement. "Well, Darnic, it's time for me to leave."

"Your Majesty, what do you mean?" Darnic felt a sudden surge of unease. Could it be… she was going to voluntarily exit the stage?

"That's right. I'm heading home."

With her Imperial Privilege, Selene severed her connection to her Master, Celenike, and ceased the mana draw from the Void.

"Wait, no, please! Your Majesty!"

"Rider, what are you…?" Celenike's eyes went wide, recognizing the shimmering glow that enveloped Selene's form.

"The victory is won; my promise to bring glory to the Yggdmillennia Clan is fulfilled. Farewell."

Within moments, her mana supply cut off, Selene began to disintegrate. Like a golden-purple torrent, her body's mana overflowed, surging upwards toward the sky.

...

"The agreement is fulfilled. Now, return my subject to me."

"…Agreement complete…"

...

In the Honkai Dimension, at the heart of the Imperial Palace.

It was nighttime, and the entire imperial sky glowed with a vibrant, dreamlike violet. Countless stars dotted the expanse, each red point in harmony with the heavens.

But the most breathtaking sight lay at the palace's center—the golden-lit Imperial Palace complex, gleaming brightly against the night, strikingly beautiful.

From a distant view over the high walls, the palace spanned endlessly with towering structures and lush gardens, adding an air of tranquility to the grand architecture.

Every hallway bustled with guards and attendants, each corner bristling with security. Every few meters, an Astartes soldier in a gray exosuit held his explosive rifle vigilantly.

Within the Mirabell Palace, guards stood on every corner, their fierce gaze sweeping over everything. No bird, rodent, cockroach, or even insect could enter without notice.

And within her chambers, a pair of glowing crimson eyes opened.

"Welcome back, milady," Sebas intoned.

"Yes… I'm home, Sebas," she replied with a serene smile.

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