The next morning, Novia made his way alone to the central hospital of Snowfield City.
Though both Melusine and Altrouge had wanted to accompany him, he decided against it. After all, this was simply to resolve the condition of the Pale Rider's Master — Kaseoka Tsubaki, the girl who had been reduced to a vegetative state by her parents' experiments. Bringing along an entourage would not have been appropriate.
Originally, Novia had hoped yesterday to witness all of the Servants participating in the Holy Grail War in one sweep. That wish had not come true, and so today he resolved to first handle Tsubaki's matter. She was truly pitiful, after all, cursed with parents who embodied the concept of "magus" all too perfectly.
He had already prepared a place for her: he would send her to the Reien Girls' Academy in the Far East. It was a fully residential academy; even during long vacations many students remained on campus. Leaving freely or contacting the outside world was virtually impossible. Even outside calls had to be filtered through the dorm supervisor.
The grounds belonged to the Church, and the headmistress was a woman who had once served in the Inquisitorial Knights, making her more than capable of teaching children with magical talent.
From Novia's perspective, while the Church had somewhat improved since the fifth century, the higher ranks were still riddled with corruption — cardinals who made pacts with Dead Apostles in exchange for longevity, for instance. But the grassroots remained steadfast, and that was enough.
"Mm. Everything has been confirmed. The hospital consulted the Kaseoka couple, and they agreed... Forgive me, may I ask once more? The name?"
Behind the window of the central hospital, the staff member asked.
"Kaseoka Tsubaki."
"And her age?"
"Ten."
"Please sign here. Thank you."
The staffer slid a form under the window, pointing out where Novia had to sign.
"Kaseoka Tsubaki, vegetative state caused by unknown reasons... Are you certain you want to discharge her?"
"Yes."
At this, the staffer stamped the papers, then asked gravely:
"I don't know if I should say this, but... are the Kaseoka couple really alright? Ah— I don't mean anything improper. Just... they're strange. It's rare to see parents so willing to raise a child, yet treat her that way. I've sometimes thought about calling the police. To demand nothing but the preservation of reproductive ability is... disturbing. But since there's no evidence of abuse... Ah, forgive me. I was speaking out of turn. Please don't mind me..."
He cursed himself inwardly for voicing the thought he had long suppressed. If colleagues overheard, he might be punished. Reflexively he glanced around, only to see the same troubled expression mirrored on their faces.
At the same time, however, he felt something odd: when looking at this silver-haired young man he had never seen before, an inexplicable sense of familiarity welled up. More than that — a deep trust that whatever he promised, he would surely keep.
"I understand. Rest assured, she will be well taken care of from now on."
With that, Novia turned toward Tsubaki's ward.
The Pale Rider had long been waiting for him, and the black mist that had once filled the hospital to shield his Master had already been dispelled.
Thus, without hindrance, Novia pushed open the door to her room.
After passing through sterilizing gases and ultraviolet rays, he looked forward to see the bed within.
There lay a girl with an IV drip — Kaseoka Tsubaki.
She looked less like she was suffering than simply sleeping, yet her face was frail and helpless, with no sign of her consciousness returning.
At her bedside lingered a mass of black shadow — the Pale Rider himself. Novia nodded to him, then swept the room with his gaze. Aside from himself and Tsubaki, no one else was present.
He stepped forward, placed his hand gently on Tsubaki's forehead, while the Pale Rider soothed her spirit within the inner world.
In that instant, Novia's perception shifted into a boundless darkness. His form was now a flame of azure blue. Having once visited the mountain elder's sacred temple, he instantly recognized this place — a realm akin to the underworld.
Before him writhed countless tangled threads, squirming like living filaments. He began methodically untangling, bringing chaos into order.
Within mere seconds, he had seamlessly unified the South American bacteria that the Kaseoka couple had recklessly used for experimentation.
What others would consider an insurmountable gulf meant nothing to Novia. Even without effort, the endpoint itself walked to his feet.
The azure flame flared brighter, illuminating the underworld — and in response, something stirred.
It was a light. Not human in form, but dazzling and radiant.
Golden brilliance, guided by the azure fire, strode proudly through the darkness until it stood before him.
The golden radiance regarded him, then spoke, pure and direct:
"A first meeting — or should I say, 'our first meeting again'? Were I to awaken as before, in the same Saint Graph, we could not converse so peacefully. If it were the Wise King, perhaps. But the Hero King does not accept the possibility of being beneath another."
As the voice faded, the light shifted into the figure of a boy. Rising slowly, he bowed with respectful courtesy.
There was no obsequiousness, no resentment — only genuine reverence from the heart. A nature utterly distinct from the Hero King.
"Though I intrude uninvited, forgive me. For the 'Demon King' I was meant to face as a hero no longer exists. Strictly speaking, I should not be here. Yet the thought of such an existence descending into this world... I could not suppress my excitement. And so—"
Smiling faintly as though gazing into a faraway sky, the boy extended his hand into the dark.
"Allow me to introduce myself. Though the name is the same, this Saint Graph is but an imitation. My essence belongs to a very special category within this world. You may call me thus—"
There was no sarcasm, no malice. Only pure goodwill. Novia understood that clearly: it was not an order like the Hero King's commands, but simply a heartfelt wish.
"As the result of completion, I am a purified Alter Ego. I greatly look forward to meeting you truly — you who, like me, would raise humanity to greater heights."
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