With Artoria and Cú Chulainn gone, only Medea remained among those intending to leave.
Morpheus glanced at Medusa, surprised she wasn't planning to depart. "You're staying?"
She nodded lightly, and Morpheus said no more, turning to Medea.
"After confirming the timeline and the world, I can prepare to detach my main self from the Throne of Heroes," Medea said with a grin, even suggesting, "If there's a chance to summon Servants in the future, with our bond, you could easily call me forth, right?"
"Indeed," Morpheus nodded. Their close connection made summoning her highly likely.
"Then it's a race to see if I escape the Throne first or you summon me," Medea said, stepping closer, her body pressing against his.
Her soft, moist lips met his, carrying a faint feminine scent. With a light laugh, she floated upward toward the void in the sky as their kiss ended.
"Wait for it. If the Moon Goddess gets the chance, she'll definitely come for you," Medea said, vanishing into the void.
Her final words lingered. "Don't worry about my Master. He's already dead."
Morpheus puzzled over her meaning, then sensed a presence approaching from afar in spirit form, drawn into the void.
He realized it was Sasaki Kojirou, a Servant whose contract had ended, pulled back to the Throne!
This Servant, whom Morpheus never met, left a parting message. "I killed him. No need to go there."
Clearly, Medea had issued a final command to Sasaki before departing, ordering him to kill her Master before returning to the Throne.
Now, only three Servants remained: Medusa, Heracles, and Morpheus himself.
As for those summoned later by the Grail, they hadn't returned, still deliberating whether to stay or leave.
As Morpheus pondered, a voice called from the door. "Wait, I'm going back too!"
Everyone turned to see Robin Hood and Astolfo, the latter in a modern sailor outfit, not masculine or neutral but distinctly feminine.
"You're leaving?" Morpheus asked, surprised. "You could stay. The Grail War's end doesn't force you out. The cost is simple... become a bound spirit."
"This place is fun, but I need to return. The experiences here will enrich my Throne self, making me stronger if summoned again," Robin Hood said, leaping up and dissolving into pure mana, flowing into the void.
Astolfo jumped too, fading as he shouted, "This was fun, but I should go back! If I'm summoned again, I'll play more!"
"Are you kids playing outside until dinner calls you home?" Morpheus muttered, watching them leave. As the Grail's void faded, he sighed in relief.
"Now it's just us. I'm fine, but Medusa and Heracles... your contracts rely on your Masters' mana, which is quite draining."
"My mana's plentiful. Supporting Heracles is no issue," Illya said immediately. Sakura nodded. "My mana output's decent. Medusa's low consumption makes it manageable."
"I know your mana far exceeds most, but it's not a long-term solution. You can switch the mana source from your Masters to the land. Fuyuki's ley lines have more than enough mana for both of you."
Sakura pondered. "Directly from the ley lines?"
"The Grail ritual will be dismantled, but its magic circles can be repurposed. This makes Servants bound spirits, but the binding area varies by contract."
Morpheus's lips curled slightly.
"A spirit bound to a hut is a bound spirit. One tied to a mansion or a castle is too. But the size of those areas differs vastly."
Shirou's eyes widened, alarmed. "So, an evil spirit could break free from a haunted house and harm people?!"
"Absolutely," Morpheus nodded, adding, "If the spirit has enough magical knowledge to bypass the restrictions."
He approached Heracles, who stood quietly. Morpheus placed a hand on him.
Mana surged around Morpheus, drawn from his body. As his internal mana shifted, the external environment's mana followed.
Like the microcosm reflecting the macrocosm, the air vibrated with eerie sounds as the change took hold.
"What's he doing?" Illya whispered, not daring to interrupt. Sakura and Rin, watching, found it mesmerizing but incomprehensible.
Rin noticed something on the ground... a magic circle, resembling one for summoning Servants!
"Not summoning, but switching classes... or restoring rational thought," Morpheus said casually, letting mana flow through the circle, linking it to Heracles. He erased the Berserker traits, reverting Heracles to a blank, classless state.
The true Heracles needed no class, proficient with all weapons. With the Grail's interference gone and no class restrictions, restoring his original form was seamless.
A glint of confusion appeared in Heracles's once-ferocious eyes. He looked at Morpheus, then his Master.
Rationality returned to Heracles.
Though he'd been maddened, he remembered everything, recognizing those present and knowing the Grail War had ended. The man before him was helping him stay in this era, this world.
"Thank you," Heracles said.
"No need. You can better protect her," Morpheus smiled. "The great Greek hero Heracles appears in many myths and religions, always a good man. Your character's trustworthy."
"You know me?" Heracles asked, curious.
"I know another world's you, not this one. Think of it as us sailing together on the Argo in another world."
Morpheus explained, his hands still working.
A new magic circle formed on the ground, linking to Fuyuki's ley lines.
Morpheus raised his hand, and a white light flashed, slicing a wound on Heracles's arm.
Seeing his blood drip to the ground, Heracles asked, "A medium?"
"Yes, using your vitality to mark this land."
Morpheus manipulated the circle, merging Heracles's blood with it. A new contract formed, binding Heracles to the land.
"I feel another contract," Heracles said, surprised. "Your magecraft is impressive, surpassing what I saw in life."
"Heracles…"
Hearing Illya's call, Heracles turned, smiling at her.
"Don't worry. It's just a new contract, shifting from the Grail to this land. Now, mana comes directly from the earth, like a Titan."
He sensed the change, smiling. "There are limits. I can't stray far from Fuyuki. The farther I go, the less mana I get, until it's gone.
"But short trips are fine. I can store mana and return before it runs out."
"Your Master's mana can cover you elsewhere. It's workable," Morpheus said, turning to Medusa. "Your blood... or hair... will do."
Medusa eyed the circle. "Just drip blood on it?"
"Yes, that's enough."
She drew her weapon, slicing her palm deeply. Blood flowed, splattering the ground.
Morpheus repeated the process, binding Medusa to the land. Confirming both Servants were stable, he concluded their arrangements.
Two tasks remained: reviving Irisviel and restoring Bazett's arm and consciousness.
Carrying Bazett's body inside, Morpheus gently laid her on the smooth floor.
Her severed arm had scarred over. Morpheus lifted it, a dagger appearing in his hand.
Illya, entering, said, "Einzbern alchemical method can craft a single arm. Attach a homunculus arm, and with adjustment, it's as good as real."
"No need for that hassle," Morpheus said, scraping open the scarred wound with his dagger, even shaving off a layer of flesh. Blood flowed, pooling on the floor.
The sight made the onlookers wince, imagining the pain.
Morpheus didn't waste the blood. Dipping his fingers in it, he swiftly drew a large magic circle around Bazett.
He'd used this circle in the church basement to heal. Though his unique magecraft could channel the four archangels' powers, they mainly aided elemental control. Direct healing required this circle.
As he drew it, Morpheus chanted, invoking Raphael, the angel of medicine.
Under Raphael's power, the onlookers gasped as Bazett's stump began sprouting a new arm.
Not reattachment... her arm was gone. This was regeneration, fueled by angelic mana, swiftly healing her wound, restoring her arm, and replenishing vitality lost to injury.
Sakura and the others, never having seen Morpheus heal in the church basement, were awestruck by the circle's effect.
Illya, equally stunned, shouted, "You have this magic, yet you told me if my body was destroyed, you'd make a new one? This makes that unnecessary, Unc!"
Morpheus shook his head. "I'm not Jesus. Severe injuries are beyond me. Back then, I wasn't sure of your state as the Lesser Grail, so I played it safe. That's caution!"
Illya fell silent, realizing he was right. In uncertainty, avoiding absolutes was wise.
Reflecting, she recalled his earlier words sounding arrogant. Only now, knowing his true power, did they seem cautious.
***
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