On the eve of the Holy Grail War, within the Yggdmillennia family castle.
The shattered outer walls had been fully restored through the combined labor of homunculi and golems. The ancient magical barriers layered over centuries, however, were gone beyond recovery. Reconstructing them would take far more time than anyone here could afford.
Inside the grand hall at the heart of Yggdmillennia, the atmosphere was heavy.
This was the closest point in the castle to the leyline. Active mana saturated the air, a blessing to magi and a slow poison to ordinary humans.
Several Yggdmillennia Masters were present, along with the summoned Heroic Spirits Vlad III and Avicebron. Outside the hall, rare golems stood watch in silent ranks.
Within, aside from the Masters and Heroic Spirits, there was only one anomaly—Rhodes—and the fox woman held casually in his arms, his virtuous wife Tamamo-no-Mae.
"Tch. You actually let something as crude as a doll take part in a Heroic Spirit summoning ritual?"
The fat man sneered openly, disdain dripping from every syllable as Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia looked down at Tamamo-no-Mae in Rhodes' embrace.
He was fat, certainly—but unlike the vicious, cunning tyrant of some academy legend, this one clearly belonged to the category of fools. A walking example of how one man could single-handedly lower the average intelligence of all fat people.
Holding the soft, firm body against his chest, Rhodes glanced at Gordes's idiotic expression and let a mocking smile surface.
"What's wrong? Is your pathetic sense of honor only capable of showing itself when you're sneering at others?"
"Yes, Master. That man really is ugly," Tamamo-no-Mae chimed in sweetly, twisting deliberately in Rhodes' arms. The fullness of her curves brushed against him again and again, the sensation intoxicating. "Not just his appearance. His soul is filthy as well."
"You—"
Gordes's face contorted, rage erupting like a volcano. He roared like a cornered beast.
"You lowly doll! How dare you mock me?!"
"A lowly doll…?"
Rhodes loosened his hold.
Tamamo-no-Mae vanished from his arms.
In the blink of an eye, she appeared behind Gordes, two talismans pinched between her fingers. Delicate, intricate runes were inscribed upon them, elegant enough to evoke an unsettling beauty.
"You dare insult me—no. You dare insult my Lord's work."
Her voice dropped into something cold and sharp, the tone of a love-struck lunatic finally snapping.
She raised the talismans.
Azure foxfire ignited, surging across the paper as the spell Mantra: Fiery Heaven assembled itself in an instant—structure, formula, execution—coalescing into sorcery capable of killing any magus outright.
Avicebron and Vlad III both stiffened.
Within that flawlessly woven curse, they sensed something unmistakable.
"Don't kill him, Tamamo," Rhodes said calmly, his clear voice echoing through the hall. "Even a wild boar made of nothing but fat still has value—fried, roasted, or rendered."
The foxfire that could have reduced everything to nothingness stopped dead before Gordes's face.
"You—wait—no, please!"
Staring at the ghostly blue flames inches from his nose, Gordes stumbled backward, collapsing to the floor and scrambling away in sheer terror.
Then he froze.
Because something black and thick pressed firmly against the back of his head, radiating a chill that made his entire body shake.
Floating behind him was an XM109 sniper rifle, manufactured by Barrett. Its heavy, pitch-black frame was carved with dense magical inscriptions, each reinforcing the bullet's destructive power—enough to pierce most magi defenses with ease.
"Pl—please… spare me…"
Behind him, a large-caliber firearm. In front of him, a fox woman smiling with affectionate madness. Even a man obsessed with honor like Gordes couldn't stop himself from begging.
"What was that? I didn't quite catch it," Rhodes said mildly, indulging himself.
He wore a pristine white suit, tailored by hand. Against the dimness of the hall, it looked utterly out of place.
Gordes continued trembling, utterly incapable of resistance. Anyone would lose their nerve with a sniper cannon pressed to their skull.
Twenty-five millimeters. Enough to annihilate even a high-ranking magus instantly. At this distance, Gordes wouldn't even leave behind a recognizable corpse.
"Please calm yourself, Lord Rhodes."
From the throne at the front of the hall, Vlad III spoke, deliberately easing the tension.
"I have a question. I hope you won't refuse to answer."
"I could say 'no comment,'" Rhodes replied with a light laugh. "But where would the fun be in that?"
Vlad exhaled softly, suppressing his irritation.
"Then allow me to ask. That Miss Tamamo—is she truly a 'doll'? I sensed something akin to myself within her."
"Of course I am my Lord's masterpiece," Tamamo-no-Mae cut in immediately.
She smiled radiantly, happiness written all over her face—twisted by a distinctly dangerous edge.
"I am merely my Lord's lowly concubine, and his most perfect creation. Are you satisfied now, Duke?"
"I see…"
Vlad paused, then gave a bitter smile, shaking his head as though realizing something belatedly.
"Then let us begin the summoning of Heroic Spirits. I believe Mr. Avicebron has been waiting eagerly."
"Indeed," Avicebron said flatly. "This foolish farce has grown tiresome."
Tamamo-no-Mae's smile deepened.
By referring to herself as a "lowly concubine," she dispelled their suspicions with ease. To the Heroic Spirits, a golden-haired, white-faced nine-tailed fox like her could never speak such words—clearly, they underestimated the malicious sense of humor of one particular fox.
Soon after, Gordes adjusted his Magic Circuits. The wheelchair-bound girl Fiore, the utterly useless Caules, and the openly shameless Selene took their positions, chanting the summoning incantations.
"Let the three great words encircle you through seven heavens, from the Wheel of Suppression!"
"Guardian of the scales—"
Brilliant white light burst forth. One Heroic Spirit after another manifested before them.
"We are Servants of the Black faction. Our honor shall coexist with the Yggdmillennia crest—"
The low chant echoed through the hall.
And then Gordes snapped.
"Kill those two bastards! Slaughter them both! Crush that lowly doll! Go, Saber! Kill them!"
In the next instant, "Sumanai" lunged forward, launching like an arrow straight toward the completely unguarded Rhodes.