Success!
Roy couldn't help but beam with joy as he gazed at the figure materializing within the magic circle.
Through his Mystic Eyes' modifications to the Greater Grail's mechanisms, he was certain he could summon a second Servant.
But he hadn't been entirely confident that he would succeed in summoning the specific Servant he desired!
Because this Servant, in truth, wasn't actually dead.
After accomplishing his great achievements, he underwent prolonged cultivation and eventually became an immortal, vanishing from the surface of the world.
Even now, this person still lived somewhere in the world—theoretically, summoning him should have been impossible.
Even with Mystic Eyes capable of manipulating all magecraft, without a theoretical foundation, there was simply no feasibility in reality. It wasn't as if he could forcibly degrade someone into a Servant and summon them against their will.
He had merely attempted it on a whim.
If this summoning failed, he still had a backup plan.
Fortunately, his attempt succeeded.
"For you to answer my summons… I'm truly flattered."
Roy let out a long sigh of relief, his entire body visibly relaxing.
With this Servant successfully summoned, half of his goal was already achieved.
"Haha, no need for such formalities, Master."
Rider stepped out of the magic circle, his luxurious robes flowing gracefully. His face bore a reassuring smile, his eyes curved into crescent moons.
"I've always been quite interested in the developments of this world. Not just me, but even my superiors have been keeping an eye on things here. Given the chance to experience it firsthand, how could I possibly refuse?"
In other words, Rider himself found the situation intriguing and actively chose to degrade his status to respond to Roy's summons.
"Superiors? Seriously?"
Roy was taken aback.
Was the state of this world really something worthy of attention from Rider's superiors?
"Of course."
Rider produced a folding fan from somewhere, his fox-like grin widening.
"The spiritual barrier enveloping Fuyuki City—that's the handiwork of the Second Magician, Zelretch, the so-called 'Jewel Mage,' isn't it? That alone is enough to pique interest, let alone those strange refugee 'crossers,' no?"
Rider's words carried an obvious implication.
Roy understood.
Ordinary mages believed they had uncovered the truth, thinking those refugees came from parallel worlds. But from the perspective of an immortal, the fog shrouding those refugee crossers was all the more intriguing. It wasn't surprising that it would attract some attention.
But honestly, Roy himself had no idea why people like Utaha and Hayasaka had appeared in this Type-Moon world.
In truth, he also found this world fascinating, well worth exploring.
But he had something he needed to do—something he had to do.
Just accomplishing that would take everything he had. He didn't want to expend energy investigating refugee crossers.
"Rider, since you—"
Roy tried to speak, but his heart suddenly lurched.
His heartbeat spiraled out of control, his body convulsing as if struck by lightning. His blood boiled as though set aflame.
"Ugh—!"
A stifled groan escaped Roy's throat as he collapsed weakly to the ground.
The white-haired boy lay prone, his entire body burning red, sweat pouring from his forehead like rain.
"Master?!"
Rider's startled voice reached his ears.
But Roy's mind was engulfed in flames, his vision blurring, his Servant's voice fading into incomprehension.
His skull throbbed with countless demonic whispers.
"Kill them! Kill them! Kill them! Slaughter everyone! Destroy everything!"
"Stab them! Shoot them! Drown them! Burn them alive!"
"Suffocate them! Rape them to death! Pierce their hearts! Crush their organs!"
Innumerable voices shrieked in his mind.
Chaotic bloodlust danced along his nerves.
Rage, humiliation, malice—these emotions coiled around his heart, pushing him toward corruption.
"A curse… just this much…!"
Roy gritted his teeth.
His consciousness flickered under the curse's assault, swaying like a lone boat in a storm, like rootless duckweed in a gale.
Yet, deep in his subconscious, he clung to his sanity like a starving beast refusing to release its prey.
"The curse… it's not just tormenting his body. The real trouble is the mental corruption."
Rider crouched beside his Master, examining his condition. His elegant brows furrowed slightly.
"Troublesome, truly troublesome. This curse has taken root in the Master's body for years. The physical suffering can be easily removed, but the mental pollution is endless. In the end, the Master must overcome it himself. Hmm… I wouldn't become the first divine Servant forced to retreat within ten minutes of being summoned, would I?"
BAM!
Suddenly, the warehouse door was violently kicked open.
Touko Aozaki stood at the entrance, her expression terrifyingly grave.
Her eyes locked onto Roy, and she swiftly strode forward.
"Leave him to me."
Without another word, she scooped Roy up and dashed out of the warehouse.
Rider said nothing. He stepped outside, watching as Touko rushed into the main courtyard, startling the two young maidservants who had been caught off guard by the sudden commotion.
The fox-eyed, ever-smiling Servant's expression grew uncharacteristically solemn.
***
Master Bedroom.
Touko easily dismantled the sealing runes on the door and carried Roy inside.
The room's walls were covered in bloodstains.
Fist-shaped smears, head-shaped impacts, claw marks from fingernails… Beside the bed, the bloodstains formed a chaotic, horrifying tapestry. At a glance, it was clear that someone had endured unspeakable torment here, transforming the once-tidy bedroom into a scene reminiscent of a torture chamber.
Touko's expression remained unchanged as she laid Roy on the bed.
She undid her buttons, letting her nightgown slip to the floor, her unclothed body exposed to the air. Her alluring curves exuded a sweet fragrance.
She climbed onto the bed, pulling Roy into her embrace, and removed his glasses.
As if triggered by reflex, Roy's eyes snapped open—crimson and bloodshot.
The familiar scent filled his nostrils, and his lost pupils burned with a violent desire to tear her apart.
"Don't resist. Just let it out."
Touko's voice whispered in his ear.
Those words lifted the restraint.
Roy opened his mouth and sank his teeth into Aoko's fair, rounded shoulder, biting down hard enough to make his gums ache. The metallic tang of blood flooded his mouth.
Touko's brows twitched slightly.
"This is much harder to handle than before…"
She inscribed pain-dampening runes on her body before surrendering herself to Roy's rough treatment.
Before long, the room echoed with sounds of agony intertwined with pleasure.
***
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