[Bonus Chapter 3]
"I put the Golden Fleece in the ritual. This catalyst should only summon Medea, right?"
Facing Roland's question, Medea lifted her head and responded seriously, "But I am Medea. Although my current form is still that of a girl, the legend of my future has already been superimposed onto me. To be honest, I'm quite troubled. I just graduated from my master yesterday, and suddenly I've been burdened with future memories, and a terrible reputation to match."
She clearly understood the tragic fate awaiting her. Her youthful memories made her long for a simple, innocent relationship, something that could have started with a quiet date. But the memories of her future whispered a harsh warning: never give your love freely.
Because what awaited her at the end of that love… was betrayal.
The superimposition of these two legends not only granted Medea the strength of two separate timelines, but also birthed a deep contradiction within her psyche. She yearned for intimacy, yet could not trust. She possessed power, yet had no direction. And in this limbo, she found herself caring little for something as grand as the Holy Grail. She simply wanted to walk forward, one day at a time.
If her Master could accept her as she was, fine, she would continue. If not, she would dissolve the contract and disappear the moment her mana ran out.
"How could it turn out like this? What happened?"
Roland quickly grasped the situation. He had seen something similar during his time with FGO specifically in the Okeanos Singularity, where a younger version of Medea had appeared.
But what he couldn't understand was why this version had emerged now.
"If you're looking for a cause, Master, then it's most likely you."
Medea's lips curved into a faintly seductive smile. "You possess an otherworldly aura that doesn't belong to modern era, whether it's your soul, your magic, or that unobservable anomaly surrounding you. To put it simply… you were never going to summon a 'normal' Servant."
Roland finally remembered an overlooked detail from the Holy Lord's soul powers.
"A person of natural nobility…"
He let out a resigned chuckle. "Well, I suppose the result is what matters."
Seeing the joy in Roland's eyes, a wave of warmth blossomed inside Medea. Even if betrayal was part of her fate… even if her past would always shadow her… this moment, this genuine trust from her Master, was real.
That alone was enough.
Suddenly, Roland felt someone tugging insistently at his pant leg.
Sakura was clinging to him like a koala, her small limbs wrapped tightly around him. Her expression was full of wounded jealousy, like a young wife who'd caught her husband carousing.
Roland smiled wryly and patted her head. "Alright, Sakura. Today's work is done. Time for bed."
"Don't want to…"
Though precocious, Sakura didn't understand the intricacies of adult relationships. But she could sense something wasn't right.
"It's okay, Master."
Medea smiled gently and bent down to look Sakura in the eyes. "Sakura, was it? Let's get along from now on, okay?"
She might still be a young girl physically, but with the knowledge of her future self, she considered herself far superior when it came to the art of being a virtuous wife.
Sakura pouted angrily and, seizing a moment when Medea wasn't looking, crawled into Roland's arms and buried her head in his chest like a grumpy little ostrich.
"Be good, Sakura…"
Roland sighed, stroking her head gently. After all they'd been through during the spirit Contract, he had completely let down his guard around her. He couldn't help but be even more lenient.
"I-I wanna.....Sleep together…"
Came a muffled voice from his chest.
"What?"
"I want to sleep with Lord Roland. Sakura's scared to be alone."
"…Fine. Just for tonight."
Sighing, Roland nodded and gently carried the girl upstairs.
"You're going to bed too?" he asked when he noticed Medea following them.
"Naturally. Since your room is the central point of this base, placing the workshop's anchor here will yield better results."
"Really?"
"Of course. I may only be a newly graduated sorceror from the age of gods, but I still know a thing or two about modern magecraft," Medea replied smugly, puffing out her chest, its shape already graceful despite her young body.
Roland shot her a suspicious look. His room didn't exactly radiate magical energy, but if the renowned sorceress from ancient era said so, it must be true.
After settling Sakura in, Roland remained beside her to keep her company. Despite some reluctance, the day had drained her. Lying on the bed beside Roland and surrounded by his familiar scent, Sakura relaxed, her small form growing limp before drifting off into sleep.
Medea stood nearby, suddenly silent.
When Roland looked her way, she quickly began speaking again.
"Since concealment is our top priority, I'll begin with a barrier specialized for hiding magical activity. Its range isn't large, but its stealth is top-tier. Even a Heroic Spirit would sense nothing unless they step inside personally."
Now in her element, Medea's rhythm returned.
"And an immature mage like you can't even tell you're inside a barrier," she added teasingly.
"Really?" Roland raised a brow.
Looking around at the crisscrossing, flowing magical lines in the air, he reached out instinctively.
But before his fingers could touch them, a pink, spectral hand, phantasmal and feminine, extended from his body and gripped the invisible barrier.
—Bomb has been planted.
Guided by his soul's intuition, Roland pressed his thumb down.
The barrier didn't shatter. It didn't break. It just vanished.
As if it had never existed in the first place.
"My barrier is gone! There isn't even a trace, it's like it never existed…"
Medea's eyes went wide in disbelief. "Master, are we under attack?!"
"No. Or rather…" Roland, equally bewildered, turned to her and summoned a familiar power.
"Should we call this… a Stand attack?"