Chapter 69 - A Surprising Truth.

Clouds filled the sky as the temperatures in Fuyuki city dropped down very fast during the past day. Even the snow started to fall and cover the city with a white blanket, however, this wasn't weird for people because it's close to winter.

On the other hand, Magi from different forces finally felt the mana reaching very worrying degrees in the air. This means something wrong is happening behind their backs and this wasn't welcomed by anyone.

The summoned servants were the first to know about these things as they warned their masters or some didn't care at all, like a certain golden guy that knew about this world's condition from the start.

All in all, the forces started moving as some servants and masters started to gather information.

Meanwhile, in Leo's mansion, Ritsuka was already up after getting a nuke in her face from Leo's spectacular entrance.

She felt that wasn't a dream, but it was a nightmare as a maniac dropped like a star and kicked Merlin's face.

"Did that really happen? No, it must happen" Ritsuka went with the logic of don't question the supernatural things about mysterious guys like Merlin.

"....." Getting up from the bed and looking at the clothes she was wearing, Ritsuka felt strange before she said " Why does Caster have woman clothes in his workshop?"

Yesterday, Ritsuka didn't have any energy to even ask Caster about preparation or something, especially after he said 'You're tired and in this state you'll also make me tired, go to sleep' with those words, he teleported her instantly to this room.

When she arrived at the room, she wanted to sleep immediately, but then, she saw her slightly dirty Chaldea's Mystic Code. This Mystic Code is the basic equipment for the Masters from Chaldea as it includes healing, strengthening, and covering magecraft that can even be used by the lowest rank of Magi.

Ritsuka didn't have any trouble sleeping with it, but then she saw a full wardrobe filled with different clothes, and strangely each one of them was perfectly in her size. Even the wardrobe gave her pajamas automatically.

This gave her a creepy feeling that the mansion or the workshop is actually alive or Caster is playing tricks on her.

Wearing her Mystic Code and fixing her hair, Ritsuka left the room as she walked in the large corridors of the mansion.

"This place is very modern" Ritsuka said as she saw the mansion interior design, even if she saw it yesterday, but this is strange if you remember the owner of this place.

"Caster should be a servant from the age of gods, then why is his workshop so modern?" Ritsuka said before looking at the big corridor as she felt small here.

That's because this place was built to even allow people like Whitebeard, who is more than 6 meters tall to live in.

"Then how do I find Caster here?" Ritsuka said as she was planning to ask Caster some questions.

She doesn't have high hopes of getting any information from Leo because he'll most likely choose not to answer to give her a riddle to solve.

"Eh? Wasn't it slightly hot yesterday?" Ritsuka saw the snow falling outside the window as she felt something was wrong, but she can't confirm it because she isn't a true magi even if she knows some spells.

"Pika?" Suddenly, Ritsuka startled from a sound behind her before she jumped back and looked around to see a yellow creature in a strange outfit.

{What is this? Caster's familiar?} Ritsuka observed the creature for a while as she didn't lower her guard. However, the creature saw Ritsuka as it waved at her.

"Are you Caster's familiar?" Ritsuka asked before DIOchu tilted his head and nodded.

{Of course, Caster is a servant from the age of gods, he won't just let something sneak into his workshop} Ritsuka breathed a sigh of relief before she felt that she has been on her nerves a lot these days.

"Pika, pika?" DIOchu looked at Ritsuka breathing a sigh of relief as he didn't know who she was.

"Ah? Sorry, if I scared you" Ritsuka smiled while DIOchu shook his head, indicating that everything is okay.

"To think this Caster has such a cute familiar" Ritsuka would be lying if she didn't expect something like a fire monster or something terrifying because of all Leo's actions until now.

Looking at DIOchu, Ritsuka felt he's very friendly as she wanted to pet him, but at that moment, when she took one step towards him… It was her biggest mistake.

"Pika, pika, pika!!(Oh? You're approaching me?)" DIOchu's face changed before it made a face that brought nightmares to Ritsuka.

"....Huh?" Ritsuka saw a cute creature become a nightmare fuel as she didn't know how to react.

"Pika, pika! (Instead of running away, you're coming right to me?)" DIOchu raised his hands as electricity was flashing, but at this moment Ritsuka turned back before running away, leaving him in the empty corridor.

"I knew it!! There's no way Caster's workshop would be normal!!" Ritsuka was wondering what kind of evil spirit was that before she took another turn and met her second opponent.

"*Elated gurgles*?*" An orange slime was sticking to the mansion's wall as he was defying gravity before he turned his head towards Ritsuka.

SCP-999 looked at Ritsuka up and down before he took a step forward. Ritsuka saw this and took a step back.

Step forward, step backward, both of them continue doing this before SCP-999 determines his new target.

"*ELATED GURGLES*!!!!" SCP-999 went on a rampage as he jumped towards Ritsuka.

"KYAAAAAAAA!!!" Ritsuka didn't even hesitate before using her Mystic code and running away as her screams filled the mansion while SCP-999 was running after her.

"Woooo?" Kuriboh was flying around before he saw Ritsuka getting chased by SCP-999 as he tapped the mansion's wall.

"Eh?" At that moment, a hole opened under Ritsuka as she saw the dark hole.

" I HATE THis place…." Ritsuka's voice died down as she fell in the hole and SCP-999 lost his target.

Meanwhile, Leo was sitting on a table in the main room and drinking coffee while his horns were glowing slightly before a hole appeared in the ceiling and Ritsuka dropped into a chair in front of him.

"Looks like someone had a good morning, huh?" Leo said he saw Ritsuka put her head on the table before she said " I hate this place"

"Hahahaha! I made it for that purpose!" Leo laughed at Ritsuka's actions before he took a sip from his coffee.

{Are you a devil?!} Ritsuka glared at Leo as she didn't understand these mysterious Casters' minds.

Merlin, who speaks about the fate of the world, doesn't seem to care at all and completely relaxed, or Leo, who turns his workshop, which is one of the most important things for the magi, into a trick house.

"*Sigh*..." Ritsuka sighed before she found a plate of breakfast in front of her and it was served by an… Cartoon looking octopus.

{This place is beyond weird!!} Ritsuka was already exhausted.

" You should eat, that little amount of mana of yours won't recover on his own" Leo said as he looked outside the window while his horns were glowing now and then.

"..." Ritsuka didn't know what to feel about the food that was made by an octopus before she looked at Leo's horns moving slightly.

{They can move?!} Ritsuka felt this place would only bring her into the domain of madness before Leo saw her and said " What's wrong?"

"Your… Horns…" Ritsuka said as she saw the horns flashing now and then.

"Oh? This?" Leo had a disgusted expression on his face before he said " It's just a crazy woman trying to summon me… A completely lost and disgusting case from the start, but now, she's actually trying to use my power"

"Summon you?" Ritsuka didn't know how someone could summon an already existing servant, but this increased the mystery of Leo in her mind.

"Yeah, it's a very annoying woman, but I made sure that my message is clear" Leo took a sip from his coffee before he severed the link with another world(Parallel world) and his horns stopped glowing.

Meanwhile, In Fate/Prototype parallel world, Manaka Sajyou, who was preparing for another try for her wish, frowned because she felt that Beast VI didn't exist in the Holy Grail. She tried to use her link with the Roots and the Beast to summon him, but everything was useless.

"Just what happened" Manaka's face twisted from anger because this is her only way to grant Arthur's wish in her corrupted mind before something appeared in front of her.

A message written by fire appeared on the ground as Manaka blinked at it.

'Sorry, but the number you're calling is unavailable... You have one unread message'

'Okay! This is getting ridiculous and I don't want any relation with those satanic bullshits of yours! Go and worship or simp your Arthur for all I care, but don't involve me in this!!'

"Hah?" Manaka took a while to recover before she saw that the Holy Grail became a normal one with no connection to Beast VI at all.

Back to Leo as he took a sip from his coffee before he cut all his connections with the person named Manaka Sajyou.

"Can someone use your power from here?" Ritsuka hesitated before she took a bite from the breakfast as her eyes shone because it was delicious.

"Yeah, I mean there are some people that are using my power around the world…*Sigh*" Leo looked at the sky from the window before he said " I hate to say it, but I think I can understand Goldy(Gilgamesh) feelings now"

"All those fakers running around with my powers and trying to act all that mighty, like that AI from the moon cell, she's truly proud by copying my powers? What kind of joke is this?" Leo was complaining as Ritsuka listened to him while eating.

"However, that's ok, but there are limits! Like this crazy woman" Leo's expression became angry before he said " She actually wanted to use me to simp for Arthur!! There are limits even for me!!"

Ritsuka had a wry smile on her face when she was listening to Leo's complaints about people using his powers like they own them. Listening to him about how dare that 'Crazy woman' using him to simp for another man, Ritsuka couldn't help but laugh slightly.

She felt more relaxed like this than the first time she met Leo, even if she knew that Leo won't hurt her, but his actions and the feelings he gave her were very weird. Like someone completely detached from the world, knowing a lot, and the dreadful aura he released. But now, looking at him complaining gave her another look at him.

"Hey, Caster, was that really you in my dreams?" Ritsuka said as Leo stopped his complaint and said " Maybe, but it was just a dream. So, did you miss that much to dream about me?"

"..." Ritsuka found that her thoughts were true and this guy won't say anything before she cleared her throat and said " Caster, do you know the condition of the war?"

She was quite sure Leo won't tell her anything, well, she also didn't tell him everything and everyone has their secrets. However, Leo just smiled.

"Of course I know, and I'll tell you because you listened to me complaining" Leo can't remember when the last time he complained with someone listening to him, it must have been a while for him, so he doesn't mind telling this information in exchange for this.

"Eh?" Ritsuka never dreamed that just listening to Leo complaining can have these effects.

"However, it seems that your target has changed if you had one at first, of course" Leo put his coffee on the table before he looked at Ritsuka.

"Yes, I'll aim at the Holy Grail and Merlin also said that the trouble lies in it" Ritsuka's words made Leo nod.

"I can confirm that 80% of this world trouble has a relation with the Holy Grail" Leo said as he felt something approaching the mansion.

"Then I want to fix this by getting the Holy Grail" Ritsuka is aware that the Holy Grail in Fuyuki is different from the one she knows and maybe it can help her.

"Hmmm…Assuming you got the Holy Grail, then what'll you do? Trying to fix your mistakes or try for another start?" Leo won't tell Ritsuka about the Grail's condition in this world before he hears the answer to this question.

" I don't know if you know this, but because I was weak and hopeless I failed everyone, again and again…" Ritsuka looked at Leo with determined eyes as he sighed before saying " Then try to fix everything and everyone lives happily? What happened has happened, trying to put a cover on it and start again won't solve anything"

"But!!" Ritsuka wanted to say something but Leo said " Don't waste your time, this Holy Grail doesn't help in solving anything, but it'll only bring more pain as everyone already fighting for it"

"....." Ritsuka stopped and sighed as she felt that Leo doesn't have any reason to lie to her, even if this was very bitter for her.

"However, I won't stop you if you want, but a world where everyone lives happily is beautiful, right?" Leo clasped his hands as he looked at Ritsuka before he said " A world where everyone wishes and d.e.s.i.r.es are fulfilled. A world where everyone will be happy, even if they stayed in ignorance"

"... Yeah" Ritsuka absentmindedly said without noticing Leo's glowing eyes and terrifying aura appeared again.

"A very beautiful world indeed, but is such a world... A blessing or a curse? I wonder" Leo grinned before he noticed Ritsuka expression and he said " Sorry, my other side came out a little out"

"Huh?" Ritsuka finally woke up before she apologized " Sorry! I wasn't listening"

"Don't worry about it, it wasn't important, but it seems that the guest has arrived" Leo said as he looked at the window and saw a white creature looking at him and Ritsuka.

"Fou…? " Ritsuka widened her eyes at the creature in the window.

"Welcome my comrade, do you need something?" Leo said as he looked at Fou standing at the window.

Beast VI and Beast IV were looking at each other as Ritsuka felt these secrets were getting out of hand. She even felt a very scary aura from both of them and it was awfully similar.

{Comrade? No, this isn't important for now!} Ritsuka jumped from her chair in Fou's direction before she said " Fou! Do you know what happened to Mashu?! Please tell me she's okay!"

However, Fou was still looking at Leo without caring about Ritsuka's words.

"Are you worried? Don't worry, I don't plan to launch it now… The world isn't ready for the Sealed Garden and I don't think it'll ever be" Leo shrugged his shoulder before Fou said " Fou~~"

"Oh? Then why don't you join us here, it's not like there's something important happening" Leo said before Fou jumped on Ritsuka's head and from it, he jumped to the table.

"Fou~ Fou~" Fou said as the octopus chef put some desserts in front of him.

"I know and I'm trying to fix it, but I hope you tell me more about the situation because I don't want to ask the annoying Merlin" Leo took a desert and ate it while signaling Ritsuka to sit down.

"Fou~ Fou~ Fou~" Fou nodded like he's proud that his comrade knew about the annoying flower's brain(Merlin) before he told him some information.

"I see, I see, multiple attacks, huh? But why does the light band still exist in the sky?" Leo nodded at Fou telling him about the situation right now.

Apparently, there were a lot of weird people entering a timeline to another and doing something that made them crumble, even Fou wasn't able to know a lot about it before it was too late because they were able to lock kick him outside the timelines.

{What the hell I'm looking at? And how can he understand? Is he like Mashu?!} Ritsuka widened her eyes at Leo and Fou having a casual conversation, she even forgot about the comrade thing.

"Fou~ Fou~" Fou said as he looked at the sky from the window before Leo exploded with laughter.

"HAHAHAHA!! I can't believe it!! All his work was stolen like this?! He must be very mad!! I even feel slightly sorry for him" Leo was laughing at Goetia's situation as he couldn't believe that something like this happened to him, especially this is the worst thing that could happen to him.

"Fou~~" Fou also shook his head as he sympathized with Goetia's terrible fate.

Two Beasts were pitying Beast 1 and if they knew about this then he'll probably go on a rampage.

{I don't understand anything that they're saying. Who's Goetia that Caster keeps talking about?! And Now even Fou know him!!} Ritsuka gave up, she doesn't know Fou's language and Leo won't tell her anything, well, she also didn't tell him everything.

Then Ritsuka took one of the sweets and ate it while looking at Fou and Leo making fun of this Goetia for more than 10 minutes.

"Hah, this was refreshing, but he'll probably try to kill us if he knows about this" Leo said as Fou wiggled his tail and didn't care that much.

"Well, it's his problem" Leo shrugged his shoulders before he turned towards Ritsuka and said " Let's get back to the subject. Do you really wish to go for the Holy Grail?"

".... Yes, even if it was as bad as you said, but this is my last chance" Ritsuka said as her expression became firm again.

"Very well, then let's start this Holy Grail War" Leo said before Fou jumped on his shoulder.

"First, you need to know that this war is about 14 servants having a battle royal which means there are 28 participants including us" Leo said as Ritsuka was surprised before calming down.

"This is a huge disadvantage, a lot of enemies means a lot of unexpected situations, and with those guys(Players) involved" Ritsuka looked at Leo before she said " But I have to say that Holy Grail of this world is amazing to be able to summon all these servants just with this limited mana supplies"

"Amazing? Two Sabers and one Caster still didn't get summoned and the conditions are very bad" Leo point at the snow falling before he said " That Holy Grail turned into a black hole of mana and it's drawing it from the surrounding, even the vitality as this spring became a winter"

Spring means life and vitality and now when those two were missing because of the mana, the winter that represents the death arrived in Fuyuki.

"Then what should we do? We don't have any allies in a 14 servants battle, this is a suicidal act if they decided to attack us" Ritsuka touched her hair while she was thinking about the battle.

"14 servants aren't a big deal anyway, except for some special ones" Leo said before Ritsuka replied" I know your power as a Caster from the age of gods, but we shouldn't get arrogant against the enemy"

"Not like that, but 14 servants summoned isn't something big. I can even summon 10 on my own, especially if I'm not allowed to use my full power because of this timeline, so I can save more mana" Leo waved with his hand before he saw both Ritsuka and Fou staring at him.

Silent filled the place as everyone was staring at each other before Leo said one single line" I'll never go to that hell again!!"

So the epic battle of Ritsuka and Fou to convince Leo of summoning servants has began in this place.