Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

Among the Yggdrasilnia, only Fiore stands out from the others.

Although Koles may appear that way on the surface, he also possesses a calm and collected side as a magician.

She was the only one who still retained an excessive degree of humanity.

Shirou's "Mystic Eyes" saw through Fiore's heart.

This is quite different from emotions like innocence, or gentleness...

Because he was so determined to follow the path of a magician, he simply ignored the inner lamentations that arose within him.

Simply because she believed that this was not in line with the behavior of a magician.

It is precisely because Fiore is an excellent magician that she is able to suppress these emotions and act like a magician.

However, this was merely driven by the logic of a magician, a judgment given by a program written into her brain.

Even though she grew up in a family of magicians, Fiore still possesses a moral compass that surpasses that of ordinary people.

Harm and murder are unacceptable acts, and deceiving and instigating others are equally unforgivable.

Of course, magicians only kill when they have no other choice.

However, in other words, "if faced with a situation where there is no other choice," a magician would certainly consider killing someone.

No matter how bad a magician is, they should all be aware that they must abandon all sense of law and morality when faced with such situations.

Shirou believes that Fiore is not suitable to be the head of the Yggdrasil Countess... to put it more harshly, she is not suitable for the role of a magician.

She's doing alright now because she hasn't experienced too much yet, but if this continues... one day her heart will break down.

What would Chiron do if he were still alive...? Shirou wondered.

Fiore isn't his Master, so he doesn't need to interfere in her world, but...

"Mr. Saber?"

When he came to his senses, he found Fiore staring at his face.

"Seriously! Please don't get distracted while you're talking to someone. That's so rude."

"Sorry, sorry... haha."

"So...it's because of insufficient magic power that your concentration has decreased?"

"That's part of the reason," Shirou nodded.

After the magic was severed, the most immediate sensation was that Shirou's vision became blurred and his consciousness became scattered.

This is not good... Maybe I should go to the forest tomorrow to find Atalanta and go rabbit hunting with her.

Relying solely on food to restore mana is far too inefficient.

The most efficient way for a Servant who is a spirit to replenish their mana is through "soul devouring," which is to absorb the life force of living beings.

If it's an evil servant, there are even more efficient methods—absorbing the life force (essence or blood, etc.) of ordinary people to replenish magic power, or even more simply... just kill them directly.

Fiore took a sip of her coffee and said thoughtfully, "In that case, I have a suggestion..."

"Let me provide magic for you, Mr. Saber. This is the only thing I can do for you."

“I told you, that’s why I said I don’t intend to make contracts with anyone else…”

Shirou suddenly noticed that Fiore's cheeks had turned bright red for some reason.

"...?"

"Even if we don't become master and servant... aren't there still ways to supply magic?"

"Wait, wait a minute..."

An alarm bell blared in Shirou's mind as a bad premonition and some unpleasant memories rose in his head.

The girl's cheeks flushed, and she didn't dare to meet Shirou's eyes. She just stared at the floor and said softly.

“I...I know that Mr. Saber will be very troubled by saying this suddenly…”

Actually, I'm the same way. I'm not mentally prepared yet... but, but..."

Shirou: "…………"

"Ugh... Well, this is also the duty of the acting clan leader."

If doing something like this could save a race, no... save all of humanity...!

Fiore seemed to have finally made up her mind, raising her face with a determined expression.

Then, she slowly placed her hand on her buttons—

It really turned out like this after all! Aa ...

Shirou held Fiore's hand down.

“Mr. Saber? Please, please let me do it myself…”

The girl pleaded, embarrassed.

Her hands moved quickly, and the white uniform of the Thousand Trees was already open, revealing the fair skin and the girlish pink bra underneath.

"Wait, that's not it! Why did you suddenly take off your clothes! Put them back on right now!"

"Huh? Doesn't Mr. Saber like taking off his clothes?"

Fiore gave her a very complicated expression.

"Why do you interpret it that way?! What's wrong with your thought process?"

"Why, why must I be scolded by Mr. Saber!?"

Fiore pouted, her delicate face filled with grievance and dissatisfaction, while Shirou was equally speechless.

"...Isn't there any other way?"

"What other methods do you mean? Mr. Saber, do you actually drink blood?"

"will not."

"See... it turns out this is the only way!"

Fiore reached forward again to clasp her hands, but Shirou gripped her wrist tightly.

Indeed, without considering the absorption of life force, exchanging bodily fluids is the most effective way for men and women to replenish their magical energy.

But why...

Shirou felt that this woman was currently in high spirits and full of energy.

"No, no, that's not true! I was just overwhelmed by various situations!"

"Excited, full of enthusiasm and energy"... Mr. Saber, your words are really awful!

Waaah... I demand you correct your statement!

Fiore angrily tried to defend herself, but her bright red cheeks seemed utterly unconvincing.

"I just wanted to help Mr. Saber... that's all!"

"Calm down, Fiore."

As Shirou spoke, he released her wrist.

"Hug, sorry..."

Faced with Shirou's "charismatic leadership," Fiore regained some of her senses.

Then she lowered her head in shame.

"Actually, I kept it a secret; there's something else I'd like to ask you for a favor."

"So that's exactly what happened."

Shirou sighed: "It almost meant that Fiore was a girl who looked innocent on the outside but was actually very repressed and horny."

"I don't believe in 'repressed' or 'secretly passionate' stuff... Please watch your words!"

"So what exactly is it?"

Although he asked, Shirou probably already guessed it.

With the Holy Grail War now over, Fiore only has one thing left to ask of her...

The girl lowered her head, staring at her legs, which she felt nothing at all: "Please assist me in completing the surgery to transfer the magic mark to Koles."

I knew that was how it was.

Fiore is unable to walk because the magic circuits in her legs have become corrupted and abnormal.

To heal her legs, she must remove the magic circuits from them, which means she has made the decision to abandon the path of magic.

"I can help you, but..."

Shirou asked, "Have you discussed this with Caules?"

"In fact, it was the child who brought it up with me—he asked me to think carefully about what kind of life I wanted to live in the future."

"That guy, Koles...?"

This was somewhat unexpected for Shirou.

"Right? Surprising, isn't it? No matter what, he's still my proud little brother."

Fiore wore a smug expression, but it quickly turned sad.

"Actually, I also invited him... Should we give up the demonic path and run away from home with my sister from the Thousand World Tree?"

"What was his answer?"

"I was coldly rejected."

Fiore gave a lonely smile: "I'm actually fine with either way, but if my older sister goes 'over there,' it's better for me to stay here."

Koles wasn't obsessed with magic; he was simply cooperating with Fiore's actions, but he had no regrets about it.

Originally, I was just wandering aimlessly through life, a half-baked existence whether as a human or a magician, but if I could help my sister's life—that would be good too.

"What a good younger brother," Shirou remarked, his opinion of Corles having changed somewhat.

Fiore nodded: "Compared to him, I, as the older sister, am really too irresponsible."

He always saw himself as his younger brother's protector, but in the end...

Actually, I'm the weak one, and I'm also the one who needs protection.

The girl raised her tearful eyes: "Mr. Saber, in your eyes I must be a very bad and shameless older sister."

"Your idea is wrong. Since you are family, there is no need to calculate what you give and what you receive."

Shirou also has his own family, so he can understand.

If even family members have to haggle over who contributes more and who benefits more, then they are not true family members, but merely acquaintances who live together and are related by blood.

"Besides, I think Fiore, you are also amazing."

"Huh?" The girl blinked.

"Haven't you already made up your mind and chosen your future direction?"

Shirou said, "Having lived as a magician for twenty years, now I have to discard everything I've accumulated in the past... I think that's a very remarkable resolve."

Fiore also lost many important things.

The glory, skill, talent, and life of a magician.

This is also natural.

Even so, Fiore still longed for a different life; she still yearned to be an ordinary human being.

This has nothing to do with right or wrong, but rather with a determination tinged with regret.

Perhaps one night in the future, Fiore will reflect on whether abandoning the path of magic was the right thing to do.

But... if I don't take my thoughts seriously now, I'll definitely regret it for the rest of my life.

"Thank you, Mr. Saber... I feel much better after talking to you."

Fiore will take a different path, and her only close relative will also take yet another different path.

"But, as expected, I still feel lonely."