Fate: How About a New Savior?

For Gray, being watched in the village was nothing new.

But back then, the villagers stared because of her altered face—one that was identical to the legendary King Arthur's. Now, it was different. She found herself being examined up close by two girls her own age. While it was still because of her appearance, the reasoning felt even more absurd.

"Does she look like her?" asked Caren, the silver-haired one, peering at her seriously.

"She does. Way too much," Sakura, with her dark hair, gave a small nod.

On the way from Wales to London, at Shiomi's request, Lord El-Melloi II had given Gray a crash course on the basics of Magus society.

There were many eccentric Magus whose ways of thinking and behavior were completely detached from normal standards. Compared to them, Shiomi and El-Melloi II were practically outliers in the opposite sense—relatively grounded.

So Gray hadn't expected to be stared at like this the moment she arrived, especially not by the two daughters Shiomi had mentioned. She had to fight the urge to pull her hood up again.

"Alright, that's enough. Don't just keep staring at her face—it's rude," Shiomi said from the other end of the couch.

The girls listened. At his single remark, they backed away from Gray.

As Sakura sat back down, she gently pulled Gray's hood up for her.

"Huh?" Gray blinked at her in confusion.

"You're not used to people seeing your face, right?" Sakura smiled warmly.

She had seen straight through Gray's discomfort without a word of explanation. That small, thoughtful gesture earned Gray's initial trust.

"So, where exactly are you from, Miss Gray?" Caren slid over next to Morgan, watching her sip tea. "You look just like Mother. Don't tell me you're some long-lost illegitimate child she abandoned years ago?"

Morgan remained unfazed, but Shiomi nearly burned himself on his tea.

"What kind of nonsense is that? How the hell did you reach that conclusion?" he asked, dabbing his mouth in frustration. "And are you two seriously still pretending to know nothing?"

"Well, it's not impossible," Sakura said with mock seriousness, sitting up straighter. "I mean, sure, Dad says he's not even thirty, but who really knows his actual age?"

One quip after another—they sounded like they were dead set on turning Gray into Morgan's and Shiomi's secret love child.

Strangely, Gray understood they were joking. Not a single one of them actually believed it.

They were parent and children, yet somehow, they didn't feel restrained by the usual formalities.

"You've got a point," Shiomi sighed, admitting defeat with that one line.

Sakura placed a slice of cake in front of Gray, signaling her to dig in. "You're staying here from today. That makes you part of the family."

"It's always just been me and Sakura," Caren said, leaning back on the couch and swinging her legs idly. "Sometimes it gets boring. Still can't believe there are people in this day and age who want to revive ancient heroes from the Age of Gods. You've had it rough."

Gray shook her head, her voice soft. "Um... I don't really think I've had it rough. It's just... ever since my face changed, the people and things around me changed too. A lot of the time, I just feel a little... lonely."

"Hehehe! Even little Gray has made some friends—how smug! If there's an opportunity, I'd love to join too! Genderless as I may be, I'll go with whatever suits the mood! Pajama party? Swimsuit shopping trip? I'm in! And if you can bring along some beauties that match my taste, even bett—"

The sharp voice of Add shattered the peaceful mood in the living room.

Gray quickly grabbed the cage on the table and gave it a good shake. A high-pitched screech rang out from inside, like a bug being squashed.

But the usual punishment was cut short. Sakura gracefully reached over, took the cage from Gray's hands, and began inspecting Add, who now looked thoroughly dazed and cross-eyed.

"Is this really the anchor that holds the world together—the shadow of the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad?" Sakura examined it closely. "It looks more like a replica, probably made from something else. It only seems usable as a weapon."

Caren, licking some cream off her cake, wrinkled her nose at the sweetness. "It's probably a copy of that 'Logos React' from the Atlas Institute."

"From what the director said, that's likely the case," Shiomi shrugged. "It's modeled after the personality of Sir Kay, King Arthur's older brother among the Knights of the Round Table. Apparently, he was the only one not interested in fame or mystery."

Sakura looked troubled. "A legendary Knight of the Round Table... with such a frivolous personality?"

She still remembered that winter nine years ago, the one and only time she met the King of Knights at home.

The impression left was that of a gallant and dignified older sister—perfectly matching the knightly presence from the stories. But if her Round Table knights were all like this... Sakura couldn't help feeling a faint sense of disillusionment.

After all, she'd heard those bedtime stories about King Arthur from her father many times.

"It's just a simulated personality," Morgan explained to Sakura. "The real personality of Sir Kay should still be dormant inside that vessel. Unless a special method is used—or an accident occurs—it generally won't awaken."

Gray recalled that moment at the hunter's hut.

With just a brief interaction, Morgan had directly spoken with the true dormant personality within Add.

"Even if it's not a proper holy relic, it still holds Noble Phantasm-level power," Morgan commented with a smile. "If it were to fully unleash its true form, even I would have to take it seriously."

Of course, that still depended on how much of Add's power was actually released.

"Holy relic..." Shiomi muttered under his breath.

Sakura hadn't told him her idea yet, and it seemed only Morgan was in the know. He decided not to press it for now.

"I see. Then you should really take good care of it," Sakura said, returning Add to Gray, showing no interest in claiming the weapon's power for herself.

That gesture earned a subtle look of approval from Morgan.

"Sakura, when you're free, come by the study," Shiomi said as he set down his teacup. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

Sakura blinked in surprise, not quite catching on at first, but nodded. "I'll come in a bit. I want to show Gray her room first."

"No need to rush. Take care of things here first," Morgan said, giving her a reassuring glance.

Shiomi smiled. "I never said it had to be right now. I'll be waiting in the study. Settle Gray in first."

"It's all set up just like we planned!" Sakura said proudly, balling her fists in excitement. "Caren and I spent the whole morning getting it ready!"

Gray lowered her head even more, her embarrassment growing.

"...You've all done so much for me…"

...

(90 Chapters Ahead)

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