Type-Moon: Does even a sneak peek make it official?

"My name is Typhon Ephymeleos. I—I am—"

"That aura… are you a dragon like Zmey Gorynych?"

Originally, Typhon had planned to come off cold and aloof. But when she actually stood face-to-face with that white-haired human called Attila, she could clearly feel it—an aura from a far, far distance pressing down on her. A terrifying presence.

A chill shot through her entire body, a shiver crawling up her spine.

But she quickly realized—it wasn't her. It was the stolen fragment of Zeus's power inside her, lashing out instinctively in defensive fear.

It felt as though, if this person remained here much longer, her entire field of vision would slowly be drowned in pure white snow. The red-haired girl had that illusion.

"N-no, I am… I'm not… I'm not Zeus. I'm not a Greek god. Please… please don't kill me…"

"Avia, what's going on here…?"

The white-haired girl blinked once, as if to say: I didn't do anything, honestly. And yet somehow, it ended up like this.

Avia, however, immediately understood. Seeing Typhon unable to even lift her head in Attila's presence, he guessed the reason easily enough. Perhaps the terror left by the Giants more than ten millennia ago had scarred the Greek pantheon so deeply that even Typhon, who had stolen Zeus's schematics to obtain power, was subconsciously seized by that same dread.

Speaking of Giants… Avia recalled what Odin had mentioned before: that the seal on the moon had, for some unknown reason, begun to show signs of weakening.

Meaning… Sefar might reappear in this world. Although Avia had promised Odin he would handle it, in this era—how was anyone supposed to reach the heavens, let alone outer space?

Which left Avia hoping that the Alien Key hidden in the Giant's ruins in the Alps of Western Europe might grant him the means to reach the moon, even in this age.

The Alien Key—a relic that has long existed in the Nasuverse. While it shares the same essence as the Velber Star-Eaters, its true nature aligns more with the "Guiding Force" once felt by Attila and Charlemagne in life.

It was precisely because Charlemagne encountered an Alien Key during his wanderings that he saw Attila's entire life, and came to understand his inevitable destiny of unifying Western Europe.

Later, Archimedes analyzed the Alien Key in Fate/Extella Link, concluding it posed no harm to the MC and that the royal authority specialized in opposing Velber did not activate in its presence—suggesting it was not, in fact, of Velber origin.

But given how its "Guiding Force" had shown Charlemagne the inevitability of his destiny, it isn't hard to speculate that the Alien Key is a being akin to—or at least similar to—the will of the planet itself. In other words, it may have been what guided Attila to take on the role of "God's Scourge" and devastate both the Eastern and Western Roman Empires as a necessary act.

Moreover, the world Carl the Great longed for—one where all of humanity's values are unified into a single system—is practically identical to a materialized Alaya. Voice Assimilation, his unique skill granted by the Alien Key, transformed his natural charisma into an overwhelming ability to assimilate minds and souls, compelling Servants to submit. Unlike brainwashing, however, it did not overwrite one's values.

Previously, Avia had avoided the Giant's ruins in the Alps out of concern that premature contact might spark some unforeseen consequence. But ever since learning of the premature descent of the Famine Beast and the possibility of Giants breaking free from their seal, he had decided it no longer mattered.

Even so, he thought it best to take things slowly for now. After all, leaving right after just returning would likely unsettle Attila. He would stay with her for a time.

Looking at the red-haired girl, who now seemed far less defiant, Avia smiled warmly—the same smile he had just shown Attila.

"Typhon, why are you so scared all of a sudden? You're the Greek Progenitor Dragon, the Mother of Monsters. And besides—Attila is someone who lost to me."

"…Indeed."

The white-haired girl said it coldly, clearly, without the slightest hesitation.

Somehow, that alone made the red-haired girl flinch, her entire body stiffening.

"O-of course not. How could I possibly…"

"Really? Then all that just now was fake?"

"Who would honestly tell a human something like that!"

Snapping back to herself, Typhon crossed her arms and tried to put up a front. Naturally, the silver-haired young man's smile only deepened.

"Funny—you say that, but it's as good as admitting it. And you've never referred to yourself as 'I, the great Typhon' before. Why suddenly now?"

"Eh—ah!"

Realizing her slip, Typhon clapped both hands over her mouth. Unable to come up with any excuse, she only pouted, sulking.

Avia, of course, paid it no mind and pressed his advantage.

"Didn't you once say you'd devour me? But looking at you now… doesn't seem likely anymore."

"...Ugh, you're the worst, human. I will devour you one day!"

She gnashed her teeth as she spat the words. Yet, deep down, she knew it herself—the unconscious tension that had been gripping her had already loosened.

"I can see it. Typhon, your state has improved."

To Typhon's surprise, this time it was Attila who smiled first.

"I don't know what Avia said to you, but whatever it was, I think it helped. And since Avia promised to stand by you—then we will. That's reason enough."

Her smile was utterly sincere.

But at that moment, Typhon felt exactly the same way Eltrouge once had.

This person… she's showing off, isn't she?

Damn it. It's unbearable. So infuriating.

"F-fine, I get it."

Though a smile was now on her face, her tone carried irritation, as if she just couldn't swallow something down.

---

"Who would've thought—the so-called Greek Progenitor Dragon, Mother of Monsters, would turn out to be this easy to handle…? Unthinkable, if you'd asked me before."

When Merry had first seen Typhon, her expression, her gaze, even her very spirit had been like rotting wood and cold ashes—eroded and worn away by centuries of sealing. That pure-blooded dragon now looked almost… human.

It didn't take much thought to realize it. With Typhon's current temperament, no one would ever truly feel threatened by her.

And it was true. Only love could so thoroughly strip a being of their judgment and power.

But watching this clumsy sweetness, peering through the Rhinegold, the immature Flower Magus felt as though she were being force-fed sweets until she was sick.

Yes, she liked them—of course she did. But too much of it, for too long… inevitably becomes suffocating.