"Okay, then I'll go find Bianka now."
No sooner said than done, but Takatsuki was stopped by Ai just as he was about to move: "Wait a moment, Dad."
"Hmm?"
"There are a few more things I need to tell you. I'm going to fall into a deep sleep soon."
Ai's words startled Takatsuki: "What do you mean? Why will you fall asleep!?"
"Don't worry. It's mainly because I don't have a body right now. Dad, just think of it as power-saving mode. Besides, condensing the gift also consumed a lot of power."
After explaining, Ai said, "About Throne of Heroes, Dad, you haven't forgotten it, have you? I've placed it in a specially opened space. Dad, you can view it directly through the system. It can materialize contracts, and it will work once signed."
"Medea has already become the first Heroic Spirit to enter this world."
"Wait, wait, wait."
Takatsuki suddenly heard a certain term: "Medea, didn't she automatically return after the Holy Grail War ended?"
Takatsuki and Durandal had been swallowed in the great hollow for a few days. Takatsuki had always thought that Medea had returned because the Holy Grail War had ended.
After all, with the Holy Grail gone, Servants who could only descend relying on it naturally couldn't stay.
"Of course not. She was swallowed by black mud. How could she return?"
Ai replied somewhat exasperatedly, "Servants swallowed by black mud will be corrupted and gain a physical body. Dad, you know that, don't you? So I took her in, which is why she didn't appear in your dream. If you want to summon a Heroic Spirit, you need a special ritual. Dad, you must remember this, so remember to acquire a summoning ritual while you're in this world. I've also left you a quest, which you'll find out about when you return to the Original World. Don't rush that quest; go when you feel confident. Going to that world will seal all of the system's abilities. Anyway, that's all for now. Oh, by the way, Dad, there's something I need to apologize for: before I'm born, you won't be able to have other children, because I've already taken the first spot. Ehe, go find Mom. I'm going to sleep."
After speaking, Ai fell silent. No matter how Takatsuki called out, it was useless. He didn't know if she was truly asleep or just pretending to avoid Takatsuki's accountability.'But a child…
To be honest, Takatsuki wasn't ready to have a child. The sudden appearance of a daughter was only accepted because of the dream experience. If he didn't have one for now, then so be it.
Takatsuki felt he was quite open-minded to accept his system suddenly turning into a daughter, but it might also be because they had spent a long time together in the dream.
The dream did not completely separate their lives but maintained their personalities, shielded their original memories, and inserted false memories. These false memories vanished after the dream ended, or rather, those memories were inherently incomplete and would not be recalled upon careful reflection, which was why inconsistencies often appeared in the dream.
And the little girl, with her authority, manually operated time and again to make Takatsuki and the others ignore these inconsistencies.
However, Kiritsugu's final attack had gone beyond the scope she could ignore. It's like you can ignore a passerby, but can you ignore someone who directly attacks you, or even injures you?
However, the harvest this time was not small. He obtained an SS-rank item, a daughter, and the Third Magic. Takatsuki temporarily couldn't use the Third Magic, only treating it as an endless source of magic, but perhaps he could replicate the Holy Grail with it.
While Takatsuki was pondering this, on the other side, Durandal was also stroking Sumiyuki in her arms, thinking about the same thing.
For her, the life in the dream was even more real, because those were not falsely inserted memories, and Sumiyuki in her arms was also real.
"Meow~"
Seemingly sensing her master's mood, Sumiyuki rubbed against Durandal's body.
"Good girl, good girl."
Durandal held Sumiyuki and rubbed her face against her. Although theoretically this was her first time holding Sumiyuki, the memories from the dream were so real, not at all like the fleeting, dream-like memories from actual dreams.
And…
Thump thump thump—
Durandal's thoughts were instantly interrupted. She opened the door, holding Sumiyuki.
"Takatsuki… is something wrong?"
"I have something for you. Also, you've recovered your memories, right? So, I want to tell you about some things that happened in the past and some that haven't happened yet."
Durandal pulled the door open: "Come in."
Entering the room, Takatsuki casually closed the door. Takatsuki and Durandal sat facing each other. The atmosphere between them was a bit awkward. Both felt that the other was someone they were very familiar with, but also knew that this relationship was false. However, Takatsuki thought of Ai's words and took the initiative to speak.
"I just got in touch with Ai."
Durandal's beautiful eyes widened slightly. Just as she opened her mouth, she heard Takatsuki's next words: "Ai is… not born yet. Uh, I mean, Ai exists. You remember I said before that I had a mission, right? It was this power that assigned me missions and sent me to other worlds. Originally, this power had no consciousness, but due to the stimulation of the evil of this world in the Holy Grail, she awakened a personality, which is Ai."
"Then…"
Is she still my daughter?
Durandal wanted to ask this question but didn't voice it. She, who usually spoke her mind, stumbled on the emotional issue she was least skilled at.
"As for Ai, I will find a way to make her be born. In every sense, I am her father, and she has always called you 'Mom.' Are you willing to be that child's mother?"
Takatsuki, who was not good at emotional issues, was also not a straightforward person. But if he used the child as a topic…
Although Takatsuki had low emotional intelligence, Durandal wasn't much higher.
"I also like that child very much. Is there anything I can do for her?"
Durandal's answer made Takatsuki breathe a sigh of relief: "No need, because the dream was interrupted, that child cannot be born for now, but I already have a general direction. Afterwards, as long as I collect the wishes of all beings, she can be born."
"She is currently in slumber. If there is new news, I will tell you again. For now, before returning, let's talk about what's happening with you, Bianka."
Durandal nodded.
In fact, she had already considered this matter—how to face Otto.
Durandal, who had already remembered that she was the real Kiana, didn't know how to face Otto, because she knew that it was Otto who had conducted a series of experiments and pursued her and her father, which led to her fall and amnesia.
But in fairness, Otto was really good to her, both in terms of treatment and education. He was a very good teacher, even better than her biological father, Siegfried, in terms of education.
It could be said that without Otto, there would be no Durandal today. Durandal's success could be attributed to her efforts, or to the power of her bloodline, but more so to Otto's guidance.
Look at Kiana on the other side; her starting point was even a bit higher than Durandal's, but the difference in strength was too great.
What she lacked was not talent, but a good life mentor, and in this regard, Otto was impeccable for Durandal.
"Bianka, I know you are very grateful to Otto, and next, what I am going to tell you is Otto's past, hidden for five hundred years…"