"So Day 1 is over. What do you two think?" Vincent stood up and looked at the two people sitting next to him.
Although most of the credit went to Angra, the events that happened inside or more accurately, the entire "plot" — were all thought up by him. Even the 7 Beasts, who would serve as the common antagonists of this fake Holy Grail War, were all created by him.
"Hmm," Jalter pondered, rubbing her chin. She looked at Vincent, then looked away.
"Hmmmmm," Angra mimicked beside her. The only difference was that he had his hand under "that area" and was scratching nonstop, then casually picked his nose with the same hand.
Bro, you're really living dirty, huh?
"…Are you two actually being serious?" Vincent raised an eyebrow.
"…Pfft, just kidding!" Jalter laughed and immediately stood up, slinging an arm around Vincent's shoulders.
"But damn, I didn't expect your mind to be this twisted. Everything happening inside is definitely going to be terrible and only get worse for the participants."
"As expected of your sharp eyes. Nothing gets past you, huh?" Vincent scratched his head and laughed.
That's right. The following days would only get worse and more horrifying. The participants would definitely suffer a mountain of psychological issues as time went on.
'I feel like I'm becoming more and more evil… but also more comfortable and entertained…'
Whatever, morality aside, back to the main topic.
"I have no complaints at all, Master!" Angra raised his hand with a cheerful grin.
"I don't really care much. Just because I didn't personally witness these kinds of things doesn't mean I don't know about them. Similar stuff happened during the political wars in France or you can call Orleans back in my time," Jalter said, walking back to sit on the sofa.
"Huh? You mean there was a Holy Grail War back then too?"
"No, I'm talking about the political wars between the disgusting Pope and those freak nobles, you dummy," Jalter laughed, looking at him.
Wait, what's with that look in her eyes? It feels like she's openly flirting…
"So what was it like?" Angra interrupted innocently.
"LIKE THIS!!" Jalter delivered a straight kick aimed right at Angra's face. Luckily, his E+ Luck was still higher than E, so he managed to dodge.
"Holy shit, I almost died! What the hell?!" Angra shouted in panic. He nearly saw Caren waving at him from her fake paradise.
"I was giving an example," Jalter said indifferently.
That kick earlier felt like it was meant to take his life…
It was clear the two didn't get along. Specifically, Jalter was uncomfortable with Angra, even though Angra lived quite filthily.
I mean, the guy basically wore nothing but torn red cloths, ate snacks and wiped his hands on those same cloths, and never cleaned up the mess he made in the living room.
…Actually, he was even dirtier than I imagined. (Angra: Oi!)
Maybe that's why Jean-nee felt annoyed? Because she realized Angra was dirtying my house?
As expected of Jean-nee! You're so reliable! I don't know what I'd do without you!
"…Why I feel something weird?" Jalter muttered, her face slightly reddening as she looked around.
"Alright, you two. Should we sleep now or wait for one of the seven Masters to come and use their privileges?" Vincent asked.
"Go to sleep, Master. It's only the first day, no one's going to use their privileges yet. Plus, they can only use them twice, so they'll have to think very carefully," Angra said relaxedly.
"He's right. And you're still growing, so why don't you go to bed? Staying up late is bad for your health," Jalter also reminded Vincent.
"But this is the dream world—"
Jalter placed her hand on Vincent's shoulder.
"You dare talk back to me?"
"Sorry! I'm going to sleep right now!"
And so Vincent reluctantly went to his private room in the church, leaving Jalter and Angra standing there.
"…Um, I'll go sleep too?" Angra said nervously to Jalter.
"You go ahead. And don't loiter around Vincent. If he picks up your filthy habits, I'll be the one who suffers," Jalter said, clearly displeased with Vincent's Servant.
"OK! I promise I won't do anything! If I break my promise, Caren will appear and drag me away!"
BAM!
"?" Both of them glanced upward. A fake-looking heavenly light shone down.
Then a beautiful silver-haired girl with angel wings descended.
"…HEY HEY HEY!!" Angra recognized her instantly and panicked, trying to run.
But her descent speed was terrifying. Before Angra could go anywhere, her two arms wrapped around his neck and squeezed tightly.
"GYAAAAAHHHH!!!!"
Despite Angra struggling and making all kinds of noises, the girl's hands clamped down so hard that veins and muscles were visibly bulging.
Who would've thought we could see Super Orion's Noble Phantasm recreated on someone else…
Crack!
Angra's neck twisted, and he passed out completely.
The girl then dragged Angra away, disappearing together with the artificial heavenly light.
"..."
Jalter rubbed her eyes for a while, then stared upward in a daze.
'Maybe I didn't sleep enough…'
She then walked into Vincent's room — well, it was actually a double room, so it couldn't be his private room. She had a perfectly reasonable excuse to sleep there.
Besides, sleeping alone in the other rooms would be boring. Sleeping with family was much better.
Hmph, a very reasonable reason. That kid Vincent definitely couldn't complain.
***
He had a dream — a strange dream.
In it, he saw a female knight serving under a queen in a mystical and wondrous kingdom.
Together with two others, she helped protect and maintain order in her queen's kingdom.
Everything was going well. Enemies didn't dare act, no one stood in their way, and the kingdom continued to prosper.
…Until those people appeared.
No one knew where they came from, but they joined forces with the kingdom's enemies to oppose the Queen and her.
Things got worse and worse, to the point it was almost impossible to describe with words.
When the secret of her having eaten all the people she once love was exposed, everything collapsed.
The only psychological defense she had against her instincts was shattered.
She became a Beast.
And she was killed as a Beast, not as Tam Lin Gawain.
She was killed like a calamity.
A disaster that had to be eradicated.
She deserved to die.
"!!"
Robert woke up drenched in cold sweat, his face still pale from the nightmare.
"..." He breathed heavily and wiped the sweat away with his left hand.
"…Ah."
His left hand was missing a finger, clear proof that everything that happened wasn't just his imagination.
"Ah, Master, you're awake?"
A woman's voice rang out, making Robert turn his head.
A tall, muscular woman wearing an apron that didn't suit her powerful image walked over.
"..."
Everything really happened. It wasn't a dream.
It was real, and he had to accept it.
His life was going to change drastically, and he knew it.