Chapter 133: The Sudden Assault

"Duel? Very well, I’ll put this up as the wager, but what will you stake? I won’t accept an unfair match," Lanser teased, not in a hurry since Rin wouldn’t be home anytime soon.

"The cost? Then I’ll offer myself," the other party replied without hesitation, a condition that left Lanser speechless.

He stifled a laugh and then slumped forward in frustration, muttering softly so only the two of them could hear, "Have I really been abandoned by society? Do girls these days need to do this?"

"Baka!" The other suddenly blushed deeply at Lanser’s words, shooting him a deadly glare before saying, "But..." Their expression turned strange. "Judging by your reaction this morning, are you still a mage?"

*Snap...*

---

Hearing a faint sound, Ayako glanced around in confusion.

Lanser, about to slump forward in despair, suddenly sensed a strange magical energy spreading around. Oddly, it felt very familiar.

"Haha! Long time no see, Lanser!" With a sound like shattering glass, a strange white mist enveloped the surroundings, as if the entire world had been dyed white.

Upon hearing that familiar laughter, a faint smile appeared on Lanser’s lips.

"I never expected to see you again, Conqueror King." A thunderous voice echoed from the sky as a familiar ox cart sped toward them.

"Mr. Lanser." This time, the response was not the gruff voice he remembered but a deep, magnetic one.

"Is that your new Master?" Lanser watched as a man in a red coat and yellow scarf stepped out. Though the magical aura was familiar, he couldn’t quite place it.

---

"Yes, but also an acquaintance—my little Master! Haha!" The man laughed heartily, habitually patting the other's head.

"My King, I’m no longer a kid," Lanser protested, but he could sense happiness in the tone.

"Enough. Now that I know the Holy Grail’s true nature, I’m not interested in stealing it. I like conquest, but I’m not one to invite trouble," the Conqueror King declared cheerfully. Lanser broke into a cold sweat.

"Hey, you’re still the same as ever. As your enemy, I don’t know whether to be happy or sad," Lanser sighed.

"Enemy? We’re not enemies this time. I came with a purpose—to drink with you," the King said, revealing a barrel of red wine and smiling like a friendly neighbor.

"Hey, do you really need to be so relaxed? There are still five others," Lanser said, holding his head in exasperation. He knew the current Masters were those few people, which made the King fearless, but he really didn’t understand why the Emperor was acting this way.

"Don’t worry. This time, the Master is surrounded by many familiar faces: besides the little Master, there’s his disciple Rin and her sister Sakura—you should know them, since Sakura’s father was once your Master. Then there’s a Saber Master’s daughter from the Einzbern family. That’s at least four Masters on one side. What are you afraid of? And that little girl by your side counts as the fifth Master. We have absolute advantage," the Emperor said, slapping Lanser’s shoulder heartily.

"What? The girl by my side?" Lanser turned mechanically, surprised to see Ayako wide-eyed and staring at Rider and Weber, contrary to his expectation that she’d lost consciousness with the formation of the barrier.

"You..." Lanser hadn’t anticipated Ayako’s reaction. Just as he was about to ask, she spoke first.

"Hey, what’s going on with these two? And what’s with this place?" Ayako grabbed Lanser’s cloak and shook him hard.

"Alright, I’ll explain," Lanser said. Though lively, Ayako was still an ordinary girl; after shaking him vigorously, she quickly ran out of strength. Lanser became her temporary outlet, as the situation was indeed strange.

"Could this girl possibly...?" Weber, who had been calm, finally reacted. It was clear she was not Lanser’s Master.

"Hey, Lanser, why are you with an ordinary girl? Have you forgotten the rules? Any ordinary person who sees a Heroic Spirit must..." Weber didn’t finish, but his expression was terrifying enough.

---

"Hey, don’t scare my friend. And I don’t think you, who was raised by Rider, would care about boring rules like that," Lanser said calmly, flicking Weber’s forehead, though he wasn’t Rider, they had been close last time.

"Haha." The Emperor laughed mischievously again, then waved his hand, lifting his cloak as he turned toward the ox cart. "Welcome tonight. The place is the usual spot." Thunder rumbled around them.

"Still the same as before," Lanser muttered, turning to see Ayako frozen in shock at the surreal scene. He waved at her. "Hey, snap out of it; that guy’s gone."

With Lanser’s words, the white barrier slowly faded, and everyone returned to their previous state—the only evidence was the ticking clock and a certain girl still lost in thought.

"Let’s go, I’ll explain on the way," Lanser said, unconcerned by confidentiality rules. The girl he had roused moved mechanically ahead, leading the way.

"Don’t worry. Just think of them as a bunch of cosplay enthusiasts. This time, it shouldn’t involve any ordinary people," Lanser said, stroking her head.

"Ordinary people? Could it be that the incident ten years ago was also because of..." Ayako shuddered upon hearing Lanser’s words and grabbed his collar.

"That’s right. I was involved in that too," Lanser said without hesitation. His hands were stained with blood; although no innocent blood had touched them that time, he had long been prepared to bear the burden.

*Cough, cough, still the same excuse as yesterday—raw meat is the worst! Only 20% CD collection, stay calm!*