Fate/Magus Path

181 Old Fox!

Unlike Roman, who was nearly losing his mind back at Chaldea, Roy and Fujimaru Ritsuka began walking side by side with Kingu across the plains of Mesopotamia.

As they walked, the group chatted casually. Kingu, ever the schemer, slipped in subtle, fabricated bits of misinformation, occasionally weaving tales of a made-up past to gain the trust of Fujimaru Ritsuka and Roy.

Listening to stories about Gilgamesh and Enkidu—albeit told through the mouth of a parasite—Roy couldn't help but feel a deep sense of irony.

During this stretch of the journey, Roy refrained from using any magical means to relay information to Ritsuka. Instead, while Kingu led the way ahead, he discreetly reached out and lightly traced a few lines on Fujimaru Ritsuka's back, subtly passing along additional hints.

"That tickles..."

Ritsuka wasn't the type of dim-witted Master one might assume. As someone who had made it this far as humanity's savior, she had her own unique strengths.

Noticing Roy's little gesture, she didn't make a fuss. She simply nodded slightly, accepting the intel while continuing her nonchalant conversation with Kingu.

"Mr. Enkidu, are you a Servant?" Roy asked at one point.

"A Servant? No, I'm not." Kingu replied, shaking his head as he led the way. "My body is different from a normal human's—it was forged by the gods, making me a unique existence. But I'm not built on the Saint Graph of a Heroic Spirit."

"My purpose, bestowed upon me by the mother goddess, was to act as a wedge binding humans and gods together, a chain connecting the divine and mortal. But the age of the gods has long since passed. Now, I'll carry out a new mission—to stand alongside humanity as a guardian of the world, protecting them as they step toward a distant future."

Kingu turned his head, gazing at Fujimaru Ritsuka and Roy—the latter of whom remained wary of him—with a righteous air.

"But right now, the alliance of the three goddesses and the emergence of magical beasts have halted humanity's progress. So, Last Master of Chaldea, savior of this world tasked with restoring the foundation of human order—would you allow me to fight alongside you?"

Roy felt a wave of disgust at Kingu's feigned sincerity.

This creature, using Enkidu's body, had unleashed magical beasts across Mesopotamia, causing untold carnage. And now, wearing Enkidu's face and speaking with his voice, he dared to say such things? It was...

Utterly revolting.

Though in the final moments of the seventh singurality, Kingu eventually saw the error of his ways, turning back to aid Chaldea and Gilgamesh by briefly restraining Tiamat, contributing to the ultimate victory, Roy saw it as mere atonement. And even then, compared to the slaughter he'd caused, such redemption barely scratched the surface.

After all, without his meddling, Tiamat would never have had the chance to rise again.

If Roy had any confidence in taking him down here and now, he'd have struck already instead of waiting for the perfect moment. But for the sake of caution, he had no choice but to keep playing along with this farce.

Roy glanced down at Fujimaru Ritsuka, who seemed hesitant, and gave her a slight nod.

"Fine, we'll trust you for now."

"Y-Yes! Mr. Enkidu, I look forward to working with you." Fujimaru Ritsuka replied, a touch nervous as she agreed to his request.

"The honor is mine, Master of Chaldea." Kingu said warmly. "To fight alongside you is a privilege."