Chapter Forty-Two: Engraving the Mark

“Aliceviel!”

The moment she caught sight of Roland, an instinctive warning flared within Saber. Instantly, she released a surge of magical energy, silver-white armor woven from mana enveloping her entire form.

The unleashed prana whipped the air into a frenzy, then coalesced in Saber’s hand, manifesting as an invisible blade.

In scarcely an instant, she was battle-ready. Yet, for a knight whose every desire was to protect, it was already too late.

Even though, with her magical burst, she could cross the distance in a heartbeat, the magic circle swirling overhead was fully charged, ready to unleash its destructive beam at any moment.

A witch in a purple robe seized Aliceviel’s shoulder, pulling her back, and raised a radiant wand in her hand.

“Stand down, Saber. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee your Master’s safety.”

“Despicable fiend!”

Aliceviel was the Master she had sworn to protect. Saber could not stand idle as her life was threatened. Stifling her rage, she reluctantly lowered her weapon.

“It’s still daylight. Are you planning to violate the rules of the Holy Grail War?” Aliceviel’s voice was calm. “If you expose yourself like this, even if you eliminate us, you’ll become the target of all. The Church may place a bounty on you, making you every Master’s enemy.”

“Heh. Homunculus, if you’re worried about that, you underestimate me. The instant you encountered my Master, I already deployed a boundary of concealment.”

Only then did Aliceviel realize the truth. Saber had entered a battle stance, yet no one’s gaze had turned their way. In fact, only the few of them remained—everyone else had unconsciously vacated the area.

“So you’re Caster’s Master?”

She had been careless. She never expected Caster’s Master to take the initiative like this.

From the experience of past Holy Grail Wars, Casters were known to lurk in their strongholds, waiting to seize opportunities. Who would have guessed that this time, the Caster pair would act so boldly?

“Since you don’t intend to kill me immediately, what is it you want from us?”

Though she had always seemed gentle and fragile, from the moment the purpose of this Holy Grail War shifted from the Einzbern family’s old wish to Illya’s future, Aliceviel had steeled herself for death.

She met Roland’s gaze with astonishing courage, as if life and death meant nothing to her.

“The original target should be Saber’s contract, correct?” Roland said calmly.

“That’s impossible. You can take my Command Seals, you can take my life, but you’ll never take my Servant.”

“Oh? Are you doubting my ability to do so?”

“No. To have tracked the Einzbern’s movements and captured my Master in such a short time, you are no fool.”

“I’m merely stating facts,” Aliceviel’s eyes shone. “Even if you possess the power to sever the bond between Master and Servant, it’s futile. The contract between Saber and me cannot be broken by severing magical energy alone.”

“Exactly! I would never acknowledge someone like you—a vile and evil villain—as my Master!” Saber glared at Roland, her voice ringing with righteousness. “Master, please command me. Even if it means failure, even if I must unleash my Noble Phantasm here and perish together with them, I will obey.”

Those words made Medea frown. In the next instant, a talisman capable of shattering any contract appeared in her hand.

Once the contract was severed, even the mightiest Saber would not last long—the prana within would soon run dry, and she would vanish.

But Aliceviel’s words stopped her.

“There’s no need, Saber. You don’t need to unleash your Noble Phantasm. All you need to do is escape. Flee, and that will be enough.” Aliceviel’s voice was gentle yet firm. “Please. If things are truly hopeless, run. Your magical energy is full right now. As the strongest class, if you devote yourself to escape, Caster can’t catch you. When the time comes, please, make a new contract with Illya. I beg you.”

“Aliceviel…”

Saber gripped her sword tightly. Twice now, she had let those she vowed to protect fall into peril, and both times, she had been powerless.

“Don’t look so grim, as if I’m some heinous villain,” Roland interjected, a trace of mockery curling at his lips, his tone turning icy.

“To spare a petty thief instead of killing them at once—no other Master could be more compassionate than I.”

“Thief?”

Saber’s expression was puzzled, but Aliceviel’s face suddenly tensed.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Stubborn, aren’t you? Well, let’s see if your body says the same.”

Roland grabbed Aliceviel’s hand. Alarmed by the strange sensation, Aliceviel gasped instinctively and tried to pull away, but it was useless—Roland’s current strength was something she could not hope to resist.

A vast and peculiar magical energy surged into Aliceviel, a tingling warmth igniting within her, spreading with the flow of prana until it reached the very surface of her skin.

“Haa… haa…”

Scorching breaths spilled from Aliceviel’s lips; her pure and delicate face was flushed with a bewitching crimson.

Her rounded thighs trembled, unable to support her any longer, and she collapsed into Roland’s arms.

Even though her will still sought to resist, her dazed mind could no longer issue the command. Her gaze was glazed, as if misted with a soft, helpless allure.

Roland supported her pliant form, bending close to whisper in her ear.

“That is the mark of fire mana left within you. Even as a vessel, you can sense its power, can’t you?”

During this, Aliceviel seemed entranced, staring only into Roland’s eyes, as brilliant as rubies.

“Originally, whatever happened today, I intended to take you with me. But you’re fortunate—who knew the Einzberns could do something right for once?”

As the Lesser Grail, Aliceviel’s importance was beyond question. To kill her before the Grail’s manifestation would be to repeat the Third War—resulting in the failure of every Master.

Such an outcome was unacceptable to Roland. He had no intention of waiting another ten years; this time, he would at least see his wish through to the end.

For that reason, he had to keep her within his grasp, whether in light or in shadow.

Yet during his examination of her body just now, he discovered something.

—Aliceviel was unique.

Not merely as a clone of the Winter Saint, the Greater Grail’s core, but because the Einzbern had endowed her with additional techniques beyond the functions of the Lesser Grail.

Specifically, an acceptance of fire mana. The pollution of such mana was potent, and even if the Einzbern sought to exploit it through gestation, it was no simple matter.

To prevent the mana embryo from running amok, Aliceviel’s body was made highly receptive to Roland’s fire mana—so much so that obedience had become instinctive.

Roland smiled faintly, extended his forefinger, pressed it to Aliceviel’s lips, and channeled his magical energy into her.

As if summoned, Aliceviel clutched her burning abdomen. Even through her clothes, she could feel strange patterns crawling across her skin, alive.

Then, he released her, letting the lady collapse weakly to the ground.

Aliceviel covered her mouth, staring at Roland in disbelief, her pupils trembling involuntarily.

“What have you done?”

Unable to bear it any longer, Saber raised her sword once more, but Roland merely grinned, his smile vicious and mean.

“I have simply, as any true owner would, left a personal mark on what is mine to prevent any future theft.”