Abnormal Type Moon

Chapter 15: The truth from ten years ago

______

"Master Roy, can we start the teaching now?"

After Rin left alone, Hayasaka sighed resignedly, patted her cheeks, and skillfully assumed the demeanor of a determined maid. She then walked toward the living room with renewed resolve.

She was eager to train Kasumigaoka as quickly as possible so she could return to Rin. However, upon entering the living room, she found Roy and Kasumigaoka already prepared to head out.

"There's no rush for teaching. Let's visit the commercial district first," Roy said.

He had changed out of his casual home clothes and donned a windbreaker.

"Kasumigaoka just arrived at my house yesterday, so we're missing a lot of necessities. We need to go shopping. The same goes for you, Hayasaka. Since you'll be staying here for the next few days, you'll need to buy a few things as well."

Kasumigaoka had also changed, now wearing a professional white-collar outfit.

She secretly grumbled to herself, How many identical sets of office attire does this guy even own?

"…It can't be helped," Hayasaka replied with a nod of agreement.

Before long, the three of them were ready. They locked the gate behind them and set off toward the commercial district.

Fuyuki City—or rather, New Fuyuki City—wasn't particularly large.

The original Fuyuki City had been almost completely destroyed in the catastrophic fire ten years ago. The current New Fuyuki City had been rebuilt atop the ruins left behind by that disaster.

Today, Fuyuki City was one of only four remaining base cities in Japan, with a population of roughly 200,000. High-rise buildings were far fewer than before, and even the city's most bustling commercial district felt no more lively than a small town. Nevertheless, the selection of goods remained adequate.

"Lord Roy, may I ask you a question?" Kasumigaoka asked tentatively as they walked toward the commercial district.

"Go ahead. I'll answer what I can," Roy replied without turning back, his tone casual.

Walking behind him, Hayasaka observed Roy closely. With his glasses and composed demeanor, he seemed approachable.

She had only arrived in this world a few days ago and still knew very little about it. Unable to resist, she pricked up her ears to listen in on their conversation.

"The Misaki City you mentioned to Mayor Tohsaka… is it also one of the four base cities now?" Kasumigaoka Utaha asked.

"Yes, the four base cities in Japan are Fuyuki City, Misaki City, Tokyo City, and Kanbushi City," Roy replied.

Both girls fell silent, their expressions contemplative.

They were familiar with Tokyo City—it was likely the remnants of the original Tokyo Metropolis. However, the names of the other three base cities—Fuyuki City, Misaki City, and Kanbushi City—were completely unfamiliar. Such place names didn't exist in their original world. Was this another difference between worlds?

They wondered if there was anyone they knew who might have been transported to this world as well.

It was hard to say for other locations, but Tokyo might hold some clues.

Kasumigaoka silently prayed. Her home was in Tokyo, and she hoped her family hadn't been brought to this strange world.

"I have one more question… though it might be rather presumptuous," Kasumigaoka began hesitantly. "What exactly is the Holy Grail War?"

Hayasaka silently nodded to herself. She, too, thought the question was indeed quite bold.

Despite having spent over ten days with Rin, Hayasaka had refrained from asking any probing questions out of caution. In contrast, Kasumigaoka, who had only been here for a single day, dared to raise such a sensitive topic.

But she had to admit that she was also deeply curious about the Holy Grail War and the concept of wish-granting. Taking this opportunity, she chose to quietly listen, riding along with the flow of the conversation.

"The Holy Grail War is a magical ritual," Roy began.

"You're all familiar with the concept of the Holy Grail in a broad sense, aren't you? It's the cup Christians believe was used by Jesus, the Son of God, to hold wine. Believers think the cup possesses incredible power, which has inspired countless legends. However, in Europe alone, there are over 200 cups claimed to be the Holy Grail. Each church insists its own is the real one. Which one is truly authentic? Not even Jesus himself, if he returned, could say for sure."

"The Holy Grail of the Holy Grail War, however, is different. It genuinely possesses a power akin to that of the legendary Holy Grail. If you obtain it, you can make a wish—any wish. Immortality, for example."

"To win this wish-granting opportunity, seven chosen Masters, each summoning a Heroic Spirit, must battle until only one pair of Master and Servant remains. This conflict is what we call the Holy Grail War."

Kasumigaoka and Hayasaka were almost breathless.

The idea that the Holy Grail could grant any wish—even immortality—and that chosen Masters could summon Heroic Spirits to fight for it, was so fantastical it bordered on the unbelievable. It was difficult for them to fully accept such an extraordinary premise all at once.

"Of course," Roy continued, "this is just the superficial explanation. While the Holy Grail does have immense power—nearly omnipotent—it is not truly almighty. That notion is a lie spread by the three founding families of the Holy Grail War: Einzbern, Tohsaka, and Matou."

"Furthermore, the Holy Grail no longer functions as a wish-granting machine. The Fourth Holy Grail War, held here in Fuyuki City ten years ago, is proof of this—it was the direct cause of the Great Cataclysm."

"The culprit?" Kasumigaoka asked quickly, her heart tightening.

"Lord Roy, are you saying the catastrophe that turned the world into what it is now was caused by the Holy Grail War?"

Hayasaka felt her temples throb. What does he mean?

The Holy Grail War caused the world to become like this?

And the last Holy Grail War took place here, right beneath our feet?

Her feet suddenly felt unbearably hot, as if scorched by fire. She couldn't sit still.

"Yes," Roy confirmed, "the Fourth Holy Grail War was indeed the origin of the Great Cataclysm. This is now an established consensus in the magical community."

He continued, "Because the Holy Grail was corrupted into the Black Holy Grail, it ceased being a wish-granting machine and became a device of destruction. Someone made a wish to the Black Holy Grail to 'destroy the world.' And the Holy Grail, true to its nature, granted that wish. In short, it really did destroy the world."

The girls were stunned. Roy's words painted a vivid image of the firestorm that had swept across the world ten years ago—a fire that burned relentlessly for an entire year.

Kasumigaoka and Hayasaka's perspectives on reality were entirely overturned.

It's one thing for an unbelievable wish-granting machine to exist, they thought. But for someone to use it to wish for the destruction of the world?

What kind of hatred would drive a person to make such a wish?

"After the Great Cataclysm, the three founding families of the Holy Grail War faced punishment from the Magic Association," Roy explained. "The Tohsaka and Matou families were forced to relinquish all their magical patents, while the Einzbern family surrendered their Homunculi technology."

"That's all?" Kasumigaoka asked incredulously. "Is that the extent of their punishment?"

"As the main culprits, that punishment seems far too lenient," she added, her tone sharp.

Kasumigaoka's words were filled with deep resentment toward the Three Great Families. If not for their actions, she wouldn't have ended up a refugee, even after transmigrating to this world.

Even Hayasaka couldn't resist offering her own scathing critique.

However, after voicing her sharp comments, she suddenly remembered that the Rin she served was a descendant of the Toosaka family.

Well, let's just hope Rin never hears about this, she thought nervously.

Roy's calm voice interrupted their thoughts.

"Don't harbor any illusions about the Magic Association. They don't care about the survival of humanity. What they truly care about is the survival of magic. Humans are merely the bridge through which magic is inherited, so they manage human affairs only to serve that purpose."

"…My understanding of the magical world has been completely overturned," Kasumigaoka muttered.

"Mine too," Hayasaka agreed.

The two nodded in unison, their expressions etched with discomfort and frustration.