Chapter 103. Mordred is investigating the women who like her father!

Chapter 103. Mordred is investigating the women who like her father!

Today, Mashu was in a pretty good mood.

Because she had finally come up with a legitimate reason to approach Ian.

"If senpai likes studying simulated battles like this, then I've found some related materials. This will definitely give us something to talk about!"

With that thought, the young girl had indeed gathered a lot of materials.

Holding the carefully collected documents in her arms, Mashu felt a sense of happiness radiating from the thick stack of papers.

But—

That feeling of happiness shattered in an instant.

Because she saw another girl standing next to Ian.

Although she looked somewhat familiar, the key point wasn't there.

They... were holding hands?

Who is she?

Why is she holding senpai's hand?

Mashu felt her mind descend into complete chaos.

Meanwhile, Mordred didn't notice anything unusual about her expression.

She only saw the pile of documents scattered on the floor.

"Hey, you dropped something. Let me help you pick it up!"

"Don't!"

Mashu almost instinctively shouted, causing Mordred to look a bit embarrassed.

"Ah... okay…" The blonde girl retracted her hand, "If you don't need it, fine, but there's no need to shout like that, you know?"

"Huh?"

Realizing how rude she had been, Mashu immediately lowered her head and apologized.

"I didn't mean that, I just…"

"You were worried she might damage the materials, right?"

Ian smiled, gently resolving the situation for Mashu.

"Anyway, it's clear these things are quite important."

"I see…"

Mordred scratched her head.

"Well then, looks like I didn't think this through properly."

After saying that, she turned and smiled warmly at Mashu.

With that comforting smile, Mashu's anxious feelings were instantly reduced. She glanced at Ian with gratitude.

But when she realized Ian was also looking at her, her face immediately turned red. She lowered her head, her hands fidgeting.

Mordred saw all of this—this was something she had just discovered.

She glanced at Mashu, then at Ian, her hand forming a "√" shape under her chin, looking like a modern-day detective.

"Mashu."

"Yes, I'm here!"

"So, what exactly is all this about?"

Ian bent down and picked up all the things Mashu had dropped on the floor.

"It looks like you were planning to bring these to me, right?"

"Yes, yes, that's right!"

Mashu looked up, her face flushed as she looked at Ian.

"Senpai is right, these are materials on simulated battles."

"I specially collected them, just wanted to see if senpai could use them!"

"…"

Looking at Mashu's innocent and straightforward appearance, Ian couldn't help but feel touched.

He hesitated for a moment, but then reached out and gently patted her head.

"Thank you, Mashu."

"U-Umu… No need to thank me, senpai." Mashu felt incredibly happy.

Watching Ian pat Mashu's head, Mordred placed her hand on her hip, preparing to say something.

But at that moment, Ian raised his other hand, shaking his head to stop her.

Then he continued:

"Since you've prepared so much, we'll go back to the battle simulation area again."

"I just thought of a few things we need to check."

"Alright!"

Despite feeling confused about the stranger girl suddenly appearing beside Ian, Mashu didn't ask any further questions and began leading the way.

Occasionally, she would look back at Ian.

Mordred also looked at Mashu, her expression growing more suspicious.

"There's something not right…"

She muttered to herself.

The three of them quickly reached the battle simulation corridor.

"Oh, right, Ian-senpai."

Walking ahead, Mashu quietly asked:

"What about Ophelia-san? Doesn't she usually come with you, senpai?"

"…She's researching something,"

Ian didn't lie, Ophelia was indeed researching something.

It was just that her work was a bit more special.

"I see." Mashu nodded thoughtfully.

"Ophelia-san is really a talented magus, even now she's still trying to research."

"Umu." Ian nodded. "I think so too."

"She's just saying that to say something…"

Mordred continued muttering.

In the battle simulation area.

In the bright white space, Mashu once again activated the system to help the Master candidates adapt to their "Servants."

"Senpai, it's ready to use!"

"Alright."

Ian's gaze once again focused on the three light columns in front of him.

Sure enough.

As he had expected, Mordred Saber was gone, replaced by another figure—Artoria Pendragon Saber.

Although it might not have been entirely due to his summoning that this happened.

But Ian knew it had something to do with it.

After all, right after he summoned Mordred, the area had returned to normal.

And based on Mordred's description of her experience, what she went through was nearly identical to the simulated battle experience.

However—

To be sure, he still needed to double-check.

Ian summoned Artoria Pendragon once again.

Everything was exactly as it had been the first time he entered the battle simulation area, with no changes whatsoever.

"Eh?!"

Mashu noticed something was off.

"Why… has it gone back to the way it was?!"

"This isn't Mordred Saber anymore, right?!"

Noticing this significant change, Ian thought for a moment and decided not to hide anything from Mashu.

"Mashu."

"Yes, senpai."

"The girl next to me…"

Ian took Mordred's hand.

"She's called Mordred, and she's the 'Servant' I summoned."

"…"

It took Mashu a moment to understand.

"Senpai!"

"You summoned Mordred?!"

Ian wasn't surprised at all.

This was the exact same reaction Ophelia had given earlier.

"Yes, I summoned her."

"When?"

"About half an hour ago, or maybe an hour." Ian answered honestly.

"This…"

Mashu felt like her brain was about to shut down.

She unconsciously looked at Mordred.

Though Mordred had her own thoughts, she nodded to confirm that Ian was right.

Mashu, of course, no longer had any doubts.

However, this information was truly overwhelming for her.

After a long while, Mashu finally calmed down.

"Senpai, so how did you summon her… The Heroic Spirit summoning system in Chaldea shouldn't be open yet, right?"

"Ophelia taught me a simple way to summon."

"Huh? Is that even possible?"

Mashu's mouth fell open, clearly shocked by Ian's words.

"What's going on?"

Mordred placed her hands on her hips and moved a little closer to Mashu.

"Are you doubting the connection between me and my father… ah, my Master?"

"Eh, no, not at all!" Mashu quickly shook her head in denial.

"But your tone clearly suggests otherwise?" Mordred didn't let up.

"Mordred!"

Ian shouted to stop her actions.

"Don't do that, it's very rude."

"..."

Mordred pouted but obediently stopped.

Meanwhile, Ian continued to comfort Mashu:

"I'm sorry, Mashu."

"Mordred didn't mean to make things difficult for you. She's just a bit sensitive about these matters."

"No, it's fine."

Mashu forced a smile.

Then, as if remembering something, she spoke up:

"Senpai, so right now you probably don't have a 'Command spell,' right?"

"'Command spell'?"

Ian heard a familiar term but couldn't quite recall its specific meaning.

He confirmed that he had seen it in some of Ophelia's confusing books.

"Ah, yes!"

"It's a form of crystallized mana that forces a 'Servant' to obey their 'Master.' If a 'Servant' is summoned through the Holy Grail War, the 'Master' will receive 'Command spells' beforehand!"

"But—"

Mashu frowned slightly.

"In your case, senpai, it doesn't seem to be the same, so maybe you won't have any 'Command spells'."

"Then—"

Ian looked at Mashu.

"Is there a way to restore the 'Command spell'?"

"About that…" Mashu thought for a moment. "I've heard that Chaldea can help a 'Master' restore one 'Command spell' each day, but I'm not sure if it's true."

"Anyway, so far—"

Mashu looked over at Mordred standing beside Ian.

"Senpai is the only one among the 'Master' candidates who has summoned a 'Servant.'"

Mashu wouldn't lie to him.

Ian thought for a moment before smiling and replying:

"Alright, it's fine."

The man reached out, placing his hand on Mordred's head.

"I believe that even without the 'Command spell,' she will still obey my orders."

"Isn't that obvious?"

"You are my--…"

Before the sentence could finish, Mordred, feeling Ian's hand on her head, immediately swallowed her words.

She remembered that Ian had instructed her not to reveal their relationship to others.

So—

Mordred glanced at Mashu.

She must be one of the "outsiders," right?

I can't reveal this to her.

"You are my 'Master,'" Mordred corrected, "Of course, I follow the orders of my 'Master.'"

"Right, right."

Mashu forced a small smile.

She had no knowledge of the relationship between Mordred and Ian, and she was quite worried.

But at the same time, Mashu also felt a bit relieved.

After all, Mordred was a "Servant," not like Ophelia, who was a 'Master' candidate.

A "Servant" wouldn't fall in love with their 'Master,' right?

There surely wouldn't be any "Servant" whose purpose was to meet their 'Master,' would there?

Mashu comforted herself, feeling a little more at ease.

"Mashu."

Ian's voice snapped the girl back to reality.

"Yes, Senpai?"

"Mm… don't worry."

"I just wanted to know—"

Ian looked toward the bright white "battlefield."

"Has the battle simulation system returned to normal?"

"Since the data for Artoria Pendragon Saber has been restored, the battle simulation issue should have been fixed, right?"

"I'll check right now!"

Mashu quickly began to operate the battle simulation control panel.

As expected, the battle simulation was completely back to normal, as if nothing had happened.

"Mashu, it seems we don't need to hide it anymore."

"Yes, that's right!"

Mashu replied, but there was still a mysterious feeling in her heart.

"By the way—"

She looked at Ian and Mordred.

"Senpai, although I won't report this, but having another 'Servant' by your side might attract attention, don't you think?"

Before Ian could respond, Mordred spoke up first.

"You don't need to worry about that."

"If I wanted—"

Mordred didn't finish her sentence, and Mashu suddenly shivered a little.

Ian, a bit concerned, immediately asked:

"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

"No, no, I'm fine."

Mashu looked at Mordred.

"I just feel… her presence feels so natural… like someone with a noble status has arrived here."

"This…"

Ian glanced at Mordred.

The girl wiped her nose and proudly said:

"This is something the king left for me~"

"With this, wherever I go, Camelot will recognize that I have a noble status!"

Could it be some kind of "Noble Phantasm," like a blessing?

It must be some magic that Morgan left for her before leaving.

Ian couldn't help but marvel—She really spoiled this daughter of hers.

But anyway, at least for now, the issue of her status was temporarily resolved.

There was no longer any reason to stay in the battle simulation.

He couldn't just stop here.

The road ahead was long, and he needed to keep moving forward.

"Mashu, Mordred, let's go outside."

"Yes, Senpai. / Alright!"

Ian finally looked toward the light column where Artoria was standing, his gaze somewhat complicated.

After leaving the battle simulation space, Ian planned to give Mordred a little tour of Chaldea, as well as ask Mashu some information related to the "Holy Grail War."

Actually, this task would have been better suited for Ophelia.

However, after seeing her obsession with that silver sword, Ian felt uncomfortable stopping her suddenly—even though she really didn't dare to disobey him.

On the other hand, Mashu was not someone who hadn't done her homework.

Choosing an option that was beneficial for both was always the best choice.

However—

As Ian was thinking about this, he suddenly saw Fou standing there outside.

It seemed like it was a little upset.

"Fou fou, fou fou (knowing I wouldn't go in there, you tricked Mashu, didn't you?)"

This scene made Ian unable to resist teasing it a bit.

"Oho~, you clever little cat, you guessed right."

But Ian didn't realize that, while he was teasing the "cat," Mordred quietly approached Mashu.

With a cold tone, she spoke:

"I'm asking you, Mashu."

"You're not—"

"...falling for my Master, are you?"