Chapter 94 - Vol. 2 - Chapter 2: The Journey

The next morning, Shiomi and Morgan departed from Paddington Station aboard a diesel train bound for Wales.

As the train swayed gently and the countryside rolled past the window, Morgan glanced out, then said in a relaxed tone,

"Taking me on a trip at this time of year... Are you finally feeling like the kids are getting in the way now that they're growing up?"

"You know that's not it," Shiomi replied, lips pressed into a thin line as he sat back on the sofa in their first-class compartment, glancing over the report in his hands.

"So, where are we actually headed?" Morgan hadn't asked for any details before they left.

It had been more than nine years since the Fourth Holy Grail War, and even she hadn't expected to linger in this era for so long.

Still, it was her decision, and Morgan had no regrets. Her earlier jab had been nothing more than a passing joke.

Shiomi clearly enjoyed traveling. Whenever a holiday rolled around, he'd take the whole family on trips. At first, they stayed within Japan, but once Sakura and Caren grew older, they began traveling abroad.

Just a few months ago during the Easter break, he had taken Morgan and the children to Easter Island.

Today's outing, though, didn't carry the usual air of a vacation—or a honeymoon.

"We're going to a place that's connected to you," Shiomi said. He paused. "Or rather... a place that should be connected to you."

Morgan blinked, slightly surprised, then quietly nodded.

Though he had never spoken of it directly, Shiomi's perceptiveness had long since picked up on Morgan's unusual nature.

But this was the first time he'd ever said it out loud.

With the situation now out in the open, Morgan relaxed and began to enjoy the journey.

After two hours on the train, they arrived in Cardiff, the capital of Wales. From there, they transferred to a coach, watching bilingual signs in English and Welsh flash past the windows. Five more hours passed before they began to ascend a mountain.

The trail was brutally rough—so much so that even Morgan couldn't help but feel it had been designed solely to wear down human legs.

"Tired?" Shiomi called out.

He had gone ahead on a particularly steep incline and was now reaching back to help her up.

"This path is rough, and the air up here is far from ideal. Want to switch to spirit form?"

The sharp cries of birds echoed through the forest. The smell of damp earth, animal droppings, and rotting fruit mixed into a heady, wild scent that defined the mountains.

Gripping Shiomi's hand, Morgan stepped up lightly.

"What kind of question is that? Even if I'm relying on the mana from our contract to remain in this world, I'm still a Servant," she said as she moved to walk beside him. "Actually, I should be asking you—are your legs holding up, husband?"

"More or less," Shiomi said with a chuckle. "The Greater Source is especially strong here. As long as I keep the mana flowing, I'll be fine."

Still, the trail was so difficult that before they'd set out, Shiomi had warned her more than once—if she couldn't make the hike, he would go alone.

As arranged with Lord El-Melloi II, Shiomi was to reach the destination first, confirm there were no issues, and then wait in the village for El-Melloi's arrival.

"Even so—" Shiomi kept her hand in his—"I honestly thought Her Majesty would scoff at such a remote, rugged path."

Morgan smiled without concern. "That all came later. Before that, I walked the entire island of Britannia."

"So, what do you think of it now?"

"No strong opinions," Morgan said softly. "This world is simply how it should be, in this era."

Though the Greater Source was indeed more concentrated here than in most parts of the world, it was still a realm that had long since declined from the Age of Gods.

Fairies and other beings of fantasy had already retreated to the other side of the world. Now, this planet belonged wholly to humanity.

In a way, Morgan's quiet reflection—that everything had become something else entirely—wasn't far from the truth.

"Do you like it?" Shiomi asked with a smile.

Morgan fell silent, thoughtful, before slowly replying,

"Because it accepts my husband... even if there are many things I don't care for, I suppose it's still a beautiful world."

"What kind of answer is that..." Shiomi grumbled, but his hand tightened slightly. "No one gets rejected by the world."

"There are," Morgan said softly. "When someone accomplishes certain things... the world, or even the foundation of human order itself, will reject them."

"The more you talk, the worse it sounds," Shiomi sighed.

"That's just how it is. You're a Magus—you should know that better than anyone," Morgan said, looking at him.

She wasn't wrong, but the idea of being rejected by the human order was far removed from Shiomi's reality.

He was just another Magus living in this world. While he belonged to the more esoteric tier of society, among other Magi, his life was still relatively ordinary.

"Let's change the subject. I get the feeling we're almost there. Where exactly are we going this time?" Morgan asked.

"The world of the dead," Shiomi said.

Morgan's expression immediately darkened. "You in a hurry to go back there or something?"

"...Uh, I wasn't talking about the Land of Shadows," Shiomi quickly clarified. "Didn't I mention on the train that this place has something to do with the 'Witch of Britannia'?"

"Well, that's true," Morgan admitted, her brow easing. "But what does this have to do with Lord El-Melloi II?"

"It's because of the Holy Grail War," Shiomi replied with a sigh.

After the Grail was purified, the Mage's Association and the Holy Church conducted a joint investigation. Since the Greater Grail had never fully activated and had only consumed a portion of its mana, it was determined that the ritual would automatically initiate again ten years later—in 2004.

Shiomi hadn't felt comfortable dismantling someone else's constructed ritual. And for various reasons, he had ultimately chosen purification over destruction.

Still, the fact that the Holy Grail War was set to resume within ten years left him unsettled.

If he could help it, he didn't want to get involved again.

"You're already tied to the Holy Grail War. There's no avoiding it now," Morgan said, reading his unease clearly. "Even if you try to stay away, there will always be something that drags you back to Fuyuki, to face the War again."

"You make it sound like it's already decided..." Shiomi muttered.

But inside, he couldn't bring himself to deny her words.

Just then, the sound of wings flapping echoed through the brush along the trail, and a dozen black birds burst out from the forest canopy.

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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