On the third day after the end of the war, a slender figure quietly landed on the walls of Orario.

It was a short elf woman, with snow-white twin-tails hanging behind her shoulders. The tips of her elf ears were slightly red, and her pair of sapphire-blue eyes looked into the distance. There was almost no expression on her face, and between her brows was a sense of detachment from everything.

[Thousand-Year Sage Staff] Friana Elain.

Emiya took the initiative to step forward, "Senior Friana."

Friana looked at Emiya, "Long time no see, Shirou-kun. You've already reached Lv.4? So fast."

Being spoken to like this by her, Emiya suddenly gave rise to a strange feeling. As if meeting an aunt or even a grandmother relative during New Year's, hearing them sigh about how fast the child has grown.

"You directly used the emergency communication system of the [Academy District] to contact me, so I came immediately," Friana said, "I flew all the way here. I've already broken two pairs of [Flying Boots] and [Acceleration Talismans]."

"You have to be mentally prepared. My fee is going to be very high," said the elf senior like this.

Emiya nodded, "Don't worry, if it's about Valis, we won't lack it."

Friana looked at him, gently raised the corner of her mouth, "Mm, that's right. After all, you are now the city's... no, probably the world's number one blacksmith."

"Senior, you're overpraising me."

But Friana ignored his humility and instead seriously sized up Emiya, as if confirming something.

For some reason, Friana had a strange feeling. If she were to fight Emiya with her small frame, she might be unable to stand up after taking just one punch from him.

As a Lv.6 adventurer, feeling this way toward a Lv.4 junior was indescribably absurd.

The two walked along the city wall toward Hephaestus Familia's workshop, passing through a few ruined areas under reconstruction.

The air still held traces of dust and mana. In the rubble and broken walls, one could faintly see some craftsmen busily repairing.

These ruins under reconstruction were the aftermath of the rampage of three fairy spirit clones released onto the surface.

Although many buildings were destroyed, fortunately, there were no casualties in this attack.

Because their opponents were the returning expedition forces of the [Ferya Familia].

Lv.8 [King] Ottar, Lv.7 [White Fairy's Magic Wand] Hedin, the top-tier adventurers led by them swiftly suppressed all the spirit clones.

Now, the strength of Ferya Familia had been proven again, regaining their place as Orario's strongest familia.

"Ottar is already Lv.8 now, huh. Ferya Familia truly cannot be underestimated," Friana sighed, a thoughtful glint flashing in her eyes, "It seems Leon will also need to take a step forward."

[Knight of Knights] Leon, for a long time, was the world's only Lv.7 aside from Ottar. Many believed that his strength exceeded even Ottar's.

Emiya glanced sideways at Friana. It seemed she meant that Leon had the qualifications to step forward but had simply not taken action yet.

"Is he tempering his ability values...", Emiya thought to himself.

Leon's race was half-dwarf. Compared to Ottar's boaz race, he faced greater difficulty in breaking ability value limits.

And the closer one's ability values were to the limit, the more it impacted combat power. Such breakthroughs often determined life or death in key moments.

Though [Knight of Knights] Leon and [King] Ottar resided in the [Academy District] and [Orario] respectively, the rivalry between these top-tier powerhouses always lingered. Each other's growth and breakthroughs became mutual motivation and challenge.

Emiya and Friana walked all the way back to Hephaestus Familia's base. Rain pelted their cloaks, bringing a chill. As they pushed open the heavy workshop door, the brightly lit interior came into view.

Several ladies had already been waiting for a long time.

[Nine Hells] Riveria Ljos Alf, [Saintess of the Battlefield] Airmid Teasanare, and a figure cloaked in black whose face was obscured.

The Guild's hidden force, [Sage] Fels, a figure who had lived for over eight hundred years.

Upon learning this identity, Friana couldn't help but glance sideways, [Thousand-Year Sage Staff] was not a title earned lightly, and she rarely encountered someone even older than herself.

Amid the continued threat to Orario's safety by remnants of the Evilus and the mysterious enemy calling themselves "City Destroyer Enyo," the Guild had to find partners with enough strength to face these major crises.

And in this city, the most reliable force to bear such burdens was the Loki Familia. Thus, Fels, representing the Guild, sought cooperation from the Loki Familia to fight against those hidden enemies.

Due to a series of failures during the previous [Monsterphilia] incident, the Guild's reputation suffered greatly, and public trust plummeted. Coupled with the fact that the main force in this battle was almost entirely carried by the Loki Familia, the Guild failed to secure the lead in this operation.

Though Fels was an important Guild representative, it mainly participated as support in this cooperation.

However, Fels's role in action could not be underestimated. [Sage] had crafted many magic tools, including key equipment like the Communication Crystal.

These tools played a vital role in the artificial dungeon campaign.

Emiya had little direct contact with Fels. Most of the time, it coordinated with Finn, exchanging intelligence and strategies with the Loki Familia's core members.

"So, has the [Sage]'s research into achieving immortality finally succeeded?", Friana asked with slight curiosity.

Fels was silent for a moment. Its black robe gently swayed as it let out a sigh that seemed to echo from the depths of time, "Not exactly successful..."

The ancient strongest magic tool maker and the modern strongest magic tool maker rarely met in the same space. Friana seemed to have many questions she wanted to ask.

But before that, they had to complete the employer's commission.

[Sage], [Thousand-Year Sage Staff], [Nine Hells], [Saintess of the Battlefield]... in the fields of magic and human research, this was undoubtedly the most elite team Emiya could think of, perhaps even the most elite in the world.

"Please take care of Filvis," Emiya said seriously.

———

On the hospital bed, Filvis lay naked, already recovered from serious injuries to a completely unharmed state.

Dionysus was dead and she had lost the Falna. Including [Einsel], all skills and magic had also become completely ineffective, but she still retained the characteristics of a [Creature].

[T/N: Monster Person → Creature]

Even in her current state, her potential ability still remained at the Lv.6 level, and her recovery ability was astonishingly strong.

At that time, in order to smoothly bring her back, Emiya had no choice but to take extreme measures. He broke her arms and legs, making her completely lose the ability to resist.

But now, Filvis's limbs had already completely recovered to their original state.

On the hospital bed, Filvis's skin presented a morbid iron-blue color, and at her chest, a mottled magic stone faintly flickered with an ominous light.

Some rough and twisted branches were growing on her body, extending like a bizarre mutation, making people shiver involuntarily.

To prevent her from suddenly resisting, Filvis's limbs and torso were firmly nailed to the operating table.

At the bedside, Airmid injected large doses of sedatives into Filvis at intervals, keeping her in a state somewhere between consciousness and coma.

"Why save this [Creature]?", None of the people present raised this question.

Emiya had already made up his mind, and Airmid and the others had also accepted the commission, so now, their duty was to do their utmost, giving everything without any doubt, striving to achieve the goal.

And Riveria's attitude was even firmer than Emiya's. To her, whether it was Filvis or Aura, they were her people, especially Filvis, who could be said to be the greatest victim in the hands of the City Destroyer, Enyo.

She had already made a decision in her heart: even if Filvis had committed some crime, even if later she had to be imprisoned for life, even judged by justice, that should all be matters for later.

Riveria could not stand idly by and watch this noble elf, in the filthy form of a [Creature], walk toward the end like this.

Riveria closed her eyes and softly began chanting.

Fourth Tier Magic, [Oath of Time].

[T/N: It was previously '??????' in chapter 111]

The Fourth Tier healing magic awakened after Riveria leveled up to Lv.7.

Compared to ordinary healing magic, although the external appearance was similar, its essence was completely different.

This magic did not heal directly through magic power, but instead recorded and recalled the target's state in some manner, returning it to a certain point in time or a certain state in the target's perception.

In terms of practicality, this magic had certain limitations. Especially in battlefield use, it did not take effect immediately like other healing magic. It must be activated and the target's state recorded in advance before battle, and only then could it be restored after the target was injured.

However, its healing ability was absolute.

If Airmid's [Dia Fratel] could completely heal as long as the target still had a breath, then [Oath of Time] could even revive the target from death, as long as the target remained within the domain of the magic.

Its nature was not healing, nor time reversal, but unconditional "return" of state.

"My magic power is limited. Let's begin the experiment."

———

Lefiya sat with a lost expression in the corner of the room, her lowered eyelids unable to hide the sadness in her heart.

She couldn't help but remember the promise made with Filvis. Those words echoed in her ears.

("After this war ends, shall we go on a trip together?"), Her voice carried a bit of hope, as she made that request.

At that time, Filvis looked at her, silent for a moment, and finally only smiled faintly.

Lefiya did not notice the complex emotion that flashed through Filvis's eyes, and continued speaking excitedly, ("Why don't we go see my hometown? In a while, the Great Sacred Tree will be covered with 'Light Crowns'. That's a phenomenon unique to the 'Wishe Forest'; other elven settlements can't see it. It's very beautiful. Just like wearing a flower crown, scattering sparkling glowing spots...")

("Like cherry blossoms from the Far East?"), Filvis softly asked, her eyes seeming to carry a gentle glow.

("Yes! Exactly like that! And, I also know a secret garden that only I know about! It's also stunningly beautiful... so, please go enjoy it with me.")

Lefiya made a promise to her. In front of the smiling, flower-like Lefiya, Filvis's face was filled with a transparent smile.

("Okay, when it all ends, we'll go. I promise you.")

However, now—

Filvis was gone.

After the battle against the artificial dungeon ended, all members of Dionysus Familia were detained under the name of "protection", including Aura.

Lefiya felt uneasy. In order to inquire about their situation, she specifically went to visit, but she was unable to see either Aura or the Filvis she had been searching for.

She only saw a mentally exhausted middle-aged god, blankly distributing bottles of medicine to the adventurers. Those who drank the amber-colored potion (liquor) either fell silent, suddenly roared in anger, or collapsed in tears...

Riveria told her that Aura's life was not in danger, at least temporarily safe.

However, regarding Filvis's situation, Riveria had never given any clear answer. This silent evasion cast a shadow in Lefiya's heart, making her increasingly uneasy.

"Filvis-san...", Lefiya called softly.

On the day of the operation, she had not seen Filvis once. At first, she thought Filvis might have been acting with Emiya, because in her impression, Filvis was always close to Emiya.

However, after the battle ended, she learned that Emiya had acted alone, fighting the enemy's [Masked Man] solo.

Now, the entire city was celebrating in jubilation, with cheers of victory everywhere.

Whether it was Loki Familia's feat of conquering the artificial dungeon, or Freya Familia's fierce battle aboveground against the Spirit Clone, both were hot topics in the streets and alleys.

Especially the victory of Freya Familia aboveground, with the Lv.8 [King] Ottar displaying overwhelming strength, delivering an incomparable shock to the whole city.

And the matters of Dionysus Familia, all that unease, was drowned out by these attention-grabbing news.

Lefiya sat alone in the corner, unable to stop sighing over and over.

She involuntarily recalled that scene: Emiya, covered in blood, staggering out of the dungeon, holding a clean metal suitcase in his hand.

Inside that case, what was in it...

"Lefiya, Lady Riveria has returned...", said Elfy, Lefiya's roommate, in a clearly worried voice.

These past days, Elfy had been silently watching over Lefiya, patiently accompanying and comforting this girl consumed by sorrow.

Lefiya's originally lifeless eyes lit up instantly. She jumped up from the bed, not bothering to tidy her messy clothes and hair, and staggered out of the room.

Elfy looked at her back, sighed softly, and her gaze was full of sorrow.

Lefiya ran quickly to the end of the corridor and pushed open the heavy door. She saw a familiar figure, that was her most respected mentor, the one she trusted the most, Riveria.

A trace of hope suddenly rose in the girl's heart. News about Filvis would be good. Things were not as bad as she had imagined.

"Lady Riveria, may I ask... how is Filvis-san?", Lefiya stepped forward, her voice clearly trembling.

However, looking at the girl's slightly red eyes, Riveria secretly sighed.

Unfortunately, she could not tell this child the truth. Filvis's situation was complex and sensitive, involving some secrets that could not be revealed. Telling Lefiya would only plunge her into deeper pain and could even pose an unnecessary risk.

Even though this would hurt the girl's heart, letting Lefiya believe that Filvis was already gone would be better, this was also the outcome Filvis herself desired.

"Filvis... sacrificed herself," Riveria's voice was low, yet it exploded like thunder in Lefiya's ears, leaving her frozen on the spot.

"Eh?", Lefiya's eyes widened, seemingly unable to hear clearly or unwilling to believe what she had heard.

"Filvis didn't enter the artificial dungeon. She was assigned to stay on the surface for guard duty. At that time, she and Miss Aura were attacked by remnants of the Evilus."

Riveria looked at Lefiya, a flicker of complex emotion in her eyes, and continued weaving the carefully prepared lie in a rational tone, "Aura was controlled by the enemy's magic, and Filvis... to protect Aura, unfortunately sacrificed herself."

"Filvis-san...", Lefiya murmured, tears bursting from her eyes and continuously sliding down her cheeks. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed backward.

———

[Half a Day Ago]

Unable to turn Filvis back into a human, after many attempts, everyone had to face such a fact.

[Creature], although this was how Filvis's current state was called, in essence, her current life form was already completely unrelated to [Human].

Although possessing an appearance and intelligence similar to humans, she no longer had a heart, but was a lifeform with a magic stone as its core. In this aspect, she was the same as a "monster."

In addition to that, the many elements filled within Filvis's body, such as green flesh, twisted branches, and so on, originated from the power of the [Corrupted Spirit].

So the [Creature] was actually not a "monsterified human," but a "monster vessel of the Corrupted Spirit's power."

Under such circumstances, wanting to turn her back into a human was fundamentally not in the realm of "healing," but required a miraculous "re-creation."

Such a miracle, even top magicians in the world like Riveria and Friana, could not achieve.

After all, spirits in essence were messengers of gods, and the power of the Corrupted spirit carried a certain level of [Divine Power] status.

If [Oath of Time] could have recorded Filvis's human state in advance, she could now be restored unconditionally. However, [Oath of Time] was only unlocked not long ago, while Filvis had become a [Creature] several years ago.

"Shirou, what do you plan to do?", At this moment, Friana handed the right to choose over to Emiya.

If it were Friana making the choice, she would directly give up on Filvis, that was the most logical and beneficial choice.

Aside from Friana, Airmid and Fels also held the same opinion. After all, they did not have a deep emotional connection with Filvis, and based on that, the [Creature] was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous existence.

Although Riveria hoped to save Filvis, facing the current situation, she also could not find any feasible plan.

They remained silent, their gazes unintentionally turning toward Emiya, waiting for him to make the decision.

Emiya was the one who contributed the most in this battle against the remnants of the Evilus and the City Destroyer, Enyo. Not only did he play a key role in direct combat, but he also supported the entire camp through forging equipment.

In addition, he was also the one who captured Filvis.

If the Filvis who had become a [Creature] was completely excluded from the category of "human," then she could even be regarded as Emiya's spoils of war to dispose of at will.

Everyone present understood, only Emiya had the qualification and the right to decide Filvis's fate.

After a moment of silence, Emiya spoke, "If we strip away the part of the [Corrupted Spirit], and only retain the [Monster]'s structure, is it possible?"

Fels pondered for a while, letting out a thoughtful sound, "You mean... turn her into something like an 'Xenos'? Let me think... the most difficult part would probably be that magic stone."

Filvis's multicolored [Magic Stone] carried the power of the Corrupted spirit and was the biggest difference between her and monsters.

If this multicolored [Magic Stone] was lost, the rest of the Corrupted tissues would be like rootless duckweed and could be gradually peeled away through physical means.

Replacing it with an ordinary [Magic Stone], the difficulty was no different from a heart transplant surgery.

"However, it is indeed something that could be achieved," Fels continued, his tone carrying a trace of hope, "At least, compared to restoring her as a human, the difficulty is much lower..."

Restoring Filvis as a human, that idea was equivalent to creating all her organs from nothing in her chest and abdominal cavities.

In comparison, though heart transplantation was also difficult, it was clearly a more feasible plan.

What's more, Riveria's [Oath of Time] gave them the opportunity to trial and error.

"I think this plan is feasible," After a long silence, Friana finally spoke, a glint of "passion" flashing in her eyes.

As a researcher with a long life span, her curiosity toward the "unknown" had been stirred.

Airmid also nodded from the side. Although she held doubts toward the special existences of [Creatures] and [Xenos], as a medical practitioner, she would always choose to stand on the side of saving lives.

Moreover, such a high-level surgery like a "heart transplant", let alone Airmid, had never been attempted by anyone in the whole world.

In the mind of the [Saintess of the Battlefield] Airmid, two words emerged, [Great Achievement].

"Let's do it, give it our best," Emiya spoke softly.

His workshop stored a large number of magic stones, from Minotaurs to Strong Dragons, all were available.

———

"Why... why didn't you kill me?"

"You also once praised me as 'beautiful,' didn't you? Now? Seeing me like this, can you still say the same thing again?"

"I don't want to, I really don't want, to be seen by you like this—", Filvis, who had awakened, let out sorrowful sobs.

On her body, those twisted branches and green flesh had already disappeared, but the [Magic Stone] in her chest still remained. It had only lost its multicolored brilliance.

"Only Lord Dionysus praised me as beautiful! Only that Lord was willing to embrace this filthy body of mine!"

But now, that god was no longer here.

"You are still beautiful," Emiya replied without hesitation, then bent down and gave the girl a hug.

After a long while, Filvis slowly raised her hand and embraced Emiya's shoulder.

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