In Britain, the Noble Phantasm: Divine Key

Looking at the petals, which were as fiery and vibrant as flames, Zouken Matou's breathing became rapid, and his magical power fluctuated uncontrollably, violently shaking the air.

After a long while, his emotions gradually calmed down, and he looked at the Black Abyss White Flower in Anahn's hand with burning eyes: "Your Majesty, I wonder about the effects of this Noble Phantasm..."

“Immortality is impossible, but I can make you young again and keep you in that state, at least not shorter than you are now,” Yanan said calmly.

Zouken Matou didn't expect to achieve immortality with just one Noble Phantasm; that's too unrealistic. If Anaen had really said that, he wouldn't have believed it.

However, five hundred years of youth was already an irresistible temptation for him.

"Very well, I agree to this deal."

He turned and walked upstairs, and perhaps because he saw hope of regaining his youth, his steps were noticeably faster than before.

Two or three minutes later, he led a little girl in a blue dress downstairs. The little girl had big blue-violet eyes and was looking at Yanan with a slightly timid and curious expression.

Yanan paused slightly as he looked at Matou Sakura's long black hair.

“Go, Sakura, from now on you belong to this lord.” Zouken Matou chuckled hoarsely.

Sakura Matou hesitated for a moment, then immediately ran to Anaen's side and hid behind him, not daring to look at Zouken Matou.

Zouken Matou didn't care at all and turned to Anaen: "Your Majesty, I have now completed the deal. It's your turn now."

“Activating a Noble Phantasm requires a lot of mana. I just went through a battle with Gilgamesh yesterday, and my mana hasn’t recovered yet. Once I’ve dealt with the other Servants, I’ll naturally come back to fulfill the deal.” Anaen gently patted Matou Sakura’s head, his tone unchanged.

Zouken Matou's face immediately darkened, and his body trembled with magical energy. The dense chirping of insects came from all around again, which frightened Sakura Matou so much that she quickly hugged Anaen's leg and dared not let go for a moment.

"Is Your Majesty planning to go back on your word?"

“Since you know I am King Arthur, you should know that I would never do something so untrustworthy.” Anan’s tone was calm and composed, as if he were simply stating a matter of course.

Zouken Matou hesitated for a moment, his gaze lingering on Sakura Matou and Anaconda for a long time.

Given the strength Anaconda displayed last night, he could basically dominate the Holy Grail War, and King Arthur, as the epitome of chivalry, would surely not do anything that would break his oath.

More importantly, he was unwilling to give up this hard-won opportunity easily.

Even if there's only a sliver of hope, he has to take the gamble.

At this thought, Zouken Matou's aura instantly dissipated. He bowed slightly and chuckled in a hoarse voice:

"Then I would like to offer my best wishes in advance for Your Majesty's military success and triumphant return."

Chapter Seventeen: Sakura's Future

"Is this the little girl you were talking about?"

Inside the Fuyuki Grand Hotel, Kenneth stroked his chin, his gaze fixed on Matou Sakura with a hint of scrutiny.

Looking at the man with a slightly harsh face, Matou Sakura couldn't help but show a little fear and timidity. Like a frightened little animal, she clung tightly to Anaen's clothes, not daring to let go for a moment.

Yanan stroked Matou Sakura's smooth, black hair. Although he didn't know why the old insect hadn't modified Sakura, it was clear that her year living in the Matou family had left a significant psychological scar on the little girl, causing her to have great fear and resistance towards everything outside.

Kenneth circled around Matou Sakura, lost in thought, and said, "Imaginary attribute, huh... I never expected to find such a talent in this rural corner. If those guys find out, I bet she'll definitely be sealed away."

As the monarch of the Clock Tower, Kenneth certainly knew how rare this imaginary attribute, independent of the four conventional attributes of earth, water, wind, and fire, was.

Magicians with the Imaginary Attribute are the only ones capable of entering the Imaginary Space, a world that does not exist but is believed to exist. This world holds a fatal allure for all magicians, its attraction second only to the Root.

It is foreseeable that if this little girl named Matou Sakura is exposed, the monarch of the entire Clock Tower will go mad.

Upon hearing the words "Designated Seal," Matou Sakura trembled violently. Although she had been away from the Tohsaka family for a year, she still hadn't forgotten the ugly look on her biological father's face when he mentioned the Designated Seal, as if those four words represented an infinite abyss.

For a six or seven-year-old girl, the abyss is still a rather abstract concept, but after witnessing the Matou family's insect cave, Sakura has come to a profound understanding of the meaning of the abyss.

Could it be that I've simply jumped from one abyss into another? The little girl's eyes gradually dimmed, and she silently lowered her hands, head bowed.

Perhaps, this is my destiny...

“That’s why I brought her to you,” Anahn smiled. “What is a mere designated seal to the Lord of El-Melloi, the ninth patriarch of the Archibald family?”

Yanan’s praise clearly pleased Kenneth, who nodded with satisfaction, put his hands behind his back, and said proudly, “Of course, no one in the entire Clock Tower has ever dared to lay a hand on the person that I, Kenneth El-Melloi Archibald, am protecting.”

What an easy girl to coax... Yanan shook his head with a smile, squatted down, gently patted Sakura's head, and said softly, "Sakura, this is Kenneth, the monarch from the Clock Tower of London. I have already discussed it with him. From now on, he will be your guardian and teacher. With his protection, you will no longer have to worry about being sealed by the designated seal."

Sakura Matou stared blankly at Anaen, her large blue-purple eyes gradually becoming misty with tears.

Yanan gently embraced the girl's petite body and said in a soft tone, "From now on, you can truly have a home of your own. No one will use you as a tool, and no one will abandon you or force you. You can grow up happily, do what you want to do, and become who you want to be."

Sakura could no longer control her emotions. Tears welled up in her eyes and she tightly hugged Yanan's neck with her slender hands, crying loudly as if she wanted to vent all the fear, grievances, heartache, and bitterness she had endured over the past year.

Abandoned by her family, she lived in a mansion infested with insects for a whole year, and was almost thrown into an insect cave for modification. Such an experience was unimaginably terrifying for a six or seven-year-old girl. If Yanan hadn't stepped in and pulled her out of that abyss, she might have completely broken down by now.

After crying for about ten minutes, Sakura's voice gradually weakened, her eyes closed, and she fell into a deep sleep.

The six- or seven-year-old girl was already somewhat weak, and in addition, Xiaoying's mind had been in a state of high tension for the past year, and she had hardly had a good night's sleep. At this moment, the fatigue that had been building up was released in an instant after she suddenly relaxed, and she finally couldn't hold on any longer and fell into a deep sleep.

Yanan gently picked up Sakura and carried her to the bed in the inner room. Looking at the little girl's tear-streaked face, he couldn't help but sigh softly.

He was about to grab a towel to wipe Sakura's neck when he noticed that her slender little hands were still tightly wrapped around his neck, like someone clinging to the last piece of driftwood in a sinking ship, refusing to let go.

"Don't...go..." the little girl murmured softly in her sleep, her voice as soft and sweet as cotton candy.

A hint of pity and tenderness appeared in Yanan's eyes as he gently stroked Sakura's face and said softly, "It's alright, Sakura. With me here, no one will hurt you anymore."

As if she had heard it, a sweet smile appeared on the little girl's face, and she finally let go of her hand.

Yanan went into the bathroom, took a brand new towel, soaked it in warm water, carefully wiped away the tear stains on Sakura's face, covered her with the blanket, and then gently closed the door and left.

“I didn’t expect you to care so much about a child.” Kenneth said gracefully, sipping the black tea he had brought from England.

“I have a daughter.” Yanan sat on the single sofa, looking at the night view outside the window, a rare hint of melancholy in his eyes. “She’s about the same age as Sakura.”

Kenneth paused slightly. "I'm a little sorry, but I still want to ask, your daughter is...?"

"Mordred."

Kenneth's hand trembled slightly, and his expression immediately became somewhat strange.

He coughed lightly, immediately deciding to skip the topic: "Now that you've brought Sakura out, why not send her back to her original home?"

“I can’t trust Tokiomi Tohsaka. Perhaps he’s right as a magician, but as a parent, he’s terrible.” After a pause, Anaen continued, “Besides, if Sakura stays here, she’ll never be able to get rid of the past, which isn’t a good thing.”

"So you want to send her to the Clock Tower so she can start a new life from then on?"

“If I’m going to do something right, I’ll see it through to the end. Now that I’ve decided to take on this responsibility, I certainly won’t give up halfway,” Yanan said calmly.

"So you're really comfortable handing her over to me?" Kenneth looked at Yanan with amusement. "I'm a magician even more pure than her father. Such an excellent body is a good choice, whether as an experimental subject or a breeding mother. If I can uncover the secret of imaginary numbers from her, my status in the Clock Tower will definitely rise again."

“Because I know very well that for the genius of the Clock Tower and the head of the Archibald family, the mere imaginary number attribute is nothing. What is truly worth your investigation is the root located at the pinnacle of mystery,” Yanan said with a smile.

Kenneth nodded in satisfaction, and couldn't help but sigh once again that this was indeed the most suitable Servant for him.

Yanan picked up the black tea on the table and drank it, concealing the deep look in his eyes.

These words were, of course, just an excuse. Although Kenneth was indeed a good person, you can't judge a book by its cover. Who knew if Sakura's situation would change after he left? And even if Kenneth always treated Sakura the same way, he couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't suddenly die one day. At that time, in the Clock Tower surrounded by wolves, the naturally gentle Sakura would probably be devoured without leaving a trace.

But apart from the clock tower, he really couldn't find any other place that could house Sakura.

Therefore, Anaen was prepared to leave one of his Noble Phantasms to Sakura when he left, so that she would at least have the ability to protect herself.

But he certainly couldn't tell Kenneth about this, or the monarch of the Clock Tower would be furious.

"So what do you plan to do about that old worm?" Kenneth's eyes showed a complicated look when he mentioned Zouken Matou. After learning from Anaen how Zouken had fallen from Machiri Zorgen to his current state, he didn't know how to look at his former ally of justice.

“Of course, kill him,” Yanan said calmly. “No matter how glorious or dazzling the target may be, it cannot cover up the crimes he has committed. This is the price he must pay.”

Kenneth nodded thoughtfully: "So you're planning to wait until you kill that worm in Sakura's heart before you make your move?"

“If we don’t do it this way, there’s no point in killing him,” Yanan said calmly.

Although it is unknown why Zouken Matou did not modify Sakura's magic circuits, it is clear that the old bug did not relax his surveillance on Sakura. With his ability to sense magic, Anaconda clearly sensed that a Crest Worm was lurking near Sakura's heart.

Kenneth, as a first-level instructor in the Spirit Summoning Department, naturally noticed this as well.

If nothing unexpected happens, that is one of the main bodies of the artifact that contains the old bug's soul.

According to the original plot, Sakura would be corrupted by "All the Evils of This World" during the Fifth Holy Grail War, becoming a Black Grail similar to Illya. At that time, Zouken Matou could use her as a springboard to reincarnate into "All the Evils of This World" and achieve true immortality.

This Crest Worm is the key to his soul reincarnation. Even if he destroys the old worm's original body, he can still be reborn on this Crest Worm through the connection of souls and complete the erosion of Sakura.

That is why Anan made the so-called deal with the other party, with the aim of stabilizing Zouken Matou and buying himself time to eliminate the Crest Worms.

However, this is not a simple matter. The old bug attaches great importance to Sakura and will definitely keep a close eye on the situation here at all times. If he is not alerted, Sakura will probably be in grave danger.

“I don’t know much about this,” Yanan said, turning to Kenneth. “I’ll have to ask you for help.”

Kenneth raised his chin slightly and said arrogantly, "Who do you think I am? Just a mere worm. To a genius, I'm not even a proper challenge. In just one day, I can crush that worm as easily as I crush an ant."

Yanan nodded slightly. Although Kenneth was somewhat arrogant, he almost never failed to deliver on his promises.

To reiterate, aside from his personality, appearance, and ability to judge people, Kenneth is practically perfect.

"I'll take Sakura out for some fun tomorrow, so as not to expose your situation here, and also to help her cheer up." Yanan stretched, and out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed that thick smoke was billowing in the direction west of Fuyuki Bridge.

Kenneth quickly noticed the situation and raised an eyebrow slightly: "What's that over there...?"

“Fukayama-cho,” Anaen said calmly, “the Tohsaka family.”

"You couldn't wait to make a move after just one night? What an impatient bunch." Kenneth chuckled, as if he had completely forgotten how he had encouraged Anaen to attack the Tohsaka family the night before.

He mobilized the familiars he had placed near the Tohsaka residence during the day, intending to scout out the situation there. However, before he even got close to the battlefield, a longsword suddenly flew over and stabbed his familiar to death.

His lips twitched slightly, and he turned to look at Yanan: "Speaking of which, should we join in too?"

Yanan glanced at him speechlessly. He had just said that the other person was impatient, but he couldn't hold back himself so quickly.

"Do you think a fight will break out over there if we go?" He picked up his black tea and took a small sip.

Kenneth paused for a moment, pondered for a moment, and finally nodded: "That makes sense."

"Let them have their fun tonight; there's no need for us to get involved. We'll get the news tomorrow anyway."

Yanan walked to the French windows and looked at the sparse smoke rising from the deep mountain town, his dark eyes revealing the same deepness as the night.

......

......

The next morning, Yanan went to the restaurant on the first floor to get some breakfast, then took the elevator back to his suite on the top floor and turned on the TV.

"...Around 11:30 PM last night, a natural gas explosion occurred in a residential area of ​​Fukayama-cho, Fuyuki City, causing extensive damage to houses. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation by relevant departments. Residents in the vicinity are advised to be cautious in the coming days..."

"Heh, now Tokiomi Tohsaka's dream of origin is completely shattered." Anaun chuckled and shook his head.

"Brother." A soft, sweet voice came from inside. He turned around and saw Sakura, wearing a blue dress, standing at the door of the room, her big eyes looking at him timidly.