Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

In just two rounds, the two-handed wooden swords knocked the wooden spear away, followed by a horizontal slash that sent the android flying.

"Too weak, too weak, too weak!"

Mordred slung the wooden sword over his shoulder and looked down at the artificial life form on the ground.

This android with shoulder-length silver hair is named "Dur," and is the leader of the Yggdrasil androids and commander of their combat forces.

Despite possessing top-tier combat skills and physical abilities among androids, she was still unable to withstand Mordred's slash—even though it was merely a sword strike swung by the Rebellious Knight in a playful mood.

"……Well."

With his companion's help, Duer stood up, and Mordred snorted dismissively.

"Do weaklings like you really want to stay here and participate in the Holy Grail War?"

Stop joking around. You'd better find a hole to hide in... This isn't a place for trash like you to show yourselves."

Not long ago, Fiore, the acting patriarch of the Yggdrasil, announced that she would cancel the mandatory participation of androids in the war.

She gave the homunculus the right to choose: to leave on its own or to continue serving Yggdrasil.

Duer chose the latter.

However, as a combat-use android, she is not good at housework, so even if she stays, she can only continue to fight.

After hearing about this, Mordred secretly came to find him without Shirou's knowledge.

She forced the androids to teach her under the guise of "sword sparring," and then beat all the android combatants, including Dürer, to a pulp.

The objective—of course—is to demand that they stop interfering in the Holy Grail War.

"I think raising human children is a much more suitable job for you than fighting, hahaha!"

"...!"

Duer bit his lip in humiliation.

Hey~

So even androids with sparse emotions can show this kind of expression when faced with ridicule—

The girl's human-like behavior only made Mordred more irritated.

"If you understand, get out of here! There's no place for you in this castle anymore!"

"……I reject."

Duer took a wooden gun from his companion, readjusted his stance, and stared at Mordred with blood-red eyes.

"Are you... gone mad?"

Mordred scoffed unhappily.

The next instant, her figure disappeared from the android's sight.

The instantaneous acceleration achieved through "mana release" is a commonplace matter for Heroic Spirits.

However, to the androids, the blonde girl's movements were so fast that even their enhanced vision couldn't keep up.

Duer made a preemptive block based on his extensive experience.

If Mordred were a more cunning warrior, her defenses certainly wouldn't have worked.

Fortunately, Mordred is a rebellious knight who fights by instinct, and her sword is devoid of any tricks or schemes.

The wooden sword clashed with the wooden spear, but...

With a sharp "crack!", Mordred broke the wooden gun in the android girl's hand with brute force.

"...Aaaaaah!"

Duer was punched in the head and flew out again with a scream.

"Hmph... If I don't teach you a lesson, you'll take advantage of me."

Mordred clicked his tongue, glanced at the girl bleeding profusely on the ground, and turned to leave the courtyard.

Now that things are done here, go back and play with your father!

"Wait a moment……"

A weak voice rang out.

Mordred was taken aback at first, then looked utterly speechless.

The blood gushing from Duer's forehead stained her white clothes crimson.

Even so, she still gripped the broken wooden gun tightly and stood up from the ground, trembling.

"..."

Mordred narrowed his eyes.

She saw a certain determination in the android's eyes.

why?

Why go to such lengths?

"………………hiss."

Mordred looked up at the starry sky and took a deep breath.

She calmed the turmoil churning in her chest and asked as calmly as possible.

"Hey, answer the question, puppets—what are you fighting for?"

After a brief silence, Duer replied, "To repay a debt of gratitude."

To repay...a debt of gratitude...?

Mordred found the answer laughable.

You are just tools used by magicians.

They were given short lives, their magic drained like batteries, and forced to go to their deaths on the battlefield...

You, who have never been treated as human beings, actually want to repay those cold-blooded magicians!?!?

Wait... could this be the Stello something-something syndrome that Father King mentioned before...?

The persecuted party develops feelings of admiration, dependence, and sympathy for the perpetrator...

madness!!!

Mordred's displeasure turned into anger.

"I understand. Since you're so eager to die... I'll grant your wish."

Since we're going to die anyway, there's no difference between dying on the battlefield and dying here, right?

That's what Mordred thinks.

The crimson lightning that shot from the girl's palm burned the wooden sword to ashes—she gripped the silver magic sword tightly.

"You should bring out the real deal... although it doesn't matter what you use, the result will be the same."

Amid Mordred's jeers, Duer raised her beloved halberd.

This axe-spear, longer than even the user's height, could only be wielded by a combat-grade android with superhuman strength.

Compared to the intense killing intent emanating from the rebellious knight's petite body, it was utterly insignificant.

Anyone could see the difference in their abilities; this was not a "duel" at all, but simply an "execution."

But everyone present—

None of the girls in the android unit stopped them; they watched helplessly as their commander challenged an opponent he could never win.

These androids have all gone mad...

With that thought in mind, Mordred took a step forward.

Duer was on high alert, but Mordred was as relaxed as if he were taking a stroll.

The android girl's all-out thrust was blocked by Mordred with one hand, followed by a horizontal kick to her abdomen.

"Well……!!"

Duer collapsed for the third time, his face contorted in pain.

Of course, this is the last time—

Mordred raised the demon sword above his head and slashed it down at the artificial life form girl.

“Gold came over to me complaining that the homunculi were being bullied in the atrium, so he came to check it out…”

Mordred's wrist was grabbed by someone.

Despite putting all my strength into it, I couldn't swing it at all.

She glared furiously at the person who was getting in her way: "You're asking for death... uh, Father?"

"That's it."

Shirou looked at her speechlessly: "What are you doing, Mo?"

……

……

"Ah... I suddenly remembered I have some things to attend to, so I'll take my leave tonight! See you tomorrow, Father!"

Taking advantage of Shirou's momentary lapse in attention, Mordred broke free from his restraints and escaped from the courtyard.

"I'm sorry, Mordred isn't a bad person by nature... I'll have her apologize later."

As Shirou spoke, he came to Duer's side and began to treat her injuries.

"..."

The artificial life form did not show much joy at being rescued.

Perhaps for her, even if she had died just now, it wouldn't have mattered—

No, that's not right.

Shirou immediately rejected the idea.

He noticed that Duer's hands were trembling, a clear sign of fear.

Well... after all, it's Mo, it would be a miracle if he wasn't scared.

This android actually possesses feelings like fear and joy; she's just not good at expressing them... which is somewhat similar to Xiao Mo.

Shirou thought to himself, "If Mordred knew this about me, she would be furious."

“I heard from Gold that you plan to stay and continue fighting.”

“…Hmm.” Duer nodded gently.

"Is it because you don't want to see your castle get caught up in war?"

The android girl shook her head: "That's not it, we just want to repay a debt of gratitude."

Shirou's reaction to the answer was similar to Mordred's.

They cannot understand the thoughts of artificial beings.

Although the Yggdrasil race is willing to restore their freedom, this only offsets their previous actions—

It really can't be called a favor that needs to be repaid, can it?

Duer raised his head and said, "We are magical artifacts created for this Holy Grail War."

We don't have a strong desire to "live," but our lives are simply consumed and used at will according to the whims of the Creator.

But... there was a strange hero who treated us like real people.

The artificial life form girl had a somewhat cold and aloof face, but her eyes, which met Shirou's, were filled with a strong will.

Not only Duer, but all the other android girls in the courtyard were also staring at the red-haired boy.

"On the first night of the Holy Grail War, after you defeated us, you did not take our lives."

"That is……"

"Perhaps it is just cheap sympathy for you, but it is a great salvation for us."