Super God: If I punch you, you will die

In short, from a historical perspective, this is quite valuable, and it looks quite magnificent, but Lin Yan did not feel that way.

"Alright, let's go to the next place."

"Good, good."

After confirming, Lin Yan immediately turned and walked away. In his hand was a map of Torifas city. It was a small, illegible piece of paper, the map portion mostly dark. Ruler hurriedly caught up, tugging at his sleeve.

"Um, that~"

"what happened?"

Ruler gave a slightly forced smile and pointed to a coffee shop on his right. It appeared to be a converted old stone building, with large glass windows forcibly installed after breaking through the stone walls.

0276 Open-air Tea House [Please Subscribe]

From the outside, it looks more like a pub than a tea restaurant. However, the building's sign says "coffee" and includes a note stating that they do not serve alcoholic beverages.

Outside the window, Lin Yan noticed several cramped outdoor tea tables.

“I heard from the nun who took care of me that the coffee at that shop is delicious and quite sophisticated.”

"I see..." Lin Yan nodded. Ruler had a beaming smile on his face.

"Then, let's go to the next place."

Ruler's shoulders slumped suddenly. He seemed disappointed, but Lin Yan found it inexplicable.

"what happened?"

"Lin Yan... Jun~ If it's alright, would you like to go to that shop for a cup of coffee? It's almost noon."

Before they knew it, it was already this time. Although Lin Yan didn't feel hungry, he knew that Ruler had a big appetite. It would be troublesome if he fainted from hunger again like before, so he decided to go along with her wishes for the time being.

"I...I didn't mean that at all..."

But Ruler was still frustrated for some reason. Lin Yan really couldn't figure out what that meant.

Aren't you hungry?

"Ah, no. It's because I'm hungry!"

Then there's no problem... Lin Yan thought to himself. Even based on the remaining time until evening and the places he had just visited, it would be more than enough to grasp the layout of Torifas City.

"Then let's eat."

"Ok!"

After ordering coffee and sandwiches at the shop, the two chose to sit at an outdoor table. Although the tense situation in recent days had resulted in almost no customers at night, there were still quite a few passersby during the day.

The weather was lovely, and quite a few people opted for the outdoor seating. Even so, there were still empty seats. The two of them waited comfortably for their coffee under the parasol.

"Awaited."

The waiter bowed respectfully and then served coffee and sandwiches.

Since Lin Yan had never drunk coffee before, he ordered the same thing as Ruler. He stared intently at the obsidian-colored liquid, completely absorbed in its flavor. Meanwhile, Ruler expertly added a generous amount of cream and sugar.

"Aren't you going to add butter and sugar?"

"The cream has no taste, but I already know the taste of the sugar."

Filled with curiosity, Lin Yan wanted to taste the pure flavor of coffee, so he picked up the cup and took a sip. Ruler's eyes widened immediately as he stared at him.

The moment Lin Yan gulped down his coffee, his expression immediately crumbled.

"What's going on? This smell..."

Such a comment, coupled with her expression that seemed completely out of place with Lin Yan, made Ruler burst into laughter. Seeing her laugh like that, Lin Yan turned his face away as if in a huff… The girl immediately apologized:

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"From a taste perspective, I think this expression and feeling are appropriate."

As Lin Yan, who was making a slightly agitated defense, Ruler suppressed a laugh while adding a generous amount of sugar and cream to the boy's coffee cup.

The originally pure black coffee immediately turned brownish-red.

Please have a drink.

Like soil… Lin Yan thought to himself, but didn’t say it aloud. Despite a somewhat awkward expression on his face, he couldn’t resist Ruler’s gaze, so he picked up his cup again and took a sip.

In an instant, his expression changed. Even his faint sense of taste could discern that it was a flavor created by a strong sweetness mixed with a subtle bitterness.

"It's delicious, isn't it?"

Lin Yan nodded, still looking surprised. So that's how it is… Lin Yan finally had a deeper understanding of the fact that "coffee is a beverage loved all over the world."

"I can finally relax."

Ruler's face immediately lit up with a smile. Lin Yan was a little confused by this unusual expression. Perhaps noticing that Lin Yan was observing her face, the girl shyly turned her face away.

"How peaceful."

"That's true."

The children were running around. They didn't seem to have any particular destination; they just kept running around the perimeter of the shop. A particularly young girl among the children was running desperately to catch up with the others, but she tripped and fell to the ground.

Ruler was about to stand up, but quickly sat back down. The children who had been running ahead had run back to help the girl up. They first helped the sobbing girl up, checked her wounds, and then told her it was just a minor scratch.

The girl quickly stopped crying. Seeing her like this, the children smiled wryly and carried her on their shoulders, while another supported her from behind, and they started walking again.

"Nothing has changed, regardless of the era."

Ruler gazed at this idyllic scene with an expression that was a mixture of nostalgia and tenderness.

Did you also experience that kind of era?

"Yes. I have three older brothers and sisters. Back then, we were basically doing farm work while playing. We were constantly running around until we were covered in mud."

Ruler spoke with deep nostalgia not of her past as Joan of Arc, but of her past as an ordinary girl from the village of Domremy.

"Because androids don't have a childhood, it's really hard to imagine your childhood."

Strictly speaking, it's more accurate to say they don't grow up, rather than having no childhood. While Lin Yan is an exception among exceptions, it's hard to say whether he'll grow up at all. Of course, if it were the Einzbern family, the alchemical dynasty that originated from the technology of creating artificial humans, they might be able to create artificial humans that are somewhat closer to humans.

But that would probably turn into a rather twisted life form...

"Even without childhood, I believe you are still growing."

Ruler said it casually. His gentle voice held a warm, inclusive quality.

Is that really true?

Lin Yan didn't have that awareness. He always felt that he was no different from when he escaped from the mana supply tank. Indeed, he had become stronger. But that was all because of the heart given to him by "Black" Saber, and also because he had obtained the Command Seals.

"No, you are indeed growing. Lin Yanjun has undoubtedly become stronger."

She clenched her hands tightly, gazing silently at herself from the front. Her eyes shone with unwavering sincerity.

"It's not just physical growth; you're growing mentally too... That's why I hope you can survive."

0277 Too many to choose from [Please subscribe]

"Why?"

"Because Lin Yanjun is free. After this war ends, you may achieve great success as a magician, or you may be buried in the world as an ordinary being, you may save the world, or you may destroy the world, you may do good, or you may do evil. You have all sorts of possibilities, and you can forge all sorts of paths."

"Ah, I think so too. There are indeed so many options that it's overwhelming."

"You can worry as much as you want, you can stop and look back. The most important thing is not to go back. After this Holy Grail War, I will return to my throne, and the same will be true for the Black Rider. That's right, in the end, all that's left in the Holy Grail War is wish. So, you, who have been redeemed, are a very precious existence to us."

A twisted life, a twisted spirit, yet an innocent soul still struggles desperately.

Rider "Black" saved him with pure prayer, while Ruler saw his strong will and decided to stand by him.

However, both of them were dreaming. They were dreaming of the homunculus who, having established their own "world," embarking on a journey after the Holy Grail War ended.

"Thank you."

Lin Yan smiled and shook Ruler's hand in return. He felt nothing but boundless gratitude for the kindness shown to him by Ruler and "Black" Rider.

But while they desperately wanted to live, Lin Yan was constantly plagued by fantasies of death. Wasn't death his destiny, the only thing waiting for him on his path?

Every time Lin Yan saw the black Command Seals, this thought would surface in his mind. He tried hard to ignore that vivid, intense, and stubborn idea. No matter when he was going to die, he had to do what he could before that happened…

"Oh, right, there's something else I wanted to ask you..."

Ruler finished speaking in a slightly altered tone, then cleared her throat with a "cough." Judging from her slightly embarrassed glance away, it seemed to be a difficult question to ask.

"What is it?"

"No, well. It's a bit embarrassing because it was a rather abrupt question..."

She fell silent at this point. Lin Yan, unsure what she was going to ask, couldn't react and could only stare at her speechlessly. After a while, as if finally making up her mind, she asked:

"Um, this is about Rider."

"Well?"

The Rider she was referring to was, of course, Astolfo from the "Black" side... which is Lin Yan's Servant.

"What's wrong?"

"No, well, actually, I've been a little concerned about this for a while now. Lin Yanjun, do you like Rider?"

"Of course. Rider is my Servant and my savior. He owes me an immeasurable debt of gratitude. There aren't many people I would entrust my life to without hesitation."

After Lin Yan said this with absolute certainty, Ruler revealed a somewhat ambiguous expression.

"Ah, um. No, that's part of it... but not entirely. So, from a human perspective, what are your thoughts on Rider?"

"From a human perspective...?"

Lin Yan began to ponder the matter of "Black" Rider again.

"Well... first of all, he's very lively. Just being around him makes people feel cheerful, which I think is a very rare talent. More importantly, his way of life is wonderful. That kind of wonderfulness... yes, it comes from purity."

Whether viewed in a positive or negative sense, Rider "Black" exists in a way that is as pure as a child's. They repay kindness with kindness and casually gloat over malice. Once they set a goal, they run straight towards it. The most important thing is whether that is "good" to Rider "Black".

That's a dangerous way of life where one wrong step can lead you astray. If Rider "Black" views evil as "good," then no matter how evil the act, he will act on it without hesitation.

"But Rider would never do that."

"Um, why...why would you think that?"

"Because Rider fundamentally lacks the thought of doing evil. To make Rider do evil would be like..."

Lin Yan pointed to his coffee cup, which was still half full, and said:

"It's like making him identify this coffee cup as food. For Rider, evil is something to be defeated, a mistake that must be corrected. The idea that he himself would do evil never existed in his mind from the beginning."

"That's a miraculous existence," Lin Yan thought. That's precisely why Rider "Black" is such an excellent Servant, and even as a human being, he's a figure worthy of respect.

Of course, he wouldn't deny that Rider "Black" is a combination of recklessness and chaos.

"Then, so what about as a woman?"

Upon hearing Ruler's anxious question, Lin Yan froze.

"As a woman...?"

Ruler looked awkward and uncomfortable.

"Yes, yes. Well, this might be a little difficult for Lin Yanjun to say, so I won't force you..."

This is indeed a difficult question to answer… Despite thinking this, Lin Yan still gave his answer. Indeed, even judging from the "dark" body shape of Rider, she clearly has a feminine feel.

"If I were to describe myself as a woman, well, I think I would be... very charming... right?"

I really don't understand. But Rider is undoubtedly very charismatic as a person, Lin Yan is certain of that.

Ruler wore a subtle expression, neither quite confused nor sad... After a moment, she leaned forward as if she had made up her mind:

"Well, then. I... no, in this context, I'm not referring to myself as Ruler... just... just an example. It's just an example, really. Suppose Joan of Arc existed here like an ordinary person, wouldn't you think she... would be very charming...?"

The girl spoke haltingly, her face flushed red with embarrassment.

"Although I think this doesn't need much explanation, I am an artificial human and I am aware that I don't really understand human emotions."

"Yes, it is."

"It might be very impolite of me to judge whether you are charming or not. If you don't mind, I'd like to think about it before I answer you."

"of course can."