Xingyue, is Xiaokai also considered Kai?

The disruption of aviation has led to the degradation of inter-continental communication between cities in the new era. At Cape Canaveral, a space sanctuary, rocket debris is now covered with vines from the underworld, and the new humans no longer dare to explore the outside world.

This is undoubtedly a phenomenon that deprives people of possibilities.

Moreover, from another perspective, the Holy Grail will continuously distribute itself, transforming everyone's heart into the Holy Grail. Isn't this essence of elevating humanity itself to a kind of vessel for the Holy Grail War?

Or perhaps, humanity itself becomes the eternal Holy Grail War.

……

Tokyo, the capital of the underworld.

The global Holy Grail War that broke out in 2011 not only destroyed the physical environment, but also tore apart the natural cycle of the earth's veins, causing an imbalance in the concentration of spiritual veins around the world. This caused a strong aura of death to seep out from the damaged spiritual veins, forming the 'Yellow Springs miasma' in Tokyo, which is consistent with local mythology, or the so-called underworld.

The small number of people living there can be said to live with death every day, and the line between the dead and the living is completely blurred here.

After Eri arrived in Shinjuku as a child, the Tokyo Tower, one of the symbols of modern civilization that transmits signals to the world, was twisted and crushed as if punished by the fist of God, revealing a miserable state. The radio waves remaining in the tower resonated with the low-frequency resonance of the underworld, forming a dual pollution of physical and mysterious forces.

Without a doubt, the Tokyo Tower, which marks a new era, can be described as the 'Spear of the Amazuma' of the new era, its distorted form resembling the fall of a creation artifact.

On the underground ruins of Tokyo Tower, there is a sentence inscribed in a mixture of Japanese and Canaanite.

"The inevitability of human reason's closure, the ultimate destiny of all beings in the divine era—it's a cycle—"

"All creation will eventually end after the Seven Gates of the Underworld."

Chapter 468 The Legacy of the Borgia Family.

“My father is filling the communion chalice with wine again. The day before yesterday, he mixed 14th-century Spanish red wine into 20th-century Sprite and sold it as if it were the blood of Jesus—now all the vending machines in Shinjuku are spitting out grape juice.”

"If you ask me, we should just stuff the vending machines full of condoms. Remember that time in 1498? Those cardinals saw my father distributing condoms in Florence and actually thought they were some new kind of indulgences..."

Two young-looking saleswomen were talking. They were very similar in height, build and appearance, like twins. They were slender and pitiful, giving the impression of being as pure and innocent as angels. The two were the older brother, Cesare, and the younger sister, Lucrecia.

Known as the 'Borgia siblings', they were a pair of followers, and their father was Pope Alexander VI.

"Then Alexander VI set the price of the case at thirty silver coins each."

Novia used Eri's body to push open the creaking wooden door of the shop. "So, the prostitutes in Florence all had a box of them, and they even gave him the nickname 'Contraceptive Pope'?"

In addition, Alexander VI's main deeds during his tenure as Cardinal of Siena were hosting nighttime balls and parties with other bishops and other high-ranking clergy, inviting the city's noblewomen and ladies to participate. These parties were extremely licentious, and their "husbands, fathers and relatives were not allowed to enter."

The church during the Renaissance was a morally corrupt place, and regardless of any hidden reasons, that is how it is presented to history and to people.

"Oh my, what brings you here, lovely Eri-chan? Is there anything you'd like to buy? We can deliver to your door."

"Hello, Eri-chan."

Inside the Renaissance-style shop, incense wafting from the second floor was mingled with 15th-century Florentine arias. Upon hearing the voice of the newcomer, the Borgia siblings turned their gaze to the silver-haired Eri.

While welcoming Eri, the brother and sister silently placed a small glass of wine in front of the silver-haired girl.

In Shinjuku, Eri is a household name, for a simple reason: she has no servants and is the granddaughter of Chizuru Masato.

The wind along the Shinjuku coastline carried salty moisture, ruffling Erise's bangs. Novia could sense the girl's instinctive nervousness; it was probably because she couldn't handle someone who looked young but was actually quite cunning.

Cesare was the right-hand man of his father, the Pope, and served as an archbishop himself, wielding power both inside and outside the Vatican. Lucrezia, on the other hand, used her beauty, which was hailed as that of a 'celestial fairy,' as a weapon to repeatedly enter into political marriages.

What's most memorable is that anyone who gets involved with these siblings always ends up dying under mysterious circumstances.

In later generations, the Borgia family became synonymous with scheming and treachery, and their bloodline, obsession with power, and ruthless methods were fully displayed in Mosaic City... Of course, in addition to this, there were also scandalous rumors about the brother and sister actually having an affair while they were alive.

Therefore, this new world, far removed from the original Holy Grail War and filled with the praise of peace, has become their best stage to shine.

Since an eternal utopia is impossible, as long as people live, they will have desires. It's not that they will be satisfied just because they are immortal. Desires will gradually increase, which is why evil Servants can actually live quite well because of this.

"I'm still a minor, I appreciate your kindness... but of course I'm here to ask for your help."

Eri, with silver hair, chuckled softly as she pushed away the distilled liquor with one hand. "I'm here to discuss information—about my eligibility to participate in the Holy Grail Tournament."

"I'm very sorry, Eri, but according to the information released by the city intelligence network, the Holy Grail War elimination tournament has a strict process. We can't get close to the city management AI in charge of the tournament, and not to mention that ordinary Servants are not allowed to participate..."

Cesare was stirring his cappuccino with the barrel of his pistol, the Latin inscription 'In the Name of Novia' on the butt of the gun appearing and disappearing in the foam. "Besides," he said, "without a Servant, you're doomed to die. Under normal circumstances, it's impossible for a human to defeat a Servant."

"But intelligence networks are one thing..."

Novia touched the crack in Eri's left ear.

This was a long time ago when Chizuru Masato accidentally cut Eri's hair. Because Eri didn't cry or make a fuss at the time, Chizuru didn't notice until she bled a lot. And because the cut was almost halfway through, the ear has not recovered to a normal state to this day.

"Participating in the Holy Grail Tournament as a human is certainly a crime, but violating the privacy of others is also severely punished in Mosaic City. That being said, if you hesitate for fear of being punished, then what kind of information broker are you?"

Upon hearing this, the expression of the older brother, Cesare, became slightly stiff.

"Don't be so disrespectful, I'm doing this for your own good..."

"Hehe, I really lose to you, silver-haired Eriyo."

Lucrecia, leaning lazily against her brother's back, chuckled softly. She reached behind her brother's shoulder and pulled out a bronze statue of the Seven Lords of Hell, gently wiping it with a handkerchief.

“Our highest principle as intelligence brokers is never to say no to our customers. Don’t you agree, Cesare? That’s my father’s daily instruction.”

A slight surprise and dissatisfaction disrupted Cesare's original poker face: "...Yes, Lucrecia, of course that's true, Dad is right."

Immediately afterward, as the pink-haired girl's fingertips traced Beelzebub's twisted horns, dense Hebrew incantations suddenly appeared on the metal surface, followed by the release of a small astrolabe locked by a magic lock: "A Seleucid astrolabe from the third century BC, a genuine artifact stained with the blood of Antiochus IV. It can disrupt the city management AI's perception of the user for a period of time without harming the AI. Although it's an overkill, it's enough if you wish."

After conquering Jerusalem, Seleucid Emperor Antiochus IV intended to Hellenize the Jews, abolish the Jewish faith and traditions, and deem them illegal. He also converted the Jerusalem Temple into the temple of the Greek god Zeus, which is also one of the prototypes of the Antichrist.

"So what is the price, Ms. Lucrecia?"

“A few days ago, our father’s Master went berserk and used the Shroud of Relic to shred twelve automatons at the Shinjuku Cafe. Even though Chesare and I managed to get them out of the therapy room, they were back in for group therapy just two days later.”

Lucrecia tossed the silk handkerchief she had used to wipe the demon statue into the brazier beside her, and then leaped onto the sales counter.

"Three days. If you can calm that old man and his Master down and get them out of the therapy room, my brother and I will give you a star chart stained with Antiochus IV's true blood, allowing you to participate in the Holy Grail War as you wish."

Group Psychotherapy – A strategy proposed by the city's management AI to take care of Masters who "have no desires" or "completely refuse help from others" but summon Heroic Spirits that they regard as a burden. Most of the participants are older generations of humans who suffered psychological trauma in the previous war.

For example, someone who suffered psychological trauma from witnessing a Servant kill their family during the Holy Grail War and developed Servant phobia.

"absolutely okay."

The silver-haired Eri turned and left the hall without looking back.

This wasn't Novia's idea, but Eri's. She was already feeling suffocated by the atmosphere between these brother and sister Servants... If it weren't to avoid Eri fainting during the body transfer later, Novia would honestly like to talk to the brother and sister more.

After all, he had never met the brother and sister when he was invited to Rome by Leonardo da Vinci during his time in Central and South America.

"Come again next time, little silver-haired Erise."

"We're waiting for you."

The brother and sister behind the counter waved goodbye and watched the silver-haired Eri leave.

"...You're so generous today."

After Eri walked out of the shop, Cesare watched as Lucrecia drank the cappuccino he had mixed.

"They actually gave this kid the real thing."

He could immediately tell that what his sister had brought out was genuine, not a counterfeit product.

"It's the same for everyone; it's all about high risk and high reward."

Lucrecia's pale fingers traced the butt of Cesare's gun. "Cesare, you really do care about Eri Se, don't you?"

"That's because she's too young, and she's also Chizuru Masato's granddaughter..."

Cesare could laugh off Eri, who was a Servant-less individual, but he had to take Eri, the granddaughter of Chitose Manazuru, very seriously. After all, Chitose Manazuru and Lucius were the creators of the New World, and their strength should not be underestimated.

Even though there are rumors circulating that the two have a bad relationship and that Eri is often "beaten up" by Lucius, that is ultimately a family matter. If outsiders interfere, things could get complicated. Cesare doesn't think anyone is like his father, treating his child as a "necessary sacrifice for the church's redevelopment."

after all.

Cesare touched the Latin inscription on the stock of his pistol.

This is the legacy of my father, no, it's the legacy of the entire Borgia family.

"It doesn't matter."

Lucrecia rested her chin on her hand on the counter. "At worst, we'll all get group psychotherapy. If that doesn't work, we can sell information somewhere else. If Shinjuku doesn't work, then Akihabara, Tokyo... oh wait, forget about that. Maybe we should just run back to Rome..."

Ceresa sighed, "Rome already marked us because of the mess my father made. If we get marked again, we won't be able to stay here in Japan anymore. We'll have to go to London or Paris..."

In the new era of Fr, all the mosaic cities were reorganized into metropolitan units according to the power of the Holy Grail, and were reborn as new locations. These reorganized metropolitan areas are collectively known as 'Mosaic Cities'.

As for Servants who dare to endanger the city's order, once their Spirit Origin is marked with an identification mark, the streets will not supply them with magical energy. Moreover, if they merely remain on the streets, the magical energy of the streets will gradually become a poison that erodes their Spirit Origin. At the same time, there is also a temporary identification mark that allows them to be located in the city as long as they wear it.

It can only be said that the current 'Holy Grail' for managing cities can be seen to some extent as a manifestation of 'artificial intelligence' in the early years of humankind. After all, under the influence of the Holy Grail, new humans will not die, and even any Servants who may endanger the city will be dealt with in a timely manner.

"It's alright, it's alright. If all else fails, we can ask Lucius to plead for us. After all, we're part of the Church."

"Then I still think it would be better to switch to a different class, since there are really very few church members in the assassin class..."

Cesare gripped the Latin inscription on his pistol dejectedly. "Still looks like a child. I'm too ashamed to tell Lord Lucius that I'm Cesare."

Nicolas Rochiavelli used Cesare as a model for his masterpiece "The Prince." Later generations, such as Hitler and Mussolini, worshipped Cesare. Historians call Cesare "the devil" and say that he is "the Mephistopheles of the Renaissance."

"But does Eri really not have a Servant? I always feel that her personality changes quite a bit between her silver hair and her black hair. Could she be some kind of parasitic concept Servant? But Lord Lucius shouldn't be indifferent to things."

"Perhaps it's a kind of personality split caused by forcibly summoning a Servant, which is quite normal among mages."

Lucrecia narrowed her eyes and smiled sweetly, "After all, our city's administrator, Princess Manazuru, is a very pure magician."

Since Chitose Manazuru always wears that black sailor uniform from the Meiji era, and she is Eri's grandmother, the people of Shinjuku speculate that she is over a hundred years old. As for her appearance... well, she has become the victor of the Holy Grail War and the creator of the new world, so that's not a big problem.

Cesare pulled out a gilded pen and began to silently write the Latin word for 'Novia' on the paper he had taken out:

"I don't believe that Lord Lucius, who has followed Lord Novia his entire life, would listen to the words of a mere magician..."

……

Two hours later, at the Shinjuku Group Psychotherapy Center.

Just like a large hospital in the new era, this place is filled with a complex atmosphere of lavender essence mixed with anxiety. In addition to New Humans who simply do not want Servants, there are also a few New Humans who have a very bad relationship with Servants.

While the Holy Grail is theoretically the best match, there are still a few exceptions. For example, someone who dislikes the Servant they have summoned and plans to summon them again on their own. In Mosaic City, this would be considered a crime, which means eliminating the possibility of crime in advance.

Paracelsus, who was in charge of the reception hall, had a table in front of him filled with all sorts of strange potion bottles, the liquids inside shimmering with multicolored light.

"Your Servant has blown you away again due to his Noble Phantasm going out of control? This is the latest 'Spirit Origin Stabilizer,' which will calm your Servant down for at least three hours. The side effect may be that he will temporarily turn into a pig. It was made with reference to Circe's suggestion."

"...Is this really okay?"

"Of course, no problem. I'm an authority on alchemy. If there's any trouble, you can go next door to find Nurse Nightingale."

Each group psychotherapy center in major cities is equipped with different Servants, and in Shinjuku, it is Nightingale and Russellsus.

At this moment, in the clinic under Nightingale's supervision, the Crimean angel, dressed in a white nurse's uniform, was administering electroshock therapy to Blackbeard: "Excellent! Release your aggression through role-playing! The effect will be even better if the voltage is increased to the maximum level of your Spirit Origin!"

However, Blackbeard, whose limbs were swaying from the electric shock, kicked the spirit particle detection machine: "I'm going to blow that damn vending machine up! Last time I put in 'coins I found at the arcade,' it spat out a bottle of lust-inducing energy drink. After drinking it, everyone looks like Astolfo!"

Suddenly, a piercing alarm blared in the examination room. Nightingale turned the defibrillator to maximum power: "What classic cognitive dissonance! I recommend a prefrontal cortex procedure..."

Despite the fearsome nature of Nightingale's treatment methods, her cure rate was 100%, because every Servant and Master who received her psychological therapy became exceptionally 'healthy'—at least according to Nightingale's definition.

However, compared to Blackbeard, the other Servants in the clinic are currently shining brightly.

Medea waved her wand and spoke to Blackbeard, who was being treated: "Be content, pirate. A few days ago, I used Medusa's hair to insert a coin, and it spat out a bottle of 'petrification antidepressant.' The instructions say that staring at the bottle for three hours a day can cure love-struck brains."

"You have the nerve to talk back to me! Don't think I didn't see you secretly buying this 'special offer' drink from the vending machine in the middle of the night, claiming it would temporarily make you forget the stupid thing you did by summoning your ex-husband with your wedding ring!"

"Shut up! Nurse, I'll give you magic power, turn the shock power up to overload!"

As for Novia and Eri, Alexander VI silently made the sign of the cross on his chest.

"Lord, please forgive these heretical lunatics who treat salvation like a variety show..."

"You shameless old bastard."

Upon hearing this, the reddish-brown-haired man beside him spoke up, "Save your breath. You were way worse back when you sold indulgences to buy mistresses."

"……explain!"

In an instant, Alexander VI's scepter pressed against the reddish-brown man's throat. "Shakespeare! Why do you insist that I sold indulgences to buy mistresses!"

Shakespeare ignored the scepter poking his throat and chuckled, "I remember a few years ago you were kicked out of Rome for running some 'Medieval E-commerce Revival Project' because you put a lubricant purchase link on the Papacy's website..."

"But the sales figures did exceed the target!"

Alexander VI waved his left hand, instantly unfolding a holographic report. "The Easter special offer also comes with an electronic indulgence, supporting bank payments in major cities around the world. Won't this directly boost the church's revenue for the next few decades? Also, I haven't put the 'Cain's Family Delight Set Meal' on the menu yet, which includes Abel's lamb soup and thorn salad. The first three customers each day will receive a 'Parricide Alliance' commemorative bracelet!"

Shakespeare rolled his eyes: "Will they also be selling limited-edition Sacred Mark fries, which, when dipped in Sacred Blood ketchup, unlock a hidden 'Apocalypse' emoji?"

"Alright, thanks to Medea's help, Blackbeard is now back to normal. We'll observe him again to see if he will confess his love to his Master who also loves otaku culture, and if he will climb into bed in the middle of the night and lock his Master up with his hands and feet."

Nightingale rose, holding a massive scalpel in one hand and an axe in the other, her bloodshot eyes filled with unwavering resolve. She addressed Alexander VI: "Post-traumatic stress disorder. I recommend removing the hippocampus from the spirit core..."