At the same time, inside the Qlipoth Fort.
"Bronya, you should pick the Master role. I'll be the Heroic Spirit. I guarantee I'll cut down anyone who gets in our way."
Seele was brimming with confidence for this game.
Did anyone else have the kind of understanding she and Bronya shared?
"Uh… you want to participate?"
"Of course. Just the two of us."
Bronya looked troubled.
She wanted to join too, but they couldn't simply decide the spots by themselves. They still needed to consider everyone else's opinions.
She turned to the holographic projections of the Astral Express and the Stellaron Hunters.
"Everyone, do any of you want to participate?"
"Not interested."
March 7th was the first to shake her head.
"I'm not getting into a fight."
"I could participate, but I'm not interested."
Trailblazer (Stelle) also shook her head.
This game wasn't particularly appealing to her, and her participation slot was too valuable to waste.
The rest of the Astral Express crew expressed similar disinterest.
That left only the Stellaron Hunters.
"I'm actually pretty interested. Belobog, mind giving up the slot?"
Silver Wolf looked eager.
Other than team competitions, she had never participated in a game on her own.
Naturally, she wanted to give it a try.
"I'm interested too."
Kafka's enchanting eyes gleamed.
She liked this kind of game.
Defeat the enemy. Simple and direct.
"Then I'll be the Master, and you'll be the Heroic Spirit."
"Sounds good."
Seeing the two of them settle the matter so quickly, Bronya couldn't say much.
If they wanted to go, then so be it.
At the same time, intense discussions were taking place across every faction.
After some time, all participants were finalized.
Columns of light descended from the system.
A vast chamber appeared.
Aside from rows of tightly shut doors, the room was completely empty.
Without hesitation, Valerius walked to the door marked No. 1 and pushed it open.
"Jean? Barbara?"
Seeing this combination, he was genuinely surprised.
The two sisters were participating together?
A true case of sisters united, cutting through all obstacles.
Entering the room, Valerius took out a screen and handed it to Jean Gunnhildr.
"This is the Heroic Spirit Simulator. You can use it to simulate your life."
"Mr. Valerius, I'm the Heroic Spirit."
Barbara Pegg pouted and reminded him from the side.
Why did everyone assume her sister was the Heroic Spirit?
"Uh… Barbara… you are?"
"Is that a problem?"
"N-No, not at all."
Valerius had never expected Barbara to be the Heroic Spirit.
She was usually so gentle and quiet.
The thought of her charging into battle and fighting others felt deeply out of character.
"Well then, go ahead. Just press the Start button."
He handed another screen to Jean.
"And this is the Master Simulator."
"Understood."
Jean accepted the device, fascinated.
Experiencing an entire life through a simulation was truly extraordinary.
Filled with curiosity, she pressed Start.
[Age 0: You were born into a family with deep magical foundations. You are a girl.]
[Age 4: You are discovered to possess Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind magic circuits. Your family begins training you intensively.]
[Age 7: You enter the Clock Tower.]
[Age 11: You join the Department of Summoning and receive the rank of Fes.]
[Age 15: Your magecraft improves greatly. You receive the rank of Cause.]
[Age 17: You become a renowned genius magus and qualify for the rank of Brand.]
Watching herself advance through the ranks, Jean was speechless.
So magecraft had this many rules and systems.
Every prestigious family possessed its own ultimate goal.
And the Gunnhildr family's ultimate objective was… obtaining the Holy Grail.
"A little disappointing, isn't it?"
Other families had grand and lofty ambitions.
Reaching the Root.
World peace.
The survival of humanity.
How noble.
Her family's goal, however, was simply obtaining the Holy Grail.
And the Holy Grail War itself wasn't even that old.
Could this really be called "ancient family tradition"?
She sighed.
"I'd better see what Barbara got."
She turned to her sister's screen.
Then she froze.
On the screen, Barbara wore shining silver armor and rode a white warhorse.
She held a battle standard high.
Enemies surrounded her on all sides.
At her back stood only a little over a hundred armored knights.
"Warriors of the royal house, charge with me!"
With one command, Barbara led the remaining knights in a final assault.
Despite being hopelessly outnumbered, they smashed straight through the enemy formation.
Barbara personally cut down the opposing battle standard.
"This… this is my little sister?"
Jean's worldview shattered.
In ancient warfare, what was hardest?
Breaking the enemy formation.
Leading the first charge.
Slaying enemy generals.
Capturing the enemy banner.
Barbara had accomplished one of the most difficult feats with barely over a hundred men.
As the enemy standard fell, their army collapsed.
Barbara pursued the fleeing troops from dawn until dusk before finally ordering a retreat.
"Wow! I'm amazing!"
Even Barbara herself was thrilled.
She clenched her little fists and cheered excitedly.
"Barbara… what role did you get?"
For a moment, Jean wondered whether she herself could defeat this version of Barbara.
"Oh, I'm the princess of the Kingdom of Narcissus."
"A… princess?"
How on earth did you become a princess?
No matter how Jean looked at her, Barbara resembled a valiant warrior far more than a princess.
Valerius chuckled.
"You two keep watching. Once the simulations are over, you'll receive all of these powers. I'm heading to the next room."
"Alright. Take care."
Jean nodded, but her eyes were already fixed on Barbara's screen.
Her sister's life was far more dramatic than her own.
As Valerius left, he could still hear the sisters' astonished voices from inside.
"Oh no, she's surrounded! Barbara, you should've been more careful!"
"These ministers are awful! They keep bullying you!"
"Huh? The power-hungry elder princess is me?"
"These ministers are horrible! They teamed up with me to harm Barbara!"
"Wah! The enemy kingdom invaded! I… I got executed?"
Barbara's face darkened.
Big Sis, could you calm down?
And what do you mean by "teamed up with me"?
She had never imagined that in another life, her sister would be the villain.
And not even a competent villain.
She was manipulated by her ministers like a puppet.
In the end, the kingdom fell apart, and she herself was executed by the invaders.
Barbara couldn't help it.
She burst out laughing.
"Barbara, that was just a simulation. I would never betray you."
"Oh? Then if I'm eliminated during the Holy Grail War, will you team up with another lone Heroic Spirit?"
"Uh… well… that would be for Mondstadt's victory."
"Heh."
Barbara let out a cold laugh.
Their sisterly bond had clearly grown much weaker.
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