Simulator in Type-moon, Starting with becoming Morgan husband!

Chapter 99: Ian's Indomitable Perseverance & Mashu's Embarrassed Affection

Actually, this isn't a difficult matter to understand.

The core meaning of the simulation battle is to help the Master candidates familiarize themselves with how to establish a relationship with their "Servants."

From this perspective, a "Servant" who lacks any information is effectively useless for a simulation battle.

The reason is very simple:

If you don't even know which "Heroic Spirit" the "Servant" you're using is, how can the Master understand the connection between their actions and the compatibility with the "Servant"?

Mordred, in front of us, is a perfect example.

Apart from the name, there's almost no further information.

Even the Noble Phantasm she possesses is a mystery.

A simulation battle like this is truly a waste of time.

Ian is a madman.

But he is absolutely not a thoughtless madman.

Ophelia is sure that if even she could think of things, there's no way Ian wouldn't have thought of them.

This guy is so twisted that even when insulting others, he still considers how to exploit that humiliation for his own purposes later.

He can be called despicable.

But it cannot be denied that this despicableness is the result of careful thought.

Looking back now, all his actions are highly exploitative.

He didn't deceive Mashu to sleep with him, but to make her, in this confused and vague affection, see the abnormality of the simulation battle as a secret shared between the two of them and hide it forever.

As for Ophelia, it goes without saying.

This guy's actions like "weeding" for her, were just to create a weakness to exploit.

Throughout the entire process, he probably never even felt any desire.

What was his goal?

Ophelia looked at Ian in front of her.

Perhaps the process from Artoria Pendragon to Mordred had led him to develop some misunderstanding that he thought was correct.

The so-called "seeing a Servant that shouldn't be seen."

What exactly is this guy scheming?

"..."

Ian smiled.

"Ophelia, so who do you think I want to meet?"

"How should I know?"

Ophelia turned her face away.

"I still don't understand why you dared to hide these things from Chaldea, so how could I possibly guess who you want to meet?"

"Morgan."

Ian answered straightforwardly, much to her surprise.

"I want to meet Morgan."

"Morgan..."

Ophelia repeated the name quietly, then suddenly came to a realization.

"You mean the King of Camelot, Morgan Pendragon?"

"Yes, that's her."

"This..."

Ophelia's brows briefly showed confusion.

"Why would you want to meet her?"

"You don't have a magic crest from a magi family, so you probably don't have any kind of family obsession that would make you need to meet her."

"That's right, so it's entirely a personal reason of mine."

"Can you tell me what it is?"

"No." Ian decisively replied.

"Because you're an excellent magus from the Clock Tower, what I want to know right now is whether my idea can be realized."

"..."

Ophelia hesitated for a moment, first nodding, then shaking her head.

She explained:

"In theory, it's completely possible."

"After all, the history of Britannia ended long ago."

"A person of Morgan's status would certainly be qualified to become a 'Heroic Spirit.'"

"But if you're talking about doing this in a simulation battle, I think it's absolutely impossible."

"Why?" Ian immediately asked.

"Very simple." Ophelia continued to explain.

"Even though I don't understand how you managed to turn Artoria Pendragon into Mordred."

"But there is one thing I can say with 100% certainty."

"That is——"

Ophelia looked towards the nearby "battlefield."

"According to historical records, Morgan Pendragon would belong to the Caster Class."

"But in the simulation battle, there is no corresponding data for this class, so no matter what you do, you won't be able to summon her as a 'Servant.'"

Ophelia didn't lie.

As an excellent magus, even though she had only used the simulation battle system once, she had already somewhat understood its basic logic.

Based on the personal feelings of others, the system generates corresponding data to recreate the "Servant."

She admitted that Mordred's appearance had truly astonished her.

But the fundamental principles certainly did not change.

At the very least, all the "Servant" classes remained unchanged, even with Mordred's unexpected appearance.

After presenting her thoughts, Ophelia expected Ian to quickly accept this reality, but she never expected to witness such a scene.

Ian looked as though his entire being had sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

His eyes, once filled with light, had now become dark, lifeless.

This expression had never appeared, even when he faced her mystic eyes.

Ophelia felt that something was wrong.

"What's going on… what's wrong with you?"

Ian didn't respond.

He only muttered: "How could it not be… Clearly, even Mordred can be changed."

Ophelia realized that deep within Ian, there was a strong obsession.

She quickly turned to Mashu and said:

"Mashu, immediately shut down the simulation battle!"

"Ian's condition is unstable!"

"Yes, understood!"

The virtual scene disappeared.

The three returned to the outside.

Looking at Ian sitting on the bench in the hallway, his hand holding his forehead, Mashu showed clear concern on her face.

"Ophelia-san."

"What did you say to Ian-senpai? Why did he end up like this?"

"..."

Ophelia thought for a moment, deciding not to tell Mashu the real reason.

After all, even if she knew, there was nothing she could do about it, and it would only add to unnecessary worry.

But what reason could she use to cover it up?

As Ophelia was struggling with this, Mashu suddenly spoke.

She hesitantly asked:

"Um, Ophelia-san."

"What exactly is your relationship with Ian-senpai?"

"What relationship?"

Ophelia didn't know how to answer at first.

She really wanted to tell everything Ian had done.

But at the same time, she also had to admit that—

This wasn't something that could be easily made public.

Having a man she just met enter her room and "help" her clear weeds in the garden…

If she said it out loud, she would have no face left.

Seeing Ophelia not answer, Mashu's throat trembled slightly, then, as if having made a painful decision, she said:

"Ophelia-san."

"You... you and Ian-senpai, are you two lovers?!"

"..."

Ophelia was stunned for two seconds, confirming that she hadn't misheard, then finally spoke:

"Mashu, what are you talking about?!"

"How could I be his lover?!"

"But—"

Mashu raised her head, her face full of sadness.

"Ophelia-san."

"You clearly came here with Ian-senpai today, right?"

Of course!

He had kept her all night!

"And you always stay close to him."

Oh my god.

It's not like he let her go!

"Just now, you two were talking so intimately."

Couldn't they talk?

Ophelia realized Mashu had completely misunderstood her relationship with Ian.

She quickly explained:

"Mashu, you've misunderstood."

"My relationship with Ian is not what you think."

However, upon hearing this, Mashu didn't look any happier.

On the contrary, she looked even more downcast.

"Ophelia-san, I know you're a good person and don't want to hurt me."

"But if—"

"Before I met Ian-senpai, he had already chosen you, then I wouldn't hold anything against you."

"Anyway..."

Mashu raised her head, trying to force a weak smile.

"I really don't have any merits."

"..."

Seeing Mashu like this, Ophelia understood more clearly the meaning behind Ian's words earlier.

The prolonged loneliness had made Mashu fall into a state of complete lack of self-confidence.

"It's not like that."

Ophelia shook her head, denying it.

"I have no such relationship with Ian."

"I'm not interested in him, I simply want to help him."

"So—"

"There's nothing like you think."

"Eh?"

Mashu raised her head.

Her eyes were filled with unexpected light and joy.

"Ophelia-san, is that true?"

"It's true."

"I see..." Mashu blushed, her eyes and expression full of happiness.

"Ian-senpai is still Ian-senpai as he always was."

"That's great!"

Seeing Mashu, who seemed to have transformed into a different person, Ophelia couldn't help but feel a bit emotional.

She hesitated for a moment before asking:

"Mashu, do you feel that way about Ian?"

"Eh?"

Perhaps it was the first time Mashu had been asked about her deep feelings.

She appeared very shy.

But she still firmly nodded and replied with a bashful voice:

"U-Umu... yes."

As expected.

But Ophelia wasn't surprised at all.

After all, Ian had initially used the excuse of "wanting to sleep with Mashu" to pursue her.

Although she knew that he didn't really have any such intentions with Mashu, the relationship between them was certainly not superficial.

"But Mashu—"

Ophelia looked at the petite girl with pink hair in front of her.

"You and Ian have only known each other for a short time, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

Mashu glanced at Ian beside her, and her gaze quickly shifted away.

"But every moment spent with Ian-senpai makes me feel so happy."

"I've never felt this way before."

"So, I..."

Mashu didn't continue, but Ophelia could fully understand that feeling.

It was like walking down the street and suddenly spotting something you really liked.

There were no signs beforehand, and no clear reason.

But from the first glance, you just knew it was something you loved.

However—

Ophelia felt it was still her duty to remind Mashu a little.

"By the way, Mashu."

"Although saying this might ruin the atmosphere a bit..."

"But... Ian might actually be very different from what you see on the outside."

"I'm worried that you might not be able to accept it when the time comes."

"Yes, I know."

Mashu sneaked another glance at Ian, then turned back to Ophelia, speaking in a tone like she was sharing a "secret" with a close friend.

"Ophelia-san, don't tell anyone else."

"Actually... senpai is a very perverted person."

When she said this, Mashu placed a hand over her chest, as if recalling something.

"He touched my chest twice."

"..."

Honestly.

If this was before Ophelia had met Ian, hearing Mashu say this would have led her to conclude that he was doing something immoral.

But the cold, biting wind beneath her body reminded her that Ian really hadn't intended anything like that.

After all, even when she had trouble moving back then, his final choice had been to make her feel embarrassed by "weeding" for her.

In fact, he didn't even want to teach her anything else...

Huh?!

Ophelia blushed.

No way?!

What is she thinking?

Why does it feel like she's ready to accept all of this?

"I see..."

Ophelia placed her hand on her skirt, hiding her embarrassing secret.

"That's fine."

"If he has those thoughts about you, maybe that's a sign of the next step."

Damn it.

What am I even saying?

But—

Looking at Mashu's joyful expression, Ophelia felt that this might not be something completely unacceptable.

Just as Ian had said.

That unchanged "hypocrisy" has no right to criticize the "base" joy that brings happiness, right?

But letting things develop like this—could it really be the right choice?

This question was even harder to answer than the knowledge-based questions at the Clock Tower.

Ophelia placed her hand on her forehead, feeling quite troubled.

And just then, Ian, who had been lost in thought for a while, suddenly stood up.

"Mashu, Ophelia."

"Eh, senpai, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Ian nodded.

"Then, this is for you—"

Mashu pulled out a phone.

"Yesterday, I noticed that you didn't seem to have a way to contact anyone, so today I got one for you."

"...It already has my number in it!"

"Ian-senpai can contact me anytime if you need anything!"

"…"

Ian took the item Mashu handed him.

"Thank you, Mashu."

"No need to thank me! I just want you to be happy!"

"Yeah, I am happy."

Ian looked toward Ophelia.

"Leave your contact information too."

Mashu was no longer worried about Ian's actions.

After all, Ophelia had already admitted that she didn't have any feelings for Ian.

There shouldn't be a problem with leaving her contact information, right?

But Ophelia had an unsettling feeling—she felt like Ian might have some hidden agenda.

Sure enough.

After adding the contact information, Ophelia saw her phone receive a message from Ian.

"Don't go anywhere tonight, stay in your room and wait for me."

"I still have something to ask you about summoning Morgan!"