Fate Grand Order: Broadcasting Master Love — Chapter 40

Chapter 40: The Siegfried Who Doesn’t Say Sorry

The scene on the light screen shifted abruptly. The claustrophobic depths of the previous cavern dissolved, replaced by the sprawling expanse of a desolate coastline. A salty sea breeze swept across the shore, carrying the sting of fine sand. Waves crashed relentlessly against the jagged, dark reefs, throwing up layers of snow-white foam that hissed as they receded. A crisp chill hung in the air, carried by the heavy ocean mist.

In the distance, the pale blue of the sea bled into the hazy horizon. Clumps of resilient wild grass clung to the moisture-soaked, deep brown rocks, swaying gently in the coastal wind.

The Chaldea team stood near the surf, their clothes snapping in the breeze. Mash tightened her grip on her massive shield. She turned to Da Vinci, her brow furrowed in genuine confusion. “What exactly does a coastline have to do with tracking down paint?”

Da Vinci raised an elegant hand, casually tucking a stray lock of windblown hair behind her ear. A confident, brilliant smile graced her lips. “Because there’s a distinct scent of calcium carbonate in the pigment,” the genius Caster explained, gesturing vaguely at the ocean air. “That means some of the paint must contain crushed shell components, right?”

Outside the screen, in the Fifth Holy Grail War timeline, the warm lights of the Emiya residence flickered. Emiya Shirou, still a half-baked magus at best, stared blankly at the broadcast. Hearing Da Vinci’s deduction, a look of deep, unexpected daze washed over his face. A helpless, wry smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“So it was just a result obtained through basic scientific deduction…” he muttered, subconsciously rubbing the back of his neck. Recalling the sheer absurdity of the various magecrafts he had witnessed lately, his expression grew incredibly complicated. “I really thought it was going to be some kind of tracking spell…”

Back on the screen, Da Vinci gazed out at the vast, rolling sea. “And that’s exactly why we came to the coast!” she declared in a lighthearted, singsong tone. “Well then, who is our next Counterfeit?”

As her words faded, the sea breeze seemed to hold its breath. Even the rhythmic crashing of the waves muffled into a low murmur. From the thick mist at the far end of the beach, a tall figure with long, flowing white hair emerged.

He was clad in heavy, silver-white armor that gleamed with a cold, unforgiving luster. His aura was eerily calm, completely restrained. He stood there silently, like a mute statue carved from steel, appearing noiselessly before the Chaldea group.

A faint, pristine white glow illuminated the corner of the light screen, unfurling lines of crisp text. It was a detailed profile of the newly arrived Servant:

Siegfried. The matchless hero extolled in the Nibelungenlied. The legendary Dragon Slayer who struck down the evil dragon Fafnir. A man who finds it nearly impossible to refuse the requests of others, yet occasionally fights for the justice he believes in. Widely known as “Mr. Sorry.”

The introductory text lingered for a few seconds before dissolving into particles of light.

Immediately after, the Master-Love radar function chimed in the corner of the broadcast. Pale ripples danced gently across the glass, bringing up a new prompt:

[Status: Not ML. However, Siegfried harbors absolute trust in Master Fujimaru Ritsuka. Even if the Master were to stab his weak point on his back with a sword, he would not hold a single grudge against them.]

In the Fourth Holy Grail War timeline, the cold moonlight spilled through the windows of the Einzbern Castle. Emiya Kiritsugu stood perfectly still by the glass, his heavy, dead-eyed gaze locked onto the Dragon Slayer on the screen. His brow furrowed slightly, his mind already running tactical simulations.

“This great hero…” Kiritsugu murmured, his voice a low, gravelly rasp. “He has the worst possible compatibility with me.”

He lowered his eyes, a vivid image already forming in his cynical mind—himself as the Master, issuing a cold Command Spell to assassinate a sleeping target, only for this towering warrior to look deeply troubled and politely refuse with a soft ‘I’m sorry.’ Kiritsugu’s expression darkened further.

Meanwhile, deep within the Tohsaka Family’s underground magecraft workshop, candlelight flickered, casting dancing shadows across the stone walls. Tohsaka Tokiomi, impeccably dressed in his formal crimson suit, observed the Dragon Slayer with a glint of genuine admiration.

“To think it is the Dragon Slayer himself, the preeminent great hero of Norse mythology,” Tokiomi praised, his tone dripping with aristocratic elegance. “He is quite a formidable Servant…”

He paused, and a supremely confident smile slowly spread across his lips. His eyes sharpened with absolute certainty. “However, no matter who it is, they cannot stop me from fulfilling the long-cherished wish of the Tohsaka Family in this war. Because the strongest Servant is already in my hands!”

On the screen, Mash stared at the mysterious, armored man. Despite his imposing weapon and stature, he was surrounded by a strangely gentle, almost apologetic aura. She blinked, stunned for a moment before a spark of recognition lit up her eyes.

“That subtly apologetic attitude…” she murmured, her tone softening with uncertainty. “Is it Mr. Siegfried!?”

Seeing his harmless, restrained temperament, the tension in her shoulders vanished. Her guard dropping completely, she subconsciously took a few steps toward the silver-haired knight.

Emiya’s expression hardened instantly. He stepped forward, throwing an arm out to block her path. “Wait, Mash!” he barked, his voice urgent and solemn. “He is also a Counterfeit. Do not approach him so carelessly!”

Mash halted, turning back to the red-clad archer with a defensive pout. “But when you talk about Mr. Siegfried…!” She tightened her grip on her shield, her voice ringing with absolute conviction. “Isn’t he known as the Saber with the most respectful, polite, and humble attitude in the entire Servant world?!”

She looked back at the silent knight, her eyes shining with trust. “Even if he is a Counterfeit, a core trait like that wouldn’t change, right…!”

In the Tohsaka Residence of the Fifth Holy Grail War, Tohsaka Rin rested her chin in her palm, watching the broadcast with an unshielded look of pure envy.

“It must be nice,” she sighed, her tone heavy with melancholy and helpless frustration. “A Saber who is the most respectful, humble, and polite… Why did I end up summoning an Archer?” As she spoke, she shot a deeply regretful sideways glare at the red-clad Servant standing beside her.

Beside her, Red Archer’s eyebrow twitched imperceptibly. His stoic expression didn’t break, but a flash of utter speechlessness crossed his steely eyes. ‘Who told you to use a random gem as a catalyst…’ he griped silently.

Back on the desolate beach, Siegfried listened quietly to Mash’s glowing praise. His calm, subdued aura remained perfectly intact. He offered a slight, courteous nod, his voice steady and deep. “That’s right. I feel very sorry for being about to hurt you—”

Before the sentence could even land, the atmosphere shattered.

The gentle, apologetic aura vanished, replaced by a razor-sharp, explosive intensity. Siegfried threw his head back, his voice booming with powerful, resolute fury. “I WILL ABSOLUTELY NEVER SAY ANYTHING LIKE THAT!!!”

“Awa… wa-wa-wa… wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa!” Ritsuka Fujimaru shrieked, stumbling back two full paces. The sheer, violent whiplash of the Dragon Slayer’s personality shift left the Master wide-eyed and sputtering, his face a mask of unbelievable shock.

“Fou—u!?” Fou, who had been comfortably nestled on Ritsuka’s shoulder, nearly jumped out of his fur. The little beast’s hair bristled into a puffy white ball as he let out a short, frantic cry of alarm.

Da Vinci blinked, genuinely stunned for a fraction of a second. Then, a delighted smirk touched her lips. She arched an elegant eyebrow at the flustered Master and his pet. “Well, Ritsuka and Fou certainly seem to have taken quite a heavy blow to their expectations!”

Mash had practically shrunk in on herself, taking a massive step backward. “I… I am also very surprised!” she stammered, her voice trembling with lingering shock.

Emiya stood frozen, his jaw slightly slack with sheer amazement. His sharp gaze locked onto the screaming Dragon Slayer. “What’s wrong with you, Siegfried?!” he demanded, thoroughly bewildered. “Those words don’t sound like something you—a man with such a cripplingly negative self-evaluation—would ever say!”