Chapter 318: Arrangements

Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Arrangements

This banquet, forcibly opened, was interrupted by two sudden figures before the first cup of wine was even drunk.

The air rippled, and the figures of Ms. Herta and Stelle landed steadily on one side of the courtyard, right between Rider’s "entrance" and the castle window.

Ms. Herta was still in her witch’s dress, her long brown hair fluttering slightly in the night breeze. Her purple-black eyes calmly swept over everyone present, finally landing on the broken wall and Archer in the air, her brow furrowing slightly as if disgusted by the mess.

Stelle stood quietly half a step behind her, her golden eyes calm and unruffled.

"Ms. Herta?"

Irisviel was somewhat surprised, while Long Night Moon showed a look of understanding.

Gilgamesh’s gaze instantly locked onto Ms. Herta, his crimson eyes churning with the displeasure of being forcibly interrupted and the anger accumulated from the previous night.

But before he could speak, Ms. Herta had already looked away, as if he were just an insignificant decoration in the courtyard.

"A banquet?"

Ms. Herta’s voice was cool, with a hint of obvious mockery. "While half the city’s population might be about to be eaten clean from the inside by bugs, you still have the mood to discuss drinking and comparing mettle here?"

These words were like cold water poured into a hot frying pan.

"Bugs?"

Rider’s smile froze, while Weber was so startled that he hiccuped.

Saber’s anger turned into vigilance, her emerald eyes looking sharply at Ms. Herta.

"Explain yourself, Caster."

Archer’s voice was cold, but it also carried a hint of inquiry.

Although arrogant, he was not entirely insensitive to anomalies.

Ms. Herta didn’t beat around the bush; her explanation was concise and direct, stripping away all complex terminology and stating it in a way people of this world could understand:

"A parasitic curse based on water transmission. After ingesting contaminated water or food, tiny eggs hatch inside the host, drawing life force to grow. The final stage—"

She glanced at Stelle.

Stelle cooperatively spat out two words, her tone as flat as if she were saying "it’s raining": "Chest-bursting."

There was a dead silence on the scene.

Even battle-hardened Heroic Spirits were taken aback by the eeriness behind this way of dying.

"Confirmed case: Lancer’s master."

Ms. Herta continued, "The state of death matches the description above. Based on backtracking the diffusion model and signs of abnormal biological activity, it’s inferred that Fuyuki City’s public water supply system or deep groundwater is currently contaminated. The proportion of potential infected may be close to fifty percent. Early symptoms: persistent abdominal pain, diarrhea. Late symptoms: no need to elaborate."

"Fifty percent?!"

Weber cried out in shock, his face as white as paper.

He remembered the crowds of people he saw queuing for the restrooms on the road during the day... "That fellow Tokiomi..."

Archer’s crimson eyes narrowed, but the corner of his mouth curled into an arc. "No wonder he’s been hiding there today with such a terrible expression... So it wasn’t a magecraft backlash, but rather something interesting growing in his stomach?"

He was clearly more interested in this discovery than in the life and death of commoners.

In a secret room, Tohsaka Tokiomi, who was remotely listening through a familiar and trying to find out his daughter’s whereabouts, suddenly turned as pale as a ghost!

Abdominal pain... diarrhea... the symptoms that had tortured him for the past two days... water... He suddenly remembered the water source he usually drank from, which seemed to be connected to a certain spiritual vein in the city... Could it be?!

Panic flooded him like icy water; his pride as a Magus and his concern as a father wavered in the face of an extreme physiological threat.

In the courtyard, Long Night Moon’s crimson eyes narrowed slightly, and she whispered to herself: "The Propagation..."

This word carried a different weight in her mouth.

She needed to immediately report this critical intelligence to the Lady through a secret link.

Irisviel covered her mouth, her eyes full of shock and concern: "This... is too terrible! Ms. Herta, is there any way to stop it? Treat the infected? Purify the water source?"

"The cost of treating late-stage individuals is too high, the efficiency is low, and it is not feasible."

Ms. Herta’s answer was cold and realistic. "The only effective strategy: clear the source of contamination and block further spread. According to the source-tracing calculations—"

She paused for a moment and looked at Long Night Moon. "The source is located deep underground at the Matou Family residence."

"The Matou Family..."

Saber gripped her invisible sword and looked at Long Night Moon. "Miss Long Night Moon, that’s where you rescued Sakura from."

Long Night Moon nodded. "This was indeed an oversight on our part. The situation was urgent at the time, and we failed to investigate deeply."

"So, the solution is simple."

Ms. Herta concluded, her tone an unquestionable statement. "I need to enter the Matou Family basement and deal with that source. As for you—"

She glanced at Rider, Archer, and the people on the castle side. "If you want to help, or want to see for yourselves what almost turned you into breeding grounds, feel free. If you don’t want to go, it’s fine to stay here and continue your banquet. But don’t get in the way."

After saying that, she turned around, seemingly about to set off immediately.

"Wait!"

Irisviel said hurriedly, "Ms. Herta, it’s too dangerous for you to go alone! At least let Saber..."

"What does the plague of mortals or the life and death of ants have to do with this King?"

Archer’s arrogant voice interrupted Irisviel.

His crimson eyes gave Ms. Herta one last cold glance, and his figure turned into golden light particles, dissipating directly into the air.

Clearly, he had zero interest in dealing with such a filthy source, perhaps more willing to go back and enjoy Tokiomi’s potential embarrassment.

Rider stroked his chin, his hearty expression replaced by a rare solemnity. "Hmm... sounds like a massive plague. If left alone, not many living people will be able to attend this King’s banquet. Though the means are a bit dirty, bugs shouldn’t be allowed to block the Path of conquest. Boy,"

He patted Weber’s shoulder, who was still in shock. "Let’s go take a look too! Maybe we can help!"

Weber: "..."

(I don’t want to go see any bugs at all!)

Saber looked at Irisviel, who nodded firmly.

Protecting innocent civilians and stopping the spread of evil was the king of knights’ creed.

Tohsaka Rin heard this and could no longer hold back, shouting urgently, "My father! Is my father also... I want to go see him!"

Long Night Moon pondered for a moment and made a decision: "March 7th, you go with Saber and Madam Irisviel to help at the Matou Family’s side, and follow Ms. Herta’s arrangements."

She looked at March 7th, who was nervous but had determined eyes. "Stay safe."

"Understood!"

March 7th puffed out her chest. Although the absence of that Golden Flashy made her sigh in relief, the thought of going to a place that might be full of bugs still made her skin crawl.

"As for Rin and Sakura,"

Long Night Moon looked down at the two girls. "I’ll take you back to the Tohsaka Family residence. Firstly, to check on your father’s condition, and secondly, as a local prominent Magus family, the Tohsaka Family might have other methods."

What she didn’t say was that Tohsaka Tokiomi himself might be one of the cases that needed to be dealt with.

Irisviel nodded in agreement with this arrangement.

"No time to lose. Meet outside the Matou Family residence within an hour."

After Ms. Herta finished speaking, she said no more and disappeared again with Stelle.

Rider hoisted the wine crate, pulled Weber, who hadn’t fully reacted yet, and jumped onto the gordius wheel, leaving in a flash of thunder.

Saber nodded to Irisviel and Long Night Moon, also preparing to set off.

Meanwhile, near the Exalting Sanctum of the Xianzhou Luofu.

The Black Herta, disguised as Ms. Herta, was walking through the bustling streets with Stelle and Welt, looking for the guide sent by the Divination Commission.

Stelle looked around curiously.

Just then, the Black Herta received an emergency brief from the main body in the System Space:

"Residual contamination of ’The Propagation’ Path detected in Fuyuki City. Intensity: Low (deeply localized, fused with local insects). Diffusion status: Local outbreak. Deployment unit has intervened. Risk assessment: No overflow threat to the main universe; local forces can handle it."

The Black Herta’s steps paused for a moment, a hint of realization flashing deep in her purple-black eyes.

(The Propagation? To think that His legacy actually drifted to a place like that...)

(Fortunately, it’s just deeply localized residue; the level isn’t high, and its nature has changed. Long Night Moon and Ms. Herta should be able to handle it.)

She raised an eyebrow slightly, showing no abnormality, and continued to play the role of Ms. Herta.

(Speaking of which, according to the arrangements, Li Sushang should have arrived at the Loufu by now, right? Let her see the world; I wonder if the reception has picked her up.)

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