Could it be that her sword had actually made a mistake? Doubt crept into Salter's mind as she began to question herself.
"Ow, ow, ow... You're so mean! Please, let me go! My wrists and shoulders are killing me," Morrigan whimpered pathetically, leaving no doubt that Salter had indeed mistaken her identity.
After a long moment of hesitation, Salter released her grip and stood up, freeing the doctor. Morrigan slowly sat up, rubbing her sore wrists. She pulled her long, stocking-clad legs up under her skirt, sitting on the ground like a dejected duck.
"It hurts... You're so mean..." she sniffled.
Seeing her like this, Salter felt a pang of guilt. She couldn't help but apologize, "I'm sorry, Miss Morrigan. I mistook you for my wicked sister."
Despite the tears still glistening in her eyes, Morrigan managed an understanding smile. "It's okay. I get it, being mistaken for someone else. My mana wavelength is actually very similar to Morgan le Fay's, who wields the power of the island. I understand why you got confused. As long as you remember from now on that I'm Morrigan, not Morgan le Fay, we're good."
Salter was touched by her graciousness. "You're so understanding and forgiving, just like an angel. How could I have ever mistaken you, a true angel, for my petty, evil, tyrannical sister who doesn't have a shred of humanity? I'm truly sorry." Her apology was heartfelt and sincere.
Morrigan's smile was a bit strained as she faced Salter's heartfelt apology, but she managed to maintain a gracious expression. "It's... it's fine, really. You all just got here, so let me get your accommodations sorted out."
...
Shirou took a good look at the base. It was tucked away in the snowy mountains, blending in perfectly with the white peaks. The outer layer was covered in a shell of pure white snow, making it almost invisible to prying eyes. But this perfect camouflage wouldn't last much longer. With Skadi's reign now over, the frozen land's snow layers were starting to peel off and break apart, revealing patches of the base's true exterior beneath.
As he made his way back from scouting the area, he spotted Morrigan sitting on a small rock, sobbing and mourning. Curious, he walked over and noticed she was holding a book, flipping through the pages as she cried. It was a light novel called "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" by Gen Urobuchi. The author's name immediately reminded him of Kiritsugu's poker face, and he couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
Morrigan was so absorbed in reading the book that she didn't notice someone standing behind her. When she finally realized, she let out a cute "eek" and fell on her butt, startled, with teary eyes.
"Sorry about that. I saw you were so engrossed in reading, and I didn't want to interrupt you, but I ended up scaring you instead. My bad," he said apologetically, extending his hand to help her up.
"It's okay, I scared myself." She took his hand and rubbed her sore butt with the other as she stood up, giving him a smile. "I'm a bit shy, so it's my own problem. No need to apologize."
"By the way, you're not a Servant, are you? But this feeling... a clone? Wait a second..." He trailed off, thinking.
She was quiet for a moment before responding, "You're right. My real body is still sleeping in Chaldea. This is just one of my clones. It feels just like being a Servant, entering another body while dreaming," she explained with a smile.
Shirou nodded, thinking to himself that it made sense now why she felt odd, like a Servant but not quite. Turns out, she was a clone.
"But compared to Servants, I don't have any powerful skills or Noble Phantasms. I'm just a fairy who knows a bit of healing magecraft," she said with a smile.
He thought to himself, You're really being too modest. Then, turning his head slightly, his gaze fell on the novel in her hand. "By the way, do you really like novels, Miss Morrigan?"
"Of course! Oh, I know, do you want to read it? I can lend it to you. This novel is really good. It's about..."
She was just about to recommend the book when he shook his head and said, "Actually, I've read that one before. It's just..."
"I know, right? It's so sad," she sniffed. "The teacher, Kazuko Saotome, is almost forty and still hasn't found a lasting relationship. She's been single her whole life. I mean, from a human life cycle perspective, she's already entering middle age. Going through all that without ever experiencing the joy of love... it's heartbreaking. I'm on the verge of tears just thinking about it."
Shirou was dumbfounded seeing her feel so sad for the teacher, Kazuko Saotome's single status. There were many things in the novel worth crying about, but the teacher being single was definitely not one of them. Were they even reading the same book?
Just then, Chloe walked out from the base and approached Morrigan, looking anxious. "Morrigan, this is bad."
"What's the matter, Chloe?" Morrigan asked, closing the book and putting it into the small pouch tied at her waist.
"The blueberry trees that you and Illya transplanted on the back mountain have all withered!"
Morrigan paused for a moment, processing the news, before quickly heading towards the back mountain with Shirou following close behind.
In this world, blueberries were not only a manifestation of Skadi's divinity but also a crucial survival resource, equivalent to modern-day crops. When relocating the villagers, Illya and Morrigan had carefully transplanted numerous trees, planting them on the back mountain.
As Morrigan arrived at the back mountain, she found a crowd had already gathered. Squeezing through the throng of people, she saw the once-crystalline blueberry trees, their trunks now shattered like glass, littering the snowy ground. Far from bearing the vibrant blue fruits they were known for, the trees looked so fragile that a mere touch might cause them to crumble into dust.
After inspecting the blueberry trees, Morrigan shook her head and said, "It's no use. They're completely dead."
"How can this be? If it's like this, won't we have nothing to eat?" Chloe frowned, concern etched on her face.
Morrigan sighed, "There's not much we can do, Chloe. These trees essentially come from Skadi's divinity, and now that she has been defeated by Hel, it's only natural for them to wither." She paused for a moment before continuing, "It's just that if the trees here are already withering, then in other places..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but Illya and Chloe understood the implication. The trees at their base had undergone Morrigan's special magical treatment, resulting in a shorter growth cycle and longer survival time. If even these trees had withered, it meant that the trees in other locations had likely already turned to dust.
The villagers didn't seem too phased by the news. They were used to living in this bleak, hopeless world. But Illya, Chloe, and the others looked pretty grim. Coming from modern times, they knew just how precious and important food really was. Shirou had been through some tough times with food shortages before, and Salter had never had the chance to eat her fill, so she understood the value of a good meal even more.
...
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