"We were supposed to be on vacation, but we still have to fight?"
Although Jiang You had explicitly told Gudako she could go back and rest early, she had followed him anyway.
"Seriously, what's happening here has nothing to do with you."
Jiang You thought to himself, "Didn't you insist on coming along yourself? It's like in those stories where if the protagonist just ignores something, the plot abruptly ends. This is purely you adding drama to your own role."
"You could have just turned around, gone back to the hotel, pretended nothing happened, and slept soundly until morning. This whole situation has nothing to do with you, you know? You've already seen the Magical Girl transformation—shouldn't you be satisfied by now?"
"Absolutely not!" Gudako refused without a moment's hesitation.
"Even though that Illya is an adult now, this Illya and Miyu are still ten-year-old girls. I can't just abandon them to face this danger alone! We need to make sure they're safe! It's our responsibility as adults!"
"Don't think I can't hear you calling me an irresponsible adult in a roundabout way! Kaleidoscope did the exact same thing!"
Jiang You realized he couldn't shake off this clingy nuisance. "Speaking of which, aren't you underage too?"
Noticing the unsettling glint in Jiang You's eyes, Gudako suddenly felt a chill of dread. She'd seen that look back in the Seventh Singularity—this guy was definitely up to no good!
"W-what are you... what are you planning to do?!"
"Ruby, Sapphire, since they're so unwilling to let Prisma Illya and Miyu face danger, let's have these two responsible 'adults' take on the fight instead."
Having already snagged the first experience point, Jiang You decided to indulge himself with some entertainment.
"Since they're both underage, they should meet the transformation criteria, right?"
"Theoretically, even adults could..." Sapphire began to explain, but Ruby cut her off by slamming her staff against the ground.
"Of course! As long as they're still young girls, they're qualified!"
Though Ruby understood the need to comply with Jiang You's request for the sake of the world's safety, she still preferred soft, fragrant young girls. Adult women? Get lost!
In truth, Jiang You hadn't given up on transforming Kiritsugu either. If he could convince Kiritsugu that this transformation would grant him the power to achieve peace, he was confident the man wouldn't refuse.
Imagine it: Kiritsugu, a Magus clad in a Magical Girl outfit, charging into battle with a machine gun, bringing "love and peace." The mere thought was hilariously eye-watering.
"Alright, no time for mourning Magical Girl Illya and Magical Girl Miyu's departure! Next to join the fray is—Magical Girl Ritsuka Fujimaru! And—"
Jiang You directed Hundred Faces, perched in the tree, to shine a spotlight on a girl with long, chestnut-brown hair.
"Magical Girl Hakuno Kishinami!"
As an aside, although Fuyuki had become a gathering place for forces from across the land, Medea had erected a powerful barrier to maintain secrecy. Having trained in the Seventh Singularity under Merlin's tutelage and acquired a wealth of rare materials from the Age of Gods and the Underworld, Medea's power was now on a completely different level—vastly greater than before. Weaker entities couldn't even sense it, while those with greater strength understood its implications and wisely avoided provoking it.
"So... I don't think I've said a single word, have I?"
Hakuno, forcibly transformed into a Magical Girl by Sapphire, glanced down at her costume with a mix of resignation and exasperation. She had only been accompanying Gudako, so how had she gotten dragged into this? Shouldn't Mash have been the victim instead? "Besides, Mash seemed genuinely interested. Why didn't you let her participate?"
"I-I wasn't..."
Mash was still somewhat embarrassed by such things.
"Because this is a humiliation play. Giving it to Mash would be completely a reward."
Watching Gudako squirm uncomfortably, Jiang You felt his mood lift, as she had recklessly advanced the plot.
"Besides, Mash is currently in Demi-Servant form. Her armor is already quite provocative; there's no need for her to transform again."
"What's so lewd about it?!"
Eggplant's pure face flushed crimson. She longed for Galahad's full-body armor, but such armor would adapt to its wearer, beyond her control.
Miyu, on the other hand, harbored a simmering resentment toward Hakuno for snatching her Sapphire. Unlike Prisma Illya, she craved power, and having her chance snatched away during combat training left her understandably displeased.
Sensing Miyu's frustration, Jiang You approached her, patting her head gently. He whispered, "Don't rush, Miyu. We have plenty of Servants here, and many more opportunities will come. This one doesn't matter." His words soothed her agitation.
"A Magical Girl... I never imagined I'd actually become one someday. Is this the power of the Kaleidostick?"
Gudako brandished the Ruby Wand, firing off a few Magic Bullets. This was the Ruby Wand's basic function, yet its power output was less than half of what Prisma Illya had managed when she first used it. It showed Gudako possessed some aptitude for spellcasting, but nothing exceptional—though considering she was the original user, it was already quite impressive.
"Still, Jiang You, you're such a cruel bastard! Making weak high school girls like us face enemies on the level of Heroic Spirits."
"You chose this yourself!"
Jiang You wasn't about to indulge Gudako. "If you're not willing, get down here and let Miyu and Illya take over."
"Hakuno-senpai, let's go!"
Having participated in battles before, Gudako understood that she would eventually have to face servants alone. This was an opportunity. Once she had gained the power to fight, she quickly adjusted her mindset, deciding to take the lead as the main attacker this time.
"..."
Hakuno's adaptability rivaled Gudako's, but she had experienced too much at once today. After traversing two worlds and witnessing two completely different fantastical realms (from Hakuno's perspective), she still couldn't catch up. After a long silence, she finally agreed to join Gudako. "...Alright, then."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
Prisma Illya watched anxiously as Gudako charged into battle, even though she didn't understand how to use the Ruby Wand. Even she and Miyu had trained extensively before attempting real combat. "Won't those two sisters get hurt?"
"You don't need to worry about her."
Jiang You had anticipated this reaction. "Our forces can easily overwhelm this Blackened Medusa. Look at Mash—the purple eggplant in that revealing armor—she's already prepared to provide support. Not to mention, we have countless Servants here, including Medusa herself. Just watch how the Messiah of that world fights, alright?"