Director Edward

Chapter 196: "Fate/Zero" Setting Collection (2)

Caster Gilles de Rais was originally a nobleman with a fief, who served as an officer fighting against foreign invaders during a time of national crisis.

During the battles, he met a remarkable comrade named Jeanne d'Arc. Together, they collaborated and fought valiantly against their enemies, achieving great feats and even earning the title of national heroes.

However, their good fortune was short-lived. After one battle, Jeanne d'Arc was captured by the enemy and ultimately branded a heretic, leading to her being burned at the stake.

Despite Gilles's desperate attempts to rescue her, he ultimately failed.

After Jeanne was executed by fire, Gilles suffered immense psychological torment and retreated to his territory, devoting himself to the study of alchemy.

In a state of madness, he sought to discover the secrets of alchemical transmutation through blood, resulting in the torture and death of over 300 children, committing horrific atrocities.

Eventually, his descent into madness led him to a tragic end, as he too was sentenced to the flames, completely vanishing from existence.

Compared to the stories of the other two Heroic Spirits, Caster Gilles de Rais's tale is fraught with more twists and turns, as well as grandeur, making the character much more three-dimensional.

Most importantly, the era in which Gilles lived bears significant similarities to the current empire, allowing its citizens to more easily relate to his story, even feeling as if such a figure might truly have existed on the empire's soil.

Thus, after reading the detailed introductions of the three Heroic Spirits, a lively discussion broke out among the patrons in the tavern.

"I never expected that the seemingly mad and inhumane Caster was once such a person; it completely exceeded my expectations."

"Yeah, it's shocking that he was a general defending his country before descending into madness."

"People have two sides; no one is born evil. However, even so, given the grave mistakes Caster made in his past, he certainly isn't deserving of sympathy."

"By the way, who is this Saint Joan? I think I saw a fleeting figure in the movie, was that the saint from Caster's memories?"

"I saw it too! She was truly a beauty. I hope we get to see her appear again in the later films."

"…"

The conversations buzzed around the tavern.

Emperor Hubbard, having also finished reading the Heroic Spirit setting collection, remarked thoughtfully, "To fall from a national hero to a murderer, sometimes the catastrophic results of a shattered belief truly surpass human imagination. I remember that throughout the empire's history, there have been many once upstanding individuals who fell into darkness due to a moment's lapse in judgment."

"Indeed."

General Wilhelm nodded in agreement, "While such occurrences are rare among knights, they are quite common among mages. Those who originally pursued truth have, feeling the weight of their limited lifespans, resorted to dark magic to turn themselves into undead beings, resulting in numerous tragedies. Such events are not uncommon in the history of the empire."

"Undead, you say? That reminds me, the previous Master of the Mage Tower, the Dean of the Imperial Mage Academy, was a similar case," one of them commented.

"Oh, are you referring to him? His situation was quite unique, so I think he shouldn't really be used as an example," another replied.

"Ha, that's true," laughed Emperor Hubbard.

Just then, he noticed that the orc prophet beside him was gazing at the book in his hands with a serious expression.

Emperor Hubbard, curious, walked over and discovered that the orc prophet was not reading the "Fate/Zero Heroic Spirit Setting Collection," but rather flipping through another booklet, the "Steins;Gate Character Collection."

However, the orc prophet was not focused on the various characters from the film, but was instead intently examining the magical alchemy props that were listed at the end of the booklet.

Although many of these items were nonsense that Durin had whimsically included and might not be feasible to create, the orc prophet regarded them as something incredibly significant, paging through the booklet without pause.

Seeing this, Emperor Hubbard furrowed his brow slightly. He didn't connect the old man to being a spy from an enemy nation; he simply viewed him as someone with an unusual interest in such items.

---

At the Imperial Mage Academy.

The stories of the three Heroic Spirits also sparked a significant reaction among the mages.

After hearing the tales of their lives, the mages could not help but engage in various discussions.

"I never expected these Heroic Spirits had such extraordinary lives. It's truly a lament that after their deaths, they become Servants, manipulated by a group of magi."

"But that's also their own choice. The reason Heroic Spirits are summoned by the Holy Grail is that they have an attachment to it; if it weren't for their desire to rectify their regrets, they wouldn't allow themselves to be controlled."

"Speaking of which, what exactly is the state of a Heroic Spirit after death? Where do their souls go? How are they summoned by the Holy Grail?"

"If you're asking me, who should I ask? The movie didn't explain that."

"Right? 'Fate/Zero' has offered almost no explanations about the nature of Heroic Spirits so far. While it has discussed much about the magic aspects, it's still quite incomplete."

"It's simply not enough! I think if they were to make a setting collection, it should be at least ten times the thickness of this one!"

"Exactly! I strongly urge the publication of a complete 'Fate/Zero' setting collection, at the very least to clarify many of the concepts within it!"

"Come on, the movie isn't even finished yet! What do you need a setting collection for? Instead, you should take a look at those magical alchemy devices in 'Steins;Gate.' I think these are really interesting, and many of them can even be made right now."

"Speaking of which, hasn't the Mage Tower established a patent system? That means if we students create some of these items, we could apply for patents and make money while lying down, right?"

"Wow, you've got some lofty ideas! I'm heading out first!"

"Wait, you guys get so excited about making money? Fine, take it easy. Wait for me!"

"…"

In an instant, many students left the square, leaving behind a group of instructors and professors, who exchanged glances in bemusement.

While they weren't uninterested in the patents for magical alchemy items, as instructors, they couldn't bring themselves to pursue such things. They all turned their dark expressions toward Scar, clearly blaming him and Durin for including these items in the movie's setting collection.

In response, Scar could only smile awkwardly and say nothing.

After all, if he openly pointed out the obvious undermining of the academy's interests, he feared he would quickly find himself at the receiving end of some harsh retribution.

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