Chapter 165: The Contestants
"In short,"
Eikou crossed his arms before his chest, seriously explaining:
"Senpai, this time the Holy Grail War is only for couples, so in order to participate we can only temporarily pretend to be lovers. This is a necessary sacrifice, there's no other way…"
Before his words were finished, in the hall another one or two pairs of Servants stepped in, among them the twin brothers Dioscuri from Greek mythology, namely Castor and Pollux. The two brothers had delicate, beautiful features, fair skin, golden hair, exuding a faint and fragile divinity.
The elder brother Castor strode up before Finn, opening his mouth and bluntly saying:
"My sister and I want to participate, just telling you is enough, right?"
"That's right."
Finn immediately helped the two siblings register.
"Wait wait wait wait,"
Eikou was slightly stunned, then quickly stepped forward to ask for clarification:
"Why can this pair of brothers also participate, could it be they are lovers?!"
Castor's attitude toward him was quite similar to Yu Ji's, both cold, but he still reluctantly explained: "Human, don't misunderstand, Pollux and I are only siblings."
"Isn't that even worse, why can people who aren't lovers also participate?!"
"As long as a man and woman declare themselves to be lovers, I can permit them to participate," Finn explained, "it's just that this Holy Grail War requires genuine romantic love between man and woman in order to display greater power."
"Damn it, then why were you asking me all those questions earlier, making me think that only real lovers could participate!" Eikou blushed and shouted.
Finn innocently shrugged: "I was only curious about your relationship, I never said you weren't allowed to participate."
"..."
Eikou was about to buff himself with full combo skills to punch this bastard once, but was still stopped by Yu Ji: "Forget it kouhai, when the Holy Grail War ends we can deal with him together!"
"Fine."
The two of them seriously nodded, already thinking of where they would bury him.
"Even though we also count as being at an advantage, Finn-sensei is really going too far, letting a pair of siblings participate in a Holy Grail War meant only for couples…"
Just then, another Servant registering stepped into the hall.
That person looked very old, but his spirit was extremely sharp, wearing a neatly buttoned double-breasted suit, with shoulders draped in greenish-blue butterfly-like decorations. He leaned on a sword-cane in his hand, atop the hilt was engraved a golden chameleon.
Just by looking, one could understand — although he was a gentle old man, he was by no means a harmless person.
That was none other than the professor of mathematics, Napoleon in the world of crime — James Moriarty.
Eikou widened his eyes in astonishment, staring at the white-haired crime expert leaning on his cane as he approached Finn.
"I've come to participate in the Holy Grail War of Love, registering with you here is fine, isn't it?"
The old professor calmly spoke.
Really, really? Eikou thought to himself, a sixty-year-old elder also wanting to participate in a couple's Holy Grail War, his style was completely out of place with everyone else, and yet he was so enthusiastic about it!
Finn nodded: "That's right, I'll help you register here."
At the very least he should be a little suspicious, right? This old guy didn't even bring a girlfriend! Just earlier he kept pressing me and Yu Ji nonstop, but when faced with such a suspicious person he didn't even bother to ask a single question!
Eikou's heart erupted in frustration.
But before long he could no longer hold back that anger, and blurted out: "Something's not quite right here, Finn-sensei, I have no objection to you letting this old professor join the Holy Grail War for couples. But he didn't even bring a girlfriend, or rather, does he even have a girlfriend?"
"Heh heh," Moriarty feigned pondering with a smile, "young man, don't underestimate the elderly too much, of course I brought a woman to participate."
Eikou thought to himself: you think I've never played FGO, huh? Who doesn't know you're set up as a lonely old man with no girlfriend, plus back pain, you having a lover would be the real miracle!
"Finn-sensei, this guy is obviously very suspicious, hurry up and ask him a few questions."
"Why do you keep calling me 'sensei'?" Finn was taken aback, but still asked: "Moriarty professor, you… when do you plan on having children?"
"Who told you to ask that, there's one thing I must make clear… using drugs, hypnosis, coercion, or deceiving women to participate is absolutely forbidden! Our Holy Grail War is a legitimate event!"
Before his words were finished, everyone already heard the voice of a clear young girl outside the door:
"Papa!"
A pink-haired girl with a sweet face poked her head in through the doorway, her bangs slightly covering her heterochromatic eyes.
That was Frankenstein.
"???"
Eikou immediately froze.
"You all see now," Moriarty pointed at Frankenstein behind him, saying to them, "the woman… I have already brought her!"
(Note: "In one Summer Event, Moriarty once took Frankenstein as his adopted daughter. Ken-chan is so cute~." The author said so.)
"You bastard, you actually brought your daughter to participate, that's even worse than the sibling pair! This is openly ignoring the rules of the tournament!" Eikou turned to Finn, "say it, sensei, this clearly absolutely cannot be accepted, right?!"
Yet Finn gave a thumbs up: "Father-daughter activity, approved!"
"You forgot this is an event only for couples, so it turns out as long as it's a man and a woman, there are no other requirements at all?"
Eikou was completely speechless.
He had seen enough of this farce, best that the Holy Grail War start already.
"How ridiculous, what kind of couples are these: one is a witch and a blond bastard, one is a pair of siblings from Greek mythology, and one is an old professor nearly sixty with his daughter. Isn't this lineup practically a punishment game?"
With his rich experience and intuition, he realized this Holy Grail War had already attracted far too many freaks, it probably couldn't be organized in any normal way.
Rather, it could be said that precisely because this Holy Grail War wasn't serious from the beginning, it had drawn in so many strange people.
In the end, how were they supposed to use love to determine victory?
This group of people had absolutely no love, they were simply here aiming straight for the Holy Grail.
Eikou looked at the clock in the hall, the hour hand slowly moving toward ten o'clock in the morning.
Finn closed the registration book, showing a rare serious expression.
"Registration ends here, next is the Holy Grail War that everyone has been waiting for,"
He declared solemnly,
"I, Fionn mac Cumhaill, this time will once again serve as MC and referee, bringing everyone a fair and just Holy Grail War… wait, why did I say 'once again'?"
"In short, this Holy Grail War is titled —— 『Holy Grail War of Love: My Beloved Wife is the Best in the World』!
"From now on, it officially begins!"