Chapter 145: The treasure I desire most
Eikou and the boys stepped on the fine sand, returning step by step to the shallow water.
"Why did you all come back so quickly?"
Artoria Caster, who was building a sandcastle in the shallows, immediately noticed Eikou's low spirits.
"Don't mention it,"
He awkwardly swept his wet hair to one side,
"Only when I jumped into the water did I realize... I can't swim!"
"Uh, your reaction is kind of slow..." Artoria said shyly.
"I thought swimming was very simple, just jump in and you'll naturally float..." Eikou muttered.
"It's okay, you can build a sandcastle with me." She smiled cheerfully, "Because I'm also not good at swimming, I don't intend to go into the water either."
"Ha ha, that's fine then..."
Eikou's spirits immediately recovered; playing in the sand and splashing with Artoria sounded fun.
"Hey, Tristan, Gawain, Our King wants to build a castle, do you two want to help..."
He blurted it out and looked to the boys.
They were all staring fixedly at Tomoe Gozen in her competitive swimsuit.
The female samurai, swimsuit on, beautiful face and hot figure finished warming up. She took a perfect, graceful stance and dove into the water like a light blue butterfly dancing, the splash only sending up a few droplets.
"...Perfect score!"
Everyone praised in unison.
"Reporting to my king!"
Tristan saluted in an indescribably ostentatious pose,
"Your servant currently wishes to swim immediately, I beg permission!"
Swimming my foot—obviously he wanted to show off his swimming skills in front of the widow and take the chance to strike up a conversation, right?
Between helping Artoria build a sandcastle and going swimming to flirt with a married woman, Tristan immediately chose the latter. Truly disappointing for the Round Table!
Eikou complained silently.
Gawain, however, was unmoved; a mature woman like Tomoe Gozen could not sway his heart.
"My king, Sir Eikou, if neither of you are good at swimming, then allow me to instruct you in training." He smiled, "There will be many chances to play in the water later, you can't always just stay on the sand."
"But right now I prefer building sandcastles..." Artoria mumbled like a stubborn child.
[At that moment, the two instructors Finn and Arjuna Alter strolled over.]
[Just as Tristan said, the teachers were walking near the river and indeed encountered them again.]
[Finn carried a fishing rod and a bucket of water; he looked as if he'd just returned from downstream with a bountiful catch. Seeing you all, he waved cheerfully.]
[Arjuna Alter wore swim trunks and a swim cap, seeming ready to get into the water.]
"Ohya, aren't these my beloved students?"
Seeing familiar faces on the beach, Finn laughed heartily,
"You've come at the perfect time—I just caught fresh salmon. If you don't mind, I'll give you half! If you're not good at cooking, you can come to my tent later to enjoy salmon sushi made by my own hands!"
"Salmon sushi...!"
Although Artoria didn't know who the blond man in front of her was, she was easily tempted by food; her green eyes immediately brightened.
"Eikou, stop building the castle, come eat sushi with me!"
"Your intentions are too predictable..." Eikou half-laughed, half-cried, "Wait, sensei hasn't finished yet. We can do a few training drills first then eat, it won't be late."
"Deal!"
[Just as the atmosphere among you was harmonious and joyful...]
[Suddenly, an incident occurred.]
[Please perform a one-time "Instinct" skill check.]
A die suddenly fell.
[Score: E, great success.]
[You suddenly feel a strong wave of unease.]
[Following that instinctive warning, you turn around and see that Tomoe Gozen has already swum to the middle of the river. Earlier, her swimming posture was agile and powerful—clearly that of a master swimmer.]
[But now, Tomoe Gozen seems to be in trouble. She's flailing her arms and legs frantically, desperately struggling to stay above the surface.]
[At a glance, you immediately realize——she's drowning!]
"Look over there, you guys!"
Eikou immediately noticed Tomoe Gozen thrashing wildly in the middle of the river. Not daring to hesitate, he patted the person next to him.
"Tomoe Gozen seems to be drowning! I didn't see that wrong, did I?!"
"What...?"
Tristan and the others were startled and instantly looked toward where he was pointing.
"This is bad, it's true!"
"Tomoe Gozen's swimming skills are clearly excellent—why would she suddenly start drowning?"
The Round Table Knights all shared this same doubt, but they didn't dare to waste time thinking. They immediately sprinted across the sand and rushed toward the spot where Tomoe Gozen was sinking.
Eikou instinctively wanted to rush forward to help too—but then remembered he couldn't swim, so he stopped himself just in time, thinking: if I jump in now, that'll just make one more person who needs saving.
And at that very moment, he saw a die fall in front of everyone's eyes.
A bad premonition flashed through his mind—don't tell me it's another check.
[Everyone performs a Magic Resistance check.]
[Roland Saber, check failed.]
The first to fail—was Roland.
Eikou was shocked and couldn't help but look over at him.
"...Roland?"
Roland didn't seem to hear his voice. He stopped moving and stood dazed, staring toward the opposite bank of the river.
A dark premonition rose in Eikou's heart; panic surged, and he grabbed Roland's shoulders, shaking him hard.
The nudist knight seemed entranced, pointing toward the empty river.
"...I can see the pure white moonlight in my heart—Angelica, she's waving at me! I must go to her right now!"
The moment he said that, Roland dashed straight across the sand and jumped into the river without a shred of hesitation.
Splash!
Water burst upward—and then Roland disappeared beneath the surface without another sound.
Hey, how could Angelica, the woman you've always longed for, suddenly appear in this damn river? I don't see anyone at all!!
[It seems Roland has fallen under a strange enchantment, seeing hallucinations that don't exist, and his mind has been severely affected.]
[This river clearly isn't as simple as it seems.]
[Roland, OUT!]
"Roland, are you out of your damn mind?! Tomoe Gozen hasn't even been rescued yet, and you're already jumping in to die first?!"
Eikou shouted toward the head that had vanished under the water.
"Charlemagne, control your idiot subordinate—"
Before he could finish the sentence, Charlemagne leapt straight into the river as well.
[Charlemagne Saber, check failed.]
[It seems he, too, was mentally disturbed by something—bewitched and lured into the river by magic.]
[Charlemagne, OUT!]
"Charlemagne, what the hell did you just see this time?!"
Eikou was furious to the point of exploding—and just then, the two Round Table Knights who had been running fastest also froze in place.
Two dice fell simultaneously.
[Gawain Saber, check failed.]
[Tristan Archer, check failed.]
This group of non-lucky idiots… absolutely hopeless. Not a single success. So many powerful Servants, and yet the illusion magic of one river wiped out the whole team.
Gawain and Tristan halted, then immediately charged straight toward the rushing water.
Clearly, they too had fallen under the enchantment.
[Based on the current information—and your instinct...]
[Because you rolled a great success earlier, the system will automatically analyze this river for you.]
[Those who fail the Magic Resistance check will be controlled by desire and temptation, see "that which they most desperately yearn for," and be dragged into the river's depths!]
"Ah..."
Gawain's face suddenly changed; he bolted forward, following the others and leaping into the water.
"Across the river—there's a plump young maiden asking me to help collect a debt, loves mashed potatoes, under twenty years old, calling for my aid! As a knight, I cannot ignore her!"
With that, he dove straight in.
"Gawain, what the hell's gotten into you?!" Eikou shouted.
He didn't have time to think—he lunged forward, mind fixed on grabbing Tristan at least.
But he was still a step too late—Tristan too had followed and jumped after Gawain.
Right before he leapt, Tristan's eyes widened, filled with disbelief at what he saw.
He must have seen something—or rather, someone—he desperately desired...
A married woman. It had to be a married woman. Otherwise, it was the long-awaited Yuki-onna 3!
Eikou could guess it with his toes—this guy only had that kind of taste.
"Oh my God, what the hell did I just see..."
Tristan shouted as he jumped.
"It was my wife—Isolde! Don't be afraid, I'm coming to save you!"
He yelled, plunging in and sending up a spectacular splash.
"Huh???"
Eikou was so shocked he nearly choked.
Tristan, Tristram, Lancelot Jr... why is it, at the crucial moment, you don't see a married woman but your own wife?! Why switch to pure love mode all of a sudden at a time like this?!
When it's time to cuckold someone, you suddenly pull a 180 and become a devoted husband—though, come to think of it, this is just another kind of cuckolding! Tristan, you sure know how to play!
[While you were enjoying your vacation and playing in the water, this strange river suddenly turned hostile.]
[Not only Tomoe Gozen, but even your companions have been bewitched one after another—lining up to dive into the river one by one.]
[The situation has instantly become extremely dire.]
"What the hell are they doing?! Taking turns jumping into the river to die?!"
It was tragic—his friends had all been wiped out in an instant!