"On the day of the 'Nightmare,' I became defiled."

"The Nightmare of the 27th Floor", the "Monster Banquet" triggered by the Evilus through mass suicide.

It was a bloody incident where both the Guild's adventurers and the Evilus paid a terrible price. The young Filvis and the followers of Dionysus were caught in it.

"At that time, I still harbored a worthless sense of honor, believing myself to be a bringer of order," Her voice was low and bitter, as if mocking her past self, "I rushed to the 27th floor with my seniors, carrying that false belief, throwing myself into that hell, trying to carve out a path through blood…"

At that time, the male god Dionysus stood as a "hidden third power."

On the surface, he obeyed the Guild, but in secret, he was observing the Evilus, always ready to find a chance to overthrow Orario.

Of course, this was a divine will he kept deeply hidden. Filvis and the others, as his Familia, entered the "Nightmare of the 27th Floor" from the standpoint of a justice-aligned faction.

"In the end… we encountered the embodiment of the 'Fallen Spirit'."

"All the seniors were killed. The enemy's power was overwhelming, and we had no room to resist. The battle was so brutal that even the last shred of fighting spirit in my heart was extinguished," Filvis's crimson eyes were filled with sorrow. The pain seemed branded into the depths of her soul. For a moment, the scenes from that time reflected in her eyes.

"So, you didn't run away at the time," Emiya slowly asked.

Rumors said that Filvis had abandoned her companions and barely escaped the 27th floor alive, one of the few survivors of that "Nightmare."

At that time, she was seen wandering in a zombie-like state around the 18th floor's "Rivira Town", eyes empty, completely lifeless.

Thus, she was scornfully called the [Banshee], the elf who caused all her teammates to die.

Filvis said nothing. It was the black-robed elf beside her who spoke, "That's right. I didn't run away."

The black-robed elf's voice echoed calmly, "I heard the cries for help from my seniors. I stepped forward to fight the monster… then was killed, died meaninglessly."

"After death, I was implanted with a 'Magic Stone', reborn as a 'Monster Person'."

Filvis Challia didn't abandon her comrades and survive shamefully.

She returned to the battlefield to protect them, died for the pride of the elves, and thus became a "Monster."

While the mask explained, the silent Filvis could still hear the echoes of her companions' desperate cries in her ears.

("RUN! Filvis!")

("GO! GO!")

("AAAAAAH...")

("That's right, go... FILVIS.")

("RUN, Filvis!")

("Filvis… Challia…")

Those heroic seniors fell one by one, including the vice-captain, admired like an elder sister by the younger members, all devoured by the monster.

Even the strongest male captain, while being slowly swallowed by the embodiment of the "Fallen Spirit," kept urging her to run.

In that moment, the youngest elf girl turned away in tears, ready to flee,

("Help... me...")

That whisper from the captain entered Filvis's ears, like an invisible hand gripping her heart, making it impossible for her to ignore.

So she clenched her teeth, turned back while crying, and charged at that terrifying enemy.

The result was deeply ironic. Her nobility and courage didn't change anything in the end.

This was the true experience of Filvis Challia during the "Nightmare of the 27th Floor."

"To be honest, your strategy was successful, [Saber]," The black-robed elf smiled softly, "A mere Lv.4 delayed me here. Thanatos, who hasn't seen me yet, must be hopping mad by now."

Masked Ein, was one of the most important high-level combatants of the Evilus.

Her absence from the battlefield could directly lead to their defeat, whereas Emiya, even if not present himself, still influenced the battle through the weapons he forged.

"But I, we had to come here, had to find you," She brushed her hair aside and stared at Emiya.

"You can fulfill our long-cherished wish."

Destroy the labyrinth city and let the "Fallen Spirit" rule the surface.

That way, the lower world would be full of monsters, and only the chosen could be transformed by the "Fallen Spirit" into "Monster People" like Filvis.

In Filvis's eyes, Emiya surely had that qualification.

"You definitely have the 'qualification'. As long as you become a 'Monster Person', no one in this world can stop you," A blush appeared on Filvis's face, "If it's you, maybe you could even dominate that foolish 'Spirit'."

"Monster People" possess both monster stats and adventurer magic/skills.

If Emiya became one, his stats would skyrocket in a short time, possibly reaching Lv.7, Lv.8, or even higher, while still using all his [Falna] system powers.

Filvis couldn't imagine what kind of terrifying existence that would be.

To Dionysus, witnessing that with his own eyes, even if dismembered, would be worth it.

Compared to that, the "Evilus," "Elf Clones," "Six Fairy Rings"…none of it mattered.

As long as she could obtain him, Filvis's tragic wish could come true.

In the world Emiya remade, the ruined girl could finally be acknowledged.

That was Filvis's wish.

However, at the same time, to be killed by Emiya, to receive long-awaited death, that too, was Filvis' wish.

The elf girl kneeling on the ground no longer cried. She stood up, eyes hollow, staring ahead, "I once only wished to die, but—"

Whether smashing her arms, stabbing holes in her body, repeatedly cutting herself, using "magic" on herself nonstop, draining all her blood, twisting her neck, even feeding her body to monsters, she couldn't die. Couldn't kill herself.

The unimaginable self-regeneration of a Monster Person pulled her back from death again and again.

She even tried digging out the [Magic Stone] inside her, hoping to turn to ash like other monsters, but it failed.

The speckled magic stone embedded in her chest seemed to control her body, preventing fatal damage. No matter how many times she hovered at the edge of death, her [Corrupted body] alone wouldn't allow her to cross the final line.

The tendrils of the [Fallen Spirit], after turning Filvis into a follower, completely robbed her of the right to end her own life.

"You have the power to destroy the world!", Filvis said excitedly.

"You have the power to give me the relief of death," Filvis said hollowly.

"I hope you'll swallow my magic stone and make me a part of you!"

"I hope you'll shatter my magic stone and end my sins."

"Become my master, become the Demon King who rules all!"

"Kill me, and let it all end."

"You can do it!"

"You can do it!"

Identical voices, wild laughter mixed with sorrowful wails, echoed together, "Please." ×2

"I refuse," Emiya replied, "I refuse both."

"Destruction or death, I won't accept either."

"Then let us force you to choose," Both Filvises said in unison.

Black and white light merged and shone.

In the next moment, a magical gale surged.

The black-robed elf turned into countless light particles, absorbed into the "true body."

The resulting shock blew off the blue hairband from the girl's head. Not only that, as the magic shared with the "clone" returned, her body, the Monster's body, began activating. Her glossy black hair grew longer, draping onto the ground.

Unable to suppress the immense power surging from within, reddish organ-like roots sprouted from her chest. These vein-like, blood vessel-like things spread wildly, crawling twistedly over her pale skin.

Her eyes sank, turning from beautiful crimson to deep blue.

Her fair skin became sickly pale.

When the roaring magic finally stopped and the light dispersed—

An inhuman being slowly lifted its head.

"Come now, kill me, or become one with me."

"Either way, let's end this together."

———

Inside Emiya's workshop, a young elf girl slowly awakened.

Morning sunlight filtered through the window, gently touching her face. Aura lay in bed, her white hair spread like silver threads, covering her pillow.

Her breathing was light and steady, her cheeks tinged with the blush of fatigue, beautiful and peaceful, as if still lost in a dream.

"Lord Emiya…", she whispered softly, her voice full of gentle affection.

Aura had a strange dream: Dionysus and Filvis nearly killed her, but at the most desperate moment, her Lord Emiya appeared, shielding her from death.

Clarity returned to her eyes. She blinked and recalled the dream, it felt so real that she couldn't tell whether it was a dream or a memory.

"Huh? Why would I dream something like that…", she murmured. Though her relationship with Dionysus and Filvis was ordinary, they were still her Familia's god and captain. Why would she dream they tried to harm her?

She shook her head to banish the absurd dream, but her thoughts wandered into deeper confusion.

Yes, they were all in the same Familia. She had been one of the earliest members. So why was her relationship with the god and the captain so distant, like a chasm impossible to cross...?

"Ah, right!", She suddenly opened her eyes, sitting up in bed. Her memory slowly returned, "Isn't the artificial labyrinth assault tomorrow? What am I doing… Lord Emiya, I need to help Lord Emiya…"

Her memory grew clearer. She remembered this was Lord Emiya's workshop, and he had fed her something to help her sleep peacefully.

"This is—", Aura stared blankly at the crystal bottle on the bedside table. Only a sip of amber liquid remained inside.

Soma's Divine Wine.

The wine brewed by the god of alcohol to "atone for his sins," now gently overlaid its sweet aroma atop another divine brew's seductive scent.

"Ahh... AAAH…", Aura clutched her head, agony surging like a tide. She let out a silent, heart-wrenching scream.

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