IBHJ Chapter 812

Iceland was a stark contrast to the warmth and comfort of Chaldea. The landscape was covered in a thick blanket of ice and snow, the wind howling persistently through the frozen air. It was a rare country of wind and snow, a place of harsh beauty and unforgiving conditions. But unfortunately, like the humans in other regions, the people of this country had disappeared with the appearance of the Council, leaving behind a desolate and empty land.

Mash and Mordred emerged from the transfer device, their breath misting in the cold air. They looked around, taking in the stark beauty of the Icelandic landscape, even as they remained alert for any sign of danger.

"This place is eerily beautiful," Mash said softly, her voice almost lost in the howling wind.

Mash and Mordred then ran into Gray. "Gray-senpai, I didn't expect to see you here!" Mash said, greeting her former mentor with a quick bow. Even though Gray had graduated and started working independently after their mission in Romania, Mash still considered her a respected senior.

Gray acknowledged Mash with a nod and then glanced at the shield in her hand. "Mash, if giants do break out from the connection point, you'll need to be ready with your shield. Keep it close at all times."

"Yes, Gray-senpai!" Mash tightened her grip on the large shield, her voice filled with determination.

"Tch, just spouting useless advice to my master," Mordred muttered, impatiently scratching her ear with her pinky.

Hearing this, Gray shifted her attention to Mordred.

"Hey! Watch your mouth when you're talking about my master!" Little Mo, standing behind Gray, snapped at Mordred, her eyes fierce. "Gray-senpai is just looking out for everyone's well-being. Don't you dare disrespect her!"

Mordred flashed a mischievous grin and turned to Little Mo, laughing, "You can talk big once you've won back your True Name from me, Little Mo. Until then, you're just a pint-sized version of me, trying to act tough."

"Why you little..." Little Mo growled through clenched teeth, her fists clenched at her sides. "I'll show you who's the real deal! Just you wait!"

"Mordred..." Mash looked at her Servant, a hint of exasperation in her eyes.

Noticing Mash's gaze, Mordred folded her arms and snorted, "That's just how it is. If I need my master to step in and do things for me, wouldn't that make me useless? It'd be like admitting I'm too weak to handle the enemies on my own. That's a straight-up insult!"

Mash quickly raised her hands, trying to defuse the situation, "Gray-senpai didn't mean it like that. Besides, if I help you out, wouldn't that make things a bit easier for you?"

"Huh? Make things easier? What are you even talking about?!" Mordred exclaimed, folding her arms and closing one of her eyes. Despite the seriousness of her words, there was an undeniable adorableness to her demeanor. "As my master, you better be prepared for me to protect you so much that you'll be totally helpless without me! If you don't have that mindset, I'm gonna get really angry, you know."

Mash was at a loss for words. She definitely had no intention of becoming a helpless burden, always relying on Mordred for protection. No matter what, Mash was determined to grow stronger and move forward together with Senpai.

"Speaking of which..." Mordred tilted her head slightly, glancing behind Gray with a hint of concern. Despite the number of people present, someone was notably absent. She couldn't spot her mother anywhere.

"Where's that person? There's no way she'd sit still in a situation like this, right?" Mordred asked, trying her best to keep her tone cold.

"King of Knights was summoned to the Scandinavia Connection Point, so she's not here," Gray said.

"I see..." Mordred nodded, her bright eyes dimming a little. Does she really hate me that much?

"Wait, you haven't misunderstood something, have you?" Gray asked cautiously, sensing that Mordred might be jumping to conclusions, just like her mother often did.

"What's there to misunderstand?" Mordred scoffed, turning to walk away. Her pride wouldn't allow her to admit the hurt she felt. "It doesn't matter. We have a job to do, and I'll do it with or without her."

As Mordred walked away, Gray let out a sigh.

Being a member of Chaldea's Team A, Hinako naturally brought her Servant Gao Changgong to Iceland for the EX-level emergency mission. However, there was someone else tagging along...

"And why exactly is a medical staff member like you coming with us?" Hinako asked, her voice laced with irritation as she peered over the top of her book at Morrigan. "Shouldn't you be back at Chaldea, tending to the injured and preparing for potential casualties?"

"I'm here to cheer you on, Hinako! I even practiced some cheers!" Morrigan said, flashing a bright smile. She struck a pose, waving her arms enthusiastically.

Hinako wasn't buying it and asked with a chilly smile, "Cut the crap and give it to me straight. What's the real reason you're here?"

Morrigan's smile never wavered as she admitted, "Well, you see, I might have spent all my money on gacha, and there's this really cute item I've been eyeing. So, I thought this large-scale emergency mission would be the perfect opportunity to earn some extra cash on the side."

Gao Changgong could only cover his face in disbelief. "Morrigan-dono, you can't be serious..."

"You've truly hit rock bottom this time. Why don't you just go back to your doghouse?" Hinako retorted coldly.

"Oh, come on, don't be like that! I still know a few handy support spells, you know? Like Reinforcement! The incantation goes something like BABABB... or wait, maybe that's not quite right. Oops, I forgot!" Morrigan knocked her head, striking a cute pose.

Hinako, utterly speechless, could only bury her face in her hands, wondering what she had done to deserve this.

Gao Changgong placed a comforting hand on Hinako's shoulder. "Hinako-sama, perhaps it's best if we focus on the task at hand. We can deal with Morrigan-dono's behavior later."

Hinako took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "You're right, Gao Changgong. We have more pressing matters to attend to." She turned to Morrigan, her eyes stern. "You better not cause any trouble. If you do, I won't hesitate to send you back to Chaldea myself."

Morrigan raised her hands in surrender, still smiling. "Don't worry, Hinako! I'll be on my best behavior. Scout's honor!"

Hinako's glare was so intense, it nearly scared the soul right out of Morrigan's body. Quickly waving her hands in a panic, she said, "No, no, trust me! I promise I won't cause any trouble. I... I won't even spend money on gacha anymore-" She added in a barely audible whisper, "At least until we get back." Then, raising her voice again, "And I swear I'll pay back every penny I owe you as soon as possible, Hinako-sama!"

Hinako snorted coldly, "You better not forget your words. I'll remember them."

Morrigan smiled to herself, thinking Hinako was easy to handle. But the real issue wasn't Hinako; it was the giants that were about to break out from the connection point. However, Morrigan wasn't worried. She had already secretly set up some Fairy's Bounded Fields, sprinkling in a mix of Age of Gods' Western Magecraft, Chinese Philosophy Magecraft, and Central Asian curse techniques. Surely, this would be a big and delicious enough meal to serve those giants. But in any case, it was better not to mention these things. Letting these not-yet-fully-grown Masters experience victory and build their confidence was the key to their growth.