Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

The silver-haired artificial life form lowered its eyelids and sighed softly.

Shirou looked at her silently, unsure how to comfort her. Then—

Irisviel suddenly lunged at him and hugged him tightly.

"So she decided to stay by Shirou's side! Not as a comrade in the Holy Grail War, but as Shirou's mother!"

Please continue to guide me from now on, Shirou! I love you the most!!!

I knew it would turn out like this… Shirou's lips twitched helplessly.

Irisviel decided to stay in Japan.

As for Sera, Liselle, and the maid squad who accompanied her to Japan, Irisviel expressed that she respected their opinions.

As a result, all the androids decided to continue serving the lady.

"Anyway, I'll get a scolding from Grandpa when I get back," Lizzie said.

Originally, Irisviel's life functions should have automatically ceased at the end of the Holy Grail War, but for some unknown reason—

Perhaps it was a miracle caused by the scabbard embedded in her body that Irisviel did not cease functioning despite the silence of the Greater Grail.

She is still alive and healthy today, full of energy.

Another person who stayed behind was Ms. Avalon.

"Why didn't the teacher disappear? If it was the mana replenishment that night, the effect should have ended by now."

"I possess an overpowered skill called 'Independent Manifestation,' which allows me to manifest as an independent entity in this era, even without a Master's support."

Ms. Avalon proudly puffed out her shapely chest: "Besides, Miss Saber entrusted me with this responsibility, and I will continue to stay by Shirou's side from now on... I can't break my promise."

"Did Saber really say that?" Shirou asked, his face full of suspicion.

In the end, he couldn't say goodbye to Saber properly, which was a bit of a regret for Shirou.

Saber's wish... is to deny her own life and erase the existence of "King Arthur Artoria" from human history.

That wish is absolutely wrong, and Shirou cannot agree with it.

I wonder if she ever really figured it out after that...

"It's true! Saber really asked me to take care of Shirou! Master, are you that unwelcoming of me?"

"No, it's just..."

Although it was supposed to be in preparation for the final battle against Saber, it is also true that Shirou and Lady Avalon had physical intimacy.

The thought of having a stunningly beautiful woman with whom he had shared a physical relationship filled Shirou with unease, unsure of how to face her in the future.

"...Your face is so red, Master. Are you still feeling unwell today?"

Ms. Avalon brought her face close, and Shirou yelled "Wah wah!" and kept backing away.

Seeing his reaction, Ms. Avalon revealed a sly and alluring smile: "So that's how it is... Hehe, how cute?"

That was an expression that screamed "I'll devour you completely"—just like a female beast.

Shirou felt that his already bleak future had been further clouded.

……

……

Three days later, the weather was clear in the morning.

As usual, Shirou was doing rehabilitation exercises in the courtyard when Sera came over and started talking to him.

"Shirou, you're going home today, aren't you?"

"Um... I'm sorry, I can't live in Einzbern indefinitely. It's too inconvenient to get to school from here."

"No... I don't expect you to stay any longer. In fact, you'd better leave as soon as possible."

"What's Sera angry about?"

"I'm not angry!"

Irisviel originally planned to move directly to the Amamiya residence, but abandoned the idea after being persuaded by the homunculi.

Having betrayed the Einzbern family, she might face retaliation from her own clan.

She couldn't involve Shirou, so she decided to stay in the forest with the androids for a while longer.

Although Irisviel won't be moving to the city for the time being, she will drive Shirou home today.

At noon, Shirou got into Irisviel's Mercedes and crossed the Fuyuki Bridge to head towards Fukayama Town.

He watched the scenery rushing past the car window, and then—

At the very top of the bridge's steel reinforcement, Shirou spotted two familiar figures.

It was Sister Bai and Little Hassan waving goodbye to her.

"Stop the car!" Shirou shouted.

"Huh? This is a bridge, there's no way to park here."

Irisviel looked bewildered in the driver's seat.

"What's wrong, Shirou?" Lady Avalon asked, puzzled.

The red-haired boy shook his head, said nothing, and simply pushed open the car door, jumping out of the speeding sports car.

"Shirou!" "What are you doing?"

Screams of agony came from inside the carriage.

Shirou clutched the back of his head, rolled a few times on the ground, then quickly got up and ran towards the spot where he had just seen Assassin.

But when he got there and looked up, no one was there anymore.

"Did I see it wrong...?" Shirou wondered.

It's only possible that I misread it.

Ten days have passed since the last night of the Holy Grail War.

Assassin should have returned to the Throne of Heroes on the night of the Battle of Ryudouji. How could he have remained in the mortal world to say goodbye?

Hassan the Hundred-Faced was Shirou's first companion, and without her assistance, Shirou's series of plans would never have progressed so smoothly.

The Holy Grail War will not end without any casualties on our side.

"I didn't even have time to say goodbye to Assassin. How much did I miss while I was asleep?"

Shirou sighed, lowered his head, and then noticed something conspicuous at his feet—

It was a white skeletal mask.

Shirou originally obtained it from Assassin and used it during the battle with Caster and when infiltrating the Hyatt Hotel.

Later, for some reason, he couldn't find it anymore. Shirou thought he had lost it, but then he found it here.

"........."

Shirou picked up the mask in surprise.

On the inside of the mask, there was a small line of text.

"Thanks"

Upon seeing this line of text, Shirow finally understood Assassin's true desire.

There were no grand heroic ambitions involved.

All she wanted was to gain her Master's approval as a Servant.

Shirou undoubtedly fulfilled her wish, which is why he left words of thanks.

"Seriously... she was still so cool until the very end, Assassin-nee."

Shirou rubbed his aching eyes and put the mask into his coat pocket.

Back in the car.

After being berated by Irisviel and Lady Avalon for half an hour, they finally returned to the long-awaited gates of the Rain Palace.

"This is the legendary Japanese mansion~" Irisviel looked around curiously.

Shirou led the two through the gate and the garden to the front of the main house.

"..."

Shirou swallowed hard and rang the doorbell.

The silver-haired android and the flower magician looked puzzled. Why did they have to ring the doorbell at their own house?

Actually, Shirou tried calling home yesterday, but it was Fujimura Taiga who answered the phone.

Upon learning that Shirou would be returning home this afternoon, Fujii-nee said she would skip her club activities and wait for him at home.

Shortly after the doorbell rang, the sound of footsteps could be heard coming from inside the house.

"Here we are! Here we are! Shirou, welcome back—"

A female junior high school student wearing the uniform of Homura Hara opened the door.

"I'm back, Sister Teng... I'm sorry for making you worry these past few days."

Shirou spoke the words he had prepared.

I thought Sister Teng would complain nonstop, but to my surprise, she just stood there blankly.

Her eyes widened, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two women beside Shirou.

"Shirou, Shirou, Shirou... Shirou has returned with a strange foreign woman that I don't recognize!"

Fujimura Taiga crashed as if struck by lightning.

Shirou, having spent so much time with Lady Avalon and Irisviel, completely ignored this fact.

Although Fuyuki is home to many foreigners, such as the elderly couple who stayed with Weber, the two of them were indeed too conspicuous.

A foreign beauty walks openly down the street—on their way home, Shirou and his party are stared at by passersby the whole time.

"Shirou!"

Fujimura Taiga grabbed the boy's arm and asked nervously, "Who are they? Are they some kind of suspicious religious cult?"

"Well, let me introduce you. This is Ms. Avalon, who will be staying at my house from today onwards."

"Hello~" Ms. Avalon greeted with her signature business smile.

That smile was so suspicious that it set off alarm bells in Fujimura Taiga's mind.

Shiro continued, "As you can see, Ms. Avalon is a foreigner and may not be used to life in Japan yet."

Sister Teng, you should just get along with her...

"That's not the point! What's Shirou's relationship with her? Why did he suddenly move into our house?"

Shirou, covering his ringing right ear, replied, "Ms. Avalon is my teacher."

Fujimura Taiga stared at Ms. Avalon with displeasure: "Teacher... are you an English teacher? If so, I can tutor you too!"

"not like this."

"What else could it be? Shirou has been fooling around with some foreign woman of unknown origin these past few days! Sakura and I were worried about you!"

"Don't put it so harshly..."

Shirou sighed helplessly.

Although I had guessed things would get complicated, I didn't expect it to be this complicated. How am I supposed to explain this to her...?

Looking at Ms. Avalon, she simply smiled happily...

This woman showed absolutely no intention of explaining things to Shirou.

"Are you Shirou's older sister in Japan?"

"I am... um?"

Fujimura Taiga turned around and found Irisviel standing in front of him.

"What a beautiful older sister..." she thought to herself.