Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

"...Serving as both supervisor and master at the same time?" Shirou frowned deeply.

"Mm." Aigo nodded gently.

This Holy Grail War is between the Mage's Association (the "Red" faction) and the Yggdrasil Clan (the "Black" faction), who broke away from the Association and are seeking independence.

Originally, this ceremony did not require supervision.

However, after careful consideration, the Magic Association decided to drag the Church of Christ into the mess as well.

The two largest mysterious organizations in the world, the Association and the Church, have been fighting for thousands of years, but "in principle" they are still allies.

What would happen if the Yggdrasil allyed with the Church at this time?

The authority of the Magic Association as the orthodox organization of Western magic will be greatly diminished.

Therefore, at the association's request, the church sent a representative to demonstrate its support for the association's position.

This priest was both the supervisor and the Master of the "Red" faction in the Holy Grail War.

Aika's Command Seals were stolen from the magician Sagara Hyoma of the Thousand Worlds Tree.

She was already an enemy of the "Black" faction from the very beginning, which is why she came to meet the director of the "Red" faction.

—Of course, this does not mean that Aika and Shirou will join the association.

……

……

On a hill in Sigiseva, Romania, there is a church that is quite well-known as a tourist attraction.

However, a year ago, the church had already declined to allow visitors to come under the pretext of renovations.

At this moment, in a room inside the church, a young priest is praying to God.

"Lord...please guide us."

The priest had a young face, and his innocence subtly revealed an air of profound maturity.

Contrary to his youthful appearance, his hair was as white as an old man's, while his skin was dark brown, creating a strange contrast.

"Finally, finally we can begin."

How long have I waited for this moment... My wish will finally come true.

No—I will make it happen.

The young priest's face was calm and peaceful, but his eyes held a quiet, extraordinary determination that burned brighter than any flame.

"Oh dear... this won't do. I got too engrossed in it."

We must proceed calmly and steadily, without rushing or being impatient.

The Holy Grail War, which has been suspended for sixty years, is about to begin again.

Before it began, the priest had one last task: to wait for the arrival of the last Master of the "Red" faction.

According to records, the last Master was the Lion Claw Kairi, who was famous for his mastery of necromancy.

Unlike the other five association representatives, he is also one of the few practical mercenaries among magicians.

This character was hired by Rock Belfenbon, the Minister of Summoning Science at the Clock Tower, to serve as the Red Faction Master, and was granted a precious relic as a medium for summoning Servants.

If Lion's Claw summons a powerful Servant, he will naturally be delighted.

This might mean that you are one step closer to realizing your long-cherished wish.

But the young priest was not to be complacent.

No matter how powerful one's own Servants are, the "Black" faction is also very likely to have summoned powerful Servants.

If the Holy Grail War were to take place in Romania, Danic Preston Yggdrasil, the leader of the Yggdrasil race, would surely summon that Heroic Spirit.

The one who is famous for the origin of the vampire legend—Vlad the Impaler III.

Vlad Tsepes, a great hero who fought to the bitter end using guerrilla tactics during the Turkish invasion of Romania.

Although he is famous as the prototype of Count Dracula, in Romania, he is emphasized as a hero, and his popularity is almost at the highest level.

To lift the Holy Grail, one must defeat such a formidable foe.

Reaffirming his determination to fulfill his long-cherished wish, the young priest concealed it beneath a mask of feigned smiles that no one could see through.

Just then, a message came from the barrier that a guest had arrived.

"?"

Father Kotomine Shiro frowned slightly.

According to the prior agreement, Lion's Robbery should have arrived in Sighishwara tomorrow. Why did he come early?

Kotomine Shiro left the room, filled with confusion and wariness.

Then, the young priest saw it.

The people sitting on the pews in the front row of the church were complete strangers to him.

His deep red hair and amber eyes shone with a light that even the priest couldn't help but hold his breath in awe.

Even though it was only for a brief moment, Kotomine Shiro was still somewhat surprised that he had been attracted to it.

This boy...

Incredibly, the priest seemed to sense a powerful sense of destiny.

"……welcome."

Shirou didn't get up, but remained seated on the bench, observing his face before asking, "Are you the priest of this church?"

"Well, I am."

From Shirou's straightforward attitude, Kotomine Shirou concluded one thing: he was involved in the Holy Grail War.

Since that's the case, there's no need to hide it anymore.

The young priest gave a mature smile: "Hello, I am Shiro Kotomine, serving as the supervisor for this Holy Grail War. May I ask who you are?"

Kotomine...Shirou...! ?

This name had a strong impact on Shirou, no less so than a name like "Arthur Morgan".

The Church of Christ belongs to... an East Asian person with the surname Kotomine...

The moment Shirou heard the boy announce his name, a flood of guesses rushed through his mind.

Wait, is this kid Kirei Kotomine's alternate world counterpart?

No, it's more likely his son!

Yes, that's how it looks from the outside.

but--

Shirou narrowed his amber-colored demonic eyes.

He sensed a strange unease about the white-haired boy: this guy was extremely bad.

"I'm here today to say hello to the church."

Shirou spoke up.

"My Master stole the Command Seals from Hyoma Sagara of Yggdrasil, and is now fighting as a Master who does not belong to either the 'Red' or 'Black' faction."

"What……?"

Kotomine Shiro's eyes widened.

What surprised him was not that the magician of Yggdrasil had had his Command Seals stolen, but that the other party had actually found him.

Where did he get this information from? Is his Master also an insider at the Mage's Association?

It took Kotomine Shiro several seconds to calm himself down; he needed to obtain more information.

"May I ask how I should address you?"

Shirou understood what Kotomine Shiro meant—tell me your class.

He readily replied, "Just call me Saber."

It's... Saber!?

Kotomine Shiro's face twisted slightly:

The Saber class, hailed as the best in the Holy Grail War, has somehow fallen into the hands of outsiders? What on earth is going on?!

"Saber, didn't your Master come with you?" the young priest asked again.

Shirou said, "Yes, she doesn't need to get involved in this kind of thing herself."

They originally planned to come in together.

However, as he stepped into the church, Shirou suddenly had a very bad feeling.

Feeling that something was off about the church, Shirou told Aika to wait outside while he went in alone.

"Heh, it seems I haven't gained the trust of your Master."

Kotomine Shiro said with a smile, "But that's understandable, after all, I am both the supervisor and the master."

Shirou found his smile extremely suspicious; it was definitely not the optimistic smile that someone not even twenty years old should have.

Kotomine Shiro had already sensed the other party's wariness.

If you want to get more information out of him, you have to lower his guard.

"As a sign of my sincerity, I'll show you my Servant. Alright, Assassin, materialize."

No, it doesn't matter if it's not materialized.

Shirou thought to himself, "Nobody cares who your Servant is..."

"Understood, my lord."

A beautiful woman in a dark dress with a decadent style appeared behind the young priest.

The woman had long, black hair that cascaded down to the ground, and was an absolutely stunning beauty with impeccable looks and figure.

She pinched her chin with her slender fingers, her golden eyes gazing intently at Shirou.

"I am an assassin from 'Red,' please guide me from now on."

A faint smile appeared on the woman's elegant and alluring face.

"...I should be asking for your guidance."

Shirou responded expressionlessly.

Speaking of assassins, Hassan-i-Sabah is usually summoned in the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki.

So, is she one of them? Like Sister Bai Mao?

Shirou disagreed.

The old man in the mountain is a pure assassin; he acquires skills by training his body and mind and uses those skills to kill. But the alluring woman in front of him doesn't have that feeling.

She's not suited for assassination, she's suited for murder, and she can kill her targets with just a word or a glance.

"Hehehe, you—you've been staring at me intently since just now."

The assassin in "Red" covered her red lips, revealing a seductive expression: "Saber, do you like me that much?"

No, it's less about liking you and more about...

From the black-clad assassin, Shirou sensed an atmosphere that evoked a deep sense of nostalgia.

Where exactly did I smell this scent before...?

I always feel that the assassin in "Red" looks a lot like someone I know—

But Shirou pondered for a long time without finding a solution.

"Assassin, don't make things difficult for Saber," said Kotomine Shirou.

“Master, he has indeed been staring at me with ill intent…”

The "Red" assassin bit her lip resentfully, but Kotomine Shiro didn't pay attention and continued to ask.

"So, Saber, what are your plans for the future? Do you want to cooperate with the association?"