Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

Atalanta swept her cold eyes across the room and explained, "In order to make them transfer the Command Seals peacefully, the Assassins used poison to reduce their thinking ability."

It shouldn't be a poison that leaves permanent aftereffects; I should be able to recover completely after receiving treatment once I'm out.

Shirou stroked his chin and muttered to himself, "I'll try to make contact with the 'Black' cavalry and get them to escort me on their mounts—"

"Are you on very good terms with the 'Black' Cavalry?" Atalanta suddenly asked.

"Well... it's alright..." Shirou replied casually.

“Oh, I see. She’s very cute.” Atalanta’s voice was somewhat low.

"is it?"

He is indeed very cute, but he is a boy.

Shirou replied dismissively, "The 'Red' archers are much cuter, aren't they?"

Atalanta: "………………"

"Tsk... Can't get in touch. This area has been set up by some kind of interference barrier by the Assassin, making it impossible to contact the magicians of the Thousand World Tree Clan."

Shirou frowned; he could only lead them away from this area for the time being.

He turned to the cat-eared girl beside him: "Archer, I'll take care of these three. Can you... uh, what's wrong?"

Atalanta stood frozen in place, her cheeks flushed red.

"Thud, thud, thud, what are you saying all of a sudden!"

"what?"

The girl pursed her lips, wiggled her body, and her long, fluffy tail swayed happily behind her.

"You just said I'm cuter than the 'Black' Cavalry?"

"Do not……"

If we only consider the concept of "cuteness", then it has to be Rider, right?

Archer gives off a wild and cool vibe.

Shirou thought to himself: Although Rider is cuter, he's still a boy after all...

"You just said I'm cuter! Don't try to deny it!"

Atalanta rushed up and grabbed Shirou by the collar.

I saw the girl's sharp canines.

Shirou felt that if he wasn't careful with his words, his neck would be bitten off in the next second.

"As a girl... Archer, you're cuter."

He said things against his conscience.

"!"

Atalanta stiffly lowered her slightly embarrassed face, unconsciously combing her hair with her fingers.

"Cute? I'm not... like that..."

"Did I say something wrong?"

"You're right!"

Atalanta glared at Shirou like a cat with its fur standing on end.

She walked over to the magicians and hoisted two of them onto her shoulders with one hand on each side.

"There's a room nearby that can teleport you to the ground. With magic, even I can send them back to the ground."

"Okay, then I'll leave it to you."

Shirou carried the three people on his back and then continued to follow Atalanta.

The stone-paved corridors stretch endlessly, and perhaps due to some kind of magic, the ceiling emits a faint glow. Compared to Greece, this style is more like the Aztec temples that have survived in Mexico.

"Speaking of which... you're living with the adjudicator now, aren't you?"

Atalanta suddenly spoke up.

"Yes."

"…………"

The archer's slender body suddenly released an immense amount of resentment.

Seeing this, Shirou quickly said, "Compared to Ruler, Archer is definitely cuter!"

This time it's the truth.

"Hmm... I think so too."

The girl's cat tail swayed happily.

"This is it."

Atalanta entered a room with a magic circle engraved on the floor, placed the two people she had carried on the floor, and Shirou followed suit.

"Wait a moment, I'll contact the people at the Thousand World Tree and have them accept it on Earth."

"Is it alright to hand it over to those people?"

Atalanta hesitated. Wasn't this just passing meat from one wolf's mouth to another?

Shirou explained to her that Yggdrasil would do everything in its power to save them.

These Masters are all nobles who accepted the commission from the Association, and one of them is even an elite whom the Clock Tower has high hopes for.

For the Yggdrasil race, rescuing them would only bring benefits; regardless of the outcome of the war, it could be used as leverage in post-war negotiations.

"That's very thoughtful."

Atalanta's gaze towards Shirou held an added hint of admiration.

"Mr. Saber!?"

"Ah, it's me."

Shirou contacted the Yggdrasil's clan leader's representative through telepathy, explained the situation, and asked her to send a large vehicle to the designated coordinates to pick up the person.

After the handover was completed, Shirou asked a question.

"Fiore... what happened where you are?"

He noticed something was off about Fiore's voice.

"...I see. Archer died in battle."

"Well, my Holy Grail War ends here."

Fiore's tone was very forlorn.

As a Master, being unable to do anything or help in any way, and only able to watch helplessly as the Command Seals disappear from afar must feel extremely resentful.

Shirou wanted to say something comforting when another voice interrupted, it was Koles.

"Saber, who are you with now?"

"I am with the 'Red' archer."

"why?"

"Well, it's a long story... Anyway, she's not an enemy right now."

Thanks to her help, I was able to find the location of the "Red" Master.

"All right."

Koles didn't seem to care about the matter and went straight to the point.

"Saber, you've deceived us."

"Wait, Koles! That's too abrupt! There must be some misunderstanding..."

"Please be quiet, sister."

“…………”

What are these siblings up to? Shirou frowned.

Soon after, Koles' voice came again.

"Saber, the one used to lure out the 'Red' faction tonight isn't the real Holy Grail, is it?"

After a brief silence, Shirou asked a question in return.

"Why do you think so?"

"Shishikage Kairi just made contact with us; Ms. Sajou Aika has disappeared."

He saw Miss Aika leaving carrying something that looked like the Holy Grail.

Koles questioned in a serious tone, "We all stayed on the ground as you instructed, but your Master disappeared tonight."

Saber, what exactly are you and your Master doing behind our backs?

Shirou was completely bewildered.

Ai-ge has disappeared? And of all times?

He was completely unaware of this, and Ai Ge had not contacted him tonight.

"Please answer my question, Saber—"

The one used to lure the "Black" faction tonight isn't the real Holy Grail, is it?

“…………”

Why won't you speak?

Koles' tone was aggressive, a stark contrast to his usual refined and easygoing image as a bespectacled nerd.

Shirou could understand; at such a crucial moment in the decisive battle, anyone would be emotional if their ally were in this situation.

"The one used as bait is the real Holy Grail," Shirou replied.

"Are you saying that your Master doesn't have the Holy Grail?" Corles retorted.

"Aika... does indeed possess the Holy Grail, a fact I haven't explained in detail to you all, for which I am very sorry."

"Your words are contradictory, Saber."

"The Holy Grail used as bait is currently with you, and your Master is carrying another Holy Grail," said Caules. "That's simply impossible."

"It is possible," Shirou said.

"What?"

"The Holy Grail in my hand and the Holy Grail on the singer's head are both the real Holy Grail."

"Uh, what are you talking about? Wait... could it be...!?"

Shirou frankly admitted the methods he used to confuse Assassin.

"The Holy Grail that was used as bait tonight and then taken back... was actually the Holy Grail that I already possessed."

"........."

The Fulvig siblings gasped.

"The Holy Grail has always existed... which means that legend..."

"Ah, it seems... I found the whereabouts of the Holy Grail before I died."

Even though I was summoned by the Greater Grail of Fuyuki, that Grail was recorded as a Noble Phantasm on my Spirit Origin.

“How is this possible…”

Koles's voice trembled uncontrollably: "So the Holy Grail in your hand is the real Holy Grail, and not a fake made by a magician?"

"Whatever happens, compared to this, what's wrong with Aika?"

"I don't know. Your Master's whereabouts are currently unknown. Even using all of Yggdrasil's spies hasn't yielded any results—"

I suspect she entered the Hanging Gardens.

"Understood. Contact me again if anything comes up."