Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

After getting to know Aika, she even thought that all young girls in the 21st century were like Aika.

Does she dislike me?

Joan of Arc could not sense any hostility, malice, or wariness in Aegean's gaze, yet she still couldn't help but think so.

This cannot continue.

I need to find a way to get along with Miss Aika.

After all, she and I are both women who silently support Artorius from behind...

No, no, no, I wasn't thinking about any of that nonsense!

I am a fair and impartial arbitrator!

This is...right!

This is my concern for the girl participating in the ceremony, from a moral standpoint, as the supervisor of the Holy Grail War!

Dear Sister, Jeanne Darc is coming!

Joan of Arc confided her troubles to Laetitia, the French girl she was relying on.

During the Ruler event, Leticia was actually silently gazing at the outside world.

Joan of Arc thought that Leticia was a girl of the same age as Ayaka, living in the same era, and should be able to help.

"You've got it wrong, Your Holiness... Miss Aika should be over twenty years old this year, right?"

"What! Is that so!?"

Joan of Arc was greatly shocked: after all, Aige's petite features and slender figure made her look like a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl.

So, Aigo is actually older than both me and Leticia? This...

Jeanne d'Arc once thought that Aika's strong feelings for Shirou were just a child's possessiveness towards a mature man she could rely on.

But what if she isn't actually a child...

I see. Now it's clear why Miss Aika dislikes me.

She probably realized I liked Altoris right away.

"Hehe, so you finally admit you like Mr. Saber? That's quite a feat."

"What...no, that's not it! That was just an example! Just an example!"

"Alright, alright, no need for explanations. Just leave the rest to me, Your Holiness."

Laetitia proposed taking over the body herself, as she wanted to have a good talk with Aegean, and Joan of Arc nodded in agreement.

What did they talk about?

Unfortunately, Joan of Arc fell into a deep sleep for some unknown reason when she returned to Laetitia's body, so she didn't hear anything.

However, after relinquishing control of her body, she noticed that Aika's expression had become much more cheerful.

It seems I've gotten closer to Miss Aika. Hmm... it's definitely a topic of romance, isn't it?

Sigh, I also want to talk about love with someone~~~~~

When the Holy Grail War ends, I, Leticia, Miss Aika...

It would be great if the three of us could talk about love together.

Joan of Arc prayed from the bottom of her heart for a wish that seemed so insignificant compared to "world peace."

……

……

"Miss Aika, why are you there?"

Joan of Arc noticed that her voice was trembling.

why?

Is it a woman's intuition?

Or is it the "revelation" of the adjudicator?

None of these are true; they are merely legitimate judgments and reasonable conjectures based on the current situation.

Joan of Arc and Mordred broke in from the bottom of the Hanging Gardens and headed straight for the audience hall where Assassin and Amakusa Shiro Tokisada were.

It was four hours later when they finally reached the top of the floating fortress.

During this process, Joan of Arc and Mordred traversed countless trap rooms, defeated countless monsters and familiars, and even faced several perilous situations.

If it was so difficult for the two of them to reach the finish line, how did Aika, the Master, manage to do it all by herself?

It was truly incomprehensible, so bizarre that it made Joan of Arc tremble.

Then, Aika was holding something else in her arms.

That golden vessel that could easily steal everyone's attention could only be the Holy Grail that Saber had given her.

“I’m here to complete the final step of the ceremony, Miss Ruler.”

Sajou Aika strolled leisurely, explaining as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Assassin set up an altar in this garden to facilitate opening the 'Outer World,' so I'll complete the final step here."

The Holy Grail used in the Holy Grail War was stolen from the three starter families of Fuyuki.

Although it has been modified by multiple owners, the underlying logic has not changed.

The ultimate goal of the ritual is to "use the time tunnel forcibly opened when the collected heroic spirits return to the outside world to extract its byproduct—the almost infinite magic power from the outside world."

For magicians, near-infinite magic power is equivalent to fulfilling any wish, hence the saying "omnipotent wish-granting machine".

The size of the "hole" that can be opened varies depending on the number of souls offered.

That's why we have the conclusion that "killing six Servants = an omnipotent wish-granting machine, killing seven Servants = going to the Root Vortex".

The complete summoning of the Holy Grail, or "opening the hole," requires a suitable location.

In Fuyuki, there are four such places: Mount Enzo, the Tohsaka Residence, the Fuyuki Church, and the Civic Center in Shinto.

The original plan of the Yggdrasil Clan was to summon the Holy Grail in the underground of the city of Mirenia—located on the main spiritual vein of Tulifas—but the "Red" assassins forcibly pulled the Holy Grail from the spiritual vein ahead of time.

The "Red" faction's arrangement was to use this sky garden as the final location for the ceremony.

That's why Aigo appeared here with the Holy Grail.

Sajou Aika patiently explained "why" to Joan of Arc, but this was not what the saint wanted to know.

What she wants to know now is "how"—how did you get through those traps and monsters to get here?

"Well, thanks to my 'friends'."

Sajō Aika turned her head slightly, and eight black shadows appeared behind her one after another.

"…………"

Seeing those heroic spirits stained with black, Joan of Arc was speechless.

Not only her, but also Amakusa Shiro Tokisada was the same.

The difference between humans and animals lies in imagination; even when faced with incomprehensible scenes, humans can still perceive the most basic situations.

The Servants who should have returned to the Holy Grail have been turned into familiars by Ayaka Sajō!

"What is your purpose... to collect the souls of eight Servants..."

Amakusa Shiro asked in a hoarse voice.

He noticed that the number of Heroic Spirits had exceeded the Holy Grail's capacity.

Generally speaking, the Holy Grail will activate automatically when it has collected seven Servant souls.

However, Aika transformed the Holy Grail into a vessel of sins that could contain as many as possible.

"Are eight a lot? I don't think it's enough..."

Sajō Aika tilted her head and said, "If possible, I'd like to turn all the Servants except him into 'friends.'"

Joan of Arc swallowed hard, already regarding Aegean as an enemy in her heart.

Although she was very reluctant to think this way, the current bizarre situation forced her to accept it.

She frowned and asked, "Is your goal... to reach the root?"

That is the common wish of all magicians—

"Pfft..."

Aige covered her mouth and laughed upon hearing this.

The way she squinted her eyes was like that of a fairy in a fairy tale, innocent and pure, captivating all who beheld her.

Amakusa Shiro shouted, "The Holy Grail is the key to saving the world, the machine to realize the wish of 'salvation of all mankind,' and the hope for the next thousand years!"

I will not allow you to use it for your own selfish desires!

"What 'salvation for all mankind'? That's so boring... I don't care about that kind of thing."

Saya Aika pouted her cute lips.

She was unhappy with Amakusa Shiro's behavior of treating the Holy Grail as his own.

"You've got it wrong. I don't need to go to any source, because—"

The saintess and the young girl's eyes met.

Sajou Aika's beautiful eyes seem to resemble something.

The abyss of the universe.

Brilliant stars and endless darkness.

“I’ve been connected to that kind of place since I was born.”

The girl's declaration became a signal.

In an instant, the eight black-clad Heroic Spirits behind Ayaka Sajou rushed towards Jeanne d'Arc and Amakusa Shirou.

The "Undying Blade" pierced towards Jeanne d'Arc, but was blocked by the Holy Banner. The Twilight Demon Sword directly blew Amakusa Shiro away.

No suspense was left—

The disparity in combat power is so great that it prevents one from feeling despair; in fact, the boring and uninteresting final chapter begins.

……

……

"Wow--"

Mordred collapsed limply onto the cold floor of the audience hall.

Thoughts gradually weakened, and eyelids began to feel heavy.

Did I land that attack just now?

It definitely felt like a hit.

The gleaming Clarent sword cleaved down from the right shoulder of the "Red" assassin, slicing through the woman's core.

But it's too shallow.

That might have been a fatal wound, but it didn't kill the assassin on the spot, which is not in Mordred's style.

As a result, Semiramis disappeared after being struck, leaving Mordred alone in the hall.

Fortunately, as the Empress's power weakened, the poison she had set up gradually dissipated; otherwise, Mordred would probably have died before her.

It's a bit of a shame we couldn't completely get rid of that annoying woman, but this ending isn't so bad... is it...?

Mordred also suffered a fatal wound.

She lay motionless, face down, quietly awaiting death.

Gradually, the light enveloped Mordred.

Ah... Am I going back now...?

The blonde girl smiled and closed her eyes: In the end, she was unable to open her heart to her father and have a proper conversation...