Before Rin Tohsaka could continue asking anything, Aoi Tohsaka had already stepped on the accelerator and sped home.
…
That night.
Inside Einzbern Castle, the Meeting of the Three Kings was proceeding as usual.
Artoria, Gilgamesh, and Iskandar began an intense debate on the question: "What is a king?"
Gilgamesh was the most straightforward. As a proud and arrogant tyrant, he believed that a king must be worshiped by all and stand as a supreme existence.
Iskandar, on the other hand, believed that a king must uphold his own kingly path and conquer the world together with those who follow him.
Those who follow must take the king as their standard and walk alongside him.
But both of their views were opposed by Artoria.
Artoria believed that a king must seek welfare for the people and constantly think for the sake of the nation.
However, her words were ridiculed by the other two kings.
Especially Iskandar. He even used his Noble Phantasm, "Ionioi Hetairoi (Army of the King)," to demonstrate what true kingly bearing meant.
Because Assassin, under Tokiomi Tohsaka's orders, had come to sacrifice themselves, Iskandar seized the opportunity to use his Noble Phantasm and eliminate them.
Within the King's Army, Artoria watched the manifested Heroic Spirits. Seeing how they were united as one and followed the king they revered, she felt deep envy.
—Because this was something she had never possessed, yet had always longed for.
It was precisely because she could not achieve such unity with her retainers that she suffered repeated betrayals, which ultimately led to the destruction of her kingdom.
Thus, when she saw the kingly presence displayed by Iskandar, her faith was shaken.
Of course, Assassin was instantly annihilated within the King's Army.
Afterward, Iskandar scolded Artoria:
"From now on, I will no longer regard you as a king! You're just a little girl confused by the illusion of 'king'!"
"You only think one-sidedly about saving others and demand others follow your pace, yet you never understood what your people and subordinates truly wanted!"
"That's not the way of a king—that's the way of a saint! You're just intoxicated by your own dream of being a king!"
"If you continue being so unrealistic, you won't even deserve to be called a hero!"
With that, Iskandar left.
Gilgamesh also mocked her. Watching her lofty ideals and powerlessness, he was greatly amused. He had already listed Artoria as a candidate for his queen.
Thus, Artoria watched the two of them leave, her heart filled with confusion.
Irisviel stepped forward to comfort her, but Artoria suddenly spoke:
"I remember now. Once, someone told me, 'King Arthur does not understand the human heart,' and left me because of that.
Perhaps… everyone thinks the same way…"
At that moment, Irisviel suddenly fainted.
Because the spirit of Assassin had entered her body, her physical functions began to collapse, and she lost consciousness.
In the early hours of the morning.
Kayneth struggled to open his eyes.
He realized he couldn't move at all.
"Oh, you're finally awake?" Sola, the young and beautiful figure, approached gracefully.
She gently wrung out a towel and carefully wiped Kayneth's body.
"What happened to me?" Kayneth asked with difficulty.
"Your magic circuits have all short-circuited. The fact that you're alive is already a miracle!" Sola said with a smile.
"In short, I only had time to regenerate your internal organs. But your magic circuits are completely destroyed. You can never use magecraft again."
Kayneth trembled, pain filling his eyes.
Magecraft—that was his entire life.
All his pride and honor came from his powerful magic.
But now, it was all gone.
Even the strongest man could not hold back tears at such a moment.
"Don't cry, Kayneth!" Sola said firmly, as if injecting strength into him.
"It's too early to give up. We haven't lost yet!"
Kayneth looked up at her, a flicker of comfort in his eyes.
"Isn't the Holy Grail an all-powerful wish-granting device? As long as we obtain it, you can recover!" Sola said with a smile.
"So all we need is victory! Victory is everything…"
She gently stroked Kayneth's right hand, lightly touching the Command Seals on it.
"So, Kayneth… give me the Command Seals. Let me become the Master and inherit Lancer's power! It's all to put the crown back on your head!"
"N-no!" Kayneth said resolutely.
"Don't you trust me? Don't you trust me, who is about to become a member of the Archibald family?" Sola asked with a smile.
"It's not that… Lancer… he's not a good man… he…"
Kayneth remembered the affectionate gaze Sola gave Lancer, and Lancer's handsome appearance that made him feel inferior.
"Will he be loyal to you?" Kayneth could not bring himself to say more.
"He came for the Holy Grail. Changing Masters would still be for the Grail. What's there to fear?" Sola replied casually.
"No. Lancer is a liar! He said he had no wish, but he wasn't honest. I can't trust him—"
Suddenly, a crisp cracking sound was heard.
Kayneth stared in shock as Sola snapped his finger.
"Kayneth, I'm not discussing this with you! If my spiritual transfer technique were stronger, I wouldn't even need your consent. Do you think I'd bother talking this much?" Her expression turned twisted.
"Give Lancer to me!!!"
Kayneth felt unprecedented despair.
In a single night, he lost the two things he cherished most—his career and his love.
That afternoon.
After obtaining the Command Seals she wanted, Sola was exceptionally happy.
She sat in a chair, admiring her carefully maintained slender fingers and the two Command Seals on the back of her hand.
Damn it…
Why did that stupid Kayneth use one of his Command Seals?
It's so frustrating… My bond with Diarmuid isn't complete!!!
Why is one missing!!!
Sola twisted with agitation. She could hardly wait to make up for that missing Command Seal.
She suddenly thought of Haruka Kasugano.
That intelligence broker who had almost never been wrong.
He must know where Caster is!
If she found Caster and killed him, wouldn't the Church Supervisor reward her with a Command Seal?
Ah~~~!
Then her bond with Diarmuid would become even more complete~!
So she picked up the phone and called Haruka Kasugano.
"Hello? Is this Haruka Kasugano?" Sola asked arrogantly.
"Do you know Caster's exact location? I'm going with Lancer to kill him!"
"Hm? You say you saw Caster heading to the riverside?"
"What's going on?"
"You don't know?"
"Useless!"
After hanging up, Sola bit her thumb.
Damn it.
Caster went to the riverside?
Wasn't Caster wanted? How could he dare go there so openly?
She walked out of the factory. Diarmuid was sitting guard outside.
The once-arrogant Sola immediately became shy.
"Lancer, that information broker says Caster went to the riverside. Shall we go kill him?" she said softly.
Diarmuid stood up at once.
"As you command!"
"If we can gain another Command Seal, it will definitely increase our chances of obtaining the Grail. I am willing to go!"
"Let's go, let's go together!" Sola smiled.
And so the two headed toward the riverside.
When they arrived and did not see Caster, they began to wait.
…
Meanwhile.
Irisviel was sitting in the back seat of a luxury car, looking at the scenery outside.
Though she used to love driving, she now sat in the back, with Artoria driving.
Another car drove ahead, led by Maiya Hisau, guiding them to their new base.
Kiritsugu Emiya had selected an old Japanese-style house within Fuyuki City—this would become the future Emiya residence.
Maiya was responsible for leading them there.
After arriving, Irisviel was extremely excited upon seeing the Japanese-style house.
"Saber, this looks like a house from a horror movie!" Irisviel said cheerfully.
Artoria nodded and followed her inside.
Seeing Irisviel satisfied, Maiya left.
Irisviel chose a warehouse and decided to set up a magic circle there.
But instead of doing it herself, she had Saber arrange it.
Artoria found it strange but still helped.
At that moment, in the house next door—
Circe looked in surprise at the new neighbors moving in—it was Saber and the others!
"Piglet! The people you said would move in next door are Saber and her group? You've got some nerve!" Circe exclaimed.
She was once again shocked by Haruka Kasugano's predictive ability.
"You're not planning to ambush them, are you?" she asked.
"What are you thinking? Of course we're going to be good neighbors!" Haruka Kasugano laughed.
As the Holy Grail War progressed, Irisviel's body would deteriorate further. Eventually she would only be able to lie inside a magic circle to rest.
Then he, as the neighbor next door—no, as a warm-hearted good neighbor!—would easily be able to…
Hahaha!
Seeing Haruka Kasugano laughing loudly, Circe was puzzled. She increasingly couldn't understand her Master.
She felt that this Master wasn't here for the Holy Grail at all.
Was he here to steal women instead?
Haruka Kasugano ignored her doubts and ordered, "Get ready! Tonight we're making a big move!"
Tonight, that woman Sola would be firmly in his grasp~~