"System sis, you just reminded me of something."
[......]
By the roadside.
Leon casually flagged down a black Dio sedan. After throwing down 20 million yen, he bought the car on the spot.
Paperwork and formalities were skipped entirely. After all, he didn't expect the vehicle to last very long anyway. It would be ridiculous if the time required to complete the paperwork exceeded the car's remaining lifespan.
"Do you want to drive, or should I?"
"I'll do it."
Since she had never driven a modern automobile before, Artoria volunteered for the task. Her eyes sparkled with an intense desire to try something new.
The spirit of racing was blazing within her!
"Huh?"
Irisviel asked in surprise.
"Sa—… Al can drive?"
"Of course."
Already seated in the driver's seat, Artoria spoke proudly while the golden ahoge on top of her head swayed back and forth.
"If necessary, I could also pilot that machine called an airplane we used earlier."
As a Saber-class Servant, Artoria possessed the Riding Skill (Rank B), allowing her to handle almost any vehicle created by humans with ease.
"You can even fly a plane?!"
Irisviel was stunned. The level of modern knowledge possessed by Servants was far beyond what she had imagined.
This must be just a tiny glimpse of the miracle known as the Third Magic.
"Mm."
Artoria nodded.
"My Riding skill applies to all 'vehicles' except Phantasmal Beasts and Divine Beasts. As long as I mount the saddle and grasp the reins, the rest comes naturally."
"A mere automobile is no challenge."
Perhaps influenced by Leon, Artoria had gradually begun opening up to the people around her. Occasionally she could even make small jokes now.
"Really…?"
Irisviel still couldn't help feeling skeptical about Artoria's driving skills.
And then—
"AAAAAAAHHHH!!"
"Al-chan, slow down! Slow down! We're going to fly off the road!"
On the cliffside mountain road, Irisviel's screams echoed endlessly.
The tires and engine of the black sedan howled under unbearable strain as the vehicle shot forward at terrifying speed.
In the blink of an eye, Leon and the others had already arrived at Fuyuki City, not far from the airport.
It was afternoon.
There was still plenty of time before sunset.
The car slowed down and blended perfectly into the normal traffic of the city streets.
Sitting beside Leon in the back seat, Irisviel looked out the window with fascination as she admired the scenery.
"What a vibrant city!"
"Al, Leon—should we go shopping first? Since we're already in Japan, we should enjoy ourselves before the war begins."
Hearing this, Artoria frowned slightly as she held the steering wheel.
"Irisviel, that's not a good idea."
"Fuyuki City is the battlefield where seven Masters and seven Servants will gather. It's extremely dangerous."
"Our priority should be finding a base first, then contacting Kiritsugu to plan our next move."
She paused before asking:
"Leon, what do you think?"
Irisviel didn't respond immediately to Artoria's objection.
Instead, she looked down expectantly at Leon, who was lying with his head resting on her lap, pretending to nap.
"I vote for shopping."
Leon raised his hand without hesitation.
"Nice!"
Irisviel clenched her fist excitedly.
"Al, that makes it two against one!"
"Shopping! Shopping! Shopping!" ×2
Leon and Irisviel cheered together like two overgrown children who had found a kindred spirit.
Artoria sighed helplessly.
Holding the steering wheel with one hand, she pressed her forehead with the other like a weary parent dealing with troublesome kids.
"Honestly… I don't know what to do with the two of you."
After parking the car—
It didn't take long before the three of them had changed outfits, each carrying several shopping bags.
At Leon's strong recommendation, Artoria changed into the classic outfit that Rin Tohsaka would later provide in the Fifth Holy Grail War:
A white blouseA blue fitted skirt that barely reached mid-thighBlack stockingsMid-heeled shoes
Because of her petite height—her growth having stopped early—Artoria's small frame made her look completely like a young girl in everyday clothing.
Seeing this, both Leon and Irisviel felt their protective instincts surge, even though she was a Servant capable of splitting mountains with a single sword strike.
To match Artoria's appearance, Irisviel also changed into a similar outfit.
Walking arm in arm, the two women looked just like a pair of elegant sisters.
As for Leon—
To emphasize his identity as a Servant, he didn't wear casual clothes.
Instead, he changed from the bodyguard's black suit into a dark butler uniform.
Walking politely behind the two women while carrying their bags, he looked every bit the attendant.
In other words, to anyone in the know he was practically announcing:
"I'm a Servant. Come and attack me."
Passersby couldn't help but stare at the trio.
With their overwhelmingly attractive appearances, people stopped mid-step to watch.
One pedestrian was so distracted he walked straight into a utility pole.
Another nearly got run over by a truck.
Happy moments always pass quickly.
Amid Irisviel's cheerful laughter, night soon fell.
A full moon hung low on the horizon above the sea.
It looked as though it was about to sink beneath the ocean—but in truth it had only just risen.
On the beach—
Cold moonlight illuminated the silhouettes of Leon and the others.
The sea breeze carried a faint salty scent.
In front of Leon and Artoria, Irisviel bent down to remove her shoes.
Then she slipped off her stockings.
Barefoot, she stepped onto the beach, which gleamed silver beneath the moonlight.
"How beautiful…"
"It's like a mirror reflecting the night sky."
In the quiet atmosphere, Irisviel spoke softly.
At the edge where the waves met the sand, her figure swayed gently with the tide like floating duckweed without roots.
Her movements seemed unstructured—
Yet they possessed a strange elegance,
as though she were a dancer beneath the starlit sky.
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