"So this… is the Holy Grail War."
Irisviel looked around.
Nothing remained intact.
The once-continuous rows of steel warehouses had been devastated by the charging shockwaves from Gilgamesh's Ea and Leon's Holy Sword.
The ground lay exposed.
Seawater seeped in through the cracks.
The devastation of the battlefield had far exceeded the Einzbern Family's expectations.
What they once believed to be a guaranteed victory had now become uncertain after the early appearance of the King of Heroes.
The Holy Sword bearer.
The King of Heroes.
The King of Knights.
The King of Conquerors.
Just thinking that four such troublesome figures existed made Kiritsugu Emiya's scalp tingle.
Fortunately, two of them were on his side.
But Gilgamesh was an opponent who could not be ignored.
Without revealing Avalon, could Saber and Leon truly defeat a monster like him?
And furthermore—
Leon's strange power, which was almost comparable to the King of Heroes, could not be overlooked either.
The overwhelmingly powerful Holy Sword.
The shield capable of automatic defense.
And the Berserker lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment.
A suffocating sense of "making a deal with a tiger" crept into Kiritsugu's mind.
When he came back to his senses, his back was already soaked with sweat.
Inside the hotel.
Standing by the window, the dim yellow light cast Kiritsugu's silhouette across the room.
After retreating, he had not joined Leon and the others.
Instead, he remained hidden in the shadows.
His expression was grave, half of his face concealed in darkness.
His vision gradually blurred.
In the deeper shadows, he felt as if a black knight were staring at him like a predator.
"…Kiritsugu? Kiritsugu!"
Maiya Hisau noticed something was wrong and embraced him from behind.
"Maiya… will we win?" Kiritsugu asked quietly.
"Yes. We will."
"Just like we always have."
Maiya turned his body toward her.
She smiled gently—
Then stood on her toes and kissed him.
Kiritsugu remained expressionless at first.
Passive.
Then slowly—
He wrapped his arms around her back.
Together they fell onto the hotel bed.
Facing the threat of a death far stronger than themselves, the instinct of life surged more intensely than ever.
But for Kiritsugu and Maiya—
It was merely the release of desire.
Two hollow hearts filling each other's emptiness.
Nothing more.
Meanwhile—
Leon, Irisviel, and Artoria had also rented a three-person hotel room.
Leon proposed it.
Irisviel explained it as a matter of safety.
Artoria remained passive the entire time.
Upon entering—
Near the door was a combined bathroom.
Along the left wall were three single beds covered with white sheets.
On the right wall hung a massive 260-inch television.
Near the balcony—
Three fan-shaped sofas surrounded a circular coffee table.
From the balcony, one could see a red arch rising in the distance—
The landmark of Fuyuki City:
Fuyuki Bridge.
To deal with emergencies, their shower order was arranged as follows:
Irisviel bathes first → Leon bathesLeon bathes → Artoria bathes
This ensured that at least one combatant remained on guard at all times.
Soon—
Both Leon and Irisviel had finished bathing.
Now it was Artoria's turn.
Inside the room—
"Leon, come over here."
Irisviel had pushed the three single beds together to form a large bed.
She then took out a fresh white sheet prepared by the Einzbern maids and spread it across the surface.
Now wearing a pure white nightgown, Irisviel leaned against the headboard.
Her long, fair legs stretched gracefully into the air.
They were slender yet softly curved.
A gentle fragrance filled the room.
Her delicate toes curled slightly—
Their soft appearance almost jelly-like in tenderness.
Pat. Pat.
She lightly patted her thigh and beckoned Leon.
"Leon, what are you planning?" he asked.
Following her invitation, Leon lay down on the bed.
His head rested on her soft thighs.
The warmth of her skin and her soothing scent instantly calmed his restless mind.
"To reward you, of course."
"A lap pillow… and a massage."
Irisviel smiled warmly.
Her soft hands—unused to heavy labor—rested against Leon's temples.
With gentle pressure, she massaged him.
Soon Leon found himself sinking into Irisviel's comforting warmth.
Relaxing completely under her care.
For some reason—
As Leon closed his eyes, a line suddenly appeared in his mind.
He altered it slightly in his thoughts:
"Irisviel… is a woman who could become my mother."
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