Waver Velvet, the Master of Alexander the Great during the Fourth Holy Grail War.
Now known as Lord El-Melloi II, the Head of the Department of Modern Magecraft Theories, he had earned a reputation within the Clock Tower as Lord V-Lord and Professor Goodwill. This was due to his "Eyes of Insight," which analyzed the essence of magecraft, and his extraordinary teaching talent that produced numerous high-ranking students.
At least, that was how it appeared to outsiders.
The man stepping off the plane looked utterly exhausted. Having pulled an all-nighter to finish his work, he was just preparing to get some rest when the massive incident in Fuyuki City broke out.
Normally, an incident of this gravity—one that had sent shockwaves through the international community—shouldn't have been handled by him alone. The Department of Policies should have been deployed en masse.
However, the elusive Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg had suddenly appeared, dropped a few cryptic instructions, and left in a hurry.
"First, do not provoke the guest."
He mentally recited those words. "Second, do not conduct an extensive search."
"Third, the crisis that threatened to destroy the world has passed."
"Every single one of these points is a massive problem..." He sighed as he looked at the city he hadn't visited in a long time.
What did he mean by "the crisis that threatened to destroy the world has passed"?
Did it mean the world almost ended while he was busy preparing his lecture notes?
And who was this "guest"? To explicitly state not to offend them—those were the words of Zelretch himself...
Furthermore, the old man seemed to want to keep the matter from escalating.
Waver sighed.
"Truly... a complete mystery."
It was all too obscure. He couldn't see enough useful information, which was why he had come alone, not daring to bring his trusted disciples.
As for why he was the one sent... it could only be said that the Clock Tower was a miniature reflection of human society.
Though his fame had skyrocketed in recent years, there were plenty of people who couldn't stand him. They usually tripped him up in the shadows, and this time, they kicked him over here using the excuse that he had participated in a Holy Grail War and understood it better than anyone else.
Given the magnitude of the incident, there were plenty of people willing to come, but after receiving Zelretch's warning, most of them had backed off. Only he couldn't let it go...
So, one could say he had entered the board of his own volition.
Waver recalled the emergency intelligence he had read on the plane.
The disturbances in Fuyuki City hadn't actually just started. A month before the Holy Grail War began, a world-shaking battle had broken out in the outskirts of the city.
Since then, the local Tohsaka Family had been unable to investigate any useful information.
Initially, the Association didn't care much, until a massive firework went off that half the planet could see.
Thinking of this, he sighed.
"Sigh, a pawn crossing the river... it's time to move." Waver pulled an address from his coat. This was the location of the stronghold provided by the local Manager of the Spiritual Land after he had contacted them urgently.
Strangely, it wasn't at the Tohsaka residence.
Nevertheless, he had to keep the appointment.
Walking toward the location, Waver observed his surroundings.
Fuyuki was still the same... not much different from ten years ago, except for a few more skyscrapers due to technological progress.
He crossed the bridge over the Mion River. It was here that he had fought side-by-side with him... and then that idiot had announced his True Name on the very first night.
Honestly...
A small smile played on his lips as he walked leisurely across the bridge.
From time to time, he stopped to listen to the locals discussing the events.
"I'm telling you, there must be a secret nuclear base in the Fuyuki mountains!" a young man shouted, waving his arms excitedly. "This is great. Now that we have our own nuclear weapons, Japan will..."
"Will what? Start a war?" an old man nearby interrupted with a glare. "Do you even know what war is? Do you know how to fire a gun?"
"What use are nuclear bombs? At most, they're for self-defense. Do you really think you can do whatever you want just because you have them?"
As a survivor of that era, he remembered those days clearly.
"Why not?" The young man was clearly displeased by his attitude.
"Then who do you plan to fight?" The old man sneered. "The country to the west? They've had nuclear weapons for fifty years. Their current stockpile is probably enough to wash all four islands of Japan clean!"
"What, do you intend to fight them at the cost of your own homes and lives?"
"This..." The young man wanted to argue, but the facts were right there. "Then there's South Kor—"
"Do you think the US garrison is dead?" the old man barked. "Does the United States have fewer nuclear bombs?"
"Or rather, under the current world order, anyone who dares to use nuclear bombs for war becomes the enemy of the entire world! You'd be attacked by everyone!"
"And without nuclear bombs, who can those losers in the Self-Defense Forces beat among our neighbors? Go to Southeast Asia? Isn't that entire region still under someone else's sphere of influence? Who would stand by and watch Japan start a war?"
"Setting aside whether that was actually a nuclear bomb last night, even if it was, why do you think only one was launched? Don't you understand?"
"As a blockaded island nation, where would we get that much nuclear material? If a war really starts, the nuclear bombs of other countries could turn every inch of Japan into scorched earth. And us? Are the nuclear bombs made from the pitiful resources we have enough to destroy even a single city?"
"The times have changed long ago!"
"You old man!" Unable to argue, the young man flew into a rage and began a personal attack. "You don't want to see the Empire prosper? You un-national! You Red—"
Before he could finish, the old man struck him on the head with a cane. His eyes were full of disappointment and sorrow, which then turned into pure fury.
"You knew I was Red Army and you still dared to speak to me like that?"
That one strike knocked him down. His companions began to grow angry.
Seeing this, the old man slowly reached into his coat, his expression fierce. "Come on! Trash who try to label people when they can't win an argument—how do you think I've survived my whole life!"
Terrified, the surrounding crowd scrambled away, including the man who had just been spouting nonsense.
After all, this was the Red Army; he might actually have a gun.
Waver, however, knew very well that the old man had nothing in his coat; he was merely bluffing.
But those losers across from him weren't elite soldiers either, just a bunch of spineless cowards who only knew how to talk.
Truth be told, Waver didn't interact much with the world of ordinary people and had only a vague understanding of current international affairs.
But even so, he could see that this country was beginning to stir.
All because of that spectacular "firework" last night.
Waver didn't judge their actions, but he knew for certain that last night had nothing to do with nuclear bombs.
If these people really tried to use non-existent weapons to intimidate others, they would surely die a miserable death.
After all, the Mages' Association had ties with the United Nations. After such a major event was investigated, it was impossible not to inform the UN. Once the UN knew, the five Permanent Members of the Security Council would naturally know as well.
Once they knew, Japan wouldn't be able to make any significant waves.
Waver sighed as he watched the old man's lonely figure walk away.
I hope this trip goes smoothly.
He continued forward until he arrived outside a bustling mansion.
Waver checked the address in his hand; yes, this was the place.
It was just... was it always this lively?
Puzzled, he knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
Creak.
A white-haired, red-eyed homunculus poked her head out in confusion. "May I ask who you are..."
"I am a special investigator from the Clock Tower," Waver said succinctly.
At the same time, he observed her appearance. This look... Einzbern?
"Oh, it is Lord El-Melloi II," Sella said, quickly opening the door. "I am the mansion's maid, Sella. Please come in; everyone is inside."
What did she mean by "everyone is inside"?
Waver was confused.
But soon, he understood.
As soon as he stepped through the door, he saw a total of seven Servants looking at him in unison.
......
Am I seeing things?
Waver felt like he was hallucinating.
He slapped his cheeks and looked forward again.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... yes, seven.
But the Holy Grail War had been going on for a week; how were so many Servants still alive?
How strange. He looked again.
They were even enjoying a barbecue together?!
"This is Lord El-Melloi II from the Clock Tower," Sella introduced. "He is responsible for investigating this incident."
"Oh." Hearing this, the Servants turned away one after another. Since it had nothing to do with them, they went back to eating.
Archer, as the master chef, naturally reigned over the grill. At this moment, he was the emperor of the kitchen!
Cu Chulainn was discussing martial arts with Artoria. Medea was huddling near Medusa, constantly trying to persuade her of something.
Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash were engaged in an interested conversation with Hassan of the Hundred Faces. Just last night, she had stubbornly pestered Miss Firefly for information, learning that she would encounter him in her next Singularity.
So, she wanted to prepare herself—at least get to know him so she wouldn't be completely in the dark when the time came.
"This..." Waver's mouth twitched, and he quickly checked to see if he was caught in an illusion.
Good, he wasn't.
That made the problem even bigger. What could possibly bring Servants, who were supposed to fight to the death, together for a happy gathering?
"Hello, Lord El-Melloi II." Tohsaka Rin stood up with a "nothing left to lose" attitude and extended her hand. "I am the current head of the Tohsaka Family, Tohsaka Rin."
"Miss Tohsaka..." Waver hesitated for a second before shaking her hand. "May I ask a question? Why... are the Servants here so harmonious?"
"I am also someone who has participated in a Holy Grail War. Ten years ago, except for one exceptional banquet, we would fight on sight."
Even that banquet had ended in a battle.
"Mainly because there's no longer a reason to continue fighting," Tohsaka Rin said with a shrug of helplessness.
"Uh, why do you say that?" Waver was full of question marks. "Did something go wrong with the Holy Grail?"
"The winner of the Holy Grail War has already emerged," Tohsaka Rin sighed. "It's the Berserker pair of this war. The Einzberns pulled the trump card."
"But why..." Waver glanced at the courtyard full of Servants.
"Because she doesn't like fighting and killing?" Tohsaka Rin sighed. "In short, her existence is... a challenge to one's perception. Last night, even all of us attacking together couldn't beat her, so it ended up like this."
"Attacking together?! Couldn't beat her?!" Waver took a deep breath. He looked at the familiar blue figure—yes, that was King Arthur from the previous Holy Grail War. He knew the strength of this Servant, and she appeared to be a Saber.
The Lancer discussing martial arts with her clearly wasn't someone to be trifled with, and the two female Servants gathered together weren't simple either. Looking at the blindfolded Servant, he felt a pang of palpitations...
With a lineup like this... they still couldn't beat Berserker?
Just what kind of trump card did the Einzberns pull?
"I know you're very confused." Seeing his face full of question marks, Tohsaka Rin sighed. "Please, take a seat. I will tell you everything that happened in this Holy Grail War."
Of course, it would be a slightly polished version. For instance, there was no need to mention Sakura's situation. As a former host for the Evils of Humanity, who knew what the Mages' Association would do to her if it were exposed.
The Sealing Designation system... Hmph.
After leading Waver to a seat, Tohsaka Rin began telling the story starting from the great battle a month before the Holy Grail War.
Waver listened with a stunned expression.
What? You're saying Gilgamesh, who killed my Rider in the last war, didn't die? He lived until this Holy Grail War? And then he was killed by the Einzbern Berserker?
What? The Einzbern Berserker could catch Noble Phantasms with her bare hands?
What? That Berserker is actually a homunculus soldier from the future? A unique super-powerhouse who galloped across interstellar battlefields?
What? There was something like that in the Greater Grail? All the World's Evil? It was seeking to be born? To become one of the Evils of Humanity?
What? It was already born? Just last night?
What? Less than ten minutes after the newly born Evil of Humanity let out its first cry, it was kicked into a sky full of fireworks by the super-soldier from the future?
Waver's expression went from "Huh?" to "Huh??" to "Huh???", increasing in intensity.
"A Beast... that is a super-troublesome disaster," Waver's hand holding a cigarette trembled slightly. Don't ask how he pulled out a cigarette; he had instinctively put it in his mouth halfway through listening.
"And the most troublesome kind of Beast at that... representing the evils of humanity. I can't even imagine how terrifying its Authority must be," his voice was also trembling. "A crisis that could destroy the world was kicked into fireworks in less than ten minutes?"
"Now do you see why we're so harmonious?" Tohsaka Rin spread her hands. "There was no choice. She even kicked a Beast to death just to use the Holy Grail to cure her illness. With our measly strength, who would dare try to snatch it from her..."
"You should know, in her own words, she compared herself to the White Titan that once ended the Age of Gods!"
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T/N: Yah boy is suffering under load shedding (no electricity). So forgive me this once for shilling time!
You can read ahead as a member of my beautiful p*treon(dot)com/quickinquickout
Pece
P.S. If you find mistranslation, do let me know.