"A Holy Grail that can grant any wish? Ha! I'd sooner trust Caelus than that thing!"
Stelle found the whole idea suspicious from the start.
Something suddenly appeared out of nowhere claiming it could grant absolutely any wish?
There was no way that sounded trustworthy.
If anything, it felt exactly like the kind of trap some Masked Fool would set up, waiting for someone to approach with their heart full of hope, make a wish, and then discover that the legendary Holy Grail they had won was nothing more than a plastic cup.
"Then why did you enter the Holy Grail War?"
A blue-haired young man asked with a smile. A child stood beside him.
"Well, I wasn't planning to at first."
Stelle shrugged.
"But then I heard the Grail could summon heroic spirits from history and have them fight alongside their Masters against other Servants."
"That sounded fun, so I signed up."
"I don't really care whether the Holy Grail is genuine."
"If it's fake, I'll just ask Old Oti for more money afterward and call it compensation for participating in his event."
She had joined purely because it sounded entertaining.
Somehow, she had even received the so-called Command Spells.
Stelle had absolutely no idea what criteria they were using to hand those things out.
"Then if you win the Holy Grail War, what would you wish for?"
The blue-haired man asked.
Judging by the way he was questioning her, he seemed to be some sort of reporter.
"If the Grail really is omnipotent..."
Stelle thought for a moment.
"I'd wish for everyone in the universe to be able to experience happiness and joy without needing to escape into the Eternal Dreamscape."
"That's quite an extraordinary wish."
The child beside him looked up at Stelle.
"Then, Honorary Member, do you think you'll win?"
"Of course."
Stelle placed a hand on her chest with complete confidence.
"I'm definitely winning."
And so, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Stelle prepared to summon her Servant.
She recited the familiar summoning incantation.
Then...
Nothing happened.
The summoning circle on the ground produced no light.
No dramatic magical effects appeared.
No mysterious figure materialized.
There was not even a strange noise.
The entire scene descended into painfully awkward silence.
It looked less like a mystical ritual and more like an overly enthusiastic child who had found some embarrassingly dramatic lines online and decided to recite them in public.
Then a loud, mocking laugh shattered the silence.
"Hahahaha!"
A man wearing small round glasses strode onto the scene.
"I can't believe it!"
"You couldn't even summon a Servant!"
"I thought you'd call forth some troublesome monster, but apparently even Heroic Spirits can't stand you!"
"Compared to you, calling me the Lone Wolf almost feels inappropriate."
"How about I lend you the title for a few days? Hahaha!"
Stelle displayed not the slightest hint of embarrassment.
She stared solemnly at the laughing man and spoke in a deep voice.
"I ask of you..."
"Are you my Servant?"
The man's laughter died in his throat as though someone had suddenly grabbed him by the neck.
He stared at Stelle in disbelief.
Then outrage flooded his face.
"What kind of nonsense are you talking about?!"
"How could I possibly be your Heroic Spirit?!"
"I'm Scott, you idiot!"
"Don't tell me you've actually forgotten who I am!"
"...Oh."
Stelle nodded slowly.
"I see."
"So you're not my Servant."
"Well, I have no idea where mine went, then."
"Hey!"
"Don't casually change the subject, you bastard!"
Stelle tilted her head.
"I meet important people all the time."
"How am I supposed to remember every random nobody I run into?"
"You bastard!"
Scott's face turned red.
"Fine! Forget playing fair!"
"Get her!"
Several IPC employees standing behind him looked at one another.
Then they collectively sighed without saying a word.
Reluctantly, they raised their standard-issue weapons and charged at Stelle.
The outcome was inevitable.
Within moments, every one of them was flat on the ground.
Scott, meanwhile, had noticed the battle turning against him and immediately fled.
By the time Stelle finished dealing with the others, all she could see was his rapidly retreating back.
There was no chance she was letting someone who had just ordered an attack on her escape that easily.
She hurried after him, baseball bat in hand, fully intending to give Scott a practical lesson in basic manners.
Scott's appearance, however, had never been solely about mocking her.
When he saw Stelle recklessly chase after him alone, another burst of laughter escaped him.
"Assassin!"
"Activate the trap!"
One television-shaped monster after another suddenly emerged around Stelle.
Within moments, she was surrounded.
Then a strangely familiar male voice rang out with absurd enthusiasm, shouting something about blood spraying everywhere and horror movies.
The television monsters charged.
Stelle swung her baseball bat and smashed apart an entire group.
Then another wave immediately surrounded her.
She was about to switch to her Flaming Lance, carve open a path, and go straight for Scott when another man's voice suddenly interrupted.
"Seriously..."
"An amateur entering the Holy Grail War?"
"Is this really what the future has come to?"
"This is practically the end of the world."
"Huh?"
Stelle glanced around.
"Who are you?"
"And why are random people suddenly appearing in the middle of my fight?!"
"You complete amateur."
The voice sounded irritated.
"Watch carefully."
"This is how you're supposed to handle something like this."
A crimson blur suddenly tore through the air.
The sound of something breaking the sound barrier followed.
In a single instant, the terrifying red projectile slaughtered nearly every monster on the battlefield.
Then a blue-haired man appeared where the fighting had been taking place.
Scott stared in horror.
"He cleared the entire field with one throw?!"
"Something's wrong!"
"Don't tell me that guy is the Servant you summoned!"
"Assassin, get me out of here!"
Scott vanished into thin air.
The blue-haired man frowned at the sight as though it had stirred an unpleasant memory.
"An Assassin who can turn their own Master into spirit form..."
"Why does that class always end up with such irritating abilities?"
Stelle stared at the blue-haired man.
For some reason, he gave her the overwhelming impression of someone who spent far too much time fishing.
"You look like you're pretty good at fishing."
"Want to go fishing together sometime?"
"Not a bad suggestion."
The man grinned.
"But haven't I already hooked myself a pretty big catch?"
His expression sharpened.
"A Master who couldn't summon a Servant."
"Sorry."
"Your Holy Grail War ends here."
The crimson spear he had thrown earlier instantly reappeared in his hand.
Without hesitation, he lunged toward Stelle like a hunting beast pouncing on its prey.
Steel struck steel.
A golden-haired figure suddenly appeared between them and stopped the attack.
After forcing the blue-haired man back, the blonde girl turned toward Stelle.
Her hands appeared to be gripping an invisible weapon.
She looked directly at Stelle, who was still staring blankly at her.
Then she spoke.
"I ask of you..."
"Are you my Master?"
(To be continued.)