"Hmm... This gem's quality still isn't quite good enough."
In the Tohsaka family's underground mage workshop, Rin Tohsaka was carefully selecting gems for her Jewel Magecraft.
Thanks to the Mage's Association's support, the Tohsaka family's financial situation had improved, and Rin no longer had to worry about sourcing the precious stones needed for her spells.
But just as she was picking out materials, the workshop door suddenly swung open—Rin's mother, Aoi Tohsaka, appeared at the entrance.
"Rin, it's late. You should rest."
Aoi's face still carried a faint blush as she stepped inside. Seeing Rin still sorting through gems, she couldn't help but smile wryly.
She knew Rin was likely preparing for the upcoming Holy Grail War... but circumstances had changed.
"It's fine, Mom. I'm not tired yet..."
Rin replied absentmindedly, then glanced at Aoi—only to immediately notice someone standing beside her.
"Berserker?!"
The only person Rin would address by that title was, of course, Zuke.
There was no way Rin could forget Zuke's face. Over the years, she had constantly reminisced about the events of the previous Holy Grail War.
The moment she saw him beside Aoi, Rin completely ignored the suspicious flush on her mother's face and rushed forward, throwing herself into Zuke's arms.
Zuke caught Rin as she crashed into him, a helpless smile on his face. Back when Rin was younger, such physical affection hadn't been an issue—but now, she had grown up.
A high school student, Rin had blossomed into a graceful young woman. Pressed against Zuke, every curve of her body made contact with his, whether appropriate or not.
Yet Rin seemed entirely unbothered by the awkwardness. She clung to him for a long moment, as if trying to melt into him.
Several minutes later, after finally getting her fill of Zuke's presence, Rin pulled away, her face flushed. Only then did she realize something odd.
"Wait... Why is Berserker already here when I haven't even summoned a Servant yet?"
She turned to Aoi—since Zuke had entered with her, Rin even wondered if her mother had secretly summoned a Servant.
After all, Rin herself had secretly participated in the last Holy Grail War by summoning a Servant. If her mother had done the same, it wouldn't be too surprising... right?
"Mr. Zuke wasn't summoned by me."
Aoi cleared her throat, trying to calm her still-flustered emotions.
She and Zuke had spent quite some time in the bedroom before coming down, leaving her legs weak and her cheeks warm—but Rin didn't seem to notice.
Of course, despite Rin's mature figure, she was still just a high school girl. Unversed in such matters, her observational skills in this area remained lacking.
"I was summoned by a girl named Reines."
Zuke didn't hide the truth, smiling as he revealed his Master.
"Reines El-Melloi Archisorte. Even if you haven't heard her name, you've probably heard of her family."
"El-Melloi... A Lord of the Clock Tower?"
Rin's expression darkened instantly—Zuke had been snatched away before she could even summon him!
She had been confident that their compatibility was high, given how she'd summoned him without a catalyst last time.
But now, compatibility didn't matter. She couldn't summon a Servant already contracted to someone else.
"So, Rin... Are you still going to participate in the Holy Grail War?"
Aoi watched Rin's conflicted expression with concern.
Logically, if Rin's goal had been to reunite with Zuke, then his presence now—even under another's command—meant her wish was partially fulfilled.
As for Tokiomi's obsession with "reaching the Root," Rin no longer cared as much.
Aoi's own wish had also been partly realized—especially after what had just happened in the bedroom.
Though Rin already bore Command Seals, if she chose to withdraw, she could still seek protection from the Holy Church's overseer.
"..."
Rin hesitated, then turned to Zuke.
"What's that El-Melloi girl's wish if she wins?"
With Zuke as her Servant, Rin had little doubt that Reines could win the war.
But what mattered now was what Reines intended to do with the Grail.
Rin knew the Grail wasn't filled with anything good—but its immense magical energy could still be repurposed.
"She wants to restore the El-Melloi family's standing, I believe."
Zuke chuckled, recalling his earlier conversation with Reines.
"The El-Melloi family is in dire straits—short on capable members and drowning in debt."
Using the Grail to wish for wealth might sound crass, but in Fate/Grand Order, someone had actually done just that—and succeeded.
So Reines' idea wasn't entirely far-fetched.
"That's her wish...?"
Rin's expression shifted to one of understanding. She could empathize with Reines.
As a magus from an esteemed lineage, Rin took pride in her family. If the Tohsaka name fell into decline, she, too, would want to restore its glory.
This was also why, in the original timeline, she had been so fixated on winning the Grail War.
But understanding didn't mean acceptance.
"Berserker, I'm still participating in the Holy Grail War."
Rin met Zuke's gaze with determination.
"Even if my chances of winning against you are slim, I'll still fight with everything I have!"
Indeed, it was Reines' wish that had solidified Rin's resolve.
Had Reines wished for Zuke to remain in this world, Rin might have stepped back—since that was her own desire.
Unaware that Zuke could freely return via King's Army, Rin believed that once the war ended, he would vanish again—just as he had for the past decade.
If the next Holy Grail War followed its natural cycle, it would take 60 years to recur. That meant she might never see Zuke again.
So even if the odds were against her, she had to fight—to seize the Grail and use its power to devise a way for Servants to remain in this world permanently.
To be continued…
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