Snowflakes carried Fuyuki's unique metallic tang, weaving a dense net beneath the lead-gray sky.
Tohsaka Rin's wool scarf brushed against frost-covered bare branches.
Behind her, the snow suddenly sank into a human-shaped outline.
That was the trace of Alvin's habitual spiritualization.
Illya stood on tiptoe, her cherry-pink nails scraping across snow-laden branches.
Ice crystals condensed on her silver hair like a tiny crown.
"Rin's body heat... I can feel it even from streets away."
A lively, bright smile adorned her delicate, porcelain-doll face, as she spoke in a clear and pleasant voice.
"The knight hiding in the shadows... he should be right beside you, shouldn't he?"
After speaking, Illya quietly gazed at the space beside Rin, as though searching for something.
Tohsaka Rin narrowed her eyes, unconsciously stepping in front of Alvin, though he remained unseen at the moment.
"Miss Illya, let's put aside whether he's actually by my side... You do realize this is the eve of the Holy Grail War, right?"
"I know."
Illya nodded matter-of-factly.
"As a Master from the opposing side... coming to another Master on the eve of the war and openly demanding to see my Servant, don't you think there's something wrong with that?"
Illya studied Rin anew, looking a bit thoughtful. "I see. You have a point."
"After all, I'm also one of the Masters participating in the Holy Grail War... It wouldn't be proper to deliberately come see an enemy Servant."
As she spoke, she lightly kicked at the snow with her right foot.
"In that case, I'll just fulfill my wish the Holy Grail War way."
Rin froze for a moment.
A strand of silver thread at Illya's fingertip suddenly tightened.
Seven secret-silver night owls tore through the snow curtain, soaring into the sky before diving straight toward the girl.
"Who starts fighting the second they disagree? This girl still doesn't play by any rules!"
Tohsaka Rin grumbled in annoyance. In her pupils reflected traces of flowing magical crests.
Three red gems condensed in her palm, forming a crimson light shield.
The instant ice crystals and flames collided, the snow on the ground seemed to melt slightly.
"Your reactions are pretty sharp..."
The corners of Illya's mouth curved faintly. "Then... can you still dodge if I add these?!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, several more secret-silver night owls let out a long cry behind her.
All of them were formed from special "silver threads." They spewed dense magical energy, silver lights intertwining as beams of magical silver shot toward Rin.
The latter reached into her pocket, pulling out several gems and hurling them forward.
The colorful gems collided with the birds, exploding in brilliant light.
At the same time, magical energy began rapidly flowing from Rin's magic circuits throughout her body.
Alvin, who had been watching from the side, seemed to realize something and murmured, "Water Mirror?"
Water Mirror... This was one of the Age of Gods magecraft Morgan had taught Tohsaka Rin.
Though it was only a single magecraft, it could actually branch into four grand magecrafts: "Mirror," "Tower," "Garden," and "Coffin."
The one Rin was using was the special grand magecraft known as "Garden."
When she clasped her hands together, a certain power seemed to descend upon the space.
"Water Mirror Garden!"
As the words fell, Illya's dress suddenly froze mid-air, as if some force in the space around her had restricted her movements.
She tried to wiggle her fingers, but found her entire body difficult to move.
Illya's expression finally changed.
With a tone of shock and disbelief, she said, "This isn't the Tohsaka family's gem magecraft... Where did you learn this?"
Tohsaka Rin let out a "heh" and replied, "I don't have any obligation to tell you."
"And speaking of which..."
Her deerskin boots crunched into the soft snow as Rin stepped closer to Illya, the corners of her mouth curving into a dangerous arc.
"Rather than worrying about someone else's Servant, why don't you explain why the young lady of Einzbern Castle is bringing her own Servant to find me on the eve of the Holy Grail War?!"
Whoosh!
The next instant, a red gem shot from Rin's hand like a bullet, streaking toward Illya at blinding speed!
Just as the red gem was about to reach Illya's face, the space around them seemed to ripple faintly for a moment.
Soon after, from behind the silver-haired girl came a helpless sigh.
"I never expected Princess Morgan to teach you even a grand magecraft like 'Water Mirror'... Though it's for Alvin's sake, she must like you quite a bit too."
Tohsaka Rin's gaze sharpened, and then her pupils suddenly widened.
At some unknown point, a man in white mage robes had appeared behind Illya.
He leaned on his staff, then drew a sword from within it.
A flash of cold light sliced through the air.
The red gem was cleaved in two, and the "Garden" space binding Illya was shattered in an instant.
But the sword strike didn't end there.
Frigid gleams assaulted from all directions, forcing Rin to instinctively retreat.
At that moment, the snow beneath Merlin's feet melted away as though exposed to intense heat.
A golden fist blasted toward the overwhelming sword lights.
Like gravitational suppression, the snow, and even the falling flakes—were pulverized together.
"Since when did a Grand Caster stoop to bullying a young girl... Merlin."
Alvin's voice rang out calmly as his figure materialized, the golden glow fading from his fist.
Under Illya's utterly delighted gaze, a figure dressed in black robes appeared soundlessly behind Rin Tohsaka.
"Big brother!"
In that instant, Illya's eyes lit up.
If not for the situation being inappropriate, she might have already thrown herself at him.
Alvin met the expectant look of the silver-haired girl and quickly broke into a smile. "Long time no see, Illya."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward the white-haired mage standing nearby. "I didn't expect you to appear in the Holy Grail War of Fuyuki… this is really surprising."
Merlin, whether in the history of the Nasuverse or in "The Legend of King Arthur"—was a man shrouded in mystery and fantasy.
Logically speaking, this white-haired mage should not belong to the Throne of Heroes at all.
For him to appear in the Holy Grail War of Fuyuki, there was only one possible explanation.
"Merlin chose to participate in the Holy Grail War himself."
"Your appearance is equally surprising, Alvin."
Merlin smiled.
"I was just passing by... but you're different."
Alvin asked with a laugh,
"Do you have some regret from your life that you want to use the Grail to wish for?"
His tone was quite gentle, as though two old friends who hadn't seen each other in years were casually chatting.
—Despite the fact that Merlin had screwed him over once.
"I think you've misunderstood. I don't actually have any wish I want to fulfill."
Merlin shook his head with a smile.
"I just happened to accept Miss Illya's summoning by chance, and then happened to appear in this world. That's all."
Alvin. "Lying through your teeth?"
Merlin. "..."
If anyone in the world understood Merlin best, it definitely wasn't King Arthur—it was Alvin.
This white-haired mage never did anything without meaning.
For him to appear in Fuyuki ten years later, there had to be some extremely important purpose.
After a brief silence,
Merlin let out a helpless sigh. "I really can't hide anything from you, huh."
"But I'm not here today on my own accord... It's just that after my Master summoned me, she seemed a bit unhappy, so I simply told her you were in Fuyuki too."
Illya is looking for me...?
Alvin instinctively turned to the white-haired girl, only to find she had been staring at him the whole time.
Those bright, ruby-like eyes seemed to hold some special, complicated emotion.
Tohsaka Rin appeared particularly wary of Illya, unconsciously stepping in front of Alvin.
"You don't need to be so tense, Rin."
Illya tried her best to calm down and smiled. "I'm just here to say hello this time... If I had to name a deeper purpose, it's to propose cooperation with you."
After confirming Alvin was indeed with Tohsaka Rin, her attitude had clearly become much friendlier.
After all, because of Alvin's presence, she had no intention of becoming enemies with Rin.
The earlier clash was merely to test whether Rin had the "qualifications" for cooperation.
"Cooperation?"
Rin's brow arched as she spoke.
"The Holy Grail War hasn't even started yet, and you're already planning to cooperate with another Master?"
"The reason I want to cooperate with you isn't for the Holy Grail War."
Illya said quietly, "Do you remember the great catastrophe caused by the Greater Grail ten years ago?"
About ten years ago, during the Fourth Holy Grail War, the Greater Grail had been contaminated and exploited by Sajyou Manaka, nearly causing a disaster.
Though the Greater Grail was later destroyed and remade, its root remained polluted by the "black mud."
For the past ten years, the Holy Church had set up special purification bounded fields around the Greater Grail to cleanse the contaminated Fuyuki leyline and the Grail itself.
Rin gave a soft "mm." "Does this have to do with the cooperation you mentioned?"
Illya nodded lightly, a hint of gravity entering her eyes. "Actually... last night, the purification bounded fields surrounding Fuyuki's ley lines were completely destroyed."
Tohsaka Rin's expression shifted slightly and she asked instinctively, "Who did it?"
The Einzbern family had always been deeply connected to the Greater Grail.
If Illya wasn't lying... this was extremely serious.
"I don't know yet. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to you."
Illya shook her head. "But the only ones who know about the purification bounded fields are the Einzberns, the Matou family, the Tohsaka family, and the Holy Church, four parties in total."
"You're suspecting someone among them is up to something?"
Rin's brow arched. "But why would they do that? If the Greater Grail remains contaminated, it doesn't benefit any Master."
"I can't figure it out either. That's why I want you to keep an eye out in secret."
Illya said as Rin's eyes flickered and she murmured, "If that's the case... I'll pay more attention to it."
"But let's be clear upfront..."
She raised her head. "We're only allies on this matter."
"You're really fair and impartial, huh."
Illya clasped her small hands behind her back, a pure smile blooming on her face. "But... that's exactly what I think too."
"After all, I've never given up on my wish to summon him."
Though Alvin was currently Tohsaka Rin's Servant... there was no rule saying a Servant could only stay with one Master forever during the Holy Grail War.
In the last war, hadn't her mother temporarily become his Servant for a while too?
With that thought, Illya stepped forward gracefully, then walked straight past Rin and stopped beside Alvin.
Under the girl's stunned gaze, Illya gently hugged Alvin.
Her petite, soft body pressed close to the young man's chest.
Faintly, a subtle, cool fragrance seemed to waft from her.
"Illya..."
The silver-haired girl's lips curved into a pleased arc. Her clear, melodic voice carried a hint of seductive charm. "You'll be mine sooner or later, so until that day comes, please wait patiently... Big Brother~"
Tohsaka Rin's pupils dilated sharply.
But before her anger could surge, Illya had already fluttered back like a butterfly in the snow.
"Then, see you next time, you two."
She performed a perfect Western aristocratic curtsy, lifting her skirt elegantly.
Merlin smiled faintly behind her as the two figures quietly vanished into the wind and snow.
...
After the pair left, Tohsaka Rin and Alvin returned together to the Tohsaka residence.
The whole way, her steps were unusually quick and it was obvious that she was utterly furious.
Alvin followed helplessly behind, watching her slam the door open and couldn't help sighing. "Rin, why are you so angry? It's not like I'd actually go with her."
"Don't you think that kid went too far?"
Rin crossed her arms and plopped down on the sofa, so mad it looked like steam was coming out of her ears.
She looked up, glaring at Alvin with annoyed eyes. "What do you think she meant by that?
She already summoned her own Servant, yet she says something like that right in front of another Master!"
"Probably just... a joke?"
Alvin tried to ease Tohsaka Rin's mood.
"She didn't look like she was joking."
Tohsaka Rin said quietly.
She knew that in this Fuyuki Holy Grail War, quite a few Masters had their eyes on the White Dragon... but she hadn't expected that, even after she had summoned him, Illya would still be aiming for him.
Was this a Holy Grail War, or a "Protect Alvin" war?
She was after the Grail, but the other Masters... fine, whatever.
They were more interested in her Servant than the Greater Grail itself?
Though there was one thing Alvin was right about... with his personality, he definitely wouldn't abandon her to go off with another Master on his own.
In the end, it was precisely the connection between her and him that allowed her to summon the White Dragon even after her relic had been swapped...
Tohsaka Rin lowered her head and gently brushed her fingers over the intricate red pattern on the back of her hand.
—The Command Spell.
That was the bond connecting her to Alvin.
As long as it remained... she was Alvin's Master.
The former "senior" had now become her own Servant... Even thinking about it now gave Tohsaka Rin an incredibly strange feeling.
—If she used a Command Spell, with Assassin's Magic Resistance, he would probably obey no matter what the order was, right?
Looking at the young man beside her, that thought suddenly popped into Rin's mind unbidden.
"Calmed down a bit?"
Seeing the girl stay silent for so long, Alvin suddenly asked, causing the girl to snap back to reality.
Noticing Alvin's gaze, an unconscious blush spread across her fair cheeks and she gave a soft "mm."
The atmosphere grew slightly quiet.
After a moment, Rin opened her mouth, about to break the silence.
Knock knock.
At that moment, a soft knocking came from outside.
"Sisyer, I'm coming in, okay?"
As the slightly unfamiliar and polite...voice rang out, Matou Sakura changed into slippers at the entrance and walked into the hall.
She immediately spotted the two in the living room.
Her gaze lingered on Alvin for a moment and in that instant, her beautiful eyes seemed to soften as Matou Sakura tilted her head slightly and smiled. "Senpai... it's been a long time."
.
.
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