The so-called "Holy Grail" of Fuyuki was, in fact, a ritual created by the Three Founding Families. The original process was as follows:
Use the Fuyuki ley lines to accumulate mana in the Greater Grail.
Once charged, use this mana to summon Servants from the Throne of Heroes, which exists "outside the World."
Find a way to kill the Servants and store their souls in the Lesser Grail.
When the time is right, have the Servants' souls return to the Throne of Heroes all at once. This will open a path (a hole) to the "outside." The magi can then use this path to reach the "Swirl of the Root," which also exists outside the World.
Of course, if one didn't wish to reach the Root, they could choose to use the Grail as a "Grail-brand" wish-granting machine, skipping the process needed to achieve a certain goal and directly obtaining the result.
Without a doubt, whether as a direct path to the Root or as an accelerator, the Holy Grail was a treasure of the highest order.
However, after creating this ritual, each of the Three Founding Families wanted to monopolize it, which ultimately led to a massive brawl that created the "Holy Grail War."
But for the girl named Aozaki Aoko, reaching the Root held no appeal. Her grandfather was a Magic User; as the second generation, she had no need to bother with such things.
Therefore, her purpose in coming to Fuyuki was simply to dig up the Holy Grail and use it as a wish-granting machine.
"Even though I've had it once before, eating it again, it's still just as delicious."
The Magic User, who was supposed to be fighting Red A, let out a powerful belch.
Across from her, Brother Red A, summoned under the Assassin class, held a spatula, his face completely wooden.
There was nothing he could do about it.
After all, he had activated his grand magic, the Reality Marble, to pull his enemy onto the battlefield, only for this to happen—
"Got food? If not, I'll beat you up."
That Magic User, whose power level in no way resembled Caster Medea's, had said just that.
Magic User Aozaki Aoko had called in her future self to fight for her right from the start.
Appearing before them was the future Magic User, whose combat strength was equivalent to a full-power Gilgamesh.
Although Brother Red A was hailed as the "Type-Moon 50/50," that was just a title.
He wasn't some Merlin Beast (Fou, the Beast of Comparison) whose power level changed according to the enemy's strength.
The fact that he had been beaten like a grandson by the Mad Dog earlier had already proven that title was bullshit.
To stall for time, Brother Red A could only use his Projection magecraft to project...
...some rather high-end kitchenware, and then pick up his old profession.
"Master, is it really okay for us to be here, hic, eating?"
Miyamoto Musashi, having stuck her tachi into the ground beside her, held a large bowl and indelicately wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her kimono, mumbling at her Master.
"Um, aren't our ally, Miss Kuonji, and Caster still fighting?"
"Is it really okay for us to be eating here?"
"What's not okay about it?"
Miss Aoko, clearly not in her usual state, pouted.
"You don't actually think Ah Li and Alice are going to fight for real, do you?"
"Those two, no matter who wins, it won't affect what happens next. As soon as the Holy Grail War is over, they'll go shopping, go on dates, and roll in the sheets."
Toward the end, Miss Aoko's words took on the flavor of lemon.
She also wanted to go shopping, go on dates, and then check into a hotel with a shota who looked thirteen!
If only I had been a little more reserved back then.
Miss Aoko, who knew full well why she was getting the cold shoulder, grumbled to herself.
"How enviable."
Miss Musashi, a sucker for a pretty face through and through, felt a pang of jealousy as she listened to her Master's description.
Lancer's Master was very handsome. As long as he didn't run into something like being struck by the lightning of Zeus, he would definitely grow up to be a devastatingly beautiful young man in a few years.
However, unlike Miss Aoko, who was thinking "I can take her place," Miss Musashi could only express her envy.
Although she liked handsome young men, she was terrible at handling romantic relationships. Or rather, her resistance to them was so low that if she ever settled down, she would easily become absorbed in domestic affairs and neglect her swordsmanship.
If the edge of her sword were to dull because of family life, she would "attain Buddhahood" in battle.
To attain Buddhahood meant to "GG."
Miss Musashi, who had no desire to GG, had to suppress this desire, even though she really wanted to get close to the handsome young man.
"But, Master, aren't you going to try a little?"
The Servant mumbled, vaguely remembering that her master wanted to use the Holy Grail to give herself an identity that would make romance easier.
This Holy Grail War was just too absurd.
The people who wanted to fight the Holy Grail War seriously were either one-shotted by Lancer or had been taken out in some inexplicable way.
Those who remained were either girls in love or perverted stalkers.
And the wishes these people wanted to make after obtaining the Grail were each more absurd than the last.
The current Holy Grail War was practically a large-scale romantic ethics drama.
Since the situation is so special, Miss Musashi thought, completely unmotivated.
"Um, I don't actually need the Holy Grail that much, you know."
The Magic User from the future raised her hand and scratched her cheek.
"???????"
"Ah Li's type used to be older sisters. Our relationship was much closer than his and Alice's. You could even say he used to like me."
"Like?"
Miss Musashi's expression became bewildered, just like the Little Sun's earlier.
Lancer's Master looks at you with a disgust that's practically overflowing, and you call that 'like'?
"The Aozaki family is a family of Magic Users. It's a family that commands the highest level of mystery, that wields miracles."
Aozaki Aoko rolled her eyes and said.
"Why would you think that I, a Magic User, would hold no attraction for Ah Li, who is merely a magus?"
But... the way Lancer's Master looks at you isn't like he's looking at a goddess or a lover at all.
"The reason he's ignoring me and Touko right now isn't because he's not interested in us, but because of psychological trauma."
As if noticing Musashi's doubtful expression, Aoko's voice grew wistful.
Psychological trauma?
Miss Musashi's expression became strange.
Master, what on earth did you and that person named Touko do to leave a magus with psychological trauma?
"It's all... trivial matters."
Seemingly sensing her Servant's strange expression, Miss Aoko gave a dry laugh.
She couldn't very well say that she saw Touko trying to drug him, felt that "the cute shota I like might get snatched up by my bastard older sister," and, with her heart steeled, decided to strike first to gain the upper hand.
Then, Miss Touko noticed Miss Aoko's actions, which ignited her competitive spirit, and she decided to up the ante.
Miss Aoko also sensed Miss Touko's intentions and got a little pissed off.
And then—
Like an arms race, during that period, both she and Touko lost their minds a little.
"As long as I help Ah Li overcome his psychological trauma, my love life will take a turn for the better."
These words came from the mouth of the future Miss Aoko.
"Um, Master, the method you're talking about is?"
Miss Musashi asked, her expression even more baffled than the Little Sun's.
The Magic User, who could freely adjust her physical age by manipulating time and could therefore hit a certain acquired loli-con's preferences just by changing her appearance, ate her skewers. Recalling her housemate's pretty face, her gaze drifted.
"I'll just let him get used to it slowly."