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Outside the Castle Gates
"This is awesome! I've always wanted to drive myself!"
Irisviel sat in the driver's seat, her eyes sparkling like a kid with a brand-new toy.
Minato blinked, watching her.
Wait… am I forgetting something?
He thought for a bit, then gave up.
Eh, probably not important.
…Until a few minutes later—
Minato suddenly remembered what it was.
The sky was getting darker.
A regular family sedan tore down a mountain road, roaring like a beast.
"Ahahaha! Driving is the best thing ever!"
Wind blasted in through the windows. Irisviel's silver hair streamed behind her as she laughed like wind chimes.
"S-So scary...!"
Sakura had already curled up in Minato's arms, shaking like a leaf.
She might be a demon, but she was still just a kid.
And big sis Irisviel's driving was terrifying.
Someone, please save us.
"Miss Iris, don't you think you're going a bit too fast?"
Medusa, sitting in the back, raised an eyebrow. She didn't seem scared, just surprised. "This really doesn't feel like something you'd do."
In her mind, Irisviel was just a sheltered rich girl who'd never even stepped foot outside the castle.
"Too fast? Doesn't feel like it to me."
Still shifting gears, Irisviel didn't even look back. "There was only one car in the castle, and I only got to drive it now and then."
"Today's actually the first time I've really gotten to go all out."
Artoria watched her awkward gear-shifting and asked nervously, "Wait, so you taught yourself?"
"Of course I did. I'm pretty talented, right?"
That's… not the issue here.
Everyone had something they wanted to say… but no one dared say it out loud.
"…Fine. Let her drive."
Minato rubbed his temples. "Just don't hit anyone, alright?"
Good thing none of them were ordinary humans.
Otherwise, this would've given them trauma for life.
"You're the best, Lord Minato~"
Irisviel glanced back with a sweet smile.
Artoria: "Miss Iris, watch the road!"
"Relax, I've got everything under control."
"Yeah, not seeing it!"
Damn, even Artoria was starting to roast her now.
The car just kept speeding up—didn't matter if it was a tight curve or a cliffside road, Irisviel didn't ease off at all.
Thanks to her… unique driving skills…
They got back to the Matou estate in half the expected time.
"We… we survived…"
Sakura stumbled out of the car, legs trembling. "I'm never riding with Iris-nee again…"
"Hm?"
Minato was just about to say something when he suddenly froze. His expression turned cold.
Medusa tilted her head, confused. "What's wrong, Master?"
This was the first time she'd ever seen him like this.
"Nothing much. Just found a couple of bastards who need killing."
Medusa stepped forward on her own, volunteering. "Then I'll go too."
"Alright."
Night had fallen like still water.
Moonlight spilled over everything, making the black forest look even more eerie and sinister.
The air was thick with the scent of blood, heavy and unmoving in the breeze.
Deeper into the forest, the place looked like something straight out of hell.
The ground was soaked in crimson. Severed limbs and mangled bodies were piled up everywhere.
"Haha, hey Uncle Bluebeard, all this death... that should boost your power quite a bit, huh?"
Ryuunosuke Uryuu stood in a pool of blood, casually brushing his short hair back. But his hand and face were smeared with gore.
His handsome features made him look almost human—almost. Right now, though, he looked like a true monster.
"Still not enough. I need more lives. More sacrifices,"
A man in a huge, dark robe muttered under his breath, his face twisted with malice. "Only then can I take down that demon who's pretending to be me, the real Caster."
That's right. He—Gilles de Rais—was the true Caster-class servant.
"That demon seems pretty strong,"
Ryuunosuke replied, smiling with a disturbing mix of innocence and cruelty. "Uncle Bluebeard, if you wanna win the Holy Grail War, wouldn't it make more sense to deal with the other Servants first?"
"No way."
Gilles sneered. "It's one thing to impersonate my class, but he dared to touch Jeanne d'Arc? That's unforgivable."
"Yeah, now that you mention it, that bastard totally deserves to die."
Ryuunosuke nodded, excited. "But I wonder... when that demon dies, will I finally find what I've been looking for?"
Just then, a voice rang out from the darkness, sharp and sudden, cutting right through the moment. Gilles and Ryuunosuke both froze.
"Don't worry. Whatever it is you're searching for—you'll meet it today, the moment you die."
"Who's there?!"
Gilles spun around, eyes wide. A magic circle flared to life all around them.
As a Caster-class servant, this forest was his territory—his workshop.
For someone to sneak in here... it was the ultimate insult.
Under the moonlight, a man and a woman emerged from the trees, walking calmly like they were just out for a nighttime stroll.
"...It's you."
Gilles gritted his teeth. "You damned imposter! I haven't even come for you yet, and you dare show up here on your own?"
"....."