"Don't push your luck!", If Sajyou Manaka was calm and composed, then Illya was cold and sharp. That delicate face like snow spoke with no courtesy, mocking, "Sajyou Manaka... Sajyou, right, a magic family that moved to Fuyuki a few years ago, good at... black magic, right? Don't tell me, you think just summoning Saber means you can rest easy?"
"No, nothing like that," Compared to Illya's sharp words, Sajyou Manaka was much more polite.
She folded her slender jade-like fingers, her faint smile like a beautiful flower kissed by morning dew. Pure white, flawless.
If you mistook her camouflage as her true face and felt pity, that would be a huge mistake.
Beneath that beautiful exterior, inside was a demonic flower that would truly devour people without spitting out bones.
"Holy Grail War, I thought about it carefully today, and found it's actually like cooking," She seemed to wait for Illya to respond, or observe her expression.
Sajyou Manaka paused here, and seeing Illya didn't respond, continued with a smile, "If you want to make delicious food, putting in serious effort is enough. But if you want to make something special, aside from being complicated, you have to use your brain. However, with a few tricks, complexity can also be skipped."
"The Holy Grail War is like this. There are seven strong Servants. Saber is just a little more special. So, if you want to quickly achieve your goal, using just your brain isn't enough. In this situation, shouldn't you look for a breakthrough?"
"You bastard!", Sella immediately stood in front of Illya.
"Illya-sama… step back," Liz prepared for battle.
As expected, what Sajyou Manaka meant wasn't just cooking.
She was saying, rather than relying on Servants for exhausting battle, isn't it easier to deal with the Master? And if needed, even their families could be used.
Shirou thought that only two types of people could make such remarks about the Holy Grail War.
First type: Doesn't understand the cruelty of the Holy Grail War, treats it like child's play, that kind of person is simply harmless.
Kind of criticizing a certain seaweed-haired guy.
Second type: Highly talented, powerful, and a confident representative.
No doubt, Sajyou Manaka was the second type.
"Sella, no need to worry, at least for now, she won't make a move," Illya revealed a contemptuous smile.
"So impressive, as a magus you're mature. But as for your concept of cooking, it's just about tasty, special, and using tricks?", Illya declared victoriously, "That means I win!"
She grabbed Shirou's hand, raising her brow proudly.
"Hm?", Sajyou Manaka slightly confused, politely and modestly asked, "Did I express it wrongly? Or is it because you're a homunculus..."
"Loser!"
"!", Sajyou Manaka's expression, calm as water, slightly stiffened. She repeated the word, "Loser?"
"Small fry!"
Her clear pupils slowly widened. Sajyou Manaka couldn't believe it, pointing at herself, "Small fry?"
Illya raised her head proudly.
Sajyou Manaka: "..."
"Um… Manaka," Artoria spoke politely as she could, "I understand 'small fry', but 'loser'... what does it mean?"
She said something completely out of touch, "Could it be... a fierce dog that lost a fight?"
"..."
"..."
Everyone fell silent in that moment.
Even Sajyou Manaka, usually emotionless for so many years, couldn't help but twitch her brow slightly.
This had nothing to do with emotion, it was simply that she never expected someone to say something like that.
"Saber," After a while, Sajyou Manaka finally responded, "There was a reason why Britain fell."
"Mm!", The ahoge stood straight.
"You don't understand the human heart," Sajyou Manaka dealt the fatal blow.
"Ugh~", Artoria nearly collapsed to the ground.
"Rather than saying she doesn't understand the human heart, isn't it more like she really doesn't think before speaking?", Medea, who had remained silent, gave her evaluation.
Puchi!
A direct stab to the heart. Artoria trembled and fell backward.
"You can't say that," Shirou tried to come forward and mediate.
Artoria straightened up, her beautiful eyes filled with hopeful anticipation, looking at the fierce enemy before her.
'Could it be he understands me?'
As for her true name, she subconsciously assumed Illya had already told her Servant.
"She just eats a bit more, that's all."
"Aaaah!", Artoria was crushed, her once-upright ahoge completely withered.
"Now that's a finishing move," Everyone commented.
Artoria fully entered shutdown mode, "Someone deny it already! Hunger is the real enemy!"
The girl's complaint, the girl's sigh, the girl drew circles, "Everyone in Britain... I'm sorry, I'm not a qualified king!"
While Artoria was confessing, Sajyou Manaka and Illya made eye contact.
Great hostility appeared in both their eyes.
Suddenly, Sajyou Manaka politely covered her mouth and chuckled, "Hehe, you all… are very interesting."
She felt troubled, like someone on an outing who stumbled upon a beautiful scenic view.
"What should I do?", Tilting her head, cuteness exploded, "If the Holy Grail War ends, won't I be unable to experience such interesting things?"
"Maybe... let the Holy Grail War continue forever," She really was seriously thinking about it. And what she was seriously considering was how to move the beautiful scenery she saw on this outing into her own courtyard to admire at leisure.
These words made Artoria's ahoge stand up again, "Manaka, you said you'd help me fulfill my wish!"
Artoria Pendragon, the legendary King Arthur. No doubt, she was a just and radiant knight.
However, before that, she was also a king, a king who was full of guilt and wanted to return to Britain.
Compared to the Fourth War, the Fifth War's King of Knights was more willing to use any means necessary for the Grail.
Almost in a state of madness.
As far as Shirou knew, at least in the game, she really did betray her Master for the Grail, even stabbed them in the back.
"True enough," Faced with Artoria's serious expression, Sajyou Manaka smiled gently, "Don't worry, Saber. I'll help you fulfill your wish."
'This is trouble.'
Hearing Sajyou Manaka's words, Shirou knew things were serious.
If there were no Sajyou Manaka, with the current state of the Grail, as long as Ahoge King understood her wish couldn't be granted, they could get along.
But with Sajyou Manaka, there really might be a way to recreate her Britain.
This round... it'll all depend on whether Artoria has the same resolve as Old Saber.
[A/N: Game-wise that's how it is. Don't think it's character collapse. Watching the anime, the King of Knights is indeed noble. But whether in game or legend, she was first a king, and then a knight. When emotions fall short, and her interests conflict, she'll never hesitate to stab you in the back.]
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