Alvin was speechless for a moment, "Do I really have to sneak in and peep right now just to prove your charm, Master?"
"That's not necessary…"
After saying that, Rin could not help recalling last night's "dream."
She hesitated slightly and said, "Assassin… I have a question for you."
"What is it?"
Alvin asked, "It's about last night…"
'Was that really just a "dream"?'
Ever since waking up this morning, Rin had been thinking about that question.
The forbidden scenes of Sakura hugging Alvin on her own initiative, and Alvin wrapping an arm around his younger sister's waist, still kept appearing in Rin's mind even now.
If it was a dream, then it had been a little too clear.
Alvin's forehead sweated a little, but his face showed nothing, "What about it?"
"I mean—"
Rin was about to speak, but at that moment, Alvin suddenly sensed a sweet and bloody magical energy spreading from afar.
He abruptly looked toward a certain direction.
"What's wrong?", Rin also sensed something unusual.
"Servants are fighting… I can feel their presence," Alvin's tone was low.
Even though he was an Assassin, his perception was still astonishingly sharp. On top of that, the Servants fighting were likely powerful as well, so he could clearly sense the fluctuation of magical energy.
As soon as Alvin finished speaking, the sound of rushing water came from the bathroom.
The next moment, Rin rushed out wrapped in a bath towel that outlined her graceful and slender figure.
She had a tall figure, and her wet black hair draped down her back. Water droplets slid along her fair skin, sparkling brightly. She had lost some of her usual elegance, but gained a bit of lazy disorder instead.
"Where?"
There was seriousness on Rin's beautiful fair face.
"Mount Enzo direction… Want to go take a look?", Alvin asked.
"Mount Enzo…"
A flicker passed through Rin's eyes, "Could it be related to the purification barrier Illya mentioned being destroyed?"
After hesitating for a moment, she quickly made up her mind, "No matter what, this is a rare chance. Maybe we can use tonight to confirm the identities of the other Servants and Masters."
Alvin hesitated slightly, looking like he wanted to say something but stopped himself.
"Assassin, no matter what, I'm still your Master. I can't let you investigate by yourself."
Rin raised her hand slightly, indicating the Command Seals on the back of it, "And at a critical moment, I can help you too, right?"
Under normal circumstances, a single Command Seal was enough to replenish a huge amount of magical energy for a Servant. At a critical moment, Rin as a Master really could be useful.
And her personality clearly wasn't the type that could be persuaded otherwise. Alvin nodded, "Then let's go together. But…"
"But what?"
Rin raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Are you sure you want to go out dressed like that?"
Alvin hesitated.
Following Alvin's gaze, Rin lowered her head to look at herself. Her pupils suddenly widened, and two intoxicating blushes quickly spread across her cheeks.
"Get out first!"
After saying that, she turned around and slammed the bathroom door shut with a bang.
Alvin could not help shrugging.
Whether it was dropping the ball or reacting slowly afterward, she really was exactly like Ishtar.
———
[Mount Enzo]
At the foot of the mountain, a silver-haired girl stood with her hands behind her back, carrying an innocent smile on her face as she calmly looked at the enemy Rider.
"Caster was right. At night, rats really do sneak in secretly."
"The one who destroyed the purification barrier should be you, Rider?"
A faint smile appeared at the corner of the purple-haired woman's lips, "The Einzbern family really is closely connected to the Holy Grail. Looks like you noticed something wrong a long time ago."
Illya did not answer. She merely stretched out her hands and gently caught a falling snowflake, watching it slowly melt.
"Finished with your last words, Rider?"
The smile on Rider's face turned colder, "Do you think you can keep me here?"
"We'll only know after trying."
Illya smiled slightly, "But I don't think you'll be leaving."
Before going to find Rin yesterday, she had already set up a trap in advance, specifically to wait for the "rat" to take the bait.
Naturally, she had come prepared to leave the other side behind here.
However, at that moment, a third voice suddenly sounded quietly from the darkness.
"It's really lively tonight."
The moment that voice fell, everyone present turned their eyes in the same direction at once. They saw a figure gracefully walking toward them from the entrance of Mount Enzo.
Under the pressure of some terrifying magical power, the snow let out countless tiny cracking sounds. Illya's gaze suddenly froze.
On the snowfield that should have been empty, countless dense magic barriers had silently formed at some point, like a predator opening its fangs.
Rider beside her also revealed a guarded expression, already quietly tightening her grip on the chain sickle. The sharp blade seemed to release a hungry hum.
She had never expected that on the very first night of the Holy Grail War, three different Masters would act at the same time.
Illya stared closely at the unexpected guest who had appeared on Mount Enzo, her tone full of vigilance and caution.
"There really are a lot of familiar faces in this Holy Grail War."
"I really didn't expect to see you here…"
"Miss Sajyou Manaka."
Silence!
Amid the intertwining wind and snow, several gazes simultaneously looked toward the end of the entrance to Mount Enzo. A strange silence spread through the air.
"I didn't expect that after ten years, you'd still remember my name, Miss Illya."
A crisp and pleasant voice broke the silence.
The wind and snow froze into ice crystals the moment they touched her golden hair, while dark golden magic circles silently bloomed beneath her feet.
Sajyou Manaka stepped across the frozen ground one step at a time. Compared to the past, both her appearance and temperament had matured greatly.
The thickness of her dress was just right, not making her look bloated at all, while outlining her exquisite and graceful curves.
With her arrival, everyone present instantly became tense. Illya's body even trembled slightly, her eyes full of caution and nervousness.
After so many years, she had thought she had become strong enough to fear no enemy anymore.
Yet after seeing the woman before her, she still instinctively felt an inexplicable fear.
"You still haven't changed at all, Miss Illya."
Sajyou Manaka smiled as she looked at the silver-haired girl, "Exactly the same appearance as ten years ago. Though homunculi are creatures like that, it still makes me emotional."
"And also," She then looked toward Merlin not far from Illya's side, "I really didn't expect you to participate in the Holy Grail War. Quite surprising… Merlin."
'Merlin?'
Rider suddenly raised her head, and a trace of shock appeared on her expressionless face.
'The Servant summoned by the Einzbern family is actually Merlin, the court magus from British legend?'
After the brief shock, Rider's expression became even more serious.
'If Illya's Servant is Merlin, then who exactly is this girl speaking with Merlin?'
'She is obviously a modern magus… so why does she know Merlin?'
Seeing Sajyou Manaka direct her attention at him, Merlin revealed a gentle smile.
"I was simply summoned by my Master by accident. But I also didn't expect to meet you in the Holy Grail War. We really are fated."
After speaking, he looked around beside Sajyou Manaka a few times, then quickly asked in confusion, "You still haven't summoned a Servant?"
It would have been fine if he had not mentioned it, but the moment the topic came up, Sajyou Manaka's expression darkened considerably.
"Could it be… you couldn't summon the Servant you wanted?", Merlin asked tentatively.
Sajyou Manaka said coldly, "You talk too much nonsense."
An enlightened look appeared on Merlin's face as he smiled, "Looks like I guessed right?"
"But Heroic Spirit summoning is just like that. Even with a related catalyst, all kinds of accidents can still happen. Just take it easier."
Merlin spoke cheerfully, completely failing to consider what it felt like for an unlucky person to miss the five-star card in a rate-up pool.
Illya interrupted flatly, "Enough, Caster… Don't forget our goal tonight."
"Don't worry, Rider won't get away."
Merlin smiled, "If I'm not mistaken, Miss Sajyou should also be here for Rider, right?"
Holding his staff, he continued smiling, "How about we cooperate first and take down Rider together?"
Sajyou Manaka could not even be bothered to look at him, "Do you think I need to cooperate with you?"
"What if it's a trade instead?", Merlin smiled.
Illya's thoughts began to race. She seemed to have already guessed what Merlin intended to do and subconsciously said, "Caster—"
Merlin stopped Illya with a look, signaling for her not to speak for now.
Sajyou Manaka raised an eyebrow slightly, "A trade? What could you possibly trade with me?"
Merlin stared at Sajyou Manaka and said word by word, "Information about the White Dragon."
Thump! Thump!
For a moment, Sajyou Manaka's heartbeat suddenly sped up. Her breathing became slightly hurried as she raised her head and stared intensely at Merlin.
"You have information about him?"
Even omniscience could not obtain any information related to the White Dragon. On the night the Holy Grail War began, when Sajyou Manaka failed to summon the White Dragon during Heroic Spirit summoning, she only felt as though something inside her was missing, leaving her empty.
Now that she heard Merlin knew information related to the White Dragon, it was hard for her not to become emotional.
"Really?"
She unconsciously lowered her voice, as if trying her best to keep her emotions steady, but the shining light in her beautiful eyes proved how unsettled she truly was.
"Yes. And I know where he is right now."
Merlin nodded slightly in confirmation.
A flicker passed through Sajyou Manaka's eyes. She gradually calmed down and soon looked toward Rider's direction.
"Looks like we've successfully reached a cooperation."
Merlin smiled, and faint golden light seemed to spread from the staff in his hand.
Sensing two streams of magical energy focusing on her at the same time, Rider subconsciously tightened her grip on the chain, but waves of coldness rose from her back.
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