When Guinevere proposed the idea of a seven-on-seven Holy Grail War and sought the assistance of Mages to prepare for it, news of the conflict quickly spread throughout the Clock Tower, the Holy Church, and other organizations.
After learning more about the plan, the Mages realized that Guinevere had chosen this format specifically to ensure her own victory in obtaining the Holy Grail.
Guinevere would participate openly, and the King of Knights, Mordred, and Morgan would also join—not as Servants, but as Masters themselves.
Thus, this battle wouldn't be a seven-on-seven clash, but rather a fourteen-on-seven scenario. Unless the opposing side possessed god-tier strength, victory would be utterly impossible.
Therefore, alongside the seven-on-seven rule, Guinevere promised additional rewards to any Mage willing to participate.
Dragon Bones from the Albion Spirit Tomb, Camelot-era Mana cultivation methods, and even the King of Knights' swordsmanship—these were all part of the incentives she offered.
Following this announcement, her once-deserted doorstep instantly transformed into a bustling hub.
Many Mages saw an opportunity: they could participate, summon a Servant, immediately order it to commit suicide, and then pocket Guinevere's payment.
"Your Grace, the Yggdmillennia Family has sent word that they have completed the construction of the Holy Grail System and accelerated Mana accumulation using the treasures you provided. The Great Holy Grail War should be ready to begin within about a month.
However, they wish to apologize for one thing: they were unable to modify the Master selection mechanism. The Masters participating in the Great Holy Grail War will still be chosen solely by the Holy Grail."
Waver nervously delivered the news about Guinevere's manor outside London. He wasn't sure how she would react; he just felt that if he were in her place—having invested time, energy, and money, only to have his efforts usurped—he would certainly be furious.
But he was wrong. Guinevere was surprised, yes, but she didn't erupt in anger. Her confidence stemmed from her belief that she would be chosen by the Holy Grail. Even if she wasn't selected as a Master, she was confident she could still participate in the war as a servant.
Moreover, even in the worst-case scenario, Guinevere wasn't entirely surprised that the Yggdmillennia Family would cause trouble.
According to her memories and the information Kayneth had provided, the centenarian Family Head Darnic had long harbored a desire to break free from the Clock Tower's constraints and establish independence. By accepting the Holy Grail construction task, he had revealed his own ambition for the Grail.
"Tch, no matter," Guinevere scoffed. "I'd already accounted for him as an opposing Master."
She sheathed her sword, stretched languidly, letting her silver-gray ponytail sway freely. Noticing Waver's astonishment, she continued:
"Mages will always be drawn to this Great Holy Grail War. It has the largest investment and the most orthodox construction data, making it far more likely to reach The Root compared to other Variant Holy Grail Wars."
"Your Grace, are you saying that anyone who desires this Holy Grail must stand against you? Because you would never willingly relinquish it?"
"So, the Head of the Yggdmillennia Family isn't incapable of designating Masters. Instead, he's using this tactic to leave you with no recourse while gambling on whether he can exclude more of your family members?"
Waver was remarkably sharp, and his intellect only grew sharper with time. He quickly came to the same conclusion as Guinevere, and a certain desire began to stir within him.
But first, he needed to confirm one thing.
"Your Grace, you've already deduced that the Head of Yggdmillennia acted deliberately, yet you don't intend to intervene, do you?"
"Waver, you honestly think I'd let some useless fool self-destruct and then effortlessly claim victory? Don't you think that would be a terrible waste?"
"My swordsmanship cannot improve further without the crucible of life-or-death battles."
As she spoke, Guinevere approached Mordred and ruffled her hair.
"Don't worry, Little Mo. You, Lia, and I will definitely participate together. If worst comes to worst, we can all serve as servants and join the war."
"Guinevere, I think you've wanted to fight as a servant from the very beginning."
If the King of Knights had any doubts before, they vanished with these words. She now clearly understood her partner's true intentions.
Guinevere hadn't enjoyed their previous skirmishes; she'd been itching for a real fight. From the start, she had never intended to fight fourteen against seven—she only wanted a fair seven-on-seven battle.
"Your Grace," Waver Velvet interjected, "would I have the honor of joining your team? I have no interest in the Holy Grail; I simply wish to fight alongside the King of Conquerors once more."
Waver had entertained this idea earlier, but he only voiced his request after confirming Guinevere's desire for a true, all-out war. He refused to let the King of Conquerors participate in a mere game.
"Waver, of course you may join our team," Guinevere replied. "You haven't forgotten our agreement to rematch the King of Conquerors, have you?"
"I haven't forgotten. I've been secretly saving money all these years, just to buy you and the King of Conquerors a barrel of fine wine."
"You've been secretly saving money? Does Reines know about this?"
Compared to five years ago, Waver had matured somewhat in both appearance and personality, but he hadn't yet become the overworked version of himself from five years later.
Even when teased about his sore spots, he still wore a troubled expression.
However, now that Guinevere had accepted him as a teammate, even if he were a hundred times more distressed, he couldn't hide his joy. He desperately longed to see the King of Conquerors again.
Besides Waver, Guinevere also planned to issue a recruitment notice, inviting Mages chosen by the Command Spells to volunteer themselves.
Meanwhile, far away in Romania, at the ancestral grounds of the Yggdmillennia Family, Family Head Darnic was receiving a steady stream of guests.
Among these guests, a father-daughter pair particularly caught his attention. The father, Kirei Kotomine, was a former Executor of the Church, a participant in the Fourth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City, and the notorious sinner who had stolen the True Ancestor bloodline of Ciel, the seventh seat of the Church's Burial Agency—the "Bow."
Yet in the years since, he had evaded the Church's pursuit and simply opened a Mapo Tofu shop in Fuyuki City, doing nothing of particular significance.
Accompanying him was his daughter, Caren Hortensia, who was indeed his biological daughter.
"Are you saying you intend to participate in this Great Holy Grail War and once again oppose Lady Guinevere?"
"No, my sole target has always been Kiritsugu Emiya."
"Will he be participating as well?"
"For years, he's been rushing to battlefields, saving every life that falls within his reach. Such a man could never overlook this war, nor refuse Guinevere's invitation."
"Then can you summon the King of Heroes again?"
"The King of Heroes has already proven himself no match for Guinevere and the King of Knights combined. So you'd best not overestimate your prepared Holy Relics. Few members of your family are qualified to participate in this war anyway."
In the Yggdmillennia Family's ballroom, Family Head Darnic remained silent, agreeing with most of Kirei Kotomine's points. He knew that to obtain the Holy Grail, he needed more powerful allies.
"In any case, let's wait until the Holy Grail chooses its Masters before making further plans. But Kirei Kotomine, I am willing to form an alliance with you. I want to learn more about Guinevere and the King of Knights' combat styles."