"Irisviel, are we really going to leave Illya and Shirou behind in Fuyuki?"
"Alright, Kiritsugu, I know you're worried, but didn't we decide to let them grow up like ordinary people?
We can't take them with us. We haven't even told them about Mages. Trust Sella and Leysritt—they're no longer the battle-focused homunculi they were five years ago.
Besides, Maiya's still in Fuyuki, isn't she?"
From Fuyuki to London, Kiritsugu Emiya and Irisviel von Einzbern chose to fly. As they emerged from the airport terminal, Guinevere was already waving at them, beckoning them to her car.
Dressed in a short-sleeved shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap worn backward, Guinevere exuded an air of youthful energy.
Irisviel, on the other hand, wore a long white dress paired with a light-colored casual jacket. Her appearance hadn't aged a day in the past five years.
Only Kiritsugu Emiya looked more haggard than before. Whether this was due to the brutal battlefields around the world or the even more brutal battlefield of his own home in Fuyuki remained unclear.
"Yahallo! Long time no see, you two!"
After helping load the luggage, Guinevere's UmaMusume-themed electric car started up. As she drove, she greeted them warmly.
(Spy-Yes, Guinevere is cultured. Yes, I quadruple checked. She is driving a Uma Car)
Five years had passed, but Guinevere still drove with her characteristic steady hand. Now, however, she was strictly following traffic laws.
"Caster, long time no see."
Kiritsugu Emiya had quit smoking, but he occasionally put an unlit cigarette in his mouth while speaking, showing off his newly acquired Command Spell.
When the Great Holy Grail War began, when the Holy Grail began seeking those who coveted it, Kiritsugu Emiya was chosen once again, despite his belief that he had long abandoned his desire for the Grail.
Besides him, two other members of the Guinevere family were directly selected by the Holy Grail: the King of Knights and Sakura.
Among them all, Guinevere clearly yearned for the Holy Grail the most, yet she remained unchosen.
"Speaking of which, have you decided yet? Will you contract with Saber, or let her summon another servant?
As for Sakura, are you certain you want Mordred to protect her?
Caster, I must remind you—you may not want the war to be too one-sided, but you are already materialized servants. Even if you contract with Masters and participate in the war, you won't occupy the servant slots. They can still summon additional servants."
Irisviel and Kiritsugu sat in the back seat. Irisviel naturally rested her head on Kiritsugu's shoulder. As the homunculus created for the Holy Grail War, she possessed the most comprehensive understanding of its intricacies.
"I know, but this possibility remains as insurance. To be honest, I'm very confident in myself. You might call it arrogance, but my mind is clear. I know some Mages will treat this battle as a fight to the death."
During the Fourth Holy Grail War, Guinevere saved Kayneth's life. How could she possibly repeat his "holier-than-thou" mistake?
Guinevere knew she was strong, but not yet among the absolute elite. Even facing First Hassan again, she lacked the confidence to win.
Therefore, when she said "insurance," she truly meant it. Her first priority in this battle was to confirm the identities of both sides' Servants and Masters.
Let's start with her side...
"Master 1: Sakura Pendragon; Servant: Saber-class Mordred.
Master 2: Artoria Pendragon; Servant: Caster-class Guinevere.
Master 3: Morgan le Fay; Servant: Lancer-class Gareth.
Master 4: Waver Velvet; Servant: the King of Conquerors Iskandar, still as Rider."
"Master Five, Kiritsugu Emiya, that's you.
Master Six, Shiki Tohno, a seemingly ordinary high school student recommended by Aoko Aozaki, the Fifth Magician. His stated purpose is to work and earn money.
Master Seven... unfortunately, he hasn't reported to me yet. As for your and Shiki Tohno's servants, I'm unsure whether you've already summoned them."
In the back seat of the car, Irisviel and Kiritsugu listened intently to Guinevere's words. After she finished, they exchanged glances. Irisviel cleared her throat, preparing to speak on their behalf.
"Kiritsugu has already summoned his servant," she began, "but we suspect there was a summoning error. The Archer he summoned claims to have lost his memory and seems utterly bewildered by the current situation. He even confused Kiritsugu for his father!
"When we came to London, he wanted to explore a bit more, so we allowed him to join us later.
"I suppose the Archer Class's 'Independent Action' skill is simply too useful."
Returning to a few days prior, Guinevere had been astonished when Aoko Aozaki showed up at her door. Aoko reminded her of the favor she owed Touko Aozaki for creating Mordred's physical body and recommended Shiki Tohno as a Master.
This Shiki Tohno was the protagonist of another Type-Moon series. He was destined to forge a connection with Arcueid, the princess of the Dead Apostles, and wield the ultimate Mystic Eyes—the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.
Upon hearing that Kiritsugu had summoned an amnesiac Archer who called him "Dad," Guinevere nearly slammed on the brakes. Regaining her composure, she couldn't help but ask:
"Does he have a healthy complexion? Is he wearing a red robe made from the Holy Shroud?"
"Caster, no... Guinevere, do you know him? Is he also from Camelot?"
"No, he's more closely connected to you. But I think it would be more interesting if you discovered his true identity yourselves."
Guinevere's mischievous streak was acting up again, but she genuinely wanted to see Irisviel and Kiritsugu's expressions when they realized the Archer they had summoned was none other than Shirou Emiya.
Their adopted son Shirou was only ten years old now—a model student and an exceptionally well-behaved child. He had never shown any interest in Magecraft or talked about becoming a "Hero of Justice."
Earlier that year, when Guinevere had returned to Fuyuki to visit them, she had noticed how overwhelmingly popular Shirou was with girls. Even Rin and Luvia, who had only met him a few times, had already fallen for him.
"Ahem, now that you've summoned your servant, let's move on to discussing the other Masters. What about Shiki Tohno, the one the Fifth Magician sent?"
Just then, Guinevere's phone rang. Seeing Morgan's name on the caller ID, she answered on speakerphone.
Over the past few years, Morgan had met Irisviel, Kiritsugu, and the others as well.
"Hey, Guinevere, did you get him? Shiki Tohno has summoned his Servant, and the results are... quite peculiar. He summoned Berserker—a berserk Princess of the Moon.
Currently, Merlin and I have suppressed her into a deep slumber and sealed her in a coffin for now. I doubt you'll be able to use her in this Great Holy Grail War. When she goes berserk, not even a Command Spell can restrain her.
The seventh Master has also arrived. He's an Executor from the Holy Church, Kirei Kotomine's foster brother, and the adopted son of the late Risei Kotomine. Rumor has it he's here to avenge Risei. His name is Shirou Kotomine."
"Ah?"
The "Ah?" came from Kiritsugu Emiya, who overheard Morgan implying that Kirei Kotomine had joined the Great Holy Grail War and defected to the opposing camp.
As for Guinevere... she nearly lost control of her composure. She hadn't wanted this Holy Grail War to be boring, but she certainly hadn't expected so many demons and monsters to show up—and all on her side, no less!