"Sakura, are you sure you want to come with me?"
"Sister, I want to become stronger too. Besides, Mama and the others are watching from behind, right?"
Five years ago, after being adopted by Guinevere, Sakura had been studying at the Clock Tower. Her teachers included the Old Man of the Jewels, Merlin, Morgan, Kayneth... and, of course, some ordinary Mages who taught basic courses.
Thanks to these masters and Sakura's innate talent for Magecraft, her current rank as a Mage might be only the Unranked, but at just over ten years old, she already possessed the power of a third-rank 'Cause' Mage.
Moreover, as a Pendragon, everything she wore—her dresses, shoes, socks, necklaces, hairpins, and more—were all Magecraft Mystic Codes, with some items even approaching the level of Noble Phantasms.
To further assist her use of Imaginary Numbers Magecraft, the Old Man of the Jewels, Merlin, and Morgan had jointly crafted a special support Noble Phantasm.
This device could automatically recharge, defend against attacks, and unleash attacks at will, essentially functioning as a larger-scale version of the Volumen Hydrargyrum.
"Alright, I can't talk you out of it. Sakura, do you still remember your original wish?"
"Yes, my wish hasn't changed. I still want to kill more degenerate Mages like that Old Worm!"
It was a private jet, the cabin occupied solely by Mordred and Sakura. Seeing Sakura's grim expression, Mordred ruffled her hair and lifted her onto her lap.
After accepting Guinevere's vanguard assignment, the "sisters" and "master-servant" duo had set off ahead of the main force. Neither Mordred nor Sakura wished to betray Guinevere's trust and were determined to gather as much intelligence as possible.
In her heart, Mordred also harbored the ambition to single-handedly cut through the enemy ranks.
Her contract with Sakura had given Mordred her first clear understanding of Sakura's exceptional abilities. Sakura provided an inexhaustible source of Mana, boosting all of Mordred's base attributes to A-rank.
Strength: A+
Endurance: A++
Agility: A
Mana: A
Only her Luck remained at D, while her Noble Phantasm, Clarent, remained at A++.
Clarent: Radiant and Shining King's Sword, untainted by betrayal and enhanced by Mordred's own experience as a King, could now unleash its full power comparable to the Holy Sword's normal release by the King of Knights or Guinevere.
Time ticked by as the jet descended in Romania. After securing the car Guinevere had arranged, Mordred skillfully drove it using her Rank B Riding skill.
Having rested well during the flight, the pair wasted no time leaving the airport and immediately headed toward Yggdmillennia Castle.
The moment they landed, the Great Holy Grail War officially began.
Meanwhile, slightly behind Mordred and Sakura, Guinevere and her group arrived in Romania aboard a larger passenger plane.
Inside the spacious cabin, Guinevere was scribbling furiously. She still had her serialized novel, The Love Story of the King of Knights and Guinevere, to update, and she needed to prepare a stockpile of drafts for the next few days.
The King of Knights, on the other hand, was playing Yu-Gi-Oh! with Morgan. As usual, the King of Knights kept drawing perfect cards while Morgan secretly printed her own.
"Say, Master, you've really grown a lot these past few years, haven't you?"
The King of Conquerors, a massive figure, sat cross-legged on the floor, studying the latest world map. He wore his five-year-old Map Graphic white shirt once again, which still fit snugly around his sturdy torso.
Despite the years, the shirt remained as good as new, worn only secretly by Waver during moments of intense longing.
"King, haven't I told you? I am your subject."
"A subject, but also a Master. There's no contradiction there. It's quite curious, really, to serve under someone else's banner."
"King of Conquerors, don't misunderstand. At least with you, we're in a cooperative alliance. No, and with the Empress of Assyria as well, we're partners..."
"Strictly speaking, you should all owe me a debt of gratitude for being summoned back into this world."
As a queen, Guinevere was willing to show respect. Even as she wrote, she looked up to refute the King of Conquerors' claim.
This statement greatly reassured the King of Conquerors, who scratched his forehead in slight embarrassment. He glanced at Guinevere, then at the Empress of Assyria, both dressed in casual attire, the latter nestled against the Red-robed Priest's shoulder.
Semiramis, a figure from the 9th century BCE, was rumored to have poisoned her husband to seize power, earning her the title of "Humanity's First poisoner."
One of her Noble Phantasms was the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a concept that had no historical connection to her. This misconception had arisen in later generations.
In the Type-Moon world, however, the power of misconception could distort Heroic Spirits, granting them Noble Phantasms they never possessed in life.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were just such a creation. Because it stemmed from a misunderstanding, Semiramis needed to gather vast quantities of materials from her former territories and perform a ritual to transform this imagined paradise into reality.
Guinevere had already tasked the Clock Tower with collecting these materials. As a result, news of Semiramis' summoning by her faction should have already reached the Yggdmillennia family.
"Say, woman, could I taste the poisoned wine you used to kill your husband?"
"King of Conquerors, I am now her beloved."
Before the King of Conquerors could speak, Amakusa Shirou, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, interjected as the Empress's expression turned ice-cold. He pulled her back and answered on her behalf.
Fortunately, both Servants summoned anew by Waver and Amakusa Shirou retained their memories from their previous Holy Grail Wars.
Hearing Amakusa Shirou's words and feeling Waver's tug, the King of Conquerors backed down, switching his attention to a new web novel about royal power struggles. As a king himself, he naturally harbored resentment toward a queen who had murdered her husband and usurped the throne. But with someone intervening and their alliance still holding, he relented.
As for Empress Semiramis? From the moment she learned she had been summoned specifically by Amakusa, her heart and soul had been steeped in honeyed bliss. She cherished Amakusa's declaration of devotion even more.
Draping her arm around Amakusa's shoulder, she pulled him onto her lap. The Empress, with her long, straight black hair and adorable pointed ears, gently began stroking Amakusa's head.
Morgan, currently playing cards with the King of Knights, couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
Sensing Morgan's displeasure, Gareth, her servant and like a little daughter to her, shuddered and deliberately lost the round of their multiplayer fighting game.
She and Shiki Tohno sat facing each other—he on a tall chair, she on the massive coffin sealing Berserker—enjoying a handheld game with shared enthusiasm.
Shiki had first become addicted to the device after arriving in London, and it was he who had "corrupted" young Gareth with the gadget.
"Shiki, aren't you worried?" Gareth asked.
"Little Gareth, aren't you worried either?" Shiki replied.
"That's because I trust that with the King and Queen together, there's nothing they can't accomplish in this world."
"I see," Shiki said. "But I just think worrying for no reason is pointless. Until my servant comes up with a plan, your King and Queen won't ask anything of me, right?"