Saber immediately chose one of the nearby servants and proactively met the challenge.
After she vanished at an extremely high speed, and the sound of weapons clashing rang out from the direction she departed, Guinevere converted into spiritrons and activated the Rank E [ Presence Concealment ] skill that came with her Class.
This skill's effectiveness was not high, but it still wasn't something just anyone could detect.
The very next moment after Guinevere vanished, Rider Medusa actively stepped in front of Sakura and Emiya, who was looking toward Saber's direction with concern.
Emiya did not pursue her, the reason being that Sakura held onto his sleeve.
"To think, Emiya-kun and Miss Matou are both Masters."
With a hint of irony in her voice, Rin Tohsaka walked in through the front gate at this moment.
Beside her, Archer pressed his hand to his forehead in exasperation, yet his gaze was secretly fixed on Shirou Emiya's face.
When that idiot saw it was Rin Tohsaka, his face actually broke into a joyful expression, showing no awareness that they were supposed to be enemies.
However, Archer wasn't surprised.
'Too bad. I have Clairvoyance, but no super-hearing. I still don't know what they were just discussing.'
Thinking this, Archer lowered his hand from his forehead, and a black and white pair of projected short swords, Kanshou and Bakuya, appeared in his hands.
"Rin..."
"Archer, wait. I still have questions to ask."
"Is that so? I was just trying to say, they are a group of four now."
Rin Tohsaka naturally understood Archer's meaning. Everyone's goal was the Holy Grail; joining in now would just mean they would team up to defeat Lancer and Berserker, only for the group here to fight amongst themselves afterwards.
But when the internal fighting started, she, having joined last, wouldn't have any advantage.
Therefore, on her way here, after being blocked by Lancer, Rin Tohsaka had already agreed to a temporary cooperation with Lancer.
"Emiya, Matou, I have only one question right now: do you absolutely have to have the Holy Grail?"
"Archer's Master, the only reason Servants respond to the Holy Grail is because they have wishes they want to fulfill. Can your Archer really give up on the Holy Grail?"
"Rider, thanks to this screw-up Master of mine, I can't even remember my own True Name anymore. As for my wish, I don't even know if I absolutely need the Holy Grail for it."
Rin stomped hard on Archer's foot, freezing the smile on his lips, but he could only endure it after a sigh.
He had exposed Rin's shortcomings in front of Rin's sister and the person Rin liked, and it was only natural for Rin to get angry and embarrassed.
Yes, Archer knew all along that Rin Tohsaka had liked Shirou Emiya even before the Holy Grail War, during a high jump practice after school one day...
Thinking of this, Archer sneered, and this sneer was directed at himself.
"Rin, you should be asking yourself if you are willing to give up the Holy Grail. As for the two of you opposite us, if you don't want to die, just give up."
"Rider, kick them out."
Sakura had a very good temper, at least on the surface, and Rin's innocent and naive appearance was what annoyed her the most.
She had wondered more than once why she was the one sent to the Matou House instead of Rin Tohsaka, who was only a year older than her.
Of course, what annoyed her most right now was the unconcealed joy Shirou Emiya showed upon seeing Rin.
Thus, as Sakura's words fell, Medusa launched an attack on Archer, and a corner of the mythical battle unfolded in a small space on the left side of the courtyard.
"Tohsaka-senpai, we will not give up. If you do not wish to become our enemy, then please give up yourself."
With just this one sentence, the conversation could not go any further. After Rin learned from Sakura's firm gaze that this was no idle threat, her heart also wavered.
"Tohsaka-senpai, if one of us must give up, why should it be me?"
Saying this, Sakura subconsciously tugged harder on Emiya's sleeve. Guinevere's Charm had not been deactivated at all, making it easier for Sakura's true nature to spill out from her mask.
And sensing Sakura's unease, Emiya thought she was afraid of becoming Rin's enemy. He turned his head to look at Sakura, then turned back to look at Rin and said seriously:
"Rin, I will earnestly ask Saber and Assassin about your question. If they do not have wishes that must be entrusted to the Holy Grail, we can sit down and talk."
As he spoke, Emiya glanced at Rider and Archer. It was clear to the naked eye that Archer was no match for Rider. He was merely able to narrowly survive under Rider's constant pressure because he seemed familiar with her moves, but if the battle continued...
"Archer, let's go!"
Rin Tohsaka, of course, saw the state of the battle clearly. Her agreement with Lancer was only meant to test the strength of the Servants here.
Now that this investigation was mostly complete, and having received a guarantee that her personal questions would be answered, Rin also didn't want to stay any longer and cause resentment.
After Sakura was adopted into the Matou House, whenever they met, the Sakura who used to rely on her now only showed her estrangement.
And Rin Tohsaka couldn't fail to notice Sakura's feelings for Emiya.
Ever since Sakura was in middle school, she would come to the Emiya House every day after school to cook, do laundry, and clean with him, behaving just like the mistress of the house.
Even if she couldn't sense Sakura's feelings, just knowing about this behavior without knowing the inner circumstances, Rin Tohsaka should have known that Sakura Matou liked Shirou Emiya.
She left, taking Archer with her after Sakura, following Emiya's request, ordered him to let them go.
While the two of them were walking on the street outside the Emiya Residence, Guinevere suddenly appeared in front of them and spoke directly:
"If you truly care about your sister, you can investigate the Matou House. I happen to have made a deal with a certain someone, and the old worms in the Matou House deserve to die horribly.
I am the Assassin of this Holy Grail War. I do not wish for you sisters to truly become enemies."
Moonlight shone upon the wall, and from the shadow cast by the wall, Guinevere vanished once again. She did not want to push things too far, lest she arouse suspicion.
The best way to guide a person toward a conclusion is to provide the crossroads and let her walk the path herself.
Having said those words, Guinevere now appeared near the defeated Saber. Just like in the original story, after Saber faced off against Lancer, she gained the upper hand in close combat due to her Invisible Sword. After Lancer used a Noble Phantasm aimed straight at her heart, Saber dodged this guaranteed-hit (yet guaranteed-to-miss) strike because of her Instinct.
Of course, this was also because the Spear of Causality's hit or miss depended on the user's luck, and Lancer Cu Chulainn's luck was only Rank E.
"Saber, have you decided? Shall we sleep together tonight?"
"Assassin!"
Wounded and humiliated, Saber was naturally enraged. She simply did not understand the human heart, but that did not mean she lacked feelings.
To Saber, at a time like this, this very un-Guinevere-like Guinevere was actually making jokes with her.
"Hehe, then do you want me to apply medicine to your wounds for you? But if the injury isn't serious, licking it should heal it!"
Saber's serious expression was hard to maintain, but if she wasn't serious, she didn't know what expression to wear.
Thus, Saber forcibly maintained her serious demeanor, but said in an even more furious tone:
"The Guinevere I know is nothing like this, who are you exactly!"
"Didn't I say? I'm the one who has participated in several..."
"Assassin, do you think I'll believe you?"
Although the shoulder wound caused by the guaranteed-hit spear was still aching faintly, Saber still raised her sword toward Guinevere.