Night fell as expected.
Yet, the two who had gone to school that morning returned as only two.
"What a surprise. Rin didn't come back with us."
Not far from the Emiya Residence, Guinevere used Spiritize and Presence Concealment. She had foolishly watched Saber practice swordsmanship in the courtyard all day, and the remaining intoxication had completely vanished.
In her eyes, Sakura and Emiya entered the house, then exchanged today's developments with Rider and Saber.
At school, they had dismantled Medea's magecraft setups with Rin. To Emiya's invitation to accompany them, Rin glanced at Sakura and shook her head in refusal.
"Is that so? The Red Archer's Master openly declared she wants to win the Holy Grail War? Then she's an enemy."
"Saber..."
"Emiya, I need the Holy Grail. You must also have a wish you'd entrust to it, right?"
Saber would not give up the Grail, of course. After being teased by Guinevere, she became even more determined. As for Shirou Emiya...
Up until now, Shirou Emiya had merely been caught up in the war, drifting with the tide. To speak of wishes...
"My wish is to become a hero of justice, and I don't need the Holy Grail to fulfill it. Right now, I just want to give the culprit who hurt my classmates a good thrashing."
Just as Saber's Integrity stat was maxed out, Shirou Emiya's Justice stat was also at its maximum. In that regard, their compatibility was actually quite good.
But when the topic turned to Caster, it was Saber and Rider who spoke up about what Guinevere had found out today.
"You're telling me there's another Archer in this Holy Grail War? And the Caster I want to pummel is the Assassin's Master?"
"Not only that, but there's also the Master of an Extra Archer, who also holds Lancer for this war."
With those words, the information Guinevere had revealed was fully explained.
And just as Emiya was struggling to decide their next move, Sakura chose to break her silence.
"Senpai, let's put the matter of Caster and Assassin on hold for now. We can't beat them. If you want to teach Caster a lesson, we... we can ask Rin to join us."
"Also, Rider doesn't have a wish she wants to entrust to the Holy Grail, but I... I have an illness that needs the Holy Grail to cure."
Sakura stopped there because Shirou Emiya had already grabbed her shoulders. If Rider hadn't snorted coldly, Shirou would have personally examined Sakura's body after being blinded by worry.
"Sakura, when did you get sick? I..."
"Senpai, I've had this illness for a long time. It's Mana Deprivation. This illness cannot be completely cured by modern means, only relieved."
After just one day, Sakura began to crave mana. And as the intimidation Guinevere had placed on the residual worms in Sakura's body faded, the worms inside her began to act up.
If it weren't for this, Sakura wouldn't have let her brain burn out and actively made up the "lie" that she had Mana Deprivation.
"Shirou Emiya, just last night, the old Family Head of the Matou House died. Sakura no longer has a place to replenish her mana. As for you... you're too useless."
"Rider, don't talk about Senpai like that!"
At present, Sakura still didn't know that Caster could help her. She just wanted Shirou Emiya to have some desire for the Holy Grail for now.
As for the Mana Deprivation that was already flaring up...
After Rider's harsh words were silenced, she brought out the wine she had specially kept. After Sakura drank a good amount of it, the flush on her face actually faded quite a bit.
But Mana Deprivation drove one to madness, while drunkenness caused one to lose control. Both paths led to the same place, allowing Sakura to forget much of her self-loathing and actively grab the hem of Emiya's clothes, who was still holding her shoulders.
"Senpai, actually..."
"Master!"
Her dazed mind was awakened, and Sakura's face turned pale as she realized she had just been about to talk about replenishing mana through bodily fluids.
"Rider, thank you. Senpai, I'm sorry."
From beginning to end, Emiya remained completely bewildered. He only felt that Sakura was hiding many things from him, and it was very likely the reason she wouldn't accept spending her life with him.
After Sakura let go and stepped back, Rider insisted on saving some wine for Emiya before she drank the rest of it all.
"Sakura?"
"Senpai, I feel much better, but I probably can't accompany you to find Kirei Kotomine and his Servant. However, Assassin should still be watching, and you can go find Rin... Tohsaka-senpai."
"Huh?"
"If the extra Archer is truly as strong as Saber knows, then it's impossible for Assassin to have guided us to find them without also making sure we aren't left completely to our own devices.
Besides, if the extra Archer is truly the King of Heroes, then he should be the Servant of Tohsaka-senpai's father, Tokiomi Tohsaka, from the previous Holy Grail War.
But now, this Servant belongs to another Master."
"Sakura, are you saying..."
Listening intently, Emiya took a secret sip of the fine wine originally saved for him. He suppressed the rich flavor in his mouth and the pleasant sensation of his mana restoring, seriously analyzing Sakura's words.
Then, he took a deep breath, guessing that there might be a huge conspiracy behind Tokiomi Tohsaka's death in the last war.
"I understand. I will go find Rin. Even if she's unwilling to form an alliance with us, she definitely won't refuse a temporary cooperation on a matter like this.
Sakura, since your illness requires the Holy Grail, I promise you, I will obtain the Holy Grail for you!"
When he first saw Saber, Shirou Emiya was awed by her majestic presence. Seeing the eldest miss of the Tohsaka family from time to time at school, Emiya's feelings for her were a mix of admiration and a secret crush.
As for Sakura, that was the kinship developed through long-term company, a love that began to transform after Guinevere broke the window paper yesterday.
But whether it was kinship or love, Shirou Emiya would never abandon Sakura.
However, he didn't have Rin's contact information, nor did Sakura.
"Sakura, are you really going to let Rider carry you there?"
"With Assassin watching over us from the shadows, she won't let anything happen to me. I've thought about it again, and it would actually be more dangerous if Rider and I stayed behind alone."
Thus, the course of action for the two Master-Servant teams, Emiya's and Sakura's, was decided. After they finished their dinner, they began to make their way toward the Holy Church, practically oblivious to their surroundings, all under the watch of Guinevere and the three familiars.
And right now, in the eyes of Kirei Kotomine, Rin Tohsaka, and the already-arrived Illya and her Servant, Emiya and Sakura's movements actually seemed more like they were going to the Holy Church to report in.
Just like in the past, the Holy Church in Fuyuki still served as the Overseer of the Holy Grail War, and this time, the Overseer was Kirei Kotomine.
It could be said that if it weren't for Guinevere, no one would currently know about the King of Heroes' presence, nor his relationship with Kirei Kotomine.
"Archer, are you saying your presence has already been exposed?"
"Heh, no problem. At least this kept us hidden and successfully helped us ambush Bazett, allowing us to take Cu Chulainn."
The aforementioned Bazett was the official Master of Lancer Cu Chulainn in this Holy Grail War, as well as a veteran enforcer sent by the Mage's Association to carry out 'Sealing Designations'.
In a direct confrontation, Kirei Kotomine would be no match for her.
Having ambushed her like this, Kirei Kotomine smiled joyfully.
"Archer, go to Ryudou Temple. Your Assassin friend needs you to tell her it's time to come home."
"Heh, Master, I'll leave Saber and Rider to you. Don't go dying on us early now!"
The night grew deeper, and Kotomine, Emiya, and Guinevere's three groups were not the only ones moving under the cover of darkness.
"Hehehe, Emiya? Is this a gift bestowed upon me by fate?"
Inside the church, beneath a statue, Kirei Kotomine, still a devout believer, was thanking the Lord.