"You have returned."
"...Archer. Tell me, what in the name of heavens has transpired here?"
With Artoria as my guide, I finally arrived at the Emiya estate. As we reached the gates, I looked up to see Archer standing upon the roof, awaiting our arrival.
Following his lead, we stepped into the residence. Though the debris of the skirmish had been partially cleared, the lingering scars of destruction were etched into every corner of the house. Surveying the ruin, Artoria pressed him for answers.
Archer merely shrugged, his expression unreadable, and led us further inside.
Pardonizing myself from the presence of Artoria and Archer, I made my way into the room where Sakura lay in repose.
Upon entering, I found that she was not alone; two other figures were stretched out beside her.
I gazed down at Rin and Shirou, who were unconscious flanking Sakura.... Why are these two lying here as well?
I suppose they have their reasons. Carefully, I placed the sleeping Illyasviel down beside Rin and turned my gaze toward the girl I had brought back from the brink of the abyss.
The fist-sized void that had once gaped in her chest—the wound that had geysered blood—was gone, replaced by pristine, unblemished flesh as if the injury had never existed.
Illyasviel's chest rose and fell in a steady, rhythmic cadence, a silent testament to her survival.
That sight brought a wave of profound relief over me. I brushed a few strands of hair from her brow, pulled the quilt over her, and quietly took my leave.
I returned to the main hall, where I found Archer preparing tea while Artoria sat in somber contemplation.
As I took my place beside Artoria, Archer set a steaming cup before me. I took a small sip of the lightly fragrant tea before fixing my gaze on the man across from me.
"Both your Master and Artoria's Master are incapacitated in the other room. What happened?"
"Allow me to explain," Archer began. "During my engagement with Lancer, his Master must have summoned him back, for he broke off the duel and vanished. However, when I returned to the estate, I found it had already been besieged."
"Besieged? Archer, what is the meaning of this?" Artoria's voice held a sharp edge of concern.
He gave a solemn nod.
"By the time I arrived, the estate was in the state you see now. Judging by the remnants of the struggle, Rin was neutralized in a single strike. As for Saber's Master, it appears he collapsed due to a severe prana overload in his Magic Circuits. He likely attempted a level of magecraft his body was not yet prepared to sustain. I have stabilized them both and laid them to rest alongside the lavender-haired girl."
Archer finished his explanation, and both Artoria and I nodded in grim understanding.
In the records I recalled, Shirou's nascent Magic Circuits had been strained to their limits by reckless projection before. It seemed history had found a way to repeat itself here.
Furthermore, the identity of the assailant who struck the estate was becoming clear.... There was only one man who would weave such a web. I spoke through clenched teeth.
"...The one who orchestrated this assault must be the supervisor of the Grail War, Kirei Kotomine."
"—What? Explain yourself."
Faced with Archer's startled demand, Artoria and I recounted the harrowing events at the Einzbern castle.
We told him of the King of Heroes—the Golden King who had endured since the Fourth War—and the battle that followed. We spoke of Illyasviel's brush with death, and the ultimate sacrifice Medea had made to restore her life.
Archer listened in silence, his expression hardening as he processed the gravity of our words. I looked at him and drew the conclusion.
"...Lancer was likely deployed solely to keep you occupied. While you were distracted, Kotomine struck the estate, seeking Illyasviel's heart. When he failed to find her here, he must have proceeded toward the castle—passing us along the way without our knowledge."
"If that is the case, then the priest is almost certainly Lancer's Master as well," Archer reasoned. "And in the worst-case scenario, he may have seized control of Assassin just as he did with the Einzbern faction. If so, we are facing the King of Heroes, Lancer, and Assassin simultaneously."
The air in the room grew heavy. Facing the King of Heroes and Lancer was a daunting enough prospect, but adding an unknown Assassin into the fray shifted the scales dangerously.
Lancer was none other than Cu Chulainn, the radiant Child of Light and the greatest hero of the Celts. His presence alone was a tempest on the battlefield.
Just as we were weighing these dire possibilities, a voice rang out.
"—In that case, we should prioritize locating Assassin."
"—Rin?"
We all turned toward the source of the voice. Rin Tohsaka stood there, weary but conscious.
"Are you well enough to stand, Rin?" I asked.
"It is bearable. I have my Magic Crest, after all."
"Ah... right."
I had momentary forgotten. A Magic Crest does more than just facilitate magecraft through prana; it possesses an inherent function to stabilize and heal its bearer's wounds automatically.
Given Rin's immense talent and the sheer quality of the Tohsaka lineage, her regenerative capabilities were likely bordering on miraculous. Knowing this, the group nodded in collective relief.
"That is a mercy," Archer said, inclining his head toward her. "But Rin, what did you mean by searching for Assassin?"
"We cannot be certain that Assassin has formally allied with the enemy yet. There is still a possibility we can turn them to our side—or at least prevent them from joining Kotomine's camp."
"...."
She had a point. Currently, our confirmed enemies are the King of Heroes and Lancer. If Assassin remains a wildcard, then the alliance between myself, Artoria, and Archer maintains a numerical advantage.
As of now, we knew nothing of Assassin—neither their true identity, their Master, nor even their appearance.
All we knew were reports of their actions. While the news of them preying on civilians was distasteful, it could be interpreted as a desperate, necessary evil for a Servant lacking a proper source of prana to maintain their manifestation.
This meant there was room for negotiation—or at the very least, a need to determine if they remained neutral or hostile. However, Archer shook his head.
"It is also possible the King of Heroes has already eliminated Assassin to thin the field. If they have already faded from this world, our search will be for naught."
"That is why I intend to visit the Fuyuki Church," Rin stated firmly.
"...?"
We all looked at her with confusion. Sensing our doubt, Rin continued.
"The supervisor at the church keeps a record of how many Servants remain active in this war. If we check the roster, we will know for certain if Assassin still breathes."
And so, our next destination was decided: the Fuyuki Church.