"Well, you've got me there, Saber. Looks like that Command Seal wasn't meant for us after all." Iskandar scratched the back of his head.
He then turned toward the trembling figure hiding inside his chariot. Waver had only half his head and the tips of all ten fingers peeking out as he cautiously looked over the edge.
"Kid... no, Master. Saber delivered the finishing blow against Caster, so that Command Seal rightfully belongs to him. You don't have any objections, do you?"
"N-No! None at all! A-Absolutely not! Ow!"
Waver nodded so frantically that he accidentally slammed his forehead into the solid wooden railing of the chariot. Clutching his head in pain, tears welled up in his eyes.
After witnessing Leon's attack with his own eyes—an attack powerful enough to save the world or destroy it—the naturally timid Waver wouldn't have dared utter a single word of protest.
All he wanted now was to leave as quickly as possible and reunite with his teacher—and strategist—Kayneth.
He had to tell him everything he had seen tonight.
"...Sigh."
Seeing Waver in such a pitiful state, Iskandar rubbed his forehead helplessly before bidding farewell.
"You've seen something rather embarrassing today, Saber. I hope that the next time we meet, we'll be able to face each other openly—as true rivals."
With a hearty laugh, Iskandar leaped back onto the chariot, vigorously ruffled Waver's bowl-cut, cracked the reins, and drove the Gordius Wheel into the sky without a trace of hesitation.
"So... 'face each other openly,' huh..."
Watching Iskandar disappear into the distance, Leon smiled faintly.
"Next time, definitely."
With a flash, Leon returned to Irisviel, Artoria, and the others.
As for the mess Caster had left behind...
That was the authorities' problem now.
"Not my concern," Leon declared.
...
"Leon!"
The moment he appeared, the women who had been anxiously waiting rushed toward him.
Artoria clearly wanted to throw herself into his arms but hesitated out of embarrassment. That moment of indecision allowed Irisviel and Aoi Tohsaka—both far more mature and straightforward—to each claim half of the space in Leon's embrace.
Caught between them was Rin Tohsaka, whose timing had been perfect but whose tiny body simply wasn't up to the task. Her face was squished between her mother and Irisviel until it nearly lost its shape.
Damn it!
Being a child is so inconvenient!
Rin secretly swore that one day she'd find a spell—or perhaps a potion—that could accelerate her physical growth.
Seeing Irisviel throw herself so enthusiastically into Leon's arms, Kiritsugu Emiya's expression shifted slightly.
For a brief moment, the back of his neck seemed to itch.
But after noticing that Aoi Tohsaka was behaving exactly the same way, he quickly dismissed the thought.
Married women are more emotionally expressive than young girls. Since it isn't just Irisviel, this kind of reaction is perfectly understandable.
Kiritsugu silently reached that conclusion.
[Daily Sign-In available. Would you like to sign in?]
Oh? It's already past midnight?
Smothered beneath the overwhelming affection surrounding him, Leon raised an eyebrow. Time had somehow felt both unbearably slow and astonishingly fast.
System Notification! Daily Sign-In complete. Congratulations! You have obtained: "Power of Coordinates Lv.2." The previous "Power of Coordinates Lv.1" has been automatically upgraded.
Power of Coordinates Lv.2:
You will never lose your sense of direction. You always know your own coordinates.
Description:
"To You, 2,000 Years From Now."
...Huh? What's this even useful for?
The instant that question formed in Leon's mind, his consciousness was abruptly pulled away from his body.
It felt as though his soul had left his body and entered a place that contained everything... and yet nothing at all.
He couldn't even begin to describe it.
The sensation resembled the overwhelming combination of crushing G-forces and complete weightlessness he had experienced before gaining his powers.
"...This is..."
After arriving, Leon found himself completely unable to move.
He couldn't open his eyes.
He couldn't move a finger.
Yet somehow, he could still see.
Outside, his Servant body exhibited nearly the same reaction.
His black pupils expanded lifelessly, and he froze completely.
"...Leon! Leon!!"
"Hm?"
Urgent voices echoed beside him.
Irisviel.
Artoria.
Aoi.
Rin.
As for Kiritsugu's voice mixed in among them...
Leon instinctively filtered it out.
His pupils gradually refocused.
It felt as though someone had erased a segment of time.
One moment he had been standing.
The next, he was lying peacefully with his head resting on Irisviel's soft lap.
At the same time, a beautiful face framed by golden hair and emerald-green eyes drew rapidly closer.
As Leon's awareness fully returned, he made no attempt to move away.
Instead, he quietly accepted the young knight's concern.
After all...
She had already leaned in.
Turning her away now would only make things awkward.
Later, Leon smoothly slipped back into his role, explaining that he had merely exhausted too much magical energy.
"There isn't anything seriously wrong with me. Once we get back and I replenish my mana, I'll be fine."
The moment he said those words, Irisviel and Artoria exchanged a knowing glance before quietly lowering their heads.
Neither needed to say anything.
They both understood exactly what the other meant.
Tonight was going to be another long night.
...
GermanyEinzbern Castle
After Sakura used that Command Seal, the two remaining Command Seals on the back of her right hand—resembling a radiation warning symbol—were once again enveloped by a layer of black mist before disappearing, leaving her skin smooth and unblemished once more.
Aside from Leon, the one who had created them, no ordinary magus would be able to detect anything unusual.
"Great... I finally managed to help Mr. Leon, even if only a little."
Clenching her small fist, Sakura smiled happily.
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