The air in the magnificent main hall of Einzbern Castle felt even more stifling than usual that morning.
The long table was like a boundary line on a chessboard, cleanly dividing the two sides.
On one side sat Irisviel and Saber. On the other sat Hassan of the Hundred Faces and Little Hassan, facing them like two opposing armies.
Aside from Little Hassan, who was fully focused on the dessert cake on the plate in front of her, all three of the other women wore tense expressions.
"Could you explain something for me? Why are you still alive when Saber should have already eliminated you? And on top of that..."
With her brows slightly knit and her arms folded, Irisviel pressed the female Assassin with an aggressiveness she would normally never show.
"And on top of that, why are you hanging around with my Shirou? Miss Assassin, you were supposed to be Tokiomi Tohsaka's Servant, weren't you?"
After the battle last night ended, the Assassin who had appeared on the Einzbern estate had not left.
She had probably decided there was no longer any need to hide after being seen by the two Homunculus maids, so she simply stayed behind.
Irisviel had already heard what happened from the witnesses, Sella and Leysritt.
While Shirou was fighting Risei Kotomine, Hassan of the Hundred Faces had suddenly appeared and attacked the old priest from behind.
After that, she even followed Shirou's orders and went off to pursue the other Assassin who had infiltrated the forest.
Faced with the Homunculus's pressure and the gaze of the strongest Heroic Spirit at her side, Hassan of the Hundred Faces merely let out a dismissive snort.
"Hm? You don't know? Didn't Shirou explain it to you?"
"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you now!"
After last night's battle, Shirou had fallen into a deep sleep.
It was probably because of the constant high intensity fighting over the past several days. It was already ten in the morning on the following day, and there was still no sign of Shirou waking up.
Naturally, Irisviel could not bring herself to disturb his rest, so instead she had come to "interrogate" the Assassin who had shown up in the Einzbern forest.
More importantly, why was this woman calling Shirou by his name?
That was a privilege reserved for Saber and me alone!
"...I see."
Hassan of the Hundred Faces curled her lips into a provocative smile.
"So you really know nothing. Looks like you haven't earned Shirou's trust after all."
"Wh..."
Irisviel slammed a hand down on the table, and Saber quickly stepped in to calm her.
"Please calm down, Irisviel. She's clearly trying to provoke you on purpose. Don't fall for it."
"..."
At Saber's words, Irisviel sat back down.
The corners of her mouth twitched as she spoke.
"Whether I have that child's trust or not... we can leave that aside for now.
What I want to know is this. How did a suspicious woman like you manage to gain Shirou's trust?
And another thing... did you betray your Master, Kirei Kotomine?"
Hassan of the Hundred Faces replied, "If I'm here, then that should be the only possible explanation."
The moment she said that, Irisviel immediately seized the opening and covered her mouth with a sly smile.
"So you really did betray your own Master. Hehe, Miss Assassin, you really have no principles at all.
Saber, don't you think so too?"
"Uh..."
Artoria looked awkward.
Irisviel was acting very strangely today.
The other woman's background was certainly suspicious, but did she really need to be this hostile?
What Saber did not realize was that Irisviel had developed a strong sense of crisis toward Hassan of the Hundred Faces.
Especially when she saw the purple-haired, brown-skinned female Assassin gently wiping cream from the corner of Little Hassan's mouth with a tender look on her face...
Th, this woman! She completely overlaps with my role!
There only needs to be one mom-type woman by Shirou's side, and that's me!
And she's even a foreign mother type just like me!
You've got to be kidding me. An exotic mother type is just cheating... ngh!
Grinding her teeth, Irisviel clenched her fists.
No matter what, she had to drive this woman away from Shirou's side.
Hassan of the Hundred Faces raised a brow.
"It's true that I betrayed Kirei Kotomine. If that's something worth condemning... then what about Shirou? Are you going to condemn him too?"
Irisviel's expression stiffened.
"What do you mean?"
Hassan of the Hundred Faces proudly placed a hand over her chest.
"Shirou was the one who came after me first. He said something like...
'The moment I first saw big sis Assassin, I knew it. I wanted you to become my very first ally.'
Shirou really does say the most embarrassing things sometimes, completely shamelessly."
"Guh...!"
That hit not only Irisviel, but Saber as well.
"D-did Shirou really say something like that?"
Assassin glanced at Saber.
"If you don't believe me, why not ask him yourself?"
Artoria's face turned pale, and she sank back into her chair like a deflated balloon.
"P-pull yourself together, Saber!"
Irisviel grabbed the dejected blonde girl by the shoulders and shook her.
"It hasn't been decided that we've lost yet!"
"That's enough, Irisviel... enough already..."
"This is... very tasty. Thank you for the meal..."
Over on the other side, Little Hassan looked up after finishing her cake and politely thanked the Homunculus maid attending her.
Leysritt silently nodded, then looked at the still full teacup by the little girl's hand.
"You don't like black tea?"
Little Hassan frowned.
"...Too bitter."
"I'm sorry. This child is a little picky with food."
Hassan of the Hundred Faces looked apologetic.
Leysritt was silent for a moment, then said, "Understood. I'll add some sweet milk."
Little Hassan immediately brightened at those words and accepted the milk tea from the maid.
"Miss Assassin, who exactly is this child...?"
Watching the little girl happily sip her milk tea, Irisviel frowned and asked the question.
So Hassan of the Hundred Faces explained Little Hassan's origins to the two of them, along with how she had met Shirou.
"So something like that happened too..."
As she listened, Irisviel noticed that Hassan of the Hundred Faces's expression had softened.
In her eyes was a gentleness that the infamous leader of a murderous Assassin sect in history should never have possessed.
Irisviel had assumed Assassin would be a much colder and more ruthless Servant.
But now it seemed she was no different from Saber or herself. She too was a living, breathing "person."
No, perhaps at the very start of the Holy Grail War, Assassin had not been this emotionally rich.
It must have been her time with Shirou that gradually allowed her to reclaim her humanity.
At last, Irisviel understood.
"I'm sorry, Assassin. I wrongly accused you of being a frivolous Servant who betrayed her Master.
Now I understand why you formed a contract with Shirou...
Just like me, you were saved by that child too."
Assassin indicated that was not the case.
"I betrayed Kirei Kotomine for my own benefit. There was no future for me under that man."
"Mm-hmm." Irisviel smiled brightly. "You were willing to betray your former Master just to repay Shirou's kindness."
Hassan of the Hundred Faces frowned.
"Hey. Are you even listening to me?"
"Miss Assassin. Let's get along from now on, all right?"
"Huh?"
Hassan of the Hundred Faces looked utterly dumbfounded, but Irisviel kept going.
"I'm sure you dislike Saber and me very much, but that's fine.
It's fine if you go on disliking Saber and me, because no one understands your desire to protect Shirou better than I do.
So for the rest of the Holy Grail War, let's work together and support Shirou side by side, shall we?"
"..."
After a long silence, Assassin gave a reluctant nod, clearly displeased.
"Wonderful!"
Irisviel clapped her hands happily.
Now she understood the real reason she had reacted so badly to Assassin. It was simply that women of the same type naturally clashed.
This person also put Shirou above all else in her heart, and that was exactly why Irisviel had rejected her so fiercely.
Hehe... Shirou, that child, it isn't that he was tricked by some strange woman. It's the exact opposite.
Honestly, he's only eight years old.
From now on, Mommy is going to have to be much stricter with you. Otherwise, who knows how many women are going to end up heartbroken because of you in the future.
"What are you laughing about?" Hassan of the Hundred Faces asked, puzzled.
"Nothing. I was just thinking that Miss Assassin is a woman too."
"What is that supposed to mean? Of course I'm a woman."
Hassan of the Hundred Faces snapped back, a faint flush rising to her cheeks.
At that moment, Little Hassan suddenly looked toward the entrance to the hall.
"Shirou!"
The red-haired boy walked into the hall and greeted everyone. He was just about to explain Assassin's situation to Saber and Irisviel when...
"Hehe, there's no need anymore. Miss Assassin and I already understand each other now, right?"
Irisviel smiled and gave a playful blink.
"...Huh?"
Shirou stared blankly.
What happened while I was gone?
...
...
After a brief round of greetings, they got down to business. Assassin relayed Kiritsugu Emiya's willingness to speak with Shirou.
"A Servant contracted with the 'World'...!"
A bead of cold sweat slid down Saber's cheek.
That man is like me...?
"Shirou, are you planning to meet him?" Irisviel asked.
"That Assassin is a Servant contracted with the 'World.' He probably knows important things we don't.
Why the Counter Force is interfering in this Holy Grail War, and why he is targeting Irisviel's life.
Those are not questions we can answer through fighting."
Irisviel nodded.
"I understand. Take Saber and Assassin with you.
Though I'd love to see what kind of unpleasant face the man who keeps trying to kill me has, he probably doesn't want to... no, wouldn't dare to meet me."
"About that," Hassan of the Hundred Faces said, "that man made it clear that he will only meet Shirou. He won't allow anyone to accompany him. Not even Saber, let alone me."
Saber immediately grew alert.
"Shirou, it's a trap.
He's the type who will do anything to kill his target. He must be planning something. You cannot go."
Shirou thought for a moment, then said, "Don't worry, Saber.
I've already beaten him three times. I don't mind beating him a fourth.
And besides, I won't be alone."
"What do you mea... ah!"
Only then did Saber realize that Shirou did not have just one Servant. There was also that woman who had never shown herself from beginning to end and had remained in spirit form the entire time.
She had been so completely lacking in presence that even Saber had nearly forgotten she existed.
Shirou had already made up his mind. He was going to meet the Assassin called Kiritsugu Emiya.
...
...
"Father has been missing since last night?"
After hearing the contents of the message sent by his teacher, Kirei Kotomine showed a look of shock.
Tokiomi Tohsaka seemed convinced that Risei Kotomine had met with some kind of misfortune, and Kirei could hear the deep despair in his tone.
The old priest had not only been a close friend of Tokiomi's late father, but also a man who had been almost like a guardian to him.
And yet, tragically enough...
When Kirei Kotomine heard that his father's whereabouts were unknown, he felt nothing at all.
Most likely, until the very end, Risei Kotomine had regarded him as a son he could be proud of. But Kirei had never once truly opened his heart to his father.
Even so, he felt neither regret nor sorrow.
"Kirei, from this point on, you will take over the handling of the Holy Grail War's administrative affairs."
Tokiomi Tohsaka wearily explained the day's schedule to his disciple.
"This afternoon, I'm going to the Zenjou house... to see Rin."
As a Magus, he had once believed he would not see his daughter again until the war was over, but the priest's disappearance had shaken that resolve.
For the first time, he truly understood what kind of chaotic abyss the Holy Grail War was. Even a powerful man like Risei Kotomine could be swallowed up in an instant if he let his guard down.
He himself might die as well. And once that thought occurred to him, Tokiomi Tohsaka felt an urgent need to see his daughter's face.
This might be their last conversation.
...
...
The previous night, Kiritsugu Emiya had given Hassan of the Hundred Faces an address and told her to come there if they wanted to talk.
It was the address of a cheap hotel in Shinto. That was Kiritsugu Emiya's base during the Holy Grail War.
Shirou found himself admiring Kiritsugu Emiya's taste in hideouts. A place like this drew all kinds of guests, from married couples and parents with children to people having affairs. It really was a perfect place to disappear into the crowd.
Acting as though he were familiar with the place, Shirou walked straight through the lobby and took the elevator up to the seventh floor.
Then he pushed open the half-closed door to room 703.
At last, Shirou came face to face with the man he had already clashed with three times.
"Ah, there you are. I came alone, just like promised, old man... huh?"
Even Shirou himself was surprised.
The gloomy man standing before him looked only around thirty, yet the word that slipped out of Shirou's mouth was not "mister," but "old man."
Weird... well, I guess that kind of thing happens sometimes.
"Irisviel must die. If she continues to live... this world will meet only destruction."
Kiritsugu Emiya spoke expressionlessly, getting straight to the point with his very first sentence.