[This is the story after your disappearance.]
[Everyone's destiny quietly changed.]
[The future was gradually becoming clear.]
Inside the Tohsaka residence, the sound of news reports emanated from the television. "The Mount Enzou restoration project is currently nearing completion, with vegetation coverage exceeding seventy percent—this station will continue to report on further developments."
Beep. Rin Tohsaka turned off the television and looked at Sakura Tohsaka on the other side of the sofa. She sighed, "Little sister, I can't believe it's already been a year... Time truly waits for no one."
Just as Rin Tohsaka said, a full year had passed since the night the Fifth Holy Grail War ended. Rin Tohsaka, who had completely transferred her Command Spells to her younger sister, didn't know the exact outcome. The only thing she could personally experience was Mount Enzou completely engulfed in flames and shaking like an earthquake. It must have been an incredibly intense battle. After all—Mount Enzou, while not a large mountain range, was certainly not a place that could be easily shaken! Having survived such a battle, Rin Tohsaka felt she had used up all her lifelong luck.
But in response to her elder sister's lament, Sakura Tohsaka merely nodded and replied with a quiet "Mm." Then she turned her head, picked up a handkerchief, and began to meticulously wipe Excalibur Galatine's scabbard. It was a Holy Relic her father, Tokiomi Tohsaka, had painstakingly acquired, now a part of the family's heritage. Sakura Tohsaka wiped it very carefully, one might even say overly diligently. Seeing her like this, Rin Tohsaka clutched her chest, feeling very sad.
"Sakura, you... still can't forget Ian, can you?"
"Mm," Sakura Tohsaka nodded. "Sister, you've asked many times—you don't have to worry about me, I'm fine."
Hearing this formulaic reply, Rin Tohsaka fell silent. Because in the past year, she had heard this phrase countless times from her younger sister. "You don't have to worry about me, I'm fine." But how could she not worry? Wiping the scabbard three times a day was like saying good morning, good afternoon, and good night to him. If it weren't for considering her mother Aoi Zenjou's feelings, Rin Tohsaka felt she might have already taken drastic measures. How could she possibly help her move on? The eldest daughter of the Tohsaka family spent a year without finding the answer to that question.
Just then, a small figure appeared at the doorway. It was Illya. After the Fifth Holy Grail War ended, she was adopted by the Tohsaka family. Just as Rin Tohsaka had predicted earlier, her mother, Aoi Zenjou, truly loved the child. In this past year, Illya had completely integrated into her new family. Of course, as Irisviel had previously warned, she, having undergone modifications, would no longer grow. But that didn't matter. Who wouldn't love a cute child? Knowing she shouldn't appear sad in front of Illya, Rin Tohsaka forced a smile and asked, "Illya, what is it?"
"Sister Sakura's phone is ringing~" Illya pointed to the inner room.
"This—" Rin Tohsaka looked at her sister. The latter said nothing more, simply rose from the sofa, and walked towards the room. "I'll get it."
"Eh... oh." Even if only for a moment, getting her sister to temporarily leave that scabbard was a good thing. Rin Tohsaka relaxed slightly, then frowned again. What could she do to help her sister fully recover? If she could, Rin Tohsaka would exchange a jewel for the answer to that question.
However—before Rin Tohsaka could think of an answer, a new problem arose. Sakura Tohsaka quickly emerged from the room, her expression rather solemn. Realizing something was wrong, Rin Tohsaka quickly asked, "Sakura, whose call was it...? You look quite unwell right now."
"..." Sakura Tohsaka remained silent, seemingly considering whether or not to tell her sister. But in the end, she still spoke. "Sister, Teacher... wants us to go to Mount Enzou now."
"What?"
Half an hour later. In a taxi heading towards Mount Enzou. Illya happily looked at the scenery outside the window, appearing very excited. Rin Tohsaka cautiously spoke to Sakura Tohsaka beside her.
"Sakura, why did Vivian suddenly contact us—haven't you two not spoken for almost a year? What does she want now?"
Just as Rin Tohsaka said, since the end of the Fifth Holy Grail War, Sakura Tohsaka's teacher had seemingly vanished. At first, Rin Tohsaka thought she had died that night. But later, she found that her sister, who was with her, had survived, so it was unlikely that Vivian had encountered any problems either. Thinking this, it was more likely she had gone to do something. Recalling earlier events, Rin Tohsaka became cautiously wary, but she soon realized there was no need. After all, if Vivian truly intended to act—this level of caution would be utterly useless. A year had passed in a blink, and this was the first time the Tohsaka sisters had heard from her.
"I don't know," Sakura replied. "But—" Sakura Tohsaka looked at her phone with a rabbit charm attached, her fingers restlessly rubbing it. "She said there was something Mr. Ian entrusted her with, and she must give it to me."
"..." Rin Tohsaka dared not speak further. She was well aware of the complex feelings between her sister and Vivian. But the eldest daughter of the Tohsaka family had no idea how to intervene. She certainly wanted her sister to be happy—after all, in that case, to say something not quite moral, she herself could occasionally "steal a bite" of Ian. But for Rin Tohsaka to directly oppose Vivian, she knew she didn't have that right. After all, if Ian was truly Vivian's husband, then her own sister would be the one overstepping.
It was better to keep quiet, lest she say too much and make things worse.
The journey was silent. The car stopped at the foot of Mount Enzou, dropped off the sisters, and drove away. But to Rin Tohsaka's surprise, it wasn't just Vivian waiting there, but Scathach as well.
"What is this for...?" Rin Tohsaka muttered internally. However, her worries didn't last long. Because Scathach walked directly in front of Illya, then bent down and said in an unusually gentle tone, "Little one, I... will take you to see Mama."
"Yay! Yay~" With permission, Scathach directly took Illya's hand and walked deeper into Mount Enzou. It was a remarkably harmonious scene, as if the two had a very close bond.
"This..." Rin Tohsaka was even more confused now. And Vivian, perhaps sensing her bewilderment, quickly explained: "Don't worry. Scathach already knows how to let her see Irisviel—her magical talent is not low. And you two don't have to be afraid, she and I will leave Fuyuki tomorrow."
"Leave Fuyuki?" Rin Tohsaka reacted. "Vivian, have you and Scathach been hiding in Fuyuki all this past year?"
"Something like that," Morgan nodded. "We had things to do—so we naturally had to hide."
"Important things? What are they?" Rin Tohsaka pressed.
"You'll know soon enough." Morgan's gaze fell on Sakura Tohsaka. Her eyes held nothing but guilt. "Sakura, have you been doing well lately?"
"..." Sakura Tohsaka didn't answer her teacher. After Ian left, she no longer wanted to acknowledge this person. Morgan wasn't surprised. Or rather, she had already anticipated this outcome.
"Alright. It seems you don't wish to speak to me—but it doesn't matter, what Ian gave me, I will definitely put into your hands. Come with me."
The journey continued in silence. The Tohsaka sisters followed behind the British witch. But in stark contrast to Scathach and Illya, their direction was surprisingly towards the base of the mountain! Passing through the visual magecraft set by the witch, they arrived at a huge cavern.
"Wh-What is this place?" Rin Tohsaka had never imagined such a strange location existed within Mount Enzou.
"This is where the magic circle was set up," Morgan, walking ahead, explained. "You can think of it as the foundation for the Holy Grail to grant wishes. In a sense, it's also the origin of the Holy Grail War."
"..." Rin Tohsaka suddenly remembered something. It was the decision Ian had told her about when they secretly became intimate. He wanted to end the Holy Grail War, which had brought so much misfortune to the Tohsaka family, in this era for Sakura. Could it be... that Morgan was completing this for him? Without hesitation, Rin Tohsaka directly confirmed, "Vivian, are you going to end the Holy Grail War permanently?"
"That's right," Morgan nodded.
"But if you do that..." Rin Tohsaka's expression became somewhat sad. "You might never see him again."
"But he wished to see this happen—" Morgan's hand trembled. "I cannot fail him again."
"..." Rin Tohsaka was speechless. After a long moment, she finally posed her next question. "Then why didn't you just destroy this place? Why call us here?"
"Because—" Morgan looked at the severely fragmented magic circle before them. "I wanted Sakura to make a wish."
"Me make a wish?" Sakura Tohsaka was somewhat surprised. "Teacher, what do you mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like," Morgan continued to explain. "This magic circle is the foundation of the Holy Grail, so it naturally has the function of granting wishes. Although the previous battle heavily damaged it—it might still have some effect."
Sakura Tohsaka was silent for a long time, finally asking in return, "Teacher, you... aren't planning to make a wish yourself?"
"Of course I had such thoughts. But—" The witch stretched out her hand forward, and the dark cavern was instantly illuminated by a blue light. "Ian would certainly prefer you to make a wish. Sakura, come with me."
"..." Under Rin Tohsaka's silent gaze, the Clock Tower Master and student walked together to the magic circle. Sakura Tohsaka felt a familiar flow of magical energy—a situation almost identical to a year ago. Her teacher hadn't lied. This was the foundation of the Holy Grail.
"Teacher," Sakura Tohsaka said, looking at the dim magic circle, "does it truly still have the function of the Holy Grail?"
"I'm not sure," Morgan confessed. "After all, it was already irreparably damaged before I began to deconstruct it."
"Then what if the wish I make is too much—will you not be angry?" Sakura Tohsaka then asked.
"No," the witch replied without hesitation. "This is your wish—I have no right to interfere."
"..." Sakura Tohsaka said no more. She clasped her hands together, and in front of Morgan, she sincerely stated her wish.
"I wish—" she began, "that I can be by Mr. Ian's side, forever."
The remnants of the magic circle before them seemed to respond to Sakura Tohsaka's prayer. It shimmered a few times, then returned to its original state. And faced with such a wish, Morgan showed no anger at all. Because the witch understood the frustration in her heart, and she knew that at this moment, Sakura was already lovesick. Only by making such a wish could she continue to live with hope. Ian, too, would want to see such a future, wouldn't he?
"Sakura, your wish is as it always has been."
"Isn't Teacher asking the obvious?" Sakura Tohsaka faced Morgan directly. "Then Teacher—where will you and Scathach go next?"
"I'm going to travel," Morgan replied without reservation, "until I find a way to meet him again. As for Scathach... I'm not entirely sure, she has her own decision."
"Then Teacher, can I ask you to do one more thing?" Sakura Tohsaka said.
"What is it?"
"Write a letter of recommendation for my sister and me—I want to return to the Clock Tower to study with her."
"You want to go back?"
"That's right." Sakura Tohsaka faced her teacher, her eyes filled with the newfound resolve that had blossomed after love's fall. "I told you, I hate that you could receive Mr. Ian's favoritism—so Teacher, you'd better not let me find a way to reach him first. Otherwise, I will absolutely make him so comfortable every day that he'll forever forget your torment."
"Are you challenging me?" Morgan said, looking at her.
"Teacher, this isn't a challenge," Sakura Tohsaka said, word for word. "Our war was never declared over, was it?"
[The story reached a new beginning.]
[Fuyuki's Holy Grail foundation was completely destroyed.]
[From then on, this land would never again host a Holy Grail War.]
[Illya, under Aoi Zenjou's care, enrolled in Homurahara Private Elementary School.]
[There, she met a transfer student named Miyu Edelfelt.]
[Reportedly, she came from distant Finland.]
[Scathach returned to the Land of Shadows.]
[She put down her spear and, over a millennium, once again began researching Finn's magecraft.]
[She seemed to be searching for a way to summon specific spirits to the present world.]
[Morgan left Fuyuki and began to travel.]
[On the coast of Britain, she seemed to recall something.]
["I see... that's the key!"]
[Soon after, a missing tourist report appeared in the local area.]
[And with the help of her letter of recommendation, Sakura Tohsaka and Rin Tohsaka were able to return to the Clock Tower to study.]
[They, along with Luvia, became students in the El-Melloi Classroom.]
[Although Rin Tohsaka and Luvia argued every day.]
[Sakura Tohsaka never grew tired of it.]
[She felt that such a daily life was a happiness she could not have touched otherwise.]
[Every day, she would wipe the scabbard that linked her to you, hoping that one day her wish would come true.]
["Oh Holy Grail,"]
["If you can truly grant wishes,"]
["Will you please pause here, and listen to my small wish?"]
[In this hope, she studied diligently and achieved results far exceeding her two elder sisters.]
[Solomon observed all of this.]
[You may reunite with her in a unique way.]
[—Simulation Ended—]
[Your results have been written into the Pan-Human History, and a portion of your abilities has been integrated into your body.]
[Thank you for your contribution!]