[Anastasia was surprised and shy about your proposal, but she did not refuse. She nodded quietly.]
[The two of you had long since expressed your feelings for each other many times. You were both well prepared for this day.]
[You embraced on the deck of the cruise ship, watching the sea together.]
[Several days later...]
[Mid-March, 1918. Cherry blossoms bloomed across the Far East. The cruise ship from the former Tsarist Empire—now renamed Soviet Russia—slowly entered port.]
[Your destination: the port city of Fuyuki.]
[As you stepped off the ship, you gazed at the vibrant city. Fuyuki was a historic metropolis divided by the Mion River—modern urban life in the south, and an old castle town in the north, dating back to the Sengoku era.]
[Ancient and bustling, the land exuded dense natural magical energy. You felt it immediately.]
[The princesses were intrigued by the exotic foreign scenery.]
[You told them: This is where you would settle.]
[You had already chosen a residence. But first, abiding by the rules of the magical world, you paid visits to the local Church and leyline overseers—]
[The Kotomine Church and the Tōsaka family.]
"You're too kind, Mr. Luvist."
In the old chapel, a towering crucifix cast holy light from the high window. Dust drifted through the air like motes of grace. A tall elderly priest bowed respectfully before you.
"It's an honor to welcome someone of your renown to this humble town."
"Renown?" Lucan, dressed in a black cassock like the priest, smiled slightly. "I imagine you've heard of my infamy, not my fame. Even the Tōsaka head acted like you."
"You jest, you jest!" the priest laughed nervously, but sweat gathered beneath his robes.
A small-town priest he may have been, but even he knew of the man who had forced the Church and Mage's Association to join forces to no avail.
He feared offending you could mean death.
"No need to be so tense, Father Kotomine. Technically, you outrank me in the Church." Lucan waved dismissively.
More sweat.
Before the priest could respond, a clear young voice came from behind.
"Father, who is this gentleman..."
Lucan turned. A boy of fifteen or sixteen approached with a firm stride and a solemn expression.
"Risei, this is—"
"Kotomine Risei?" Lucan interrupted with a smile. "I've heard the Kotomine line always bears sons in their twilight years. So this is your 'firstborn'? A fine young man."
He added, "You both really don't need to be so cautious. I'm just here to live peacefully. As long as no one disturbs me, I'll not interfere. Whatever you're doing is none of my concern."
With that, Lucan turned and left the chapel.
As the pressure lifted, Father Kotomine exhaled sharply. He looked at his son, frozen in place.
"Risei... you heard his words?"
"...Obey them."
The boy nodded, still bewildered.
The priest looked up at the chapel's high window, feeling the sweat chill his spine. He didn't know whether to feel powerless—or relieved.
A stranger had arrived in Fuyuki.
One who, fortunately, seemed unaware of its secret:
The Holy Grail War.
But what Kotomine didn't know—was that Lucan had considered exactly that as he stepped outside.
The Holy Grail War—one of the most iconic mysteries in the world of Type-Moon.
Naturally, Lucan knew all about it.
It was one of the reasons he came here.
A ritual fueled by the leyline's vast mana, incorporating incomplete German magic from the Einzberns to summon Heroic Spirits as familiars.
Seven Masters. Seven Servants.
One victor.
One wish granted by the Grail.
Lucan found it fascinating—and hoped to participate one day.
He had already met with the Tōsaka family.
Sadly, the Matō family had learned of his visit and vacated their residence in advance.
[As these thoughts passed through your mind, you exited the church. Anastasia waited outside the door.]
[You took her hand and led her onward.]
[You brought her to the residence you'd prepared—not an ordinary house in Fuyuki...]
[But an imperial legacy: A Tsar's Palace constructed from Mystery itself.]
[Born from the Phantom Spirit form of Nicholas II at his death, the palace held conceptual power. Only those with royal blood and a contract with a Spirit could summon it.]
[Anastasia qualified. And since you were bonded to her by both Spirit contract and marriage vow—you could summon it too.]
[In the old Empire, many such palaces existed.]
[And so—on this day, in Fuyuki—you summoned them all, conceptually uniting them into one.]
[You built a new city atop the dimensions of Fuyuki: a stable microcosm, a Reality Marble fixed in space.]
[This city would be the princesses' sanctuary.]
[You called it Academy City.]
[A promised land of mental Magecraft.]