"Is that...?"
I asked Rider, who was holding a huge barrel. Rider grinned, saying it was obviously alcohol, and placed it on the veranda. I knew that just by looking at it. It smelled of alcohol.
"How was Caster?"
"Hmph. The lad's alchemy was surprisingly good. We found their hideout with remarkable ease... though it was a place too loathsome to even speak of."
"...That was definitely his workshop. Ugh...! Agh!"
Waver turned pale and covered his mouth, remembering something. I know what kind of place it was, and if I were told to go, I would refuse absolutely.
"Good work."
I said that honestly. While I expected them to rush ahead once they found it, I also felt like I wanted us all to go together with full preparations.
"And?"
"And?"
Waver scrunched up his pale face and crossed his arms. It seems he has something to say to me. I cock my head to the side, mirroring him.
"What's with all these clothes?"
"They're for Sakura-chan."
I'm surrounded by a mountain of children's clothes. The clothes are temporarily placed in the room assigned to me and Sakura-chan. Rider has all the sliding doors leading outside wide open, so a cold wind is constantly coming in. I wish he'd close them soon.
"It was a noble sacrifice."
"What are you talking about!"
I'm talking about my wallet. I bought so many that I probably won't see the same outfit on her for as long as I'm in this timeline. And I'm the one who bought them.
"But if you're in one piece, there's no problem, right?"
"Well, yeah."
If this cheers her up, then it was a more than welcome outcome.
More importantly, it's not my shopping, but Rider's.
"Are you planning to drink with Saber?"
"Hmph! You understand me well! Look, lad! This proves that my thoughts are not mine alone!"
"Just because of that, I don't think that serious-looking Saber will agree to your proposal!"
I don't know what kind of conversation they had before they came back here, but it seems they argued quite a bit.
The Feast of Kings, huh. Saber will get depressed, and our comrades might become strained, so I'd rather they didn't do it.
"Irregular, shouldn't you be preparing dinner soon...? Oh, Rider, you're back. What were the results?"
"We have crushed Caster's den. It was a vile place befitting such a wretch."
"...I see."
Saber also fought with Caster. The attack where he sacrificed children to the sea monster is probably still fresh in her memory. Saber must want to defeat him as soon as possible. It was a solo mission for Rider, which was different from the plan, but Saber would have likely done the same.
"And now. About this."
Rider taps the large barrel.
"Is that, alcohol?"
"Indeed. Originally, we were enemies, manifested in this world to fight. Is that not right?"
"Yes. However, it is different now."
Her reply is short and efficient, but what she says, which is the bare minimum, makes my stomach clench.
Saber refused Rider's invitation. And not only that. Rider had left an even stronger impression on Saber in their first battle. Even though they've been glossing over it as "work," the relationship between these two is not what you would call good. It's even doubtful if there's a thin thread of a cooperative relationship between them.
Waver, who seemed to realize this belatedly, looked like he was about to throw up, his face already not feeling well.
"I believe you also have a lot to say to the world. So how about this? We compete with our 'stature' as kings, not with swords, but with words?"
"I see..."
"Saber, you can refuse if you don't want to! No, you should refuse!"
I want her to refuse too. Saber will most likely get depressed. I don't want it to affect our teamwork in the future.
My wish is in vain as Saber returns Rider's gaze with a dignified expression.
"Rider's Master. Do not underestimate me. As one who claims to be a king, this is a battle that I cannot lose, even more so than with my sword."
No matter what, it's decided. Well, I guess I'll have to support Saber from my end... Ahh!!
"No way! You can't do that!"
I said it without thinking. But I have to say this with absolute firmness.
"What's wrong all of a sudden?"
"Rider, don't tell me you invited one more person, did you!? The Heroic Spirit in the golden armor..."
"Oh, that golden one. Of course. There is no doubt that he was also a 'king' present at that place, is there? When I was buying this alcohol, I happened to see him in the town market. I invited him along. Is there a problem?"
There are so many problems! We moved our base here just for this, and now you're going to have a Feast of Kings with an enemy, and on top of that, an Assassin is likely to come. We have Sakura-chan here too, you know?!
"Do I look that foolish?"
"...Huh?"
"I told him the location would be Saber's previous base. What general would so easily reveal the location of their own camp?"
"Oh, is that so..."
I felt a sense of relief and let my guard down. But this means the location will be the same as in the original story. Is this the world's power of correction at work? I don't know how much of that is at work in this chaotic world.
"Of course, you will be participating too."
"Seriously?"
---------
"So, that's why we're going."
"...Do whatever you want. I won't say anything as long as you protect Irisviel."
Surprisingly, Kiritsugu gave his OK easily. Kiritsugu and his team, who had returned from the Great Underground Cavern, were apparently going somewhere else, leaving only Kayneth behind.
"What's with that look on your face?"
"I was just surprised you agreed so easily. To meet an enemy Servant..."
"I can't understand a single millimeter of what Heroic Spirits think. I just figure it's useless to say anything to someone who doesn't adhere to human morals."
"Indeed, drinking with your current enemies isn't something a sane person would do... I don't want to go."
I sigh deeply.
"Just report back to me. I'm going to do a little more research on Caster."
"Understood."
"...Honestly. To destroy the workshop we finally found, of all times when the man himself is not present. It makes finding it meaningless."
I understand what he means. If their hideout is ransacked, they will know that their location has been exposed to the enemy. If that happens, they'll immediately hide in another place. In that case, finding it would be meaningless. I get that. But,
"If that's your impression of Caster's workshop, then that's not a normal 'human thought' either."
I muttered that to Kiritsugu's retreating back.
"And is Kayneth-san going?"
"Of course! Hiding alone in the back and waiting is not what a head of the Archibald family does!"
You were just fighting Lancer and observing in the first battle, weren't you? I won't say anything extra, though. He probably was told something by Sola-Ui.
"Right, you went and saw it, didn't you? What was it like?"
"Hmm. There is no doubt that it is an extremely dangerous thing. And a very troublesome one at that. As expected of the culmination of several hundred years of mages' wishes."
His face when he's thinking seriously is just naturally handsome.
"After preparing, assuming we can get to work immediately..."
"Kayneth, what are you doing? We're leaving now."
Kayneth is visibly flustered by the voice. This person is Kayneth's fiancee, "Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri." She has a different kind of tense atmosphere than Kayneth, one that rejects the intrusion of those around her. She's like a queen.
"O-Oh... Sola-Ui. I understand. I'm coming now."
"Good. Don't keep me waiting."
Sola-Ui is the daughter of the Sophia-Ri family, who have held the position of head of the Spiritual Evocation Department at the Clock Tower. Kayneth is the official successor of the Archibald family, a distinguished mage family that has lasted for nine generations. They are a couple of high-born nobles straight out of a painting.
What's a shame is that this is a political marriage, not a marriage of love. Sola-Ui has no romantic feelings for him at all. It seems Kayneth fell in love at first sight, though.
One more thing to consider that is none of my business is whether Lancer's charm from his Noble Phantasm is still there. Even if it is, it's not much of a problem, and since Lancer isn't here, it will eventually wear off.
"Ahem, by the way."
"Yes?"
"You said you were a Servant from the future, did you not?"
"Yes, I did."
"In the future, what... what will become of us?"
I can't tell him they're going to die.
"...About future events, because of things like the time paradox and Pandora's Box, I'm not supposed to say much."
"Hahaha. What are you saying? There's no point in worrying about that now, is there? You've already said so much."
True. That excuse was a weak one.
"I'm not asking for professional things like what kind of research I did. I don't think a lad who isn't a mage like you could understand. However, you can tell me what became of Sola-Ui and me, can't you? Rather, isn't it the best topic for a man and woman of your age? After all, it's a topic concerning the most...'
"Kayneth, hurry up."
"I-I know!"
What's going to happen to these two? I'm not going to bother with them that much. I'll have to look it up when I get back to the future. I swore that in my heart.
---------
The location moves to the courtyard of the Einzbern castle. The bento boxes we brought are spread out, and alcohol is distributed to the adults and Servants, and juice to the minors. The food in the bento is still slightly warm, as not much time has passed since it was made.
I was so tense about the Feast of Kings, but it turned out to be like a nighttime picnic. There are more participants than in the original story. The fact that they became our allies, even if it's just for now, is a huge factor. Irisviel is also in high spirits.
"Where I lived, it was always snowing, so I couldn't do things like this... Hmm, I have to thank that Rider and you for this."
"You're welcome. Here, Sakura-chan. Orange juice is fine, right?"
"Yeah. Thank you."
We're all sitting in a circle, but there's still a certain division of who's talking to whom. Saber and Rider are the main duo (I'll be called over there eventually), Kayneth and Sola-Ui are talking slowly, and the rest are chatting happily.
"What's wrong, Waver? You look so haggard."
"I have no appetite..."
You've been listless all day.
"What, is it because of Caster's workshop from this afternoon?"
"It's not that, it's not... Ugh, now you made me remember it."
Then what is it?
"When we moved here, I was next to Sensei the whole time. I felt like my stomach was going to get a hole in it."
"My condolences."
Waver stole the Holy Relic from Kayneth-san, after all. Of course he'd feel uncomfortable. I guess I'll be a little kinder to him.
"Well then, shall we begin?"
Iskandar, holding a glass, takes the lead. There are no heaters, but the barrier Irisviel has set up keeps the temperature just right.
"Is it all right if Archer isn't here yet?"
"He'll come when he comes. That golden one is like that."
That's for sure.
"Hmm."
"Ah."
"Speak of the devil, he's here."
"What a perfect timing to start."
A golden ship tears through the clouds and gradually descends. It's Archer's Noble Phantasm. And the silhouettes that descend from it are... two.
"What...?"
I have a bad feeling about this. I shield Sakura-chan, who was holding her cup with both hands and sipping her juice.
Using either a Noble Phantasm or magecraft, they descend at a speed clearly slower than gravity would pull them. Soon, their faces become clear.
"This is the worst..."
"Fa-Father..."
The one who appeared with Gilgamesh was his Master, Tokiomi Tohsaka.
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