"Gilgamesh, Ishtar, are you both still Servants on our side for this Holy Grail War?"
Looking at Female Gil and the landed Ishtar, Irisviel's mood clearly relaxed considerably upon seeing familiar Servants.
"I am contracted to this woman, and Ishtar is contracted to Illya. Irisviel, where your Servant is, I do not know."
Shaking her head and pointing at Sola, Female Gil's meaning was clear: she had a contract with Sola, and Ishtar had one with Illya.
"Ah? Then who will my Servant be?"
Blinking, Irisviel looked around, but after a long while, she still didn't see her Servant.
"Irisviel-sama, the car has arrived to pick us up. Shall we return now?"
As they were very close to home, other maids from the Einzbern Castle arrived quickly. One approached and whispered something in Irisviel's ear before stepping back.
"There are other Servants at home?"
Hesitating for a moment in slight surprise, Irisviel gestured for Gilgamesh and Ishtar to get in the car first. On the way, she briefly filled them in on the events of the past twenty years.
"I see. So the children named Takumi Sakura and Tohsaka Rin summoned other Servants?"
"Hmph, interesting. I shall see what kind of opponents they are."
Servants versus Servants, Masters versus Masters… they were undoubtedly opponents. That was the rule of the Holy Grail War.
Although they didn't have any particularly strong wishes they wanted granted, winning the Holy Grail War was, in a way, a declaration of their own strength and sovereignty.
Both Female Gil and Ishtar were interested in the two Servants summoned by Sakura and Rin at the castle. The group soon arrived back at the castle.
"Mom!" x2
Seeing Irisviel return, Rin and Sakura ran up to her.
"Rin, Sakura, are you both alright?"
Looking at her two daughters, Irisviel let out a sigh of relief, the worry of a mother easing.
"Mom, we're fine. Aunt Artoria is here."
"But those two women are so fierce."
Pointing towards Crimson Moon, who was sitting serenely on a sofa not far away sipping black tea, Sakura and Rin had never seen women of such noble bearing before.
Their understanding of the Holy Grail War was superficial at best. The appearance of the Command Spells had been too sudden, too fast for them to properly process.
"Irisviel, you're back."
"Oh, you two... are the King of Heroes and the Venus Goddess?"
Not very familiar with Female Gil and the others, only knowing them from the final battle twenty years ago, Artoria asked hesitantly.
"Lily, now isn't the time to dwell on Gilgamesh and the others. Are those two the Servants summoned by Sakura and Rin?"
Looking at Crimson Moon and Hope, who served her, Irisviel didn't understand their strength. She could only ask Artoria and also glance towards Female Gil for input.
She had initially thought that with the help of Female Gil and Ishtar, the situation could be stabilized.
But seeing the grave expressions on Gilgamesh and Ishtar's faces as they looked at Crimson Moon and Hope, Irisviel realized something was very wrong.
"Hey, Ishtar, do you feel it?"
"Yeah, I feel it."
Exchanging a glance with Gilgamesh, Ishtar and Female Gil subtly moved to shield Irisviel and Illya.
Gilgamesh: "I cannot see through these two women. They don't seem like Servants at all, but rather like living beings."
"And the aura they exude is as powerful and unfathomable as a Mother Goddess. As much as I dislike admitting it, Irisviel, if a fight breaks out, I cannot guarantee your safety or Illya's if you remain here."
Hearing even Gilgamesh say this, Irisviel's eyes widened, "They are that strong?"
"Stronger than Master was?"
"Compared to Ryuya?" Pausing for a moment, as if contemplating the difference between Ryuya and Crimson Moon, Gilgamesh reluctantly nodded, "It might dampen our own morale to say this, but Ryuya might truly be inferior to them. So be careful."
Her memory of Ryuya was based on his strength during the Fourth Holy Grail War in Snowfield City. At that time, Ryuya had not yet reached the level of Planetary Singularity.
After the Snowfield City, Ryuya only became the Earth King, a Planetary Singularity, during the Eternal Night Empire incident.
Sighing, Female Gil confirmed Irisviel's suspicion.
"Then... what should we do?"
Fully aware that Command Spells offered no binding power against supremely powerful Servants, no one present doubted that Crimson Moon and Hope were beyond control by Command Spells.
They could only watch Crimson Moon and Hope from a distance.
Irisviel noticed the maid, who was so holy she seemed divine, suddenly walk over.
"Crimson Moon-sama, I sense the Master's aura on that little girl. She carries the Master's bloodline."
Of course, they had seen Irisviel's group return. But with Crimson Moon's arrogance and Hope's essentially mechanical nature that disregarded everyone, why would the Moon King and the Machine God bother with them?
Crimson Moon couldn't be bothered to even glance at Gilgamesh. She didn't know why she had come to this world, but she knew she could wait for Ryuya here, for her beloved.
"She has Bloodriver's scent?"
Bloodriver Brunestud… this was Ryuya's name in the Eternal Night Empire.
Just like Isbel Pendragon in Camelot, Crimson Moon, Hope, Nero, Arcueid, and Altrouge Sisters all preferred to call Ryuya 'Bloodriver', creating an information gap due to the different name.
Not recognizing Gilgamesh and the others, Hope had only sensed Ryuya's aura on Illya.
"Hope, you confirm the scent of Bloodriver?"
"Confirmed. However, the Master's scent is very faint and strange. It's like the Master, yet not entirely. Rather than being the Master's direct child, it's more like a homunculus... flowing with the Master's bloodline?"
Her golden eyes shimmered. In terms of pure strength, the maid Hope was undoubtedly second only to the Star God Ryuya.
Having consumed the cores of two artificial Machine Gods, her power was equivalent to three Planetary Singularities. In an instant, she analyzed Illya's essence. She herself held no emotions, and her curiosity stemmed solely from her connection to Ryuya.
"Bring the child here. I wish to ask her a few questions."
"Understood, Crimson Moon-sama."
Nodding, Hope flickered forward in a few steps so fast that no one present could clearly see her movement.
"Greetings. Crimson Moon-sama wishes to ask this child a few questions."
In a split second, she had bypassed Gilgamesh and Ishtar, stopping less than half a meter from Illya. Hope's tone was polite, but her unquestionable eyes made it clear that refusal was not an option.
"Illya!"
Irisviel tightly held her daughter, her stance making it clear she was unwilling to hand her over.
Seeing Irisviel's reaction, Hope nodded slightly, "A mother protecting her daughter is a brave act, but meaningless."
She raised her hand, intending to take Illya by force. The moment Hope moved to act, Gilgamesh, Ishtar, and Artoria simultaneously struck.
Despite it being their first time fighting together, they formed a perfectly coordinated and fierce offensive, determined to repel Hope.
"Grand Servants? Not bad combat power."
Acknowledging the resistance from Gilgamesh and the others with a nod, the difference in power between them and Hope was simply too vast.
Hope merely used her bare hands to shatter their formation. Just as Hope prepared to advance further...
"Excalibur… Proto!"
"Penetrating Blade of Gold!"
As the cries of sisters from another world rang out, the heroes of Camelot descended at that moment.
It was none other than Artoria and the Witch of Britain... Morgan le Fay!