"You want to hear about Bloodriver?"
Looking at Sakura, feeling some favor towards this young girl with a resilient personality, Crimson Moon's way of judging people had been somewhat influenced by Ryuya.
Power, talent… these things she didn't care about. What she valued was solely one's character.
Seeing Sakura's timid appearance, that look of wanting to seek something out but not daring to touch it, Crimson Moon hesitated briefly before beginning to tell Sakura about the events of the Eternal Night Empire.
"My name is Crimson Moon Brunestud, the master of the previous Lunar Civilization, and also the Counter Force of the Moon."
"After the collapse of the Lunar Civilization, I came to Earth and met Gaia."
"At that time, everything that happened on the Moon filled me with despair. I no longer trusted humans, and I chose to trust myself."
"Under this premise, I planned to create the True Ancestors. And Bloodriver... he was a born king..."
Bit by bit, she recounted Ryuya's story in the Eternal Night Empire to Sakura. As Crimson Moon spoke, Sakura felt as if she had been transported to the Eternal Night Empire.
There, she saw the Millennium Castle where the True Ancestors lived, saw the prosperous Roman Empire, saw the struggle for survival of the Phantasmal Species, and saw the descent of the Machine Gods.
"Crimson Moon-nee, you mean... you and Dad have two daughters?"
Hearing Crimson Moon mention Arcueid and Altrouge, a feeling of envy welled up in Sakura's heart.
Unlike herself, although Arcueid and Altrouge hadn't spent much time with Ryuya, they had truly experienced moments with their father. Not to mention, they carried Ryuya's blood in their veins.
Her sweaty little face unconsciously showed a look of envy. Sakura was really curious about Ryuya and wanted to meet her father.
"Sakura, do you want to see Bloodriver?"
Things like recorded images weren't just available to Crimson Moon… even the Einzberns had many photos of Ryuya and Irisviel together.
Unlike the eras of ancient Camelot, the Einzberns had many photographs and such of Ryuya and Irisviel.
Having already seen those photos, Sakura knew what Ryuya looked like.
"Crimson Moon-nee, if you mean Dad's appearance, I have seen it."
"That's not what I meant... Forget it. Here, take my hand."
Gently shaking her head, Crimson Moon's nature made her dislike explanations. Without saying more, she simply reached out her hand, indicating for Sakura to take it.
"?"
Not understanding Crimson Moon's meaning, but Sakura still extended her hand. The moment their fingers touched...
Boom!
The heavens and earth spun, the sun and moon lost their light. Accompanied by the radiance of the Eternal Night, Sakura, led by Crimson Moon, returned to that world, that era when the two Machine Gods of Justice and Prosperity descended upon Earth.
"Crimson Moon Brunestud, eliminate you."
As the Machine God's beam cannon struck the Earth, the dazzling scene left Sakura breathless.
"These... these are?"
"These were the enemies Bloodriver and I faced back then."
Constructing a unique landscape from her heart to display the events of the past was not difficult for Crimson Moon.
While explaining the situation back then to Sakura, she pointed out Ryuya's figure, allowing Sakura to truly see her father, to see how the Sun-Crowned King initiated the rule over three realms and repelled two Planetary Singularities.
"That... is Dad?"
The world of the Primordial Flame incinerated the Machine Gods, but even more dazzling than that was the radiance of the Sun-Crowned King.
Gazing admiringly at Ryuya, as the world shattered, Sakura and Crimson Moon emerged from the awe-inspiring scene.
"Crimson Moon-nee, Dad... he is truly incredible."
Breathing deeply, panting as if still recovering from the previous vision, compared to those static photographs, the scenery conjured by Crimson Moon clearly allowed Sakura to feel Ryuya's presence more profoundly.
Her eyes shining as she looked at Crimson Moon, Sakura gazed at her full of expectation, "Crimson Moon-nee, will Dad... truly return?"
"Of course. He will inevitably return."
Nodding, Crimson Moon never doubted whether Ryuya would return or not.
Rarely showing a hint of a smile, as if recalling their very first meeting, Crimson Moon remembered that Ryuya had just been born then, but even at that time, he was already the Earth King, Gaia's chosen representative.
A trace of tenderness unconsciously flashed in her golden eyes. Crimson Moon's voice was a soft murmur, audible only to herself.
"Bloodriver, when will you return? I... miss you."
As Crimson Moon's longing surged forth, at Snowfield City's airport, another Master and Servant pair arrived in this world.
"Zelretch, are you sure what that so-called Ruler said is correct?"
At Snowfield City's airport, as the latest passenger plane landed, the speaking man was tall and imposing. A silver-white suit made him appear even more spirited.
His features were typically British, but more noticeable than that was his aura.
Appearing to be in his thirties, his silver-white eyes held no emotion whatsoever, completely ignoring everything around him. It seemed as if nothing existed in the man's eyes… anything held no meaning to him.
"Justice, the Ruler's stance is neutral. Although I'm not entirely clear what the Counter Force intends to do, if the Masters do not gather in Snowfield City, this Holy Grail War cannot commence."
Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. Beside the middle-aged man stood a stern-looking old man of Germanic descent, a full 1.9 meters tall, who appeared very aged.
However, dressed in a military uniform, no one would doubt he could still unleash bear-like strength.
Looking earnestly at the ordinary people coming and going at the airport, Zelretch was one of the only five 'Magicians' in the world, the Magician of the Second Magic, the Kaleidoscope.
Inheriting magic from the King of Magecraft, Solomon, having lived since before the Common Era, he could be called the most ancient magus.
His disciple, Tohsaka Nagato, was the founder of the Tohsaka Family, one of the three founding families.
He himself was also a witness to the creation of the Holy Grail System. His power and status could be said to be among the pinnacle of the entire world, and his strength was undoubtedly at the level of a Planetary Singularity.
Such a 'Magician King', one week ago, was approached by the Counter Force, Alaya. What Alaya said to him is unknown, but he voluntarily became one of the Masters for this Holy Grail War and successfully summoned the most powerful Servant prepared for him by Alaya.
Its name was...
The Machine God… Justice!