The hovering Holy Grail still radiated a golden glow—yet it felt especially ironic.
Rei Ao swept his gaze across the courtyard, his eyes passing over everyone present.
Now, only Saber Artoria, the two goddesses, and Medusa remained.
And yet, not a single one of these "victors" had the slightest interest in the Grail.
This Fourth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City—
a war riddled with mistakes, anomalies, interference from the Counter Force, and meddling by outsiders—
had ended in an almost farcical way.
No brutal final showdown. No mad scramble for the Grail.
Just a group of winners staring at a prize no one wanted—
and a young Master sobbing over the loss of his Servant.
Cold moonlight filtered through the gaps between branches,
illuminating a courtyard that had witnessed far too many irregular events,
and illuminating that golden cup that still floated there, now stripped of all meaning.
Ishtar curled her lip, impatience in her voice.
"This crappy cup just sitting here is seriously an eyesore. Why don't we just smash it?"
"We can't," Ereshkigal objected at once.
"The Grail may be tainted,
but if that vast mana inside it goes out of control, it could affect all of Fuyuki."
Artoria nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Destroying it carelessly could trigger a catastrophe."
"And the Grail's essence is a passage that connects to the Root.
Even if it's corrupted, we can't deal with it rashly."
Rei Ao walked to the center of the courtyard and looked up at the golden Grail.
His fingers shifted slightly, and a faint thread of energy reached out toward it.
The Grail seemed to sense something; its light flickered once.
"Keeping it serves no purpose, and it just takes up space."
A playful curve tugged at the corner of Rei Ao's mouth.
"Better to send it back where it belongs, so it stops being an eyesore here."
Irisviel looked at him curiously. "Rei Ao, what are you going to do?"
"It's simple."
Rei Ao smiled, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes.
"Since it's a passage to the Root, I'll seal it shut again."
"And while I'm at it, I'll clean out the corruption inside—so it doesn't cause trouble later."
He extended a hand, faint light blooming in his palm.
A gentle yet overwhelming force slowly enveloped the Grail.
The golden cup began to tremble violently, its glow flashing bright and dim.
The black taint within churned like a tide, struggling to break free.
"Hmph. Still trying to resist?"
Rei Ao snorted, and the power in his palm surged.
The black contamination was instantly pressed back down.
The Grail's light gradually faded, no longer so blinding.
"This power…"
Surprise flickered in Artoria's eyes.
She could feel it—Rei Ao's power was gentle, yet utterly irresistible.
As if he were calmly combing through a tangled mess, methodically clearing away the filth.
Ishtar raised an eyebrow, a hint of astonishment in her voice.
"This guy… he can actually purify the Grail's corruption directly?"
"Rei Ao… your strength really is unfathomable," Ereshkigal murmured softly.
Medusa's eyes widened slightly as well, her violet gaze filled with disbelief.
Little Rin tugged on little Sakura's hand and whispered, "Sis, what's happening to that cup?"
"Looks like it's being cleaned," Sakura tilted her head and blinked.
Irisviel smiled gently as she watched Rei Ao's back.
She trusted him completely—certain he would handle everything properly.
Waver's sobs gradually quieted. He lifted his head,
watching Rei Ao deal with the Grail, his eyes full of confusion and curiosity.
He didn't understand what Rei Ao was doing, but he could feel that immense power.
The Grail's glow grew fainter and fainter.
The black corruption inside also dissipated under Rei Ao's power, little by little.
At last, the golden radiance vanished completely, leaving behind an ordinary golden cup.
The taint was purged entirely, and the passage to the Root was sealed shut.
With a casual wave of his hand, the silver cup disappeared.
"All done." He dusted off his hands, sounding relaxed.
"From now on, Fuyuki City won't suffer natural-gas explosions because of Holy Grail Wars anymore."
Artoria let out a breath.
"In that case, the hidden danger has been resolved completely."
"Finally, some peace and quiet," Ishtar said, stretching lazily, sounding pleased.
"So—what do you all plan to do next?" Rei Ao looked at everyone.
"I…"
Artoria hesitated, a trace of uncertainty flashing through her eyes.
"Britain can't be saved anymore, and I no longer have an obsession."
"Perhaps… I can stay in this world and see different scenery."
Medusa spoke softly. "I have nowhere to go either. I want to stay here."
"As for me and Eresh," Ishtar crossed her arms, sounding matter-of-fact, "we were summoned by you in the first place. Of course we're sticking with you—no way are we going back to the Underworld."
Ereshkigal nodded. "Yes. For now, we have no intention of returning."
Irisviel smiled. "I'll always stay with Rei Ao."
Rin and Sakura hurriedly nodded too. "We'll follow Rei Ao-nii as well!"
Rei Ao looked at them, a warm smile curling across his lips.
"Then it's settled. You'll all live together."
"As for your Spirit Origins, I'll just hand them over to you—completely."
"???"
The moment he said that, Ishtar and the others were stunned again.
He could do that too?
But for someone who had already tamed the Counter Force, it really was that easy.
…
The mood in the courtyard gradually lightened.
The heaviness and sorrow from before were replaced by a warm, gentle atmosphere.
Waver watched the scene, his feelings tangled.
Slowly, he stood up and brushed the dust from himself.
Iskandar's words still echoed in his ears:
"Hold your head high. Stop shrinking back."
The boy took a deep breath, and his eyes gradually became firm.
He looked at Rei Ao and the others, then bowed deeply.
"Thank you, everyone… for letting me learn the truth, and for showing me what a true hero is."
"I'll remember Rider's teachings, work hard to grow stronger, and become someone worthy of respect."
Rei Ao looked at him, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.
"Good. That kind of resolve is what matters."
"If you run into trouble in the future, you can come here and find us."
Waver nodded and said nothing more.
He turned and walked out of the courtyard step by step—his back looking thin,
yet carrying a resolve he'd never had before.
~~~
You're Welcome!