On the bustling streets of Shinto, a sight appeared that would have been unthinkable in the past.
The Master and Servant of Team Saber,
Irisviel and Artoria, walked openly down the street.
In a district like this, fashionable beauties were hardly rare, but compared to these two, they barely registered.
Irisviel wore a pure white coat trimmed with snow fox fur, its cut accentuating her full, graceful figure. Below, a pair of over-the-knee boots boldly revealed her long, shapely legs, her entire presence radiating an almost otherworldly elegance.
Beside her, Artoria carried a completely different kind of presence, sharp, dignified, and heroic, standing in contrast to the pure white homunculus princess.
Dressed in a black suit with a tie and shirt, Saber looked like an impeccably handsome young man.
Her flowing golden hair, fair skin, emerald-green eyes, and soft lips combined into a meticulously refined face that carried a beauty beyond gender.
Standing together, Master and Servant looked like a princess and her knight stepping straight out of a painting, drawing envious glances from everyone around them.
"Irisviel, aren't we standing out a bit too much?"
Saber frowned slightly. From the airport all the way into the city, the stares had never stopped.
Feeling the warm, curious gazes from passersby, Irisviel tilted her head in confusion.
"That's strange. I specifically chose an outfit that should fit modern social norms…"
"Did I fail to disguise myself as an ordinary tourist?"
As a homunculus princess raised in isolation, her idea of "common sense" was far removed from reality.
The outfit she had carefully picked was anything but low-key. Combined with their inherently striking looks and presence, it was impossible for them to blend into a crowd. Wherever they went, they became the center of attention.
"Never mind. It's not your fault, Irisviel. If anything, blame me for not being able to use Spirit Form."
Saber let out a quiet sigh.
Irisviel frowned slightly.
"Really? I'm actually quite happy about it. Because you can't use Spirit Form, I get to travel around like this with you, Saber."
"And now that you're dressed in modern clothes, no one would recognize you as a Servant."
After nearly a year together, Saber had come to understand one thing clearly, her Master had almost no sense of urgency.
Being unable to use Spirit Form was supposed to be a serious flaw. It would not have been strange for a Master to scold their Servant over it.
Yet Irisviel was delighted. Every day, she happily treated Saber like a dress-up doll.
Compared to the Einzbern family's grand and tragic ambitions, she seemed far more interested in enjoying the Holy Grail War itself, treating the Far East Ritual like a pleasant trip.
It was not surprising.
Unlike the Irisviel from Fate Zero, she had never experienced family life. She had no sense of responsibility as a mother or a wife.
And unlike Illyasviel from Fate/stay night, she never went through anything like Sasuke's past—a devastating fall from a happy life into hell.
Saber often found herself wondering,
Did Irisviel truly desire the Holy Grail?
She had once said she wanted a child. But that was not a wish that required the Holy Grail.
As the most advanced homunculus, Irisviel already possessed the ability to bear children.
In other words, she had no real reason to seek the Holy Grail.
No… what am I even thinking?
Saber had no intention of looking down on Irisviel. On the contrary, she felt nothing but genuine gratitude that this person had become her Master.
Irisviel was the culmination of two thousand years of Einzbern craftsmanship. As a Magus, her capabilities were beyond doubt.
Calling her the strongest Master would not be an exaggeration.
And yet, she had many shortcomings.
Her innocence, her naivety, her lack of worldly awareness,
Those were things Saber would make up for.
As her knight.
"Irisviel, we've probably seen enough for today. It's about time we headed back."
As Saber approached the fitting room, her expression suddenly froze.
The princess who had just been trying on clothes moments ago was gone.
A chill ran down her spine.
…Did I lose Master!?
…
…
Inside a fast-food restaurant, Shirou silently worked his way through a hamburger.
Sitting across from him was a woman watching him eat, a gentle smile on her face.
"Hehe, no need to rush. Take your time. The food isn't going anywhere… Here, have some soda."
Shirou gave a quiet "Mm," took the Coke from her hand, and continued devouring his meal, all while observing her from the corner of his eye.
Doll-like, flawless features. Pale skin. Silky, lustrous silver hair. And eyes as red as if they were burning.
Every detail pointed to one conclusion. She was a woman from the Einzbern family, one of the Three Founding Families.
Back on the street, Shirou had recognized that striking silver hair from afar at a glance. But at the time, she had been accompanied by a blond bodyguard dressed in a black suit.
Even without seeing his face clearly, just from the boy's silhouette and the way he walked, Shirou could tell:
He was an unfathomably powerful expert.
Was he a yakuza hired by the Einzbern family?
There wasn't a single opening in him anywhere.
Shirou had always thought the Fujimura Group represented the average level of the underworld in this world. He had never expected to encounter someone of this caliber from overseas.
To avoid exposing himself, he kept a distance of several hundred meters and tailed them for the entire morning, finally finding a narrow window of opportunity.
Taking advantage of the brief moment when the homunculus and the suited boy separated, Shirou stepped out and approached her.
He tugged at the hem of the woman's fur coat, looked up at her, and said, "I'm hungry."
The instant she saw his face, the woman froze.
For some reason, she looked as though she had sensed something like fate. She covered her mouth, her slender body trembling uncontrollably.
…What is going on!?
Shirou was completely bewildered.
Lady Avalon always says I have the "mark of attracting trouble with women," that I'll grow up to become a public enemy of women… but I'm only eight years old. I haven't even grown up yet!
After that, he was brought to a nearby fast-food restaurant.
Irisviel cupped her cheeks, watching the red-haired boy eat his hamburger with a blissful expression.
Although she felt a little guilty for not informing Saber, the Holy Grail War had not yet begun, and it was still broad daylight. Being separated for a short while should not be a problem.
Besides, if anything urgent happened, she could contact Saber through telepathy or use a Command Spell to summon her.
The willful princess of Einzbern thought to herself that while being with Saber was incredibly fun, sneaking out on her own once in a while was nice too.
Alright, putting Saber aside for now, the most important thing is this child~
"Little brother, what's your name?"
"My name is Shinji."
"Shinji-kun, where are your parents?"
Shirou set down the hamburger in his hand. After a brief silence, he spoke.
"I don't have parents."
"Ah…"
Irisviel's eyes widened as she covered her mouth in shock.
She quickly apologized.
"…I'm sorry. I didn't know."
Shirou shook his head.
"It's fine. You even bought me a hamburger. You're a really kind person. Thank you, big sister."
Seeing the sincere look on the red-haired boy's face, Irisviel felt her heart warm.
What a sweet, well-behaved child…♡
"If your parents aren't around, where do you usually live?"
"I stay with relatives."
"Shinji-kun, do your relatives treat you well?"
"Not really. My little sister drinks my share of milk every morning without asking."
Shirou spoke in a slightly aggrieved tone.
"She also often points out my faults in front of my best friend."
That… that's just too pitiful!
Irisviel's eyes grew a little red as she bit her lip, then carefully asked,
"In that case… would you like to come with Mom… I mean, with big sister?"