Shirou Amamiya and Manaka Sajyou arrived in Romania, the site of this Holy Grail War.
Their first stop was the ancient city known as Sighişoara.
The city had been formed in the twelfth century after the invasion of the Saxons.
Even across all of Europe, it was rare to find a city that had preserved so much of its medieval character.
However, Sighişoara was not their final destination. Trifas, the town beside it, was the territory of the Yggdmillennia clan, and also where the Greater Grail was located.
After studying the map, Shirou decided to use this city as his and Manaka's base.
There was another decent option, Bucharest, but it was too far away and not suitable as a base.
When Manaka heard they would be staying in a famous tourist city, she was extremely excited and kept saying she wanted to look around before the war began.
However, after they checked into the inn, that idea was abandoned.
Two Asian faces like Shirou and Manaka stood out far too much in this town with so few tourists.
The lords of Trifas, the Yggdmillennia clan, had begun preparing for this Great Holy Grail War more than ten years ago.
Even though Sighişoara was not Yggdmillennia territory, they had still sent out large numbers of familiars and informants. If Shirou and Manaka went out without any precautions, there was no doubt they would immediately be marked by the enemy.
They could avoid that with some form of Magecraft disguise, but Manaka complained gloomily that "then it wouldn't count as a date," so that was out.
Shirou was very relieved. Although Manaka looked like an innocent and adorable girl on the outside, she was actually thoughtful, exceptionally intelligent, and more rational than emotional.
To be honest, if she had insisted on going out just to shop around, Shirou would have had to stop her sternly.
Clashing with his Master before the war had even begun would be hard to justify.
As an aside, Manaka had offered on the plane to obey Shirou's orders, but Shirou had flatly refused.
Manaka was the Master, and he was ultimately only a Servant.
However, if Manaka did not mind, Shirou was willing to offer his Master advice.
For some reason, a trace of disappointment appeared on the girl's delicate face.
After spending the day in their respective rooms, the two left the inn at dusk and headed for the church on the mountain in Sighişoara.
Inside that church was the Father who served as both Supervisor and Master in this Holy Grail War.
"...Both Supervisor and Master?" Shirou frowned deeply.
"Mm." Manaka nodded lightly.
In this Great Holy Grail War, the two sides were the Mage's Association, the "Red" faction, and the Yggdmillennia clan, the "Black" faction, which had broken away from the Association in search of independence.
Originally, this ritual did not require a Supervisor.
However, after careful consideration, the Mage's Association decided to pull the Holy Church into it as well.
The Association and the Church, the two largest Mystery organizations in the world, had been fighting for over a thousand years, but "in principle," they were still allies.
At a time like this, what would happen if Yggdmillennia won over the Church?
The Mage's Association's authority as the orthodox organization of Western Magecraft would suffer a serious blow.
Thus, at the Association's request, the Holy Church sent a representative to make it clear that it supported the Association's position.
And this Father was both the Supervisor of the Great Holy Grail War and a Master of the "Red" faction.
Manaka's Command Spells had been taken from the Yggdmillennia Magus Hyouma Sagara.
She had been enemies with the "Black" faction from the very start, which was why she had come to meet the Supervisor of the "Red" faction.
Of course, that did not mean Manaka and Shirou would join the Association's faction.
...
On a hill in Sighişoara, Romania, stood a church that was fairly well known as a tourist attraction.
However, as early as a year ago, the church had refused visitors under the pretext of repairs.
At this moment, in one room of the church, a young Father was praying to God.
"Lord... please guide us."
This Father had a youthful face, but beneath that innocence was a faint air of extraordinary maturity.
In contrast to his young appearance, his hair was snow-white like an old man's, while his skin was deep brown, creating a strange impression.
"At last. At long last, it can begin.
How long have I waited for this moment... My wish will finally be realized.
No. I will make it a reality."
Though the young Father's face was calm and peaceful, his eyes held a quiet and extraordinary resolve, one that burned hotter than flame.
"Oh my... this won't do. I got a little too carried away.
I must proceed steadily, without rushing."
After sixty years, the Great Holy Grail War was about to begin once more.
Before it started, the Father had one final task: to wait for the last Master of the "Red" faction to arrive.
According to the records, the final Master was Kairi Sisigou, renowned for his mastery of necromancy.
Unlike the other five representatives of the Association, he was also one of the few combat-oriented mercenaries among Magi.
This man had been hired by the Clock Tower's Department of Spiritual Evocation Head, Rocco Belfeban, to serve as a Red Master, and had been given a precious Holy Relic as the medium for Summoning his Servant.
If Sisigou summoned a powerful Servant, the Father would naturally be pleased.
It might mean that he had taken one step closer to fulfilling his long-cherished wish.
But the young Father would not let his guard down.
No matter how powerful their own Servants were, the "Black" faction had very likely summoned powerful Servants as well.
If the Great Holy Grail War was to be held on Romanian soil, then the leader of the Yggdmillennia clan, Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, would undoubtedly summon that Heroic Spirit.
The one known throughout the world as the origin of the vampire legend, Vlad III, "the Impaler."
The Heroic Spirit Vlad Țepeș was a great hero who fought to the end with guerrilla tactics when the Turks invaded Romania.
Although he was widely known as the model for Count Dracula, in Romania itself, his aspect as a hero was emphasized. The boost he received from his fame was almost at the highest possible level.
To take the Holy Grail, they would have to defeat such a formidable enemy.
Once more confirming his resolve to fulfill his long-cherished wish, the young Father hid it beneath a false smile that no one could see through.
Just then, the Barrier informed him that a guest had arrived.
"?"
The Father, Shirou Kotomine, frowned slightly.
According to their prior arrangement, Sisigou was not supposed to arrive in Sighişoara until tomorrow. Why had he come early?
Shirou Kotomine left the room with confusion and wariness in his heart.
Then the young Father saw him.
Sitting in the front pew of the church was someone he did not recognize at all.
Deep red hair. Amber eyes shining with a light so striking that even the Father found himself holding his breath.
It lasted only a fleeting moment, but Shirou Kotomine was still slightly surprised by the fact that he had been drawn in.
This boy...
For some inexplicable reason, the Father felt as if he had sensed a powerful force of fate.
"...Welcome."
Shirou did not stand. He remained seated on the pew, studied the Father's face, and asked, "Are you the Father of this church?"
"Yes, I am."
From Shirou's direct approach, Shirou Kotomine determined one thing: he was connected to the Great Holy Grail War.
In that case, there was no need to keep hiding anything.
The young Father gave him a mature smile. "Hello. I am Shirou Kotomine, serving as the Supervisor for this Great Holy Grail War. And you are?"
Kotomine... Shirou...!?
That name struck Shirou with an impact no weaker than hearing a name like "Arthur Morgan."
A member of the Holy Church... an East Asian with the surname Kotomine...
The instant the boy gave his name, countless possibilities flashed through Shirou's mind.
Wait, is this kid a parallel-world counterpart of Kirei Kotomine?
No, it's probably more likely he's Kirei Kotomine's son!
Mm, judging by his appearance, that does seem plausible.
However.
Shirou narrowed his amber Mystic Eyes.
He sensed a strange dissonance from the white-haired boy. This guy was seriously bad news.
"I came today to say hello to the Church."
Shirou spoke first.
"My Master seized a Command Spell from Hyouma Sagara of Yggdmillennia. She is participating as a Master who belongs to neither the 'Red' nor the 'Black' faction."
"What...?"
Shirou Kotomine's eyes widened.
What surprised him was not that a Magus of Yggdmillennia had lost a Command Spell, but that the other side had actually found him.
Where had he gotten that information? Was his Master also an insider from the Mage's Association?
It took Shirou Kotomine several seconds to regain his composure. He needed more information.
"May I ask what I should call you?"
Shirou understood the implication in Shirou Kotomine's words. Tell me your Class.
He answered readily, "Just call me Saber."
He's actually... Saber!?
Shirou Kotomine's face twisted slightly.
The Class praised as the strongest in the Holy Grail War. Yggdmillennia had actually let the Saber Class fall into an outsider's hands? What on earth were they doing?
"Saber, did your Master not come with you?" the young Father asked again.
Shirou said, "No. This isn't something she needs to appear for in person."
Originally, they had planned to enter together.
But when they stepped into the church, Shirou suddenly had a very bad premonition.
Something about this church felt strange, so Shirou had Manaka wait outside while he entered alone.
"Heh. It seems your Master doesn't trust me."
Shirou Kotomine smiled. "But I suppose that's only natural. After all, I am both the Supervisor and a Master."
Shirou found that smile deeply suspicious. It was absolutely not the kind of knowing smile someone under twenty should have.
Shirou Kotomine had already noticed the other party's wariness.
If he wanted to draw out more information, he first had to make him lower his guard.
"As a gesture of sincerity, I'll let you see my Servant. All right, Assassin, materialize."
No, you really don't have to.
Shirou muttered inwardly. Nobody cares who your Servant is...
"Understood, my Master."
A decadent beauty in a jet-black dress appeared behind the young Father.
The woman's long black hair spilled down to the floor like a waterfall. She was a peerless beauty, flawless in both face and figure.
She held her chin between slender fingers, her golden pupils gazing quietly at Shirou.
"I am the Assassin of 'Red.' I look forward to working with you."
A faint smile appeared on the woman's elegant and seductive face.
"...Likewise."
Shirou replied expressionlessly.
When it came to Assassins, the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki usually summoned Hassan-i-Sabbah.
So was she one of them too? Like Hundred Faces Onee-san?
Shirou did not think so.
First Hassan was a pure Assassin. They honed their bodies and minds to acquire their skills, then used those skills to kill. But the alluring woman before him did not give off that feeling.
What suited her was not assassination, but murder. The kind where a single word or a glance would be enough for someone else to kill the target she had chosen.
"Hehehe. You have been staring at me quite intently for a while now."
The Assassin of "Red" covered her red lips, her expression brimming with seductive charm. "Saber, do you like me that much?"
No, rather than liking you, it's more like...
From the black-clad Assassin, Shirou sensed an overwhelmingly nostalgic atmosphere.
Where exactly had he smelled something like this before...?
He felt that the Assassin of "Red" was very similar to someone he knew.
But no matter how hard Shirou thought, he could not arrive at an answer.
"Assassin, don't trouble Saber," Shirou Kotomine said.
"Master, he truly has been staring at me with ill intent..."
The Assassin of "Red" bit her lip resentfully. Shirou Kotomine ignored her and continued asking.
"Then, Saber, what do you plan to do from now on? Will you cooperate with the Association?"
"I already made myself clear."
Shirou said, "My Master has no intention of joining either you or Yggdmillennia. I only came today to say hello.
Now that my business is done, I should take my leave."
As he said that, he rose from the church pew.
No. I can't let him leave so easily...
At the very least, I have to learn his True Name!
Shirou Kotomine grew anxious and blurted out, "Saber, can you tell me your True Name?"
"...Huh?"
Shirou stopped and frowned. "Why do I have to tell you my True Name?"
Damn it. Was that too rushed?
Although he knew his words and actions were highly improper, he could no longer afford to worry about that now.
From the very first moment he saw Shirou Amamiya, Shirou Kotomine had felt an indescribably bad premonition about this boy, who was roughly his own age.
If he did nothing, he would surely regret it in the future.
Shirou Kotomine said, "I-information exchange. Consider it a small benefit I'm offering you as the Supervisor of the Holy Grail War, since you came all this way to visit."
The young Father continued with a false smile.
"We have already gathered seven Servants, and Yggdmillennia has gathered six.
If they learn of your existence, they will certainly send pursuers after you and your Master.
I will do my best to persuade the Association's Magi, but I cannot guarantee they will not treat you as a target to be eliminated first.
Saber, do you intend to take on the other thirteen Servants all by yourself?
No matter how strong you are, that would be impossible, wouldn't it?"
Shirou instantly understood his intent and raised the corners of his mouth.
"You're offering to sell out your comrades' information as a trade?"
"...You may think of it that way."
Shirou Kotomine gritted his teeth. "Well? It's not a bad proposal for you, is it?"
"I refuse."
Shirou said coldly, "Father Kotomine, I will not make a deal with you."
He had already regarded the white-haired boy before him as the one person in this Great Holy Grail War he needed to be most wary of. No matter how tempting the benefits offered, he would not accept.
"...Tsk."
Hearing Shirou's answer, the Assassin of "Red" showed displeasure.
"Do you truly have no intention of cooperating at all? Did you not come here specifically to obtain information?"
"I said I only came to say hello.
You people think far too highly of yourselves. Goodbye."
Leaving those words behind, Shirou waved and walked out of the church.
"Wait... Saber! Stop right there!"
Behind him came Assassin's furious shout, along with the sound of high heels stomping hard against the floor.
Just who does this woman remind me of...?
Ignoring Assassin's cries, Shirou walked out through the church doors.