"Uh... Father's scabbard?"
Hearing Tohsaka Sakura's words, Waver was a little puzzled. The request seemed strange coming from her.
After all, this girl with black hair and blue eyes actually had no relation to him at all.
If it weren't for Vivian acting as a go-between, they probably wouldn't have even known each other until now. Their paths wouldn't have crossed.
"Yes," Tohsaka Sakura nodded.
"That's the scabbard my father left behind," she explained, her voice soft.
"Once I go back, I will use it for the Servant summoning," she stated her intention.
Although everything Tohsaka Sakura had said to her two teachers so far contained not a single lie, she still hid one extremely important thing.
That was the fact that this scabbard was actually the item that had bonded her with the phantom. A hidden connection lay within the relic.
Even though she knew that Holy Relics were a very important part of the Holy Grail War, Tohsaka Sakura still wanted to use this scabbard, named Excalibur Galatine, left behind by her father, Tokiomi Tohsaka, for the summoning.
That way, it would also be a small manipulation of the bond between herself and the phantom. A way to intertwine their fates.
"This..."
Waver realized he had asked a rather awkward question. He stumbled for words.
He quickly apologized: "Sorry, Sakura, I shouldn't have asked about this," he said, his face flushing slightly with embarrassment.
"It's nothing," Tohsaka Sakura shook her head, dismissing his apology. "Father's death is a matter of the past," she said calmly.
"Teacher Waver, please don't worry... I won't be angry because of this," she reassured him gently.
"Is that so?" Waver gave an awkward laugh. "That's good to hear."
"But speaking of that—"
"Who was your father, anyway?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Tokiomi Tohsaka," Tohsaka Sakura replied politely.
"What?!"
Hearing that name, many memories from the past immediately flooded Waver's mind. His eyes widened in surprise.
He hadn't forgotten who Tokiomi Tohsaka was.
That was the Master who had summoned the powerful Archer in the Fourth Holy Grail War. A formidable opponent.
But...
He also hadn't won that Holy Grail War. His defeat lingered in Waver's memory.
[This was something that happened in the past.]
[Neither the Clock Tower nor the Church recorded this.]
[Only Masters who experienced it firsthand, like Waver, would know the solemnity hidden within the past.]
Fuyuki City, within a certain mansion.
After the fire caused by Caster burned down their previous residential block, Waver and Iskandar moved here with the old couple. They found a temporary refuge.
Although the environment was much worse than their previous dwelling, it was at least a place where they could stay for the time being. The air here was thick with the smell of old wood.
And the old couple, after learning that the two had bravely rushed into the sea of fire and pulled them back from the brink of death, were incredibly grateful. Their eyes were filled with tears of thanks.
Their words even revealed a tendency to give all their inheritance to Waver. They wanted to express their immense gratitude.
Of course.
Waver would definitely not accept. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind.
The reason he came to Fuyuki City to participate in the Holy Grail War was not to exploit old people for money. His goals were different.
Maintaining the status quo, for this student, was already enough. He just wanted to get by.
Furthermore—
More than worrying about how to handle the old couple's inheritance, Waver was more concerned about another matter at the moment.
"Rider."
"What should we do about this?" he asked, holding a piece of paper.
"Are you going to attend this meeting?"
The "meeting" Waver mentioned was a letter they had received not long ago.
It conveyed an extremely important message in very concise language.
That was, Archer had "invited" all the Servants who were still alive in the Holy Grail War to gather for a discussion in a certain garden in Fuyuki City. The invitation felt more like a summons.
Of course, the tone of that letter was more or less arrogant. It was undeniably haughty.
But this wasn't the end of it.
After all, if one were to consider it from a conventional perspective, an action like openly inviting everyone to a certain place felt somewhat off. It seemed like a potential trap.
Waver was reluctant to let Rider take the risk. Caution was his natural inclination.
But Iskandar burst into laughter at this moment:
"Go! Of course, we'll go! Why wouldn't we go!" he boomed, his voice full of enthusiasm.
"But Rider, aren't you afraid of running into trouble?" Waver questioned, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Running into trouble?" Iskandar grabbed Waver's shoulder with one hand, incredibly generous like an older brother. His grip was firm.
"Kid, he managed to send the letter all the way to us; do you think we are safe now?" he pointed out the reality of the situation.
"Furthermore—"
"We can't be so cowardly!" he declared, challenging Waver's apprehension.
"..."
With Iskandar saying this, Waver finally realized that Archer's intelligence network seemed to have expanded to an extremely terrifying degree. It was far more extensive than he had imagined.
Although they had never met, the other party could accurately send the letter to them. Their movements were clearly being tracked.
Thinking like that, it was indeed better to go. Avoiding it might be more dangerous.
After considering it, Waver nodded, agreeing to Iskandar's plan.
"Rider, I understand," he said, accepting the necessity.
The appointed date arrived quickly.
Late at night, the Gordias Wheel sped along the road. The sound of its hooves echoed in the darkness.
Iskandar took Waver towards the destination—he would absolutely not leave his Master behind alone. Their bond was strong.
However, upon arriving at the destination, the two found that only Saber and Archer were present. The garden was quiet except for their presence.
The remaining Lancer and Assassin apparently had no interest in this whatsoever. Their absence was telling.
But this wasn't difficult to understand—after all, everyone was worried that Archer, who issued such an invitation, might set a trap; it was perfectly normal for them not to come. Caution prevailed.
However, the shining golden Servant appeared quite magnanimous. His demeanor was open.
He very enthusiastically welcomed the Saber and Rider who had come. His hospitality was surprising.
Everything seemed like a perfectly ordinary meeting. The atmosphere was unexpectedly relaxed.
Until—
Archer revealed his name. His voice cut through the calm air.
"Gilgamesh," he stated simply, yet with immense power.
"This King is not willing to hide his name, and hopes that you will not be afraid to reveal your identities," he declared, his golden eyes sweeping over them.
" Artoria Pendragon," Saber, holding the same idea, was fearless. She responded without hesitation.
"Iskandar," the King of Conquerors was not to be outdone. He stated his name proudly.
"It seems you are all Kings from various eras," Gilgamesh commented, a hint of interest in his voice.
Gilgamesh's gaze swept over Artoria and Iskandar.
"Then—"
"Let's proceed to tonight's final topic," he announced, getting to the heart of the matter.
"What kind of person, in your opinion, is worthy of the name of King?" he questioned, his gaze sharp.
"Or rather, what should a King do?" he rephrased the question, seeking their perspectives.
"..."
"..."
Neither Artoria nor Iskandar had expected Gilgamesh to discuss the topic of Kingship. The sudden shift in conversation caught them off guard.
However, the latter seemed to have anticipated such a thing long ago.
He took a sip of red wine, and then unhurriedly acted as the first speaker. His posture was relaxed, yet regal.
"This King believes that only those who are loyal to their own thoughts can be worthy of the name of King," he stated his philosophy.
"All things under heaven are judged by law—and the one who creates these laws is this wise King," he declared, his voice ringing with absolute conviction.
"..."
"Hahahaha!" Iskandar burst into laughter. His mirth filled the garden.
"King of Heroes, your understanding is truly interesting," he commented, finding Gilgamesh's perspective amusing.
"However, I cannot agree with such actions that force one's own thoughts onto others," he countered, his own philosophy different.
"Oh?"
Gilgamesh, who had witnessed the battle between Iskandar and Sakata Kintoki, was not angered by this.
After all, he had felt immense pleasure from that battle. The memory of it brought a smile to his face.
"Then Iskandar, what are your thoughts?" he asked, inviting him to share his view.
"I believe—"
Iskandar raised his wine glass high towards the sky, as if issuing a command. His gesture was grand and sweeping.
"The will of a King should be the united will of all," he declared, his voice powerful.
"Therefore, I will make everyone recognize my will from the bottom of their hearts, and be willing to follow me, to seek out the way to achieve it together," he explained his approach to Kingship.
"This is the righteousness that a King should follow, and only like this is one worthy of being called a King," he asserted, his belief absolute.
"Heh," Gilgamesh let out a cold laugh.
"A strange idea, but it is not without merit as a method worth trying," he conceded, acknowledging the potential in Iskandar's approach.
"This King will remember it," he stated, his golden eyes holding a calculating glint.
"Hahahaha," Iskandar laughed heartily. "Gilgamesh, I suggest you had best not just remember it, but try it yourself."
"This is a method that works for conquering the entire world!" he boasted with a grin.
"What about you then—"
The King of Conquerors looked at Artoria.
"What kind of Kingship do you advocate?" he asked, turning his attention to her.
"..."
Facing Iskandar's question, Artoria remained silent, appearing to be thinking about something. Her gaze was distant.
After a long time, she slowly spoke:
"I... feel that this world does not need Kings," she said, her voice quiet.
"..."
"..."
At these words, Gilgamesh also looked at Artoria. His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
But the latter did not shy away from their gazes; instead, she continued to explain her thoughts.
"A King does not exist in a vacuum; they are born from the people," she stated her belief.
"Only when everyone's wishes are strong enough will an existence worthy of being a King be born from among them," she explained the origin of Kingship as she saw it.
"But—"
"Whether one can live up to that expectation depends on their actions thereafter—it will never change or shift because of personal will," she asserted, emphasizing the burden of expectation.
"One who can do it, can become King," she said.
"And one who cannot, cannot become King," she concluded simply.
"Therefore—"
Speaking up to this point, Artoria recalled the man who was once by her side. A shadow of sadness crossed her face.
Her expression became somewhat melancholic.
"For someone who becomes King, it is not necessarily not a form of restraint," she mused, the weight of the crown apparent in her words.
"For that reason,"
"I don't believe there is such a thing as a King in this world, and naturally, no so-called Kingship exists either," she stated her final conclusion.
"..."
"..."
"Are you denying your own existence and ours?" Gilgamesh commented, his voice sharp.
"No," Artoria shook her head, denying his interpretation. "That is not the case."
"I merely believe that a King does not need to impose their will on others, nor do they need to forcibly take on the will of others," she clarified her stance.
"That is all," she finished simply.
"Interesting, very interesting!"
Iskandar took a large gulp of strong wine and laughed heartily. His laughter echoed in the garden.
"Hahahaha!"
"I didn't expect that being Kings of the same era, our ideas would be so vastly different," he remarked, finding the contrast fascinating.
"Come, have a few more drinks, we won't stop until we're drunk tonight!" he proposed, raising his glass.
The banquet entered a period of simple drinking. The atmosphere lightened.
Waver, not far away, also let out a sigh of relief. His tension eased.
Having gone through the Caster incident, his understanding of his own abilities was now relatively rational. He knew their limitations.
If a fight were to break out, Iskandar would definitely suffer greatly because of him. He would be a liability.
Drinking happily like this now was much safer. The risk of battle was averted, for now.
But thinking back—
Waver looked towards Tokiomi Tohsaka nearby.
During the previous exchange, he learned that this was Archer Gilgamesh's Master.
However—
Their relationship seemed to be very bad. A strained tension hung between them.
Even now, Tokiomi Tohsaka was looking at Gilgamesh with clenched fists. His frustration was palpable.
So, even in the Holy Grail War, there were Masters who were not on good terms with their Servants? Waver thought, a new realization dawning on him.
Waver thought this, but did not dare to voice anything. He kept his observations to himself.
[For some reason, Waver did not tell Tohsaka Sakura these things at this moment.]
[He had his own considerations.]
"It's better not to say anything..."
Waver thought this to himself.
On one hand, Tokiomi Tohsaka was indeed dead, and saying anything now would be useless. The past was the past.
On the other hand, Tohsaka Sakura was his daughter, and it would be very rude to comment on her father in front of her. He decided against it.
"I see, I understand," Waver pretended to have a sudden realization.
"If that's the case... then indeed I can't let you summon Iskandar," he said, feigning understanding of her reasons.
"Thank you for understanding me, Teacher Waver," Tohsaka Sakura said.
"Alright," Vivian neatly concluded the topic. Her tone was decisive.
"Let's board the plane; we can discuss more once we arrive in Fuyuki," she suggested, ending the conversation.
"Okay! / Alright."
[After a period of flying, you returned to Fuyuki City with Tohsaka Sakura.]
[There was still a long time until the Fifth Holy Grail War began, and she needed to make some preparations first.]
[And among those preparations was returning to the home she had been away from for many years.]
In the old mansion, a long-awaited meeting was taking place. The air felt heavy with anticipation.
"Mother, I'm home," Tohsaka Sakura said gently to Aoi Zenjou, who was arranging flowers on the floor. Her voice was soft and full of emotion.
"Eh?"
Although she hadn't heard that voice for over ten years, the moment she heard it, Aoi Zenjou immediately reacted. Her hands stilled.
She turned her head and saw her daughter, Tohsaka Sakura. Recognition flared in her eyes.
Shock and disbelief instantly transformed into emotion. Tears welled up.
Clear tears rolled down the mother's face.
"Sakura, you're back..." she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Yes, I'm back," Tohsaka Sakura replied, tears also falling from her eyes as she saw her mother's sadness.
Mother and daughter embraced for the first time in a long while. Their arms wrapped tightly around each other.
It was an incredibly moving scene. A moment of profound reunion.
About fifteen minutes later, Aoi Zenjou, having composed herself, wiped the tears from her daughter's face.
"Why did you come back so suddenly?" she asked gently.
"Because there are some things I need to do," Tohsaka Sakura replied, her voice serious.
"Some things you need to do?"
Hearing this, Aoi Zenjou noticed Vivian and Waver standing beside Tohsaka Sakura. Her gaze shifted to the two strangers.
"These two are...?" she inquired, curiosity in her voice.
"Vivian," the witch who had lived for a thousand years introduced herself proactively. "I am Sakura's teacher," she stated.
"Waver Velvet," Waver also began to speak.
"I am also Sakura's teacher, and I took the opportunity to do some traveling this time," he added, offering an explanation for his presence.
"I see," Aoi Zenjou stood up and bowed to the two teachers.
"Thank you for taking care of Sakura all this time," she said gratefully.
"It was nothing," Vivian replied patiently, then gave Tohsaka Sakura a meaningful look. A silent signal passed between them.
It was a hint for her to act quickly.
Tohsaka Sakura understood immediately and directly expressed her thoughts to her mother, Aoi Zenjou.
"Mom, do you remember Dad's scabbard?" she asked, bringing up the topic.
"Scabbard?" Aoi Zenjou questioned, a little surprised.
"Yes," Tohsaka Sakura nodded.
"It's the scabbard of Excalibur Galatine," she specified the name.
"Eh?" Aoi Zenjou seemed a little surprised.
"Sakura, what do you need that for?" she asked, her brow furrowed slightly.
"Nothing, I just want to borrow it for a bit," Tohsaka Sakura replied, her explanation vague.
"Borrow it, huh?" Aoi Zenjou nodded thoughtfully.
"That might be a little troublesome," she said, a hesitant tone in her voice.
"Troublesome?" Tohsaka Sakura echoed, a sense of unease creeping in.
"Yes," Aoi Zenjou looked at her daughter, Tohsaka Sakura, her expression quite complex.
"Because it's with Rin right now."
"What?" Tohsaka Sakura's eyes widened in shock.