Einzbern Castle sits deep in the mountains where nobody lives - an ancient fortress typically surrounded by ice and snow.
Today, for the first time in ages, the castle wasn't buried in snow and battered by wind. The sky wasn't completely clear yet, but the milky white clouds made everything much brighter than on the usual snowy days.
Inside the castle, a woman with emerald green eyes stood by the window, watching a father and daughter playing at the edge of the forest.
There was something almost otherworldly about her dignified presence. Her beautiful blonde hair was neatly coiled at the back of her head, and her stunning face, partially hidden by her bangs, usually carried a serious expression.
She was tall with a curvy figure, dressed in blue knight's clothing that couldn't quite conceal her fair skin, particularly around her chest and thighs.
Though the young woman had a full figure, she carried herself with unexpected grace. Her limbs were well-proportioned, and she breathed with the steady rhythm of someone trained in combat. At first glance, you'd notice the warrior before you'd notice the woman. Her mere presence seemed to fill the room with a sharp, clear energy.
"What are you looking at, Lancer?"
A woman's voice came from behind her. The young woman by the window turned around when she heard her name.
"Your daughter and master are playing in the forest outside," Lancer replied.
Her expression was slightly stern, her brow furrowed, but even this serious look couldn't diminish her striking beauty.
As she observed Lancer's flawless profile and perfect curves, even Irisviel von Einzbern, the princess designed to be a perfect creation, couldn't help feeling somewhat inadequate by comparison.
Who would ever guess that this beautiful, maternal figure was actually King Arthur Pendragon—the legendary ruler who led the Knights of the Round Table to countless victories?
Yet that was exactly who she was. Lancer was Artoria Pendragon, summoned as a Servant by Emiya Kiritsugu, the proxy Master for the Einzbern family, using Excalibur's scabbard.
They had initially assumed she appeared as Lancer instead of the more powerful Saber class because another Master had already claimed Saber. But now that didn't seem to be the case.
Irisviel moved beside her and gazed out the window. On the snowy field below, her husband was carrying their silver-haired daughter on his shoulders. Both of them were smiling as they ran toward the forest.
"Surprised to see this side of Kiritsugu?" Iri asked.
Lancer nodded honestly as she glanced at Irisviel's smiling face. Even from this distance, they could hear the joyful laughter of father and daughter—a genuine display of paternal love.
"I thought Kiritsugu was much colder than this," Lancer said.
Irisviel gave a small, knowing smile. "I can see why you'd think that."
Since being summoned, Kiritsugu had never spoken directly to Lancer despite being her Master. He treated her purely as a tool—never engaging in conversation, never answering her questions, not even making eye contact. He had completely rejected the Servant he himself had summoned.
While Lancer hadn't openly complained about Kiritsugu's cold behavior, she must have felt deeply troubled by it. It was only natural that she would notice the stark contrast between how he treated her and the warm father now playing happily with his daughter.
"It seems I haven't earned his trust," Lancer remarked. Despite expressing her disappointment, her beautiful face remained perfectly composed, like a mask.
Watching her, the silver-haired woman couldn't help but laugh softly.
"Irisviel, I don't see what's amusing about this situation."
"I'm sorry," Irisviel replied. "I was just wondering if you're still upset about what happened when you were first summoned."
"I'm still a bit bothered by it. You two were completely shocked when you saw me."
When she had first appeared from the glowing summoning circle, both Kiritsugu and Irisviel had simply stared at her in disbelief.
"Having you doubt I was the real King Arthur was, to be honest, quite offensive."
"I understand how you feel, but we couldn't help it," Irisviel replied with a gentle smile. "There was the unexpected difference in gender, and then you mentioned being stronger in this form. Besides, when people think of King Arthur, isn't Excalibur the weapon that comes to mind?"
"There's actually an explanation for that," Lancer responded calmly. "Irisviel, I've told you about this before."
In this world, after unifying Britain, Artoria had changed her primary weapon from the Holy Sword to the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad. Once she was no longer affected by the growth-stopping power of the Holy Sword, her body had developed naturally to match her role as king. This meant that two different versions of Artoria remained in the Throne of Heroes: The King Arthur of the Holy Sword and the King Arthur of the Holy Lance.
Compared to the Holy Sword Arthur who defended Britain, the Holy Lance Arthur had evolved into something closer to a divine being. While the two versions shared similar mental foundations, they placed importance on different aspects of rulership.
The Holy Lance Knight King standing before them didn't share that desperate desire to save her homeland. Unlike Saber, who emphasized her role as a ruler, Lancer placed greater importance on her identity as a knight.
She fought to champion good and destroy evil. This was why she wielded Rhongomyniad. In doing so, she had shed even more of her human emotions, transforming the King of the Holy Lance into something approaching divinity.
This Artoria Lancer possessed an austere, spiritual quality that mirrored Kiritsugu Emiya's own lifelong dedication to justice. Perhaps his aversion to her stemmed from seeing too much of himself in her—while simultaneously recognizing how fundamentally different they truly were.
"..."
After a long silence, Artoria finally spoke. "I'm truly grateful to you, Irisviel. Without your help, I would probably lose this Holy Grail War without even getting the chance to fight."
It seemed that just as the Magus Killer couldn't stand her presence, Artoria couldn't really get along with her Master either.
"Oh, don't mention it!" Irisviel wrapped her arms around Lancer's waist from behind and smiled warmly. "The feeling goes both ways, Artoria. Let's work hard together. This time we'll definitely complete your mission!"
Mission.
That single word instantly brought back the memory of when the Knight King of the Holy Lance had first appeared in the summoning circle. Irisviel could still hear those solemn words: "I am Lancer, and I have answered your summons. I have no wish to make to the Holy Grail; I have come here to destroy the evil Beast that should not exist in this world."