Located halfway up a hill near Trifas was a grand villa.
The mansion was luxurious; while its scale couldn't compare to the original Yggdmillennia Castle, it was large enough to comfortably accommodate nearly a hundred people.
The Yggdmillennia magi and their homunculi had collectively relocated here, settling into this estate.
It left Shirou Emiya with a sense of wonder. If it hadn't been for the ongoing Holy Grail War, perhaps he would have taken time to properly explore this medieval mansion.
But right now, the entire villa felt as though it had been abandoned for far too long. The absence of any human presence made the atmosphere suffocatingly lifeless.
Even before stepping inside, the stale dust wafting through the air was unmistakable.
It would obviously require a thorough cleaning before becoming truly habitable.
However, before Shirou could make a move himself, the homunculi were already diligently tidying up the place.
The Yggdmillennia magi weren't idle either, swiftly erecting protective barriers around the villa to guard against intrusion by the Red Faction's magi or Servants.
The villa had possessed some basic barriers to begin with; otherwise, it would have long since been discovered by ordinary people rather than abandoned for so many years.
Of course, the villa's isolated location—far from town, set on a hillside—also contributed to its obscurity. It wasn't the kind of place ordinary people visited without reason.
It might have ended up as a popular destination for "witch's house" explorations (humorous parentheses intended).
While the barriers likely couldn't prevent Servants outright, it was still better than nothing.
At the very least, they'd provide early warning if enemies approached.
Since Avicebron was no longer available, such tasks naturally fell to the magi of Yggdmillennia.
Homunculi, after all, weren't given specialized knowledge about barriers. They had only been created as disposable mana sources or cannon fodder for the Holy Grail War.
Shirou, walking along the hallway, watched the busy figures down below. He wanted to lend a hand, but knowing his magecraft was limited to projection and reinforcement, he sighed resignedly.
I'd probably just get in their way.
"Emiya-san!"
Just as Shirou was lost in thought, a homunculus approached, weapon in hand, greeting him cheerfully.
Shirou responded with a friendly smile, waving back warmly.
Although the homunculi still carried weapons and maintained patrols, their demeanor was entirely different from before. Gone was the previous mechanical indifference; they'd become aware and expressive, now engaging openly with others.
The change wasn't merely superficial—it went deeper.
These homunculi had begun to genuinely resemble human beings, gradually developing their own emotions and a much stronger sense of presence.
If the homunculus hadn't called out to him first, Shirou might not have even noticed him. Previously, their presence was almost nonexistent—someone passing by could easily overlook them entirely.
Now, their aura was clearly noticeable, distinctive and alive.
Not that Shirou's senses had dulled; he simply saw no need to remain perpetually alert within his own allies' territory. A certain amount of relaxation was necessary.
Meanwhile, Astolfo and his new Master, the homunculus, tirelessly worked on adjusting the remaining homunculi's bodies. Ever since their arrival at the villa, neither had paused their efforts.
Shirou had been present when they started.
According to Astolfo's Master, these homunculi had originally been created as disposable soldiers. Yggdmillennia had minimized costs wherever possible, drastically shortening their lifespans—most would barely survive a few years.
This revelation had made Shirou anxious. Although Astolfo's Master possessed knowledge of magecraft, all of it had come directly from Yggdmillennia's magi. Whether due to lack of experience or skill, he wasn't capable of fully adjusting the homunculi's bodies on his own.
He himself faced similar problems. However, Darnic had assured him that, since he personally brought back the homunculus technology, adjustments would be straightforward.
Yet, in the end, it was Gordes who unexpectedly stepped in and resolved the issue decisively.
"You bunch of fools! You can't even manage something so basic? Let me show you what a real magus looks like!"
Gordes had stormed dramatically into the room, loudly chastising everyone who was struggling to stabilize the homunculi. Yet his voice soon lost its harsh edge as he realized Darnic was among the group.
Since Darnic was the family head, Gordes naturally hesitated to go overboard.
Nevertheless, Gordes quickly and efficiently completed adjustments on all the homunculi, causing even Darnic to view him with newfound respect.
Though his personality remained unpleasant, Gordes's talent as a magus was undeniably impressive.
Even Darnic, despite his age and skill, couldn't match Gordes's speed and ease in adjusting the homunculi.
Kings have their talents, chefs have their skills—and old men have Hermit Purple—cough, cough!
Darnic himself didn't mind Gordes's theatrics much. Approaching a century in age, he had learned to overlook many things—except, perhaps…
At that moment, accompanied by the gentle rolling sound of a wheelchair, Fiore appeared, pushed along by Caules. They approached Shirou, standing in the hallway.
"Emiya-san!"
"Emiya-senpai!"
Both siblings greeted Shirou warmly.
"Did you need something?" Shirou asked politely, responding to their greetings.
Caules had spoken briefly with Shirou Emiya before, finding the experience incredibly comfortable, like a breath of fresh air. In his opinion, Shirou was fundamentally unsuited to being a magus.
Though Caules himself was slightly older, given Shirou's magecraft skill—which allowed him to directly fight Servants—he respectfully chose to address Shirou as 'senpai.'
Fiore, on the other hand, was widely recognized as Yggdmillennia's next head, responsible for many important decisions. Thus, it wouldn't have been appropriate for her to call Shirou 'senpai.'
As long as Darnic didn't intend to continue prolonging his own existence indefinitely, Fiore would undeniably be Yggdmillennia's next family head. Darnic himself had quietly acknowledged this reality.
"We've come to assist you, Emiya-senpai, in opening your remaining Magic Circuits!"