In Fuyuki's downtown, at a buffet restaurant, one table drew every eye.
Not only because it featured a strikingly beautiful woman and a stunningly handsome youth, but also due to the table's "height."
Plates were stacked nearly half a meter high. Three waiters scrambled to clear them, but they couldn't keep up with the youth's pace.
The pair were Saber and Irisviel, fresh from... well, playing bystander.
Saber devoured her food with gusto.
Across from her, Irisviel propped her face on one hand, gazing out the window with a troubled expression.
"What's wrong, Iris?"
Saber's cheeks bulged like a squirrel hoarding nuts, making one wonder how she spoke so clearly.
"Uh... I'm thinking the restaurant owner might need tears to mop the floor."
Irisviel forced a smile.
"Iris, you're thinking about what happened at the coast, aren't you?"
"..."
Saber swallowed her food in one gulp, smiling at Irisviel. "Don't worry, Iris. I'll make sure we win."
Truthfully, Saber had little confidence after witnessing last night's divine clash. She felt their chances were slim.
But as a king and a Servant, she couldn't show fear before her Master.
"I believe in you!"
Irisviel nodded, her smile radiant.
"Mm..."
Saber resumed her buffet conquest.
"...Saber, I forgot to buy something. I'm going to get it."
Irisviel stood abruptly.
"Want me to come with you, Iris?"
"No, I'll be fine."
"If you're in danger, call me immediately!"
"Of course..."
...
Five minutes later...
"..."
Irisviel stared at the building before her.
An elegant, rustic courtyard, dotted with trees and leisurely growing flowers.
Perhaps it was her imagination, but the place felt eerie, as if everything were alive.
Ding-dong!
As she pressed the doorbell, she felt exposed, as if countless eyes pierced her clothes, scrutinizing her skin, bones, and soul.
In that moment, she had no secrets.
The door opened.
"..."
After a brief silence, Irisviel stepped into the courtyard.
Doors opened for her, guiding her to the second floor.
The final door remained closed, but she knew it was the one.
As she reached for the handle...
"Are you sure about this?"
Roman leaned against the wall, his eyes filled with pity.
Honestly, though he and Samuel were friends, he didn't much like him.
Their relationship was complex, like that of Heaven Canceller and Aleister in Samuel's world—barely friends, bound by a life debt, yet at odds.
Roman would aid Samuel for shared ideals, not personal affinity.
His warning wasn't to thwart Samuel, just a caution.
But at this point, it felt redundant.
"This is the place, isn't it?"
Irisviel chuckled softly, guided by instinct—or perhaps something else.
Roman didn't respond. He didn't need to.
Irisviel turned the handle and entered.
The room was ordinary, lacking the chilling aura she'd expected.
A youth sat on a sofa, a beautiful woman with long teal hair and apron, adorned with ram-like horns, massaging his shoulders. At his feet lay a silver-haired girl.
Hardly ordinary...
It felt like a scene from a restricted film.
Irisviel, unfamiliar with such things, only felt unease.
Otherwise, she'd be considering a retreat.
"Hello, Miss Irisviel. What brings you here?"
Samuel spoke.
The youth seemed unremarkable save for his looks, making Irisviel doubt he was her target.
"Heh."
Samuel raised his right hand, lightning crackling within it. Though only a foot long, it rivaled the world itself.
Confirmed.
"Your Majesty, I have a request."
Irisviel got to the point.
"Let's hear it."
"Please destroy the Holy Grail."
"Oh?"
A playful smirk crossed Samuel's face.
"Does your Servant, Saber, know?"
Samuel cared less about the reason and more about this question.
"..."
Her silence answered him.
"Heh, like that? If Saber means so little to you, how about this: sell me Saber, and I'll destroy the Grail."
His casual smile seemed demonic to Irisviel.
Tiamat tilted her head, puzzled by his words.
"Sorry, pretend I was never here."
Irisviel turned to leave.
"What's your offer?"
His voice stopped her.
Closing the door slowly, she glanced at Nyarlathotep under his feet.
Kneeling, she unbuttoned three buttons below her neck.
Her pale cheeks flushed, gravity revealing the valley between her peaks.
"You'd offer yourself but not your Servant? We're not the same, are we? I'm generous with talent. The Holy Grail War won't end, but it won't bleed anymore, and the Lesser Grail is unnecessary. That's my offer. The price is you. Step closer if you agree, or leave."
Irisviel didn't want the Grail destroyed—just the Lesser Grail removed.
"Welcome to Chaldea! No need for that pose. You won't believe it, but she enjoys this. We're colleagues now!"
It wasn't time yet. Too dull to rush. She was already his—no need to hurry.
***
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