Silence... stillness...
After the introductions, none of the three showed any intention of fighting. Guinevere had provoked them to start a battle, but her true target wasn't the King of Conquerors.
She had wanted to test the King of Heroes' mettle and resume her interrupted duel with Lancelot, but both had already withdrawn from the battlefield and showed no signs of returning.
"Rider, your words are bold, but your stance is riddled with openings. If you have no hidden trump cards, I could take your head in three moves.
"However, you have courage and are forthright. I have no desire to bully the weak.
"Besides, your swordsmanship likely wouldn't satisfy my craving for a proper duel."
The replica Holy Sword in Guinevere's hand still emanated a faint glow. The King of Conquerors didn't deny her words; he knew that to defeat her, he would truly need to unleash his hidden trump card.
But it was still too early. That technique wasn't something he could use repeatedly in a short time.
"Caster, you're right, but I'll say it again: if I were to fight to the death, you, the King of Knights, and your entire Round Table combined would be no match for me."
"Rider, retract your arrogant boast, unless you wish to fight to the death right now!"
Clad in a deep blue gown and silver-white armor, the King of Knights seemed to be gripping something invisible. Moments earlier, the King of Conquerors had seen it: the dazzling Holy Sword that materialized in her hand when she unleashed her Noble Phantasm.
Except for some inscriptions, that sword was identical to Guinevere's.
"Heh. If you ask me, you should have a proper talk with Caster first. I don't know what's going on between you girls, but my consorts and I never create such a hostile atmosphere.
"King of Knights, you are the king. Can you not even command your own queen?"
To the King of Knights and Guinevere, these words were a provocation. But the King of Conquerors spoke them from his perspective as a king, with genuine sincerity.
Leaving these words behind, before the King of Knights could retort, the King of Conquerors—having successfully proven his manhood and greeted everyone—departed.
His ox-drawn chariot vanished into the sky at lightning speed.
After he left, only Guinevere, the King of Knights, and Irisviel remained on the beach.
Just then, Kiritsugu Emiya's voice came through Irisviel's earpiece:
"Irisviel, find a way to keep Caster here. I just observed that Kenneth only has one set of Command Spells. He isn't Caster's Master.
"Try to ask Caster about the Holy Grail. I'll go find Kenneth and question him. Make sure you don't let her leave too quickly."
On the beach, Guinevere and the King of Knights locked eyes again. With the King of Knights back, Guinevere's anger had subsided somewhat.
Hearing Kiritsugu's instructions, Irisviel immediately spoke up to break the tension:
"Caster? Or should I call you Queen Guinevere?"
"Just Guinevere is fine."
"Well then, Guinevere, would you be interested in visiting the Einzbern castle in Fuyuki City? I can provide a large bed for you both. I've read in some novels that when partners have an irreconcilable conflict, they should settle it with a fight in bed!"
At these words, a fighting spirit ignited in both their emerald eyes. They were more than willing to engage in such a duel. In their past lives, they had won and lost such battles against each other, making it a truly even match.
"So, will you come? Guinevere, if you lose, you must help me with my wish!"
"I'll come, I'll come! But even if I lose, I'll just go back on my word!"
"...Shameless!"
The King of Knights' expression flickered between anger and frustration, her ahoge nearly standing on end in fury. But setting aside their differences for the moment, Irisviel's suggestion had piqued their interest, and a deep longing stirred within them both.
The King of Knights tacitly allowed Guinevere to take the driver's seat of the sports car.
"Guinevere, the Caster class doesn't have the Riding skill, does it?"
"I can learn something like this just by watching."
"Guinevere, are you driving like a grandpa?"
"I'm just obeying the traffic laws."
Guinevere drove the high-end sports car at a turtle's pace of 30 km/h, earning a chorus of angry honks from the drivers behind them. She finally had to surrender the driver's seat to the King of Knights, who promptly pushed the car to the city's speed limit.
Now in the passenger seat, with Irisviel's gaze fixed on her, Guinevere tried to recall what else was supposed to happen tonight...
A few seconds later, Guinevere's smile froze. Then she remembered she had already warned Kenneth about the bomb at the hotel.
Besides, she trusted that even if Kiritsugu blew up the hotel again, Kenneth would protect his limbless Master.
'There's nothing to worry about. The most important thing is Lia. And I must not forget that Irisviel is a schemer.'
In the passenger seat, Guinevere mused to herself. She glanced at the top of the King of Knights' head again, confirming the absence of the ahoge, then turned to Irisviel in the back seat and said:
"Mrs. Irisviel, want to sleep together later? You see, I plan to obtain a true physical body in the Holy Grail War and live a second life.
"When that happens, if Lia won't be with me, you can be my substitute for her. You're incredibly beautiful too."
By now, the sports car had reached the outskirts of Fuyuki, speeding along a two-lane road winding through the mountain forest.
The King of Knights slammed on the brakes, nearly crashing the car into the mountainside. She turned, her face contorted with fury.
"Guinevere, you dare!"
"Since you intend to deny our past, just watch me and see if I dare."
Was Guinevere just being shamelessly provocative? Was Irisviel an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire?
But when Irisviel tilted her head, she didn't immediately refute the suggestion. Instead, she seemed to be contemplating something.
As a homunculus created by the Einzberns for the Holy Grail War, her purpose was to serve as a vessel for the souls of defeated Servants. In the final wish-granting stage, her own soul would also be absorbed into the Holy Grail, a form of cheating.
But this meant that whether she won or lost, her death was inevitable.
Knowing her death was inevitable, Irisviel's greatest concern wasn't Kiritsugu, but their only daughter.
"Miss Guinevere, I am Kiritsugu's wife. I will never betray him. But Kiritsugu and I have a daughter, and she will surely grow up to be even more adorable than me.
"If you truly manage to gain a physical body in this Holy Grail War, you can go to the Einzbern Family and take her. I consent to her becoming your child."
From the moment she met Kiritsugu, Irisviel had known of his tragic wish. And based on her understanding of him, she knew he would never surrender the Holy Grail to the Einzbern Family from the very beginning.
Forced to choose between world peace and his daughter's safety, Kiritsugu Emiya would sacrifice his daughter without hesitation, even if he wept bitterly afterward.
Back in the car, after hearing Irisviel's reply, Guinevere also thought of that unfortunate child.
Guinevere had already intended to save Illya.
"If I can, I will give your daughter happiness."
As she spoke, the King of Knights suddenly drew her sword. Guinevere quickly grabbed her hand, pinning her firmly against the driver's seat.
"Guinevere, you white-haired obsessed fool!"
The Faerie Knight was essentially still Lancelot, so the King of Knights was only slightly worried.
But the daughter Irisviel mentioned was a different matter. The King of Knights had seen Illya and found the little girl incredibly cute—exactly Guinevere's type.
"Saber, Guinevere, I'm going to step out for a walk. You two can fight it out in here..."
Tensions flared once again, but this time, Irisviel sided with Guinevere. With those words, she actually got out of the car.
Youth... it's truly wonderful...
Wait, no, how old am I again? According to the clan's records, Guinevere and the King of Knights lived through the Battle of Camlann and for decades after. There's even a theory that the King of Knights, sent to Avalon by Morgan, actually came back to life.
Outside the car, the wind blew. Inside, the battle began.