I, Kurumi Tokisaki, Am a Wanderer

It was still midnight, and the national road stretched westward from Fuyuki City, winding into the deep mountains.

The night wind rustled through the trees, causing a swishing sound that added to the chill in the air.

Saber stood firmly in front of Irisviel, her hand gripping the invisible sword. Her delicate face was stern, with her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"Caster..."

Those large, lively eyes seemed like the eyes of a terrifying creature lurking in the deep sea, and the black robe he wore appeared to be stained with blood. But at this moment, Caster was smiling, his face full of pure joy as an immaculate smile shone across it.

He knelt on the asphalt road, bowing his head respectfully, like a subject before their monarch. Yet, those strange eyes were fixed intently on Saber.

"I have awaited your arrival for a long time, my Holy Maiden."

The response he received, however, was Saber's slashing attack that tore through everything in its path, with wind pressure and magical energy howling as they surged toward him.

Caster quickly sidestepped, his face filled with confusion.

"Oh, oh, w-w-why…?" The man sobbed, his expression full of incomprehension. "My Holy Maiden, my dear Holy Maiden, what has happened to you? Have you forgotten your humble servant?"

"I am your loyal servant—Gilles de Rais," he proclaimed, lifting his strange, slender hands as if lamenting to the heavens. "I have been waiting for this day, waiting for your return. Jeanne!"

This was already the second Servant to reveal their true name. But Saber and Irisviel had long since heard this man's name from Kurumi and Kiritsugu.

The mad murderer, the perverted mage—Bluebeard.

In Emiya Kiritsugu's account, Caster had ultimately died because he broke the rules, with his Noble Phantasm and heart being pierced by Lancer.

Saber lightly raised the sword in her hand, the wind howling, signifying the Knight King's wrath.

"I am not Jeanne. But you, as a murderer, must die!"

"Oh God, why… why must you treat my beautiful lady so cruelly?" Caster suddenly stood up, his bulging eyes full of confusion, as if he were on a completely different wavelength. A deep, terrifying aura emanated from him, as if it could stain the ground with blood.

Saber's sword slashed down, the Wind King's Barrier roaring as the young girl's sharp killing intent cut through the air.

"The next time, I will surely save you from the hands of God, Jeanne," Caster muttered woodenly before dispersing into particles of light, vanishing just before the sword's energy could strike.

The prayer of the silent lamb would never reach the ears of the divine—he was deeply convinced of this. He was a "holy monster."

The serpentine national road veered away from the lights of Fuyuki City, leaving only Saber and Irisviel in the silence of the deep midnight.

Saber once again found herself sweating coldly as Irisviel floored the accelerator, making the engine roar as the car's speed exceeded 100 kilometers per hour. The expensive vehicle drifted and swerved around the serpentines, performing stunts that even made the Servant's heart skip a beat.

Yare yare daze!

Saber swore inwardly that she would never let Irisviel drive again.

Soon, they reached their destination. The wealthy Einzbern family had a villa in Fuyuki.

The "villa" was, in fact, a luxurious mansion that resembled a castle.

Kurumi returned to the villa with Sakura in her arms, only to find that Kiritsugu and Irisviel had not yet arrived.

The Einzbern maids greeted Kurumi as she returned, standing silently in wait for instructions. Kurumi leaned back on the sofa, cradling Sakura in her arms. The young girl, naturally prone to sleepiness, nestled in Kurumi's embrace, sound asleep.

Sakura's small hands were curled up in front of her, clutching the red ribbon tightly, and her little head kept nuzzling into Kurumi's chest.

Kurumi gently tickled the little girl's chin as if playing with a kitten, savoring the soft whimpers Sakura made like a kitten's meow, her face full of delight.

But Kurumi's robe was still a bit too large for the child, so she reluctantly instructed the maids to take Sakura to her room and prepare a few sets of fitting clothes. However, Sakura, half-asleep and half-awake, clung tightly to Kurumi, refusing to leave.

"Ah," Kurumi sighed, deciding to carry Sakura up to her room herself.

She leaned back on the sofa, waiting for Kiritsugu and Irisviel to return. Down the hallway, another Kurumi, carrying Sakura, pushed open the luxurious bedroom door.

The maids, already accustomed to such sights, didn't even bat an eye.

To Kiritsugu and Maiya, who returned first, their original plan had been to blow up the Hyatt Hotel directly. With thorough preparation, Emiya Kiritsugu could complete the setup for a directional blast within an hour. Kayneth and Sola were staying on the thirty-second floor of the Hyatt Hotel, and even the most powerful magus would have little chance of survival if they fell from nearly 150 meters.

But when they arrived, they found that Kayneth had already taken over the entire hotel. The staff had been hypnotized and sent away, and the entire building exuded a quiet magical aura, resembling a modern fortress of sorcery.

Emiya Kiritsugu and Maiya returned empty-handed.

Saber and Irisviel were the next to return, though Irisviel's driving skills could be described as nothing short of fantastical. Nevertheless, they had encountered Caster on the way, which had delayed them.

The Einzbern faction gathered to exchange information.

In Emiya Kiritsugu's eyes, there were far too many variables in this round of the war. Saber had faced Lancer's challenge instead of Rider, and after withdrawing early, Kayneth had started fortifying his position again.

He began to rethink his strategy.

"Why would that Berserker keep targeting Saber? Matou Kariya's goal should be the Tohsaka family, right?"

"Hmm?" Kurumi, who was enjoying a luxurious parfait brought by the maids, listened to Kiritsugu's questions.

"Because that Berserker is the Knight of the Lake—Lancelot," she replied nonchalantly.

Saber suddenly sat up, shock and confusion in her eyes. "Sir Lancelot? How could it be… that frenzied Berserker…"

In her eyes, Lancelot was the "Flower of Knights," a great knight who was supposed to be a gentleman—elegant, refined, and courteous.

"Because he carries regret," Kurumi remarked as she leisurely savored her strawberry sorbet, a playful smile on her face. "You should be quite familiar with that Noble Phantasm that conceals one's identity."

"Not for one's own glory..." Both their voices overlapped.

Only now did everyone realize that Miss Kurumi seemed to know many things they were unaware of.

"Then… what about Caster? Why is he also relentlessly pursuing Saber…"

"Well… let's say~~~" Kurumi didn't answer directly, her pink lips curving into a smile as she leaned toward Saber, her breath faintly carrying the scent of cream.

"So, Saber, if one day you found another person—no, many people—who looked exactly like you, what would you think?"

Her wine-red eyes sparkled with amusement.

Kurumi curtseyed and excused herself, her charming voice lingering in the living room.

"Oh, by the way, Master... I accidentally demolished the Matou residence."

In the hall, only Kiritsugu, Maiya, Irisviel, and Saber remained. The atmosphere grew tense once again as Saber's emerald eyes locked onto Kiritsugu.

"You intend to use Irisviel and me as bait, don't you, Master?"

"Is that it, Kiritsugu?" Saber called out her Master's name, deeply dissatisfied with this lack of trust.

"At the very least, you should have informed me first!"