After adding three layers of protection to Reines, Zuke was ready to leave this world.
There was still some time before the Holy Grail War officially began, and during this period, the participants were busy preparing materials and gathering intelligence.
Though Zuke had considered ending the Holy Grail War early, the plot had now changed, and he wasn't entirely sure who the participants would be this time.
Moreover, some participants hadn't even summoned their Servants yet, making it impossible for him to force an early conclusion to the war.
"Speaking of which, there should be an overseer dispatched by the Holy Church for this Holy Grail War, right?"
Before leaving, Zuke asked Reines one last question—about the overseer of this Holy Grail War.
The Holy Church would send an overseer to enforce the rules of the Holy Grail War. If the war's impact grew too severe, the overseer would also be responsible for handling the aftermath and suppressing public attention.
In the original storyline, the overseer for the Fifth Holy Grail War was Kirei Kotomine—but Zuke had already killed him.
Even Gilgamesh, who should have remained in the world after being corrupted by the black mud, had been devoured by Zuke.
"The overseer is Risei Kotomine, from the Fourth Holy Grail War."
As a participant, Reines naturally knew who the overseer was—she had already met him at the church before summoning Zuke.
"Since his supervision during the last war went smoothly, he was reappointed for this one."
"That guy's still alive?"
Zuke was surprised—Risei Kotomine had already been an old man ten years ago. He hadn't expected him to still have the energy to serve as overseer a decade later.
In the original storyline, Risei would have been killed by Kayneth during the Fourth Holy Grail War, but due to Zuke's interference, he had survived to the present.
"Though Father Kotomine is indeed quite old... he seems to have trained in martial arts, so he's still in good health. He's more than capable of serving as overseer."
Reines didn't understand why Zuke looked so surprised, but she answered nonetheless.
"It seems that after his son died in the last Holy Grail War, he's been a little melancholic whenever the subject comes up..."
In the end, Risei Kotomine was just an old priest... though he had secretly colluded with Tokiomi Tohsaka back then, so he wasn't exactly a stickler for the rules.
He should be glad he never learned the truth about Kirei Kotomine.
His son was the kind of man who found joy in human suffering—even when it came to his own father's death.
After confirming that the overseer was still Risei Kotomine—someone not particularly noteworthy—Zuke left.
Since Reines had already assumed that Zuke's "limited active time" was a restriction imposed by the Holy Grail, she wasn't surprised when he disappeared.
After all, the Avalon and the maid-outfit Stand he had left her were still with her, making her feel quite secure.
Even if she were unlucky enough to encounter a Servant, Reines believed she could still escape.
"Alright, Trimmau! While Mr. Zuke is away, let's go out and do some proper reconnaissance!"
Looking in the direction Zuke had left, Reines stood up from the sofa, a determined expression flashing across her face.
Though she could rely on Zuke, she wasn't the type to sit back and do nothing. She felt she should at least demonstrate some competence as a Master—such as gathering intelligence.
Zuke had already investigated the Tohsaka and Einzbern families—how could she return empty-handed?
Otherwise, it'd be hard to tell who was really the Master and who was the Servant.
At this thought, Reines couldn't help but glance down at the maid outfit she was wearing, her expression turning slightly odd.
"But... why does Mr. Zuke have a Noble Phantasm that looks like a maid outfit?"
Since Zuke hadn't bothered to explain the concept of a "Stand" in detail, he had simply referred to it as a "Noble Phantasm" to help Reines accept the maid-outfit Stand.
But this had led Reines to some wild imaginings.
Judging by Zuke's demeanor, it was obvious he wouldn't wear a maid outfit himself.
So, this must have been meant for another woman? Perhaps Zuke had a particular fondness for maids, which was why he possessed such a "Noble Phantasm"?
Reines didn't know that Zuke could acquire others' abilities through "devouring," so she naturally assumed this was just part of his Noble Phantasm repertoire.
"Mr. Zuke likes maid outfits..."
Soon, Reines accepted this self-concocted theory and walked over to a mirror, studying the maid outfit she was wearing with a thoughtful expression.
"As Mr. Zuke's Master, it's important to build a good relationship with him... Maybe I should cater to his preferences."
The bond between Master and Servant was crucial. Just as the Einzbern family had summoned their Servant two months early to let Illya familiarize herself with her Servant—though they had ultimately miscalculated, the logic behind it was sound.
So Reines began considering whether she should use this opportunity to strengthen her relationship with Zuke—like raising affinity with a Servant in a mobile game.
---
Not long after Zuke left the mission world, a taxi pulled into Fuyuki City.
A young woman stepped out—it was Sakura Matou, who had rushed back from the Mage's Association.
After ten years, Sakura, like Rin Tohsaka, had grown from a little girl into a tall, graceful young woman.
Unlike Rin's somewhat haughty demeanor, Sakura appeared gentler—though beneath that gentleness lay a sharp, resolute edge.
After all, Sakura's upbringing had been entirely different from the original timeline.
Though her kind nature remained, having never suffered abuse in the Matou household, she no longer hesitated in her actions.
Standing by the roadside, she pressed a hand to her chest—inside her clothes, the black feather Zuke had given her was kept close to her heart.
"Good... This time, I'll summon Brother Zuke!"
A satisfied smile crossed Sakura's face. She had been waiting for this new Holy Grail War for so long—finally, the time had come.
Unaware that Reines had already summoned Zuke ahead of her, Sakura was still filled with hope.
Pulling her luggage behind her, Sakura headed toward the Hyatt Hotel.
She had no intention of returning to the Matou residence. Though she had been adopted into the family, she held no affection for that place.
Besides, the Matou household was now occupied by Kariya Matou and Shinji Matou—Sakura had no desire to see any of them again.
So she chose the Hyatt Hotel as her base—just as Zuke had arranged for her ten years ago.
To be continued…