"What are you worried about?"
Zuke watched as Illyasviel von Einzbern (Sitonai) hesitated over whether to accept his proposal and couldn't help but shake his head helplessly.
"If I really wanted to kill you, I could've sent you straight back to the Throne of Heroes earlier. Why would I bother saying all this?"
Hearing Zuke's words, Sitonai froze—indeed, Zuke was far stronger than her. If he truly wanted to act, there was no need for such roundabout methods.
Her freezing attacks and Noble Phantasms had no effect on him, and with a single move, he had effortlessly restrained her. The difference in power was overwhelming.
Even Sella, who had been interrupting earlier, now obediently shut her mouth—even she had to admit that if Zuke truly harbored ill intentions, he wouldn't have wasted so much time talking.
Given that, the things Zuke had just said were likely true?
Did he really live an ordinary life with Irisviel in a parallel world? And was it possible that he could take Sitonai there to meet Irisviel?
Sella and Leysritt were maids who prioritized Illya's well-being. To them, Sitonai was Illya. So if Sitonai chose to trust Zuke, they would support her decision.
Noticing Sella and Leysritt's expressions, Sitonai bit her lip slightly before finally making up her mind. She looked at Zuke and spoke:
"I… I ag—"
Before she could finish, Zuke suddenly stood up from the couch.
He seemed to sense something, turning his gaze toward the window with a slight frown. Then, he cut off Sitonai mid-sentence.
"Sorry, it seems my Master is in trouble… Tell me your answer next time."
With a casual wave of his hand, Sitonai, Sella, and Leysritt felt their limbs regain freedom.
Zuke had undone the zippers binding them—after all, keeping them restrained for too long would be a problem, especially for Sella and Leysritt, who might actually starve.
After freeing them, Zuke vanished from the room in an instant, leaving the three women staring at each other in bewilderment.
Sitonai's face flushed red with indignation, her expression full of frustration as she harshly criticized Zuke's abrupt departure:
"What the hell is wrong with that guy?! I was about to agree, and he just runs off?!"
She felt incredibly aggrieved. She had already steeled herself to meet Irisviel, only for Zuke to disappear without warning.
"Damn him!"
Zuke's sudden exit wasn't an excuse—he genuinely sensed something was wrong with Reines.
Originally, he had left a maid-outfit doppelgänger with her, which should have been enough to ensure her escape in most situations. However, if she encountered a Servant with enough strength and a determination to fight to the death, things could get dicey.
So, he had also left "Blackbird·Black Sabbath" by her side. If she faced a truly inescapable crisis, it could pull her into the shadows to hide.
Just now, he had felt "Blackbird·Black Sabbath" activate—clearly, Reines had encountered a battle she couldn't escape.
Since Reines' situation was urgent, Zuke had no choice but to set aside Sitonai for now. Taking her to meet Irisviel wasn't something that could be done in a few minutes anyway.
---
"Damn it, where'd that guy go?!"
Outside Reines' residence, the street had been cleaved apart by razor-sharp sword slashes, even exposing the buried cables beneath.
Mordred stood atop the shattered pavement, gripping her massive sword as she glared at an empty spot, her voice filled with irritation—the destruction around her was clearly her handiwork.
She had launched a surprise attack on Reines, but Reines had reacted faster than expected, barely dodging a few of her strikes.
Though those initial attacks hadn't been serious, the fact that Reines avoided them made Mordred feel somewhat embarrassed. So, she had followed up with a genuine assault.
Reines, of course, couldn't withstand it. Just as she was about to be struck by Mordred's blade—"Blackbird·Black Sabbath" emerged from her shadow.
It dragged Reines into the darkness, vanishing completely from Mordred's sight.
"Enough, Saber! Stop this!"
Standing behind Mordred, Rin Tohsaka watched with an exasperated expression, her face full of helplessness.
While she had considered targeting Reines, she never intended to do it so directly—what if they ran into Zuke?
She had no idea what had gotten into Mordred. She had merely briefed her on some of the other participants to ensure she wouldn't be caught off guard.
But the moment Mordred heard that Reines' Servant was Zuke, she had flown into a rage and dragged Rin straight to Reines' doorstep.
"Does Mordred know Zuke? Is he from King Arthur's era?"
Rin rubbed her temples in frustration as she watched Mordred, who showed no signs of calming down.
She had no idea which myth or historical period Zuke belonged to, but Mordred's reaction made her suspect he might be connected to the Arthurian legends.
Otherwise, why would Mordred be so furious at the mere mention of him?
Just as Rin was trying to figure out how to rein Mordred in, her worst fear came true.
A figure appeared without warning in the middle of the street—right where Reines had been standing.
In fact, if Mordred had paid even a little attention, she would've noticed the lingering shadow where Reines had disappeared—"Blackbird·Black Sabbath"'s remnant.
But Mordred, ever the blunt instrument, had completely missed it.
The moment she saw Zuke appear before her, her face lit up with excitement. Before he could even react, she raised her sword and shouted eagerly:
"You finally showed up! Last time, you acted like I wasn't even worth eating—well, this time, I'll make damn sure you see my value!"
"...Huh?!"
Standing not far behind Mordred, Rin froze in shock at her Servant's bizarre declaration.
To be continued…