Chapter 562: The Trio's Christmas Plans
The winter nights were already cold, let alone when he remembered Caren had climbed onto the roof wearing only thin pajamas.
Moreover, Caren wasn't a Servant—her constitution was even more delicate than an ordinary person's...
At this thought, Sakatsuki sighed and personally carried the bowl over to Caren, kneeling down as he blew on the spoonful of porridge before handing it to her. "Just this once, consider it my apology."
Caren gazed at Sakatsuki, who feigned impatience, a subtle glimmer of amusement flashing in her golden eyes. Her cherry lips parted slightly as she took the spoon from him, savoring the pumpkin millet porridge bite by bite.
The morning sun peeked through the window, curiously observing the pair in the infirmary. Its radiant light fell upon Caren's face, casting a divine glow over her beauty—like a goddess declaring victory.
"Tch... This woman just loves playing the victim," Draco snorted disdainfully, irritation simmering.
Though she knew Caren was exploiting someone's guilt, Sakatsuki wasn't foolish—he was simply a willing catch.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
Rage Meter: 8%... 9%... 10%...
"So that's how it is. I never expected such a move," murmured a ninja girl with flowing black hair tied back by a red ribbon, emerging from the shadows. She watched Sakatsuki feeding Caren with a hint of envy. "Using the master's guilt to foster intimacy—what an excellent strategy."
"Don't go learning nonsense like that, Katou Danzo," the little red dragon grumbled. "Sakatsuki is mine, and mine alone."
"Is that so?" The ninja girl turned to Draco with a knowing smile. "The same could be said the other way around, no?"
"What dost thou mean?"
"Well..." Just as Danzo was about to respond, the infirmary door swung open yet again, and three lively voices chimed in unison.
"Ah, it really is Sakatsuki-nii!"
"Sakatsuki-nii finally has time to come to work~"
"Onii-chan..."
Without a doubt, it was the trio of this world's little heroines—Illya, Kuro (Chloe), and Miyu. As Sakatsuki looked at Illya, with her silver hair and crimson eyes, his mind momentarily drifted, as if seeing another homunculus girl smiling at him.
"Sieg..."
"Huh?" Illya tilted her head like a puzzled kitten, sensing something odd in Sakatsuki's gaze.
"Oho, seems like we came at a bad time?" Kuro, noticing Sakatsuki's actions, blinked teasingly. "If we interrupted Sakatsuki-nii and Caren-san's romantic moment, our bad~"
"W-Wha—Kuro, what are you saying?!" Illya flushed red. "He's just feeding her breakfast! My brother used to do the same for me when I was little!"
"Hah?! Illya, are you mocking me because I was sealed away and didn't have a brother growing up?!"
"Eh? Wait, that's not what I meant, Kuro! What are you—Eek! Stop pinching my cheeks! I'm sorry! Ruby, save me!"
The sisters at Illya's house were bickering again, while Sakatsuki set down his empty porridge bowl and swept a helpless glance at the girls around him before gently patting Miyu's little head.
"Those two idiots are hopeless. Miyu, what did you three come to find me for?"
Seemingly content with the warmth of her brother's hand, the girl obediently closed her eyes for a moment before answering: "We wanted to ask Onii-chan about Christmas."
"Christmas?" Sakatsuki paused, then quickly realized, "Now that you mention it, it is coming up soon."
Japan, deeply influenced by Western culture, naturally wouldn't miss out on Christmas—especially children, who would inevitably look forward to Christmas gifts.
"Don't worry, Santa Claus will definitely bring presents for good girls like you."
"No, that's not what I meant..." Miyu fidgeted with the hem of her dress before looking up with doe-like eyes full of hope. "This Christmas, could Onii-chan take us there to play?"
There? After a brief pause, Sakatsuki suddenly understood. "You mean... with Ritsuka and Mash?"
"Yes, exactly! We're already past the age of believing in Santa Claus. Instead of waiting for Santa, isn't it more fun to be Santa ourselves?"
The scuffle between Illya and her sister had also come to an end. Chloe, having left Illya clutching her cheek in mock distress, ran over to Sakatsuki and began acting cute. "Ritsuka-nee told us about it! Every year at Chaldea, a Servant becomes Santa Claus. Last year, it was apparently that black King of Knights, so—"
"So we can't lose either! We want to be Santa too!" Illya clenched her fists, looking determined. "Besides, we already promised Ritsuka-nee we'd visit Chaldea."
"Onii-chan..." Miyu gently tugged at Sakatsuki's sleeve, clearly eager to keep their promise. Under the combined assault of the three girls' charm, Sakatsuki shamefully surrendered. "Alright, I'll take you there on Christmas—but you can't neglect your studies!"
"Yay! You're the best, Onii-chan! Here's a kiss...!"
After their heart-to-heart on the deserted island, Chloe had begun showing her mischievous side around Sakatsuki. But before she could pounce, a draconic shadow coiled around her, pinning the eager girl in place.
"Mind thy tongue, thou who art but a Servant," the crimson dragon on the bed growled darkly. "Lest I decide to make thee my appetizer."
"Eek, so scary QAQ." Fearless as she was, Chloe couldn't help but tremble at Draco's aura, immediately settling down. Sakatsuki watched the scene with a wry smile before adding:
"But before you get too excited about Christmas, there's somewhere important I need to go first."
"Huh? Is Sakatsuki-nii going on a trip?" Illya asked curiously. "Where to? What for?"
"Yeah, somewhere far away." Sakatsuki sighed, his golden slit pupils gazing out the window with profound depth.
"A lost paradise filled with slaughter and salvation, despair and hope."
Following the boy's gaze, fiery red maple leaves fluttered down, spinning in the wind before finally landing on the black-haired young man's head, only to be impatiently brushed away. At this moment, Julian Ainsworth's eyes were solely fixed on the golden cup floating quietly in his hands.
"The Greater Grail... I never thought you'd actually get your hands on it."
"Just lost some magical energy—about three years' worth."
"No matter. The Ainsworths will complete it."
After greeting everyone from Illya's world, Sakatsuki tore open a spatial rift and arrived at the collapsing world of Prisma Illya, delivering the Greater Grail obtained from the Fate/Apocrypha timeline to Julian.
The breathtaking view of the Ainsworth castle, bathed in autumn hues, was no illusion. Yet the two men standing side by side knew that beyond the castle's protective magecraft, only an unyielding winter prevailed.
"How are the preparations coming along? How long can this Greater Grail last?"
"We've secured approval from the Mage's Association and the Holy Church. Now we're conducting large-scale human data registration." Bathed in the golden glow, the shadows in Julian's eyes momentarily lifted. "But there's bad news."
"Speak."
"This world is too closely linked to Miyu's world—like twins. If one collapses, the other will be affected."
"Meaning your grand plan needs recalculations."
"Well... that's hardly surprising." Sakatsuki couldn't help but quip. "No matter. It just means your workload doubles."
"Don't get cocky—yours too." Julian rolled his eyes. "Originally, two Grails were enough, even with some to spare. Now you'll need to bring back at least one more."
"...Am I some kind of traveling frog or what?"
"Who asked you to stubbornly insist on saving the world?" Julian smirked, as if amused. "Keep at it, nameless hero."
"Nameless, huh? Well said." Sakatsuki snapped his fingers and turned to leave. "This great one has countless incarnations. I can sense many places calling to me—uncharted territories where treasures of hope must lie."
Pausing, Sakatsuki suddenly extended a hand toward Julian.
"Oh, one more thing. Hand over 'Pandora's Box.'"
Pandora's Box—the Ainsworth family's treasured heirloom, the obsession and salvation of its founder, Darius, and the Ainsworth lineage itself.
"Pandora?!"
Shock flickered in Julian's deep blue eyes, but he didn't resist. Instead, he stated plainly, "That box is bound to Angelica. If possible, I'd prefer—"
"Relax, relax. It's just some relic of the gods. If I wanted to break it, I would've done so already." Sakatsuki's eyes gleamed as he spoke.
He recalled the new form he had assumed after being pushed into Pandora's Box by Darius, absorbing the core of the Machine God—Pandora.
Not the hope at the bottom of the box, but the Beast's metamorphosis born from embracing calamity—a terrifying, exhilarating power that still sent shivers down his spine.
"If we can access its higher permissions, we might be able to decipher Pandora's Box's structure."
Taking the shrunken Pandora's Box from Julian, Sakatsuki gazed at the gift left by the gods, a flicker of fervor flashing in his eyes.
"If only I could use this to activate that fleeting EX skill..."
After a moment of silence, Sakatsuki stored away Pandora's Box and turned to leave.
"But before that, I must first welcome the seraph who saved the world back to the holy throne."
"A seraph..."
Watching the young man's gradually receding figure, Julian deeply, deeply bowed his head in silent farewell.
Please, grant us rebirth.
Merciful Lord.