Fuyuki, New City District!
The wine glowed with a vivid red hue under the lights, exuding a rich, fragrant aroma.
The winter night was desolate, with snow piling up to knee height, bringing an unshakable chill.
After ensuring his fiancée was settled, Kayneth decided to head to Enzou Mountain.
Despite Mordred's fervent attempts to dissuade him, and even knowing that Morgan le Fay was also in this Holy Grail War, he was unwilling to give up on this opportunity.
For a lord of the Clock Tower, Kayneth carried his own pride.
Abandoning the Holy Grail War midway and returning to the Clock Tower in disgrace was not something this genius mage could stomach.
Moreover, the higher-ups at the Clock Tower were well aware of Kayneth's participation in the Holy Grail War.
If he withdrew prematurely, the gossip would be the least of his worries—what would his teacher and future father-in-law think of him?
Though he was a lord of the Mineralogy Department, possessing a status envied by countless mages, at his core, Kayneth was still somewhat insecure, prone to jealousy, and sensitive by nature.
"Master, are you really going?
The Servants in this war are all formidable, and Enzou Mountain is easy to defend but hard to attack. If the enemy has set traps in advance, I might not be able to guarantee your safety," Mordred said in a low voice. "Why not stay here and observe the situation first?"
"Ever since that ambush, you've been trying to convince me to abandon Lancer. That's not like you at all," Kayneth said calmly. "Is it because your parents are in this Holy Grail War, so you're scared?"
If your future father-in-law was in this Holy Grail War.. would you be afraid? Mordred said solemnly. "I'm not scared. I just want to ensure your safety."
In fact, under normal circumstances, even with her parents present, Mordred wouldn't feel any fear.
..But Alvin had repeatedly urged her to prioritize Kayneth's safety, and even if it was just for that promise, Mordred wanted to ensure her Master's well-being.
But it was obvious that Kayneth was being stubbornly resolute.
Even knowing the immense danger that might await, he was determined to head to Enzou Mountain.
Because he knew that the ultimate victor of the Holy Grail War would very likely emerge on Enzou Mountain.
"Are you saying you think I'll fail, Lancer?" Kayneth looked at Mordred. "Are you content with that?"
Hearing this, the latter couldn't help but pause.
"Your father, your mother, and even Morgan le Fay are all participating in this Holy Grail War. Don't you want to prove yourself to them?"
Unlike the Mordred of the main timeline, in Alvin's worldline, Mordred had a relatively happy childhood.
But there was one significant issue—her presence was too faint.
With an overwhelmingly dominant mother and an equally formidable King Arthur.. for a long time, Mordred had been caught between them, trembling in their shadows.
It wasn't until Alvin's return that she experienced a hint of warmth.
For a girl like Mordred, who grew up starved for love, even a small gesture of kindness could be etched in her heart forever, and she would repay it at all costs.. especially when that person was Alvin, someone she had held special feelings for since childhood.
But even Alvin often treated her like a child.
They all seemed to overlook her identity.
She was the Knight of Rebellion!
Sure, she could stop Kayneth in this Holy Grail War, ensuring he survived until the end.
But was that what she wanted?
It wasn't just Kayneth who needed to prove himself.
At that moment, Kayneth extended his hand toward Mordred.
"Lancer, will you choose to fight by my side, or will you cling to survival until the end of the Holy Grail War, letting it end in a lackluster way without doing anything..? The choice is yours."
Hearing his words, Mordred was stunned, thinking to herself: Wasn't I the one trying to convince him not to join the Holy Grail War? How is it that my Master is now the one persuading me?
But, as her Master said, ending this Holy Grail War quietly like this.. would be such a shame.
Besides, she still hadn't settled the score with Rider for insulting her Master.
Looking at the blond, blue-eyed man before her, a slight smirk curved Mordred's lips.
"In that case, let's make a big scene!"
.
.
.
The magical energy was overwhelmingly abundant.
The radiance of mana filled the space, and as the contract was completed, Alvin felt a long-forgotten surge of boundless magical energy flowing into his body.
Though she was young and somewhat emotionally stunted, when it came to magical energy, no mage could compare to Manaka, could they..?
Alvin thought to himself as he looked at Manaka Sajyou's delicate, slender figure and said.
"If nothing unexpected happens, the other Servants are probably already eyeing Enzou Mountain. Manaka, what was your original plan?"
"The Holy Grail War is a game where Masters and Servants fight side by side to defeat their opponents, but ever since we entered this war, it seems like there have been plenty of outside factors influencing it, haven't there?" Manaka Sajyou's tone was soft and sweet: "So I just wanted to bring this Holy Grail War back to its most primal state."
"To fight to the death on the peak of this mountain until the Greater Holy Grail descends."
Got it.
So, to put it bluntly, she didn't have a plan, and why would she?
Her absolute confidence in her own strength meant that from the start, Manaka's goal was to force all the Masters to abandon their strategies.
Either bring their Servants up the mountain to compete for the Greater Holy Grail.. or watch helplessly as another Master claims the ultimate victory and takes the omnipotent wishing machine.
"Aren't you worried that if the other Masters come up the mountain, they'll team up to attack you?"
Alvin asked, shaking his head helplessly after understanding her intentions.
After all, most Servants and mages couldn't fly.
Once they ascended the mountain, they'd cut off their own escape routes, leaving no room to retreat.
"If all the Masters worked together, along with their Servants, that would indeed be quite troublesome," Manaka Sajyou said, pondering for a moment before smiling brightly.
"But with the Greater Holy Grail so close.. who would bother with a Master who doesn't have a Servant?"
Only when a Servant is defeated can the Greater Holy Grail draw mana from them.
Someone as troublesome as Manaka Sajyou, even if defeated, wouldn't yield much benefit..
For the other Masters, targeting her first wouldn't be worth it.
Boom..
As the two were still talking, a low rumble of thunder echoed faintly from the distance.
Accompanying it was a scream.
Manaka Sajyou pursed her lips, somewhat displeased. "Someone's here already..? I thought they'd at least scout for traps first."
"Depends on the person. Some people just charge in headfirst.. but he's giving us some face, isn't he?"
Alvin said, looking out from the veranda. "Otherwise, with his personality, he'd probably have stormed right in to find us."
A chariot came speeding from the edge of the night sky and a burly man with a fluttering cloak leapt down from it.
As if sensing the abundant mana inside the temple, he looked up with a meaningful gaze.
"Do you need my help?" Manaka Sajyou couldn't help but ask. Though she trusted Alvin's strength, she couldn't help feeling a bit worried.
But as soon as that worry surfaced, a delighted smile inexplicably spread across her face.
For Manaka Sajyou, even the emotion of worrying for someone else was entirely new, something she had never experienced before.
Her personality is really a bit strange..
Alvin thought, then said: "You go to the backyard and purify the Greater Holy Grail's corruption. I've got this covered."
Manaka Sajyou's bright, captivating eyes shimmered with amusement as she smiled. "If you can't hold out, you have to tell me, okay?"
As the girl stood and headed through the back door toward the Greater Holy Grail's manifestation site,
Alvin silently took out his white mask and slowly placed it on his face.
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