Thanks to the miracles of that night, Fuyuki City's winter seemed unseasonably warm.
The fires of war had faded long ago. Despite the bloodshed and intrigue, the city miraculously survived without even a gas leak or explosion (the church cheered this narrative), returning at last to its former peace.
A full month has passed since the historic conclusion of the Holy Grail War.
In that month, stories from every corner of town have quietly unfolded anew.
At the Tohsaka mansion, the doorbell rings at nearly the same time every day.
Matou Kariya has completely shed the wretched state brought about by the Crest Worms. The puppet body Steve crafted for him is almost identical to the one for Irisviel—restoring a healthy, familiar appearance—complete with normal lifespan and physique.
He treats the Tohsakas as his second family, clumsily learning to care for the gentle Aoi, the tsundere Rin, and the shy, recently returned Sakura.
Sakura feels an inexplicable closeness to this "Uncle Kariya," as if they'd spent a long, cold period together long ago in some dark place. Whenever she gathers her courage to ask, Kariya only smiles, pats her head, and changes the subject—unable to bear burdening her with memories of a childhood soaked in the insect cellar, scenes fit for an R18G horror film, or a cult kid's classic.
Time passed, and Sakura eventually stopped asking, storing the strange sense of kinship in her heart, content to enjoy her hard-won happiness.
Ken returned to school at Homurahara Elementary. But "ordinary life" was no longer entirely possible.
The fact that his parents and sister—already confirmed dead at the police station—had suddenly come back to life caused quite a stir among the neighbors.
To maintain the secrecy of the supernatural, Steve became possibly the busiest person in Fuyuki for a month—sneaking into police stations, hospitals, and the registry to alter records, erasing memories of nosy neighbors and relatives with spells.
It was tedious, draining work—more so than the three-day Holy Grail War itself.
But seeing the bright, childlike smile on Ken's face, Steve felt it was all worthwhile.
He had fulfilled his duty as his Servant perfectly.
Shirou's case was more subtle and complex.
Kiritsugu and Irisviel, as if making up for a thousand worlds' worth of lost parenting, could not help but draw close to the red-haired boy and tried to adopt him outright, embracing the heartwarming style of Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA☆ILLYA.
The complication—Shirou's real parents were still alive and well on the far side of Fuyuki.
In the end, Kiritsugu had to abandon adoption, instead forever becoming the "overly enthusiastic stranger" who would run into Shirou "by coincidence" after school, give subtle tips on projection magecraft.
No blood relation, but bound by fate, Kiritsugu simply protected the child—clumsy, but determined.
Old enemies and new allies alike each found their own paths after the war.
With Iskandar's booming "Ha, brat, our journey leads to the stars!" ringing in his ears, Waver left Fuyuki in pursuit of world conquest, seeking new power and sights.
The most surprising was Gilgamesh. After the war, the ancient King drank a Potion of Youth from his treasury, becoming not the wild tycoon but a clear-eyed, composed young monarch. He stayed temporarily with the Tohsakas "as a distant cousin," obsessed with modern games and variety shows. He frequently visited Steve at Ryuudou, clearly still intent on observing this "interesting guy," perhaps thinking of what trouble he might stir up in these peaceful times.
After handling the aftermath and politely declining invitations from the Emiyas and Matou Kariya, Steve finally chose to enjoy this hard-won peace alone.
…
A month later, on a whim, he visited a mysterious new cafe in Fuyuki's Shinto district—Gakumazawa.
The decor was simple yet elegant, its air rich with coffee and the mysterious mood that seemed almost out of place in this time.
As he entered, the chime of windbells greeted him. Maid-clad Kohaku and Hisui bowed their welcomes, and Steve nodded, sitting at a window seat.
No sooner had he glanced at the menu than a deep voice sounded from across the table.
"A guest from the future—may I sit here as well?"
Raising his eyes, he saw an old man with white hair and beard, clad in a sharp dark suit, with piercing eyes that seemed to see through time itself. The other fidgeted with a miraculous wand shaped like a kaleidoscope.
Steve showed no surprise, having already expected this encounter.
"Of course, Zelretch," he replied calmly. "Or rather, I should address you as the Second Magician, the Old Jewels."
Unmistakably, this was one of the five remaining Magicians—Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.
The old man let out a grateful chuckle, amused by Steve's words.
"Well, not only do you know who I am, you even know I outlived my era? It seems your 'future' is further than I imagined."
He set down his wand, his eyes like a star-filled sky.
"I'm just a meddling old man, but this time I've found an unprecedentedly interesting 'possibility.' I simply had to see it for myself."
He leaned forward, half-joking.
"Speak, Caster—no, should I address you as the Founder of Civilization?"
"You've overturned the Holy Grail War alone, demonstrated a logic alien to this era, even 'copied' my Second Magic..."
"What, exactly, do you want from this world?"