The dawn painted the rooftops of Kuoh gold as Daniel walked back to his house, his steps firm but carrying a completely new emotional weight. Beside him, wrapped in a borrowed jacket that was too big for her, Matou Sakura followed without letting go of his arm, as if her very existence depended on it.
She didn't speak, didn't ask questions, just walked with her head bowed and her face flushed with shame and exhaustion. Daniel didn't say anything either, respecting that silence which for her must have been... the most comforting in years.
Just as they were about to reach the door, Ddraig's familiar voice resonated in his mind with that mocking tone that was sometimes annoying, but always drew a smile from him.
—So now you're rescuing damsels in distress too, huh, partner? Gonna open a tragic girls' rescue foundation or something?
Daniel snorted, stifling a laugh.
—Shut up, lizard. I just did the right thing.
—Sure, sure... the right thing. First the former fallen angel, then the Sekirei, the territorial Russian, the magical fox... and now the emotionally broken girl. What's next? An amnesiac goddess who needs hugs?
Daniel blushed a little as he searched for his house keys.
—It's not like I'm looking for that! I just... couldn't leave her there. Especially in the middle of this war.
Ddraig let out a rumbling laugh.
—HA! Do you hear how that sounds? You're worse than Issei, but with class!
The door opened with a soft click. Sakura looked at the entrance as if it were a portal to another world. A safe one. One where she could breathe without fear.
Daniel turned to her and smiled softly.
—Come in. You can stay here as long as you need.
Sakura only nodded with an inaudible murmur.
But not everyone was so pleased...
From the second floor, Tamamo no Mae, in her physical form, came down energetically. Her cheerful tone vanished the moment she saw Sakura holding Daniel's arm. Her fox ears instantly bristled, and her gaze became a mix of jealousy and indignation.
—Another one?! SERIOUSLY, MASTER?! I was just getting used to the Sekirei and the bossy blonde!
Daniel raised his hands as if trying to calm a troublesome little animal.
—Tamamo, please! It's not what you think. She has nowhere to go and the Grail War is still on. It's dangerous for her. I'm just... doing the right thing.
Tamamo crossed her arms, puffing out her cheeks like a petulant child.
—It's always "doing the right thing"! And that's how we end up with another woman sleeping here!
—She's not going to sleep with me or anything! She'll just be safe under this roof! —Daniel replied with a slight blush.
Tamamo stared at him... then huffed, turned into a golden light, and returned to her spiritual form, throwing out one last dramatic complaint:
—I refuse to watch this! I'm going to float near the ceiling and play the victim for a while!
Daniel sighed with a tired smile as he closed the door behind them.
—That was... mild, considering what it could have been.
—Agh... yeah... —Ddraig replied, still laughing—. But the million-dollar question is: where will Sakura sleep?
Daniel stopped dead in his tracks.
—...Crap.
Sakura, still clinging to his arm, looked at him curiously. Her cheeks slightly colored upon hearing the word "sleep."
Daniel turned slowly, nervous, as if trying to gauge his options without ending up on the sofa with a pillow in his face from one of the other girls.
—Well, Sakura... let's see what room we have available for you. Don't worry. I'll make sure it's comfortable.
She nodded. And, for the first time since being rescued... she offered a timid smile.
While in Japan the young Daniel and his growing harem faced the emotional chaos of an increasingly crowded house full of affection, drama, and Servants, on the other side of the world, in London, a meeting of enormous importance was taking place in the very heart of human magical power: the Clock Tower.
The Four Great Satans—Sirzechs Lucifer, Serafall Leviathan, Ajuka Beelzebub, and Falbium Asmodeus—were in a private room, decorated with ancient inscriptions and protection symbols, while before them lay a set of documents the Clock Tower had handed over under diplomatic pressure.
The pages, filled with genealogies, sealed reports, and magical pacts, detailed the families that had historically participated in the so-called "Holy Grail Wars."
—So far, there's no falsehood in the information provided —Ajuka commented, turning a page elegantly—. The families have admitted their involvement in previous versions of the ritual. The complexity is tracking the current participants and determining who is pulling the strings.
Sirzechs narrowed his eyes, reading a particular name.
—The Einzberns... one of the founding houses. They are not in Japan, and apparently never were this time. They are secluded in their lands in northern Germany.
Serafall frowned, her fingers drumming on the table.
—That means we can't act directly. We'll need to request permission from the German supernatural authorities to arrange a formal meeting. We can't afford a diplomatic violation on foreign soil.
Falbium, usually more relaxed, appeared uncharacteristically serious.
—And if they refuse? What if they hide behind their walls as if nothing happened?
Sirzechs responded with a hard look.
—Then... we will declare that they are withholding relevant information about a forbidden artifact that has put thousands of lives at risk in our territory. We will have every right to pressure them... even more directly.
Serafall nodded slowly.
—Until then, we will focus our resources on the participants within Japan.
Ajuka read another name aloud.
—Matou. According to the latest report from Sona Shitori, that line is practically annihilated. Only two members are still alive: Matou Shinji, currently in my custody —he said, making a gesture towards Serafall, who merely smiled slightly— and Matou Sakura, about whom little is known. Apparently, her whereabouts are unknown... for now.
No one in the room knew that Sakura was no longer alone, nor under the old man Zouken's control. Daniel, in his personal crusade, had taken the first step to end that curse.
Finally, Ajuka moved to the last family.
—The Tohsakas. Their current representative, Tohsaka Rin, is in Japan and has decided to cooperate to stop this war. She has already established an alliance with Daniel and has agreed to meet with the devil authorities of Kuoh.
Serafall leaned her elbow on the table, meditating.
—Of the three founding pillars of the ritual, we have one cooperating, one under deep investigation, and one that still hasn't responded to calls. This will be the priority.
Sirzechs closed the file and raised his gaze to his companions.
—We will focus on securing an audience with the Einzberns. But if the Clock Tower lied or withheld information, even by omission... they will have to face consequences.
Falbium smiled with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
—After all, you don't play with fire in devil territory without getting burned.
Back with Daniel...
After a chaotic and emotionally intense night, Daniel returned home accompanied by a young woman with a hollow gaze and a fragile body. Matou Sakura, rescued from the hell that was her home, walked as if each step cost her willpower. However, she was safe now... or at least that's what she tried to tell herself.
Once inside the house, Daniel gathered all the girls in the main living room. Hikari, Hibiki, Alya, Reynare, and Tamamo no Mae looked at him with varied expressions, some more inquisitive than others. The atmosphere felt tense, but Daniel knew he couldn't miss the chance to explain with total honesty what he had done.
—I know this is unexpected... and maybe it wasn't the most prudent thing... —he began in a calm voice—. But Sakura had no one. Not a safe place, not people who treated her as a human being. I... couldn't just leave her there.
The Sekirei watched him in silence. Despite their serene faces, Daniel could feel the emotional whirlwind they shared through the emotional bond that united them as Ashikabi and Sekirei. That connection transcended words, allowing them to feel what Daniel truly felt.
They noticed it immediately.
Sincerity. Protection. Affection. A genuine desire to save a broken girl.
It was Hikari who took the first step, nodding gently as she took her twin sister's hand.
—We couldn't call ourselves your Sekirei if we didn't understand your heart, Daniel. And no one can take it from you... you're already married to us by the bond, remember?
Hibiki nodded as well, smiling softly.
—Sakura can stay.
Tamamo no Mae, who floated elegantly in her spiritual form, let out an exaggerated dramatic sigh, her fox ears trembling theatrically.
—Ara, ara~! So now you're bringing traumatized girls home? What's next, an orphanage? Mouuu~... I just want you to look at me, my love...
Daniel approached with a resigned smile and gently patted her head, earning a contented purr and a spoiled expression from the magical fox.
—Thanks for understanding, Tamamo... You know I'd never leave you behind.
—Aishiteru~... —Tamamo murmured in a sweet voice, disappearing among soft glimmers of magic.
Alya, for her part, remained with her arms crossed, her gaze severe. Her voice was firm, but without anger:
—I don't like the idea. But after what you told us... that girl has lived through hell. If your decision saves her, I have no reason to oppose. Just make sure we're not in danger. And if you ever cross the line... you know what I'll do to you.
Daniel swallowed reflexively, sweating slightly. Alya's demonic aura was intimidating when she put her mind to it, but he knew behind her stern tone, there was also genuine concern.
Lastly, Reynare remained quiet in a corner. Her gaze stayed averted and her black wings were somewhat shaky. She said nothing... at least, not with words.
—Reynare? —asked Daniel.
—Hmph... I don't care what you do. You're the master of this house, right? Do whatever you want! It's not like I'm worried or anything... b-baka!
She turned around with her face completely red, leaving everyone with a mix of laughter and sighs. Daniel didn't say it out loud, but he was starting to notice that Reynare wasn't as "on the sidelines" as she wanted to appear.
Sakura, who watched silently from a corner, hugging a pillow shyly, seemed overwhelmed by the warmth that filled the house. She still didn't fully understand what was happening, but there was one thing she could be sure of: she was surrounded by people who didn't want to hurt her.
For the first time, a small, faint glimmer of hope began to shine in her heart.
The silence was... strange.
Sakura found herself lying in a bed she didn't recognize as her own. Too soft. Too warm. The air didn't smell of dampness, chemicals, or magical rot. She couldn't hear the buzzing of insects, or Zouken's heavy footsteps, or Shinji's aggressive shouts.
Everything was calm.
She stared at the ceiling with a vacant gaze, her small hands nervously clutching the blanket. A part of herself couldn't help but whisper mentally:
"It's a dream. A very cruel dream. Any moment now I'll wake up... back there. In that prison disguised as a home."
She closed her eyes, expecting the return of the darkness... and the pain.
But when she opened them again, the same soft blanket was there. The same foreign ceiling. The same welcoming silence.
She sat up slowly. Blinked several times.
—Am I still here? —she whispered to herself, trembling.
She got out of bed. Her feet touched the clean floor, and she was surprised to find she could move without magical chains, without open wounds, without piercing pain in every muscle. She walked to the door, opened it... and no scream or punishment fell upon her. No one hit her. No one called her trash.
She descended the stairs with silent steps, almost like a shadow. And then she saw him.
There he was, in the kitchen, his back turned, calmly pouring himself a cup of tea. Daniel. The young man who had rescued her. The one who spoke to her kindly. The one who held her in his arms while she cried.
At that instant, all the emotional shield she had built over the years... came crashing down.
Memories of screams, pain, humiliation, and loneliness contrasted brutally with the warmth she felt now. It was as if the whole world confirmed to her that, finally, she was free. That it wasn't a dream.
And so, like prey that has held back an emotional dam its entire life...
She burst.
—Uhh... hhuhh...! —the first sobs were low, timid. But soon they became uncontrollable.
Daniel turned upon hearing the crying, confused to see Sakura standing on the stairs, trembling.
—Sakura...? Did something happen? —he asked worriedly, taking a step toward her.
Sakura didn't respond with words.
She ran to him.
She clung to his shirt tightly, as if afraid he would disappear if she let go.
And she cried. She cried as she never had before in her life. Tears of relief, of fear, of happiness, of everything she had never been allowed to express.
—It's not... a dream... it's not a dream... I'm alive... I'm alive... —she whispered over and over, barely audible between sobs.
Daniel, his heart clenched by the scene, held her carefully, letting her release that torrent of emotions. He stroked her hair tenderly, saying nothing, because he knew there were no adequate words at that moment.
At that moment, Tamamo, Hikari, Hibiki, and Alya came down alerted by the noise, worried about what might be happening.
But upon seeing the scene... they fell silent.
Sakura, the girl who until recently lived in hell, crying inconsolably but for the first time... in peace. Surrounded by people who didn't wish her harm.
No one said anything.
Because in that moment, even the coldest heart would have broken before such contained truth.
And Daniel, surrounded by his chosen family, held the broken girl in his arms with the same determination as always:
to protect her. Until the end.
The atmosphere in the living room was calm, though charged with recent emotions. Sakura had finally calmed down, and although her eyes were still red and swollen from so much crying, she no longer trembled. She was sitting at the end of the sofa, wrapped in a blanket Tamamo had given her and with a hot cup in her hands that Alya had prepared.
Reynare, who didn't seem to want to get too involved, was silently washing dishes, though she threw furtive glances from the kitchen.
Daniel, for his part, was in the middle of the sofa, surrounded by Hikari on his right, Hibiki on his left, and Tamamo literally sitting on the backrest, her tail subtly wrapping around him as if marking territory. Alya, sitting on the arm of the sofa, crossed her arms while glancing at me sideways.
Sakura, without meaning to, averted her gaze toward him.
Her gaze cautiously scanned each of the girls around me. Perhaps trying to understand their relationship with Daniel... or wondering if she truly belonged in this place. But when her eyes reached Daniel, something changed.
It wasn't just a casual glance.
Her pupils dilated slightly. Her expression softened. And her face flushed as if something inside her had ignited without warning.
She kept looking at me for a second longer than necessary.
And then, as if realizing what she was doing, she quickly averted her gaze, bringing a hand to her chest.
Could it be...? He thought.
But he couldn't continue that thought because just at that moment, Hikari and Hibiki leaned toward me, whispering mischievously:
—Daniel~... you just broke the record, you know?
—Yeah~. Sakura fell for you in less than one night! It took us more than a whole day...
Daniel choked on his own saliva.
—Don't say things like that so casually! —he replied in a low voice, blushing.
—So you deny it? —asked Alya, pinching his arm firmly, but without malice.
—I have no proof, nor any doubts! —said Tamamo with an adorable pout while puffing out her cheeks, wagging her tail like a child who hasn't been given candy.
—I'm surrounded... —he murmured with resignation as he let out a defeated sigh, though he couldn't help but smile.
Sakura, who had heard part of the exchange, watched them out of the corner of her eye. Her hands tightened a little more around the cup in her fingers. Her expression was hard to read... but her eyes showed something she hadn't expressed until now: annoyance... and jealousy.
Is Sakura...? He thought, surprised.
It was too early to say, but if he had learned one thing in this life full of crazy powers, bonded Sekirei, mythical Servants, and a supernatural war, it was that the human heart was as unpredictable as a Grail summoning.
And Daniel... could only hope to live up to what each of them needed.
But for now, he could only enjoy the calm before the storm.
The German lands were covered by thick fog as the Four Great Satans advanced through the snowy forest, guided by ancient magical paths toward their destination: the Einzbern Castle, a relic of an ancient era and the seat of one of the founding houses of the Holy Grail ritual.
They had received permission from the local supernatural factions to act on German soil, a formality respected among great powers to avoid unwanted wars. But even with all the paperwork in order and diplomacy upfront, the tension was palpable.
—The castle is in sight —said Ajuka with a serious expression as he observed the fortress emerging from among the trees. His magic analyzed every corner invisible to the human eye—. Ancient magical fields, reinforced... and active.
—Let's hope they are still willing to talk —added Sirzechs in a neutral tone, though his gaze was sharp.
Serafall had remained quiet for the first time in hours. She had led the investigation with an iron fist, and her patience was already very near its limit. Falbium, the most relaxed of the four, just sighed.
—It's always the same with these old-timers —he commented—. They think they're untouchable because they've been locked behind walls and alchemy for centuries.
A few meters from the castle, without warning, the ground shook.
—Ambush! —shouted Ajuka, activating a magical shield around him.
From the forest and the castle walls emerged silver golems and armed homunculi, summoned by automatic defensive rituals. Dozens. Then hundreds. A defensive force that could easily annihilate any battalion of common mages.
An ancient, heavy voice, laden with arrogance, was heard resonating from the top of the castle's main tower. It was projected by a long-range spell.
—"Blue-blooded demons... you are not welcome on our lands. Withdraw now, or you will be treated as enemies of humanity. The Holy Grail ritual is sacred. We will not allow its defilement by infernal hands."
Serafall frowned, ice beginning to accumulate in the air around her.
—That old man... does he really think he can intimidate us?
Sirzechs, with his calm face, responded in a low voice:
—No. But he believes he has enough power to stall for time. Which can be even more dangerous.
Ajuka raised his hand and activated a magical projection circle.
—I have confirmed the source of the message. It's the current head of the Einzbern, an archmage who has artificially prolonged his life. He rejects diplomacy. Does not recognize the intercontinental neutrality treaty.
Falbium finally sighed, and with a snap of his fingers, made ten golems disappear with a single gravitational spell.
—Then it's no longer politics... it's war.
Serafall took a step forward and with a voice as icy as her element, sent one final message through her own magical network:
—"The Alliance of the Four Great Satans does not respond with threats. This is your final warning: hand over the information, halt all Grail-related operations... or face the judgment of the underworld."
Silence.
The response was a bombardment of siege magic from the main tower.
—Understood —said Sirzechs with an elegant sigh—. Ajuka, take down the front shield. Serafall, take the east wing. Falbium and I will go for the heart of the castle.
The Einzbern Castle had no idea what was coming.