"Excalibur!"
"So cool! Big Sister, you are amazing!"
Beneath frost covered, leafless trees, snow drifted quietly across the ground.
Eriyi's miko robes brushed against the white surface as she gripped the Sword of Promised Victory with both hands and swung it forward with determination.
A sharp surge of golden light cut cleanly through the falling snow.
She looked like a swordsman dancing amid winter itself.
At her side stood Illyasviel von Einzbern, only reaching Eriyi's waist. The silver haired girl clapped enthusiastically, her red eyes shining with excitement.
Several meters away, Artoria Pendragon watched the scene with a helpless expression. "Master…"
The King of Knights found herself completely at a loss.
From the moment she was summoned, her Master had circled her again and again, studying her as though she were a priceless historical relic. Every detail of her armor, every stitch of her battle skirt, none escaped notice.
Eriyi's eyes were wide with curiosity, filled with innocent wonder.
At first, Artoria thought nothing of it.
She could sense the purity of her Master's heart. That curiosity came from sincerity, not disrespect. A Master like this suited her well.
But Eriyi's curiosity did not stop there.
She had even asked to borrow the Sword of Promised Victory for a closer look.
Artoria could only refuse, explaining that a knight's sword never left her side. For a brief moment, she feared she had disappointed her Master.
Yet the instant Eriyi withdrew her gaze in regret, the man standing beside her casually glanced at Artoria's sword.
Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he created another one.
In that instant, Artoria felt the flow of the land itself respond. Magical energy surged, vast and incomprehensible. What unfolded before her was not ordinary sorcery.
The sword that appeared was identical to the Sword of Promised Victory in her own hands.
Artoria was stunned.
That shock had not faded since the moment Eriyi happily accepted the Holy Sword, ran into the snow, and shouted its name with childlike joy.
"Incredible magician," Artoria finally said, turning toward the man. "How should I address you?"
She still found it hard to believe what she had witnessed.
Upon being summoned, she had gained basic knowledge of the modern era. In this age, true Magi no longer existed, only practitioners known as Sorcerers.
Yet forging a Noble Phantasm from nothing was far beyond what any Sorcerer should be capable of.
"You can call me Malrick," he replied calmly.
"Forgive my directness, Mr. Malrick," Artoria said. "With your level of power, are you also a participant in the Holy Grail War?"
Her gaze flicked toward Eriyi. "This child does not appear to have a strong wish. You seem more like the true decision maker."
She hesitated briefly, then added, "Even someone like you seeks a wish from the Holy Grail?"
"No," Malrick answered.
When his eyes met hers, Artoria felt an overwhelming sense of exposure, as if every secret, every memory, had been laid bare. Even the most trivial moments of her past seemed impossible to hide.
She instinctively averted her gaze and shifted her stance slightly.
"I see," she said quietly.
This man was too unfathomable. She decided not to pursue the matter further.
Malrick continued, his tone measured. "Eriyi and I are merely passing through. We should thank Kiritsugu and his wife for their hospitality."
He turned toward Emiya Kiritsugu and spoke with surprising familiarity. "Kiritsugu and I made a deal. I help him fulfill his wish, and he gives me his place in the Holy Grail War."
Artoria stiffened. "Is that so? Then what is Kiritsugu's wish?"
Kiritsugu stood nearby, his expression grim as ever. His black coat fluttered lightly in the cold wind, an unlit cigarette clenched between his lips.
After a long pause, he spoke. "My wish is for the world to be peaceful. A world without war or tragedy."
He did not want to say it aloud, but he knew that if he remained silent, Malrick would speak for him.
Hours earlier, that man had appeared in the castle without warning, accompanied by a mysterious woman. He had greeted Kiritsugu with a familiarity that crossed all boundaries.
Kiritsugu's first instinct had been to kill him.
Then darkness had taken him.
When he woke, he found himself in bed, Irisviel and Illya watching over him in alarm, while the intruder calmly healed his wounds.
His killing intent surged again, and then everything went dark once more.
By the time he regained consciousness for the second time, Kiritsugu understood the truth.
This man was terrifying.
Even directing hostility toward him resulted in injury.
Kiritsugu had no options left. He gave up resisting.
Now, listening to Malrick speak with Artoria, he realized that this stranger truly intended to help him.
After a moment of hesitation, Kiritsugu asked, "Do you really plan to grant my wish?"
"Was that not our agreement from the start?" Malrick replied lightly.
Then his expression grew serious. "But Kiritsugu, and Saber, I am afraid your expectations of the Holy Grail will only lead to disappointment."
Artoria frowned. "Disappointment? The Holy Grail is said to grant the victor's wish. That knowledge was given to me upon my summoning."
Kiritsugu also frowned, countless possibilities racing through his mind.
Sensing the tension, Irisviel quickly intervened. "Um, how about we prepare dinner first? We can talk about the other Masters afterward."
"Dinner?" Artoria repeated, her expression immediately softening. Her eyes drifted toward Irisviel with unmistakable interest.
But Malrick spoke before she could say more. "There is no need. Dinner can wait."
Artoria stared at him, clearly displeased.
"Aren't you here to make a wish?" Malrick continued. "I have no intention of competing in the Grail War. Eriyi, however, wants to experience it for herself."
He added calmly, "As for your wish, it can be fulfilled today."
"Today?" Irisviel asked, confused.
"Yes," Malrick said. "Let us go to Fuyuki City."
He waved to Eriyi. "It is time."
Eriyi, who had been enthusiastically practicing with the sword, nodded, sheathed it, and ran back with Illya at her side.
Malrick gently patted Eriyi's head, opened a Mystic Portal with ease, and stepped through.