Hayasaka: "So... this Holy Grail War uses a rule system based on watch prompts?"
Looking at the watch now strapped to her wrist, then at the two Jeannes across from her, Hayasaka quickly accepted the rules of the Holy Grail War.
Jeanne: "Yes. During non-combat periods, you are free to do as you please… enjoy the beauty of life, research enemy intelligence, or seek alliances. As long as no combat, assassination, or similar acts occur, it's fine."
Jeanne: "However, if the watch detects magical energy fluctuations exceeding the set limit, you will be immediately disqualified. Furthermore, we Rulers will be closely monitoring your actions, so please be careful."
Jalter: "Of course, I'd actually prefer it if someone did break the rules. That way, I could at least stretch my legs a little."
Her golden dragon eyes fixed on Vivian behind Hayasaka, sensing a tremendous threat from this fairy. Jalter had been quite bored since arriving in the present world.
Jeanne wouldn't fight her, and she hadn't found a suitable opponent elsewhere. Despite being the Dragon Witch, a part of her still cared for this world.
Wanting something to help her vent, she didn't hide her curiosity about Vivian.
Ignoring Jalter's provocation, Hayasaka just looked worriedly at her watch, "Even so, isn't the fact that battles can start anytime, anywhere, until the final victor is decided, even more troublesome?"
"After all, I need to maintain vigilance 24/7 without interruption. That's just too difficult."
Rubbing her slightly full stomach, Hayasaka really couldn't eat any more!
"Ah? It's not 24/7."
Shaking her head calmly, White Jeanne smiled, "There's only one battle period per day. Once the day's battle is over, you are safe until 12 AM the next day."
Hayasaka: "So there's only one battle opportunity per day."
"Exactly." Putting down the watch she was holding, Jeanne stood up, pulling Jalter with her, "Well, I won't waste any more time. We need to notify the other Masters."
With a flicker, the two Jeannes vanished from Hayasaka's hotel room.
"Speaking of which... Vivian."
After the two Jeannes left, Hayasaka looked at the Servant beside her who seemed largely uninterested in everything.
She hesitated slightly, feeling it was time to state her intended destination. After all, Kaguya had explained the location of the Einzbern Castle to her in detail.
Combined with her careful study of the Snowfield City map over the past two days, she felt she had already pinpointed where she needed to go.
"Vivian, there's a place I want to go."
"Huh? Master has a place she wants to go?"
Blinking, the fairy of Britain smiled, "Perfect, there's a place I want to go too."
Both wearing smiles characteristic of scheming women, they decided to each take a brief break. At the very least, they each considered their desired destination a secret, not something the other should know, even if their relationship was that of Master and Servant.
The result was...
"Master, is this the place you wanted to come to?"
"Vivian, you didn't say you were coming here either."
At the main gate of the Einzbern Castle, having started from two different directions, experienced taking cars, walking, trains, rickshaws, and even circling around shopping malls to ensure they weren't followed, Hayasaka and Vivian arrived at the castle entrance simultaneously.
Exchanging a glance, a single, tacit thought arose in both their minds at that moment...
'This was completely unnecessary!'
…
Meanwhile, at the Einzbern Castle...
"And that concludes my report!"
"Thank you very much for your help, Ryuya-sama, Irisviel-sama!"
At the entrance of Ryuya's home.
Looking at the extremely polite, no, more like meticulously serious, even excessively courteous, Caren Hortensia, Ryuya waved his hand with a smile.
"No need to be so formal, young lady."
"I just made a minor adjustment to your body. It's nothing."
After Irisviel decided that this Holy Grail War would be the final showdown among the women for the position of 'head wife', everyone began forming their own alliances...
Crimson Moon, taking Hope with her, went out and directly brought back Altrouge and Arcueid.
Together with Sakura, Rin, Nero, Eriri, Siduri, and Ereshkigal, they formed the 'Eternal Night Alliance'. This faction internally possessed Hope, a Star God-level combatant, and Crimson Moon, a Planetary Singularity-level combatant.
With a total of 10 people, nearly one-third of the participants, this team was quite formidable.
Irisviel, meanwhile, pulled together 'Blue' Artoria, Camelot Artoria, Morgan, and Sola, and went to find Manaka and Tiamat.
Their team also included the reluctantly recruited Servants Mordred and Female Gil.
While they lacked a Star God in terms of pure power, they had several Planetary Singularity-level members, including Manaka and Female Gil, plus Tiamat, who had surpassed the Planetary Singularity level and was advancing towards Star Godhood.
This team had nine members and was also very powerful.
As for Vivian and Hayasaka, their duo belonged to a neutral zone. After meeting Ryuya, Hayasaka began acting as his maid, given her background with the Shinomiya Family and her knowledge that Kaguya was determined to marry no one but Ryuya.
Combined with her previous habit of frequently visiting Ryuya for meals in the 'real world', she quickly adapted to her new role.
She even competed with Hope for chores, and the usually aloof Star God Maid surprisingly acknowledged Hayasaka's status as a maid.
Vivian was similar. Upon seeing Ryuya, she tightly held his hand and wouldn't let go. After whispering many things to Ryuya, Vivian generously declared herself his 'sister' and wouldn't be jealous of the younger girls.
These two, along with Merlin the Ruler who loved stirring up trouble, belonged to a third-party neutral faction.
The final Master and Servant were Caren and Enkidu, who had traveled all the way from the headquarters of the Holy Church.
After first warning her father, Kirei, Caren and Enkidu arrived at the Einzbern Castle. Now... facing the man who had once saved her, Caren's pious gaze was as if she were looking upon her own personal God.