The Tokyo Holy Grail War.
There are seven Masters in the Tokyo Holy Grail War.
The Command Spells also follow a system of ranks; while their power is the same, their design and other aspects are different.
1st Rank, Seraph・Sajou Manaka. 2nd Rank, Cherub・Nigel Sayword. 3rd Rank, Throne・Rairoukan Aritoshi. 4th Rank, Dominion・Isemi Shizuri. 5th Rank, Virtue・Elza Saijo. 6th Rank, Power・Jinga Seiji. 7th Rank, Principality・Kitano Tatsumi.
These are the seven Masters. All are mages except for Tatsumi. However, the 6th Rank, Jinga Seiji, is already dead. Because Assassin is none other than her... It was an excessive action, yet understandable.
The remaining Masters number six. It was a mess from the first day the Servants were summoned.
"Hmm, ice cream is nice too."
"So this is 20th-century ice cream~"
"Do you two like this?"
"I think it's edible."
"It's okay?"
Anyway, we went out to a convenience store at night and were walking through the bubble-era night while eating ice cream.
Even though loan regulations were about to be imposed, people who didn't yet know the bubble was bursting were enjoying a night of revelry. Everyone should exchange for dollars. Saying goodbye to life.
"What do you usually do, Manaka?"
"Usually? Hmm... I take walks or read fairy tales."
"I see. Then let me ask something else... How long are you going to keep calling us 'Saber'?"
"Huh?"
"That's right, we are Saber, but we also have distinctly different lives, you know."
"Th-that's... it's the Holy Grail War, isn't it? What if our True Names get found out..."
"We don't have any particular weaknesses, though?"
"Right, we don't."
Medusa has Harpe as a weakness, but since there's no Perseus, what does it matter? I don't have any particular weaknesses either.
"Manaka... I'm a little hurt, you know. We're calling you by your name."
"That's right. We're calling you by name because we want to become closer to you. Aren't you the same?"
We whispered to Manaka from both sides, causing her face to turn red.
"Th-that may be... but... it's still embarrassing..."
"Ah, so Manaka is embarrassed by us."
"That's right... What a shame."
"That's not it!? I... F-Fergus... Medusa...!"
"Yes, what is it?"
"Did you call us?"
We answered with a straight-faced smile, and Manaka covered her face with both hands, smoke practically steaming from her head. Seeing her like this, she's just a cute kid, right?
Manaka just doesn't understand emotions. No one taught her or scolded her that this was wrong. She wasn't corrected by a proper adult. That's why. Arthur also didn't have the capacity to correct Manaka because of his own obsession. Who would correct whom?
But we are different.
"Really... that's too much."
"I just wanted to be called by name."
"Yeah, we have names too, you know?"
"But there's a thing called time..."
"That means we want to become close quickly."
"Right, we're calling you by name, not 'Master'."
"... I understand."
Even so, she seems secretly pleased. Seeing her like this, she's like Medb when she was young, right?
After buying simple snacks, we return home. Manaka gave us an empty room. And she went to bed smiling... She really fell asleep in her room smiling. They say she seals her power and sleeps, but she really just slept. Is calling her by name that joyful?
"So, what will you do from now on?"
In the room, Medusa and I decided to think about the future...
"Well, is there a need to think about it? I'm not exactly a pacifist either. There are two opponents we must fight. Looking at Manaka, those two will definitely fight."
"Brynhildr and Ozymandias, right?"
Medusa, who inherited my knowledge upon being summoned as my other half. She nodded, having caught on immediately.
"Those two are effectively Divine Spirits. A Divine Spirit who became human and a human who gave up becoming a Divine Spirit. In this Holy Grail War, those two are practically Divine Spirits."
"One is limited to his pyramid, and the other is limited when he releases the Primordial Runes. To those two, Manaka is a being that must be eliminated... I don't like that. Manaka isn't even a full-grown adult; she's just a child. The possibility of rehabilitation is infinite. To just kill her... It's the sight of so-called gods denying humanity's infinite potential themselves."
"That's why there are few heroes in Norse mythology, isn't it?"
"Egypt is the same. Plus, he's someone who was betrayed and abandoned by his own brother, Moses. But I still respect him, you know? If I were in that situation... could I have endured it? I think he's great for properly fulfilling his role as Pharaoh afterwards."
"That's true... So, are you not going to do anything?"
"Nah. I won't prepare. Manaka is more important. Our goal is the destruction of the Grail. It's actually better to destroy it when it's half-awakened. That way, we eliminate the Beast."
"I see. So that's the one policy. What about Assassin?"
"We'll meet soon anyway. No need to worry about it."
"... Isn't that a bit too careless?"
"Honestly, I'm not very motivated."
"I feel the same... but it'll work out somehow."
Medusa leaning on the sofa and eating snacks. She's really lucky too. Is this because she's a teenager? Her impression is so different from the Medusa I met back then.
"What are you going to do tomorrow?"
"... I'm thinking of going to Shinjuku."
"Shinjuku...? Ah, I see. So you plan to meet Berserker first."
"Because they're the most normal ones, right? I think testing them out once isn't a bad idea."
"So you intend to fight after all."
"More than fighting, it's still reconnaissance at this point. You're good at reconnaissance too, right?"
"And then I died with a broken neck."
"That's Wakame's fault."
"I acknowledge that."
Well... Medusa had a hard time in the 5th War...
We spent the night talking, and the next morning.
"... Why is Fergus cooking?"
"Cooking is my specialty."
"I also have a lot of experience taking care of my sisters."
"Ah, okay..."
I'm used to cooking... even though I'm not Shirou. Shortly after, Sajou Hiroki and Sajou Ayaka come out.
"Huh? Who are you?"
"A Servant making breakfast... Manaka, what are you ordering them to do?"
"I didn't order them. I was surprised too."
"Servant? Big sister, you summoned a Servant!?"
"Yes, that's right, Ayaka."
"Amazing, you look like someone really great!"
As expected of Manaka's younger sister, she's a cute kid. No wonder Arthur fell for her.
"Here, eat up~"
Breakfast is a simple English breakfast. Manaka tries it once and her eyes sparkle.
"It's delicious..."
"It's tastier than the meals Big sister makes."
"Ahem... Ayaka, you shouldn't say such things."
"No, Ayaka is right... Fergus, you really are good at cooking?"
"Fergus always made meals."
"Medusa, stop praising me so much."
"We'll see."
She's still sulking... No, what should I do about that confession... And in a world where Manaka is present, no less. I'm troubled too... Even though I know, her expression, grinning, shows she's doing it to tease me. When she was a goddess, she was the same yet different existence as her two sisters, but is it Stheno and Euryale's personalities coming out...
After the meal, Ayaka prepares to go to school.
"I'm off~"
"See you later."
Manaka sees her off, and Ayaka leaves the house. Now, it's time for us to move.
"Manaka, want to go on a date?"
"D-date?"
"That sounds good. Shinjuku, Akihabara, or maybe Disneyland would be nice."
"But first, wouldn't a shopping district be good? Manaka, you've been wearing the same thing since yesterday. Want to go buy some clothes for Manaka together?"
I showed my Gem Pouch and spoke, and Manaka, blushing, shyly nodded. See, if handled well, she's a harmless kid. The world-line where she becomes a harmless NEET exists for a reason.
And so, we head to Shinjuku together. Shinjuku, the city of entertainment. Even though the bubble is about to burst, it's still a scene typical of 20th-century Japan.
"Didn't we buy too many clothes?"
"But they all suited Manaka, didn't they? This much is no problem. Manaka is at the age to dress up."
"Right, right, they say fashion is completed by the face, but wearing good clothes makes you shine even more. Like Cinderella."
"So Manaka is a princess then?"
"Is that so? That seems right."
"... Stop teasing me."
Manaka twisted her body as if embarrassed, and we stroked her head. Far from disliking it, Manaka seemed to feel good.
By the way, I can feel eyes on us. Medusa seems to have already noticed too. We deliberately head towards a deserted alley, and shortly after, a voice calls from behind.
"Wait a moment!"
Turning at the voice, the power of a Mystic Eye activates.
The Mystic Eye of Petrification.
It was Berserker's Master, Kitano Tatsumi.
Well... it doesn't work on us, though. I know why he called out to us. He probably wants to negotiate to stop the Holy Grail War. But... he picked the wrong person. Manaka is making a displeased expression.
"I have something to talk to you about──"
Creak...!
"Ugh!?"
"Tatsumi!"
"Are you using a Mystic Eye on me now... with just that shoddy Mystic Eye?"
Right, you picked the wrong person. Manaka? No, not her. We have...
"I was in a good mood, but thanks to you, my foot got caught and the flow was ruined..."
We have the sensitive, teenage Medusa.