A girl wearing a skirt that seemed to flutter as if dancing.
Sajou Manaka.
A 14-year-old girl. The eldest daughter of the Sajou family, a girl who had inherited the fairy blood passed down from a distant past.
Though she was the eldest daughter of a mage family, she was not the heir. Being a genius and a born prodigy, she didn't even need Magic Circuits, and it was thought that even without them, she would surely become an excellent mage and help the second daughter, chosen as the heir by her mother. Thus, the Magic Circuits were passed on to the second daughter, 8-year-old Sajou Ayaka.
Manaka, already outstanding as a mage, was not taught the Sajou family magecraft. It was taught solely to Ayaka, and she was even gifted a beautiful garden workshop called "Garden."
But...
Manaka had no interest in such things. She had more interest in fairy tales than in learning magecraft or anything of the sort, and was a girl who didn't even attend school. Their father, Sajou Hiroki, who once loved both children, after his wife's death, gave childlike love only to Ayaka and not to Manaka, who seemed utterly incapable of being rehabilitated into anything resembling a human.
Manaka was a child who had no interest in parental love from the start. The world was boring, and everything was trivial to her. Her younger sister Ayaka felt inferiority and jealousy towards such a Manaka, while also harboring admiration.
A born genius, living well even without love, a lofty person existing atop a peak filled with leisure and boredom. For Ayaka, who enjoyed parental love, Magic Circuits, the family magecraft, a workshop, and even school life, she felt shabby compared to Manaka despite having everything.
This household was broken.
After the mother's death, the family's gears, which had been turning somewhat, shattered. Manaka, who should have been the pillar of the household, longed for her own prince.
Omnipotence, a girl who gained everything upon birth by being connected to the Root. She could see the future and even perceive the structure of all things. To Manaka, the world was merely a meaningless set. She had fallen prey to that sense of powerlessness felt by beings who touch the Root.
Merlin lived feeling nothing until Artoria was born, and Solomon couldn't grasp what his own existence was, yearning for a human-like life. Even the great Gilgamesh had a period of wandering, showing that such immense power was too extravagant and overwhelming for a human.
In the distant past, there was an age of sword and sorcery where everyone used magic with the power of the Root, but as time passed, the human body lost the power to touch the Root. Their physical structure should have been different, but Manaka transformed into a body perfectly suited for the Root. Because of the Root, she lost interest in the world and felt life was meaningless.
During the same period, in the same country, another Root-connector slept continuously. Manaka tried to feel a more human life by sealing many powers, including future sight... but even so, she did not develop emotions.
However... such a girl met her fate.
"Fergus mac Róich... so, the Celtic witch-swordsman? But why is Greece's Medusa here...? Manaka, do you understand?"
"... I wonder. One thing I know is that Saber is amazing."
She fell in love at first sight with the Servant she summoned in the Holy Grail War, which her father had her participate in. Like Merlin, who first felt emotion, she learned for the first time in her life what love was, as her first emotion.
"Hmm... I understand for now. I'll handle reporting the Saber summoning to the church. It's best to hide that there are two Servants. Feel free to converse with them. I leave all subsequent actions entirely to you."
"Yes, Father."
As Sajou Hiroki left the room, only three people remained.
"Saber... are you a prince?"
"A prince? Haha, I was that once. Right now, I am both a king and a god. I was the King of Ulster, but after death, I became a god. Of course, it's not that I became a real god, but I became a Heroic Spirit God due to such legends and faith."
"So, you are a prince, right?"
"Well, that's true. My appearance is the same as during my princehood."
Fergus mac Róich.
In this world-line, it's just a name due to differences in pronunciation and notation among the names used to call Fergus, but in his world-line, it was distinctly considered a separate name. If 'Fergus' meant the human king, then 'Fergus' was the name signifying the god of Ulster.
Just as Hercules isn't called by the Roman 'Hercules', Fergus isn't called 'Fergus'. 'Fergus' was a name he used only when manifesting as a god.
"Then, a Divine Spirit? Can Divine Spirits appear in a Holy Grail War?"
"Right. It's possible depending on conditions. A Heroic Spirit of Divine Spirit rank can appear, or a Heroic Spirit can become a Divine Spirit mid-way. It's possible for a Divine Spirit to be summoned depending on the Master. It just means Manaka is an outstanding Master."
"I see..."
Manaka was mystified. Originally, she could see the future, but from the moment she faced Fergus, the future became unclear, like watching a TV with noise. She could no longer predict anything. Manaka began to like the incredibly handsome Fergus more and more.
Except for one thing... the presence of *her*.
"Hey, what exactly is your relationship? Partners?"
"Partners... you could say that. There's a promise from before, you see. I have the True Name Medusa and separate Noble Phantasms and skills, but since we were summoned as two-in-one, I could also be called Fergus. In that sense, nice to meet you."
She was already blowing bubble gum. Medusa was summoned as a Saber adjusted to her teenage years, so compared to the original adult Medusa, she had a more innocent and carefree personality. Being summoned as a set with Fergus also had an influence.
Influenced by Fergus, who was originally a modern person, Medusa became someone suited to Japan's bubble era, to the point you'd believe she was a modern person.
The year was 1991, just before the bubble burst. It was a period that would crash in a few months, but...
Though Fergus and Medusa knew what would happen and what they had to do, they were in a mindset to enjoy the modern era, having been summoned during Japan's peak period.
"Mmm... I see."
At first, having felt love, she thought Medusa might be a rival... but feeling her heart race for Medusa too, she realized it was likely because they were summoned as a set. Even if the two were lovers, as Manaka, she couldn't even imagine harming her.
"Are you two... perhaps, lovers?"
"With Medusa?"
"With Fergus?"
The two looked at each other once...
"Not yet."
"I confessed, but I haven't gotten an answer."
"No, it wasn't the situation to talk about it then."
"Then answer now?"
"... I'll answer someday."
"This man is like this. Who does he think I came here for..."
"Isn't that too twisted, Medusa?"
"Sorry. I'm in my rebellious phase."
Medusa spoke while chewing gum and with her hands in her pockets. Given her past history of suffering because of Fergus, it was an attitude of petty revenge.
"So your relationship is ambiguous? But you could become lovers... Hmm, I don't know."
"So, you're practically lovers, right?"
"Not yet."
"For this man, 'lover' only applies if we're married, so no. He's too old-fashioned. Makes you wonder what Greeks are like."
"I'm just being a gentleman..."
"Well, as someone from Greece, I don't get it~"
"Wow, was I really like this back then...?"
"If you know, then accept me?"
".... Later."
"Yeah yeah~ I'm sure you will."
"The rebellious phase has arrived..."
"... You look just like lovers, no matter how I see it."
""No/Not at all""
".... Okay."
Manaka now thought it didn't matter whether they were lovers or not. Since both were ultimately the concept of 'Fergus' anyway, she felt she couldn't do anything to Medusa and wanted to treat her well, so it was fine.
She turned her back and touched the Command Spells engraved on her chest. The proof of fate connecting her to Fergus. To her, it was like a token she didn't want to use.
"... Is there any modern food, by any chance? Since we're summoned, if it's bubble-era Japan, we'd like to enjoy it a bit."
"Medusa, really... I was thinking the same, though."
"Ah, since it'll end in a few months anyway... Right, it'd be nice to enjoy it while we can."
Manaka smiled, her heart fluttering at the thought of going on a date with the two of them...
"Ah, come to think of it... Saber, do you two have a wish?"
Manaka thought about using her omnipotent power to grant their wish, but...
"No?"
"None."
Of all things, the two had no wish. Fergus had lived a satisfying life and had now resolved his regrets from his later years. Medusa also had confidence she would meet her sisters someday and had no need for a fancy thing like the Holy Grail.
"Huh...? Then, why were you summoned? With no wish...?"
"Well, because Manaka called?"
"Because you summoned us, we came."
"Oh, I see... That makes me happy..."
Fergus and Medusa were masters of flattery. Handling a love-struck girl was easy. Having seen... a similar case with Sakura before, Medusa wasn't very surprised.
"Hmm, but it's getting late, I wonder if places will be open?"
"If not, let's just go to a convenience store."
"It'll be very different from the 21st century."
And so, the Saber group welcomed a peaceful beginning.