The magus from the Yorifis family stated the purpose of his visit—
He had come to take Sakura with him, promising to raise her with the utmost care and provide her the best possible treatment.
Tokiomi Tohsaka was taken aback.
He had imagined many possible reasons a magus from the prestigious Yorifis family would visit,
but this—coming for Sakura—was the last thing he expected.
> "I'm sorry, but I've already decided to send Sakura to the Matou family.
They've agreed to raise her as the next head of their house."
Tokiomi shook his head firmly.
The Yorifis magus paused, surprised.
He considered trying to negotiate further,
but upon recalling the terms offered by the Matou family, he wisely said no more.
After all, nurturing her as the Matou heir was something the Yorifis family simply couldn't guarantee.
Still—this request came from "that man".
Were it not for his direct command, the Yorifis family wouldn't care about some child at all.
Ultimately, the magus decided to report back to the Yorifis lord in London and await new instructions.
---
❖ Back in London
Just like any other morning, Emiya Shirou groggily got out of bed and changed into fresh clothes.
Outside the Yorifis estate, a luxury black car was already waiting to take him to the Clock Tower.
The driver was still the same magus from the Yorifis household.
But after spending a few days around Shirou,
he no longer showed the same fear or trembling as before.
They cruised down a wide asphalt road, shaded by lush green forest.
Fallen autumn leaves scattered on the ground danced in the breeze behind the car's wheels.
> "Man… this is pretty relaxing."
Shirou leaned into the leather seat, genuinely enjoying this moment of peace.
---
❖ Clock Tower
As always, the architecture was a mix of old-world European grandeur and modern industrial buildings,
creating a disorienting blend of past and future.
> "Morning, Shirou!"
A voice called out.
Shirou looked up to see Lisephyr jogging toward him, waving with a bright smile.
> "Morning, Lisephyr."
He was a bit surprised by how friendly she was acting today.
---
❖ The Library
Shirou now spent more time in the library than in his room.
Massive shelves towered around him, filled with books of ancient magic, esoteric theory, and long-lost spells.
Even if many of them were difficult to understand, this place was a treasure trove—
a whole new world to immerse in.
Usually, he was deeply focused on studying, but today, Shirou sat quietly, staring off into space.
---
Though he was still a child, he couldn't help but anticipate the day he would meet Saber—
Artoria Pendragon.
He wouldn't directly participate in the Fourth Holy Grail War,
but he would certainly intervene from behind the scenes.
The Fifth Holy Grail War, however, he was certain to join.
The Fourth War was drawing close now.
And with it… Saber's arrival.
He knew that Kiritsugu Emiya would use Avalon, the Ever Distant Utopia, to summon Saber in Cornwall.
Shirou couldn't help but wonder what she would look like.
The legendary King Arthur—a Celtic hero, a symbol of British chivalry.
What kind of person would she be?
He couldn't wait to find out.
---
Saber, of course, would not be what most expected.
Not a burly, bearded king…
But a beautiful girl who looked no older than fifteen or sixteen—
Fair skin, golden hair, emerald eyes…
And of course, her iconic ahoge (the single strand of hair standing up),
a symbol of royal dignity.
It was said that when she pulled the sword from the stone, her aging ceased—
forever frozen in her youth.
After summoning her, Kiritsugu Emiya barely spoke to her.
Not because he disliked her…
But because he despised the burden that had been forced onto such a young girl.
What kind of people would let a child carry the weight of a kingdom?
---
Saber, the true king,
swore to protect her people—
even if her blade would be stained with blood, even if she were betrayed, hated, and abandoned.
There was no turning back for her.
But after her kingdom fell to civil war, she began to believe she had never been fit to be king.
Her wish upon the Holy Grail was to select a better king, someone who could truly protect the realm.
> That was Saber's wish.
---
> "So her ahoge is the true source of power, huh…
Man, I really want to touch it."
Shirou muttered to himself with a straight face.
> "Symbol of royal pride that no one may touch?
Yeah… I'm definitely gonna touch it."
---
> "Shirou! I knew you'd be here!"
Lisephyr's voice rang out.
Her bright eyes locked onto him, and in her hands, she held… something.
> "Lisephyr? What brings you here?"
Shirou scratched his head, a little confused by her unexpectedly gentle behavior lately.
> "You didn't eat lunch again, did you?"
Lisephyr smiled.
Today, her hairstyle was less regal and more elegant—almost ladylike.
Her silver hair shimmered in the light, soft and beautiful.
She hid her hands behind her back, looking unusually secretive.
> "Yeah, I skipped it."
Shirou nodded.
Honestly, he was still trying to adjust to this nicer version of Lisephyr.
For some reason, her old glares, sneers, and cries of "filthy commoner" felt… more normal.
> "Am I a masochist or something?"
Shirou muttered inwardly.
Lisephyr wasn't insulting him anymore, and somehow, he missed it?
> "Here! I made you lunch!"
She blushed, cheeks slightly red, and pulled out a homemade bento box.
Her voice was soft, sweet.
Shirou stared at the box in stunned silence.
> "Thanks… Lisephyr."
He tried to smile—
But inside, a cold sweat formed.
> There's no way this isn't poisoned, right?
This has to be one of her pranks… right?
It had to be.
After everything she'd done before, how could he not be paranoid?