Back to last night—
Tōsaka Rin gazed up at the dark clouds smothering the sky. The pitch-black mass blocked what little moonlight there was, and the neon glow of Fuyuki's artificial lights didn't brighten the night at all, if anything, it made the city look even more like a demon's lair.
Was Fuyuki City always this unsettling at night?
A cold wind brushed across her face, making Rin shiver and pull her red coat tighter around herself.
But the other voice inside her clearly didn't share her unease.
"Ah, now this is magnificent! A true modern city! Don't just stand there hurry and find the largest wealth exchange in town! The moment I display even a sliver of my power, the mortals will trip over each other to shower me with offerings!"
"…How would I, a grade-schooler, know where to find a place like that? And you call yourself a goddess? You're so vulgar!"
Even if she was nervous about roaming the city so late, Rin still managed to keep her dignity when speaking to the excitable goddess in her head.
Last night, while she was sleeping, Rin had vaguely heard a voice:
"I am Ishtar, the goddess of beauty, Goddess of Venus, Mistress of Heaven. Respect me. Fear me. Worship me."
At first she thought it was just a dream. But when she woke up and found her body altered and a strange, floating weapon at her side, she realized she had somehow been dragged into the Holy Grail War, her father was participating in and she was possessed by none other than the legendary goddess Ishtar.
Her first Holy Grail War. Her first Servant. Two momentous events that should have brought nothing but excitement and joy… yet, for some reason, reality felt far less blissful.
All thanks to Ishtar.
The goddess had no interest whatsoever in the Grail War and no desire to fight for the Grail. What she was interested in was building herself a temple and reclining inside it to receive tributes from humans. She was, frankly, unreliable about anything else. Rin found herself constantly cleaning up the traces Ishtar left behind, just to keep them out of trouble.
Worst of all, the goddess didn't even realize she was a walking disaster.
"I can't help it! You're so poor! In this cruel world, only treasure can warm my heart."
"…Living off an elementary schooler's savings.....are you really a goddess?"
Rin puffed her cheeks and clutched the small cloth pouch hidden under her coat. Inside were the gemstones she had been collecting since childhood. There weren't many, she hadn't yet fully stepped into the world of jewel magecraft, but to her, it was a sizable fortune.
"I'm not talking about right now! I'm still a goddess; I know the basics. What I mean is, you and I both are fatally lacking in the Golden Rule attribute."
"…?"
Rin tilted her head, puzzled.
The Tōsaka family was wealthy, its many assets and obscure sources of income easily covering the exorbitant costs of gem magecraft. Surely she wouldn't be short on funds in the future?
"What, you doubt my judgment? I am the goddess Ishtar!"
"Who'd believe a goddess obsessed with money?"
"Ahhh!" Ishtar wailed in her mind. "This is all your fault! We're such a perfect match you've even warped my personality! I should be majestic and aloof, not...this!"
"Hmph. You hijacked my body and ran your mouth. Not my problem."
According to Ishtar, the two of them were now a special kind of being, a Pseudo-Servant. To coexist, they had agreed: Rin would control the body by day, Ishtar by night.
Rin had refused at first, until Ishtar offered her a tempting trade: in exchange for night control, Rin could freely use Ishtar's powers during the day.
"Fine, but remember, once you check on that girl Sakura, you hand the body over until school tomorrow. I even bothered to scribble a note to your mother, Aoi, pretending you left early for school. Once that's done, the night is mine!"
"I know, I know. But don't do anything weird with my body."
The truth was, Rin had disobeyed her father's orders and come to the dangerous battleground of Fuyuki City for one reason: her sister.
Ever since Sakura had been sent away, Rin hadn't seen her again. Her father had insisted it was for the best and told her sternly not to think of Sakura as a sister anymore, but as the Matō heir, a stranger to be kept at arm's length.
Rin refused to accept that completely. Even if they couldn't speak or touch, surely it was fine to see her from afar.
When she arrived in Fuyuki earlier, she'd encountered Uncle Kariya. But he was nothing like she remembered, emaciated, lifeless, like a walking corpse. His words were kind as ever, but Rin couldn't shake the chill in her spine.
Her mother had told her, vaguely, that Kariya had returned to the Matō household. Could their magecraft truly twist a man into… that?
While with her father's teachings. she knew magi could be twisted, but the reality was still frightening.
"We have to see how Sakura's doing."
Rin's stubborn sense of justice wouldn't allow her to turn away, not from her sister.
"Humans… always asking for trouble. Don't expect too much. That man we saw was already crawling with those disgusting bugs. Anyone in a family like that… won't end well."
"I don't need your opinion…"
Before her stood the Matō residence: a rusting iron gate, an ancient building with no lights. The perfect horror movie set, no props required.
But to Rin, this was more than creepy scenery. This was the Matō family's workshop unchallenged for over a century. Stepping inside uninvited was tantamount to declaring war.
Still, the image of Kariya's hollow face burned in her mind. She couldn't turn back.
This was something she had to do.
Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her expression, as she was taught, an heir of the Tōsaka family must remain elegant. Yet as her hand reached for the gate, the little girl inside her couldn't help but call out to her only ally.
"Ishtar… I'll need your strength."
"Of course! Even though we haven't merged and remain two souls, as my Master, you're deeply connected to me. The Holy Grail's knowledge says in your country's words, we're aibō!"
"Thanks." Rin's shoulders relaxed slightly. "You're a war goddess. Father's mythology books say the Bull of Heaven you unleashed was a divine beast of incredible power. If the Matōs are as dangerous as I think, you could crush them with one kick."
"…About that."
Ishtar's voice faltered.
"…Ishtar. Don't tell me—"
"I… may have misplaced it, oops."
"You—ahhh! I knew I couldn't trust you!"
"It's not my fault! I should've been the only one here in this era, but when I went to borrow Gugalanna, I found someone else had already checked it out! Absurd! But no matter, even without it, I'm still invincible!"
"…Where did you learn to fail exactly when it matters most? Forget it! I'm going in!"
Shoving aside her exasperation, Rin flung the Matō residence gate wide, stepping into the devil's den.