Fuyuki City, Tohsaka Residence.
"In short, that's how things are."
"Please take good care of the child... children are gifts bestowed upon the world by the heavens!"
As the tiny Santa Claus finished her lengthy sermon, the stunned parents remained immersed in the shocking reality, unable to recover for a long while.
... Though their shock stemmed from different sources.
As a mother, Tohsaka Aoi was naturally terrified of the horrific "insect nest." clutching her young daughter tightly, checking her for any trace of contamination.
But as a father and seasoned Magus, Tohsaka Tokiomi took only a brief moment to accept the fact that the Matou family's Magecraft revolved around [insects].
... Magus, after all, could be as perverse as they come.
In some ways, those Crest Worms were even cleaner than certain Magus.
After all, insects were merely terrifying in appearance, driven by their instinct to seek food, while some Magus' souls were so twisted and grotesque that even bugs couldn't compare.
But that wasn't the point… The real issue was, could someone tell him if this self-proclaimed [Jeanne Lily] Santa Claus was real or fake?
"Damn it, does Santa Claus actually exist?"
"And that white-haired child."
[Caren Ortensia].
Ortensia, a fairly common surname in Southern Europe, meaning [hydrangea] in Italian.
If that were all, it wouldn't be a big deal. Southern Europe was the stronghold of the Church, so a few girl nuns weren't unusual.
The problem was her name, [Caren].
Though the name had various meanings across languages, in this context, it was undoubtedly derived from Japanese, meaning "lovely and pitiable."
"Lovely and pitiable hydrangea."
That was roughly the translation of her name.
A combination of Japanese and Southern European origins, clearly tied to the Church… Unless Tohsaka Tokiomi was suffering from dementia, he distinctly remembered that his recent disciple, [Kirei Kotomine], had a wife from the Ortensia family, and their daughter was about the same age as this silver-haired little nun before him.
"What a mess... "
With the Holy Grail War looming, troubles kept piling up, to the point that even Tohsaka Tokiomi, who prided himself on [maintaining elegance at all times], was starting to lose his composure.
But it was fine... his heart soon steadied.
... Because it had already gone completely cold.
"That's…"
With a casual glance, he saw the three glowing red Command Seals on his young daughter's left hand.
"Damn it!"
…
In short, for one reason or another, whether by choice or by force, the seven Masters for this Holy Grail War had now been assembled.
Magus from all corners of the world would clash in this seaside city in the Far East, fighting for their deepest wishes in a breathtaking battle, using schemes and the bones of the defeated to pave a path to the ultimate Truth… Or so [Jeanne Lily], the overseer of this Holy Grail War, would have liked to say.
But the reality was...
"Whether you're a Master or a Servant, you must register with me properly!"
"If you don't register, Santa Claus will mark you as a [bad child]."
"Also, combat is prohibited in bustling downtown areas or residential zones... please ensure no innocent civilians are harmed."
After returning Tohsaka Sakura, Jeanne Lily, with her little sidekick in tow, dashed to Fuyuki's Church. Without hesitation, she usurped Bishop [Risei Kotomine]'s position, becoming the Church's authority in the region.
She became the [Overseer] of this Holy Grail War and immediately issued a notice in the name of the Church to the three Fuyuki families, the Mage's Association, and other potential mystical factions participating in the war.
The notice listed numerous rules... participants could choose to follow them or not.
But they'd bear the consequences.
"So, what do we do?"
The sudden change disrupted many people's plans.
But this was precisely the moment to test the participants' wit, mettle, and luck.
…
London, Clock Tower.
Now Kenneth's "trusted disciple." El-Melloi's classroom "teaching assistant." And the Clock Tower's "rising star." Waver Velvet was discussing plans for the Holy Grail War with his professor.
... Of course, their Servants were also strategizing.
"In all battles, meet the enemy head-on with righteousness, but secure victory with cunning... "
"Huh? Is that some ancient Eastern strategy…? I don't get it, but it sounds impressive!"
"You in the red coat, you're a Magus, right? Interested in joining my ranks as my strategist?"
"…"
Fuyuki City, Japan.
"Hmph, to offend this king with such nonsense... Tokiomi, are you seeking death?"
"My apologies, King. But frankly, with your majesty, our ties to the Church, and your recent clashes with that Emperor… even if we don't register, that Saint has surely already gathered intelligence on us."
"…"
Seeing Gilgamesh's suddenly frozen expression, Tohsaka Tokiomi felt utterly helpless.
He had resigned himself to leading his daughter to dominate this Holy Grail War… but who could've predicted his little angel would turn out to be a leaky jacket, constantly running to the Church, shouting things like "I want to be Santa Claus too"?
"And that Emperor…"
Just thinking of the rose-pink Emperor summoned by little Sakura gave Tohsaka Tokiomi a headache.
One arrogant First King was already hard enough to handle, and now a Roman tyrant had joined the fray… No need for elaboration... these two Servants could spark a century-defining war just by locking eyes.
... At this moment, Tohsaka Tokiomi was perhaps the one most eager for the Holy Grail War to start and end quickly.
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