...

The Next Day.

The Fuyuki City Television Station reported the following news:

"Last night, a small meteorite flew over Fuyuki City, and many citizens witnessed a bright flash. According to eyewitnesses, there was a feeling of vibration inside houses and the sound of an explosion, triggering car alarms. Another witness said, 'There was an explosion, somewhere far away, but it was buzzing.'"

"The meteorite eventually fell into the Yanagi Cave Temple at the top of Mount Enzou, and at the scene, clear traces of the meteorite's impact on the ground can be seen. According to the monks practicing at the Ryuudou Cave Temple, last night..."

"A meteorite, living here for so many years, it's the first time I've seen news like this."

"Yeah, that's right. But, fortunately, it landed right in the temple's courtyard, without anyone getting hurt."

At the Mackenzie family's dining table, Glen and Martha were chattering away.

Waver was drinking milk, silent. He knew very well that this was the aftermath of the Holy Grail War, and the fact that there was no further destruction indicated that the remaining Masters and Servants had exercised some restraint. He just didn't know which group emerged as the ultimate victor.

Regardless of who the final winner was, from today onward, there would be no more strange incidents threatening the nights of Fuyuki City. The tumultuous Fourth Holy Grail War came to an official close last night.

As Waver reminisced about the intensity of the war, he deeply realized how precious it was for him to still be alive—a miraculous outcome. At the same time, he felt profound gratitude from the depths of his heart for this war, as it had granted him the most precious thing in his life.

"Waver, Waver—"

Mrs. Marthat's call interrupted Waver's thoughts.

"Has Mr. Alexander safely returned to his home country?"

Alexander was Iskandar's alias, taking the first few syllables of Alexander's name.

The burly man who had been staying in this house for the past few days had urgently returned to his home country yesterday. Waver, on behalf of him, expressed his gratitude to the couple for their hospitality and apologized for his sudden departure.

"He called from Heathrow Airport in the early morning. That guy has no manners at all, completely unaware of the time difference."

The hastily concocted lie didn't waver his resolve. He didn't expect to have developed such thick skin. Even Waver himself was surprised.

"Did we receive any phone calls? I didn't notice. But that's just like him, isn't it?"

Mrs. Martha chuckled lightly, nodding, then shifted her gaze back to the TV screen.

The news about the meteorite had passed; it was merely a small interlude, forever unable to become the protagonist of their lives.

"...Grandfather, grandmother, there's something I want to talk to you about. Is that okay?"

Upon hearing Waver's slightly different tone, the elderly couple set down their cups of coffee.

"What's the matter?"

"Well, actually..."

Ding Dong~

The sound of the doorbell interrupted Waver's words.

"Who could it be so early in the morning?"

Amidst Mrs. Martha's muttering, Mr. Glen leisurely got up from his seat and opened the door.

"Hello, is this the Mackenzie residence?" The young man with black hair and black eyes smiled gently as he softly inquired.

"Yes, I am Mackenzie. May I ask who you are?" The old man confirmed that he didn't recognize the young man standing before him.

"Apologies for the intrusion. I'm a friend of Waver's, and I have something to discuss with him." The young man scratched his head bashfully as he spoke.

"Oh, oh, oh, you're Waver's friend. Please come in and have a seat," the old man warmly beckoned the young man. "We're having breakfast. Have you eaten? Would you like to have a little something with us?"

"No, thank you. I've already eaten." The young man shook his head and followed the old man into this cozy, albeit small, home. "Hey, Waver."

"Assa—"

The young man glared, cutting off Waver's almost slip of a nickname, and then mouthed the name "Saiki" instead.

Waver quickly corrected himself, "Hey, Saiki. What brings you here today?"

"I've been busy all this time, just finished up last night, so I came to fulfill the promise we made a while ago," said Shinji, appearing with an air of familiarity. His acting skills impressed Waver.

"Oh... um, what promise?"

"A showdown, you and me. We agreed to have an exciting duel using games," Shinji replied.

Waver's carefully crafted expression froze completely. There were too many flaws in what Shinji just said, and he didn't know how to respond.

First of all, it was a duel he unilaterally decided on; He never agreed to it.

Secondly, wasn't that duel supposed to be a magecraft competition? When did it turn into a game?

"Third, this must be an excuse, it must be! You didn't come to see me just for this!"

Constrained by the presence of the McKinley couple, Waver couldn't inquire further. He could only respond vaguely while quickly devouring the bread and eggs on the table.

Three minutes later, Waver blurted out, "I won't be back for lunch," and rushed out of the door.

Seeing their "grandson" in such urgency, Mrs. Martha couldn't help but exclaim, "Is the allure of games really that strong?"

"Perhaps it is. Isn't Mr. Alexander the same?" Mr. Glen blinked discreetly.

"You have a point."

...

On the other side, Waver ran frantically, sprinting for a whole kilometer before finally stopping, ensuring that he wouldn't disturb the Mackenzie residence.

Turning around, Waver saw "Kusuo Saiki" standing by, without a hint of redness or breathlessness. He couldn't help but feel deflated and said with a bitter face, "Assassin's Master, what is it that you want from me?"

"I told you, I want to play games with you, the Grand Strategy series, you can pick." Shinji crossed his arms, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Are you kidding me?" Waver was on the verge of tears.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Come with me to meet someone." Shinji pointed to the side where a black car was parked.

"Who?"

"You'll find out when you get there. Let's go."

"Uh, can I not go?"

"What do you think?"

"No, I can't."

In the end, Waver's struggle failed, and he could only accept reality with a dejected look.

However, he didn't lose his fighting spirit. He had accepted that command, and no matter what, he had to survive. It was the command of the King, a command he would carry out with his life.

The car smoothly left the suburbs and entered the upscale residential area of the foreigners' district. It stopped in front of a European-style villa with a history of over a hundred years. The name "Matou" was prominently displayed on the villa's doorplate.

In the basement of the villa, Waver saw a man, a man who had changed significantly.

His once full cheeks had become gaunt, and his light blond hair, which had always been styled with hair wax, now hung naturally. The once radiant and lofty gaze had lost its luster. Though he appeared to be in his thirties, there was a sense of aging about him.

Waver was stunned. It was difficult for him to connect the man before him with the renowned Clock Tower genius from his memories.

In a daze, he once again uttered a name he thought he would never say in his lifetime.

"Professor Kenneth..."

=====

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