---
"You really let them go? That was such a perfect chance to eliminate an enemy."
After Rin Tohsaka and Mordred left, Reines—still seated on the sofa—fixed Zuke with a resentful gaze and couldn't help but speak up.
"I'm your Master now, you know. Rin Tohsaka is just your former Master. You should be focusing on me, not clinging to old sentiments."
Her tone was practically dripping with jealousy, like a current girlfriend watching her boyfriend keep in touch with an ex. Zuke couldn't help but find it both amusing and exasperating.
She was convinced that the only reason Zuke had let Rin and Mordred leave was because of his lingering attachment to Rin.
Reines didn't understand why, but the thought of Zuke—her Servant—still being entangled with someone else made her deeply uncomfortable.
Having grown up with a chronic lack of security, Reines had finally found a sense of safety in Zuke. Now, she had absolutely no intention of sharing that feeling with anyone else.
Though she maintained a polite demeanor as the heir of the El-Melloi family, deep down, Reines still had her selfish streaks.
---
"Don't worry. I made things clear with Mordred. If she attacks again, it'll only be directed at me—not you."
Unaware of Reines' burgeoning possessiveness, Zuke assumed she was just worried about another surprise attack from Mordred and tried to reassure her.
"Besides, if you're ever in serious danger, the 'shadow' I've stationed behind you will protect you."
Since Reines didn't understand the concept of a "Stand," Zuke simply referred to Black Sabbath as a shadow-type Noble Phantasm—as long as she got the idea, that was enough.
"I don't doubt your ability to protect me, Mr. Zuke..."
Reines nodded. During Mordred's assault, every safeguard Zuke had prepared for her had proven effective.
Avalon healed her wounds rapidly, the maid outfit enhanced her physical resilience, and when Mordred got serious, that strange shadowy figure had pulled her into the darkness to hide her.
Honestly, after experiencing Zuke's protection firsthand, Reines was even considering changing her Holy Grail wish—perhaps to something like letting Zuke remain in this world permanently.
After all, if Zuke stayed, the revival of the El-Melloi family would practically be guaranteed. But if she wished for that instead, she might never see Zuke again.
If Rin knew what Reines was thinking right now, she'd probably be strongly encouraging her to change that wish.
---
Meanwhile, at the Hyatt Hotel...
"Master, there seems to be some commotion outside. Should I investigate?"
At the same time Zuke and Mordred's clash erupted, a woman with long purple hair and a distinctive blindfold turned toward Matou Sakura, who sat on the edge of the bed.
This was Sakura's summoned Servant—the Rider-class Medusa. Beneath that blindfold lay the legendary Mystic Eyes capable of turning men to stone.
An hour after leaving Reines' hideout, Sakura had performed her summoning ritual in the hotel room, using the black feather Zuke had given her as a catalyst.
But after the summoning, she realized something was wrong—the black feather placed in the ritual circle showed no reaction whatsoever. It was as if it hadn't functioned as a catalyst at all.
Sakura had wanted to abort the summoning, but her skills were nowhere near sufficient to override the Greater Grail system. The summoning proceeded regardless.
With the catalyst ineffective, the summoned Servant became one who resonated most with Sakura herself—and thus, Medusa materialized.
Had Zuke been present, he would've recognized this as the same Servant Sakura summoned in Fate/stay night. In a way, it was a perfect match.
But right now, Sakura was in no mood to appreciate the irony. She sat on the bed, stewing in frustration, unable to snap out of her gloom.
When Medusa suggested investigating the disturbance, Sakura simply gave a terse nod, her expression dark.
She didn't take her anger out on Medusa—after all, the Servant had done nothing wrong. The problem had to lie with the summoning process.
If she lashed out at Medusa for no reason, how would she be any different from Zouken?
Seeing Sakura's nod, Medusa leapt out the window, heading toward the source of the distant explosion.
Though she didn't understand why Sakura seemed so displeased with her summoning, as a Servant, Medusa knew better than to pry. She simply carried out her duties.
Once Medusa was gone, Sakura picked up the black feather she had kept close for ten years, her eyes glinting with icy fury.
She wasn't angry at the feather itself—no, she had already pieced together why her summoning hadn't brought forth Zuke, but some unrelated Servant instead.
Matou Sakura, who had always maintained a gentle demeanor within the Mage's Association, was now unusually enraged:
"There's no way Brother Zuke's feather was the problem... Someone must have summoned him before me, hijacking my ritual!"
Her blind faith in Zuke led her to dismiss any possibility of the feather being defective. And by sheer coincidence, she had stumbled upon the correct answer.
Of course, while she suspected someone had summoned Zuke ahead of her, she still didn't know who.
Reines was a possibility, but Sakura had no proof—and besides, Reines shouldn't have had any catalyst connected to Zuke. How could she have intercepted the summoning?
The real prime suspect was none other than Rin Tohsaka—after all, as Zuke's Master from ten years ago, she might still possess an artifact tied to him.
"Once Rider returns from investigating the explosion, I'll have her scout the Tohsaka residence. Let's see exactly what Servant the Tohsakas summoned."
Sakura thought back to her former home, shook her head slightly, and quickly settled on her next move.
Deep down, she still held complicated feelings for her once-sister, Rin. But if Rin dared to steal Zuke from her...
She wouldn't hold back.
She hadn't joined this Holy Grail War for wealth, power, or family. Her goal was simple: Zuke.
And she would not let anyone take him from her.
To be continued…