Artoria opened the front gate and walked through the corridor, arriving in the main hall.
Her gaze drifted to the long sword resting in the corner, and a memory from the recent past surfaced unbidden.
'Teacher! I found a real sword!'
'Where did you find it?'
'Down by the riverside.'
Recalling the moment Shirou had brought that Divine Sword to her, Artoria mused on how "Fate" truly arranged for strange encounters.
The blade he had scavenged was none other than the "Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi"—the very weapon the Assassin, Himura Kenshin, had wielded during the war.
She had never expected to cross paths with it again in such a manner.
Whether it was Shirou or the Divine Sword he had retrieved...
It all seemed to imply a connection bound by "Karma".
'This child possesses a talent for magecraft...'
'If cultivated properly, he could become a formidable Magus in the future.'
Looking through the window at Shirou, who was diligently practicing his swings in the yard, Artoria felt a sense of gratification.
"Ah, Teacher, you're back!"
"Rin, have you finished your homework?"
"Of course I have!"
A girl with twin-tails poked her head into the room, her face lighting up with excitement the moment she spotted the familiar figure.
"Then I suppose I can take you all out to play for a while tonight."
"Hehe! I knew you were the best!"
Receiving the answer she wanted, Rin Tohsaka bounced up and down, her small frame bursting with energy.
Away from her father's watchful eye, she certainly displayed a far more free-spirited personality.
"Where is Sakura?"
"Her? She said she wanted to read a bit longer."
"I don't know why she's so obsessed with it..."
Hearing Rin's answer, Artoria fell into a thoughtful silence.
'It is because I was too weak. That is why I became a burden to Berserker.'
'So... I will never let that happen again!'
'I will prove that he is the strongest!'
'To do that, I will work hard. I must become the strongest Magus!'
'Please accept me as your disciple!'
'Eh? Me?!'
Sakura seemed to have misunderstood something fundamental, yet that misunderstanding had given her a goal to strive for.
However, the person she had bowed to as her teacher was Rider's Master, Waver Velvet.
When Waver had asked her why, Sakura Matou's answer had been simple and absolute:
'Because you won the war. Even Father and the others couldn't defeat you, so you must be the strongest Magus!'
'Under your name, I'm sure I can do it too!'
That reasoning—which left one unsure whether to laugh or cry—had distressed Waver for quite some time.
Afterwards, since Waver needed to return to the Clock Tower, the empty villa was transferred to Artoria, who had nowhere else to stay.
Incidentally... it also came with three—no, four—energetic little ones who often filled the house with noise.
But Artoria didn't mind. In fact, she quite enjoyed the liveliness.
...
"His Majesty has departed. Our duty now is to assist Lord Waver in ascending to the rank of the Strongest Magus."
"Rest assured. Even if it costs me these old bones, I, Risei Kotomine, will support this endeavor."
"Kirei, you will follow Lord Waver as his disciple. It is a rare opportunity to learn within the Clock Tower; do not squander it."
"Understood."
"Sakura and Rin are growing as well. When Lord Waver has achieved fame and success, I will implore him to accept them as disciples."
"That will provide a natural path for them to enter the Clock Tower, further building his influence."
Inside the church, Tokiomi Tohsaka, along with Risei and Kirei Kotomine, convened to decide their future course of action.
Even though Lelouch had departed this world, the Geass's command remained absolute.
They would continue to obey Emperor Lelouch, assisting Waver in accordance with his final order to "look after the orphan."
Although their devotion might have appeared borderline neurotic to an outsider, in their daily lives, the three men acted as normal as ever. Even Tokiomi's wife and daughter failed to notice anything amiss.
...
"Ugh..."
Back at the Clock Tower, Waver felt as though he had a target painted on his back the moment he returned.
His mind was already swimming with accumulated research topics and the pile of academic assignments he needed to tackle.
Tap...
"Waver Velvet."
Buried in a stack of documents, Waver suddenly heard a familiar, stern voice. He looked up in astonishment.
Kayneth.
"Teacher..."
"May I ask... is there something you need?"
Asking cautiously, Waver couldn't quite figure out what the man wanted.
"Have you finally shed some of that shallowness?"
"It seems that pedantic brain of yours has finally matured through actual practice."
Looking down at his student, Kayneth spoke with his characteristic harshness, yet his eyes were observing Waver's reaction closely.
In the past, such words would have made Waver flinch or retort in anger.
But now, the young man's expression remained indifferent. The immaturity and arrogance of the past were gone.
"Hah..."
Being stared at so intensely, Waver still wasn't used to Kayneth's severe scrutiny, but he didn't look away. He met his teacher's gaze steadily.
"This is...?"
Seeing a sheaf of papers tossed his way, Waver scrambled to catch them.
When he saw the contents, he froze.
It was the thesis he had submitted to Kayneth before running off to the war.
"I will pretend I never saw it."
"Handle it properly yourself."
"If the day ever comes when you can prove your theories correct, it will mean the very sky above the Mage's Association has changed."
With his hands clasbed behind his back, Kayneth spoke with rare earnestness.
When it came to raw talent, lineage, or magical aptitude, the ancient families indeed held the advantage.
But perhaps... just perhaps... that wasn't all this world required.
He, Kayneth—a man who had died for his hubris—was the best example of that.
"Also... I heard from Sola... you intend to become an excellent Magus?"
"You may be an incompetent student, but I can at least guide you away from pointless detours."
"I hope you have the stamina for it."
It wasn't until Kayneth had walked away that Waver finally processed what had happened.
'Could it be...'
Since returning to the Clock Tower, he had felt strangely overwhelmed by research topics and academic inquiries finding their way to him.
Although he was busy enough to tear his hair out, this work was exactly what he lacked—what he needed to grow.
Watching Kayneth's retreating back, Waver began to understand.
This was the man's way of repaying him.
Tidying up his papers and returning to his room, Waver glanced at the white Emperor's Robe hanging on the rack. The corners of his mouth curved up slightly.
It was grueling, exhausting work... but he didn't hate this feeling. Not anymore.
"Rider... perhaps one day, I'll be able to give you a surprise of my own."
...
Grand Time Temple
Humanity's Last Master, Fujimaru Ritsuka, was engaged in a desperate battle against the final enemy.
But just as the Demon God King Goetia unleashed his Third Noble Phantasm, "The Time of Birth Has Come, He is the One Who Corrects Everything" (Ars Almadel Salomonis), the impossible happened.
"Impossible! The Anti-Summoning Field should still be intact—how could a Heroic Spirit..."
"...let alone one capable of blocking my Third Noble Phantasm?"
'This unsettled feeling...'
'Am I... am I actually feeling threatened by a mere Heroic Spirit?'
Faced with an enemy he had never anticipated, Goetia's mood turned grave.
The Knight who had blocked the beam of light, shielding the two humans behind him, turned back to look at Fujimaru Ritsuka, who was crouching on the ground.
"Servant Saver... answering the summon."
"I ask of you... are you my Master?"