In accordance with the agreement, Leon's side received one additional Command Seal from Kirei Kotomine as their reward.
It was accepted by Irisviel, who was publicly recognized as Saber's Master and, in practice, was also the only true human among the three who had come to the church.
Once the transfer was complete, Leon, Irisviel, and Artoria left immediately.
None of them wished to remain any longer.
The atmosphere inside Fuyuki Church was unsettling. Neither Irisviel nor Artoria liked it, and Leon had no desire to linger in such a gloomy place.
As the three walked away, Kirei stood in the church doorway, silently watching their retreating figures while slowly closing the massive doors.
Above, perched on one of the rafters, Gilgamesh remained in Spirit Form, having observed the entire exchange from beginning to end.
Just as the church doors were about to close completely—leaving only the narrowest crack—he materialized.
At the same moment, Leon, now some distance away, paused and glanced back.
Crimson eyes met emerald-green ones.
Their gazes locked for only an instant before the heavy church doors shut, cutting off the silent confrontation.
"Hmph."
Gilgamesh gave a quiet snort.
"What is it?"
Kirei turned around in confusion. As an ordinary human, he lacked the extraordinary eyesight possessed by both Gilgamesh and Leon.
"...That man."
"Saber noticed me."
Gilgamesh spoke casually, sounding completely unconcerned.
"He did?"
Kirei frowned slightly.
Unless absolutely necessary, he had no intention of revealing so soon that he had formed a contract with the King of Heroes.
"There's nothing to worry about, Kirei."
Gilgamesh chuckled.
His golden armor faded away, replaced by modern civilian clothing.
"Do you truly believe I could lose to someone like him?"
"Of course not."
Kirei immediately shook his head.
"You are the oldest and greatest of all heroes—the one who stands alone above heaven and earth."
"Saber is merely the moon, borrowing another's light."
"You are the sun that shines eternally across the heavens."
"Hahaha!"
Gilgamesh laughed loudly.
"I know you're flattering me."
"But it also happens to be the truth."
"Saber is hardly worth worrying about."
"Whether it's Saber or Rider, they've just finished fighting Caster."
"They're both at their weakest right now."
"Perhaps we should take advantage of—"
"Kirei."
Gilgamesh raised a hand, cutting him off.
"I appreciate you."
"So don't make the same mistake Tokiomi did."
His gaze turned noticeably colder.
"Who do you think I am?"
"If I don't defeat them at the height of their strength..."
"...then victory itself has no meaning."
"..."
Kirei had long since grown accustomed to Gilgamesh's overwhelming pride.
He immediately bowed like a loyal retainer.
"As you wish."
Elsewhere...
After leaving Fuyuki Church, Leon, Irisviel, and Artoria wandered aimlessly through the streets of Fuyuki at four in the morning.
In the aftermath of Caster's catastrophe, most of the city's residents living farther inland had remained awake throughout the night.
Standing by their windows, they watched the emergency vehicles rushing toward the disaster zone with worried expressions.
Leon and the others walked in the opposite direction.
"Leon, where are we going now?"
Artoria looked up at him while discreetly patting her perfectly flat stomach.
"Leon."
Irisviel raised her right hand, where three crimson Command Seals were engraved.
Two were genuine.
One was the counterfeit seal Leon had previously created.
"You should keep this Command Seal. You did almost all of the fighting."
"No rush."
Leon waved dismissively.
"You can hold onto it for now."
"We'll be needing it later anyway."
"...Later?"
Irisviel tilted her head with innocent curiosity.
"It means..."
Leon leaned close and whispered a few words into her ear.
Almost immediately, both Irisviel and Artoria blushed bright red.
Just then, Kiritsugu Emiya called.
He informed them that he had secured a new base of operations.
The previous hideout was no longer safe and wasn't particularly suitable for further modification.
By the time Leon and the others arrived, Kiritsugu himself was nowhere to be seen.
His role remained unchanged.
He would continue acting as the hidden viper waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike—
while also serving as the unseen caretaker supporting Leon's group from the shadows.
Whenever possible, he intended to avoid meeting Leon in person.
Everything was for the sake of securing ultimate victory.
...Though admittedly, Leon had also frightened him a little.
Whether it was Leon's overwhelming strength...
Or the leverage Leon held over him.
Far to the east, the first golden rays of dawn slowly illuminated the horizon.
A black sedan came to a stop before the wooden gates of a somewhat weathered traditional Japanese residence.
After stepping out, Leon walked around to the opposite side and opened the rear door for Irisviel.
One hand rested above the doorframe to prevent her from bumping her head.
The other gently helped her out of the car.
The vehicle had been prepared by Maiya Hisau.
Their previous car had long since been swallowed by the tidal waves created by Caster.
As for the house...
Kiritsugu had purchased it personally.
It was the very home he would one day leave to Shirou Emiya.
"So?"
Irisviel smiled.
"What did you think of driving, Artoria?"
On their way to the new base, Artoria had driven a modern automobile for the first time.
"It truly is an extraordinary means of transportation."
Artoria stepped out after parking the car in the garage.
"I couldn't help imagining how wonderful it would have been if such a vehicle had existed in my own era."
"Irisviel..."
She turned curiously toward her.
"Why did you let me drive this 'automobile' today?"
"When we first arrived in Fuyuki, you seemed to enjoy driving very much."
"It's alright."
Irisviel's gentle smile never faded.
"As long as you're happy, Al, I'm happy too."
"Besides..."
"It was your very first time operating such a machine."
"And yet you drove it perfectly."
"I find it rather strange myself."
Artoria affectionately ran her hand along the sedan's smooth body.
"It didn't feel like I was learning through logic."
"It was more like..."
"...my instincts already knew what I should do next."
After taking a quick look around the property, concern appeared on her face.
"This house is practically in the center of the battlefield."
"Is that really safe?"
"Actually..."
Irisviel raised a slender finger.
"That makes it safer."
"The Holy Grail War is meant to remain hidden."
"Just as Tohsaka Tokiomi and Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald openly established their bases within the city..."
"...the Einzbern Family was actually the unusual one by building an isolated 'castle' in such a remote location."
"Since no one would suspect this place..."
"Kiritsugu's new base may actually be safer than our previous hideout."
"I see."
Artoria nodded thoughtfully.
As a Servant, she still wasn't as familiar with the practical workings of the Holy Grail War as Irisviel, who had been created specifically for it.
"But..."
Leon smiled.
"The idea of keeping the Holy Grail War hidden doesn't really exist anymore, does it?"
"After everything that happened today..."
"The scale of the disaster was simply too great."
"Anyone with even a little common sense would realize it couldn't have been caused by nothing more than an ordinary tidal surge."
"That's true."
Irisviel smiled wryly.
Whether it was the Asgardian-style defensive barrier Leon had deployed...
Caster's gigantic Sea Demon...
Or the golden beam of light from Excalibur that pierced heaven and earth...
None of it could possibly be explained away as a normal accident.
Remembering the shield Noble Phantasm Leon had manifested to protect everyone at the Tohsaka Mansion, Irisviel and Artoria exchanged a quiet glance.
Neither chose to ask any questions.
Everyone carried secrets they weren't ready to reveal.
They were no different.
Irisviel had concealed the existence of Avalon – The Everdistant Utopia.
And Artoria still hadn't fully opened her heart about the painful past she carried.
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