A/N:

Hey, everybody. Well, I started on another story. I'm kind of experimenting a little with this, so it might be written in a different way than my other stories. Maybe it will help with progression, but I won't be able to check and work on it until after my final exams are done.

Anyway, I also want to say that I probably didn't do as much research as I should have in regards to Fate accuracy and such, but then again, it's not like the fandom can wholeheartedly agree on much of it too. I still see a lot of people continuing to debate if Archer is OP or not and things like that. But whatever. I don't claim to be an expert either in all matters Nasuverse. I'll continue on and just amend the story if needed.

Also, in this version of Apocrypha, Sieg never woke up from his stasis. So proceed with that knowledge in mind.

The Great Holy Grail War.

It was a conflict that surpassed the scale of that of those before it. Instead of having seven Servants and seven Masters fighting one another for a chance of fulfilling their wishes, there was a change in the system that governed this war. One power controlled all seven Servants.

This was not acceptable.

Therefore an equal set of Servants were alloted, forming a separate faction to oppose this. However, further interference present was detected by the system of the Grail. It was due to this that it had no choice but to bring forth Ruler, not to preside over the war, but act in the best interest of protecting the concept of the Holy Grail War. It will grant the wish of those that stand at the end.

And it will have its war.

"Which of you is the Ruler-class Servant?"

Lancer of Red. The hero-god Karna, son of the sun god Surya. He sat upon a road sign, gazing down at those below him in the middle of the road.

"Why are there two Servants before me?" he asked.

Ruler came forward with her head held up high, and answered, "I am Jeanne D'Arc, the assigned Ruler-class Servant to this Holy Grail War. I come with news to bear to both factions of Red and Black Servants."

"What?" Gordes Musik Yggdmillenia arrived with Saber of Black. He looked confused as he stared at Ruler and the Servant beside her. "What is going on here?"

"Listen well!" said Ruler. "I have been summoned here not as an arbitrator, but as a Master that shall participate in this Holy Grail War! For this, I shall not have providence of some of the skills and abilities of my class. However, I too shall be in command of seven Servants of my own. From here on out, we will be of the Blue Faction. A Servant has already been summoned upon my own arrival."

They gazed at the Servant that stood beside her.

"Six more shall follow after this," she continued. "And with this large change to the system of the Grail, I will announce another important change. The Holy Grail will no longer grant one wish!"

Those there and those who were watching from afar were stunned by this revelation. After all, they all entered this war for a chance to make their wish come true. Masters and Servants alike each had their own wish seeking to be granted by the Grail. Each and every one would fight till the end for it.

"Then what the hell are we fighting for?!" bellowed Gordes. He grinded his teeth in frustration.

"There are now three," answered Ruler. She held up the corresponding number of fingers on her hand. "Three wishes. The Holy Grail will now grant three wishes to the winner of this war. No more, no less."

There was shocked silence after Ruler had said it. This was far beyond what any of them had expected.

"Though I am now a participant of this war, I hope to see that all factions shall fight in a manner proper with this Holy Grail War."

Lancer of Red suddenly jumped down from his perch and attacked Ruler. His spear was blocked, though. Immediately, he brought up his weapon to shield himself from the counterattack. The immense strength behind the attack surprised him and pushed him back following an immense gust of pressure. He narrowed his eyes at the Servant that stopped him.

"If you wish to fight here, then I shall be your opponent."

Though not tall, she stood proudly, standing between him and Ruler. A similar blond girl but with short hair, a more slender physique, and green eyes. Her shining armor was clad over her blue dress.

Lancer of Red could immediately discern that she was not an opponent that he could take lightly. He couldn't see what weapon she wielded in her hands, but he knew it was there. An invisible weapon that had stopped his lance.

"It would be an interesting fight…" Lancer pointed his weapon away, giving no indication he wanted to continue. "However, it appears that I am now being ordered to stand down. It seems they do not like my chances against going up against multiple Servants." He glanced at Saber of Black and his Master, who were both observing them intensely. "Though I wouldn't really mind. I have more confidence in my abilities than they do."

"And you?" she asked towards the Black faction.

Gordes scoffed. "I have no intention of fighting in a three-way battle. Come, Saber. We're leaving."

Both he and his Servant left by a car waiting by the roadside, Saber of Black glancing back at each of the Servants before leaving.

"We'll see each other again," Lancer said to Ruler and the Servant beside her before leaving in the opposite direction of the Black faction.

As soon as both Red and Black factions were gone from view, Ruler sighed. She looked quite tired after the ordeal.

"As expected," she said, her shoulders sagging slightly. "Things aren't going to be so straightforward in this war. The Red faction wanted me gone before I can summon the other Servants. If Saber of Black hadn't been here, they probably would have tried harder. Still, I'm sure the Black faction would have probably done the same if not for the same reason."

"Don't worry, Jeanne," said her Servant, giving her a small smile. "I will do everything I can to protect you."

Ruler returned her smile.

"Thank you, Saber."

"Oh? That was truly unexpected."

Lancer of Black, Vlad the Third, was sitting on his chair and grinned with dark amusement after they saw Ruler's declaration of her faction's participation in the war. To his side, Darnic Prestone Yggdmillenia remained silent, though his grip was clenched tightly on his staff. The rest of Black faction were positioned in front of them, clearly thinking over the absurd announcement that had just been made.

"Three wishes…?"

Caules Forvedge Yggdmillennia couldn't help but mumble out loud what had been on everyone's thoughts. If the Grail could grant more than one wish, then that would mean that the future of Yggdmillenia could be secured easily. With a single wish, a path to the Root could be obtained. But then what about the remaining two?

Of course, each soul there had their own personal wishes that they held. The fact that this change in the rules occurred, it could mean that there chances of having them granted would be possible.

"Don't let your dreams of victory blind you," said Lancer of Black. "You're focusing too much on only one part of Ruler's speech. The fact that the prize is now much greater is also followed by an increase in the difficulty of the task set against us."

They then remembered that they were no longer fighting just one faction to obtain the Holy Grail. Ruler would now join the war with seven of her own Servants. A Servant commanding other Servants in the war. It was not an easy concept for them to think of.

"Isn't that breaking the rules?" complained Caules.

"I doubt anyone else here would know the rules better than Ruler herself," answered Chiron, the Archer of Black. He remained firmly in place behind his Master's wheelchair. "While it should be a great violation of the greatest laws of Heroic Spirits, she did mention that some her abilities and skills of her class are not open to her. It could mean that there are other restrictions placed on her that would allow this or some other special circumstances to her summoning for the change in the system to proceed."

"Too bad we don't know what they are, though." Rider of Black sighed. "Having a Servant for a Master does seem a little too unfair."

"Perhaps we should have risked it and had Gordes' Saber taken her out before she could summon the rest of her Servants," said his Master, Celenike Icecolle Yggdmillenia.

"No," said the Elder of the Yggdmillenia clan firmly. "We can't disregard that, although she has spoken of being weaker, Ruler herself remains a Servant. Alongside that fact, Lancer of Red was present as well. He could have very well taken a chance to finish our Saber off. We cannot risk losing our soldiers so early on in this war. Not when the number of our enemies have increased."

"And that woman," said Lancer of Black. His eyes observed the frozen image of Ruler and her Servant floating above them. "Her posture reminds me that of my own. One of royal lineage, I would presume? She is strong. Strong enough that even facing our own Saber one on one would not be a guaranteed win for us."

Darnic nodded in agreement. "The question now is: How do we proceed, and how will those dogs from the Mage Association react to this?"

"Just what farce is this?!"

Semiramis, the Assassin of Red, looked livid as she watched Ruler's proclamation from their base. Meanwhile Caster of Red had a most joyous expression on his face at seeing the spectacle that had unfolded, no doubt his imagination running wild at such a story. Shirou Kotomine remained expressionless, though his eyes held a hint to his inner workings of his mind.

"A new chapter! A surprise development has sprung up that could very well turn this great story into a most magnificent one! Oh, how wonderful this war truly is for such inspiration to spring forth so boldly! A generous outbreak of amazement that will surely create an exposure of bloodstained savagery among the dauntless champions who care not to pander to the equivocal nature of this war!"

"What? This is not one of your plays!" Semiramis chided Shakespeare in annoyance. "This will hinders our plans of obtaining the Great Grail. With seven more Servants coming into this war, there is no telling what will happen!"

"Isn't that great!"

Semiramis looked disgusted at the great writer's ecstatic expression. The Queen of Assyria had a hard time dealing with him, and now his joyous mood just made it even more unbearable for her. She failed to notice how quiet her Master had been.

Shirou Kotomine was giving Ruler's speech with deep thought. He wondered if it truly was willed by the Grail to alter the course of events. He couldn't help but think if this might be a sign given to him by God that did not approve of his plans.

"Master?"

Semiramis came up to him, looking concerned. He smiled at her to reassure her, though he still masked his troubled thoughts.

"It seems we will need to adapt accordingly," he said, standing up straight. "For now, I think it's best if we have Berserker's Master stop his rampage with a Command Spell. It will only delay the inevitable, but perhaps we can use him at a more opportune time later on."

It was a wise choice. Picking a fight with the Black faction now would only weaken their respective sides, leaving Ruler's faction virtually unharmed and poised to attack whichever faction they chose. There was also the problem that they also virtually knew nothing about Ruler's Servants aside from her own identity that she had announced herself.

"Jeanne D'Arc, huh?" he said.

"Quite similar to yourself in many ways, wouldn't you say? Piety and all."

Semiramis did not seem pleased by Shakespeare's comment. Still, Shirou did not reproach him. There was truth in what he said.

"There's also that Servant with her." He gazed at the image of said Servant on their scrying screen. "Seems she's quite capable if she could block Karna's attack so easily. She must be quite a famous hero in her own right. It would seem the number of trials I have been given grows ever more. Though that still won't stop me from walking down this path I have chosen."

There was much that he needed to account for now that the war has changed. The other Servants under their faction will need to be informed as well. He then remembered the necromancer that had visited earlier before. It was likely that he and his Servant would not know of what had happened. Only now did he felt somewhat a little more regretful that he could not bring them to his side. Having his Saber around would prove immensely useful with their new situation.

"I wonder which of them is stronger?" he mused to himself.

"Master? It looks like you're getting a message from that suspicious priest."

Mordred glanced down from one of the stone sarcophagus she was lazily using as a bed at the scribbling message that was being written.

"Ah, could you check it for me?" Her Master, Kairi Sisigou, was cleaning the barrel of his shotgun from one corner of the underground tomb that they had unceremoniously turned into their base of operations. It was one of the only places that they could safely use from inside enemy territory.

"Go check it yourself," answered Mordred, too busy eating some of the snacks that he procured for her to bother getting up. "You're closer anyway."

The necromancer could only grumble, putting away his tools. He wondered if his Servant was truly rebellious in nature or just lazy. Ripping out the message that written out by the simple magic device given to him by the Mage's Association, he proceeded to read the contents of the letter. As his eyes slowly went down the message, his brow increasingly became more pronounced—so much so that Mordred noticed this and turned to see him frowning at it.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she nibbled on a scone. "Something important happen while we were down here?"

"Yeah," he nodded and scratched his head in frustration. "You could say something really big just happened. Seriously, this war is already troublesome enough as it is. This is just making things more complicated. If I'd known this would happen I would have charged more from the association back in London."

Looking a little excited, Mordred finally sat upright from where she lay.

"Really? Sounds fun." She smiled brightly in opposition to her Master's miserable face. "So what is it?"

Kairi could only sigh at her exuberance at such a thing.

"Looks like the Grail system didn't like how things were going and basically threw in a wrench to try and fix it," he answered. "It summoned Ruler to join in the fight. She won't be acting the part, though. For some reason, the Grail saw fit to have her participate in the war by making her command her own faction of seven Servants. That means we'll probably have more opposition to fight. Really, like there wasn't enough of you guys already out here?"

"Hoho…" Mordred gave a bloodthirsty grin. She cracked her knuckles in anticipation. "Now this is beginning to sound like a Great Holy Grail War. With seven more Servants in the mix, it won't be hard to find a fight. I wonder how many of them are really strong?"

"We don't even know much about the Servants of Black," said her Master, who was already considering if it was truly worth it. Still, he also read about the part of getting three wishes instead of one. It really would be truly worth it. "Only Ruler revealed her identity. We won't know much about Ruler's other Servants until she's summoned them, which she'll probably do today after that greeting our Lancer gave her."

He checked the bottom of the message.

"It seems she does have already one Servant with her," he said as he continued to read. "Must be pretty strong if she could stop our Lancer. Hard to believe based on her description—huh? Wait. This kind of sounds a lot like you."

Mordred suddenly rushed over and snatched the message out of her Master's hands, actually knocking him over as she did. Her eyes glared at the message as she read it over carefully, almost ripping it apart with the way she held on to it.

After appearing to have read it twice, she crumpled the paper, then slammed it and the entirety of her arm through the stone walls of the tomb, spreading clouds of dust and debris all over their base.

"H-Hey?!" Her Master coughed as he tried not to inhale any of it. "What did you do that for?!"

He paused after seeing the complex look on his Servant. She was gritting her teeth and her whole body was completely tense. Seeing what she had done to the wall so easily, he wisely chose to remain silent. After a minute, he heard her say one word:

"Father…"

In the outskirts of Trifas, an old abandoned mansion lay decrepit in the night. Vegetation was slowly reclaiming it as the decades had passed since last someone had been there. Though mostly intact, moss and vines had almost entirely taken over the outer walls of the building. However, in its lush and wide gardens, Ruler and Saber walked its ground, casually observing the area.

Almost no one was left that could remember that place's existence. It was fortunate for them that an old merchant had told them of the land when they were asking for directions from him. His father used to maintain its gardens long ago and had spoken to him of it. Now, it would serve as their temporary home until the Great Holy Grail War was over.

"I hope this summoning goes well," said Jeanne.

"Indeed," agreed Saber. She looked to be uneasy thinking about the other Servants. "Being summoned into this Grail War soon after mine ended… I can't help but wonder why that is so."

"I can't be sure either. There are a number of things strange with this Grail War. I only learned of my participation after I had been able to take form. I was surprised when the Grail system had forcibly commenced with summoning you right after."

Jeane couldn't help but giggle at the memory.

"It sort of does make me feel better that I'm not alone after coming here," she said.

"I would be glad to offer a hero such as yourself my aid, Jeanne," said Saber with a small smile. "As a hero and a saint, I have no need to worry over your character in pursuit of the Grail. It is actually reassuring to have someone like yourself as my Master."

"Was your previous Master not worthy of you?" asked Ruler. "It is terrible that Masters have the ability to choose their Servants, but Servants cannot do the same. Since the Command Seals normally only appear on mages, it is not difficult to understand that their personality might not always match that of the Heroic Spirits that they summon."

"Oh, no. Not at all." Saber denied it. She seemed mildly embarrassed, turning her gaze away. "In fact, I can't help but think that it was I that was not worthy of being his Servant."

Jeanne noticed that the mighty Saber-class Servant actually looked quite vulnerable right now as she spoke highly of her previous Master. It was the first time since they met that she thought the Servant matched how she looked without her armor on.

"Don't tell me you fell in love with him?" joked Ruler.

After walking a few steps, she stopped as she noticed that her companion had ceased behind her. She panicked a little bit, as she thought that she might have insulted the King of Knights for saying such a thing. However, when she observed her carefully, she saw that Saber's face was flushed completely red.

"No way!" shouted Ruler, slack-jawed at the scandalous thought. "You actually fell in love with your Master in your previous Grail War?"

Saber couldn't help but quietly wither under the intense and disbelieving stare that Ruler leveled at her.

"P-Please pay it no mind," she stuttered. "It no longer has anything to do with our battle here. I am here, and he is not."

"Then could that be your reason for pursuing the Grail?"

Saber's face then seemed troubled.

"It… was not the reason I wanted to obtain the Grail," she said slowly. "My original reason for pursuing the Grail was…"

"It's fine," said Jeanne, shaking her head as she held her hand out to grasp Saber on her shoulder. "You don't need to tell me if it isn't easy for you. Perhaps when you're ready you will share it with me."

Saber nodded gratefully to her for understanding.

"And maybe you could tell me about that Master of yours, too," Ruler smirked and gave her a small nudge.

After taking a moment to collect herself, Saber said, "It is about time now. We should likely prepare ourselves for their arrival. It may be… problematic if they arrive with the same situation as I."

Ruler agreed with that statement. Somehow, she understood that the Grail had chosen to put her in command of seven Servants that had lost their lives from an alternate reality of a different Grail War. One where the Grail had still been conducted in Fuyuki City and had never been stolen. Saber's own story corroborated it, as she herself had been a casualty after she and her Master had destroyed the corrupted Grail of their version of the Holy Grail War. She at least could breathe a sigh of relief that the Great Grail in their current war was untainted. She wished she knew how events had turned to produce such an outcome different from theirs.

After waiting for several minutes, Jeanne felt the surge of mana pushed onto her. The Grail was starting the process of giving her possession of the Command Seals used to control the coming Servants.

She closed her eyes and clasped her hands in prayer. She could feel the pain of having the seals ingrained onto her back, just as it had with Saber's. It was painful, but she had gotten through much worse. Soon, the prickling pain on her back started to subside. Though her eyes remained closed, she knew that six magic circles appeared before her, pulling the spirits of the Servants that will fight for her. Once bright lights had dimmed, she opened her eyes and saw them.

There was a look of confusion among their faces, save for Berserker's, whose own seemed to be permanently stoic in chiseled stone.

And then—

"Archer!"

—chaos ensued.

The Servant wearing a hooded bluish-purple robe had immediately attacked another dressed in black and red. Since she had shouted just before she attacked, Ruler understood that the other must have been Archer. Being a Servant and of the Ruler-class, Jeanne was able to discern their classes. She, however, was not able to see their names just as she would have had if she had been summoned normally in this war. It was just one of the few restrictions that the Grail had put on her.

"You damn traitor!" hissed Caster as she fired her spells at him.

"Traitor?" Archer deflected the purple beams of magic with the twin swords he projected, putting some distance between himself and Caster. "I don't remember doing anything to you. Last I remember, Saber was the one that dealt you the finishing blow."

The other Servants did nothing to stop them and merely observed or ignored them from the sidelines.

Caster summoned multiple spell circles above her, charging up for another attack. "You think you can lie and pretend that you did nothing wrong? Because of you I had to leave my Master! It's your fault that I died!"

Strong magical energy channeled into her spells. It was apparent that she was dead serious about killing him. Archer clicked his tongue in annoyance as he prepared to face the oncoming barrage.

"Cease this at once!" Jeane commanded. Though she did not use a Command Seal, all the Servants present recognized her as their Master. They could feel the compulsion to obey her order coursing through them.

Grudgingly, Caster dissipated her magic, though she continued to throw a spiteful gaze at Archer, who merely shrugged and let go of his blades that vanished into thin air.

"So it would appear that your conjecture was correct," Saber said beside Jeanne. She furrowed her brows as her eyes wandered over the familiar Servants standing before them. "They are also Servants of the Fifth Holy Grail War of Fuyuki City. It also seems that they carry the memories of before their moment of passing."

Jeane gave a deep sigh.

It will take some time for her to sort everything out. Possibly even longer to clear up the discourse between Caster and Archer. Fortunately, the saint had plenty of patience and experience with mediating talks.

When a Servant is summoned, it is given the necessary information about the world and the war in which they will participate in. They receive general knowledge of the current age and society so that they have a grasp on how most things work, even though they are summoned to a vastly different age and culture from where or when they are used to. Correspondingly, all memories of there time in the world during the war is wiped clean once it is over. They are merely copies after all. This is why summoning the same Heroic Spirit at another time will have no recollection of the war they once fought before.

It was part of the system that's been in place since the first Holy Grail War.

Ruler knew this better than most. Even having a better understanding of it than the family of mages that created it in the first place. Yet she had trouble coming to terms with the fact that all seven Servants under her command have all their previous memories of their Grail War intact.

After taking the time to listen to each and everyone's version of events up to the point that led to their deaths, Ruler was able to determine that not all seven Servants came from the same reality. As far as she could tell, they all came from one of three possible routes of their version the Grail War. This was easy enough to verify. Saber and Rider both had overlapping stories, with Rider confirming her death at the hands of the King of Knights. Lancer told his death at the hands of a different Assassin from the one present, and Archer verified the existence of it, making them part of the same route. Caster, Assassin, and Berserker came from another.

"How can you even be sure about Berserker?" asked Lancer, sitting cross-legged on the grass. "All he does is grunts, snarls, or roars—not exactly a master storyteller, is he?"

"As his Master and a Servant of the Ruler-class, I am able to infer on his thoughts and feelings," said Ruler. She gently put her hand on the hard and muscled arm of the ferocious Servant. "His regret and sadness echoes even now from his failure to protect his Master. He really cared deeply for her. It must have been hard for you?"

Whether Berserker agreed or not, there was no hint of emotion on his face at all. He simply stood perfectly still, like a stone statue of a very angry god ready to erupt into violence at any given moment.

"Whatever you say." Lancer didn't seemed convinced at all. "So, care to tell us what this is all about? Can't say I'm not glad to have another chance at having to fight. With losing the way I did, I'd like to make up for it, you know?"

Ruler nodded. "With your arrival here, the war can now proceed in full. Due to a deviation in this Grail War, two factions of seven Servants and Masters were formed. However, the Great Grail, sensing that something seemed amiss, summoned me and called for me to enter the war as a participant, giving me control of seven Servants of my own to create an opposing faction to the existing two."

"Strange." Lancer rubbed his chin in thought. "Just what could it have sensed that would allow a Servant to lead other Servants? That's a pretty strict taboo. Isn't that right, Caster?"

Caster glowered at the smirking blue-clad Servant. He was likely referring to her having broken the same rule before, what with her summoning Assassin as her own Servant during their war.

"I cannot say for sure," said Ruler, looking slightly dismayed. "It must have judged that there is an anomaly in this war that cannot be ignored so easily. Adding more Servants into the war might have been its intent on balancing and fixing it. Perhaps we will know more later on. However, I should point out that it is not that a Servant can't lead another Servant. Only that the dead cannot lead the living."

"Really." Archer snorted a laugh, leaning on what was left of a collapsing outer wall of the garden. "Has there ever been a Grail War that was normal? The fact that a wish granting device is in existence is an anomaly itself. There isn't anything normal about it at all. Not even our own that we were in."

"That is so," agreed Saber.

Ruler remembered what the King of Knights said her final moments were. She and her Master had destroyed the Grail due to the corruption that had taken hold inside of it. It was unsure how long the corruption had been there, but Saber had said that it had been likely already corrupted during the Fourth Grail War of Fuyuki City as well.

"And since none of us here are truly alive, I suppose that the Grail will allow this?" Assassin, who remained standing and wore an amused smile ever since he appeared earlier, didn't seem particularly bothered by it. "To even allow an improper Servant like I to participate once again, I am starting to doubt the very purpose of it. Not that I can complain. At the very least, I am free to walk wherever I wish with this chance now that I am an actual Servant with a true Master." He gave Ruler a wink. "Of course about as free as my beautiful Master wishes for me to be."

Ruler blushed. She coughed once and changed the subject.

"W-Well, we should probably confirm our purpose in this war," she said. "But first, I'd like to know each and everyone of your names first. It would also help us understand each other better since we are all on the same side."

"Aren't you Ruler, though?" said Lancer. "Don't you already recognize us just by looking at us?"

"Unfortunately, that is one of my abilities that have been restricted by the Grail," she sighed. "It would be unfair to the Servants of the other factions if I could discern their identities so simply. Hence why I am unable to know which Heroic Spirits are now in front of me."

"If that's all then I don't really mind. Be amazed since the one that stands before you is Ch—"

"That would be problem for me." Archer interrupted Lancer.

"Huh?" Lancer stood up and glared at the passive bowman. "Does your identity really matter all that much, Archer? To even go against your Master's order so soon before we've even begun this war…"

"I-It wasn't really an order," said Ruler in a panic.

Lancer materialized his red spear and pointed it at him.

"You know, you're the only here who I'm truly interested in knowing which Heroic Spirit you are. I have to say again that I've never met a bowman that fights with two swords. Why is that? Is it just me, or is it the same for everyone here?"

As a Servant, in addition to the general knowledge the Grail had imbued into them, they can all recollect the names of other famous heroes that have joined the Throne of Heroes, irregardless of what time period they had come from. It is the reason why the identity of Servants are usually guarded so secretively, since enemy Servants could use their weaknesses that come from their legends.

All the other Servants looked at one another, sharing no signs of having an idea of which Heroic Spirit Archer could be. They stared at him with curious eyes, except Berserker, who remained still as a statue, his eyes hard and pointed forward.

"It is true…" Saber agreed, frowning. "It had always bothered me that I couldn't identify which Heroic Spirit you are, Archer. I would never consider you an inferior Heroic Spirit. Even when you had ultimately fallen in the end, I was told that you had managed to kill Berserker six times in your battle against him."

Everyone there looked surprised by this. Even Berserker himself, who had not shown much a reaction to anything, turned his head to stare at Archer. No one there had expected that an Archer-class Servant like him could be able to do much against someone like Berserker. Ruler, being a Master, still had the ability to discern the parameters of Servants. Given his stats, she didn't think he was capable of even putting much of a fight against Berserker.

Archer didn't seem pleased to have people know that and answered, "Six times, huh? Must have been a hard and overwhelming fight. I would congratulate myself on a job well done, however, I have no recollection of it."

"Your attitude really pisses me off," said Lancer, whose mood looked to be growing darker by the second. "Just who the hell are you, Archer?"

"Do you really not want to trust us, Archer?" Ruler walked up to him, watching him with her deep amethyst-colored eyes filled with purity and concern.

For a while, the cynical Servant scowled and tried to endure it, but he couldn't seem to stand it in the end and broke away from the sight. She, however, continued to stare at him.

He gave a defeated sigh and said, "I can't very well tell you who I am if I don't even know myself now, can I?"

"Eh?"

Archer scratched his head in annoyance.

"You can blame my previous Master for that," he answered. "She made a serious mistake with the summoning and somehow botched the ritual. It was fortunate enough that I was still able to make full use of the skills I have, so you won't need to concern yourselves with my ability in battle. That's the reason why I can't tell you who I am."

"Hmph." Caster glared down at him from the wall she sat upon. "How convenient for you, isn't it? Though I suppose I should have expected as much coming from that Master of yours. She didn't strike me as a particularly competent mage."

"Is that so?" Ruler thought it couldn't be helped if that was the case. She felt it was too bad that she couldn't know his name. There was something to him as Lancer had said that nudged at the end of the curiosity of her thoughts. "Then I suppose we should continue on then?"

"Alright then." Lancer tapped the butt of his spear to the ground. "As I was saying, I am Ch—"

"Wait." Caster interrupted as she floated down from the wall. "Why must we give our identities out to Archer when he can't do the same? Even if he can't recall who he is, that isn't a reason for us trust him with our own. After all, he's already changed his loyalties twice before. Can we really trust someone that would break his words so easily?"

"She has a point," agreed Assassin. His playful look turned serious. "He once tried to kill Saber's Master before me after our battle, even though their Masters were allied with one another other during the time. Had I not intervened, he most likely would have gotten away with it."

"What?!" Saber shouted. She gritted her teeth and stared angrily at Archer. "Why would you do such a thing?!"

"Again, I have no recollection of doing so," sighed Archer. "At this point, all your grievances against me are misplaced, seeing as I am not the same Servant everyone here knows, save for Lancer. Honestly, even I'm starting to get annoyed by my actions in your version of events. It doesn't really matter now, does it? We have a whole new war here to fight."

"That still doesn't change the fact that it had been a version of you that had done so!" said Caster.

Tension had built up once again. It was heavy enough among the Servants that Ruler thought if she did nothing, all the other Servants might try and pick a fight with Archer. She wondered why the Grail gave her such a problematic Servant to deal with. However, she could not let things be as they are. She had to take the Holy Grail War above her own concerns.

"Archer, I think it's best if you go scout out our surroundings," she said. "Rider, please go with him."

Archer shrugged, but moved to do as he was told.

"Also, I already know everyone's identity here anyway," he said as he slowly walked away. "Artoria Pendragon, Cú Chulainn, Heracles, Medusa, Sasaki Kojirou, and Medea. With that, you guys should have no problems sharing your names now, will you?"

They could all see him smirk as he dematerialized, Rider following after him.

"Tch! That bastard!"

Caster vanished away as well, leaving only the remaining five Servants in the garden.

"Dammit!" Lancer stomped the ground. "I couldn't even introduce myself at all! What the hell?!"

Archer and Rider jumped from tree to tree among the vast forested area that surrounded their base. Occasionally, they would stop and observe their surroundings, watching for any signs of the enemy or danger. They continued on this exact procedure every time they moved, keeping up without a break in their pace, with Archer in the lead. Both of them took their orders seriously.

"Something you want to say?"

Rider looked up at Archer, who didn't offer her so much as a glance.

She was surprised. It was the first time any of them had spoken since they'd left the others. They had maintained a solemn but cooperative silence since then.

"…What do you mean?" she said.

"So, you don't?"

Rider was about to reply that she didn't, however, she realized that she would likely have few opportunities to ask him later on.

"How was… my Master in your Holy Grail War?" she asked hesitantly after a minute of pause.

She noticed Archer look back at her, before turning his attention ahead of them again.

"I take it you mean Sakura, and not that idiot of a Master you had before?" he said. "They were in a rather precarious situation when I left, but I wouldn't worry too much. She has good people with her that will see her through the end. They won't let anything bad happen to her."

"Will she really be fine?" Rider understood that the Sakura she knew and the one that Archer knew were different, but she still worried over her nonetheless.

They stopped at the branch of a tall tree, allowing them to view their surroundings from miles away.

"You'll do everything you can to protect her, right?" asked Archer, to which Rider nodded seriously. "Then she'll be fine. After all, she still has you there with her."

He jumped away, leaving Rider alone where she stood.

Rider really didn't know what was going on in his mind. She didn't doubt what the other Servants said that he had done. He was a mysterious Servant that can't be trusted. But in a way, she thought they shared some similarities to one another.

And that he was surprisingly kind.

"A real fool…" she whispered, a faint smile showing on her lips.

With their scouting completed, Archer and Rider returned to the mansion. When they arrived, though, they had quickly became tense at seeing Lancer and Assassin waiting outside. Both Servants suspected that something must have occurred while they were gone, given the serious looks on the two.

"What happened?" Archer asked immediately as they approached. He tried to sense the presence of enemies nearby, but he could only recognize the presence of their comrades.

"Ruler collapsed just now," answered Lancer. "We're not sure why. Saber is with her, checking her for injuries or signs of an attack. We couldn't see how that could have happened, though. Still checked the surroundings just to be sure."

"And the others?"

"Caster is setting up this place as her territory," said Assassin. "Our mountainous Berserker hasn't moved an inch from his spot in the gardens since you two left. It seems he won't respond to anyone other than Ruler."

Archer nodded. He opened the door leading inside.

The mansion was fully furnished. Everything was covered in dust and in partial states of decay, but whoever had lived there before did not seem to have bothered taking most of their belongings with them when they left. It wasn't quite as big as the Einzbern's castle in Fuyuki, but it was still roughly half its size. The halls and floors inside were made of marble, with the ceiling textured of realistic vines and leaves.

Archer and Rider found Saber beside Ruler in the foyer. It seemed that Saber had managed to dust off one of the old couches before placing Ruler on it to rest. He could see Ruler was just starting to wake up as he got close. She looked pale and weak in her condition.

"Are you alright?" Saber asked her, helping her up as she held out her hand.

"Were you attacked?" said Archer, giving her a quick once over to check for any signs.

"I'm… fine," answered Ruler. "I'm not sure why I fainted."

Suddenly a low rumble sounded, turning into a very long growl that emanated from her stomach. Her cheeks turned red as she quickly understood what must have happened to her. Ever since she had been summoned and taken possession of Laeticia's body, she hadn't eaten anything at all. She'd forgotten that due to that, she required to take in sustenance as normal humans do.

Archer, who was wide-eyed at the sound, chuckled, which then turned into full laughter. Meanwhile, Rider covered her mouth and turned away from their view. It was obvious that the usually expressionless Servant was trying not to show how amusing she'd found the situation to be.

"D-Don't laugh!" Ruler said as her face turned into an even brighter shade of red. "I-I didn't expect that this would happen to me… It has been a long time since I last walked the earth after all!"

"I should probably head to town and get us some supplies?" Archer said as he tried to stop himself from smirking too much at Ruler's upset gaze. "I can probably make something with the kitchen here that could solve your problem. It shouldn't take too long. I'll try to make a good portion that will satisfy you."

There was another rumbling sound. This, however, came from the girl beside Ruler. The King of Knights looked to be pretending that it didn't came from her, avoiding everyone's gaze. The only give away was the slight tinge of red on her cheeks.

"…Maybe I should prepare some more for the rest of us too, I guess?"

"If you would," Saber nodded regally. "I understand that we require no need for nourishment due to Ruler maintaining our magical energy through the Holy Grail, but that does not mean that we cannot enjoy them. It would also make Ruler feel more comfortable if all of us would eat alongside her."

"Right…" Archer could only shake his head at her stubborn denial. He'd almost forgotten how gluttonous she could be.

"The air here is good."

Assassin took in a deep breath whilst he had his hands hidden away in the pockets of his dark purple jacket. He had never before been outside of Japan, so he was taking in the scenery with a refreshing smile. The sun was high and the sky bright and clear. He had only just taken material form after Archer had purchased a set of clothes for themselves to better blend in with the townsfolk. They were currently in a small hub town located between Trifas and Sighisoara. It was the closest town to their base that they would have the least likely chance of being discovered.

It didn't mean there weren't any surveillance in such a small place, though. Fortunately, it was easy enough for Archer to spot them from afar, with Assassin able to sense any others that were hidden away from plain sight. They even managed to procure some much needed funds from the Ygdimillenia mage stationed there without him noticing.

"We're not here to sightsee," said Archer, who was paying for a bag of fruits from the stall owner. He wore a simple pair of black pants and a light-gray shirt. "We should be wary. This is still enemy territory we're in."

"Isn't it fine?" Lancer wrapped an arm around his shoulder and looked positively beaming. "This place seem pretty safe, ain't it? You're too uptight, Archer. Relax a little, won't you?"

"Give me a break…" sighed Archer. He eyed the Hound of Culann with annoyance. "Aren't you a little too relaxed, Lancer? And where did you even get that shirt?"

The rather cheery Servant wore an ugly, colorful and eye-catching Hawaiian polo shirt. Thankfully, he wore simple black pants like Archer so that he wouldn't stand out more than he already did. If he'd worn shorts and sandals, he'd look like a guy lazily enjoying his vacation.

"What's wrong with it?" asked Lancer, checking his loudly colored shirt. "I saw some people walking around with the same designs. Besides, you said to blend in, right? I think it looks pretty good on me. It was even on sale, too."

Assassin smiled with amusement at Archer's aggravated expression. He didn't think the two would get along so well after what happened before. It was likely that it was due to Lancer being the type to put problems out of his mind when not needed. It was an admirable quality, one that balances out his poor tastes in clothing.

The three of them were gathering supplies to bring back to the mansion. Archer had requested their help in this endeavor after he had explained to them Ruler's situation. Lancer had been rather bored standing around doing nothing, so he'd agreed easily. Assassin had also joined since he wanted to help their pure maiden of a Master and finally stretch his legs for once.

There were a few tourists here and there on the streets with them, however, the townspeople were the majority. There were stalls of goods and products, with people hawking there wares to passing customers. There were also plenty of cows, ducks, and other farm animals in penned portions of the homes. It looked to be like any peaceful and normal town out in the countryside.

"Hey, we should get some beer while we're here?" said Lancer.

"No." Archer shot him down instantly. "We don't know how long this war is going to last, so we have to stick with a budget in mind. That mage had a lot of this country's currency at his home, but that doesn't mean we can just spend it without care. We can only purchase the basic necessities."

"C'mon! Don't be so stingy! Didn't you buy some tea leaves from down the street? How is that a basic necessity?!"

"Oh, but it is," said Assassin, holding onto the paper bag of tea leaves. "Tea is needed to calm the mind and open one's soul. It is a basic right that should not be neglected."

"Lies!" pointed Lancer. "You're just saying that cause you enjoy it too! Don't think I missed you picking out your own set that you liked from there!"

It was true. Assassin did pick out a few leaves with Archer, amiably chatting whilst discussing the aroma and possible taste of each. He greatly preferred it to alcohol.

"Give it up, Lancer. You're about the only Servant with us that likes to drink beer anyway. It's possible that Berserker enjoys it too, but he's not really going to answer if he does, is he? Everyone else would rather prefer a warm cup of tea."

Archer dumped the bag of groceries onto him.

"This is unfair, you know that!" Lancer protested. "You guys can't just single me out because of that! I have needs to, you know?!"

"Majority rules, Lancer." Archer started heading towards another stand. "You can take it up with Ruler once we get back. For now, be a good dog and help carry our stuff. We still have a few more items to get."

Lancer growled. "I really, really hate your guts, you damn cheapskate!"

As they followed after Archer, Assassin caught sight of a group of townsfolk murmuring with each other in front of a newsstand. Everyone else in town looked carefree and content with their day to day lives, but the people by the newsstand seemed to be worried about something. And so, Assassin walked over to check what seemed to be bothering them.

He immediately saw why.

Taking a few coins from his pocket, he paid the vendor for a copy of the newspaper.

"Well, it seems we'll be making a move earlier than anticipated," he said after reading it.

He had no doubt that Ruler would want to act on it as soon as possible once he delivered the news.

"Hey…" Lancer stood, mouth agape in front of the mansion. "Are we still in the right place? Did we make a wrong turn somewhere?"

He and the others were stunned in place when they arrived to find that the mansion that had been basically falling apart from before was now in pristine condition. There was no trace of moss, vines, or rotting wood anywhere on its surface. In fact, the place looked practically new. The windows were clear and shining. The grasses were trimmed and the weeds gone. They could even see the jungled garden from where they were summoned was restored to its former beauty. A working fountain had been unearthed from all the dense foliage near it, with a large stone statue standing by the hedges…

"Oh, wait, that's Berserker," said Lancer after noticing that the statue looked far too dark and angry, seemingly out of place in the sparkling serene garden. "The hell happened while we were gone?"

"I made sure to spruce up the place, of course."

Caster materialized and hovered just above them. She seemed to be in a better mood now. It was probably because she liked being above others all the time that she tended to float around like that, looking down on everyone else.

"I've been quite busy, unlike you three useless idiots," she sneered. "I'd hate to stay at someplace that is on the verge on collapsing. Perhaps muscle-headed men such as yourselves are able to live in such conditions, but I won't have our Master and the other girls tolerate poor and inadequate housing."

"Territory Creation, huh?" Archer mumbled. It was one of the specialized skills that Caster had, allowing her to modify the terrain of a location to her advantage.

"Correct," she answered. "Now, if you're all done gawking, I suggest you hurry up and greet our Master inside."

Caster quickly vanished, disappearing into tiny glowing moths to the sky.

"Still the tyrant even when she no longer commands me," chuckled Assassin.

"Honestly…" sighed Lancer. "That woman could stand to lose the attitude a little bit. Talk about being such a pain."

Once they entered the mansion, they saw that everything had been fixed up as well. The broken fixtures and furniture had all been magically repaired. The faded walls were now immaculate and fresh, with a woody smell of pine suffusing all over the place. The indoor lamps had illuminated the inside, even though there shouldn't have been any running electricity.

"You can tell them to meet at the dining room in an hour," said Archer before he parted for the kitchen, bringing with him the groceries they bought. "I'll have dinner ready by then."

"Sure you don't need any help?"

"I'll call you if I need to stick a pig to roast."

"Better make something edible at least," retorted Lancer. "Don't wanna kill our own Master if you can't even make a half-decent meal."

Having said that, Lancer and Assassin went to see Ruler.

She was looking at the large paintings that hung all over the walls of the west wing of the mansion. There were pictures of men, women and children, but there were plenty of landscapes as well. Ruler was standing before a wide painting of a woman holding a cross to her chest, with a yellow painted halo over her head and fires rushing high from behind her.

"Always complicated to see the world's depiction of you after you've gone, huh?" said Lancer, his demeanor neutral. He didn't much care for it. "Kind of stupid, really."

"It doesn't bother me," answered Ruler, shaking her head. "It is our legends that leave us in the hearts and minds of the people long past our lives. If it can inspire others to act the same, I pray the world shall remember me with firm belief in my faith in God. It does not matter if they do so through my death."

Lancer told her about Archer making dinner for them soon. Since he didn't really feel like talking anymore about religion and the complexities of faith, he left her and Assassin to go check on Saber. He could tell that she wasn't inside the mansion. Ruler had mentioned that the King of Knights went to the small lake beside the gardens.

Lancer had walked outside and passed through the garden, where Berserker remained in the same spot he'd seen him last. He greeted the monstrous Servant cheerfully, but all he received was a piercing glance down at him that seemed to be trying to drill through his very existence. When he had asked him if he liked alcohol, the intimidating Servant just snarled in answer, making him dart pass him instead of waiting for a coherent answer. He had to wonder if it was due to Mad Enhancement that he always looked so hostile or if he had really been just that kind of person.

Saber, he found, stood at the edge of the lake, staring far off into the distance, seemingly contemplating.

"Hey, dinner's up soon," he said to her as he approached.

"Is that so? Then we should return and take part," she said.

However, Saber's gaze remained locked onto him, her eyebrows furrowing as she seemed to be examining him closely.

Thinking that it was probably what he was wearing that caused her stare intensely at him, he said, "What? Is it really that bad?"

Saber tilted her head in question. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Lancer…" she seemed hard-pressed to answer, but then straightened herself with determination. "What was it that you wish for?"

He raised an eyebrow, surprised she was asking him that.

"You must have one, don't you?" she said. "A strong wish that allowed for you to be chosen in this war. I know you to be an honorable and worthy hero, who'd even challenged the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh himself. Though you knew it would mean your end, you fought for our sakes. What reason would a hero like you wish for the Grail?"

Lancer sighed and sat down to his knees, staring at the placid lake. He found a round rock by his side. Picking it up, he threw across the water with a casual flick of his hand, the stone skipping multiple times until it almost reached the end of the lake.

"You're making me out to be better than I really am," he said wistfully. "I'm glad the me in your war had the balls to stand up to that prick. I wasn't really able to do anything worth mentioning in mine before I croaked. As for my wish? I just wanted a good fight. Simple. A heart-pounding fight that would last until I can't stand on my legs or hold my spear in my hands up anymore."

"A warrior's wish through and through, correct?"

"That's right." He nodded. "And I wanted it badly enough that I compromised myself, following around a rotten Master like his dog on a leash. Not exactly the perfect picture of a hero now, am I?"

Lancer had skulked around in the war like some ordinary underling for that priest. He still remembered the bitter taste it left in his mouth after he'd stabbed that red-haired brat in his heart. Just because the kid saw something that he shouldn't have, he had to die because of that. He'd like to say that there was nothing he could do about it since it had been his Master's orders, but he knew himself better that.

"And does your wish remain unchanged?" continued Saber, her green eyes appearing to be still insistent.

"Yeah," he answered with a content smile on his face. "I'm absolutely glad to be here. There's no chance of us getting through this war without a big battle coming out of it. I don't care who it is, but I'm going to fight them with everything I've got this time around. A valiant battle to the death worthy of being a hero."

"So… what happens if a Servant no longer wishes for the Grail?"

"What?" Lancer turned to her. Getting back up on his feet, he said, "Why the hell would a Servant even be here, then? Saber… it can't be you—?!"

"I… no longer need it," Saber nodded and replied, turning once again to stare at the lake. "Well, it is more that I no longer have any use for it. I realized that the wish that had dragged me into the war in the first place was a mistake. A foolish wish of a foolish king. That is why I had no regrets at all when I destroyed the Holy Grail."

Lancer was silent. It was true that the circumstance surrounding their summoning to this Grail War was outside the norm, but aside from Ruler, all Servants summoned in the war were taken by their desire to have their wishes granted. A second chance for many who may have had regrets before their untimely demise.

And many of them did have regrets.

"Come, we should not keep the others waiting."

Saber finished the conversation before he could say anything, walking pass him. He couldn't really say anything to stop her. If she had no wish, then for what reason would she fight in this war?

"What the hell is up with this whole thing?" he grumbled. "Can't it ever be damn simple?"

Ruler had read the article from the newspaper that Assassin had brought. A serial killer that the media had taken to referring to as "Jack the Ripper" was on the front page. Multiple victims had been showing up dead at Bucharest, all showing the the gruesome signs of the same killer at work.

Their hearts were ripped out from their bodies.

While she can't be completely sure of it, there was a high chance that a Servant was responsible for it. If a Master of a Servant lacked or could not provide the required magical energy for a Servant's upkeep, it was possible for the Servant to convert the energy from consuming people. And it is in the heart of humans where the greatest energy they could take.

"I have to stop this."

Before Ruler could take two steps, she stumbled, almost falling to the floor had Assassin not caught her in his arms just in time. She felt the pangs of hunger coming from her middle. It took some effort for her to stand on her own again with how weak her legs had gotten.

"Perhaps after you've had a filling meal first," suggested Assassin. "You can barely walk out in your current condition. It is unlikely that you will be able to do anything else before then."

"But I can't just sit back and eat knowing that a Servant might be hurting people unrelated to the war!" Ruler protested.

"It is not my place to tell how a Master should behave, however, have you not commanded armies of men into battle before, Ruler? You know better than I what happens when one side rushes to meet another while ill-prepared and in poor condition."

He was right. Ruler had seen more than her fair share of the intricacies of war. Many commanders have led their men to their deaths due to ignoring the health and wellbeing of those under them. All of it had always contributed to the failures of their missions. Given her current state, it would be unwise for her to go out and stop that Servant. In fact, it would actually be the perfect time for the other factions to strike at them when she showed weakness.

If she were to be killed, then the Servants that followed her would likely disappear and lose their second chance to reach the Holy Grail. It didn't matter that she had no wish for it herself. It would be selfish of her to take her role as their Master half-heartedly just because of that. It was also wrong of her to ignore her body's needs since she was only borrowing it from Laeticia in the first place.

"I understand…" she said gloomily.

"Please don't be discouraged." Assassin offered her a smile, as he held her hand in his. "It pains me to see that my words cast a shadow upon your lovely image. I feel as if I've caused the petals to wilt from an alluring flower such as yourself."

"W-What?" Ruler could feel herself blush. She wasn't at all used to being complimented like that. In her life, the people had respected her a great deal, being called a woman of God. It was also the reason why that there hadn't really been any men in her short life that had tried to flirt with her, even though she'd received praises for her beauty on the battlefield before.

"W-We should eat soon!" she sputtered as she quickly took her hand back, walking away from him and displaying more energy than she had before. "We can discuss the matter of dealing with Bucharest later!"

She hurriedly went to the dining area, leaving a rather pleased Assassin behind her.

Everyone expected dinner to be a simple affair, basically a time for all the Servants to gather whilst having something to nimble on as they talk about their plans in the war and other important matters. The only one that really needed eat was Ruler in the first place. So it wasn't necessarily wrong that they had assumed the meals to be plain.

When they arrived to sit down at long and ornate wooden dining table, what waited for them was a gorgeous feast. Golden-brown roasted ducks, creamy mashed potatoes, tenderly grilled juicy steaks, and many more were neatly arranged along the table. There was even a beautifully arranged salad that looked like a blossoming flower.

"What are you guys standing around for?" Archer dropped another dish to the table. "The food will start to get cold."

Everyone picket out their seats at the table. It was obvious that Ruler would be made to seat at the head of the table, with Assassin and Saber taking the corner seats beside her. Caster and rider where on Saber's side of the table, while Lancer and Archer were on Assassin's side.

Ruler held her hands in prayer, thanking him for the food provided in front of them. The other Servants either followed her lead, remained silent, or shifted uneasily in their seats as they waited for her to finish. Afterwards, much the their surprise, Ruler began filling her plate to the brim and started eating immediately. Saber was quick to do the same, with Lancer grinning as he reached out for a duck leg himself. Everyone else approached dinner more moderately, selecting whatever they fancied and savoring the taste.

"So, Lancer, do you think it's edible enough for you?" Archer looked smugly at the Servant, who tried to frown at him with a mouthful of meat.

After gulping down the meat, Lancer said, "I-It's okay… Dammit! Okay! It's really good!"

Caster's reaction to her meal was a little more complexed. After taking a bite, there was a look of pure bliss on her face, which was then quickly followed by a look of shame, disgust, then anger. It was probably hard for her to admit that she liked it.

Rider remained mute and expressionless, however, her utensils would whip out like a snake once her plate dwindled, making it look like it still held the same amount of food as before.

Saber was steadfastly demolishing everything, noble in her demeanor, but plowing through the food like a truck. Meanwhile in front of her, Assassin seemed to be taking it easy, chewing onto his sandwich slowly with each bite.

As for Berserker, he was still in his place in the gardens. He did not seem interested when they asked if he would like to join them. And it seemed impossible for him to join them at the table, given how large the Servant was. Still, Archer had dropped off a few meals for him, leaving it at the foot of the Servant like some sort of offering to a deity.

Once there was not a single crumb left on the table, everyone started to settle down, waiting on Ruler to begin the conversation.

"Well, then." Ruler wiped her lips carefully with a napkin. After finally filling her belly, her the strength in her eyes returned. "I would like to formally begin our plans for winning the Great Holy Grail War… Is what I want to say," she sighed. "However, there is a serious matter that I first have to address."

She pulled out the newspaper from earlier and slid out to the table for everyone to see.

"A Servant, is it?" said Lancer.

"How despicable," said Saber with revulsion.

"Then, what do you plan on doing with this?" asked Lancer, leaning on his hand on the table.

"I will investigate it, of course," answered Ruler. "Though I am now a participant in this war, I still cannot overlook those that would blatantly compromise the rules of the war. Involving the lives of outsiders is unacceptable. If I find that a Servant is responsible for it, then I will pass on judgment onto him and eliminate him as a threat."

There was a pause in the room, with each Servant seemingly mulling what she had said, a few masking themselves with a look of indifference.

"It's something I'd expect coming from a Ruler-class Servant," said Lancer. "However, it's not something I would expect coming from our Master."

None of the other Servants disagreed with him. Even Caster held back her usual scathing remarks about him and remained silent.

"But I can't just ignore this!" Ruler slammed her palms on the table.

"I know, I know," sighed Lancer. "I guess this is the problem when you don't have a mage as a Master. Not that I'd change it. But you still have to remember to act in a way that won't jeopardize our goal here."

"Yes," Caster nodded. "As surprising as it is to hear something so sensible from the mutt, I have to agree with him. Ruler can't be allowed to go."

Ruler sat back down, looking forlorn.

"Well, as our Master in this war, it would be a different matter if she were to send us as her Servants to investigate it as a way to gather information on a potential enemy," said Assassin, causing Ruler to perk back up. He winked at her from the corner of his eyes. "After all, it won't do for us to simply remain here, waiting for our enemies to come to us."

"So it is as you say," nodded Saber. "We cannot hope to defeat our enemies from the safety of our castle. The question is then who shall be sent to investigate?"

It wasn't a question that not all of them will go. Ensuring Ruler's safety against their enemies is their priority, so most of them will have to remain and guard her, fortifying their position as best they can.

"I've decided," spoke Ruler in a decisive tone. "The ones going will be…"