Shinji Matou at Your Service

Waver felt a bit embarrassed.

Not long ago, he had just confronted Shinji about the Maio incident, which had caused their friendship to reach a freezing point. They were even playing games separately. And now, he had to ask for Shinji's help—it was awkward for anyone.

However, he was no longer the impulsive youth he was ten years ago. Time had smoothed his edges, and society had stripped away his naivety. He now understood what was important and what wasn't.

After adjusting his emotions slightly, Waver knocked on Shinji's door and said to the boy living next door, "I need your help."

Seeing Waver's expression, Shinji knew it wasn't the time to be petty. He immediately pulled Waver in, closed the door, and asked, "What's going on?"

"'His' relic is missing."

"What? Wasn't that thing stored right under the noses of the Department of Policies? How could anyone steal it from there?"

Shinji's pupils contracted instantly.

The relic in question belonged to Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, a man who held irreplaceable significance in Wvear's life. The relic, a fragment of Iskandar's cloak, was Waver's most treasured possession, stored in his office at the Clock Tower's headquarters.

"It usually is stored there, but..."

Waver lowered his head, unable to meet Shinji's gaze, "But recently, I moved it to the Modern Magecraft Department's hidden safe. With the Holy Grail War approaching, I wanted to keep it as close as possible."

"You're usually so sharp, but how could you be so careless this time? The security at the Modern Magecraft Department can't be better than at the headquarters. If I had known, I would've tied you up and sent you off to Fuyuki..."

Shinji was speechless. He wanted to scold Waver but, seeing his distressed look could only sigh instead.

"Forget it. Let's focus on how it got lost."

"Here's what happened—"

With the Fifth Holy Grail War approaching, Waver's emotions had become increasingly unsettled.

Emotionally, he wanted to participate. Winning or losing didn't matter; he just wanted to see his king again. He wanted to show his king how much he had grown, share his efforts, and once again stand side by side on the vast desert.

But logically, he knew he shouldn't go. On one hand, the Modern Magecraft Department was at a critical stage of development, and leaving, even for a short time, would be a significant loss. On the other hand, he had studied the mechanisms of Servant summoning and knew that the summoned Servant wouldn't retain memories from the previous Holy Grail War. His king wouldn't remember him, and everything would have to start over, a thought that filled him with anxiety.

Waver had dreamed countless times of reuniting with his king—

Accompanied by a whirlwind and a flash of light, the massive figure would emerge, becoming reality, and in his usual booming voice, declare:

"Oh, oh, it's wonderful to be summoned here. I am Iskandar, the King of Conquerors. I shall pave the way for you. Now, tell me, are you my Master?"

"No, you are my king."

The man who had grown from a boy to a young man would try to contain his excitement, standing tall and responding in a trembling yet resolute voice.

"Please guide me once more, so I can see the same dream."

The king, unchanged from ten years ago, would be momentarily stunned but would soon break into a broad smile.

"Ah, Wvear! I didn't recognize you at first; you've changed so much—grown into a fine man! Hahaha, I'm delighted, so delighted that I want to drink!"

"Right now? But it's already two in the morning, and there's no—"

Waver would instinctively try to reason, but his words would be cut off by the king's hearty slap.

"Fool! I've told you before, a king lives more vividly than anyone else, so why care about the time?"

"You're just looking for an excuse; you just want to drink," Waver would retort.

"Yes, I do want to drink. You are my subject, so stop fussing and go fetch some wine..."

"You are a reckless king."

Waver would shake his head and sigh, but a smile would inevitably curl his lips.

"I've always been this way. Let's drink until dawn—let's have a feast!"

…

But that was only a dream. The reality would be—

"Are you my Master?"

"No, you are my king. Please guide me once more, so I can see the same dream."

"Uh... who are you? Do I know you?"

Though Iskandar's magnanimous nature would likely lead him to accept the situation and re-acknowledge Waver's loyalty within minutes, it wasn't what Waver wanted. He didn't want their bond to be erased. Even being scolded by his king would be better than being forgotten. The mere thought filled him with dread.

This inner turmoil had plagued him from summer, when Shinji first notified him, through autumn, and into early winter, until the recent Iselma incident, where Atrum had taunted him directly.

"To Lord El-Melloi, the Holy Grail War might just be a game. To you, it's probably like winning the lottery, but to me, it's a real war. Just watch, I'll make sure you and the other magus learn that the outcome of a battle is determined long before it even begins."

The brown-suited youth's words had enraged Waver. He glared at the man and, with a curt and blunt response, said, "I hope you remember one thing, never underestimate the Holy Grail War."

As he spoke, a surge of defiance and a thought he had tried to suppress with reason welled up inside him.

I want to participate in the Holy Grail War and teach this ignorant fool a lesson—because if it were you, my king, you would surely succeed, for you are the King of Conquerors, whose life was one of endless conquest.

Once the thought arose, it could not be suppressed. So, he took the relic from the headquarters and kept it close, as if to force himself to make a decision.

Of course, he knew his limitations and that carrying such a valuable item with him was risky. So, he stored the relic in the Modern Magecraft Department's safe.

The safe was of the same type used at the headquarters, requiring both magical and physical verification. With Flat, a master of intrusion, enhancing the security system, it was quite formidable. Even someone of Lord El-Melloi's caliber would struggle to breach the defenses and steal the relic.

Waver believed nothing could go wrong, but less than a week later, it was stolen.

It happened the day after Svin Glascheit became a "Pride."