The King's Banquet

The sky was a clear blue, with scattered white clouds drifting across it. The bright morning sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the room and driving away the darkness within. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves outside, and the soft curtains swayed like waves.

Kaguya sat up in bed, blinking her sleepy eyes. She yawned and wiped the corner of her eyes, still feeling a bit groggy.

Last night had been a pleasant one. Hugging Rin Tohsaka and Sakura Tohsaka, holding them in her arms as they slept, had been satisfying enough.

However, it was time for her to leave.

Kaguya glanced at Rin and Sakura, who were still sleeping soundly on the soft down-filled bed, tightly hugging each other. A slight smile tugged at her lips.

Perhaps now, they wouldn't have to endure the same suffering that awaited them in the original story.

She pulled out a piece of paper and casually scribbled a note, leaving it on the table. After one last look at the two sleeping sisters, her body transformed into starlight and slowly dissipated into the air.

As if sensing something, Sakura's eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes, sitting up in bed. But when she looked around the room, Kaguya was already gone, leaving behind only the note on the table.

The Holy Grail War had officially begun, and Kaguya didn't have much time. Although she was fond of these two little girls, she had to leave for now. To ensure their safety, she had sealed a protective jutsu on both Rin and Sakura. If they encountered danger, the jutsu would activate. With that safeguard in place, Kaguya felt comfortable leaving them. Anyone foolish enough to provoke them would be signing their own death warrant.

Speaking of little girls, Kaguya thought of another one—an exquisite loli. She was one of Kaguya's favorite characters in the Fifth Holy Grail War: Illyasviel von Einzbern.

However, at this point, Illya was still very young and likely in the Einzbern Castle.

Thinking of Illya, Kaguya's heart stirred. The Einzbern Castle was likely in a vulnerable state right now, and many important events were set to unfold there. Perhaps the show had already begun. As a spectator, how could she miss it?

With a light leap, Kaguya floated into the sky. Her figure turned into a streak of light as she sped toward the horizon like a shooting star.

As one of the three founding families of the Holy Grail War, each knew the others well. Kaguya had already secretly checked the location of the Einzbern Castle while she was at Tokiomi Tohsaka's estate. What had surprised her was that Tokiomi had set up quite a few magical traps, not only in the villa but also in the basement. However, these traps were useless against Kaguya's overwhelming power.

The Einzbern Castle was located in the far north, a frigid and desolate region. Due to its high latitude, it was often plagued by strong winds and heavy snow, with warm days being rare. The castle itself was perpetually covered in a thick layer of snow.

However, it was currently summer, and the surrounding forests were lush with greenery. Flowers bloomed in vibrant colors, their fragrance filling the air. Birds chirped from the trees, further enhancing the peaceful and serene atmosphere of the forest.

Kaguya walked through the forest, admiring the beauty around her. It wasn't long before she arrived outside the Einzbern Castle.

Surprisingly, the area seemed deserted and eerily quiet. But after considering that most of the inhabitants of Einzbern were homunculi, Kaguya wasn't too surprised.

What surprised her more was the presence of several familiar faces.

Standing opposite each other were two figures. One was a tall, muscular man with bronzed skin, a square jaw, and a full beard. He was wearing a T-shirt with a bold "Grand Strategy" slogan printed on it. This was none other than the King of Conquerors, Iskandar.

Opposite him stood a slender woman with beautiful features, wearing a shining silver-blue suit of armor over a blue dress. She was Saber.

They were sitting cross-legged on the ground, deep in conversation, with a large wooden barrel nearby that seemed to be filled with wine, judging by the scent.

As Kaguya observed them, they seemed to notice her as well.

"Oh! Another guest arrives. This is a most joyful day!" Iskandar laughed heartily, raising a ladle filled with wine. "Come, join us! Here we have two kings; would you not join the gathering of kings?"

Saber's reaction, however, was the complete opposite of Iskandar's. The moment she saw Kaguya, an invisible sword materialized in her hand, its point aimed directly at Kaguya. Her eyes flashed with restrained anger as she spoke in a low voice, "What are you doing here? What is your purpose?"

Saber had been defeated by Kaguya before, and it had been a crushing defeat without any chance to fight back. The memory of their battle at the docks still weighed heavily on her mind. While she didn't harbor hatred, the humiliation was something she could not easily forget.

"Relax, I'm not here to fight," Kaguya said with a faint smile as she walked over and sat down, completely unfazed by Saber's nearby sword. "I came to see someone. But since you're having a royal gathering, I might as well join. Though, isn't it a bit meager to have just wine for a royal feast?"

"A king's feast requires no frills—just wine is enough," Iskandar replied with a wide grin. "But I must say, your appearance here is quite unexpected."

"Oh? And why shouldn't I be here?" Kaguya gave him a sidelong glance.

"No, no reason at all!" Iskandar quickly waved his hands, laughing awkwardly. "But about my previous invitation, have you given it any thought?"

"What invitation?" Kaguya furrowed her brows. "I don't recall any invitation."

"I invited you to—"

Before Iskandar could finish his sentence, his body shot backward like a cannonball, crashing into the bushes with a heavy thud, sending grass and dirt flying everywhere. He landed flat on his back, legs in the air, among the shrubs.