Fate: I Will Eventually Become the Hero of Justice

Sisigou and Mordred had covertly relocated overnight, moving from the Trifas graveyard to set up a new base at the Vâlcea graveyard.

However, with Vâlcea's terrain still unfamiliar, Mordred didn't want Sisigou, her core support, taking risks. So she had him camp within the graveyard while she went out to scout with Saber.

"Just what are you trying to do? We're not allies!" Saber frowned, clearly displeased and unhappy.

She wanted her Master to summon her back with a Command Spell every second, but they seemed to have forgotten her, still not using one even now.

Mordred laughed breezily. "Don't be like that. Investigating the new Servant will benefit you too, right mom? Or could it be you don't want to know?"

Mordred walked ahead, turning back to give Saber a mocking look.

With just two horns, bat wings, and a spaded tail added, she'd be the spitting image of a little demon taunting her angelic mother.

Saber's expression remained stoic, but inwardly she sighed heavily. She really didn't know how to handle this Mordred.

This Mordred seemed to possess telepathy, easily seeing into others' hearts, making her both frustrating and helpless to deal with.

Saber had simply stopped speaking. From their time together, she understood the best way to handle this Mordred was silence.

As long as Saber didn't take the bait, Mordred would lose interest and leave.

But this time was different. As usual getting no response, Mordred didn't grow bored. Instead, her brows furrowed with a strange smile. "Looks like the new Servant is here."

She brought Saber towards a nearby cafe. She could sense a Servant's unique aura there.

Without a doubt, there was a Servant inside!

...

Inside the Cafe...

Mash kept craning her neck, gazing towards the cafe entrance awaiting the arrival of someone.

Meanwhile, Shirou sat to the side, staring anxiously into his coffee as he stirred it with a silver teaspoon. Beneath the table, his legs tapped impatiently.

"Master, are you sure the captain we're waiting for is named Gray?" He asked, turning to Mash.

"Yes," she nodded puzzledly. "What's the matter, Mr. Fujimaru? You've seemed strange since I mentioned my captain's name."

"It's just..." He struggled to explain.

Gray. And the Gray from his world at that. Which means the arriving Gray was likely the one he'd brought back from Britain 13 years ago.

Artie made a contract with Gray back then, becoming her Servant.

So if it was Gray, the accompanying Servant should be Artie, right?

If it was Artie, how should he face her?

Shirou contemplated this issue. He'd promised her in the Time Temple he'd return within a year at most. But 13 years had passed in his world since then.

He'd undoubtedly broken his promise.

Perhaps she would forgive him.

No, with her understanding heart, she definitely would. But he still felt guilty.

What face should he have when meeting Artie?

And at that moment—

The cafe door creaked open. A pair entered from outside.

Both had golden hair, blue eyes, and an upright ahoge, looking identical.

The lead girl looked about twelve years old, while the girl following her looked about fifteen years old, both seeming very young, exuding a youthful vigor.

Mash craned her neck eagerly. "Captain! Captain!" she called, waving.

The lead girl looked startled, glancing at Mash uncertainly before pointing at herself questioningly.

"Yes, yes! Over here, Captain Gray!" Mash shouted, still waving.

The girl hesitated before slowly approaching with her companion.

Shirou instinctively used his hand to cover his face, then took a deep breath and lowered his hand.

The lead girl sat across from Mash.

"You finally came, Captain!" Mash smiled delightedly.

"Yes, that's right," the girl nodded.

Shirou looked at her in astonishment. This was Gray? It couldn't be, right? The face was Gray's but...golden hair? When did that happen? Highly suspicious.

Yet one thing was certain - the accompanying Servant was definitely Artie! His Artoria. Why else would she look so shocked and astonished at seeing him?

Though, why was she in Lily form?

But that kind of makes sense. After all, his Artoria didn't like her true form. The form she liked appearing in the most was the Lily form from the beginning of their journey.

Undoubtedly this was Artie.

"You..." she began, about to say something.

But he took a breath, stepped forward, and embraced her gently, "Sorry, Artie."

He keenly sensed her body stiffen, as if from shock.

Mash and the lead girl were stunned by his actions.

The lead girl had only glanced at Shirou earlier, not paying attention as she chatted with Mash, wanting to exploit Mash's mistaken identity to gather information.

But as they talked, this man suddenly embraced the most precious person to her.

She was furious.

"Let go of my mom!" the girl yelled through gritted teeth.

Indeed, this was no stranger but Mordred, who had come sensing a Servant's aura.

And the Artoria in Shirou's arms was not his Artoria, but Saber!

Mordred was livid, materializing her sword and slashing at him.

The wind howled.

Sensing danger, he instinctively retaliated.

The black mud within him surged forming a shield that blocked Mordred's sword.

The sword clashed against the black shield with a clang, their point of contact erupting in a furious storm that blew away surrounding tables and chairs.

The glass walls cracked and shattered with sharp sounds.

Mash was blown over, staring in confusion. Why were her captain and Mr. Fujimaru fighting?

The previously relaxed cafe patrons shrieked in panic and fled the chaos.

"Let her go!" Mordred yelled angrily, slashing at the shield again.

Mistaken identity? Blankness flashed through his eyes.

This "Gray's" hair color and apparent youth didn't match his knowledge, but when Mash shouted "Captain Gray", plus Artoria's presence, he had assumed...

But now, not only did this Gray not recognize him, she even attacked him?

"A-" Saber began speaking.

But Shirou's eyes flashed. He stretched out a hand and pushed her away.

"Mm-" she was pushed back several steps as he stopped by the tumbled Mash, shielding her.

Mordred advanced in arrow steps, her sword emanating an ominous blackish-red glow. But a black hand suddenly emerged beneath her feet, grabbing her ankle.

"How can this be? This is..." Mordred looked astonished.

Before she could finish speaking, the hand exerted force, flinging her out the window.

Her unsteady footing also canceled the intense mana in her sword.

Shirou's sharp gaze locked onto Saber like an eagle's.

Saber had just understood the situation and was about to explain, but he gave no chance. A giant arm materialized, smashing towards her.

Saber could only block horizontally with her sword.

With a metallic "clang", she was knocked out of the cafe.

Only then did he turn to the fallen Mash. "Are you hurt, Master?"

"N-no, I'm okay Mr. Fujimaru," Mash shook her head, standing up with a puzzled look. "Why did Captain Gray attack us?"

"Likely mistaken identity."

Pausing, he asked, "Is your Captain Gray's appearance exactly the same as that girl just now?"

"Yes, the same as the King of Knights, younger than me, about thirteen or fourteen."

His brows furrowed. 13 years had passed since he left his world. Logically, that Gray should be a mature woman in her thirties now, but Mash described her even younger than Mash herself?

He didn't think too much about it, since there was still the unknown pair before them.

"Stay hidden here and focus on your own safety, Master."

"I understand, Mr. Fujimaru," she nodded seriously.

Satisfied, he strode forward and headed out.

...

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