Sebastian’s strength had easily reached the level of a Satan-class Devil.
For human Magi, that was a power level they could never hope to match.
Only true Magicians or high-tier Sacred Gear wielders posed a real threat to a Satan-class being, and none of the known human Magicians were currently in Fuyuki City.
Since there were no famous Sacred Gear wielders in the area either, Grayfia had nothing to worry about.
“In that case, let us proceed,” Grayfia said calmly.
Kuroka, Shirone, and Ingvild knew that Sebastian was taking Sakura Amagiri to visit her home, so they quietly dispersed.
Grayfia led the three girls away, leaving Sebastian and Sakura together.
Sebastian turned to the young girl beside him.
“We should head out too.”
Sakura looked at the street before her.
It felt both familiar and strangely distant.
Hearing his voice, she nodded softly.
“Mm.”
The Amagiri family was responsible for managing Fuyuki City.
The head of the household, Tokiomi Amagiri, was not a Magus of extraordinary talent, but through methodical discipline, he had steadily built up his family’s prestige.
He played everything safe, taking calculated steps to protect his lineage.
Under normal circumstances, the fortune he spent his life building would have been completely squandered by his apprentice and daughter after his death.
Yet, even though it was now the year 2004, Tokiomi Amagiri was still alive.
Sebastian used a demonic concealment spell to sneak near the Amagiri estate alongside Sakura.
Watching the figure inside through the window, a thought crossed his mind: Has there been no Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City yet?
Or did something alter the timeline entirely?
Sakura stood beside him, watching her father, mother, and sister sitting together at the dining table, sharing a peaceful family meal.
Seeing the scene of warmth, her hand instinctively clutched the fabric over her chest.
Sebastian noticed her subtle gesture and shook his head helplessly.
It was completely understandable.
Sakura had been unfortunate as a child; due to her father’s decision, she was handed over to the Underworld and forced to live as a slave for ten long years.
Now that she had returned, seeing her family living happily without even remembering her existence was a bitter pill to swallow.
Sebastian clicked his tongue and drew the Yamato from his system inventory, intending to step through the front gate.
But just as he was about to drop the concealment spell, he felt a gentle tug on his sleeve.
He stopped and looked down at the girl beside him.
Sakura was crying quietly, tears running down her cheeks, yet she was wearing a soft smile.
“Lord Sebastian, this is enough,” she whispered, her voice steady despite her tears.
“You don’t need to confront them for my sake.”
Sebastian frowned slightly.
“Are you really sure about this?”
Sakura wiped her tears away, her smile becoming clearer.
“I am no longer a daughter of the Amagiri family.” She paused, letting the weight of her choice settle before adding, “I am a member of your Peerage now.”
“…I see.” Sebastian put the Yamato away and gently pulled her into an embrace.
Sakura buried her face against his chest, her warm tears soaking through his clothes.
If she had truly chosen to leave her past behind, it was for the best.
It meant she could finally start over with a clean slate.
As Sebastian thought this, Sakura suddenly grabbed his right hand.
A bright crimson light flared on the back of her hand, forming distinct, glowing patterns.
“Lord Sebastian …
what is this?” Sakura asked, staring at the unfamiliar mark.
Sebastian recognized it instantly.
A flood of memories from his past life surged back.
Having learned about the Fate universe long ago, there was no mistaking what had just appeared on her hand.
It was a Command Spell.
After Sakura bade a final farewell to her past, Sebastian took her to the beach to meet up with Grayfia and the others.
Seeing that Sakura was still emotionally drained, Kuroka and Shirone took her by the hands and pulled her along to cheer her up.
Watching Sakura finally smile around the two sisters, Sebastian turned to the silver-haired maid beside him.
“Grayfia, have the human Magi in Fuyuki City ever conducted any major rituals before?”
“Lord Sebastian, Devils—or rather, the vast majority of our kind—generally look down on human Magi,” Grayfia replied in her usual calm tone.
“While exceptional individuals like Magicians and Sacred Gear wielders exist, Devils typically only pay attention to humans when selecting potential servants for their Peerage.
Even then, they prefer Sacred Gear wielders.”
She bowed slightly before continuing.
“As for affairs concerning the Magus Association, specialized Devil representatives handle those matters.
If you are asking about a ritual that might seem minor to Devils, I will need to investigate it.”
Sebastian nodded.
Grayfia stepped aside and used a communication spell to inquire with her contacts.
After a short while, she returned with information.
“Lord Sebastian, there are no records of large-scale rituals ever taking place in this city.
However, our informants in the Magus Association mentioned that Fuyuki City is preparing for an unusual event.”
“It involves summoning an artifact known as the Holy Grail to grant a wish through a competitive battle.
The High Council at the Clock Tower considers it absurd, but the Lord of the Astronomy Faculty has expressed direct interest in it.
Would you like us to look into it further?”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed.
If this was the very first Holy Grail War taking place in 2004, everything made sense.
During the early iterations of the Holy Grail War, the Clock Tower dismissed it as a crude ritual concocted by backwater Magi.
No high-ranking Magus took it seriously at first.
While others saw it as a useless contest, Sebastian knew the truth: the Holy Grail was linked to the Third Magic, Heaven’s Feel.
The Third Magic offered precisely what he lacked most—an infinite supply of demonic energy.
Since the major factions were ignoring the event, it was the perfect opportunity for him to claim the prize and resolve his energy limitations once and for all.
“Wait, Grayfia,” Sebastian interrupted.
“Which faculty head did you say was interested?”
“The Lord of the Astronomy Faculty.”
Sebastian paused.
Kayneth was from the Mineralogy Faculty, not Astronomy.
If the Lord of Astronomy was involved in 2004, it meant this was the initial Holy Grail War recorded in the FGO timeline—the very same conflict mentioned by Waver Velvet.
If that was true, then King Solomon himself would be participating as a Servant.
In standard Grail Wars, seven Masters bearing Command Spells summoned seven Servants to fight for the wish-granting vessel.
By the time later wars took place, Masters frequently cheated and broke the rules, but this initial war was entirely unscripted.
“Grayfia, are you familiar with Solomon?” Sebastian asked as they walked.
Though surprised by the sudden question, Grayfia answered dutifully.
“Solomon is a legendary historical figure in demonology.
Despite being human, he held immense prestige among both Angels and Devils.
He remains the only demonologist recognized by Heaven, as well as the only caster from the angelic side accepted by Devils.”
She continued, “Unlike modern practitioners who attempt to copy his methods, Solomon is the only individual in history capable of commanding the power of all 72 Pillars of the Demon Gods on his own authority.”
Sebastian nodded thoughtfully.
The lore of High School DxD and Type-Moon had clearly blended together in this world.
Even long after the original Demon Lords created the 72 Devil Pillars, Solomon was unique in his ability to wield their power independently—a feat even modern High-class Devils could not match.
“We have arrived,” Grayfia announced, bringing them to a halt.
They had reached the boundary of a dense, dark forest on the outskirts of Fuyuki City.
A bounded field covered the perimeter, but Grayfia walked straight through the barrier as if it were not even there.
Sebastian followed her deep into the woods until a stark white castle came into view.
Standing inside was the target of their search.
Inside the Einzbern castle, an elderly, silver-haired man spoke coldly to the young woman standing before him.
“She will serve as the vessel for the Holy Grail War.”
Irisviel von Einzbern frowned slightly.
“Do we need to select another Master then?”
“The original plan was for you to act as both vessel and Master,” the old man replied without emotion.
“However, the current homunculus stabilization technology is still imperfect.
If combat drags on, your body will break down, making it too risky for you to act as a Master.”
His tone carried no warmth or concern.
To Jubstacheit von Einzbern, Irisviel was nothing more than an artificial tool to be utilized and discarded.
Her survival only mattered because her death would compromise the ritual—an outcome the Einzbern clan could not accept.
To the Einzberns, life was merely a sequence of magical formulas, a resource to be spent.
Homunculi were crafted like fine jewelry or ornate statues: elegant, replaceable items created to serve a single purpose.
Having lived her entire life inside the castle, Irisviel felt a subtle wrongness in this philosophy, though she lacked the perspective to voice her doubts.
She had been created to accept her fate without question, but deep down, a part of her yearned for something more.
“Relying on you as a Master carries too much risk,” the old man continued, “and the local Magi outside are far too incompetent to be trusted with the task—”
“Who goes there?!”
Before the old man could finish his sentence, a dozen Einzbern homunculi drew their weapons, forming a defensive ring around him and Irisviel.
Everyone’s attention shifted toward the entrance.
The heavy main doors of the white castle were kicked wide open.
A young man strolled into the hall with absolute composure, leading his group inside.
Sebastian, holding the Yamato by his side, swept a calm glance over the armed homunculi and smiled faintly.
“My name is Sebastian.
Sebastian Lucifer.”