[Ruler/???, Verde Tea Shop, Shinto]

At this time, six of the seven Servants of the Holy Grail had been summoned. As such, while one had yet to be bound to this world, the Fifth Holy Grail War could be said to have "started" at the current point in time. In accordance with this principle, the existence meant to oversee this war would have to begin his duty shortly.

-So then, why was he currently drinking tea opposite a small-statured girl?

"All but the Berserker have been summoned."

"Ha, looks like someone's lagging behind then, eh Ru-kun? Anyone break any rules yet?"

"...some more than others, but as they aimed to do so in a spot away from prying eyes, I will excuse their rashness for this instance."

Knowing this information was his right as Ruler. Unlike a certain false priest, the names of all Servants of this war were known to him, as were the means by which they were summoned.

"Always quick to forgive, that's our Ru-kun! Saints gonna saint, after all!"

Letting out a slight giggle, the girl sitting across from Ruler kicked her legs back and forth childishly, before reaching over to add some sugar to her tea.

"Kyaa, sweet things are the best~!" She hummed to herself. 

Ruler in turn grew quiet, looking down at his own tea and stirring it briefly. A cloud of pale white steam rose from the so-called black tea, flowing into the air before fading away. 

"Hm? Aw, Ru-kun, are you still mopey about what happened? What is it? Is it what happened out in the East Field a couple days back? Oh, oh, or is it that church guy's deal? It's the church guy's deal, isn't it?"

"It is a combination of things, though I'll admit the activities that the false supervisor chooses to partake in are not looked upon favorably by me." Ruler replied blandly, sipping at his tea.

Rolling her eyes with another giggle, the girl stretched in a cat-like fashion before replying. "Well as long as it's not 'cause of me, I'm happy! After all, if the Ru-kun who I went to all the trouble of catching up to speed on this war's circumstances didn't want me around anymore...I-I just might break down." She remarked, going into an obviously feigned teary tone towards the end of her sentence. "But anyway, if that junk bugs you so much, just attend to it yourself. Don't get why you're always so calm instead of letting everything burn to the bloody ground."

"...It is not my place to intervene on the false supervisor's affairs."

"'Look how uptight I am about the ruuuuuuruuuuus'." The girl commented in an attempt at mimicking Ruler's voice. "Rulah, you're really kinda boring sometimes, y'know? I'd better not miss the super dramatic moment where you become a total edgelord chuuni and go all 'so be it, you have forced my hand' and whatever, cause I want to record it so I can show it to you afterwards. It'll be hilarious, I promise! But anyway, if you're so 'neutral', just tell me what you want done and I can maybe help out~"

"-I am not going to ask you to raze a Church to the ground for me."

"...Fine, but I'm [i]so[/i] going to record when you go chuuni."

---

[Tea Shop Employee, Verde Tea Shop, Shinto]

That one ossan and that little girl were here again.

Over the past few days, they'd come here quite a lot, and this particular employee had noticed that. She was somewhat curious about that, given that they certainly didn't appear to be related, and a little girl spending so much time with a man of the other's age was slightly worrying. If only she could hear what they were talking about, perhaps she'd have a better understanding. Maybe he was watching her while her parents were out of town? Or maybe she was adopted? Or perhaps...

-Was what she was witnessing before her an even more corrupt version of [i]enjo kosai[/i]? One that specifically targeted girls between the strike zone of seven and thirteen?

Was the man some sort of lolicon? The worker briefly worried about her own daughter's safety, if individuals like this were walking around so brazenly, even invading the sanctity of her workplace.

No, no, she couldn't jump to conclusions like that. That was horribly rude.

However, it didn't change the fact that from now on, she'd be keeping a closer eye on her daughter.

---

[???, ???, ???]

It was a mistake.

From the fundament of Its existence outwards, It was a mistake.

And that is why it was here.

The Holy Grail War is a backwater ritual that promises a "wish."

A wish, it sounds so fanciful, so wondrous, doesn't it?

After all, if that omnipotent cup filled by 'God' can grant any wish, what human wouldn't traverse heaven and hell to find it?

That's the premise that lures magi and Heroic Spirits alike in, but it's all meaningless.

From the very first step you take, the Holy Grail War is a sham. Magi 'prepare' for it, but that's utterly nonsensical. Preparing for an absurdity of this nature...it makes you even less than incompetent.

So, from the premise taken by everyone else, what should be counted as a sham is counted as legitimate, the ephemeral is made material.

This war is a farce, an impossible dream that vanishes when you reach out to grab it.

Of course It knew this. It could be said to know this more than the Servant who was designated to oversee this war, and the girl who considered this war a mere source of entertainment. 

Hilariously, incomprehensibly weak. Compared to any of the forces that existed outside of this meager town, whether it be the fragmented group that kept a certain "mystery" out of the world, or the forces of the world that protected itself and Man, the height of this ritual was nothing.

It didn't matter in the slightest. Regardless of what would happen, it wouldn't matter.

And that is why It wanted to change that.

A flash of gold cut through the black.

If they were ants, emboldened by their capacity to lift a weight ten times their own, then they would not realize that they were trying to move a mountain. As such, It would have to lend them a hand.

It was time to return the first part, before long.