Chapter 153: The First Master in History with Three Female Servants

There are exceptions to every rule, and Masters do not necessarily have to become enemies if they get along well with one another.

Just like Suyo and Rin Tohsaka.

Suyo’s Servant, Saber, had a wish she wanted to fulfill, while Suyo had none.
Rin Tohsaka simply wanted to prove herself, and her Servant, Archer, wished to support and fulfill her desires.

Therefore, there were no irreconcilable conflicts between them. All they needed to do was exchange Servants, allowing Rin to take Saber and secure the ultimate victory.
Every problem would be effortlessly resolved.

Even the energy required for the Holy Grail could be managed.
Aside from Saber and Medusa, tossing all the other Servants—including Archer—into the mix would be more than enough to fill the quota.

It was a brilliant plan, though it was slightly unfair to Archer.
Besides, Suyo felt a lingering unease at the back of his mind—that was his very own future self after all.

Was this the concept of sacrificing the smaller self for the greater good?
Actually, there was another way that did not require sacrificing Archer.

In any case, they only needed to gather five Servants. Excluding Archer, there were still four other Servants remaining in this Holy Grail War.
And apart from those four, there was actually one special Servant in this Holy Grail War.

At the conclusion of the previous Holy Grail War ten years ago, an accident had occurred.
The Archer of that generation, the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, possessed a will and spiritual power so overwhelmingly formidable that even the Holy Grail was unable to consume him. Ultimately, with the magical energy supplied by another Master, he managed to stubbornly survive in the mortal world for a full decade.

Therefore, strictly speaking, this Holy Grail War featured eight Servants.

There was also one more detail that required clarification.
During the previous Holy Grail War, this very Gilgamesh had shown intense romantic interest in Saber, even going so far as to propose marriage to her on the spot, only to be flatly rejected in the end.
When he encountered Saber again in this Holy Grail War, he would undoubtedly repeat those marriage proposals.

Consequently, for Suyo, both for public duty and private reasons, Gilgamesh could not be allowed to continue living.
The four current Servants, plus Gilgamesh, would precisely amount to the required five Servants.

As for the immediate situation, Suyo felt it necessary to have a frank and open conversation with Rin Tohsaka.

"Tohsaka-kun, would you like to come over to my house for a while?"

As soon as Suyo spoke, the atmosphere instantly turned delicate and subtle.
In the dead of night, inviting a seventeen-year-old girl back to one’s home was a gesture that sounded rather questionable regardless of how one phrased it.

Saber’s expression remained entirely unchanged upon hearing this, as she was naturally not one to display many emotions.
Archer, however, was a different story. Although he still maintained his characteristic poker face and an air of defiance toward the world, his mind had already descended into a frenzied state of internal monologue.

*Ah, ah, ah, you are truly shameless! Inviting a young girl back to your house just like that—is this your way of no longer hiding the wickedness within your heart?*
*Besides, there are already three people in your house, and adding Saber makes it four! Isn't that enough?! You’re dragging Rin into this as well? Are you planning to take on five at once? Isn't your ambition a bit too boundless?!*
*Sigh, was my past self really such a reckless hothead? Acting like an ignorant child who refuses to choose because he wants everything?*
*Ah, youth, young man. Listen to my advice: youth is wasted on the young, and in your old age you will only—*

*Are you really that old?* Suyo suddenly chimed in mentally.

*I...* Archer paused to think. He seemed to be barely hitting thirty, hardly qualifying as an old man.
In the eyes of many, he was still very much a naive youth who knew nothing of the world's complexities.
At this thought, Archer suddenly felt as though he had squandered his prime years.

If he had realized this earlier, while helping his younger self achieve the dream of taking everyone in, he should have gone out and lived a little himself!
Take Medea the Caster, for instance.
In the Fifth Holy Grail War—and quite possibly across all Holy Grail Wars—she was very likely the only Servant who shared both the title and the reality of a true spouse with her Master.

Furthermore, capturing Medea was actually quite simple.
Upon her initial appearance, due to various circumstances, Medea came into conflict with her Master. After tricking him into using up all three of his Command Spells, she directly killed him.
Once she lost her Master, Medea inevitably faced the depletion of her magical energy and marched toward destruction. It was precisely at that moment that her destined true love, Souichirou Kuzuki, appeared and saved her.

Because she was saved by Souichirou Kuzuki, the two of them formed a contract in an indescribable manner, establishing the bond of Master and Servant.
If one could simply arrive before Souichirou Kuzuki and save Medea first, then perhaps...

At this thought, Archer momentarily forgot all about Rin Tohsaka.

***

"Rin, go and hear what he has to say. Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles."

With Archer’s words guiding her, Rin Tohsaka hesitated no longer. With a single nod, she followed Suyo back to his residence deep in the night.
Meanwhile, Archer activated his heightened senses and headed toward the location where Medea was likely to be found.
Although, according to the original timeline, Medea and Souichirou Kuzuki should have already completed their contract by this point.
However, as the saying went, anything was possible.

So there was no harm in trying; after all, he had nothing to lose.

Suyo glanced at Archer. Since their telepathic link remained unbroken, he was well aware of Archer’s thoughts, knowing that the guy was planning to pull some unorthodox tricks to find some amusement.
Since they were all Heroic Spirits who brought nothing into this life and took nothing out of it, they might as well seize every opportunity for pleasure.

Suyo himself actually harbored certain ambitions regarding Medea. After all, even though this caster was often dubbed the "Betrayal Witch," she was genuinely and fiercely loyal to Souichirou Kuzuki. If he were in Kuzuki's position, the outcome would likely be similar.
However, right now, his household was about to accommodate five individuals. Just as Archer had remarked, biting off more than one could chew would only lead to indigestion.

*Good luck to you, then!*

Bidding farewell to Archer, Suyo brought Rin Tohsaka and Saber back to his home.

By this time, the battle between Medea—wait, Medusa—and Taiga Fujimura had long since concluded with a definitive victor, and Sakura Matou had slowly awakened after a period of rest and recuperation.
At present, Medusa was holding Sakura in her arms to offer comfort, while Taiga Fujimura lay off to the side in a state of mild mental breakdown, entirely unable to accept her defeat.

What Taiga found even harder to accept was that Medusa was actually holding Sakura close and cuddling with her.
One had to know that was usually her absolute favorite thing to do!
A soft, tender Sakura was practically like a human-shaped plush pillow; holding her in one's arms evoked the deepest sense of fulfillment and beauty in a person's soul.
And now, this pleasure that had originally belonged exclusively to her had been snatched away by someone else.

Taiga refused to accept this. She, the legendary "Tiger Fujimura," had never feared anyone. This purple-haired woman merely had slightly longer hair and a slightly more voluptuous figure, allowing her to scrape by with a lucky, narrow victory.

She, Tiger Fujimura, would surely strike back when least expected and conquer her as well.

Just as Taiga was eyeing Medusa from behind, contemplating from which angle to lunge forward and tackle her to the ground, Suyo returned with his guests.

*Consider yourself lucky this time, humph!*

Taiga muttered under her breath, then watched as Suyo walked in accompanied by two young girls, feeling a sudden surge of emotional warmth in her heart.

*Our little Suyo has grown up indeed. Big Brother Su, if you have a spirit in heaven, you can finally rest in peace...*

Taiga clasped her fists together and offered a silent prayer to console the departed spirit of Suyo’s father. Yet, at this very moment, try as she might, she could no longer recall what that "Big Brother Su" was specifically named, nor what his voice, smile, or appearance had been like.

On the journey back, Suyo had already given Rin a general overview of Sakura Matou's situation.
Naturally, he only mentioned that Sakura had suffered greatly, omitting the horrific specifics of her ordeal. After all, the reality of a six-year-old girl being tossed into a pit of worms and subjected to the relentless torment of Crest Worms for a full decade was simply far too devastating a blow for a newcomer to process.
Besides, the primary culprits, Zouken Matou and Shinji Matou, had already been killed; the matter should simply end here.
If Rin still harbored any lingering resentment in her heart, she could go ahead and blame her own father, Tokiomi Tohsaka.

In any case, no matter what went wrong in the world, it was always Tokiomi's fault!

Suyo did not participate in the reunion between Rin Tohsaka and Sakura Matou, opting instead to wait in the adjacent room. With an outsider present, such intimate matters were awkward to witness.

Meanwhile, Taiga Fujimura shifted her attention entirely to Saber, who had just returned alongside Suyo.
Unlike Rin and Sakura, she had never seen this young woman before. Furthermore, Saber possessed an innate aura that made people instinctively want to draw closer to her, a trait that Taiga found immensely endearing.

Left undisturbed, Suyo happily enjoyed a moment of leisure. Seizing the free time, he opened a mental channel to Archer to inquire about how things were going on his end.

Over on Archer’s side, the situation wasn't merely a matter of dealing with the Caster Medea; there was also Kojiro Sasaki, who held the Assassin class.
While Holy Grail Wars ostensibly featured seven Masters and Servants each time, unexpected anomalies invariably arose.
Aside from the unexpected presence of Gilgamesh, there was also Kojiro Sasaki, who had not been summoned by a Master in the traditional sense, but rather by Medea, who was herself a Servant.
Consequently, Archer heading over to Medea's turf meant he was very likely facing the joint assault of two Heroic Spirits: Medea and Kojiro Sasaki.

*Hey, old A, how's the situation looking?*

From afar, Suyo asked Archer mentally, much like making a phone call.
Although he possessed the capability—via their telepathic connection—to directly commandeer someone else's senses, seeing through their eyes, hearing through their ears, or even actively controlling their actions, Archer possessed strong mental resistance against this. Besides, since they were essentially the same person, a baseline level of mutual respect had to be maintained.

*Take a guess?*

Archer’s voice came back laced with a playful, teasing tone, refusing to give a direct answer.

Judging by his relaxed tone, however, he seemed to be in high spirits. At the very least, it didn't sound like he was getting the short end of the stick.

*Do you want me to guess whether I'll guess correctly?*

Suyo let out a soft huff. Without waiting for Archer to reply, he pressed on.

*So, when are you heading back? We need to start discussing our upcoming plans and tactics soon.*

*Already on my way back, won't be long now,* Archer replied casually before cutting off the mental communication.

Suyo was instantly puzzled. He was heading back this quickly, and in such high spirits? Had he somehow struck gold or stumbled upon a fortune?

Nevertheless, hearing that Archer would be back immediately brought a trace of mild regret to Suyo's mind.
At Archer’s speed, he would likely make it back in under ten minutes. And ten minutes was simply not enough time to accomplish anything substantial.
Originally, Suyo had even considered calling Medusa over—taking advantage of the fact that everyone else was busy and had no time to mind them—to share a quiet moment and deepen their emotional bond.

What a pity; ten minutes was far too short. The introductory banter wouldn't even be finished by then.

True to his word, in less than ten minutes, Archer returned. Suyo, accompanied by Saber and Medusa, waited alongside Rin Tohsaka in the living room.
Taiga Fujimura and Sakura Matou were not present; since a strategic meeting was about to commence, it was inappropriate for non-combatants to attend.

"Yo! Everyone's waiting for me, I see."

Archer walked through the door with a smile. However, everyone's attention bypassed him entirely, focusing instead on the figure he was cradling in his arms.

It was a woman in her thirties, clad in a flowing purple robe. While her figure lacked the explosive, striking curves of Medusa, she possessed an air of profound maturity and irresistible, seductive allure.

"Archer, what is the meaning of this?! This person... she is a Heroic Spirit!"

Seeing the pale, ethereal woman in Archer's arms—whose form looked so faint she might dissolve into nothingness at any second—Rin Tohsaka leaped to her feet in alarm.
This individual was a Heroic Spirit, a Servant, which meant she was an enemy to both Rin and Archer. Why on earth would Archer carry her back instead of simply finishing her off?

Suyo's jaw dropped open as well at the sight.

*What on earth is this? Did you actually manage to bring Medea back?!*

"This is a Caster-class Servant. When I found her, her condition was extremely critical, and she was on the verge of vanishing completely, so I brought her back with me," Archer answered Rin's question with a perfectly straight face.

Internally, however, his mental transmission to Suyo told a completely different story.

*You wouldn't believe it. As soon as I arrived at the Ryuudoji Temple grounds, I found her lying flat on the ground, practically on the brink of death, while Souichirou Kuzuki was just appearing in the distance. If I hadn't stepped in, things probably would have played out exactly like the original story.*
*But now, this witch felt almost like a quest reward deliberately prepared for me the moment I arrived. What was I supposed to do? Leave her for Souichirou Kuzuki? Of course not!*
*Since I went all the way there and laid eyes on her, naturally I had to pick her up and bring her back!*

Suyo let out a heavy sigh.

*Fine, whatever you say is right. You brought her back, so be it. But once she's here, what's next? Are you going to contract with her and then supply her with magical energy?*

When Suyo spoke, his tone was dripping with amusement.

*You might be me, but you're a Heroic Spirit right now! You yourself rely on someone else to supply you with magical energy. How on earth are you planning to supply Medea? You aren't a Magus, your own magic reserves are limited, and a Caster’s demands are bound to be astronomical.*
*Aren't you afraid of getting drained dry to death by her?*

Archer froze. *Oh crap... I was just too excited thinking I'd picked up a free wife, and completely forgot about—*

Mid-thought, Archer instinctively turned his gaze toward Suyo, only to mentally curse out loud once more.

*Damn it all! Did I just end up bringing another wife back for you instead? I really am asking for it!*

*No, wait!*

Archer snapped his head back to look at Rin Tohsaka. "Rin, would you consider forming a contract with this Heroic Spirit?"

Before Rin could even respond, Medea—resting securely in Archer's arms—spoke up in a faint voice, "I... do not form contracts with women..."

Well then. With a single sentence, Medea completely blocked off every single escape route Archer had planned.

*Whatever. Her is mine anyway. Taking advantage of you is just taking advantage of myself.*

In the end, Archer could only offer himself that hollow consolation.

On the other side of the room, after securing Medea's consent, Suyo officially gained yet another Servant.
Three female Servants sharing a single Master—or rather, three Servants contracting with the same Master—plus Archer acting as an internal mole.
With a lineup like this, anyone would have to wonder how the rest of the participants were supposed to fight this Holy Grail War!