Alice Fell recalls the power of the Noble Phantasm "Kamui Wheel" that she had witnessed in Warehouse Street a few days ago. The Sacred Ox Chariot entwined with thunder and lightning - once the full power of the Rival Treasure is unleashed, I am afraid that it can easily destroy the magic array set up in the forest. It would have been fine if the barrier had been intact, but due to Caster's and Kenneth's attacks a few days ago, the barrier hadn't recovered from the damage it had done at that time.

"Hey, Knight King! I'm here to meet you, come out, huh? ”

The voice came from the hall, and it seemed that the other party had already stepped through the main entrance. There was no doubt that the enemy was Iskandar, the king of conquest, and listening to his hearty shout, it did not look like a warrior about to fight.

But Saber didn't dare to slack off, and she materialized the silver armor as she ran.

Alice Phil and Saber finally made their way down the hallway to the terrace...... However, when the two of them saw the enemy Servant standing in the hall through the moonlight from the skylight, they immediately did not know what to say.

“……”

"Yo, Saber. When I heard about the castle, I wanted to come and see - how did this happen, huh? ”

Rider grinned unashamedly and bared his teeth, and then he moved his neck in a deliberate manner.

"There are too many trees in the yard, it's too inconvenient to get in and out, and I almost got lost before I got to the city gate, so I cut some for you, thank me." The view has become much better. ”

“Rider。 You ......"

Saber snapped, but in the face of this inexplicable enemy. She didn't know what to say next. Rider said with a surprised frown.

"Hey Knight King, aren't you going to change into a modern outfit tonight? Don't wear that stiff armor all the time. ”

If Saber's appearance in armor is said to be rigid, then what should Rider's jeans and T-shirt be commented on? If you think of this armor as Saber's pride. But the cracks in the thick breastplate seemed to hint at its fragility. Here, perhaps, it can only be said that "the ignorant are invincible".

Webber half-hid behind Rider's massive frame, looking up at Alice Phil with a look on his face that was hostile or terrified. Needless to say, his face clearly reads "I want to go home" and "hurry up".

Once, King Iskandar, because of his interest in the culture of the invaded territory, was the first to wear Asian-style clothing, which made his entourage shy away from him. Alice Phil had heard the story, but she certainly hadn't thought of it. The reason why Rider in front of him changed into modern clothes was actually Saber in a suit.

What made them even more strange was that Rider didn't have weapons or other things to use in combat.

It's a bucket.

No matter how you look at it. It was all a wooden wine bottle. Rider, who easily clipped the sake bottle under his arm, is like a sake brewery owner who has come to make a delivery.

"You ......"

Saber took a deep breath and said calmly.

"Rider, what are you doing here?"

"Still don't understand? I'm looking for you for a drink—hey. Don't be there. Lead the way, is there a suitable courtyard for banquets? It's all gray inside this castle, no. ”

“……”

Saber sighed helplessly, and the anger that had been stored in his chest was gone. Looking at this seemingly innocent opponent, she couldn't maintain her fighting spirit.

"Alice Phil, what should I do?"

Alice Phil was similarly confused.

She was angry at the destruction of the forest's barrier before, but after seeing that grinning face, she couldn't hate it anyway.

"He's not the kind of person who sets traps. Do you really want to drink? ”

Rider has said that he will wait for Saber and Lancer to decide between them. Still obey the things promised with the pride and self-esteem of the heroic spirit. So his sudden appearance tonight is really puzzling.

"Could it be that the man wants to adopt a soft policy towards Saber?"

"No, it's a challenge."

Saber, who should have lost his will to fight, became serious for some reason at the moment.

"Challenge?"

"Yes...... I am a king, and he is also a king. If you want to divide the high and low at the wine table, it is equivalent to a bloodless 'battle'. ”

Perhaps hearing Saber's words, the King of Conquest smiled and nodded.

"Hehe, it's good to understand. Since you can't fight each other with swords, let's use wine to fight it out. Knight King, I won't let you go tonight, get ready. ”

"Interesting. I accept. ”

Saber resolutely responded, exuding a fighting spirit as if he were on the battlefield. Only now does Alice Phil realize that this is not a joke, but a real "fight".

……

Ryunosuke asked curiously to Li Amen, "Great God, where are we going?" ”

Li Amen smiled: "Go to a king's banquet." ”

"The King's Banquet? What is that? Ryunosuke was puzzled.

Li Amen said with a smile: "This starts with the true identity of those three heroic spirits, they are clearly the legendary hero king, conquering king and knight king. ”

Ryu Zhisuke was stunned, Li Amen didn't go into too much detail in this regard, he only knew the information of a very small number of heroic spirits, and this was the first time he knew that among the heroic spirits who participated in the war this time, there would be three such great people.

This is really, more and more exciting for him.

The so-called king's banquet is probably a meeting between these three kings.

"But...... I don't seem to be the king, am I qualified to participate in such a banquet? Ryunosuke asked.

As for Li Amen, he is a god in Ryunosuke's eyes, so he is naturally qualified to participate in the banquet of a mere king.

He is the only one who is not qualified, Ryunosuke.

"I think even kings need to listen to the voice of the world." Amen Li laughed.

"Really? So I'm relieved. Ryunosuke breathed a sigh of relief.

Excitement is excitement, and he still has a little self-knowledge.

Ryunosuke understands his true details. As a pretending to be a heroic spirit, he is really the least qualified person to participate in the king's banquet.

……

The banquet was held by the flower bed in the atrium of the castle. Last night's battle didn't spill over here, and it didn't look shabby for hospitality. Then. No one cares about the cold outside anymore.

Rider led the decanter to the atrium, and the two Servants sat down face-to-face and confronted each other. Alice Fell and Webber sat side by side, guessing at the development of the situation, realizing that it meant a temporary truce, and that he would just have to watch from the sidelines.

Rider smashed the lid of the barrel with his fist, and the mellow aroma of red wine filled the air in the atrium.

"Although the shape is strange, it is a drinking vessel unique to this country."

Rider said as he triumphantly slapped the wine with a bamboo handle. It's a pity. No one on the spot could point out his common-sense mistake.

Rider took a sip of the wine from the spoon before speaking.

"I've heard that only those who are qualified can get the Holy Grail."

The serious tone calmed the surrounding atmosphere. This man actually spoke in such a tone, and he always felt that something was wrong.

And the ceremony of choosing the one who is qualified. It's the war that was fought in Fuyuki - but if you just watched from the sidelines, then you didn't have to shed blood. The same Heroic Spirits, if they can recognize each other's abilities, after that. I don't need to say it. ”

“……”

Without hesitation, Saber took the scoop from Rider. Also scooped a spoonful of wine.

Saber's thin body always makes people worry about whether she can really drink. But looking at her boldness in drinking, she is not inferior to the giant Rider at all. Seeing this, Rider let out a pleasant compliment.

"So, first of all, are you going to compete with me to see who is stronger? Rider。 ”

"Exactly, there is a real contest in the name of the 'king', but in this case, it is better not to call it the 'Holy Grail War', but the 'Holy Grail Q&A'...... In the end, who among the knight kings and conquering kings will become the 'Holy Grail King'? It's a fitting question to ask a wine glass. ”

Rider changed his serious tone. Laughing mischievously. Then he spoke as if to himself.

"Ah, speaking of which, there is a man here who calls himself 'King.'"

- That's the end of the joke. Hybrids. ”

As if in response to Rider's unclear words. A dazzling golden light flashed in front of everyone.

The sound and the light caused Saber and Alice Phil's bodies to stiffen instantly.

"Archer, why are you here......"

Saber asked, and it was Rider who answered her.

"Ah, when I saw him on the street, I asked him to drink together—but he was still late, Jinguang. But unlike me, he walks on foot, so I can't blame him. ”

Archer, dressed in armor, stared proudly at Rider with ruby eyes.

"It's really a shame that you chose such a shabby place to hold a banquet, so that's all you can taste. Why do you apologize for why I came here on purpose? ”

"Don't say that, come on, have a drink first."

Rider smiled and handed the spoon full of wine to Archer.

He thought he would be annoyed by Rider's attitude, but instead he simply took the spoon and drank the wine inside.

Alice Phil remembered what Saber had called "the challenge" earlier.

Archer, the unknown Golden Hero, could not have refused the wine handed by Rider since he claimed to be "King".

"--What kind of bad wine is this, and you actually use this wine to fight between heroes?"

Archer said with a look of disgust.

"Really? I bought it from the market here, and it's a good wine. ”

"I think that because you don't know anything about wine, you bastard."

A vortex of imaginary space appeared around Archer, who scoffed. It was a precursor to the strange phenomenon that could summon the Noble Phantasm, and Webber and Alice Fell felt nothing but chills in their bodies.

But tonight Archer was surrounded not by weapons, but by a series of drinking utensils encrusted with dazzling gemstones. The heavy gold bottle was filled with a colorless, clear liquid.

"Look, this is the 'King's Wine.'"

"Oh, that's so impressive."

Rider didn't mind Archer's tone and happily poured the new wine into three glasses. (To be continued......)