Fate: How About a New Savior?

That said...

Aside from Shiomi and Ritsuka, who weren't affected, the remaining 46 Masters had all been placed in cryogenic preservation—something that deeply unsettled Olga Marie.

To carry out cryopreservation without the consent of the individuals involved was a serious violation.

Even though Olga Marie understood that freezing all 46 of them was the right move—the only way to ensure their survival—she couldn't ignore the weight of it.

After all, the responsibility for that decision ultimately rested on her, the director.

"...Forty-six... no, forty-seven lives. How am I supposed to carry that burden..." She clenched her fists, biting at her fingers in distress.

"It's okay. I'll be here for you," Shiomi said, rubbing her head. "I'll talk to Lord Tranbelio and Lord Valualeta at the Clock Tower and convince them to back you up."

It wasn't something a girl in her twenties should have to handle. She was still inexperienced and lacking in status—there was a clear gap between her and someone like Shiomi, who had long been a seasoned player in the Clock Tower's factional politics.

"And Reines too~~" Caren's voice came through the speaker.

Olga Marie perked up a little. "R-Right! I'm a Lord of the Clock Tower too, after all!"

She had been worried that the Democratic Faction would use this as an opening to attack her, but with Shiomi vouching for her, that concern eased considerably.

"So, what do you plan to do next?" Romani asked from behind Caren's seat. "Are you going to wait here for rescue?"

Shiomi was the first to answer. "Don't be ridiculous. The others can wait if they want, but I can't just leave this place alone."

"...Makes sense. Fuyuki is your hometown, after all," Romani said with a nod of understanding.

"Then it's settled. With Shiomi-sensei leading the way, I, Ritsuka Fujimaru, and the Servant Mash Kyrielight will form an investigation team for Singularity F."

Olga Marie turned and waved energetically at Ritsuka and Mash.

"Understood."

"U-Understood!"

After Mash replied, Ritsuka quickly echoed her response.

"All right, all right, no need to be so formal—it's just a temporary team," Shiomi said, waving his hands with a wry smile to calm them down.

He understood perfectly well—this was the first mission for the two of them, and with so many unknowns surrounding Singularity F, it was only natural for them to feel anxious.

Even if they weren't showing it on their faces.

"You've been to the front lines, a seasoned Magus... and you're treating this like a school field trip," Olga Marie muttered, slightly annoyed.

But she had to admit—it was precisely because Shiomi made everything seem so effortless that she wasn't as tense or afraid.

Unlike her father, Marisbury, who barely spoke to her and only cared about Magecraft, Shiomi carried a warmth that felt... human.

"Then I'll leave Singularity F to you and everyone else. If anything happens, contact me immediately." Caren spoke seriously, then added, "A Servant is approaching—be careful."

"Got it."

Shiomi nodded to Caren and ended the transmission. He turned toward the direction where the Servant's presence was coming from.

"Are we going to fight?" Ritsuka asked.

"No, it's better to establish a base first," Shiomi replied after a brief analysis. "This isn't the same one that attacked Marie and me earlier—it's a new Servant. If this turns into a brawl, it'll be dangerous for both Marie and Ritsuka."

"Then where do we take shelter?" Olga Marie asked.

Shiomi smiled. "Isn't it obvious? My house, of course."

As he spoke, he tapped the ground with his magical spear. A whirlwind suddenly burst forth—not a regular tornado, but a swirling mass of countless crows.

"Don't run off. If you get separated, it'll be hard to find you."

The crows wrapped around the group, and in an instant, they vanished—taking all four of them with them.

...

On top of a ruined skyscraper, a female Servant clicked her tongue in frustration as she watched the scene.

"So fast…"

With that, she turned and left.

Meanwhile, in the opposite direction, another Servant who had also witnessed it muttered to himself while clutching a wound at his waist.

"Huh... same kind of spear as Master's... and that transfer spell... So he's the one they were talking about…"

...

"This is…"

"The teacher's house?"

Ritsuka and Olga Marie stared ahead, speaking softly.

"But... all I see is an empty lot," Mash said bluntly.

"Alright, change of plans," Shiomi said immediately, turning around without hesitation.

To their surprise, there wasn't even a trace of Shiomi's house—not a ruin, not even a foundation.

It was just an undeveloped patch of land, with a half-burnt wooden "For Sale" sign stuck into the ground.

"But isn't this your house—" Olga Marie began.

"A Singularity means human history has deviated for some reason," Shiomi said. "If my house isn't here, then the answer is simple. In this warped Singularity F, I don't exist."

"Why wouldn't you exist?" Ritsuka asked, catching up.

"Probably because if I did exist here, the Singularity wouldn't be viable," Shiomi thought aloud. "So I was excluded in some way… or maybe—"

"Or maybe?" Olga Marie pressed.

"Or maybe the version of me in Singularity F is already dead," Shiomi said with a shrug. "And died a long time ago—at least before 1992."

He laid out this rather grim second possibility with surprising calm, leaving the girls feeling unsettled.

"Either way, a Singularity is a Singularity—and I'm still me," Shiomi added, taking it in stride. "Since my house doesn't exist, I guess we'll have to rely on someone else."

"You mean the Tohsaka family? The ones who manage the land in Fuyuki?" Olga Marie asked, recalling what she'd heard.

"Land managers? Does that mean the whole city belongs to them?" Ritsuka asked curiously.

Shiomi shook his head. "Maybe in the past. These days, it refers to the magical ownership of the land's leylines. Fuyuki is the second most important spiritual site in Japan. It's because the Tohsaka family oversees the entire region that they can offer it as the ritual ground for the Holy Grail War—"

"Holy Grail... War?" Ritsuka tilted her head.

Shiomi paused, hands on his hips, a bit flustered. He had no choice but to start from the beginning, explaining the Holy Grail War and the concept of Servants to Ritsuka as they walked toward the Tohsaka estate.

Both Shiomi's and the Tohsaka residences were in Miyama Town, only about ten minutes apart on foot.

So they arrived quickly.

But the moment they reached what should have been the Tohsaka estate, Ritsuka and Olga Marie let out even louder gasps than when they saw "Shiomi's house."

Even Shiomi was stunned.

The place where the Tohsaka house was supposed to stand had been reduced to a massive crater, several meters deep. He was left speechless.

"...What on earth happened in this Singularity?"

For the first time, Shiomi's expression turned grim.