Shakespeare sat beneath the tree, scribbling fervently in the blank book he held.
"Reversal! Reversal! Reversal!" he exclaimed with glee. "Life is like a coin tossed endlessly between hope and despair—so close, it's almost unbelievable! The Holy Grail War is truly magnificent!"
He looked up, grinning, and gave Shirou Kotomine a thumbs-up. "Master, don't you agree?"
"Caster, we're in a real crisis right now," Shirou sighed, his gaze fixed on the floating garden in the distance. A massive iron stake, composed of twenty thousand rods, pierced the earth like a colossal tree, tethering the garden like a kite caught in its branches. They either had to remove all the stakes or somehow lift the entire iron tree. Both options seemed impossible.
"But there's nothing I can do!" Shakespeare shrugged, throwing his hands up in defeat.
"I'd appreciate some encouragement, at least," Shirou muttered, sitting beside Shakespeare with a weary expression.
"Well, didn't you say it yourself, Master? Whether you succeed or fail, you won't hold a grudge. If you fail, it just means the Lord has denied your wish." Shakespeare closed his book with a snap. "But as I said, the distance between hope and despair is shockingly short. Your coin hasn't landed yet, Master."
A soft light crept to Shirou's feet, making his eyes widen. It wasn't the glow of a Noble Phantasm but something more natural—the dawn, a sight he saw every day.
Shakespeare stood and spread his arms toward the rising sun. "Despair hasn't come yet, and I'm not done enjoying this. Keep tossing that coin called life, Master! Hope or despair, it's all in your hands!"
"You're too carefree for your own good," Shirou grumbled, getting to his feet and brushing off his clothes. A broad smile returned to his face. "But you're right. The night's over, but the Black faction won't stop now. That coin's still spinning in the air."
"Then go and make sure it lands in your favor," Shakespeare said with a chuckle. "I'll be here, crafting your story as it unfolds."
"Let's hope the Lord is on my side," Shirou sighed, before sprinting toward the floating garden.
"Struggle well, Master!" Shakespeare called after him, bowing with a flourish. "The Lord won't decide the coin's outcome for you. As long as you keep trying, you've got the right to toss it again."
As Shirou disappeared from view, Shakespeare raised his head and slowly faded into the light. "Keep tossing it until it lands the way you want."
Vlad III clenched his teeth as the first rays of sunlight pierced the sky. The dawn signaled the end of the Holy Grail War for now, a pause to maintain the secrecy of the mystic world. But with the floating garden pinned so visibly to the sky, there was no hiding it anymore. Vlad considered launching a full assault instead of retreating.
Chiron narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, clearly sharing the same thought.
"Oh? The giant's been dealt with, I see," Achilles remarked, pulling his chariot to a halt in front of the stakes. "But I can't let you tear down this garden, Teacher—not with the Ruler watching. Are you really going to break the rules?"
"Yes, the sun has risen. All fighting must cease immediately," Cyd said, rubbing his shoulder.
"Exactly," Achilles agreed, jumping down from his chariot and casually throwing an arm around Cyd's shoulders. "Let's all just get along."
Vlad III considered the situation. He was drained, and in his current state, Achilles might very well overpower him. If that happened, the stakes he'd driven into the earth would disappear, and the floating garden would escape. That would mean the end of their efforts.
"But before that, have your Servant conceal the garden," Cyd said, his eyes locking onto the panting Shirou Kotomine, who had just arrived. "I'm not in the mood to negotiate. Either hide it, or it disappears."
Cyd wasn't stupid. The Red faction clearly planned something big, hoping to escape with the garden in broad daylight. Secrecy and subtlety be damned, they were after the Grail. But they'd only managed half their plan before Vlad caught them. If they wouldn't cooperate, neither would Cyd.
Shirou's eyes narrowed in fear. The bow in Cyd's hand radiated an intense heat, yet the cold dread Shirou felt was far worse.
"We'll cooperate," Shirou said, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. He genuinely considered giving up.
Meanwhile, Semiramis was muttering curses so fast Shirou couldn't make out the words. Whatever elegance she usually held was gone, but at least she was following orders, working to conceal the garden.
"Until the sun sets again, I don't want to see any Servants fighting," Cyd warned, casting a stern glance at the gathered warriors. "Ruler exists to prevent the exposure of magic and to deal with anomalies, but that doesn't mean we're here to clean up your mess. If anyone steps out of line again—"
Cyd's voice darkened, "I'll make sure they're disqualified."
"Report! The Black faction has always played by the rules!" Astolfo piped up, hopping in place.
It was true. As the initiators of the Holy Grail War, the Black faction had surprisingly played by the book. Apart from fortifying their stronghold, they hadn't done much to stir the pot. The Holy Grail was hidden, sure, but that was just part of their plan to secure victory. It wasn't like it was against the rules. Just like a Master bribing others before the war even started.
In contrast, the Red faction had caused problem after problem. Though they appeared to be on the defensive, the truth was that the Black faction had been manipulated from the start. Why? Because the ostentatious floating garden required items from places Semiramis had lived in during her life. Given the garden's size, this had been prepared long before the war began.
It wasn't that Shirou Kotomine was dragged into the Holy Grail War; he'd been waiting for it all along, while the Black faction naively thought they were prepared.
Cyd shot a sideways glance at the pink-haired Knight prancing in front of him. "The war resumes at sunset."
With that, Cyd walked past Astolfo and approached Jeanne d'Arc. "Well done."
"Ah, I didn't really do anything," Jeanne replied, scratching her head.
"Exactly, and that's why you did well," Cyd said, patting the now stone-faced Jeanne on the shoulder.