"Acting as both the overseer and a Master at the same time?" Shirou furrowed his brow deeply.
"Mm." Aika nodded lightly.
This Holy Grail War was a conflict between the Mage's Association—the "Red" faction—and the Kaiser Family, which had broken away from the Association and sought independence—the "Black" faction.
Normally, this ritual did not require an overseer.
However, after careful consideration, the Mage's Association decided to bring the Holy Church into the matter as well.
The two largest organizations of the supernatural world, the Association and the Church, had fought for over a thousand years, but they were still "in principle" allies.
What would happen if the Thousandth Tree Clan won the Church over at a time like this?
The authority of the Mage's Association as the orthodox organization of Western magecraft would be severely undermined.
Thus, at the Association's request, the Holy Church sent a representative to demonstrate its support for the Association.
This priest was both the overseer of the Holy Grail War and the Master of the "Red" faction.
Aika's Command Spells had been taken from Hyoma Sagara, a mage of the Thousandth Tree Clan.
She had been enemies with the "Black" faction from the very beginning, which was why she had come to meet the overseer of the "Red" faction.
—Of course, that did not mean Aika and Shirou would join the Association's faction.
On a hill in Sighisoara, Romania, stood a church that had gained some fame as a tourist attraction.
However, a year ago, the church had already stopped accepting visitors under the pretext of renovations.
At that moment, in one of the church's rooms, a young priest was praying to God.
"Lord... please guide us."
The priest had a youthful face, yet an immensely mature air faintly showed through his innocence.