Ruler had left behind Rider of Black and Sieg and was now running towards the Hanging Gardens by herself at full speed. The closer she got, the more shocked she was by that floating Noble Phantasm. Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasms, which possessed the pure power to destroy fortresses and castles, were rare, but that didn't mean that there weren't Heroic Spirit who owned them. However, Noble Phantasms that were fortresses in and of themselves were most likely even scarcer.
Fortresses that existed as Noble Phantasms, according to the knowledge that Ruler immediately dragged out, were limited to those like the one possessed by Ireland's Child of Light. And even that was restricted to the borders of his homeland.
Furthermore, the number of Noble Phantasms that were floating strongholds was nearly zero. And to make things more troublesome, it appeared that the owner of that floating fortress held ill will towards her. She had gone through considerable detours, but in any case, there were many things she needed to verify with the Red camp.
—However.
Something, something fatal was starting and about to end. She kept having that premonition. Somehow managing to shake off the chill that took hold of her, she jumped onto the walls of the Fortress of Millennia and ran upwards at full speed.
From the huge hole that had been bored into the Fortress of Millennia, the Greater Grail was slowly coming into view.
"...I can't believe it."
Ruler's murmur was only natural. The oppressive sensation clamping down on her entire body told her that it was without a doubt the real Greater Grail. What she couldn't believe was that the Red camp was trying to drag it out.
It was true that this was a war that revolved around the Greater Grail. She also predicted that the Red Camp would end up doing this if they won. But that would normally only happen after the war was over. Why were they hurriedly trying to recover the Greater Grail when the scales of battle were still swaying?
Most likely, the one causing problems right now was not any of the Red Servants, but a Master. Someone who, at the very least, wasn't following the will of the Association of Magi...
After having conjectured that far, she finally managed to arrive atop the floating fortress. Water ran upstream and plants clearly grew not upwards but downwards instead.
"A reversed flow... the Hanging Gardens...!"
"That's right, Ruler."
Hearing that jeering voice, Ruler turned around—she knew of only two Heroic Spirits who possessed the Hanging Gardens as a Noble Phantasm. The first was Nebuchadnezzar II, and the second was—the legendary empress who, due to oral transmission of ancient folklore getting mixed up, was lavished with the falsehood of having 'made the Hanging Gardens'.
The world's oldest poisoner—Semiramis.
"Assassin of Red... so that's who you are."
"Indeed. Now then, Ruler. Do you have some business in my gardens? I don't believe I have violated any particular rules, though."
Perhaps due to the dimness of the nearby torches, her black and glamorous dress was halfway merged with the darkness of the night. Ruler felt it was terribly—eerie.
"No, you have."
"Hoh," said Assassin of Red, displaying interest.
"—Then tell me. What rule have I violated?"
"If you have not a single smidgeon of guilt on your conscience and you are obeying the rules of the Holy Grail War as you say—then please let me meet your Master."
