Ideals, Analysis, and Choices

Inside the Emiya Residence in Miyamachi, warm yellow light spilled softly, but the atmosphere in the living room was heavy enough to suffocate.

Kiritsugu leaned against the wall, his figure slightly hunched, his face etched with the fatigue of days spent on the run.

Saber sat upright opposite him, her posture impeccable, the majesty of a king radiating naturally from every movement.

Irisviel, the silver-haired, elf-like woman, stood awkwardly between them, her hands clasped restlessly, her eyes filled with worry.

Kiritsugu knew that at this point, there was no longer any need for concealment.

In his conversations with Saber, he had laid bare his ideals and wishes without reservation—to save the world and put an end to war.

This grand and heavy goal plunged Saber into deep thought. She couldn't fully grasp Kiritsugu's seemingly extreme ideas, but she didn't immediately dismiss them either.

Afterward, Saber slowly revealed her own wish.

No longer fixated on negating the past, she hoped to use the Holy Grail's power to heal her injuries, return to her soon-to-be-destroyed country, rally her old troops, and save Britain.

She knew this might reignite war, but the determination in her eyes showed she had no regrets.

However, the very point of "reigniting war" became an insurmountable chasm between them. Kiritsugu absolutely could not agree with Saber's philosophy, and their conversation gradually fell into a stalemate, the air seemingly thick with tension.

Irisviel watched this deadlock, her heart filled with anxiety.

Both of these individuals were incredibly important to her, and she truly didn't want to see their relationship freeze like this. If Saber and Kiritsugu severed their contract, the Einzbern Family's years of sacrifice and aspirations would turn to dust.

Irisviel forced a smile, trying to break the oppressive atmosphere.

"How about... we eat something first? My stomach's been protesting since noon."

"Alright."

Saber responded first. As a Servant, she didn't need to eat; as long as she had sufficient mana, she wouldn't feel hunger.

But at this moment, she also hoped to use this to ease the tense atmosphere.

Kiritsugu nodded as well. He had been racking his brain all day calculating his opponents and indeed hadn't had time to eat. So much had happened today, and he needed time to sort through his thoughts and plan his next conversation with Saber.

Seeing that both had agreed, Irisviel felt a slight sense of relief. She hoped that during the meal, she could mediate and ease their relationship, even if it couldn't return to how it was, at least they could reach an agreement in the Holy Grail War.

But just as she was secretly feeling fortunate, she suddenly felt the world spin, her vision blurring, and the figures of Kiritsugu and Saber distorting.

"Eh?!"

Irisviel exclaimed instinctively, her body uncontrollably falling to the side.

Fortunately, Saber was quick, reaching out to support Irisviel and gently placing her on the tatami mat, calling out anxiously, "Irisviel, Irisviel!!"

Kiritsugu also immediately came to Irisviel's side. Although his expression remained calm, the anxiety in his eyes was undeniable.

He inwardly cursed, realizing something was wrong. In the Holy Grail War, Irisviel experiencing such an abnormal condition likely meant a Servant had died. He unconsciously clenched his fist, aware of the urgency and that there was no more time for slow communication with Saber; he had to act fast.

Saber also understood the gravity of the situation. She had learned some of the Holy Grail's secrets from Irisviel before, and seeing Irisviel's state now, she understood that the worst-case scenario was probably about to happen.

Like Kiritsugu, she also realized they didn't have much time for calm discussion and needed to make a decision.

Their gazes met in the air. In a brief exchange, they saw a hint of compromise in each other's eyes.

At this moment, Irisviel's consciousness gradually recovered slightly. She slowly opened her eyes and asked weakly, "Saber, Kiritsugu... What happened to me?"

Saber gently comforted her, "Irisviel, don't speak. Rest well."

"I'm fine, I can get up."

Irisviel forced a faint smile, attempting to struggle to her feet, but her powerless hands made her acutely aware of her current weakness.

The oppressive feeling from within her body made her understand that another Servant had perished in the Holy Grail War.

"Irisviel... Don't force yourself. I'll take you back to rest."

Saber carefully picked up Irisviel and walked towards the old warehouse of the Emiya Residence. Only the magic circle inscribed there could help Irisviel recover.

In the old warehouse.

After placing Irisviel on the silver-glowing magic circle on the floor and watching her gradually fall asleep, Saber's gaze turned resolute.

She clenched her fist, turned, and quickly returned to the living room, stating sternly to Kiritsugu, "Kiritsugu, we must establish a common goal."

"That's right. I've decided. The Holy Grail is our shared pursuit," Kiritsugu replied without hesitation.

Upon hearing the word "Holy Grail," Saber's eyes instantly sharpened. She stared intently at Kiritsugu, questioning, "Kiritsugu, you must know that continuing to pursue the Holy Grail means watching Irisviel die."

The Lesser Grail was Irisviel's identity.

As the souls of Heroic Spirits were continuously contained, Irisviel would gradually become the Lesser Grail, eventually losing her human form and her life would come to an end.

Kiritsugu's expression froze. He hadn't expected Saber to know about this, and for a moment, he fell silent.

Saber continued her questioning, her voice tinged with anger, "Kiritsugu, answer me. Do you really intend to watch Irisviel die?"

Kiritsugu remained silent. What else could he say?

The secrets of the Einzbern Family were indeed that cruel. For both him and Saber, it was an unbearable burden.

"Saber, it's come to this. It cannot be undone. As long as we continue to pursue the Holy Grail, Irisviel... cannot escape this fate."

Kiritsugu's words, like cold blades, pierced Saber's heart.

Indeed, wasn't she also pursuing the Holy Grail?

Why blame Kiritsugu now?

But that was merely a wish born of impulse during a moment of despair.

Now, with Saber awakened, she could actually cast the Holy Grail aside. Even without the Holy Grail, the sword in her hand remained sharp, and her warhorses and people would still follow her.

Saber stared intently at Kiritsugu and asked seriously, "Kiritsugu, if you had the chance to save Irisviel's life, would you give up the Holy Grail?"

Give up the Holy Grail?

Those four words echoed repeatedly in Kiritsugu's mind.

His thoughts instantly returned to the past: the Dead Apostle disaster caused by his father, his village consumed by flames, the deaths of his master and foster mother, and the brutal experiences of war flashed before his eyes.

Witnessing death, children, countless sorrows, witnessing war, child soldiers, female soldiers, the evils of the world.

He understood the cruelty of this world better than anyone.

Ultimately, all his emotions converged into a firm answer.

He couldn't let go.

The depth of his love for the world was matched by the ruthlessness with which he approached its cruelty. Just as he loved everyone equally, he had to hate the world's cruelty equally.

Kiritsugu's expression was firm as he said, "Saber, I will not give up the Holy Grail."

Hearing this answer, Saber wasn't overly shocked. After hearing Kiritsugu's ideals and wishes, she had actually anticipated this answer.

"Kiritsugu, I understand."

Saber's tone carried a hint of disappointment, but more than that, a sense of resignation. The image of Kiritsugu, labeled a "madman," became increasingly clear in her mind.

Saber turned and walked towards the door. As she reached it, she stopped and said without looking back, "Kiritsugu, you can continue to pursue the Holy Grail, but I will not deliberately help you. If you wish to force me to fight with Command Spells, then think carefully. Once you do, our relationship will be completely broken."

With a click, the door closed, leaving Kiritsugu standing alone in the center of the living room. The light spilled onto him, but it couldn't illuminate the shadows within his heart.

After a long while, he muttered with a wry smile, "As expected, no one can understand me. Irisviel doesn't understand, and Saber doesn't understand either."

His ideals, his dreams, perhaps from beginning to end, only his assistant Maiya, who had also experienced a tragic life, could truly understand.

"To completely end war and make the world a better place, what's so wrong with that?"

Kiritsugu cried out in his heart, convinced he was not wrong, but that the cruel world was.

He simply wanted to make the world a little better, even if it meant paying any price.