Ideals, Analysis, and Choices

Within the Emiya Residence in Miyamachi, warm yellow light fell softly, yet the atmosphere in the living room was so heavy it was almost suffocating.

Kiritsugu leaned against the wall, slightly hunched, his face marked by the exhaustion of days spent rushing about.

Saber sat upright across from him, every movement naturally carrying the dignity of a king.

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

Kiritsugu knew there was no need to keep concealing anything at this point.

During his conversation with Saber, he had laid bare his ideals and wishes without reservation—to save the world and bring war to a complete end.

Such a grand and weighty goal plunged Saber into deep thought. She could not fully understand Kiritsugu's seemingly extreme way of thinking, but she did not immediately reject it either.

Afterward, Saber slowly spoke of her own wish as well.

She was no longer obsessed with denying the past. Instead, she hoped to use the power of the Holy Grail to heal her wounds, return to her country on the verge of destruction, gather her former followers once more, and save Britain.

She knew this might ignite war again, but the determination in her eyes showed that she would never regret it.

Yet it was precisely this point—"igniting war"—that became the chasm neither of them could cross. Kiritsugu firmly could not accept Saber's ideals, and their conversation gradually reached a deadlock, as if the air itself had become thick with tension.

Watching the stalemate, Irisviel grew terribly anxious.

Both of them were immensely important to her, and she truly did not want to see their relationship turn rigid like this. If Saber and Kiritsugu severed their contract, the Einzbern Family's years of sacrifice and long-cherished wish would all come to nothing.

Irisviel forced out a smile, trying to break the oppressive mood.

"How about... we eat something first? Our stomachs have been protesting since noon."

"Fine."

Saber responded first. As a Servant, she had no need to eat; as long as she had sufficient mana, she would not feel hunger.

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

Kiritsugu nodded as well. He had spent the entire day racking his brain to calculate his opponents and truly had not even had time to eat. Too much had happened today; he needed time to sort through his thoughts and plan how to speak with Saber next.

Seeing that both agreed, Irisviel felt slightly relieved. She hoped to mediate between them over the meal and ease their relationship, even if they could not return to how things had been before. At the very least, they needed to reach an understanding during the Holy Grail War.

But just as she was quietly celebrating, the world suddenly spun around her. Her vision blurred, and the figures of Kiritsugu and Saber gradually twisted.

"Eh?!"

Irisviel cried out instinctively as her body toppled uncontrollably to one side.

Fortunately, Saber reacted swiftly. She reached out, caught Irisviel, and gently laid her on the tatami, calling anxiously, "Irisviel, Irisviel!!"

Kiritsugu immediately came to Irisviel's side as well. Though his expression remained calm, he could not hide the anxiety in his eyes.

This is bad. In the Holy Grail War, Irisviel showing such abnormal symptoms most likely meant that a Heroic Spirit had died. His fists clenched unconsciously as he realized the urgency of the situation. There was no longer time to slowly reason things out with Saber; they had to settle this quickly.

Saber likewise understood the gravity of the situation. Irisviel had previously told her some of the Holy Grail's secrets, and seeing her current condition, Saber already understood that the worst-case scenario was likely about to unfold.

Like Kiritsugu, she realized they had little time left for a calm discussion. They had to make a decision.

Their gazes met in the air, and in that brief exchange, each saw a trace of compromise in the other's eyes.

At that moment, Irisviel gradually regained some awareness. She slowly opened her eyes and asked weakly, "Saber, Kiritsugu... what happened to me?"

Saber comforted her softly. "Irisviel, don't speak. Rest properly."

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

Irisviel forced a faint smile and tried to struggle to her feet, but the weakness in her hands made her painfully aware of just how frail she was.

The oppressive feeling rising 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 lifted Irisviel into her arms and headed toward the old storehouse of the Emiya Residence. Only the magecraft formula carved there could help Irisviel recover.

In the old storehouse, Saber placed Irisviel within the silver-glowing magecraft formula on the floor. Watching her gradually fall asleep, Saber's gaze became resolute.

She clenched her fist, turned, and quickly returned to the living room. In a grave voice, she said to Kiritsugu, "Kiritsugu, we must establish a shared objective."

"That's right. I've decided—the Holy Grail is what we will pursue together," Kiritsugu answered without hesitation.

At the words "Holy Grail," Saber's gaze instantly sharpened. She stared hard at Kiritsugu and demanded, "Kiritsugu, you should understand that continuing to pursue the Holy Grail means watching Irisviel die before your eyes."

The Lesser Grail—that was Irisviel's true identity.

As more and more Heroic Spirit souls were contained within her, Irisviel would gradually transform into the Lesser Grail. In the end, she would lose her human form, and her life would come to an end.

Kiritsugu's expression froze. He had not expected Saber to know about this as well, and for a moment, he fell silent.

Saber continued questioning him, a trace of anger in her voice. "Kiritsugu, answer me. Are you really going to watch Irisviel die?"

Kiritsugu remained silent. What could he possibly say?

The Einzbern Family's secret was cruel by nature. Whether for him or for Saber, it was a burden too heavy to bear.

"Saber, things have come this far. There is no turning back. As long as we continue pursuing the Holy Grail, Irisviel... cannot escape this fate."

Kiritsugu's words were like an icy blade, stabbing into Saber's heart.

That was right. Wasn't she pursuing the Holy Grail too?

Why, then, was she blaming Kiritsugu now?

But that had only been a wish born from an impulsive moment when she was at her lowest.

Now, after awakening, Saber could in fact cast the Holy Grail aside. Even without it, the sword in her hand remained sharp, and her warhorse and people would still follow her.

Saber fixed her eyes on Kiritsugu and asked earnestly, "Kiritsugu, if there were a chance to save Irisviel's life, would you give up the Holy Grail?"

Give up the Holy Grail?

Those four words echoed over and over in Kiritsugu's mind.

His thoughts instantly returned to the past: the Dead Apostle disaster caused by his father, the village swallowed by flames, the deaths of his mentor and adoptive mother, and the cruel experiences of war flashing before his eyes one by one.

Witnessing death, children, countless sorrows; witnessing war, child soldiers, female soldiers, the evil of this world.

He understood this world's cruelty better than anyone.

In the end, all those emotions converged into one firm answer.

He could not let it go.

The deeper his love for the world, the more resolute he was in his rejection of its cruelty. Just as he loved every person equally, he had no choice but to hate this world's cruelty equally.

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

Hearing that answer, Saber was not overly shocked. After hearing Kiritsugu's ideals and wishes, she had already expected it.

"Kiritsugu, I understand."

There was a trace of disappointment in Saber's tone, but even more than that, there was relief. The image of Kiritsugu as a man called a "madman" became clearer in her mind.

Saber turned and walked toward the door. When she reached it, she stopped without looking back. "Kiritsugu, you may continue pursuing the Holy Grail, but I will not deliberately assist you. If you intend to force me to fight using Command Spells, think it through carefully. Once you do that, our relationship will be completely broken."

As the door clicked shut, Kiritsugu stood alone in the center of the living room. The light fell over him, yet it could not illuminate the shadows in his heart.

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

Perhaps only Maiya, his assistant who had likewise lived through a tragic life, could truly understand his ideals and his dream.

"What is wrong with completely ending war and making the world a better place?"

Kiritsugu cried out inwardly, convinced that he was not wrong. What was wrong was this cruel world.

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