Or, you guys find another savior

"As a ruler of a nation, you should listen to your healers," Xi Jianxi said. "Your injuries are worse than mine, King of Knights."

With just that one sentence, Artoria couldn't argue back. She could only let Xi Jianxi help her onto the ox cart. Rider, standing nearby, watched with great interest.

"You're quite good at handling women."

"No, I'm just good at handling kings." Xi Jianxi placed Artoria onto the cart.

Although not as a subordinate, Xi Jianxi had indeed stayed by that queen's side for countless years.

Chapter 77: Embracing the Witch

After returning to Xi Jianxi's home, Artoria was temporarily settled in a guest room, accompanied by Irisviel.

While changing in his room, Xi Jianxi found the whole situation rather amusing.

Last night, Irisviel was the one who needed care. Today, her role had reversed, and she was now caring for Artoria.

Was this what they called "king and rook exchange"?

After changing out of his torn, blood-stained clothes and tossing them into the trash, Xi Jianxi noticed Morgan sitting in the room, looking rather displeased.

"Let me preface this by saying Artoria Pendragon was injured by Gilgamesh's Noble Phantasm. That Noble Phantasm was likely his trump card; even the Holy Sword couldn't match it head-on," Xi Jianxi said, raising his hands slightly. "I was just—"

Morgan smiled and feigned confusion. "Do I seem like such a jealous woman to you?"

"..." Xi Jianxi really wanted to say, "Isn't it obvious?" but for his own safety, he decided to remain silent.

"Regardless, the fact that they chose to attack during the day means they no longer intend to adhere to the rules of concealing mystery," Morgan said. "When I sensed your battle, I thought the decisive confrontation was imminent. It seems the other party isn't fully prepared yet either."

Xi Jianxi agreed. "In any case, the morning's events confirmed one thing: the only ones who can stop Gilgamesh and Kirei, as well as the corrupted Holy Grail, are us."

"Not only that, but the Einzbern homunculus also received information. The Civic Hall in New City is unremarkable, but Ryuudou Temple on Mount Enzou is preparing some kind of large-scale ritual," Morgan provided another piece of intel.

Of Fuyuki City's four ley lines, the status of three had now been completely clarified.

If Kirei needed to forcibly activate the Greater Holy Grail and intercept other Servants who came to interfere, he could only set up his formation at the Greater Holy Grail's location on Mount Enzou.

There was already a pre-existing barrier against spiritual energy there, and Servants would have to enter through the main gate.

Establishing a defensive battle from a commanding position at the mountain gate would make Gilgamesh, who already had an advantage, even more difficult to deal with.

However, these were problems for later. Xi Jianxi was more concerned about something else right now.

"Then why do you look... so displeased?"

Since it wasn't dissatisfaction with him taking care of Artoria, there must be another reason.

"It's nothing. It's just that when I was treating the Einzbern's female assistant, I caught a glimpse of her past," Morgan said, shaking her head.

Maiya Hisau had indeed collapsed too quickly within the "Lost Will," so she hadn't woken up when the magic was dispelled.

However, it was a relatively simple situation for Morgan. She used her magic to exert some mental interference on the unconscious Maiya, resealing all the past memories awakened by the "Lost Will." After that, Maiya showed signs of waking up.

"Is that so?" Xi Jianxi said, slightly surprised.

Morgan leaned gently into Xi Jianxi's embrace. He didn't pull away.

"People can be so cruel to each other sometimes," Morgan sighed, not wanting to describe what she had just seen.

Sensing the sudden heavy emotion, Xi Jianxi began to doubt whether he should trouble Morgan with such trivial matters at a time like this.

"I can't deny it, but even so..." He hugged Morgan.

This was the first time he had proactively embraced his Servant outside of a battlefield.

He didn't view Morgan as a familiar, but rather as a top-tier Divine Era Magus, a Heroic Spirit who left their name in legends.

As for treating her as a woman, Xi Jianxi always felt that would be too presumptuous.

Even though he knew she was female and that Morgan seemed to have an extraordinary amount of goodwill towards him.

Beyond what a Servant should feel for a Master.

"Even so, I still believe that the world where humans live is still beautiful and is something that should naturally be protected," Xi Jianxi told Morgan sincerely, but without expecting her to think the same.

"I know. It's just that I always held some fantasies about the unknown world," Morgan said. "Because I only saw it fleetingly, and because this is the world you live in, so..."

So, she had developed overly beautiful expectations for the original state of the world, the world that had never betrayed her in six thousand years.

She should have discarded those naive thoughts long ago.

Yet, they had regrown the moment she saw them.

"Is that so? That must have been difficult for you," Xi Jianxi said softly, understanding.

Unconsciously, Morgan buried her head a little deeper.

"How is your injury?"

However, she still smelled a faint scent of blood, and her composure returned.

"It's nothing serious. Injuries like this can't kill me," Xi Jianxi released Morgan and said with a confident smile, stating the facts.

Morgan lowered her eyelids slightly, as if in thought. "But the King of Heroes' trump card is conservatively estimated to be something beyond normal specifications. This time, it was only possible to counter it with a grand magic after Artoria's Holy Sword released its true name."

"I agree," Xi Jianxi stood up and walked around the room. "So, for the upcoming battle against the King of Heroes, we must join forces with Saber and Rider. We need to ensure Gilgamesh doesn't have time to reveal that Noble Phantasm."

"There's no need to be so pessimistic," Morgan said. "There aren't many ways to directly confront that Noble Phantasm. If I'm willing to pay the price of my Servant Spirit Core's demise, I can also create a chance of victory for my husband."

Xi Jianxi froze, "Are we really going to go that far?"

He didn't fear death, nor did he fear fighting the King of Heroes until the last drop of blood. But now, with the tables suddenly turned and the burden of sacrifice being placed on Morgan, Xi Jianxi hesitated for some reason.

If Iskandar or Artoria had been the ones to do this, he would have accepted these hypothetical scenarios.

"It's just one of the hypotheses," Morgan said, gently flicking the wide sleeves of her blue kimono in an elegant tone. "While unpleasant, there are indeed other methods. It would just require my husband to use his silver tongue to persuade someone to abandon a treasure they obtained through great effort and resources."

Xi Jianxi immediately realized what Morgan was referring to.

"So that thing can instantly heal injuries as severe as losing a heart, and it can also be used to defend against the King of Heroes' Noble Phantasm?"

"Don't you trust your wife's judgment?" Morgan asked.

"...If it's the judgment of the great magus Morgan, of course I trust it..."

As he replied to Morgan in a mumble, he couldn't help but feel inwardly that he still wasn't quite able to handle this witch.

Chapter 78: The Final Strategy Meeting

The Xi Jianxi family's dining table was livelier than ever before.

The normally long dining table was crowded with guests, much to the surprise of Sakura and Karen, who were accustomed to their usual quiet life.

They sat on either side of Xi Jianxi and Morgan, in the closest seats.

Extending from them, the long table was flanked by Waver and Iskandar on one side, and Irisviel and Artoria on the other.

Although the sudden arrival of so many guests filled the two children with curiosity.

In reality, this was simply a meal before heading to the final battlefield once night fell.

Therefore, both Sakura and Karen keenly sensed the subtle atmosphere and refrained from speaking casually.

Iskandar, on the other hand, remained as composed as ever. While eating at the table, he told childish jokes to amuse the two young girls, which helped to lighten everyone's mood considerably.

Maiya Hisau, having only recently woken up, was kept at the base to recuperate, and Kiritsugu Emiya did not make an appearance at all.

According to Irisviel, that man was in the city conducting further investigations, making various other preparations, and had fully entrusted the affairs of the Holy Grail War to his wife, even transferring the Command Spells to Irisviel.

The influence of the 'Lost Will' on that free magus seemed to be greater than anticipated.

However, the supply of mana to the Servants still fell to Kiritsugu Emiya. Morgan had casually suggested a way for this contract to be shared between the husband and wife.

It was just that no one knew that it had taken Kayneth some time to successfully unravel this method of breaking the Holy Grail War's contract system and rewriting it in detail.

Not knowing Kiritsugu Emiya personally, Xi Jianxi had no intention of delving deeper. Like Waver, he simply accepted the situation as one of the allied Masters.

After dinner, Sakura and Karen obediently returned to their rooms to play and rest. The remaining individuals convened in the living room for the final strategy meeting and to discuss their respective Servant Noble Phantasm information.

Since the ritual site had been confirmed to be at Ryuudou Temple, the remaining issues were how to attack and how to engage in combat after the attack.

"Regarding this, you fought with that golden flash earlier today, didn't you? Didn't it force him to use his trump card?" Iskandar asked, looking at the map spread out on the coffee table and the marked location of Ryuudou Temple. "What level was it?"

Xi Jianxi leaned against the armrest. "Outside the scope of normal classification. It exceeded the usual ratings."

"If I didn't have Xi Jianxi's magical support for defense, I might have been more seriously injured," Artoria grudgingly admitted the fact. "So, directly confronting Archer's final Noble Phantasm is probably not a good strategy."

Iskandar scratched his beard. Although he hadn't witnessed the King of Knights confronting the King of Heroes' Noble Phantasm, based on the traces left behind afterward, he knew it was a Noble Phantasm with a wide attack range after its True Name had been released.

It was a completely different type from the King of Conquerors' own ultimate Noble Phantasm, which he hadn't yet revealed, and couldn't be compared in a simple manner.

"Just because we can't confront it head-on doesn't mean there aren't defensive measures," Xi Jianxi said, looking at Artoria and Irisviel.

The two immediately understood.

"Actually, I had originally planned to return this Noble Phantasm to Saber. I just didn't expect you to be attacked by Archer at the church," Irisviel said, placing a hand over her heart, sincerely stating her position.

Irisviel was also responsible for the disposal rights of the conceptual armament 'Avalon'.

Kiritsugu was currently fully dedicated to ending the Holy Grail War, gathering intelligence, and making preparations to pick up Illya afterward.

Compared to the thousand-year-old wish, Irisviel's scales had, with reality, tilted towards her more important daughter.

"But if you do that, Irisviel, your body will—" Artoria expressed some concern.

She knew, of course, that the armament belonged to her. She had only survived miraculously after losing her heart thanks to the King of Knights' Noble Phantasm, and now, it was also the Noble Phantasm within her body that maintained her physical condition.

"There's no need to worry about that. Having lost her Lesser Holy Grail function, she is now just a normal homunculus," Morgan provided an analysis from a magical perspective.

Originally, Morgan wouldn't have cared much about the lives of anyone other than Xi Jianxi. However, Xi Jianxi was the type of person who was decisive when killing but hesitant when saving.

It didn't matter if they weren't in front of her. Once they were, she had to manage them. Although Morgan found it quite exasperating, she didn't reject the idea, so she conducted a simple assessment of Irisviel's condition before dinner that afternoon.

"I see," Artoria said, understanding.

Xi Jianxi turned his face away, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Putting aside the extent to which this Noble Phantasm can defend, I think we need to clarify one thing."

"What?" Waver asked, confused. He had been somewhat relieved upon learning of a strategy to counter the enemy, but now Xi Jianxi's words had made him anxious again.

"Archer is likely very proud of that Noble Phantasm called Ea and doesn't believe there's any Noble Phantasm that can counter or defend against it," Xi Jianxi said. "So, if possible, I think we should have a backup plan."

Iskandar looked at Xi Jianxi with admiration. "Are you saying that on one hand, we should try to secure victory before the King of Heroes has a chance to use that Noble Phantasm, and on the other hand, we should try to ensure it's only used once?"

"Exactly."

Xi Jianxi nodded.

This idea was also met with the agreement of everyone present.

Try to keep your trump cards hidden for as long as possible. Once you use them, you must succeed. If Gilgamesh learns that you have a countermeasure, he'll likely find other ways to interfere and obstruct.

"Then, when the time comes, the King of Knights, the King of Conquerors, and I will attack from the front to face the King of Heroes," Xi Jianxi said, pointing a finger at Ryuudou Temple on the map. "Morgan, along with Miss Irisviel and Waver, will head to the activation point of the Greater Holy Grail."

Morgan simply nodded silently, surprising everyone else again.

"Why not have Queen Sister join us directly? With your abilities, you could handle Kirei too," Artoria asked.

"In terms of magical skill, no one present can compare to Morgan," Xi Jianxi stated the reason seriously. "Furthermore, I have no idea what's involved in purifying the Grail and ending the ritual. That's why Morgan needs to focus as much as possible on the Grail's ritual."

"My husband is right, so everyone should do as he says," Morgan said with a knowing smile.

Understanding that Xi Jianxi and Morgan had already reached an agreement, and with no better strategy available, the others could only comply.

After all, Xi Jianxi's combat power was also a very important trump card.

Chapter 79: Command Spells

After the strategy meeting concluded, everyone dispersed. Xi Jianxi allowed his guests to move freely within the mansion to make their final preparations.

He, however, returned to his room alone to change into more combat-appropriate attire.

"I never expected the ritual of this Holy Grail War to reach its end in this manner," Morgan said, sitting regally on the edge of the bed.

As for her barging in while Xi Jianxi was changing, he no longer gave much thought to whether it was appropriate or not.

"Where did things go wrong..." Xi Jianxi sighed. "The previous three Holy Grail Wars also ended without success. Is it truly that the ultimate wish-granting mechanism is still too far beyond humanity's current capabilities?"

Morgan shook her head. "That I cannot say. However, with the Holy Grail War coming to an end, you still haven't revealed your wish."

"Haven't you done the same?"

"Because it has already been granted, it's better not to say," Morgan replied indifferently.