Rift / Emiya Kiritsugu's Trump Card?

Medea, having lifted her hood, turned her gaze toward Saber.

"King Arthur — Artoria. And..."

The gaze shifted back to Irisviel

"Saber's acting Master, and also a Holy Grail Vessel— Irisviel von Einzbern."

"Princess Medea of Colchis sends her greetings."

PS2: By the way, time for a book recommendation~

Book Title: <Hi, Her, and It in the Wasteland>

This is an original post-apocalyptic novel with science fiction and fantasy elements.

Synopsis: This isn't a gentle world, but if you have enough life to squander, it can be a romantic one.

Money, weapons, monsters, serendipitous encounters...

Of course, all of this is based on the premise that one is "alive enough to go out and have fun".

This book tells the romantic story of a guy with a penchant for adventure who picks up a girl he randomly picked up, and how it begins in this harsh world.

Highly recommended (emphasis added)

Everyone go check it out!

(Sending a friendly greeting to the big shot in advance~)

Chapter 88. The Crack

"Princess Medea of Colchis sends her greetings."

With her knees slightly bent and her skirt lifted gently, Saber and Irisviel were presented with ancient and noble Greece aristocratic etiquette.

"Medea..."

Saber was not at ease upon learning Caster's real name. The fact that she was known as the "betrayal Witch" was enough to make Saber wary.

"Was King Arthur's magnanimity limited to this?"

Seeing Saber's expression, Medea chuckled, but did not do anything further to provoke Saber.

"Caster, what did you mean by what you said earlier?"

However, Saber's questioning did not end with Medea stopping in her tracks; the "invisible sword" that appeared in Saber's hand was pointed at Medea.

"What's the connection between Irisviel and the Holy Grail?!"

"Don't you know, Saber?"

Medea displayed her exaggerated surprise to the fullest extent; before Saber could answer, a mischievous smile curled at the corners of Medea's lips:

"The homunculus beside you, within her body—no, I should say she— Irisviel von Einzbern, is the Holy Grail."

Medea's answer caused Saber to stumble slightly, her gaze then shifting incredulously to Irisviel:

"Irisviel... is she telling the truth?"

"..."

Although she did not answer, Irisviel's increasingly pale face undoubtedly confirmed this statement.

The Holy Grail he had always longed for was right beside him...

This utterly ironic answer filled Saber with bitterness. But were these the only methods the Witch?

-- Obviously not

"The opening of the Holy Grail requires the souls of defeated Servant to communicate with the Greater Grail's magical power, so where exactly did these defeated Servant's souls go...?"

"Stop talking!"

Before Medea could finish speaking, Irisviel's slightly weak voice came through, but this time, and only time, Saber did not heed Irisviel's advice.

With her back to Irisviel, she looked at Medea seriously:

"Caster, please tell me the truth."

"The homunculus, as the Holy Grail, possesses the function of 'absorbing the souls of the defeated,' but as the Heroic Spirit gradually withdraw from the scene, the homunculus's function as a human will gradually shut down due to excessive burden."

Weak hands, pale face...

As Medea recounted her story, all the events that had occurred before replayed in Saber's mind.

"In the end, the androids will revert to their Holy Grail form."

Saber responded with a long silence.

"Saber..."

Irisviel looked at the swordsman with concern.

"Irisviel, does he... know Kiritsugu this?"

Turning around, Saber looked at Irisviel with an unreadable expression in her eyes.

"... Know."

Although the thought of deceiving Saber flashed through her mind, Irisviel found that she could no longer entertain that idea after seeing the serious look in Saber's azure eyes.

Even if I told her, Saber wouldn't believe me.

Thinking this through, Irisviel gave a wry smile and gave the truth.

"..."

So, what kind of feelings did that man have while fighting? To personally send the woman he loved to her destruction—what kind of battle was that?

"Unable to admit..."

His right hand, gripping the sword hilt, trembled, and his emerald eyes burned with a cold intensity.

To sacrifice loved ones for a fleeting, unattainable desire. If one's sword were to win the Holy Grail for such a person, even the brilliance of Excalibur would be tarnished.

"I can't understand..."

These two people are destined to go in opposite directions; the option of "understanding" simply doesn't exist. Since they don't understand each other, there's no need to try to understand.

"Irisviel..."

Saber's deep voice suddenly reached Irisviel's ears, instantly turning her already pale face deathly white.

Please forgive me for not being able to keep my promise to you.

There is absolutely no possibility that I and Emiya Kiritsugu will fight side by side!

The Holy Sword in her hand dissipated into the air under Saber's will, and her gaze turned to Caster and Wang Xiaoming:

"Is this also the purpose of your trip?"

The fact that Saber was defeated due to a rift in her relationship with her Master makes her exit from the stage all the more ironic.

But what Saber saw was Medea's amused expression. Medea gently shook her head and said:

"Whether from a positional standpoint or from personal interest, I'm happy to see this scenario, but the purpose of our trip is indeed to form an alliance."

"Enough! Caster, even now I am not someone you can humiliate!"

When Medea brought up the alliance again, a flash of anger appeared in Saber's eyes.

"No--"

Unmoved by Saber's anger, Medea dismissed her idea. "We've said before that we mean no harm, but this is the time for you to show true sincerity."

"Sincerity? What sincerity?"

Looking at Medea's smiling face, Saber suddenly had an idea and couldn't help but frown.

"Could it be Emiya Kiritsugu?"

"Certainly."

Medea nodded, indicating that Saber's guess was correct.

"I'm sorry, we don't know where Kiritsugu is right now."

Although Saber could vaguely sense Kiritsugu's direction due to their direct master-servant relationship, this did not mean that Saber would betray Kiritsugu's whereabouts.

Even though her anger towards Kiritsugu had exceeded its limit.

"No, absolutely not. We have already received your sincerity."

Medea shook her head, giving an unexpected answer.

Where is Kiritsugu now?

Concerned about her husband, Irisviel suddenly asked.

Medea didn't mind telling her the answer:

"Emiya Kiritsugu has already broken through our protective barrier and entered the base."

"Although you are all here now, Emiya Kiritsugu doesn't need to go to great lengths to break through your barrier just for some information."

Saber, frowning, truthfully stated her deduction.

"That's right, but besides intelligence, we have other valuable things in our base."

"Precious..."

Saber abruptly looked up at Wang Xiaoming and Medea, recalling their previous encounter, and a chilling thought suddenly flashed through her mind.

Could it be that—

"Two children."

Chapter 89. Emiya Kiritsugu Card?

"Aside from some so-called intelligence, the only thing worth paying attention to at the Matou Residence right now is..."

Medea's voice was as if she were narrating something unrelated, flat and calm:

"Two children."

Upon hearing Medea's words, the fury that ignited in Saber's emerald green eyes was enough to burn everything to ashes.

At this critical juncture, Caster would neither have nor any reason to fabricate such a lie to deceive himself. And considering the terrible image he held of Emiya Kiritsugu...

"That beast!"

Seeing Saber's furious expression, Wang Xiaoming had reason to believe that if Emiya Kiritsugu were here right now, Saber would be the first to rush up and kill him!

Even Iris, who completely trusted her husband, had to begin to question his behavior.

Unlike Saber, Irisviel could fully understand and empathize with her husband's way of thinking. However, there is a world of difference between verbally expressed ideas and firsthand experience of reality.

Although Irisviel had a chilling premonition of "Could it be?" the moment Medea spoke, her inner feelings still rejected the possibility. After all, going to such lengths...

Those two children--

As a result, even Iris, Kiritsugu's wife, Kiritsugu ruthlessness.

"Oh--"

An untimely chuckle suddenly broke the heavy atmosphere, and only then did Saber and Irisviel realize that the other's reaction was a little strange.

"Caster, you guys..."

Saber looked at Medea and Wang Xiaoming in surprise.

They should be the ones panicking, but neither of them showed the slightest sign of panic. On the contrary, I was the one who was a little... well, you know.

"If the rats can be easily breached from their stronghold, then I, as a Caster, will have no face to appear in this Holy Grail War."