The interior of the castle was as cold and unwelcoming as ever. The ancient stones seemed to radiate a chill that seeped into the very bones.
Walking through the long corridors, Kiritsugu Emiya felt the temperature of his blood drop with each breath he took. The biting cold seemed to penetrate his very being.
However—for him at this moment, it was actually a great blessing. The cold helped to sharpen his focus.
As a participant in the Fourth Holy Grail War, Kiritsugu Emiya possessed absolute resolve. He knew the stakes were incredibly high.
He knew that he had to remain clear-headed at all times in this cruel war, only then could he maximize his chances of victory. Any lapse in judgment could be fatal.
Maintaining this state of heightened awareness, Kiritsugu Emiya finally stopped in front of a door in a certain part of the castle. His footsteps echoed softly in the silence.
He reached out and gently pushed open the door in front of him. He proceeded with caution, unsure of what awaited him.
What greeted his eyes was a beautiful woman with fair skin, dressed in winter clothing. Her presence illuminated the otherwise gloomy room.
Her name was Irisviel von Einzbern, and she was Kiritsugu Emiya's wife in name. Their relationship was complex and unconventional.
However—the single word "wife" was not enough to fully encompass her incredibly complex identity. Her existence was tied to the war.
Her essence was that of a homunculus prepared by the Einzbern family for the Fourth Holy Grail War, possessing extraordinary significance. She was a crucial element in their strategy.
She had married Kiritsugu Emiya several years ago, and since then, she had lived in this ancient castle in the German forest, never leaving even for a single step. Her world was confined to these walls.
It could be said that Kiritsugu Emiya was Irisviel von Einzbern's only means of connection to the outside world. He was her lifeline to reality.
Because of this, she was extremely fond of her husband, even to the point of being able to unconditionally dedicate everything to him. Her affection for him was unwavering.
Seeing her husband arrive, a smile immediately bloomed on Irisviel's face. Her joy was evident.
She got up from the bedside and quickly walked to Kiritsugu Emiya's side, her tone becoming much happier. Her voice was filled with warmth.
"You've finally come~" Irisviel greeted him, her relief palpable.
"How many days will you be able to stay this time?" She asked, hoping for a longer visit.
"..."
Hearing his wife's perfectly normal question, Kiritsugu Emiya's expression looked very complicated. A mixture of emotions crossed his face.
And in the end, he only gave a vague answer. He couldn't bring himself to give her a definite timeframe.
"At most a week… perhaps maybe only three days." Kiritsugu's words were hesitant.
"Eh—!"
A sad expression appeared on Irisviel's face. Her disappointment was clear.
"So little? You were here for ten days last time!" She reminded him of his previous visit.
"The past is the past, and the present is the present." Kiritsugu replied, his tone firm but gentle. He couldn't dwell on the past.
Kiritsugu Emiya looked at his wife and gave a reasonable but somewhat heartbreaking response. He knew his words would sadden her.
"You should know… the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City is about to begin, right?" He reminded her of their mission.
"If we continue to dawdle, we might very well lose the initiative to others." He emphasized the urgency of their situation.
"So—Iris, quickly let me see what you've collected." Kiritsugu urged, wanting to get straight to business.
Hearing this, Irisviel puffed out her cheeks, looking very unhappy with Kiritsugu Emiya's reply. She felt a little neglected.
However, she didn't throw a tantrum in front of her husband, but quickly nodded instead. Her obedience was unwavering.
"Okay, come with me." Irisviel relented, leading the way.
Under Irisviel's guidance, Kiritsugu Emiya followed her to a basement in the castle. The air grew colder as they descended.
In the flickering light of the surrounding torches, he saw the relic that his wife had previously mentioned through her familiars—King Arthur's knight armor. The object of their quest lay before them.
What he saw was a suit of silver-white armor, currently lying quietly on a table in the basement. It seemed to emanate a faint, ethereal glow.
According to common sense, this was something from a thousand years ago and should have long since been corroded and weathered. Time should have taken its toll.
But surprisingly, its surface had no damage at all, looking completely new, as if it had just been made not long ago. It defied the passage of time.
This couldn't help but make Kiritsugu Emiya feel a little doubtful. He examined the armor closely.
"Iris." Kiritsugu began, his tone questioning.
"Are you serious?" He needed confirmation.
"King Arthur lived at least a thousand years ago… how could her armor still be preserved so perfectly?" Kiritsugu voiced his skepticism.
"That's indeed how it should be according to reason." Irisviel replied to her husband as she walked towards the armor. Her movements were graceful.
She waved her fingers and used some special magecraft passed down through her family. A faint blue energy emanated from her fingertips.
The moment her fingertips touched the armor, the originally harmonious blue light instantly transformed into red. A surge of magical energy pulsed outwards.
"This…" Kiritsugu muttered, his eyes widening slightly.
As a participant in the Fourth Holy Grail War, Kiritsugu Emiya naturally knew what this represented—someone had applied additional magical spells to it. He recognized the telltale signs of enchantment.
This also meant that King Arthur's knight armor had been preserved through unconventional means, which was why it was still in such good condition. The magic was potent.
"Who did something like this?" Kiritsugu asked, his gaze fixed on the armor.
"I don't know." Irisviel spread her hands, her expression innocent. "It was already like this when we dug it out." She claimed ignorance.
"We tried many methods to remove these magical spells from the armor, but we found that it was impossible." Irisviel explained their failed attempts.
"It seems to have been applied by a rather powerful magus, with the purpose of protecting the integrity of this armor." Irisviel speculated on the enchanter's motives.
"But don't worry, Kiritsugu." Irisviel reassured him, sensing his concern.
Irisviel walked back to Kiritsugu Emiya's side and took his arm. Her touch was comforting.
"We've already tested it in other ways—it won't affect the summoning!" Irisviel declared confidently.
"..."
Kiritsugu Emiya frowned slightly, as if he had something he wanted to say. Doubt lingered in his mind.
And Irisviel quickly noticed her husband's unusual behavior and immediately asked: Her intuition was sharp.
"Kiritsugu, what's wrong?" Irisviel inquired, her voice gentle.
"..."
After hesitating for a moment, Kiritsugu Emiya looked at his wife beside him and spoke his inner thoughts. He decided to be honest with her.
"Iris." Kiritsugu began, his tone serious.
"I want to know if there are any other relics that I can use." Kiritsugu revealed his preference.
"I… don't particularly want to summon King Arthur." Kiritsugu confessed his reluctance.
"Eh?"
Irisviel completely hadn't expected her husband to make such a request. She was taken aback.
But she quickly realized that there must be some reason behind it—he wasn't the kind of person to make decisions casually. She trusted his judgment.
"Why do you think that?" Irisviel asked, her curiosity piqued.
"I… don't quite understand." She admitted her confusion.
"It's simple." Kiritsugu Emiya's gaze fell on the perfectly preserved knight armor in front of him. He explained his reasoning.
"Iris, I think you should have heard the legend of King Arthur, right?" Kiritsugu prompted.
"This…"
Irisviel touched her chin with her finger, looking like she was thinking seriously. She tried to recall the details of the legend.
"I remember she seemed to be a female knight who fought for a long time in the name of the king, but in the end, she handed over the throne to her sister." Irisviel recounted what she knew.
"As for the exact reason that led to such an outcome, there's still no definitive conclusion." Irisviel added, acknowledging the mystery surrounding Arthur's reign.
"Yes." Kiritsugu Emiya nodded. "Iris, you're right." He confirmed her understanding.
"So—this is why I don't want to proceed with this summoning." Kiritsugu revealed his motivation.
"I don't think that she, being a woman, can bring me enough chances of victory." Kiritsugu voiced his strategic concerns.
"Besides, if it's a knight…" Kiritsugu trailed off, his thoughts incomplete.
"Hmm?"
Irisviel tilted her head slightly, looking like she was waiting for the rest of her husband's sentence. Her curiosity was piqued.
But Kiritsugu Emiya didn't continue. Instead, he stopped directly and returned to his original intention. He decided to be more direct.
"In short, I really don't want to proceed with this summoning." Kiritsugu reiterated his desire.
"Iris, can you understand what I mean?" He sought her understanding and agreement.
"I understand, I understand." Irisviel echoed her husband, but her expression looked quite troubled. She was hesitant.
"But—Kiritsugu, we don't have time to prepare a second relic now." Irisviel pointed out the practical limitations.
"..."
Kiritsugu Emiya looked at his wife, knowing that she wasn't talking nonsense. He trusted her judgment on this matter.
She wouldn't lie about something like this. Her honesty was absolute.
He thought for a moment, and it seemed like he had come up with a way to satisfy both sides. A solution formed in his mind.
"I understand." Kiritsugu conceded.
"In that case… Iris, I think maybe we can do this." Kiritsugu proposed an alternative.
"Oh?"
Irisviel looked up at Kiritsugu Emiya, a hint of anticipation in her eyes. She was eager to hear his idea.
"What is the method?" Irisviel asked, her curiosity growing.
Kiritsugu Emiya's gaze fell once again on the knight armor on the table. He focused on the relic.
"Since summoning is unavoidable—how about you become the proxy Master?" Kiritsugu suggested, his tone thoughtful.
"That way…"
"It won't waste the relic you prepared in advance, and I won't have to rack my brains thinking about how to get along with this Servant." Kiritsugu explained the benefits of his plan.
"Eh?!" Irisviel pointed at herself with her finger, her expression looking a little surprised. She was taken aback by his suggestion.
"Do you believe I can do something like that?" Irisviel asked, her voice filled with doubt.
"Of course I believe you." Kiritsugu Emiya rarely showed his smile, but he did so now. "This kind of thing should be a piece of cake for you." He expressed his confidence in her abilities.
"Besides—"
The scene when the man had just arrived at this castle played back in his mind. He remembered his initial thoughts.
"If there can be a Servant to accompany you instead of me, you won't be so lonely, right?" Kiritsugu added, his words carrying a hint of tenderness.
"Muu?" A cute sound came from Irisviel's throat. She seemed touched by his consideration.
"If you put it that way, it actually sounds pretty good." Irisviel admitted, her hesitation fading.
"Alright—!"
Irisviel put her hands on her hips, showing a confident look. Her determination was evident.
"Let me be this proxy Master!" Irisviel declared, accepting the role.
"Yeah, as long as you're willing." Kiritsugu replied, relieved by her acceptance.
After reaching a superficial agreement with Irisviel. Despite his inner reservations, Kiritsugu proceeded with the summoning.
Although there were still countless misgivings in his heart, Kiritsugu Emiya still began this Servant summoning. His duty called.
In another basement of the German castle.
An extremely complex summoning array was faintly flashing blue light. The magical energy pulsed gently.
Kiritsugu Emiya placed the knight armor he was holding inside it, then looked at Irisviel beside him and said softly. His voice was filled with anticipation and apprehension.
"Iris, I'm going to start." Kiritsugu informed her.
"Okay~" Irisviel nodded. "Then let's begin." She gave her consent.
"..."
Kiritsugu Emiya looked at the summoning array in front of him, his heart filled with countless complex emotions—if possible, he absolutely didn't want to summon King Arthur. His reluctance was palpable.
But the current situation forced him to do so. He had no other choice.
He only hoped that he wouldn't be as resistant to her as he imagined. He tried to quell his inner turmoil.
Kiritsugu Emiya thought this, then reached out and began his Servant summoning. The ritual commenced.
However—this man had underestimated the incompatibility between himself and Artoria. Their personalities were fundamentally different.
The moment the summoning array began to flash with light, Kiritsugu Emiya felt a strong sense of rejection emanating from his body. His instincts were screaming.
That was a resistance from the bottom of his heart, impossible to ignore. The incompatibility was immediate and intense.
This made Kiritsugu Emiya experience intense discomfort and nausea. His body reacted negatively to the summoning.
So after the Servant had basically taken shape and it was confirmed that she would appear by his side, Kiritsugu Emiya directly picked up his clothes and left this basement without saying a word. He couldn't bear to witness the summoning directly.
"I have come in response to your summons." A clear, dignified voice echoed in the basement.
"I ask, are you my Master?" The voice belonged to the summoned Servant.
Hearing this voice, Irisviel became a little nervous. She wasn't sure how to respond.
Although she had agreed to Kiritsugu Emiya's request to be the proxy Master—she didn't know if the other party would acknowledge her. Her heart pounded in her chest.
As the voice faded, the Servant's figure materialized in the basement. The magical energy subsided.
But the first person to exclaim in surprise was Irisviel. Her eyes widened in astonishment.
"Wow—!" Irisviel gasped, her surprise evident.
"So young!" She had expected someone older and more imposing.
What appeared before Irisviel was not the heroic female knight in thick armor from the legends, but a young girl in the prime of her youth. Her appearance was unexpected.
The beautiful white dress she wore was elegant and generous while also being practical, perfectly showcasing the beauty of her age. Her youthful appearance was striking.
This was Artoria, the owner of the knight armor, the former king of Britain. The legendary figure stood before her.
Facing Irisviel's exclamation, she subconsciously took a few steps back, then realized that might seem impolite, so she added: Artoria was initially surprised by Irisviel's reaction.
"Please don't be like that." Artoria requested politely.
"We've only just met." She emphasized their first encounter.
"Oh oh, is that so~"
Hearing Artoria's "warning," Irisviel immediately started to tidy up her clothes. She smoothed down her dress self-consciously.
"Ahem." Irisviel cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure.
"Hello, I am Irisviel von Einzbern." Irisviel introduced herself formally.
"For convenience, you can also call me Iris, just like Kiritsugu." She offered a more casual form of address.
"..."
Although she still seemed a little doubtful, facing this polite greeting, Artoria still nodded quite politely and responded to Irisviel. She reciprocated the courtesy.
"Hello, I am Artoria Pendragon." Artoria introduced herself with dignity.
"Although it might be presumptuous to say this now, Miss Iris, you are probably not my Master, are you?" Artoria's keen intuition allowed her to sense the truth.
"You can really tell~"
Irisviel put her hands together, looking very happy. She seemed pleased by Artoria's perception.
"That's right, I'm not your Master." Irisviel confirmed.
"But—the person who summoned you, who is also my husband Kiritsugu Emiya, has given me absolute proxy rights." Irisviel explained her role.
"How about it? Should I call him back to prove this to you?" Irisviel offered to have Kiritsugu confirm her authority.
"..."
Artoria shook her head. She trusted Irisviel's words.
"Since you've said so, and you also appeared at the summoning site… I believe you wouldn't deceive me." Artoria stated, showing her trust.
"And since Master doesn't want to see me, there's no need to force him to do so." Artoria understood Kiritsugu's absence.
"I see." Irisviel smiled faintly. She seemed to quite like this feeling of being trusted by someone other than her husband. It was a novel experience.
"Then—" Irisviel reached out her hand. "Shall we work well together from now on?" She offered a gesture of goodwill.
"Yes."
Artoria grasped Irisviel's outstretched hand, completing the formal confirmation of the proxy arrangement. Their partnership had begun.
The relationship between the two of them improved slightly because of this. A bond started to form.
Irisviel quite cherished this opportunity to communicate with someone else, especially since the other person was also very polite. She valued the interaction.
She quickly took the initiative to start a new topic. Her curiosity was piqued.
"By the way, you're really young~" Irisviel commented on Artoria's youthful appearance.
"I thought I would summon a middle-aged woman." Irisviel confessed her initial expectations.
"Is that so?" Artoria blushed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed by the compliment.
"Then perhaps this is the me at this time… who most wanted to be summoned by someone." Artoria's words hinted at a deeper story.
"Summoned by someone?"
Irisviel seemed to sense a story. She was intrigued by Artoria's words.
She took Artoria's hand and said with a smile: Irisviel's interest was caught.
"Looks like you have quite a story~" Irisviel exclaimed, her smile widening.
"Come on, let's go upstairs!" Irisviel suggested, eager to hear more.
"You have to properly confess everything to me, your proxy Master, okay~?" Irisviel teased gently, her curiosity insatiable.