"..."
Artoria's expression froze in an instant. Artoria's face became still and serious.
It wasn't that she had become like this after hearing the question, but rather she was shocked that Ilya could ask such a question. Artoria was taken aback by Ilya's words.
She knew that Mordred, who was about the same age as Ilya back then, would absolutely not have said such a thing. Artoria compared Ilya to her adopted son.
In an instant, Artoria realized that there was a side to the Ilya in front of her that her proxy Master, Irisviel, hadn't mentioned. Artoria perceived a hidden aspect of Ilya's personality.
Although according to the relationship between Servant and Master, she shouldn't interfere in such matters. Artoria considered her role and boundaries.
However—
Looking at the little girl Ilya in front of her who had asked such a question with an innocent face, Artoria felt that it was still very necessary for her to say a few words. Artoria felt compelled to speak.
After all, she had once been Mordred's mother, so naturally she couldn't ignore all of this. Artoria's maternal instincts kicked in.
"Ilya." Artoria tried her best to keep her emotions stable, "Why did you suddenly want to know this?" Artoria spoke calmly and gently.
"Because—"
Ilya looked at the Sword of Assured Victory (Caliburn) in Artoria's hand, revealing a smile that was hard to tell whether it was angelic or demonic. Ilya's smile was unsettling.
"This sword is so pretty~" Ilya admired the golden blade.
"If it could pierce someone's body as a weapon, it would definitely be even more beautiful, right?" Ilya's words sent a chill down Artoria's spine.
"..."
Just these few simple words made Artoria feel an indescribable chill. Artoria felt a sudden wave of coldness.
It was a feeling that even the northern wind couldn't compare to, yet it was now truly presented before her. The feeling was profound and disturbing.
She wasn't afraid of this coldness, but rather she felt that it had appeared in the wrong person. Artoria was troubled by the source of this feeling.
This wasn't right. Artoria's instincts screamed.
This was quite wrong. Artoria felt a deep sense of unease.
Artoria's instincts were telling her that she couldn't let Ilya continue thinking like this. Artoria knew she had to intervene.
She hugged the other party, allowing the little girl to sit on her lap. Artoria held Ilya close.
Then, Artoria asked back in a very serious tone: Artoria's voice was firm and concerned.
"Ilya, why do you have this feeling?" Artoria sought to understand Ilya's perspective.
"Why do I have this feeling??" Ilya looked up, still appearing unaware of how terrifying her previous words were.
Ilya raised her head, still looking as if she didn't know how terrifying her words just now were. Ilya seemed oblivious to the darkness in her statement.
"Isn't this a matter of course?" Ilya replied innocently.
"Swords and such should be stabbed into people's bodies, right?" Ilya stated her belief matter-of-factly.
"That's not how it is." Artoria shook her head. Artoria corrected Ilya gently.
"If a sword pierces the body, it can kill people." Artoria explained the deadly nature of swords.
"Eh?!" Ilya's eyes widened in surprise.
Hearing these words, Ilya seemed to have discovered a new world. Ilya was fascinated by this new information.
She blinked her beautiful red eyes and uttered extremely strange words. Ilya's words were unsettlingly casual.
"So it can kill people? Then why am I okay?" Ilya revealed a disturbing aspect of her existence.
"..."
Artoria had never thought that she would fall into endless doubt because of a single sentence. Artoria was deeply troubled by Ilya's question.
She realized that something she didn't know about must have happened to Ilya. Artoria sensed a dark secret in Ilya's past.
But if she were to probe it, it was very likely that it would evoke bad memories for her. Artoria hesitated to cause Ilya distress.
Perhaps—
She had to solve it in another way. Artoria decided to approach the issue differently.
Whether it was because the memory was too deep or it was already destined. A past memory surfaced in Artoria's mind.
Artoria at this moment recalled some words that Ian had said to her many years ago. Artoria remembered a conversation with you.
Her thoughts on it seemed to be able to be used in this situation. Artoria realized the relevance of your words.
"Ilya."
Artoria hugged the little girl in her arms a little tighter, and then spoke her treasured words in the gentlest tone. Artoria held Ilya closer and spoke softly.
"Do you know?"
"A sword is a weapon of violence, and swordsmanship is a skill for killing." Artoria began to explain the nature of swords.
"No matter what kind of language you use to cover it up, that is always the truth." Artoria emphasized the inherent danger of swords.
"However—"
Artoria lowered her head to look at Ilya. Artoria looked into Ilya's innocent eyes.
"We have the right to choose who our swords point at." Artoria spoke of responsibility and choice.
"Have the right to point the sword at whom?" Ilya looked at Artoria, who was holding her like her mother, and couldn't help but pay more attention to what she said.
Ilya looked at Artoria, who was holding her like her mother, and couldn't help but pay more attention to what she was saying. Ilya listened intently to Artoria's words.
"Yes." The girl knight nodded. Artoria affirmed her statement.
"We need to know who to point our swords at, and not casually let them hurt the innocent." Artoria stressed the importance of not harming the innocent.
"That way, it will only tarnish the weapon itself." Artoria spoke of respect for the weapon.
"Ilya, you wouldn't want that, would you?" Artoria sought Ilya's understanding.
"Will tarnish the weapon itself…" Ilya repeated Artoria's words, a thought forming in her mind.
Ilya muttered Artoria's words, suddenly thinking of a contradiction. Ilya pondered Artoria's statement.
"But if you don't kill people, doesn't the weapon itself lose its meaning?" Ilya questioned the purpose of weapons.
"That's not how it is." Artoria shook her head. Artoria disagreed gently.
She transformed the Sword of Assured Victory (Caliburn) in her hand into the sword blade that Ian had given her—although it was already a bit old at this moment. Artoria conjured the worn sword you had gifted her.
Looking at the sword that was the token of her love with Ian, a deep affection appeared in the girl's green eyes. Artoria's eyes filled with love and nostalgia.
The tone of her voice also carried a hint of longing for the past. Artoria's voice softened with memories.
"Slaughter is indeed one use of a weapon." Artoria acknowledged the destructive purpose of weapons.
"However—"
"It's not just killing that can prove the meaning of a sword." Artoria offered an alternative perspective.
"Can you understand what I'm saying?" Artoria sought Ilya's comprehension.
"..."
Ilya tilted her head and thought for a while, then nodded thoughtfully. Ilya considered Artoria's words carefully.
"Saber, do you mean that even if I want to make the weapon look prettier, I shouldn't casually use it to stab it into other people's bodies, is that right?" Ilya summarized her understanding.
"Hmm." Artoria nodded in response, "It's okay for you to understand it that way." Artoria affirmed Ilya's interpretation.
"Eh—!" Ilya was pleased.
Ilya was very happy. Ilya's face lit up with joy.
It's just that her expression looked more like she had learned some new knowledge. Ilya seemed to have gained a new understanding.
"I'm going to tell Mama about this now!" Ilya declared her intention.
Saying these words, the little girl was about to get off Artoria's lap to go find her mother, Irisviel. Ilya prepared to leave.
"Eh, no!" Artoria quickly stopped her.
Artoria quickly stopped her. Artoria intervened immediately.
"No, you shouldn't tell Master about this kind of thing." Artoria advised against telling Irisviel.
"Why?" Ilya asked in confusion. Ilya was puzzled by Artoria's reaction.
"Because she will think it's scary, and might even get angry." Artoria explained Irisviel's potential reaction.
"This!"
As soon as she heard that her mother, Irisviel, might get angry, Ilya immediately backed down. Ilya was deterred by the thought of her mother's anger.
"Then I won't say it!" Ilya decided to keep it a secret.
"Saber, you're not allowed to say it either! This, this is our secret!" Ilya made Artoria promise to keep their conversation private.
"...Hmm."
Artoria nodded with a smile. Artoria agreed with a smile.
"Okay, our secret." Artoria confirmed their pact.
The cold wind of the north was still raging inside the castle, but it seemed to have gained a hint of warmth. A subtle warmth permeated the chilly atmosphere.
[A conversation that would greatly influence the future ended without anyone knowing.] The significance of their interaction remained hidden.
[And the curtain of the Fourth Holy Grail War was also being lifted little by little through combined efforts.] The war was gradually approaching.
[There were intricate and complex reasons behind it.] The underlying causes were multifaceted.
[Countless tragedies also planted their corresponding seeds at this moment.] The seeds of future sorrow were sown.
Inside the Clock Tower. The scene shifted to the Clock Tower.
A blond man with a rather dangerous hairline slammed his hand on the table extremely angrily, and then roared. A man's furious outburst echoed in the Clock Tower.
"That bastard Waver actually dared to steal that fragment of the cloak from me without permission!" The man was enraged by a theft.
The man's full name was Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald. The man's identity was revealed.
And the woman in front of the table was his fiancée, Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri. His fiancée was present.
The reason Kayneth was so angry was because the investigation results of the previous Clock Tower theft case had come out. Kayneth's anger stemmed from the results of an investigation.
His own student, that useless mage Waver Velvet, had actually dared to steal the relic he had prepared in advance! Kayneth discovered the culprit of the theft.
"Then what do you plan to do now?" Sola-Ui asked her fiancé.
Sola-Ui looked at her fiancé Kayneth. Sola-Ui turned her attention to Kayneth.
"..."
Kayneth stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the scenery outside. Kayneth moved to the window, his gaze distant.
"Then of course I have to participate in the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City—anyway, I still have other relics that can serve as catalysts." Kayneth decided on his next course of action.
"And—" Kayneth sighed. Kayneth let out a frustrated sigh.
"If I don't go, that guy will definitely die miserably in the Holy Grail War, right?" Kayneth expressed reluctant concern for his student.
"Seriously… why are students these days so sensitive to criticism?! And doesn't he know how much trouble it would cause if that kind of thing got out?!" Kayneth continued his angry rant.
Kayneth scolded the air again, then looked at his fiancée behind him. Kayneth turned to Sola-Ui.
"Sola-Ui, you will go with me, right?" Kayneth sought her companionship.
"...Of course." Sola-Ui walked to Kayneth's side. Sola-Ui joined him by the window.
"I am your fiancée." Sola-Ui reminded him of their bond.
"As long as there are no accidents… wherever you are, I will be." Sola-Ui pledged her loyalty.
[The form of tragedy is not only one kind.] Tragedy can manifest in various ways.
[Some tragedies are constantly operating according to their original logic.] Some misfortunes follow a predictable path.
[And some tragedies, because of the change in fate, unknowingly produced distortions that led to the same end.] Other misfortunes are twisted by fate, leading to similar outcomes through different routes.
Some time ago, Fuyuki City, the Matou residence. The scene shifted to the Matou residence in Fuyuki City.
Matou Kariya, who had returned to Fuyuki City, looked at the gloomy mansion in front of him with a rather complicated expression. Kariya's feelings were conflicted as he returned home.
He was indeed a member of the Matou family. Kariya's lineage was undeniable.
But—
That kind of relationship had become blurred a long time ago. His connection to the family had weakened over time.
As the only person in the Matou family in recent years with even a slight talent for magecraft, Matou Kariya should have been the "best choice" for the family heir. Kariya was once considered the most promising heir.
But he himself really couldn't accept Zouken Matou's extremely bizarre worm manipulation, so he had left here a long time ago. Kariya had left the family due to his aversion to Zouken's practices.
Not long ago, Matou Kariya, who was away, received a message. Kariya received an urgent message.
"There is an important matter to tell you, please be sure to return to Fuyuki." The message urged his return.
Although he didn't want to get involved with the Matou family (especially Zouken Matou), after thinking about this information, Matou Kariya still decided to return. Despite his reluctance, Kariya decided to return home.
After all, in the end, he was still a member of the Matou family, and there was no need to be so absolute. Kariya felt a sense of obligation.
"Hey, Tsuruno-nii, I'm back." Matou Kariya said so on the phone. Kariya announced his return over the phone.
"Okay, okay, I'll come out and open the door for you right now." The voice on the other end agreed.
Clearly, the voice on the phone was Matou Tsuruno's, but after Matou Kariya entered the house, he found that he was still seeing that terrible old thing. Despite the voice, Kariya was greeted by Zouken.
His heart immediately gave birth to a sense of disgust, but out of consideration for their relationship, he didn't directly show it. Kariya hid his revulsion.
And Zouken Matou seemed to know his thoughts completely, so he quickly opened his mouth. Zouken seemed aware of Kariya's feelings.
"Although you are very unhappy in your heart, you wouldn't be so disrespectful as to not even give me this much face, would you?" Zouken addressed Kariya's displeasure.
"You finally came back after so long, is this how you treat your family?" Zouken questioned Kariya's attitude.
"..."
Matou Kariya was silent for a long time before throwing out a sentence. Kariya remained silent for a while before speaking.
"So what exactly is the matter that you were in such a hurry to call me back for?" Kariya finally asked the reason for his summons.
"Oh… it's actually very simple." Zouken Matou took a sip of the clear tea on the table, "I just wanted to tell you that the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City is about to begin." Zouken revealed the news of the war.
"..."
Hearing these words, Matou Kariya stood up almost without hesitation. Kariya immediately stood up.
"I'm not interested in this, goodbye." Kariya expressed his disinterest and prepared to leave.
Seeing Matou Kariya open the door, looking like he was about to leave, Zouken Matou then leisurely threw out the next sentence. Zouken calmly delivered his next words.
"Kariya, if you leave just like this, you might regret it very much." Zouken hinted at a potential consequence.
"..."
Matou Kariya turned his head back to look at Zouken Matou, whom he quite disliked. Kariya turned back to face Zouken.
"What do you mean by this?" Kariya demanded an explanation.
"The literal meaning." Zouken Matou glared at the rebel in front of him. Zouken stared intently at Kariya.
"If you participate in this Holy Grail War and win, I will help you find a way to marry Tohsaka Aoi." Zouken offered a tempting proposition.
"What?!" Kariya was shocked by Zouken's words.
Matou Kariya subconsciously took a few steps back because of shock, and his tone of voice began to become somewhat agitated. Kariya recoiled in astonishment.
"What are you joking about?!!!" Kariya exclaimed in disbelief.
"How could I possibly marry Aoi?! She, she is with Tokiomi, right? She even has children!" Kariya pointed out the reality of Aoi's situation.
"That is indeed the case." Zouken Matou's expression remained indifferent. Zouken remained unfazed.
"But what if I said—she will be a widow after the Holy Grail War?" Zouken presented a dark possibility.
"You need to know." The old man stood up. Zouken stood up, emphasizing his words.
"Tohsaka Tokiomi will also participate in this Holy Grail War—so if he dies because of mutual competition, there's nothing strange about that, right?" Zouken suggested Tokiomi's potential demise.
"You wouldn't want Tohsaka Aoi to be lonely for the rest of her life, would you?" Zouken appealed to Kariya's feelings for Aoi.
It had to be admitted that Zouken Matou really understood what Matou Kariya cared about. Zouken knew Kariya's deepest desire.
The latter clearly showed hesitation when he heard these words. Kariya was visibly shaken by Zouken's offer.
Matou Kariya and Zenjou Aoi were childhood sweethearts. Kariya and Aoi shared a long history.
If Tohsaka Tokiomi hadn't suddenly intervened, perhaps the two would be married now. Tokiomi's intervention had changed the course of their lives.
And for Matou Kariya. Kariya considered the implications.
Taking advantage of the Holy Grail War to kill Tohsaka Tokiomi without anyone knowing, and then marrying Zenjou Aoi. Kariya contemplated a drastic action.
To a certain extent, it was just taking back what he should have gotten in the first place. Kariya rationalized the possibility.
However, Matou Kariya hadn't reached that level of madness. Kariya still retained some moral boundaries.
He also realized a problem. A question arose in Kariya's mind.
He looked at Zouken Matou and spoke his doubts. Kariya voiced his suspicion.
"You… aren't you on very good terms with the Tohsaka family? How could you suddenly say such a thing?" Kariya questioned Zouken's motives.
"..."
As soon as these words came out, Zouken Matou's face instantly tightened. Zouken's expression hardened.
Because he recalled the scene of Tohsaka Tokiomi taking Tohsaka Sakura away—if he had succeeded back then, he wouldn't have needed the rebel in front of him at all. Zouken remembered his failed attempt to secure Sakura.
"The past is the past, and the present is the present." Zouken dismissed their past relationship.
"Besides, the Holy Grail War is inherently cruel—no matter how good the relationship is, it's useless, you still have to kill when the time comes." Zouken emphasized the ruthless nature of the war.
"Let's not discuss these trivial matters, just answer me one thing." Zouken cut to the chase.
"Do you want to marry Tohsaka Aoi or not?" Zouken pressed for an answer.
"..."
Matou Kariya didn't directly answer. Kariya hesitated to give a direct reply.
But at least he didn't plan to leave. Kariya decided to stay and consider the offer.
"Let me think about it." Kariya requested time to consider.
Hearing these words, Zouken Matou revealed an almost imperceptible smile. Zouken smiled subtly.
He understood this situation all too well. Zouken was familiar with such indecision.
Once a person has a bad idea, it's absolutely impossible to deny it anymore. Zouken knew the seed of desire had been planted.
[You and Sakura Tohsaka didn't know everything that happened during this period.] You and Sakura remained unaware of these events.
[Because the little girl was preparing to confess something to her sister—that was her wish to participate in the Holy Grail War.]
Sakura was preparing to reveal her desire.
[For this, Sakura Tohsaka had been preparing for a long time.] Sakura had been planning this for a while.
[If it were according to usual circumstances, Luvia should have agreed directly.] Normally, Luvia would have readily agreed.
However—
Things didn't go as smoothly as imagined. The situation took an unexpected turn.
After listening to her younger sister's serious account, Luvia, with her arms crossed, gave a direct answer. Luvia responded firmly.
"No." Luvia's rejection was immediate.
"I absolutely will not allow you to participate in any Fuyuki Holy Grail War!" Luvia forbade Sakura from participating.