[Fate Compendium Updated.]
[Record Condition 3: Help Artoria resolve her inner conflict. (Completed)]
[Condition 3 Reward: 'Excalibur' Full Projection Usage (1/1)!]
[Record Hidden Condition 4: Become a knight under Artoria's command. (Completed)]*
[Hidden Condition 4 Reward: Saber Class Certificate!]
[Record Hidden Condition 5: Conquer her stomach! (Completed)]*
[Hidden Condition 5 Reward: Red Dragon's Heart!]
[Additional Explanation - Red Dragon's Heart: There are two ways to use this item. Please explore them on your own.]
While brushing his teeth, Sakatsuki glanced at the message log scrolling through the Fate Compendium, his gaze finally settling on the last reward.
"Could it be that the saying 'to conquer a woman's heart, you must first conquer her stomach' holds true?"
The young man's mouth twitched.
"I just fed her a few meals, and she's already offering me her heart?"
After all, Artoria Pendragon was born as the Red Dragon of Britain.
As for the two ways to use it...
Even though the Einzbern family's knowledge had little to do with Phantasmal Species, Sakatsuki could still guess the two options.
It was either to transform into a dragon or to become a dragon slayer.
After all, there was no Dragon Communion Church in the Type-Moon world...
"But, forget about this body."
Shaking his head, Sakatsuki had no intention of taking out the reward. Instead, he stepped out of the room.
"After all... there's always the risk of being drained at any moment."
Drip, drip, drip!
Clear raindrops fell on the windowsill, and the teru teru bozu doll wore a sad face.
[T/N: Teru teru bozu is a traditional Japanese doll made from cloth that is believed to bring good weather and stop the rain.]
It was already the morning of the next day. Sakatsuki looked at Miyu, who had been busy all night and was now taking a nap at the desk. He patted her head and then turned his gaze to the window.
"It's raining."
"What a perfect time for crime. Even my mood feels better."
The Holy Grail War, Day Six, Rain.
This morning, two kidnappings occurred.
***
"This is the place... This building is really strange."
The Mercedes-Benz followed the small truck and came to a stop. The first thing Irisviel said after getting out of the car was to express her confusion.
It was a purely Japanese-style building, full of ancient charm, likely with a long history. In this seemingly forgotten part of Miyama Town, such a style of residence wasn't uncommon, but for a wooden single-story house, it was unusually large, a rare exception compared to modern Japanese homes.
The desolation of this house was also extraordinary, clearly uninhabited for a long time. Perhaps due to some background story, the house hadn't been demolished despite being vacant, occupying a large area in the town, forming a blank, abandoned space.
In the fine rain, the house had an ominous beauty.
"From today onwards, we'll use this place as our base. The Einzbern Castle is no longer safe."
Wrapped in a black coat, Kiritsugu got out of the car and used an old key to open the sealed gate.
Illya had already been sent back to the Winter Castle, but if he still sought the Holy Grail, he had to make a decision.
"Let's go, Irisviel, Maiya... and Saber, we need to know what happened to you last night."
At this point, Kiritsugu gave Saber a meaningful look.
They had acted together, but Saber had been invited alone and returned two hours later. If not for the Master-Servant contract still being intact and Irisviel suddenly feeling unwell, he would have already dealt with Saber's issue.
"Don't worry."
Saber, wearing a baseball cap and a blue-and-gold tracksuit, nodded straightforwardly.
"I'll tell you everything."
After a while, everyone gathered in the living room after tidying up, and Saber recounted everything that had happened the previous night.
"You're saying Berserker has already been eliminated?!"
Though Kiritsugu's expression remained unchanged, the tremor in his voice betrayed his inner turmoil.
Suddenly, as if realizing something, he turned sharply to look at Irisviel, who responded with an apologetic smile.
As the Lesser Grail, every time a Servant died, their soul would enter the Lesser Grail, converting into magical energy stored within it. To restore the original function of the 'vessel,' the Lesser Grail would gradually begin to compress the excess exterior, discarding the humanoid shell equipped with self-management capabilities.
—In other words, Irisviel's discomfort last night was caused by Berserker's elimination.
Bang!
Kiritsugu punched the wall, gritting his teeth, his eyes dark.
Before he could even think of a way to save Illya, the fate of Irisviel, which he had been deliberately ignoring, was now laid bare before him.
If he continued to pursue the Holy Grail, then Caster would have to die, and their daughter Illya would perish with her.
If he continued to pursue the Holy Grail, Irisviel's personality would be erased by the Lesser Grail, and he would be killing his own wife.
If he continued to pursue the Holy Grail, what would Sakatsuki... do next?
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! What kind of joke is this!"
He punched the wall repeatedly, not caring if his fingers bled or his bones broke.
Under the pressure from Sakatsuki, his wife, and the future, Kiritsugu finally revealed his inner fear and despair.
"Kiritsugu..."
Irisviel stood up anxiously, wanting to comfort Kiritsugu, who was on the verge of a breakdown, but Saber stopped her.
"Irisviel, do you still want to help Kiritsugu obtain the Holy Grail?"
Under Artoria's gaze, Irisviel found she couldn't lie.
"This is my wish, Saber. I will support Kiritsugu in everything he does, but Illya... I can't abandon Illya either."
"I understand."
Saber nodded, her saintly emerald eyes turning to the Master who had summoned her.
"Then, Kiritsugu, are you willing to abandon your wife and daughter? For the sake of your ideal placed on the Holy Grail?"
"I..."
Kiritsugu's bloodied fist pressed against the wall, the former assassin closing his eyes, enduring the pain of a thousand cuts in his heart.
"How could I possibly abandon them? But... I must pursue the Holy Grail, I must make this world stop bleeding..."
"No, Kiritsugu."
A golden light shone behind him. The knightly maiden, clad in armour, wielded her holy sword and struck her Master unconscious with the flat of the blade.
"I'm sorry, but this Holy Grail cannot fulfill your wish."
"Saber! Why did you... Ugh!"
Irisviel screamed, but was quickly silenced by Maiya, who covered her mouth and nose, knocking her out with a sedative.
"Thank you, Maiya."
Saber nodded to the silent assistant, then picked up Irisviel. Looking down at the fallen Kiritsugu, she spoke her final words.
"But with Sakatsuki's help, at least I can give you a relatively happy ending."
"Goodbye, Master. This is the last time I'll call you that."
11:11 AM.
Saber's group, the Lesser Grail, Irisviel, was kidnapped.
Kidnappers: Saber, Maiya.
***
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