Shinji Matou At Your Service

Chapter 127: Hello Irisviel. I am Justeaze

Irisviel von Einzbern is the crucial "lesser Grail" in the current Holy Grail War. This is something known to those who have an understanding of the Holy Grail War system. However, within the Einzbern family, Irisviel and the "lesser Grail" are distinct entities.

The "lesser Grail" is the physical vessel that contains the alchemical crystallization of the Einzbern family's lineage, spanning over 2000 years. The personality of Irisviel is known as the "Grail Guardian," and her mission is to safeguard and transport the "lesser Grail."

In the previous Holy Grail War, not only did the Einzbern faction suffer defeat in the battle of Servants, but the most important "lesser Grail" was also destroyed in the chaos of the conflict. As a result, the Third Holy Grail War ended inconclusively as the "lesser Grail" was lost before determining the victor.

Due to this failure, the head of the Einzbern family, Acht, decided to equip the "lesser Grail" with a self-managing humanoid shell for the current war. This was done to grant the "lesser Grail" the instinct for survival and the ability to automatically avoid various dangers, ultimately achieving the goal of obtaining the Holy Grail. This humanoid shell was named "Irisviel."

As the Holy Grail War progresses, the "lesser Grail" begins to exhibit its intended functions and starts to suppress its excess shell. It's similar to a computer with insufficient memory, where unnecessary programs are compressed to ensure the smooth operation of essential programs.

This is manifested in Irisviel as the diminishing of human capabilities while the functions of the "lesser Grail" as an object become stronger.

Whenever a new Servant is eliminated, Irisviel's body weakens. After Caster's demise, Irisviel starts feeling physically exhausted, struggling to hold a water cup or carry a phone—ordinary tasks. After Lancer's demise, Irisviel finds it difficult even to walk. If she had the protection of "Avalon," her condition might have been slightly better. However, after returning "Avalon" to Saber, she has to spend a long time in a designated ritualistic slumber.

When Irisviel opens her eyes again, the sunlight has already dyed the small window in the warehouse a reddish-orange color.

The sense of discontinuity in consciousness makes it feel as if the entire day has simply ceased to exist. Irisviel's sleep is that deep. This body has gradually lost its functionality, and the physical slumber is more akin to a state of suspended animation than actual sleep.

The physical condition has improved significantly; it seems that rest has had some effect. Although she still cannot stand up, at least she can now engage in conversations without barriers.

Looking to the side, Maiya sits quietly like a portrait of a shadow, unmoving, in the corner against the wall. Her position and posture are exactly as Irisviel saw her the last time. However, her perpetually lowered gaze is as sharp as a drawn blade, intensely focused on a certain point in mid-air.

Although she exudes an immense sense of reliability, she doesn't appear to be a living human being. Instead, she resembles a familiar or a mechanical entity. Even Irisviel can't help but feel a certain sense of fear. She can't fathom what kind of rigorous training and resilient mental strength it takes to maintain such astonishing concentration.

With a touch of awe, Irisviel suddenly thought to herself that this woman, called Maiya, might embody the survival method that Kiritsugu Emiya desires even more thoroughly than Kiritsugu himself.

"Miss Maiya," she called softly, almost with a sigh.

Maiya turned to Irisviel quickly and silently, like a hunting dog hearing a whistle. Irisviel felt a bit guilty; she just wanted to have a casual conversation with Maiya.

"Why do you fight in Kiritsugu's place?"

"...Because I have nothing else. Besides that, I have nothing," Maiya replied after a brief moment of quiet contemplation, without showing any discomfort or inconvenience about being protected. She just wanted to talk.

"I can't remember anything about my family, not even my name. 'Maiya Hisau' is the name Kiritsugu used for me on the first fake passport he made for me."

"Huh?" Irisviel's surprised expression made Maiya's lips curl into a slight smile. For someone who never showed any emotions, it was the most friendly expression she could offer.

"All I remember is that it was a very impoverished country, a place without hope or a future. Survival meant relying on hating and robbing each other for food. There were always endless wars, even though there was not enough money to maintain an army. The fires of war never ceased... I don't know who came up with the idea, but instead of training soldiers, they thought it would be faster and cheaper to bring in children and put guns in their hands."

"..."

"Target the enemy, pull the trigger. That's all that mattered. Everything else was discarded... Children who couldn't do it would die even earlier than those who could. To prolong their own lives, they had to keep killing. That's why I don't remember anything before picking up a gun. I lived mechanically like that until I met Kiritsugu."

While Maiya spoke, she looked down at her own hands. Her slender fingers lacked the softness typically associated with women; they only evoked the sharpness of a weapon.

"My human heart has already died. Only the external vessel remains active, maintaining the familiar functions of the past. That is my 'life.' Kiritsugu is the one who picked up this life, so I can let him use it freely... That's why I'm here."

Although Irisviel had vaguely sensed Maiya's tragic past, she never expected Maiya's background to be so heavy.

Irisviel remained silent, unable to find words to respond. To avoid an awkward situation, Maiya spoke up.

"Compared to me, madam, your enthusiasm surprises me more."

"Huh?" Irisviel was completely taken aback by Maiya's unexpected words.

"You have been confined in a secluded castle, isolated from the world, yet you are willing to fight for Kiritsugu's dream of changing the world, regardless of the consequences."

"I..."

Maiya's words made Irisviel reflect on herself once again.

Her husband, Kiritsugu Emiya, acted based on the dream of "saving the world." Having witnessed his unwavering determination to pursue the Holy Grail, could she honestly say that she held the same dream?

"Well, actually, I don't understand Kiritsugu's dream," Irisviel admitted.

Yes, the answer was no.

"In the end, I only pretended to understand. Perhaps I just wanted to be with the person I love. Like you said, I have no real understanding of the world Kiritsugu wants to change. My dream is simply to emulate Kiritsugu's dream and see it as my own."

"Is that so?" Maiya asked.

"Yes, but please don't tell Kiritsugu," Irisviel replied.

For Irisviel, it was an incredible feeling. She never expected to find someone with whom she could easily express her inner thoughts, thoughts that she would never reveal in front of her husband.

"I always tell Kiritsugu that he is right, that his dream is worth sacrificing my life for. I have always pretended that I understand. Rather than being a woman who simply dies for her husband, being a woman who shares the same dream as her husband and dies for that dream, that way I won't become a burden to Kiritsugu, right?"

"I see."

This feeling of reliance was different from the love for Kiritsugu and the trust in Saber. Could this be the emotion called "friendship" that Irisviel was experiencing for the first time?

"But madam, don't you have your wishes?"

Upon hearing Maiya's second question, Irisviel couldn't help but recall the battle they had together in the forest. In the face of the overwhelmingly powerful presence of Kotomine Kirei, where did her fighting spirit come from?

"Wishes... Well, I do have a wish. I hope Kiritsugu and Saber achieve their final victory. I want the two of them to obtain the Holy Grail."

At the same time, this also meant Irisviel's death and her parting with Kiritsugu.

Even so, this wish was the source of the courage surging in Irisviel's heart.

"Is this... what is known as the fulfillment of the Third Magic, the Einzbern family's wish?"

"No, even if we don't reach the Greater Grail of Fuyuki, it's okay. My wish is for there to be no more wars. If the structure of the world changes according to Kiritsugu's expectations, putting an end to all conflicts, then the Holy Grail War pursued here in Fuyuki should be no exception. I hope this Fourth War becomes the last Holy Grail War. As an artificial being sacrificed as a vessel for the Holy Grail, I hope I will be the last..."

At this point, Maiya finally understood the implied meaning in Irisviel's words.

"Is it for Miss Illya?"

"Yes."

Illyasviel von Einzbern is the culmination of alchemy born from the fusion of a magus and an artificial being within the artificial womb. Although Maiya had never met Illyasviel in person, she had heard about her.

"I heard that according to the plan of the elder, the 'Grail Guardians' after me will be more refined artificial life forms. Instead of just concealing the Holy Grail within their bodies, they will have newly added magic circuits installed outside their physical bodies, allowing the physical body itself to function as a 'Holy Grail vessel.' The elder foresaw the possibility of a 'Fifth War' even before this Fourth War began, which is why he had me give birth to Illyasviel. If Kiritsugu and I fail, by that time, that child will be used as an experimental subject for the 'Heaven's Feel,' the most crucial battle sixty years later."

The calm tone of speech now carries a touch of tenderness. This is undeniable evidence that Irisviel is more than just a puppet. She has a heart, cares for others, smiles when happy, and sheds tears when sad. Like an ordinary person, Irisviel carries this warmth in her heart.

"While holding that child and breastfeeding her, I am acutely aware that this child cannot escape her fate as a vessel. A mother must abandon her most beloved child in this way. Can you understand this feeling?"

"..."

Maiya fell silent, carefully sensing the emotions emanating from Irisviel.

"But this is the destiny forced upon the artificial life forms of the Einzbern family. That child, as well as my granddaughter, every person who gives birth to a daughter will taste this pain. This chain of events will continue until the moment the Fuyuki Holy Grail descends. That is why I wish to be the last one. I want to end the obsession of the Einzbern family with my own body alone. If this wish can be fulfilled, my daughter can escape her fate, and that child can live a life unrelated to the Holy Grail, ending her life as a human."

"Is this the sentiment of a mother?"

When asked by Maiya in this way, Irisviel realized that she had revealed too much of her inner emotions and smiled awkwardly.

"Perhaps. It may be difficult for you, Maiya, to understand."

"It's not that difficult. I have also experienced being a mother."

"Huh?"

This statement was completely unexpected, and Irisviel doubted if she had misheard.

Maiya, as if apologizing for startling Irisviel, softened her tone slightly.

"I have experienced pregnancy and childbirth, although it could be considered an accident."

"...Have you been married?"

"No, I don't even know who the father is. On the battlefield, all the female soldiers, including me, were violated by male soldiers in the barracks every night, I don't know when... Anyway, shortly after my first period, I became pregnant. I couldn't even name the child, and I don't know if he/she is still alive. If they're still alive, that child must be continuing to kill on the battlefield. The children there start carrying guns and fighting from the age of five."

"How could it be..."

The past recounted by the woman who once served as a child soldier was too tragic, deeply shaking Irisviel's pure heart.

"Are you surprised? But such things are by no means uncommon in the world today. Terrorist organizations and guerrilla groups have learned the benefits of using child soldiers. Because of successful cases like mine, the number of children who have had similar experiences has not decreased but rather increased."

Maiya spoke calmly, her gaze becoming colder and colder. There was no trace of anger or sadness in her tone anymore. In her memories, there seemed to be only endless despair devoid of any living sensations.

"Madam, perhaps for you, the world you first saw is very beautiful, and you envy those who live happily in this world. But for me, I envy you, who have always grown up in that castle, because you don't have to see the ugliness and horror of this world."

Although Maiya's sentiment wasn't a complaint, when she voiced these thoughts, there was inevitably a hint of blaming Irisviel's naivety.

Maiya herself may have realized this and shook her head, as if denying what she had just said, concluding with more resolute words.

"If this kind of world can truly change... if it's for the sake of achieving that wish of Kiritsugu... then it doesn't matter how my life is used."

She had nothing except for battle. Maiya described herself in this way. Her words held no exaggeration. In her heart, there were no dreams, no aspirations. It was as if her inner world had been burned to ashes, leaving only a hollow emptiness.

Although her inner world was opposite to Kiritsugu's, as a warrior, they were strikingly similar. This contradiction caused a pang of pain in Irisviel's chest. Maiya's existence reminded Kiritsugu and also served as an example to him. It was because of her presence that Kiritsugu could suppress his contradictions and become a ruthless hunting machine.

"After Kiritsugu achieves his dreams, what do you plan to do?"

For the first time, Irisviel's question caused Maiya's gaze to waver in confusion.

"I haven't thought about surviving. Even if I manage to keep my life, it would be meaningless to continue living. The world changed by Kiritsugu is a place where I am not needed."

A person who only knows how to survive in war has no place in a world completely free from conflict. For Maiya, this negative thought was a natural conclusion.

This was too sorrowful and difficult to accept, and Irisviel couldn't help but blurt out.

"That's not true. Miss Maiya, you still have things to do after the war ends."

"..."

Facing the perplexed gaze of the female warrior, Irisviel spoke with conviction.

"You must search for your family, find your name, and discover what happened to your child. These are things that should not be forgotten."

"These are things that should be remembered."

"Is that so..."

Contrary to Irisviel's enthusiasm, Maiya's tone carried a hint of doubt and remained cold.

"If the era of peace truly arrives, the memories of people like me would only be a nightmare, reopening the already healed wounds and causing pain. It would only sow the seeds of hatred in this dream world that has finally come. It would be a difficult burden on the world."

"That's not true. Because your life is not a dream, but a real event that happened. Creating peace by burying everything in darkness is a sinful deception. True peace is not simply forgetting the past pain, but sincerely mourning the past suffering and sacrifices, so as not to repeat the same mistakes and create a new world of peace."

Maiya silently gazed at Irisviel, and after a while, her expression brightened.

"You should have said these things to Kiritsugu earlier. Maybe he would have been better off now."

Maiya's thoughts brought both joy and loneliness to Irisviel, who was gradually weakening and might not have had another chance to speak to her husband.

"Then, Miss Maiya, I entrust you with delivering these words to him and say that it's from me..."

"No, you should say it yourself."

A similar voice, accompanied by the light of golden and white spiritual particles, manifested a figure almost identical to Irisviel.

"Hello, Irisviel von Einzbern. I am Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern. I am your prototype."

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