Chapter Sixteen: Alicephir’s Speculation

For Kiritsugu Emiya, the fact that Kayneth would actively entangle himself with Danick over such an old grudge was one of the few pieces of good news. Both Danick, famed for his cunning and rumored to have lived for over a century, and Kayneth, hailed as a prodigy from childhood and considered by many likely to achieve the rank of Grand Magus in the future, were already renowned magi of the highest order.

Even Kiritsugu Emiya, celebrated as the Magus Killer and armed with the Origin Bullet—his absolute trump card—had to approach them with caution, relying on their carelessness to craft the most suitable assassination plan. Though he was merely a mediocre magus who treated magic as nothing more than a tool, he understood all too well just how troublesome a grand magus could be.

"In short, in this Holy Grail War, I will prioritize Danick as my primary target; if the opportunity does not arise, I’ll consider Tohsaka and Matou. When you command your Servant, Irisviel, let these two points guide your strategic decisions."

"I understand."

Though she represented the Einzbern family in both monitoring and supporting Kiritsugu, Irisviel, unskilled in combat, had no intention of interfering with his choices when it came to strategy. Let professionals handle professional matters; this was the approach Einzbern settled on after repeated failures.

"With you included, that makes six, doesn’t it? Is there still no news about the final Master?"

"None. After all, the Holy Grail War remains shrouded under the protection of the Three Families; its true nature hasn’t become public knowledge. If not for those two from the Clock Tower, its visibility would be even lower. Usually, those magi chosen at the last minute lack remarkable qualities—they may well perish without our intervention."

"Let’s hope so."

Irisviel turned away, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling window, thus ending the conversation.

In the ensuing silence, Kiritsugu Emiya let out a soundless sigh, rose to his feet, and, keeping a few paces between himself and Irisviel, also approached the window.

Beyond the snow-white earth, the neighboring forest appeared in muted shades of gray. He scarcely needed to look closely to notice the girl freely running through the snow.

Irisviel’s earlier distraction had been because of her.

"Watching Illya again, are you? That child always loves to play outside whenever the snow stops."

Perhaps noticing the complexity in Irisviel’s expression, Kiritsugu spoke softly. In the Einzbern household, composed of homunculi, Irisviel—possessing genuine humanity—was one of the few companions with whom he could converse.

"Yes, you see, Kiritsugu, that child wears so little, yet she’s utterly unafraid of the cold."

Kiritsugu looked as she directed; indeed, the little girl frolicking in the snow, deer-like in her movements, wore only a purple coat with a matching woolen hat. Even if children were less sensitive to cold, such attire was dangerously inadequate for the current environment.

This was a region perpetually sealed in snow and ice. Within the warmth of the castle, Kiritsugu himself wore a winter overcoat. Outside, no matter how tightly one wrapped up, body temperature would plunge to freezing in a matter of hours.

Yet Illya seemed immune to the chill, dancing freely like a spirit of the snow.

As the two watched her, Illya suddenly appeared to notice something. She crouched, cheeks blooming with rosy color, and, with a gentle breath, released a burning thread of fire from her lips that instantly melted the surrounding snow, revealing the scorched, blackened earth beneath.

To accomplish such a feat without even a chant—after witnessing this, it was no wonder that Irisviel, always doting on her daughter, did nothing to stop Illya from venturing out so lightly dressed.

"Is this the magic of the Einzbern family? Remarkable..."

Seeing the scene, Kiritsugu couldn't help but feel a tremor in his heart. He instinctively glanced at Irisviel, wondering if this Winter Lady could perform such things herself—a notion that was somewhat unsettling.

Still, Kiritsugu did not betray his thoughts on his face. He had long known that the core of Einzbern’s strength lay in their homunculus technology. Irisviel herself was this era’s Lesser Grail, while Illya was intended as the candidate for the next. Both their magical circuits and growth had been adjusted; despite her noble bearing, Irisviel’s true age was less than a third of his own.

Illya, though a homunculus and said to have been born solely through Irisviel—without a father—was strictly watched, and Kiritsugu had little opportunity to learn about her. Yet seeing Irisviel’s troubled expression, he felt a surge of curiosity.

"Is it impossible for you to do that?"

"Of course not. That child was born of me, and, though I shouldn’t say so, her abilities far outstrip mine—but only within the bounds of Einzbern technology. Everything about her is normal, yet she displays abilities beyond my expectations."

Irisviel’s hand unconsciously gripped her collar tightly, seeking comfort from her inner anxiety.

"Her growth cycle, her weight, all match the theoretical models, yet from a young age she could manipulate fire, was unafraid of cold, and showed remarkable resistance to flames. With only a little exertion, she can unleash attacks on par with grand magecraft."

"Moreover, though her body wasn’t specially enhanced, even without magic she surpasses most combat maids in physical ability... Even when I asked Grandfather, he only replied with vague assurances that it was normal."

Irisviel grew increasingly emotional, tears shimmering faintly in her eyes.

"But there’s nothing else abnormal, is there? Isn’t this a good thing?"

Though he could well understand Irisviel’s maternal concerns, Kiritsugu, who had no children of his own, responded from his usual pragmatic perspective.

"A good thing?" Irisviel gave a bitter smile, then seemed to steel herself.

"Kiritsugu, I will share with you some secrets of Einzbern. In exchange, I hope you will win this Holy Grail War—otherwise, Illya..."

"This has always been my goal, Irisviel."

Kiritsugu’s gaze grew serious; though Einzbern had given him much information, as an outsider and hired hand, some things always remained out of reach.

"You should know that Illya isn’t simply a homunculus, but a child conceived by me as any ordinary woman would. Yet, aside from myself as her mother, the real source of her extraordinary abilities comes from something Grandfather obtained in the last Holy Grail War."

Irisviel took a deep breath, unconsciously touching her abdomen, reminiscing.

"It was not any tangible power, but merely residual traces of magical energy. Grandfather extracted these remnants and used them as a blueprint to create Illya."

"But this force wasn’t from a Heroic Spirit, nor anything I can comprehend—it was a shapeless aura, formless, and without process. When that aura attached itself to me, with Einzbern’s techniques, Illya was conceived."

"......"

Kiritsugu tried to maintain an indifferent air, but the story was so absurd he was tempted several times to interrupt, to ask if she was joking. Yet Irisviel’s grave expression left no room for doubt.

"And now, as the Holy Grail War draws near, I, as her mother, feel ever increasing anomalies. She has not yet received the knowledge of the Grail, yet lately she unconsciously gazes toward Fuyuki, and when I ask her, I get no useful answers."

"Undoubtedly, Grandfather obtained something in the last Holy Grail War. Recently, in reviewing those records, I arrived at a rather unsettling conclusion."

Irisviel lowered her hands behind her back, speaking earnestly: "I know you may not believe me, since it’s only my conjecture, but I think—the last Holy Grail War was cursed."

"There is an invisible spirit, or demon, that, using the connection of the Grail War, wanders between the Masters and the Grail."

Irisviel’s voice grew as faint as a whisper, until only her lips moved soundlessly.

But Kiritsugu, hardened by years of warfare and skilled in lip-reading, still understood what Irisviel mouthed.

—I suspect that invisible demon is attached to Grandfather.