Makiri let out a satisfied chuckle.
"That's right. Your guess is correct. The Einzbern Master is very likely the Lesser Grail of this Holy Grail War."
"The Lesser Grail?"
"The so-called Lesser Grail is the key and stabilizing device used to activate the Greater Grail.
Kid, you should have already seen it with your own eyes, right?
The Einzbern Master is essentially a 'vessel.'"
"…Yeah."
That much, Shirou had already noticed. The silver-haired homunculus's body was, in essence, an empty shell.
The Mystic Eyes of the End allowed him to see through surface appearances and grasp the true nature of things.
So while Shirou could not strip away Irisviel's clothing to see the Command Spells covering every inch of her body,
Nor could he perceive the flesh beneath her skin, a body that could be described as a crystallization of near-infinite magic circuits,
He also could not recognize her as a "weapon" engineered by the Einzbern family for the sake of winning the Holy Grail War.
But he could tell one thing clearly.
Irisviel's original purpose, her very design concept, was that of a "vessel."
But what did that have to do with the Holy Grail?
Makiri continued, explaining the deeper mechanics behind it.
The Lesser Grail was a "vessel" prepared by the Einzbern family to collect the souls of defeated Servants.
For the Holy Grail to manifest, both the Greater Grail beneath Mount Enzou and the Lesser Grail were indispensable.
Up until the previous Holy Grail War, the Lesser Grail had literally been a physical cup.
However, during the Third Holy Grail War, the Lesser Grail was destroyed, causing the ritual to collapse.
Because of that, Makiri speculated that this time, the Einzbern family would create a new kind of vessel capable of managing itself.
In other words, they would construct the Lesser Grail using a human body.
That way, they could seize control of the process and keep the key to activating the Holy Grail in their own hands.
I see, I see… I have no idea what any of that means.
Shirou asked again, "What happens if the Lesser Grail dies?"
Makiri replied, "Even if it dies, it doesn't matter. As long as it retains a human form, it can continue to function as a vessel.
But if the Einzbern puppet loses its self-awareness, things get troublesome.
Every faction would prioritize targeting whoever holds the Lesser Grail."
Shirou nodded, deep in thought.
"I see. Then what if it breaks…
I mean, what if the 'vessel's' basic form is damaged beyond repair?"
"..."
Makiri fell silent.
Kid, what are you planning?
"Then you would just have to make a new Lesser Grail.
It's simple. Just remove the Lesser Grail's heart, its core, and implant it into another human body.
The Einzbern family's technology speaks for itself. Even an ordinary human body can be made compatible.
There are not many requirements in terms of Magecraft ability. Even someone like Shinji, who has absolutely no talent for Magecraft, would work… heh heh."
Why did he have to use his own grandson as an example?
Shirou stared out at the scenery passing by outside the bus, lost in thought.
Einzbern, homunculi, the Lesser Grail…
He quietly processed everything he had learned today.
"Come to think of it, the Einzbern Master had a bodyguard who was ridiculously strong."
Shirou recalled the blond youth in a black suit standing beside Irisviel.
"It's rare to hear you admit someone is that strong… is he her Servant?"
"No. I haven't seen many Servants, but he didn't feel like one. He felt more like a living human."
"I wouldn't know about that. Well… considering it's the Einzbern family, they probably just hired some mercenary with money."
"I see."
Strangely, the image of that blond boy's back lingered in Shirou's mind. He could not shake the feeling that he had seen him somewhere before…
One last question.
"Makiri, are all the women in the Einzbern family like that? Are they all… that forward?"
"..."
For some reason, Makiri suddenly burst into angry muttering.
…
…
"Master, welcome home Welcome home Do you want to bathe first? Eat first? Or maybe… eat… me… first…♡"
"Nothing happened while I was gone, right?"
"Mm-hmm, nothing at all. Don't just stand at the door, come on, hurry and get inside."
"Is this your house or mine?"
Shirou sighed and stepped into the entryway.
Not long after, Taiga Fujimura came home from school.
Shirou hurriedly prepared dinner.
He called Fuji-nee to eat together, only to be dragged along by her into the bath. After finally regaining his freedom, he returned to his room.
The moment he walked in, he saw Lady Avalon sitting upright, sipping tea while staring intently into a crystal ball.
"Oh my… so that's Arthur on this side. Hehe, how cute…"
"What are you watching?" Shirou asked curiously.
The crystal ball flickered from time to time with blinding flashes.
Lady Avalon turned her head.
"Ah, Master, you came at the perfect time. Saber and Lancer are fighting."
"?"
Shirou froze for a split second, then immediately rushed over and shoved her aside.
"You didn't call me for something this important!?"
Lady Avalon replied as if it were only natural,
"Hm? Wasn't Master busy enjoying a bath with a cute high school girl?
I thought it would be rude to interrupt."
"I was not enjoying it!"
The red-haired boy shot back as he looked into the crystal ball.
The moment his gaze landed on the blonde girl in the image, his expression froze.
"...Huh?"
...
...
Shinto, the warehouse district by the docks.
The area had already turned into a battlefield straight out of myth.
Two armored knights, Saber and Lancer, were locked in an intense duel.
The invisible sword and the sealed spear clashed again and again, each collision scattering brilliant sparks and waves of scorching force.
The empty streets at night felt like they were caught in a raging storm. The immense torrents of magical power pouring from the two of them blasted away nearby parked cars and shattered the ground beneath them.
The sword-wielding knight pressed forward relentlessly. The spear-wielding knight fought with ever-shifting techniques.
Their speed had long surpassed the limits of human sight. Even if someone tried to record it with a high-speed camera, all that would remain on the CCD would be endless afterimages.
This was the Holy Grail War, a battle between Servants.
Not far away, Irisviel watched the mythic clash unfold before her eyes, her entire body trembling with excitement.
Their weapons had already clashed more than twenty times.
What began as a perfectly even match was now quickly tipping out of balance.
Saber, with her small frame, stood against Lancer, who was at least twenty centimeters taller. The difference in build made them look like a child facing an adult.
And yet, Saber completely dominated the fight.
She pressed forward with unwavering confidence, launching relentless attacks that forced the handsome lancer backward again and again. Even wielding two unusual weapons, one long and one short, he could barely hold his ground.
The reason was not skill, but a simple and overwhelming gap in raw power.
Mana Burst.
A warrior who possesses this ability can ignore differences in physique and easily overpower any opponent.
On top of that, she possessed an overwhelming reserve of magical energy unmatched among Heroic Spirits.
Within the girl's chest lay the heart of a red dragon. With every breath, it generated vast amounts of magical power, like an inexhaustible core.
And her Master, Irisviel, provided magical energy at a level that could be called the strongest in history, with near-perfect compatibility between Master and Servant.
As a result, in close combat, there was no Heroic Spirit capable of overpowering Saber.