Type-Moon: Root Seiko

"Mr. Luo Zhen, you're not just a simple human being, are you?"

The android princess tilted her head adorably, her snow-white hair fluttering slightly:

"At the port, the moment Miss Canaan's sniper rifle came at me, you instantly appeared in front of me to protect me. With just a sprint-like contact, you neutralized all the spells I had set up along the way, leaving me utterly defeated."

"And your incredible reaction and speed. Although I don't know how you did it, as far as I know, even with the boost from the Anthem Team level, there are only a handful of people in the magic world who can do this. Unless you are a True Ancestor or a Heroic Spirit, it's hard to imagine."

"I'm sorry about that. After all, it's a trade secret, just like the method you gave Lancer for summoning magic."

Luo Zhen deliberately gave a mischievous reply: "You can't say everything."

After all, this was only the first day the two of them had met.

No matter how much Luo Zhen felt he had a connection with this android princess, it was impossible for them to open up to each other immediately, and they still had secrets between them.

Irisviel pouted and expressed her protest against Luo Zhen's malicious intentions with her half-closed eyes.

If both of them insist on winning the Holy Grail War, then this is where the story ends.

Even if they get along very well, or even have a common enemy, they will eventually have to fight each other to the death...

"Rhine Gold".

Irisviel suddenly spoke, continuing to say something to Luo Zhen's astonishment:

"The Einzbern family has always possessed this secret treasure passed down from the Age of Gods. This is also the reason why our family... 'their family' has inexhaustible resources and money, and can continue to devote themselves to the research of artificial human technology."

"After the magicians of Einzbern were utterly desperate and gave up on their goal of recreating the Third Law, the homunculi they abandoned inherited this hopeless endeavor, as well as their surname, and continued to use that cursed gold. But perhaps this curse is ultimately unavoidable, and we can only repeat failure after failure."

and so.

The princess, with her chest puffed out confidently, placed one hand on her chest and introduced herself again:

“I love Riesl, the Einzbern family’s finest masterpiece to date, which will be the end of a family’s tragic wish. I have had Lancer shatter the Rhine Gold with the Holy Lance, transforming its mystique into a one-time magical resource.”

"This is enough for Lancer to fight with all his might, to pursue victory without regrets. Then we will dismantle the Greater Grail, stop the Winter Saintess's magic circuits, and end the Holy Grail War completely."

Chapter 56 Don't mention a lady's age!

The fact that Rhine Gold was being used as a one-time magical resource truly surprised Rōjin.

That was a true treasure from the Age of Gods; even Siegfried, the dragon-slaying hero from the original story, could not destroy it.

He could only hide it to prevent others from abusing it, but in the end, he was betrayed and killed by his friend because of it.

To destroy such a treasure, which is almost a concept in itself, even King Arthur's pillar of light, the Holy Lance, is not something that can be done by simply poking it once—she would definitely have to use a Noble Phantasm.

This made Luo Zhen immediately realize the hardship behind Irisviel's seemingly calm attitude, and he couldn't help but frown:

"Does it hurt?...No, that's obvious. It must hurt a lot."

“€€?”

Irisviel harbored a somewhat childish motive, wanting to scare Ryoujin, which is why she suddenly revealed such a big secret.

As it turned out, Luo Zhenfei was not surprised for long; instead, he was baffled by the man's inexplicable question.

She didn't immediately understand the core of the question: who was in pain?

But the answer is obvious; just look at the reflection in Luo Zhen's eyes.

He seemed to be able to empathize with Irisviel's pain as her blood vessels burst and her muscles and bones melted as she squeezed out the last bit of magic:

"Without the Greater Grail's assistance, forcibly urging Lancer to use his Noble Phantasm and fully unleash the Pillar of Light. Even with Command Seals, your magic circuits would definitely be completely destroyed."

"Being able to survive and recover to the point where your magic circuits can reactivate and you can participate in battle already proves your excellence. Lancer, it must have been very difficult for you to accept this order, right? I sympathize with you."

"...It's so good that someone understands me."

King Arthur, who was approached by Luo Zhen, no longer insisted on becoming a spirit.

She appeared beside Irisviel, her eyes filled with surprise and a complex admiration as she looked at Ryougi.

She seemed to be venting complaints she had kept hidden for a long time, nodding repeatedly with a bitter smile:

“My Master is like that, a reckless girl who doesn’t consider the consequences. Although it’s understandable that she’s a bit impulsive considering her age… but when she forced me to use my Noble Phantasm with a Command Spell, I really felt like I was betrayed by Mordred all over again. If I drained and killed my Master because of using my Noble Phantasm, then even if I return to the Throne of Heroes, this record will be etched in my memory as a shame for eternity.”

"Wait, Lancer?!" Irisviel panicked, breaking out in a cold sweat. "Didn't we agree not to bring this up again? And I even said I had already calculated that at worst I'd be disabled and unable to move, and wouldn't cause you to leave the stage... Why are Lancer and Ryougi looking at me with such reproachful eyes?! I'm not your daughter, you know, don't really treat me like a child~!"

Luo Zhen was absolutely certain: this seemingly elegant and beautiful artificial princess was, in essence, a wild boar.

That's great.

What merit or ability does my family possess to gather so many wild boar maidens together? We could practically start a wild boar clan on the spot.

...But of course, after feeling sympathy and heartache for the suffering Irisviel had endured, Luo Zhen's rationality immediately recognized the problem.

Without the Holy Grail's power, Irisviel forced King Arthur to use his Noble Phantasm once with a Command Spell and her own power.

That was a bombardment that actually surpassed the full-force attack of Siegfried, the hero of the Age of Gods. In the context of Norse mythology, it might even be more powerful than Odin's javelin.

The magical power consumed is astonishing; an ordinary magician would be drained in an instant.

Irisviel survived, and was clearly not "disabled and immobile" as she herself claimed.

How did she recover to her current state? This is beyond the capabilities of the Einzbern family's artificial human technology.

Then there's the way Lancer seemed so confident in Irisviel fighting alone during the dock battle...

Luo Zhen already had a guess in his mind.

But saying it here could easily break the alliance that has just been established, so let's forget about it.

Meanwhile, Irisviel, after the argument, blushed and felt both ashamed and anxious.

Lancer, who had poured out his grievances to Luo Zhen, immediately became a spirit again, just like a parent letting their child throw a tantrum.

Irisviel, panting heavily, turned around and glared fiercely at Luo Zhen.

But then her eyes darted away shyly, and she hurriedly tidied her hair.

"I'm sorry, I didn't really mean to be angry. It's just that, Luo Zhen, I think what you did wasn't very gentlemanly... no, or maybe it was too gentlemanly? Oh well, never mind!"

"Even if you guessed that I was seriously injured because I forced Lancer to use his Noble Phantasm, you could at least have hinted at it indirectly instead of saying it outright! Besides, I clearly hid my Command Seals, so how could you still guess that I used one... You're really strange, you're definitely not human, are you?"

"I am human."

Luo Zhen deliberately imitated Irisviel's earlier actions, standing tall and proud, showing off with an air of confidence:

"No matter how the definition changes, I am definitely the human being who represents the greatest common denominator in the definition of humanity. I am confident that I can be considered an ordinary human being... Oh right, so how old are you, Irisviel? Lancer said that you are actually very young, so can you call me brother?"

"...If I had anything other than a teacup, I would definitely throw it at it."

But it's still very impolite to spill tea on someone, and Irisviel, maintaining her elegance, tried her best to hold back!

She also discovered that the overly perceptive young man named Luo Zhen in front of her was actually very malicious!

He seemed to have some kind of insight and a thick skin; not only did he immediately understand what he was saying, but he also instantly connected it to the most crucial issue... which wasn't actually that crucial, yet he made it sound like it was.

He seemed genuinely concerned for himself, able to empathize with the pain he endured, and treating the suffering he had endured as something more important than any other issue.

This left Irisviel feeling completely lost and anxious, with a strange mix of anger and frustration building up in her chest, making it hard to breathe.

With a sense of resignation, and not wanting to be constantly teased about this topic, Irisviel simply said:

"You couldn't possibly be unaware of the lifespan of an android, could you? I was designed to be used for only ten years, and this is my last year."

"So, in terms of lifespan ratio by race, I'm old enough to be your grandmother, Luo Zhen... Besides, discussing age with a lady is extremely rude! Mr. Luo Zhen, please be careful not to do that again!"

Chapter 57 Three-Team Alliance

"Yes, I will remember that."

Luo Zhen nodded sincerely, indicating that he genuinely intended to remember it.

During this inexplicable late-night conversation, Irisviel impulsively revealed many of her own secrets, which she has already begun to regret.

And she had forgotten why she had taken the initiative to reveal Lancer's source of magic in the first place... She wanted to get something out of Luo Zhen, which is why she made the secret exchange.

Irisviel really wanted to continue talking to him.

I really want to continue to understand this incredible man, to dig deeper into his secrets, and to learn everything about him.

But a lady's sense of shame made her want to wait until her face cooled down before saying anything, which meant she would have to find another opportunity.

So she finished her tea, got up, and said goodnight to Luo Zhen.

But in the end, Irisviel turned back and added, "What I said at the dock was also from the heart."

"I am the Einzbern family's last masterpiece, and also their traitor and destroyer. By destroying the Rhine Gold, I have destroyed their future. And I will dismantle the Greater Grail, end the Holy Grail War, and put an end to this ritual that continues to implicate the world and cause sacrifices."

"Therefore, I must take responsibility for the legacy of the Einzbern family in these last moments. I don't know what you intend to do with the Winter Saintess's magic circuit, but that immortal magic circuit itself has a similar allure to Rhine Gold, which will lead to a scramble among the world. ... So if you're willing to talk about it later, and find a wish that can be fulfilled without the Winter Saintess's magic circuit, I swear I will do my best to help you achieve it. I hope you will consider it."

"...You are the saintess."

Luo Zhen muttered to himself softly, so that the android princess, who had returned to her room, wouldn't hear him.

Only her silhouette, with her long, silvery hair swaying slightly with each step, was deeply etched into Luo Zhen's eyes.

Now, he has another wish to fulfill in this Holy Grail War.