I, Wang Ha, the Three Red Unparalleled Assassin

"Tell me, contractor. Are you ready to step onto the battlefield? Are you prepared to die without regret?"

The heavy pressure was placed on Matou Sakura's tender shoulders, which made her silent for a while, but the little girl did not waver in the slightest because of this question and answer that faced life and death.

"No, it's okay. Although Sakura doesn't really understand preparation and resolve, she knows!"

"Grandpa will protect Sakura! Grandpa will never let Sakura get hurt!!"

"Because, because Grandpa is the strongest!!!"

Matou Sakura's sudden words startled the old man of the mountain, who then burst into hearty laughter.

"Hahahaha—Promise! Master and servant are bound by an exchange of missions. Since you trust me so much, my sword will surely become your vanguard, and my shield will surely become your protector!"

"I hereby swear: though the Holy Grail is destroyed and cannot be retrieved, the glory of victory in this Holy Grail War shall surely be bestowed upon you!"

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As is well known, Servants and Masters can act independently, because their contract does not restrict them by distance.

No matter how far apart they are, the Master's Command Seals can control the Servant, and can even break through spatial limitations by using Command Seals to instantly summon the Servant to their side.

Similarly, the supply of magical energy to Servants will continue as long as the Master does not fall into unconsciousness or depletion of magical energy.

This raises the question of whether Masters and Servants should fight together as companions and partners, a matter that requires careful consideration.

As a magician, a Master in the Holy Grail War, a battle of gods, could easily be buried by the aftermath of the battle if they are not careful, or even be ambushed by other Servants.

The Servants of the Assassin class are the ones who love to do this kind of thing the most. These ghosts hiding in the shadows have been a nightmare hanging over all Masters since the first Holy Grail War.

Although the Assassins are the weakest of the seven Servants in direct combat, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Unless the Master's strength is also monstrous, it's best to stay hidden.

However, in various battle situations that require careful judgment, the Master cannot entrust all judgment to the Servant.

Because these heroes throughout history have their own unique personalities and ways of doing things, they might very well miss a fleeting opportunity for some reason that seems extremely foolish to their Master.

Therefore, the Master must remain on the battlefield as a command center to direct the Servants in battle.

After spending several days together following their summoning, Artoria and Irisviel not only deepened their understanding of each other but also developed a mutual respect.

Irisviel, who was born as the eldest daughter of the Einzbern family and never left her home, was like a pure princess from Artoria's era, living in a castle and unaware of the ways of the world.

Princesses are usually paired with noble knights and outstanding princes, and Artoria perfectly embodies both of these qualities.

Therefore, when Kiritsugu Emiya asked his wife Irisviel to act as his 'proxy Master', Artoria agreed without much hesitation.

The heartless King of Knights is also troubled by how to deal with her Master Kiritsugu Emiya. She realizes that if she wants to better exert her fighting power, Irisviel, who is compatible with her, is obviously more suitable as her Master.

And so, Artoria swore allegiance to Irisviel with the etiquette of a knight.

On the eve of the Holy Grail War, the city of Einzbern, which was shrouded in snow all year round, was freed from the blizzard for the first time in a long time.

Although the thick clouds had not yet dispersed, the golden rays of sunlight stubbornly maintained their presence, piercing through the gaps in the clouds and adorning the snow-covered earth.

On this day, a father and daughter were playing happily in the snow.

This father is a cold-blooded man known to outsiders as the 'Magician Killer,' named Emiya Kiritsugu.

The other little girl, wearing a purple top hat, purple winter clothes, and snow boots, is his daughter with Irisviel, Illyasviel von Einzbern.

On sunny days like today, no matter how busy or tired he is, Kiritsugu Emiya always tries to make time to accompany Illyasviel for a walk and play in the winter forest.

Because the Holy Grail War was about to begin, he wanted to spend more time with his beloved daughter before the war started.

Seeing Illya happily cheering and jumping on the snow, Kiritsugu Emiya's stiff face broke into a slight smile.

"Ilya, be careful not to fall!"

"It's okay, I'm not a little kid who falls down while walking anymore," Ilya replied in a coquettish tone.

Watching her Master play with her daughter, Artoria also realized a different side of Kiritsugu Emiya.

"What's wrong, Saber?"

Irisviel, who was enjoying afternoon tea across the table, noticed Artoria's changing expression.

"Ah, it's nothing. I was just a little surprised. I didn't expect Master to have this side to him."

"Oh? You mean Kiritsugu! Hehe, don't let his coldness fool you. Actually, he's a good husband and a good father!"

"So, what kind of person is the Master in Irisviel's eyes?"

"As my husband's guide, the one who gave meaning to my life. But Saber shouldn't be hearing these words, right?"

Artoria nodded. What she wanted to know was not Irisviel's subjective perspective, but rather another side of Kiritsugu Emiya that she didn't know.

The knight girl is trying to find a way to understand Kiritsugu Emiya so that she can understand her Master's thoughts, but unfortunately, their thought processes are not on the same wavelength.

"He was originally a kind person, but it was precisely because he was too kind that he could not tolerate this cruel world, which is why he became colder than anyone else."

"Do you want to use the power of the Holy Grail to save all of humanity? Is that your and Master's wish, Irisviel?"

“That’s right. I was just relaying Kiritsugu’s thoughts, but I think this ambition is worth fighting and sacrificing for.”

Hearing Irisviel's words, Artoria nodded in agreement. She felt that she and they shared a fundamental similarity in their desire for redemption.

Artoria is willing to do anything to save Britain, which she cannot protect with her own hands; this is the meaning of her participation in the Holy Grail War.

"Your and Kiritsugu's goal is correct. It is a path worthy of recognition and praise. If you succeed, you will surely gain countless honors."

“It’s great that you agree, Saber. Now we’re on the same page regarding our actions.”

Irisviel said with a smile, but her heart grew heavier and heavier, even uneasy.

"Ah, glory? This is the biggest chasm that prevents you and Kiritsugu from understanding each other."

Chapter Eight: Baseness is the passport of the base, nobility is the epitaph of the noble.

Irisviel recalled her husband's words, Kiritsugu Emiya's explanation of his true intentions in taking separate actions with Saber.

"You two should just put on a spectacular show on the battlefield and draw everyone's attention. As for the combat, Saber can do whatever she wants. I have other plans."

Kiritsugu Emiya had no intention of placing his hopes for victory in the Holy Grail War entirely on Saber, which was extremely risky for him.

Compared to the sword in Artoria's hand, Kiritsugu Emiya prefers to trust the sniper rifle in his own hand.

Magicians are, after all, mortal beings. They can die from excessive bleeding or from being hit in vital areas. When faced with attacks from modern weapons, they are no different from other ordinary people.

Therefore, Kiritsugu Emiya intends to actively change the course of the battle using his own methods, such as quietly approaching the enemy from behind and silently eliminating them.

Saber's mission was to act as bait in a feint attack; in other words, she was merely a tool to make Kiritsugu Emiya's assassination plan easier to execute.

Although Irisviel was emphasized not to leak any information, once the battle begins, Kiritsugu Emiya's actions will inevitably be exposed.

After that, what would this aloof and just knight king think?

Will she be angry because she has been deceived, or will she directly turn against Kiritsugu?

Just imagining it in her mind made Irisviel feel incredibly heavy-hearted.

“Irisviel, you deeply understand your husband Kiritsugu Emiya and trust him, don’t you?”

Artoria was completely unaware of Irisviel's melancholy. The knight girl gazed at the father and daughter enjoying each other's company outside the window. It seemed that she had never experienced family affection before.

“I think you two deserve the happiness of an ordinary family. Just like Kiritsugu Emiya believes that my life shouldn’t be about being a king, but about being a happy girl.”

"However, neither of these is possible. You cannot give up your ideals, and I cannot stand by and watch Britain be in deep crisis at that time."

“You’re right, Saber. Life is sometimes full of helplessness, and everyone has things they have to do for various reasons.”

Looking at Artoria's delicate and beautiful face, Irisviel felt even more guilty for betraying this noble knight girl.

“But Irisviel, is this alright? Staying here and talking to me all this time?”

"Hey?"

Irisviel paused, blinked her wine-red eyes, seemingly not understanding the meaning behind Artoria's words.

"So you mean you shouldn't say goodbye to your daughter like Kiritsugu Emiya did? We're setting off for the Holy Grail War tomorrow, right? I remember it's called Japan."

"Oh, that's alright. There's no need for me to say goodbye to that child."

Irisviel smiled quietly, a smile that expressed her gratitude for Artoria's concern, yet also carried a different, deeper meaning.

"Even if I, as Irisviel, disappear, it doesn't mean I will disappear. When she grows up, she will understand. Because that child, like me, is a woman of the Einzbern family."

Although she couldn't quite understand Irisviel's enigmatic words, Artoria, who vaguely sensed the ominous meaning hidden within them, noticeably stiffened and darkened her expression.

"Irisviel, you will survive! I will protect you to the very end, for the honor of this sword."

Irisviel accepted the knight girl's solemn declaration, smiling and nodding, "Saber, go and obtain the Holy Grail!"

"For you and your Master, that is the long-cherished wish of the Einzberns for nearly a thousand years, my daughter and I will also be freed from fate."

"It's all up to you now, Artoria."

At this point, Artoria was still unable to understand the meaning behind Irisviel's smile.

With her snow-white, shimmering hair and exquisite beauty, what destiny led to the birth of this noblewoman, who exudes warmth and compassion?

When Artoria figured out what was being hidden, it would be the moment when the Holy Grail War was coming to an end.

Outside, the competition to find the walnut buds ended with Illya's victory, and the father and daughter, Kiritsugu Emiya, walked back to the castle after the competition.

Because they had reached the depths of the Winter Forest, they could see the faint outline of the city of Einzbern, towering high in the mist.

"The next competition will have to wait until Dad comes back from Japan."

Illya skipped and hopped, looking up at her father with a big smile, while Kiritsugu Emiya tried his best to remain calm as he looked at her innocent face that was hard to look at directly.

"Yes! Next time, Dad will definitely not lose."

"Hehe, if you don't work harder, the gap will widen by a hundred!"

The smug smile on his beloved daughter's face was far too cruel and heavy for a man burdened with too many responsibilities.

How can I be honest with her?

He admitted that this might be the last memory he has with his daughter.

Kiritsugu Emiya did not underestimate the deadly battle that awaited him, but he was determined to win, even if it meant sacrificing his life.

So the game that Ilya promised to continue in this winter forest next time can only wait until we win.

Wanting to save everything, and for that, abandoning everything.

For a man who once swore such an oath, love is nothing but thorns that will wound him and unnecessary entanglements.