I'm really not a top magician

Judging from the number of servants alone, Sajo Aika has already gained a significant advantage.

To be precise, the rhythm of this Holy Grail War has been firmly controlled by her.

However, it is said that things are now developing in an unexpected direction. It was discovered that Aika Sajo's real purpose was to "destroy the Holy Grail War". She has become the public enemy of this Holy Grail War and will face a joint attack from Rider and Archer.

From now on, looking back at Sajo Aika's strategy, it seems that the reason Sajo Aika gathered the power of so many Servants was precisely to defeat Archer, who possessed a vast number of Noble Phantasms. This suggests that Archer's strength is definitely the ceiling of this Holy Grail War. Regarding this, Emiya Kiritsugu is also planning to find an opportunity to assassinate Tōsaka Tokiomi first.

However, after Rider announced his alliance with Archer, the pressure fell on Aika Sajo. What should have been a completely sure battle was forced to be redistributed due to Rider's intervention.

This sudden disruption of plans should give Aika Sajo a headache for a while.

There are less than two days left until the final battle.

But by that time, even if the two sides really decided the winner,

What about the Holy Grail?

Kiritsugu sighed deeply and lit his first cigarette of the day.

In the end, it is this part that leaves suspense.

Aika Sajo has become the biggest heretic in the Fourth Holy Grail War.

But judging from the facts she said last time, she didn't seem to be lying, and she was having fun in such things. Emiya Kiritsugu couldn't see the meaning of it at all.

Kiritsugu had not yet fully investigated whether the Holy Grail was contaminated.

Perhaps because of the nine years of family life, he felt as if he had become childish. He actually came to investigate the truth of the Holy Grail because of Sajo Aika's words that had no basis at all.

to this end,

He spent the entire night rushing to Enzo - the place where the Holy Grail was hidden - wanting to personally verify the authenticity of the Holy Grail.

But now that the sun has risen, Emiya Kiritsugu has gained nothing.

Of course, this was not because the matter was difficult enough to make Emiya Kiritsugu completely at a loss. On the contrary, to be precise, Emiya Kiritsugu had not entered Mount Enzo at all.

I don't know where to start.

Yuanzang Mountain is surrounded by some unknown barrier, which is very similar to the barrier of the Einzbern Forest. As long as you don't find the corresponding mechanism or secret passage, you will not be able to break through this barrier and come in.

If Kayneth El-Melloi were here, his abilities as a monarch would have been a sure thing. However, Emiya Kiritsugu was ultimately a man who viewed magic as a tool. Honestly, his proficiency in magic was mediocre. Consequently, he spent an entire night unable to break through the barrier surrounding Mt. Sonzo.

To be honest, dealing with this kind of thing is definitely not within Emiya Kiritsugu's expertise.

As a magus killer, Emiya Kiritsugu's warriors constantly seek to disrupt their opponents' minds. He knows where the enemy is planning to attack, what their objectives are. By foreseeing their movements, he can discover their blind spots and weaknesses. Furthermore, magus generally possess a superior sense of purpose than ordinary people. It is precisely because of this that Emiya Kiritsugu never misses his target.

And now, things like barriers that are no match for humans are truly Emiya Kiritsugu's greatest threat. In this Holy Grail War, the only two things that made him feel like he was facing a formidable enemy were Sajo Aika and this barrier.

Sajo Aika is a freak who can read his own mind, seeing through all his thoughts. This makes all of Emiya Kiritsugu's plans against Sajo Aika easily thwarted. It could even be said that Sajo Aika is the only person who can see through his true and false Master plans before even making contact with him. Sajo Aika's presence puts Emiya Kiritsugu in the position of prey instead of hunter this time. This is the only unexpected factor.

"If it's Sajo Aika, there shouldn't be any problems with this barrier, right?"

This strange thought suddenly popped up in Emiya Kiritsugu's mind.

Aika Sajo is the youngest Crowned Magician in history, recognized by all the monarchs of the Clock Tower and awarded the title of Crowned.

Although such a title seems very intimidating, it is possible that someone who is recognized by all the monarchs is not an ordinary person. With Aika Sajo's attainments in magic, perhaps she can see through the barrier here on Enzo, just like Kenneth El-Melloi saw through the barrier of the Einzbern Forest.

However, as soon as this thought popped up in Emiya Kiritsugu's mind, he wiped it out.

“We must not forget to think in this direction.”

Emiya Kiritsugu tried his best to suppress his thoughts.

On the one hand, the idea of asking the enemy for help without permission actually appeared in Kiritsugu Emiya's mind. He felt strongly guilty about his own naivety. Since he had such an idea, it meant that Kiritsugu Emiya regarded Sajo Aika as his companion to a certain extent. Thinking about his own thoughts now was simply funny.

On the other hand, Aigo Shajo is very good at using words to deceive others. Once you fall into the way of thinking provided by Aigo Shajo, you may not be able to get out of it.

"Maybe this is Sajo Aika's conspiracy?"

Emiya Kiritsugu changed his mindset and began to think this way.

Emiya Kiritsugu speculated that the reason why Sajo Aika told him about the contamination of the Greater Holy Grail was to divert Emiya Kiritsugu's attention to Mount Enzo so that he would not be distracted by the Holy Grail War.

On the other hand, whether the Greater Holy Grail is contaminated is true or not is no longer important, because Aika Sajo's real purpose is not to seize the Holy Grail, but to destroy this Holy Grail War.

and many more!

Emiya Kiritsugu stood up suddenly, but the chair fell backwards to the ground because of his sudden movement.

Snapped!

Emiya Kiritsugu ignored the chair falling to the ground and resumed his reasoning.

If Sajo Aika's goal is to disrupt this Holy Grail War, even if the Greater Holy Grail is infected,

Then the best course of action for Aika Sajou would be to destroy the Lesser Holy Grail and wage the Holy Grail War to control the death toll of Heroic Spirits.

No no no,

Aika Sajo's actions themselves also have a purpose. If she controls the situation of this Holy Grail War and eliminates unstable factors like the caster who used magic to kill people indiscriminately before, then Aika Sajo will be able to prevent the Holy Grail from taking place.

As for why he wanted to form an alliance with Irisviel...

Is that even a question?

If Aika Sajo's true purpose is to sabotage this Holy Grail War, then killing Irisviel will be a switch!

And it is the final switch to turn off the Holy Grail War.

It was not until now that Emiya Kiritsugu finally saw through all of Sajo Aika's actions.

Thinking of this, Emiya Kiritsugu quickly left the hotel where he was staying.

Because the one who took action at this time was not the magician killer Emiya Kiritsugu, but Irisviel's husband.

Ilya's father

——Emiya Kiritsugu!

ps: I suddenly feel that I am not very good at coming up with titles.

Chapter 250: Strange Irisviel [Two chapters merged into one]

The indispensable elements for a knight should first be the sword and armor. Another important item that is indispensable is the mount.

Sitting astride a saddle, effortlessly manipulating the reins and galloping across the battlefield is the true posture of a knight. This isn't limited to horses; other quadrupeds, chariots, and even mythical beasts are also possible. This exhilarating feeling of mobility far exceeding walking speed and freedom is the essential joy shared by all riding skills.

For Saber, who fought her entire life as the Knight King, the act of controlling something was ingrained in her soul. The riding skills she possessed as a Servant were a true reflection of this.

This is truly remarkable, Saber sighed inwardly as she gently stroked the steering wheel of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL.

The feeling of controlling this mechanical device is completely different from that of driving a horse, but after trying it once, you will find that this exquisite mechanical device gives people the illusion of being a living object.

It is clearly a machine gear without blood and soul, but it can move forward at high speed and majesticly according to the wishes of Saber as the driver. The submissiveness shown by Mercedes is simply like driving her own beloved horse, which makes people full of trust and satisfaction.

No wonder Irisviel is so passionate about driving.

Just as she realized this, a small question popped into her mind: If driving this car is so pleasurable, then why did Irisviel give me the chance to drive this time?

"How does it feel to drive? Saber."

Irisviel, who was sitting in the passenger seat, asked with a satisfied smile. She looked like a mother who brought a new toy to her child, looking at her child with a satisfied expression.

It's truly a remarkable mount. If this thing had appeared in my time, it would have been unimaginable.

Saber said frankly with a smile, and at the same time, she cleared away the doubts in her mind just now. Irisviel must have convinced Saber that she would feel happy after driving, so she gave her the opportunity to drive. Perhaps this was a tribute to her loyalty as a knight. So in this case, as a knight, Saber should naturally return the favor.

However, your Servant's abilities are truly impressive. Even though this is your first time operating machinery, your skills are truly top-notch.

I also had a strange feeling, as if I had done this before, long ago. I didn't know why, but I did it naturally, like a reflex.

Irisviel hummed for a while, and then a mischievous smile suddenly appeared on her face.

"I suddenly had an idea. I should go to the black market and buy some of the latest tanks or fighter jets. If you drive them, wouldn't this Holy Grail War be completely over in one fell swoop?"

This was clearly infected by Kiritsugu.

Although she knew Irisviel was joking, Saber could only helplessly smile bitterly: "Although your idea is good, I can assert that no matter what era, there is no weapon that can surpass my sword."

Although Saber's words seemed a bit overconfident, Irisviel had no intention of refuting. Anyone who has ever fought with this Servant has confirmed with their own eyes that what she said is true.

"But then again, we're getting closer and closer to Fuyuki City."

Saber looked at the van led by Hisau Maiya in front and whispered, "Is everything really alright? Isn't that house called the new base a little too close to the center of the battlefield?"

"There is nothing to worry about. Both the Tosaka and Matou families openly built fortifications in the city. Other Masters from outside also settled in the city generously, but they built the city so remote. The Einzbern family seems a little different.”

Irisviel replied, "In a Holy Grail War that fundamentally requires secrecy, the location of a base has no special significance. So-called favorable terrain simply refers to the presence of magical elements related to aura within the leylines."

"And from the perspective of concealment, the new location Kiritsugu has chosen may be more reliable than the previous residence."

Although Saber herself was listening very attentively, she might not have noticed that when Emiya Kiritsugu's name was mentioned, a layer of gloom fell on her face.

There was nothing Irisviel could do about this. The friction between the two of them was predictable from the start.

The strange combination of light truck and classic sports car finally crossed the Fuyuki Bridge and entered Miyama Town.

The surrounding scenery is completely different from Xindu. Everywhere is filled with a simple and quiet style with a heavy sense of history.

This place is incredibly close to Tōsaka and Matou's base. It's such an unexpected choice.

"The so-called most dangerous place is also the safest. When it comes to surprise, Kiritsugu's vision is indeed very accurate."

Although it was a very fair comment, Saber's voice still seemed a little stiff. For Saber, Kiritsugu's theory is worthy of approval on a strategic level. What she couldn't tolerate was Kiritsugu's coldness and cruelty in tactics.

Maiya, who was slightly ahead, gradually slowed down the speed of the light truck and finally stopped at the roadside. It seems that we have arrived at our destination.

"Here? Hmm. It's such a spontaneous and unexpected place."

The first words Irisviel said after stepping out of the Mercedes were a sigh of emotion.

This place looks like it was filmed in a period drama, with its quaint Japanese-style buildings.

Even in this mountain town, where the passage of history is almost invisible, this building style is considered to be extremely rare. And considering the vast area of the building, which is entirely made of wood, it is a particularly rare example in the history of modern Japanese architecture.

But the sense of desolation emanating from this building is also extraordinary. It seems to have been idle for quite some time. It has been uninhabited for such a long time but looks like it has been constantly repaired, and it can uselessly occupy such a huge space in urban planning without being demolished. I'm afraid this is an allusion.

"From today on, you two will use this place as your base of operations."

Maiya got off the light truck and handed Irisviel a set of keys while speaking in a routine tone.

"Ah, just give this to Saber."

"Understood. Irisviel." Saber said.

Since her master ordered her to keep the room key, Saber took the key chain from Maiya without hesitation.

There are many keys on the key chain. In addition to the keys to the front door and the entrance hall, there should also be keys to the back door and other rooms.

Most of the keys are of ordinary cylindrical shape, and there is only one, which is a very ancient casting style.

"Maiya, what kind of key is this? It's very different from the others."

"It's the warehouse key in the yard. Although it looks very old, I have confirmed that there is no problem with unlocking it."

At this point, Maiya seemed to have thought of something, and a hint of apology appeared on her previously cold expression. "We just bought this house a few days ago, so we haven't had time to prepare anything inside yet. I'm really sorry. Perhaps the environment inside isn't suitable for living."

"It doesn't matter. As long as I can keep out the wind and rain, I have no complaints."

Although it doesn't sound like something that a rich young lady could say, in fact, when it comes to the level of devastation, Einzbern City in the deep mountains and old forests is not much better than here.

"Then, I'll take my leave first."

Maybe Kiritsugu had arranged some other tasks for her. After Maiya said goodbye, she quickly returned to the light truck, leaving Irisviel and Saber who were still standing in front of the empty house and quickly left.

Emiya Kiritsugu judged that the reason why Sajo Aika made Irisviel her ally was to be prepared for any eventuality. If the situation of the Holy Grail War developed beyond what Sajo Aika was concerned about, Sajo Aika might kill Irisviel.

Moreover, compared to killing Irisviel as an opponent in the Holy Grail War from the very beginning, and killing Aika Sajou under the pretext of saving the world, the latter option is obviously more powerful for Aika Sajou.

These magicians from the Clock Tower have an unusual obsession with power.

This is also the reason why Emiya Kiritsugu was so anxious to relocate Irisviel.

At least here, Sha Tiao Ai Ge shouldn't be found so quickly.

Second, Emiya Kiritsugu did not tell anyone else about his conclusion, whether it was Irisviel or Maiya, because Sajo Aika's magical skills were very strong. According to the information from the King Selection Meeting, she could even use magic to manipulate the other party without the other party noticing. So instead of letting Irisviel, who often met with Sajo Aika, know the truth, it would be better to let Emiya Kiritsugu, who was hiding in the dark and had not yet been found, know it.

Moreover, Emiya Kiritsugu knew that he had to remain cold-blooded as a magician killer in such matters, so that Irisviel would not know about it, and this would also reduce Aika Sajō's vigilance. In the final battle two days later, Emiya Kiritsugu would also be able to find a better opportunity to assassinate Aika Sajō.

"So, Saber. Let's start checking out this new home."

"Ok."

After opening the door, what greeted us was the expected desolate scene. The courtyard was covered with waist-high weeds, and the main house was submerged in the weeds, giving it an uncomfortable feeling.

"This is what everyone often calls the haunted ghost house."