Did the Heroic Spirit I conquered become a reality?

Volume 1: Chapter 50 Kissing Love Song (4K)

Inside the apartment suite, the soft, warm lighting contrasted sharply with the bustling, chaotic battlefield outside the window in Fuyuki City.

After calming down the two "problem children," Tohsaka Yu finally refocused her attention on the silver-haired android in front of her.

He walked into the living room and sat down opposite the silver-haired beauty.

The woman seemed somewhat reserved, and her gaze towards Tohsaka Yu was filled with hostility.

"You're Ms. Sajō's servant?"

Noticing Irisviel's restraint, Tohsaka Yu smiled and said, "You can relax a little, Miss Irisviel."

His tone was gentle, trying to ease the tension and unease the other person felt from being suddenly "invited" to this unfamiliar environment. "I know you must have a lot of questions right now, but please believe me, we have no ill intentions."

Despite this explanation, Irisviel's beautiful red eyes remained filled with vigilance.

She could sense that the seemingly gentle young man in front of her, as well as his Master, possessed terrifying power far beyond her imagination.

"Who...are you?"

Irisviel tried her best to calm herself down, then looked up and gazed into Tohsaka Yu's eyes: "Why did you bring me here?"

Yu Tohsaka thought for a moment and smiled, "If I had to put it, I'd say I'm just an 'intervener' who simply doesn't want to see this Holy Grail War end up in the worst possible way."

Noticing the still doubtful look in Irisviel's eyes, Tohsaka Yu continued, "Miss Irisviel, why did you participate in this Holy Grail War? Is it to fulfill the Einzbern family's thousand-year-old wish to reach the Root? Or... is it merely for yourself?"

The unexpected question directly points to Irisviel's deepest inner conflict and...confusion.

She is an artificial human born for the mission of her family, a vessel to carry the power of the "Winter Saintess". Her purpose from the beginning was to "win the Holy Grail War and fulfill the tragic wish of the Einzbern family".

But as for her own wishes... even if they do exist, they certainly have nothing to do with the 'Holy Grail War'.

When Tohsaka Yu suddenly asked her this question, she was momentarily at a loss for words.

Seeing the confusion in Irisviel's eyes, Tohsaka Yu didn't press further. He simply sighed and changed the subject: "I think Merlin will explain the 'truth' about the Holy Grail and your own 'essence' to you later. The main reason I invited you here tonight is actually to discuss something with you."

“…What is it?” Irisviel asked instinctively.

Yu Tohsaka looked into Irisviel's eyes and said gently, "About how... you can survive 'safely' in this cruel war, and find your own value."

……

After a long talk, it was already late at night.

Yu Tohsaka left Irisviel, who was still processing a huge amount of information and seemed to be having mixed feelings, in the apartment for the time being, while he went to the balcony of the apartment with Ayaka Sajou.

The night sky over Fuyuki City still retained visible magical turbulence due to the earth-shattering battle between the kings.

The fires and roars from the direction of the Matou family mansion have gradually subsided. Clearly, the sudden and chaotic battle has come to a temporary end due to mutual wariness among the various factions and a lack of intelligence.

"It seems that tonight's 'opening performance' is about to come to an end," Yu Tohsaka said softly, gazing into the distance.

“Hmm,” Ayaka Sajou nodded, a satisfied smile appearing on her innocent face. “Caster did a great job tonight. She successfully attracted everyone’s attention and made it easy for me to ‘invite’ Miss Irisviel over.”

She tilted her head, her emerald green eyes sparkling with curiosity: "So, what are we going to do next? According to our previous plan, shouldn't we go and 'visit' the other Masters?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Tohsaka gave a helpless, bitter smile.

Although Aika Sajou spoke casually, as if she were just going to attend a regular tea party, Yu Tohsaka knew very well that the "visit" mentioned by this Root Princess was probably no different from "crashing the party".

“Before we take action, let’s review the information we have so far, Master,” said Tohsaka Yuu.

Tonight's operation is partly to take Irisviel away, and partly to confirm the identities of the masters and servants of all parties.

After all, from the moment Ayaka Sajou appeared, Yu Tohsaka had already realized that this Holy Grail War was clearly quite different from the 'original work' he knew.

"In the Archer faction, the Servant is Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, and the Master is Tokiomi Tohsaka. In the Lancer faction, the Servant is Artoria Pendragon, the Lion King, and the Master is Kenneth. In the Berserker faction, the Servant is Gorgon, and the Master is Kariya Matou... And in the Saber faction, the Servant is Merlin, and the acting Master is Kiritsugu Emiya."

Yu Tohsaka briefly summarized the known parties in one breath, and then, with a more serious tone, said softly, "The one we really need to pay attention to is Rider, who will be making his final appearance tonight."

The servant is the Sun King Osmandis, whose strength is comparable to that of the Hero King... Of course, that's not the point. The point is that the Rider's Master hasn't shown up all night.

Is it 'Wave' from the original work? Or is it someone else entirely?

Were the other party present at the time?

It's important to know that Osmandis summoned his own temple directly, which obviously required a huge amount of magic power from the master.

However, tonight, Aika Sajou didn't even sense any magical fluctuations from other magicians nearby.

"I wonder who the Rider's Master is..." Yu Tohsaka murmured to herself.

The only servant who didn't show up tonight was Assassin, but not showing up doesn't mean he's not here... Maybe he's hiding somewhere tonight, secretly observing everything here and gathering information for his master.

Therefore, what we need to know most right now is the Rider's master.

"Hmm...now that you mention it, even I'm a little curious."

Sajou Aika gently touched her small red lips with her slender fingers, pondered for a moment, and then smiled as brightly as the sun, saying, "Since you are so interested in this riddle, then I will help you find the answer."

Yu Tohsaka paused, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

Logically speaking, Ayaka Sajō's participation in the Holy Grail War seems to be motivated by the desire for 'fun'.

Unexpectedly, she was willing to take the initiative to help investigate such a 'trivial matter'.

Seemingly sensing what Tohsaka Yu wanted to say, Sajou Aika reached out her small hand, gently touching his lips with her slender index finger, and said with a smile, "If you want to thank me, then you don't need to."

"after all……"

She raised her delicate and innocent face, her beautiful emerald green eyes gazing intently into the boy's eyes, and smiled sweetly: "You are my servant... Of course, even without this relationship, you would always protect me, right?"

The girl's voice was soft and melodious, like the most beautiful music, gently echoing in the empty night breeze on the balcony.

She didn't know when it started, but her cheek was extremely close to Tohsaka Yu's, and she could even vaguely feel the girl's incredibly ambiguous breath falling on her face with a faint fragrance.

dong dong...

Her heart seemed to be racing involuntarily. Tohsaka Yu subconsciously looked down, only to meet Sajou Aika's eyes.

Her breath was incredibly suggestive, her eyes were moist, and her small, pink lips seemed to exude an alluring quality with every movement, as if beckoning a man to kiss her.

The silence lasted for an unknown amount of time. As Ayaka Sajou looked at the boy in front of her, a strange ripple stirred in her heart.

From the very beginning of summoning this Caster named Tohsaka Yu, he has brought her far too many "surprises" and "accidents".

Unlike others, he did not feel awe or fear towards himself, nor did he harbor greed and scheming like his family members in the past.

He was just very calm, very gentle, and sometimes... he would look at her with a look she had never experienced before, a look that was both helpless and indulgent.

This feeling... was novel, and she liked it very much.

Sajō Aika, who is connected to the roots, can theoretically know everything and easily see into people's hearts.

But in front of this boy, she always felt an unprecedented sense of authenticity and relaxation.

It was as if by his side, she could shed the heavy shell of "Princess of the Origin" and become... an ordinary girl full of curiosity about the world.

He would patiently answer her whimsical questions, accompany her to try things that she found "interesting," and when she inadvertently showed signs of dependence, he would gently stroke her hair with his warm hands, bringing a warmth that made her heart beat slightly faster.

This feeling was something that Ayaka Sajou had never experienced with anyone before.

Perhaps... this is what is called "bond"? Or perhaps... a deeper emotion called "like" is quietly sprouting?

Sajo Aika didn't quite understand.

But she knew that she liked being by Caster's side, liked seeing his brows furrow slightly when he was thinking, liked listening to him tell those "stories" she had never heard before in his gentle voice, and liked even more the look in his eyes when he looked at her, which carried a certain "emotion".

A night breeze swept across the balcony, ruffling Aika Sajou's smooth, golden hair. A few unruly strands gently brushed against Yu Tohsaka's cheek, bringing a slightly ticklish sensation.

Looking at the boy so close to her, and feeling the subtle, ambiguous atmosphere between them, Aika Sajou's strange feelings became clearer, and a charming blush quietly rose on her cheeks in the dim light.

Then she gently closed her eyes and tilted her head back slightly.

Her long, curled eyelashes trembled slightly in the night breeze, her profile was exquisite and beautiful, with a pure and refined elegance.

With that sweet posture that seemed to be 'at your mercy,' and the almost zero-distance contact between the two, feeling the softness of the girl's skin as it vaguely touched his chest, and the faint fragrance unique to the Root Princess, the string of "reason" in Tohsaka Yu's heart was almost completely snapped by this ultimate innocence and allure.

One of his hands hovered in mid-air, and then slowly, he wrapped it around Aika Sajou's slender and graceful waist. He looked down at the girl's cherry lips, which were even more pink and moist under the light, and slightly parted... The sweet breath exhaled from her lips seemed to be silently inviting something.

An ambiguous atmosphere continued to ferment and intensify in the air.

At that moment, Yu Tohsaka's heart skipped a few beats uncontrollably.

His gaze involuntarily fell on the girl's lips, which were so close to his and gleamed with an alluring sheen. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

He couldn't help but lower his head, and his lips finally touched that soft spot that made his heart flutter.

In that instant, it felt as if an electric current surged through the point of contact between the two, reaching the depths of their souls.

Sajō Aika's body trembled almost imperceptibly as an unprecedented sweetness, like the most intoxicating red wine, instantly overwhelmed all her senses.

She subconsciously reached out her small hand and gently grasped Tohsaka Yu's palm, their fingers intertwining.

Those emerald green eyes, which always held a hint of playfulness and understanding, were now completely lost in the sudden intimacy, filled only with the shyness and satisfaction of a young girl.

Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest.

The blush on her cheeks quickly spread to her ears, giving her fair skin a captivating pinkish hue.

So... this is what 'being in love' feels like?

As Yu Tohsaka felt the soft touch on her lips and the captivating, elegant fragrance emanating from Aika Sajou, he couldn't help but pull her even closer, deepening the kiss that was both shy and tentative.

Their breaths mingled, filling the air with a sweet and ambiguous atmosphere.

After an unknown amount of time, a soft, yet unusually abrupt, sound of a door hinge turning came from the direction of the glass door leading from the balcony to the living room.

"Squeak-"

As the door opened, Tohsaka Yu's body stiffened abruptly, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head, instantly jolting her awake from the intoxicatingly ambiguous atmosphere.

He subconsciously distanced himself from Ayaka Sajou and looked in the direction from which the sound came.

The living room door was pushed open a crack, and a small figure in a white nightgown rubbed her sleepy eyes and timidly peeked out from behind the door. Her bright eyes first flashed with confusion when she saw the two people on the balcony, but then lit up immediately after she saw Tohsaka Yu's face.

...It's Sakura Tohsaka!

"Brother...?" The little girl's voice was soft and unease, as if she had just woken up.

As if waking from a dream, Tohsaka Yu quickly composed herself, concealing the lingering strange emotions on her face, and tried to make her voice sound gentle: "Sakura? It's so late, why aren't you asleep yet? Did you have a nightmare?"

Sakura Tohsaka ran barefoot to the balcony and threw herself into Yu Tohsaka's arms, hugging his waist tightly and burying her head in his chest. She mumbled, "I can't sleep... I'm a little scared being alone..."

She paused, as if gathering a great deal of courage, before whispering in a voice barely audible, with a hint of pleading and dependence, "I want to sleep with my brother...."

After saying that, she seemed afraid that Tohsaka Yu would refuse, so she quickly raised her head, her watery eyes, like those of a frightened fawn, looking at him pitifully, with even a trace of glistening tears in the corners of her eyes.

"...can't you?"

Yu Tohsaka: "..."

Seeing this, it would be hard for anyone to refuse.

Yu Tohsaka subconsciously reached out and gently ruffled the girl's smooth, short black hair.

“Of course.” He agreed gently without the slightest hesitation. “I’ll take you back to your room.”

As he spoke, he looked at Aika Sajou and said, "mas灵liu寺硫VII爸尔扒ter..."

Saya Aika gently shook her head and said softly, "It's alright, let's take Sakura back to rest first."

Yu Tohsaka then took the girl's cold little hand and prepared to lead her back to her room.

As she watched the two leave the balcony, Aika Sajou's smile remained pure and sweet, but a hint of darkness subtly flickered in the depths of her emerald green eyes.

She stood quietly on the balcony, gazing wistfully in the direction where Sakura Tohsaka had disappeared.

Sakura Tohsaka... although she looks young, I always feel... that she's not as innocent as she seems on the surface.

Volume 1: Chapter 51 Love-Struck Brain - Love Song

On the balcony of the luxury apartment suite, only Irisviel remained.

The night breeze, carrying the cool, damp air characteristic of Fuyuki City, gently caressed her long, silver hair.

The thin blanket with the cute chibi dragon pattern that she was wearing was draped over her somewhat clumsily by the little girl named Tiamat earlier.

Irisviel curled up in the chair, hugging her knees with her hands, resting her small chin on her knees. Her red eyes, which always carried a hint of melancholy and gentleness, stared blankly at the night sky in the distance, which was illuminated by the flames of war.

In her mind, the words spoken by Caster Tohsaka Yuu not long ago still echoed.

"The Greater Grail has long been corrupted..."

"...Miss Irisviel, why are you participating in this Holy Grail War? Is it to fulfill the Einzbern family's millennia-old wish to reach the Root? Or...is it merely for yourself?"