Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

What would happen if the "lock" were broken... Archer, you should know better than anyone else, right?

As she said this, Saber curled the corners of her lips, her amber eyes gleaming with a sadistic light.

Who exactly is the "lock" that the Black Knight King is referring to?

The answer is self-evident.

That was the only friend of the King of Heroes, a pitiful weapon (Enkidu) created by the gods, who gained a human heart and eventually returned to dust.

Normally, if anyone dared to mock his best friend's death in front of the King of Heroes, he would be furious.

However, this time the current Hero King is unusually mature and will not lose his composure because of low-level provocation.

"You've become quite eloquent after being filled with black mud, Saber."

The King of Gold glared coldly at the black-sworded soldier: "Fine, if we kill that little girl now, the long-awaited fun will be ruined."

Saber said, "The 'extra fun' you're referring to... is it the final battle with Shirou?"

"Do you care?"

Saber said, "...In the end, I have nothing to do with that brat, and now we are enemies on different sides."

Archer raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Saber, I'll bring back the head of that brat you like as a souvenir for you."

Will you still be as calm as you are now by then? I really look forward to seeing your true colors after your facade is torn off.

Saber remained silent, watching Archer disappear into the distance.

"Wait... Who gave you permission to act on your own?! Archer! Come back here!"

The vast Ryudong Temple was left only with the impotent and furious shouts of the red-haired girl.

……

……

"Dong dong dong."

"Irisviel, may I come in?"

After Shirou knocked on the door, he heard rustling noises coming from inside.

After a while, the silver-haired android responded.

"Please come in, Shirou."

Shirou pushed open the door and entered, where he saw Irisviel, who looked melancholy and had red, swollen eyes.

Although she possessed the beauty of a mature woman, she was essentially an innocent and carefree virgin.

But after today's blow, she seemed to have aged more than ten years in an instant.

A pure and innocent spirit also means that it cannot withstand the slightest setback.

"I'm sorry...it all stems from my negligence."

As soon as Shirou sat down, Irisviel began to apologize.

"Because I had no sense of urgency and didn't take the Holy Grail War seriously at all, Saber was taken away... I'm sorry."

Shirou didn't think it was Irisviel's fault; he thought the enemy was just too bad.

It's incredibly unlucky that the Holy Grail was corrupted by a Servant skilled in curses, who turned Irisviel's cheat-like ability as a Command Spell transmitter into its own hands...

Shirou knew very well that even if he pointed out the problem, Irisviel would not listen.

Ultimately, isn't the root of all evil that old man who was the head of the Einzbern family?

If he hadn't had that ingenious idea of ​​summoning a divine servant 60 years ago, things wouldn't have turned out this way.

"Have you made contact with Sera and the others?" Shirou asked.

Irisviel replied, "Well... they're on their way here, but they'll take a little longer because they're worried about being followed."

Shirou nodded: "Have you been in contact with the main family?"

Irisviel shook her head: "It's impossible to make contact. Even if my great-grandfather...Ahadeon knew that the Holy Grail had been corrupted, he would still order me to continue the mission."

"Was it really necessary to go this far?"

"This was Einzbern's last chance. If even I fail..."

Irisviel explained the truth to Shirou: if the Einzbern family loses in this Holy Grail War, the main family will cut off the power supply to all the homunculi, burying the history of the family forever in the snowy mountains.

Shirou frowned: "Is this the head of the family's dictatorial decision?"

Irisviel said solemnly, "This is a collective decision of the clan."

Shirou was speechless.

"Isn't it ridiculous?"

The silver-haired android gripped the boy's hand and said softly.

“My predecessors, my sisters, even Ahadeon... everyone placed their last hope in me.”

However, I was completely oblivious to my own limitations, treating myself like a bird that had escaped its cage, immersing myself in the outside world every day.

"It's only natural that a terrible, awful woman like me would lose Saber... It must be fate's punishment."

"This is not a punishment."

"Shirou?"

Irisviel raised her head and saw the red-haired boy speaking earnestly.

"Saber and I were both saved by you."

"How could this be...! I didn't do anything, it should be the other way around! Shirou saved me three times!"

"Haha...it seems that's indeed the case."

"I'm sorry, I really only ever hold Shirou back, I can't help at all..."

Shirou interrupted her self-pity: "Irisviel, I've figured it out."

"what?"

"Let's live together when everything is over."

"!"

Irisviel stared wide-eyed in disbelief, covering her mouth as she murmured, "But... I can't possibly live to see the end of the Holy Grail War..."

Shirou said, "I'm actually quite good at prolonging life through magic... If you're willing to trust me, then leave it to me."

"Yes! Yes! I believe in Shirou!"

Irisviel held the boy's hand tightly: "I want to live with Shirou too! I dream of living with Shirou!"

As he said this, the silver-haired, red-eyed android's eyes filled with tears.

"How awful, Master..."

The voice of the nightmare reached Shirou's ears.

"Even though it's for the ultimate victory, to deceive girls to this extent... even I find it a little hard to watch."

"If you can't stand it, just disappear!"

"No way, hehehehe..."

Shirou looked at Irisviel again: "For our happiness, we must eliminate all enemies that stand in our way."

"Hmm...yes...you're right, Shirou."

As Irisviel wiped away her tears, she asked, "Is there anything I can do? There really isn't...?"

Some brothers, yes.

"You once asked me how I defeated the sea monster, didn't you? This is the truth."

Shirou shows Irisviel the "Dead Count Shapeshifter" and explains its effects.

The "Royal Command Spell," modified by Lady Avalon, can accelerate Shirou's internal time to ten years in the future for a short period of time.

At the same time... this is probably the truth behind why Lady Avalon was not taken away by the enemy, because it is already a modified version of the Command Seals, so it cannot be taken away by the other party.

Although the "Royal Command Spell" can greatly enhance Shirou's combat power, it cannot perform the most basic function of a Command Spell—charging magic power.

"I can only fight using my existing magic power and the magic power of my servants."

Shirou explained, "With our current mana reserves, we simply cannot sustain a fight against Archer and Saber."

At this point, Irisviel had figured out what was going on.

"So, Shirou, you want me to replenish your magical energy... is that right?"

"Yes," Shirou readily admitted.

Although Irisviel lost Saber and Command Seals, she is still the strongest Master.

As the ultimate weapon of the strongest alchemist clan, its magic circuits surpass those of modern magicians, making it powerful enough to rival witches.

Shirou put on a pitiful, coquettish expression:

"The only one who can provide me with magic is Irisviel... For our future, okay?"

"Uh... but... but... replenishing magic power, that's..."

Irisviel seemed to have thought of something, and her face flushed red in an instant.

She certainly knew the meaning and method of replenishing magic power—that is, the so-called ○○ exchange.

"Shirou...no...this is the only thing I can't do...I can't do it..."

Irisviel's cheeks burned, and she bit her lip.

She regarded Shirou as a child to whom she poured out her love, a love that was clearly not lust between a man and a woman.

Even though it's for the purpose of transferring magic... what will happen to their relationship if they do that kind of thing with Shirou?

Irisviel didn't even dare to think about it, and just shook her head repeatedly with a flushed face.

Shirou hadn't expected her to be so resistant, and questioned her in a somewhat displeased tone.

"Were all those things you just said lies?"

Irisviel's pupils trembled as she looked at Shirou: "Huh...?"

"Were you just saying you wanted to live with me to appease me?"

"Of course not, Shirou! Why would you think that? I dream of living with you!"

"Since that's the case, then hand over your magic to me! Who do you think I'm fighting for?"

Irisviel remained silent.

Shirou also regretted his words; his tone had been too harsh.

But we can't entirely blame him, given how perilous the situation was.

To defeat Archer and Saber, who are powered by the Greater Grail, Shirou must rely on Irisviel's magical power.

"...It's just a little embarrassing, just bear with it, it'll pass."

Feeling a little embarrassed? Just bear with it and it'll pass?

Irisviel bit her lip: That's not how it is at all! Our relationship will never be the same again!

She simply couldn't understand how Shirou could so calmly say such shameless things as "Come and replenish my magic power!" to a woman.

Doesn't Shirou understand what "replenishing magic power" means?

No, a genius like him couldn't possibly not know.

If you know this, why can you say it so easily?

Just a few days ago, he was an adorable boy who would blush even when a girl scrubbed his back at the bathhouse.

"Ah..."

Irisviel understood.

Shirou must have been driven to the brink of desperation.

He was actually more conflicted and in pain than anyone else.