By the time the sun rose, Kiritsugu Emiya's injuries had almost completely healed under the restorative power of Avalon – The Everdistant Utopia.
As for Maiya Hisau, aside from losing the sight in her right eye, her most serious injury had been blood loss. After receiving a transfusion at the hospital, she had recovered enough to move around without much difficulty.
The two of them didn't remain at the hospital for long.
When night fell over Fuyuki City once again...
The final battle of the Holy Grail War would most likely begin.
They no longer had any time to waste.
"...Last night felt unusually long."
Sitting in the passenger seat of the black sedan, Maiya looked back toward the hospital and let out a quiet sigh.
The wind brushed through her hair, exposing the white bandage covering her right eye.
"Tonight will probably feel even longer."
For once, Kiritsugu was driving the car himself. Without taking his eyes off the road, he quietly replied,
"To complete the ritual and bring forth the Holy Grail, it must be conducted at one of Fuyuki's four major leyline nodes."
"Two of them are already out of the question."
"The first is Fuyuki Church, where Archer and his Master—the greatest threat—are currently based."
"The second is the Tohsaka Mansion, which has already been reduced to mana-depleted ruins by the aftermath of Archer's Noble Phantasm."
"That leaves only two possible locations."
"Ryūdō Temple on Mount Enzō..."
"...or the Fuyuki Civic Hall."
"Although our relationship with Leon and Iris has become somewhat strained..."
"...our strongest trump card is still in our hands."
"As long as the ritual proceeds successfully, that's enough."
He glanced toward Maiya.
"Maiya, contact Leon. Have them choose one of those two locations as tonight's base."
"We'll make our stand there and force the enemy to come to us."
"Understood."
Maiya nodded before adding softly,
"I wonder how Lady Irisviel is doing now..."
"She's probably reached her limit."
Kiritsugu's expression darkened.
"It was a necessary sacrifice."
"If Illyasviel is to avoid repeating her mother's fate..."
"...then Irisviel must be the one to bring this war to its conclusion."
"And she is the only one who can."
This had been decided from the very beginning between himself and the Einzbern Family.
Irisviel herself had once accepted that fate without hesitation.
So why...
Why had everything begun to change now, at the very end?
Kiritsugu frowned deeply, unable to find an answer.
But the outcome would not change.
Not as long as another Master still remained in pursuit of the Holy Grail.
...
"How do you feel, Irisviel?"
Artoria watched as Leon patiently fed Irisviel an entire plate of mapo tofu, one spoonful at a time.
The dish was so overwhelmingly spicy that even Artoria would have frowned after a single bite.
Yet Irisviel ate it with obvious delight, as though she felt nothing at all.
"It's delicious..."
Her snow-white skin had flushed bright red from the heat of the spices, yet her smile was one of pure satisfaction.
"I'm glad you like it."
Leon gently wiped the remaining sauce from the corner of her lips with a napkin.
Later, while Leon and Artoria were cleaning up the dishes together, Irisviel—resting quietly on the tatami beside them—suddenly asked,
"Leon..."
"Am I going to die?"
"Yes."
He answered without hesitation, his tone calm and matter-of-fact.
"Most likely tonight."
"Your body will completely collapse..."
"...and transform into the Holy Grail itself—a Human Grail Vessel filled with magical energy and the souls of the seven Servants."
"That's wonderful..."
A gentle smile spread across Irisviel's face.
"Then Kiritsugu's wish..."
"...your wish..."
"...and Artoria's wish..."
"They'll all come true, won't they?"
"...Perhaps."
Leon answered quietly.
His thoughts drifted to the image of the corrupted Grail—
The hollow vessel overflowing with curses, endlessly spewing forth the black mud formed from All the World's Evil (Angra Mainyu).
In the end...
No one's wish would truly be fulfilled.
"Iris..."
Watching Irisviel's frail yet composed smile from the corner of her eye, Artoria felt her heart twist with pain.
On one side stood one of her dearest companions in this era.
On the other...
The Britain she had failed to save.
Even though Leon had promised her...
Could she truly wait for his salvation with complete peace of mind?
What if...
Anxiety and hesitation filled Artoria's heart.
Unlike Leon, she had no knowledge of what awaited at the end.
She didn't know...
That from the very beginning, Leon had already been standing at the destination she sought.
Just then—
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Leon's phone rang while he was washing the dishes.
Artoria immediately picked up a clean towel and gently dried the water from his hands.
"It's Kiritsugu."
Leon glanced at the caller ID before speaking to the two women.
The moment they heard his name, both of them instinctively tensed.
One was Kiritsugu's Servant.
The other, at least in name, remained one of his pieces in the Holy Grail War.
Neither of them could ignore the existence of the man called Kiritsugu Emiya.
Click.
Leon answered the call, casually pinning the phone between his shoulder and ear while continuing to wash the dishes, speaking as naturally as if chatting with an old friend.
"What's up?"
"Nothing unexpected."
Kiritsugu got straight to the point.
"Archer and Rider will most likely launch their final offensive tonight."
"We need to choose one of the leyline nodes as our stronghold and complete the ritual preparations beforehand."
"We'll let them come to us."
The moment those words left Kiritsugu's mouth, Artoria instinctively turned toward Irisviel.
Irisviel's already pale face became even more bloodless.
Her hands instinctively clasped over her chest.
Though she was trembling with fear...
She still forced herself to smile reassuringly at Leon and Artoria.
As if asking them not to worry about her.
"I see."
A glimmer flashed across Leon's eyes.
Combining Observation Haki with his heightened instincts, he swept his perception across nearly the entirety of Fuyuki City.
His invisible awareness finally settled upon the location with the strongest presence.
Without another moment's hesitation, he made his decision.
"Then we'll use..."
"Ryūdō Temple on Mount Enzō."
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