Silence.
No response.
This was to be expected. After all, who would have thought there was still a soul hidden within the Greater Holy Grail?
However, Shirou was not willing to let it go and continued speaking:
"Remaining silent won't help. I know of your presence and that you can hear me. Why not come out and show yourself? Perhaps you don't believe me, but I bear you no ill will. The creator of the Greater Holy Grail, the Winter Saint, Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern."
Still, there was no response, leaving Shirou to perform a one-man show.
"Alright, it seems I won't gain your trust. In that case—"
After waiting a few more minutes, Shirou sighed slightly, shifting his gaze from the Greater Holy Grail to a shadowy corner of the corridor.
"—Hey, you don't always have to hide in the shadows. Come out and say something."
"I knew I couldn't fool you."
Accompanied by a voice rich with the weight of countless experiences, an elderly man in a black formal suit, holding a hardcover book in his left hand, stepped out of the shadows. His white hair and beard, combined with an ageless demeanor, belonged to only one person—"The Jewel Wizard" Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.
The old man approached the young Shirou, smiling as he addressed the Greater Holy Grail.
"I assure you, what he says is true. Come out, and we will answer your questions."
At these words, the golden sphere, which had remained still and seemingly lifeless, finally reacted. From the center of the golden humanoid figure emerged a woman as pure white as winter snow, her exquisite red eyes filled with profound confusion.
"Zelretch, you—what are you planning?"
"As you've heard, 'destroy the world' or 'save humanity'; it's all the same."
Shirou shifted to a more comfortable posture and replied with a smile.
"Well? Isn't the thousand-year wish of the Einzbern family about to be realized? Excited? Delighted? Thrilled?"
"This..."
Seeing Justeaze's conflicted expression, Shirou also became puzzled:
"Uh, why that expression? Hey, old man, is she really the Winter Saint? The one who sacrificed herself for the sake of her family's wish?"
"She is, and she isn't. She remains the 'Winter Saint,' but she is no longer the homunculus who would sacrifice herself to fulfill her family's wish. You, of all people, should understand."
Hearing Zelretch's explanation, Shirou nodded: "I understand. Isn't there a perfect example over there? That homunculus named Sieg. So, your family's wish is no longer your top priority? Then, what is your top priority? Is it him—Matou Shinji?"
Justeaze did not answer, but her changing expression betrayed her inner feelings.
"Do you want to know how I guessed it? It's simple. In times of crisis, a person's true thoughts are revealed. When the Greater Holy Grail was in jeopardy, you first separated the Lesser Holy Grail, then, risking exposure, you left your Third Magic in it, and 'coincidentally' sent the Lesser Holy Grail to his Master's hands. What was all that for? Don't tell me it was to stop me—you can't possibly believe that young man didn't tell you the 'wish' I should make."
At this point, Shirou paused, his gaze sweeping over Justeaze's face, and he found the answer he was looking for.
"It seems I was right. Tsk, tsk, looks like my fellow transmigrator is doing quite well. Ah, you're like this, Sieg did it for Astolfo, and then there's Irisviel for Kiritsugu Emiya. Could it be that the homunculi of the Einzbern family share not just appearances but also personalities?"
It's not just a shared personality but also an extreme reaction. Homunculi are born with a lack of emotions, so once they gain a heart, their emotions become exceptionally intense. That's why they can't hide their feelings and why they pour all their emotions into the people they care about, even to the point of disregarding everything else.
Perhaps unable to stand Shirou's teasing, or maybe simply not wanting to answer, Justeaze repeated her question: "What exactly are you planning? Bringing Shinji and me to this world and tormenting him like this!"
"I've already told you my goal: to obtain samples and prepare for purification. I also wanted you to reconsider whether the Einzbern family's wish is correct. The rest is none of my business."
"Hey, hey—"
Seeing Zelretch push all the responsibility away, Shirou became anxious.
"—that's not fair. You knew I was here and still sent people over. You're at least an accomplice."
"I only knew you were going to guide him a bit. I didn't expect you to use such methods."
"What methods? This is the most suitable way, alright? Don't tell me you can't see the flaws in that young man. Queen Scathach trained his endurance and will, and resolved his inherent lack of talent—but there's one crucial thing she didn't teach or didn't have time to teach."
"What is it?"
Justeaze asked involuntarily.
"It's the unwavering belief that never falters, no matter the dire circumstances. This is the biggest difference between him and those heroes. Even Astolfo, who is less powerful, surpasses him in this aspect. Take this old man as an example. His peak battle was against the origin of vampires, the absolute monarch, the true ancestor of true ancestors, Crimson Moon Brunestud. In terms of raw power, Crimson Moon far outclassed him. That battle was incredibly dangerous; he was suppressed countless times and could have died at any moment, but he never gave up. He didn't use the Second Magic to escape—given the space-time interference properties of the Second Magic, even ten Crimson Moons couldn't catch him if he wanted to leave. Ultimately, he took the risk of being bitten by Crimson Moon and becoming her servant to successfully defeat her. As a result, he was bitten and became a Dead Apostle, severely aging and losing power. If it were that young man, he might have fled long ago, or even if he held out till the end, he wouldn't have taken such a risk. As he said himself, he's just an ordinary person who gained power. His heart isn't strong enough."
Shirou said, pointing to his chest.
"With such a mindset, he's at best a powerful modern magus, never reaching the pinnacle, never seeing the true wonders of this planet and world, always just a pawn for the old man!"
"So you want to push him? Force him into an absolute dead end to make him undergo true transformation?"
Zelretch nodded thoughtfully.
"Exactly. People are forced to grow. Only by severing his retreats with irreplaceable bonds can he truly compel himself to solidify his beliefs and give it his all, maximizing his potential—just like you did against Crimson Moon. This is both a lesson and a trial. If he passes, the world is his oyster. I'll give him something you've been coveting, letting him truly possess the potential to kill Queen Scathach."
"But, but what if he doesn't pass?"
Justeaze asked anxiously.
"If I've given him so many heroes as companions and he still can't overcome this hurdle, he'll never reach the level of me. Even if he dominates an era by sheer luck, he'll merely be a 'commoner made famous in a time without heroes.'"
"He will hate you," Justeaze said unexpectedly.
"If he gets through this hurdle, even if he hates me, it won't be deep-seated. If he doesn't—he's just an insignificant human. Would you care about the resentment of ordinary people?"
Shirou's tone was as gentle as always, but to Justeaze, it sounded extremely harsh.
Shinji, you must do your best and give this hateful guy a good beating!