["Honestly, madam, what surprises me most is your dedication."]
[Maiya stood beside Irisviel, saying, "You were born in a castle, sheltered from the outside world, yet you're willing to risk everything for Kiritsugu."]
["I… I don't actually understand Kiritsugu's ideals."]
Irisviel gave a sad smile. "My so-called ideals are just poor copies of his."
["But I could never let him know that. I've always wanted to be his support, his confidante, pretending to understand him completely."]
Emiya Kiritsugu: "..."
"Kiritsugu, I…"
Irisviel looked at the silent Kiritsugu, momentarily lost for words, unsure how to explain.
"It's alright."
Emiya Kiritsugu didn't seem bothered.
Because he already knew.
Even though Irisviel did her best to disguise her true feelings, there were always small hints. But it didn't matter—as long as she stood by his side, that was enough.
["Irisviel, don't you have any wishes of your own?"]
[Irisviel looked at Maiya thoughtfully.]
[She then replied, "I want Kiritsugu and Saber to win the Holy Grail."]
["Is that for the Einzbern family's goal of achieving the Third Magic?"]
["No," Irisviel said softly, "it's to end the war."]
[Irisviel's face was filled with sadness. "I hope this fourth war will be the last."]
["It's also for your daughter, isn't it?"]
[Irisviel nodded. "Yes. If Kiritsugu and I fail, Illya will be the next sacrifice."]
["That's the fate of an Einzbern homunculus."]
"I… Illya…"
Emiya Kiritsugu's fists clenched tightly.
Artoria recalled the sweet, innocent girl she'd met at the Einzbern castle and turned to Irisviel, saying firmly, "Don't worry, Irisviel. I will help you win."
Irisviel gave a grateful smile. "Thank you, Saber."
["What about you, Maiya? Do you have any wishes?"]
["I never expected to survive until the end."]
["Don't say that."]
[Irisviel looked at her with gentle insistence. "I hope you can live for yourself, Maiya. Find your family, reclaim your true name. Those are things that should never be forgotten."]
["Please, Maiya, live on for me."]
["Madam…"]
[For a moment, Maiya was lost for words, moved by Irisviel's sincerity.]
Bang!
[Just then, the warehouse door was blown off its hinges.]
[Video paused.]
[Question: Who is the attacker?]
[A: Iskandar; B: Gilgamesh; C: Lancelot.]
[Please answer within five minutes. Failing to answer in time will count as forfeiting.]
Waver: "Huh? Only three options this time?"
Chihiro: "It's the first question, so the difficulty isn't too high."
He couldn't help but chuckle internally. This question was a trap for those who weren't careful.
Tohsaka Rin: "Isn't it obvious? It has to be Gilgamesh. Who else would make such a dramatic entrance?"
Gilgamesh: "Watch your tongue, mongrel. Do not presume to know my actions."
Tohsaka Rin: "See? He didn't deny it. That means he agrees."
Gilgamesh: "..."
"Is it really that simple?"
Both Tohsaka Tokiomi, Emiya Kiritsugu, and others looked skeptical. They'd seen too many surprises in previous sessions to take anything at face value.
After some discussion, most of them agreed to divide their guesses across the three options. If they couldn't go for a perfect score, securing one correct answer was better than risking elimination.
Chihiro leaned back, a confident smile playing on his lips. "Pick C for this question," he said casually.
Zhang Jiao raised an eyebrow, folding his arms. "Here we go with your strange logic again."
Sigurd, who had been quietly observing, frowned slightly. "Isn't that risky? We should split our choices just to be safe."
Chihiro shook his head and grinned. "Trust me. Don't you believe in my luck by now?"
Zhang Jiao let out a small laugh, nodding reluctantly. "You've got a point. Your luck has been… something else."
[Time's up. Resuming the video.]
[The smoke cleared, revealing a large, red-haired figure stepping into the warehouse.]
It was Iskandar.
Waver: "Wait, Rider? Why are you there?"
Iskandar: "I don't know, Waver."
He looked equally puzzled, not understanding why he'd be in a place like that.
[Seeing Iskandar approaching with clear intent, Hisau Maiya quickly pulled her gun, alerting Emiya Kiritsugu to the situation.]
[At that moment, Kiritsugu was already inside the Tohsaka mansion, where he found traces of Tohsaka Tokiomi's blood from the previous night, but Tokiomi's body was nowhere to be seen.]
[Kotomine Kirei and Gilgamesh were also absent from the mansion.]
[When Maiya's call came through, the usually composed Kiritsugu finally showed a flicker of panic.]
["By my Command Spell—Saber, return to the warehouse immediately!"]
[Instantly, Artoria, who had been keeping watch outside, was teleported back.]
[But it was too late.]
[Irisviel was gone, and Hisau Maiya lay in a pool of her own blood.]
[Artoria knelt beside Maiya, trying to help her up.]
["Saber… go after him. Rider… he took my lady…" Hisau Maiya said weakly, on the verge of death.]
["But what about you…?" Artoria hesitated.]
["I'm fine… Kiritsugu will come back soon. Go…" Maiya insisted.]
["Hold on, Maiya," Artoria urged, setting her down carefully before rushing outside to chase after Rider.]
[Once on the rooftop, Artoria spotted Iskandar's distant figure, carrying Irisviel as he made his escape.]
[She mounted her motorcycle, speeding off in hot pursuit.]
"This… doesn't seem right."
Iskandar frowned, feeling something off about the whole situation.
After all, the "Iskandar" in the video didn't match his own character. And since when did he go around sneaking into warehouses?
Even Waver, Kayneth, and the others watching the video felt that something was amiss. The King of Conquerors they knew wouldn't act like this.
And besides… why would he be running across rooftops like a thief? Did he abandon his chariot?
"Maiya…"
Irisviel instinctively reached out to support the image of Maiya, moved by her unwavering loyalty.
Maiya, however, remained calm and composed, having long accepted her fate. She'd prepared herself for this possibility.
Meanwhile, only Matou Kariya seemed to understand the true identity of the "Iskandar" in the video.
[It was already evening when Emiya Kiritsugu finally returned to the warehouse.]
[After ensuring the area was clear of enemies, he rushed to Hisau Maiya's side, lifting her up.]
["It… it was Rider…"]
[Hisau Maiya's voice was faint, her life hanging by a thread. She'd held on just to see him one last time.]
["I understand."]
[Emiya Kiritsugu's face was impassive as usual, but his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.]
Yes, he cried.
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "I never thought I'd see the Magus Killer himself shed tears again."
Kayneth: "Hah! Serves him right. That's what he deserves."
Sola-ui: "An ironic scene, isn't it?"
Most of the others felt no discomfort at Kayneth and Sola-ui's remarks. After all, they had every right to judge Kiritsugu, given what they'd experienced.
Watching Kiritsugu's reaction to Maiya's death was indeed a bitter irony for those who had witnessed the pain he had caused.
["You mustn't cry… save your tears for your wife…" Hisau Maiya whispered, using her last strength to wipe away Kiritsugu's tears.]
["I know… that deep down, you're a fragile person. But you mustn't break here."]
["Don't go back to being that old Kiritsugu. You can't afford to fall apart over something small like this."]
[Kiritsugu raised his head, struggling to keep his tears at bay.]
["It's alright, Maiya. Saber will handle the rest. Your mission is over."]
["…"]
[Hisau Maiya managed a final smile before she passed away.]
[She died with her eyes open, staring at Kiritsugu's face.]
[In some cultures, it's said that a person's last sight is forever imprinted on their soul.]
[This… was her last act of devotion.]
"…"
No one in the group knew how to react to Maiya's fate.
Unlike the mocking and angry reactions that followed Kayneth's death, there was only silence here.
Everyone understood that those who took lives in pursuit of their goals also had to be ready to pay that price.
Even Emiya Kiritsugu, known as the merciless Magus Killer, felt a profound sorrow watching Maiya's end in the video.
Irisviel made a quiet resolution. If there was any way to prevent it, she would ensure that Maiya didn't have to meet the same tragic end as in the video.
She would keep Maiya by Kiritsugu's side, not only as a loyal ally but as someone who could support him even after this war was over.
***
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