Chapter 5 The Lake is Boiling
The Holy Grail War in Snowfield City was modeled after the Fuyuki Holy Grail War, established through the collaboration and research of multiple factions. However, a certain faction—let's call them the FaXXXX side for now—lacked sufficient technical support and could not reproduce it perfectly.
So, should the plan have simply fallen through? Reality has already denied that. "Why not use six Servants as a catalyst to activate the Ley Lines and summon another seven 'True' Servants to complete the Holy Grail War?" Someone said.
In terms of structure, this evolved into a war with only one Saber, while every other class had two Heroic Spirits. One Saber, and two each for Archer, Lancer, Assassin, Rider, Caster, and Berserker. Excluding the Saber class, which serves as the anchor for both "True" and "False," the first to be summoned in a class is called the "False" class—for example, False Archer (Gilgamesh). The one summoned later is called the "True" class—for example, True Archer (Heracles, now Alcides). With this logic, the Fake Holy Grail War was successfully constructed.
This was the root of the abnormal events Emiya Shirou had encountered thus far. In his mind, now filled with thought, Shirou mapped out the Servants he currently understood:
Archer — Gilgamesh The second Archer — Heracles, now calling himself Alcides Lancer — Enkidu Berserker — Jack the Ripper (*Assumed class) Assassin — The Zealot (No-Name Assassin)
Given the winding twists of fate that seemed to push things along, in just one night, the Emiya household had already encountered five of the thirteen Servants. Everything was connected. Now it made sense.
"So a Holy Grail War can actually be run like this?" To Shirou and the others, this information was vital. Just obtaining the rules of this Fake Holy Grail War made the trip worthwhile. Saber also looked like she wanted to say something. But at the very moment she prepared to speak...
Clack.
A distant, muffled sound startled them, making both turn back together.
"What was that sound?"
"I don't know, but it sounded like the annex door being blown shut by the wind."
"That's a completely unconvincing explanation."
Shirou tore a page from the book to store away, walked toward the desk, and reminded her helplessly: "So, if our luck is bad, there really is a sixth Servant here, right? We have to hurry."
"Shirou, what are you planning to do?"
Shirou asked back, "Don't you think it's strange?"
Saber frowned.
At this point, Shirou didn't intend to keep speaking in riddles, but said bluntly: "In this room, only the desk drawer is locked."
The one who analyzes Noble Phantasms had accurately grasped the structure of the entire room. As soon as he finished speaking, his hand was already on the drawer's lock. First, a blue light flickered; a chisel overflowing with Divine Mystery shattered the magical Bounded Field attached to the lock.
"Judging the concept of creation; Hypothesizing the basic structure. Tracing, start."
In less than a second, the light of Reinforcement/Projection magecraft emanated from inside the lock, forming a key. Treating the restrictions the magus couple had laboriously set as if they were nothing, Shirou effortlessly pulled out the entire drawer. Inside was a journal.
"Saber, keep watch for me." Keeping watch was important. Without someone to help guard, even someone who usually cuts through everything could easily die in a small, cramped room. Saber watched the door while Shirou flipped through the pages rapidly: "The first half is about the inheritance of the Magic Crest—no wonder it was locked. The second half..."
Shirou's brow furrowed. After freezing for two or three seconds, Shirou slowly held up the journal to show the contents to Saber. The kind of content that even a normal person would find unbearable to read.
"It seems these two from the Kuruoka family are those kinds of bastard magi."
Experimental Log 23-07 The experiment to modify magic circuits using bacteria magecraft within the body has failed. Tsubaki has fallen into a comatose state. She had to be sent to Snowfield Central Hospital. What kind of mess is this? The theory should have been flawless.
Experimental Log 23-08 The bacteria magecraft has obstructed brain activity, causing Tsubaki to remain unable to wake. Although we knew there were risks from the start, such intense side effects are still beyond expectations. The problem is, what should be done about the inheritance of the Magic Crest in this state?
Experimental Log 23-10 The body's reproductive functions are still usable. This is a relief. The problem is solved. Admittedly, it was our oversight to produce such ill side effects. However, it is not too late; next time will be more successful—
According to the information gathered, the Kuruoka family was a family of three with only one daughter. —That person was not here. Shirou slammed the book shut.
Though he currently felt the urge to throw a couple of punches at the "unrecyclable trash" in the other corner of the room, there was no time.
The depths of the floor were restless. An unsettling, rustling sound began to overlap in his eardrums. "Let's go, Saber! We'll look more when we get back!" Taking the hesitant Saber's hand, Shirou ran toward the door. The short distance to the doorway felt terrifyingly long at this moment. Only now did Shirou notice that the ceiling light had been on the whole time, only obscured by the morning light outside earlier. And now, it flickered out.
As they passed the magi, the deathly mumbles that had been unintelligible suddenly became clearly audible:
"Tsubaki... did you... have fun... at your birthday... yesterday?"
Shirou immediately recognized the emotion surging within him. A nauseating sense of disgust. People with pure distortion do not say kind words with deep meaning.
For example, if Kirei Kotomine were to congratulate Shirou, it certainly wouldn't be a sincere blessing in the normal sense. So, to be able to say such things even while unconscious proved not that the man and woman truly cared for Tsubaki.
The man and woman had become "puppets."
The puppeteer—there was no one else but "that thing" in this mansion. At the same time he finally understood this, Shirou's feet stepped into the hallway.
"Shirou, what did they mean by what they just said!?" Shirou answered her in distress as he pulled her along. Who else could be comforted by such false, tragic words without knowing anything?
"Don't you see, Saber? The Master of the thing in this house is... Tsubaki Kuruoka!"
—The daughter of the magus couple, a young girl, a child yearning for love, a child who couldn't even comprehend the concept of Heroic Spirits. Like a pebble thrown into a lake, these words rippled through the corridor.
Shirou hadn't thought of the other thing.
The lake was boiling.
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