What's an unexpected gain?
What qualifies as a surprise?
This is a surprise!!
…
Looking at the white-haired woman bound to a stone slab by Aozaki Touko's magecraft, even Roy couldn't help but admire her audacious move, inwardly cheering.
Well done!!
Last night, as Artoria, Fionn, and Gilgamesh clashed in a mythic brawl at the port, Artoria, overwhelmed and forced to use her Noble Phantasm, sent the defenseless Irisviel away for safety, preparing for a final stand against Fionn.
From Artoria's perspective, this was sound.
As the strongest fighter, she was suppressed by Fionn's superior skill and terrain advantage. To avoid being worn down, unleashing her Noble Phantasm was her only option.
She had full confidence in her holy sword.
But Irisviel, a homunculus, couldn't survive such a clash. Unable to protect her, sending Irisviel away was logical.
Artoria knew her Master, Kiritsugu, was likely nearby. Irisviel's return would connect with him, ensuring her safe retreat.
But she hadn't anticipated Kiritsugu's dire situation.
Facing an enraged Lord's onslaught, he was fighting to survive and counter, leaving no capacity to aid Irisviel or monitor Artoria's battle.
This led to a disastrous miscommunication…
Artoria thought Kiritsugu had secured Irisviel, while he believed she remained with Artoria. Only upon reuniting did they realize Irisviel was gone. Searching now was too late.
This left Kiritsugu, planning to regroup and strategize, and Artoria, staring in disbelief.
Already drained by setbacks, Kiritsugu's heart sank like the sky had collapsed.
He hadn't eliminated a single rival, was half-crippled, had his Origin Bullet exposed, and now lost Irisviel, his trump card, under his nose.
His already restless mind grew frantic. An old saying fit his plight—losing both wife and army.
And he didn't even know who did it?
He could only flail like a headless fly.
…
While Kiritsugu fretted, the truth was simple.
Last night, engrossed in the mysteries of Scáthach's two Primordial Runes, Touko holed up in a Fuyuki hotel.
So absorbed, and with her presence concealed so well, even the lemon-head commanding the battle upstairs didn't notice a Clock Tower Sealing Designated fugitive beneath him.
Their outings perfectly misaligned, keeping Touko from meeting the Lord.
When Scáthach dragged her from her magecraft obsession, Touko realized her blunder.
She'd chosen the same workshop as the lemon-head, inwardly panicking but grateful for her concealment. Otherwise, Kayneth and his Servant might've raided her.
Realizing this, she promptly relocated, following Scáthach to the next battlefield, standing in for Roy.
As a Grand magus and wanted fugitive, Touko wasn't naive.
She saw through Scáthach and her kouhai's intent: her appearance drew enemy fire, letting Roy lurk in the shadows for his preparations.
The most dangerous role was hers.
If anyone else dared suggest this, Touko wouldn't just refuse—she'd end them. Even for Roy, a friend, she wasn't a disposable shield.
She'd wanted to berate his audacity. But his offer was too good.
Beyond Roy's lavish funding, Scáthach's price was irresistible.
For each task, she'd inscribe a Primordial Rune for Touko to study.
Touko wasn't so easily swayed, but for Primordial Runes and boundless funds, she could be flexible.
Not greed—just aiding her dear kouhai, fulfilling her senpai's duty.
Right, that's it.
With terms settled, Touko rushed off with Scáthach.
As a human, she couldn't match Scáthach's speed, arriving later. En route to the port, she encountered something fascinating…
Her late arrival led her to collide with Irisviel, fleeing the battlefield.
Seeing the Einzbern homunculus, possibly a Master, Touko's lips curled into a grin, her face blooming like a chrysanthemum.
Perfect timing…
Who said she was late? This was ideal!
Spotting Irisviel that day, Touko's curiosity stirred.
Though similar to homunculi she'd studied, her Grand puppeteer's eye saw distinct differences.
Had Scáthach not avoided a street fight, unable to beat the sword-wielding hero, Touko would've grabbed Irisviel then.
The Runes distracted her, but this unique homunculus lingered in her mind. Now…
What a coincidence!
Fate demanded it.
She'd capture Irisviel, then determine if she was Saber's Master. If so, perfect—Saber without a Master was hers to control.
If not, no loss. Irisviel's tie to Kiritsugu could be bait after study.
Either way, she'd profit.
Thus, as Irisviel fled, seeking Kiritsugu, she unluckily met Touko.
Though adept at magecraft, Irisviel's skills were no match for Touko.
Homunculi and puppets were kin, and Touko, having studied Einzbern tech, rendered Irisviel's resistance futile.
To avoid attention, Touko wasted no words. Using Rune-augmented magecraft and a prepared Mystic Code, she knocked Irisviel out swiftly.
To block Kiritsugu's electronic tracking, she searched Irisviel, discarding her phone and devices into Fuyuki's sea, then spirited her to the base with concealment magecraft.
No doubt, Kiritsugu and Saber were frantic, scouring for the homunculus like ants on a hot pan.
Amid the Servant and Master clashes, the true victor was Touko, the outsider.
Even Roy, seeing Touko return with Irisviel, was stunned by her coup.
While all probed and fought, Touko stole the prize.
Without Irisviel, Kiritsugu must be losing it…
Roy mused.
"Is this… the homunculus from earlier? Touko, you kidnapped her? Is she Saber's Master?"
Seeing Irisviel bound, Scáthach, bored from an unsatisfying fight, set down her racing magazine, surprised.
She'd wondered where Touko went last night, not expecting her to nab Saber's Master.
"No, she's not the sword hero's Master—no Command Seals. Likely Kiritsugu's decoy, but now my trophy."
"Not the real Master?"
Scáthach wasn't surprised.
No sane family would send a pure girl like Irisviel into the brutal Grail War.
"If not Saber's Master, what's the plan? Kill her?"
Scáthach pointed at Irisviel, bound to the pillar, her words cold and cruel.
In her era, captivity in battle equaled death.
No one spared enemies for beauty.
"Hm…"
Touko glanced at Irisviel, replying coolly.
"She's close to Kiritsugu, useful for leverage. But her structure intrigues me… She's different from other Einzbern homunculi. I'd love to dissect and study her."
Despite Irisviel's beauty, to Touko, she was just an alchemical puppet. As a puppeteer, Touko could craft any appearance, showing no mercy for looks. Only Irisviel's potential use spared her from being dismantled for materials.
"W-W-W…"
Hearing Touko's intent to dissect her, the gagged Irisviel trembled.
"So… kill her?"
"A pity, but in war, accept your fate."
Scáthach approached Irisviel, ready to end her.
But Roy intervened, stopping her.
"Wait, Caster, don't. She's no ordinary homunculus. She's the Einzberns' Lesser Grail for the Third Magic, a key to this Grail War."
"Lesser Grail?" Touko and Scáthach paused, intrigued.
"Explain."
"This woman is the Lesser Grail for the Fourth Grail War, tasked with collecting the souls of defeated or Masterless Servants until the war's end. Those souls are vital for the Great Grail's final ritual. She's also Kiritsugu's wife."
Seeing Irisviel's terrified expression, Touko and Scáthach believed Roy, their faces showing surprise.
Touko, thinking she'd nabbed a mana-rich puppet, realized she'd caught the Lesser Grail.
Compared to that, other matters paled…
Controlling it meant dominating the Grail War.
Heaven's favor!
She turned to Roy.
"Spill the intel source and your next steps. Who's the first Master to target?"
"Your lemon-head professor and that slacker kouhai are here. With you, you're a top-tier trio. No plans to use that?"
Touko raised a brow, her tone playful.
As Roy's old friend, she knew his style…
In life-or-death matters, he was reliable, but casually, beware…
He schemed without mercy, offering apologies and compensation later, but being led by the nose wasn't pleasant.
With so many allies and this advantage, she doubted Roy had no plans.
Perhaps since Kayneth and Waver appeared, he'd plotted their fates.
"Professor Kayneth and Waver… It's been a while. Time to meet them."
Roy smiled faintly, plans forming.
"But, Touko, 'use' them? It's just Master-disciple mutual aid."
"As a professor, guiding a wayward student in this brutal ritual is reasonable, right?"
"Heh…"
Touko gave a cold smirk, sensing another of his schemes.
She silently pitied Kayneth, a magecraft genius with such a student—lucky or cursed?
It didn't concern her.
More than the chaotic Grail War, she wanted to study this Third Magic homunculus…
Magic, magic…
After years, touching this near-miraculous power thrilled her, once a bitter pursuit.
Faintly, a loathed crimson figure resurfaced in her mind.
"Tch, what an annoying memory…"
Muttering, she grabbed Irisviel, ignoring her struggles, and dragged her to her room.
***
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