Chapter Thirteen: The Intention to Form an Alliance

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My name is Lin Hao. I was captured by Kiritsugu Emiya...

285:16:32

Kiritsugu Emiya held three pieces of information collected by Mai Kyuuma.

The first concerned a Chinese woman named Lin Hao, born into a family of magi—locally referred to as a lineage of cultivators. She was once exceptionally gifted but became paralyzed from the neck down due to a magical accident. After prolonged treatment, she regained some movement in her arms and the ability to use magic, yet her family had abandoned her training. Three years ago, she came to a renowned medical school in Japan for further treatment and, according to the hospital records, remained under care without leaving.

The second was about a girl bearing the same name and identical appearance, currently hospitalized at Fuyuki General Hospital. She was admitted a year ago with paralysis from the waist down and was attended by a maid. Three days ago, surveillance familiars captured photos of her independently drawing a magical circle on the rooftop in a wheelchair, the glowing circle itself, and the maid pushing her wheelchair off the rooftop—an unusual presence. This material also included a photo of the maid’s back and a comparison with a blurred female figure who previously infiltrated the Einzbern villa.

The third comprised the hospital’s medical records over the past year. They showed not only no improvement in Lin Hao’s paralysis but also frequent illnesses. At first glance, nothing stood out, but a longitudinal comparison revealed a chilling fact: every time she fell ill, another patient with the same symptoms was cured and discharged, some suffering from diseases deemed untreatable under Fuyuki’s medical conditions. Follow-up investigations confirmed these discharged patients remained healthy with no recurrence.

“I tried sending familiars inside to locate her, but they lost control within the hospital grounds, behaving like wild bats. Only after leaving the area did they regain composure,” Mai Kyuuma explained, noticing Kiritsugu’s thoughtful gaze fixed on the hospital building.

“Let’s go.” Kiritsugu Emiya didn’t respond verbally but tucked away the documents and headed straight for the hospital entrance. Although stepping into a Caster’s territory was unwise, the short-haired woman who never doubted him immediately followed.

The entire hospital was imbued with self-operating and conditional-triggered magical arrays, undetectable from outside and easily overlooked without prior knowledge even inside. Undoubtedly, this hospital had been transformed by the Caster’s Territory Creation ability into an exceptional magical workshop.

Yet, surprisingly, this workshop contained no offensive spells, rendering Kiritsugu’s pre-set defensive magic useless. The only remotely notable effect was triggered when someone inquired about Room 401—causing the person to forget the answer and lose the will to ask again. Discovering this glaring magical trap, Kiritsugu pinpointed Lin Hao’s ward.

“What’s wrong?” Mai’s puzzled voice snapped Kiritsugu out of his daze. He realized he was standing in front of the elevator without pressing any buttons.

“I’m hesitating.” The mage killer admitted he had misjudged this Master: “The decision made when you reported ‘Caster’s Master found’ might no longer be executable.”

The original plan was to storm the Caster’s supposedly secure magical workshop, seize the Master’s Command Seals, or eliminate them outright.

But now, matters had slipped beyond control.

Kiritsugu’s wish upon the Holy Grail was to “save the world.” A gentle man, he was too tender-hearted to forgive the world’s cruelty. He knew no way to realize his wish except killing to stop killing, judging which side deserved saving by counting lives, and pinning his hopes on the miracle the Grail might grant.

Now, someone displayed a mocking alternative path—to bear all the world’s sorrow, misfortune, pain, despair, and regret upon oneself, truly saving the world at the cost of a single person. To shoulder such a burden required the power of a miracle.

“If your wishes align, why not ally with her?” Mai, understanding Kiritsugu’s wish and willing to support him, remained cool and analytical. All her actions served Kiritsugu’s intent, not fanaticism.

“I need to talk to her.” Perhaps the girl didn’t grasp the ultimate meaning of her actions—merely wishing to help others but, constrained by the secrecy of magic, used Caster’s power to transfer others’ ailments onto herself, secretly healing afterward.

Inside Room 401, Kiritsugu entered silently. After confirming no magical traps, he approached the bed while Mai stood guard at the door.

Lin Hao lay asleep, looking younger than her 22 years indicated. Her loose hospital gown made her appear about 15 or 16.

Compared to photos, her once rosy complexion was pale; her chubby cheeks had sharpened into a pointed chin. Delicate eyebrows drooped with discomfort, and her short, uneven hair looked dull and yellowed.

“Hmm...” The girl’s sleep was light; Kiritsugu’s approach woke her. She opened her eyes, gazing at the tall man clad in black. Her deep, reflective pupils revealed confusion and lingering drowsiness.

With a swift motion, Kiritsugu drew a gun and pressed it against her forehead.

Her pupils widened slightly, eyes flicking between him and Mai. Resigned and helpless, she closed her eyes again.

“You can summon Caster to save you, Miss Lin Hao,” Kiritsugu said, pointing to a vivid red mark on the back of her right hand. Though the four nested rings resembled a biohazard symbol, the magical energy emanating from it unmistakably identified it as a Command Seal.

“No.” Her voice was low, hoarse from illness, yet resolute.

Buzz—

“Many preset spells activated,” Mai noted, her magical prowess limited but sufficient to detect overt effects. “However, the magical energy all comes from other wards.”

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Though Mai couldn’t determine the spells’ effects, Kiritsugu knew differently. This transfer magic—was she trying to heal others’ illnesses preemptively because she thought he intended to kill her?

“Do you want to die?!” As a mage killer, breaking such straightforward preset magic was effortless, but the sheer volume of spells triggered sent a shiver down Kiritsugu’s spine. This was a massive-scale transfer of symptoms from all hospital patients and surroundings.

Why would Caster willingly create such a useless workshop and spells for her Master?

Lin Hao opened one eye, glanced at the gun still pressed to her forehead, then closed it again.

Was that “You want to kill me” and “I refuse to talk to you” in silent form?

Before Kiritsugu could get angry, he laughed. “Mai, go bring the car.”

“Yes.”

Under the terrified gaze of the girl in the hospital gown, the tall man, after his black-clad female companion left, wrapped her in a sheet and carried her out.

Lin Hao, able to move only her arms, weakly pounded his chest.

“Either you summon Caster, or I’ll take you with me,” Kiritsugu muttered repeatedly.

The girl hesitated, then grabbed his hair. Her hands were bound, but she struggled fiercely, even casting small magic, all deftly neutralized by the battle-hardened Kiritsugu.

Eventually, weakened by anemia and dizziness, she gave up and was placed in the car Mai drove away swiftly.

Doctors and patients, influenced by Kiritsugu’s subtle magic, noticed nothing amiss.

274:35:56

At the Einzbern Villa guest room, Irisviel tended the girl Kiritsugu had brought.

Though Lin Hao, as a Master, was an enemy in this Holy Grail War, Irisviel had already accepted her as one of their own after reading Kiritsugu’s reports.

Attempting once more to soothe the girl’s furrowed brow even in sleep, Irisviel saw her eyelashes flutter before she opened her eyes.

“Ah, Xiao Hao, you’re awake,” Irisviel gently touched her forehead. “If you’re unwell, don’t force yourself to use that kind of magic.”

“May I ask who you are...” Lin Hao blinked around, surprised at being taken away yet left unfettered.

“Irisviel von Einzbern. Caster must have told you about our identities, right?” Irisviel asked kindly.

With Caster’s information-gathering prowess surpassing even Assassin’s, the girl likely already knew details of Masters who hadn’t hidden themselves.

“Um... my name is Lin Hao.” She lifted her hand and looked at the Command Seal on its back, answering with a sigh of relief.

She clearly cared deeply about her Servant—not as a fighter in the Grail War but more like a friend or family member. Irisviel smiled warmly at this realization.

“You...”

Lin Hao tried to lift herself to respond but suddenly collapsed like a puppet with cut strings, eyes wide with fear yet unable to control her limbs.

“Xiao Hao, you can’t get up yet,” Irisviel quickly steadied the almost falling girl. “Your magical circuits are still exhausted from overuse.”

Kiritsugu had mentioned that yesterday, startled by him, she rashly activated a spell only Caster or the most skilled magicians could, worsening her already fragile condition.

“You know... I’m Caster’s Master, right? We’re enemies,” Lin Hao attempted to resist but failed, resigning to Irisviel’s help as she lay back down.

“Yes, but Xiao Hao is a good child, so it’s okay,” Irisviel smiled, reaching out to stroke her hair.

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Lin Hao looked doubtful but said nothing.

“I...” She seemed about to speak but her eyes suddenly glazed over, breathing stopped, and her arms went limp.

“Xiao Hao?!” Irisviel panicked, immediately casting healing magic.

Because this was disease, not injury, and multiple unlikely simultaneous illnesses, the healing magic had limited effect. After a cold sweat, Irisviel saw Lin Hao’s breathing return.

“Sorry, Xiao Hao... my healing magic can only cure ‘external’ injuries and diseases...” Irisviel withdrew her glowing hands with regret.

Not only was Lin Hao’s chronic paralysis severe, but the unknown transferred ailments—though many healed—left lasting damage. While the recent shock was treated, another illness worsened.

In terms of a handheld game Illiya liked: Irisviel’s healing “restored HP,” but Lin Hao’s condition “reduced maximum HP”—completely mismatched.

“Take me back to the hospital... that’s where Caster is...” Lin Hao whispered weakly.

“No, the Caster’s workshop no longer exists. While you were unconscious...”

“What! That guy—blew up the hospital! ...cough cough cough!” The girl struggled violently to recall, triggering a fit of coughing and bleeding from the mouth before collapsing fully unconscious.

“Xiao Hao!!”

274:04:11

“Looks like I’m thoroughly hated, by both Caster and her Master.”

Kiritsugu Emiya inspected the magical circle painted on the chapel floor, wearing a self-mocking expression after hearing Irisviel’s report.

“Caster’s advantage in intelligence gathering means she probably knows your past. That girl just became a Master and heard she’d fight someone called the ‘Mage Killer.’ Fear is natural,” Irisviel said weakly after expending much magic healing Lin Hao.

“She’s from a Chinese magician family. Even if illness prevented her education, she must have heard many magicians’ stories,” Kiritsugu analyzed while examining the mercury-painted patterns for distortions. “That means her country has similar people to me. I can guarantee I never did anything like ‘blowing up a hospital’—I only removed all magical spells.”

“But Kiritsugu, you’re completely different from them,” Irisviel approached her husband proudly. “Creating a world where she no longer has to bear others’ sorrow—isn’t that your dream? That girl will surely understand you.”

“I have no right to ask her to understand me now.” After confirming the circle was perfect, Kiritsugu shook his head and stood. “I prayed to the Grail for a miracle because I didn’t know how to save the world. She believes her way is right and wished for it to happen. If this is a race, I’m halfway through; she’s almost at the finish line.”

Hearing this near-defeat confession, Irisviel smiled.

“But you haven’t stopped.” She linked her arm with his. “Even admitting her ‘way to save the world’ is correct, you haven’t changed your mind, have you?”

“...” Kiritsugu was silent.

Only Irisviel truly understood him. Even Mai, his comrade and longtime ally, simply supported his actions unconditionally. But Irisviel accepted all of him, seeing through his heart at moments even he wavered.

“Kiritsugu, you weigh lives to decide ‘who deserves saving’ when no miracles appear. But what you truly want is a world where no one—no one at all—has to sacrifice themselves. That ‘no one’ includes that girl. Your wish carries one more person than hers.” Kiritsugu saw the joy in Irisviel’s eyes, as if she delighted in lecturing him.

“Being scolded is embarrassing...” Kiritsugu turned his gaze to the relic on the altar—a golden sword sheath adorned with dazzling blue enamel and inscribed with long-lost fairy script, like a work of art. “Thank you, Iris. I now know how to deal with that ‘Knight King,’ though the girl named ‘Lin Hao’ will probably hate me even more.”

“No, she won’t~” Irisviel shook her head. “Xiao Hao is a good child.”