Chapter Eighteen: The Pre-Battle Conference

My name is Lin Hao, and I am attending a war council.

22:18:12

"All Servants of every class have now been summoned; the Holy Grail War has officially begun."

Inside the elegantly decorated conference room of the Einzbern Castle, there is an oval solid wood table. Kiritsugu Emiya is holding a thick stack of documents, analyzing them. He, along with Saber Alter and Maiya Hisau, sits opposite me, my wife, and Saber Lily. The two sides are clearly divided; Irisviel is listening intently, while Maiya looks as if she already knew everything.

Well, come to think of it, staying within the Saber camp is not a bad choice. Putting aside the true identity of Caster and their connection, the top priority is to prevent any Master from dying while securing the Holy Grail. I must keep Kiritsugu from going too far. Even without his Origin Bullets, conventional weaponry is enough to inflict serious damage on an unsuspecting Master.

Moreover, since there are two Sabers this time, if he has Servants who won't work against him, he shouldn't be so prone to taking extreme measures... I observe the two Sabers—who are clearly not listening properly—while planning my next steps.

Saber Lily is still wearing the white armored dress she had when summoned. She sits upright, back straight, hands resting on her knees like a primary school student listening to a lesson. Saber Alter, however, has swapped her armor for a black evening gown. Her left hand rests casually on the table, while her right arm is propped up, her cheek resting against the back of her hand, staring at Lily with a mocking smirk.

Saber Lily seems intent on listening, but she is becoming restless under Alter's constant gaze.

'Honestly, despite being "darkened," her skin is even paler than Lily's. Lily still has a hint of pink, but she is completely snow-white,' I comment boredly in my mind.

[Jeanne d'Arc Alter is the same, as is the Black Holy Grail.] The idiot system chimes in immediately.

What Black Holy Grail... oh, you mean my wife. Indeed, it’s quite convenient to just change into a black dress and alter your tone of voice to claim you've been "corrupted." Should I try darkening myself to turn white? No, that’s not right. If Illya were to darken, she’d just become Kuro, though that’s a different world line.

"It is certain that Tokiomi Tohsaka has summoned a Servant, and a very powerful one at that, which caused a temporary depletion of the leylines beneath his mansion," Kiritsugu says, passing a document to Irisviel. "At the same time, it is possible that one of his two students has also summoned a Servant."

No, no, not one—it's both of them.

"Hmm... they seem like polar opposites in personality," my wife remarks while looking at the file.

I lean over to take a look. It’s a group photo of the Mapo Priest and Ryuunosuke; one is expressionless, while the other is striking a victory pose. Coupled with the priest's solemn vestments and the purple casual wear, the contrast is indeed striking.

"There are no obvious anomalies with the Matou family, one of the Three Founding Families. It is highly likely they have summoned an Assassin with Presence Concealment," Kiritsugu says, laying out some long-range surveillance photos of the Matou residence.

That is even further from the truth. After the old worm abandoned the Holy Grail War, Kariya's brother also abandoned this rural estate. There is no one there at all.

"Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, a famous lecturer from the Clock Tower, arrived in Fuyuki recently. He has booked the top floor of the Hyatt Hotel and converted it into a magic workshop. It is highly likely he will participate. Given his influence, he should have already obtained a powerful catalyst," Kiritsugu explains, this time showing Kayneth’s flight tickets, hotel check-in records, and some transaction logs.

While I admire your intelligence-gathering skills, it’s a pity you could never guess that Kayneth's catalyst would be stolen by his own disciple.

"Counting us, that makes for all the Masters actively participating in the Holy Grail War. At the same time, the Grail will automatically seek out those within range who possess 'desires' and magical aptitude, granting them Command Spells to fill the remaining slots. Such participants are often lacking in strength." Kiritsugu has no more documents to show, but he glances toward me.

Don't tempt me to splash you with black mud! It’s you who lacks strength!

"Can I leave now?" I stare back at him.

"Not yet. To ensure Caster does not unexpectedly disrupt our operations, you must hear the entire plan." Kiritsugu's gaze falls on the back of my right hand.

"A plan? Isn't it just having Lily and Irisviel go out to attract attention while you sneak up on the enemy Master?" I cover my Command Spells with my left hand and roll my eyes.

"Eh? Really?" Saber Lily looks up in surprise, glancing at my wife before turning to Kiritsugu. "That doesn't befit a knight—"

"Shut up, little girl." Before Kiritsugu can speak, Saber Alter cuts off her objection.

"We have two Servants and two Masters; we should act based on our superior strength," Alter says, standing up and looking down at Lily with her golden slit pupils. "I will allow him to recall a Servant to protect himself, but that would mean you don't even have the ability to hold off an enemy Servant."

"Ugu—" Saber Lily is speechless for a moment, then immediately reacts. "I, I will end the battle before you even make your move!"

"Good spirit." Alter glances at Lily once more and sits down gracefully.

'It's amazing how they are the same person, yet their auras are so different.'

[Do you remember what Alexander the Great looked like when he was a child, Alaya?]

'Pfft—the beautiful, rosy-cheeked youth from the heavens.'

"Given that the intelligence on most enemies is currently unclear, you two will serve as the dazzling flowers of the battlefield. Do not hide or flee; stand tall and project your presence to draw the attention of other Servants," Kiritsugu says, nodding slightly. "Meanwhile, I will remain in the shadows to collect information and clear out any factions attempting to launch a sneak attack."

And if you find a lone Master, you’ll just take them out while you’re at it, right? Don't even think about it.

"Well then, Lin Hao, do you have any opinions?" Perhaps because I let a strange expression slip, Kiritsugu suddenly turns to ask me.

Well... even though Tokiomi already has three Servants, your situation is a bit different.

"Are you prepared to expose the fact that you've summoned two Sabers right from the start? Aren't you afraid of becoming a target for everyone?" I taunt.

"Hmm..." Kiritsugu pauses, lost in thought.

Heh~ I know something he doesn't: no version of Saber can enter spirit form. Once they act, they will be discovered.

I am feeling a bit smug when I turn my head and see my wife looking at me with a gentle gaze. I am startled.

'What's wrong? What's wrong?'

[I guess she took what you just said as concern? Like, you bad-mouth Kiritsugu, but deep down you care? Something like that?]

Tsundere isn't fashionable anymore, okay!

'You owe me another beating. Manual indifference.'

[Why... wuwuwu...]

"That issue is nothing to worry about," I hear Saber Alter say in a cold, sharp voice.

When I look up, I see dark light rising from her body. In an instant, her classical evening gown is replaced by a crisp black suit—almost identical to the one worn by Maiya Hisau.

Mana Burst is truly convenient...

"Presumably, some have already discovered that you have a follower from overseas, so adding one more won't arouse suspicion," Saber Alter says, adjusting her suit. "If anyone with the intention of picking up scraps approaches, I will teach them an unforgettable lesson."

"If anyone is capable of seeing through the fact that Iris is a decoy and comes looking for me—a double bait. Very good." Kiritsugu nods with a hint of a smile.

"So, to become a qualified king, one must understand so many things..." Saber Lily seems a bit dejected.

Oh dear, this child is being led astray by her other self. Black Saber and Blue Saber are opposites in every sense. If she thinks Alter is right, the chances of her becoming like her will grow quite a bit.

"I won't lose!" The girl in the white armor suddenly stands up, pushing her chair back. "I can do that much too!"

'What the hell?' [???]

Don't send me punctuation just because you have subtitles, you stupid system!

Under everyone's watchful eyes, white halos of light circle Saber Lily. The armor on her body melts, vanishes, and reforms like snow under the sun, finally transforming into a cute sleeveless short dress with delicate black patterns, paired with long white gloves, black tights, and high heels. At a glance, she looks like a young lady heading to a banquet.

However, she is much slower than Saber Alter. I seriously doubt anyone will give her time to transform before a fight.

"So cute~" Irisviel, being closest, reaches out to hug her.

Kiritsugu seems to want to say something, but since my wife has already spoken, he has to swallow his thoughts.

"Master, the white version of me may lack strength," Saber Alter says, ignoring the interaction between my wife and Lily, and speaks to Kiritsugu. "Her Noble Phantasm is not 'Excalibur,' but 'Caliburn,' the Sword in the Stone."

"The difference?" Kiritsugu frowns.

"That sword was forged only to select a king; its symbolic meaning far outweighs its capability as a Noble Phantasm," Saber Alter says. "When I used power beyond its capacity, it shattered."

Though history says it broke because she killed a knight she had sworn never to harm, in the Type-Moon world, one should take "history" with a grain of salt.

"In other words, her strength is about fifty or sixty percent of my prime state," Saber Alter concludes. "She might be fine against small fries, but on her own, she probably can't handle those legendary heroes."

"Then, Lin Hao, you will go with Iris for tomorrow's operation," Kiritsugu turns to look at me. "Even if you are unwilling to summon Caster, she will at least help you if you encounter danger."

Yes, yes, Caster herself is right here.

'Though, it really is a triple trap. If any blind Servant attacks, they'll lose at least half their life, if not their soul.'

[What if Assassin attacks with their full force?]

Shut your crow's mouth!