Chapter 17: Retrieve Saber and Archer

A Sealing Designation Enforcer. Among the ranks of the Mage’s Association, it’s a role of extreme peculiarity, given only to magi specialized in combat. Their duty is to apprehend magi designated for sealing by the Clock Tower and to handle any aftermath. At times, they come into conflict with agents of the Holy Church, and as such, all Enforcers possess exceptionally powerful combat capabilities without exception.

Faced with the woman whose presence would only bring further chaos to the already-confused Holy Grail War, Shirou and the others had no choice but to accept her proposition. From the start, she already had a Servant—Lancer—while they had none. Refusing her would have simply meant death on the spot.

After riding in Bazett’s car for an hour, the place she brought Shirou and the others to was the Emiya residence.

“…It wouldn’t do to reveal my own base of operations, and I’d rather not enter Tohsaka’s estate or the Einzbern Castle. That’s why I chose this place, which has already had its barrier broken by Caster.”

Bazett explained calmly as she stepped across the threshold of the Emiya household without hesitation.

“H-Hey, could you take your shoes off, please?!”

Unable to bear watching Bazett step in with her shoes on, Shirou raised his voice in protest.

Rin and Illya hastily tried to cover his mouth, but Bazett simply blinked in confusion and bowed her head.

“My apologies. I’m still unfamiliar with Japanese customs…”

“Ah, no, it’s fine… as long as you understand.”

Watching Bazett neatly line up her shoes and step inside, Shirou was completely disarmed.

As they scolded him, Rin and Illya followed behind. The two of them remained far more wary of Bazett than Shirou did.

Their caution came from knowledge of Shirou’s magecraft. His projection magic was, in itself, an anomaly—and anyone who knew what to look for would immediately recognize that it met the criteria for a Sealing Designation: “a one-generation-only ability” and “a power that cannot be reproduced through study.”

No matter what, they couldn’t let Shirou be turned into some pickled specimen floating in formalin. Illya, who had just lost her partner moments ago, had no choice but to shift gears mentally. Tension clear in her expression, she strengthened her resolve.

“Is there a room somewhere suitable for discussion?”

“Uh, the living room should be… fine?”

“The living room, then. Very well—please show me the way.”

When Shirou led her into the living room, Bazett sat down next to the low table and gestured for the others to take a seat as well.

Once everyone was seated, she began.

“First, I need you to sign this.”

Bazett pulled something from her breast pocket. Shirou tilted his head, while Rin and Illya tensed up.

“Um… what is this?”

Shirou asked naively, and Illya answered in a voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s a magical contract. Signing it means you agree to place a specific rule upon yourself. Break it, and you’ll lose your life—or possibly something even worse.”

Rin glared at Bazett.

“To shove this at us out of nowhere… You’ve got some nerve. I don’t care if you’re a Sealing Designation Enforcer—don’t think you can push around the head of the Tohsaka family.”

Bazett responded to Rin’s seething anger with a frosty gaze.

“You think someone who has already lost her Servant and been eliminated from the war still has the luxury of choice? Don’t worry. This isn’t something that will recklessly bind your actions. There’s only one condition.”

Bazett unfolded the contract and showed it to the three of them.

“――――‘You must fully and unreservedly cooperate with the dismantling of the Holy Grail.’ That’s it.”

“D-Dismantle the Grail!? You’ve got to be kidding!! Why would you—!?”

Rin exploded at Bazett’s outrageous demand. Bazett, however, remained composed.

“…If you want the reason, someone more informed than me is right over there.”

Following Bazett’s gaze, they saw Illya clicking her tongue.

“――――So you figured it out. I guess that means this’ll be the final Holy Grail War.”

Illya spoke with a deep sigh.

“What’s that supposed to mean…?”

Rin asked.

“Well, it wouldn’t be fair if only you and Shirou didn’t know at this point. Caster and Matou probably already suspect it…”

With that preface, Illya began to speak of the secrets the Einzberns had kept regarding the Grail.

“It started nearly seventy years ago, with the Third Holy Grail War—the most chaotic in Grail War history. With interference from the Nazis and the Imperial Japanese Army, the war was brutal before it even officially began. Even before the Servants were all summoned, battles broke out in the capital… It gave my grandfather quite a scare. At the time, he was torn between two options: to summon a ‘Ruler’ for an overwhelming advantage, or a ‘Demon King’ specialized in slaughter. In the end, he chose the Demon King.”

“Demon King…?”

“The evil god of Zoroastrianism, known as ‘All the Evils of the World.’”

“D-Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t summon a divine spirit like that—!”

Rin raised her voice, rejecting the idea outright. It was impossible, after all.

Illya’s expression twisted in discomfort, as if exposing a personal shame.

“You’re right. It is impossible. That’s why the one who was summoned wasn’t truly the ‘Demon King of Calamity’—but instead, a powerless and fragile Servant.”

“What do you mean…?”

Rin asked.

“You can’t summon a divine spirit. But Grandfather forced it. And the result… was that a pitiful human—someone burdened with the role of ‘All the Evils of the World’—was summoned instead.”

“You mean they forced that burden onto someone like… Angra Mainyu?”

In response to Shirou’s question, Illya answered matter-of-factly.

“It’s like the superstitions you find in tiny, isolated villages—finding a scapegoat, blaming them for every misfortune, despising them, wounding them. Eventually, someone who was once an ordinary villager—man or woman—became something other. Not a god, just a human forced into that role.”

“That sounds like…”

For some reason, Shirou saw the face of a certain dear companion flash through his mind.

“Even with the title of ‘All the Evils of the World,’ he was still just a fragile human. That’s why he was immediately defeated by an enemy Servant in the first battle. But the problem came after――――”

Illya continued, idly twirling her hair.

“He truly was just an ordinary human. No special abilities, no Noble Phantasms. But people forced that prayer onto him—‘Be all the evil in the world.’ And when he was absorbed into the Grail after defeat, the Grail’s function as a wish-granter activated. It fulfilled that ‘prayer’ that had been imposed on him.”

“It fulfilled it… No way!!”

Shirou and Rin both understood at once the horror Illya was describing.

“――――Yes. That’s how he went from fake to real. Of course, since he was already absorbed into the Grail, he didn’t unleash calamity on the outside. But the Grail itself was tainted because of it.”

Illya explained.

“The ‘Holy Grail’ is supposed to be a bridge to the Root. It requires the sacrifice of seven Servants to open the path to the 『 』. Its function as a wish-granter is merely a side effect. But now, both those purposes have been twisted. The Grail has become nothing more than a womb designed solely to fulfill that human’s—or perhaps woman’s—prayer to ‘be all the evil in the world.’”

“N-No way…”

Rin was speechless. Of course. To her, the revelation that the Tohsaka family’s cherished wish had been broken long ago was nothing short of a nightmare.

“…Then why did the Einzberns keep the Grail War going?”

Shirou asked, his tone strangely cold.

“It’s true that the functions were twisted—but not lost. With a skilled magus like this round’s Caster, the Grail might even be repairable. And I could probably still open the way to the Root. That’s why the Einzberns keep pursuing the Grail.”

“B-But――――”

“I know what Shirou’s trying to say. The Grail’s completion means the appearance of a calamity-bearing Demon King. But that’s the Einzbern for you. Their obsession spanning thousands of years is enough for them to brush off awakening a disaster that curses six billion people as a minor concern.”

“Unbelievable…”

Shirou looked stunned. Illya turned her face away.

“You won’t understand, Shirou. And you don’t need to. This is simply the truth. A reality that has to be accepted…”

“Illya…”

With a voice on the verge of tears, Illya whispered. All Shirou could do was gently pat her head.

Still, that seemed to offer some comfort. Her shoulders finally relaxed with a soft slump.

“…At the very least, I trust you understand now? Even I was shocked when I finally pieced together the truth from my connections. But no matter what, the Grail must be dismantled. I assume there are no objections.”

Bazett looked at Rin, Shirou, and Illya in turn.

Once she saw all three nod slowly, she spoke.

“――――That said, all of you once chose to fight for the Grail as Masters. I’d prefer to avoid the risk of any change of heart. I’m sorry, but I must ask you to sign the contract.”

There was no one left with the will to resist. One by one, the three signed their names onto the contract.

“With that, the agreement is formalized. From this moment, we are a team. Let’s begin with sharing information.”

Bazett began speaking, pulling a sheet of paper from her coat. Rin and Illya instinctively tensed for a moment, but what she unfolded before them was a map of Fuyuki City.

“There are currently three factions in Fuyuki.”

She pointed to Ryuudou Temple.

“First, the faction led by Caster.”

Next, she pointed to the Matou residence.

“Next, the faction under Matou Zouken.”

Finally, she pointed to the Emiya residence.

“And last, us.”

“Wait a minute. Isn’t Caster part of Zouken’s faction? I mean, he’s her Master, right…?”

“No, Rin.”

The voice that cut her off was Illya’s.

“Makiri isn’t Caster’s Master.”

“…Then, they’re allied?”

“No. You think that because of Saber and Assassin, right?”

Rin nodded, frowning at Illya’s cryptic tone.

“What are you getting at…?”

Illya answered her plainly.

“First off, Assassin was originally a samurai named Sasaki Kojirou—an illegal summon by Caster.”

“You can’t mean—”

“It’s true. I’ll vouch for it. I fought him once.”

Lancer materialized without a sound, confirming Illya’s words. Shirou, Rin, and Illya all instinctively tensed, except for Bazett.

“Whoa now, no need to freak out. I’m not here to cause trouble.”

Lancer waved off their caution with a smirk, then casually leaned against the wall and sat down. Illya chose to ignore him and continued speaking.

“That Assassin in the forest was an irregular, summoned through multiple violations by Makiri. Originally, Caster summoned Sasaki Kojirou as a placeholder to anchor the class. Then Zouken used him as a vessel to summon Hassan-i-Sabbah—a true Assassin.”

“…Then what about that Saber?”

Frankly, Shirou no longer cared about the now-defeated Assassin. The layers of illegal summoning had left him stunned, but the only thing truly occupying his mind was the black-armored Saber who stood beside Zouken.

“…That’s Saber.”

Shirou and Rin both began to speak in disbelief, but Illya stopped them and continued.

“However… she’s the Saber summoned during the previous Holy Grail War.”

“W-What…?”

Illya nodded at the two who stared wide-eyed in shock.

“The previous war—the Fourth Holy Grail War. Emiya Kiritsugu used the scabbard of the King of Knights, entrusted to him by my grandfather, to summon Artoria. I never imagined she had survived after the war ended… But the moment I saw her, I understood.”

“What do you mean?”

Shirou asked.

“She incarnated using the power of the Grail. But since she used a corrupted Grail tainted by ‘All the Evils of the World,’ she became twisted—reversed. I don’t know how or why she ended up siding with Makiri, but… one thing’s for sure: that Saber is not the same as your Saber.”

“…I see.”

Shirou let out a breath of relief. He’d suspected as much—but hearing it confirmed was comforting.

But that raised another question.

“…Is she still King Arthur?”

A black-clad knight harboring something abominable within. If that was truly King Arthur, it clashed too hard with Shirou’s image.

The ideal king—pure and just. A paragon of chivalry. An invincible sovereign.

What he saw was too far removed from what King Arthur meant to him.

“I told you, she’s been reversed. She is King Arthur—but at the same time, she’s not. She must’ve been cursed by ‘All the Evils of the World’ when she incarnated.”

“…Then, the real King Arthur is more like my Saber?”

“More or less. Though I doubt the true King was quite as playful as your Saber, the essence of their character was closer. The current version is both King Arthur and Angra Mainyu at the same time.”

Illya took a deep breath.

“And now, here’s the main point. We don’t know how Makiri is controlling her—but there is one thing we’ve figured out.”

“One confirmed fact…?”

Bazett asked,

“Do you remember the day we last met?”

Illya looked at Shirou and posed the question.

“Y-yeah…”

“When I heard Shirou had defeated Rider, I was genuinely shocked. Not because an amateur like you took down a Servant—the problem was far more serious than that.”

Illya continued,

“I am the Holy Grail of this Holy Grail War.”

“The Holy Grail…? Illya, what do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. My personality, this body—they’re just external parts attached to the core that is the Holy Grail. Every time a Servant is eliminated, I absorb their soul, bringing the Grail closer to completion. That is my purpose.”

“You’re saying…”

Shirou was left speechless by Illya’s shocking revelation.

In contrast, Illya smiled faintly, as if resigned to her fate.

“I was born for this alone, and I’ve lived for this alone. With every soul I take in, this vessel called ‘me’ breaks down further. I accepted even that as my destiny. But—”

Illya bit her lip, her voice laced with anger.

“Rider’s soul was stolen from me.”

“What do you mean?”

Bazett fixed Illya with a sharp gaze.

“Makiri didn’t just take King Arthur—he somehow obtained a separate Holy Grail. One modified in his own twisted way… To manifest a fragment of Angra Mainyu—does he really think he can control something like that?”

Bazett’s expression darkened at Illya’s venomous words.

“So, as things stand, Makiri’s faction is the most dangerous?”

“…That’s right.”

Rin muttered bitterly.

“Tohsaka?”

When Shirou called out to her, Rin spoke.

“In other words, that ‘wandering thing’ he mentioned was Makiri’s Holy Grail. He must’ve known how dangerous it was—that’s why he deliberately let Caster escape… If only he’d just told us properly…”

Her muttered words carried not just anger but sorrow.

“Either way, this settles our course of action.”

Bazett clapped her hands together, drawing everyone’s attention.

“The reason I sought your cooperation was to gain the Three Families’ knowledge and intel on Makiri’s Saber… but we’re changing plans.”

She turned her gaze to Lancer.

He smirked slightly and nodded.

“At the very least, the kid’s reliable. And if he’s reliable, the other two will follow.”

Shirou tilted his head at Lancer’s mischievous chuckle.

Bazett addressed him.

“Lancer has been gathering intel on every faction until now. And he’s concluded that, of all the Masters, you’re the most suitable ally.”

“…Huh?”

Shirou blinked in surprise, looking at Lancer.

“Got a good look at your do-gooder tendencies, among other things. My judgment’s solid.”

“…Emiya Shirou. From this point forward, we will reclaim your Saber.”

As Shirou scowled at Lancer’s stalker-like remark, Bazett continued.

“S-Saber!?”

“Lancer believes you won’t betray us. That’s why we’re restoring your combat strength. Makiri’s faction is too dangerous—we need all the firepower we can get.”

“R-really… Saber?”

“And Archer too, if possible. With all three Knight-class Servants united, we’ll have nothing left to fear.”

Bazett declared,

“At dawn, we attack Caster’s stronghold. And we take back Saber and Archer.”