Irisviel von Einzbern is the "Little Holy Grail" that is crucial to this Holy Grail War. This is something that everyone who knows something about the Holy Grail War system knows. However, within the Einzbern family, there is a difference between Irisviel and the "Little Holy Grail".
The "Little Holy Grail" is the body of Irisviel that holds the alchemy crystal that has been passed down by the Einzbern family for more than 2000 years. Irisviel's personality is called the "Guardian of the Holy Grail", and her mission is to keep and carry the "Little Holy Grail".
In the last Holy Grail War, the Einzbern camp not only lost the Servant War, but the most important "Lesser Holy Grail" was also destroyed in the melee. Because the "Lesser Holy Grail" was lost before the winner was determined, the Third Holy Grail War ended in vain.
Because of this failure, the head of the family, Yahad, decided to install a humanoid shell with self-management capabilities on the "Little Holy Grail" this time, giving the "Little Holy Grail" the instinct to survive, allowing it to automatically avoid various dangers and achieve the goal of achieving the Holy Grail. This is the personality simulation named "Irisviel".
As the Holy Grail War progresses, the "Little Holy Grail" begins to function as it should, and begins to compress the redundant external parts. Just like a computer with insufficient memory, in order to ensure the operation of important programs, it will definitely compress the memory space occupied by unnecessary programs.
What manifests itself in Irisviel is that human functions become weaker and weaker, while the functions of the "Little Holy Grail" become stronger and stronger.
Every time a new Servant is killed, Irisviel's body becomes weaker. After Caster's death, Irisviel began to feel weak all over and could not hold a cup or a mobile phone. After Lancer's death, Irisviel even had difficulty walking. If she had been protected by "Avalon", her condition might have been better. But after returning "Avalon" to Saber, she had to lie in hibernation for a long time in a designated ritual.
When Irisviel opened her eyes the next time, the sunset, dyed orange, was already pouring in through the small skylight of the warehouse.
The loss of consciousness felt as if the entire day had completely disappeared. Irisviel’s sleep was so deep. This body had gradually lost its function, and the dormancy of the body was more like a state of suspended animation than sleep.
My physical condition has improved a lot. It seems that rest has had some effect. Although I still can't stand up, at least I can talk to people without any obstacles.
Looking to the side, Hisau Maiya was sitting in the corner by the wall, as quiet as a shadow portrait, motionless. Her position and posture were exactly the same as when Irisviel last saw her. But her eyes, which were always lowered, were as sharp as a blade drawn from its sheath, and she was extremely alert, staring keenly at a certain point in the air.
Although she made people feel extremely trustworthy, she didn't look like a living human being, but more like a familiar or a robot. Even Irisviel couldn't help but feel a sense of fear. Irisviel had no idea what kind of rigorous training and strong mental strength could maintain such amazing concentration.
With a feeling of awe, Irisviel suddenly thought that this woman named Hisau Maiya might be able to embody the way of life that Kiritsugu hoped for even more thoroughly than Emiya Kiritsugu himself.
"—Ms. Maiya."
She called out softly with a sound almost like a sigh.
Maiya looked at Irisviel quickly and quietly, like a hound that had heard a dog whistle.
Irisviel felt a little guilty; she just wanted to have a casual chat with Maiya.
"Why are you fighting for Kiritsugu?"
"... because I have nothing else."
Knowing that the person she was protecting didn't feel uncomfortable or inconvenienced, and just wanted to talk, Maiya calmed herself down a bit, thought for a while, and then answered.
"I can't remember anything about my family. I don't even remember my own name. Hisau Maiya was the name on the first fake passport Kiritsugu made for me."
"—Huh?"
Seeing Irisviel’s surprised expression, Maiya smiled slightly. For her, who never showed her emotions, this was her greatest expression of friendliness.
"I only remember that it was a very poor country, without hope or future. The only way to survive was to hate and plunder each other. There were always endless wars. There was no money to maintain the army, but the war never stopped... I don't know who came up with the idea that instead of conscripting soldiers for training, it would be faster and cheaper to capture children and let them take guns to the battlefield."
"... "
"Aim at the enemy and pull the trigger. Only these functions remain, and everything else is discarded... The children who can't do it will die earlier than the children who can do it. In order to prolong their lives, they can only keep killing. So I don't remember anything before I picked up the gun. I lived like a machine until I met Kiritsugu."
As Maiya spoke, she looked down at her hands. Her slender fingers lacked the softness that was unique to women, and only had a sharpness that reminded people of a weapon.
"My human heart is dead. Only the outer container is still active, maintaining the familiar functions of the past. That is my 'life'. The person who picked up this life is Kiritsugu, so he can use it as he pleases... That's why I'm here."
Although she had vaguely sensed that Maiya had a tragic past, Irisviel had not expected that Maiya's life experience would be so heavy.
Irisviel remained silent, so Maiya spoke up to avoid embarrassment.
"Compared to me, your enthusiasm surprises me more, ma'am."
"—Huh?"
Irisviel, who had not expected Maiya to say that, could not help but be surprised.
"You have been locked up in a closed castle, isolated from the world, yet you are willing to fight for Kiritsugu's ideal of changing the world."
"I... "
Maiya’s words made Irisviel reflect on herself again.
Her husband, Emiya Kiritsugu, acted out of the ideal of "saving the world". After seeing him risk his life in pursuit of the Holy Grail, could she still say that she had the same dream as him
"—Yes. Actually, I don't really understand Kiritsugu's ideals."
That's right. The answer is no.
"In the end, I just pretended to understand. Maybe I just wanted to be with the one I loved. As you said, I have no idea about the world Kiritsugu wanted to change. My ideal is just to apply Kiritsugu's ideals on the spot."
"... is that so?"
"Yes, but you can't tell Kiritsugu."
This was a truly incredible feeling for Irisviel. She had never thought that there would be someone who could easily allow her to speak out her innermost thoughts that she could never reveal in front of her husband.
"I always told Kiritsugu that he was right, and told him that his ideals were worth sacrificing my life for. I always pretended that I understood her. Compared to a woman who simply died for her husband, a woman who shared the same ideals as her husband and died for her ideals would not be a burden to Kiritsugu, right?"
"I see."
This feeling of dependence is different from the love for Kiritsugu and the trust in Saber. Could it be that this feeling that Irisviel experienced for the first time is the feeling called "friendship"
"But ma'am, don't you have any wishes of your own?"
Hearing Maiya's second question, Irisviel couldn't help but recall the battle in the forest with Maiya. At that time, in front of the overwhelmingly powerful presence of Kotomine Kirei, where did the fighting spirit that surged up in her come from
"Wish... No, I do have a wish. I hope Kiritsugu and Saber will win in the end. I hope they both get the Holy Grail."
This also represents Irisviel's death and her farewell to Kiritsugu.
Even so, this desire was the source of the courage that surged within Irisviel.
"Is this... the so-called fulfillment of the third magic, Einzbern's wish?"
"No, it doesn't matter if the Holy Grail doesn't reach Justissa. My hope is that there will never be a war. If the structure of the world changes as Kiritsugu wishes and all conflicts end, the war for the Holy Grail here in Fuyuki should be no exception. I hope that this fourth battle will be the last Holy Grail War, and I hope that I will be the last android to sacrifice as a vessel for the Holy Grail..."
At this point, Maiya finally understood the hidden meaning behind Irisviel’s words.
"Is it for the young lady?"
"Yes."
Illyasviel von Einzbern. A product of alchemy that was fertilized by a magician in the womb of a cyborg. Although Maiya had never met Illyasviel in person, she had heard of her.
"I heard that according to the master's plan, the 'Guardian of the Holy Grail' after me will become an artificial life form with more refined functions. Not only will the Holy Grail be hidden in the body, but the newly added magic circuits will be installed outside the body, allowing the body itself to perform the function of the 'Holy Grail Container'. The master had already predicted the possibility of the 'Fifth War' before the Fourth War began, so he let me give birth to Illya. If Kiritsugu and I fail, then the child will be used as a test bed for the 'Clothes of Heaven', which is for the most important battle sixty years later."
The calm tone of voice now began to have some tenderness.
This is the proof that Irisviel is definitely not just living as a doll. She has a heart, loves others, smiles when she is happy, and cries when she is sad. Irisviel has this ordinary warmth in her heart just like any other person.
"When I held the child and breastfed her, I knew very well in my heart that the child would eventually become a container. Can you understand the feeling of a mother who has to give up her most beloved child in this way?"
"... "
Maiya remained silent, carefully taking in the emotions revealed by Irisviel.
"But this is the fate that the artificial life forms of the Einzbern family are forced to bear. That child, and my granddaughter too, will suffer this pain when they give birth to a daughter. This chain will continue until the moment when the Fuyuki Holy Grail descends. So I hope that I will be the last one, and I want to end the Einzbern's obsession with my own body. If this wish can be realized, my daughter can escape her fate, and the child can live a life without the Holy Grail and end her life as a human being."
"Is this what a mother's feelings are like..."
When Maiya asked this, Irisviel realized that she had revealed too much of her inner feelings just now, and smiled bitterly with embarrassment.
"Perhaps. It may be difficult for you to understand, Maiya."
"It's not that difficult. I've been a mother myself."
"—Huh?"
This sentence was so unexpected that Irisviel wondered if she had heard it wrongly.
As if to apologize for scaring Irisviel, Maiya’s tone softened slightly.
"I actually have experience with pregnancy and childbirth, although it can be said that it was just an accident."
"...are you married?"
"No, I don't even know who the father is. On the battlefield, all of us female soldiers were raped by male soldiers every night in the barracks. I don't know when... Anyway, I got pregnant shortly after my first period. I can't even name the child, and I don't know if he is still alive. If he is not dead, then the child must be continuing to kill on the battlefield. The children there started to fight with guns at the age of five."
"how so... "
The past described by the woman who had once been a young soldier was too tragic, and it deeply shocked Irisviel's pure heart.
"Are you surprised? But this is definitely not new in today's world. Terrorist organizations and guerrillas now know the benefits of using child soldiers. Because of early successful cases like mine, the number of children who have had the same experience as me has not decreased, but has increased."
Maiya spoke calmly, her eyes growing colder and colder. There was no anger or sadness in her tone. In her recollections, there was probably only endless despair that she had no connection with those living feelings.
"Madam, maybe for you, the world you see for the first time is very beautiful, and you envy the happy people living in this world. But for me, I envy you very much for growing up in that castle, because you don't have to see the ugliness and horror of this world."
Although Maiya’s feelings were not complaints, when she expressed these thoughts aloud, it was inevitable that there was some blame in her heart for Irisviel’s naivety.
Afterwards, Maiya herself might have noticed this, and she shook her head as if to deny what she had said before, ending with even more resolute words.
"If this world can really be changed... If Kiritsugu wants to achieve this wish... I don't mind using my life in any way."
Nothing but fighting. Maiya described herself in this way. Her words were not exaggerated at all. In her heart, there were no ideals or wishes. It was like a burnt earth, only a void of nothingness.
Although her inner world is completely opposite to Kiritsugu's, as warriors, they are very similar. This contradiction makes Irisviel feel a pang of pain in her chest. Maiya's existence reminds Kiritsugu and also sets an example for him. It is because of her by his side that Kiritsugu can block his own contradictions and become a ruthless hunting machine.
"After Kiritsugu achieves his ideal, what are you going to do?"
Irisviel’s question made Maiya’s eyes wander in confusion for the first time.
"I never thought I could survive. Even if I did manage to save my life, there would be no point in me living. The world that has changed because of Kiritsugu must be a place that doesn't need me."
People who only know how to survive in war have no place in a world where war is completely eradicated. For Maiya, this negative thought is a natural conclusion.
This was so sad and hard to accept that Irisviel couldn't help but blurt it out.
"That's not the case. Maiya-san, you still have things to do after the war is over."
"... "
Facing the female warrior's doubtful gaze head-on, Irisviel spoke in a firm tone.
"You have to look for your family and your own name and where your children are. These are things that should not be forgotten. These are things that should be remembered."
"is that so... "
Contrary to Irisviel’s enthusiasm, Maiya’s tone was still cold with a hint of doubt.
"If the era of peace really comes, the memories of people like me will be nothing more than a nightmare, which will only tear open the healed wounds and bring pain. This will only bring the seeds of hatred to the ideal world that rarely comes."
"That's not the case. Because your life is not a dream, but a real fact. The peace created by burying all this in darkness is a sinful deception. A truly peaceful world is not simply forgetting the pain of the past, but in order to prevent ourselves from repeating the same mistakes, we must seriously mourn the pain and sacrifices of the past, and only then can we create a new peaceful world."
"... "
Maiya stared at Irisviel silently, and after a long while, her expression brightened up.
"You should have told Kiritsugu these things earlier. He might have felt better than he is now."
Maiya's thoughts brought both joy and loneliness to Irisviel, and as she gradually weakened, she might never have the chance to speak to her husband again.
"—Then Ms. Maiya, please tell him what I said...."
"No, you should say this yourself."
A similar voice, accompanied by golden and white spirit light, condensed into a figure that was almost identical to Irisviel.
"Hello, Irisviel von Einzbern, my name is Justissa, Justissa Rizleich von Einzbern, your prototype—"