Someone was calling to me. A faint, silver-bell voice of a young girl. I turned my spirit toward it, straining to hear her words.
—Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill.
—Repeat five times. Set the duration to the moment of fullness.
Ah, so it was a summoning. I felt the unmistakable sensation of being wrenched from the Throne of Heroes, the essence of my being pulled into the world of man.
—I announce.
—Thy body shall be under my command; my fate shall be with thy sword.
—If thou abidest by the will of the Holy Grail, and obeyest this intent, this providence, then answer me.
A torrent of information surged into me from the Holy Grail that served as my anchor. Knowledge of the Grail War, history, the state of the world, and the nuances of modern language began to take root in my consciousness.
Once the download was complete, radiance enveloped my form.
—I am the one who accomplishes all good in the eternal world. I am the one who suppresses all evil in the eternal world.
—Yet thou shalt serve with eyes clouded by chaos.
—Thou art the one held within the cage of madness, and I am the one who holds the end of its chain.
The light intensified, blinding and absolute. I closed my eyes as the chant reached its crescendo, the pressure of the magic thickening the air.
—Thou art the Seventh Heaven, clad in the three great words of power.
—Come forth from the ring of deterrence, O Protector of the Balance!
When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was a young girl. She had hair as white as the snowdrifts of a frozen wasteland and eyes that burned with the crimson intensity of the sun.
So, this child is to be my Master?
The heavy rattle of my armor echoed through the ritual chamber as I stepped forward. I saw a flicker of apprehension cross her face; perhaps my appearance was more formidable than she had anticipated.
Two maids standing behind her immediately bristled, assuming defensive stances as I approached.
Ignoring the killing intent they projected, I walked until I stood directly before the small girl. I looked down at her, and then I spoke.
"Servant, Berserker. I have manifested in response to your summons. Tell me—are you my Master?"
"...Yes. My name is Illyasviel von Einzbern. I am the Master who summoned you."
At those words, the context of my summoning became crystal clear. I had suspected as much the moment I saw her.
The Fifth Holy Grail War. I had been cast onto the stage where the protagonist would eventually utter those legendary, if somewhat questionable, words about 'heroes' and 'dying when killed.'
I maintained my composure, meeting Illya's cold, porcelain gaze.
"...Very well. I recognize you as my Master. My True Name is Elius. I have manifested as an Alter, and our contract is hereby sealed."
Illya gave a slow nod. Behind her, an expressionless old man with hair as white as hers stepped out from the shadows.
"...So, are you our final hope? The last Servant of the Einzbern family?"
His voice was devoid of any human warmth. I turned a frigid gaze toward him.
"And who are you?"
"I am Jubstacheit von Einzbern, the eighth head of this house. Nevertheless, this is curious. You have manifested as a Berserker, yet you retain your reason without falling into the abyss of Mad Enhancement."
I let a smirk tug at the corner of my mouth, my expression one of clear derision.
"Madness? If I were to allow myself to be consumed by such a base instinct, the name of 'Hero' would be put to shame."
"...Is that so? We shall conduct the ritual for prana synchronization tomorrow. Until then, remain by your Master's side."
His commanding tone made my brow furrow in irritation, but I knew there was little to gain by picking a fight with the old fossil now. I gave a curt nod.
Satisfied, the patriarch exited the ritual chamber with his attendants in tow. I clicked my tongue as the doors shut.
What a detestable old man.
I turned back to Illya. Her face remained a mask of icy indifference.
"Since we are to be partners in the coming war... I look forward to working with you, Master."
"...It doesn't matter. You are merely a tool, nothing more."
"......"
I studied her closely. On the surface, she was cold and detached, showing almost no traces of humanity. However, being in such close proximity, I could feel something was wrong. She wasn't just cold—she was unstable.
It felt as though she were suffering from a severe, racking fever.
"?!"
As if to confirm my suspicion, Illya's knees buckled, and she began to tip over. I moved instinctively, catching her before she could strike the floor.
Through my gauntlet, I felt it—her body temperature was unnaturally high, like a furnace. What in the world was this?
Illya panted heavily in my arms. I lifted her up and turned sharply toward the two maids standing nearby.
"Call a physician, now! Can you not see that your Master is in agony?"
"...A doctor will be of no use," one replied tonelessly.
"Lady Illya's condition is not caused by any mere disease."
"...What? No, that can wait. Lead me to a room where she can rest immediately."
"...Follow us."
Guided by the maids, I entered a room that clearly served as the girl's bedchamber. I laid her down gently on the bed and rounded on the maids once more.
"Explain. What is the cause of this? If it isn't an illness, you clearly know the source of her pain."
"...Lady Illya summoned you before the Greater Grail began its support phase," the maid explained.
"As a result of the backlash..."
...She did what? Have they lost their minds? Did they truly allow a child to perform such a reckless feat?
Normally, when a Master provides prana to the summoning circle, the Greater Grail handles the actual summoning of the Heroic Spirit. The Master merely acts as a beacon and later as a battery to keep them anchored. But based on the maid's words, this small girl had bypassed the Grail's assistance and shouldered the entire weight of the summoning herself.
It was a miracle she was still alive. Looking closer at our connection, the prana path between us was horribly unstable.
Even for a homunculus, this was torture. Part of me wanted to tear this castle down stone by stone, but for now, the Master's safety took precedence.
"Do we simply have to watch and wait until she recovers?"
"...There is nothing else we can do for now."
"...Tch."
I was no magus; I could do nothing to help her with magecraft. I could only click my tongue in frustration.
But I couldn't simply stand by. I had to do what was within my power. I looked at the maids.
"Bring me cold water and a basin of towels. We need to lower her fever."
One of the maids left and soon returned with the requested items. As I wetted a cloth and placed it on her brow, the tightness in her face relaxed ever so slightly.
The irony of the situation forced a dry chuckle from my throat. Haha... How ridiculous. My first act upon being summoned for a Holy Grail War wasn't a battle of legends, but acting as a nursemaid.
Well, I suppose it could be worse. The red Archer of Fuyuki's first task was supposedly cleaning his Master's house. At least I was performing a deed that actually concerned her well-being.
And so, my first night of the Holy Grail War passed by her bedside.
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Today's Image: [Cu Chulainn Pencil Sharpener made by Archer]
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