This Is My Holy Grail War [55]

“Nice to meet you, Rin. Surely, the name Einzbern rings a bell, doesn’t it?” Illyasviel greeted Rin warmly, acting every bit the gracious host. “Come in—this way, please. Big Brother made a wonderful dinner tonight!”

As Rin stepped into the foyer of the Emiya household, she spotted the red-haired boy busy in the kitchen.

Assassin was there too, though his [Presence Concealment] rendered him invisible. He was close enough to touch Illya, but his focus wasn’t on her or Shirou. Instead, he was acutely aware of the Servant lurking in spirit form nearby—Berserker.

From the shadows, Berserker’s gaze fixed on the entrance. Though he didn’t move or act, his sheer presence was undeniable. Perhaps he was just observing Rin.

Even if Assassin wanted to launch a surprise attack, he would need to materialize to do so. But to materialize here meant facing Berserker head-on—something that would guarantee his death.

“So… how exactly did you get to the Emiya house?” Rin asked as she stepped further inside.

“Oh, I drove here,” Illya replied nonchalantly.

“You… drove? You, a mage from the Einzbern family, came to Fuyuki City in a car?” Rin was visibly taken aback.

“Why wouldn’t I? Even if I come from a prestigious magical lineage, it’s the modern age. Don’t tell me you can’t drive, Rin?” Illya tilted her head with innocent curiosity.

“Uh…”

“Speechless, huh?” Illya giggled as Rin’s lips twitched in frustration. Then, with a sudden shift in tone, she asked, “By the way, Rin, are you participating in the Holy Grail War?”

The air grew heavy with tension at her question.

Deny it, or both you and I are dead, Assassin’s voice echoed in Rin’s mind. Her Servant is nearby, and I cannot defeat him. Fighting him head-on is suicide.

“For now, no,” Rin answered cautiously, sweat beginning to bead on her back.

“For now?” Illya tilted her head as though piecing something together. “So, you’re not a Master yet? Hmm… how long will it take you to summon your Servant, Rin?”

“Oh, it’ll happen… soon,” Rin said with a forced smile.

“Ah, I feel like killing you right now,” Illya said, her sweet tone making her words all the more unsettling. “But if I did, someone else would become the Master instead, and that’d be no fun at all. Besides, I’m really looking forward to seeing the Servant you summon!”

Rin had barely stepped through the door and was already grappling with this strange homunculus. Despite her youthful and innocent demeanor, Illya’s words revealed a starkly different reality—a personality capable of casually discussing murder without a second thought.

“Yes, I’m curious about the Servants summoned for this Holy Grail War too,” Rin replied, seating herself cross-legged at the dining table.

The table was already laden with food—an amount so excessive that Rin couldn’t help but sneak a glance toward the kitchen. The commotion in there suggested even more dishes were still being prepared. Is he going to bankrupt himself over this meal? Rin wondered idly.

“Rin, you must have felt so lonely all these years,” Illya said suddenly, her voice brimming with excitement. “But when you summon a Servant, it’ll be such a wonderful surprise! You’ll see—Servants are absolutely amazing!”

Rin raised an eyebrow at her enthusiasm. “Servants are just glorified familiars. Tools, really. There’s nothing amazing about them,” she said dismissively, still harboring mild resentment over summoning Assassin.

“Wrong! They’re not just tools!” Illya slammed her hands on the table, her cheeks puffed indignantly. “Servants are… they’re comrades you can trust with your life!”

“Stop thinking of Servants as disposable familiars, you stupid mage!” Illya turned her back to Rin with a huff. “Hmph! Servants are nothing like those useless little tools!”

“What’s this about mages and familiars?” Shirou interrupted, bringing dishes to the table. His curious tone cut through the tense atmosphere like a knife.

The room went silent.

“Mages? Oh, no, no, you must have misheard. We were just talking about a TV drama,” Rin said quickly, trying to cover up. At this point, she still hadn’t realized Shirou was a mage himself.

Determining whether someone was a mage was usually as simple as sensing their mana, but Shirou’s reserves were so minimal that Rin had never thought to consider him as one.

Master, you don’t need to lie. Shirou Emiya is a mage, Assassin said privately.

Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!

You never asked.

“Well, yes, we are mages,” Illya said cheerfully, in stark contrast to Rin’s deflection. “And Big Brother here is a great mage too, right?”

Caught off guard by Illya’s expectant gaze, Shirou scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “Not really… I’m more of a half-baked amateur,” he admitted. “Barely passable, honestly.”

“Shirou, you’re not surprised by the existence of mages?” Rin asked.

“Surprised? No. If anything, I’ve been expecting something like this,” Shirou said with a wry smile. “The moment Illya walked through the door, I felt… like I was being watched by something inhuman. That feeling hasn’t gone away.”

“Expected, huh?” Rin pressed further. “When did you become a mage? Was it a family tradition?”

“Yeah, my father was a talented mage,” Shirou replied. “But I have no real aptitude. I barely managed to learn one reinforcement spell.”

“So, do you know about the Holy Grail War?” Rin probed.

“No, I don’t.”

“Okay, okay! Enough boring talk!” Illya interjected, clearly annoyed at being sidelined. “Big Brother, I have a question for you.”

“What is it?”

“Tell me—what do you think a Servant is?” Illya asked. “Are they someone you’d trust to watch your back?”

“A Servant? They’re something summoned for this Holy Grail War, right?” Shirou said, unsure.

Illya nodded eagerly.

“Sounds like they’re basically familiars. I wouldn’t trust a familiar to guard my back, though. They’re not human—you can’t rely on them completely.”

Shirou’s lack of understanding about the Grail War colored his response. To him, the concept of a Servant sounded indistinguishable from a summoned familiar.

Illya’s cheerful expression darkened. She couldn’t tell if Shirou was being deliberately dismissive or just ignorant. But in her eyes, he had sided with Rin.

“Big Brother, you’re being very naughty,” Illya said softly, her tone taking a sinister turn. Raising her hand, she pointed decisively.

“Berserker—kill them.”

—

T/N: welp gg’s

This is a fan translation of 这是我的圣杯之战 by 向希望祈祷. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!