In other words, summoning non-human entities and Divine Spirits was fundamentally impossible.
Wayland leaned against the window of his room in the Tower of the Sun, his mind tracing the complex rules of the Fuyuki ritual. He remembered a specific detail from the lore: Oriental Servants were supposedly restricted.
'Archer had studied Western magecraft, and the Sasaki Kojiro summoned by Caster was a technical violation, an existence that didn't truly qualify as an 'Oriental Heroic Spirit' in the traditional sense.'
["The Throne of Heroes exists outside the world, while Divine Spirits reside within the Inner Sea of Stars. Under normal circumstances, Divine Spirits have no interest in the Holy Grail; they have no wishes to grant, and thus, they do not respond to the summons. Furthermore, because their Spiritron density is far higher than that of Heroic Spirits or Counter Guardians, they cannot be summoned directly. Unless they descend by degrading their own rank, possessing a human vessel, or manifesting through a specialized proxy, a Divine Spirit who becomes a Servant will always be a mere shadow of their true self."]
"Which means if I want to summon Ereshkigal, I only have those three options. But the idea of her willingly degrading her own rank or creating a proxy is out of the question,I have no way to contact her, and she has no reason to answer me anyway... For that matter, can I even succeed? You said yourself that Divine Spirits generally don't have wishes."
["Don't worry! Trust in this System! If the worst comes to the worst, I'll just find you a different catalyst."]
"Fine."
Since Irigal sounded so confident, Wayland decided to press on. "So, that leaves only one viable path: Possession."
["Yes. You likely already understand why I had you contact Touko Aozaki, don't you?"]
"Mhm. In this era, the most compatible vessel for Ereshkigal would undoubtedly be the body of Rin Tohsaka. But I can't exactly go and kidnap her; that would be an act of complete destruction. The best solution is to have Touko Aozaki craft a puppet body that perfectly mimics Rin's physical and spiritual wavelength to serve as the vessel."
["Exactly!"]
Irigal's voice flared with excitement. ["If you have Ereshkigal's catalyst and a body that perfectly matches her compatible host, the bond between them will be enough to facilitate the summons."]
"Bond?"
Wayland found that strange. He understood the rest, but... "What 'bond' do I have with Eresh-chan?"
["Ah... that... well... ugh! Once you summon her, you'll understand!"]
"Always so mysterious."
Wayland didn't press her.
In the past, the system would either play dead or try to act cute when faced with difficult questions. Now, it had clearly evolved,it had learned how to use vague excuses to brush him off.
A soft knock came at the door.
"Enter."
Touko Aozaki walked in, looking exactly as she always did,sharp, cool, and impeccably composed.
Wayland smiled and handed over the specialized suitcase. "Intact and accounted for."
Touko raised an eyebrow. "You were waiting for me?"
"I have a commission for you."
"Oh? You do realize that commissioning me is a costly endeavor, don't you?"
"Naturally. But I think you'll find this particular project quite interesting."
Wayland nodded. Over the past few days, he'd gained a better understanding of Touko Aozaki.
She was a woman driven by interest. She'd accepted Byron's original commission and even utilized Siegfried's catalyst because she found the premise fascinating. In the end, she hadn't truly gained anything from that particular job, but she'd done it anyway simply because it piqued her curiosity.
"Miss Aozaki, you're likely familiar with the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City."
Wayland raised his right hand, the three shield-shaped Command Spells shimmering in the light. "I am a Master in the coming war. And the Servant I intend to summon is a Divine Spirit."
"A Divine Spirit?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Touko's face, but she quickly shook her head. "I studied at the Clock Tower, Wayland. I know the rules. Summoning a Divine Spirit is impossible."
"What if I have the catalyst?"
"A catalyst?"
Touko fell into a thoughtful silence. "According to the parameters of the ritual, a catalyst only narrows the range of potential Heroic Spirits. A summon is possible even without one. Even if you have a catalyst, it only creates a faint 'possibility' of contact. A Divine Spirit still has no reason to respond to the Grail's call."
"A catalyst alone isn't enough, I agree. But what if I provide a vessel with an incredibly high compatibility and a matching spiritual wavelength?"
"Possession? It's still highly improbable. Why would a Divine Spirit bother?"
Wayland let out a soft sigh and decided to play his final card.
"In that case... what if I offered an Original Rune as payment for the creation of that vessel? Would that change your mind?"
"An Original Rune?!"
Touko stared at Wayland, her voice dropping to a low, dangerous register. "Where on earth did you get your hands on an Original Rune?"
"I was lucky."
Wayland lifted his hand and began to slowly trace a complex, glowing character in the air. He stopped when it was only half-complete. "I only possess one, and it isn't one of the ones you already know. But I think you understand its value. Do we have a deal?"
"Deal."
Touko didn't hesitate. Crafting a puppet was a considerable task, but an Original Rune was a prize beyond measure. "What kind of vessel do you need? Or rather... whose body do you want me to replicate?"
"Rin Tohsaka, the eldest daughter of the Tohsaka family in Fuyuki. I'll be arriving in Fuyuki in early January. Do you think you can have it finished by then?"
"Naturally. Leave your contact information with me. I'll head to Fuyuki first to get a look at this 'eldest daughter' myself."
***
The Rising Star of El-Melloi
"You did well."
Weber sat on the sofa, a cloud of expensive cigar smoke drifting through the room. He seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood, a faint, genuine smile playing on his lips.
"Reines told me everything. Lord Barthomeloi's public humiliation was a severe blow to the Democratic faction. The Aristocrats are singing your praises, and they've even started funneling significant investments back into the El-Melloi house."
No wonder he was so happy.
Wayland offered a modest smile. "It's only what a student should do."
"There's no 'should' about it."
Weber let out a long sigh. "If only Svin and Flat were as well-behaved as you. Those two are constantly shouting and causing a scene; the amount I've had to pay in property damage alone is staggering."
"If you ever saw those two acting like 'good boys,' you'd probably be terrified that the world was about to end."
"True enough."
Weber nodded, his expression turning solemn. "But your performance has caught the attention of Lord Barthomeloi herself. As of yesterday, a new nickname has started circulating among the students of the Creation department: 'The Three Greats of El-Melloi.'"
"A case of being 'killed by praise'?" Wayland asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Mhm. Svin and Flat are already famous as the 'Twin Pillars' of the New Age. Adding a third 'genius' to the mix will only breed more resentment and jealousy. Not only that, but by promoting you, the Aristocrats are trying to bolster their own prestige. This might provoke the Neutral faction, making them feel threatened and pushing them into a tactical alliance with the Democrats."
"Political maneuvering... it never ends, does it?"
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]