"But Manaka should have already completely purified the Greater Grail at that time…"
'Could it be that Manaka underestimated the power of the Greater Grail?'
'Or was she too careless?'
'If that's really the case, then it's necessary to get a clear understanding of the situation.'
Alvin didn't consider himself some kind of savior, nor did he have any interest in saving the world. But in this dangerous Type-Moon world, he at least wanted to protect a small piece of peace, to ensure the safety of the people around him.
And in Fuyuki, there were also people he wanted to protect.
At the very least, he still hoped that Matou Sakura and the others could grow up in a normal environment.
Alvin pulled his thoughts back slightly, looked at Tiamat in front of him, and asked instinctively, "Speaking of which, why has your body returned to its original form?"
He remembered that before crossing over, Tiamat had been in a girl form, because that form could reduce the consumption of magical energy.
But now she had returned to her mature form… wasn't she worried about the loss of magical energy anymore?
As if she had guessed what Alvin was thinking, Tiamat simply took out a sheet of paper this time and wrote on it, [There have been quite a few disturbances inside and outside the palace recently. In this state, I can help you.]
'Help me?'
Alvin was slightly stunned, as if he didn't quite understand what Tiamat meant.
But after a moment, he seemed to vaguely recall something.
Since Arcueid's descent, Britain had gone through a massive upheaval. Although the situation had stabilized at the time, no one knew, since even Tiamat could descend as a transmigrator… whether there might also be other special transmigrators arriving in Britain this time.
With Tiamat maintaining her true form, any magus who approached would inevitably sense this overwhelming magical energy… that alone was a kind of deterrence.
In truth, with the White Dragon's power, Alvin wouldn't fear even the strongest enemies, but the woman's attitude still moved him a little.
"Thank you…", Alvin said.
[No need to thank me. You brought me out of that place and let me see many things in this world, so I also want to help you.]
Tiamat wrote in her notebook, [It's just a pity that during the Holy Grail War, I couldn't help you very much.]
Alvin paused, then reached out and gently took the woman's small hand, saying softly, "You've already helped me a great deal."
As a Noble Phantasm manifestation, Tiamat's combat strength wasn't as strong as the current spiritual body before him, but she had an overwhelming suppression effect on Heroic Spirits native to Uruk, which was also why even Gilgamesh had felt a bit of "fear" at the time.
'But speaking of that… what exactly happened on the final night of the Fourth Holy Grail War?'
Because the Greater Grail had been destroyed in advance, even the strongest Servants couldn't continue to exist after its destruction, not even Alvin.
So he had no idea what had actually happened on the summit of Mount Enzo that night.
'I wonder if Manaka knows? But even if I ask her, she might not answer… and lately we've been in a bit of a cold war.'
Thinking of this, Alvin couldn't help letting out a quiet sigh.
At that moment, footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.
It was a palace guard… Alvin said in a low voice, "What is it?"
"Lord Alvin… someone outside the palace wishes to see you. He says he has something important he wants to discuss with you."
'With me?'
Alvin felt puzzled.
In present-day Britain, the number of people Alvin could call friends was only a handful. As for outside the palace, he didn't think he had any friends there.
'Who could it be?'
"Do you know his name?"
Alvin asked.
"I don't… but judging from his clothing, he doesn't seem like an ordinary commoner."
Alvin pondered for a moment, then said, "Take him to the reception hall and have him wait for me. I'll be there shortly."
Although he didn't know who it was, since the other party had specifically asked to see him, perhaps it really was someone he knew?
After the guard left, Alvin chatted casually with Tiamat for a while longer, then, under her somewhat reluctant gaze, left the room and headed toward the palace reception hall.
———
In the hall, a man dressed in a suit with an elegant demeanor sat on a white jade chair. Although his aura was steady, the tightly furrowed brows revealed his tension.
When Alvin entered the hall and saw the visitor clearly, a meaningful expression quickly appeared on his face.
"Tohsaka Tokiomi?"
When he saw this man, Alvin's first reaction was surprise.
Not long ago, he had already met Tokiomi once in Ancient Britain. Not long after that, during the Holy Grail War, he encountered him again.
In a sense, he and Tokiomi could be said to have quite a bit of fate between them.
But judging from the man's condition, his health didn't seem very good lately.
While Alvin was observing the man, Tokiomi also noticed the movement behind him and turned around.
The young man wore a black outfit, with a white spiral mask covering his face. A pair of eyes as deep as a still pool quietly observed him.
If one only looked at the surface, he seemed like an ordinary young man. But as someone who had clashed with him multiple times during the Holy Grail War, Tokiomi knew very well just how terrifying and violent the power of Britain's White Dragon truly was.
Tohsaka Tokiomi stood up, placed a hand over his chest, and performed a salute like one used in ancient Western audiences with a monarch. Neither humble nor arrogant, he said, "Lord White Dragon, it is an honor to meet you again."
"We met once in Ancient Britain before. I wonder if you still remember?"
"That would've been during the Holy Grail War, right? It hasn't been that long, has it?", Alvin said with a smile.
Tokiomi's body stiffened slightly. Though his expression remained calm, his heart was already in turmoil.
'He… he actually remembers the Holy Grail War?'
As a local magus of Fuyuki, whose ancestor's teacher was the Magician Zelretch, Tokiomi had always carried his own pride. Even when he had treated Gilgamesh with utmost respect in the past, he had still been extremely proud at heart.
Back during the Holy Grail War, Tokiomi's attitude toward Alvin hadn't been particularly respectful. Because of Matou Sakura, he had even harbored hostility at one point.
Under normal circumstances, after a Servant departs, they should completely forget everything that happened during the Holy Grail War.
Yet the other party actually remembered what had happened…?
'This is a bit awkward,' Tokiomi coughed lightly, "You still remember the Holy Grail War…"
"For certain special reasons, I don't lose memories related to the Holy Grail War."
Alvin smiled, "How have your daughters been lately?"
Seeing that Alvin didn't seem to mind the conflicts from the Holy Grail War, Tokiomi felt a bit relieved and nodded, "Thanks to you last time. If you hadn't saved Sakura in time, perhaps she would have already…"
When bringing up that matter, Tokiomi couldn't help feeling a bit embarrassed. After all, at the time he had believed Alvin had deliberately kidnapped Sakura to use her as leverage. But in the end, from the moment Alvin saved her until the end of the Holy Grail War, he never involved her in their conflict.
"I am truly grateful to you for Sakura's matter."
Tokiomi paused before continuing, "At the beginning, I misunderstood you… I apologize."
"As long as your daughter is fine."
Alvin smiled. He didn't consider himself a particularly good person. Saving Sakura back then was less about kindness and more about coincidence… in that freezing environment, he simply couldn't stand by and watch a young girl suffer outside.
It wasn't some lofty virtue, just something he did to keep his conscience clear.
"How is the Einzbern family now?", Alvin suddenly asked.
Tohsaka Tokiomi was slightly taken aback, then quickly shook his head, "You might not believe me, but I don't know the exact situation there."
"After the Holy Grail War ended, Einzbern Castle set up a magical barrier, refusing entry to anyone," Tokiomi added.
"So the castle is currently in a 'sealed' state?", Alvin fell into thought.
The Greater Grail system had been jointly built and protected by the three founding families of Fuyuki, and at its core was the homunculus known as the "Holy Maiden of Winter."
To construct the Third Magic and use the Greater Grail to save all of humanity, that was the goal of the Holy Maiden of Winter, and of the entire Einzbern family.
But not long ago, the Greater Grail had been destroyed, and that wish had been shattered along with it.
'Still, they should have received news of the Grail's restoration. Closing off Einzbern Castle at this time, are they secretly preparing for the next Holy Grail War?'
'I wonder how Illya and Irisviel are doing?'
'If I remember correctly, Irisviel's grandfather is quite a strict man. Would the failure of the last Holy Grail War affect the mother and daughter?'
'But with the consciousness of the Holy Maiden of Winter still within Irisviel, there shouldn't be any major issues,' Alvin brought his thoughts back and looked toward Tokiomi.
"What is the current state of the Greater Grail?"
Alvin asked the question he cared about most.
Tohsaka Tokiomi hesitated slightly before speaking in a low voice, "In fact, the reason I came to see you this time is precisely because of the Greater Grail."
He then explained in detail what had happened that night on Mount Enzo, as well as how the Greater Grail had been restored.
Alvin pondered, "So you're saying that the Greater Grail that was destroyed back then has truly been restored to its original state?"
Tohsaka Tokiomi nodded slightly, "Thanks to the secret technique left behind by my ancestor's teacher, otherwise the Greater Grail might no longer exist in Fuyuki."
'Feels like he's still hiding something,' Alvin gave Tokiomi a long look.
According to Tokiomi, the one who restored the Greater Grail was a secret technique left behind by the Jewel Magician. But as far as Alvin knew, the Jewel Magician rarely involved himself in such matters. When the Greater Grail was first created, he had only acted as a witness, nothing more.
'Tokiomi doesn't want outsiders to know the truth behind the restoration?', Alvin quickly reached that conclusion.
'But why?'
Before Alvin could think further, Tokiomi stood up again and bowed respectfully.
"Lord White Dragon, although the Greater Grail has been restored, since the end of the Fourth Holy Grail War, too many magi have set their sights on Fuyuki… when the next Holy Grail War begins, it may be even bloodier than the fourth."
"I wish to request your assistance for my daughter Rin in the next Holy Grail War. In return, whether it is the blueprint of the Tohsaka family's jeweled sword or the wish-granting power of the Greater Grail, both can be offered to you."
The Tohsaka family's special blueprint, the jeweled sword, was a "gift" left by the Magus Marshal Zelretch to the first head of the Tohsaka family. Over the years, Tokiomi had studied it countless times, yet he had never grasped its true secrets.
After the previous Holy Grail War, Tokiomi had already realized his own limits and the importance of a Servant. He also feared the future decline of the Tohsaka family, and thus was eager to secure its position in Fuyuki.
If he could secure Britain's White Dragon as a Servant in advance for the next Holy Grail War, at the very least it would guarantee the Tohsaka family a foothold.
"Even knowing that the Greater Grail is contaminated, you still don't intend to give it up?", Alvin asked.
Tohsaka Tokiomi's brows furrowed slightly, then slowly relaxed as he said with a trace of helplessness, "Perhaps this is the fate of magi. In pursuit of the Root, in pursuit of the ultimate magecraft, they are willing to pay any price."
"You might not live to see the next Holy Grail War begin," Alvin said calmly.
His perception had already detected something abnormal about Tokiomi's body the moment he got close.
The curse within the black mud had long since begun eroding Tokiomi's magic circuits. At this rate, he might not even last until the Fifth Holy Grail War before his life came to an end.
Tokiomi's eyes darkened for a moment. He was well aware of his own condition. Coming to see Alvin immediately after crossing over this time was less about cooperation and more like making arrangements for the future.
On one hand, it was to ensure that the Tohsaka family wouldn't decline after his death. On the other, it was to pave the way for his daughter in advance.
If Tohsaka Rin were to participate in the Fifth Holy Grail War, having the White Dragon as her Servant would ensure her safety even in defeat… and if she could win, then reaching the Root would be even better.
If possible, Tokiomi would naturally prefer to participate in the Holy Grail War himself. But the curse of the black mud within him was like a ticking time bomb, and he had no idea when it might fully erupt.
Thinking of this, a heavy weight settled in his heart.
"Perhaps when you return next time, you could consider going to a certain place… there might be a way there to resolve your curse."
At that moment, he suddenly heard the young man's calm and gentle voice beside him.
Tohsaka Tokiomi froze, and after a moment, his eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had seen hope, staring intently at Alvin.
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