"You two look like you're visiting Japan for the first time."
Just as Irisviel was still happily strolling and admiring the scenery of Fuyuki, a voice unexpectedly sounded from behind her. Irisviel and Saber were both startled, and they turned their heads in surprise.
It was a black-haired girl wearing a bright red coat, with lively twin-tails. Although her attire was as simple and plain as could be, and she wore no luxurious accessories, an undeniable aura of confidence and nobility, set against this "ordinary" backdrop, appeared exceptionally dazzling and eye-catching. The first impression she gave was that she was a true noble!
A genuine smile graced her stunningly beautiful face as she calmly looked at them.
However, Saber instinctively and swiftly stepped in front of Irisviel, blocking any potential attack direction from the suddenly appearing girl.
Although she was just an unarmed noble young lady, and Saber didn't sense any magical energy reactions or Servant aura from her, Saber still felt that this girl who suddenly came up to strike a conversation was not simple. Especially, Saber's intuition told her that this seemingly harmless girl was very dangerous!
When Rin saw Saber's subconscious guard, she knew that Jalter had truly gone too far yesterday, causing Saber to now be overly cautious, seeing enemies everywhere.
Of course, this was just a thought; her face still held a gentle and friendly smile.
"Ah, how does this young lady know that this is our first time here?" Irisviel asked, seemingly unaware of the tension, her voice full of curiosity and playfulness.
"Irisviel." Saber frowned, stopping Irisviel from speaking further.
"It's alright, Saber." Irisviel shook her head, "You'll protect me, won't you?"
Hearing this, Saber couldn't help but let out a bitter smile, "Are you still willing to trust a defeated knight?"
"Of course, Saber is my most perfect guardian knight!"
Afterward, Irisviel looked at Rin with interest, perhaps because Rin was the first person to speak to her since she came to the outside world.
"Oh, that's easy to tell. It's from your clothing, appearance, gestures, and the way you're curious about everything. It's clear you're visiting this country for the first time," Rin replied calmly and composedly.
"Ah! I didn't expect to be exposed so easily. This beautiful young lady is truly amazing!" she said with a sincere and admiring tone, "We really are visiting this country for the first time!"
So, it means that no matter the age or gender, a beautiful girl is always the easiest to gain favor.
"Well, since you're visiting from abroad for the first time, you're international friends of Fuyuki City. As a local host, I can't just stand by. Speaking of which, if you're not familiar with the road layout, it's very easy to get lost and go in circles in an area. How about I show you around Shinto (New City)?"
When Rin said this, she noticed that both the smiling Irisviel and the still wary Saber seemed to have a faint drop of cold sweat on their foreheads, and she instantly realized. They couldn't possibly be truly lost, could they!
But this was understandable. Irisviel had never stepped out of Einzbern Castle since she was born and gained consciousness; asking her to navigate would be too much to ask, especially in a city she was visiting for the first time. As for Saber, although she was endowed with basic modern common sense by the Holy Grail, that common sense apparently didn't include remembering to buy a map when in an unfamiliar city!
And Irisviel, on her first outing, was undoubtedly a novice in this regard. So, the two of them, from leaving in the afternoon until now, had already walked this street where they met Rin for the third time.
The only comforting thing was probably that they wouldn't lose their way home, relying on their sense of direction to the castle's bounded field.
"Clap!"
Irisviel, excited, directly bypassed Saber and grasped Rin's hand, her starry eyes sparkling with gratitude as she said:
"That would be a great help, Miss. Please, you must show me around this city. It's my first time visiting the city in my husband's birth country, and I truly want to see all of it."
It's her first time, but also her last… Rin and Irisviel's excited and grateful gazes met, and Rin buried a deep sigh in the depths of her eyes.
Irisviel von Einzbern, like Rin's mother Tohsaka Aoi, was a casualty of this Fourth Holy Grail War. She appeared to be a pure, innocent, and lively young girl, but who would have thought that she actually had a daughter one year older than Rin?
If Rin's mother Aoi was an innocent bystander caught in the Holy Grail War, then Irisviel was in the eye of the storm from the very beginning, with no possibility of salvation. For she herself was the Holy Grail; the object of this Holy Grail War was within her body.
To give the lesser grail the ability to automatically avoid destruction, the Einzbern family attached a disguised shell called "Irisviel" to its exterior. As the souls of fallen Servants returned one by one into the lesser grail within her body, her functions as a human would gradually diminish, transforming her into an object. Finally, she would become the vessel for the greater grail's descent, her soul and consciousness trapped within the greater grail, unable to transcend. In the original work/canon's end, she was strangled to death by her own husband inside the greater grail.
A woman whose life was devoid of happiness from the moment of her birth, absolutely beyond salvation… "Hey, leave it to me." Rin tightly held Irisviel's soft, boneless hand and seriously agreed.
If her initial offer was out of simple curiosity, then now Rin genuinely wished to take Irisviel to happily explore the sights of Fuyuki during this last bit of free time before the war, allowing her to fully enjoy the final, brief happy moments of her life… In the time that followed, Rin told Lancelot to follow from a distance and not get too close. Even with a noble phantasm that concealed his presence, following for too long still carried the risk of being discovered.
Rin then took Irisviel and Artoria to explore every corner of Shinto (New City). Irisviel was exceptionally enthusiastic, asking Rin about everything she saw, as if she wanted to inquire about every single thing. Rin, in turn, answered each of her questions patiently and seriously, without any hint of impatience.
Perhaps sensing Rin's sincerity and friendliness, Artoria's guard against Rin gradually relaxed. At least, she no longer maintained overt vigilance towards Rin, merely staying close to Irisviel.
Unknowingly, it was almost dinner time. "Miss Irisviel and Miss Artoria rarely visit Japan. I imagine you're tired of Western banquets at home. How about I take you to try some traditional Japanese cuisine of this country? It would be a great pity to come here and not experience it."
"No! There's no need...! We still have things to do!" Artoria instinctively and decisively refused. Although she had felt no malice from the young girl in front of her throughout their journey, the Holy Grail War had already begun, and no amount of caution was too much.
"Artoria…" Irisviel looked at Artoria pitifully. She was very tempted by Rin's mention of traditional Japanese cuisine. She had eaten all kinds of Western banquets at Einzbern Castle, but she was very interested in this kind of traditional food, which she had only read about in books, truly embodied local character, and could only be experienced in its place of origin. Moreover, she also wanted to learn more about Kiritsugu's hometown… "This…" Artoria looked at Irisviel with difficulty, feeling helpless at her acting like a Little Girl. But then, remembering Irisviel's unchangeable tragic fate, her heart softened.
The Holy Grail War would begin at night at the earliest, and there would likely be no more leisure time like this afterwards. Irisviel's life was also coming to an end… I will stake the honor of my sword! I will do everything to protect Irisviel's last moments of happiness!
Unlike the original work/canon, Artoria, having personally witnessed Irisviel's adverse reactions due to the souls of Heroic Spirits entering her body, already knew Irisviel's true identity and fate.
"Then, alright. But you must be careful, and enjoy this brief period of leisure to the fullest, Irisviel…" Looking at the innocent and pure snow-white young girl before her with pity, Artoria nodded and agreed.
"Mm, Artoria is the best after all…" Hugging Artoria's arm, at this moment, Irisviel didn't resemble a mother with a child at all, but rather a Little Girl who had received something joyful…
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