章節 74: 74 Einzbern
In Western Europe.
In a mountainous forest covered by wind and snow throughout the year, there lies a vast expanse of private land belonging to the Einzbern family.
The Einzbern family was established by the disciples of the Magician of the Third Magic.
The timeline traces back to the very first year of the Common Era.
This rather eccentric magus aimed to recreate the magnificent miracle of the Third Magic mastered by their master and sped down the path of chaos.
However, after a long period of attempts, they realized that their abilities might not be sufficient to reproduce the miracle of the Third Magic. They began to diverge from their original path and, using the Magician of the Third Magic as a template replicated many individuals akin to their teacher.
They aimed to have these replicated unique individuals inherit the magical legacy left by their teacher, thereby achieving their goal of reproducing the Third Magic.
Thus, the Einzbern family was born.
After many years of trial, they finally produced their best creation in the last few centuries, known as the homunculus referred to as the Holy Maiden of Winter - Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern.
The emergence of this creation invigorated the Einzbern family, as it proved that their approach to replicating the Third Magic was indeed correct.
Next, they only needed to attempt to continuously replicate this miraculous process and seek patterns within it, and they would surely be able to create individuals who could fully master the Third Magic like their teacher.
However…
Subsequent unforeseen events shattered their original plans. A magus named Makiri Zolgen approached the Holy Maiden of Winter and successfully persuaded her to lead the Einzbern family into that whimsical magical ritual.
This incident caused the Einzbern family's best creation to vanish.
Although Jubstacheit had vehemently attempted to prevent such actions, he had no power to resist against Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, who held absolute authority over the Einzbern family.
He could only watch helplessly as the Einzbern family's finest creation returned to square one, with the entire family being dragged into a ritual known as the Holy Grail War, leaving all the efforts of the magus in vain and forcing them to start planning anew.
After experiencing four Holy Grail Wars, Jubstacheit and the entire Einzbern family finally gave up on this ceremony.
Intelligence reports had indicated that in this Holy Grail War, someone summoned monsters that should not exist in this world using the power of the Holy Grail, and the replica of the Holy Maiden of Winter, Irisviel von Einzbern, also perished in this Holy Grail War. The Fuyuki Holy Grail had already been dismantled by those with ulterior motives.
One could say that this grand magical ritual, spanning over centuries, had finally come to a complete end here, and thus he no longer held any thoughts about that thing.
They now wished to focus solely on inheriting the will bestowed upon them by the creators, aiming to bring the Third Magic back into this world.
So when Emiya Kiritsugu broke into the Einzbern family's territory and took away the now worthless Illya, he merely watched without making much effort to stop him.
He had grown tired of concerning himself with this family and had no desire to engage in these meaningless battles.
After all, she was just a worthless doll; if Kiritsugu wanted her, he could take her without issue.
Thus, Emiya Kiritsugu was able to leave the territory of the Einzbern family unscathed.
After all, compared to the important goal of reproducing the Third Magic, everything else was trivial.
He thought the Einzbern family would, like the magus adrift at sea, enter a long period of closure, completely isolating themselves from the outside world while devotedly researching the Third Magic.
On this day, an unexpected noble guest arrived.
This familiar aura was immediately detected as soon as they set foot on this land.
"This aura! It can't be wrong, it can't be wrong, could it be?!"
This brought a smile to the otherwise stern and aged face of Jubstacheit.
...
"It truly is a land of ice and snow; the name Winter Castle is indeed well-deserved."
Stepping onto this snow-covered land and walking in the cold wind, Roy couldn't help but reflect.
Just as Illya had recalled, this land lacked sunlight and warmth; all memories were spent in the winter snow.
Moreover, it seemed that the master of this place was somewhat unwelcoming to him.
"Hello there, beautiful ladies, could you please inform the head of the Einzbern family that the person you were waiting for has returned?"
Seeing the homunculus maids emerge from the surrounding forest, clutching special mystic code, Roy raised his hand and politely greeted them.
Yet it seemed they did not appreciate his gesture.
"Invader, leave the territory of the Einzbern family immediately, or face death."
The leading white-haired maid said to Roy with a blank expression.
They were not ordinary maids but the combat maids of the Einzbern family.
Jubstacheit had assigned them the mission to expel anyone who intruded upon the territory of the Einzbern family, and violators could be executed on the spot!!
After three warnings, when the surrounding combat maids saw that Roy still hadn't left, they showed no mercy. Holding disproportionately large axes and spears, they abruptly swung towards Roy's head.
Their approach was indeed decisive; considering their numbers and coordination, the combat maids of the Einzbern family were formidable.
Roy couldn't help but admire them inwardly.
In that case…
"Then come at me."
Watching the approaching homunculus, he still wore a smile.
*Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*
Amidst the thick clouds still swirling with falling snow, Roy gazed at the descending axes without flinching or dodging, simply raising two fingers slowly.
*Buzz*
A faint humming sound filled the air.
According to the laws of physics, an ordinary magus facing several homunculus who were specially enhanced and wielding offensive mystic code, if they failed to dodge at such a close distance, would surely be sliced to pieces in an instant.
However, the reality before them was...
The laws of physics? Or any other common-sense notions lost their significance the moment Roy raised his fingers.
The white light, resembling crystallized souls, spun rapidly within him, and Roy didn't even need to use magecraft. Merely by releasing the overflowing magical energy from his body, he sent the charging homunculus crashing back, firmly pinning them to the ground.
Even their weapons were knocked away in an instant as they approached.
Let alone fighting; they couldn't even get close; their strengths were on completely different levels.
There was nothing wrong with having many of you, and it wasn't wrong to have enhanced your souls with magical modifications, but what would you do if the enemy was a creature whose magical capacity surpassed yours by countless dimensions?
He didn't even need excess magecraft or incantations; just the release of his magical energy was enough to crush them to the ground, leaving them unable to move!
The battle of Magus indeed revolves around magecraft and compatibility, but as long as your magical strength can completely overwhelm the enemy, there's no need to adhere to these most basic combat principles.
With the unrestricted release of his magical energy, the snowflakes still falling in this area were swept away in an instant by the explosive surge of magical energy. This area, usually under the harsh winds and snow, surprisingly...
Came to a halt.
At that moment, the entire snowy world fell silent. Most of the homunculus were knocked out cold, leaving only two relatively capable leaders who could still struggle on the ground.
"Are you really not going to come out and see me? Do you want to force me to fight my way to the castle?"
Roy ignored the maids and focused his gaze on a certain direction in the snow, questioning aloud.
*Thud* *Thud* *Thud*
Accompanied by a series of clear footsteps, an old yet somewhat excited voice responded from a distance.
"There's no need for that; you have already proven your identity and strength, and you've shown me the miracle of fulfilling our ancestors' long-held wishes."
An elderly man with silver-white hair and a serious expression appeared; he was Jubstacheit von Einzbern, the head of the Einzbern family.
He stared blankly at Roy standing in the snow, his cloudy eyes lost in thought.
In his vision, the figure before him seemed to overlap with the original Magician from a century ago.
The breath engraved in fate and this terrifying power were telling him that this was the new Magician of the Third Magic who had inherited the legacy of his ancestors.
He then bent down toward Roy and spoke with immense respect, "The new Magician of the Third Magic, who holds the miracle, after a long time of trying and waiting, I have finally awaited your return."
"In accordance with the last will of the ancestors of the Einzbern family, please take over all the heritage of the Einzbern and lead the family to glory once again, proclaiming the return of the Third Magic to the world."
"We will forever serve you and are willing to sacrifice our lives at your command, swearing in the name of the Einzbern family."
At this moment, not just Jubstacheit von Einzbern, but many homunculus at the end of the snowfield, feeling the return of the Third Magic, gathered here and knelt before this new master.
They had waited too long for this moment.
From the first year of the calendar until now.
Now you have finally returned.
…
Inside the Einzbern Castle.
Roy, surrounded by a group of homunculus, looked down from the throne at them.
Although he was not accustomed to this feeling of looking down on others from the top of the throne, he did not refuse since it was the request of the entire Einzbern family.
They said this position was left for the Magician of the Third Magic by the original ancestors, which had been empty for hundreds of years, and now they hoped he would sit in it to fulfill their wishes.
Sitting on the magnificent throne, Roy glanced at the head maid who had been apprehended by the Einzbern family's knights for having acted against him, and his eyelids involuntarily twitched.
"Master, should I execute these traitors who dared to offend you?"
The leading knight knelt on one knee and said this.
Soon, several other knights in similar armor stepped in, each holding down a maid who had just participated in the battle, wielding specially made metal long spears, their expressions more hollow than serious.
Seeing this situation, the surrounding homunculus of the Einzbern family said nothing; no one would plead for these maids.
In their minds, the Magician of the Third Magic was the master, a supreme god to them, and their purpose was to find and serve the master. Therefore, it was only natural for these maids to face such consequences for daring to act against their master.
The Einzbern family had no living people; all operators were homunculus. Even if they executed many, they could quickly fill the personnel gaps, so there was no need to worry about any disruptions.
Thus, all the homunculus present in the throne room coldly watched the maids who had once served the Einzbern family, waiting for the master to decide their fates.
"That's enough; let them go. My return this time was not announced to anyone beforehand, and they were only trying to protect the safety of the Einzbern family."
Roy lightly tapped the armrest of the throne and subsequently pardoned their crimes.
"They are not guilty."
With his command, the knights of the Einzbern family bowed their heads, replying in a flat tone, "Yes."
Thus, all the maids were pardoned by their master.
The person sitting on the throne was the master they had waited for countless years, and as the knights guarding the family, they were among the core combat forces of the Einzbern family, absolutely loyal to the master.
As long as it was a command from the master, regardless of what it was, they would dutifully fulfill their mission without question. This was the meaning assigned to them since their birth.
"Thank you for your mercy, Master."
Seeing Roy pardon the maids, Jubstacheit von Einzbern respectfully bowed to him, then glanced at the maids and coldly said, "Aren't you going to step back? Sella."
"Yes."
The white-haired, red-eyed maid named Sella did not dare to defy Jubstacheit von Einzbern's order. After expressing her gratitude, she led the group of maids out of the throne room.
It was hard for her to imagine being pardoned after such an offense.
"Well then, everyone steps back; it's quite boring to chat here."
After dealing with the maid issue, Roy noticed that there were still hundreds of homunculus staring at him in the throne room.
Their eyes were hollow, their personalities almost erased, essentially reduced to special puppets that existed to Maintain the castle's operation, Submit to the Magician of the Third Magic, and Reproduce necessary humanity.
Except for Jubstacheit von Einzbern as a terminal, to Roy, these so-called subjects and puppets were not much different.
Was he putting on a one-man show here?
He had no time to play king's games; he had his own plans for coming to the Einzbern family.
"Let's dismiss the court; no, it should be a meeting adjourned. Jubstacheit von Einzbern, come with me; I have some questions for you."
"As you command."
Roy waved his hand, stood up from the throne, and sent the puppets away.
...
"Master, do you have any orders?"
Jubstacheit, who was called out alone, walked alongside Roy through the corridors of the Einzbern family castle, attracting the attention of many passing homunculus.
Although some knights offered to stay nearby to protect Roy, he declined their offers.
The reason for bringing Jubstacheit was that he was different from other homunculus; Jubstacheit was an artificial intelligence created by the disciples of the Magician of the Third Magic to control the castle's core, making him the father of all homunculus manufactured by the Einzbern family.
Therefore, some of the secrets about the Einzbern family could only be appropriately asked of him.
Roy asked, "According to the teachings of your ancestors, I should now be considered the head of the Einzbern family, right?"
"Yes, the Magician of the Third Magic will take over everything that belongs to the Einzbern family."
Jubstacheit replied truthfully.
"I understand."
Receiving a positive response, Roy nodded slightly and then directly inquired, "Then could you bring me the research materials regarding the Third Magic, as well as the manuscripts left by the First Magician of the Third Magic, and where the magic seals of the Einzbern family are located?"
"I still have a shallow understanding of the Third Magic and have not yet comprehended its mysteries fully, so could you give me everything related to the Third Magic of the Einzbern family?"
"Of course, this is something you are meant to inherit. I will send someone to deliver it to you shortly."
Hearing this, Jubstacheit calmly agreed to Roy's request, showing no emotional fluctuations on his face.
In his view, these were already Roy's possessions, and he, as a terminal, was merely temporarily holding them. Now that the master had returned, the entire family belonged to him, and there was no longer a need for a servant like him to take charge.
Seeing things proceed so smoothly made Roy feel a bit happier.
"Then I'll trouble you with that. Just send the materials directly to my room; I want to delve into the mysteries of the Third Magic."
"The Einzbern family will continue to operate as usual, under your control. I won't be staying long this time; I'll likely leave in about two months, and then everything will return to normal."
Roy's words made Jubstacheit fall into contemplation, and he looked at him with some confusion as he spoke.
"Why is that, Master? Why don't you want to stay here? As the returning Magician of the Third Magic, you should lead the Einzbern family to declare the return of the Third Magic to the world."
From Jubstacheit's standpoint, if possible, he truly did not want the Magician to roam around carelessly.
He feared that the new Magician might suddenly leave, just like the past hope... Holy Maiden of Winter... had done, plunging the Einzbern family back into confusion for hundreds of years or even longer.
In this land, they had waited painfully for hundreds of years, and they could not afford to lose their master again.
"I will naturally announce the return of the Magician of the Third Magic to the world, but compared to sitting here on this narrow piece of land with a share of power, I would rather go out and explore."
"My mind is vast, and my thoughts are free; this place is insufficient for me to wander, so I want to see the world. I wish to encounter beings like me or even stronger, to challenge them and examine myself, to evolve continuously until I can truly surpass."
Roy answered in a calm tone, his gaze serious and devoid of any impurities.
Of course, his words contained an undeniable resolve.
No matter how much Jubstacheit tried to stop him, he could never remain in the Einzbern family forever.
This statement successfully made Jubstacheit shake his head.
For a homunculus, it was quite difficult to comprehend what the master was saying, but contemplation and transcendence were also parts of evolution. Roy remained silent as he looked at the quiet Jubstacheit.
He gently patted his shoulder and then turned to leave.
"The Holy Grail War has ended. Before I arrived, when Emiya Kiritsugu took Illya away, you didn't forcibly stop him. That was well done."
"However, it's time to let go. There's no need to adhere to the past unchangingly; now both you and I have new paths to walk. We just need to support each other."
After leaving this remark, Roy no longer looked back.
There was no need to say anything further.
For the will had already been conveyed, hadn't it?
Whether for the future of the Einzbern family or his own path...
At this moment, it was already grasped in each other's hands.
----
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