Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

Irisviel walked over to Shirou and put her hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Is this how Einzbern treats his distinguished guests?"

"..."

The androids looked at each other in confusion, unsure how to answer.

“Take us to see Ahadeon,” Irisviel said.

Her unquestionable tone and natural queenly majesty silenced the girls present for a long time before they finally released their weapons.

Irisviel took Shirou's hand and walked smoothly into the depths of the forest's barrier.

The Einzbern Castle is even more magnificent than the one in the forest outside Fuyuki.

"Even the palace of the Holy Roman Empire couldn't be this grand," Shirou thought to himself.

After entering the castle, the group walked for another fifteen minutes before finally arriving at their destination, the chapel.

Along the way, the androids in the castle would stop what they were doing and turn their heads to look at Shirou and Irisviel.

The unspoken oppression was like something out of a horror movie.

Irisviel did not respond to their gazes, but walked forward with a calm expression, having overcome her inner fear.

In the chapel of Einzbern, people were already waiting.

Tall and stern-faced, with a long white beard reminiscent of an old man with an icy waterfall, that was the artificial terminal that ruled Einzbern for hundreds of years—Jöbstaheit von Einzbern.

Since inheriting the position of the eighth head of the family, he has used the name Ahhad and extended his lifespan several times, living for nearly two centuries.

"When I heard that an uninvited thief was calling himself an honored guest, I wondered who could be so shameless. It turns out it was you."

Ahadeon's deep-set eyes shone with a sharp light, as if piercing through Irisviel.

"grandfather."

Irisviel bowed her head deeply, and Lysériet and Sera behind her also bowed respectfully.

“Irisviel…”

Ahadeon's withered face twisted slightly, revealing a hint of madness.

"At the very moment when our race was closest to the Greater Grail, we gave it all up..."

"You who betrayed our expectations, who destroyed the Einzbern family's millennia-old tragic dream... how dare you set foot on this land again!"

"I am sorry for what happened in the Fourth Holy Grail War, but please let me explain."

Irisviel said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "The Great Grail of Fuyuki was already contaminated during the previous ceremony due to your strategic mistake, Grandpa."

The Greater Grail can no longer manifest as the "Heaven's Cup," and if left unchecked, it will cause a global catastrophe.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I had no choice but to discontinue the function of the Greater Grail. I hope you can understand.

"You mean... it was my foolishness and greed that ruined Einzbern's ideals?"

"I didn't say that."

Irisviel raised her head, met the old man's gaze without looking away, and spoke.

"But I also ask that you retract the false accusation of 'traitor' leveled against me."

"........."

Shirou thought Ahadeon would be enraged by Irisviel, but to his surprise, his distorted face gradually returned to calm.

The old man shifted his gaze from Irisviel to the boy standing beside her.

"Irisviel, what do you mean by this?"

"Bringing outsiders back isn't enough; destroying the Holy Grail isn't enough. Are you planning to take my life this time?"

"I've come back this time because I have a favor to ask."

"Oh?" Ahadeon sneered.

Irisviel said, "My lifespan is nearing its end, and I hope to extend it with the help of Einzbern's technology."

When Ahad heard her request, he showed an expression of disbelief and shock.

The old man burst into laughter, his laughter filled with contempt.

"Irisviel, I see... I never thought you were such a cowardly woman. Making you a Master was definitely the worst decision I ever made."

Irisviel's desire to prolong her life wasn't for her own sake, but because of my greed... Shirou was about to retort—

"You're right."

Irisviel simply admitted her cowardice.

"Of course I'm afraid of death."

After all, no matter how superior my performance as an android may be, I am still just Irisviel, not Lady Justiza.

I cannot give my precious life for others, please do not have unrealistic expectations of me.

"Don't you dare mention the name 'Winter Saintess' so easily!" Ahad roared.

"........."

Irisviel gave the old man some time to calm down before asking.

"Could you ask Einzbern to provide me with the technology to prolong life?"

Ahadeon said coldly, "Einzbern would not provide any assistance to traitors, and besides... such technology simply does not exist."

"Grandpa, you've lived a life that's a hundred times longer than your fellow countrymen?"

The old man's face turned somewhat ugly after Irisviel exposed him.

"The lifespan of artificial life forms is set during the manufacturing process."

As the head of the Einzbern family, I was designed from the beginning to have an extended lifespan.

And you, Irisviel, are the "vessel" prepared for the Fourth Holy Grail War.

You shouldn't have lived past the ceremony in the first place. You should be grateful to be alive now; you shouldn't expect to live a life beyond your own potential.

"Why?" Irisviel asked.

“What?” Ahad frowned.

Why can't androids have their own dreams?

"Absurd! The Einzbern family has only ever had one ideal: the establishment of a third party and the manifestation of the Holy Grail! Irisviel, you have ruined our dream—"

"That's how you brainwashed us back then."

Irisviel stared at the old man she called "Grandpa" with an incredibly cold gaze.

"But that is not our dream, it is just your own obsession and crazy projection."

Irisviel drew her magical costume from her bosom, and the silver threads instantly transformed into an alchemical eagle.

"……what?"

Shirou was completely dumbfounded; he had never heard that Irisviel was carrying weapons when she went out.

The artificial beings wielding axes and spears immediately surrounded them in the chapel.

Sera and Lyselle stood on either side of the lady, and Shirou quickly shielded the three of them behind him.

The silver-haired, red-eyed android spoke up: "Grandpa, your era has ended—"

From this day forward, I will take over this winter city, and I will guide the new order of Einzbern.

-----------------

Volume 4, Chapter 169: Shirou: This touches on my area of ​​expertise!

It can't even be called a battle.

When Irisviel said, "It's okay to be a little rough," the previously evenly matched situation instantly turned into one-sided battles—Shirou and Lyselite instantly subdued all the android soldiers present.

On one hand, there is Shirou's own Heroic Spirit-level combat power, and on the other hand, Lyselite's performance as the "Clothes of Heaven" far surpasses that of the Einzbern combat-type androids.

On the other hand, it is also thanks to the tacit understanding that the two have accumulated over so many years of living under the same roof.

While Shirou and Lyselle had the situation under control, Irisviel and Sera were not idle either.

"Madam! I've already subdued Grandfather!"

"Well done, Sera!"

"You two! This is rebellion! Stop it right now! Waaaaaah!"

"Grandpa, now that things have come to this, you should stop resisting and just surrender!"

The two men worked in a flurry of activity, but eventually managed to tie Ahadeon up.

By the time more androids arrived at the scene, everything had already settled down.

In front of a large group of homunculi, Irisviel announced that she would succeed as the ninth head of the Einzbern family.

However, this is not a command or coercion—

Irisviel indicated that she was willing to give everyone in Einzbern the opportunity to choose.

"Should we continue to obey our grandfather and pursue the Greater Grail and the Third Law, or should we trust me and let me lead the future Einzbern..."

Let's discuss and decide which option to choose, then let me know.

I will wait patiently until everyone reaches a conclusion in their discussion.

After saying this, Irisviel led Ahadeon, who was bound hand and foot with silver threads, away from the chapel.

The remaining androids were at a loss and remained silent.

They must be very confused now, after all, nothing like this has ever happened in the history of Einzbern.

……

……

A room in the Winter City.

This is the room Irisviel used when she was still living in the city.

Although she had been away for so many years, the furnishings inside were exactly the same as she remembered.

Although she was regarded as a traitor by her compatriots, her room and the traces of her life were not erased.

Perhaps it's because the androids don't have a culture of venting their emotions by leaving behind the remains of the destroyed objects...

Ultimately, apart from Ahadeon, all the artificial life forms are infants with the appearance of young girls but simple minds.

Irisviel stood by the window, gazing at the endless blizzards outside.

"Haha, I actually did it... Now I'm going to become Einzbern's eternal sinner..."

Irisviel pressed down on her trembling hand.

The betrayal just now was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a premeditated act, which was simply not told to anyone, including Shirou.

Although Irisviel was mentally prepared, she still found it incredible when she actually did it.

She looked at herself in the full-length mirror.

As an artificial human, Irisviel's appearance has been like this since her birth.

Unlike normal humans, she cannot grow up or age.

Their appearance will not change until they face death.

No wonder some magicians refer to artificial life forms as "dolls"...

In their eyes, androids are no different from monsters.

but--

Although her appearance hasn't changed, Irisviel feels that her inner self has changed a lot.

When she left that room to embark on her journey in the Holy Grail War, she could never have imagined that she would soon betray the Einzbern family and even return years later to start a rebellion.

Meeting Saber changed her.