The garden was plunged into deathly silence in the wake of Steve's shocking announcement. Except for the handful who already knew of the plan, it was evident on everyone's face—a mixture of disbelief and doubt that could not be concealed. Kayneth in particular looked as though he was about to burst out laughing, as if someone had just told him the joke of the century.
But Steve paid this no mind. Lifting aloft the jeweled sword, crafted from the essence of countless worlds, he let its starlight illuminate his face with an aura that was both divine and enigmatic.
"I know what all of you must be thinking."
His voice rang out clear as a bell, piercing deep into the heart of everyone present.
"The Fuyuki Holy Grail: Its magical power is born from the city's superior spiritual leyline. Vast though it is, it has limits. And in the end, it can grant but a single wish."
"That is the 'rule'—and the 'common sense'—of it."
"But..."
He altered the subject, but the conviction in his words was unmistakable.
"What if there existed a magic capable of granting the wishes of many?"
Steve began to explain the theoretical foundation of his plan in minute detail. Though his voice wasn't loud, it held the rigor and precision of a mage delivering an academic report—a logic so flawless that none present could find fault.
"The Jeweled Sword Zelretch is, at its core, a key to the 'Kaleidoscope.'"
"With it, one can draw forth nearly limitless magic from an infinite number of parallel worlds."
"Owning this energy means we are no longer limited by the reserves of the Fuyuki Grail itself."
"In theory, it is possible to construct several large-scale rituals—powerful enough to fulfill every attendee's wish, all at once."
"Granted," he continued, anticipating Kayneth's imminent challenge, cutting him off, "I am well aware even the Second Magic has its limitations."
"Each magi can draw only a finite amount of magical energy from the parallel worlds."
"Therefore,"—his words rang as he gazed over the five Masters present: Kiritsugu, Tokiomi, Kariya, Kayneth, and Waver—"If you wish for each other's happiness, every Master must grasp this sword together, and at this moment, converge limitless possibilities from across the multiverse—"
Steve pointed the Jeweled Sword at Irisviel.
"And direct all that power to the core of the ceremony: the Lesser Grail."
Under the weight of everyone's gaze, Irisviel slowly slipped off her white trench coat. Beneath it, a shining white gown, woven as if from pure light, filled the night with a divine aura.
"That's... the Dress of Heaven!"
Tokiomi gasped in awe, his eyes shining with reverence for the legendary artifact. Kayneth's pupils shrank; stunned beyond measure, he went rigid with shock.
"That's right," Steve confirmed, "Dispatched overnight from Einzbern Castle in Germany, this ceremonial dress is the final piece we need to enact this miracle."
"It will grant Lady Irisviel the authority to wield the Third Magic at any time."
Theory, props, the executor—all the components lay upon the table.
All that remained was the final contract, called "the wish."
Steve's gaze first fell upon the man whose breathing had become impossibly ragged.
"Emiya Kiritsugu."
He gently spoke the man's name.
"Your wish is to save your wife. Then let me give you that chance."
"When infinite mana converges, Lady Irisviel shall activate the Third Magic—materializing her soul and freeing her utterly from the Lesser Grail's fate."
"For her, I will prepare a brand new physical vessel: a puppet crafted from material equal to Grand Dolls, the highest quality."
"She will be reborn, living with a human's normal lifespan."
"At that moment, you may return with your wife to Germany and bring your daughter here, living out the ordinary life you've always dreamt of."
Suddenly, Kiritsugu lifted his head; after seeming frozen for millennia, fierce emotion finally washed over his face. Trembling, he stared at his wife wordlessly. Irisviel nodded at him with a tearful smile.
For this man, a former assassin-magus who had resolved to give up his life of crime, nothing in this world could be a greater temptation.
Steve then turned to the knightly king by his side.
"Artoria Pendragon. Your wish is to save your homeland."
"Yet, you know in your heart that history—set in stone by the Quantum Time-Lock—cannot be altered."
"After a full day of reflection, you chose another path."
"So let it be fulfilled. You shall gain a material body and begin a second life as an ordinary person."
"Thus, you can witness with your own eyes the age you protected and upholded, and truly grasp the meaning of your visions from the past."
Saber fell silent. In her emerald eyes flickered a complex mix of confusion and relief, and at last she loosened her grip on her sword's hilt.
Steve's gaze now fell on the two seekers of Magecraft's mysteries.
"Tokiomi Tohsaka. Lord El-Melloi. Your wish is the eternal dream of all magus—to reach the Root."
"Very well. I will fulfill it."
His words struck Kayneth like a thunderbolt, a look of greedy disbelief thundering across his face.
"By harnessing the Greater Grail's ability to connect to the outside world as it gathers Heroic Spirits, I can open a 'hole' for you—"
"A direct passage to the Swirl of the Root."
"You may enter of your own accord, and witness all truths with your own eyes."
Here, a meaningful smile curled on Steve's lips.
"Of course, as with all who have journeyed to the Root in history... What happens next is out of my hands. Whether you, as magus, can preserve yourselves in the endless torrent of knowledge, or whether you will be assimilated and become part of the truth itself... I cannot guarantee."
"In fact, you will almost certainly be assimilated... Even with my Cosmic Magecraft, not everyone who opens the gates by dying can return. And even should you return, the loss of restraint would only create trouble. So go and claim your one-way ticket, swiftly and safely..."
As Steve silently lamented in his heart, his words sliced to the souls of the two magus, sharp as the finest scalpel.
On Tokiomi's face, a fervor gleamed as though he were a martyr. Kayneth's breathing was ragged, his pride and ambition raging within.
This was a devil's contract, and yet it was also the sole staircase to the supreme throne that neither could refuse.
During all that, Steve did not even bother seeking out Diarmuid; he knew the man would only repeat, "I shall obey whatever my Master's decision is."
His glance at last settled on a trembling boy and the figure standing with the presence of a king.
"Waver Velvet. I understand what you crave—being recognized as a first-rate magus is dearer to you than any shortcut to the Root. After that, you can pursue the mysteries of Magecraft in your own way."
"Yours is the simplest wish."
He smiled gently.
"By using a portion of the Greater Grail's power, I will grant you a complete 'transformation'—"
"Your magic circuits will be strengthened, and your family's Crest, passed down three generations, will be upgraded to top class."
"The future is bright for you on the path of Magecraft."
For a moment, Waver's eyes widened in disbelief, and excitement robbed him of speech; his open mouth made only a series of "Ah... Ah..." sounds.
"Conqueror Iskandar, your wish is simple—"
"A physical body."
"That way you can conquer this age as you please."
"Hahaha! Well said!"
Iskandar roared, giving Waver such a hearty slap on the back the boy nearly hit the ground. "I'm more than satisfied with this deal!"
At last, Steve's gaze met that of Gilgamesh, King of Heroes, suspended in the air.
"Hero King, what you desire is simply the amusements of the modern world, as entertainment once you gain a physical form."
"All that has come into being after my birth will surely provide you ample pleasure."
"Hmm. That's all I could ask for."
Gilgamesh hummed, his answer unmistakably accepting the terms.
Meanwhile, Kariya Matou stood in a corner, tears already streaming down his cheeks. The moment Sakura was rescued, his wish was already granted.
"As for Sir Lancelot's obsession..."
Steve turned to address the silent, berserk knight.
"I will arrange a final duel between you and your king—let you settle your regrets in your own way."
For the first time, the red pulses flickering within the Black Knight's helmet slowed.
All the contracts had now been read aloud.
Only the final decisions remained.
The entire courtyard was shrouded in utter stillness.
...
Bonus chapter at 100 PS
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