This Is My Holy Grail War [166]

It was a cruciform sword, its blade gleaming with an ominous chill—stained with blood.

At such close range, Victoria could smell it. The sunlight streaming through the workshop’s broken windows glinted off the blade’s edge, its silver radiance stabbing into her eyes. She swallowed hard as a bone-deep chill crept over her—not just from the cold air, but from fear.

Flames flickered in her palm, ignited by her dwindling mana. Yet, rather than offering warmth, they only seemed to make the surrounding air feel even colder. Saber’s sword—just the slightest push forward, and she would die.

Why is Saber here?!

She had directed Assassin to flee northward to avoid the other participants. The northern bank of Blanche was sparsely populated; few would abandon the wealth of the port to develop the barren land. Her first priority had been to ensure Assassin did not draw attention. The second was to keep the existence of magecraft hidden.

Victoria turned her head stiffly and met Saber’s gaze. Assassin’s perspective had never allowed for such clarity—only now did she see that Saber was about her height. But last night’s battle had already taught her that this was a terrifying swordswoman.

The sound of clashing blades still echoed in her ears, and the countless flashes of steel, each one carrying the intent to kill, surged before her eyes.

Overwhelmed by terror, Victoria instinctively backed away—only to lose her footing and stumble, falling hard onto the concrete floor.

The cold seeped into her spine instantly.

The orange flame in her hand flickered out as she hit the ground, the only source of warmth vanishing in an instant.

She let out a soft cry of pain, just as Saber crouched down beside her. Before she could react, the swordswoman gently lifted her chin.

Without waiting for a question, Victoria blurted out in a trembling voice, “V-Victoria. You can call me Victoria.”

She wasn’t sure if the shaking was from fear or the cold.

"A fine name," Saber murmured. Her voice was lifeless, devoid of youthful warmth. Instead, it carried an unsettling undertone—something akin to the scent of blood.

"Your Servant, Assassin—what is his true name?"

“I don’t know.” Victoria shook her head frantically. “I never asked him his true name.”

The moment she finished speaking, she realized Saber’s gaze remained locked onto her.

"My patience is limited. Don’t test me." Saber tapped the flat of her sword against Victoria’s right hand—against the three crimson marks of her [Command Seals]. "And don’t think of summoning Assassin. I can take your head before you even open your mouth."

The cold steel against her skin jolted Victoria back to her senses. It was only now that she truly grasped the situation.

Saber hasn’t killed me yet because she still finds me useful.

That also meant she had a brief window to turn this situation around.

The workshop was in shambles—not even a working light. The steel-plated roof blocked out most of the daylight, leaving only weak beams filtering through the cracked windows.

"I need to know everything about Assassin. Who he is, where he comes from. His true name, his Noble Phantasm."

Saber’s voice was disturbingly calm, but Victoria’s heart pounded in her chest.

Saber saw Assassin as a threat. That was why she cared.

She had to think. She had to stay calm. A dead woman had nothing.

Victoria hesitated, forcing herself to steady her breath. “My Servant… he’s just a nameless nobody. He has no title to leave behind in history. I don’t know who he truly is. Assassin only told me that he was… a butcher.”

Saber said nothing in response. Instead, her armored hand closed around Victoria’s throat.

It was as if the judge of the underworld had just passed sentence.

Panic surged through Victoria. Desperately, she added, “Assassin can fight you because he is a hero! Every Servant in this Holy Grail War was summoned from legend. Not just him—every single one of them is strong enough to threaten you!”

She understood now.

Even if she knew Assassin’s true name, she couldn’t reveal it.

Because the moment she lost her value, she would die.

"A hero, is he?" Saber narrowed her eyes, the word seemingly unsettling her. "So what? I want information on Assassin. He is the strongest swordsman I’ve ever encountered—there is no way he is some nameless nobody. Don’t try to deceive me. If you do, I’ll kill you on the spot."

Victoria realized something.

She wasn’t Saber’s true target.

The swordswoman wanted to eliminate Servants, not their Masters. Assassin’s [Presence Concealment] made him difficult to track—Saber must have struggled to pin him down. She wanted this fight.

But she wasn’t a warrior, otherwise, she wouldn’t have ambushed Victoria.

And yet last night, Saber had openly issued a challenge to all combatants. A knight’s conduct.

It didn’t add up.

Saber saw Assassin as the greatest threat. She was so fixated on him that she paid little attention to the other Servants. Even Victoria herself was beginning to wonder—just who exactly is Assassin?

A medieval longsword. Heavy armor, its craftsmanship both elegant and practical. A scabbard fit for a king. The sword itself, though simple, was undoubtedly a legendary blade…

Maybe…

Maybe she could take a gamble?

Saber was no traitor or rebel. The noble air surrounding her, her armor and sword—they told Victoria that this woman was a knight. A warrior of high standing, at least in legend.

Victoria carefully observed her surroundings. One wrong word could be the difference between life and death.

"Assassin… he’s different. Unpredictable." Victoria chose her words carefully. "I never had time to speak with him properly. He went straight for you the moment he was summoned. Then someone destroyed the hospital while I was being treated."

She slowly pushed herself off the ground, drawing attention to her clothing under Saber’s gaze.

It was a thin garment. No embroidery, no decoration. Simple and plain—nothing more than a thickened hospital gown.

"Assassin shielded me as we escaped," she continued. "Our pursuers refused to let us go. We had no time to stop, no moment to breathe. All we could do was run."

"So you ended up here?"

"Yes. But I didn’t know you were here!"

The words came out louder than she intended, and she immediately regretted it.

Victoria swallowed hard. Had she just angered Saber?

But the swordswoman… was frozen in place.

Silence.

The rusting machines around them lay dormant. The scent of oil hung in the air, yet no hum of engines accompanied it. The quiet was suffocating.

A place so silent that even a falling needle would be deafening.

"I see now…" Saber finally spoke. "Someone destroyed the hospital. You fled, pursued at every turn. And now, you’ve arrived here. Is that correct?"

Victoria nodded. Her body was fragile, but her gaze was firm. She met Saber’s eyes without wavering.

She couldn’t show weakness.

Because that might make Saber think she was lying.

"Good. I believe you."

Saber suddenly extended a hand, gently brushing Victoria’s cheek.

Not cold steel. Warm fingers.

"Tell me… do you have any interest in helping me kill the two Servants outside?"

"Two?!"

Victoria’s breath caught in her throat. Weren’t they only fighting Berserker?!

She had no idea what Saber meant by two Servants.

For a brief moment, she was stunned.

Then, hastily, she reconnected with Assassin through their contract.

With Saber allowing it, she shared Assassin’s vision through magic.

She saw them.

Two Servants.

But neither were warriors who dominated the battlefield.

One restricted Assassin’s movements, while Berserker commanded familiars to attack his Master.

Assassin fought back with difficulty—but he was losing ground.

Neither side had even unleashed their Noble Phantasms, yet the tide of battle was already turning.

"Caster has discovered my workshop."

Saber’s voice was even.

"They’re desperate to take down Assassin, but lack a decisive strike."

"Your workshop?!" Victoria gasped. "You built a workshop—and now Caster—wait. How do you know that’s Caster?"

Saber’s lips curved into a smirk.

"Because this is my temple. Have you realized it yet?"

“No.” Victoria shook her head hurriedly.

"Who else besides a Caster could so easily detect my workshop?" Saber asked, but she didn’t wait for an answer before continuing on her own.

"You reek of curses—so much so that I don’t even need magecraft to sense it. I don’t know what you’ve been through, but at most, you have six months left to live."

She paused for a moment, then corrected herself.

"No… you’ve expended too much mana. Your life force is even weaker than before. You’ll last… a little over two months."

“You actually understand magecraft?!” Victoria blurted out in shock.

She couldn’t fathom how a swordswoman—a knight, no less—could possess such precise knowledge of magic. More than that, Saber had seen right through her condition with disturbing clarity.

"I… am really going to die that soon?"

The Holy Grail was a wish-granting omnipotent device. But there was only one Grail.

If she used it to save her brother, then what would happen to her?

"You want to use the Grail to rid yourself of your curse, don’t you?"

Saber’s question struck at the very heart of Victoria’s thoughts.

If I win… what should I even wish for?

“Yes.” Victoria was still lost in thought, but she nodded instinctively.

"But the Holy Grail is not actually a wish-granting device."

“What?!”

Saber’s words hit her like a thunderclap, snapping her out of her daze.

"To be precise, it is a vessel for containing the souls of Servants. Once the ritual is complete, the magus who claims it will obtain nearly limitless mana."

Saber’s explanation left Victoria reeling.

How does a Servant, summoned from the annals of human history, know such details about the Grail?

She didn’t believe it outright.

But Saber, as if reading her mind, spoke before she could voice her doubt.

"The Grail itself does not grant wishes. But what does infinite mana mean to a magus?"

Saber smiled.

"To second-rate magi, it might not mean much. But to those from the Age of Gods… it is an omnipotent wish-granting device."

She reached out, tucking a stray lock of hair behind Victoria’s ear. Her voice was low, nearly hypnotic.

"With that power, I could dispel the curse on you. It’s simple."

The moment Saber finished speaking, Victoria felt the cold vanish from her body.

A warmth spread through the air, chasing away the freezing chill.

This is… a [Bounded Field]!

Panic surged through Victoria.

Saber hadn’t even prepared a spell. No calculations, no preliminary setup. No incantation, no visible flow of mana.

It was as if she had merely spoken, and reality obeyed.

Impossible.

Did she plan this from the very beginning?

Victoria suddenly realized—Saber was terrifyingly shrewd.

She had used fear to lure her in.

And now, she knew that Assassin was losing the battle.

Caster and Berserker had discovered this workshop. If they finished off Assassin, their next target would likely be Saber.

"I have no issue with fighting alongside you."

Victoria felt as though she were standing before a beast, her instincts screaming at her to flee.

"I will command Assassin to assist you. If we win, then please—rid me of my curse."

She played along, making sure Saber believed that her only goal was to lift the curse. Lowering the swordswoman’s guard was her best option.

"That would be ideal. But for safety’s sake, Masters should stay somewhere secure, don't you think?"

That light, amused tone made Victoria’s hair stand on end.

Then—

A dense, violet mist swirled to life.

And from within it, countless skeletal warriors emerged.

[Dragon Tooth Warriors]!

The skeletal soldiers let out eerie rattling sounds as they approached her.

Victoria instinctively recoiled—only for Saber to press a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Relax. They’re my familiars. They’ll protect you." Saber smiled.

Protect me? More like hold me hostage!

Victoria clenched her teeth.

The [Dragon Tooth Warriors]’ weapons were mere steps away from her. At this distance, there was no chance of escaping, no time to cast a spell. She wouldn’t even be able to summon Assassin fast enough.

This wasn’t the conduct of a knight.

This was something a magus would do.

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T/N: well... at least she didnt kill the master

This is a fan translation of 这是我的圣杯之战 by 向希望祈祷. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!