NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 210: Chapter 212: Poor Illya!
The Socratic Method of Discussion involves questioning everything with "What is it?" or "Why?" to explore the essence of things. However, a simpler interpretation would be: arguing for the sake of arguing.
Though Jeanne wasn't a full-blown troll, her nitpicking wasn't limited to Sakura's sadistic display. She also had strong opinions about Sakura's critical villain mistake: villains die from over-talking.
"So, if your sister had acted just one second earlier, that priest would've died, right? Who'd believe such a convenient coincidence?" Jeanne questioned.
Shinji shrugged. "As the saying goes, truth is stranger than fiction. Stories thrive on dramatic coincidences."
"That's just your lazy excuse," Jeanne countered. "As the saying also goes, speed is key in warfare. She should've killed the priest first before rambling."
"But people derive joy from boasting while their target is alive," Shinji replied. "Holding it in too long without venting might make one sick. And for the record, she's not my sister. My sister isn't that psychotic."
Jeanne squinted at him. "Then why do I recall someone constantly being bullied by his sister?"
Shinji ignored her and turned to Amakusa. "Amakusa, focus on Sakura's performance. You're playing a former hero turned villain too. Learn how to channel that vengeful joy of retaliation."
"Master, are you suggesting I mistreat Jeanne?" Amakusa teased. "Just because she refuted you earlier? You're quite petty."
At this, both female Servants gave Shinji looks of disdain.
"You Servants stop trying to stir up drama!" Shinji pounded the table. "Character roles! Understand your roles! Why do you think I'm showing you this?"
"To flaunt your achievements as a Master?" Jeanne tilted her head.
"Absolutely not!"
Jeanne raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you say humans are innately boastful and lustful? Are you denying your own philosophy?"
"..."
Shinji realized these Servants were even better at twisting his words than he was.
'This won't do. I can't let them keep leading me around!'
Shinji turned to Kairi Sisigou and said, "Kairi, pay close attention to Illya's role in the next scene. It mirrors your position to some extent."
"A tool, through and through?" Kairi responded while flipping through the Heaven's Feel script.
"...Pretty much," Shinji admitted helplessly.
Regardless of his personal feelings toward Illyasviel von Einzbern, the fact remained: in the Heaven's Feel route, Illya was essentially a plot device.
While her sacrifices bolstered Shirou Emiya's resolve and she ultimately saved him, her main function was to facilitate Shirou and Sakura's story arc.
If Illya were slightly more cunning, their relationship might've turned into a love triangle worthy of a soap opera.
But alas, this plot wasn't entirely Shinji's fault. He was just faithfully adapting a certain author's script.
Looking at Illya's role in Heaven's Feel, one can't help but feel immense pity:
When Shirou was lost after losing his Servant, Illya comforted him.
When Shirou faltered after Sakura's descent into darkness, Illya inspired him to keep fighting.
When Shirou was about to die in the end, Illya sacrificed herself to save him.
And what was her reward? Shirou and Sakura lived happily ever after, while Illya lingered as a ghostly afterthought.
Truly, one can only lament: Illya, you poor thing!
So while the creator might claim Heaven's Feel merges the Sakura route with the Illya route, in practice, it's just a story of Illya's repeated suffering.
Of course, there's the UBW route where she avoids such torment… but only by dying outright.
Even in Shinji's adjusted Heaven's Feel adaptation, Illya's role as a tool hasn't significantly changed.
On-screen, as Shirou and Illya returned to the Emiya residence, she quickly assumed the role of narrator.
Her monologue covered the history of the Holy Grail War:
The Einzbern clan's thousand-year ambition.
The Matou family's five-century pursuit.
The Tohsaka lineage's two-hundred-year struggle.
Yet all their dreams ultimately amounted to nothing but a fleeting illusion.
During the Third Holy Grail War, the Einzberns summoned Avenger, Angra Mainyu—the embodiment of humanity's evil—breaking the rules.
What followed was history everyone knew:
Angra Mainyu polluted the Grail, turning it into a vessel of malice and corruption.
These details are things any seasoned Fate fan could easily rattle off in great detail.
Previously, such explanations about the Holy Grail War were scattered across various works, with characters occasionally dropping a line or two about it.
This time, however, it was entirely different. Illya used a full segment to explain the Holy Grail War, the Three Founding Families, and the history of the concept of All the World's Evil to the audience.
If someone wanted to create a comprehensive guide to the history of the Fuyuki Holy Grail War, simply copying Illya's dialogue here would be the most complete and efficient method.
Of course, to ensure viewers didn't find Illya's lengthy monologue tedious—after all, unless you're a lolicon, no one enjoys watching a character talk for several uninterrupted minutes—Shinji added a specially crafted animation sequence to accompany the narration.
Instead of simply showing Illya demonstrating the past events, as in the movie version, Shinji drew inspiration from the "The Tale of the Three Brothers" sequence in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Using intricate line-art imagery, the screen displayed Fuyuki's historical events in a shadow-puppet-like style.
To further foreshadow the upcoming Fate/Apocrypha, Shinji had Illya re-record the narration last month, adding new related content:
"At the time, the Einzbern family discovered a loophole and had two special classes to choose from: Avenger, for sheer destructive power, and Ruler, for superior tactical advantage."
"After weighing the pros and cons, the Einzberns opted for the more aggressive Avenger. Unfortunately, there was an error in their choice of Heroic Spirit, resulting in the weakest of combatants: Angra Mainyu."
"If the Einzberns had summoned a Ruler instead, perhaps everything would've turned out differently."
Illya's voice carried a tinge of regret as she spoke.
Hearing Illya's words, Kairi Sisigou burst out laughing.
"Honestly, it wouldn't have made much difference. If anything, choosing Ruler might've led to the Three Families' downfall even faster."
"Sometimes a blessing in disguise," Jeanne offered a different perspective. She turned to Shinji and said, "In the end, this is just your personal theory. If I wanted to, I could write a story where the Three Families actually reach the Root."
Amakusa, unimpressed, snorted. "You? Write a story? Saintess, you didn't even finish elementary school. You'd be lucky to come up with six words in a week."
Jeanne: "💢"
Jeanne: "💢💢"
Jeanne: "💢💢💢".
'You obnoxious dark-skinned brat! Just wait for the action scenes—I'll skewer you and roast you like a kabob!"'
Jeanne felt her forced smile starting to crack.
'Serves you right, Jeanne. You love nitpicking at me, but now you've met your match, haven't you?'
Shinji, on the other hand, was holding back laughter so hard he was almost in pain.
'Amakusa, don't stop! I'll give you every kind of support—other than direct intervention.'
Had Jeanne not been present, Shinji might have given Amakusa a big thumbs-up on the spot.
Meanwhile, Sisigou, seemingly ignored by everyone else, scratched his head as he watched Illya lecturing on-screen.
"Teaching people... Count me out. I hate giving lectures."
With Illya's explanation complete, Shirou and the group began preparations for the final battle.
Since they only had Rider as their Servant, Shirou took a huge risk and projected an unusual Noble Phantasm—a short sword with a blade resembling a faceted gemstone.
This was instantly recognizable to many magi specializing in Second Magic, even if they hadn't seen it before—they would've at least heard descriptions of it.
It was none other than the Jeweled Sword, a mystic code created by Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, the Marshal of the Second Magic.
Normally, such a reveal would've shocked everyone. But to seasoned magi fans watching the movie, it was hardly surprising.
After being inundated with so many versions of Fate/Stay Night, they had long accepted one undeniable truth:
Shirou Emiya is the production team's golden boy.
It didn't matter whether it was the Jeweled Sword or anything else—if he wanted it, he could project it.
"If Shirou projected a female version of himself, I wouldn't even bat an eye," Shibamatsu remarked, watching the Jeweled Sword appear in Shirou's hands.
"Seriously, that sword is way too overpowered," Fujita grumbled. "Shinji really went all out just to make Shirou look cooler. I wish I had a friend like that."
Compared to mythical Noble Phantasms from legends, the Jeweled Sword was a more recent creation. Yet because of its deep ties to the Second Magic, many magi were more familiar with it than legendary artifacts.
And because they knew it so well, they also understood just how broken Shirou's projection ability truly was.
"You idiots!" Alice exclaimed in exasperation. "Don't forget how Shirou managed to project the Jeweled Sword in the first place!"
"Uh..."
The group exchanged confused looks before suddenly letting out ear-piercing screams that startled everyone else in the theater.
"Wait! Does the Tohsaka family really have the blueprints for the Jeweled Sword?!"
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