Aozaki Aoko Case File

Fujimaru Ritsuka.

 A completely ordinary person with no special talents aside from her adaptability to Spiritron Transfer. She has no magical family lineage, and her number of magic circuits is unremarkable.

Yet, this very person overcame countless seemingly impossible challenges and saved the human order of the FGO world line multiple times.

Aoko spent a few days accompanying Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash in Tokyo, even taking the two of them on a tour of the University of Tokyo. Both Mash and Ritsuka were deeply curious about urban life in the 1990s.

During this time, Aoko quietly assessed Ritsuka's mental state and concluded that something about her was not quite normal.

Although the Singularities Ritsuka had dealt with so far were not as numerous as those she would face in the future, the amount of time spent under conditions that would cause severe mental strain for a normal person was already considerable.

For instance, Aoko once asked Ritsuka if she wanted to talk to her still-living, youthful parents. However, although Ritsuka appeared sad for a brief moment and even shed a few tears, her negative emotions mysteriously disappeared almost immediately. This cannot be explained simply by calling her a strong person.

This teenage girl lacked the natural responses and transitions a normal person would have. In other words, something—or some mechanism—was diverting Ritsuka's stress.

Someone or something was continuously eliminating the negative things that shouldn't exist within her, paving the way for humanity's final Master to overcome impossible odds and move forward without hesitation.

Was it Alaya, the Counter Force? Or perhaps the Fate System from her world line?

There were far too many ambiguous and unclear questions. Aoko, however, did not share her thoughts with Ritsuka or anyone in Chaldea. She merely kept them to herself, planning to address them once the Ritsuka of her world was summoned to Chaldea.

After touring various Tokyo landmarks, Ritsuka and Mash returned to Chaldea, satisfied and holding the Holy Grail they had obtained. Meanwhile, the composite Saint Graph of Lord El-Melloi II was left to Waver Velvet.

Before they left, Aoko gave Ritsuka a gemstone imbued with her unique magical energy. This gemstone would serve as a beacon between worlds. In the future, Aoko might have the opportunity to use the Fifth Magic to visit Chaldea in another world.

However, for the current Aoko, that day was still far off. At this moment, she would not respond to any summoning from a future Chaldea.

About the issue of inheriting the Einzbern estate, Touko had already gone ahead to Germany by herself. As the new wielder of the Third Magic, she was there to take over the Einzbern family's assets. Furthermore, she demanded the abolition of the workshop management AI, Jubstacheit von Einzbern, by the contract.

This AI had permitted Kiritsugu Emiya to cause trouble, even aiding and supporting his actions, despite knowing full well that both Aozaki sisters were involved. This was a grave violation of one of their taboos, and Acht had to face severe consequences.

Although outright destruction was unnecessary, sealing it away as punishment was deemed appropriate. After consulting with Aoko, Touko decided to make the clone of Irisviel the new management AI, who would also continue to care for Illya as her mother.

Illyasviel von Einzbern, who still retained her Lesser Grail characteristics, would undergo modifications by Touko to have her Lesser Grail abilities removed. She would then live on as the daughter of the cloned Irisviel, gaining a new sister named Caren.

As for the distance between Germany and Japan, Aoko didn't see it as a problem. She had recently acquired a 5th-level spell from the Circle of Conjuration—the famous Teleportation Circle.

The only issue was that the materials required to draw the teleportation circle were rather expensive. However, for Aoko, who had obtained so many golds, this expense was trivial. Spending one minute every day for an entire year to draw a teleportation circle was merely a tedious task for her.

If Aoko could successfully establish a permanent teleportation circle in Misaki Town within a year, this magic would allow her to create a semi-permanent passage between the Einzbern Castle in Germany and Misaki Town. This would make travel between the two locations incredibly convenient.

Just before leaving Fuyuki, Aoko wandered the nearly deserted Fuyuki shopping district one last time. While strolling, she noticed Artoria sitting on a bench, staring off into space.

Her golden hair was elegantly tied up, and she wore a khaki-colored women's trench coat paired with a white blouse and gray slacks. She looked like an ordinary urban woman.

However, no matter what clothes the former King of Knights wore, her unique aura was impossible to conceal. Aoko had already noticed several people, both men and women, staring at Artoria in a daze.

"I thought the great King of Knights wished on the Holy Grail to return to Britain and save her people," Aoko said, sitting down beside Artoria and handing her an ice cream she had just bought. "Mind telling me what happened after that?"

"...I did make a similar wish," Artoria said softly, taking the ice cream. "The woman in the Grail asked me, and I told her my past wish."

"And then?" Artoria hesitated as if trying to find the right words to explain.

"Then she summoned an old man and showed me the world that could result from my wish."

"A world that wasn't lacking in food, but where the people of Britain perished in peace."

Aoko wasn't surprised by the outcome of Artoria's wish. However, the fact that Justeaze was able to summon a man who seemed to be Zelretch was something worth pondering.

Previously, Aoko had been skeptical of Chaldea's ability to cross world lines via Spiritron Transfer. Now, however, this individual could even appear within the Greater Grail.

Could this entire Holy Grail War have been orchestrated by that old man from beginning to end? Was he using Chaldea and the Demon Pillars to neutralize this world line's Marisbury?

"And after that?" Aoko asked. "You didn't return to the Throne of Heroes?"

"...I can't quite remember," Artoria replied, trying to recall. "When I came to my senses, I was already back in Fuyuki."

"Huh?" Aoko was puzzled. "Why did that happen?"

"I don't know either," Artoria said, clenching her hand. "But it seems I've fully materialized."

Aoko reached out and pinched Artoria's cheek. Sure enough, it was soft and smooth, like a freshly boiled egg. Artoria caught Aoko's hand, stopping her from touching any further. She then took a bite of her ice cream and seemed quite pleased with the sweet flavor.

"Come back to Misaki Town with me, Artoria," Aoko said, leaning back on the bench. She had already used magic to drive away the surrounding ordinary people, ensuring that no passersby would notice the two of them.

"No problem," Artoria said, having already finished her ice cream in just a few bites. She pulled out a handkerchief, wiped her mouth, and said, "Please take care of me, Aoko."