Multiverse: Why does the world show a health bar? !

The Holy Grail War was a ritual jointly established by three mage families: the Tohsaka, Matou, and Einzbern clans.

Now, the Tohsaka family had only Rin Tohsaka left as its sole heir. The Matou family, after the head of the household was eliminated by Li Mo, left only the Matou siblings. In contrast, the Einzbern family appeared to be thriving. Their patriarch and his retinue remained safely ensconced in their German castle, dispatching only Illyasviel von Einzbern—a young girl—to participate in the war on their behalf.

Accompanying her were two maids, though these weren't ordinary humans but homunculi—beings considered less than human in the eyes of the Einzbern elders. Despite not relocating entirely to Fuyuki City like the Matou family, the Einzberns maintained a property there as their base for participating in the war. 

This property? A full-fledged castle. 

A castle complete with sprawling gardens. As they stepped onto the Einzbern grounds, Rin Tohsaka couldn't help but doubt whether they'd arrived at the right place. Instead of flowers, towering trees dominated the landscape, transforming the garden into something more akin to a forest—one reminiscent of the undeveloped wilderness surrounding Mount Enzo.

How much must this land be worth? Rin felt a pang of envy—and perhaps even jealousy. Since Tokiomi Tohsaka's untimely death, the Tohsaka family had fallen on hard times. While daily life wasn't an issue, conducting magical research became increasingly strained, especially since gemstones were essential for many of their spells. Though modern technology could produce artificial gems, these lacked the *mystery* required for high-level thaumaturgy. Natural gems remained indispensable for serious work.

Not just the Tohsakas—the Matous had also declined significantly. With Zouken Matou gone, the family's future seemed bleak, leaving only the siblings to carry on. Yet why did the Einzberns remain so prosperous?

"Master, is something wrong?" Red Archer asked, materializing from his ethereal form upon entering the premises. Facing Berserker, he prepared fully for combat.

"It's nothing," Rin replied curtly. Would she admit feeling envious of the Einzbern family's wealth? Hardly. Perhaps it was closer to jealousy.

Instead, she turned her thoughts outward, asking casually, "Archer, are you familiar with this place?"

"Slightly." Red Archer responded, his identity already revealed by a certain magus. There was no point hiding further. Indeed, during his lifetime, he had visited here. If Shirou Emiya participated in the Holy Grail War, contact with Illyasviel was inevitable—they shared a common father, after all: Kiritsugu Emiya.

As minor side conversations unfolded, the group soon approached the castle. Its design bore no resemblance to traditional Japanese architecture; instead, it mirrored ancient Western styles, transplanted directly from Germany. Money talks, Rin mused wryly. Even her own family's mansion leaned toward Western aesthetics.

"Is everything really fine with Li-kun? And what about Shinji? Won't leaving him alone at home cause problems?" Shirou voiced concerns while gazing at the distant silhouette of the castle.

After their earlier encounter, Li Mo had assisted Shirou in sorting through Kiritsugu's belongings, revealing a ticket to Germany among them. Coupled with Li Mo's prior statements, Shirou believed convincing his unknown sister would prove straightforward.

Still, Li Mo faced a different challenge—direct confrontation with Servants.

"There's no need to worry about Li-kun. Archer mentioned that in close-quarters combat, the enemy matches Servant-level strength. Lancer wouldn't stand a chance. However, regarding Shinji…" Rin hesitated briefly before continuing. She harbored personal biases against the Matou heir, whose whole demeanor made him universally disliked at school. His charm relied solely on superficial appeal, making him an easy target for ridicule.

Her question redirected to Sakura Matou.

Over the past two days, Sakura's attitude toward Shinji had shifted dramatically under Medea's influence. Now, the elder Matou sibling feared her younger sister deeply. Before leaving, Sakura entrusted their safety to Fujimura Taiga, ensuring no unnecessary trouble would arise.

"If Fujimura-sensei is there, Shinji won't dare do anything foolish," Rin affirmed confidently.

Fujimura Taiga, an English teacher rumored to have ties to the yakuza, carried an imposing reputation among students. Known affectionately as "Tiger," she possessed uncanny luck—finding ¥10,000 bills on the street was practically routine for her.

Though Rin admired her fortune, she trusted Fujimura to handle things responsibly.

Shirou nodded in agreement. Li Mo's swift resolution ensured their homefront was secure, allowing them to focus fully on negotiations ahead.

Yet another concern lingered in Shirou's mind.

"Are we sure it's safe to approach so openly? None of the Servants are concealing their presence."

Servants could suppress their auras, though without skills like *Presence Concealment*, detection remained possible at close range. For now, however, Saber and the others broadcast their presence unreservedly.

If they suppressed their auras, they might be mistaken for intruders. Given their advantage—one Servant versus multiple—the decision to proceed overtly made sense. Still, hesitation gnawed at Shirou.

The arrow should've been fired long ago. Adjusting his mindset, Shirou pressed forward alongside the group.

Moments later, they reached the gates of the Einzbern castle. Standing guard was none other than Berserker—a towering figure resembling a dark lighthouse—and beside him stood Illyasviel, the petite white-haired girl with crimson eyes.

"Ah, Shirou Emiya. Is this your grand return for revenge?" she asked sweetly, smiling innocently.