Chapter 81: Filming in Einzbern Castle
In the chaos land, amidst unknown mountain ranges.
In the far north, with no maps available for unexplored territories, navigation relies entirely on memory.
As the northernmost regions remain perpetually buried in snow, even during spring, they exude a chill so severe that it feels unbearable for the living.
On the mountaintop, a forest stands resiliently against this cold, and deep within lies a castle.
At this very moment, several figures inside the castle are working on a project they call a "movie."
...
Just then, Jubstacheit von Einzbern, commonly known as the Old Man Acht, was waiting at the altar for Kiritsugu Emiya and Irisviel.
When the man clad in a pitch-black coat and the woman in a white gown finally arrived, the elderly man stroked his long white beard, his deeply set eyes fixed unwaveringly on Kiritsugu.
He spoke in a deep, unyielding voice, "The Holy Relic, long sought after in Kenilworth, has finally come into our possession."
Pointing to the black box placed on the altar, he continued, "With this as a catalyst, it should be possible to summon the strongest known 'Saber.' Kiritsugu Emiya, remember that this is the greatest support Einzbern can give you."
"I am most grateful, respected patriarch," Kiritsugu replied, bowing deeply with a perfectly expressionless face.
This was the ritual of passing on the Holy Grail War participant title from the Einzbern family to its representative.
Once Kiritsugu accepted the relic of the Saber Heroic Spirit, he was officially granted the right to represent the venerable magus family of Einzbern in the war, despite not being a part of the family by blood.
"Irisviel, how is the 'vessel's' condition?" the elder's gaze shifted to the silver-haired beauty kneeling reverently before him.
Irisviel, ever smiling, responded, "All in perfect order. The 'vessel' should function normally once it's set in Fuyuki."
Upon hearing her words, Old Man Acht's eyes gleamed with intense determination. "This time...not a single one will escape. Hunt down the other six Servants. Ensure that we achieve the Third Magic—the Holy Grail."
"Yes, sir."
"Yes, sir."
The magi and the homunculus, bound by a shared fate, nodded solemnly under their patriarch's unyielding command.
...
To capture each Master's preparations for the Holy Grail War, Edward had spent the past month leading Snow Flower Troupe and other actors from one filming location to another.
When all the others had been completed, it was time for the last and most challenging shoot—Einzbern's participant's preparations.
Despite the time and effort to reach this castle in the heart of the chaos land, Edward was incredibly satisfied with the result.
With such a grand backdrop, the opening scenes of the Fate/Zero movie would exude the gravitas fitting for such an investment, more than justifying the risks and the long journey to the northern chaos land.
From the northern base to the chaos land took a significant amount of time; by Edward's calculation, today must be the Emperor's birthday.
He had left all arrangements in the hands of Ska, but he couldn't help feeling a bit anxious about whether Ska could fulfill his expectations.
However, if all went smoothly, he'd soon receive word, and for now, he only had to wait.
"Strange...I feel like something's watching us in this castle," remarked Liya, who played Saber and had been standing by Edward's side for lack of her scenes.
Edward, however, simply replied, "This is a lich's castle beyond normal understanding, after all. Even with Belldia holding it down, it's no surprise that a banshee or two might wander in. I wouldn't be surprised to find soul-devouring beasts or even undead lurking here."
...
Taking in Edward's words with some apprehension, Liya's face blanched slightly.
At that moment, Belldia returned from patrol and chimed in on their conversation, "I suspect something foul remains in this castle. I'm not very familiar with this sort of work, though. In hindsight, maybe we should've brought Wiz."
"It's fine," Edward replied. "If anything shows up, Belldia, you handle it first. Then I'll just transport everyone out."
Edward spoke nonchalantly, but this strategy was the best one in the chaos land. Liya, however, was indignant.
As a noble knight, she replied, "Director Durin, do you intend to abandon Sir Belldia? I would never do something so shameful."
"Yes, yes. I'll leave you both here to have your souls devoured. Sound good?"
"That's pure sophistry…"
Honestly, Edward couldn't quite fathom how this girl still hadn't realized Belldia was a genuine Headless Horseman.
Signs had been scattered throughout the chaos land since their arrival, and while it made sense that the other actors hadn't overthought it, a knightly Vice-commander's naivety was quite impressive.
In any case, although Liya occasionally baffled him, her portrayal of Saber was undoubtedly spot-on. Edward didn't believe he could find another actor with Liya's temperament and physical resemblance to Saber Artoria.
At the same time, in the distance, the actors were readying themselves for the next scene.
Chase, the seasoned troupe manager, had been invaluable.
Since he'd started managing the troupe, Edward no longer had to oversee everything himself and only needed to give instructions on set.
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