16 Getting the Lesser Grail

"How?"

"Magic. As a practitioner of Homunculus arts, my understanding of human biology rivals people who have a PhD in that category."

"What my husband wanted to say is that he surpassed all that thanks to his First Magic, no need to be humble my beloved." Morgan chipped in from the side as she observed the ritual curiously.

Ren rolled his eyes for a second, before focusing on the guests.

"What Morgan said is correct, this body I have right now is my second one." He pointed at himself.

His previous one could use some regular magecraft. But, he discarded that so he could focus fully on Ether creation and manipulation, at the same time he started to unravel secrets over the concept of souls…

That's what Einzberns bought in Mage Association, scraps of his research towards souls, basically stuff related to Heaven's Feel.

He did learn how to 'create' soul, well more like self-awareness.

Self-Awareness is nothing new and many Homunculus develop that after a certain amount of time.

But, what he developed was 'controlled' self-awareness.

He got this idea after remembering the 'Beasts', like Ars Goetia, Tiamat and Primate Murder.

All those beings had an 'Alien' mindset towards Humanity, thus branding them as Evils of Humanity.

While it's just an idea from them it has no relationship to them.

That it is is just that none of his homunculus will develop self-awareness in a certain direction.

So, far he was able only to do very basic stuff towards that, it did increase their loyalty to him and none of them asked dumb questions which indicated that it works.

It's all in the programming of Homunculus, they simply are unable to comprehend things like betraying their creator and master, it's an 'alien' concept to them.

It's far better programming than the mechanical one others develop, at least what he saw in other Homunculus apart from Einzbern one, its pathetic to say the least.

They were flesh robots with pathetic self-awareness potential, far cry from Einzbern and solar systems away from his.

His interest in souls started when he realised his limits with his previous body, true magic clash with his magecraft making them weaker, thus he found a way how to transfer his soul from one body to another.

Nothing like soul possession, as he found a way through rituals, rituals which he spend creating through the use of nothingness.

He separated the body into layers and used Denial Of Nothingness in... reverse.

He turned something into nothing, separating layer by layer until he found the 'soul' from there he started studying it and how to interact with it and make it move according to his wishes.

And thus current ritual was created…

"You… made yourself Homunculus?" Irisviel asked with disbelieve.

*Snort*

He offer his hand to her.

"You know structure analysis? Yes? Do try it on me." 

His offer starlet both, it was an incredible opportunity to scan a sorcerer, no doubt members of Mage Association would salivate at this opportunity.

To satisfy her curiosity Irisviel mustered her courage and took a step forward and touched his hand.

Then she used Structure Analysis, instantly her mind was blown away…

"335 circuits!, you, you… your body is that of human… but, but… it's like it doesn't have any flaws like a Homunculus!!!" The woman tried to wrap her head around this… magical? Miraculous body!

"Yes, correct. Still, I am considering this body 'outdated', as my knowledge has increased further." He casually shrugged answering he already know how to improve his next body beyond this.

"Now that you know, lay on the bed on the left." He motioned the bed, the Homunculuses already finished with the inscription.

"The circles will scan you and rebuild a human body based on you," Ren explained to her.

"That means you will possess your Homunculus abilities, like superior circuits and ability to control your senses, same time you will have the human capacity to prolonged life." He smirked as he was not done yet.

"Most importantly you won't going to have your responsibilities of being host to the lesser grail." 

His words made her bite the lower lip. Oh, she knew how seductive these words were. But, the reason she is hesitating is that Ren is Master of Caster, by this point, she didn't care about her birth family Einzberns only about her daughter and Kiritsugu.

Still, she has no way to deny what he wants, he could even easily take her out and take the grail for himself, instead he was gracious enough to offer her a new body for the one she has now.

"I only need to lay on that bed and that's it?" To her question, Ren only nodded, the silver-haired woman then walked over.

While all that happened, Morgan was seething in anger.

She was pissed that a woman touched her man, she was pissed that such a lesser being is resisting such an incredible offer.

Yet, the pale blond witch controlled herself, she knew why Ren is so gracious.

It's a twisted version of Noblesse Oblige, offering something which one can't possibly say no to…

'You either take my gift or I will end you…'

Sums it's like that in the witch's head.

While it all look big bother to her, it doesn't look that tyrannical from an outside view. Well… her view is twisted anyway, it's not to be trusted in such a situation.

The moment Irisviel ended up laying on the bed, the circle glowed, Emiya Kiritsugu looked at this ritual like a hawk.

The moment the circle started to glow another body of Irisviel simply appeared on the other bed.

It was even dressed in identical clothes to the original one.

Moments later the 'new' Irisviel gasped, her eyes fluttered open, for a second she panicked before calming down.

"Iri! Are you okay?" Emiya approached her quickly when he saw the circles stopped to glow.

The whole thing was so fast, it was hard to wrap their heads around this.

There was no chanting or any other actions! The whole thing started the moment the silver-haired woman laid down on the uncomfortable looking bed.

"Y-Yes, is this how it feels like to be human?" She asked Emiya, who didn't know how to answer that!

"Who know, Einzbern. We have never been a Homunculus so, we have no ways to compare how it was for you before and how it is now." Ren said with a shrug as he walked over and touched the lesser grail container, he did a structure analysis spell of his own, well a variation of that spell.

Ether flooded the homunculus body and the grail, he scanned it in detail and found it... fascinating…

Very fascinating…

It's like an unfinished product, the thing was very close to the real deal, only it lacked… very small thing to a sorcerer like him. 

And, the current lesser grail uses Prana and magecraft to perform its 'wish-granting' ability. But, what if he is to change it into Ether?

Morgan smiled seeing her husband look, it was someone who found a new very fascinating toy…

'Does he can turn it into real deal?' The witch thought to herself with curiosity.

"I suggest you wait in Fuyuki until the war is over, or you two are going to Germany now and wait for my arrival?" Ren asked Kiritsugu about the next part of their agreement.

"...We will wait in Fuyuki until this is over." The black-haired man said after thinking for a moment.

"Can...Can I talk with Saber?" Irisviel asked Ren as she was getting up from the uncomfortable bed.

"Up to you. Remember that she has changed, a lot." Ren shrugged at her, if she wants to traumatise herself he won't going to stop her.

"I...will...thank you." Irisviel found it hard to thank him, knowing full well that he is a 'proper' Magus, who did many experiments to perfect this ritual which was used on her.

Even so, she did it anyway…

"I will wait outside, don't take too long," Emiya said to his wife.

Few moments later one of the Homunculus took Irisviel to meet darkened Saber while Emiya went outside to smoke.

Leaving Ren with Morgan.

"You found out something did you? That look you had when you checked the lesser Grail…" Her eyes then widened for a second because she realised something too.

"You can turn it into a real deal!?" She said eagerly.

"I believe I can, and it's not THAT difficult, Einzbern used their 'Wish-Granting' trait and made it into a pseudo-Noble Phantasm, as its crystallised version of that concept, and because it uses Prana as a source of energy it's locked in granting wishes through magecraft." He explained to her.

Morgan looked with a deadpan look at him.

"So, you will complete it by using First True magic, finishing the concept and changing power source from Prana to Ether, none of these things are possible to regular Magus or even Fae… even… even I could not do it." She spoke the latter half with difficultly and very quietly.

"You are a Servant now, without your true Fae powers, I am sure at your peak you could at least copy the phenomenon of the grail."

The witch smiled at him when he said that, he is getting quite smooth with her, something she is appreciating, instead of the previous semi-detached way he used to be.

"Smooth talker now are we? While I was powerful when I was alive, it was not in the realm of wish-granting like Grail." She shook her head she was feeling much better after saying all that.

"Well, I will be able to see your true power soon enough then." He said with a smirk as Irisviel Homunculus body disappeared, the only thing that was left was purple crystal morphing into a golden cup slowly.

Morgan's eyes widened before she smiled realising what he just meant, he will be reincarnating her!

"We should finish off the two remaining Servants and then focusing on cleansing the Greater Grail." Ren then mentioned the remaining 'competitors'.

"What for? If you can turn this cup into a real deal we don't need to care about Greater Grail or the Servants." She pointed that out with raised eyebrow.

"I thought you disliked unfinished business." He asked with his raised eyebrow.

Morgan slightly huffed at him.

"Only bugs are left. But, I suppose we should deal with them and then finish with ritual without any bother." She said with a thoughtful look.

"My thoughts exactly," Ren said with a nod.

"So, Rider or Assassin?" She asked curiously only Rider somewhat make her curious, she heard from her husband that he has his whole army in his Reality Marble which is an impressive feat.

"Assassin, I need to tell some things to Tokiomi." He said with a smile.

"Oh, another minion… he will keep watch on the Greater Grail?" She asked curious look, her guess was not that far from what Ren was thinking.

"Yes, originally. But, now…" He said that while looking at the half-formed cup.

"I see, what you will do with him then," Morgan asked curiously.

"What you suggested, the Grail system… we will use it in future." 

The pale blond looked questionably at him.

"Let me ask you this my dear wife, what is the biggest enemy to stability and peace?" He asked her curiously. But, Morgan wasn't that… interested in what is on another scale of things.

As Tyrant her Britain was under her iron fist, she didn't delve into such philosophical stuff.

While they do talk about the difference between good and evil and all that nonsense, she has massive loathing towards things like peace, equality…

Antithesis to all things related to Vivian.

"...Strife? Some sort of conflict?" She asked with a dull look.

"Boredom…everything starts from boredom."

Morgan looked thoughtful when she heard that.

"Once the world is united under a single banner, there won't going to be any infighting anymore, people will need to move their attention somewhere."

The pale blond witch eyes widened, she understood where this was going.

"Grail wars? Like gladiator fighting?" She said with disbelieve.

"Not quite, while we will eventually leave this world for stars it will take time for that, in meantime, we will have something similar to Grail Wars to entertain bored humanity."

"But, that is after everything is done, and we rule this place." He shrugged while looking at the half-formed cup.

He was thinking about all the possibilities with the cup.

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