Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Fate/Zero:Act 15 Part 5

2020-12-06T11:59:07Z

2001:18E8:2:28B8:F000:0:0:31DA: /* -04:10:33 */

=== -04:10:33 ===

Fuyuki City Hall –

This structure, which had been built at the cost of eight billion yen, was considered the symbol of Fuyuki Shinto’s development, along with the Central Building in front of the train station. It covered an area of 6600 square meters and had 4700 square meters of usable space. Its complex design housed four floors above ground and one floor below. The two-story music hall could accommodate about 3000 patrons. The building's prestigious architect had created a novel design that made this modern City Hall as majestic and splendid as an ancient shrine. Fuyuki City's high ambition toward Shinto's development could thus be seen in physical form.

However, only the exterior was complete. The interior was still being decorated in preparation for the commemoration ceremony. Active and practical use of the building was still a long way off. In addition to the minimal level of safety precautions, the building still had no access to electricity. Deep in the night, with no workers on site, this pristine and splendid building became an unreal space, with an inhuman silence and an alien feeling flowing and drifting through its emptiness.

Civil planning did not take magecraft into consideration. It was a complete coincidence that the City Hall had been built on top of Fuyuki’s latest leyline – in other words, such a rare coincidence could only be attributed to the paranormal characteristics bestowed upon the area by the leyline.

Kotomine Kirei stood on the rooftop and calmly watched the magecraft signals he had set off as they scattered to smoke in the night wind. The only thing he had needed to do to infiltrate the unguarded building was break the lock. He had already made preparations for the ceremony and was ready to confront an attack. All that was left was to stay and wait for the remaining enemies to be attracted by the signal.

Battle was near, and yet he did not seem to be affected by the thought at all. Executors did not need to be excited with the prospect of bloodshed, nor did they need to jest to relieve the tension. They possessed the ideal characteristics of the tools of God’s will, and would gallop toward death with hearts knowing only the routine completion of yet another duty. Long years of such training allowed Kirei to display the calm and nonchalance of a practicing surgeon.

However –

“Hmm, you look unprecedently ferocious tonight. Kirei.”

With the gentle sound of his shoes, Archer appeared on the rooftop of the township. On the inside, Kirei smiled wryly.

How does his iron mask, which should be the same as usual, look reflected in the eyes of this Heroic Spirit who sees through everything? Even the subtleties in his emotions that he himself could not detect did not escape from Archer’s eyes.

Kirei was shaken by this in the beginning, but now it was familiar. Really, I wonder if I am excited - he understood himself as though he was analyzing the business of another.

The King of Heroes, who had just returned from the nightlife districts, still wore his flamboyant and luxurious casual clothing. His bewitching pair of red eyes left behind the afterglow of pleasure, and he showed no sense of urgency to face the decisive battle. This Heroic Spirit would never separate his outer appearance from his inner feelings. After all, for him the conclusion over the Holy Grail was not out of the realm of entertainment.

“Well, what do you want to do, Kirei? Is it alright if I just wait here?”

One wrong command could make Archer question the worth of his Master. Kirei, who knew this very well, shook his head after thinking carefully.

“If you unleash your power near the Holy Grail, you may endanger the ritual itself. If you want to do so, then intercept them.”

“Yes, very well. But what do you plan to do if you’re attacked while I’m away?”

“Get Berserker to stall, and in that gap, call you back. At that time, I will borrow the power of the Command Seals to save myself. You wouldn’t mind, would you?”

“It is permitted. However, I can’t guarantee the safety of the Holy Grail. I won't hold back tonight. Such a cramped pavilion could be blown away entirely.”

“That would be the worst outcome, but if that happens, it would be fate.”

Kirei nodded decisively, but Archer narrowed his eyes.

“Kirei, it looks as if you have understood the meaning of this war. But do you still not have a wish to bestow upon the Holy Grail? Not a single wish, even if you do manage to obtain the miracle?”

“That’s right. What’s wrong with that?”

“Although it’s yet to be completed, the ‘vessel’ is already in your hands. It may accept a ‘pre-ordered’ wish, you know.”

“… Hmm, I see. You’re saying that, if possible, a miracle can occur at the same time when the Holy Grail descends, right?”

Kirei sighed disinterestedly and thought about it for a while. In the end, he still shook his head.

“I still don’t have a wish. If I have to have one – then I wish for there not to be any innocent people meddling with us in the final battle. Unfortunately, there are residents all around us. I had wanted to fight for my victory somewhere desolate if possible.”

Hearing this completely boring answer, Gilgamesh said with derision.

“Hah, the thing hiding in your heart will only be truly understood in the presence of the Holy Grail.”

At the end of the day, even if those two were closer to the Holy Grail than anyone else, they also cared the least for it. For those two, compared to gaining the Holy Grail, it was more meaningful to chase away those who had gathered because of it.

“– Ah, there’s one more thing. If Saber appears before I return –”

As he was about to depart, the King of Heroes halted in his steps as if having suddenly thought of something.

“– Then let Berserker play with her for a little while. I saved that mad dog’s life just for this.”

“Understood.”

Kirei still could not figure out the reason why Archer was so bent on Saber. As for Berserker, who had longed to destroy the King of Heroes after their initial battle, things were different. The King of Heroes had allowed for Berserker’s continued existence after discovering his true name in his investigation of Matō Kariya. He had said, "It'll be entertaining to let that dog bite Saber.” The King of Heroes could always control his anger whenever it came to Saber; it seemed Gilgamesh was very interested in the King of Knights.

“Say, Kirei, how’s that doll, the one Saber protected at the risk of her life? I heard that whatchamacallit – Vessel of the Grail – is in it.”

“Ah, that's what you meant.”

Kirei did not want to mention its existence. His interest was gone at this stage; he did not even feel the need to remember the woman’s name.

“I just killed her. There was no longer any reason to keep her alive.”

<center>※※※※※</center>

Irisviel opened her eyes and looked around at her surroundings.

She felt very strange. Her consciousness was impeccably clear, and yet she could not think logically.

It seemed like it was not her mentality that had become muddled and nonsensical, but the world she was in.

Many scenes flashed past her eyes. When she beheld them, the only emotion that welled up within her heart was an unbearable sorrow and emptiness.

The scenes reflected in her eyes were eternally sundered from happiness or joy. That was the only constant in this kaleidoscope of confusion.

There was pain, there was humiliation, and there was regret, hatred, and loss.

Bloodshed and a desolate land. Betrayal and vengeance. Having devoted everything and yet receiving nothing in return – it was an expensive cycle that reaped no rewards.

The familiar snow-covered scene continued on.

It was recounting the story of a clan that had sealed all it possessed within a castle of deep winter.

And here she finally remembered – what she was looking down upon was the Einzbern family's thousand-year-long pilgrimage for the Holy Grail.

The primeval Justeaze and the female dolls modeled after her… They were homunculi, fake living beings.

They were humanoid disposables created with the secret craft of alchemy and used to fulfill the unattainable lasting wish.

This lost and confused history of the Einzbern clan was written with their blood and tears as ink and their broken bones and frozen fingertips as pens. Their sighs and their despair made Irisviel’s heart clench tight.

If any place had existed such that allowed her to see all of this, then it could only be the epicenter of the entire conflict, within the thing that had witnessed all.

Irisviel finally understood. She was looking inside the Holy Grail.

It was the Greater Grail that embraced the primeval Justeaze, the Greater Grail of Mount Enzō. All homunculi were manufactured to the standard of the ‘Lady of Winter’, using her as their model. Therefore, they shared the same pain.

– No, was that really the truth?

“Why are you crying, Mother?”

When she came to, Irisviel discovered that she was in the room of her child, protected by the warmth of the fireplace.

Icy wind and snow gathered outside the window and the storm roared past. A pair of tiny hands clutched her mother’s arms tightly in search of protection.

“Mother, Illya had a nightmare. I dreamed that I became a wine cup.”

Although her heart was terrified, Illyaviel’s two red eyes still looked at Irisviel with trust. Though her face looked the same as her mother's and all of her sisters', this child was different. She was more adorable than anyone else –

“There were seven big blocks in Illya’s heart. When Illya felt like she was about to break and was so scared but couldn’t run away, she heard Justicia-sama’s voice, and there was a big black hole above my head…”

Irisviel embraced her daughter tightly. Her silver-white fringe brushed past her daughter’s face, which was wet with tears.

“It’s alright, it’s alright… That won’t happen. You won’t see such things, Illya.”

There was one sad wish that only Irisviel possessed out of her innumerable sisters and could not share with anyone else – and that was the maternal love of a ‘Mother’.

Out of the many generations of homunculi, she had been the first to give birth to a child from her womb. Out of all of her kind, only she had been given a love for her child. But even so, the fate she carried was just as lamentable.

Illyasviel von Einzbern was the next Vessel of the Grail, and also a mechanical part swept up in the thousand-year-old cogwheel of delusion and stubbornness.

This shackle would not break until someone claimed victory.

The Third Magic, the Heaven's Feel – that achievement was the only salvation.

Many sounds rushed towards Irisviel. She chanted with her countless sisters.

The Holy Grail –

Please grant the Holy Grail into my hands –

Deep within the forest, where the used homunculi were discarded, the mountain of corpses composed of her kin chanted. Those rotten, maggot-infested faces overlapped with Illya’s young and small face, and emitted those painful sounds.

“It’s alright –”

Full of love, the mother hugged her daughter tightly in her arms.

“Illya, you’ll definitely be freed from this shackle of fate. I will finish everything. Your daddy will definitely fulfill this wish as well…”

At that moment, a question suddenly flashed past her thoughts.

If this was a dream conjured by the Holy Grail – since she could see the ‘Vessel’ within so clearly and it had taken shape – then what would Irisviel, who served as the outer cover, look like now?

It was as if the eggshell could see the innards of the chick.

If so, then this would be a giant contradiction. The shell was supposed to break when the chick hatched.

Then – who was the Irisviel that was dreaming?

The touch of Illyasviel’s slender body, which she was hugging tightly, was so realistic. Irisviel looked to her own hands, which were hugging her daughter.

Irisviel had already disappeared. If the chick had consumed the broken shell…

The falling snow outside the window suddenly stopped. What melted into the darkness of the night was a thick black mud that stirred up ripples.

She wasn’t scared, nor was she surprised; she only comprehended it calmly and gazed upon it. The mud seeped in from all corners of the room and dripped from the chimney, slowly soaking the ground under her feet.

Yes, the question of ‘who am I?’ was so minuscule.

She had been no one since the start. Even now, she was still ‘someone’ who used the personality of Irisviel, a woman who had already disappeared, as a mask.

Even so, Irisviel’s wish, hidden in her heart, remained true. It was the wish of a mother who thought of her beloved daughter and lamented the future of her child even as she drew her last breath and passed away. She had inherited the wish of this mother.

Therefore, she was the one who must fulfill that wish.

She was the existence that had been worshipped and anticipated because she was to grant everyone’s wish, because she was made to be the one.

“– It’s alright, Illyasviel, everything is about to end.”

Gently, she murmured beside the ear of the young girl, whom she was embracing for the first time.

“So let us wait here awhile. Father will definitely come. He’ll come to help us fulfill all of our wishes.”

The scorching mud that clung tightly to her had elegantly dyed her skirt black.

As she waited for the moment when the wish would be granted, the woman with her body entangled in the inky darkness smiled.

Dispel all sorrows and chase away all worries.

Soon, she would receive the power to fulfill wishes and become the omnipotent wish-granting vessel that could realize all.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Fate/Zero:Act_15_Part_4|Act 15, Part 4]]
| Return to [[Fate/Zero|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Fate/Zero:Act_16_Part_1|Act 16, Part 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Fate/Zero:Act 15 Part 5

2020-12-03T12:20:17Z

2001:18E8:2:28B8:F000:0:0:31DA: /* -04:10:33 */

=== -04:10:33 ===

Fuyuki City Hall –

This structure, which had been built at the cost of eight billion yen, was considered the symbol of Fuyuki Shinto’s development, along with the Central Building in front of the train station. It covered an area of 6600 square meters and had 4700 square meters of usable space. Its complex design housed four floors above ground and one floor below. The two-story music hall could accommodate about 3000 patrons. The building's prestigious architect had created a novel design that made this modern City Hall as majestic and splendid as an ancient shrine. Fuyuki City's high ambition toward Shinto's development could thus be seen in physical form.

However, only the exterior was complete. The interior was still being decorated in preparation for the commemoration ceremony. Active and practical use of the building was still a long way off. In addition to the minimal level of safety precautions, the building still had no access to electricity. Deep in the night, with no workers on site, this pristine and splendid building became an unreal space, with an inhuman silence and an alien feeling flowing and drifting through its emptiness.

Civil planning did not take magecraft into consideration. It was a complete coincidence that the City Hall had been built on top of Fuyuki’s latest leyline – in other words, such a rare coincidence could only be attributed to the paranormal characteristics bestowed upon the area by the leyline.

Kotomine Kirei stood on the rooftop and calmly watched the magecraft signals he had set off as they scattered to smoke in the night wind. The only thing he had needed to do to infiltrate the unguarded building was break the lock. He had already made preparations for the ceremony and was ready to confront an attack. All that was left was to stay and wait for the remaining enemies to be attracted by the signal.

Battle was near, and yet he did not seem to be affected by the thought at all. Executors did not need to be excited with the prospect of bloodshed, nor did they need to jest to relieve the tension. They possessed the ideal characteristics of the tools of God’s will, and would gallop toward death with hearts knowing only the routine completion of yet another duty. Long years of such training allowed Kirei to display the calm and nonchalance of a practicing surgeon.

However –

“Hmm, you look unprecedently ferocious tonight. Kirei.”

With the gentle sound of his shoes, Archer appeared on the rooftop of the township. On the inside, Kirei smiled wryly.

How does his iron mask, which should be the same as usual, look reflected in the eyes of this Heroic Spirit who sees through everything? Even the subtleties in his emotions that he himself could not detect did not escape from Archer’s eyes.

Kirei was shaken by this in the beginning, but now it was familiar. Really, I wonder if I am excited - he understood himself as though he was analyzing the business of another.

The King of Heroes, who had just returned from the nightlife districts, still wore his flamboyant and luxurious casual clothing. His seductive pair of red eyes left behind the afterglow of pleasure, and he showed no sense of urgency to face the decisive battle. This Heroic Spirit would never separate his outer appearance from his inner feelings. After all, for him the conclusion over the Holy Grail was not out of the realm of entertainment.

“Well, what do you want to do, Kirei? Is it alright if I just wait here?”

One wrong command could make Archer question the worth of his Master. Kirei, who knew this very well, shook his head after thinking carefully.

“If you unleash your power near the Holy Grail, you may endanger the ritual itself. If you want to do so, then intercept them.”

“Yes, very well. But what do you plan to do if you’re attacked while I’m away?”

“Get Berserker to stall, and in that gap, call you back. At that time, I will borrow the power of the Command Seals to save myself. You wouldn’t mind, would you?”

“It is permitted. However, I can’t guarantee the safety of the Holy Grail. I won't hold back tonight. Such a cramped pavilion could be blown away entirely.”

“That would be the worst outcome, but if that happens, it would be fate.”

Kirei nodded decisively, but Archer narrowed his eyes.

“Kirei, it looks as if you have understood the meaning of this war. But do you still not have a wish to bestow upon the Holy Grail? Not a single wish, even if you do manage to obtain the miracle?”

“That’s right. What’s wrong with that?”

“Although it’s yet to be completed, the ‘vessel’ is already in your hands. It may accept a ‘pre-ordered’ wish, you know.”

“… Hmm, I see. You’re saying that, if possible, a miracle can occur at the same time when the Holy Grail descends, right?”

Kirei sighed disinterestedly and thought about it for a while. In the end, he still shook his head.

“I still don’t have a wish. If I have to have one – then I wish for there not to be any innocent people meddling with us in the final battle. Unfortunately, there are residents all around us. I had wanted to fight for my victory somewhere desolate if possible.”

Hearing this completely boring answer, Gilgamesh said with derision.

“Hah, the thing hiding in your heart will only be truly understood in the presence of the Holy Grail.”

At the end of the day, even if those two were closer to the Holy Grail than anyone else, they also cared the least for it. For those two, compared to gaining the Holy Grail, it was more meaningful to chase away those who had gathered because of it.

“– Ah, there’s one more thing. If Saber appears before I return –”

As he was about to depart, the King of Heroes halted in his steps as if having suddenly thought of something.

“– Then let Berserker play with her for a little while. I saved that mad dog’s life just for this.”

“Understood.”

Kirei still could not figure out the reason why Archer was so bent on Saber. As for Berserker, who had longed to destroy the King of Heroes after their initial battle, things were different. The King of Heroes had allowed for Berserker’s continued existence after discovering his true name in his investigation of Matō Kariya. He had said, "It'll be entertaining to let that dog bite Saber.” The King of Heroes could always control his anger whenever it came to Saber; it seemed Gilgamesh was very interested in the King of Knights.

“Say, Kirei, how’s that doll, the one Saber protected at the risk of her life? I heard that whatchamacallit – Vessel of the Grail – is in it.”

“Ah, that's what you meant.”

Kirei did not want to mention its existence. His interest was gone at this stage; he did not even feel the need to remember the woman’s name.

“I just killed her. There was no longer any reason to keep her alive.”

<center>※※※※※</center>

Irisviel opened her eyes and looked around at her surroundings.

She felt very strange. Her consciousness was impeccably clear, and yet she could not think logically.

It seemed like it was not her mentality that had become muddled and nonsensical, but the world she was in.

Many scenes flashed past her eyes. When she beheld them, the only emotion that welled up within her heart was an unbearable sorrow and emptiness.

The scenes reflected in her eyes were eternally sundered from happiness or joy. That was the only constant in this kaleidoscope of confusion.

There was pain, there was humiliation, and there was regret, hatred, and loss.

Bloodshed and a desolate land. Betrayal and vengeance. Having devoted everything and yet receiving nothing in return – it was an expensive cycle that reaped no rewards.

The familiar snow-covered scene continued on.

It was recounting the story of a clan that had sealed all it possessed within a castle of deep winter.

And here she finally remembered – what she was looking down upon was the Einzbern family's thousand-year-long pilgrimage for the Holy Grail.

The primeval Justeaze and the female dolls modeled after her… They were homunculi, fake living beings.

They were humanoid disposables created with the secret craft of alchemy and used to fulfill the unattainable lasting wish.

This lost and confused history of the Einzbern clan was written with their blood and tears as ink and their broken bones and frozen fingertips as pens. Their sighs and their despair made Irisviel’s heart clench tight.

If any place had existed such that allowed her to see all of this, then it could only be the epicenter of the entire conflict, within the thing that had witnessed all.

Irisviel finally understood. She was looking inside the Holy Grail.

It was the Greater Grail that embraced the primeval Justeaze, the Greater Grail of Mount Enzō. All homunculi were manufactured to the standard of the ‘Lady of Winter’, using her as their model. Therefore, they shared the same pain.

– No, was that really the truth?

“Why are you crying, Mother?”

When she came to, Irisviel discovered that she was in the room of her child, protected by the warmth of the fireplace.

Icy wind and snow gathered outside the window and the storm roared past. A pair of tiny hands clutched her mother’s arms tightly in search of protection.

“Mother, Illya had a nightmare. I dreamed that I became a wine cup.”

Although her heart was terrified, Illyaviel’s two red eyes still looked at Irisviel with trust. Though her face looked the same as her mother's and all of her sisters', this child was different. She was more adorable than anyone else –

“There were seven big blocks in Illya’s heart. When Illya felt like she was about to break and was so scared but couldn’t run away, she heard Justicia-sama’s voice, and there was a big black hole above my head…”

Irisviel embraced her daughter tightly. Her silver-white fringe brushed past her daughter’s face, which was wet with tears.

“It’s alright, it’s alright… That won’t happen. You won’t see such things, Illya.”

There was one sad wish that only Irisviel possessed out of her innumerable sisters and could not share with anyone else – and that was the maternal love of a ‘Mother’.

Out of the many generations of homunculi, she had been the first to give birth to a child from her womb. Out of all of her kind, only she had been given a love for her child. But even so, the fate she carried was just as lamentable.

Illyasviel von Einzbern was the next Vessel of the Grail, and also a mechanical part swept up in the thousand-year-old cogwheel of delusion and stubbornness.

This shackle would not break until someone claimed victory.

The Third Magic, the Heaven's Feel – that achievement was the only salvation.

Many sounds rushed towards Irisviel. She chanted with her countless sisters.

The Holy Grail –

Please grant the Holy Grail into my hands –

Deep within the forest, where the used homunculi were discarded, the mountain of corpses composed of her kin chanted. Those rotten, maggot-infested faces overlapped with Illya’s young and small face, and emitted those painful sounds.

“It’s alright –”

Full of love, the mother hugged her daughter tightly in her arms.

“Illya, you’ll definitely be freed from this shackle of fate. I will finish everything. Your daddy will definitely fulfill this wish as well…”

At that moment, a question suddenly flashed past her thoughts.

If this was a dream conjured by the Holy Grail – since she could see the ‘Vessel’ within so clearly and it had taken shape – then what would Irisviel, who served as the outer cover, look like now?

It was as if the eggshell could see the innards of the chick.

If so, then this would be a giant contradiction. The shell was supposed to break when the chick hatched.

Then – who was the Irisviel that was dreaming?

The touch of Illyasviel’s slender body, which she was hugging tightly, was so realistic. Irisviel looked to her own hands, which were hugging her daughter.

Irisviel had already disappeared. If the chick had consumed the broken shell…

The falling snow outside the window suddenly stopped. What melted into the darkness of the night was a thick black mud that stirred up ripples.

She wasn’t scared, nor was she surprised; she only comprehended it calmly and gazed upon it. The mud seeped in from all corners of the room and dripped from the chimney, slowly soaking the ground under her feet.

Yes, the question of ‘who am I?’ was so minuscule.

She had been no one since the start. Even now, she was still ‘someone’ who used the personality of Irisviel, a woman who had already disappeared, as a mask.

Even so, Irisviel’s wish, hidden in her heart, remained true. It was the wish of a mother who thought of her beloved daughter and lamented the future of her child even as she drew her last breath and passed away. She had inherited the wish of this mother.

Therefore, she was the one who must fulfill that wish.

She was the existence that had been worshipped and anticipated because she was to grant everyone’s wish, because she was made to be the one.

“– It’s alright, Illyasviel, everything is about to end.”

Gently, she murmured beside the ear of the young girl, whom she was embracing for the first time.

“So let us wait here awhile. Father will definitely come. He’ll come to help us fulfill all of our wishes.”

The scorching mud that clung tightly to her had elegantly dyed her skirt black.

As she waited for the moment when the wish would be granted, the woman with her body entangled in the inky darkness smiled.

Dispel all sorrows and chase away all worries.

Soon, she would receive the power to fulfill wishes and become the omnipotent wish-granting vessel that could realize all.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Fate/Zero:Act_15_Part_4|Act 15, Part 4]]
| Return to [[Fate/Zero|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Fate/Zero:Act_16_Part_1|Act 16, Part 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Fate/Zero:Act 15 Part 5

2020-12-03T11:55:13Z

2001:18E8:2:28B8:F000:0:0:31DA: /* -04:10:33 */ Checking translations against the Japanese light novel for mistakes.

=== -04:10:33 ===

Fuyuki City Hall –

This structure, which had been built at the cost of eight billion yen, was considered the symbol of Fuyuki Shinto’s development, along with the Central Building in front of the train station. It covered an area of 6600 square meters and had 4700 square meters of usable space. Its complex design housed four floors above ground and one floor below. The two-story music hall could accommodate about 3000 patrons. The building's prestigious architect had created a novel design that made this modern City Hall as majestic and splendid as an ancient shrine. Fuyuki City's high ambition toward Shinto's development could thus be seen in physical form.

However, only the exterior was complete. The interior was still being decorated in preparation for the commemoration ceremony. Active and practical use of the building was still a long way off. In addition to the minimal level of safety precautions, the building still had no access to electricity. Deep in the night, with no workers on site, this pristine and splendid building became an unreal space, with an inhuman silence and an alien feeling flowing and drifting through its emptiness.

Civil planning did not take magecraft into consideration. It was a complete coincidence that the City Hall had been built on top of Fuyuki’s latest leyline – in other words, such a rare coincidence could only be attributed to the paranormal characteristics bestowed upon the area by the leyline.

Kotomine Kirei stood on the rooftop and calmly watched the magecraft signals he had set off as they scattered to smoke in the night wind. The only thing he had needed to do to infiltrate the unguarded building was break the lock. He had already made preparations for the ceremony and was ready to confront an attack. All that was left was to stay and wait for the remaining enemies to be attracted by the signal.

Battle was near, and yet he did not seem to be affected by the thought at all. Executors did not need to be excited with the prospect of bloodshed, nor did they need to jest to relieve the tension. They possessed the ideal characteristics of the tools of God’s will, and would gallop toward death with hearts knowing only the routine completion of yet another duty. Long years of such training allowed Kirei to display the calm and nonchalance of a practicing surgeon.

However –

“Hmm, you look unprecedently ferocious tonight. Kirei.”

With the gentle sound of his shoes, Archer appeared on the rooftop of the township. In his innermost thoughts, Kirei smiled wryly.

How does his iron mask, which should be the same as usual, look reflected in the eyes of this Heroic Spirit who sees through everything? Even the subtleties in his emotions that he himself could not detect did not escape from Archer’s eyes.

Kirei was shaken by this in the beginning, but now it was familiar. Really, I wonder if I am excited - he understood himself as though he was analyzing the business of another.

The King of Heroes, who had just returned from the nightlife districts, still wore his flamboyant and luxurious casual clothing. His seductive pair of red eyes left behind the afterglow of pleasure, and he showed no sense of urgency to face the decisive battle. However, this Heroic Spirit would never separate his outer appearance from his inner feelings. After all, for him the conclusion over the Holy Grail was not out of the realm of entertainment.

“Well, what do you want me to do, Kirei? Is it alright if I just wait here?”

One wrong command could make Archer question the worth of his Master. Kirei, who knew this very well, shook his head after thinking carefully.

“If you unleash your power near the Holy Grail, you may endanger the ritual itself. If you want to do it, then intercept them.”

“Yes, very well. But what do you plan to do if you’re attacked while I’m away?”

“Get Berserker to stall, and in that gap, call you back. At that time, I will borrow the power of the Command Seals to save myself. You wouldn’t mind, would you?”

“It is permitted. However, I can’t guarantee the safety of the Holy Grail. I won't hold back tonight. Such a cramped pavilion could be blown away entirely.”

“That would be the worst outcome, but if that happens, it would be fate.”

Kirei nodded decisively, but Archer narrowed his eyes.

“Kirei, it looks as if you have understood the meaning of this war. But do you still not have a wish to bestow upon the Holy Grail? Not a single wish, even if you do manage to obtain the miracle?”

“That’s right. What’s wrong with that?”

“Although it’s yet to be completed, the ‘vessel’ is already in your hands. It may accept a ‘pre-ordered’ wish, you know.”

“… Hmm, I see. You’re saying that, if possible, a miracle can occur at the same time when the Holy Grail descends, right?”

Kirei sighed disinterestedly and thought about it for a while. In the end, he still shook his head.

“I still don’t have a wish. If I have to have one – then I wish for there not to be any innocent people meddling with us in the final battle. Unfortunately, there are residents all around us. I had wanted to fight for my victory somewhere desolate if possible.”

Hearing this completely boring answer, Gilgamesh said with derision.

“Hah, the thing hiding in your heart will only be truly understood in the presence of the Holy Grail.”

At the end of the day, even if those two were closer to the Holy Grail than anyone else, they also cared the least for it. For those two, compared to gaining the Holy Grail, it was more meaningful to chase away those who had gathered because of it.

“– Ah, there’s one more thing. If Saber appears before I return –”

As he was about to depart, the King of Heroes halted in his steps as if having suddenly thought of something.

“– Then let Berserker play with her for a little while. I saved that mad dog’s life just for this.”

“Understood.”

Kirei still could not figure out the reason why Archer was so bent on Saber. As for Berserker, who had longed to destroy the King of Heroes after their initial battle, things were different. The King of Heroes had allowed for Berserker’s continued existence after discovering his true name in his investigation of Matō Kariya. He had said, "It'll be entertaining to let that dog bite Saber.” The King of Heroes could always control his anger whenever it came to Saber; it seemed Gilgamesh was very interested in the King of Knights.

“Say, Kirei, how’s that doll, the one Saber protected at the risk of her life? I heard that whatchamacallit – Vessel of the Grail – is in it.”

“Ah, that's what you meant.”

Kirei did not want to mention its existence. His interest was gone at this stage; he did not even feel the need to remember the woman’s name.

“I just killed her. There was no longer any reason to keep her alive.”

<center>※※※※※</center>

Irisviel opened her eyes and looked around at her surroundings.

She felt very strange. Her consciousness was impeccably clear, and yet she could not think logically.

It seemed like it was not her mentality that had become muddled and nonsensical, but the world she was in.

Many scenes flashed past her eyes. When she beheld them, the only emotion that welled up within her heart was an unbearable sorrow and emptiness.

The scenes reflected in her eyes were eternally sundered from happiness or joy. That was the only constant in this kaleidoscope of confusion.

There was pain, there was humiliation, and there was regret, hatred, and loss.

Bloodshed and a desolate land. Betrayal and vengeance. Having devoted everything and yet receiving nothing in return – it was an expensive cycle that reaped no rewards.

The familiar snow-covered scene continued on.

It was recounting the story of a clan that had sealed all it possessed within a castle of deep winter.

And here she finally remembered – what she was looking down upon was the Einzbern family's thousand-year-long pilgrimage for the Holy Grail.

The primeval Justeaze and the female dolls modeled after her… They were homunculi, fake living beings.

They were humanoid disposables created with the secret craft of alchemy and used to fulfill the unattainable lasting wish.

This lost and confused history of the Einzbern clan was written with their blood and tears as ink and their broken bones and frozen fingertips as pens. Their sighs and their despair made Irisviel’s heart clench tight.

If any place had existed such that allowed her to see all of this, then it could only be the epicenter of the entire conflict, within the thing that had witnessed all.

Irisviel finally understood. She was looking inside the Holy Grail.

It was the Greater Grail that embraced the primeval Justeaze, the Greater Grail of Mount Enzō. All homunculi were manufactured to the standard of the ‘Lady of Winter’, using her as their model. Therefore, they shared the same pain.

– No, was that really the truth?

“Why are you crying, Mother?”

When she came to, Irisviel discovered that she was in the room of her child, protected by the warmth of the fireplace.

Icy wind and snow gathered outside the window and the storm roared past. A pair of tiny hands clutched her mother’s arms tightly in search of protection.

“Mother, Illya had a nightmare. I dreamed that I became a wine cup.”

Although her heart was terrified, Illyaviel’s two red eyes still looked at Irisviel with trust. Though her face looked the same as her mother's and all of her sisters', this child was different. She was more adorable than anyone else –

“There were seven big blocks in Illya’s heart. When Illya felt like she was about to break and was so scared but couldn’t run away, she heard Justicia-sama’s voice, and there was a big black hole above my head…”

Irisviel embraced her daughter tightly. Her silver-white fringe brushed past her daughter’s face, which was wet with tears.

“It’s alright, it’s alright… That won’t happen. You won’t see such things, Illya.”

There was one sad wish that only Irisviel possessed out of her innumerable sisters and could not share with anyone else – and that was the maternal love of a ‘Mother’.

Out of the many generations of homunculi, she had been the first to give birth to a child from her womb. Out of all of her kind, only she had been given a love for her child. But even so, the fate she carried was just as lamentable.

Illyasviel von Einzbern was the next Vessel of the Grail, and also a mechanical part swept up in the thousand-year-old cogwheel of delusion and stubbornness.

This shackle would not break until someone claimed victory.

The Third Magic, the Heaven's Feel – that achievement was the only salvation.

Many sounds rushed towards Irisviel. She chanted with her countless sisters.

The Holy Grail –

Please grant the Holy Grail into my hands –

Deep within the forest, where the used homunculi were discarded, the mountain of corpses composed of her kin chanted. Those rotten, maggot-infested faces overlapped with Illya’s young and small face, and emitted those painful sounds.

“It’s alright –”

Full of love, the mother hugged her daughter tightly in her arms.

“Illya, you’ll definitely be freed from this shackle of fate. I will finish everything. Your daddy will definitely fulfill this wish as well…”

At that moment, a question suddenly flashed past her thoughts.

If this was a dream conjured by the Holy Grail – since she could see the ‘Vessel’ within so clearly and it had taken shape – then what would Irisviel, who served as the outer cover, look like now?

It was as if the eggshell could see the innards of the chick.

If so, then this would be a giant contradiction. The shell was supposed to break when the chick hatched.

Then – who was the Irisviel that was dreaming?

The touch of Illyasviel’s slender body, which she was hugging tightly, was so realistic. Irisviel looked to her own hands, which were hugging her daughter.

Irisviel had already disappeared. If the chick had consumed the broken shell…

The falling snow outside the window suddenly stopped. What melted into the darkness of the night was a thick black mud that stirred up ripples.

She wasn’t scared, nor was she surprised; she only comprehended it calmly and gazed upon it. The mud seeped in from all corners of the room and dripped from the chimney, slowly soaking the ground under her feet.

Yes, the question of ‘who am I?’ was so minuscule.

She had been no one since the start. Even now, she was still ‘someone’ who used the personality of Irisviel, a woman who had already disappeared, as a mask.

Even so, Irisviel’s wish, hidden in her heart, remained true. It was the wish of a mother who thought of her beloved daughter and lamented the future of her child even as she drew her last breath and passed away. She had inherited the wish of this mother.

Therefore, she was the one who must fulfill that wish.

She was the existence that had been worshipped and anticipated because she was to grant everyone’s wish, because she was made to be the one.

“– It’s alright, Illyasviel, everything is about to end.”

Gently, she murmured beside the ear of the young girl, whom she was embracing for the first time.

“So let us wait here awhile. Father will definitely come. He’ll come to help us fulfill all of our wishes.”

The scorching mud that clung tightly to her had elegantly dyed her skirt black.

As she waited for the moment when the wish would be granted, the woman with her body entangled in the inky darkness smiled.

Dispel all sorrows and chase away all worries.

Soon, she would receive the power to fulfill wishes and become the omnipotent wish-granting vessel that could realize all.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Fate/Zero:Act_15_Part_4|Act 15, Part 4]]
| Return to [[Fate/Zero|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Fate/Zero:Act_16_Part_1|Act 16, Part 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Fate/Zero:Act 12 Part 4

2020-11-27T15:03:50Z

2001:18E8:2:28B8:F000:0:0:31DA: /* -58:16:21 */

=== -58:16:21 ===

Regarding the midnight meeting at the Fuyuki Church, Tōsaka Tokiomi had naturally defined the number of people allowed to attend in the conditions.

Apart from the respective Master and Servant, both sides can also bring along a supporter.

For Irisviel, who found it difficult to act alone, she never expected such a condition to exist. It would be impossible for her to rely on Saber’s strength if she happens to accidentally be caught in a battlefield later on. If Maiya happens to be beside her at that time, she would be much more at ease.

Of course, as the reciprocal condition, one other person also attended apart from Tōsaka Tokiomi and Archer – at the end, when Tokiomi introduced that follower to Irisviel and the others as if it was nothing important, they couldn’t help but change their expressions a little.

“Let me introduce him, Kotomine Kirei – my student. Although he was also someone who competed with all of you, it was in past. He had lost his Servant, and had given up the rights of a Master for a long time.”

Is that all? Irisviel cast a dubious look at the other man, but Tokiomi was full of calmness and appeared not planning to say much else. Maybe he was underestimating the opponent. If not – then he may still be unaware of the feud between Irisviel and Kotomine Kirei.

Saber, leisurely reclining against the wall behind Tokiomi and the others, glared unblinkingly at the red-eyed Servant. Tonight, Archer had also removed his battle arrays and put on a set of ordinary clothes suitable to this era. Although the outfit, decorated with leather and lacquer, looked like it was full of a distasteful glamor, it did not create any incongruities when paired with the overwhelming presence of the golden Heroic Spirit.

Those blood-red eyes looked as if they stripped away Saber’s clothes just with their sight, licked and caressed her soft skin. What seeped out of his eyes was blatant lust. Although this inevitably stirred up Saber’s impulse of immediately drawing her sword and go into battle, she could only endure it when she thought of Irisviel.

“I am immensely thankful of your arrivals upon receiving my invitation.”

It was unclear whether he noticed the pressing presence of the three women; Tokiomi solicitously offered his opening speech.

“The Heaven’s Feel this time is also finally about to enter the most important stage. Right now, all that’s left are the Masters of the ‘Three Families of the Beginning’, and one sudden intruder – then, do you of the Einzbern family have any thoughts on this battle situation?”

“No.”

After answering thus with a cold and clear voice, Irisviel continued to speak audaciously.

“We have the strongest Saber, so there’s no need to stealthily grasp every opportunity. Just walking towards victory like this would be enough.”

“Is that so –”

With a provoking undertone, Tokiomi couldn’t stop himself but laugh.

“Then, please allow me to speak of my own thoughts. Putting aside our respective strengths for now, let us talk about Berserker and Rider first.

Of course, our final goal is to let the ‘Three Families of the Beginning’ remain and therefore ensure the right of possessing the Grail in the final battle. However, very unfortunately, due to a strategic mistake of the Matō family, a Servant that needs to spend large amounts of prana was summoned by a weak Master. I fear that they would face their demise sooner or later. It seems the one that would obtain victory among them will be Rider. I guess that you would also know something about the might of that Heroic Spirit Alexander.”

Tokiomi paused, waiting for Irisviel to react. However, seeing that she remained silent, Tokiomi continued speaking.

“A newcomer who suddenly popped out of nowhere dares to stretch his hands towards the Holy Grail, in which two thousand years of longing were entrusted; does Einzbern not feel very uncomfortable about this?”

“Speaking of newcomers, aren’t Tōsakas and Matōs included in that too?”

Normally, Irisviel will never speak so unscrupulously, but tonight’s strategy was to completely suppress Tokiomi. When she discarded her daily gentleness and demureness and stood upright to confront, she seemed as inviolable as a beautiful and adamant queen.

But Tokiomi wasn’t going to succumb just with that. He still carried a solicitous smile, and his expression didn’t waver a bit.

“Since what Einzbern wishes for is only the fact of achieving the Third Magic, then would it fit your original intentions if you were to entrust the Holy Grail to me, Tōsaka Tokiomi, with my goal of reaching ‘Akasha’?”

Hearing this, Irisviel cast a contemptuous sneer towards Tokiomi.

“Could it be that the Tōsaka family would even beg just to rob the Holy Grail from our hands?”

“Huh… although the explanation would make one doubt the questioner’s moral character, it doesn’t matter. The question now is that this guy who knows nothing about the Grail has the possibility of obtaining the final victory. I would definitely not allow the Holy Grail to fall into a layman’s hands – our opinions should be the same on this point.”

To put it simply – the one that Tokiomi considers as most threatening is only Rider. Irisviel agrees with that point.

Since she already understood the opponent’s intent, then it would be about time for her to state her position.

“We Einzbern have never had the habit of uniting with others. A so-called alliance will only make others laugh – however, if you want to fight enemies one by one, we would also express our sincerity.”

“… Go on.”

“Regard Tōsaka as our enemy only after all other Masters are defeated – we’re willing to obey such an agreement.”

Irisviel’s roundabout way of speaking made Tokiomi nod his head coldly.

“That’s to say, a ceasefire agreement with conditions attached. It’s appropriate for both parties.”

“We have two demands.”

As if trying to suppress the other and take the initiative, Irisviel followed up,

“Firstly, give us the information you have on Rider’s Master.”

Tokiomi sniggered in his heart when he heard this. Since Einzbern made such a demand, then it meant she really wanted to go defeat Rider herself. This development was completely within his expectations.

“– Kirei, tell them.”

Hearing Tokiomi’s command Kirei, who had stayed aside and waited silently, began to explain with a flat tone.

“Rider’s Master is an apprentice magus named Waver Velvet, who was studying under Kayneth. He now flats in the home of an old couple surnamed MacKenzie in Miyama city, Nakagoe 2-chome. They are an ordinary family that has nothing to do with the Heaven’s Feel, but they think Waver is their own grandson under Waver’s hypnosis magecraft.”

Kirei finished fluently. Hearing this, Irisviel and Maiya couldn’t help but shiver. Although they’ve roughly guessed it, they didn’t think that Kirei, who had once controlled Assassin, could undertake a war of intelligence so thoroughly.

“… Alright, what’s the other condition?”

Tokiomi urged delightedly. Irisviel stared straight at him with a solemn and heavy expression, and spoke with an uncompromising tone that didn’t allow the opponent to decline.

“The second condition – is to eliminate Kotomine Kirei from the Heaven’s Feel.”

Tokiomi, who originally had a leisurely expression, couldn’t help but gape when he heard this. However, Kirei remained nonplussed, and didn’t even move his eyebrows.

“I didn’t mean to kill him. I’m only saying that he needs to leave Fuyuki – no, leave Japan – before the war finishes. We hope that he’d depart tomorrow morning.”

“Can you explain the reason?”

Tokiomi calmed the wavering of his heart and requested with a rather low voice. Irisviel, who could tell people’s emotions very clearly, believed more firmly that this pair of teacher and student has estrangements between them – it was obvious that Tokiomi did not know what Kirei did exactly.

“That Executor has quite a feud with us Einzbern. If Tōsaka is to include him in your camp, then we would be completely unable to trust you. We would regard you as the target to be eliminated first, and unite with Rider and the others to initiate attacking you.”

“…”

There wasn’t a single hint of joking in Irisviel’s tone. Finally, Tokiomi detected that there were many things he didn’t know, and cast a doubtful look towards Kirei, who was beside him.

“What’s going on, Kirei?”

“…”

Kirei remained silent, expressionless as if wearing a mask. However, since he didn’t make any rebuttal to Irisviel’s words, his silence was enough to explain the problem.

With a sigh, Tokiomi once again hid his emotions in the bottom of his heart, and gazed at the Einzbern camp with a nonchalant expression.

“As the substitute of the late Father Risei, Kirei had inherited the job of the Supervisor. If you believe that he must leave, then we have a condition too.”

Silently, Irisviel inclined her head and motioned for him to continue.

“– I observed last night’s battle. That Saber of yours has a Noble Phantasm with an overly-powerful destructive power; we hope that you can restrain her use of it.”

Now Saber furrowed her brows. She understood that Tōsaka wanted to forcibly push the duel with Rider onto her. She could only regard this extra condition as being too unreasonable.

“Why are you interfering with our battle tactics?”

“We are the managers of Fuyuki. If the Heaven’s Feel is going to leave the concealment of the Holy Church and proceed openly, then I hope unnecessary disturbances can be avoided.”

At this moment, Maiya, who had been quiet until now, suddenly interrupted.

“Saber’s Noble Phantasm caused damage to the surrounding structures last night?”

“– Luckily, it was minimal damage. Coincidentally, there was a large ship on the path of her attack. However, one mistake would have indeed flattened all the houses on the opposite river bank.”

“It was us who placed the ship there.”

Hearing Maiya’s words, Saber’s eyebrows twitched. Indeed, it was precisely because that ship was there that she was able to use Excalibur without worries. However, she only knew upon hearing Maiya that it was actually prepared by Kiritsugu.

“On a side note, we’ve already confirmed that the owner of that ship has bought insurance. The Einzbern camp has already thoroughly considered the destructive power of Saber’s Noble Phantasm without needing you to remind us.”

“I’m asking you to put your so-called consideration into a treaty.”

Rather toughly, Tokiomi interrupted Maiya’s words.

“It is unconditionally forbidden to use Noble Phantasms on ground level in Fuyuki city. The same applies even if you’re on air if it would indirectly cause harm to residents – can you agree to this condition, Einzbern Master?”

“… If I agree, then would Kotomine Kirei really leave Japan?”

“Ah, I assure you of it, and can be held accountable.”

Tokiomi nodded without hesitation. Kirei, beside him, couldn’t let out his anger and could only grit his teeth tightly by himself.

Irisviel consulted Saber for her opinion. Saber nodded to show that she agreed.

Saber also did not want her Noble Phantasm to create unnecessary sacrifices. This wouldn’t count as exceeding restriction if Tōsaka Tokiomi’s concern was the same as hers.

“– Very good. Since you confirmed that you can fulfil the condition, then we also agree to a ceasefire.”

<center>※※※※※</center>

After the meeting concluded, Kotomine Kirei remained in the church, which both Masters have left, all by himself.

Just like Tokiomi said then, Kirei, right now, as a member of the Holy Church, was proceeding with managing the aftermath all around Fuyuki City. Due to the death of his father, Risei, who was the Supervisor, the on-site command chain was completely fuddled and there was absolutely no time to wait for the Assembly of the Eighth Sacrament to send in the official successor.

However, the work at each scene was now progressing methodically after giving only appropriate directions to the management at each place. This showed that the orders Risei made when he was alive was very much correct. Kirei’s job was to continue along the trail that Risei had already lain down and sends the duties down one by one; in truth, it wasn’t anything particularly difficult.

But right now he must make a decision concerning his work.

Actually, for Kirei, he had already understood that his situation was dangerous when he sensed Tokiomi had the intention of making an alliance with the Einzberns. The decision that he made at the meeting just now wasn’t surprising, either. The Einzbern women – and Emiya Kiritsugu, the true manipulator behind them – had gradually realized Kirei’s threat towards them, whereas he was only an ‘ordinary assistant’ for Tōsaka Tokiomi. Therefore, the alliance with Einzbern was more important to him than Kirei.

Moreover, Tokiomi didn’t know about the Command Seals that once again appeared on Kirei’s arm and the existence of the Command Seals that were taken back for safekeeping and secretly inherited from Risei. Nor had Kirei told him that Saber’s real Master, Emiya Kiritsugu, had yet to make an appearance, or that Matō Kariya was saved. The fact that he was hiding such important information at this time meant that Kirei had already discarded his duties as Tokiomi’s subordinate. Tokiomi would discover this sooner or later; right now Kirei didn’t have the right to complain.

After contacting the employees distributed everywhere by phone, Kirei returned to his room alone. He sat down on the edge of the bed, and felt the quietness and stillness of the empty church.

Kirei questioned his own heart while he stared at the darkness.

He had already asked himself like this thousands and tens of thousands of times in his life up until now.

But this question was really pressing down on him tonight. Only, this time he had to come to an answer before dawn break.

Just what, is my wish?

Among the vast amount of information that the employees passed on while they were cleaning up the aftermath, there were two pieces of information that Kirei could not ignore.

One – an adult male body that died in a weird fashion appeared before the public at the riverside, where things have sunk into chaos after being stirred up by Caster’s sea demon. The corpse was taken over by the Holy Church and avoided being handed over to the police. It could no longer be identified due to severe facial damage, but due to the traces of the Command Seals on its right hand it can be roughly determined that he was Caster’s Master, Uryū Ryūnosuke. Cause of death – large diameter rifle bullets with diameters of 30 millimeters or more, two shots.

The other report was even more shocking.

Just a few hours ago, the bodies of Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald and Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri were found within an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Shinto. The two bodies have similarly been discovered by Church employees while patrolling and were dealt with. A discarded and signed Self-Geis Scroll was found at the scene. This was the naked evidence of the perpetrator having used despicable means to kill Lancer’s Master.

Emiya Kiritsugu – this cruel and emotionless hunting machine was eliminating his opponents one by one.

What he was afraid was that Kiritsugu was still continuing the war somewhere out there. Different from Kirei, who could only sit on the spot, perplexed, he was stepping towards the Holy Grail pressingly.

This battlefield named Fuyuki made a man who had continuously devoted to hollow battles re-emerge after a nine-year long silence. However, before Kirei knew just what his intentions and reasons were, he has to leave here.

What would that man pray for when he obtains the omnipotent wish-granting vessel?

Would that answer really fill up the emptiness in Kirei’s heart?

“… Who, are you?”

He suddenly muttered to himself. He had once expected Emiya Kiritsugu with a premonition almost equal to prayers, expecting his answer. Now Kirei had a sense of danger. The image that crisscrossed his mind was that of the women who stood upright in front of Kiritsugu and protected him. Why would they risk their lives for Kiritsugu? Or was it that Kiritsugu had sunken so low, to the mundane degree of sharing his own goal with a third party?

Kirei felt a presence stirring up in the deep quietness. The presence was approaching him from the corridor outside his door. Kirei had already become very familiar with this presence. Even if he was only walking silently, that Heroic Spirit did not hide the flamboyant majesty emanating out of him. Even if he were stepping into the realm of gods, he remained as obstinate and unrestrained as ever.

Archer didn’t knock and stepped into Kirei’s room straight away. He gave a sneer that was neither sarcastic nor pitiful when he saw Kirei was deep in thought.

“What are you thinking of, even at this stage? There should be a limit on being slow.”

“… You let Tokiomi-sensei go back on his own, Archer?”

“I was with him until the house. Recently there were poisonous insects more treacherous than Assassin lurking in the night.”

Kirei nodded. That Emiya Kiritsugu won’t ignore the meeting just then; he would definitely seek an opportunity to act during Tokiomi’s journey to or back from the meeting. Kirei had briefed someone thoroughly about that point – not to Tokiomi, but to Archer.

[[Image:FZ_v03_283.png|thumb|Kirei and Gilgamesh]]

“However, you really are an honest guy. Knowing that you’re situation is getting worse but still worried about the safety of your lord.”

“This is a logical decision. I had long finished my duty of being Tokiomi-sensei’s tool, and there were no reasons left to keep staying at Fuyuki.”

“– You don’t really think that, right?”

Archer’s gaze seemed to have seen through everything. Silently, Kirei gazed back at him.

However, Kirei didn’t plan to rebuke, because what Archer said wasn’t wrong. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be sitting here idiotically, and would already be making preparations for leaving Fuyuki.

“Even now, the Holy Grail is still calling to you, and you yourself are also longing to keep on fighting.”

Archer said thus. Kirei remained silent, and gave up on rebuttal.

No matter what he says, there’s nothing to hide in front of Archer. That Heroic Spirit had even seen through the fact that he was only deceiving everyone including himself. Then, maybe the answer that Kirei had always sought was also already within his heart.

It was as if those twin red eyes were gazing from above at little white mice, wandering lost and perplexed. There was no inducement, nor was there salvation; maybe appreciating other’s worries was something that made the King of Heroics delighted.

“… Ever since I can remember, I’ve been looking into one question.”

As if confessing to the darkness within his heart, Kirei stood in front of Archer.

“Wasting time, enduring the pain… but everything ended in fruitlessness. However, right now I feel that I have never been closer to the ‘answer’.

What I seek must be at Fuyuki, at the end of the war.”

After he said those words, Kirei once again understood just what drove him to walk on till today.

It was a long time ago, when Kotomine Kirei was yet to be Tōsaka Tokiomi’s hound. The Kirei back then continuously stirred up dissent just for himself.

“Since you’ve reflected so much, then why are you perplexed?”

Archer asked coldly.

Hearing this, Kirei lowered his head and looked at his open hands, then covered his face as if going to sigh.

“I have an ominous premonition – I would walk towards annihilation when I have obtained all the answers.”

If the expectation that was endowed on Emiya Kiritsugu was not fulfilled –

And if he couldn’t find something else in Matō Kariya’s end either –

Then, Kirei could no longer turn back; he could only face it. He could only try to face the thing that he discovered in the deaths of his father and wife.

It would be better for him to just turn around and leave. Be Tōsaka Tokiomi’s deferent disciple until the end and obediently leave. That way, it would at least look better on the face of it.

And forget everything from now on. Don’t ask anything, don’t demand anything, and pass through a busy but mundane life like a plant would. No matter what he had lost, this would at least let him rest in peace.

“– Don’t think of those boring things, idiot.”

Archer’s reminder interrupted the thought that he had almost been prepared to fulfil.

“You won’t be troubled until now if you could change your way of life so easily. You, who’s used to questioning while you’re alive, would die with questions at the end too. You won’t receive the answer, and can’t rest in peace.”

“…”

“Maybe I should congratulate you. You’re finally going to arrive at the destination after such a lengthy journey.”

“… You would congratulate someone else, Archer?”

Archer inclined his head. There was still no sentimentality on his face, but it was sparkling with an innocent and joyous light like a child observing an ant hill.

“I should have told you that observing humanity’s cause and retribution is the most interesting entertainment. I, the king, full-heartedly looks forward to the moment when you come face to face with your destiny.”

The King of Heroes said this gallantly. Hearing this, Kirei gave a bitter laugh.

“Is it really so fun to live so stubbornly for the greed of ‘enjoyment’?”

“If you’re jealous, you can try to live a little like this too. You won’t fear annihilation once you comprehend just what is enjoyment.”

The phone in the priest’s office in the corridor outside rang. As if he had already predicted it, Kirei did not appear to be surprised in anyway. He walked out of the room, picked up the receiver, and quickly disconnected the phone after just a few words and returned to the room.

“– What’s wrong?”

“It’s a call from the employees of the Holy Church who originally worked under my father. They now have to report everything to me.”

Seeing that Kirei’s expression was unusually relaxed, Archer furrowed his brows and asked.

“Are there some good news?”

“You could say that. This news is quite decisive.”

After this, Kirei hesitated for a while, considering whether he should say it. However, at the end, he still chose confession.

“I sent people to follow those from the Einzbern camp after the end of the recent meeting. I told them it was my father’s order given before he passed away, so they went and did so. Thanks to that, I found out the place where those three are currently hiding.”

After Archer heard Kirei through, he couldn’t help but be stunned for a little while.

Then the King of Heroes laughed heartily. He clapped continuously.

“– Honestly Kirei – you really are – ! Haven’t you already made up your mind ages ago!”

He was still using his own position to detect the movements of the enemy camps, so it would be impossible for him not to join the fight. While Kirei was being anxious, the battle strategy had made concrete advancements.

But he had not made the mental preparations just then – just a few minutes ago.

“I was lost once, and had also wanted to give up. But at the end – King of Heroes, it’s like what you said – someone like me can only live on with questions.”

As Kirei spoke, he rolled up his sleeves and confirmed the Command Seals on his arms.

There were two Command Seals on his left lower arm. Command Seals that would allow Kirei to make a contract once again with a Servant.

Meanwhile, the Command Seals that were taken back for safe keeping and inherited from his father covered his entire right arm. The innumerable Command Seals, yet to confirm a target for a contract, can be used and forged into highly practical prana that has no alignments, and can be used to restrain Servants as well. That means they can be used as mock Magic Crests. Apart from the fact that they are expandable, the magecraft that Kirei now possessed was enough to rival famous magecraft houses that have collected their Crests through the generations. Kirei’s preparation was more than enough for him to continue participating in the Heaven’s Feel that was still going on.

There were no greater good and no illusionary glories on the road before him. A battle that only belonged to Kotomine Kirei was about to start.

In order to fill his own nihility, in order to confirm the capacity of his own emptiness – he would question Emiya Kiritsugu, question Matō Kariya, and question the wish-granting vessel, the Holy Grail.

“Hahahaha – however, Kirei, although it’s a bit abrupt, I have a few questions.”

Archer laughed madly and arrogantly. Those blood-red eyes were permeating with the implications of a prank – and at the same time carried an evil shade.

“If you’ve really decided to participate in the War of the Holy Grail, then you would become Tōsaka Tokiomi’s enemy. That’s to say, right now you’re staying defenselessly in the same room with the enemy’s Servant. Isn’t this very awful?”

“Not necessarily; I do still have ways to keep myself alive.”

“Oh?”

Archer, interested, narrowed his eyes.

Kirei spoke calmly.

“Since now I am already opposing Tokiomi-sensei, then I don’t need to hide his lies anymore – Gilgamesh, let me tell you the truth of the Heaven’s Feel that you don’t know about.”

“… What did you say?”

Hearing this, Archer furrowed his brows with perplexity. Kirei proceeded to speak thoroughly of the truth of the Heaven’s Feel that he got to know from Tokiomi.

“The miracle that occurs in the ‘inside’ of this world cannot be used universally on the ‘outside’ of the world. The fight over the wish-granting vessel is only a camouflage; the ‘Three Noble Families of the Beginning’ has other plans.

The ceremony that had originally been held in Fuyuki was a kind of attempt to use the souls of seven Heroic Spirits as sacrifices to open the road that leads to the ‘Root’. The promise of ‘Fulfil a miracle’ was also only bait used to attract Heroic Spirits. However, as the result of the unilateral spread of this ‘bait’, the current Heaven’s Feel had lost its original meanings and is only left with an empty shell.”

This is a secret known only to the Matōs, Tōsakas, and Einzberns and people related them. The foreign Masters and all of the Servants are oblivious to this truth.

“This time around, the only magus who wants to fulfil the once long-cherished wish of the ‘Three Noble Families of the Beginning’ is Tōsaka Tokiomi. He wants to kill all seven Servants to activate ‘the Greater Grail’. That’s right, kill all seven. Do you understand? – that’s why Tokiomi-sensei was so stingy with the expenditure of Command Seals. He can only use two Command Seals in the battle with other Masters. He needs to use the final one that’s left to order his own Servant to commit suicide once everything is finished.”

Archer heard him through without interruption, then questions with a lowered voice and with an extremely apathetic expression.

“… You’re telling me that the loyalty Tōsaka Tokiomi had shown to me were all to deceive me?”

Kirei knows his teacher’s character. Therefore, he slowly shook his head.

“He indeed does have the uttermost respect for ‘Gilgamesh, King of Heroes’. However, it’s completely different for the Servant Archer. That’s to say, you’re only a representation, a meaning not too far off from a statue or a portrait. Everyone who walks past it would give it a respectable look of admiration if it’s put at the most conspicuous place in a gallery – but if this representation was removed when the collection is being rotated off, then it would be despised.

That’s to say, Tokiomi-sensei is a complete ‘magus’ at the end. For him, a Servant is just a tool. He had once calmly told me that even if he admires Heroic Spirits, he won’t harbor any illusions towards idols.”

Hearing Kirei’s account, Archer nodded dramatically as if suddenly realizing something, then once again showed that evil smile he had beforehand. There was cruelty within tolerance, decisiveness within boldness; it was the smile of a king who was an absolute existence, who could decide everything with just one word.

“Tokiomi – today I’ve finally discovered your worth. Even that boring man can make me so delighted.”

If viewed from the meanings hidden beneath those words, this was definitely a tragic declaration enough to freeze someone’s blood.

“King of Heroes, what do you plan to do? Will you still show loyalty to Tokiomi-sensei even so, and punish my betrayal?”

“Yes, what should I do? Although he has been disloyal to me, Tokiomi is after all my prana provider. Moreover, where would I get a perfect Master –”

Archer stopped speaking, and suddenly gazed at Kirei with a transparent expression.

“Ah – speaking of, it seems like there is a Master here who had obtained Command Seals, but had lost his Servant.”

“You speak the truth.”

Using a smile to reply to Archer’s naked lure, Kirei lowered his head.

“But does that man have the worth to be graced with the favor of the King of Heroes?”

“No problems. Although it’s not flawless, there is enough potential. Maybe he’d even be able to let me thoroughly enjoy myself.”

– Like so.

At that moment, the final Master and Servant chosen by fate exchanged smiles to each other for the first time.

<center>※※※※※</center>

‘It’ was lost in an abyss of shallow slumber within the darkness sealed in the bottomless earth.

What ‘It’ dreamt of in the shallow slumber – was the endless ‘prayers’, unreasonable and unattainable, that have been entrusted a long time ago.

A beautiful world. A beautiful life. A flawless soul.

Because such longings were too strong, so they had to entrust all other evils to one place; that was the wish of the fragile men.

Through answering that ‘prayer’, ‘It’ had once saved a world.

There is no evil apart from me. This is no imperfection apart from me.

I am the only one who should be hated. I am the only one who should be abhorred.

Like thus, ‘It’ saved the world, and let them obtain peace.

Therefore –

‘It’ was not a saint who saved men and aided the world. Without praises, without reverence, without tributes, but only with spurns, only curses, only disdain… before ‘It’ knew it, even its name as a human had been rubbed away, only left with a title of its ‘way of existence’, and finally became a concept that was passed down through the ages.

Until now, all that had already became a dream of memories that had had its full share of time’s baptism.

Just how much time had passed since then?

Right now, ‘It’ was thinking dazedly on top of the bed it had slept on peacefully.

It felt like some complicated changes had occurred. That’s right; it was about sixty years ago. Something had happened almost in the blink of an eye.

Because it happened so suddenly, ‘It’ didn’t understand everything completely – when ‘It’ came to, ‘It’ was already at a place like a mother’s warm placenta.

An infinite darkness that sighed in the deepest place beneath the earth.

Back then, it had been a place that had concealed an ‘egg’ that had endless possibilities. One day, like a seed, ‘It’ entered and planted its roots into this place. From that day on, that place because the abdominal cavity that nurtured a darkness that didn’t belong to anything, veritably became a uterus with the purpose of fostering ‘It’ into maturity.

Since then, ‘It’ had surely absorbed the prana that flew in from the leylines in the earth like a baby that obtained nourishment from the mother’s placenta while ‘It’ slept in its shallow slumber. While ‘It’ veritably grew, ‘It’ waited without being discovered by anyone for the arrival of an opportunity.

Waiting to one day leave this scorching profound darkness, the moment of delivery.

Suddenly, ‘It’ – perked up its ears and listened for the sound coming from near ‘It’.

Just then, someone really did speak.

“…all the evils of this world… it won’t matter… gladly accept it…”

Aaah, someone was calling ‘It’.

Blessing and itself were both called by someone.

Answer him. It must be able to right now.

The prana whirlpool that had swelled long ago to an incomparable size in the darkness gave ‘It’ a concrete form.

The endless ‘prayers’ that had been entrusted in the distant past should also be able to be fulfilled right now.

An ‘existence’ like something that was prayed upon.

‘Going to do’ all the things that were wished for.

All the pieces of the puzzle had been assembled.

The gears of fate grinded together, and were now turning bravely, accelerating with the day of completion as their goal.

All that’s left – was waiting for the birthing canal to open.

As ‘It’ dreamed in its shallow slumber, ‘It’ emitted cries that will dye the world crimson red…

‘It’ also repeated its contractions in the darkness beneath the earth, unknown to anyone else.

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</noinclude>

Fate/Zero:Act 12 Part 4

2020-11-27T14:53:11Z

2001:18E8:2:28B8:F000:0:0:31DA: /* -58:16:21 */

=== -58:16:21 ===

Regarding the midnight meeting at the Fuyuki Church, Tōsaka Tokiomi had naturally defined the number of people allowed to attend in the conditions.

Apart from the respective Master and Servant, both sides can also bring along a supporter.

For Irisviel, who found it difficult to act alone, she never expected such a condition to exist. It would be impossible for her to rely on Saber’s strength if she happens to accidentally be caught in a battlefield later on. If Maiya happens to be beside her at that time, she would be much more at ease.

Of course, as the reciprocal condition, one other person also attended apart from Tōsaka Tokiomi and Archer – at the end, when Tokiomi introduced that follower to Irisviel and the others as if it was nothing important, they couldn’t help but change their expressions a little.

“Let me introduce him, Kotomine Kirei – my student. Although he was also someone who competed with all of you, it was in past. He had lost his Servant, and had given up the rights of a Master for a long time.”

Is that all? Irisviel cast a dubious look at the other man, but Tokiomi was full of calmness and appeared not planning to say much else. Maybe he was underestimating the opponent. If not – then he may still be unaware of the feud between Irisviel and Kotomine Kirei.

Saber, leisurely reclining against the wall behind Tokiomi and the others, glared unblinkingly at the red-eyed Servant. Tonight, Archer had also removed his battle arrays and put on a set of ordinary clothes suitable to this era. Although the outfit, decorated with leather and lacquer, looked like it was full of a distasteful glamor, it did not create any incongruities when paired with the overwhelming presence of the golden Heroic Spirit.

Those blood-red eyes looked as if they stripped away Saber’s clothes just with their sight, licked and caressed her soft skin. What seeped out of his eyes was blatant lust. Although this inevitably stirred up Saber’s impulse of immediately drawing her sword and go into battle, she could only endure it when she thought of Irisviel.

“I am immensely thankful of your arrivals upon receiving my invitation.”

It was unclear whether he noticed the pressing presence of the three women; Tokiomi solicitously offered his opening speech.

“The Heaven’s Feel this time is also finally about to enter the most important stage. Right now, all that’s left are the Masters of the ‘Three Families of the Beginning’, and one sudden intruder – then, do you of the Einzbern family have any thoughts on this battle situation?”

“No.”

After answering thus with a cold and clear voice, Irisviel continued to speak audaciously.

“We have the strongest Saber, so there’s no need to stealthily grasp every opportunity. Just walking towards victory like this would be enough.”

“Is that so –”

With a provoking undertone, Tokiomi couldn’t stop himself but laugh.

“Then, please allow me to speak of my own thoughts. Putting aside our respective strengths for now, let us talk about Berserker and Rider first.

Of course, our final goal is to let the ‘Three Families of the Beginning’ remain and therefore ensure the right of possessing the Grail in the final battle. However, very unfortunately, due to a strategic mistake of the Matō family, a Servant that needs to spend large amounts of prana was summoned by a weak Master. I fear that they would face their demise sooner or later. It seems the one that would obtain victory among them will be Rider. I guess that you would also know something about the might of that Heroic Spirit Alexander.”

Tokiomi paused, waiting for Irisviel to react. However, seeing that she remained silent, Tokiomi continued speaking.

“A newcomer who suddenly popped out of nowhere dares to stretch his hands towards the Holy Grail, in which two thousand years of longing were entrusted; does Einzbern not feel very uncomfortable about this?”

“Speaking of newcomers, aren’t Tōsakas and Matōs included in that too?”

Normally, Irisviel will never speak so unscrupulously, but tonight’s strategy was to completely suppress Tokiomi. When she discarded her daily gentleness and demureness and stood upright to confront, she seemed as inviolable as a beautiful and adamant queen.

But Tokiomi wasn’t going to succumb just with that. He still carried a solicitous smile, and his expression didn’t waver a bit.

“Since what Einzbern wishes for is only the fact of achieving the Third Magic, then would it fit your original intentions if you were to entrust the Holy Grail to me, Tōsaka Tokiomi, with my goal of reaching ‘Akasha’?”

Hearing this, Irisviel cast a contemptuous sneer towards Tokiomi.

“Could it be that the Tōsaka family would even beg just to rob the Holy Grail from our hands?”

“Huh… although the explanation would make one doubt the questioner’s moral character, it doesn’t matter. The question now is that this guy who knows nothing about the Grail has the possibility of obtaining the final victory. I would definitely not allow the Holy Grail to fall into a layman’s hands – our opinions should be the same on this point.”

To put it simply – the one that Tokiomi considers as most threatening is only Rider. Irisviel agrees with that point.

Since she already understood the opponent’s intent, then it would be about time for her to state her position.

“We Einzbern have never had the habit of uniting with others. A so-called alliance will only make others laugh – however, if you want to fight enemies one by one, we would also express our sincerity.”

“… Go on.”

“Regard Tōsaka as our enemy only after all other Masters are defeated – we’re willing to obey such an agreement.”

Irisviel’s roundabout way of speaking made Tokiomi nod his head coldly.

“That’s to say, a ceasefire agreement with conditions attached. It’s appropriate for both parties.”

“We have two demands.”

As if trying to suppress the other and take the initiative, Irisviel followed up,

“Firstly, give us the information you have on Rider’s Master.”

Tokiomi sniggered in his heart when he heard this. Since Einzbern made such a demand, then it meant she really wanted to go defeat Rider herself. This development was completely within his expectations.

“– Kirei, tell them.”

Hearing Tokiomi’s command Kirei, who had stayed aside and waited silently, began to explain with a flat tone.

“Rider’s Master is an apprentice magus named Waver Velvet, who was studying under Kayneth. He now flats in the home of an old couple surnamed MacKenzie in Miyama city, Nakagoe 2-chome. They are an ordinary family that has nothing to do with the Heaven’s Feel, but they think Waver is their own grandson under Waver’s hypnosis magecraft.”

Kirei finished fluently. Hearing this, Irisviel and Maiya couldn’t help but shiver. Although they’ve roughly guessed it, they didn’t think that Kirei, who had once controlled Assassin, could undertake a war of intelligence so thoroughly.

“… Alright, what’s the other condition?”

Tokiomi urged delightedly. Irisviel stared straight at him with a solemn and heavy expression, and spoke with an uncompromising tone that didn’t allow the opponent to decline.

“The second condition – is to eliminate Kotomine Kirei from the Heaven’s Feel.”

Tokiomi, who originally had a leisurely expression, couldn’t help but gape when he heard this. However, Kirei remained nonplussed, and didn’t even move his eyebrows.

“I didn’t mean to kill him. I’m only saying that he needs to leave Fuyuki – no, leave Japan – before the war finishes. We hope that he’d depart tomorrow morning.”

“Can you explain the reason?”

Tokiomi calmed the wavering of his heart and requested with a rather low voice. Irisviel, who could tell people’s emotions very clearly, believed more firmly that this pair of teacher and student has estrangements between them – it was obvious that Tokiomi did not know what Kirei did exactly.

“That Executor has quite a feud with us Einzbern. If Tōsaka is to include him in your camp, then we would be completely unable to trust you. We would regard you as the target to be eliminated first, and unite with Rider and the others to initiate attacking you.”

“…”

There wasn’t a single hint of joking in Irisviel’s tone. Finally, Tokiomi detected that there were many things he didn’t know, and cast a doubtful look towards Kirei, who was beside him.

“What’s going on, Kirei?”

“…”

Kirei remained silent, expressionless as if wearing a mask. However, since he didn’t make any rebuttal to Irisviel’s words, his silence was enough to explain the problem.

With a sigh, Tokiomi once again hid his emotions in the bottom of his heart, and gazed at the Einzbern camp with a nonchalant expression.

“As the substitute of the late Father Risei, Kirei had inherited the job of the Supervisor. If you believe that he must leave, then we have a condition too.”

Silently, Irisviel inclined her head and motioned for him to continue.

“– I observed last night’s battle. That Saber of yours has a Noble Phantasm with an overly-powerful destructive power; we hope that you can restrain her use of it.”

Now Saber furrowed her brows. She understood that Tōsaka wanted to forcibly push the duel with Rider onto her. She could only regard this extra condition as being too unreasonable.

“Why are you interfering with our battle tactics?”

“We are the managers of Fuyuki. If the Heaven’s Feel is going to leave the concealment of the Holy Church and proceed openly, then I hope unnecessary disturbances can be avoided.”

At this moment, Maiya, who had been quiet until now, suddenly interrupted.

“Saber’s Noble Phantasm caused damage to the surrounding structures last night?”

“– Luckily, it was minimal damage. Coincidentally, there was a large ship on the path of her attack. However, one mistake would have indeed flattened all the houses on the opposite river bank.”

“It was us who placed the ship there.”

Hearing Maiya’s words, Saber’s eyebrows twitched. Indeed, it was precisely because that ship was there that she was able to use Excalibur without worries. However, she only knew upon hearing Maiya that it was actually prepared by Kiritsugu.

“On a side note, we’ve already confirmed that the owner of that ship has bought insurance. The Einzbern camp has already thoroughly considered the destructive power of Saber’s Noble Phantasm without needing you to remind us.”

“I’m asking you to put your so-called consideration into a treaty.”

Rather toughly, Tokiomi interrupted Maiya’s words.

“It is unconditionally forbidden to use Noble Phantasms on ground level in Fuyuki city. The same applies even if you’re on air if it would indirectly cause harm to residents – can you agree to this condition, Einzbern Master?”

“… If I agree, then would Kotomine Kirei really leave Japan?”

“Ah, I assure you of it, and can be held accountable.”

Tokiomi nodded without hesitation. Kirei, beside him, couldn’t let out his anger and could only grit his teeth tightly by himself.

Irisviel consulted Saber for her opinion. Saber nodded to show that she agreed.

Saber also did not want her Noble Phantasm to create unnecessary sacrifices. This wouldn’t count as exceeding restriction if Tōsaka Tokiomi’s concern was the same as hers.

“– Very good. Since you confirmed that you can fulfil the condition, then we also agree to a ceasefire.”

<center>※※※※※</center>

After the meeting concluded, Kotomine Kirei remained in the church, which both Masters have left, all by himself.

Just like Tokiomi said then, Kirei, right now, as a member of the Holy Church, was proceeding with managing the aftermath all around Fuyuki City. Due to the death of his father, Risei, who was the Supervisor, the on-site command chain was completely fuddled and there was absolutely no time to wait for the Assembly of the Eighth Sacrament to send in the official successor.

However, the work at each scene was now progressing methodically after giving only appropriate directions to the management at each place. This showed that the orders Risei made when he was alive was very much correct. Kirei’s job was to continue along the trail that Risei had already lain down and sends the duties down one by one; in truth, it wasn’t anything particularly difficult.

But right now he must make a decision concerning his work.

Actually, for Kirei, he had already understood that his situation was dangerous when he sensed Tokiomi had the intention of making an alliance with the Einzberns. The decision that he made at the meeting just now wasn’t surprising, either. The Einzbern women – and Emiya Kiritsugu, the true manipulator behind them – had gradually realized Kirei’s threat towards them, whereas he was only an ‘ordinary assistant’ for Tōsaka Tokiomi. Therefore, the alliance with Einzbern was more important to him than Kirei.

Moreover, Tokiomi didn’t know about the Command Seals that once again appeared on Kirei’s arm and the existence of the Command Seals that were taken back for safekeeping and secretly inherited from Risei. Nor had Kirei told him that Saber’s real Master, Emiya Kiritsugu, had yet to make an appearance, or that Matō Kariya was saved. The fact that he was hiding such important information at this time meant that Kirei had already discarded his duties as Tokiomi’s subordinate. Tokiomi would discover this sooner or later; right now Kirei didn’t have the right to complain.

After contacting the employees distributed everywhere by phone, Kirei returned to his room alone. He sat down on the edge of the bed, and felt the quietness and stillness of the empty church.

Kirei questioned his own heart while he stared at the darkness.

He had already asked himself like this thousands and tens of thousands of times in his life up until now.

But this question was really pressing down on him tonight. Only, this time he had to come to an answer before dawn break.

Just what, is my wish?

Among the vast amount of information that the employees passed on while they were cleaning up the aftermath, there were two pieces of information that Kirei could not ignore.

One – an adult male body that died in a weird fashion appeared before the public at the riverside, where things have sunk into chaos after being stirred up by Caster’s sea demon. The corpse was taken over by the Holy Church and avoided being handed over to the police. It could no longer be identified due to severe facial damage, but due to the traces of the Command Seals on its right hand it can be roughly determined that he was Caster’s Master, Uryū Ryūnosuke. Cause of death – large diameter rifle bullets with diameters of 30 millimeters or more, two shots.

The other report was even more shocking.

Just a few hours ago, the bodies of Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald and Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri were found within an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Shinto. The two bodies have similarly been discovered by Church employees while patrolling and were dealt with. A discarded and signed Self-Geis Scroll was found at the scene. This was the naked evidence of the perpetrator having used despicable means to kill Lancer’s Master.

Emiya Kiritsugu – this cruel and emotionless hunting machine was eliminating his opponents one by one.

What he was afraid was that Kiritsugu was still continuing the war somewhere out there. Different from Kirei, who could only sit on the spot, perplexed, he was stepping towards the Holy Grail pressingly.

This battlefield named Fuyuki made a man who had continuously devoted to hollow battles re-emerge after a nine-year long silence. However, before Kirei knew just what his intentions and reasons were, he has to leave here.

What would that man pray for when he obtains the omnipotent wish-granting vessel?

Would that answer really fill up the emptiness in Kirei’s heart?

“… Who, are you?”

He suddenly muttered to himself. He had once expected Emiya Kiritsugu with a premonition almost equal to prayers, expecting his answer. Now Kirei had a sense of danger. The image that crisscrossed his mind was that of the women who stood upright in front of Kiritsugu and protected him. Why would they risk their lives for Kiritsugu? Or was it that Kiritsugu had sunken so low, to the mundane degree of sharing his own goal with a third party?

Kirei felt a presence stirring up in the deep quietness. The presence was approaching him from the corridor outside his door. Kirei had already become very familiar with this presence. Even if he was only walking silently, that Heroic Spirit did not hide the flamboyant majesty emanating out of him. Even if he were stepping into the realm of gods, he remained as obstinate and unrestrained as ever.

Archer didn’t knock and stepped into Kirei’s room straight away. He sneered with a sarcastic and pitiful tone when he saw Kirei was deep in thought.

“What are you thinking of, even at this stage? There should be a limit on being slow.”

“… You let Tokiomi-sensei go back on his own, Archer?”

“I was with him until the house. Recently there were poisonous insects more treacherous than Assassin lurking in the night.”

Kirei nodded. That Emiya Kiritsugu won’t ignore the meeting just then; he would definitely seek an opportunity to act during Tokiomi’s journey to or back from the meeting. Kirei had briefed someone thoroughly about that point – not to Tokiomi, but to Archer.

[[Image:FZ_v03_283.png|thumb|Kirei and Gilgamesh]]

“However, you really are an honest guy. Knowing that you’re situation is getting worse but still worried about the safety of your lord.”

“This is a logical decision. I had long finished my duty of being Tokiomi-sensei’s tool, and there were no reasons left to keep staying at Fuyuki.”

“– You don’t really think that, right?”

Archer’s gaze seemed to have seen through everything. Silently, Kirei gazed back at him.

However, Kirei didn’t plan to rebuke, because what Archer said wasn’t wrong. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be sitting here idiotically, and would already be making preparations for leaving Fuyuki.

“Even now, the Holy Grail is still calling to you, and you yourself are also longing to keep on fighting.”

Archer said thus. Kirei remained silent, and gave up on rebuttal.

No matter what he says, there’s nothing to hide in front of Archer. That Heroic Spirit had even seen through the fact that he was only deceiving everyone including himself. Then, maybe the answer that Kirei had always sought was also already within his heart.

It was as if those twin red eyes were gazing from above at little white mice, wandering lost and perplexed. There was no inducement, nor was there salvation; maybe appreciating other’s worries was something that made the King of Heroics delighted.

“… Ever since I can remember, I’ve been looking into one question.”

As if confessing to the darkness within his heart, Kirei stood in front of Archer.

“Wasting time, enduring the pain… but everything ended in fruitlessness. However, right now I feel that I have never been closer to the ‘answer’.

What I seek must be at Fuyuki, at the end of the war.”

After he said those words, Kirei once again understood just what drove him to walk on till today.

It was a long time ago, when Kotomine Kirei was yet to be Tōsaka Tokiomi’s hound. The Kirei back then continuously stirred up dissent just for himself.

“Since you’ve reflected so much, then why are you perplexed?”

Archer asked coldly.

Hearing this, Kirei lowered his head and looked at his open hands, then covered his face as if going to sigh.

“I have an ominous premonition – I would walk towards annihilation when I have obtained all the answers.”

If the expectation that was endowed on Emiya Kiritsugu was not fulfilled –

And if he couldn’t find something else in Matō Kariya’s end either –

Then, Kirei could no longer turn back; he could only face it. He could only try to face the thing that he discovered in the deaths of his father and wife.

It would be better for him to just turn around and leave. Be Tōsaka Tokiomi’s deferent disciple until the end and obediently leave. That way, it would at least look better on the face of it.

And forget everything from now on. Don’t ask anything, don’t demand anything, and pass through a busy but mundane life like a plant would. No matter what he had lost, this would at least let him rest in peace.

“– Don’t think of those boring things, idiot.”

Archer’s reminder interrupted the thought that he had almost been prepared to fulfil.

“You won’t be troubled until now if you could change your way of life so easily. You, who’s used to questioning while you’re alive, would die with questions at the end too. You won’t receive the answer, and can’t rest in peace.”

“…”

“Maybe I should congratulate you. You’re finally going to arrive at the destination after such a lengthy journey.”

“… You would congratulate someone else, Archer?”

Archer inclined his head. There was still no sentimentality on his face, but it was sparkling with an innocent and joyous light like a child observing an ant hill.

“I should have told you that observing humanity’s cause and retribution is the most interesting entertainment. I, the king, full-heartedly looks forward to the moment when you come face to face with your destiny.”

The King of Heroes said this gallantly. Hearing this, Kirei gave a bitter laugh.

“Is it really so fun to live so stubbornly for the greed of ‘enjoyment’?”

“If you’re jealous, you can try to live a little like this too. You won’t fear annihilation once you comprehend just what is enjoyment.”

The phone in the priest’s office in the corridor outside rang. As if he had already predicted it, Kirei did not appear to be surprised in anyway. He walked out of the room, picked up the receiver, and quickly disconnected the phone after just a few words and returned to the room.

“– What’s wrong?”

“It’s a call from the employees of the Holy Church who originally worked under my father. They now have to report everything to me.”

Seeing that Kirei’s expression was unusually relaxed, Archer furrowed his brows and asked.

“Are there some good news?”

“You could say that. This news is quite decisive.”

After this, Kirei hesitated for a while, considering whether he should say it. However, at the end, he still chose confession.

“I sent people to follow those from the Einzbern camp after the end of the recent meeting. I told them it was my father’s order given before he passed away, so they went and did so. Thanks to that, I found out the place where those three are currently hiding.”

After Archer heard Kirei through, he couldn’t help but be stunned for a little while.

Then the King of Heroes laughed heartily. He clapped continuously.

“– Honestly Kirei – you really are – ! Haven’t you already made up your mind ages ago!”

He was still using his own position to detect the movements of the enemy camps, so it would be impossible for him not to join the fight. While Kirei was being anxious, the battle strategy had made concrete advancements.

But he had not made the mental preparations just then – just a few minutes ago.

“I was lost once, and had also wanted to give up. But at the end – King of Heroes, it’s like what you said – someone like me can only live on with questions.”

As Kirei spoke, he rolled up his sleeves and confirmed the Command Seals on his arms.

There were two Command Seals on his left lower arm. Command Seals that would allow Kirei to make a contract once again with a Servant.

Meanwhile, the Command Seals that were taken back for safe keeping and inherited from his father covered his entire right arm. The innumerable Command Seals, yet to confirm a target for a contract, can be used and forged into highly practical prana that has no alignments, and can be used to restrain Servants as well. That means they can be used as mock Magic Crests. Apart from the fact that they are expandable, the magecraft that Kirei now possessed was enough to rival famous magecraft houses that have collected their Crests through the generations. Kirei’s preparation was more than enough for him to continue participating in the Heaven’s Feel that was still going on.

There were no greater good and no illusionary glories on the road before him. A battle that only belonged to Kotomine Kirei was about to start.

In order to fill his own nihility, in order to confirm the capacity of his own emptiness – he would question Emiya Kiritsugu, question Matō Kariya, and question the wish-granting vessel, the Holy Grail.

“Hahahaha – however, Kirei, although it’s a bit abrupt, I have a few questions.”

Archer laughed madly and arrogantly. Those blood-red eyes were permeating with the implications of a prank – and at the same time carried an evil shade.

“If you’ve really decided to participate in the War of the Holy Grail, then you would become Tōsaka Tokiomi’s enemy. That’s to say, right now you’re staying defenselessly in the same room with the enemy’s Servant. Isn’t this very awful?”

“Not necessarily; I do still have ways to keep myself alive.”

“Oh?”

Archer, interested, narrowed his eyes.

Kirei spoke calmly.

“Since now I am already opposing Tokiomi-sensei, then I don’t need to hide his lies anymore – Gilgamesh, let me tell you the truth of the Heaven’s Feel that you don’t know about.”

“… What did you say?”

Hearing this, Archer furrowed his brows with perplexity. Kirei proceeded to speak thoroughly of the truth of the Heaven’s Feel that he got to know from Tokiomi.

“The miracle that occurs in the ‘inside’ of this world cannot be used universally on the ‘outside’ of the world. The fight over the wish-granting vessel is only a camouflage; the ‘Three Noble Families of the Beginning’ has other plans.

The ceremony that had originally been held in Fuyuki was a kind of attempt to use the souls of seven Heroic Spirits as sacrifices to open the road that leads to the ‘Root’. The promise of ‘Fulfil a miracle’ was also only bait used to attract Heroic Spirits. However, as the result of the unilateral spread of this ‘bait’, the current Heaven’s Feel had lost its original meanings and is only left with an empty shell.”

This is a secret known only to the Matōs, Tōsakas, and Einzberns and people related them. The foreign Masters and all of the Servants are oblivious to this truth.

“This time around, the only magus who wants to fulfil the once long-cherished wish of the ‘Three Noble Families of the Beginning’ is Tōsaka Tokiomi. He wants to kill all seven Servants to activate ‘the Greater Grail’. That’s right, kill all seven. Do you understand? – that’s why Tokiomi-sensei was so stingy with the expenditure of Command Seals. He can only use two Command Seals in the battle with other Masters. He needs to use the final one that’s left to order his own Servant to commit suicide once everything is finished.”

Archer heard him through without interruption, then questions with a lowered voice and with an extremely apathetic expression.

“… You’re telling me that the loyalty Tōsaka Tokiomi had shown to me were all to deceive me?”

Kirei knows his teacher’s character. Therefore, he slowly shook his head.

“He indeed does have the uttermost respect for ‘Gilgamesh, King of Heroes’. However, it’s completely different for the Servant Archer. That’s to say, you’re only a representation, a meaning not too far off from a statue or a portrait. Everyone who walks past it would give it a respectable look of admiration if it’s put at the most conspicuous place in a gallery – but if this representation was removed when the collection is being rotated off, then it would be despised.

That’s to say, Tokiomi-sensei is a complete ‘magus’ at the end. For him, a Servant is just a tool. He had once calmly told me that even if he admires Heroic Spirits, he won’t harbor any illusions towards idols.”

Hearing Kirei’s account, Archer nodded dramatically as if suddenly realizing something, then once again showed that evil smile he had beforehand. There was cruelty within tolerance, decisiveness within boldness; it was the smile of a king who was an absolute existence, who could decide everything with just one word.

“Tokiomi – today I’ve finally discovered your worth. Even that boring man can make me so delighted.”

If viewed from the meanings hidden beneath those words, this was definitely a tragic declaration enough to freeze someone’s blood.

“King of Heroes, what do you plan to do? Will you still show loyalty to Tokiomi-sensei even so, and punish my betrayal?”

“Yes, what should I do? Although he has been disloyal to me, Tokiomi is after all my prana provider. Moreover, where would I get a perfect Master –”

Archer stopped speaking, and suddenly gazed at Kirei with a transparent expression.

“Ah – speaking of, it seems like there is a Master here who had obtained Command Seals, but had lost his Servant.”

“You speak the truth.”

Using a smile to reply to Archer’s naked lure, Kirei lowered his head.

“But does that man have the worth to be graced with the favor of the King of Heroes?”

“No problems. Although it’s not flawless, there is enough potential. Maybe he’d even be able to let me thoroughly enjoy myself.”

– Like so.

At that moment, the final Master and Servant chosen by fate exchanged smiles to each other for the first time.

<center>※※※※※</center>

‘It’ was lost in an abyss of shallow slumber within the darkness sealed in the bottomless earth.

What ‘It’ dreamt of in the shallow slumber – was the endless ‘prayers’, unreasonable and unattainable, that have been entrusted a long time ago.

A beautiful world. A beautiful life. A flawless soul.

Because such longings were too strong, so they had to entrust all other evils to one place; that was the wish of the fragile men.

Through answering that ‘prayer’, ‘It’ had once saved a world.

There is no evil apart from me. This is no imperfection apart from me.

I am the only one who should be hated. I am the only one who should be abhorred.

Like thus, ‘It’ saved the world, and let them obtain peace.

Therefore –

‘It’ was not a saint who saved men and aided the world. Without praises, without reverence, without tributes, but only with spurns, only curses, only disdain… before ‘It’ knew it, even its name as a human had been rubbed away, only left with a title of its ‘way of existence’, and finally became a concept that was passed down through the ages.

Until now, all that had already became a dream of memories that had had its full share of time’s baptism.

Just how much time had passed since then?

Right now, ‘It’ was thinking dazedly on top of the bed it had slept on peacefully.

It felt like some complicated changes had occurred. That’s right; it was about sixty years ago. Something had happened almost in the blink of an eye.

Because it happened so suddenly, ‘It’ didn’t understand everything completely – when ‘It’ came to, ‘It’ was already at a place like a mother’s warm placenta.

An infinite darkness that sighed in the deepest place beneath the earth.

Back then, it had been a place that had concealed an ‘egg’ that had endless possibilities. One day, like a seed, ‘It’ entered and planted its roots into this place. From that day on, that place because the abdominal cavity that nurtured a darkness that didn’t belong to anything, veritably became a uterus with the purpose of fostering ‘It’ into maturity.

Since then, ‘It’ had surely absorbed the prana that flew in from the leylines in the earth like a baby that obtained nourishment from the mother’s placenta while ‘It’ slept in its shallow slumber. While ‘It’ veritably grew, ‘It’ waited without being discovered by anyone for the arrival of an opportunity.

Waiting to one day leave this scorching profound darkness, the moment of delivery.

Suddenly, ‘It’ – perked up its ears and listened for the sound coming from near ‘It’.

Just then, someone really did speak.

“…all the evils of this world… it won’t matter… gladly accept it…”

Aaah, someone was calling ‘It’.

Blessing and itself were both called by someone.

Answer him. It must be able to right now.

The prana whirlpool that had swelled long ago to an incomparable size in the darkness gave ‘It’ a concrete form.

The endless ‘prayers’ that had been entrusted in the distant past should also be able to be fulfilled right now.

An ‘existence’ like something that was prayed upon.

‘Going to do’ all the things that were wished for.

All the pieces of the puzzle had been assembled.

The gears of fate grinded together, and were now turning bravely, accelerating with the day of completion as their goal.

All that’s left – was waiting for the birthing canal to open.

As ‘It’ dreamed in its shallow slumber, ‘It’ emitted cries that will dye the world crimson red…

‘It’ also repeated its contractions in the darkness beneath the earth, unknown to anyone else.

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