Chapter 112
- Now you can quarrel a little. - I gave my permission with a smile on my face.
- Witch. - Arturia nodded knowingly.
- Actually, I can hear you. - I turned my attention to her.
- I know. - the girl knight grinned cheekily.
- You... Hm. - At first, seeing her expression, I wanted to start arguing, but I held back and chuckled, returning my attention to the expected performance... which did not happen.
As it turned out, Archer simply ran away, leaving behind a pouting Tohsaka Rin, who, by the way, looked quite cute now, as well as a confused Shira, who was staring at the girl sitting next to him with a slightly reddened face. It seems that someone would be happy if some of my words about his future came true.
- Okay. - I sighed. - Let's get down to business,
- Tohsaka.
- What. - the girl immediately dropped her offended look and responded with curiosity.
- About the realities of the sublunary world and what bastards magicians are, I hope you will tell him in private, but for now I will move on to more pressing matters.
- L-lone? - the blushing girl asked, slightly stuttering. - But we are still not very familiar and... Ouch!
I interrupted her monologue with a light discharge of electricity.
- Throw away your dirty thoughts, perverted schoolgirl, I only asked to talk to him about the magical side. In fact, you are already 18 years old, it's time to learn to restrain your thoughts more. - I said disappointedly, after which Oz appeared next to me in a purple flash.
- Ahem-ahem, should I remind you, my lady, why did you rush to come to this world?
- Oz! You're supposed to be my loyal friend, not a traitor. - I glared at the raven with indignation.
- I just did what I had to, my lady. After all, it's easier for the people to accept a ruler who is closer to them and understands their troubles, rather than a heartless king who pretends to be perfect. - After these words, Arturia flinched as if she'd been slapped, but she still remained silent.
- Oz... that was cruel.
- Master. - Mordred began hesitantly. - Are you sure that we're here to discuss something serious, and not for your amusement?
- Of course I am. - I confirmed without specifically specifying. - That's why I'll now explain why the current Holy Grail War, like the last one, is doomed.
- First, I should turn to the third Holy Grail War. In that war, the Einzberns, driven by the thirst for victory, decided to break the rules and summoned the 8th servant of the Avenger class. It was the god of darkness and destruction, Angra Mainyu, the personification of all the evil in this world. However, even though he was a god, his stats as a heroic spirit were incredibly low, which is why he died at the very beginning. But what no one expected was that he would be able to desecrate the grail from the inside. From that moment on, any wish made to the grail would be completely distorted, and would contribute to the revival of Angra Mainyu as a disaster.
- This also brings us to the previous Holy Grail War, in which you, Saber, were the servant of Emiya Kiritsugu.
- Wait, so his father was a master in the last war?! - Tohsaka exclaimed while pointing at Emiya Shirou. - Then why the hell doesn't he know anything?
- Kiritsugu didn't like to talk about magic. - the schoolboy answered slightly depressed.
- You, Tohsaka, underestimate how bad Emiya is as a mage. He hasn't even unlocked his magic circuits yet. Instead, he uses his nervous system.
- His nervous system... - Rin repeated after me, blinking her eyes until she finally realized what exactly I said.
- Are you a complete moron?! - Tohsaka exploded. - If you haven't even unlocked your magic circuits, why the hell are you even trying to use magic? Are you tired of living?!
- But I don't know how to use magic any other way.
- Grrrr, what if you accidentally died! Can you even imagine what Sakura would feel like!
- Ahem-ahem. - I cleared my throat, attracting attention. - We'll talk about Sakura a little later, but now let me continue.
- Okay. - the girl answered sullenly, sitting back down at the table.
- So, I stopped at Emiya Kiritsugu and the last Holy Grail War. I'm sure you still hold a grudge against him, Arturia, for forcing you to destroy the grail that was beginning to materialize with your noble phantasm.
- I'd be lying if I said I wasn't angry, but in light of this new information, I understand his motives.
- Okay, I never doubted you. - I nodded at this answer.
- So, the last war. Emiya Kiritsugu, who cherished the desire to save everyone, was ready to sacrifice even the life of his beloved for this goal, but at the very end, when he reached the grail, disappointment awaited him. He learned of the trick and then gave the order to Saber to destroy the grail, but at that moment there was another master who received the right to express a wish after Kiritsugu refused.
- Kotomine Kirei. A priest who has completely lost his mind. Taking pleasure in the suffering of others, he killed his mentor with a dagger that the latter had given him as a student. When the Holy Grail fell into the hands of such a man, the consequences were terrible.
- Emiya Shirou. You remember it, right? That great fire? - I looked at the guy, whose pupils were widening more and more from understanding with each word I said, until he suddenly grabbed his mouth, barely suppressing nausea. I knew that he was now experiencing the memories of that day that had surfaced, but, to be honest, I did not feel sorry for him.
- In this Holy Grail War, he also participates as Lancer's master, and his accomplice is the servant left over from the last war, the King of Heroes Gilgamesh.
- That's impossible! - Arturia answered sharply. - After the destruction of the Grail, all the servants should have returned to the throne of heroes.
- And yet he is here, and, more importantly, he has acquired a physical body. Therefore, he is independent. And, perhaps, he will be the most difficult enemy in this war, because he, like Kotomine Kirei, seeks to destroy current humanity with the help of the corrupted Holy Grail. And it turns out that the only options for this war are either the purification of the Holy Grail, which is probably only possible for me, or its destruction. But this still brings us to the fact that only I can fulfill the wishes of Artoria and Mordred. And what's more important, they are even quite close to each other.
- Do you know father's wish? - Mordred asked curiously.
- She wants someone else to take Caliburn out of the stone, and you want to get the opportunity to take it out to prove to her that you are worthy, so your wishes can be combined into one.
- Master, I asked about father's wish, there was no need to tell me mine as well. - the girl knight whispered indignantly in my ear.
- Is that so. Do you really want this Mordred? - Artoria looked at Mordred carefully.
- Yes. - the girl knight answered meekly. And, damn it, why is this impudent tomboy suddenly becoming like an obedient child in front of Artoria? Isn't that too much?
- Okay. - Arturia nodded decisively.
- Master. - She addressed Emiya Shirou in a sharp tone.
- Yes? - The schoolboy jumped slightly from such a sharp address to him.
- You are not interested in the Holy Grail, are you?
- I do not need it. - Emiya shook his head, and then decisively continued. - However, I will not allow a repeat of the disaster.
- In that case, I hope you are not against forming an alliance, I want to support them.
- Really? - Mordred asked, while looking at Arturia with such a look that refusing her would be comparable to a crime. And so the king of knights, with complex emotions reflected in her eyes, said.
- Yes, I will support you.
- In that case, I also want to join the alliance. - Tohsaka hastened to say.
- Of course. - I accepted easily before making a serious expression on my face.
- Now it's time to talk about Matou Sakura, and also why, regardless of your wishes, Matou Shinji and Matou Zouken will be destroyed.