"It's alright, I know my body very well... However, I lost to Tōsaka Tokiomi!" Matō Kariya clenched his hands, gnashing his teeth. He was the only person he didn't want to lose to... "Heh, don't worry about it... The final outcome is still unknown. Your and Tōsaka Tokiomi's future is not yet decided..." Ryougi Raku smiled and comforted him.
"My lord, where is Lancer?" Matō Kariya suddenly realized that Lancer hadn't followed Ryougi Raku.
Ryougi Raku smiled nonchalantly and shook his hand, where there were no more Command Spells. "...He was defeated by Saber, fulfilled his last wish, and returned to the Throne of Heroes, I suppose..."
Matō Kariya was stunned, then immediately said seriously, "It doesn't matter, my lord. Even if Lancer has been defeated, there's still my Berserker. Berserker and I will bring you victory!" Thinking that Ryougi Raku might be disappointed, he quickly made his promise.
"Then I wish you success..." Ryougi Raku patted Matō Kariya's shoulder and walked upstairs. "...Get some good rest. I'm going to see Sakura..."
"...What's more, this war is about to end..." The words drifted over faintly... Tōsaka Tokiomi arrived at the temple and stood silently at the entrance of his wife's old home, making no sound... A pair of gem-like eyes stared at him. It was his daughter, Tōsaka Rin, his treasure... Although young, it was clear she would grow into a great beauty.
Tōsaka Tokiomi did not intend to go inside, because he was already embroiled in this war, and he did not want to bring the war to this peaceful and tranquil place.
He hadn't intended to visit his wife and daughter before the war ended, but the death of Kotomine Risei had caused him a flicker of worry, and this worry had led to his current actions.
Tōsaka Tokiomi did indeed love his wife and daughter, but he was too self-centered. As a magus, he loved purely by his own will, disregarding the feelings of others. Without great power, such self-serving actions would ultimately lead only to destruction... Tōsaka Rin's intuition told her that her father had something important to say.
Seeing Tōsaka Tokiomi remain silent, Rin didn't know what to say either.
Tōsaka Tokiomi was the same. Facing his daughter, what could he say?
But he knew that the words he was about to speak would determine his daughter's future path!
Rin's future was already set: there was no other path than to inherit the Tōsaka family's magecraft and become the head of the Tōsaka family! This also caused Tōsaka Tokiomi some guilt.
He gently stroked Rin's head, an action that surprised Tōsaka Rin. In her memory, her father had never shown such intimate behavior... With a slight smile, Tōsaka Tokiomi said, "Rin... Help the Association until you become an adult. After that, your path will be yours to decide. If it's you, you'll be fine on your own!"
---
Kotomine Kirei sat alone in the church. Not long ago, the remaining Masters had held a meeting here. The other Masters did not trust Kotomine Kirei to supervise the Holy Grail War again and wished for him to leave Japan. His teacher, Tōsaka Tokiomi, for his own victory, naturally agreed.
However, Kotomine Kirei had indeed betrayed Tōsaka Tokiomi. After Assassin's death, Command Spells reappeared on his hand. The numerous Command Spells lost when his father died should be with Ryougi Raku. He had helped Matō Kariya. He had not mentioned any of these betrayals or things he should have told Tōsaka Tokiomi... Kiritsugu Emiya was genuinely fighting in the war for himself, while Kotomine Kirei could only sit here in confusion.
'Kiritsugu Emiya, is he really different from me?' Ryougi Raku's words echoed in his mind, and Kotomine Kirei wondered whether he should believe them.
Just then, Archer walked in. He didn't knock. To the King of Heroes, perhaps all under heaven was his dominion... "Still lost?" Gilgamesh sat down casually, a wicked smile on his face.
"The Holy Grail War still calls to you, and you yourself yearn to fight on. Isn't that right?"
Kotomine Kirei wanted to retort, to deny that he didn't want this war, but he opened his mouth and didn't know what to say... "Ever since I was old enough to understand, I've been searching for one question," the silent man, Kotomine Kirei, spoke.
"Wasting time, enduring suffering, but everything ends in futility. I've never come across the answer..."
"Perhaps, what I seek truly lies here, in this war?" Kotomine Kirei stood before Gilgamesh, his eyes filled with confusion.
"Since you understand so much, and reflect so much, why are you still lost?" Gilgamesh sneered.
"I have a premonition that when I find all the answers, I will meet my demise!" Yes, Kotomine Kirei knew that if Kiritsugu Emiya truly wasn't what he was looking for, then demise would be his only path... He had no way back... "Foolish! Don't think about such boring things... Perhaps, I should congratulate you? After a long wait, you are finally reaching your destination?"
"You... you would actually congratulate someone, Archer?!"
"Hmph! I've said it before, observing the karma of humans is the most entertaining pastime. This King is eagerly anticipating it!" With a childlike innocence, the King of Heroes spoke with delight.
Suddenly, Kotomine Kirei paused, as if receiving some message.
"Hm? Is something the matter?" the King of Heroes asked with slight curiosity.
"...It's the informants my father set up before. After my father's death, I kept them working, and they've found Kiritsugu Emiya and his group's hideout..."
"Hahahaha! I never thought, I never thought, Kirei, haven't you always been in the war? Always acting on your own will?" Staring at Kotomine Kirei with scarlet eyes, the King of Heroes seemed to have found something that amused him.
"Hmph, perhaps. I was lost, I thought about giving up, but I knew that I could only live with questions," Kotomine Kirei muttered, quietly looking at the newly appeared Command Spells.
"Then, if I may be so bold as to ask, if you wish to continue participating in the war, you will become Tōsaka Tokiomi's enemy. You are currently alone with his Servant, which is truly terrible," the King of Heroes said with malice, looking at Kotomine Kirei and informing him of his current predicament.
"No, I already have a way to survive."
"Oh?" Archer suddenly found Kotomine Kirei increasingly interesting.
Kotomine Kirei merely stated calmly, "Since I am now hostile to my teacher, I have no need to conceal this information. Archer, let me tell you the truth of the Holy Grail War that you do not know!"
"The truth?" Gilgamesh frowned in confusion.
"Miracles within this world cannot be universally applied outside of it. When this war was first created, the three founding families had another purpose. They held the ritual in Fuyuki merely to sacrifice seven Servants, thereby opening a path to the Root. The so-called wishes were just bait to attract Heroic Spirits to this place. However, now, this meaning has long been lost, and the original purpose of the Holy Grail War has deviated."
He paused for a moment, then Kotomine Kirei continued, "But, my teacher, Tōsaka Tokiomi, still clearly remembers this mission. He is still striving. He wants to kill all seven Servants to activate the Greater Grail. Seven Servants, understand? This means that the reason my teacher is so sparing with his Command Spells is to save the last one, to make you commit suicide after you defeat all the Servants!"
Gilgamesh listened silently, his expression cold.
"...Are you saying that Tōsaka Tokiomi's supposed loyalty to me was just a deception?"
"No, my teacher indeed holds reverence for ancient and noble things. However, he reveres Gilgamesh as the King of Heroes, not as his Servant. When the King of Heroes' identity became that of a Servant, Tōsaka Tokiomi only intended to use him."
Archer suddenly nodded as if in realization, a terrifying smile on his face. "...Heh heh, I never thought, Tokiomi, such a boring man, could amuse me so much!"
"Then, King of Heroes, what do you intend to do? Do you still intend to execute me for my betrayal?" Kotomine Kirei asked calmly, staring into Gilgamesh's eyes.
"Yes, what should I do? After all, it is Tōsaka Tokiomi who keeps me in this world and supplies me with mana. It's not easy to find such a perfect Master..."
Then, he looked at Kotomine Kirei with his eyes. "Ah, there is still a Master here who, though once disqualified, has regained his Command Spells!"
"That's true!" Kotomine Kirei nodded.
"But I wonder if that person can earn the King of Heroes' favor?"
"No problem. Even with flaws, the future is vast. Perhaps he will truly entertain me!"
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