Rewinding time to earlier this morning, after Mash, Ritsuka, and the others had set out.
Thanks to their formidable combat strength and Da Vinci-chan's vehicle, they reached the Sun King's desert quickly and smoothly.
Once there, it didn't take them long to find the Singularity within the desert. It was marked by a massive gathering of Sphinxes, guarded by Nitocris herself.
After a brief conversation—and a hint of jealousy from Nitocris toward Serenity, who was clinging to Ritsuka's back—Nitocris commanded the Sphinxes to clear a path. She then invited them to visit the Sun King's "tomb" after they finished exploring the underground facility.
Upon reaching the underground, they found the Atlas Institute deserted, save for Holmes. He had been waiting there as a rogue Servant, anticipating Chaldea's arrival.
From the data stored in the Atlas Institute, the Chaldea team learned about the 2004 Holy Grail War. They discovered that the victor was the Director before the last, and that Dr. Romani had been "specially recruited" into Chaldea afterward.
They also learned...
"So, the reason this Singularity exists is because the Lion King's Holy Lance truly did sever this world from human history?"
"You already knew?"
"She is Guinevere, and she inhabits the body of the King of Knights. We have no doubt she possesses knowledge of secrets unknown even to us Round Table Knights.
"The Holy Lance Rhongomyniad is a projection of the Tower at the End of the World. This Tower serves as an anchor, preventing the planet's surface layer from detaching from the planet itself.
"The Queen mentioned that in her world, she formed many connections with the Clock Tower and gained a considerable understanding of the world's surface and reverse sides."
In the deepest level of the Atlas Institute—a vast space with a false sky, housing the Spiritron Calculation Engine, Trismegistus—Bedivere's words slightly surprised Holmes. But even if the Chaldea team already knew this, it merely saved him the trouble of explaining.
"Do you know that New Camelot City in this Singularity is the Holy Lance itself?"
Guinevere seemed to know a great deal. After all, she had been summoned by Merlin specifically to support this Singularity.
However, ever since being asked to let Mash figure out the True Name of the Servant within her on her own, Guinevere had adopted a policy of "less talk, more action."
In hindsight, her request for Arash to shoot his arrow farther—revealing the Singularity's boundary—wasn't about witnessing his skill. It was merely a pretext to reveal that piece of information.
If she was so hesitant even about that, it was no surprise she had never told them that New Camelot City was the Holy Lance.
But like Arash, they had misunderstood. This information wasn't something Merlin had forbidden her from revealing due to some prophecy or rule.
Guinevere chose to keep it secret, revealing only small fragments as events unfolded, simply because she had suffered for it before. She didn't want to deceive people again by claiming she could see the future.
Besides, Guinevere knew they would find out eventually.
Back at the Atlas Institute, Holmes dropped a bombshell. The Chaldea members exchanged uneasy glances, now more curious about the Lion King's true purpose in gathering the Holy Selected within the Tower at the End.
"Based on my observations of the Holy Selected," Holmes explained, "the Lion King chooses those who will always do what is right, no matter the circumstances. According to Hermes' calculations, the Holy Lance can only contain the souls of five hundred people.
"At this rate, the Holy Lance has fewer than twenty spots remaining."
Hearing this, the Chaldea group understood why the Lion King had only granted the Holy Grail to two or three individuals out of a thousand refugees. The Lance's capacity forced her to be ruthlessly selective.
They also realized that Guinevere was likely about to lure Lancelot in. According to her, the Lion King had dispatched Lancelot to purge various regions—a clear sign that New Camelot City's preparations were entering their final stage.
"Mr. Holmes, if that's the case, please speak faster! We're running out of time!"
Through her Master-Servant Contract, Ritsuka knew that Guinevere and Arash were still waiting on the highest peak of the East Village. But outside New Camelot City, the Enforcement Knights were already assembling and dividing their forces.
"Then speak. What else do you want to ask?"
The beginning of everything was already clear: the Holy Grail War of 2004, involving the Director before the last. But the hidden secrets within still required further investigation.
A flaw in the Human Order? The concept was too vast, too abstract. But Holmes had prompted Ritsuka to consider why the "King of Magecraft" chose to retroactively incinerate the Human Order starting from 2016. Was it possible that human history after 2016 was already a blank slate?
Having come this far, Chaldea had only one of the three questions left—the questions that could compel the First Hassan to act.
"Tell us the Lion King's true purpose."
"Hah. The answer I can give is merely my own deduction, which may still be some distance from the truth. Do you still wish to hear it?"
"Yes!"
For most, a deduction from the great detective Holmes was as good as the truth itself.
"Then, according to my deduction, the Lion King is having the Holy Selected enter the Holy Lance not to protect them, but to prevent them from ever escaping."
"Extrapolating further, the Holy Lance will one day contract back into the Lion King's hand. At that moment, there will be no room for life within it. All the Holy Selected will become nothing more than specimens in the Lion King's collection.
"In this way, even after the Incineration of Human Order is complete, the Lion King can still preserve a few human specimens at the end of the world.
"Given the King of Knights' original noble character, if she had despaired of ever defeating the Incineration of Human Order, this is likely the path she would have chosen, wouldn't you agree?
"Of course, such a choice would also mean she has accepted the Incineration of Human Order and abandoned all humanity except for her chosen specimens.
"Bedivere, Galahad—you were both among the King of Knights' most important Round Table Knights. What are your thoughts?"
At that moment, the Chaldean party had their answer. As for the two Holmes had questioned...
Rage surged within Mash. She wanted nothing more than to smash the Lion King off her throne with her shield, grab her by the collar, and demand an explanation.
And Bedivere? He subconsciously touched his silver arm, his heart filled with self-loathing.
Once again, he blamed himself for failing to return the Holy Sword. He believed this failure was the reason the King of Knights could not find peace, instead wandering the world for centuries until she became this malevolent goddess.
"I still remember why the King pulled the Sword from the Stone. She cast aside her humanity to become King for the stability of Great Britain and the happiness of its people, shouldering the weight of millions of lives on her slender shoulders.
"And you're telling me the King compromised? That she's now fighting only for five hundred specimens...
"What kind of joke is this?!"
"Bedivere, I'm not joking. This is my deduction. If you wish to deny it, then go and prove it yourself!"
Rage, regret, and a storm of other emotions clawed at Bedivere's heart.
But there was no time to calm himself. According to a message from Guinevere through their Master-Servant Contract, Arash had already begun sniping the Enforcement Knights in the detached unit.