The night after Irisviel's passing was unusually quiet.
Ryūdō Temple stood beneath a sky filled with stars, the mountain winds carrying away the lingering sorrow that seemed to permeate the grounds.
Rin sat alone beside the lake.
The crystal coffin floated silently upon the water's surface. Moonlight reflected from its translucent walls, making it appear like a fragment of frozen starlight.
Within it rested Irisviel.
Peaceful.
Beautiful.
Gone forever.
Rin stared at the coffin without speaking.
No tears fell.
Perhaps because she had already cried enough in her previous life.
Or perhaps because she understood too clearly that some tragedies could not yet be overturned.
The world was not a story where determination alone could rewrite fate.
At least, not yet.
A faint rustling sound came from behind her.
Jalter sat down beside her.
Neither spoke.
The two merely gazed at the lake.
After a long silence, Jalter finally spoke.
"You regret it."
Rin laughed softly.
"Of course."
"You did everything possible."
"But it wasn't enough."
The answer came immediately.
Jalter glanced sideways at her.
For once, there was no mockery in her eyes.
"You really are strange."
"Hm?"
"You say you're selfish."
"I am."
"You say you only act according to your own desires."
"I do."
"Yet every time someone dies, you look more miserable than anyone else."
Rin lowered her gaze.
Because Jalter was right.
The tragedies she wanted to change were not obligations.
No one had asked her to shoulder them.
No one had entrusted them to her.
Yet every failure felt like a wound.
A reminder that she was still weak.
Still unable to grasp everything she wished to protect.
After another long silence, Rin finally stood.
"Enough."
"Hm?"
"The dead are dead."
Her crimson eyes regained their usual calm.
"We still have work to do."
The next morning.
The Tohsaka Mansion.
A figure silently crossed the garden.
The defensive barriers surrounding the estate failed to react in the slightest.
Rin had once lived here for decades.
No one understood the mansion's magical defenses better than she did.
The familiar study stood exactly as it had in her memory.
The scent of books.
The polished mahogany desk.
The expensive wines carefully displayed along the wall.
Nothing had changed.
Only she had.
A door opened.
Tohsaka Tokiomi entered.
The elegant magus carried himself with the same dignified composure as always.
He looked exactly as she remembered.
For a moment, Rin's resolve wavered.
Then she remembered the image of Kirei's blade piercing his back.
Her hesitation disappeared.
The instant Tokiomi stepped into the room—
Rin revealed herself.
His eyes widened.
"Ri—"
"Intimidation."
A powerful psychic shock exploded directly into his consciousness.
Tokiomi's expression froze.
"Mind Control."
Silver magical circuits illuminated across Rin's body.
Her spiritual power invaded the unguarded mind before him.
Seconds later, Tokiomi stood motionless.
His eyes vacant.
Like a puppet awaiting instructions.
Rin bit her lip.
"...Forgive me, Father."
A series of commands were engraved into his subconscious.
Board the first train.
Leave Fuyuki.
Return to Aoi.
Sleep.
Forget everything.
When she finished, she quietly stepped aside.
The controlled Tokiomi turned and walked away.
Never once looking back.
Rin watched until he vanished beyond the garden gate.
Only then did she allow herself a long breath.
One concern solved.
The second concern proved considerably more troublesome.
Because his name was Gilgamesh.
The King of Heroes.
The strongest Servant in existence.
And perhaps the most dangerous variable remaining in the war.
Fortunately.
Gilgamesh possessed a weakness.
His arrogance.
The golden king sat upon a rooftop overlooking Fuyuki.
A goblet of wine rested casually in his hand.
He looked down at the city below with bored eyes.
"Show yourself."
Before Rin even emerged from concealment, he had already detected her.
Rin stepped into view.
"Good evening, King of Heroes."
Gilgamesh laughed.
"A mongrel who comes to greet me at this hour?"
"Have you finally decided to entertain me?"
Rin smiled.
"I've come to discuss the Holy Grail."
Interest immediately appeared in his eyes.
Rin knew exactly how to bait him.
She spoke of Angra Mainyu.
Of the corruption inside the Grail.
Of the failure of the Third Magic.
Of the truth hidden behind the Einzberns' lies.
The more she spoke, the quieter Gilgamesh became.
Eventually.
The king emptied his wine.
"...So."
"The treasure they seek is nothing but a vessel of mud."
"Precisely."
A dangerous smile spread across Gilgamesh's face.
For a moment, Rin feared he might decide to destroy the entire city simply out of irritation.
Instead—
He laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"Hahahahaha!"
"What an amusing farce."
His crimson eyes looked toward Ryūdō Temple.
"Then there is no value in staying."
The Holy Grail held no meaning for Gilgamesh.
He already possessed everything.
The only reason he remained was curiosity.
Now even that curiosity had faded.
He rose.
Golden ripples appeared behind him.
Treasures emerged.
Among them was a peculiar dagger.
The Noble Phantasm capable of severing contracts.
Gilgamesh glanced at Rin.
"You have entertained me."
"Consider that your reward."
The blade flashed.
The connection between Master and Servant was severed.
His spiritual body immediately began fading.
Before disappearing completely, he looked back one final time.
"Mongrel."
"Do not die before reaching your destination."
Rin smiled.
"I'll try."
Gilgamesh snorted.
Then vanished into golden particles.
The strongest Servant had withdrawn.
Near noon.
Rin arrived at the Fuyuki Church.
Kotomine Kirei was waiting.
As though he had expected her arrival.
"You're late."
"I'm busy."
Kirei showed no reaction.
He merely opened a wooden box.
Inside rested numerous Command Seals accumulated from previous wars.
The Church's reserve.
The final authority granted to the overseer.
"Twenty-one."
Kirei stated calmly.
"The maximum amount I can transfer."
Rin nodded.
"That's enough."
One after another.
The crimson marks engraved themselves upon her left arm.
The pain was intense.
But compared to everything else she had endured, it was insignificant.
When the transfer finished, her entire arm was covered.
Twenty-one Command Seals.
Seven complete activations of Parallel Shift.
Her final insurance.
Kirei observed her silently.
After a while, he suddenly asked:
"Do you intend to survive tonight?"
Rin paused.
Then smiled.
"Of course."
The priest stared at her for several seconds.
Then unexpectedly replied:
"Good."
For a brief moment.
Rin almost thought she saw genuine sincerity in his eyes.
Then the illusion vanished.
As dusk approached.
Rin stood once more before the steps of Ryūdō Temple.
The sky gradually darkened.
Stars emerged.
The final night had arrived.
The Holy Grail was complete.
The stage was prepared.
The actors had taken their places.
All that remained was for destiny itself to make its appearance.
Looking toward the lake where Irisviel slept beneath crystal and moonlight, Rin quietly clenched her fist.
"Wait for me."
Her voice was almost inaudible.
"I'll finish this."
The winds of Mount Enzō began to howl.
Far below.
A silver motorcycle engine roared through the darkness.
And the final battle of the Fourth Holy Grail War was about to begin.
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