The Lion King raised her visor and leaped from Destrier to the ground, holding her long spear with both hands, prepared to attack again.
"Ghostly lurker outside the Church, come! Fight me and show your valor. If you are worthy, I may consider letting you leave!"
"Is a fight necessary?"
Archer manifested the twin swords in his hands again, facing that familiar face with some helplessness.
At that moment, Shirou Kotomine rushed out of the Church, panting, and shouted at the Lion King.
"Stop, Lancer!"
Hearing Shirou Kotomine's call, the Lion King sighed helplessly and turned to say to Shirou Kotomine,
"Master, when an enemy comes to the door, there is no reason not to fight."
Archer saw the Lion King boldly turning her back to him. Seizing the opportunity, he cast a quick glance at Shirou Kotomine and disappeared into the woods beside the Church after a few leaps back.
"It seems whether it's Shirou Emiya or Shirou Kotomine, I'm always this naive!"
The Lion King also noticed Archer's retreat and was about to pursue, but seeing Shirou Kotomine looking at her with a pleading face, she could only put away her armaments and lead Destrier back toward the Church.
"Let's go. Since the Master's enemy has retreated, we shall leave this battle for another day."
Shirou Kotomine was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly caught up with the Lion King.
"Lancer, thank you!"
The Lion King looked at Shirou Kotomine, who had run to her side, and shook her head.
"Master, being this naive won't do. I hope next time I engage an enemy, you won't stop me again."
"But Lancer, I hope to save everyone. Why must we fight?"
At this time, Caren also arrived at the Church entrance with Martha.
"onii-chan, do you really think so? If you only intended to save others, why did you participate in this Holy Grail War?"
"Caren, I... I... I..."
Caren looked at Shirou Kotomine, who couldn't explain himself for a long time, and spoke up.
"onii-chan, you understand too, right? If you want to save everything, you need power. Without power, what will you use to save others? So onii-chan, think about it carefully!"
"I... Caren, I..."
Caren then ignored Shirou Kotomine, who was frozen in place, and turned to follow the Lion King into the Church with Martha.
"Sorry, Lancer, my idiot brother has caused you trouble."
"It's alright. Master's qualities are a rare sight to me as well. But Caren, is it really okay for you to be like this?"
Martha also turned and said to Caren,
"Caren, you like Shirou, don't you? Is it really okay to provoke him with words like that to make him change?"
"It's fine. That idiot onii-chan just needs to pursue his own dreams. No matter what, no matter what he becomes, I will stay by his side. After all, he is my onii-chan!"
"Ah, that's so nice! It seems Artoria and I will have to work hard too, right?"
A slight smile appeared at the corner of the Lion King's mouth.
"I certainly cannot let my subjects down. Caren, don't push yourself; leave the Master's wish to Martha and me!"
Caren smiled sweetly, like a narcissus blooming in midwinter, so clear and pure.
"Lancer, Ruler, thank you!"
At this moment, Shirou Kotomine, who had been stunned outside the door, snapped out of it from Caren's words and scratched his head somewhat awkwardly.
"It seems I've been lectured by Caren again. I'm really an unqualified brother!"
In the Church attic, Kirei Kotomine stood by the window, looking at Shirou Kotomine, who had a silly smile back on his face at the Church entrance. He shook his head in disappointment, then picked up the list of Church personnel and continued revising it.
"I must finish this quickly! My relationship with Shirou and Caren must not be discovered by the Burial Agency, otherwise they will certainly exploit it!"
In the outskirts of Fuyuki City, an uninvited guest arrived at the farm occupied by Lorelei.
Lorelei held her black tea and looked at the blue-haired girl led in by the butler, letting out a bored yawn.
"Hmph, what do you people intend to do by coming here?"
Ciel, the 7th ranked Agent of the Burial Agency, looked at the rumored Queen of the Clock Tower before her and curled her lip in disdain.
"The leader sent me to inform you that if you don't want an all-out war, withdraw from Fuyuki City. Simultaneously, the leader invites you to the neighboring Koba City for a discussion."
Lorelei put down her teacup and raised a hand to stop her subordinates, who were restless and ready to attack Ciel.
"You've got quite the nerve. Please pass a message to Narbaleck and Meilian Solomon for me: if they are looking to die, I welcome them to Fuyuki City anytime! Alright, you may leave."
Ciel adjusted her glasses, silently bowed to Lorelei, and then turned to walk out of the farm.
Lorelei watched Ciel leave, a trace of mockery hanging at the corner of her mouth.
"Ignorant fools. Butler, please connect me to Rin's phone. It's time to join forces with Rin!"
The butler respectfully bowed to Lorelei, then picked up a vintage phone nearby and began dialing.
Meanwhile, Ciel, having walked out of the farm, pulled out a cell phone and dialed the number of Narbaleck, the leader of the Burial Agency.
"Leader... Yes, you were right, she refused... Understood, I'm heading to Fuyuki Church now!"
Fuyuki Church.
Having finished modifying the documents, Kirei Kotomine found Caren and Shirou Kotomine. He took out a set of keys and handed them over, then spoke up.
"Caren, Shirou, you need to leave the Church now. I've received word that people from the Burial Agency will be arriving soon to take over. This is an old residence belonging to Taiga's family; you two stay there for the time being."
Caren took the keys from Kirei Kotomine and gave him a surprised look. 'What's wrong with Father?' Caren knew the Kirei Kotomine before her all too well. 'According to his habits, shouldn't he wait for Shirou and me to clash with the Burial Agency, then show up to "save" us at our moment of crisis to pursue his so-called pleasure?'
Beside her, Shirou Kotomine said to Kirei Kotomine,
"Father, is it okay for you to stay here alone? Why don't you come over with us!"
Kirei Kotomine had a trace of a twisted smile on his face as he looked at Caren and Shirou, shaking his head.
"Go. Depart now."
Understanding Kirei Kotomine's personality, Shirou Kotomine said no more. He pulled Caren and quickly left the Church, heading for the Fujimura residence.
After leaving the Church with Shirou Kotomine, Caren looked at him and spoke.
"onii-chan, didn't you notice that Father is very off?"
"Ah! Really? Isn't Father always like this?"
"onii-chan, you really are a dense big idiot!"
After saying that, Caren turned her head away huffily and ignored Shirou Kotomine. 'Father, what are you thinking again?'
Kirei Kotomine silently disposed of the items and traces left behind by Shirou Kotomine and Caren in the Church, waiting with anticipation for the personnel from the Burial Agency to arrive.
"Come! Let me see if you are qualified to be Servants of the Lord, hahahahahaha!"
"I'm just greedy for the gender-bent protagonist's body"
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