A Life's Altered Path

Kayneth was utterly bewildered, his mind clouded with confusion as he tried to grasp what had just transpired. "What... what's going on?"

"As you can see," Kaguya turned with a faint smile and casually tossed the gun back to Kiritsugu. "It's going to be a bit difficult for you to kill him now. I did say that if they were killed, I'd be quite troubled."

Kiritsugu's Origin Bullet, which had struck Kayneth's Volumen Hydrargyrum, had been deflected with a loud spark instead of piercing through the mercury wall as it had previously.

Unbeknownst to Kiritsugu, Kaguya had infused the Volumen Hydrargyrum with a small amount of Dragon Veins Chakra, allowing Kayneth to use it even though his magic circuits had been destroyed. This chakra not only restored the liquid mercury's operational capabilities but also greatly enhanced its defensive strength. Since Dragon Veins Chakra differs from regular magical energy, the Volumen Hydrargyrum was now able to resist Kiritsugu's Origin Bullet.

Of course, the amount of Dragon Veins Chakra Kaguya had infused was minimal—just enough to last until the end of the Holy Grail War. Kaguya wasn't serious about prolonging Kayneth's life indefinitely, merely stalling Kiritsugu. Once the war ended, Kiritsugu would likely have no further interest in pursuing someone who no longer posed a threat.

"Tch," Kiritsugu clicked his tongue in frustration, stuffing the submachine gun and single-shot pistol back into his coat. "I won't kill them, but they'd better stick to their word and withdraw from the Holy Grail War."

"Of course," Kaguya shrugged, "but if they don't know what's good for them, and you decide to kill them, I won't object."

Seeing that the situation had already reached an impasse, Kiritsugu turned and left, with Irisviel and Saber following close behind. Before leaving, Saber gave Kaguya a glance, her eyes filled with an indescribable emotion, but she said nothing.

Does this mean I've gained Saber's favor somehow? Kaguya thought, her arms crossed and hand resting on her chin.

"Thank you."

A voice suddenly spoke from behind her. Kaguya turned to see Kayneth, still holding his unconscious fiancée, Sola-Ui, in his arms.

"I'm grateful to you. If it weren't for you..." Kayneth's usual haughty and arrogant demeanor had softened into an expression of genuine gratitude.

"Cut it out," Kaguya waved him off with a look of disdain. "I didn't save you to be thanked. Instead of wasting time thanking me, you should focus on staying alive. It'd be a real embarrassment to me if you died now."

Without waiting for a response, Kaguya turned and walked away. She still had two adorable little girls to track down—no time to waste talking to Kayneth.

"Oh, and one more thing," Kaguya suddenly paused mid-step, turning back. "Was it you who killed Father Risei Kotomine?"

"Father Kotomine?" Kayneth blinked in surprise, shaking his head. "I did ask him for Command Seals once, but I didn't kill him."

It wasn't him? Kaguya furrowed her brow. If Kayneth hadn't killed Risei, then who had?

Judging by the sincerity in Kayneth's eyes, it didn't seem like he was lying. And since he had already withdrawn from the war, there wasn't any reason for him to deceive her.

"I swear on the honor of the Archibald family, I didn't kill him," Kayneth quickly added, noticing Kaguya's furrowed brow.

"Don't worry, I wasn't doubting you. I just asked out of curiosity," Kaguya smiled faintly and turned to leave again. "Oh, and keep an eye on your wife."

Kayneth stood frozen, watching Kaguya disappear into the distance. A soft smile appeared on his lips as he reflexively hugged Sola-Ui closer to him.

It's finally over.

Kayneth had now officially withdrawn from the Fourth Holy Grail War and returned to the Clock Tower, where he lived a quiet life. The bloodshed and horrors of the Holy Grail War had profoundly changed him. The once proud and arrogant man had become gentle and courteous, treating his students with kindness and patience. No longer did he belittle those with lesser abilities—instead, he devoted himself to helping them improve. In the years that followed, the physically disabled Kayneth became one of the most beloved lecturers in the Clock Tower.

Kayneth and Waver both went on to become two of the most renowned teachers in Clock Tower history—a development even Kaguya hadn't anticipated.

Whenever someone asked Kayneth why his personality had changed so drastically, he would smile warmly and say that someone had saved him from despair, giving him a second chance at life. That person had shown him how truly lacking his own skills and character were, and also what real strength looked like. It was this encounter that had shattered his arrogance and led him to reevaluate his life.

Though people often inquired about the identity of this mysterious savior, Kayneth would always smile and shake his head, never revealing her name. In quiet moments when he found himself alone, his thoughts would occasionally drift to a certain silver-haired girl, her beauty like a fleeting flower.

But while Kayneth found peace, Kaguya was facing a bit of trouble. When she arrived at Rin Tohsaka and Sakura's house, she found it completely empty. The two girls had already moved out several days earlier, and no one in the neighborhood knew where they had gone. The only information Kaguya could gather was that they had left quietly one afternoon.

At first, Kaguya feared something terrible had happened, but the pristine state of the house, with everything neatly in place, indicated no signs of foul play. There were also no traces of magical interference, which eased her concerns slightly.

With no leads to follow, Kaguya had no choice but to return home. Searching for them in the vast city was akin to looking for a needle in a haystack. She also didn't want to exhaust herself by using Infinite Tsukuyomi again to track them down—relying too heavily on the Dragon Veins Chakra would inevitably lead to problems.

I guess I'll have to head back for now.

With a gentle tap of her toes, Kaguya's lithe figure leaped into the air, gliding gracefully as she adjusted her course toward Tokiomi Tohsaka's mansion.

However, just as she was soaring through the sky, a blinding golden light erupted from the ground below, streaking toward her like a bolt of lightning.

At the critical moment, Kaguya swiftly shifted her body in midair, narrowly dodging the dazzling golden light. It streaked past her, slicing through the night sky, and the sharp gust of wind it carried stung her skin like a blade.

Kaguya frowned, glancing down to see a blonde girl in armor standing on the ground below, gripping a sword and glaring at her with anger etched on her delicate face. It was none other than Saber, whom she had parted ways with not long ago.

But why had Saber suddenly appeared here and launched an attack? Could it be that the Holy Grail War was about to enter another deadly phase?

No, if this was a challenge to fight, Saber wouldn't have come alone. Kaguya had already spoken to Kiritsugu earlier, agreeing not to interfere in the Holy Grail War for the time being, so it was unlikely that Kiritsugu would foolishly order an attack on her now.

What, then, was the reason?

Kaguya gracefully descended from the sky, landing lightly on the ground. With a slight frown, she spoke, "Since when did sneak attacks become part of a knight's code? Or has the King of Knights been sullied by the filth of the world, becoming mundane and vulgar?"

"Foul being, you have no right to speak of knightly conduct in front of me," Saber retorted, brandishing her invisible sword and pointing it at Kaguya. Her voice was laced with anger. "And hand over Irisviel!"

"Irisviel?" Kaguya blinked in confusion, her expression showing genuine surprise. "I haven't seen her since we parted ways. What happened to her?"

"Stop pretending!" Saber shouted, her voice filled with rage. "It was you who abducted Irisviel just now. Do you still deny it?"

"I abducted Irisviel?" Kaguya's expression turned from surprise to irritation. "Ever since I left, I haven't seen you or Irisviel. Let alone abduct her—you've got the wrong person."

"Do you still deny it?" Saber was seething, her chest—though not very prominently—heaving with anger.

"First, I didn't take Irisviel. Second, if I had wanted to act, I'd have done it by now. Why would I sneak around like this?" Kaguya's voice grew sharper as her brow furrowed. "Besides, let me be blunt: if I really wanted to take someone, do you think any of you could stop me?"

Saber hesitated, momentarily stunned by Kaguya's words, realizing they held some truth. But she quickly shook her head and said firmly, "Stop your sophistry. I trust my eyes. The one who took Irisviel was clearly you."

"You're deliberately picking a fight, aren't you?" Kaguya's tone turned cold, her patience wearing thin. "You want to fight?"

"If you're going to keep denying it, I'll just defeat you and make you confess Irisviel's whereabouts!" Saber declared.

Kaguya almost laughed in frustration. What a ridiculous situation she'd found herself in—being wrongly accused out of nowhere.

Wait. Kaguya paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she recalled something. There was a scene like this in the original story, and there was one Servant who had the ability to transform into others: Berserker, the Servant of Kariya Matou.

But why would they abduct Irisviel when she no longer had the Lesser Grail?

Before Kaguya could ponder further, Saber had already launched her attack. The knight charged forward like an arrow released from a bow, sword raised high, aiming a powerful strike at Kaguya.

With a thunderous crash, the ground where Kaguya had stood moments before was cleaved open, scattering debris and dust.

Kaguya snorted as she dodged backward. "Do you really think you can kill me?"

Projection: Excalibur

Kaguya extended her hand, and in her palm, an invisible sword appeared, swirling with wind. As it manifested, a fierce gale rose around her.

Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal echoed through the air, and sparks flew.

Kaguya's sword met Saber's, blocking the strike with ease.

"If this is the full extent of the King of Knights' prowess, then it's truly disappointing. It seems the legendary Knights of the Round Table aren't all that impressive," Kaguya mocked, her lips curving into a faint, taunting smile.

"You will pay for your arrogance!" Saber growled, anger flashing across her delicate face. "Foul creature!" With a surge of strength, Saber shoved Kaguya back, then spun, her leg lashing out with a kick, sharp and swift as the wind.

Though Saber's frame was small, the force behind her attacks was disproportionately powerful, rivaling even that of Lancer. But against Kaguya—someone who had faced countless battles and possessed the Star Eyes—such attacks were too predictable.

Kaguya laughed softly, her eyes flashing with focus. With a swift, snake-like motion, she caught Saber's leg in mid-kick, holding it firmly in her grasp. While most people's arms would have snapped from the force, Kaguya, with her extraordinary reflexes and strength, handled it with ease.

Saber gasped in surprise. She hadn't expected Kaguya to stop her so effortlessly, nor to have her leg restrained so tightly. But Saber wasn't one to give up. She gritted her teeth, raising her sword to slash at Kaguya's arm.

Once again, Saber had miscalculated. Before she could swing her sword, Kaguya smirked mischievously and pulled hard on Saber's leg. Unbalanced, Saber stumbled forward with a cry, falling straight into Kaguya's arms.

Thud.

Their bodies collided, but instead of a soft embrace, Kaguya winced as she was met with the hard surface of Saber's armor.

Despite the cold metal, Kaguya wrapped her arms around Saber, holding her tightly.

Saber, realizing what had happened, struggled fiercely, but Kaguya had anticipated this. Her hand shot out like lightning, grabbing Saber's wrist with an iron grip, holding her in place despite her frantic efforts to break free.

Growing frustrated by Saber's resistance, Kaguya finally lost her patience. With a swift motion, she raised her hand and delivered a sharp slap to Saber's rear.

Smack.

"Behave yourself," Kaguya commanded in a low voice.

Saber's eyes widened in shock, her body momentarily freezing. No one had ever dared to strike her like this before.

This woman—she had just spanked her!