Chapter 27: Alliance! The Two Kings of Britain!

"Ugh…" 

Waver straightened his casual clothes, feeling incredibly nervous. He had just received a reply from Saber's Master—an invitation to meet and discuss the possibility of an alliance. 

'If you're too scared, you can refuse.' 

Rider had given him the choice, though Waver knew there was some strategic value to this meeting. After all, with Emiya Kiritsugu's notorious reputation, Waver would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid. This man was a killer who had ruthlessly eliminated magi. Getting involved with him was like walking into a lion's den. 

'Calm down, Waver Velvet!' 

'You're Rider's Master—you don't need to be afraid.' 

Taking a deep breath, he steadied his nerves, trying to reassure himself. Once he felt composed enough, he stepped out of his room. 

"Sorry for the wait, Rider. We can go now," Waver said, addressing Rider, who was also dressed in casual long sleeves. 

"Hmm, you didn't back out. That's commendable," Rider replied, glancing at Waver's determined attitude. 

"Let's see if you can maintain that courage when we meet." 

"I am your Master after all; I won't embarrass you!" Waver shot back, his tone firm. 

"Good." 

---

"They chose such a conspicuous place… Is this meant to show good faith?" 

Emiya Kiritsugu and Saber sat at a table outside a café, looking coldly at their approaching counterparts. This was a busy shopping street. If any conflict broke out, the surrounding area would be caught in the chaos. 

'No signs of magical traps, no hidden explosives or landmines…' 

Kiritsugu, ever the cautious one, confirmed that the area was safe. 

"Mage Killer, Emiya Kiritsugu," Waver began, his tone steady. "You've killed many magi, but you've never intentionally harmed unrelated civilians. While you might be thinking of killing me right now, you wouldn't do it in a place like this, would you?" 

Surprisingly calm, Waver sat down, mimicking Rider's usual poised demeanor. He couldn't afford to show any signs of fear; doing so would immediately destroy any notion of equality in this negotiation. 

"..."

Kiritsugu, who had been about to light a cigarette, paused. Waver had clearly done his homework. To be so well-informed yet still propose an alliance—Kiritsugu couldn't help but wonder why. 

His mind ran through various ways he could kill Waver, but in this situation, it wasn't appropriate. Besides, Kiritsugu and Saber needed outside help. 

After the chaotic battle the other day, it was clear that Assassin and Archer were working together. With their combined strength, if Kiritsugu's team fought alone, they would be quickly overwhelmed. 

It wasn't hard to imagine Archer engaging another Servant in battle while Assassin snuck off to assassinate the opposing Master. 

Knowing this, Kiritsugu had agreed to meet. However, the terms of any alliance would depend on Rider's and his Master's behavior. 

'No grudge?' 

Waver was known to be Kenneth's student. He had clashed with his mentor at the Clock Tower, yet now, Waver showed no signs of animosity toward Kiritsugu, the man indirectly responsible for Kenneth's death. Was it ignorance, or was he pretending nothing had happened? 

"Nomph!" 

Saber, however, wasn't concerned with any of this and had started eating the food on the table. 

'Has she never eaten before?' 

Rider, sipping his coffee, glanced at Saber and raised an eyebrow in confusion. He had never seen anyone eat with such vigor. 

"Let's get to the point." 

Kiritsugu put his cigarette back down and focused on Waver. He was curious to hear what the young Master had to say. 

"There's no need for unnecessary words—you already know why we're here," Waver said, folding his hands on the table. "I propose that we join forces temporarily for the remainder of this war." 

Rider had given him full control of this negotiation, so Waver knew he had to choose his words carefully. 

"Hmm?" 

Saber's ahoge twitched, and she glanced at Rider, who was leisurely sipping his coffee. She found it strange that the other King of Britain wasn't saying anything. 

'An unknown King of Britain... And he hasn't spoken a word?' 

Kiritsugu was trying to gauge Rider's thoughts. Although Rider's true name was still unclear, Saber had recognized him as another King of Britain. This wasn't a long history to investigate, and it should have been possible to identify the rulers of Britain's past. 

But from what Saber had shared, this King seemed different from those known to history. 

"Assassin and Archer are allied," Waver continued. "Their Masters, Tohsaka Tokiomi and Kotomine Kirei, are teacher and student. It's difficult for a single team to face them. You don't want to suddenly find yourself facing two Servants at once, do you?" 

"This situation affects you just as much as it does us," Waver added. 

Kiritsugu's dead-eyed stare remained unflinching. 

"I don't know what your true wish is," Waver admitted. "But surely, you don't want to be eliminated halfway through the war, do you? Especially after what happened to your wife and your assistant… not to mention my mentor and his fiancée." 

This conclusion was based on Waver's gathered intelligence and logical deductions. 

If there was to be an alliance, both sides had to offer something of value. First, there had to be a balance of power, then control over the conversation, and finally, an agreement on the terms. 

Without something concrete, a verbal alliance would be meaningless. 

Emiya Kiritsugu, a man of absolute rationality, was unlikely to refuse the "friendship" Waver and Rider were offering. After all, no other Master or Servant would willingly ally with the "Mage Killer." 

Furthermore, Saber wasn't strong enough to take on both Archer and Assassin at once. Joining forces with Rider's team would help Kiritsugu escape his current predicament. It was the obvious choice. 

It was impossible to refuse. 

Kiritsugu's lifeless eyes locked onto Waver, knowing full well that he was in a difficult position. From the start of this negotiation, Kiritsugu had been on the back foot. 

Waver had read the situation clearly. 

Aside from the Masters of Caster and Berserker, who hadn't shown themselves, the other Masters were clearly enemies. 

By extending a hand of "goodwill," Rider's team was forcing Kiritsugu to make a decision. 

Either ally with them now or go searching for the elusive Masters of Caster or Berserker—an uncertain and risky path. 

If Kiritsugu refused Rider, he'd be adding another dangerous foe to his list. 

Could he really afford to gamble on whether Archer and Assassin would come after him before he could find new allies? 

He had no other choice from the very start. 

'I see now…' 

Understanding Rider's thought process, Kiritsugu realized that the silent king didn't need to say anything. Everything had already been laid out. 

Kiritsugu, as the extreme realist, wasn't the type to refuse such a clear and advantageous offer. 

Only if he completely disregarded his past tactics and lost his senses would he say, "I refuse." 

"Then let's use this to finalize the details of our alliance," Kiritsugu said, pulling a scroll of parchment from his pocket and placing it on the table. 

It was a contract, written in magical binding terms.