Chapter 21: Emiya Kiritsugu's Private Life Is So Messy
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Kenneth: "..."
Kenneth was momentarily speechless after hearing Chihiro's words. While he wouldn't call himself a good person, he wasn't about to admit to being a villain either.
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Chihiro: "And you, Gilgamesh, why did you kill the Bull of Heaven in the first place?"
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Chihiro: "Was it to save the suffering people, or was it merely for your own pride?"
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Chihiro: "If it was for yourself, then I pity you. It makes you entirely unworthy of Enkidu's sacrifice."
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Gilgamesh: "You mongrel! This king has tolerated your insolence for too long!"
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Chihiro's words had indeed struck a nerve with Gilgamesh, hitting him where it hurt most.
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Chihiro: "I've been putting up with you for long enough."
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Chihiro: "Honestly, Tohsaka Tokiomi, you have my condolences."
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Chihiro: "Of all the times you could summon Gilgamesh, you had to get this haughty and arrogant version of him."
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Gilgamesh was indeed known for his brash nature during his younger years. It was only after meeting Enkidu, sent by the gods to guide him, that he began to mature into a more balanced ruler.
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Tohsaka Tokiomi: "??!!!"
Tokiomi was caught completely off guard. How did he get dragged into this conflict? Chihiro was definitely putting him in a difficult spot, especially with Gilgamesh standing right next to him.
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Gilgamesh: "You insolent cur! Chihiro, I'll make sure you die a most miserable death!"
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Chihiro: "Go ahead, try."
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Though Zhang Jiao and Red Hare couldn't match Gilgamesh one-on-one, they didn't have to face him alone. Besides, they had an advantage that Gilgamesh lacked: regional affinity bonuses.
Servants summoned during the Holy Grail War often received bonuses based on their fame and legends in the area where they were summoned. This was because the power of a Heroic Spirit depended heavily on the collective recognition and knowledge about them.
In familiar territory, where their legends were most known, Servants could receive significant enhancements to their abilities. A prime example was Vlad III in Fate/Apocrypha, who received a double local reputation bonus in Romania, allowing him to contend evenly with Karna without using "Kazikli Bey."
While Zhang Jiao and Red Hare weren't in their homeland, they still benefited from the widespread popularity of Romance of the Three Kingdoms in Japan, which granted them a notable boost in strength.
As long as they didn't face Gilgamesh head-on, they didn't have much to fear.
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Emiya Kiritsugu: "..."
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He hadn't anticipated that his dream would set off such heated disputes within the group. It was clear to everyone that Chihiro and Gilgamesh were truly at odds now.
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["Since you couldn't do it, I'll do it in your stead,"]
[Shirou Emiya spoke up suddenly.]
["Hm?"]
[Emiya Kiritsugu glanced at Shirou in surprise.]
["Dad, you're an adult now, so it's too late for you. But I'm still young."]
[Shirou said resolutely, "So, I'll carry on your dream for you!"]
["..."]
[For the first time, a faint smile appeared on Emiya Kiritsugu's face. "I'm relieved to hear that."]
[The scene shifted to a bright beach.]
[A young boy and a teenager played in the sand, their laughter echoing in the distance.]
[The boy bore a striking resemblance to a young Emiya Kiritsugu.]
["Hey, Kiritsugu, what do you want to be when you grow up?"]
["I want to be a hero of justice!"]
[The young Emiya's face shone with the innocence and enthusiasm of childhood.]
[The video ended.]
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Irisviel: "Kiritsugu..."
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Irisviel's voice held a trace of sadness as she watched the screen. It was the first time she'd seen Kiritsugu look so genuinely happy. What had he endured over the years to become the hardened man she knew now?
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Emiya Kiritsugu: "Shirley..."
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Seeing the girl in the video, he was pulled back into painful memories. She was his first love and the source of some of his deepest regrets.
He hadn't expected to see her again, even if it was only in a memory.
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[Question: Regarding the relationship between Shirou Emiya and Kiritsugu Emiya, which of the following descriptions is correct?]
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[A: Shirou Emiya is the son of Kiritsugu Emiya and Irisviel.]
[B: Shirou Emiya is the illegitimate son of Kiritsugu Emiya and Maiya Hisau.]
[C: Shirou Emiya is Illyasviel's brother.]
[D: Shirou Emiya is a student of Waver Velvet.]
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Waver: "Huh? Why am I involved in this?"
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Waver: "A student? Does that mean I'll be a teacher in the future?"
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Iskander: "Hahaha, Waver, wouldn't that suit you just fine?"
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Kenneth: "Hmph, only if option D is the correct answer."
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If Waver did become a teacher at the Clock Tower, it would mean that he survived the Fourth Holy Grail War, and possibly even triumphed in it. Was it thanks to Iskander?
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Damn it, that should have been my Servant, Kenneth thought bitterly.
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Tohsaka Tokiomi: "This question is completely speculative."
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He had no idea about Hisau Maiya's relationship with Emiya Kiritsugu, but the name Illyasviel hinted at a familial connection. Could she be Kiritsugu's daughter?
If option C were correct, then wouldn't A also be true? But this question was not a multiple-choice question. There could only be one correct answer.
Thus, option C had to be ruled out. As for D, there were no hints in the video to support it; it seemed like a distractor.
The real choices boiled down to A and B, which presented opposite scenarios. It was hard to believe that Shirou wasn't Kiritsugu's biological son. That seemed too outlandish.
If A were the answer, then the question would be too easy. The logical choice was B.
So, was it true? Did Emiya Kiritsugu have a chaotic private life after all?