C48

The master of Caster was killed by Kiritsugu's gun, and Caster was defeated. This news spread through the words of Kotomine Risei. Upon hearing this news, the other masters, despite their different personalities, had almost the same reaction.

"It was that dishonorable murderer who snuffed out the child's life? The notion of those vile hands tarnished with innocent blood doesn't truly surprise me," Tokiomi's voice echoed through the device, "Kirei, keep utilizing Assassin to monitor the other Masters' movements."

"I understand, teacher."

Kirei switched off the device. Perhaps the man who had etched the pride of the Magi into his bones truly carried a curse in his blood. Tokiomi was always on the right path and his preparation was always thorough, but in critical moments, he always inexplicably overlooked some details that should not have been ignored.

For example, at present, he unconsciously assumed that the slain master of Caster was the child, without even verifying it. If Kirei were in Tokiomi's position, he would have painstakingly investigated this matter, but Tokiomi's unexplainable negligence was akin to a curse.

Kirei sat on the chair, picked up the book of God, and read the virtues within its pages: "generosity, perseverance, honesty, loyalty, diligence, justice, patience..."

As he recited these virtues, Kirei's confusion only deepened. He was Tokiomi's disciple and had agreed to serve him before the war, but he kept this information hidden. He had even confirmed that Caster had not withdrawn, but he did not inform Tokiomi, or even his father, and instead allowed his father to announce Caster's withdrawal.

This was wrong!

Kirei realized that his actions were in violation of his duty as a priest, as they went against the laws of God, the teachings of his parents, and the expectations of his associates. However, he couldn't understand why he had felt compelled to hide the truth. What was driving these conflicting emotions within him?

As Kirei struggled with his confusion, the words of Gilgamesh echoed in his mind: "Go, go reveal the truth about that boy to the mongrel Master of Lancer."

Kirei had lost faith that God could save him, but he wondered if perhaps that king could. He didn't know if he could save himself from this chaotic, false, and meaningless world, but he was willing to try. If God could not save him from drowning, he would struggle to reach the shore on his own.

...

Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald was a man of unwavering integrity.

In his youth, no matter what the challenge was, he always found a way to solve it better than anyone else. His efforts were not driven by a desire to stand out, but rather by his belief that his research was superior to that of others. As a result, he was widely considered a "genius".

Kayneth had earned his title of "genius" and there was no one who doubted it or threatened it, so he didn't feel the need to be prideful or arrogant, instead he just accepted it as a natural part of who he was.

In his world, Kayneth was the unquestioned Lord. He had never encountered any obstacles and had no concerns about limitations. With his natural talent and being the legitimate son of a prestigious family, he not only inherited the magical achievements passed down through generations but also possessed a rare talent that perfectly complemented them.

Later on, as he worked at the Clock Tower, Kayneth stood out among his peers with numerous outstanding research achievements. He garnered admiration and envy from others, but he never felt a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment. For Kayneth, it was just an "inevitable result" of his life.

Kayneth's talents and achievements led him to easily become one of the twelve lords of the Clock Tower, the leader of the El-Melloi faction, and the head of the Archibald family. Furthermore, he was betrothed to Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, the daughter of his mentor.

Kayneth's life was one of talent and privilege, without any obstacles or setbacks. He was born to be envied by mortals. This was true in the past and would be true in the future. It was a sacred and unchangeable lifestyle that Kayneth took for granted. Therefore, if there were any rare and almost impossible "accidents" that disrupted this order, it was chaos that he couldn't tolerate and an insult to his honor.

Waver Velvet, a detestable thief stole the holy relic of the Conqueror King that was prepared by him.

Despite being a member of the Aristocratic Faction, Kayneth was surprised to discover that his student had developed a heretical idea that denies the theory of "bloodline superiority."

If not for his noble family background, Kayneth would have suspected Waver Velvet to be some kind of troublemaker sent by rival lords to disrupt the Aristocratic Faction.

Kayneth realized that if the information in Waver's thesis were to be made public, it would likely lead to his death at the hands of the Aristocratic Faction. However, he reasoned that this was not a significant concern, as the Clock Tower had seen many students meet their end for delving into forbidden knowledge.

Despite this, Kayneth knew that publishing the thesis under his own name would attract unwanted attention and suspicion from other aristocratic families, and would ultimately harm his reputation. Thus, he resolved to destroy the thesis, which also incidentally saved the student's life.

However, the student did not stop there, as he also stole Kayneth's relic and used it to summon the Conqueror King to participate in the Holy Grail War!

But Kayneth remained unfazed by the student's theft, as he was confident in his abilities and believed that the other participants in the Holy Grail War, including a group of rural magus, a dishonorable killer, and a mediocre student, were no match for him. He was certain of his victory.

Kayneth's confidence was not arrogance, but a belief in his own abilities. However, at this time, he received something that caught his interest.

"A master who can make the Servant possess his body? Does such a physique really exist, Master of Assassin?" Kayneth questioned, intrigued.

As he glanced over at Kirei, who had infiltrated his workshop and revealed the truth about Caster to him, Kayneth added, "Moreover, even if Caster did possess this rare physique, he has already been slain by Saber's master."

"Lord El-Melloi, given your deep knowledge of spirit theory, did you not detect anything unusual about Caster's aura?" inquired Kirei.

"Perhaps," Kayneth replied with a chuckle. In truth, he had noticed it well before Kirei had arrived, even on the first night. Otherwise, how could he have arranged for Lancer to chase and kill Caster?

Given his position as a first-class lecturer in spirit theory and director of the Department of Spiritual Evocation, it was only natural for Kayneth to be intrigued by the possibility of a rare physique that could allow a person to fuse with Servants. Once known, it would become a target of "Sealing Designation".

Considering that such a physique would be considered precious material for studying the heroic spirit system, it would be difficult for Kayneth not to take notice of it and desire it for his own research.

"Thank you for sharing this news with me. As a token of my gratitude, I would like to extend an invitation for you to stay here. Let me take care of you and ensure that your stay is as comfortable as possible," Kayneth said, as he gestured with a snap of his fingers, activating the various enchantments throughout the high-class hotel that he had transformed into his magical workshop.

"I am fully aware that entering a magus's workshop without permission can have deadly consequences. I understood this a long time ago," Kirei said with a calm expression. He then gestured towards the window, "But before that, I would like Lord El-Melloi to take a moment to look outside."

"Oh? Are you trying to distract me? It's a futile effort. Your Assassin is no match for my Lancer in direct combat," Kayneth laughed, his confidence in his Servant unwavering. For Kayneth, defeating an opponent who is bound to lose is nothing but a matter of course.

"No, I simply want to inform Lord El-Melloi that your fiancée is currently in the custody of my Assassin," Kirei said calmly.

"What?!" Kayneth's previously composed demeanor quickly vanished as he turned his head upon hearing Kirei's words. And true to Kirei's statement, he saw his fiancée Sola held captive by Assassin, bound and perched on the edge of a nearby high-rise building, with the threat of being pushed off at any moment.

"----!!!!"

With his face now ashen and voice filled with gloom, Kayneth turned his gaze back to Kirei and spoke through gritted teeth: "--despicable!"

"I agree with Caster's words," Kirei said. "In war, there is no such thing as a dishonorable tactic. Lord El-Melloi, aren't you also planning to kill me and keep me quiet?"

Kayneth's expression wavered, and he said: "Release Sola and I'll let you go."

"I find it difficult to trust the words of a magus. It would be best for you to let me leave first and I will have Assassin release your fiancée. I am a priest, acting in the name of God. My words are trustworthy. You can choose to believe me or not, but that means we'll stand here, with your fiancée being held hostage by Assassin indefinitely." Kirei said.

Kayneth's expression wavered as he weighed his options.

"Kayneth! Kayneth!" Sola cried out in fear and desperation.

"Fine! Alright, alright! I'll let you leave first, but you must return Sola to me unharmed! Otherwise, I swear to you, in this Holy Grail War, I want nothing else but your life!" Kayneth threatened, his words reflecting the intensity of his emotions.

"Please rest assured, once I am gone, Assassin will automatically release your fiancée. I am a priest, acting in the name of God." Kirei reassured.

Kayneth allowed Kirei to leave, and true to his word, Kirei ordered Assassin to release Sola from captivity.

As Kayneth rushed to rescue Sola, his face was filled with genuine concern. "Sola, are you injured? Is there anywhere that hurts?" he asked with worry etched across his features.

"Um... no."

With his heart slightly relieved by Sola's safety, Kayneth then turned to Diarmuid and scolded him with a tone of anger. "Lancer, how could you have not noticed anything when Sola was being kidnapped by Assassin?"

"My lord, I apologize," Diarmuid replied, bowing his head in sincere remorse. Though, it was true that Kayneth had called him away to Spiritualize in preparation for plotting against Kirei, causing him to be absent when Sola was kidnapped.

Sola approached Diarmuid and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Please don't blame yourself, Diarmuid," she said, her voice soft and reassuring. "Kayneth was the one who plotted against that member of the Holy Church, not you. You were just following orders. Besides, look at me now - I'm alive and well. Let's not dwell on it anymore."

Kayneth's face turned ashen.

Diarmuid let out a deep sigh, his eyes looking out the window.

Despite destroying his own appearance and physically cutting off the tear-like mark, the curse still lingered. He couldn't escape it.

Would he ever be able to escape his cursed fate?

...

Kirei panted heavily as he sprinted back to the underground church, his hands pressing against the wall for support.

"What is this feeling?" he muttered to himself, confusion etched on his face. He had just witnessed Kayneth's expression change and heard him berate himself for his own miscalculation.

An overwhelming and unfamiliar emotion flooded Kirei's heart, bringing with it a sense of pleasure and joy. But the action that had caused this feeling was not good. It was betrayal, cowardice, oppression...it was sin, something that everyone would disapprove of. It was evil.

Gilgamesh strode into the underground church, his ever-present goblet clutched in his hand, the inviting aroma of red wine wafting from it as he took a sip. He turned his gaze to Kirei and asked, "Why did you not let Assassin eliminate that mongrel when you were escaping?"

"God has said, be patient and have integrity...," Kirei began to reply, but before he could finish his sentence, Gilgamesh abruptly stood and flung the contents of his goblet at Kirei's face, leaving him dazed.

"Are you awake now?"

"Are you going to continue struggling in the false prison fabricated by humanity, or will you go out and see the pitiful chaos for yourself? The clearer the water, the muddier the sand at the bottom. The choice is yours. But I think your patience is also nearing its limit." Gilgamesh laughed before turning and leaving Kirei alone.

Kirei stood there dazed, feeling a confusing mix of pain and numbness, both clarity and confusion. He picked up the book of God and began reciting the virtues listed within it, "generosity, perseverance, honesty, loyalty, diligence, righteousness, patience..."

The more he read, the less meaning the words held for him. He closed the book and slammed his head against the wall in frustration.

"Bam. Bam. Bam--"

Hot blood flowed along his skin, trickling down from his forehead.

"Tick. Tick. Tick--"

Kirei's gaze was blank as he struggled with his thoughts. He longed to know his true self, to experience reality, and to find purpose in his life. But who could give him these things? Who could show him reality? Who could rescue him from this never-ending fog?

Kirei was confused, disoriented, and uncertain.

"Tick. Tick. Tick---"

The hot blood left a trail on his face and dripped onto the holy book of God that lay open on the ground.

"God says, people should strive to do their best and be the best versions of themselves."

...

"Take it."

"Thank you, big brother," the little girl exclaimed as she accepted the red balloon that had been snagged in the treetop. She beamed a grateful smile at the golden-haired older brother, who had come to her rescue.

Despite his gruff demeanor, he had assisted her in retrieving the balloon. He was a genuinely kind older brother.

Gilgamesh, dressed in casual attire, walked away, but then turned back and gestured towards the red balloon, making a playful "pong" noise.

"Pop!"

The balloon burst.

...

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