Epilogue, Starting Today, I’m the Mapo Priest

At Hongzhou Feast Pavilion.

Since the last time Kirei Kotomine had discovered a dish called Mapo Tofu at a Chinese restaurant, its near-burning spiciness had completely won him over.

Afterward, he even found a restaurant called Hongzhou Feast Pavilion. The special dish there, a molten, crimson-red Mapo Tofu, as hot as lava, had become something he couldn't get enough of.

Unable to feel beauty, but drawn to ugly things—this man, who was born with a defective nature, had finally found the true love of his life. After the exhausting work of hypnotizing the crowd of onlookers, the Executors of the Holy Church were at their limits, but now, at last, he could relax a little.

Gulping down the last bite of tofu, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead as Kirei shouted, "Another bowl!"

"Sir... s-sir..." The owner, draped in a white towel, stepped out. "This is your seventh bowl already. If you keep going like this, you'll suffer for it by morning."

Thud—

Heavy footsteps.

Both Kirei and the owner looked toward the restaurant's entrance, where a tall, blonde man appeared—Gilgamesh. His crimson eyes radiated an unruly aura, and the very sight of him felt oppressive.

He walked toward them with overwhelming pressure—King Gilgamesh.

Kirei glanced at the trembling restaurant owner and nudged him. "Make it... two more bowls."

"Right away!" The owner quickly retreated.

"Tokiomi Tohsaka is dead." Archer bluntly delivered the news, leaving Kirei stunned.

"My teacher...?" Kirei hesitated. He didn't feel a shred of sadness. In fact, there was even a sense of regret—regret that it hadn't been him who killed the man with his own hands.

"That filthy rat and his mad dog managed to anger me," Gilgamesh said, his eyes blazing with fury.

"And now, I need a new mana supplier, a perfect Master." Archer's gaze shifted toward Kirei. "It just so happens... there's someone here who lost their Servant but regained their Command Seals."

"But why should I rejoin the war?" Kirei sat upright. The owner returned, placing two bowls of Mapo Tofu before them. Kirei pushed one toward Archer and prepared to dig in.

"Kirei." The red eyes of the King locked onto Kirei's, a cold expression on his face. "You crave joy even more than I do, don't you?"

"The pleasure of savoring the suffering of others—doesn't it bloom within you, just like a manjusaka flower?"

The upright priest suddenly began to laugh, extending his right hand, which bore the fresh, crimson Command Seals.

—The two men smiled and clasped hands.

Gilgamesh took a bite of the meal Kirei had pushed toward him, only to bellow moments later:

"Kirei!" The golden king's roar shook the heavens. "Are you trying to murder me!?"

Kirei swallowed his last bite of tofu, sighing. Such an exquisite dish—why couldn't Archer appreciate it?

Too bad, he thought, another Command Seal wasted.

He didn't want this wonderful restaurant destroyed by a barrage of Noble Phantasms.

After paying the bill and leaving, Kirei walked outside, ignoring the strange reverence from the other diners. The night was dark as ink, and a vast patch of hydrangea had just been tied up.

Kirei suddenly recalled the last time his heart had felt such a stirring.

Three years ago, when that woman had said, while cupping her tears in her hands:

"You love me."

The feelings he had buried in the depths of oblivion resurfaced at this moment.

"I really am just a dog," he muttered, mocking himself as he walked away.

Besides the mansion of the Matō family, they also had other properties.

In a dimly lit room, Kariya Matou was signing official documents. Though Kurumi's potion had saved his life, it was only a temporary reprieve.

He was transferring all the assets he had inherited from Matou family to Sakura Matou.

He wanted Sakura to live a better life—that was his final wish.

After that, he would fight for Avenger and the Holy Grail, even at the cost of his life.

Knock knock knock—

Urgent knocking came from the front door. Who could it be, at such a late hour, in such a remote place?

Kariya, being a novice magus, wasn't skilled in using the barriers left by the old worms, even though the mansion was warded.

When he opened the wooden door, he saw the person he least wanted to see.

—Aoi Tohsaka.

Or rather, Aoi Zenjou.

Tokiomi Tohsaka's wife, Kariya's childhood friend, Sakura's former mother.

Her face was somber, her hand gripping the doorframe as she blocked his path.

"Matou... Kariya..." Her voice was filled with bitterness, as cold as a vengeful ghost. "Are you satisfied now? Has the Holy Grail been given to the Matou family?"

"N-no, I didn't—I wasn't!" Kariya stammered.

Her delicate hand rested coldly on his shoulder. "Taking Sakura wasn't enough for you, was it? You had to kill Tokiomi too, didn't you?"

"It wasn't me... that man... that man!" Kariya struggled. "Whether it's you or Sakura, you both deserve happiness! If it weren't for him... if it weren't for him!"

"What would someone like you even understand!?" Aoi spat out words that crushed Kariya's heart, her voice like a vengeful spirit. "You just want to see me fall into hell, don't you?"

"A person like you has never loved anyone, have you?"

...

That's not true.

I did love someone.

She was warm, and she was kind.

I sincerely wanted her to be the happiest person in the world.

For her sake, I wouldn't hesitate to give up my life.

It was this thought that allowed me to endure the hell I've lived in until now.

...

Only you, Aoi, can't deny me.

...

Kariya gently placed the unconscious Aoi onto the bed. She had only fainted.

Having abandoned everything, truly forsaking it all, Kariya walked toward the Einzbern Forest. A refined shadow followed him, filled with both sorrow and regret.

Avenger, please... please take care of Sakura.

One day, we'll all be able to play together again, like we used to.

One day.

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