At the distant Einzbern Castle, Irisviel was quietly finalizing a new contract with Saber.
The death of a Master meant the dissolution of the contract. Thankfully, Saber had been right beside her when it happened, otherwise, it would've been absurd for a Servant to be forced into retirement without ever entering battle, simply because they couldn't find a new Master in time.
As the new contract was completed, Irisviel stared at the vivid red Command Seals that had appeared on the back of her hand, murmuring absentmindedly, as though she hadn't quite processed it all yet.
"Kiritsugu...?"
"Master?"
Saber's gaze remained fixed on Irisviel, worry flickering in his eyes. There was also a faint sorrow in his heart. According to the knowledge granted by the Holy Grail, if a Master died and their Command Seals weren't claimed, they would automatically be reassigned to someone else deemed appropriate.
He didn't know why Irisviel hadn't used the Command Seals to summon him again, but as a knight, Saber could not help but feel a deep sense of failure. He had been unable to protect his Master.
After a few seconds of silence, Irisviel collected herself. Her voice was calm, steady.
"Emiya Kiritsugu has lost his status as a Master. As of this moment, he is officially dead. I, Irisviel von Einzbern, will inherit the position of Master and continue fighting in the Fourth Holy Grail War."
No matter what happened, she had to go to Fuyuki and win, for Illya. The memory of her daughter's strange, sorrowful cries for her father gave Irisviel the resolve to accept the truth and push forward. Determination lit her eyes.
Seeing her expression, Saber knelt respectfully.
"As you command, Master."
---
After briefly explaining the situation to the store manager, Roland formally handed in his resignation. He collected his salary, noticeably more generous than expected, and walked out of the convenience store, a little reluctant.
"Never thought the first place I'd grow attached to in Fuyuki would be... a part-time job. And What the hell is this?"
Roland chuckled to himself, recalling the spirit he'd just encountered.
He had already suspected that the escaped soul might turn out to be something dangerous, considering how drastically the plot had shifted. But he hadn't expected it to be the soul of the Holy Lord.
An incarnation of black energy. One of the eight ancient demons.
Even in a soul-only state, he was not someone Roland could face easily right now.
But that changed once the spirit was made into a Contracted Spirit. Even the Holy Lord, stripped of his awareness, would be reduced to a pure force, nothing more than a tool governed by instinct.
The Key of All Spirits didn't necessarily require a soul to be dead in order to forge a contract, but it certainly made things easier.
Even now, Roland couldn't fully grasp the rules or standards the Key of All Spirits followed when choosing a target for contract creation. Why hadn't someone like Emiya Kiritsugu, a man with such intense obsessions, qualified?
With Kira Yoshikage as a precedent, Roland already knew the Key didn't care about the soul's "state", what it consumed was something far more abstract, more intrinsic to the soul's very nature.
So why had neither Uryuu Ryuunosuke nor Kiritsugu made the cut?
What did they lack, compared to Kira Yoshikage?
...And more importantly, was he truly ready to pay the price to forge a contract with the Holy Lord?
Roland's smile faded.
He never considered himself particularly noble. Though he wasn't fond of people who chased lofty goals to the point of self-destruction, he could at least understand the mindset.
Still... when people like that are confronted with choices like this, what do they think?
He didn't ponder it for long. Roland was always someone who acted first.
If he didn't know something, why not just go ask who knows?
---
"You're late. That's unlike you. Something happened?"
Matou Zouken stood in the doorway of the decrepit mansion, eyeing Roland with amusement and a trace of suspicion. Over the past few days of exchanging information, he'd come to understand that Roland was someone with a strong sense of punctuality. Being late was out of character.
"Ah, nothing much. Just ran into the Einzbern Master on the way and killed him. Took a bit longer than expected."
Roland replied casually, arms crossed and still visibly preoccupied with his own thoughts.
Zouken's amusement vanished instantly. Shock flickered in his murky eyes.
He had always been wary of Roland from the start, not because of any concrete evidence of his power but out of instinct. Suspicion was simply second nature to him.
That said, his objective this time was straightforward enough that he hadn't minded if Roland harbored hidden agendas. So long as Roland participated in the Holy Grail War, conflict with other Masters was inevitable. It was just a question of when.
But now?
Already eliminated a Master?
"That was Einzbern's Master? The mercenary they hired?"
"Yeah. The Command Seals were reclaimed by the Grail. I assume they'll be reassigned to another Einzbern."
"Hmph. Not that it matters. Even if they extend their involvement through an artificial homunculus, the outcome won't change. I say this without arrogance: Einzbern's actual combat ability is mediocre at best."
"Hmm." Roland responded absentmindedly.
Then, after a pause, he asked what had truly been on his mind.
"Matou Zouken. If the path to greatness was laid out before you, but walking it might twist something important within you, would you still choose to take it?"
"Of course I would."
Zouken didn't hesitate. Though he didn't fully understand Roland's meaning, his tone warmed slightly. After witnessing Roland's capabilities firsthand, his attitude had become a little more respectful.
"You're still too young. You'll understand with time, there's no need to hesitate over such things."
"Humans live by chasing after something, whether ideals, obsessions or goals... and in the process, their identities gradually twist into the image of what they pursue. Can you really call that corruption?"
Zouken had started off trying to comfort Roland, but as he spoke, his tone grew colder, deeper. He looked down at his own withered hands which were ancient, hideous to be honest and clenched them silently.
Immortality.
That was his obsession. No matter the cost. No matter how grotesque he became, he would not stop. He had sacrificed too much already.
...Why was he pursuing immortality, again?
The question arose suddenly, but even after a moment of thought, Zouken found no answer.
So instead, he looked at Roland, who had remained lost in thought throughout.
"Socrates once said that human virtue lies in shaping the soul into its best form. Everyone's pursuit stems from their own sense of good. So tell me, Roland, what are you after?"
"A peace of mind that never wavers."
Roland answered without hesitation.
He had always been clear about it. To maintain peace in his life, he had to overcome his own fears and anxieties. That was the only way to feel truly at ease.
"Peace of mind? Hah. Now that's a profound pursuit."
Zouken let out a rasping, unpleasant laugh.
"But peace of mind changes depending on where you stand. Ordinary folks want marriage, family, friends. Those with status chase power and wealth. Magi chase the Root, or love and peace—whatever suits their delusions."
There was a rare hint of melancholy in his voice.
"Those wishes may sound trivial, but in truth, they are immeasurable. All of humanity is chasing them. But humans are weak. My advice? Set a smaller goal. That way, maybe you can numb yourself with a fleeting sense of peace."
Roland's eyes shimmered like stars. A faint, mysterious smile appeared on his lips, as though something had just clicked into place.
"...How interesting. I think I'm finally starting to understand."
He sounded like he was making a quiet confession....part sigh, part revelation.
"Human ability is limited."
"But I've learned something in my short life: the more you plan, the more likely it is for something unexpected to destroy everything. Unless you transcend humanity altogether—"
The memories came rushing back: Mapo priest, the deranged killer, the Magus Killer, and the vile Black Holy Grail.
Each one had intruded on his peaceful world. Each one had brought him here.
So what would it cost to erase that anxiety... for good?
Zouken, now completely lost in Roland's train of thought, began to feel a creeping chill. For the first time, the old monster felt a sliver of fear toward the young man standing before him.
"What are you trying to say?"
Roland responded with a beaming smile, so bright, so cheerful it became unsettling.
"I don't want to be human anymore."