The two smiled simultaneously, everything understood without words...
"Are you leaving, Kirei?" Tōsaka Tokiomi welcomed his prized disciple, his voice filled with reluctance.
Kotomine Kirei had indeed helped him a great deal...
"Yes, Master, I didn't expect to cause you trouble at this last moment, I apologize," Kotomine Kirei said, lowering his head, seemingly sincere in his apology.
"It's alright, I know your intentions were good, and though it ultimately failed, I understand.
However, I hope, Kirei, that you'll inform me before acting next time, so I can be prepared."
"...But no matter what, you are still my disciple.
Though we met because of the Holy Grail War, I am very proud to have a disciple like you."
"Your attitude as a seeker of truth makes even me feel ashamed.
From now on, just like your father, fight to ensure the interests of my Tōsaka family, how about it?"
"I couldn't ask for more!"
Kotomine Kirei smiled and nodded, but Tōsaka Tokiomi didn't understand the specific meaning of that smile...
"Hmm, you are a reliable person.
I should have my daughter learn more from you."
As he spoke, Tōsaka Tokiomi took out a letter from the corner of the table.
"Master, what is this?"
"Though simple, it's a will of sorts..."
"Even if the probability is low, to be safe, I've written here that the head of the Tōsaka family will be inherited by Rin, and you will be her guardian until she comes of age.
Just hand it over to the Clock Tower, and the Mage's Association will handle the rest..."
"Understood, please entrust it to me.
I will do my utmost to look after your daughter!"
"I trust you, Kirei!"
With that, Tōsaka Tokiomi solemnly handed the letter to Kotomine Kirei.
At the same time, he also gave him a wooden box.
"Open it and take a look, it's a gift from me..."
Kotomine Kirei opened the box as instructed, and inside was a dagger—
"The Azoth Sword, meticulously crafted from ancestral jewels, it can be used as a Mystic Code when infused with magical energy.
This is proof of your apprenticeship graduation!"
Kotomine Kirei took out the dagger and carefully admired its sharp blade.
"My esteemed Master, thank you for your constant care, I have no way to repay you!" Kotomine Kirei said, lowering his head.
To Tōsaka Tokiomi, this was probably an expression of gratitude...
"No, Kirei, you yourself are my best reward.
With you, I can participate in the war with more peace of mind!"
"Ah, right! I've held you up for so long, can you still make your flight?" Tōsaka Tokiomi asked, as if suddenly remembering.
"No need to worry, Master—because, there was never any flight!"
Kotomine Kirei let out a hearty laugh, a laugh he had never experienced in his entire life...
"Ugh!" Tōsaka Tokiomi stared blankly as the Azoth Sword, a symbol of friendship and mentorship, pierced through his body.
The technique of this stab was extremely high, demonstrating Kotomine Kirei's skill as an Executor.
Without any superfluous movements, it easily took Tōsaka Tokiomi's life.
Tōsaka Tokiomi stumbled back a few steps, looking at the sword in confusion, and at Kotomine Kirei's blood-stained hand.
Until his death, he didn't understand why the student he trusted so much would betray him...
Tōsaka Tokiomi, the current head of the Tōsaka family, thus easily and permanently lay on the luxurious carpet...
Compared to Matō Kariya, whom he looked down upon, he died even earlier and... strangely...
At this moment, Kotomine Kirei felt a truth he had never experienced before, so clear, so... pleasurable...
---
"Rider, why don't you use my magical energy?"
"I've noticed that the amount of magical energy I expended during the two uses of that great magic was unusually small..."
Even magic must follow the most basic principle of the world, equivalent exchange.
However, at first, Waver didn't pay attention and misjudged the magical energy Rider consumed when activating his Reality Marble.
Now, he finally discovered the problem and asked so directly.
"Rider, why do you use your own stored magical energy instead of the magical energy that should be supplied by me?"
"You've been so... presumptuous twice in a row."
"Hmm, about that question..." Rider stroked his chin, thinking about how to explain.
This was Waver and Rider's base of operations, not as indestructible as a magical workshop.
It was inhabited by an ordinary elderly couple, but it made Waver feel a sense of warmth.
"Ah, let me put it this way, as a Servant, I am a pure soul slayer.
If I were to drag you into a situation where my magical energy was fully unleashed, it could threaten your life.
When your magical energy isn't enough, it can draw from your life and soul..." Rider explained.
"But... I don't want this to be a war fought by you alone!"
"This is my first time participating in a battle by my own will.
If there's no bloodshed or even sacrifice, then it has no meaning!" Waver said softly, his head down.
He also had his own thoughts, his own paradise within his heart.
"Do you know the meaning of my participation in the Holy Grail War?
I don't care about what I'll do after seizing the Holy Grail.
I just want to prove to everyone, to let them know, that even I, Waver, without a long-standing family, can seize what belongs to me with my own hands!" Waver clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, and voiced his inner thoughts.
"Boy, all of this would only be meaningful if that Holy Grail truly existed, wouldn't it?" Rider suddenly said.
"Huh?" Waver was stunned.
Rider, who had so clearly stated his wish to return to the present world as a human, hadn't even confirmed the reality of the Holy Grail's existence?
"The Holy Grail that everyone is fighting for, does that thing really exist?
It's just a legend, no one has ever seen it with their own eyes, no one has truly obtained it, isn't that right?"
Waver thought for a moment, then nodded, "...Now that you mention it, it's true... but..."
Even in the Clock Tower's archives, there was indeed no record of the Holy Grail's true appearance, nor any record of anyone truly possessing it.
"I, too, once fought for things that I wasn't sure truly existed!"
With a hint of bitterness and sadness, different from his usual demeanor, having lost his former dominance, Rider looked out the window, reminiscing, and intermittently spoke of his past dream.
"I wanted to see the boundless sea with my own eyes.
For this dream, I fought ceaselessly across the world.
Those who believed in me, without a doubt, rode alongside me, even sacrificing their lives, sacrificing everything.
But until the very end, they only saw the boundless sea I spoke of in their dreams!"
"Finally, instigated by some who didn't believe in me, the expeditionary force disbanded.
However, this was also correct; if we had continued to fight, my army would surely have been defeated somewhere.
Only when I came to this era did I realize that the earth is actually round!
It's outrageous, looking at a map, what I considered an ideal back then now seems like a foolish delusion!"
"Ri... Rider..." This truth, spoken by Iskandar himself, left Waver deeply shocked.
"I'm tired of causing others to sacrifice due to my selfishness.
If I could pinpoint where the Holy Grail is, then even if it costs both your life and mine, I would obtain it...
But now, I don't know if the Holy Grail truly exists, and I don't want to repeat past mistakes..."
Therefore, Iskandar didn't want to deplete Waver's life force because of himself.
Waver fell silent.
His magical energy was actually insufficient to even provide Rider with the most basic actions, and Rider had been using his own stored magical energy.
As a result, Iskandar couldn't display his true strength.
"Hahaha! Alright, don't worry about it, the ley lines here are good, and magical energy recovers quickly.
Tonight, we can probably go for another big score!" The sadness quickly passed, and Iskandar's boisterousness returned to him; sadness simply didn't suit him.
"A... a big score? Rider, what are you going to do again?" Waver was dumbfounded.
"Hmm... Tonight, we'll go back to that castle in the forest, and we'll take down Saber!"
"Rider, how much magical energy can you exert tonight?"
"How much, you ask... the chariot probably won't be able to use its maximum power.
The Ionian Hetairoi can probably be used one last time, but that ultimate power needs to be saved for Archer.
As for the remaining people... I think just using the chariot should be enough to handle them..."
"But, but, shouldn't we let the other Servants defeat Saber first, and then fulfill your agreement with Archer to defeat him?" Waver expressed his opinion.
"I really want to hit you..."
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(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) ‹ (TL : More Chapters @patreon.com/c/Gooberilla)