The Tax-Dodging Crew Assembles (New Book—Please Support!)

While Shinji busied himself in the kitchen, Bazett simply sat quietly at the dining table and watched him. A strange feeling—or perhaps the first stirrings of affection—continued to grow within her heart.

At dinner, Bazett spent most of the time quietly enjoying her meal, only occasionally exchanging a few words with Shinji.

She did not ask much about the Holy Grail War, but Shinji took the initiative to tell Bazett some things. For example, his grandfather had passed away yesterday, his only sister with even a little talent for Magecraft did not want to become a mage, and Makiri had thus completely withdrawn from the world of Magecraft.

"Mm, a wise decision. She'll be happier as an ordinary person," Bazett said softly, lowering her head.

"That's true." Shinji smiled, then changed the subject. "But speaking of which, Sister Bazett, are you sure you still want to continue participating in the Holy Grail War? Your Command Spells were taken, and your Servant was taken too. There's no longer any need for you to participate, is there?"

Bazett did not answer, but her eyes remained full of resolve. It was not just for revenge, but also because it was the mission the Mage's Association had assigned to her.

She had been sent by the Association to this place to take part in the Holy Grail War, only to be betrayed by someone she trusted—someone she could even be said to admire. More importantly, that person should have been the supervisor of the Holy Grail War, yet had now become a cheater.

There were many issues in this Holy Grail War that Bazett, who had survived by sheer luck, wanted to investigate. Perhaps in this Holy Grail War, having lost one arm and even had her Servant stolen, she had almost no chance of defeating the other Masters and Servants. Yet she still wanted to take part. This was the duty and mission entrusted to her!

As for her personal grudge, after calming down over the past few days, Bazett had placed it behind those matters.

Bazett did not want Shinji to know about these matters, or many others. If an ordinary person like him were dragged into such a cruel war because of her...

"Looks like nothing I say will change your mind. Then let me help you, Sister Bazett."

"Hm?" Bazett froze for a moment, then frowned and looked up at Shinji.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"There's no need for you to get involved in a war where you could lose your life. I won't allow it. Besides, you're just an ordinary person..."

"Sister Bazett, you haven't contacted the Mage's Association yet, have you?"

Bazett did not answer, but judging from her expression, Shinji had hit the mark.

"After something like this happened, you still haven't contacted the Mage's Association. You're probably worried about how the internally divided Association would treat you after learning of what happened to you—now that you've lost an arm and haven't recovered your strength. Whether it would be good or bad, you don't dare gamble on it. Am I right?"

"Even if I'm alone, it doesn't matter," Bazett said without answering directly.

"Ha..." Shinji sighed softly, looking somewhat helpless. "Sister Bazett, you really are cold. 'Alone'? You make it sound like I haven't existed these past week."

"I..." Bazett wanted to refute him, but she could not find any good argument. She could not bring herself to say something like, "I just don't want you to be put in danger."

"Could it be that Sister Bazett is worried I might run into danger because of this?"

Seeing the trace of cunning in Shinji's eyes—a look she did not dislike—Bazett composed herself and replied, "Don't think too much. Before coming to participate in the Holy Grail War, I had already prepared myself to sacrifice certain things."

"Then why? Why are you so against me helping you? Do you think my strength is too weak?"

"No! It's just..."

Seeing Bazett hesitate, Shinji said nothing more. Still smiling, he stood up, picked up the empty bowl in front of her, and silently served her another bowl of white rice.

For the rest of the meal, Bazett merely kept her head lowered and silently ate. Perhaps she was worried Shinji would notice how hot her face had become.

Outskirts of Fuyuki City.

Amid countless thorns and roses stood an ancient castle.

The old castle appeared to have existed for a very long time.

Dark green vines covered the towering walls in such abundance that they nearly surrounded the windows entirely. Some had even crept through the windows, lending the place an eerie air.

Moonlight fell hazily over the castle, while the crow on the roof continued to caw softly.

This was the Einzbern family's castle, abandoned for ten years—the way it had looked a few days ago.

What should have remained silent and lifeless had been revived from its slumber by the master who had recently arrived!

Magnificent candelabras, flickering flames, a warm fireplace, gleaming silverware...

Seated at the long dining table, Illya, who had just finished dinner, elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin.

"The Magecraft workshop has vanished, the magical barrier has been removed, there is no trace of a Servant in the residence, and the adopted granddaughter—the only one with aptitude for Magecraft—does not have Command Spells. It seems Makiri truly has withdrawn from the Holy Grail War and the world of Magecraft, just as that big brother said. In other words, the Three Great Families have completely become history."

"My lady, isn't it somewhat inappropriate to conclude so decisively that Makiri poses no further threat?" Sella—the woman standing nearby in an Einzbern maid uniform—asked with a frown.

"Sakura—the girl Zouken modified into the Lesser Grail—had her Grail function cease and reverse. That is already the best proof."

"But doesn't their family still have an eldest son? My lady also said that eldest son gave off an unusual impression..."

"Indeed." Illya set down her napkin and continued softly. "If that big brother were truly interested in participating in the Holy Grail War, then even without the slightest talent for Magecraft, he would still be an extremely troublesome opponent.

Even if he lacked magical energy and could not become a Master, he could still act as a strategist and advise a Servant. After all, he is someone who can understand Makiri's former ideals and summarize them so simply.

But I sensed it: his heartfelt disgust toward the world of Magecraft was absolutely genuine. It was precisely because of that that he chose to have the Makiri family completely leave the world of Magecraft and become ordinary people.

Though calling him ordinary would not really be accurate. His file is quite interesting.

An all-around genius among ordinary people, a super-genius who can reach the world's highest level in the shortest time in anything that interests him... Whether he can still be considered an ordinary person may itself be difficult to determine..."

Meanwhile, at Fuyuki Church in Shinto, Fuyuki City.

At the very front of the chapel stood a man with long brown hair and brown eyes. He wore priestly robes made of Kevlar fiber, a cross necklace on his chest, a long dark-purple coat over his robes, and black ankle boots. With his hands clasped behind his back, Mapo—Kirei Kotomine—stood silently.

Behind him sat a handsome, slender blond young man with red eyes, dressed in a black biker outfit. He was seated among the congregation's pews, flipping through some documents with great interest.

"He truly is an interesting mongrel. Even I must admit that his mundane talents place him among the greatest geniuses in the world. But regrettably, he is still only a mortal."

Golden Flash, Gilgamesh, was reading Shinji's file, which accurately recorded everything from Shinji's past seventeen years!