My Fate Compendium of Type-Moon Chapter 31

Rider had already retreated, and Lancer had left with his Master. Now, only the Saber team and Caster's Master, the freak, remained on the field.

Saber looked at the young man, who was merely human in form, with a complex gaze.

"What exactly are you here for, Sakutsuki?"

Reflecting on the night's battle, setting aside the fact that Sakutsuki's Servant hadn't appeared at all, he himself had first clashed with Archer and then Lancer. Afterward, he let the best opportunity to defeat Saber pass, confronting Lancer instead, delaying Berserker's retreat... Finally, he had challenged Lancer's Master, making it clear that the night's chaos was far from over.

Yet, throughout it all, Sakutsuki had shown no intention of eliminating any Servant from the battlefield. Instead, he had moved back and forth, maintaining a delicate balance.

"Who knows about such things?"

In response to Saber's question, Sakutsuki shrugged as if it were none of his concern.

"To borrow the King of Conquerors' words, 'Reasons, plans – those troublesome things can be left for later historians to ponder. We heroes just need to act as we please, with passion in our hearts, and charge onto the battlefield.'"

"Those are not words a king should utter," Saber replied, her disappointment evident in her firm tone.

The Knight King believed in chivalry, and her convictions were far removed from Rider's unrestrained motivations.

"If we meet again, I will surely settle this with him..."

"Alright, alright, I already regret saying that." At some point, Sakutsuki had appeared beside Saber, taking her left hand.

"Sakutsuki!" Saber was startled, unable to dodge in time.

This was not only because Sakutsuki's actions lacked hostility and her intuition gave no warning, but also because the fatigue from the successive battles had slowed her reactions by half a beat.

"This is disrespectful, Sakutsuki, please let go of me!"

"Don't be angry, I'm helping you." Sakutsuki's fingers moved rhythmically over Saber's wound, weaving magical runes. To Artoria's astonished eyes, the numbness and pain caused by the curse were alleviated.

After completing the magic, Sakutsuki cleanly released her hand. "Although my magic has reached the realm of conceptual displacement, mystery will yield to higher mystery... Unfortunately, 'Gae Buidhe' is a Noble Phantasm, and the curse it contains has too high an authority. I cannot completely eradicate it."

In the golden-eyed youth's hand was a short dagger, its blade flowing with golden patterns. Clearly, through some magic, he had transferred some of the curse from Saber's hand onto the dagger.

"No, this is enough," Saber said, flexing her left hand. "Thank you very much, Sakutsuki."

"That serious personality is also one of your charms, Saber," the youth said, rubbing his chin, and suddenly uttered this sentence. His expression was strikingly similar to that of a certain unserious swordsmith.

Charm? What does that mean?

Although Saber had received modern knowledge, she couldn't fully integrate it. Confused, the ahoge on her head swayed involuntarily. Behind her, Irisviel, who had some inkling of the meaning, covered her mouth to suppress a laugh, maliciously refraining from correcting her.

As if realizing his slip of the tongue, Sakutsuki coughed awkwardly and said, "So, are you willing to come with me, Saber?"

"To the Hyatt Hotel, to Kayneth's workshop?" Saber didn't answer. Instead, Irisviel stepped forward, communicating with Sakutsuki as Saber's Master.

"Precisely," Sakutsuki replied, his expression also solemn. "For you, the first priority is to lift Lancer's curse. And I happen to be going to challenge Kayneth's Magic Workshop tonight. I believe we already have a basis for cooperation."

"Speaking of which, why would you actively go into a magus's workshop, Sakutsuki? That's very dangerous, isn't it?" Irisviel asked, confused.

To this, Sakutsuki smiled, "Perhaps out of curiosity."

"Curiosity? For such a simple reason?"

"Curiosity is human nature, Madam. Since I already knew about such an interesting place, what reason would I have not to challenge it?"

Is it really just for that?

The smile on the youth's face was too sincere, yet it hid something secretive. Underneath this peculiar smile, even Irisviel was momentarily lost for words. After a moment, she asked, "Then, what do you want us to do?"

"It's simple. I will go and fight Kayneth to the death, and you will engage Lancer. This way, no matter which side wins, Saber's curse will be lifted. And no matter which side loses... no one else can be blamed."

"A very direct plan, but effective," Irisviel mused, her smile suddenly becoming mischievous. "But in a sense, aren't you also protecting that little girl named 'Miyu'?"

After all, in Sakutsuki's plan, his Servant, Caster, had never appeared.

"It's only natural. Isn't it natural for a brother to protect his sister?" Sakutsuki showed no intention of hiding it. "So, shall we cooperate?"

"I don't think I have a reason to refuse..." Irisviel was about to reply when Saber tugged at her sleeve and whispered something to her. The Madam's expression gradually turned awkward. She looked back at Sakutsuki, opened her mouth, but then suddenly fell silent.

"I'm sorry, Sakutsuki..."

"Ah, I understand. Did Kiritsugu say something?" Sakutsuki interrupted the Madam's apology, pouting privately.

Although he had anticipated Kiritsugu Emiya's refusal, he hadn't expected his reaction to be so swift. Originally, the rift between Saber and him could have been...

"Tell Kiritsugu that while I don't expect him to repay my kindness, at least tonight, he should act a little slower, so I can properly enjoy the duel of magic... otherwise, he will regret it."

His request refused, Sakutsuki uttered this cryptic remark and then cleanly got into the car, turned the handle, and disappeared from Irisviel and Saber's sight.

Saber gazed silently in the direction Sakutsuki had left. Her beautiful profile showed neither the excitement nor the exhaustion of having survived the recent deadly battle. The valiant posture of the armored maiden knight standing on the battlefield was like a painting, beautiful and inviolable.

"Thank you, Saber. Thanks to you, I was able to survive."

In response to Irisviel's gratitude, Saber offered a smile. "It's because you were behind me, Irisviel, that I could face the enemy without any worries."

Irisviel once again deeply realized how strong, resolute, and gentle Saber was.

Although Saber appeared to be a generation younger than her, and still looked like an undeveloped girl with such a petite frame and slender wrists, her mind and body were those of a perfect knight, a true hero.

"The battle has only just begun, Irisviel. Tonight's situation is merely the first night of a series of battles to come."

"...Yes."

"All opponents are formidable enemies. The heroes summoned from different eras... not a single one of them is easy to deal with," Saber murmured.

Even that young man named "Sakutsuki," during the battle, his imposing and powerful demeanor made everyone forget that he was not a Heroic Spirit, but a person of this era.

But when he called himself a hero, who would dare to object?

Even with so many heroes and valiant warriors competing with her, the girl's tone held no anxiety, nor fear. Facing the approaching storm, she simply bolstered her spirits in secret.

This kind of exhilaration, this feeling of blood surging, never changes in any world or any era. It is the proof of a hero's spirit.

Gazing at the star-filled night sky, the Knight King whispered.

"This is... the Holy Grail War."

Above the tall buildings

After Sakutsuki left, Kiritsugu Emiya did not put away his gun. He merely took out a cigarette, placed it in his mouth, skillfully lit it, and let the smoke fill his lungs before slowly exhaling.

White smoke curled and dissipated into the air.

He raised his arm, and among the three Command Spells on the back of his hand, one had slightly dimmed, returning to its original state.

"By Command Spell, I order you: Cover for Master Sakutsuki and kill Lancer... completely."

After Berserker retreated, such a strategy was undoubtedly the most reasonable and effective. Even if Lancer couldn't be killed, he could be severely wounded in a short period.

But in the end... Kiritsugu Emiya gave up.

Undoubtedly, Saber, who considered himself a knight, would not agree to such an action. But with just one more Command Spell, even the most disobedient machine would operate smoothly, as if coated in lubricant.

But by then, would he be met by Caster's cold spear tip, or by Sakutsuki, the one who had trampled the Einzberns underfoot, with his merciless strike?

"Chivalry... is such a pedantic thing," the man, still injured, sighed softly. "Why can't the Holy Grail also cleanse the Servants' memories?"

And also, that last sentence the young man had thrown at him.

[Tell Kiritsugu that while I don't expect him to repay my kindness, at least tonight, his actions could have been slower, allowing me to properly enjoy the magical duel.]

A chill crawled over his entire body, as if he had been seen through. A cold wind blew through the cold night.

As a killer lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity, the greatest taboo was to have one's actions seen through.

That Assassin, too, had been lured away by his deception, but had returned due to a reminder from their Master, nearly pushing him into a desperate situation.

...Kirei Kotomine, the man he had been wary of since before the war began.

He had, after all, been targeted by him.

A scorching heat drew closer, almost burning his lips. Kiritsugu Emiya tossed the burnt-out cigarette butt outwards, quietly watching the ember extinguish.

He was not a non-combatant, nor did he possess a sense of honor. Facing Kirei Kotomine and Sakutsuki, he felt not the joy of facing a worthy opponent, but fear, a fear of the future.

Could he win the Holy Grail? Could he fulfill his wish?

How was Illya? His wife, Irisviel...

His heart ached, but Kiritsugu Emiya's expression did not falter. After a long silence, he finally began to put away his gun, his mind made up.

Tonight.

The plan was moving up.

Dancing blue luminescence traversed the streets of Fuyuki City.

However, at a certain corner, the flowing wind-like motorcycle briefly paused. When it set off again, a cute girl was on the back seat.

Having removed her Noble Phantasm, Miyu, dressed in a patterned kimono, hugged Sakutsuki's waist, a look of contentment on her small face.

"Did you see Kiritsugu?" the youth's laughter drifted from ahead.

Miyu didn't speak, merely nodding slightly.

After that, they spoke no more to each other, simply enjoying the night breeze.

Just like the brief moments they had shared in the past.

After an unknown amount of time, the motorcycle slowly stopped in front of a tall building.

This was the tallest building in Fuyuki City, the best place to overlook Fuyuki City—the Hyatt Hotel.

Not only was it the tallest, but the Hyatt Hotel's facilities and services were also unparalleled in Fuyuki City, truly the top establishment in the hotel industry. It was naturally chosen as the residence and temporary base by Kayneth, the "Lord of the Clock Tower," who came from a noble lineage. A month before his arrival, retainers of the Archbold family had booked the presidential suite on the top thirty-second floor, a testament to their considerable wealth.

"This is it, we've arrived."

Sakutsuki dismounted. Even wearing a kimono did not hinder his movements. He held Miyu's hand, and the two figures, one large and one small, dressed in patterned kimonos, looked up ahead.

The handsome man with a tear mole at the corner of his eye was already waiting there.

Honestly, Sir Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald did not like this hotel, neither its layout nor its furnishings.

In his opinion, the vulgar person who designed this suite had no idea what "honorable and luxurious" meant. It was merely a large, ill-proportioned room, with expensive furniture and some ostentatious, empty decorations. As someone born into nobility, Kayneth was acutely sensitive to the gaudy extravagance pursued by commoners. This suite was precisely that—lacking any historical connection and devoid of any cultural atmosphere. It was merely an ugly pigsty that, by copying borrowed sensibilities, possessed a facade of beautiful adornments.

But that was all in the past.

At least today, he had no intention of lamenting that a distinguished lord was being sullied in such a place. As the ancient Eastern saying went, "A mountain need not be high; it is famous if a deity resides there."

Even the most humble of places would become a sacred site in the hearts of magic society members under the magnificent display of two mages.

Lancer had already been dispatched to wait downstairs. Whatever he did, his only task was to ensure that no other Servants interfered. And his beloved fiancée, although she had volunteered to go downstairs and support Kayneth, did not need to add to his brilliance. As the Lord of the Clock Tower, he, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, would naturally dedicate the glory of victory to the love of his life.

Feeling the feedback from the magical barrier, the golden-haired man, known as a "prodigy" in the Clock Tower, revealed a cold smile. He picked up a test tube with his white-gloved right hand and slowly poured the silver liquid onto the ground.

"Fervor, meisanguis."

He quietly spoke the incantation to activate his magic, and the solution, which seemed to be only 100 milliliters, began to expand wildly once it left the test tube, finally swelling into a silver sphere with a diameter close to one meter. Immediately after, it spread out in all directions.

This was Kayneth's trump card, and his most proud achievement.

The name of the Noble Phantasm was "Volumen Hydrargyrum," a unique combat Noble Phantasm that Kayneth created by combining his dual attributes of Wind and Water with his most proficient magic of fluid manipulation. The essence of that silver sphere was specially treated mercury, and Kayneth could manipulate this mercury at will, shaping it into any form.

Although he had already converted the entire floor into his Magic Workshop, it didn't mean he had to stay in the core of the workshop, waiting for unwelcome guests to arrive.

His proudest magic Noble Phantasm was the key to victory in Kayneth's eyes.

"Come, for the Holy Grail that you and I pursue, stake your honor and life, and let us fight fairly!"

An arrogant laugh echoed through the room.

[014: Diarmuid (Lancer)]

[Character Information]: A famous hero from Celtic mythology, the popular knight of the Knights of Fianna, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. Diarmuid's life tragedy began with the event of Finn marrying Grainne, the daughter of King Cormac.

[Hidden Information]: Insufficient conditions.