It Is Said That Someone Wanted to See Route C

I wrote a chapter for Route A. (For the reason why I'm being suicidal, please refer to "The Sick Leave of the Suicidal.")

--- Just kidding, I actually just suddenly got an idea for Route A. Really! ---

"According to the rules of the Holy Grail War, Kirei Kotomine requests the Church's protection for my personal safety."

"I accept. As the supervisor of this war, I, Risei Kotomine, guarantee your safety. Please, come inside."

The hypocritical play unfolded at the pace it was meant to, within the church on the outskirts of the new Fuyuki City. It was a profound irony that in a place meant for worshipping God, such unsavory backroom deals were taking place.

"This is exactly why I don't believe in the Church, you see—"

The corridor of the Fuyuki Church, decorated in a style that was Western religious in its Eastern setting, was quite solemn and luxurious. A pleasant voice echoed through it. However, despite the speaker's flippant remarks about faith, the two people walking through the corridor didn't raise a voice to defend their piety. In fact, they continued deeper into the church as if they hadn't heard anything.

"Doing things that go against your own doctrines on your own turf—"

With no one responding, the speaker grew even more audacious in their mockery.

"Engaging in improper relations with the opposite sex on your birthday—"

What was strange was that the voice, which uttered blasphemous words within the church, was clear and resonant, yet it didn't stir any echo in the empty corridor. It was as if the sound waves directly impacted the ears of the two men dressed as clergy.

"Engaging in improper relations with the same sex on other days, well, that seems to be a more serious issue mainly at the Vatican headquarters—"

As the door to the priest's office at the very back of the church opened, the two men who had been maintaining their composure finally stopped their act. Father Risei, with an expression of knowing everything, urgently asked, "Is everything according to plan?"

"To think that divine punishment hasn't been meted out even after all this, hehe."

Instead of answering Risei's question, the girl, whose entire body was hidden beneath a black hood, finished her three-part rant. She flipped over on the altar where she had been lying in a rather casual posture and then stretched like a cat.

Ignoring her Servant, Kirei Kotomine asked his father very seriously, "There are no problems, but Father, could someone be watching this church?"

"No. This is a protected neutral zone. Any Master who attempts to act here will be warned by the Church. Those who, after knowing the trouble involved, would still come here to harass us are likely..."

"They're probably the one over there, aren't they?"

Jizi interrupted Kirei Kotomine's confident statement, pointing a finger at a wall in the priest's office.

"Oh... I forgot you can't see," Jizi spread her hands, attempting a helpless gesture. However, the movement somehow seemed very awkward and stiff. She chuckled at herself and explained to the two men looking at her with questioning eyes, "I sensed a familiar outside, watching this place... but it seems to be quite far away. Even if they wanted to see, they probably wouldn't be able to see anything."

"...Never mind, let it watch. If we deliberately get rid of it, it will expose more of our information. Besides, it's difficult for humans to catch such a small familiar."

"That's the real reason, isn't it? You can't handle it, and if I go, it'll be a complete reveal, hehe. But you've already guessed who did it, haven't you? Your beloved is watching you, doesn't that make you feel hot and bothered?"

"Meaningless. Are you trying to imply some strange relationship between me and Kiritsugu Emiya?"

"That's not strange, please call it philosophical..."

Knowing that continuing this pointless conversation with this abnormal Servant was meaningless, Kirei Kotomine turned to discuss the follow-up plan with his father. Jizi, having gotten no fun out of it, got up and stretched her limbs, intending to leave. But as she opened the door, she heard that voice that had always been calm and collected:

"If you can't clean it up properly, why not reconstruct another body—I'm talking about the wood chips inside you. You won't need to fight anymore anyway, and my magic is enough to support it."

"Mind your own business!"

Jizi, feeling that the most idiotic thing she had done since birth had been pointed out, slammed the door in anger and left.

--- After all, the Assassin is a Muslim, so it's not strange to mock Christians, right? Suicidal, cough, I mean, playing the part thoroughly ---

"Did you hear? That family's child went missing."

"Missing again? How many times has this happened?"

"Lately, besides the increase in child disappearances, there seem to be quite a few theft cases too."

"The stolen items seem to be from bookstores?"

"And according to people living around the bookstores, there are inexplicable lightning strikes in the sky at night, even though the weather forecast said there were no cumulonimbus clouds."

"And also, at night, a shadowy figure appears, moving between rooftops at a speed that the naked eye can't even follow."

As the grand ritual of the Holy Grail War officially commenced, Fuyuki City, the stage for it, began to grow increasingly strange. Various peculiar rumors started to spread quietly through the streets and alleys.

While rumors are not to be trusted, to a certain extent, these snippets of information, constantly embellished and modified, that circulate among ordinary people can sometimes encapsulate a part of the truth.

"The first few are understandable, but what's the deal with the last one? Is that talking about me?"

Without spiritualizing or concealing her presence with cloaking, Jizi, who had simply switched to her human form and was wearing a nun's habit casually taken from the church as she walked through the streets of Fuyuki, let out a helpless sigh at some of the street rumors she overheard.

"I just wanted to experience the feeling of old Mr. Wayne, so I didn't use cloaking. I didn't expect ordinary people to see me. Am I really too weak? Even if I'm a late bloomer, I'm still a Heroic Spirit..."

Ah, I originally wanted to experience the exotic city atmosphere of a foreign land from a time before I was born to relax, but I ended up finding trouble for myself... Huh? Wait, what do I see?

"Shh... there's a lone one over there, hmm, well, a pair of lone King of Knights and her lady. We can try to catch... tail them. A yuri pair can provide us with a lot of FFF power. Their contained energy is six times that of heterosexual couples, but yuri pairs are not easy to deal with. Let me approach from behind, be careful not to make any noise."

"Hey! I caught you... No, I was caught..."

"Irisviel, this person has been tailing us since a while ago."

"I struggled really hard! But even if they cut off my head, other parts cannot be eaten raw, and you absolutely cannot roast me with fire (my main body is a wooden mask)."

"Saber, do you know what she's talking about?"

"If I could be bitten, my texture would definitely be crunchy (I'll say it twice because it's very important, my main body is a wooden mask), but it definitely wouldn't taste like chicken."

"Enough with the nonsense, who are you? What is your purpose in following us?"

--- Seeing the yuri pair (especially my King) makes me want to tease them. Hey, I said Route A wouldn't go in a cheerful direction ---

"So it's a nun from the local church."

"So it's because Christianity isn't easily spread in the East, which is why the church's development hasn't been very good. That's why they wanted to ask if we were believers when they saw foreigners appear."

"So the church has fallen into such dire poverty that they can't even afford to eat, forcing the nuns to come out and solicit donations from believers."

"Sister, your harvest today seems quite dismal."

"While I wouldn't call myself a believer, there's no reason needed to help someone in trouble. Our meeting is fate, and it's simple enough to at least let Sister have enough to eat."

"You don't need to thank me. I hope Sister can cheer up and continue to use her strength to help the people here resolve their doubts."

"Yes, goodbye, Sister. It's getting late, Saber. Let's head back to the Einzbern castle."

After confirming that Saber and Irisviel had gotten into the car and driven off towards the highway on the outskirts of Fuyuki City, Jizi wiped the corners of her mouth, which were still stained with oil and food scraps, then turned and headed for Fuyuki Port.

The events that had transpired in the preceding hours could be roughly summarized as follows:

Jizi intentionally allowed herself to be discovered by the "Lily Group," then activated her unique Transmigrator skill, [Nonsense], to gradually lead the two of them from the seaside commercial street to an area near the new suburbs. She then found a restaurant and used food to hold Saber's attention. This way, even if Lancer released his aura as much as he wanted, Saber wouldn't be able to detect him.

Thus, the first battle in the true sense of the Holy Grail War, the classic scene that was supposed to happen at the docks, had been interfered with.

This was precisely Jizi's objective. Without Saber, perhaps while Lancer was fighting with another Servant, Kiritsugu could more easily snipe the lemon-head. After all, there wouldn't be an Assassin suddenly appearing to disrupt things this time, right?

Even if Kiritsugu had other plans and didn't intend to make a move, hmph, Jizi wouldn't do nothing.

If the one fighting Lancer wasn't Saber, who also prided herself on chivalry, would Lancer still be as at ease as he originally was? Would he still be concerned about his Master?

Jizi's true target tonight was the Lancer team, whose situation would make people exclaim, "What a mess you guys are in."

---It seems I said the A-route wouldn't change the plot too much... well... the main purpose is to court death (as for who is courting death, please refer to "The Sick Leave Slip of Courting Death"). It's not strange to go back on one's word, is it?---

Behind the Scenes:

After Jizi slammed the door and left the church, the father and son who remained in the house.

Risei: Kirei, after your wife died, you... no, I mean, lately you seem to have been paying too much attention to that man, Kiritsugu Emiya?

Kirei: Father, what are you trying to say?

Risei: ...Kirei, it's nothing, really. I just want to hear the truth from you.

Kirei: I will certainly be candid.

Risei: Do you really like men?

Kirei: ...

Risei: It's okay if you do. As the Assassin said earlier, there's nothing strange about people in our line of work having relationships with men. The Papal Palace has plenty of boys kept as lovers. In fact, when your father was young, I also...

Kirei: Father, please stop!

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.