Or Maybe You Should Find Another Savior

It was as though the Holy Grail War no longer had anything to do with him. Right now, Irisviel seemed to be the only thing that mattered.

"What are you planning to do next?"

In one of the castle's guest rooms, after settling the still-unconscious Maiya, Artoria came over to ask Xi Jianxi and Morgan.

"First, we need to inform Waver Velvet and the King of Conquerors. As for the Tohsaka side..." Xi Jianxi frowned.

"For a Servant to act alone with others, or do something like this, completely violates the agreement reached at the church during the day," Morgan said. "That Magus was probably betrayed by his Servant."

"Hard to say. Maybe not." Xi Jianxi knew he should confirm it immediately.

But with the odds being fifty-fifty, going there only to find nothing would undoubtedly be a waste of time.

Especially since Kirei and Gilgamesh had conspired to take Irisviel's heart.

Judging from their original plan, Kirei had most likely intended to take the entire Lesser Holy Grail. Only because of interference had he been forced to settle for taking just the core.

"What is their objective?" Artoria asked.

"That's what I want to know too." Xi Jianxi pressed his lips together and shook his head with a bitter smile. "No matter what, they have no intention of letting the Grail be purified and ending this Holy Grail War."

"But this means Einzbern has also lost her function as the Lesser Holy Grail." Morgan pointed out another matter. "At least she won't completely perish as Servants are eliminated and their souls are collected."

"Is that so..." Artoria actually felt a little relieved.

Perhaps this might be the best possible outcome for Irisviel.

"There's no benefit in staying here any longer," Xi Jianxi said. "I'll find a way to contact the King of Conquerors first. Tokiomi Tohsaka may very well have already met with foul play."

After considering it carefully, he decided to prioritize the side with less direct conflict of interest.

On one side were Tokiomi's student and Servant; on the other were a Mage's Association student and his Servant.

They could win over whoever they could first, then discuss the next step.

"Then let's head back first. What a fruitless punitive expedition." Morgan rose to her feet and teased him.

Xi Jianxi raised an eyebrow. "Are you blaming me?"

"No, I'm comforting you." Morgan smiled.

"You're really good at comforting people."

Xi Jianxi grinned. He turned to nod farewell to Artoria and said:

"Please come to my home early tomorrow morning and meet up with us. We'll discuss our next course of action."

"I'll let Kiritsugu and Irisviel know."

After nodding in agreement, Artoria watched the two of them leave.

Only after they had gone did she remember there was something she had forgotten to ask Morgan.

It would have to wait until later.

True Nature

At night, Fuyuki Church was even quieter than usual. After Father Rin Tohsaka finished handling his affairs as usual, he conducted his routine inspection of the church and saw his son Kirei returning from outside.

Father Rin Tohsaka found nothing strange about Kirei going out.

Although the Holy Grail War had temporarily reached a ceasefire agreement acknowledged by all sides because of the new anomaly.

That did not mean Kirei's work of assisting Tokiomi Tohsaka in gathering intelligence had to stop.

At the end of the day, it was merely a verbal agreement with no binding force.

Besides, one Master had not participated in the ceasefire discussions at all and had no obligation to remain in step with the other factions.

"You're back, Kirei." Father Rin Tohsaka addressed him.

Though he looked somewhat travel-worn, as if he had just rushed back from somewhere far away, there were no traces of battle on him. Even his priestly robes were unwrinkled, so the old priest naturally thought nothing of it.

"I just returned from the Einzbern forest." Kirei nodded in response, then described his situation. "As expected, Xi Jianxi and his Servant attacked Einzbern and Saber."

Father Rin Tohsaka was not surprised, merely showing a look of understanding. "So they did decide to strike first to prevent their plan to purify the Greater Holy Grail from being guarded against."

"That appears to be the case," Kirei agreed.

Father Rin Tohsaka turned and walked toward his office beneath the church. "What was the result? You returned so quickly—has Saber already been killed by Berserker?"

"Father, you seem certain that Xi Jianxi would win?" Kirei asked.

"Based on what this Holy Grail War has shown so far, even Kayneth of the Clock Tower has died in battle. That person is likely the greatest opponent in this Holy Grail War." Father Rin Tohsaka said, "Fortunately, the Greater Holy Grail has already developed a problem. There is no longer any need for everyone to fight to the death. In a sense, that is also a blessing."

As the Holy Church's supervisor, after reporting the situation to his superiors, the old priest had only been tasked with continuing to supervise the subsequent developments, witnessing the purification of the Greater Holy Grail and the end of the Holy Grail War.

It could be called quite an easy assignment.

"You have worked hard until now. Once all this is over, take a vacation and get some proper rest." Father Rin Tohsaka turned back and spoke kindly to his son. "I've already made the arrangements for you."

He had originally wanted Kirei to visit Claudia's grave once everything was over, but the words never left his mouth.

It would be more appropriate for Kirei to decide that himself.

"Yes." Kirei remained expressionless. "Thank you for your arrangements, Father."

The old priest was deeply pleased and proud.

His son, whom he took such pride in, always remembered the Lord's teachings. He did not indulge in pleasure, and one day he would surely become one of the Church's finest, walking a path even greater than his father's.

"So what exactly was the outcome?" Father Rin Tohsaka did not forget the crucial point.

Though he personally leaned more toward Xi Jianxi's side winning, a black swan event was not impossible.

No matter what, he needed to confirm it, record it, and discuss the next steps with Tokiomi Tohsaka.

"No, there was no victor. The battle was interrupted for external reasons," Kirei said.

Father Rin Tohsaka was slightly surprised. "Interrupted?"

"Yes."

"Did you ascertain the details?" Father Rin Tohsaka asked naturally as he opened the door to his office.

"I was close enough to confirm the details."

From beginning to end, Father Rin Tohsaka had never held the slightest guard against his son.

Kirei was excellent, calm, and serious. Everything about him was enough to call him a saint.

Therefore, Father Rin Tohsaka gave it no thought. He did not even consider it a problem that Kirei had come too close.

The old priest, who had once served as a combatant, should have realized that this was an extremely dangerous distance.

Even someone without combat training could inflict sufficient harm with an attack from behind. Much less Kirei, who stood here, tempered through countless harsh missions of every kind.

"I want to know... what exactly am I to you, Father?"

After entering the room, Kirei asked from behind him.

Surprised that his son would ask such a question, the old priest could not help but stop and ponder it on the spot.

There had rarely been any deep exchanges between father and son. Kirei, naturally intelligent as he was, seldom asked questions like this. It gave him an indescribable sense of gratification.

"My son, of whom I am proud. There is nothing more to say beyond that." Rin Tohsaka gave a direct and unreserved answer. "I believe you are a model for many people. From a father's perspective, I see not the slightest falsehood in your love for the Lord. Your appearance as a seeker of the path, overcoming every hardship with an unyielding spirit and carving out a way forward, fills me with immense pride..."

At this point, Father Rin Tohsaka also wondered whether he had praised Kirei too much. After all, the Lord's teachings often emphasized that one should not place excessive importance on such empty praise.

He was about to turn around and ask whether Kirei was satisfied, but his body could no longer move.

Three sharp, slender blades pierced through Father Rin Tohsaka's back and penetrated his chest. His heart and lungs were pierced with simultaneous precision, fully displaying Kirei's skill at killing.

They were the Black Keys, the favored weapons of the Holy Church's Executors. Whether in close combat or long-range suppression, they could be put to full use.

If infused with special incantations, they could even temporarily seal the target's movements.

That was precisely what Kirei had done. Piercing his father's heart alone was not enough.

Rin Tohsaka, who had also served as an Executor in his youth, would not make Kirei lower his guard until the moment he drew his last breath.

What had happened?

Why was Kirei doing this? More than anger, endless confusion flooded the old priest's mind as blood spilled from his throat with every breath.

Whoosh—

The blades were withdrawn. Rin Tohsaka crumpled to his knees as though all strength had left him, then collapsed face-first onto the floor and stopped breathing. In the blink of an eye, a pool of blood gathered beneath him.

Watching his father, who remained bewildered and unwilling to accept it until his final moment, Kirei's face unconsciously formed a delighted smile.

What his father and that woman had in common was that they both deeply loved Kirei.

And so, they had both misunderstood Kirei's true nature.

But compared with the feeling of killing his wife within the illusion, personally killing his father, bringing pain and confusion to the old man, gave Kirei incomparable pleasure.

The soul sought pleasure just as a beast sought the scent of blood.

No one could have foreseen what Lost Will had truly awakened.

Betrayal

At dawn, Tokiomi Tohsaka woke up.

Though he had long cultivated a regular routine, that still did not change the fact that he was terribly grumpy upon waking.

Though not as badly as his daughter Rin, at least.

The only person who knew that was Tokiomi's wife. He did not want Rin to find out, or he would never again be able to seem impressive in front of her.

From now on...

Thinking of that, Tokiomi felt both happy and melancholy.

The Holy Grail War could no longer continue. His family's long-held wish of reaching the Root could not be realized in his generation. The next opportunity would not come for another sixty years, and Rin would not have to bear that burden.

After getting up, washing, and dressing himself, returning to the consistently elegant Tokiomi Tohsaka, he could not help thinking of Xi Jianxi.

According to intelligence sent back two days ago by Kirei's Servant, Xi Jianxi had asked for Sakura to take the day off, then taken her and Karen into town for a full day of fun.

Rather than criticizing Xi Jianxi for being negligent in educating his child, Tokiomi instead felt greatly reassured.

With such a father raising Sakura, Tokiomi felt increasingly at ease.

"I wonder whether Xi Jianxi suffers from such terrible morning grumpiness too," Tokiomi muttered as a joke.

But just as he reached the entrance to his study, preparing to contact Father Rin Tohsaka and make detailed plans for purifying the Greater Holy Grail, Kirei appeared in the mansion's corridor.

"You're here, Kirei." Tokiomi gave it no thought, assuming the old priest had sent Kirei to deliver a message.

Now that every side had agreed to a ceasefire, Tokiomi did not think Kirei choosing this time to come over was anything to be concerned about.

He turned around, opened the study door, and entered, allowing Kirei to follow him inside.

Gilgamesh had long been staying there in spirit form.

Tokiomi was never surprised to find that willful Servant anywhere.

"Master Tokiomi, may I take a moment of your time?" Kirei said.

"What is it?" Tokiomi stopped and turned around.

"Father has passed away."

Kirei reported the fact in his usual calm tone, making Tokiomi's pupils suddenly contract.

"Father Rin Tohsaka is dead?!" Tokiomi's elegance shattered as he roared in fury. "All sides have already agreed to a ceasefire. Who would do such a thing now?!"

Was it Kiritsugu Emiya? That man had lacked a Magus's dignity from the start?

Or was it Xi Jianxi? But compared with killing someone from the Holy Church, that young man favored by the democratic Lord of the Department of Creation at the Clock Tower would certainly understand the consequences better than anyone.

Rather than provoke the Holy Church, that young man would surely choose to do something the Mage's Association could tolerate.

—For example, taking advantage of the chance to clash during the Holy Grail War and decisively, efficiently, and legitimately killing Kayneth, the Lord of the aristocratic faction. That would inevitably bring sufficient benefits to his own faction and solidify his standing within it.

So who could it be...

Tokiomi had no answer. The anger in his heart gradually subsided, and the calm desire to uncover the truth once again took over his mind.

"Regarding this matter, Kirei, do you have any leads?" He looked at his disciple.

Having lost his father, Kirei's heart should have been more sorrowful than Tokiomi's was at losing a friend.