Hearing Gilgamesh call out to him, Kirei Kotomine, who had just finished dealing with the aftermath and had been exhausted for an entire day and night, looked at him with weary eyes.
"What do you mean, Archer?"
Kirei Kotomine sat down in his usual seat and continued reviewing the documents concerning compensation, along with the reprimand sent by his father, Risei Kotomine.
Throughout the night, he had rushed between Fuyuki City Hall and the police station, then gone to report to The Church, and finally conducted on-site inspections to ensure no fish had slipped through the net.
So many tasks had worn him down until he felt like a wound-up top, unable to stop spinning once it began. Even now, he still had many disaster reports left to process.
For a moment, Kirei Kotomine suddenly missed his long-neglected Assassin. With Assassin's ability to create duplicates and handle all sorts of tasks, these trivial matters would surely have been finished within an hour. But there was no point saying such things now.
Because his Assassin had officially been confirmed eliminated.
"What do I mean? Aren't you perfectly aware of it, Kirei?"
Seeing Kirei Kotomine's puzzled expression, Gilgamesh swirled the wineglass in his hand and chuckled lightly. His crimson eyes turned toward Kirei Kotomine as he asked,
"You warned Tokiomi Tohsaka beforehand not to cooperate with the Einzbern family, saying they could not be trusted. During the alliance, you repeatedly advised him against sending every Assassin to the scene in case something went wrong. You told him to leave some behind, so even if there were mistakes, you would still retain agents to gather intelligence. But what did Tokiomi do?"
"..."
Kirei Kotomine did not answer.
Because the facts were already laid bare. Tokiomi Tohsaka had stepped into nearly every trap imaginable in war, which was why he had ended up in such a miserable state.
"Well, because of Tokiomi's arrogance, not only did he ignore your advice, but he arrogantly believed he could control the entire situation. He insisted on cooperating with Einzbern, and even forced you to use a Command Seal to make Assassin release her Noble Phantasm for a frontal assault."
"And you have seen the result of that decision. Assassin was wiped out, you lost your most important source of intelligence, and you simultaneously enraged the other four Servant-Master pairs. You have clearly become the target of everyone's ire. What do you think of Tokiomi's actions, Kirei?"
Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes, then drained the red wine in his glass. He looked at Kirei Kotomine, his expression carrying an indescribable implication.
"I... I don't know. But my teacher was merely worried that an accident might occur, which is why he acted that way..."
Kirei Kotomine lowered his head. After a moment of silence, he answered.
"Oh? Do you truly believe that, Kirei?"
Gilgamesh raised a brow, his scarlet eyes fixed on him as he continued, "Stop deceiving yourself. That is nothing but an excuse. Unlike an Executor like you, who has experienced life-and-death battles, Tokiomi Tohsaka is a Magus through and through. Leave aside actual slaughter—he probably does not even possess combat experience. That is why his mind was so muddled that he made such a suffocating decision."
"Assassin's true name is Hundred-Faced Hassan. While she is extremely weak in direct combat, it cannot be denied that, with over a hundred duplicates, she is the finest possible intelligence-gatherer and assassin. With me, the trump card, in hand, the best course would naturally have been to use those useful Assassins to gather intelligence, wait for the right moment, and draw the flames of war toward others."
"Even if those Einzbern fools knew Assassin existed, how could they possibly know the exact number? Leave behind a few openings, and when they focused on battle or lowered their guard, those people could still have been of considerable use."
Gilgamesh drank as he analyzed the battle situation with sound reasoning.
"But that fool Tokiomi actually sent such useful reconnaissance and assassination units into frontal combat. Do you not feel his incompetence and arrogance, Kirei? What do you think?"
"...You have been watching what was happening on our side all along?"
Hearing Gilgamesh's analysis, Kirei Kotomine looked somewhat surprised.
He had not expected Gilgamesh, who had acted like the heavens came first and he came second ever since being summoned, to have been paying attention to what was happening on their side, and to point out every single flaw without missing one.
Could it be...
For a moment, Kirei Kotomine seemed to realize a startling possibility.
He looked at Gilgamesh, just about to ask something, but Gilgamesh spoke before him. "Yes, you are entirely correct, Kirei. Whether it was your alliance with the Einzbern family or sending every assassin to attack the other Masters, I was there the entire time."
So that was it...
Hearing Gilgamesh's reply, Kirei Kotomine knew his earlier guess had been right, but...
He looked at Gilgamesh with confusion in his eyes, unable to understand.
Since he had been there, since he knew all the flaws, why had he not stopped them? If Gilgamesh had intervened, things undoubtedly would not have developed into their current state.
If Gilgamesh had acted, then even against Iskandar and Fionn mac Cumhaill, they would have had a chance to eliminate the enemy.
But, but... why? Why had he merely watched, standing by coldly and refusing to lend a hand?
Kirei Kotomine's confusion only deepened.
"Heh. Are you wondering why I did not act?"
"Yes."
"It is very simple. Knowing and doing are two entirely different matters, Kirei. What does it matter whether one understands something or not? Humans only blindly follow the paths they believe in and choose for themselves. Even if you stop them, they will not thank you. Instead, they will think that if they had followed their own method, things would surely have turned out better than they did. They may even come to resent you for it."
Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes slightly as he casually explained the principles he believed in.
"Well, Kirei, unlike that fool Tokiomi Tohsaka, I do not believe you failed to see these obvious problems all along. Yet you did not speak up to stop him. That surprised me somewhat. However... seeing how lost you look now, I can roughly guess what you are thinking."
"You wanted to see what Tokiomi Tohsaka would become if he failed, did you not? You wanted to see where he would go once he lost that original elegance of his. And you... have you not noticed that your nature has already become twisted without your realizing it? What exactly are you seeking by following Tokiomi Tohsaka? What answer do you wish to obtain from him..."
"Tell me your desire."
Gilgamesh raised his wineglass and observed the changes in Kirei Kotomine through its blood-red color. That distorted, crimson reflection truly was captivating.
"I... desire nothing."
Kirei Kotomine paused before answering.
"That is impossible."
Gilgamesh directly rejected that notion.
"The Holy Grail does not choose someone for no reason. It only grants Command Seals to those whose hearts hold longing and desire. Therefore, you must have a wish."
"So then... Kirei, what exactly is your wish?"
"My... my wish?"
After hearing Gilgamesh's assertion, Kirei Kotomine froze for a moment, then raised a hand to cover his chest.
"I do not know..."
He could not find the answer to that question.
He did not know what happiness was, nor did he know what joy was. He did not know what he sought or what he desired...
He did not even understand the meaning of his own life, nor how he ought to live in this world. Everything he did now was merely an imitation of humanity...
He was a monster, a monster wearing human skin.
"Cannot find it? Hahahahahaha! Just as I thought, just as I thought... Kirei Kotomine, you are truly an interesting man—a fascinating toy."
Seeing that he had said enough, Gilgamesh burst into delighted laughter.
"Do you... know the answer?"
Seeing Gilgamesh's reaction, Kirei Kotomine asked eagerly.
He could sense that this oldest of kings before him knew the answer that had troubled him for so long.
"Of course. How could I possibly not know something so simple?"
Gilgamesh gave a wicked smile, then stared at Kirei Kotomine and began leading him along step by step.
"You merely lack one kind of emotion."
One kind of emotion...
"What emotion is that?"
Desperate for an answer, Kirei Kotomine asked anxiously.
"...Pleasure. An emotion humanity depends on to live, one that can bring them happiness."
Gilgamesh continued to guide him.
"Pleasure? No, that emotion is far too sinful. It is not something I should—"
"Is it truly not?"
Gilgamesh interrupted him, then continued tempting him. "And who told you pleasure must necessarily be evil? The one who decides the direction of that emotion has always been you..."
"Some take pleasure in doing good, while others take pleasure in doing evil... So-called pleasure is merely what one does to gain satisfaction and happiness."
"Good deeds, evil deeds... pleasure."
After listening to Gilgamesh, Kirei Kotomine's eyes widened slightly, as if he had suddenly understood something.
"In other words, the things my teacher and father did were also for pleasure..."
"That is right, Kirei. To live is to pursue pleasure. If Tokiomi Tohsaka can do it, why can you not?"
After hearing Kirei Kotomine's words, Gilgamesh nodded. Although he knew Tokiomi Tohsaka's goal was obsession rather than pleasure, and neither good nor evil.
But since that damned rebellious retainer Tokiomi had not only disobeyed him, but dared to use a Command Seal to forcibly control him and had even prepared to dispose of him, leaving Tokiomi with an amusing little surprise was only natural.
Kirei Kotomine...
An interesting toy, a decent blade. Used well, he would make things very entertaining.
"So that is how it is... So that is how it is. Pleasure, this is pleasure... So the thing my teacher had pursued all along, the thing I never understood, was something like this."
Kirei Kotomine nodded as he spoke. He had understood once again.
"Hahahahaha, exactly. That is right. It seems you understand now."
What exactly have you understood?
Not knowing at all what this man had supposedly understood, Gilgamesh continued brainwashing him.
"Thank you, Archer. I already know what I must do..."
"Humans truly must pursue pleasure... and what I lack is that... pleasure."
Kirei Kotomine slowly rose from his chair and spread his arms.
"Now, I have found it. It seems I am about to begin... taking pleasure."
Gradually, a strange smile appeared at the corner of Kirei Kotomine's lips.
Gilgamesh could not help smiling when he saw that scene.
He knew his toy had been completed.
Gilgamesh then drained the fine wine in his hand and turned into spirit particles, gradually fading from the room.
Everything that needed to be done had been done. All that remained was to wait.
While Gilgamesh was still busy brainwashing his newly found toy.
Elsewhere, inside an arcade in Fuyuki City.
A certain man wore a red battle robe utterly out of place in this era, along with European-style
His triumphant, delighted voice made passing pedestrians who did not know better think he had encountered some good fortune. Had he won the lottery?
Looking closer, they saw that sitting opposite him was an elementary school student who looked quite young and had deliberately thrown the match.
"Congratulations on winning. I can go home now, right? If I do not get back soon and my mom finds out I came to the arcade after school, it will be terrifying."
Looking at the hulking man before him, the little boy offered his compliments expressionlessly, while secretly breathing a sigh of relief.
After he had thrown the entire game and used none of his skills, the gorilla who had kept pestering him and refusing to let him leave had finally won. Now it should be someone else's turn to become the next victim.
"Hm? You are not playing anymore? I have not had enough yet. How about another—"
"No! You already won, so go find someone else! I have to go home!"
Just as Rider was about to propose another match, the little boy immediately stood up, refused loudly, and fled without looking back.
Even the arcade owner could not help sympathizing with the child at that sight.
The moment he had come in, he had been accosted by a strange foreigner and ordered not to leave until the man won. Forced to play for several hours straight, he probably would not want to touch another game for quite some time after going home.
"Hey, shopkeeper. Bring me the newest and most entertaining large-scale strategy game in your arcade. Pack it up for me!"
While he was still lamenting the child's encounter with a weirdo, Iskandar's burly frame had already arrived before him. He pulled several large-denomination pound notes—ones he had specifically snatched from Kenneth—from his pocket and slapped them boldly onto the counter.
Because they had only just relocated to a new base, Lemon Head was currently making pre-battle preparations in the Magic Workshop with the little Master, while Fionn mac Cumhaill was outside keeping watch over the surroundings. That had left him alone, unable to find even a single person to play games with, so he had come out for a stroll.
Seeing several thousand pounds' worth of large-denomination notes on the counter, the arcade owner swallowed and cautiously replied, "Sir, because of the exchange rate, it will be difficult for this small shop to give you change for these notes..."
"Change? No need! Bring me the good games. Consider the excess a reward from me."
Iskandar waved a large hand, entirely unconcerned with how much extra he was paying.
"Ah? Really?"
Hearing that, the shop owner's eyes lit up, and even the way he looked at Iskandar became much brighter.
Before you continue