The Final Prelude Begins

And the current results have proven that my intuition was correct.

Rovey was the one secretly guiding and manipulating everything, but he wasn't his enemy. On the contrary, his lord was spared a predetermined death thanks to his arrangements, and embarked on a new path of destiny...

Seeing this, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, could finally... feel relieved.

"... I see. It seems you're quite satisfied, Godslayer, Fionn mac Cumhaill."

Seeing Fionn mac Cumhaill's expression, Scáthach and Rovey knew that he had made his own choice.

"Yes, I met some great people and saw a lot of interesting things. It was truly an unforgettable experience for me..."

He was a knight with no personal desires. His duty was simply to follow his lord's orders, protect him, and fulfill his responsibilities. Freedom... his own choices...

That's really a luxury item.

Having made that mistake before, does he really have the right to choose where he wants to go and who he wants to be with?

Yes, I have...

Yes, it really exists.

But that was not a wish, nor a blessing from the elves; it was merely a small wish of himself as a knight.

That's enough.

In the end, having witnessed firsthand the person who had manipulated everything confirm his suspicions, and seeing his lord safe and sound, what could be better for a knight than this?

At this moment, all he wanted was to spend his last moments standing under the moonlight, offering his sincerest blessings to the Lord who had transcended the shackles of fate and gained a new life...

I hope his future will be smooth sailing and full of possibilities.

I hope he can live a peaceful and safe life.

Honestly...

For the brutal Holy Grail War, this is truly a luxurious ending.

Soon, because he had deliberately consumed too much magic power before Rovey's arrival, Fionn mac Cumhaill's body began to dissipate continuously.

He couldn't help but smile when he saw the helpless expression on Scáthach's face, who had already drawn her spear and was ready to personally see him off.

Then he offered his own sincere wishes to the two people in front of him.

"Next, I wish you both smooth sailing and that you achieve your goals in this Holy Grail War. My wish is..."

"It's already... done."

To be a knight until the very end, fulfilling all one's duties.

I will remain loyal to the emperor and never betray him. I will leave with dignity and a clear conscience.

This is probably... Fionn mac Cumhaill's redemption for himself after making such a mistake, plus a small blessing.

Looking up at the bright moon, he left behind his last words besides a smile.

"The night is so beautiful tonight..."

Chapter 82: The Final Curtain Rises

In a daze, it felt like something that had happened a very, very long time ago.

So vaguely, in fact, that Kirei Kotomine had already unknowingly tucked it into some unknown corner of his memory.

However, the booming artillery fire and explosions around him still involuntarily brought back memories of his past.

He vaguely remembered that it was something that happened shortly after he finished his training at the Church, became Executor, and joined the Eighth Sacrament.

For me personally, what I witnessed that day was ultimately a form of salvation...

Or should we give up?

Many years ago.

A battlefield somewhere in the Middle East.

—Boom!

Several priests dressed in black clergy robes walked through this hellish battlefield filled with killing and death. The booming sound of artillery fire never stopped in their ears. In this dilapidated border city, people's lives were being taken by gunfire every moment.

Kirei Kotomine stood on a dilapidated rooftop, watching the horrific scene unfold in the distance. He then looked behind him at the clergy organized by his father Risei Kotomine, who were distributing food to the refugee orphans who hadn't had enough to eat for several days.

This puzzled Kirei Kotomine...

At this moment, when their resources are scarce, is it really meaningful to stop in this dangerous area and share some of the little food they have with these refugees who may not survive the next second? Isn't this just a waste of food?

So, with a question lingering in his mind, he asked his father about it.

"Father, is it really alright to stop here? Don't we still have a mission to hunt down the Dead Apostle ... Besides, these orphans won't survive in this war; even distributing food and water won't help..."

Kirei Kotomine didn't continue speaking because he saw that his father in front of him had a serious expression.

"Kirei ... I do not deny your determination to be loyal to your profession, but the Lord gave us eyes and hands not so that we would turn a blind eye to the tragedy before us or withdraw our hands when we have the power to do so."

Risei Kotomine didn't say much. He continued to distribute his supplies to the war orphans as much as possible, and then, without turning his head, he spoke to his son as he walked forward.

"Moreover, what we have done is by no means in vain. If these children had encountered their own country's army, they would still have a chance to survive. Even if our supplies have saved one more kind person, it is still a good thing for us."

"No, Father, the probability is far too low. It's not that I want to oppose the clergy's mercy, but I feel that it's better to choose the present than to place our hopes on a vague and uncertain future..."

Kirei Kotomine still cannot understand his father Risei Kotomine's behavior.

Although the Lord taught them to be merciful, in His view it had to be effective merciful.

They are currently traversing one of the most brutal battlefields in the Middle East, tasked with finding a high-ranking Dead Apostle who is using the war as cover to expand his forces on a massive scale.

At such a moment, as Executor, they should kill the treacherous Dead Apostle is threatening the world and humanity as quickly as possible, instead of stopping here and sending these orphans in the midst of war a vague hope.

Kirei Kotomine is not a naive person, nor does he have much empathy; reason and indifference dominate his heart.

He had seen many war orphans, and even though he had personally helped them, the outcome for these orphans was never good.

So gradually, he began to hate and deliberately avoid these meaningless things.

"Kirei... No one likes war and death. It is the cruelest punishment God has given to this world, destined since the beginning of Genesis. When humanity commits unforgivable sins, the four knights who receive the revelation will bring punishment to the earth. But what often triggers this punishment is simply the greed and self-interest between nations..."

"It has nothing to do with these children; they just happened to be born in this war-torn land and were forced into the punishment of war. They have never known the beauty of the world beyond death, nor have they ever received the light of God. Although our strength seems insignificant in this war, helping them to the best of our ability and bringing a little light to their dark lives is also the guidance of God..."

Risei Kotomine sighed. He didn't criticize his son for his indifference, but rather he knew that his actions were indeed meaningless.

He was only considering things from a human perspective, Kirei Kotomine was considering things from the perspective of Executor. It's impossible to say who was right and who was wrong between them.

Risei Kotomine was about to lead Kirei Kotomine and the remaining Executor of the Eighth Sacrament on their journey away from here, suddenly—

Boom!!

The ear-piercing explosions and scorching heat waves behind them forced them to raise their arms to shield themselves. Even with Executor strong bodies and the blessed clergy robes, the heat waves still caused them unbearable pain.

This shows what has become of the refugees they just helped in that area.

For a moment, the Executor had just felt joy because of their goodwill were all expressionless, and an indescribable sense of heaviness filled their hearts.

"Let's go, Kirei..."

Risei Kotomine gazed at the area reduced to ruins, silently praying for the deceased orphans, his face etched with indescribable sorrow. At this moment, he could only pray in his heart that they would be redeemed by the Lord and enter Heaven.

Meanwhile, Kirei Kotomine, watching this scene, seemed thoughtful. Observing the priests who were praying together, he couldn't help but come to his own conclusion...

It turns out that the kindness we extend is more important than resources, even if that kindness is ultimately futile, these children still have a chance for redemption...

After all, these children still had smiles on their faces, showing the joy of receiving food, until the very last moment before they died.

Kirei Kotomine coldly gazed at the ravaged land, then pondered more deeply, his doubts growing ever stronger...

If goodwill is salvation, then what if we cut off the source of malice?

For example: Wouldn't it be a greater act of kindness to kill the soldiers who brought disaster?

For a moment, Kirei Kotomine couldn't help but reach for his Black Keys.

"Father, should I punish them? With the number of Executor of the Eighth Sacrament, punishing that number of soldiers would be a piece of cake."

He asked calmly.

"No..."

Risei Kotomine shook his head.

"We don't know who was right and who was wrong in this war. The soldiers were not innocent, but they were just following orders. The instigators and promoters of the war could get these soldiers to do it without getting their hands dirty. No matter how many soldiers are punished, it cannot effectively redeem them. Redemption itself is more meaningful than punishment."

"Is it more meaningful...?"

Kirei Kotomine put away the Black Keys in his hand and silently followed his father's steps.

"So what exactly constitutes meaningful redemption?"

"The most meaningful redemption..."

Upon hearing Kirei Kotomine's question, Risei Kotomine murmured a few words to himself.

"The greatest redemption is not about redeeming others, but about redeeming yourself..."

Upon hearing this, Kirei Kotomine couldn't help but listen intently.

"Find your own meaning and do what you believe is right. Only by doing this can you truly redeem yourself."

"Should you do... what you want to do, what you believe is right?"

Kirei Kotomine repeated the sentence, then his eyes gradually became thoughtful.

Is this how I redeem myself?

So, is it only when he finds what he truly wants to do that he can achieve so-called redemption?

In an instant, my thoughts began to expand.

The revolving lantern display gradually began to fade away.

Modern-day Fuyuki City.

"Hey, Kirei, have you had enough sleep? It's time to wake up."

In the ruins of the church in the forest, which had been bombed into a wasteland, Gilgamesh dug out a poor fellow who had been buried underneath.

Seeing Kirei Kotomine of death because he was in the center of the explosion and had no time to escape, he took out a bottle of the Water of Life from the treasure vault and forcefully poured it into Kirei's mouth, pulling his life back from the brink of death.

"Perhaps I have found my own salvation... Father."

Kirei Kotomine kept his eyes closed, softly murmuring incomprehensible words, a sight that made Gilgamesh frown.

He grabbed the guy in front of him, who had clearly recovered from his injuries but was still lost in his memories, and then coldly questioned him.

"Kirei, how long are you going to sleep here?"

"... Ah, it's the King of Heroes..."

Upon hearing Gilgamesh's Kirei Kotomine slowly rose, glanced at the surrounding ruins and scorched earth, and then at his tattered priestly robes. In a daze, his thoughts drifted back to that very beginning.

The Middle East battlefield, a father, and self-redemption...

Do what you want to do and what you believe you should do.

"... Perhaps we have now reached that important moment, Father."

Kirei Kotomine took a black cloak from Gilgamesh's hand, covering his barely clothed body, and then slowly spoke under Gilgamesh's questioning gaze.

"Gilgamesh, I now understand the meaning of my life, and I have found my own salvation..."

Kirei Kotomine opened his arms and spoke expressionlessly. Unlike the joy he showed when Tokiomi Tohsaka, his face was now filled with a strange sense of redemption and a deep sense of mission.

Gilgamesh frowned.

He was also somewhat confused about what was wrong with the newly found clown.

"Well, it's good that we found it."

"In short, hurry up and pack your things, then come with me to Kirei. Now that the boring minions have been dealt with, it's time for me to enjoy my main course."

Ignoring Kirei Kotomine's current delirious thoughts, Gilgamesh turned his head to look in the direction of the Fuyuki City Gymnasium.

Besides killing the insect that disturbed his enjoyment, the newly released God Declaration Gungnir also serves to find the final location where the Holy Grail will descend.