Over the past six months, he had participated in several executor missions as Karen's assistant.
Shirou exterminated the evil magi the Church viewed as thorns in its side on Karen's behalf, while Karen sold Shirou information from within the Church and concealed the existence of Fuyuki City's Greater Grail.
It was the very definition of a "take and give" relationship.
"That's a big order... It's amazing you managed to get that inside information. Where did you hear it, anyway?"
"Well, through various channels."
Karen had an extremely extensive intelligence network.
Perhaps it was because of her connection with the Burial Agency. She always managed to obtain the latest firsthand information.
Shirou had known for a long time that not all the work Karen asked him to do came from the Church's orders. Some of it was mercenary work paid for with nothing but money.
Shirou did not care, however. He had never been the sort of person who cared about money in the first place.
The people he killed really were threats to society. As long as Shirou knew that, it was enough for him.
"So, what is the target this time?"
"A Dead Apostle."
Karen made no attempt to hide the fact that this was a mission assigned by the Church.
"They've finally appeared... Dead Apostles."
Until now, his work had amounted to nothing more than small-scale skirmishes.
It seemed the Church had finally acknowledged the abilities of the Shirou-and-Karen combination and was entrusting them with a genuinely important mission.
Shirou crossed his legs on a church bench, sipping coffee as he opened the mission documents Karen had given him.
"The target this time... There it is, there it is."
The name was Ode Bolzak.
The former head of the Bolzak family had been a magus once known as