Although Shirou had become everyone's number-one public enemy, that was only because Illya had forcibly given Berserker Mad Enhancement so he could participate in this match. Otherwise, with Heracles's intelligence, this Holy Grail War would have been impossible to play.
Over the next ten minutes, Lancer discarded three times in a row and was forced out due to his abysmal score. Caster was beaten senseless and also eliminated. As for Lord El-Melloi II, he held on until the very last moment at the mahjong table, earning qualification as Group B's second-place contestant.
Lord El-Melloi II rose to his feet, and the things around him seemed to press in on him. He hurriedly shook his head, only to realize it was not the objects moving, but his heart.
Lancer gazed despairingly up at the stars, while Caster took out the figurines and talismans she had treasured for years.
"Why? Why didn't they work? Were the spells placed incorrectly, or was I using them wrong? No, that can't be right. I know these methods by heart..."
Caster muttered nonstop, so thoroughly beaten that she was questioning her whole life.
"Caster? Caster? Are you all right?"
Lord El-Melloi II shook Caster by the shoulders, and she finally came back to her senses. "N-No, I'm fine. I was just checking whether there was something wrong with my talismans."
"And the conclusion?"
"There is nothing wrong with my talismans," Caster said with absolute conviction.
"If that's the case, then why did Saber score so many points? The three of us... it seems only I barely managed to score one point, right?"
Caster began questioning her life again.
There was nothing wrong with the talismans, and there was nothing wrong with Lord El-Melloi II's words, so where exactly had things gone wrong? At last, Caster understood