"As an ally, he was an exceptionally good one. Though I didn't know where he got his information, everything had turned out to be correct once verified. But..."
"—What comes next?"
Kayneth sounded as though he was asking Lancer, though he might have been talking to himself.
"If we keep following his plan, then one of our two teams is bound to claim the Holy Grail in the end. But what if he gives us false information along the way?"
"..."
Lancer looked up in surprise.
"Geis is nothing more than a way for mages to comfort themselves. Anyone determined enough could find countless loopholes to exploit. If we really eliminate Archer, then naturally the Caster team would benefit the most."
The cool night breeze stirred the leaves in the dense forest, setting them whispering. The Heroic Spirit of the spear, who should have felt no chill, suddenly felt cold deep in his heart.
"This may not happen for now, but we must take control of our own fate and prepare for the battles ahead."
Kayneth turned his gaze to Lancer before him.
"So, Lancer, if you still insist on that so-called code of chivalry..."
Kayneth had decided to compromise and give Lancer a warning, to prepare him in advance. But he hadn't expected—
"I shall be my master's blade. I shall cut through every obstacle in my master's path!"
Hearing Lancer's resolute voice, Kayneth raised his brows in surprise. But after a soft snort, he said nothing more and turned to walk deeper into the forest.
On the other side of Tohsaka Mansion, a hunched figure forcibly suppressed his rising anxiety and glanced up at the sky.
"Still not here..."
Matou Kariya, who had been waiting at the agreed-upon location for a long time, suddenly sneered.
"No, they're not coming."
Kariya felt no goodwill toward these mages. If he had no backup, then...
[War always comes with sacrifices, but as a friend I've only just made, I still hope you'll come back alive.]
"..."
[Uncle Kariya.]
"..."
His friend's warning and Sakura's smiling face suddenly came to mind.
His restless anxiety gradually ebbed away. He shot a resentful glance at the building in the distance, then took out the special communicator Medea had made for him, which Wang Xiaoming had given him.
[There's trouble on the Matou side—]
On Fuyuki Bridge, as Wang Xiaoming watched the Heroic Spirits feast and drink, Medea's message suddenly sounded in his mind.
Wang Xiaoming paused slightly. He showed no reaction outwardly, but asked Medea in his thoughts,
[What happened?]
Just then, Wang Xiaoming recalled the figure that had given him a vague sense of unease earlier...
[It's Lancer's Master. Lancer's Master didn't go to meet up with Matou.]
Medea relayed what had happened to Kariya.
As expected—
[Contact Kayneth!]
Wang Xiaoming frowned, his urgent tone pressing harder than before.
"Hmm? Caster's Master, what's wrong?"
Not one person present was ordinary. How could their eyes miss even the slightest change in Wang Xiaoming's expression? Rider set down his wine cup and asked.
"Bastard, you've got some nerve. You're fortunate enough to hear a king speak, yet you stand there daydreaming." Archer's mocking tone carried a trace of anger. Even Saber, beside him, couldn't help frowning at Wang Xiaoming's behavior.
"Sorry, I got distracted. I'll drink a cup as penance!"
Wang Xiaoming downed the red wine in his cup.
It wasn't particularly strong, but he had made his attitude clear. The kings were magnanimous enough not to hold it against him. Meanwhile, Wang Xiaoming waited for Kayneth's reply.
"Hmm?"
As Kayneth headed toward his destination, he suddenly heard a noise coming from his person. He reached into his clothes and pulled out the source.
It was the communicator Wang Xiaoming had slipped him earlier.
Kayneth gave a mocking laugh at the urgent red light flashing on the device, then casually tossed it onto the path beside the woods and walked away.
The flashing light soon disappeared into the depths of the forest, and Kayneth's figure gradually receded.
After a long while—
[No answer.]
Kayneth's response left Wang Xiaoming's heart sinking. At the same time, he understood:
It looked like Kayneth's earlier agreement had just been for show. He must have had his own plan all along...
But if Kayneth wasn't there, then the premise of this mission no longer held. Was Kariya supposed to face Tohsaka Tokiomi and Archer alone?
—That would be suicide!
But...
Should he call him back?
"..."
[Tell Kariya to call off the plan... No, never mind. Can you put me through to him directly?]
Using the Command Spell contract to carry his thoughts, then relaying them to Kariya through Medea's Magecraft—this was a feat only a Witch of the Age of Gods could perform.
"Call off the plan..."
After hearing his friend's message, Kariya couldn't help giving a bitter smile.
Four simple, ordinary words. He understood what Wang Xiaoming meant. It didn't matter if the plan failed this time.
[That's right. Tohsaka Tokiomi will definitely die. I can promise you that.]
"But that's not what I want."
Kariya's simple reply left Wang Xiaoming at a loss for words.
"Xiaoming, like I said, war always involves sacrifice. We've been doing everything we can to prevent that, but things won't always go the way we imagine."
Kariya's voice was calm, carrying a note of comfort.
"You've already done more than enough. It's just that I..."
The pain coursing through his body constantly reminded Kariya that his life was nearly over. Or perhaps he simply no longer wanted to keep going.
But it was enough—
Old Worm was dead;
Sakura had been rescued;
And besides—
"Xiaoming, can I entrust Sakura to you?"
[Of course.]
Wang Xiaoming gave him his unwavering promise.
Sakura had found her place in the world, too.
Then—
The life of a man named Matou Kariya had been complete, hadn't it?
It felt as though some shackle in his heart had been removed. Kariya felt wonderfully light.
Perhaps now he could indulge himself a little and do what he wanted.
So all he could say to his friend's suggestion was...
"Sorry..."
"Sorry..."
Medea relayed Kariya's reply to Wang Xiaoming exactly as she'd heard it. Faced with Kariya's resolute answer, Wang Xiaoming could only smile bitterly.
Just as he'd expected.
From the perspective of an ally, Wang Xiaoming had no reason to stop Kariya from fighting. He might even have encouraged him.
But as a friend—
Wang Xiaoming couldn't bring himself to weigh Kariya's life against the plan.
He had used similar words to argue with Lancer earlier, but if he truly had to weigh the benefits on one side of the scales against a friend's life on the other...
Wang Xiaoming smiled bitterly. What a difficult choice. No wonder Lancer had looked so troubled at the time.
So—
Should he go stop Kariya?
If he used Medea's Magecraft, he should still have time to stop him.
But...
Wang Xiaoming suddenly remembered the resolute look in Kariya's eyes before he left, and his decisive tone when he sent his message.
[What should I do?]
He instinctively turned to Medea for help. Perhaps, deep down, he thought she could give him an answer.
[Let him do it.]
"..."
[If you don't want Matou to die with regrets.]
Medea saw the situation clearly.
Kariya's hatred of Tohsaka Tokiomi was almost the only fuel keeping his flickering life burning.
The man beside her didn't fail to see this; he simply didn't want to. All Medea could do was help him face the truth.
[Is that so...]
After a long silence came a barely audible sigh. Wang Xiaoming's voice carried a hint of sadness—or perhaps relief.
[Tell Kariya to stick to the original plan. When the time comes... I'll do my best to buy him some time.]
[And...]
[Thank you, Medea.]
"Judging by the look of you, you must have taken care of your own business, Caster's Master!"
Rider's booming voice suddenly rang in Wang Xiaoming's ears.
P.S. First of all, Happy New Year, everyone!
The first chapter of the new year—please give it a recommendation!
I rushed this chapter out. I'll probably have to skip tomorrow's chapter, haha.
Also: Our group number is 235812800.
Everyone's welcome to join!
Please give it a recommendation!
Before you continue