To my surprise, Waver suddenly came looking for me. We met at the same restaurant as last time.
I put on an act and asked, "Where's Rider? Thanks for your help last time. This time, I'll treat you both to a meal."
Waver suddenly burst into tears. "The King... my King was defeated. He lost to Saber."
I expressed my regret, then said, "My Berserker was defeated too, by Archer. Could you tell me what happened? That part wasn't in the story, and I didn't see it in person either, so I'm curious."
Waver suddenly sank into recollection. "It was because I didn't have enough mana that the King lost. I have already acknowledged him as my King. He is the lord I will serve for my entire life."
"That battle was earth-shaking. The King rode across the field in his chariot and kept Saber suppressed. Saber could only hold on bitterly, but the King grew careless. A wave of light from Saber's sword destroyed the Gordius Wheel."
"Even so, the King was not at much of a disadvantage. He unleashed his strongest Noble Phantasm, King's Army. It summoned all the comrades who had once fought alongside him. Each of them possessed strength comparable to a Servant on their own. An army of tens of thousands should have been unstoppable."
"In that environment, the King raised his arm and shouted, and tens of thousands answered in turn. The King charged at the front, with everyone following close behind. I will never forget that sight for the rest of my life."
"But Saber's sword... that sword shining with golden light... that sword carried the valiant and noble dreams held at the moment of death by every warrior who had fallen on battlefields of the past, present, and future."
"She took pride in that will and carried her conviction through to the end. Like the triumphant song of an ever-victorious king—Sword of Promised Victory."
"With a single strike, it shattered all of the King's army. Even the King was moved by that radiance. (After all, it was an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm.)"
"I used a Command Spell to strengthen the King, but his Noble Phantasm had already consumed too much mana. The reinforcement only drained him completely, and in the end, he was defeated."
This version of events was not too different from what I had imagined. I asked, "What are you planning to do now? Stay here and watch the outcome, or return to the Clock Tower? If you're going back, take Kenneth with you if it's convenient."
Waver stared in surprise. "What? Professor Kenneth is still alive?"
While Berserker was still alive, I made a deal with Kiritsugu Emiya. In exchange for going after Archer, I ensured that Kenneth and his fiancée would be spared.
But I lost. The two of them were in terrible condition, though their lives had been preserved for the time being. As for whether they could recover their futures as mages, no one knew how long that would take.
However, if they could be treated at the Clock Tower, they should recover. Still, given Kenneth's temperament, he probably would not want others to know his current condition. After saying that, I took Waver to see Kenneth.
In a luxurious hospital room, also a property of the Genji Clan, Kenneth and Sola lay quietly in their beds. Perhaps the sound of the door opening startled Kenneth. When he saw us, he seemed to let out a sigh of relief. He had clearly not yet escaped Kiritsugu Emiya's shadow.
The moment Waver saw him, he hurried forward and called out, "Professor Kenneth, are you all right? I came to take you back to the Clock Tower. Let's go home together. You can receive better treatment there, and you'll definitely get better soon."
However, Kenneth refused. It was unexpected, yet perfectly reasonable. Competition within mage families was intense. If Kenneth returned in this state, he would most likely be abandoned. To him, going back now would mean truly having no chance left.
If he could recover in Japan, or at least keep his weakness from being discovered, then when he returned, he would still be the lord he had always been.
Kenneth said, "Waver, I no longer blame you for stealing my holy relic. Everything that happened to me was the result of my own actions—carelessness, looking down on provincial mages, and being stubbornly set in my ways."
"Every one of those things led to where I am today. Waver, I hope you will do me a favor."
"I want you to manage the classroom in my stead. If I do not recover, I hope you will inherit it, under the name Lord El-Melloi II." (This, too, had been corrected. The Counter Force was truly terrifying.)
Waver was stunned and shouted, "No, I can't! I can't do it. I can't do anything right. I'll ruin everything. Please spare me, Professor!" After saying that, he began sobbing uncontrollably.
"Listen, Waver. Among everyone in the classroom, you are actually the one I admire most. In the past, I was too stubborn and placed too much importance on the inherited legacy of mage families."
"That was also what led to my current state. I was reduced to this by some unknown, self-taught mage. Do you remember what we argued about back then?"
"Perhaps you were right. Now, as the instructor of the classroom, prove it. If I can return, we can argue about it again then."
I could tell that Kenneth's words came from the depths of his heart. He had already lost everything and did not want to lose his classroom as well. It was the obsession of a mage, but also that of a teacher.
In the end, Waver agreed, though he repeatedly insisted that he would return it to his professor as soon as Kenneth came back.
After leaving the hospital, I asked, "When are you planning to leave?"
Waver replied, "Immediately." Then he bowed deeply. "I hope you can lend me some money. I promise I'll repay you double in the future."
Seriously, I had to wonder whether he possessed some kind of debt-magnet constitution. Wherever he went, he ended up owing money. I said, "No problem. Is one million dollars enough? Tell me if it isn't."
Waver jumped up. "I don't need that much! I only need enough for the trip back."
I said firmly, "You need that much. Consider the excess an investment."
"Even with Kenneth's recognition, inheriting the classroom will still require money in many places. Someday in the future, perhaps I, or my family and friends, may go there. When that time comes, make sure to look after us."
Tears filled Waver's eyes as he grasped my hand. "I definitely will. You have to come too."
The sight made me feel as though I were whipping Waver with a money-shaped whip, while Waver happily thanked me for it. The image was too beautiful for me to imagine.
Outside the airport departure lounge, I watched Waver board his plane. As I did, I calculated that the Fourth Holy Grail War should be coming to an end.