Kayneth

Biodata

Background / History

Kayneth entered the Fourth Holy Grail War to enhance his reputation rather than obtain a particular wish. Already a Clock Tower Lord and Brand-ranked magus, he regarded participation as an opportunity to add another prestigious achievement to his record 30 31 37.

He originally acquired a fragment of Iskandar’s cloak as a summoning catalyst. His student Waver Velvet stole it and departed for Fuyuki to prove himself. Kayneth recognized Waver through the quiz group’s conversation, checked his display cabinet, and exposed the theft. With the war beginning the following day, he had no time to pursue Waver before the summoning 6.

Kayneth subsequently prepared a relic associated with Diarmuid. The system revealed Diarmuid’s identity before Kayneth had summoned him, prompting him to consider replacing the catalyst. He ultimately retained Diarmuid as his Lancer 7 9.

Personality

Kayneth is proud of his standing and dismissive of those he considers beneath him. He belittles Waver’s family background, repeatedly mocks his performance as a student, and initially refuses to believe that Kiritsugu Emiya could defeat a Brand-ranked magus. His expectation of an honorable magical duel makes Kiritsugu’s firearms, traps, and evasive tactics especially offensive to him 6 9 30 31.

The quiz footage forces him to recognize these weaknesses. After watching himself lose his composure and suffer a catastrophic defeat, he questions his attachment to fair combat. His caution increases markedly: he guards his location, checks visitors carefully, and uses Diarmuid to shake off pursuit. Nevertheless, acquiring Brynhildr briefly restores his overconfidence, a habit he consciously recognizes as dangerous 31 35 36.

He is attentive to Sola’s safety and wishes, allowing her to use his summoning reward both because she wants to and because another Servant would protect her. He also consults his companions before conceding the Grail’s wish to Iskandar and ultimately trusts Waver and El-Melloi II enough to forgo a written alliance contract 35 37.

Abilities & Skills

Magecraft

Kayneth is a Brand-ranked magus and one of the Mage’s Association’s Twelve Lords 30 31.

• Healing: In quiz footage, he heals Diarmuid’s injured arm during the duel with Artoria 17.
• Workshop construction: Converts three rented hotel floors into a magecraft workshop using valuable borrowed resources 36.
• Magical identification: Recognizes Qin Shi Huang’s manifested palace as a Reality Marble and understands its status as forbidden magecraft 42.

Volumen Hydrargyrum

Kayneth’s self-made mercury Mystic Code combines offense and defense. Its demonstrated combat feats occur in the system’s footage of his confrontation with Kiritsugu 30 31.

• Protective barriers: Encloses Kayneth in mercury, leaving him unharmed by explosives and stopping ordinary gunfire 30.
• Rapid defense: Responds quickly enough that Kiritsugu cannot overcome it simply by increasing his speed with Time Alter 30.
• Shapeshifting attacks: Forms blades, cuts through a floor, and attacks from multiple directions 30.
• Full enclosure: Can surround Kayneth without gaps, rather than merely forming a shield in front of him 31.
• Critical vulnerability: Does not protect him from Kiritsugu’s Origin Bullet. The resulting destruction of his Magic Circuits causes the mercury construct to collapse 31.

Analysis and Counter-Surveillance

Kayneth can draw accurate conclusions from personal knowledge and limited clues, although pride frequently distorts his judgment 6 29 30.

• Identifies Waver from his voice, student status, and behavior in the group chat 6.
• Deduces that his recorded self sent Diarmuid to eliminate Bluebeard while he challenged Kiritsugu, earning two consecutive correct quiz answers 29 30.
• Orders Diarmuid to lead Kiritsugu around much of Fuyuki before returning to their hotel, preventing him from locating their base through pursuit 36.
• Fails to conceal the workshop’s mana fluctuations, which allow Waver and El-Melloi II to identify his hotel 36.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Volumen Hydrargyrum: Mercury-based Mystic Code deployed from a vial of silver liquid 30.
• Iskandar’s cloak fragment: Original summoning catalyst, stolen by Waver 6.
• Diarmuid’s holy relic: Replacement catalyst used to summon Lancer 7 9.
• Hotel workshop: Occupies three rented floors and contains gemstones borrowed from the Department of Mineralogy, the Department of Spiritual Evocation’s treasure “Evil Spirits—Wangliang,” and three Mana Furnaces reserved for Lords. Kayneth worries that losing these borrowed assets would leave enormous debts 36.
• Silver treasure chest: Awarded for placing second in a quiz round; Kayneth gives it to Sola to open 35.
• Heroic Spirit Summoning Card — Holy Grail Edition: Obtained from the silver chest and entrusted to Sola, who uses it to summon Brynhildr 35.

Relationships

• Sola — His fiancée. Kayneth gives her his summoning card and welcomes Brynhildr as both reinforcement and protection for her 7 35.
• Diarmuid Ua Duibhne — His Lancer. Kayneth criticizes him harshly and objects to the disclosure of his Noble Phantasms, but Diarmuid remains devoted to protecting him. In quiz footage, Diarmuid rescues him from Kiritsugu 9 17 31.
• Waver Velvet — His student and the thief of his original catalyst. Their antagonism softens after Kayneth witnesses the future Waver’s respect for him; they later become allies 6 32 33 37.
• Lord El-Melloi II / Zhuge Liang — A summoned Pseudo-Servant sharing the body of Waver’s future self. He persuades Kayneth to ally with Team Rider and challenges his underestimation of Artoria 26 36 37.
• Kiritsugu Emiya — Rival Master and principal target. Seeing Kiritsugu destroy his recorded self’s Magic Circuits makes Kayneth more cautious, but also intensely determined to eliminate him 31 36 37 39.
• Reines El-Melloi Archisorte — A talented young member of a branch family. After seeing her become his posthumous successor in quiz footage, Kayneth resolves to adopt her as his younger sister after returning from the war 32 33.
• Brynhildr — Sola’s Lancer and a new member of his team. Kayneth welcomes her divine status but is dismayed to learn that she shares Diarmuid’s E-ranked Luck 35.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Quizzes and the First Battle

The system exposes Kayneth’s Master–Servant pairing and later reveals both of Diarmuid’s Noble Phantasms. Kayneth resents losing this tactical secrecy, especially when footage initially appears to promise Diarmuid a victory over Artoria before Iskandar interrupts the duel 9 16 17.

In the actual docks confrontation, Kayneth stays hidden to guard against Kiritsugu. Artoria, already informed about Diarmuid’s weapons, avoids the mistakes shown in the footage. Kayneth subsequently witnesses other teams fielding additional Servants and withdraws with Diarmuid when the gathering disperses 23 26.

Forewarned Defeat and El-Melloi’s Future

Kayneth correctly answers two questions about his recorded decisions, earning three Saint Quartz for each. He then incorrectly predicts both his victory over Kiritsugu and an inconclusive outcome, losing one Saint Quartz for each guess 29 30.

The ensuing footage shows Kiritsugu’s Origin Bullet destroying his Magic Circuits. Diarmuid saves him from immediate execution, but a later video confirms that Kayneth dies during that version of the war. The El-Melloi Faction subsequently loses assets and members, leaving its name burdened by enormous debts 31 32.

The same sequence explains Waver’s future title. Reines becomes the new heir, and Waver accepts the role of successor while insisting on “the Second” because he considers Kayneth the person truly suited to the El-Melloi title. Kayneth is moved by this recognition and resolves to survive rather than repeat the fate he has witnessed 32 33.

Brynhildr and the Rider Alliance

After placing second in a quiz round, Kayneth receives the summoning card that allows Sola to summon Brynhildr. The reinforcement eases his concern about falling behind teams with multiple Servants, though her E-ranked Luck immediately alarms him 35.

Waver and El-Melloi II then locate his hotel and propose an alliance. Kayneth accepts Iskandar’s claim to the Grail’s wish after confirming that his own companions do not need it. In exchange, Team Rider agrees to help eliminate Kiritsugu’s Saber team first 36 37.

Kayneth brings the coalition’s full force—three Masters and four Servants—to Einzbern Castle. Kiritsugu has already evacuated, leaving the expedition without a target and forcing the allies to withdraw 39.