A united front
Lancer dissipated, Kiritsugu Emiya a sigh of relief, but Bai Mo frowned. Artoria, seeing this, asked, "Bai Mo? What's wrong? Why do you look so uneasy?"
Bai Mo looked at Artoria and said in a deep voice, "Artoria, you were summoned here. What about Irisviel? Is Iskandar still there?"
Bai Mo's words sent a shockwave through Artoria. She exclaimed, "Rider got the Holy Grail, and then said he didn't want to accept such charity... so he argued with his Master and left. Irisviel... Oh no!"
Bai Mo immediately darted away, his figure flashing like lightning as he arrived at Einzbern's castle, where the garden was now completely deserted.
"Saber was captured the moment she left. Was this premeditated? This scent... it's Caster's sea monster." Magnifying his senses, all he could perceive was a nauseating crimson aura. He couldn't detect Irisviel's direction at all. Bai Mo flew into the air, looking down. After his battle with Lancer, he was incredibly sensitive to Magic Resistance. A massive True Magic circle appeared in his senses, radiating a crimson light, concealing the culprit's presence.
It was a diversionary tactic... My being lured away by Illya might have been an accident, but Artoria was tricked. Even if Kiritsugu Emiya succeeded in his assassination, he could only summon Artoria to protect himself from that Black Mud.
In an instant, Bai Mo returned to the area below the Hyatt Hotel and said to Artoria and Kiritsugu Emiya, "Irisviel has been captured. Don't tell Illya yet. Find a place to stay, and I'll go pick up Illya and Sella."
after a while···
In a VIP box on the top floor of a hotel, everyone sat around a Round Table. After Artoria explained the information about the Banquet of the Three Kings, Kiritsugu Emiya lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and said, "So... in the end, the Holy Grail still can't fulfill my wish?" Bai Mo and Artoria nodded to Kiritsugu. He stood up and instructed Maiya beside him, "Maiya, excuse me, I'll be going out for a bit. Could you please take notes for me?"
Afterwards, Kiritsugu Emiya went down one floor of stairs to the restroom on the first floor. Men don't easily shed tears, but only when they are truly heartbroken. Looking at his haggard self in the mirror, he realized that he had given everything for the Holy Grail War, only to find that it was all just a mirage.
"What a joke! You idiot!" He shattered the mirror in front of him with a punch. The pain in his hand was nothing compared to the pain in his heart. For the sake of victory, Irisviel, as the vessel of the Holy Grail, was destined to die. He sacrificed his wife, only to receive this answer in the end.
"Kiritsugu, shall we leave here? Take Illya with us, let's all be together." The words from the past echoed in his ears, and a terrifying thought inexplicably popped into his mind: if the Holy Grail were to fall into his hands, he would return to the time when his wife and daughter were still alive, and strangle his former self.
Inside the private room, Bai Mo asked the system in his mind, "You said there was no rush, right?"
"That's right, we just need to get there within a month."
Across the Round Table, Kayneth spoke up, "Honestly, I didn't want to get involved in this kind of thing. I thought it would be some amazing technology, but it turns out to be something so simple."
Not just Kayneth, but almost everyone here didn't want to get involved in this mess.
Kayneth said, "That guy has definitely laid Heavenly Net and Earthly Web. I suggest everyone buy a plane ticket to London tonight. Let's leave this mess to the Church. In the end, it's all the initiator's stupidity that they were fooled so easily. The so-called Holy Grail War is a complete farce. I will record it in the Clock Tower's records."
Artoria retorted, "If you want to run away, then go ahead. Irisviel is someone I swore an oath to protect. Even if I lose my reason for pursuing the Holy Grail, I will still save her."
"Really, so this is what chivalry is all about, Mr. Bai Mo. As for you, the Holy Grail has no meaning for you anymore, since you've already given it up." Kayneth looked at Bai Mo. At this moment, he really wanted to leave, but if he left like this, his dignity and the prestige of his nobility would suffer a huge blow. He fixed his gaze on Bai Mo.
If Bai Mo were to walk away now, Kayneth would simply fly back to the Clock Tower overnight. With such a vast difference in strength, what's the point of fighting? If Bai Mo chooses to join the battle, then things will get interesting.
"That woman who calls herself Francesca is a complete madwoman. If she continues to run rampant in Fuyuki, countless people will die. I'm not in a hurry. I don't care if I kill her first and then leave." Bai Mo's words gave everyone a boost of confidence. After all, when at a disadvantage, one naturally has to consider self-preservation, but with this nod, they straightened their backs.
The advantage is in my hands!
"In that case, I'll stay too." Kayneth's tone shifted abruptly, Artoria asked, "Is that alright? You still have family, don't you?"
Kayneth glanced at Sola-Ui beside him. She'd been sullen ever since Lancer's death. And rightly so, given how embarrassing his behavior had been in front of her. Kayneth scoffed, "Keeping secrets hidden is Magecraft's basic duty. Letting that woman go mad will cause unimaginable losses. As the Lord of the Clock Tower, we can't turn a blind eye."
Before he could finish speaking, Kayneth glanced instinctively at his left hand, where the Command Spell had vanished.
"That's for the best. Whatever the reason, at least we're on the same side now. So, let's organize the intelligence and see what we can do." Kiritsugu Emiya returned to his seat, his poker face now back to normal.
Kayneth stated, "After the meeting, I will contact the Clock Tower and the Holy Church. With such a huge mess, the Holy Church, as the overseer, has an undeniable responsibility, but according to their procedures, they won't arrive for at least two days. Besides... Waver, Rider's Master, is my student. With my involvement, I should be able to bring him here."
Kiritsugu nodded and said, "The information about Ryuudou Temple has been collected. Although we don't know how that woman was able to move even after being cut in half, as long as it's a result of Magecraft, my Origin Bullet can handle it. In addition, Saber will also help, and I have three Command Spell, which is enough to break through head-on."
"Save your breath. There's no need for Saber in a direct confrontation. Mr. Bai Mo is the best choice. You should keep your Command Spell. If anything unexpected happens, have Saber take you to a safer place." Kayneth said sarcastically, as if he was going to argue with Kiritsugu. Kiritsugu pretended not to hear him, and the two of them looked at Bai Mo together.
"No problem, leave the main battle to me. Also, Caster is still alive. Although I've dealt with his Master, I don't know why he hasn't disappeared. And..." Bai Mo gestured with his fingers on the Round Table, and a strange magic circle appeared on it. "This is Caster's magic circle for concealing his aura." Kayneth immediately stepped forward and examined the magic circle in front of him.
"This magic circle looks somewhat like the ones used by those demon cultists. I once saw a similar magic circle in Beelzebub fanatic's notebook. I'll have to go back and study it."
After Kayneth replicated the magic array with Volumen Hydrargyrum, he left. The rest of the group formulated a battle plan and then went to rest; they couldn't stay up all night before the big battle.