Part 105: Go along the cheek / Conflict / That which cannot be surrendered

"Ahhaa, haa, haa, ah"
All I can hear is my own breathing now.
I might have a fever that could burn someone to ashes, as it feels like my brain is already melting and pouring out of my ears.



"HaHaa, ah, haa, ha, ah"
Something's wrong. I don't have a brain anymore, but my body still keeps telling me about the pain and my head accepts it.

'Help help help help'

"Ah, haa, ah, haa, ha, ha"
My head isn't the only thing that's empty.
I don't know where my heart or stomach are either.
The nausea is unbearable. There's nothing left to throw up, but the nausea increases without limit.
I endure the infinite repetition with gritted teeth.
…I can stay conscious. It's my pain, so only I have to endure it. There's no problem there.

'Give it back give it back give it back give it back'

"Haah, ah, haa, ha, ah"
So, the problem is the voices.
My head is empty and I can only hear my breathing, but these voices still echo in my head.
I don't even need to think whose voices they are.

'It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts'

"Haaah, haa, ah, ah"
I'm going mad.
Every time I hear their voices, I'm stabbed in the chest.
It's not scary.
I just don't have any way to atone to them.



"Aahah, haa, haa, ah"
No matter how much they beg for help and no matter how much I want to help them, I can't help them.
I won't ask them to stop calling to me.
It's just that no matter how much they call, I can't help them.
That's why…
I think I'll go crazy if this continues.

'Return it return it return it return it'

"haa, ah, ah, guh!"
No matter how much they ask, I cannot assent.
All I can do is to end it for them.
I can only fix the contradiction of the living dead.
I can only make the creator of this hell atone for his sins.
I…
…Can't take back any sad events or miserable deaths.

That's my limit.
A superhero only exists to straighten out what has already happened.
…Who was it that said that?
Since I denied those words, I am being cornered right now.

To be honest, I want to run away.
I have no way to save them.
I can only listen to them. I have no miracle to grant them.
I don't have enough power to deny his claim that a superhero is only so strong.
…Then, if…
If I had a miracle that could save them, would I use it?









"…Hm. He is doing well, but he cannot match Saber as I expected. I need one more Servant either way. I do not care whether that happens to be Saber or Lancerbut I shall make a selection before that."

…I can't hear anything.
But this man's voice echoes in my head.

"Well, it is time for your turn. Let us go, Emiya Shirou."
My head is lifted.
The man grabs my head and pulls me forward.



That lets me feel the man behind me.
The man has swallowed black corruption.
His heart is black and it seems like he's surrounded by an unknown darkness.
The black corruption reaches in from the outside world, and it's like a chain binding the man.

""
I don't know what it means.
Only one thing is clear.
This manKotomine Kirei was just like me.
His body had some kind of fatal wound, and he is compensating for it with that unknown "something".
As I heal using Saber's powers…
Kotomine Kirei is maintaining his corpse-like body with this black corruption



"You too, Lancer. We are partners seeking the Holy Grail after all. We should not kill each other so recklessly. If Saber only came to pick this man up, I will gladly let her do so."
A gloomy laugh.

"Do you think I would believe those words coming from one who has killed Lancer's Master and is about to kill my Master as well?"
…Who is he talking to?
I can't hear the voice, but the sound rings through my fainting mind like a bell.

"Trust me. I do not wish to fight you. Things have turned out like this, but I will not interrupt you if you wish to seek the Holy Grail.
From the beginning, my role is to determine the possessor of the Holy Grail.
You two are more than qualified. Therefore, if you wish, I could give you the Holy Grail right here."

"! Are you saying the Holy Grail is here?"
"It is here. The Holy Grail exists everywhere.
It is a shapeless vessel to begin with. Its completion depends on when, where, and what it is summoned in. This church is sufficient just to summon it."

"Of course, the Holy Grail is incomplete if there is more than one Servant remaining, but it should still be able to grant most wishes. If that is not sufficient for you, then you may continue fighting.
I do not want that, but I shall accompany you if you choose so. Is that fine with you, Lancer?"

"…It's not. We don't need to go so far. We could decide the match right now if we wanted to."
"In this situation? You are at a disadvantage in this room and Saber would not be able to fight if she is concerned for her master. I do not think this would be a satisfying battle for you."

A spitting sound.
It seems the man has reluctantly agreed.

"…Fine, then let me ask you one thing. What is the Holy Grail?
Isn't it not meant to appear until there's only one of us left? Did the thing that summoned us trick us from the beginning?"

"No, it is true. The Holy Grail will not appear until there is only one Servant left.
Butthe vessel in which the Holy Grail will appear is a different story.
That is prepared with a shape from the start, and power flows into it until the Holy Grail is summoned."

"Since only two Servants remain, it should begin to acquire power as the Holy Grail.
Is that not correct, Saber? You remained to the end in the previous war. You should understand what the 'Holy Grail' summoned in this land is."

""
"Yes, the Holy Grail is always here and waits to be filled with the blood of the sacrifices.
But do you not think that is sad? You do not need to wait until only one remains. It should be possible to grant your wishes right now.
So there is no meaning in killing each other right here."

"…Yes. Your opinion is certainly correct.
But then, who are you? Is your objective not to obtain the Holy Grail?"

"I told you that I am the selector. If an appropriate person exists, I shall gladly give out the Holy Grail.
For thatI wish to hear from you, Emiya Shirou."



"You!"
"Do not worry. I only wish to hear his answer.
The Holy Grail only answers those who wish for it. It must interest you whether your Master is appropriate for the Holy Grail or not."

"That is useless. Shirou does not seek the Holy Grail.
My Master is not as lowly as you."

"Yes, he said so at the start.
But that will not be his true opinion. As every man has his darkness, this man also has a dark side.
For instance, did this boy truly curse nothing on that day ten years ago? Is he not shaking it off by forgetting what lay ahead?"

.
Hold on.
What's he saying?
The fire ten years ago has nothing to do with this.
This is meaningless.
Nothing should come out of it.



Music: Church on the Hill

My back arches.
My mind reverses like electricity is running through it.
In place of my fading mind, a red vision appears.

Stop.
Stop.
Stop.
Stop. Stop. Stop.
Stop, stop, stop, stop, stopstopstopstopstopstopstopstop…!!!!
There's no meaning in this.
No one will be saved if I remember this now!





I walked alone.
I sought help and I wanted someone to save me, so I kept walking, not looking to the side.
Stop.
All the while.
How could I think that no one was asking for help from me, when I could still move?
Stop.



Yeah, I noticed.
There's no way I couldn't have noticed…!
I walked though it all.

I ignored the voices sobbing in pain.
I ignored the voices going mad trying to escape.
I ignored the screams of those not wanting to die.
I ignored the pleas of mothers wanting me to take their children.

I even ignored the dying eyes that could not ask for help.
I kept walking, only seeking help for myself!



I was tired of looking at corpses.
I was already tired of seeing people die in pain.
I thought I couldn't save them.
I thought they would die no matter what I did.
That's why I never stopped.
Stop.

'Give it back give it back give it back give it back'

I thought I had to live even a second longer because I had to go that far.
If there were people who died without being able to do anything,
As long as I could do something, I thought I had to live.
Stop.

But my heart was almost crushed.
I held back my tears and walked on in search of an escape.
It was hard to live on while ignoring the pleas for help.
I knew…
It would be easier if I apologized, so I never apologized.





…And as I wished, I alone was saved.
The only ones at the hospital were children unfortunate enough to be in areas near where the fire occurred.
I didn't want to know about it, but the man in the white coat told me.
In that area.
I was the only survivor.



I saw people dying in pain.
I saw just as many sad people.
Because there was a funeral for all those who died in a big building.
Every kind of sadness and affection for those that died.
I thought that…

Just stop.

'Hey hey hey hey'

I had to remember every single bit of it.
It's only natural.
That many people wanted to be helped, and not one of them had their wish granted.
Sosince my wish was granted, I thought it was only natural for me to take on their deaths.

No.
I could not hold my head up unless I thought so.

No more…



That's why I frantically chased after Kiritsugu.
For those I couldn't save and for the things I couldn't do, I admired a superhero who could save someone.
What was me crumbled away as I ignored the pleas for help.
I kept moving forward with an empty mind.
No more.

'Please please please please……!'

The people I didn't save taught me that I had to go on.

…What was lost within all that?
I just thought about going forward in place of all the people that died.
I couldn't think of anything else.
I sealed any memories before that so that I would never think about them.

People kinder than anyone else.
Memories of those who were my parents.
So as not to recall them and go back…
…I sealed them tight, thinking I was already dead.
Don't open it.

It's not painful.
Emiya Shirou was happy, being adopted by Emiya Kiritsugu.
So



I'm telling you, don't open that!



"Haah, gu!"
My nausea doesn't stop.
My limbs are numb, and my head is burning.
My breathing is ragged.



Their voices are echoing in my head.

"Haguh…!"
…I throw up blood.
Is it because my body is dying or because I cannot endure those voices?
My chest hurts.
My chest hurts.
My chest hurts.
I can't plug it even if I try.
What hurts is the pain inside.
It will keep hurting as long as the memory is there, and it will never heal.


""
Is it an illusion?
I see a figure that should not be here.
"! Guh!"
So, I have to bear this.
I can't think about wanting to die.
If she is here even in illusionI have to act like I'm all right

"It is a deep wound. It will be painful if it is not healed. You should not end your life bearing that."
I hear the priest's voice.
The voice is totally unlike him, filled with compassion.



Redo the incident ten years ago…?
Redo myself who survived by not saving anyone?
No, more than that, if I could make that incident as if it never happened so that no one would be hurt

"Why…"
I shake my head.
I reject that vision with my burning head.
I spit at my own weakness.
Because

'It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts'



""
…Yeah. I wanted that too, though it can't have been as bad as you guys.
Even after Kiritsugu adopted me.
I went to the burned field often to look at the scenery.
I went to the place where nothing remained, opened the door that didn't exist, walked through the hallway that didn't exist, and smiled at my mother who wasn't there anymore.

…I wanted to return to the days before it happened.
I awaited the day when I would wake from this bad dream.
That didn't happen and I accepted reality.
But if I could obtain a world where it didn't happen and where nobody got hurt, that would certainly be

"Now, answer. If you wish for it, I shall give you the Holy Grail."
The priest with the Holy Grail says so.



If I wish, these voices will go away.
Orphans like me. If fate had taken a slight turn, I would be there as well.
So I don't even need to think about this.
I don't need… to think about it, so why…?

Music: Stop





I stare straight at the dead corpses.
And I reject them.

That is my answer.



It doesn't matter what the Holy Grail is.
I can't wish to regenerate the dead nor to change the past.

Music: THIS ILLUSION (piano ver.)



"…Right, you… can't redo the past.
The dead won't come back. What's done cannot be redone. I can't wish for such a thing."

My cheeks are hot.
Every time I say such a miracle is impossible, tears pour out from vexation.
I wonder why 'miracles' wishing for such normal happiness are too much for people.


"The Holy Grail makes that possible. Everything will be as you wish."
The priest says so.
But I can't agree.

Even if I could redo the past, I must not take back what has already happened.
Because if I do that, everything would be a lie.
Those tears.
Those pains.
Those memories.
That cold reality that hurts my heart, all of it.



The dead people would not come back.
Reality cannot be overturned.
To continue on remembering the pain and the weight… isn't that how lost things remain?

…People will eventually die, and death itself is sad.
But pain shouldn't be the only thing that remains.
A death is painful, but it also leaves behind bright memories.
As I am bound by these people's deaths…
As I am protected by my memories of Kiritsugu…
I believe memories become constraints and change the people living now.

…Even if…
They are memories that will eventually be forgotten.



I declare so within my pain.
I control the pain and my fading consciousness, and manage to stay up on my knees.

Then, I finally realize.
…I can't hear the voices.
The voices aren't echoing anymore.
…I don't know how they took my answer.





""
The anger she bore until just a moment ago has disappeared.
She is at a loss for words, staring at her Master.



With his bloody body.
With his ragged breath.
Controlling his tears.



He has apologized to everything he has stepped on, but he still declares that he will not change his path.

""
Her vision wavers.
She cannot breathe right either.
She knew of his past.
As Emiya Shirou has seen Saber's past, she has also seen his.

That is why she thought he would nod.
No, she thought he had to nod.
She wanted to say that it was not his fault.
If he could hear, she wanted to say that it is not something Emiya Shirou should be burdened with.

But still, he denied it.
No matter how painful the past,
…One cannot redo it.



Only she thought they were similar.
They could not be similar.
His mind is strong.
And she, only able to deny his words, was wrong

"So, you choose your wishes over your savior."
The priest lets go of the boy.
He looks down at him in annoyance and walks past him as if he's lost all interest in him.



"ThThat… is…"
There is no reason to refuse.
She fought for that alone.
She became a Servant for that reason alone.
Sowhat Shirou said does not matter to her.

To obtain the Holy Grail, Saber
"Then, I shall propose an exchange.
Saber. Kill your Master with your own hands to achieve your goal. I shall give you the Holy Grail if you accomplish that."
She would do anything.



"What? You should not hesitate. You can kill this kid before he realizes it.
…First of all, he cannot be saved. Would it not be compassionate to kill him right now?"
The priest steps aside.
Before her is the door leading to the underground cemetery and a collapsed figure.

"AhAh."
She walks, as if drawn to it.
She walks past the priest and enters the damp room.

""
…This room is hell.
He writhed in this place, and he was shown his dark side.
And yethe declined the priest's offer.
""
She places her hands on her sword.
At her feet is her Master, breathing painfully.



Music: THIS ILLUSION (piano ver.)





That is her heart that holds her country dear.
That is the doubt of the girl Arturia before she became a king.
That mind…
The mind she left behind on the day she drew the sword.
""
…Why did she not realize it before?



That is her heart that holds her country dear. It is the mind of a girl before she became a king.
But it is not the heart of the king.
The only one the king believed in was herself.
To deny that would be to deny everything she has taken away.
Things lost will never return…
Her master continued to appeal in his pain.

""
His figure hurts her so much.
What did she tell him?
That she could not start a new life.
She continued to refuse him, saying that she had a duty as the king.





"I see now, Shirou."
Shirou's lamentations pierce her heart.
He said that the tears would go away.
That the pain would go away.
That the heaviness in her heart would go away as well…
That is salvation by elimination.
But…
If everything were made to never have happened, what would happen to all the things taken away?



If there is something she could not do…
She should not go back to the past to accomplish it. But rather, she must start to establish the wishes that never came true from this moment on.

""
But she is no longer a king as she has lost her country.
So her wish should be for herself as he says

No.
That is not something that should be wished for.
It was her decision to become king.
It was never painful for her.
Even if no one understood or accepted her.
She believes that what she desired was something she can be proud of.
At the least.
The girl pulled the sword out believing so.

That is the answer.
Just like him, that is the only answer she can be proud of.





The king protected the country.
But the country did not protect the king.
That is all. The result was cruel, but if there was nothing to be ashamed of in the process

"There was no need to seek it."
She swore to accomplish her duties as king.
Even if the result was her destruction, she fulfilled that oath until the very end.
Soshe does not need anything else.





…That's why her role is already determined.
To be his sword and shield.
And soshe cannot hesitate any longer.

"Are you saying you do not want the Holy Grail?"
"I do not wish it if it will dirty me. I already have everything I wanted."



Music: Stop



"Sab… er"
Controlling my ragged breath, I call her name.
…Even though I can't see her, I can tell she's nearby.
The pain is subsiding.
I don't know if it's because she's near me, but the wound is starting to heal up.



"Saber… this is…?"


"Yes. Even the curse of the Gae Bolg will not be effective against you now. It shall heal completely if you stay by my side.
But rather…"



Music: Whirlpool of Fate



He observes us as if seeing us for the first time.
"You two are boring."
He spits this out in an emotionless voice.


"It seems I will have to keep the Holy Grail after all.
But that will be rather violent.
The Holy Grail needs to be complete to grant me my wish. I am sorry, but you must die here, Emiya Shirou."

"!"
I try to stand ready, but my body still won't move.
I can barely stand by taking Saber's hand.
I can't fight like this and more than anything, I'll be a burden on Saber

"You are worrying needlessly, Shirou. Please stay here. I shall be able to take on both of them."


"Oh, you have a lot of confidence. Do you think it would be wise to run now, Lancer?"

""
Lancer doesn't respond.
First of all, Kotomine doesn't sound like he's in danger.
He's just saying he's scared of us.



"Kotomine. I shall ask before I defeat you. What are your intentions? What do you wish as the supervisor of the Holy Grail?"


"Well. To put it simply, I wish for 'entertainment'. But it's not something I need in a hurry.


To be frank, I do not have much interest in the Holy Grail. But that matches my tastes. If there are no appropriate owners, I shall take it for the sake of the world."


"Ridiculous. What are you trying to claim, after killing a Master and becoming a Master yourself? You must have intended to obtain the Holy Grail from the beginning."


"Nonsense, I came by it by chance. I killed Lancer's Master because outside magi are troublesome. I do not want outsiders to discover the true nature of the Holy Grail, so I had the Master leave at an early stage. But it would not have been smart to eliminate the Servant as well.
I needed a piece to hasten the fighting, so I just borrowed Lancer's Master's rights as a Master."

Whathen Kotomine became a Master by killing Lancer's Master…!?


"I see. I shall not ask any more about yourself.
But I will have you fulfill your duty as a supervisor. Where is the vessel? The vessel of the soul of this war?"


"What? Do you mean you were hiding it without realizing it?"

He gasps in surprise.
But only for an instant.
After looking us over with pleasure, he snaps his fingers to bring in the last character.

Music: Stop



Hard footsteps descend from above.


"Well, it probably isn't necessary, but let me introduce him anyway. This is the Servant Archer. He is the heroic spirit that was my partner in the last Holy Grail War."
…The golden knight appears.
It is Gilgamesh, the king of heroes.

Music: Premonition of a Storm

The atmosphere changes immediately.
Gilgamesh, appearing suddenly, crosses the temple and stands by Kotomine.



"So? What are you going to do now, Kotomine? Are we settling the match with these nuisances here?
I don't think this is good directing on your part."


"Do not say that. I was not expecting this either. I shall listen to your complaints later, so forgive me."


"Oh, if you understand, it's fine.
But can you not do something about that vulgar man? I might kill him if he glares too much at me."



"What the hell is this, Kotomine? That man is your Servant…?"


"Oh, I did not explain it to you yet. He is my Servant from the previous war. We shared the same feelings after the last war ended.
Since he obeyed me and I prepared sufficient food for him to stay here, we ended up cooperating."


"…So that's the reason for that disgusting room. Fine, but why didn't you tell me about it?"


"Do you think there was a need to? Or did you want to cooperate with him on your mission?"


"No way. I'd rather die than cooperate with that guy."


""

…Now, there are three.
Lancer is by the stairs, and Gilgamesh is standing in the temple.

"!"
There's no way we can win.
We can't even match Gilgamesh, and we can't even run away if Lancer's there as well.

"Kotomine, you said you didn't know about him…"


"Do not doubt me. I am a priest. I cannot lie."
"…! That's not true! You said you couldn't ignore a Servant from the last war…!"


"Yes, I was surprised as well. I ordered Archer to stay here, but he disobeyed and went to attack you.
It is only natural for you to discover me if you investigate Archer. Therefore, I had to come up with some sort of a plan. See? I did not lie to you at all."



That guy tricked me and I came straight to the enemy's base…!


"So, you are Archer's Master?"


"Correct. This is much like a repeat of ten years ago.
Well, I was unable to witness the final moment since Kiritsugu had already defeated me. This will be the second and the last time I shall see you."


"Answer me. Why does Archer still remain? What caused that fire? Why are you still alive even after being beaten by Kiritsugu…!?"
Saber is angry as there's hatred in her voice.
A question long unanswered.
As if asking about the crime of the disaster ten years ago.



Ten years agothe Holy Grail was incomplete but full, and it was possible to obtain it.
I merely touched it. You and Kiritsugu were powerful, so I wished for a diversion to separate you two. But I was surprised by the diversion that occurred."

""
Hold on.
Could that be…?


"Then you caused that fire with the power of the Holy Grail…!?"


"Who knows? I think the Holy Grail would have done the same thing even if I was someone else. It is a thing of that nature. People call it an omnipotent vessel, but only blood, darkness, and curses fill it.


You saw it as well, right? The darkness that spilled out from it when you destroyed the Holy Grail. It only spilled onto Archer. Archer would not have lost his way if you had not destroyed the Holy Grail."

"…Nonsense. The Holy Grail is a magical vessel that grants the wishes of its possessor. That fire must have been your wish…!"


"Only the result. The process was not what I had in mind. I only wished for people to be gone from that place.


In any case, you lack imagination.
Your wishes will be granted? That is fine, but how will your wish be granted? Did you think the world would change the instant you wish?"




"I do not know about the original Holy Grail, but this Holy Grail is merely a vortex of power.
It cannot make precise calculations or correct any inconsistencies. It is only pure power.
It is like a great weapon. If the possessor wishes for great riches, it will kill everything around it to bring happiness to its possessor."


"Do you understand? That magical vessel is a defective item that can only grant the wishes of its possessor through a method called 'destruction'."


"Whathat is not what was promised…!
Is the Holy Grail not something that will grant any wish to its possessor…!?"


"It is. The measures the Holy Grail takes are very reasonable.
Letting one person survive means killing another.
This world is one of equal exchanges. Wishing for some special event means feeding on something to make it possible.
Wishes will not come true if you worry about harmony.
It is merely a fluctuation dependant on the plundering of the weak. It is the most efficient fluctuation."



…I can understand Saber's surprise.
If Kotomine is telling the truth, this Holy Grail is far from the Holy Grail she wished for.

A power that only grants the wish of its possessor.
The usurper that grants the wish of its possessor at the cost of everything else.
This is the true identity of the omnipotent power given to the Master and the Servant.


"Thenthe Holy Grail is…"


"A poisoned vessel that eliminates everything but its possessor.
You will know when you see it. It is a true curse."



Touching the Holy Grail is a dream for a man of the church. But this Holy Grail exists to kill everything, and to be able to control thatit is like a dream."


Saying that, the priest laughs.
It's not a polite laugh like before.
A laugh from the bottom of his heart… a holy laugh without any evil.
That laugh forces me to realize.
This man is not human.
I cannot let him have the Holy Grail over anyone.


"Then, this is goodbye.
Take care of this trash. Lancer, take the boy. Archer, take Saber."

The priest turns his back and goes up the stairs.
…The only ones left are me, and the two Servants.
And Saber, standing as if to guard me, glaring at her enemies.



"Shirou"
Saber mutters while looking at the enemy.
"I know I am asking for something impossible, but please stay beside me."
She grasps my hand firmly.
That tells me she's ready.

"All right. I'll do my best to follow you, so don't worry about me."
I nod to her.
…I can barely walk right now.
Saber and I both know that.
With that in mindSaber has told me she will break through this.
So what can I do but nod?

"…Yes. I trust you."
She replies in a small voice.
"Now!"



Music: Stop

Letting go of my hand, Saber runs to the temple.

Music: Clashing Souls


The two figures react to her movement.



Music: Stop



What happened?
Lancer's lance that should have attacked me goes for Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh's longsword repels Lancer's lance as if expecting it



"Sorry, I missed."
"I see. Your lance must be pretty light."
The two separate without any sign of hostility.


"Your target is that lowlife. You do remember that I'm in charge of Saber, right?"


"Oh, that. Sorry, but I changed my mind. He didn't order me with the Command Spell, so I'm not gonna obey him."
Saying so.
Lancer faces Gilgamesh as if protecting us.

Music: Premonition of a Storm




"If it's something stupid, don't say it. I'm not helping you or anything. I'm just following my beliefs."
Lancer points his lance at Gilgamesh.
He really intends to let us go.


"Well, I was at my limit too. I'm not nice enough to listen to his orders when he looks down on me this much. I'm cutting my ties with Kotomine right now."


"Ohyou are breaking your contract with him? So you do not mind being eliminated now, even though the Holy Grail is right in front of you?"


"Don't treat me like you. I've never had any interest in a second life. …No, no hero is interested in such a thing.


We're not attached to this world. We're just attached to the oaths we couldn't fulfill.
Well, I guess a greedy apparition like you wouldn't understand."



"I see. A man with a brilliant death has something different to say. So this betrayal is a result of your heroic pride as well, huh?
Geez, following your beliefs sure is hard, Lancer."


…The air behind him distorts.
Weapons appear in empty space



"…Lancer. He has all the original Noble Phantasms. He is the king of heroes with the longest history. Even you cannot take him on head to head"


"…Damn, I see. No wonder he's so conceited. He's the guy who destroyed his own country by just doing whatever he wanted, so of course he's twisted."


"Lancer, this is no time to be bluffing!"


"Just get lost. Who are you to give me advice? Don't think I'm on your side just because I protected you.
…Geez. This is why I don't like well-mannered knights."


Lancer urges Saber to run.
""
Saber hangs her head for a second.


"…Good luck. I shall return this favor."
Taking my hand, she runs to the stairs.



Gilgamesh just watches us go, not trying to follow us.


"…Oh? So Saber wasn't your target?"


"Well, to be honest, such a match did not suit my taste. If you had not done this, I would have done the same thing."

We go up the stairs.
…She must be worried about me as we aren't going up that fast.
Ignoring our slow pace, the confrontation underground escalates without limit.
The murderous intent continues to grow.


"What do you mean by that? Did you intend to let Saber go as well?"


"Of course. I had no intention to kill Saber. That thing is mine.
ButI cannot stay idle if I want the Holy Grail.
I need just one more Servant to die for the ritual to be completed."



A thousand swords appear.
The golden knight grins.
That's why he was able to block Lancer's surprise attack.
Lancer wasn't the only one trying to launch a surprise attack on his ally.


"Damnso this was your plan all along."


"I told you. I would have done the same thing if you had not done so.
You deserve praise, Cu Chulainn. This situation is ideal for me."
The distance between the two decreases.
Before I see them clash, we leave that place.