Two figures walked side by side on the main road—one with black hair and black eyes, the other with white hair and golden eyes. Behind them followed a knight shrouded in dark energy and a young girl holding a magic staff.
They were Kariya and Sakatsuki, along with their respective Servants.
Although they travelled together, the harmony from earlier had vanished, all because of something Kariya had said out of the blue.
"Sakatsuki, can I entrust both Sakura and Rin to you?"
Upon hearing this, Sakatsuki did not appear pleased. Instead, he fell silent for a moment before replying in a low voice.
"You're not leaving Rin with Aoi?"
Kariya forced a bitter smile.
"Aoi can't control that child, especially after what I did to her."
"I see. Given Rin's personality, she must think you've led Sakura astray and will do everything in her power to save her sister, right?"
"You've set up spies in the house, haven't you?"
Kariya stopped in his tracks, placing his hands on his hips with a sigh.
"You really don't leave anything to chance."
"You're too kind. If I'm both a warrior and a strategist, I need to have a few extra tricks up my sleeve."
Sakatsuki also came to a halt.
"I'm joining the Holy Grail War, Sakatsuki."
"I believe I already told you—the Grail you seek cannot grant wishes."
"People don't shed tears until they see their own coffin, Sakatsuki."
Kariya's expression did not waver.
"It's like having a bottle labelled 'Regret Medicine' right in front of you. Even if you tell me it's poison, I think I'd still take a sip."
"Even if it kills you?"
"Are you stupid, Sakatsuki? I'm a Magus. How could a simple poison kill me?"
Kariya joked, then waved his hand before walking off with his Servant.
Like a shadow, the black knight followed behind him, step after step. With the exhaustion of his three Command Spells, Lancelot had once again lost his sanity. However, from the relieved smile he had shown before his madness reclaimed him, it was clear that the Knight of the Lake had found the redemption he had sought.
Sakatsuki watched Kariya leave before turning away and resuming his own path.
The street was eerily quiet—no familiar response came from behind him.
Sakatsuki whipped around, but his sister was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a piece of paper fluttered through the air, as if perfectly timed to land in front of him. He reached out and caught it.
Scanning the contents in an instant, Sakatsuki tore the note into shreds, a rare shadow flickering across his gaze.
"Don't let me find you..."
"The test results are out."
Kiritsugu took the report from Maiya, who stood beside him.
They were in a safe house Kiritsugu had prepared long ago, equipped with devices secretly transferred from the Einzbern castle. It was essentially a specialized workshop for handling magic-related matters.
For Illyasviel, an artificial human and vessel for the Grail, normal medical technology was useless—her body's overwhelming mana would interfere with the equipment. Thus, Kiritsugu had rushed her here for a thorough examination.
Upon hearing Maiya's report, Kiritsugu took the document but didn't open it immediately. Instead, he stared at Illya, who lay asleep on the bed, for a long time. Then, taking a deep breath, he finally flipped the pages open.
The fresh scent of ink on the black-and-white report should have soothed his tense mind, but what was written inside only dragged Kiritsugu's soul into the abyss.
Maiya, watching him, saw his expression change—from calm, to pale, to despair, like a hunter who had lost his fangs and claws. Finally, he let out a low, hopeless growl.
"So this was your plan all along... Sakatsuki."
"What kind of sick joke is this?!"
In the report, Illyasviel's body was in perfect condition—except for her heart.
Something had been done to it.
A crystal of foreign magical energy was embedded within, hidden in an intricate structure. If a certain condition were triggered, sharp spikes would shoot out, piercing her heart instantly.
And that foreign magical energy? The instruments had already identified its source.
At this moment, Kiritsugu fully understood why that young man had returned Illya to them so easily, without using her as a hostage.
It was as if Sakatsuki were whispering in his ear.
Do you still want to pursue the Holy Grail? Or... do you want your daughter to live?
For Kiritsugu, this was the most brutal of choices.
He had to choose between his dream and his family. Or, he could lose both—because there was no third option.
A dead silence filled the hideout, Kiritsugu's soul burning in agony.
Maiya did not speak. She would follow Kiritsugu's decision without question, just as she always had.
Unless, of course, her mind had already been tampered with.
"What do you think happiness is, Kiritsugu?"
Kiritsugu, struggling internally, looked at her in surprise before answering in a hollow voice.
"Happiness... haa, I'm just a foolish idealist who dreams of world peace. Something as precious and fragile as 'happiness' isn't something these bloodstained hands of mine can ever reach."
"But to me, you already have happiness, Kiritsugu."
Like a detached observer, Maiya spoke of the man to whom she had given her life.
"Irisviel and Illya love you deeply. And you love them, don't you?"
Kiritsugu covered his face with his hand, his voice muffled.
"Yes. I love them. I love them more than anyone else in this world... I would give them everything."
But he also knew—if achieving his justice required sacrificing this innocent girl, what kind of choice would the man named Kiritsugu Emiya make?
"Then why can't 'everything' include your mission and your dream?"
The black-clad woman asked.
Kiritsugu trembled. After a long silence, he raised his head, gazing at his silver-haired daughter.
He still remembered the feeling of holding her in his arms, dashing to this hideout—how small and fragile her body was, just like the day she was born. Holding her was like cupping a handful of freshly fallen snow, so delicate that even the slightest shake might cause her to crumble...
Could he really bring himself to sacrifice her? Just as he had sacrificed her mother?
Thinking back, perhaps something had gone wrong with the "Magus Killer" named Kiritsugu Emiya on that winter night eight years ago.
With a bitter laugh, Kiritsugu turned his gaze away from Illya and reached for the pack of cigarettes in his pocket.
"Secondhand smoke isn't good for children, Kiritsugu. Please smoke outside."
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