Chapter 1171 1171 ‘Fetal Movement’

Chapter 1178 ‘Fetal Movement’

After saying these words, Kirei understood again what had driven him to this day.

It was a long time ago, when Kotomine Kirei was not yet a lackey of Tōsaka Tokiomi, and he had constantly provoked disputes for his own sake.

“Since you have reflected so much, why are you confused?”

Archer asked coldly.

Hearing this, Kirei lowered his head and looked at his open hands, then covered his face as if he was about to sigh.

“I have a bad feeling - when I get all the answers, I will go to destruction.”

If the expectations placed on Emiya Kiritsugu were not fulfilled -

And if he could not find something else from the end of Matō Kariya -

Now, Kirei had no way out and could only face it. He could only try to face the things he had found from the death of his father and wife.

It would be better to just turn around and leave. Until the end, he left obediently as Tōsaka Tokiomi’s obedient disciple. In this way, at least the scene would look better.

From now on, forget everything, ask nothing, want nothing, and live a life of mediocrity like grass and trees. No matter what you lose, at least you can rest in peace by doing this.

"——Don't think about those boring things, idiot."

Archer's reminder interrupted the idea that he was about to realize.

"If you could change your way of life so easily, you wouldn't be so troubled. You are used to asking questions while living, and you will die with questions in the end. You can't get answers, and you can't rest in peace."

"..."

"Maybe I should bless you. After a long pilgrimage, we are finally reaching our destination."

"... You actually bless others? Archer."

Archer nodded, his face still without any warmth, and even flashed with innocent and joyful light like a child observing an ant nest.

"I should have said just now that observing the cause and effect of human beings is the most interesting entertainment. This king is looking forward to the moment when you meet your destiny."

The King of Heroes said boldly, and Kirei smiled bitterly when he heard it.

"Is it really fun to live so persistently for the sake of 'pleasure'?"

"If you envy me, you can try living like this. When you understand what pleasure is, you will not be afraid of death."

The phone in the priest's room outside the corridor rang. Kirei seemed to have expected it, and did not show any surprise. Instead, he walked out of the room and picked up the receiver. After a few words, he immediately hung up the phone and returned to the room.

"——What's going on?"

"It's the staff of the Holy Church who originally belonged to my father. Now they must report everything to me."

Seeing Kirei's unusually relaxed expression, Archer frowned and asked.

"Is there any good news?"

"I guess so. This news is quite decisive."

After saying this, Kirei hesitated for a moment whether he should say it, but in the end, he chose to confess.

"After the meeting just now, I sent people to follow the people in the Einzbern camp. I told them that this was my father's instruction before he died, and they did it. Thanks to this, I found the current hiding place of the three people."

Archer was stunned for a moment after hearing what Kirei said.

Then the King of Heroes burst into laughter and clapped his hands continuously.

"——What is this Kirei——you are really——! Didn't you make a decision long ago!"

Until now, he was still using his position to scout the movements of the enemy camp, so it was impossible for him not to participate in the battle. While Kirei was depressed, the strategy had made tangible progress.

But before that, he was not mentally prepared——just a few minutes ago.

"I was also confused and thought about giving up. But in the end——King of Heroes, as you said——people like me can only live with doubts."

Kirei said as he rolled up his sleeves and checked the Command Seals on his arm.

On his left upper arm, there were two Command Seals, which could allow Kirei to conclude a contract with a Servant again.

And on the entire right arm, there were Command Seals that were collected and kept from his father's remains. Countless Command Seals whose contract objects have not yet been determined can not only be used to bind Servants, but also to refine highly practical non-attribute magic. In other words, they can be used as simulated magic seals. Apart from the fact that they are consumables, the magic that Kirei now possesses is enough to rival the famous magic families that have accumulated seals from generations. Kirei is more than prepared to continue to participate in the ongoing Holy Grail War.

The road ahead has no righteousness, no false reputation, and the battle that belongs only to Kotomine Kirei is about to begin.

In order to fill his own nothingness, in order to confirm his own empty capacity - he will ask Emiya Kiritsugu, ask Matō Kariya, and, ask the Holy Grail as a wish-making machine.

"Hahahaha - but Kirei, although it's a bit abrupt, I have a few questions."

Archer laughed arrogantly, his blood-red eyes revealing a mischievous meaning - but also with a tinge of evil.

"If you really decide to participate in the Holy Grail War, you will become Tōsaka Tokiomi's enemy. In other words, you are now defenseless in the same room with the enemy's Servant. Isn't this very bad?"

"Not really, I still have a way to survive."

"Oh?"

Archer narrowed his eyes with interest.

Kirei said calmly.

"Since I am now hostile to Mr. Tokiomi, there is no need for me to hide his lies any longer - Gilgamesh, let me tell you the truth about the Holy Grail War that you don't know."

"...What did you say?"

Archer frowned in confusion. Kirei told the truth about the Holy Grail War that he had learned from Tokiomi in detail.

"The miracles that appear in this world's 'inside' cannot be used in the world's 'outside'. The fight for the wish-granting machine is just a cover, and the 'Founding Three Houses' have other purposes.

The ceremony originally held in Fuyuki was an attempt to use the souls of the seven Heroic Spirits as sacrifices to open the road to the 'root'. The promise of 'achieving miracles' was also just a bait to attract Heroic Spirits. But as a result of the unilateral spread of this 'bait', the Holy Grail War has now lost its original meaning and is left with only an empty shell."

This is a secret that only Matou, Tousaka, Einzbern and those related to them know. The outside Masters and all the Servants do not know this truth.

"This time, the only magician who wants to realize the long-cherished wish of the 'Founding Three Families' is Tōsaka Tokiomi. He wants to kill all seven Servants to activate the 'Greater Holy Grail'. Yes, kill all seven people. Do you understand - that's why Mr. Tokiomi is so stingy with the consumption of Command Seals. In the battle with other Masters, he can only use two Command Seals. The last one left, when everything is over, he will use it to order his Servant to commit suicide."

Archer listened in silence, and asked in a low voice with an extremely cold expression.

"...Are you saying that Tōsaka Tokiomi's loyalty to me is all a lie to me?"

Kirei understood the teacher's character. So, he shook his head slowly.

"He does have the utmost respect for 'Hero King Gilgamesh'. But for Archer, as a Servant, it is completely different. In other words, you are just a symbol, with the same meaning as a statue or a portrait. If you put it in the most conspicuous place in the gallery, everyone who passes by will pay respectful attention to it - but if this symbol is removed when the collection is changed, it will be despised.

In other words, Mr. Tokiomi is a thorough 'magician', and the Servant is just a prop to him. He told me calmly that even if he worships Heroic Spirits, he will not have any illusions about idols."

Hearing Kirei's narration, Archer nodded heavily as if he had suddenly realized something, and then showed the same evil smile as before. There is cruelty in tolerance, absoluteness in boldness, and everything can be judged by just one word from him, the smile of a king who is absolutely existing.

"Tokiomi - now I finally discovered your value. That boring man can actually make me so happy."

If you look at his implicit meaning, this is a miserable declaration that is enough to freeze one's blood.

"King of Heroes, what are you going to do? Even so, will you still show your loyalty to Tokiomi-sensei and execute me for my betrayal?"

"Yes, what should I do? Although he was unfaithful to me, Tokiomi is my magic power provider after all. And where can I find a perfect Master——"

After Archer finished speaking, he suddenly stared at Kirei with a cold expression.

"Ah——So, it seems that there is another Master here who has obtained the Command Seals but lost his Servant."

"You are right."

Smiling in response to Archer's blatant temptation, Kirei nodded.

"But I wonder if that man is qualified to be favored by the King of Heroes as a Master."

"No problem, although there are some flaws in the perfect jade, there is still a future. Maybe I can enjoy it."

——Just like that.

The last Master and Servant chosen by fate exchanged smiles with each other for the first time at this moment.

In the darkness enclosed in the deep underground, "it" was lost in the abyss of shallow sleep.

What I dreamed of in my light sleep was the countless disorganized and irrelevant "prayers" entrusted to me a long time ago.

A beautiful world. A beautiful life. A flawless soul.

Because such a desire is too strong, all other sins must be entrusted to one place, and this is the wish of weak people.

By responding to that "prayer", "it" once saved a world.

There is no sin except me. There is no flaw except me.

I am the only one who deserves to be hated. I am the only one who deserves to be disgusted.

By saving the world in that way, they can find peace.

Therefore -

"it" is not a saint who saves people and the world. There is no praise, no reverence, no praise, only spitting, only curses, only contempt... I don't know when even the name of its human being was taken away, leaving only the name of its "way of existence", which eventually became a concept passed down from generation to generation.

Until now, all of that has become a dream of memories that has been baptized by time.

How many years have passed since then?

At this moment, "it" was lying on the bed, thinking blankly.

It feels like there was a complicated evolution. Yes, it was about sixty years ago. It happened almost instantly.

Because it happened suddenly, I didn't fully understand it - when I came to my senses, "it" was already in a place like the warm placenta of a mother.

The infinite darkness sighing in the deepest part of the ground.

There used to be a place like an "egg" hiding infinite possibilities. One day, a seed-like "it" entered and took root here. From that day on, it became the belly cavity that nurtured the darkness that did not belong to anything, and it became a womb to nurture "it" to maturity.

From then on, "it" was sleeping lightly, while absorbing the magic power flowing in from the spiritual vein land like a baby nourished by the mother's placenta. "It" was growing steadily, waiting for the time to come without being noticed by anyone.

Waiting for the moment to leave this hot and deep darkness and be born one day.

Suddenly, "it" - pricked up its ears and listened to the sound coming from nearby.

Just now, someone really spoke.

"...All the evil in this world... doesn't matter... I am willing to accept it..."

Ah, someone is calling me.

I am being called along with the blessing.

Respond to him. Now, I will definitely be able to do it.

The vortex of magic power that has long expanded in the darkness has given "it" a certain form.

The countless "wishes" placed in the distant past should be realized now.

The "existence" that is prayed for

"does" everything that is hoped for.

The pieces of the puzzle have all been put together.

The gears of fate are meshing with each other, and now they are accelerating and turning bravely with the day of completion as the goal.

The rest is - just waiting for the birth canal to open.

"It" is dreaming in a light sleep, while making a cry that will dye the world red lotus color...

"It" is also repeating fetal movements in the unknown, dark underground.

··············

"Kelly, do you know the origin of the name of this island?"

Xia Li asked while holding the steering wheel leisurely.

The boy named Kelly, who was sitting in the passenger seat, shook his head and squeezed out the word "no" from his mouth, as if he was afraid that the violent bumps of the vehicle would make him bite his tongue.

The small truck they were riding in was so old that it seemed to be a product of the era when horse-drawn carriages had just been abandoned, and it was not running on asphalt roads but on gravel roads. Even ox carts would have to slow down on such roads, and now they felt like sitting in a small boat drifting on the sea in a storm.

Don't look at this car as shabby as a pile of scrap metal that is about to be scrapped. Even so. This is one of the only three or four valuable motor vehicles in Alimago (ALIMAGO means big crab) Island - as a fishing village with only more than 300 households. There were not many families on Alimago Island who originally needed motor vehicles.

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