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Hassan-i Sabbah, his face hidden behind a skull mask, his body cloaked in black, materialized in the Church basent and knelt before Kirei Kotomine.
"Kirei-sama."
"Report," Kirei said, his brow furrowed slightly.
"I found this—unusual familiar at the Church entrance. It—waltzed right in." Hassan held out the body of a bat. Attached to its abdon was a small, flip-phone-like device.
"Waltzed in?" Kirei's eyes narrowed. Modern technology combined with magecraft—in his experience, only Kiritsugu Emiya used such thods.
A familiar carrying a cell phone, allowed to enter the Church unimpeded—was this an attempt to—communicate?
"Kirei, what's so unusual about the familiar?" Tokiomi's calm voice ca through the communication device.
"It's carrying a cell phone. Emiya's signature, according to the intel. He's trying to contact ," Kirei replied, his voice thoughtful.
"A cell phone? Is it on?..." Tokiomi's voice was suddenly laced with alarm.
"So, you and Tokiomi Tohsaka haven't betrayed each other. It was all a ruse." Kiritsugu's cold voice echoed from the device.
"...It seems—our little deception has been uncovered," Tokiomi sighed, slumping back onto the sofa, his hand rubbing his forehead.
"My apologies. It was my mistake," Kirei said, a subtle smile playing on his lips. The exposure of his and Tokiomi's secret alliance would undoubtedly jeopardize their chances of winning the Grail War.
But the thought of Tokiomi, who so desperately sought the Root, failing, perhaps even dying—it filled Kirei with a strange sense of—pleasure.
"What—what's wrong with ...?" he thought, his brow furrowing. He'd been ordered by the Church, by Risei, to ensure Tokiomi's victory. Why did he want him to fail?
His desire, a dark impulse he couldn't understand, clashed with the values that had been ingrained in him since childhood. He was—conflicted.
Kiritsugu's voice, cold and emotionless, ca through the phone. "Let's work together."
"Two Servants on my side, two on yours. Four should be enough to eliminate the Einzbern."
"Hmm..." Tokiomi considered the offer. Haru's power was overwhelming. If the other Masters didn't join forces to eliminate him, the Grail would be his for the taking.
And while his alliance with the Church had been exposed, eliminating the strongest contender was still—advantageous.
"Very well. Let's discuss the details," he said, his voice regaining its usual smooth, elegant tone.
....
Kirei listened to their conversation in silence, his internal conflict preventing him from speaking.
He left the basent and walked towards the main hall of the church. It was ti for his morning prayers.
"Kirei." Risei's voice, old and raspy, called out from behind him.
"Father? Is sothing the matter?" Kirei turned, his normally vacant eyes eting his father's.
Risei's face was serious. "Kirei, we've received orders from the Church's HQ. We are to assist the Einzbern in obtaining the Grail."
"Headquarters? Assist the Einzbern?" Kirei's brow furrowed in confusion.
The magical world was divided into three factions: the Church, the Mage's Association, and the Twenty-seven Dead Apostle Ancestors.
While they maintained a facade of peace, they were constantly vying for power, each faction hostile to the others. The Church, logically, should have been antagonistic towards the Einzbern, who were affiliated with the Mage's Association.
But now, they were being ordered to help them? This was—unexpected.
"We had initially decided to support the Tohsaka, our long-ti allies. But this—supersedes that. These orders ca directly from the Pope himself. And it's said he received a Divine Revelation."
Seeing Kirei's confusion, Risei elaborated.
"A divine revelation? But that ans..." Kirei's eyes widened. The term, first used nine years ago, signified a ssage from God, relayed through an Angel, to the Pope.
"Indeed. And this ti, the ssage ca from the Archangel Gabriel herself. She revealed that the Einzbern's two Masters are—Saints chosen by God." Risei's voice was filled with a fervent zeal. The thought of assisting a Saint, of being chosen for such a sacred task—it filled him with a religious ecstasy.
"And the Tohsaka?" Kirei asked, a hint of—anticipation in his voice.
"Though I feel for Tokiomi—these are God's orders. We have no choice. We can only apologize to him—later," Risei said, a flicker of guilt crossing his face, quickly replaced by religious fervor.
Kirei remained silent.
Risei, seeing his silence, mistook it for guilt. "Don't worry, Kirei. God and the Angels will forgive us."
"No, Father. I don't feel—guilty. I feel—touched." A slow smile spread across Kirei's face. Just monts ago, Tokiomi and Kiritsugu had finalized their plan. And now—he was being ordered to betray them, to side with the Einzbern.
The thought of their plan failing, of their inevitable downfall—it filled him with—joy. And this ti, his desire, this dark impulse, didn't conflict with his faith. It was—exquisite.
"Indeed! It's truly—miraculous! To think—we, father and son, would be chosen to serve—Saints—to guide them, to assist them in their divine mission! How—inspiring!" Risei repeatedly made the sign of the cross, his hand trembling.
"Saints..." Kirei murmured. It was strange that Saints would be born into a mage family, a lineage of heretics. But if it was God's will—he would obey. And perhaps—these Saints—could help him fill the emptiness within him.
....
Buzz—buzz—buzz...
A moth, its wings beating silently, watched Illyasviel and Sola-Ui through the castle window.
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