All matters had been settled. Though four Servants had been lost, two new ones had joined—one of whom was the legendary King Arthur. In a sense, the greatest hurdle had already been cleared.
Heroic Spirits were proud, unrestrained, and noble beings who never hesitated. When they revealed their True Nas, they were prepared to face death if necessary.
Yet, many trials still lay ahead. Who was the true culprit behind the Master’s murder? Had the killer chosen this thod to stop him after fully understanding the Red Faction and Amakusa Shirou Tokisada’s wish?
Amakusa sat on the throne that originally belonged to Semiramis, gazing at the distant sky, his heart too troubled to find peace.
"So, Master, how does it feel to sit upon this throne?"
Semiramis materialized without warning. Amakusa murmured an apology and moved to rise, but the Empress gently pressed his shoulder, circling behind him. Her crimson lips brushed his ear as she whispered:
"Stay seated. How does it feel? You could imagine all the heroes bowing before you. Wouldn’t that bring incomparable pleasure? Doesn’t it stir a king’s pride within you? Don’t you wish to lose yourself in the joy of absolute dominion?"
Amakusa silently shook his head, then grasped the hand on his shoulder and stood—slowly, firmly.
"Regrettably, ruling over others doesn’t suit . This seat is better left to you."
Hearing this, Semiramis frowned slightly but took the throne.
"How dull. As my Master, I would permit you to declare, ’This world is mine.’"
"Had I been that kind of Master, I’d have died long ago. You’d surely say sothing like, ’The world needs no second king,’ and kill without hesitation."
Amakusa stated this so casually that Semiramis clicked her tongue, unrepentant.
"Hmph. So you noticed."
As he said, his goal was salvation itself—what ca after held no place in his plans. Whether Semiramis ruled as Empress or pursued other ambitions mattered not to Amakusa Shirou Tokisada once his wish was fulfilled.
"I ant that you could be king afterward."
"We’ll decide that when the ti cos."
With a faint smile, Amakusa excused himself to inspect the Greater Grail. Watching his retreating figure, the Empress’s beautiful face twisted with frustration.
"Hopeless. A man without desire is truly troubleso. No interest in wealth, no care for power, not even swayed by won."
To the Assyrian Empress, n were re playthings—countless had lost everything at her behest.
At the sa ti, won to her were rely beings limited to her own existence. Of course, females were necessary for procreation, but the privilege of existing as a woman—capable of manipulating n at will—belonged to her alone.
—From the very beginning, she had been destined to live such a life.
Looking back, it was sothing that happened right after her birth. Though the mory was hazy, she clearly recalled the retreating figure of a woman who had abandoned her before hastily fleeing toward the river.
Her mother, the fish goddess Derketo, had committed adultery with an Assyrian man and conceived a daughter. That child was Semiramis.
"You are my disgrace," she had said. The goddess made it clear that a child born from a union with a human was her sha.
What a foolish woman, Semiramis later thought. The one who couldn’t resist a man’s temptation was you yourself.
Her mother abandoned her, and her father was killed for it. Yet she survived under the care of doves, who wrapped her in their wings and fed her milk from their beaks.
Thus, Semiramis grew up. Then, after ten years, she was discovered by a shepherd.
And so, the future empress entered the world of humans—though her essence had already been fully ford.
She despised won—those lazy, weak creatures who allowed themselves to be toyed with by n. Even if they were goddesses, she showed no rcy.
She mocked n—those who bullied won yet were driven by nothing but base desires. They deserved to be the ones played with.
That was her philosophy, her understanding of the world. But how, then, should she interpret her current Master—Amakusa Shirou Tokisada?
"Neither woman nor man... What an ambiguous existence, really."
Unmoved by her bewitching smile, unswayed by the lure of power. Humans were creatures of desire, yet this boy harbored none. The salvation of all mankind could not be reduced to re "desire."
If one had to describe it, it was undoubtedly "madness." And precisely because of that, the Empress found following him to be endlessly fascinating.
If his sixty-year wish were fulfilled, that would be fine.
But if he were to fail due to lack of strength—that would be equally entertaining. What despair would consu the saint once his dream shattered? What end would he et? She was deeply intrigued by such a spectacle.
"Now, which outco would be more amusing?"
Semiramis chuckled to herself for a while before abruptly halting her musings. Her gaze grew distant as she connected to a surveillance spell in the garden.
—In the vision projected by the spell, a woman in an erald-green dress, natural and delicate in beauty, approached her Master.
"Reika Rikudou..."
And the next mont, her connection to the surveillance spell was severed.
————
The Greater Grail still retained its pristine radiance. Though Sakatsuki’s rough handling had caused so damage, it was far from being a real issue.
The forr Ruler, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada, was intimately familiar with this Greater Grail.
Forsaking the Holy Grail and seeking the Root through another path—the Tohsaka family. With their lineage in decline, rely passing down knowledge of the Greater Grail through oral tradition—the Makiri family. Amakusa Shirou Tokisada purchased information from both at a high price and also obtained details about its principles and functions from the Einzberns.
By compiling the information gathered from the Three Great Families, he learned that the Holy Grail’s ability to grant wishes was rely secondary. Its true nature was the ultimate magical artifact that would pierce a hole to the "outside" of the world by offering the spirits of past heroes as sacrifices.
And this—this was the reason he sought the Holy Grail.
Unconsciously, his palms had grown damp with sweat. Slowly, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada raised his arms. Those hands, which had once perford countless miracles, had now sublimated into his Noble Phantasm—and at the sa ti, the key to unlocking the Greater Grail.
Footsteps echoed from behind. The young man imdiately lowered his arms and turned around.
"It’s you, Miss Reika Rikudou. Is there sothing you need?"
"My apologies. Just now, I overheard your conversation with the Red Assassin in the Throne Room." Reika bowed slightly, her tone respectful yet direct. "You must have sensed it—that Empress harbors rather... special feelings for you."
"This isn’t a topic we should be discussing..."
"If you’re worried about your Servant, don’t be. I’ve already disabled the surveillance in this room." Reika’s bright gaze fixed on Amakusa, making it impossible to discern whether her curiosity stemd from feminine nature or yet another magus’s probing.
But if he didn’t answer seriously, this woman wouldn’t let him off the hook, would she?
Realizing this, Amakusa tilted his head slightly and murmured, "...As I am now, I cannot return those feelings."
Sixty years ago, when Amakusa Shirou Tokisada gained flesh and a second life, he was destined to live for "humanity." A saint’s love could not be directed at any single individual—not even an empress who stood above all.
"Is that so?" Reika smiled sweetly, lost in thought, but Amakusa had no desire to continue the conversation. He hastily changed the subject.
"What are your plans next? Though I’m grateful for your assistance, our side’s lack of strength remains a fact."
"I know." Twirling a lock of hair, Reika carelessly played her trump card. "So, I intend to bring back the Black Saber."
Black Saber—Siegfried?
The dragon-slayer capable of opposing Karna, the Prince of the Netherlands—Siegfried?!
"Bring back"... Could she an—?!
Amakusa stiffened in shock. Just as he was about to speak, hurried footsteps approached. The black-robed Empress appeared at his side, shielding him protectively as she glared at Reika.
"What hast thou done? Why didst thou dismantle the surveillance magecraft in my garden?"
"Calm yourself, Assassin. I’m unhard." Still reeling from Reika’s revelation, Amakusa instinctively pushed Semiramis aside, his expression grave as he stared at Reika. "Are you serious?"
In response, Reika rely flashed a sly smile, leaving ample room for doubt to fester before turning and gracefully disappearing from the sight of Amakusa and the Empress.
The mont she left, the furious questioning of the Empress and Amakusa’s weary explanations filled the air.
"A woman who’s wholeheartedly wanted to protect you but got pushed away imdiately can be quite hard to console~~" Reika thought with dark amusent, even as she activated the communication line to inform Sakatsuki about the situation.
"Taking Siegfried away... Hmm, the timing is perfect. Let’s send out little Jack too, I need her." After discussing the matter, Sakatsuki suddenly teased, "But judging by how nervous the Empress is, could she actually have feelings for Amakusa?"
"Should I test the waters?"
"You?" A light chuckle ca through the comms. "Are you planning to use your charms?"
"Ara~ If that’s ant as a complint, I might just blush, Mr. Sakatsuki?"
"...I was joking. You wouldn’t actually do that, right? Hey? Hey!"
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