Chapter Forty-Nine: The Curtain Rises Once More

All the knights vanished into golden light by the sea as Lancer fell.
"Is it time?" he murmured, then collapsed.

——— Scene transition ———

"Where am I?" Lancer slowly sat up, clutching his head, and was greeted by Saber’s sleeping face. Gently, he ran his fingers through Toria’s golden hair, caressing the cheek he had not touched since she ascended the throne.
"You still captivate me," he sighed, just as the door swung open.

Emiya Kiritsugu stood stunned in the doorway, the cigarette dangling from his lips falling to the floor. The warrior who had charged so fiercely in battle now wore a serene smile, almost saintly.
Lancer signaled him to stay quiet.
"Want a smoke?" Kiritsugu offered as he closed the door, handing Lancer a cigarette.
"I’ll pass," Lancer declined.

"About Irisviel—"
"Kiritsugu, let me ask you something," Lancer interrupted before he could finish.
"Go ahead," Kiritsugu replied, conceding since he needed something from Lancer.
"I’ve already gathered information about you. I know your wish. Now, answer me this—" Lancer looked into his eyes with grave seriousness.
"What’s the question?" Kiritsugu felt a twinge inside, sensing that Lancer’s inquiry would strike at his core.
"If you could save the entire world, but the price was destroying the Holy Grail, what would you do?" Lancer emphasized the mention of the Grail, confident Kiritsugu would grasp his meaning.

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"The Holy Grail?" Kiritsugu took a deep drag, then fixed Lancer with a resolute gaze.
Lancer watched him, then spoke before Kiritsugu could reply, "I know your choice already. Allow me to reveal the truth about the Grail."
He recounted the previous Grail incident and explained what would happen following a wish upon it.

"Kiritsugu..." Lancer gazed at the man before him, hollow and soulless, unsure how to console him. He knew how cruel this revelation was.
"Berserker, you know the way to save this city, don’t you?!" Suddenly, Kiritsugu seized Lancer’s shoulders, desperate.

"Yes. The Grail must be destroyed at the moment it appears. The method to summon the Grail is..." Lancer explained, but as he spoke, Kiritsugu’s expression only darkened.

"I have something that, once Irisviel becomes the Grail, can forcibly separate her from it!" The Bloodstone, since it could resurrect, could indeed forcibly extract Irisviel.

"What is it? Tell me, Berserker!" Kiritsugu’s dull eyes suddenly sparked, clutching at hope.

"This," Lancer produced the Bloodstone.

"What is that?" The item emitted a subtle yet powerful magic, filling Kiritsugu with boundless hope.

"It’s called the Bloodstone. Its power is resurrection, but there’s a catch..." Hearing 'resurrection,' Kiritsugu was astonished, but his expression normalized at the caveat, "Both the user and recipient lose all special abilities. In exchange, they gain a normal human lifespan, and barring extraordinary circumstances, will certainly live to fifteen." Lancer thought it was an unrivaled artifact for ordinary people, though useless for himself.

"What counts as an extraordinary circumstance?"
"Something like a nuclear war, or another Grail War." With Lancer’s explanation, Kiritsugu understood. The famously cold-hearted man even smiled, "Is that all it costs? I am more than willing to pay such a price." Now, with the truth revealed, nothing mattered more to Kiritsugu than Irisviel and Illya.

"Now that you know, let's end this tragedy swiftly." Lancer rose and patted Kiritsugu’s shoulder.

Silently watching Lancer’s departing figure, Kiritsugu bowed ninety degrees. "Thank you, Berserker."

Lancer did not look back, only waved in farewell.

——— Scene transition ———

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Lancer sat beside the now-awake Saber, across from Kiritsugu and Irisviel.

"Kiritsugu, I imagine you have a plan. Speak," Lancer broke the silence, unable to endure the tension any longer.

"Yes. Two Heroic Spirits have already withdrawn. Aside from the two here, three remain. Gilgamesh, as Archer, is definitely not suitable as our first target, nor is the King of Conquerors a weak foe. Our only viable target is Lancer, who lacks any major Noble Phantasm."
Seeing no objections, Kiritsugu continued, "Saber, tonight’s operation isn't for you. Last time, Berserker was the cause of the magical disturbance, but you were the one who cast the spell, so stay home and rest." Saber glanced at Lancer, who still wore his mask, and nodded.

"Chirp, chirp!" Just as Kiritsugu was about to assign tasks, Byakuya burst in through the window.

"What? As expected..." Even knowing the plot, Lancer hadn’t anticipated that even with the young Gil, Tokiomi would still die.

"What’s wrong, Lancer?" Toria, though feigning ignorance, didn’t know why; she only knew Lancer rarely showed surprise.

"Tokiomi is dead—just now!" On the other sofa, Kariya and Sakura both trembled. For Kariya, the man he hated most was gone without him even lifting a finger. For Sakura, it was complicated; she hated the man who had sent her to hell, yet Lancer’s timely arrival had prevented further tragedy, so she was moved. If it were the old Sakura, she would not have reacted at all.

"Well, things have gotten more complicated. Kiritsugu, you must have guessed who Gil’s master is now. If the opportunity arises..." Lancer didn’t finish, but Kiritsugu understood his look.

"I’ll send him to the afterlife," Kiritsugu replied with a knowing glance.

"Let’s end this farce, and bring this tragedy to a close. Tonight, we head to Lancer’s master’s stronghold."

Kiritsugu nodded to Lancer and went off to prepare.

Watching him leave, Lancer had intended to tell Kiritsugu there was no need to assassinate the master, but with Irisviel, Sakura, and Toria present, it was better left unsaid for now; he would discuss it with him later.

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