I had suspected as much for a while, and it seems I was right, thought "Black" Archer, feeling a sense of confirmation.
The local time was just past 9 PM.
Though fatigue lingered from the recent intense battle, Archer had something he wanted to confirm and thus visited the room of Caules, the Master of "Black" Berserker.
Caules was, as usual, busy tinkering with his computer. Even when Archer arrived, he was sitting in a chair before the screen. Berserker was perched on the bed, staring into space with an inscrutable expression. Seen like this, with the decorations, she truly looked like a doll.
"So, what is it, Archer? What did you want to ask?"
"It's about Fiore."
"My sister?"
Still seated at his computer, Caules looked at Archer.
"How do you view her as a mage?"
"Huh? What's with the sudden question, Archer?"
Caules's eyes widened at Archer's words.
After Darnic's death, Fiore had become the mage leading Yggdmillennia. Though she succeeded by default, it was because her abilities as a mage were outstanding.
"Well, I think she's an excellent mage, unlike me. Do you have some complaint?"
"No, it's not that. Even after the magical energy supply was cut off, the supply from my Master supported my combat without any issues."
"Then what is it?"
"I've also heard about Yggdmillennia's history. To hold together this bloodline, which Darnic practically built from scratch in a single generation, requires considerable political sense. If we survive this Great Holy Grail War, we'll inevitably be embroiled in schemes and plots with the Mage's Association. I'm worried about whether she can withstand that."
"Gh——"
Becoming the head of Yggdmillennia alone was a life-threatening endeavor.
Their development so far had largely been supported by Darnic's political skills. It was an organization that existed precisely because of a leader with exceptional charisma. The more excellent the leader, the greater the burden on the next generation. Especially after a battle for the clan's survival. Even now, some bloodlines were considering leaving Yggdmillennia.
If they didn't obtain the Grail, Yggdmillennia would perish. And the one who would take responsibility then would undoubtedly be the person leading as head. Asked if the young Fiore could weave strategies against the old men of the Mage's Association, Caules was at a loss for an answer.
It wasn't that she couldn't. Fiore was smart. In normal diplomacy, she could probably overcome challenges without issue.
But when those methods ceased to be straightforward, would she be able to accept that reality?
If negotiations with the Mage's Association broke down and escalated to force, lives would be exchanged. Until now, she had the excuse of acting under orders. But as the head, she would be the one giving orders. Ordering your comrades to die or to kill requires considerable mental fortitude.
Caules, having watched from the sidelines all along, understood.
Fiore wasn't raised that way, nor did she grow up that way.
"Even so, why are you telling me this?"
"As someone who just met her, I can't delve that deeply. I thought it better to ask you, who have watched her from the side."
"Archer is right; sis can be too much of a decent person. Probably, if she weren't involved with magecraft, that would be the correct way."
"If she's to be a mage, she'll sometimes have to commit acts contrary to humanity. As the clan head, those opportunities will increase. I fear that when she finds herself having to calmly do things she knows she shouldn't, she'll experience unimaginable suffering."
There was no hint of jest in Archer's expression; clear concern was etched on his face.
"I think you two are ideal siblings. However, as mages, you both lack something."
"That's none of your business."
Fiore's resolve to be a mage hadn't caught up with her innate sensibilities. Perhaps she acquired human ethics before cultivating a mage's ethical sense. Even if physically compatible with magecraft, if her heart didn't seek magecraft, living in that world would be difficult.
Caules had the mindset of a mage. He didn't enjoy killing, but if forced by necessity as a mage, he would do it. He couldn't say completely, but——he could accept it as unavoidable. However, he wasn't particularly blessed with talent for magecraft on the physical side.
"Either way, our family seems to be at a dead end."
As a magecraft researcher, Caules was more suited. Knowing the joy of delving deep, he could, depending on the situation, even reach for a life. But in terms of specs for using magecraft, the talent of a successor, Fiore was far superior. For the family, it would be best if Fiore simply succeeded and mastered magecraft, but that might not be possible. Research requires passion and resolve.
"Archer, what do you think will happen if sis stays in the world of magecraft?"
"Who knows."
Archer crossed his arms.
"But, a person with the good sense to reject inhumane acts, who plunges into a world where they must commit sins, cannot stay sane. Most either break or become accustomed. If they break, they become self-destructive and meet ruin. The terrifying ones are those who become accustomed."
"What happens if they become accustomed?"
"They start processing whether to commit sins mechanically. Tormented between ideal and reality, driven by obsession, they try to justify their actions by listing excuses, saying they're not at fault. It's like drug addiction. They can never escape that path on their own, continuing to act until they break. You see, if they can believe they are right, it's not a burden. If they can accept it as unavoidable, it's not painful. The problem is the type of person who wants to accept it as unavoidable but can't."
"You're saying sis is that type?"
"From what I've seen, she has the sensibilities of an ordinary person regarding life and death. Though she tries to be a rational mage."
Caules was also aware of Fiore's personality.
So, he had no grounds to refute Archer's point.
"Whatever choice Fiore makes, resolve will be necessary. At that time, she'll need supportive people by her side."
Continuing as a mage would place a great burden on Fiore's psyche. Yet, because she's excellent, she might ignore her heart's cries and continue her studies. However, it's unclear whether she could avoid being tormented by trauma years or decades later. And quitting being a mage requires even greater resolve. Turning her back on the future and past of both Yggdmillennia and the Forvedge family is a path not chosen with ordinary resolve. Either way, it will be a thorny path for Fiore.
"So what, after all that long talk, you just wanted to say we should help sis?"
"In essence, yes."
"Got it. I never intended to replace sis anyway. I'll leave the decision to her, but I'll support sis so things turn out for the best whichever way it goes."
For children born into mage families, their future is usually determined by whether they can become the heir. In the Forvedge family's case, the eldest, Fiore, was outstanding, so the family headship was promised to her without question, while the younger brother, Caules, studied magecraft as Fiore's spare.
No matter what, Caules was Fiore's younger brother, Fiore's shadow. And Caules, who had accepted even that as self-evident, would probably support Fiore as a matter of course, even without Archer's request.
"Hearing that puts me at ease."
"It's fine. It's been decided since long ago that younger brothers follow their older sisters."
Upon hearing that, Archer changed his expression more than he had all this time.
It wasn't surprise or amusement. It seemed like an expression tinged with sorrow. But it was only for a moment. Archer gave a wry smile and muttered softly,
"That hits close to home."
"Well then, I'll take my leave. You really are good siblings."
With that, Archer turned spiritual and left.
Caules scratched his head, then shut down his computer.
On the bed, Berserker was growling and rolling around. Since Berserker's own Noble Phantasm was a perpetual motion machine, maintaining her in materialized form was very low-cost. Even with the homunculus-based magical energy supply half-stopped, Caules's specs allowed her to play like this thanks to that Noble Phantasm.
If Fiore and Caules were good siblings, then perhaps Fiore and Archer were a good Master and Servant.
Click. The screen went dark.
He had napped during the day, but he was still sleepy. Though accustomed to a nocturnal lifestyle, completely reversing day and night was tough, so he decided to sleep.
After turning Berserker spiritual, Caules slipped into bed.
"Maybe he had an older sister too."
After turning off the light, gazing at the moon floating outside the window, that thought suddenly crossed his mind.
Archer had referenced sibling relationships and seemed to have feelings about Caules's statement; perhaps he had his own thoughts on the matter.
The meeting place was the same conference room as the previous day. The "Black" members and Ruler had gathered with grim expressions. They knew the super-Noble Phantasm of "Red" Assassin was slowly moving towards the Black Sea area. Its movement was sluggish, so even an airplane could catch up quickly, but considering they could be intercepted, sufficient countermeasures were necessary.
"So, we understand that, but what about the crucial airplanes?"
"Please wait a little longer. Given the nature of the items, it will still take about three days."
Although they needed to invest most of the assets Darnic had accumulated, Yggdmillennia was still, by common standards, an ultra-wealthy family. Purchasing several airplanes wasn't impossible.
"Let's leave dealing with 'Red' for another time. For now, we must tackle another problem."
"Another one?"
Fiore handed a newspaper to Rider.
"?"
Rider looked at the headline and muttered.
"'Jack the Ripper'? What's this?"
It was an article about a series of murders occurring within Romania.
The known serial killings had already exceeded ten, and with the perpetrator's identity still unknown, the press was likening them to the legendary killer who once terrorized England.
"This is...?"
"We believe these are the acts of 'Black' Assassin."
"Huh?"
Rider let out a strange sound. Ruler also peeked at the newspaper and asked,
"'Black' Assassin isn't under your control?"
"It's embarrassing, but it seems the Master we prepared lost Assassin."
"What do you mean?"
"The details are unclear. Sōra Hyōma, who participated as 'Black' Assassin's Master, felt limited by Hassan-i Sabbah, who was to be summoned as Assassin, and sought a breakthrough with the more modern Heroic Spirit, Jack the Ripper. He chose his hometown, Tokyo, as a land compatible with Jack and performed the ritual there. His whereabouts have been unknown since."
Servants of the 'Assassin' class possessing the 'Presence Concealment' skill are known as a Master's natural enemy. While 'Assassin's combat abilities are generally low, often lagging in Servant battles, if they kill the human Master, the Servant also vanishes. If utilized effectively, 'Assassin' becomes an extremely powerful piece.
However, the 'Assassin' class itself acts as a catalyst, specifically summoning one of the nineteen Hassan-i Sabbah, from whom the word "assassin" originates.
Once Holy Grail Wars began occurring worldwide, the Noble Phantasms and quirks of the nineteen Hassans became known, putting assassins in a fatal situation.
With anti-Hassan tactics established, summoning Hassan had become too dangerous.
Therefore, recently, the standard practice was to modify the summoning incantation and prepare a different catalyst to summon an 'Assassin' other than Hassan.
"Sōra Hyōma focused on the scarcity of information about Jack the Ripper."
"If you're not anticipating Servant combat, combat ability isn't that important. Even a modern hero wouldn't find it difficult to kill a Master."
Ruler was convinced by the reasoning behind choosing "Black" Assassin.
However, somewhere along the line, "Black" Assassin had fallen into another's hands and was now committing atrocities in Romania.
"We can't focus our strength if our rear is harassed by an Assassin while deciding the outcome with 'Red.'"
"So, the reason we gathered here today is..."
"To subdue 'Black' Assassin, or potentially ally with them."
"Is there still a possibility of alliance?"
"They are still a potential asset. Of course, if Assassin becomes uncontrollable, we have no choice but to subdue them. But we haven't even been able to establish communication."
The victims included not only ordinary people but also magi from Yggdmillennia and the Mage's Association. Until now, preparing for the full-scale battle with the "Red" faction meant they couldn't devote much effort to "Black" Assassin.
However, since they couldn't immediately fight the "Red" faction, they could now use that time for "Black" Assassin.
But on the other hand, time was short. Fiore and the others needed to resolve the "Black" Assassin problem before preparations for the battle with the "Red" faction were complete.
"Sis and Archer went to make contact with 'Black' Assassin before, didn't they?"
Asked by Caules, Fiore nodded.
"Yes, but that time it escalated into a battle with 'Red' Saber."
"Didn't you see what 'Black' Assassin was like?"
"Eh, no... I saw. I even read their status... or..."
Fiore's voice trailed off as she was struck with realization.
"Archer, do you remember what kind of Servant Assassin was?"
"Hmm, now that you mention it, what was it like?... Strange, I can't recall. Was it Assassin's Noble Phantasm or skill?"
Both Fiore and "Black" Archer should have seen it with their own eyes, yet their memories were blank. It was as if their memories had been erased with a rubber.
"So it's Assassin's Noble Phantasm or skill. An ability to erase information about themselves."
Celenike, looking languid, joined the conversation.
"If there are no leads, won't subduing Assassin be difficult?"
"But if we don't deal with the Assassin problem, it will also be an issue in the fight against the 'Red' faction."
If they challenged the "Red" faction while leaving "Black" Assassin unattended, their Masters would be left vulnerable no matter what. If attacked there, the "Black" faction would be defeated without a chance.
But subduing "Black" Assassin was extremely difficult.
Servants with the 'Presence Concealment' skill cannot be tracked by sensing their presence. The standard tactic is to wait for "Black" Assassin to attack, but they didn't have that time.
"Ruler, can you pinpoint 'Black' Assassin's location?"
"It's difficult. With 'Presence Concealment' active, grasping the general location is the limit."
"Anyway, we have no choice but to use our feet. First, we must head to the hiding places of the magi who lost contact in Trifas."
Magi belonging to Yggdmillennia were successively losing contact in Trifas. They should assume that nine times out of ten, they fell to "Black" Assassin.
"Then, I'll go. Even if it's general, having me, who can grasp Assassin's location, is better."
"Please, Ruler. And, Celenike, can I ask you too?"
"Me? Well, I don't mind. I didn't have anything to do anyway."
"If magi have been killed, having you, who can use black magecraft, will make it easier to extract information. Also, Rider has an A-rank 'Magic Resistance.'"
Since they were entering a mage's workshop, countermeasures against magecraft were necessary. In that regard, "Black" Rider's A-rank 'Magic Resistance' was in a realm where modern magi couldn't even scratch him, making him convenient for investigating workshops.
"What about you, Fiore?"
"With my legs as they are, I'm not suited for pursuit. I'll try to analyze here for any clues. Also, I have tasks for both Archer and Saber, and Uncle Gord is busy."
Thanks to Gord's desperate repair efforts, the magical energy supply had recovered considerably. By continuing adjustments, there was room for further improvement in supply efficiency, and Gord was scheduled to be fully occupied with that task after this meeting.
"Then, I guess I'll go too for now."
"Caules too?"
"I don't have much to do here either. Maybe I can be of some use outside."
"I see. Well then, please do."
Caules probably felt he hadn't been able to contribute much until now and wanted to be of some use, however small.
"Alright, everyone, I'm counting on you. For those who need modern clothing, I'll have it prepared, so please wait a moment."
Thus, the meeting ended.
The "Black" faction began to move to find and make contact with "Black" Assassin.
"Archer and Saber, please stay. I have separate requests for you."
Stopped, "Black" Archer and "Black" Saber remained.
"What should we do?"
"Considering the post-war situation, I want to gather funds within our capabilities."
With the Holy Grail seized by the "Red" faction, the "Black" faction was in a very disadvantageous position. Of course, they had no intention of losing, but there was a possibility the Grail wouldn't return to them. If that happened, even if they won the Great Holy Grail War, they would be powerless in the subsequent fight with the Mage's Association.
"So, I'm sorry to ask, but I'd like Archer to prepare a reasonable number of magical devices."
"Ah, I see... You plan to sell them off?"
"That's right."
"You'll be called a miser."
"We're not committing a crime, so there's no reason for anyone to complain."
Snap. Fiore sharply dismissed Archer's sarcasm.
"But now that we've severed ties with the Mage's Association, how will you gather funds?"
"Uncle established some back channels. Since we could gather materials for Caster's Noble Phantasm even after leaving the Association, it's not a problem."
I see, Archer thought with a wry smile as he conceded.
His Master seemed serious.
Since they were investing a large amount of funds into purchasing airplanes, perhaps gathering funds was also part of the war. It was unclear how much they could convert to money in the remaining few days, but since Archer only needed to project them, it wouldn't require much effort.
"So, what should I do?"
He understood Archer would prepare items. But why was "Black" Saber stopped?
"Saber has the 'Golden Rule' skill, so I'd like your help."
"...That skill only means I personally don't have money troubles. It doesn't benefit Yggdmillennia."
"But isn't it possible for Saber to donate the money he earns to Yggdmillennia?"
"It's not impossible, but..."
"Then please do. We can't waste time; negotiations will begin in an hour, so please prepare. Archer, for now, please prepare about a hundred holy swords."
Saber's skill was, as he said, a limited skill that only affected him. Therefore, in theory, if Saber himself earned money, that would work. But it wasn't something to make a great hero of the realm do. Fiore understood that, but since it was a waste to leave him idle, she boldly requested cooperation.
It was unclear how much benefit Saber's skill would bring, but Archer's holy swords would undoubtedly be traded for an extremely high price.
Archer and Saber exchanged glances, wondering what to make of this.