The suppression was executed with absolute precision.
While Maiya Hisau's stealth skills were certainly impressive, they were nowhere near a level that could evade the eyes of a Fifth Magician. While I held the Magus Killer down, Aoko-neesan swiftly intercepted and captured Irisviel and Maiya, who had attempted to retreat ahead of time.
"Tristan, good work."
"…It is I who should be grateful."
Hmph. It seems he truly managed to have a proper conversation with the King of Knights. As I suspected, the greatest issue in Britain was clearly a lack of communication.
If they had simply communicated properly, how many tragedies could have been avoided? I'm looking at you, Mordred, Agravain, and Lancelot.
"Now then… I don't think formal introductions are necessary. You are Kiritsugu Emiya, correct?"
"…"
"You entered this Holy Grail War commissioned by the Einzberns?"
"…"
"If you won't answer, I have no choice. How irritating…"
Whether he had undergone interrogation resistance training or not, he didn't utter a single word in response to my questions. Instead, he simply glared at me with a terrifyingly sharp gaze.
More concerning than that were the three Command Spells remaining on the back of his hand and Saber's current location… however, I doubted the Fourth War's Saber, with her fanatical devotion to chivalry, would attempt a dishonorable surprise attack.
"You're here on the Einzberns' dime for the Holy Grail War, right? Goal: attainment of the Third Magic."
"…"
"Fine, if you won't talk, I'll do the talking for you."
Let's see… Kiritsugu Emiya's past was definitely…
"An Ally of Justice."
"…?"
"The wish you seek from the Grail isn't the attainment of the Einzberns' Third Magic, but rather the salvation of all humanity."
"...What did you say?"
"I know you well, Mr. Kiritsugu Emiya. From the very beginning, you never intended to follow the Einzberns' instructions; you planned to use the Holy Grail to grant your own wish. To create a kind of utopia where the 'total tragedy' you witnessed during your life as a Magus Killer—the constant conflict between humans—no longer exists."
"…"
"Regrettably, your utopia is an impossibility. In the first place, even the Einzberns' Third Magic is nothing more than an unachievable phantom in this ritual."
At that, not only Kiritsugu Emiya but also Irisviel, who was bound beside him, spoke up with a look of displeasure.
"…What my husband is thinking is none of your concern. And why do you claim the Third Magic is impossible? A Fifth Magician awakened her powers only a few years ago, and Marshal Zelretch, the user of the Second Magic, still very much exists."
"The meaning of my words isn't that the Third Magic itself is impossible to achieve."
I needed to establish a separate cooperative relationship with the Einzberns regardless.
And for that alliance to work… I would need to offer them what they 'desire most.'
"I mean it's impossible because there is someone who has already achieved it."
"…No way…!"
Instead of answering, I produced the Human Path puppet and spoke.
"Perhaps I should re-introduce myself? I am Karma Akabane, the Wielder of the Third Magic."
Ah, I can feel Aoko-neesan staring at me from the side with eyes that say, 'Is this guy for real?'
* * * * *
The persuasion was incredibly sluggish and difficult.
Irisviel, a descendant of Justeaze—the one who originally attained the Third Magic—acknowledged the 'fake' Third Magic I displayed, saying she might be able to convince Old Man Acht, the head of the Einzberns. The problem was their leader, Kiritsugu.
Despite presenting numerous pieces of circumstantial evidence that the Grail was corrupted and definitive proof that his wish could not be granted, he remained half-doubtful, refusing to believe my words.
"In the first place, the world peace you desire is impossible to achieve even if the Holy Grail were functioning normally."
"Explain the reason. The Holy Grail is an 'Omnipotent Wish-Granting Machine.' It is a tool that grants any wish. Why do you say it's impossible to achieve?"
"…Phew, explaining this is going to be incredibly complicated. First, while the Holy Grail is called an Omnipotent Wish-Granting Machine, its essence is nothing more than a mass of pure magical energy. It might be possible to use that overwhelming mass of magical energy to achieve various thaumaturgical wishes… perhaps even the realization of True Magic or reaching the Root."
"If that's the case…!"
"But your ideal is impossible. I told you, it's just a mass of magical energy. How are you going to achieve world peace with just a massive amount of prana? Do you intend to create something like Mutual Assured Destruction with nuclear weapons? You can see just by looking at the US and the USSR that such a thing is a failure, can't you?"
When Kiritsugu fell silent for a moment, I slowly continued my bull—I mean, my explanation.
"I can tell what you're thinking. You're thinking, 'If I make the wish, won't it just happen somehow?' But that's impossible. If the petitioner doesn't know the method of the wish itself, the Holy Grail will not react. In fact, in its current state, it might even make things worse."
"What do you mean by worse?"
"It depends on what thoughts the owner of the Grail harbors. For example, a world where not a single 'human' exists could, in a broad sense, fall under the category of world peace, couldn't it?"
"…"
"Besides that, there are plenty of dystopian versions of peace in the world. The closest thing to a utopia would be a worldline where the emotions of 'violence and envy' that you hold have been suppressed, but in that case, it would be deemed that humanity has no will to progress, and Alaya would prune this world. For your information, the Second Magician calls this 'Pruning Phenomena.'"
"Are you… acquainted with the Second Magician?"
Well, I am technically acquainted… and in a way, this felt like it could be another tool to persuade him.
Signaling to Aoko-neesan, who was sitting in a corner, I slowly untied their ropes and spoke.
"I never had any intention of doing anything with the Holy Grail in the first place. I've already touched the Root, so as a magus, I don't need the Grail, and if it's money, I can earn as much as I want. The reason I'm here is actually more like a request from the Second Magician."
"…The Second Magician is the observer who allowed this Holy Grail War to take place. If that man could have stepped in himself, why did he send you?"
"Because he's so busy. The Second Magic is about parallel worlds and observation, right? But he said that a 'small problem' has occurred in this specific worldline."
While Aoko looked at me with a bewildered expression as I lied without even blinking, I did my best to ignore her gaze and continued to hook them with my fabrications.
"Ever since Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg began observing this worldline, it has been officially incorporated into the 'Human Order.' However, three teams have appeared that could become major problems for the Holy Grail War."
"…According to you, one of them must be us."
"Correct. If you, Kiritsugu Emiya, win, the result is one of two things: either the world ends because of you, or the world ends because of the Einzberns."
In truth, this crazy Ally of Justice would kill even his wife and daughter to somehow prevent destruction, but since that hadn't happened yet, I nonchalantly threw out the lie.
"I don't understand the reasoning for the Einzberns destroying the world. Their goal is merely the Third Magic, not world peace like mine. Didn't you say the Holy Grail could be a tool for ascending to True Magic?"
"That's true. However, the Holy Grail itself is currently defective. There's an Avenger who was summoned by the Einzberns during the Third Holy Grail War… right now, that Avenger sleeps within the Grail. Think of it as the corruption of the Grail. The 'All the World's Evil,' Angra Mainyu, was absorbed by the Grail. Normally, a soul absorbed by the Grail loses its will and cannot grant wishes, but the curse engraved on the Avenger—the wish to 'Become All the World's Evil'—was activated, and the vast magical energy within the Greater Grail is forcibly fulfilling it. By now, the Greater Grail is… likely nothing more than a cradle for the Avenger."
"…Any way to prove that?"
"Not particularly? If you're that curious, go to the cavern where the Greater Grail is and check for yourself… though I'd recommend against it, since a massive curse will be surrounding it. And anyway, as time passes, that Avenger will eventually come for your wife."
I glanced slightly at Irisviel as I spoke.
"Irisviel von Einzbern, you are the Lesser Grail, aren't you? As more Heroic Spirits are dismissed, your life force will naturally be drained to transform you into the Lesser Grail, and then the Avenger will wear your personality as a shell and fully hatch."
"…"
"Kiritsugu…"
Kiritsugu, who had looked like a burning Ally of Justice just moments ago, began to wear a complex expression, like a man burdened with all the world's worries.
Aoko-neesan gave me a look that asked if it wasn't time to tell the truth yet, but I shook my head.
'Not yet. Kiritsugu Emiya's tenacity is beyond imagination… if I stop now, he might start self-rationalizing, thinking he just needs to fix the corruption in the Grail.'
And finally, Kiritsugu Emiya spoke.
"Hey, what did you say your name was exactly?"
"Karma Akabane. I'd prefer you just call me 'Karma' rather than using the title 'Third Magician.'"
"…Coming to catch me first means you probably need the consent of the magi required to stop the Holy Grail War, right? You don't know the location of Rider's Master, and you would have been wary of attacking a Lord of the Clock Tower."
"…"
To be more precise, I came to catch the most troublesome opponent, but I simply nodded for now.
At that, Kiritsugu Emiya hesitated again for a moment before finally opening his mouth.
"If the Holy Grail is maliciously corrupted and my wish cannot be granted… then there is no reason for me to participate in this Holy Grail War. Since Jubstacheit concealed that fact from me, the necessity to fulfill his request has vanished as well."
"Thought so."
"…Yes. If the Grail is completed and Iri ends up like that, I have no reason whatsoever to hasten the end of this war. Karma Akabane, what is your objective?"
"First, stopping this Holy Grail War. I don't know for certain who Berserker's Master is, but I've already identified all the other Masters and Heroic Spirits. If I can persuade you, Rider's Master, and finally Kayneth El-Melloi, we can formally request the Supervisor to terminate the war."
I'd swung the whip enough; now it was time to offer the carrot.
"Your goal is world peace. But there is a truly definitive reason why that is impossible."
"...What is it?"
"World peace, in the end, means a world where everyone is equal. Do you have the confidence to love every single person in this world equally?"
I could say with certainty that no 'person' would be capable of that.
Of course, such figures appear a few times in bibles or myths.
The Son of God who atoned for everyone's sins with his own death, or those referred to by the title 'Saviour' in this worldline.
But they are ultimately 'something' that has halfway transcended humanity. Even Kiritsugu, with his halfway transcendent spirit as an Ally of Justice… even he cannot love everyone equally.
Because he, too, is human.
Even I feel more for people precious to me like Alice, Aoko-neesan, or Soujuurou-bro; I could fight others, even kill them, for the sake of my mother or father.
"In the end, Irisviel von Einzbern won't survive it. You married her knowing that, didn't you?"
"…Iri already knew the truth. Illya didn't… but I couldn't bring myself to tell that child the truth."
"In that case, let's do this."
"Do what?"
"I will save your wife, Irisviel, and your daughter, Illyasviel."
He tilted his head in confusion for a moment before answering.
"Using the Third Magic?"
"Yes. If I interfere with the soul, I might be able to completely sever the connection between her and the Lesser Grail. And since I'm the 'Third Magician'… I could approach Old Man Acht and demand he hand over Illyasviel. The ultimate goal of the Einzberns is, after all, the Third Magic."
"I'd better hear your demands first."
Perhaps showing why he was the Magus Killer, his gaze had returned to the sharp, focused look he wore during combat.
I watched him for a moment before speaking.
"I'm going to pull two other factions to our side."
"Rider and Lancer?"
"…How did you know?"
"It would be foolish not to. You said you didn't know Berserker's identity, so he's excluded. As for Assassin, given their numbers, it's easy to notice that the one killed by Caster on the first day was a deception. Shouldn't I naturally suspect the Supervisor is playing favorites? That leaves only Rider and Lancer. Furthermore, considering you and your partner are mentor and student, you likely have some degree of acquaintance, which would make persuasion simple."
"Your head definitely works well. Yes, you're right. I'm going to recruit the Rider and Lancer factions. So, for the time being, I ask that you avoid fighting other factions as much as possible. And after that, I'd like you to join me in requesting the Supervisor to stop the Holy Grail War."
"…How will you persuade them—actually, asking a Magician such a thing is absurd."
I may have been the one to spin the lie, but the value of the name 'Magician' is truly immense in many ways.