01x12 - The Grail's Invitation

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How would you rank Rider's Noble Phantasm?

Equal to that of Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon.

In other words, too powerful to be given a rank.

Things ended exactly as we planned.

If we'd gone against Rider unprepared, we would not have been able to defend against it.

This begins the second stage.

We will use the information Assassin gathered to have Archer defeat our enemies.

In the process, a means to defeat Rider is sure to reveal itself.

Yes.

Thank you for your fine work as a Master.

Kurikaesu sekai nando te wo nobashitara In this endlessly repeating world, how many times must I reach out Hakanai namida wa kuroi kokoro tokasuno?

so that my hopeless tears thaw my black heart?

Mebae dashita omoi ga mune ni hibiita nara If these freshly

-sprouted feelings are echoed in your own heart, Kimi no tonari de zutto kawarazu mamoru darou I will forever be by your side, protecting you.

Ochita kibou wo hirotte asu ni tsunaide yukeba If I pick up the fallen hopes and fasten them to tomorrow, Karamatta ibitsuna negai datte hodokeru even my tangled, knotted wishes will come unraveled.

Hikari wo kazashite tamerai wo keshita Shielding my eyes from the light, I did away with all my hesitation.

Ageta katta no wa mirai de What I wanted to give you was the future.

Naiteru yoru daita mama nageki wo sakende As I shouted in grief, holding the teary night close.

Fumi ireta ashi wo tooku no risou ga Sotto iyashite yuku Far

-off hopes soothe my feet that are weary from walking.

Tashika na kizuna wo tsuyoku nigiri Hold tight to this bond we can count on, Susumou doko made mo and let's keep going as far as we can, Kegare kitta kiseki wo se ni with this tainted miracle on my back.

I believe that last night's att*ck involved all the Assassins.

Understood.

By the way, Maiya, where are we with the new base?

Tomorrow morning, I will take Saber and madam there.

I see.

Thank you.

Of course.

Goodbye, then.

No sign of movement from the Tohsaka residence.

Since Assassin's att*ck on the first day, Tokiomi hasn't left.

An unsettling silence.

The Matou Master appears undefended, an easy target.

But Berserker's strange special ability suggests that he should be left alive, to distract Archer and Tohsaka.

Lord EI

-Melloi should have been removed from battle already.

But Lancer still remains.

We must discover his new Master's identity as soon as possible.

Caster's location remains unknown.

But last night, several children vanished from the city again.

They continue their atrocities, with no apparent plan whatsoever.

Rider and his Master are constantly on the move in his flying Noble Phantasm.

Tracking him is difficult.

However large

-hearted he may seem, he is an extremely dangerous foe.

Further, I'm concerned about the Ionian Hetairoi that Maiya reported.

But more importantly Can we assume that Assassin has been completely destroyed?

In that case, his Master If his plan was to work with Tohsaka, using Assassin to spy on the others, then he should have never been able to leave Fuyuki Church.

But that isn't what happened.

His ambush at the Fuyuki Hyatt His att*ck in the Einzbern forest Both of those actions defy explanation.

Of course, it all fits, assuming he was after me.

But why?

WhY pursue me?

Two days ago, he should have had no way of knowing that I am Saber's Master.

Kirei Kotomine, who are you?

You seem to be in fine spirits today, Archer.

I still see little value to this Grail.

But even if it is trash, that's fine.

I've found another form of entertainment.

In this world that you have constantly mocked for being vile and full of imposters?

That remains unchanged.

However, I am now curious to see this Holy Grail w*r through to it end.

I am fond of lives of hubris.

Those who harbor grand ambitions without realizing that they are unequal to the task.

The mere sight of such people gives me great enjoyment.

There are two kinds of arrogance.

One where you are unequal to the task, and one where your dreams are too big.

The former is commonplace stupidity, but the latter is a rare species that is difficult to find.

But they are identical in that they are both fools, are they not?

Isn't the foolishness of the few a more precious commodity than the wisdom of the masses?

There are those who were born human, but harbor wishes that man was not meant for, and have renounced their humanity in its pursuit.

I never grow weary of watching their grief and despair.

Kirei, what of you?

For once, you seem strangely pleased.

I am simply relieved.

I've finally been freed from an unpleasant burden.

Once they disappear, what becomes of the Command Seals?

In theory, they return to the Grail.

The Holy Grail retakes the Command Seals from a Master who has lost his Servant and withdrawn from the w*r.

And if a Servant loses its Master, the Grail will take those unused Seals, and redistribute them to a newly chosen Master.

The Command Seals stay a part of this world until their use.

At the end, any remaining are given to the overseer.

So depending on what happens now, a new Master may yet appear?

Possibly, yes.

But the Holy Grail does not deem many to be worthy of that role.

Thus, when a new Master is sought, the Grail tends to select one whom it had previously deemed suitable.

What's wrong?

Continue, Kirei.

The reason the Holy Church protects those who have left the battle is this: In the event a place should open among the remaining Masters, there is a high probability that any unpaired Masters will receive the Command Seals left behind.

This is why Grail w*r participants try their best to k*ll, not simply incapacitate, enemy Masters.

From that perspective, Kirei, is there not a good chance that the Command Seals will be given to you again?

Impossible.

If, as Tokiomi suggests, the Holy Grail chose me as a support to the Tohsaka team, I have fulfilled that duty.

Tokiomi already possesses a winning strategy for the remaining Masters and their Servants.

There is nothing more for me to do.

If I may venture an opinion, Tokiomi's hypotheses have been dubious from the start.

He never struck me as a man fit to be backed by the Grail.

I am surprised that you have such harsh words to offer regarding your own Master.

Kirei, you seem to be sorely mistaken as to who serves whom in my and Tokiomi's relationship.

I treat him civilly as my vassal, and he supplies me with mana as an offering.

I answered his summons precisely because those were the terms of our pact.

What do you make of the Command Seals, then?

I hate them.

However if a vassal wishes to become a better vassal, he must be willing to listen to words of criticism from time to time.

More importantly, Kirei, you said earlier that Assassin had completed his task.

What of the matter we discussed?

Your interest in learning the motive of each Master for desiring the Grail?

Yes, he completed that investigation.

I should have had Assassin present the report himself last night, that would have saved me the trouble of No, this is better.

I'm not interested in what that walking shade has to say.

Kirei, this report is meaningless unless it comes from your lips.

How does it feel to drive a car, Saber?

This is a splendid vehicle.

I cannot help but think what would have happened had these existed in my time.

Irisviel, are you certain it is all right that I drive this vehicle?

You seemed to enjoy the act of driving.

It's fine.

If you're happy, then I'm happy, too.

I have to say, the skills of a Servant are amazing.

This is your first time touching this machine, yet here you are, driving it perfectly.

I find the sensation somewhat odd, myself.

It's like I'm employing skills that I was taught long ago.

Rather than understanding it intellectually, my body instinctively knows what to do next.

Still, is this a wise idea?

This estate that is to be our new base of operations lies right in the heart of the b*ttlefield.

Don't worry on that score.

Secrecy is the great rule of the Holy Grail w*r.

The Tohsakas and Matous have equal numbers of fortifications within the city proper.

The Einzberns are unusual for building that castle in such a distant location.

On the contrary, this new base that Kiritsugu has secured for us might actually be more advantageous than the castle we had been using because its location is unknown to the others.

This is another strange building.

From now on, this will be your base of operations.

Ah, if you could take those, Saber.

Understood, Irisviel.

Maiya What is this key?

It appears quite different from the others.

It is the key to the storehouse in the yard.

It is old, but I've personally confirmed that it is solidly built.

No preparations were made, so this may be somewhat lacking as a residence.

That's fine.

For now, so long as it keeps us out of the rain, that's sufficient.

Now then, Saber, let's go and explore! Yes, let's.

I think this is supposed to be like one of this country's haunted houses.

I'm sure all the hallways have wooden floors, and the rooms' floors are woven grass, with partitions made of paper! I told him once I wanted to see a Japanese mansion.

Maybe Kiritsugu remembered.

Was it not what you expected?

No I enjoyed it.

But this isn't really an ideal base for a mage The magical barriers are well

-laid, but for a workshop it's When it's this open, the magic will leak out.

I'd have preferred a room walled off with stone or clay.

This is ideal! It's a bit small, but I can craft my spells just as well as back at the castle.

Simply inscribing a magic circle here should be good enough to make it my own.

Let's get started.

Will you help me, Saber?

We'll draw a magic circle there, six feet in diameter.

Understood.

I'll require your help once we start to craft the mercury.

I'll tell you how to distribute it, so don't worry.

Will you bring me the ingredients we left in the trunk?

Irisviel, I must ask you something.

Today, it's as if you have carefully avoided touching anything.

Have I imagined this?

Driving the car, holding the keys I wouldn't have worried over those matters.

But you aren't even handling your own magic.

If you aren't feeling well, it's important that you tell me.

It is my duty to protect you when it's necessary.

So I must know these things.

I'm sorry.

You're right.

This isn't something that I could keep hidden.

Hold out your hand.

Saber I'm going to squeeze your hand now, with all my strength.

All right?

Yes, go ahead Irisviel?

I'm not pretending.

This is all I can do now Just tugging your fingers is the most I can do.

Grasping something or picking it up is beyond me.

Dressing this morning was so difficult.

Wh

-What's wrong?

Are you hurt?

I'm just not feeling too well.

So I've cut off my sense of touch.

Just shutting down one of my senses allows me to control my power quite a bit.

That means I can do everything else I must.

Being able to do things like this is the specialty of a homunculus That can't be all there is to it! What, exactly, is wrong with you?

Shouldn't you see a doctor?

You may have forgotten, but I'm not a normal human.

When I'm ill, a doctor cannot treat me.

I suppose you could say my condition stems from an inherent flaw in my creation.

Don't worry about it.

Of course, it will mean that you'll have to do some things for me.

From now on, I'll need you to drive, like you did today.

And you'll have to help me with my magical rituals.

I'm sorry.

But I'll be depending on you, my knight.

Of course.

And I apologize for prying.

Please forgive me.

It's really okay.

Now, let's get started on that circle.

If I rest in a magical circle that is properly connected with local leylines, my condition should improve a little.

Understood.

Then I shall retrieve the materials.

As far as Lancer's Master and Rider's Master go, they have no wish in particular to ask the Holy Grail to grant.

They simply seek victory as a means to win glory as Mages.

As for Caster's Master, he does not so much as understand what the Grail is.

He is only taking part in the Holy Grail w*r as an extension of his interest in k*lling for fun.

As for Berserker's Master, he is immature, and seeks absolution above all else.

For a time, he had severed all ties with the Matou family, and yet he is now demanding that the younger Tohsaka daughter be set free, who is now being groomed to be the next Matou family head in his place as a result.

He has been given the assignment of winning the Holy Grail to secure his end of the bargain.

In addition, he appears to have some sort of past relationship with Tohsaka's wife.

In a sense, it might be said that he has the most unrefined and banal motives of the five competing Masters.

What is it?

Continue, Kirei.

Saber's Master has merely been hired to achieve the Einzbern's long

-held dream, attaining the Holy Grail.

I was a fool to expect more from him.

Just another mongrel.

Mongrels, every last one of them, with utterly dull reasons for seeking my treasure.

You caused me to go to all that trouble, and that is all you have to say?

Think of those whose effort has been wasted.

Wasted effort?

What wasted effort, Kirei?

The work put in by you and Assassin has paid off handsomely.

Do you mock me, King of Heroes?

You do not understand?

I suppose that is to be expected.

You are a man who cannot even see his own superiority.

Regardless of its own self

-awareness of this fact, a soul instinctively seeks out the superior.

This expression of the soul appears in the form of interest or appreciation.

Thus, Kirei, having you tell me what you've seen and heard was already of great importance.

What you spoke of at greatest length was what interested you the most.

First, let us discount the man you've deliberately avoided speaking of.

An interest that one is aware of is nothing more than obsession.

That being the case, of the remaining four Masters, of which did you speak most passionately?

Berserker's Master.

Kariya, was it?

Kirei, you spoke of him in great detail.

His circumstances are complicated.

Thus, they required the most additional explanation.

Wrong.

He was the only one you ordered Assassin to investigate to such a degree that you could understand those complicated circumstances.

And this was due to your unconscious interest.

I accept that I made an error in judgment.

It's true that, in the long term, Kariya Matou poses no thr*at.

He was not worth the attention.

My overestimation of his abilities has invited your unwanted attention to me.

Is that so?

Then imagine for me a scenario in which chance and fortune ensured that Berserker and his Master survived until the end.

Can you imagine what would happen then?

Hey, Kirei.

Isn't it time that you understood?

The true question I ask of you?

Tell me, Archer What could be the point in imagining Kariya Matou's victory?

No point.

None at all.

Come now, don't be so angry.

Think about it.

The fact that Kirei Kotomine never recognized the futility in such speculation.

Do you not agree there is a clear, unshakable meaning there?

Explain for me, Archer.

If you'd been given the same question, but regarding the other Masters, you'd have perceived immediately that there was no point to it.

And you would have rejected it as a waste of time.

However That was not how it went with Kariya.

You abandoned your usual sharp wits, wasting your time in pointless thought.

You put the futility out of mind.

You did not count your wasted effort as a loss.

In other words, you found enjoyment in it.

Celebrate, Kirei.

You have understood what entertainment is at last.

Entertainment?

You mean joy?

Indeed.

There is nothing in Kariya Matou's fate that could bring a man joy.

For him, life is nothing but suffering and tragedy.

For him, a quick death would be a blessing.

Kirei, why must you insist on defining joy so narrowly?

Where is the paradox in finding suffering and tragedy simply other forms of joy?

There is no one fixed type of joy.

Your confusion derives from your failure to understand that.

This is something that cannot be allowed.

King of Heroes, an inhuman monster such as yourself may find joy in some small amount of pain.

But that is the soul of a sinner, an evil that must be punished! Thus it is, on the path of faith that I follow.

And so, you have defined joy itself as a sin.

It's astonishing to see how far you've twisted it.

You never cease to be a source of fascination to me.

This pain So, just as I expected.

I must admit, that didn't take long.

Impossible No Servant has been freed from their contract.

Why has a new Master been chosen?

It appears that the Holy Grail still expects much from Kirei Kotomine.

Kirei, you should heed the Grail's summons.

Without a doubt, you have a reason to seek this wish granter.

I have a reason to seek the Holy Grail?

If this wish

-granting device is truly omnipotent, then it can give shape to the wish within the depths of your heart, that of which even you remain unaware.

So you claim that since I do not know my desire, I should use the wish

-granting device as a means to learn it?

But that can only happen after I have crushed six other wishes.

If I seek the Holy Grail for my own desires, that will mean that I have betrayed my own teacher and mentor.

Then you'll need a strong Servant, if you would seek to fight me.

Of course before any of that, you must steal another Servant, controlled by one of the other Masters.

In that case No, I won't say it.

Everything from here onward is up to you.

Do exactly as you like.

That is the true meaning of pleasure.

Pleasure leads to joy.

And joy will lead you to happiness.

Your path is now clear, Kirei.

So clear there is no longer any need to hesitate.

Episode 12: The Grail Beckons Shizuka ni utsuri yuku tooi kioku no naka In my distant, shifting memories, Omoide ni yorisoi nagara kimi wo omoeru nara All I wish is to love you as I snuggle your memory.

Itsumo minareteru madobe ni utsutta Your eyes, which I see reflected in the window so often, Sono hitomi wa ashita wo muite ita were looking out towards the future.

Aa sakaraenu sadame to shittemo Kowaku nai Even if I learn that my fate cannot be changed, I will not be afraid.

Kokoro kara shinji te iru I believe in you from the bottom of my heart.

Shizuka ni utsuri yuku tooi kioku no naka In my distant, shifting memories, Kimi to sugoshita akashi wa tashika ni koko ni aru The proof that we spent time together does exist here.

Afure dasu kimochi wo oshiete kureta kara Because you told me of your feelings that could not be contained, Kono sekai ga nakunatte mo watashi wa soko ni iru even if this world vanishes, I will be with you.

I shall be the first to strike! Now is your best chance to finish them.

Let's end this! I'm certain this world is filled with God's love.

Now, once again, we shall raise Salvation's banner!