Fate: How About a New Savior?

"I don't care how you judge me," Marisbury said with a calm smile. "The Holy Grail is extremely important to me. I do respect and appreciate you for purifying it during the last Holy Grail War—but these are two separate matters."

"You want the Holy Grail that badly?" Shiomi clicked his tongue.

"The ritual created by the three founding families was designed to achieve the Third Magic—the materialization of the human soul—and thus reach the Root," Marisbury explained. "As someone uninterested in the Root and not a proper Magus, Mr. Shiomi, you probably can't understand why we Magi dedicate our lives to pursuing it."

Shiomi had no particular reaction to Marisbury's explanation.

Even now, with the Greater Grail fully intact, he had no interest in it. Ten years ago, he'd only been forced into the war by BB.

"So you're trading Sakura for the Holy Grail?" Shiomi slowly lowered his spear.

This man was sharp—he knew exactly what mattered most to Shiomi.

"More accurately, I'm trading her for your support in ending the Holy Grail War," Marisbury said as he approached. "As you can see, I only immobilized your daughter. I didn't harm her in any other way. I believe that's a sufficient show of good faith."

Cold, rational, and utterly results-driven—Lord Animusphere embodied the ideal Magus. And in this negotiation, he had shown what would be recognized as genuine sincerity.

He dragged Sakura forward and handed her over to Shiomi.

"Then let me ask you—what do you plan to do with the Holy Grail?" Shiomi asked, gently catching Sakura and checking her condition as he questioned the man.

"I already explained that, didn't I?" Marisbury replied.

"Cut the act. Sure, you're interested in the Root. But just like me, you have no real interest in the Third Magic." Shiomi adjusted Sakura's head, letting it rest against his chest. "If your wish puts this world in danger, I'll kill you—no matter how sincere you seem."

Marisbury looked slightly surprised. "You'd kill me… for the world? Don't worry. I don't even plan to use a Command Spell to force Caster to self-destruct, much less activate the Greater Grail. The Third Magic means nothing to me."

"Oh?" Shiomi raised an eyebrow.

"We of the Animusphere—who lead the Department of Astromancy—must reach the Root through our own research. We'd never rely on another Magus's theories," Marisbury admitted.

That mindset was common among the top Magi.

They all longed for the Root, but they had their pride. They insisted on reaching it by their own means.

Shiomi had seen that stubborn pride many times at the Clock Tower.

"The materialization of the soul, the evolution of humanity—pure delusions. I never planned to entertain such nonsense," Marisbury continued. "All I want is to use the Holy Grail as a wish-granting device. I want to complete Chaldeas."

"Chaldeas?" Shiomi blinked.

He'd heard bits and pieces at the Clock Tower—from Lord Trambelio, in fact.

The head of Astromancy was working to build an observatory called Chaldea, said to be a unique system designed to protect humanity's survival.

"As expected of someone valued by two of the three Lords. Even you've heard of it," Marisbury said, unfazed by Shiomi's surprise. "But you may not know—just to win over sponsors, it's already been assembled. It can function as a model of Earth, but it's far from fulfilling its intended purpose."

"So that's why you need the Holy Grail—to complete it?"

"No. I need the Holy Grail to fund it. What I have isn't enough," Marisbury said, surprisingly showing a trace of helplessness.

"I see." Understanding now, Shiomi let out a quiet sigh.

If that was all, then as long as Sakura was safe, there really was no reason to stop Marisbury.

"Don't you think I'm shallow?" Marisbury, now confident no one would get in his way, even joked with someone he barely knew. "I'm not seeking eternal life, I'm not chasing the Root. All I want is money."

"That's not my concern," Shiomi replied with a cold laugh. "I just didn't expect a Lord of the Clock Tower to enter the Holy Grail War for something like that."

Sakura was safe. After the bitter battle, the Holy Grail War would end in a draw.

They hadn't defeated the King of Magecraft—but hadn't been defeated either.

A bit disappointing, but nothing to be hung up on.

If they had truly fought to the end—if they had killed the King of Magecraft—then either he or Morgan would've fallen.

If it had been him, so be it. But he couldn't accept a world where Morgan was lost.

Holding Sakura in his arms, Shiomi walked down the slope alongside Morgan, who seemed indifferent to everything and everyone—except Sakura.

"By the way, what did you do to Rin?" Shiomi asked.

"The one from the Tohsaka family?" Marisbury responded. "Nothing. After defeating her, I just left her on the sidewalk by the bridge. She wasn't useful as a bargaining chip anyway."

"You really are a Magus through and through."

With that, Shiomi took Sakura and got into the car with Morgan at the end of the slope, vanishing beyond the grounds of the Fuyuki Church.

"Are you satisfied now? Even for you, facing those two must've been exhausting, right, Caster?"

"It was a battle I never could have imagined," Solomon nodded.

The King of Magecraft understood perfectly why Marisbury had chosen to end the Holy Grail War this way.

If Caster and either Shiomi or Morgan had perished together, the Holy Grail would never have ended up in Marisbury's hands.

"Well then. The fighting's over. What will you do now? I have no interest in completing the Third Magic, so there's no need for you to end your own life. As the victor of the Holy Grail War, you're entitled to a wish too."

"…"

Solomon fell silent, visibly puzzled—an emotion rarely seen on him.

"The Holy Grail can grant wishes. Both Master and Servant are eligible. I wish for immense wealth. What about you? What do you desire?"

Caught off guard by the question, Solomon froze.

His own wish… what was it… his own wish?

"Really—any wish, Marisbury?"

"Of course. Anything except my life. You're my contractor, and my only friend, Caster. No—Solomon, King of Magecraft. If it's your wish, then it's undoubtedly a rightful one. So go ahead. Make your wish with confidence."

"…"