Iskandar spat out a mouthful of wine, his eyes widening as he stared at the sudden marriage proposal unfolding before him.
He wasn't the only one stunned; even Waver, who had just woken from his faint, nearly passed out again from shock.
"A... A marriage proposal?!" Waver shrieked. "Is that golden guy out of his mind?!"
Artoria froze completely.
Her delicate face turned from pale to crimson as an unprecedented wave of anger and humiliation surged in her heart.
"What... What kind of lunacy are you spouting?!"
"I never joke."
Gilgamesh took a step forward, his crimson eyes burning with undisguised possessiveness.
"As long as you nod, as long as you are willing to become my collection and accompany me in this world..."
"Once I reclaim that so-called Holy Grail, what harm is there in granting it to you as a dowry?"
"Whether you wish to use it to save the ghosts of your Britain or to play house, I will allow it."
"This is the greatest blessing in all of heaven and earth, one that only I can bestow."
"...!!!"
The wind pressure from the holy sword erupted instantly, shredding the surrounding wine barrels and vegetation to pieces.
The King of Knights was furious, the tip of her blade pointed directly at Gilgamesh's throat.
"Archer! This insult can only be washed away with your blood!"
Facing this lethal strike, Gilgamesh merely stepped aside to dodge it effortlessly, the smile on his face growing increasingly arrogant and delighted.
"Hahahaha! Excellent, excellent!"
"That is exactly the look of someone who wants to kill me but is utterly powerless to do so! That is the unyielding soul I desire!"
"If you had agreed so easily, I would have found it boring."
Such a resolute rejection did not anger Gilgamesh. On the contrary, his smile grew even brighter.
"Furthermore, this is not a request. This is my decree."
"Tonight's banquet ends here!"
"Once I have disposed of the other mongrels, I will ask you one more time."
With a burst of arrogant laughter, Gilgamesh dissolved into golden Reishi and vanished into the night sky.
He left behind a furious Artoria and an Iskandar who had been thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
"My, my, what a domineering fellow."
The King of Conquerors scratched his head, looking at the still-trembling Artoria.
He downed the rest of the wine in his barrel and wiped his mouth boldly. "However, if a marriage proposal isn't mutual, it's nothing more than the act of a bandit! If he truly intends to take you by force, I'll lend you a hand when the time comes!"
"I do not need your help, King of Conquerors."
Artoria took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the raging anger in her heart.
She sheathed her sword. Her emerald eyes returned to their usual calmness, though they were now noticeably colder.
"I will use the sword in my hands to make him swallow those arrogant words."
With that said, she lingered no longer, turning around and walking back into the castle.
Irisviel looked worriedly at Artoria's retreating back, then at the King of Conquerors who was still drinking. Finally, she gave a polite bow and hurried after her.
"Tsk, tsk, what an unromantic woman."
Iskandar looked at the empty courtyard and sighed with regret.
He then grabbed Waver, who was still pretending to be unconscious in the grass, and tossed him onto the Gordius Wheel like a little chick.
"Let's go, boy! Although the drinks today weren't entirely satisfying, we at least got to watch a good show!"
With a thunderous roar, the chariot crushed the night sky and disappeared into the distance.
This absurd meeting of the three kings thus came to a hasty end in an extremely awkward and volatile atmosphere.
Tohsaka Manor, underground magic workshop.
Through the images transmitted by his familiar, Tokiomi witnessed the entire process.
It was a failure.
An absolute, utter failure.
Not only did he fail to facilitate the three-king alliance against Avenger, but the King of Heroes' sudden, mad actions had completely enraged the King of Knights...
"My King... You are as capricious as ever..."
Tokiomi rubbed his throbbing temples, his tone carrying a trace of helpless bitterness.
He could not criticize Gilgamesh's decisions. As a magus, he had to find a remedy for this out-of-control situation.
His perfect script—gathering the power of the three strongest classes to crush that unpredictable Avenger with the force of a thunderbolt, and then letting the three kings fight their final battle—had now been reduced to mere empty talk.
"Teacher."
Kirei Kotomine, who had been standing in the shadows, suddenly spoke, breaking the dead silence in the workshop.
"Although the three-king alliance has failed, we are not entirely without gains."
Kirei held a letter that had just been delivered by one of Assassin's personas and handed it to Tokiomi.
"This is Kayneth's reply."
Tokiomi's spirits lifted, and he quickly took the letter.
[As long as we can kill that Avenger, as long as we can make that despicable Servant and his Master pay the price... the El-Melloi family is willing to form a temporary alliance!]
On the parchment, the words were written in a mixture of blood and magical ink. The handwriting was messy and frantic, exuding a deep-seated hatred.
Through those few short lines, one could almost hear Kayneth's hysterical roaring.
"Good! Excellent!!"
"It seems his fiancée's severe injuries have driven this magus to absolute fury."
Tokiomi's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed, and his composed smile returned to his lips.
"Although we lost two strong reinforcements, winning over Kayneth is a silver lining in this misfortune."
He stood up and walked over to a massive map of Fuyuki City, firmly placing the chess piece representing Lancer alongside their own pieces.
"Even though Kayneth is injured, he is still a Color-ranked Magus with profound foundations."
"As long as we provide magical energy support, coupled with my healing potions, restoring his combat prowess will not be difficult."
"He..."
A sharp glint flashed in Tokiomi's eyes. "A madman blinded by hatred might be even more useful than a rational ally."
"The King of Heroes, Lancer, and your Assassin..."
"Three Servants united, along with the powerful magi from our two families, still form a formidable force."
Tokiomi turned to look at Kirei. "Kirei, notify Kayneth and have him come to the Tohsaka Manor for treatment. This place is a secure fortress."
"At the same time, have Assassin continue to keep a close eye on the Matou family's movements."
"That Avenger... we must strike against him as soon as possible."
"Yes, Teacher," Kirei bowed slightly, his eyelids lowered.
What even Tokiomi Tohsaka failed to notice was that this perpetually expressionless man had smiled for the very first time.
'This feeling of chaos... this is pleasure...'
Matou Family.
Compared to the surging undercurrents at the Tohsaka Manor, the atmosphere here was far more oppressive.
Asuka sat cross-legged on an old sofa, his arms folded across his chest, staring motionlessly at the figure sitting opposite him.
It was Berserker.
An otherworldly Soul Reaper wearing a Shihakusho, his face covered by a bone mask, exuding an ominous aura from head to toe.