Tohsaka Rin arrived at Einzbern Castle one step ahead of Caster. When she reached the castle, she happened to spot Kiritsugu Emiya and Irisviel on the castle wall. She knew this should be Kiritsugu Emiya's last personal emotional outpouring. All the pressure she had exerted on Kiritsugu Emiya before was in hopes that he would abandon the Holy Grail and leave with Irisviel, but alas... However, this situation was also natural; perhaps it was Tohsaka Rin who was caught in a delusion. When the Holy Grail, the only omnipotent vessel that could fulfill that originally impossible wish, appeared, even if it was just a faint glimmer in endless darkness, he would pursue it like a moth to a flame.
Tohsaka Rin did not enter the castle, so she was unaware of the battle plan Kiritsugu Emiya and Irisviel were discussing. If she had known about the strategy Kiritsugu Emiya had devised against her, she would likely have adopted a different attitude towards Kiritsugu Emiya... After all, in Tohsaka Rin's heart, the closeness of relationships between people was very clear. She could risk herself to fully change the tragedies she didn't want to see, but all of this had to be built upon the preservation of those she cherished.
Therefore, Tohsaka Rin never felt she was particularly great or a good person. The reason she wanted to change those tragedies was not out of sympathy or kindness, nor was it because she couldn't stand by and watch others suffer. It was entirely because she wanted to do it. Her hobby, to put it simply, was: she was willing.
With the agile grace of a phantom cat, she easily leaped to the highest point of the castle. On the towering castle spire, the biting cold wind was merely like a spring breeze to Tohsaka Rin.
With Tohsaka Rin's almost clairvoyant vision, she could survey every rustle and stir in the entire Einzbern Forest from here. Compared to Caster and the dozen children, who were hostages and sacrifices, entering from the main castle gate, Tohsaka Rin placed more attention on the forest behind the castle. If there were no surprises, one person on Tohsaka Rin's kill list would appear there.
"As per last night's agreement, Gilles de Rais has come to visit."
Caster's voice drifted on the wind from the edge of the bounded field, reaching Rin's ears.
The Einzbern Castle's bounded field was a concealed alert field with a five-kilometer diameter. If Caster were to advance a few more steps, he would encounter numerous magical traps that had been set up in advance. Clearly, Caster was a madman, but he was not a fool; being able to wield the book of the abyss of the spiral labyrinth (codex of the spiral city) meant he wasn't completely ignorant of magic. At the very least, he was at an amateur level.
Evidently, Saber's group had no intention of responding to Caster.
"...Ah, it seems you still can't make up your mind. I said I would be fully prepared when I returned. So, let's play a little game."
Caster snapped his fingers. The children following Caster woke up as if from a dream, helplessly looking around, seemingly unable to figure out where they were.
"Listen, children, we're playing hide-and-seek. The rules are simple. Just run away from me. If I catch you—"
Caster reached out and grabbed the head of a child next to him—
Like a rotten watermelon smashed to pieces. The sound of a skull shattering, brains splattering everywhere, and eyeballs falling through the air. Those nightmarish scenes were seared into everyone's minds.
The children let out heart-wrenching screams and began to scatter. Caster stood in the center, laughing with a joyful yet grotesque sound.
"Run quickly! I'll start chasing you after I count to one hundred. So, Jalter, how long do you think it will take me to catch all the children?"
Rin watched the tragedy unfolding at the edge of the bounded field without blinking, making no move, because nothing could be changed, so there was no need to do anything. She had long grown accustomed to such scenes, even having personally caused many during past battles; it was just that this time it was happening to a group of children.
Less than a minute later, Saber, clad in silver armor and wielding her sword, was seen rushing towards Caster's direction with a gust of wind, like a bolt of lightning, to save the innocent children Caster had kidnapped.
Unfortunately, before Saber arrived, blood-and-flesh fireworks exploded in the dense forest, and Sea Monsters with tentacles, which had been lurking in the mud, sprang out. From the very beginning, those children could not be saved; Caster had implanted Sea Monster eggs in their bodies, and as long as the book of the abyss of the spiral labyrinth (codex of the spiral city) was in his hand, he could activate and detonate them at any time. Even if Rin and Lancelot had intervened, they couldn't have saved them.
Saber, ambushed and surrounded, immediately fell into a bitter struggle with the endless tentacled Sea Monsters. Hundreds of monsters encircled Saber, but she charged fearlessly towards Caster. A whooshing sound came, as a tentacle swept from her left. Saber instinctively reached out her left hand to block it, but the injury Lancer had inflicted on her still lingered, causing her to react too slowly!
The tentacle immediately seized her left arm, and Saber's momentum instantly slowed. Another tentacle wrapped around her back, coiling towards her neck! The remaining tentacles followed suit, instantly immobilizing all of Saber's movements.
"Master, please allow me to lend my king a hand."
Lancelot requested permission from Rin, but Rin calmly shook her head.
"Don't worry, Berserker. Saber won't be eliminated here, and Saber's reinforcements will arrive soon."
Rin smiled calmly. Sure enough, like lightning, a long and a short spear shot from the dense forest, cutting off the tentacles and resolving Saber's crisis.
Before the gasping Saber, who had just been freed from her restraints, a tall figure in grass-green armor appeared.
"How unsightly, Saber. If your swordsmanship doesn't become more awe-inspiring, the name of the king of knights will surely weep."
"Lancer?!"
"Heh, you see? What did I tell you?"
Lancer, who had suddenly appeared, immediately aimed his spear at Caster upon his arrival. Caster, in turn, roared furiously at this unexpected interloper.
"Who are you?! Who gave you permission to disturb me?!"
"That's exactly what I should be asking. Wicked demon."
Lancer stared coldly at the agitated Caster, his spear pointed at him.
"Who allowed you to be so presumptuous? Saber's head is destined to be a medal hanging from my spear. You wish to profit from our conflict and steal the fruits of victory; this is a despicable act, scorned on the battlefield."
"Nonsense! Nonsense, nonsense, nonsense!!"
Caster shrieked, tearing at his scalp with all his might:
"It's my prayer! My Holy Grail! She is mine! Not a single shred of flesh, not a drop of blood, including her soul—they are all mine!!"
Lancer slowly raised his two spears, adopting his unique dual-spear stance, standing in front of Saber as if shielding her behind him.
"Caster, I have no intention of meddling in your affections. If you are determined to subjugate Saber and take her, then by all means, go ahead... However, the notion of disregarding Diarmuid and defeating 'one-handed Saber' is absolutely impermissible! If you do not retreat now, my spears will from this moment on replace Saber's 'left hand'!"
Seeing this, Rin couldn't help but sigh at such knightly valor. It must be said that such loyalty and chivalry among knights was indeed pleasing to the eye. But for Rin, it was merely something to observe; if she had to evaluate it, then in war, such a spirit was equivalent to foolishness... What a joke, this was war!
Rin then also saw Director Kayneth, with his short golden hair. He was likely heading to Einzbern Castle with his spiritual evocation mystic code, the magecraft reriqument: blood fort andromeda, to challenge them.
Since Director Kayneth had arrived, Kirei Kotomine should have arrived as well... "Berserker, I'm going to handle some private matters. You go to Saber. If Saber and Lancer fall into a dangerous situation, you are permitted to help them. As for Caster, although I promised Jalter that she would be the one to execute him when he reached his end, a 'mistake' is within the realm of understanding, isn't it?"
"Understood, Master."
Rin withdrew and hurried towards the back of the castle. When she saw Maiya Hisau, clad in a capable black outfit, leaving through the back gate of the castle with Irisviel, Rin concealed herself and quietly followed.
---------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the story has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 chapters in advance over on my Patreon: patreon.com/TLHimejima1
Every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone and let me know.