After Gilgamesh departed, Kirei Kotomine finally let out a long, relieved sigh.
"A reason for seeking the Holy Grail..."
"I actually talked that much..."
"And it certainly wasn't because of this so-called pleasure."
Leaning back against the sofa, Kirei closed his eyes.
In his mind, the image of a man with a temperament remarkably similar to his own suddenly surfaced.
That man seemed to have already found the purpose of his life.
"If... if I could understand that man..."
"Would I finally understand what it is that I'm truly seeking?"
"...Kiritsugu Emiya."
...
"It's confirmed, Leon."
"That fast?"
Since the Holy Grail War was generally fought in secret—meaning most activity took place at night—there wasn't usually much movement during the day.
Even though another two and a half hours had passed, Leon wasn't in any hurry. With Kiritsugu Emiya, a master intelligence operative, investigating Caster and Ryunosuke Uryū's whereabouts, Leon, Irisviel, and Artoria had simply continued eating their way through the shopping district.
They still hadn't made it out of the food street.
Standing in front of a crêpe stand, Irisviel—who served as both the group's peacemaker and financier—ordered with practiced ease.
"One extra-extra-large crêpe, please."
Leon took a bite from the candied hawthorn skewer Artoria had handed him after eating half of it herself and deciding it was too sour.
His face immediately twisted from the sharp acidity.
Only then did he continue listening to Kiritsugu's report.
"Based on the information you provided, Caster's Master is Ryunosuke Uryū—the serial kidnapper responsible for the recent string of child abductions in Fuyuki City."
"I've narrowed down his operating area by eliminating locations one by one according to the crime scenes."
"The most likely hideout is an abandoned underground drainage system along the Inner Harbor shoreline of Fuyuki City."
"It's only about five kilometers from where you fought Archer."
"It appears they're using it as both their base..."
"...and as the place where the kidnapped children are being held and disposed of."
Leon could clearly hear the suppressed anger in Kiritsugu's voice during that last sentence.
It was understandable.
Most of the abducted children were around Illyasviel's age.
Some were even younger.
"I understand."
After giving a brief reply, Leon ended the call.
As usual, before leaving the crêpe stand, he used his enormous reserves of magical energy together with a simple hypnotic technique he had learned at Einzbern Castle.
With brute force overcoming finesse, he erased the vendor's memories of the three of them.
"What is it, Leon?"
"Did Kiritsugu find Caster?"
Artoria asked while nibbling on a super-sized crêpe nearly as large as her face, holding it with both hands like a squirrel.
"He did."
Leon nodded before taking a tissue from his pocket and gently wiping the jam from the corner of Artoria's mouth.
"So?"
"Should we head out now?"
"But it's still daytime," Irisviel said worriedly.
"There are still more than an hour before sunset."
"If we clash with Caster in broad daylight, we'll almost certainly expose ourselves to the public."
"Good point."
Leon immediately sent Kiritsugu another message.
When are Caster and Ryunosuke usually active? Have any children disappeared during the daytime?
The reply came moments later.
None. Every disappearance has occurred between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m.
"Huh."
"So he's a textbook night owl."
Leon showed the message to Irisviel and Artoria.
"That's a relief."
Irisviel visibly relaxed.
"Nom... Nom..."
Artoria polished off the remaining half of her enormous crêpe in just two bites before making a suggestion.
"Let's have Kiritsugu continue monitoring Caster and his Master."
"Once it's completely dark..."
"...we'll move."
She looked up at Leon.
The considerable height difference between them caused her distinctive ahoge to sway back and forth like the wagging tail of a loyal puppy, just barely brushing against Leon's clean-shaven chin.
It tickled.
That was also the reason Artoria had insisted Leon shave his stubble.
Otherwise, it scratched her whenever they got close.
"All right!"
"In that case..."
"Let's have another round of food before nightfall!"
Artoria declared energetically, raising a hand toward a nearby barbecue restaurant.
"Artoria..."
Irisviel looked worriedly at the King's slightly rounded stomach.
It protruded just enough to resemble someone about two and a half months pregnant.
"The thing is..."
"Although Servants possess extraordinary digestive abilities and can convert food into magical energy..."
"There is still a limit."
"If you exceed it..."
"...your combat performance will suffer."
"It's daijoubu! Daijoubu!"
Artoria confidently patted her perfectly toned stomach.
"I can still eat!"
"I know you can..."
Irisviel replied weakly before turning pleading eyes toward Leon.
Leon simply laughed.
Standing behind Artoria, he rested both hands on her shoulders and lightly leaned his chin against her ahoge in open support.
"A growing girl should eat well."
"Let her enjoy herself."
"A little extra food isn't going to affect her fighting ability very much."
"Exactly~"
Artoria nodded so enthusiastically that her head bobbed like a stapler.
"You really spoil her."
Irisviel pressed a hand to her forehead in resignation.
She was no match for the two partners in crime.
Just then—
"Coo! Coo!"
A gray pigeon circled overhead.
Thinking it looked rather cute, Irisviel reached out her hand, intending to let it land.
The pigeon seemed to understand and began descending.
"Irisviel."
"I'll take care of it."
Just before it landed, Leon calmly intercepted it.
Grabbing the suspicious-looking pigeon with one hand, he removed a tightly rolled piece of brown stationery tied to its leg.
A similar scene was unfolding at the Hyatt Hotel.
Iskandar and Waver were in the middle of a two-player racing game called Raging Motor, loudly competing against one another.
"Take this, Rider! Rider Kick!"
"Hah! I'm not done yet! Witness my Spiral Combo!"
Their shouting caused Kayneth, who had been standing by the floor-to-ceiling balcony windows contemplating which opponent to eliminate first, to frown in annoyance.
Unfortunately, since playing the game had been Iskandar's idea—and Kayneth wasn't even Rider's Master—he wasn't really in a position to interrupt them.
At that moment...
Kayneth found himself missing Lancer—Diarmuid Ua Duibhne—more than ever.
Compared to the Conqueror King, who stubbornly refused to follow orders, his former Lancer had been the model Servant: loyal, disciplined, and impeccably respectful.
Some people...
Only realize what they had after they've lost it.
"...Sigh."
Kayneth let out a melancholy breath.
"Pfft."
"I've never seen you look like this before."
Sola-Ui walked up behind him, placing her fair hands gently on his shoulders as she began massaging them.
"So?"
"What could possibly trouble the greatest prodigy of the Department of Evocation?"
"It's nothing."
Kayneth had no desire to speak about Lancer again.
"Coo! Coo!"
A white-and-gray pigeon landed on the balcony railing.
"Hm?"
Sola-Ui blinked in surprise.
Kayneth narrowed his eyes.
His fully restored Volumen Hydrargyrum (Moon Spirit Mercury) extended from beside him in place of his hand, effortlessly removing the rolled brown letter from the bird's leg.
Almost simultaneously...
Leon unfolded his own letter.
Both sheets of parchment appeared completely blank.
Not a single word was written on them.
Then, as Risei Kotomine began speaking from Fuyuki Church...
Lines of black ink slowly emerged across the pages, revealing his message.
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