"Father, I do not understand why we must bring Souya with us to Romania. As you know, this time is different from the other Subcategory Holy Grail Wars. It is highly irregular, and the level of danger surpasses even a true Holy Grail War."
The boy's voice, laced with confusion and worry, echoed through the empty church. Shirou Kotomine, a boy with white hair and dark skin, was currently doing his best to persuade the old man before him.
"I know that Souya is now an elite Executor and has participated in quite a few Subcategory Holy Grail Wars, but this is truly different. This is a plot that the Yggdmillennia clan has been scheming for nearly a century. The danger we will face there is far beyond what those half-baked wars could ever compare to."
Shirou Kotomine's brow furrowed deeply at the thought of his younger brother stepping into this brutal war alongside him. The boy shared a similar background to his own and greeted him with a warm smile every time they met.
"I understand your reasoning, but this order came from the higher-ups in the Church. Even if you and I are unwilling, we cannot simply defy this directive."
Risei Kotomine, a robust and burly old man dressed in a cassock despite his greying hair, wore a face full of helplessness.
In this world, the Holy Church was one of the two major powers, standing alongside the Mage's Association. Though they shared the same faith and interpretation of the 'Lord's' teachings as a normal church, they were in truth a massive organization established for the purpose of hunting heretics.
Its internal rules were strict, and its absolute commands were numerous. Even though Shirou Kotomine's true identity was highly unusual, being an existence merely one step away from a so-called "Saint," it was nearly impossible for him to alter an order issued by the Church through his own personal will.
Naturally, Shirou Kotomine understood this logic. Thus, upon hearing Risei Kotomine's answer, his brow remained tightly furrowed.
"Relax. Just as you said, Souya is already an elite Executor. Watched over by the 'Lord,' he will surely embrace hope even if he truly encounters danger."
Risei Kotomine raised a hand and placed it on Shirou Kotomine's shoulder. He comforted the young man before him, who was officially his adoptive son but felt more like a friend.
"Besides, this is also a good thing for Souya."
Risei Kotomine lowered his hand. As if recalling something joyous, a trace of relief and gratification appeared in his eyes.
"The Church has reached a certain consensus with the Mage's Association. They will select a few members with a talent for Magecraft to study at the Clock Tower or within a magus family. I submitted applications for both Kirei and Souya."
"There are no issues on Kirei's end. As for Souya, the Church holds great expectations for him. By the same token, they want to see exactly how vast his potential is. This is clearly a perfect opportunity for him to prove his worth."
Risei Kotomine snapped back to reality. Looking straight into Shirou Kotomine's eyes, his tone carried a hint of pleading.
"Shirou, I know you place great importance on this great war triggered by the Greater Grail. I understand you surely have your own pursuits and goals. But I still hope you can give Souya a chance."
"I am in my twilight years and have no grand desires. Kirei has also grown up. He is merely lost right now, but one day he will find what he is looking for."
"My only worry is my adopted youngest son. He bears a Stigma. His life is destined to be anything but ordinary. I only hope you can look after him before he fully matures."
"You do not need to shield him from every storm. Just give him the space to grow."
Shirou Kotomine fell silent for a moment. It was only now that he realized the Risei Kotomine before him was no longer the solemn, powerful overseer from the Third Holy Grail War in his memories.
Today, he was merely a grey-haired old man approaching his seventies.
Perhaps because a Heroic Spirit's time was infinite, several decades were just a string of numbers spent preparing his plans to Shirou Kotomine. But to Risei Kotomine, the years had changed him a great deal.
"Rest assured, Father. I will take good care of Souya."
In the end, Shirou Kotomine sighed and accepted Risei Kotomine's request.
Truthfully, his initial reluctance to let Souya accompany him to Romania also stemmed from a slight worry that the boy might interfere with his plans.
This plan took precedence over everything else, even his own life. It was the ideal he wanted to fulfill ever since becoming a Heroic Spirit, a taboo that could not be interfered with under any circumstances.
Well, the Heroic Spirit I plan to summon most likely won't have any issues. The materials needed to construct the 'Gardens' are already prepared. When the time comes, I just need to have Souya stay inside the 'Gardens'.
Thinking of the catalyst he had prepared and the abilities of that Assyrian Empress, Shirou Kotomine relaxed a little.
Following Risei Kotomine out, the church situated atop the mountain quieted down once more. Cold moonlight spilled through the window gaps onto the church's marble walls, leaving behind only a frigid silence.
***
Meanwhile, Souya, the center of the conversation, still had no idea that his future fate had already been arranged by his adoptive father and brother.
He had actually heard rumors early on about being sent to Romania to participate in the Holy Grail War.
After all, there was no possibility of rejecting an order from the Holy Church. He would find out what he needed to know sooner or later.
As for his views and attitude toward the matter. What else could he do? Since he couldn't refuse, he could only choose to sit back and enjoy it.
Sometimes, a person's life was truly decided at birth. As the saying goes, the biggest watershed in life isn't the college entrance exams or becoming an adult, but the amniotic fluid.
Whether you were a tall, rich, and handsome winner or a short, poor, and ugly loser, it was all decided the moment you hit the ground crying.
And when it came to this particular watershed, Souya was quite the veteran.
The first time was in his previous life. His name was better left unmentioned. He was just an ordinary transmigrator who was born into an ordinary family, grew into an ordinary citizen, and was finally run over by an ordinary truck.
The second time was in this current life. Transmigrating over with the memories of an adult, he was abandoned at the doorstep of a church while still in a completely bewildered state, having no idea what was going on.
If not for his exceptional natural talents, using his booming soprano wails to wake up a sleeping nun, he reckoned he probably would have frozen to death outside that church.
After all, it had been a winter night.
As for what came after, he didn't grow up in that church and become a Jesus-worshipping, little-boy-loving priest like one might imagine. Instead, at the age of four, he was taken away by a burly old man who looked like a priest, dressed in a black cassock and wearing a golden cross.
Just as he was terrified out of his mind, thinking that before he could become a priest who loved little boys he was going to experience what it felt like to be a little boy loved by a priest, he unexpectedly completed his understanding of this world.
This old man was none other than Risei Kotomine, the man who fathered Fuyuki's greatest "Rejoice" addict, the Mapo Tofu priest. Thus, he was adopted by him, becoming Kirei Kotomine's younger brother: Souya Kotomine.
As for why Risei Kotomine sought him out, it was naturally because Souya possessed outstanding talent and a sturdy physique. One look was enough to tell he was a fine seedling destined for great things.
Alright, the actual reason was that a blood-red scar had appeared on the back of his neck. This was a 'Stigma.'
This was undoubtedly a gift of fate. It was a mark showing that the omniscient and omnipotent 'Lord' had cast His gaze upon him.
Put in more layman's terms: "I see that this child possesses the makings of a Saint!"
If it had been a few hundred years earlier, Souya could have easily bluffed his way into becoming a Holy Son, to say the least.
But now, having already stepped into the new millennium, becoming a Holy Son was off the table. The benefits, however, were still massive.
Putting aside reviving withered plants and walking on water, tricks that most Saints knew, the greatest effect this Stigma brought Souya was activating the Magic Circuits hidden deep within his body. It allowed him to leap from being a complete muggle into a genius capable of learning Magecraft.
That was right, Magic Circuits. When Souya heard this term from Risei Kotomine's mouth, he finally understood exactly what kind of world he had arrived in.
Naturally, it was the disaster-prone Type-Moon universe, a place where humanity constantly faced crises like the world being destroyed or the Incineration of the Human Order.
Great, just great. In the past, he always used to fantasize about how wonderful it would be to come to the Type-Moon world and get cozy with his favorite female characters like the Princess, Rin, and Saber. But upon actually arriving here, Souya immediately wilted.
Dude, seriously?!
It was that unbearable feeling of talking trash online, only to get hunted down in real life by a muscle-bound thug...
And just when Souya was wondering if he could lay low and hide behind the Mapo priest, reality dealt him a swift blow to the head.
You want to be a deserter? Show your loyalty right now!
Bearing a Stigma and harboring massive magical potential within his body, Souya was naturally reported up the chain by Risei Kotomine. Upon learning that a child with the makings of a Saint had actually appeared in the modern era, the Holy Church paid the utmost attention.
Thus, tiny Souya was thrown into a massive training regimen.
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays were for physical conditioning and combat simulations. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays were for studying Magecraft and the Church's cultural knowledge. On Sundays, he was forced to attend mass to consolidate his faith in the Lord and his identification with the Church.
Whenever Souya woke up from his dreams in the dead of night, he would reminisce about the past and secretly wish that the Stigma on his back was star-shaped and shifted down to his left shoulder instead...
Fortunately, hard times always passed. After becoming an Executor capable of facing an average Servant head-on, Souya took charge of exorcist duties. He traveled across the world, purging heretics who defied the Lord's will. His adaptability to this line of work was so high that even the senior Executors of the Inquisition would sigh in admiration upon seeing him, claiming the kid clearly shared a connection with them and was destined to join the Inquisition in the future...
Of course, in the end, Souya didn't join the Burial Agency. Instead, just like Risei Kotomine and Kirei Kotomine, he joined the Assembly of the Eighth Sacrament. This organization collected and managed sacred relics, and occasionally served as overseers for Subcategory Holy Grail Wars.
In other words, he took up the old Kotomine family tradition of becoming a corrupt referee.
It was also during this period that Souya finally figured out exactly which timeline of the Type-Moon universe he was in.
When he first learned his adoptive brother was the Mapo priest, Souya thought he was in Fate/Zero or Fate/stay night. That is, the world of the Fourth or Fifth Holy Grail War.
Although he was deeply saddened by the tragic loss of his chances to meet Princess Arcueid and Aoko Aozaki, overall, Souya was still quite happy.
After all, no matter how you sliced it, the world of the Holy Grail War was always better than the Tsukihime setting, where True Ancestors ran rampant and biohazard outbreaks occurred every other day.
Besides, wasn't there still the tsundere Rin, the gentle Sakura, and the adorable King of Knights...
But all of these fantasies shattered the moment he laid eyes on his older brother, who went by the name Shirou Kotomine but was actually Amakusa Shirou.
Hmm... As a fake Holy Son with the makings of a Saint and rich experience in modern society, I should have an easier time picking up the Saintess than that bullshit Sieg, right?
Jesus, oh, wait, no. Almighty Lord, what do You think?
Souya rubbed his chin and tilted his head ninety degrees to look up at the sky.