Chapter 596: Gambling Brings Temporary Joy, But the Aftermath is Hell
White Fox had never imagined that two Masters destined to fight to the death could converse so peacefully.
Was it because they were in the church?
"Yesterday was truly regrettable. That the wound didn't prove fatal was nothing short of a miracle," the old knight began by apologizing again. White Fox shook her head—her concern wasn't for herself right now.
"How is... Sakatsuki?"
"Worried about your Servant, are you?" The old knight studied White Fox with a slightly odd expression—a mix of "Are you messing with me, girl?" and "Don't you know just how strong he is?"
If not for the sincerity in the girl's eyes, Dan Blackmore might have thought she was mocking him.
"Though I exhausted every means at my disposal, I was still outmatched. Had it not been for the terms of our wager, my Servant would likely have perished in the Second Lunar Sea."
Without hesitation, the old knight Dan openly admitted the outcome of their battle. "The first wager has concluded. Given that young man's temperament, he won't let us off easily. Tomorrow will likely be our final confrontation."
Dan Blackmore wasn't saying this to plead for mercy—he was simply stating facts with the composure of someone who had lived far longer than the girl before him. Seeing the weariness in the old man's eyes, White Fox stifled her private relief. For some reason, she suddenly wanted to know more about his past.
"My past?" Dan Blackmore blinked in surprise. In this academy, where Masters were supposed to be sworn enemies, only this girl would dare ask such a question so openly. "Very well. It's nothing worth hiding. The reason I joined this Holy Grail War was at the request of Her Majesty the Queen."
From Rin's account, White Fox had learned of the old man's identity—a former soldier dispatched by the British Commonwealth, knighted by the Queen in his youth, a veteran who had seen countless battles.
Though the British royal family was part of the Western European financial conglomerate, they opposed the Harvey family's leadership. Fearing the Harveys would monopolize the Moon Cell, the Queen had sent her most trusted personal soldier.
Which was precisely why White Fox found the old man's reckless use of Command Spells so baffling.
"Indeed, even I wonder if I'd lost my mind back then..." The old man shook his head self-deprecatingly. "But when I used those Command Spells, I felt no regret. Though this battle was also Her Majesty's wish, for me... it was my first true personal battle in a long time—no, my first ever."
"If I had treated this purely as a military operation, I would have allowed Archer to act freely. Unfortunately, I am fighting now as a knight."
The old knight, who had lost his ideals, his wife, and his former life on the battlefield, smiled faintly. "Whenever I think like this, my wife's face comes to mind. Would she be proud of the man I've become?"
An aged knight, dignified and unpretentious.
White Fox understood clearly—this opponent in the second round was the polar opposite of the ally she had met in the first.
Killing enemy soldiers, losing his wife, reaching for weapons—he never excused the atrocities of his youth. Having chosen this path, he bore responsibility for both his own life and the lives he took.
Choosing the path of a knight in the Holy Grail War was not an act of atonement, either. It was simply following the guidance and courage of his heart.
For someone like him, who still hadn't found the meaning of his battles, this was a noble way of existence indeed.
"You still seem lost… about your own existence." The old man seemed to read something in Hakuno's expression. He stopped speaking of his own past and instead gazed intently at Kishinami Hakuno—this girl who wielded an extremely dangerous weapon (a Servant) without even realizing it.
Like a mentor offering earnest advice.
"Be careful. All outcomes are merely the products of process. Regret is like a flower in perpetual bloom—no matter the path, it will bear its own fruit. That is why, young lady, only actions you are not ashamed of can free you from the burden of looking back."
—Nothing can be born from the midst of feeling wrong.
Even regret must not be brushed aside with half-hearted excuses. No matter how twisted the path, one must walk it with all their might, allowing their soul to manifest.
"You have a fine Servant. To go so far for you… the bond between you must be quite strong," Dan Blackmore murmured. "Go to him. Your Servant must be wounded as well. If he hasn't appeared by your side, it's likely because he didn't want you to worry—choosing instead to lick his wounds alone in some corner."
"And then… don't miss your chance. Don't suppress your heart. And above all, don't let regret consume you only after everything is beyond saving."
These were the old knight's final words of advice to the girl.
———
As Kishinami Hakuno walked away, the old knight watched her retreating figure, his gaze distant. Behind him, the invisible man in green spoke.
"You were quite talkative today, my lord. Did something come to mind?"
Dan Blackmore closed his eyes. "Nothing much. I just suddenly remembered… how my wife, after the battles, used to come to me with just as much joy and worry in her heart."
But time was a merciless blade. Those beautiful memories were already decades old. He had long forgotten his wife's face, and now even his recollections had grown hazy.
Robin Hood sighed, remarking that when his wanted posters had gone up, many village maidens had secretly harbored feelings for him—yet he had never once looked back.
"Do you regret it, Archer?"
"Regret…? No, what I feel now is even fainter than that. Though I did admire gallant knights as a child, that was the path fate had set for me. If I hadn't stopped those officials from seizing the people's food, those girls who could still afford to pine for love would've withered away from hunger, don't you think?"
If knights couldn't save the suffering people, then he would step forward. Thief, scoundrel—it didn't matter. As long as he could save those lives in torment, he was willing to become anything.
Within the sacred halls of the church, master and servant exchanged smiles, once again feeling the bond between their souls.
One was a bloodstained soldier, once shackled by duty, finding here the only place to act upon his will.
The other was Sherwood's righteous thief, willingly sacrificing himself for salvation, still yearning for knightly valor even at death's door.
Only here could they live this second life that truly defined themselves.
To become knights—to become the radiant, shining existence they had always admired.
"For a hero like you to become my Servant... what a waste," the old knight mused.
"Not at all. At best, I've only helped a few villages. You, my lord, fought for the nation—these hands must have saved far more lives."
"True. But the blood I've spilled will never wash away." The old knight chuckled ruefully before shifting the topic. "Tomorrow, we retrieve the second cipher key. That wrathful hero won't let this chance slip. Archer, can your wounds heal by then? It may well be our final battle."
"Don't say such things, my lord." Robin Hood smirked. "Though I'm but a mere thief, I'd gladly lend my strength to protect you—just don't use another Command Spell to seal my Noble Phantasm again."
"Heh... rest assured. Punishment shall never befall a knight of your virtue."
Their voices faded. Outside the church, round-leaved stonecrop swayed—flowers whose meaning was 'admiration,' their faint fragrance mingling with the moonlight, silently recording this untold tale.
————
Though victory had come swiftly, Robin Hood's combat prowess was far from negligible. His counterattack had inevitably left its mark.
Minor injuries—nothing the Third Magic couldn't swiftly mend.
Just painful, that's all.
In the cafeteria, Sakatsuki sat clad in his red mystic code, his numerous wounds healing at a visible pace, each mending fiber sending sharp jolts through his nerves. Yet the young man's expression remained unflinching as he sipped his tea, leaning back in his chair with eyes half-lidded.
Once fully recovered, he'd return to Hakuno...
Thanks to Golden Rule's restoration and the preparations he'd laid during the preliminaries, Sakatsuki now had no shortage of QP. Unlike other Masters who pinched every penny, he lounged in luxurious idleness, savoring this rare moment of leisure.
But then his ears caught the faint echoes of lament around him.
"Gathering intel on Servants while making a tidy profit—two joys combined should bring even greater joy... So why... did it end like this...?"
"Sniff... my items, my mystic codes... I still have loans to pay..."
"This is all... Tohsaka's... fault..."
"I can't take it anymore... I'm going to the rooftop..."
"Give it up, Az. The rooftop's already packed..."
The sheer despair in these murmurs weighed heavily, transforming the once-cheerful cafeteria into a pit of gloom. The atmosphere grew thick with the sighs of thwarted ambitions, like a salaryman's izakaya drowning in midlife crises—enough to move listeners to tears.
What happened? Did they all get busted in a raid?
Sakatsuki stood dazed, utterly unaware of his role as the prime culprit. Just then, movement caught his attention beside him. In an instant, the young man's expression turned sharp as he spun around, a finger poised like a sword—condensing enough force to shatter mountains and rocks. With the slightest release, it could pierce through the visitor's forehead.
But what met his gaze was a charming face caught between a pout and delight. Those peach-blossom eyes held no trace of fear, instead shimmering with a maiden's liveliness and mischief.
"Nero..." The hostility vanished instantly as Sakatsuki withdrew his hand, smiling wryly. "You really gave me a scare."
"Ehehe, did I?" The young emperor stuck out her tongue, plopping down beside him without a hint of reservation. "Yet I was so worried about you, and this is how you treat me... Sob sob qaq."
Despite her words, she merely covered her face in an exaggerated display, peeking through her fingers with emerald eyes. When she caught sight of his helpless yet doting smile, a gleeful light flickered in her gaze.
"Stop fooling around, Your Majesty."
"Mmm, but this is my imperial favor—accept it gratefully!" She patted Sakatsuki's shoulder. "Ah, speaking of which, isn't it almost dinnertime?"
As if to boast, Nero puffed out her chest proudly and declared with grandeur:
"Tonight, my treat!"