"Rider, do you think it's true?"
"Oh? How rare. You're actually questioning the Church's claim instead of fixating on the reward."
In their residence, Waver and Lelouch discussed the announcement.
"I'm not as naive as I used to be."
"Of course I know things aren't always what they seem on the surface!"
Flustered, Waver retorted defensively.
"Heh. You already have your own answer, don't you?"
Rather than directly addressing the question, Lelouch simply smiled.
"Shut up! I just wanted you to confirm it."
Waver did have his own judgment, but a lack of confidence had driven him to seek Lelouch's validation. The Emperor's conclusions would certainly be more sound than his own.
"There's no need for that."
"You're a capable person. Second-guessing yourself only breeds indecision."
"Sometimes, having full confidence in your own judgment is what defines maturity."
Utterly disinterested in the specifics of the affair, Lelouch reclined on the sofa.
"R-Really?"
Relieved, Waver exhaled. At least he knew his instincts had been right.
He was beginning to appreciate Kayneth's "tough love" methodology.
Compared to Rider's "sink or swim" approach, he almost preferred Kayneth's "scream insults at you before you make the mistake" school of teaching.
The former only warned you after you'd already fallen into the pit. The latter screamed "moron!" before you'd even taken a step.
At least Rider would catch him if he fell. So mistakes, while embarrassing, weren't fatal.
"And besides, questioning this situation is pointless."
"The Church says Lancer killed a civilian and violated the rules. Even if she didn't, she did."
"Debating right and wrong here accomplishes nothing."
Lelouch understood the power of narrative control perfectly.
"But..."
Something about it sat wrong. As an honest young man, Waver couldn't simply accept such an "arrangement."
Fabricating charges against the innocent, then incentivizing others to carry out the sentence.
Such brazen manipulation...
It was going too far!
His fists trembled. Waver couldn't make peace with blind compliance.
"That's why you people from peaceful eras are always too kind."
"Well, I'm not from ancient times! Of course I can't accept your 'the monarch demands death, and the vassal must comply' mentality!"
"Pinning false charges on someone and then killing them, letting them die under a stain they never earned..."
"How could I possibly understand something like that?!"
For once standing firm, Waver raised his voice in defiance.
"Heh. Well said."
"That's exactly why the world needs people like you."
"If everyone thought only in shadows and self-interest, the world would have destroyed itself long ago."
Breaking into an unguarded laugh, Lelouch stood and approached him.
He didn't dislike straightforward people like Waver. It reminded him of his younger self, seething with righteous fury at the Holy Britannian Empire's tyranny.
"Uh..."
Sensing genuine approval, Waver was taken aback.
"When you encounter injustice, don't let the anger consume you."
"Looking only at the surface means missing the real objective."
Walking to a table bearing a chess set, Lelouch picked up a piece and offered a reminder.
"The real objective?"
'Could there be an ulterior motive behind this extermination order?'
Calming down, Waver tilted his head in thought.
"Think carefully. If everyone participates in eliminating Lancer, who truly profits?"
"Well, the reward is Command Spells, so... every participating Master."
Waver identified the obvious beneficiaries immediately.
"The reward appears equal for everyone. But you already suspect Lancer may be innocent. So why would the Church issue this bounty?"
"Lancer's Master is dead. Her elimination is a matter of time. Even the Church has no reason to specifically target her."
"Which means their real target was never Lancer. She and the Command Spells are just bait, designed to lure out whoever they actually want."
"Excluding our already-exposed pair, plus Saber and Kiritsugu, plus the Assassin-Archer alliance who instigated this, plus Lancer as the victim..."
"The only remaining targets are Caster and Berserker."
Hearing Lelouch's analysis, Waver experienced a flash of genuine admiration.
"Caster isn't their primary concern right now. So that means..."
"They're using the reward to smoke out Berserker's Master?"
The reasoning clicked into place. Waver could see the full picture now.
That omnipotent Berserker was the most dangerous wildcard. Even their own camp hadn't identified his Master.
Thinking about it, it was only natural that Archer and Assassin's Masters would collude with the Church overseer.
Can't handle the Servant? Then target the Master.
An intelligent and devastatingly effective strategy.
"And moreover, it's a proposition no one can refuse."
Toppling a chess piece, Lelouch continued.
"Exactly. With Command Spells as the reward, no Master will decline."
"Especially since it's just eliminating Lancer, who's irrelevant to them."
"No one's going to care whether she actually did it."
Waver clenched his jaw, furious at how seamlessly the "open scheme" had been constructed.
Command Spells were a Master's lifeline.
No Master would ever think "I have too many." Any chance to gain an extra one would be seized without hesitation.
Opting out meant falling one Spell behind every other Master. The disadvantage was self-evident.
Exploiting this psychology was exactly why Risei had proposed the plan.
As overseer, he would follow through on the reward. Reneging would invite collective retaliation, harming the Church itself.
The stakes were real. The bait was genuine.
That was precisely why Risei was confident every Master would act.
"Get ready, Saber."
"Kiritsugu? You...?"
Saber stared at Kiritsugu cleaning his firearms, stunned.
"Is that even a question?"
"Of course I'm going to join the hunt for Lancer."
"An opportunity with nothing but upside. No reason to pass."
Lancer's innocence? Her circumstances?
Utterly irrelevant to Emiya Kiritsugu. A Masterless Servant was beneath concern.
He'd already spent one Command Spell. Only two remained. A chance to recoup one was not to be squandered.
The Church's real target wasn't him. This was pure benefit, zero risk.
Why wouldn't he participate?
People didn't refuse opportunities that served their interests. Especially when there was absolutely nothing to lose.
And Lancer was carrying a Dragon Ball. Under no circumstances could he let it fall into another faction's hands.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]
PS: Character Stat Data!
Assassin (Himura Kenshin):
Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu (B-A+): Possesses the legendary Battojutsu (quick draw), combining speed, precision, and ruthlessness. Features both devastating offensive techniques and counter-attack forms. Kenshin has not yet mastered the ultimate succession technique, limiting his upper ceiling.
Mind's Eye (False/A): The so-called sixth sense. An enhanced danger-prediction ability cultivated through rigorous training and combat experience. Enables calm situational awareness even in disadvantageous positions, identifying survival options. A "combat theory" skill.
Instinct (A): Years of killing have granted Kenshin the ability to instantly determine the "optimal course of action to slay the enemy" in any given moment. Can also predict bullet trajectories via sound and intuition, evading firearm attacks.
Readiness for Death (E): Lacking a strong survival instinct, Kenshin is always prepared to trade wounds or die alongside his opponent if necessary.
Lancer (Sakura Kyoko):
Magical Girl (A++): Having formed a contract with an unknown entity, she transcends human limitations. As long as her Soul Gem remains intact, her physical body can regenerate infinitely. A materialized soul: an existence approaching true immortality.
Rossa Phantasma (A): Summons numerous combat-capable clones that match the original in ability.
Witchification (A++): Voluntarily transforms into a "Witch." Exact effects unknown.