The roar of the helicopter engine formed a low background hum inside the cabin. Outside the window, clouds receded rapidly, and the city lights below shrank. Inside the cabin, however, the atmosphere was an eerie silence with hidden undercurrents.
Kanjuro leaned comfortably against the leather seat. Jeanne d'Arc sat opposite him, her gaze fixed on the endless night sky outside the porthole, as if pondering eternal questions of fate, truth, and falsehood.
Meanwhile, Morimoto Leona, acting as the most loyal shadow and efficient tool, produced a thick file from an encrypted briefcase after confirming the flight was stable and presented it respectfully to Kanjuro with both hands.
"master, this is the detailed information you requested regarding the twelve most influential Magicians currently at the London Clock Tower, or those with potential connections to the Holy Grail War." Reona's voice was clear and professional.
Kanjuro took the file nonchalantly, his fingertips sliding over the cold cover.
He flipped through it casually, as if browsing a boring magazine, quickly scanning the data on ancient bloodlines, complex magic circuits, factional struggles, and various secrets.
Names and secrets that could cause an uproar in the magus world seemed no different from stones by the road in his eyes. He turned the pages quickly, a hint of laziness and impatience on his face, until... his movements stopped on the final page.
This page didn't seem to belong to one of those twelve Magicians; it was an independent, additional personal profile.
The photo showed a young woman with soft brown hair and a beautiful face, possessing the brightness and passion typical of Italian women, though her brow was clouded by a lingering layer of sickly melancholy.
The name field on the file read: Claudia Hortensia. Nationality: Italy. Note: Fiancée of the current Fuyuki Church Executor, Kirei Kotomine.
Kanjuro's eyes quickly scanned the text below: Suffers from a rare and troublesome endogenous organ failure; undergoing long-term treatment at a private high-end hospital in London known for its mystic-side medical technology. Condition is unstable, prognosis poor. Financial records show that despite Kirei Kotomine's personal indifference toward her—perhaps even unable to understand so-called "love" based on his twisted personality—over the years, he has continuously and anonymously sent large sums of money to cover Claudia's exorbitant medical expenses.
"Heh..." A very faint sneer, filled with endless amusement and malice, escaped Kanjuro's lips.
The corners of his mouth curled upward uncontrollably, forming a cold and cruel arc.
In his deep eyes, the slight "understanding" and "gentleness" he had shown Jeanne d'Arc earlier vanished instantly, replaced by a naked excitement and malice, as if he had discovered a new toy.
Kirei Kotomine... you hollow-hearted, twisted doll who feeds on the pain of others... so you actually have such an untainted, soft "pure land" hidden here?
Kanjuro could almost imagine what kind of "wonderful" collapse and struggle would appear on that usually expressionless face when Kirei Kotomine learned that his only subconscious "connection" and "weakness" was held in Kanjuro's hands. This was far more interesting than simply killing Kirei Kotomine.
Sitting opposite him, although Jeanne d'Arc's gaze was still fixed outside the window, the sudden change in Kanjuro's aura and that nearly inaudible yet malicious chuckle did not escape her perception.
She slowly turned her head, her icy blue eyes calmly looking at Kanjuro, the file in his hand, and the undisguised, cruel smile on his face, like that of a hunter who had found new prey.
She didn't speak, didn't question, and didn't try to dissuade him. Only the corner of her mouth curled into an extremely faint, cold arc—an understanding that saw through the tricks of fate and Kanjuro's nature, along with a trace of faint... mockery. It was as if she were saying, "See, this is you, the eternal spreader of chaos and malice."
Then, she turned her gaze back to the sea of clouds and stars outside, falling into a deeper, more enduring silence and reflection. Perhaps she was pitying the fate of Miss Claudia, whom she had never met; perhaps she was lamenting this sole irony in Kirei Kotomine's twisted life; or perhaps... she was simply wondering what kind of desperate end she would reach by following the man beside her.
The aircraft continued its steady flight toward London, while a more cruel game, targeting the most vulnerable corner of Kirei Kotomine's soul, had already quietly begun in Kanjuro's heart. Morimoto Leona stood quietly to the side like a silent backdrop, ensuring her master's journey remained undisturbed.
London. In that high-end private hospital known for its high costs and secrecy, the air was filled with a cold scent of disinfectant mixed with despair. The appearance of Kanjuro and Jeanne d'Arc was like a stone thrown into stagnant water, breaking the usual silence.
When Kanjuro stood before the door of Claudia Hortensia's ward under the guise of "entrusted by Mr. Kirei Kotomine to visit," the woman on the bed—pale-faced but with eyes that still retained a hint of Italian brightness—first showed deep confusion rather than pleasant surprise.
"Kirei... sent you?" Claudia's voice was weak, carrying a trace of imperceptible bitter laughter. "That doesn't sound like him. He... is someone who finds even a greeting text message superfluous." Though she was seriously ill, her mind was not clouded, and she had a clear understanding of her indifferent fiancé.
Kanjuro was not at all surprised. His face wore a flawless, highly deceptive gentle smile, and his tone was natural and sincere: "It's precisely because Mr. Kotomine isn't good at expressing himself that he might be even more concerned in his heart. He is far away in the East handling important matters and cannot come in person, so he specifically entrusted me to visit you on his behalf and ensure everything is well with you."
The explanation sounded reasonable, even considerate. The doubt in Claudia's eyes didn't vanish completely, but the loneliness of being bedridden for a long time, combined with a faint hope that "Kirei might not be completely cold," led her to permit Kanjuro's approach.
From that day on, Kanjuro seemed to become the warmest sunshine in this cold ward.
He didn't just visit occasionally; he spent time by Claudia's side almost every day. He would bring the freshest fruit with morning dew, read Italian poetry to her, and recount interesting sights from around the world in a low, pleasant voice.
He remembered her every subtle preference, and when she frowned from the pain of treatment, he would timely offer warm water and perfect comfort.
His handsomeness, his elegance, and his seemingly meticulous care were like the sweetest poison, slowly eroding the defenses of Claudia's heart, which had been weakened by illness and loneliness.
Joan of Arc remained like a silent shadow, following behind Kanjuro or standing in the hallway outside the ward, quietly watching everything through the glass window. She watched Kanjuro perform a scene of deep affection, and saw the look in Claudia's eyes shift from wariness to dependence, and then to a gradually igniting brilliance that shouldn't be there. She couldn't understand why Kanjuro would spend so much effort on a frail woman whose life was nearing its end. This was by no means simple kindness; it was more like a meticulously planned execution of the soul.
Finally, on an evening when the sunset dyed the ward in a warm golden hue, Kanjuro took hold of Claudia's thin hand. His deep eyes gazed at her, filled with enough "affection" and "pain" to make any woman drown in them.
"Claudia," his voice carried a perfect hint of huskiness, "over these past few days, I've been uncontrollably drawn to your strength and your beauty. I know this is abrupt, even... inappropriate. But watching you endure all this alone, my heart... it hurts. I hope to be the one by your side, not just as a 'friend' or a 'trustee'."
He confessed. In this ward filled with the smell of medicine, to the fiancée of his target prey.
Claudia was completely stunned, a rare blush appearing on her pale cheeks—it was a mix of shock, shyness, and an irrepressible heartbeat born from being confessed to by such an outstanding man. The long-term torment of illness and emotional desolation left her with almost no resistance to this sudden "passionate emotion."
"Ye... Mr. Kanjuro..." her voice trembled, her eyes frantic, "You... you know that I... I am Kirei's fiancée... I can't..."
"I know." Kanjuro gripped her hand tightly, his tone incredibly "firm" yet filled with "understanding" and "pain," "I respect all your decisions. But please allow me to express my feelings. As for Mr. Kotomine... I think we need to have an open and honest talk with him. Feelings... cannot be forced."
Claudia's heart was in complete disarray.
She looked at the handsome, gentle man before her who seemed to cherish her like a treasure, and then thought of that distant, cold fiancé she rarely even saw; the scales in her heart tilted violently.
"...Yes, yes." She seemed to make up her mind, her voice weak but clear, "I should... I should tell Kirei clearly myself. That would be fair to everyone." A hint of guilt even rose in her heart, but it was overshadowed by a desire to break free from her shackles and pursue "happiness."
At that moment, the corner of Kanjuro's mouth curled into a fleeting, cold arc. He gently stroked her hair, his tone so gentle it could practically drip with water:
"Good. I will arrange... for Kirei Kotomine to come to London personally. You two can talk it out face-to-face."
"How... how is that possible?" Claudia shook her head in disbelief. "He would never come for personal matters..."
"He will come," Kanjuro interrupted her, his voice soft yet carrying a heart-pounding, unquestionable certainty. "As long as I make him come, he will definitely come. Whether... he wants to or not."
These words were like a cold needle prick, making Joan of Arc frown slightly and causing Claudia to feel a strange chill. But at this moment, blinded by "love," she selectively ignored the discordant note, immersing herself in the fantasy of soon obtaining "freedom" and a new life.
Kanjuro embraced her gently, and from an angle she couldn't see, his face wore a smile as dark and satisfied as the abyss.
The prey was already in the net; now, he only had to wait to snap the thread connecting Kirei Kotomine's last bit of humanity... and tear it away.
·· 0 Requests for Flowers 0 --- Fuyuki Church seemed like a corner forgotten by time, permeated by a deep deathly silence after the blood and despair had dissipated. Kirei Kotomine knelt before the empty confessional, trying to find a sliver of false peace through daily prayer and self-exile.
The shadow left by Kanjuro was like a cancer that clung to his bones. After a month of deliberate suppression and numbness, it seemed to have receded slightly on the surface; at least, he no longer panicked at every little disturbance. He tried to reconstruct his inner void, using familiar dogmas and a distorted self-perception to fill the crack torn open by Kanjuro's violence.
However, this fragile balance was easily shattered by a sudden letter.
The envelope was ordinary kraft paper with no flourishes, but the name "Kanjuro" in the sender's column was like a red-hot iron, instantly burning through all of Kirei Kotomine's pretenses. His fingers trembled uncontrollably, almost unable to hold the thin piece of paper.
Forcing himself to calm down, he tore open the envelope with slightly shaking hands. The content was suffocatingly brief:
"Father Kotomine,
The air in London is decent, and your fiancée Miss Hortensia misses you dearly. I look forward to your swift arrival for a reunion to comfort her heart.
Should you be absent, I fear accidents may occur, and regrets will be too late.
— Kanjuro"
There were no threatening words, yet every single character oozed cold killing intent and unquestionable control.
Kanjuro not only knew of Claudia's existence, he was currently by her side! He was using her as a hostage—no, as bait, as the latest tool to torture his soul!
Kirei Kotomine's breathing suddenly became heavy.
Claudia... a name he had almost deliberately forgotten, the only woman in his distorted life he had ever tried to treat in a "normal" way, but ultimately couldn't maintain due to his own void, leaving only a distant connection maintained by money. His feelings for her were complex, mostly indifferent, but not entirely without concern. She was perhaps the last piece of soft, unpolluted permafrost in his humanity... and now, Kanjuro had stepped onto that permafrost.
"Bastard...!" Kirei Kotomine squeezed out a low growl from between his teeth, the letter in his hand crumpled into a ball.
Fear and anger intertwined and rose like poisonous flames. He had no doubt that if he refused to go, Kanjuro would absolutely not hesitate to harm Claudia and would notify him of the result in the most cruel way. If he didn't go, Claudia would surely die, and he himself would completely enrage that demon, with unimaginable consequences.
Just then, golden spirit particles condensed in the church, and the figure of Gilgamesh appeared. Crossing his arms, his scarlet snake-like pupils swept over the crumpled letter in Kirei Kotomine's hand and his ashen face, immediately understanding most of the situation.
"Hmph, another letter from that mongrel?" Gilgamesh's voice was full of unabashed disgust. "Kirei, you won't be foolish enough to actually obey his summons and go to London, which is clearly a trap?"
Kirei Kotomine snapped his head up, the usual numbness and void on his face replaced by a nearly hysterical coldness:
"Not go? Arch, do you think I have a choice?!" His voice was sharp with agitation. "Kanjuro, that demon! He's using Claudia to threaten me now! If I don't go, he'll never let her go, and I'll be next! He's telling me plainly that my life and the lives of those around me are entirely at his whim!"
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging emotions, his eyes becoming sharp and resolute, as if he had found some kind of distorted "motivation":
"If I go, there might be a slim chance! At least I can find out what he wants! I must go... not for that woman's life, but for my own plans! I must face him, find his weakness, or... at least figure out how to survive within the game rules he has set!"
These words were less an explanation and more a form of self-hypnosis. He twisted his forced obedience into an active "plan" and "survival." He didn't dare admit the lingering trace of guilt and concern for Claudia deep in his heart, so he could only attribute all his motives to naked survival instinct.
Gilgamesh looked at him in this state, a hint of extreme disdain flashing in his eyes, but more so a coldness that saw through his weakness and self-deception. He knew that Kirei Kotomine's weakness had been thoroughly grasped by Kanjuro, and fear now governed his reason.
"Since you insist on seeking your own death, this king is too lazy to stop you." Gilgamesh turned around, his tone indifferent. "I only hope your ridiculous 'plan' doesn't cause you to die too pathetically, tainting this king's master's name."
Kirei Kotomine ignored the king of heroes' mockery and began quickly packing necessary items. His movements were stiff, yet his eyes were exceptionally focused, like a prisoner about to walk onto the execution ground, searching for a non-existent glimmer of light in the darkness.
The trip to London was set. A more cruel torture aimed at the final line of defense of his soul awaited his arrival. And this time, he was no longer a bystander or an assistant, but the protagonist.
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