Silence. After the light screen finished playing, the comment section fell into a momentary silence.
Everyone was very confused. Of course... they weren't confused about how Kayneth had escaped. On the contrary, it would have been more unbelievable if a top-tier magus had died just like that.
What they were truly confused about was this method of cover-up. Were they treating the citizens of Fuyuki as if they were blind?
Eriri Spencer Sawamura: "You call that a gas explosion? Can a gas explosion in your house blow up an entire port like that? Can a gas explosion in your house perform a directed demolition on a skyscraper?"
Conan Edogawa: "Are the citizens of Fuyuki City all blind? Calling it a terrorist attack would be more reasonable than a gas explosion—"
Waver Velvet: "The Church's method of cleaning up the aftermath is certainly... peculiar—"
Utaha Kasumigaoka: "They're not just blind, they might be deaf too. How can they sleep through such a huge commotion?"
It had to be said, Fuyuki City was truly a magical place. Its citizens were somehow able to accept such a ridiculous explanation.
Most importantly, both the officials and the media were using the same story. There were even so-called experts and professors who would soon jump out to explain that it was indeed caused by a gas explosion.
Good grief. If the audience hadn't witnessed the entire process through the light screen, they might have actually been fooled.
For a time, everyone was roasting the absurd news report. Only a very small number of people were concerned with how Kayneth would deal with Emiya Kiritsugu. After all, the strength and resolve Kiritsugu had shown so far were likely the strongest, second only to Marisbury.
---o---
[Inside the light screen projection, after the situation with Kayneth concluded, the scene shifted to another room in an unknown location.
A man was struggling on a bed. His body was drenched in cold sweat, twitching unconsciously as he gripped the bedsheets tightly, as if enduring immense pain.
Although only half of his face was visible, it was not difficult to identify him. After all, his morbidly pale skin and the bulging veins on the left side of his face all pointed to the newcomer's identity.
Berserker's Master—Kariya Matou. The man who was nearly drained to death by Berserker on the first night, and also a complete and utter madman.
Why was his scene being shown? After all, this character was truly unlikable. A mad Master paired with a Berserker—that combination was something else.
Just as everyone was wondering, the true reason for Kariya Matou's participation in the Holy Grail War was revealed on the light screen.]
---o---
"I believe I told you I did not wish to see your face again."
Sitting across from Kariya, the short, elderly man who had thrown out the cold, disgusted remark was the patriarch of the Matou clan—Matou Zouken. His bald head and limbs were as withered as a mummy's, but his deeply sunken eye sockets held a sharp glint. Both in appearance and demeanor, he was an oddity beyond the norm.
An undying magus who had extended his lifespan time and again through indescribable, terrifying means. The ruler of the Matou bloodline that Kariya had tried so hard to escape. An out-and-out monster living in the modern world.
"I heard the Tohsaka's younger daughter was adopted over. Are you that desperate to preserve a magus's genes in the Matou bloodline?"
Hearing Kariya's accusatory tone, Zouken's brow furrowed deeply.
"Here to judge me? You are not worthy. Who do you think is the reason the Matou family has fallen to this state? Byakuya's children no longer have Magic Circuits. The pure Matou bloodline of magi has ended with this generation. But you, Kariya... when it comes to being a magus, you had more talent than your older brother Byakuya..."
The old man was just getting into his long-winded speech when Kariya cut him off with a snort.
"Stop pretending, you vampire. You care about the survival of the Matou clan? That's hilarious. Even if there's no one to carry on the family name, you're still living just fine, aren't you, old man? Whether it's a thousand years or two thousand, as long as you yourself live on, that's all that matters."
As soon as Kariya finished speaking, the anger on Zouken's face vanished completely. The corners of his mouth pulled up, showing an emotion that could not be described as human. It was the smile of a monster.
"Correct. This old man's life is longer than yours and longer than Byakuya's son. However, the key issue is how to maintain this deteriorating body. Even if the Matou have no successor, a magus to represent the Matou is still necessary. I must have the Holy Grail in my grasp."
"...So in the end, it's all for that."
The small face of Sakura Tohsaka floated into Kariya's mind.
His impression of her was that of a little girl, far less mature than her older sister Rin, always trailing behind her. To burden such a child with the heavy fate of a magus was far too soon.
Suppressing the rage welling in his chest, Kariya feigned calmness.
Getting emotional while negotiating with Zouken was useless.
"—In that case, if you can obtain the Holy Grail, you won't need Sakura Tohsaka anymore, right?"
The hidden meaning in Kariya's words made Zouken narrow his eyes.
"What exactly are you planning?"
"Let's make a deal, Matou Zouken. I will win the Holy Grail for you in the upcoming war. In exchange, you will release Sakura Tohsaka."
Zouken stared blankly for a moment, then let out an insulting laugh.
"Hah! Don't be foolish. You, a dropout who hasn't practiced for over a decade, want to become a Servant's Master in just one year?"
"You have a secret art that can make it happen, don't you? You old ghoul. Your specialty, the wormcraft."
Staring directly into the old magus's eyes, Kariya played his trump card.
"Implant the 'Crest Worms' into my body. This flesh and blood of mine comes from the impure Matou line. It should be more suitable than some other family's daughter."
The expression on Zouken's face vanished, replaced by the inhuman visage of a magus.
"Kariya—are you seeking death?"
"Could it be that you're worried about me? 'Father'?"
Zouken seemed to understand that Kariya was serious. He sized him up coldly, then sighed with great emotion.
"Indeed, with your constitution, you certainly have more potential than Byakuya. By expanding your Magic Circuits with the Crest Worms, and after a year of rigorous training, you might just become a participant acknowledged by the Holy Grail. ...But then again, why would you sacrifice so much for a little girl?"
"Matou family affairs should be handled by the Matou family. Don't drag unrelated outsiders into this."
"Such a competitive spirit. It's truly wonderful."
A deeply pleased, heartfelt, mischievous smile appeared on Zouken's face.
"Kariya, I must say, if your goal is to prevent outsiders from being involved, don't you think it's a little too late? Do you know how many days the Tohsaka girl has been here?"
A sudden despair pierced Kariya's heart.
"Old man, don't tell me—"
"She could still cry and scream intermittently for the first three days. By the fourth day, she could no longer make a sound. This morning, I put her in the Worm Pit. I just wanted to see how long she could last, but I never expected that after being ravaged by the worms for half the day, she's still breathing. The Tohsaka stock truly is a material one cannot help but love."