A Dimensional Journey Begins with the Dragon Clan

Chapter 1231 1224. Fake Priest

"Seven hundred and twenty-six...there are so many Holy Grails?"

"Who knows? At least there are that many similar things."

"Then one of them is the Holy Grail observed in this city, which is the Holy Grail War. According to records, the first war was about two hundred years ago. After that, the battles between Masters have been repeated every sixty years. This is the fifth Holy Grail War. The previous one was ten years ago, so this is the shortest cycle so far."

“What…are you okay? This has happened four times so far…!?”

"I feel the same way. As you said, those people have repeated this many times - that's right. In the past, the repeated Holy Grail Wars became more and more intense. The Masters were driven by their own desires, forgot their teachings as magi, and just slaughtered each other indiscriminately."

"I think you should also know that for a magician, using magic in the general society is a heinous crime. Because magicians cannot let the public know their identities. However, the previous Master broke that taboo. The Magic Association sent a supervisor to discipline them, but by the time he arrived, he was already in the Third Holy Grail War. The one who was sent at that time was my father. Do you understand, boy?"

"...Well, I understand why you need an overseer. But from what you just said, this Holy Grail War should be something really bad, right?"

"Really? What do you mean by bad?"

"Because the previous Master seemed like someone who would break the rules of magicians. So, assuming that the Holy Grail exists, what if the people who have defeated all the way and survived are people who use the Holy Grail to do whatever they want? Wouldn't it be bad to hand such a thing over to someone who kills without blinking an eye? Since supervising magicians is the job of the church, you should punish people like that, right?"

Emiya Shirou asked with some expectation.

However, Kotomine Kirei, as he expected, put on a calm attitude and smiled strangely.

"How is that possible? There is no magus who is not motivated by personal gain. We only manage the rules of the Holy Grail War. We are not involved in anything that happens afterwards. The Association will not interfere with what kind of personality will obtain the Holy Grail."

“How could such a thing be possible…! What if the person who obtains the Holy Grail is a terrible person?!”

"It's really a headache. But we can't do anything about it. It's the Holy Grail that chooses its holder. And we don't have the power to stop the Master chosen by the Holy Grail. After all, it's a cup that can grant wishes. Whoever gets it can do whatever he wants - but if you don't want that, then you just have to win and survive. Instead of relying on others, this method is the most practical, right?"

Kotomine was smiling.

It seemed like he was enjoying Emiya Shirou's embarrassed look as he couldn't accept that he was the Master.

"What do you think, young man? I think what you just said is a good idea. I wonder if you are planning to give it a try."

"...You don't need to worry about that. Besides, I have no reason to fight. I have no interest in the Holy Grail, and even if I'm called a Master, I don't feel any sense of reality."

"Is that so? Then what will the person who gets the Holy Grail do? And even if it causes a disaster, you are not interested, right?"

"That's──" Emiya Shirou was unable to refute what was said.

Damn, this guy's words are as violent as words.

  Ignoring his feelings, I just pushed the facts here mercilessly────

"If there is no reason, then that's fine. Then you have no concern for what happened ten years ago, right?"

"—Ten years ago...?"

"That's right. At the end of the previous Holy Grail War, an unsuitable Master came into contact with the Holy Grail. We don't know what that Master wanted. All we know is the traces of the disaster left behind at that time."

"!!"

For an instant.

That hell appeared in Emiya Shirou's mind.

"—Wait a minute. Could it be that?!"

"Yes, that is something that everyone who lives in this city knows, Emiya Shirou. Five hundred people were killed or injured, and one hundred and thirty-four buildings were burned and collapsed. The fire, which is still considered to have an unknown cause, was the result of the Holy Grail War."

"!!"

Emiya Shirou felt like vomiting.

The vision becomes blurry.

Lost focus, unable to stabilize viewpoint.

His body swayed and he fell down.

But before that he steadied himself.

Grit your teeth and stay awake.

The urge to vomit, which could have caused him to faint, was suppressed simply by the burning anger.

"Emiya-san? What's wrong with you? You suddenly turned so pale... That's really something that makes people uncomfortable. Um... By the way, do you want to take a rest?"

  It looks like he looks really pale, doesn't he?

How should I put it? It's really rare that Toosaka would worry about him like this.

"Don't worry. You'll be healed once you see Toosaka's weird face."

"…Wait a minute. What do you mean by that?"

"No, that's not the meaning. It means exactly what it says, so don't worry about it."

"That's good... Hey, doesn't that mean it's even worse, you big blockhead!"

Boom, the top model student on campus who hit him on the head mercilessly? Toosaka Rin.

That one blow marked the end.

Just one strike was enough to make all the anger and resentment that was there just now disappear without a trace.

"…Thanks. You really helped me a lot, so don't bully me too much, Toosaka. Now there are some things I need to ask."

With an expression that showed she hadn't fought enough, Toosaka backed off for the time being.

"I see. You still have questions, eh? Sure. Tell me everything you want to say."

He thought the priest would see through what he wanted to ask, but he just urged him happily.

That's just right.

Emiya Shirou thought that he would not lose his composure like he did just now.

"Then let me ask you. You just said that this is the fifth Holy Grail War. In that case, has anyone obtained the Holy Grail so far?"

"Of course. It's not going to happen that the whole army is wiped out every time."

"Then—"

"Don't worry. It's easy if you just want to get it. After all, the Holy Grail itself is managed by this church. If I just hold it in my hand, I'll touch it every day."

“Eh—?”

The Holy Grail is in this church──?

"But, it's just a container. It's empty inside. Didn't Rin just say that the so-called Holy Grail is a spirit. What is managed by this church is a replica of the Holy Grail made with extremely sophisticated technology. It serves as a medium for the real Holy Grail to descend here, and eventually becomes a cup that can fulfill wishes. Let me think about it, it's very similar to the relationship between Master and Servant... Yes. There was indeed a man who got the Holy Grail that became the real one like that." "Then the Holy Grail is the real one. Wait, what happened to the guy who got it?"

"Nothing. The Holy Grail was never completed. It was the result of a foolish man's boredom and sentimentality."

  ...?

Where has the high attitude just now gone?

The priest half closed his eyes as if he was regretful.

"…What's going on? Didn't the Holy Grail appear?"

"It's easy to make the Holy Grail appear. Once all seven Servants are together, the Holy Grail will appear after a period of time. As Rin said, there is no need to kill other Masters. However, the Holy Grail will not be complete. It will choose a holder who is suitable to own it. Therefore, a man who avoids fighting will never be able to get the Holy Grail."

"Hmph. What you mean is that if you don't compete with other Masters, there is no point in getting the Holy Grail, right? The last time, the first Master to get the Holy Grail was a naive Master. He said he didn't want to fight the enemy Master, so he fled from the Holy Grail."

Toosaka said this and turned her gaze away from Kotomine.

"—No way?"

That means, Kotomine was one of the previous masters, and he was eliminated because he refused to fight the one who got the Holy Grail...! ?

"… Kotomine. Didn't you fight?"

"I did fight up to this point. But I misjudged. In the end, I only got an empty shell of the Holy Grail. But that was the limit for me. After all, all the other Masters were like monsters. I was the first to lose my Servant, and I accepted my father's protection like that."

"…Now that I think about it, it was not allowed at the time for the son of an overseer to be chosen as the Master. My father passed away at that time. After that, I took over the job of overseer and guarded the Holy Grail in this church."

Saying this, the priest named Kotomine Kirei turned his back to him.

At the forefront of that sight, there stood a symbol that should be worshipped.

“That’s all. The only one who is qualified to obtain the Holy Grail is the Master who commands the Servant. When only one of you seven is left, the Holy Grail will appear at the feet of the winner. This war────the willingness to participate in the Holy Grail War will be decided here, right?”

Looking down from a high position, the priest inquired about the final decision.

"..."

Emiya Shirou was speechless.

There is no reason to fight until now.

Now there is indeed a reason and will to fight.

But is that really acceptable?

"Are you still hesitating? Listen carefully, you can't become a Master just because you want to. Rin has also been training as a magician for a long time, but that doesn't mean she will become a Master. If there is something that is determined, it is whether you are mentally prepared, right?"

"Only a magus can be chosen as a Master. If you are a magus, you should have been prepared. If you say no, then there is nothing I can do. You and your master are both useless. Letting a magus like this fight will only cause trouble. Remove the seal right now."

"!!"

There is no need to say anything.

Emiya Shirou will not run away.

Honestly, when I told him about the Master and the Holy Grail War, it didn't seem real to him.

Even so, if there were only two options, fighting or escaping, he would not choose to escape.

The priest said.

If he is a magus, he should have been prepared long ago.

So I have to decide.

Even if he was only half-hearted, Emiya Shirou was still a magician.

  Since I have decided to follow closely behind Emiya Kiritsugu, whom I admire, and become a ally of justice────

"—I will fight as a Master. Since the fire ten years ago was caused by the Holy Grail War, I cannot let that happen again!"

The priest smiled contentedly, apparently satisfied with his answer.

"call……"

Emiya Shirou took a deep breath.

All confusion is swept away.

Once a man says he wants to fight.

So, from now on, you have to live up to what you said before and move forward with your head held high.

"Then I acknowledge you as Saber's Master. At this moment, the Holy Grail War has been accepted. From now on, until there is only one Master left, I allow the magic war to take place in this city. Each of you should obey your own boasting and compete with each other!"

Speaking heavily, the priest's words echoed throughout the chapel.

That declaration doesn't make any sense.

The only ones who could hear what the priest said were Emiya Shirou and Toosaka.

This man was merely the priest of this church, ringing the bell to start the conversation.

"It's decided, right? Then we'll go back, but before that, can I ask a question, Kirei?"

"It doesn't matter. This may be the last time, so I'll just answer your general questions."

"Then I won't be polite. Kirei, since you are in charge of surveillance, you should know more or less about other Masters. I have followed the rules of the Association here, so just tell me this."

"This is really a headache. I want to tell you a lot, but I don't know the details. Including Emiya Shirou, there are not many regular magicians this time. There are only two masters I know of. Including Emiya Shirou, that makes three, right?"

"Ah, really? Then you should know the order in which they were summoned. They are all observers after all."

"…Yeah. The first one was Berserker. The second one was Caster. The rest were summoned at about the same time. The day before yesterday it was Archer, and then Saber was summoned a few hours ago."

“—Is that so? That’s it then.”

"The Holy Grail War has officially begun. Rin. You are not allowed to come to this church before the Holy Grail War is over. If you are allowed to come, it is--"

"When a Servant who has lost his own is asked for protection, that's right. Otherwise, I'll lose points if I rely on you."

"That's right. Although I think you will probably be the winner, if there is a stain left, the church will not turn a blind eye. As a result of those boring meetings, the Holy Grail may be snatched away from you. That would be the worst development for me."

"Fake priest. The church is colluding with the Magic Association."

"I serve God. I don't serve the church."