The Infinite Journey of a Certain Flame

Seeing that Saber had taken her advice, Kiana nodded and straddled the back seat.

The two then drove away from this troublesome place, intending to hide for the time being and then make further plans.

However, just as Kiana was sitting in the back seat, wary of her surroundings, she suddenly noticed something unusual at a Chinese restaurant.

"Saber, can you feel it?"

"Yes, it's Archer."

Saber stopped the car and fixed his gaze on the simply decorated Western restaurant.

---

"Haha, not bad, Kirei."

Gilgamesh, dressed in designer casual wear and sporting a gold chain around his neck, sat in his seat, boasting to Kirei Kotomine across from him:

"To find such an interesting shop among all the boring and uninteresting shops on the street, you're becoming more and more of an interesting man to me!"

"Interesting...?"

Kirei Kotomine scooped up a spoonful of Mapo Tofu and ate it, while Nanami, still looking lost, asked, "Is this really that interesting?"

"In a way, it's really interesting. Even in this world, you still enjoy eating this kind of... incomprehensible cuisine."

The negotiations between the two pleasant partners came to an abrupt end with the intrusion of two women.

Kirei Kotomine turned around somewhat blankly and found that Kiana had somehow appeared behind him.

Saber stood solemnly beside her.

"Hahahaha!"

Before Kirei Kotomine could react upon seeing the two, Gilgamesh burst into laughter.

“This is getting more and more interesting to me, Kirei. Look at their expressions, they're just like they're with lost kittens—!”

"If you don't watch your mouth, I don't recommend giving you a few swords."

Saber and Kiana both retorted.

Upon hearing this, Gilgamesh froze as if he had swallowed a fly.

After a moment, he shut his mouth and sneered, "Be glad that I am enjoying the good things in the world, so your lives can be preserved."

“Archer,” Saber said, not in the mood for his rambling, “Do you know where Lancer and his Master are? Or rather… are you in cahoots?”

This Ruler is so fair! (F/Z): Chapter Eleven, in the name of the Command Spell, Lancer, commit suicide!

For Saber, who has lost Lady Irisviel, any potential threat is something she needs to be wary of.

Simply put, all Servants and Masters are adversaries that require special vigilance.

Except for Kiana, because... she is special.

Saber thought to herself.

"Huh? What are you talking about? Ha, that's ridiculous."

Gilgamesh immediately showed his displeasure in the face of Saber's suspicion.

"Although I don't know what you've been through, I can tell you that no one can ally with me. And my only friend, from ancient times to the present and into the future, is only one person."

Why should I believe you?

Saber did not believe Gilgamesh's frank confession.

After all, they've only met a handful of times so far, and his behavior is really abnormal.

If it weren't for the fact that a battle would cause many innocent people to suffer,

Saber really had an urge to finish him off as soon as possible.

However, because I witnessed the battle that day.

Saber was somewhat wary of the man's strength.

"If we reveal his real name... will we be able to get rid of him?"

As Saber pondered this, he stared intently at Gilgamesh.

Although she appeared so menacing, she was seen in a completely different light by the other party.

"Haha, staring at me like that, Saber. Could it be that you are...?"

Gilgamesh tossed his hair with a touch of vanity, seemingly preparing to tease Saber.

However, before he could speak, Kiana stopped him.

"Enough of this small talk, Gilgamesh!"

"Tsk... Hey, is it really okay to call me by my real name like that, Judge?"

Gilgamesh picked up the glass of red wine on the table, took a sip, and questioned him with a sullen face.

Although he wasn't afraid of anyone else, he didn't like people calling him by his name like that.

This made him feel slighted.

Most importantly, the guy who calls himself by his own name... is a rather difficult person to deal with.

This is very troublesome.

If Wang can't back down, then a bloody storm is about to break out!

Gilgamesh's face was grim, and he seemed to be on the verge of exploding.

However, at that moment, Kiana changed the subject and looked at Kirei Kotomine opposite her.

The man with the stiff expression immediately snapped out of his daze and looked at Kiana after noticing her gaze.

"what happened?"

"It's nothing, just a bit sentimental... Even in another world, you still love Mapo Tofu."

Kiana said slowly.

After all, there was also a Kirei Kotomine in Illya's world, but compared to him in that world, he seemed much more rigid.

Does he look like a walking corpse?

Yeah, that's pretty much the feeling.

Although it's unclear exactly what happened to make him this way, one thing is certain...

I can probably get some clues from him.

after all...

"Kirei Kotomine, the Master of Assassins. A disciple of Tokiomi Tohsaka, and formerly an 'Agent' of the Church."

As if afraid that they wouldn't know what the Agent was, the Holy Grail even made a special note about it.

In layman's terms, they are henchmen kept by the church, specializing in dangerous and shady activities...

"He actually has such a background in this world? The network of relationships here seems a bit messy."

Kiana thought to herself.

Then, she slowly asked:

Where's your Assassin?

"Is there something you need, Arbitrator?"

When confronted by Kiana, Kirei Kotomine did not answer but instead asked a question in return.

At this moment, although he was full of doubts about life, he did not forget his duty as a judge.

Loyal to the church...

The commands of the Church are supreme!

Therefore, I must ensure that Tokiomi Tohsaka wins this match!

Only then can one consider their task complete.

Kirei Kotomine stared quietly at the Mapo Tofu in his bowl, a strange feeling welling up inside him.

but...

What should I do after completing the task?

Are they being used as tools to continue doing shady work for the church?

Or should we find Kiritsugu and... get rid of him?

But these are all things Kirei Kotomine wants to do, right?

Countless questions flooded Kirei Kotomine's mind.

His expression relaxed slightly...

It was this slight lapse in concentration that Gilgamesh noticed.

"Kiri, don't take it so seriously."

Gilgamesh leaned back in his comfortable, ornate chair, a wicked smile playing on his lips: "Just follow your heart."

"Follow your heart..."

Kirei Kotomine ate a few more bites of Mapo Tofu, the intense spiciness of which was impossible for a normal person to bear, as it slid down his throat.

A slight smile suddenly appeared on the corners of his mouth, which were stained red with chili oil.

"Hehe, isn't that interesting?"

"What?"

Kiana and Saber both expressed their confusion.

Seemingly to dispel their doubts, Kirei Kotomine frantically swung his spoon and finished off the Mapo Tofu, then wiped his mouth.

"Nothing, I just thought of something interesting. The Arbitrator."

Kirei Kotomine turned his head and looked at Kiana with a half-smile.