Chapter 104: Isn’t Your Organization Basically a Winery?

"So, what are you planning to do?"

Archer pinched a card between his fingers, his expression thoroughly punchable.

"Assassin! Did you hear that? Hurry and notify Sakura! I'll try to stall him!"

Medusa thought to herself: if the summon had really gone through, then her only option was to keep Shirou Emiya on the field. That way, at least they could slow the spread of information and give Sakura some time to prepare.

The Hundred-Faces all knew about Matou Sakura's situation. They'd had contact with her in the timeline ten years ago. One of them immediately dropped their tools and dashed out.

"Forget it. At the speed of a Hundred-Face, by the time they get there, this side will already be over."

Archer continued to provoke Medusa. "Why don't you summon Matou Sakura here and then send her away again? That'd be faster."

"You'd let Sakura leave that easily?"

Medusa didn't buy that Archer would be so kindhearted.

"Who knows? Anyway, let's get started. First, I activate the Magic Card Gallows of the Guilty, sending one Servant of 4 stars or below from my deck to the graveyard. I'll send Kiritsugu Emiya! Then I add Emiya to my hand."

"That's not all. Thanks to Kiritsugu Emiya's effect, since he was sent to the grave by a card effect, I can add Origin Bullet from my deck to my hand!"

Archer now had seven cards in hand. "I don't know what your cards do, but since Pegasus is your highest-star card, taking care of it first is the safest option!"

"Origin Bullet's effect! It negates Pegasus' effect and destroys it!"

The sound of a striker firing came from behind Pegasus, punching a bloody hole through the heavenly steed's neck. Amid its dying cries, it was sent to the graveyard.

"Next up, a standard move: Agent of Justice's effect—special summon Kiritsugu Emiya from the grave!"

Kiritsugu Emiya ATK 1600.

"I'm kind of used to this by now, but... wasn't the Holy Grail War of Caster's timeline already over?"

Kiritsugu Emiya opened his eyes, only to see unfamiliar Servants around him. Instinctively, he reached for his handgun.

"This is... Mount Enzō?"

The terrain was extremely familiar to him—after all, a battle to save the world had just taken place here not long ago. It had been the peak of his life. No way he'd forget it.

"Kiritsugu-san."

Despite everything, Kiritsugu had once been Jiang You's Master, so their relationship wasn't too bad. Hundred-Face wasn't stingy with respectful language and gave a brief explanation: "This is a timeline ten years later—the same one from Miss Illyasviel's deck."

"I see."

Kiritsugu lit a cigarette. Jiang You had previously told Irisviel that smoking was bad for Illya's health, so he had her supervise Kiritsugu strictly. Because of Jiang You's status in the Einzbern household, Irisviel actually followed through. Kiritsugu's status at home had plummeted.

"So why was I summoned by this Servant instead of Illya?"

"Hello, foster father. I'm the Heroic Spirit Emiya."

During this time, Archer had fully recalled his past as Shirou Emiya. He now remembered Kiritsugu as well.

"Foster father… Emiya...?"

Kiritsugu remembered hearing from Jiang You about what was supposed to happen in ten years. "So you're the Shirou Emiya that Illya and that guy mentioned? What the hell did you do to become a Servant?"

"That guy—you mean Jiang You, right?"

Because of Illya and Tokiomi Tohsaka, Jiang You had long since lost the chance to be officially named as a Master.

"Medusa, is the owner of this special Noble Phantasm named Jiang You? Kind of an ugly name, but still—make sure to thank him."

"Euryale, don't say that. A hero like him deserves a proper reward."

"You're right, Stheno. That was rude of me. Medusa, make sure to treat him well, okay?"

Medusa looked at the card in her hand and thought, If this card's effect activates too, they might not be saying the same thing...

"I'm just a nameless Servant who signed a contract with the Counter Force, which gave me the qualifications to become a Heroic Spirit. But my deeds weren't enough to make a name for myself."

Shirou looked at his foster father. He had once resented him, since he had inherited Kiritsugu's ideals—but he had long since made peace with that.

"There's something I've always wondered: it seems like every card connected to your timeline holds Jiang You in very high regard. Why is that? Just because he successfully took the Grail?"

"That's what you're curious about?"

Kiritsugu stared at Archer. Though their appearances differed, he could still see some of himself in the man.

"Is it okay to talk here?"

"I've been meaning to ask—why didn't you just summon Shirou Emiya directly?"

Seeing both of them glance her way, Medusa finally voiced the question that had been bothering her. Archer had been repeatedly urging her to spread the message about betraying Matou Sakura, but now he was casually chatting?

"You guess."

Archer's personality was totally unlike Shirou's. When he was relaxed, he was genuinely irritating.

"Silly sister, haven't you figured it out yet?"

Euryale smiled, her eyes crescent-shaped. "He didn't plan to report anything—because he's planning to betray them too."

"Huh?"

Medusa's brain stalled. "Then why did he pick a fight?"

"First of all, you attacked me first."

Archer shook his head, completely exasperated.

"Second, I needed a reason to summon Kiritsugu Emiya without it being broadcast. I have no way to contact Assassin, so if I got found out, things would get ugly. Anyway, thanks for the duel opportunity, Miss Medusa. Kiritsugu, please continue."

Kiritsugu glanced at the Hundred-Face carrying a camera. This strange setup was clearly not the work of normal people—Jiang You definitely wasn't someone who played it safe.

"I'll just hit the highlights, then..."

And so, Kiritsugu gave a summary of everything he knew up to Chapter 62.

"Rather than say he seized the Holy Grail, it's more like he redeemed the harm the Grail War had caused..."

Archer nodded in understanding after hearing the explanation. He raised his hand in surrender.

"Medusa, go ahead and deal damage as you like—I concede."

The Hundred-Face behind the camera looked utterly disappointed—this fight had started strong but fizzled out, making it completely unbroadcastable.