The departure of Kiritsugu Emiya and Saber did not bring Shiomi's meeting to a close.
Compared to the emotionless Magus killer who stormed out, it was the implications of the Holy Grail War itself that still held everyone's attention.
Through Morgan's Magecraft, everyone had seen the abnormalities within the Greater Grail.
If even that wasn't enough to convince them, as Morgan said, they'd simply have to go and confirm it themselves.
...Though everyone already knew—it wouldn't change the outcome.
"...I'll go to Mount Enzō myself to verify that the Greater Grail has been corrupted," Tokiomi finally said.
He watched as Morgan dispelled the projection of the Grail. Though torn inside, his duty as head of the Tohsaka family didn't allow him to feign ignorance or avoid the issue. Instead, he responded with calm reason.
He carried himself with poise.
Tokiomi, who lived by the Tohsaka family code of elegance, maintained his usual composure—but anyone could see the conflict behind his furrowed brow.
"However, Shiomi-kun, you didn't bring us all here today just to reveal this truth. Would you care to elaborate further?"
Tokiomi posed the question, already suspecting Shiomi's intent, but needing to hear it spoken plainly before everyone present.
Shiomi gave a small nod. Morgan, meanwhile, walked slowly to an empty bench and sat down, clearly signaling that her part in the discussion was finished.
"My purpose is simple," Shiomi said, standing in the center aisle and meeting Tokiomi's gaze. "Now that we know the Greater Grail has been corrupted, continuing the Holy Grail War serves no benefit—and only causes harm. So, I propose we suspend the Holy Grail War and work together to purify the Greater Grail."
This had become Shiomi's new mission, shaped by a shift in his objectives.
"A very reasonable stance," Tokiomi said, giving a deep nod.
While the pursuit of the Root had long been the Tohsaka family's inherited aspiration, Tokiomi couldn't, in good conscience, rely on a corrupted Grail. He had no way of knowing what kind of price Fuyuki might pay if a tainted pathway to the Root were opened.
In that sense, Shiomi's decision was the correct one.
"However, based on our current assessments, purifying the Greater Grail will require extracting the corrupted mana within it," Shiomi continued. "According to our projections, even if the purification succeeds, much of the mana accumulated over the past sixty years will be lost—"
He paused, shifting his gaze to Waver.
As one of only three Masters present, Waver may have been the least experienced, but that didn't mean he should be left out of the conversation.
And Waver, of course, understood what that look meant.
If the Grail's mana reserves were depleted through purification, then even if a victor emerged, the mana converted from Servant souls alone would be insufficient to make the Grail function as a wish-granting device.
In other words, to agree to purify the Grail was to accept that the Holy Grail War would end here.
"I'm fine with it..."
Waver muttered his stance. He'd never had a concrete wish for the Holy Grail; joining the war had just been his way of proving himself to the teachers and classmates who had written him off. In contrast, the real issue lay with Iskandar.
"Hmm... Honestly, I'm disappointed too," Iskandar said, scratching at his beard. "But if the Grail's been tainted, then there's nothing to be done."
After all, entrusting something like the restoration of his physical form to a corrupted Grail wasn't a risk Iskandar could take lightly.
With that, the two of them had made their positions clear, both showing varying degrees of support for Shiomi's proposal.
Given the situation, it was the most pragmatic decision for everyone involved.
As for Gilgamesh, he continued to sit with his back turned to Shiomi, radiating pure boredom. No one bothered to ask for his opinion—everyone quietly agreed to let it lie.
And so, under the supervision of Risei Kotomine, the Masters of Archer, Rider, and Berserker reached a new consensus: to purify the Greater Grail and bring an end to the Fourth Holy Grail War.
Afterward, as the two groups who had contributed most to the defeat of Caster the previous night, Shiomi and Waver each received a supplementary Command Spell from Father Risei.
Neither of them had used any of their original Command Spells, so the additional marking made their seals look oddly asymmetrical. Still, valuable mana resources weren't something to complain about.
The only one left bitter was Tokiomi Tohsaka—he had orchestrated the whole Caster hunt, yet ended up with nothing, thanks to the King of Heroes' refusal to follow orders.
Once the meeting wrapped up, Tokiomi stayed behind to consult with Father Risei on how to proceed. Meanwhile, Shiomi and Waver left the church with their Servants.
"Chin up, kid!" Iskandar clapped Waver on the back. "The war might be over, but an extra Command Spell could still come in handy!"
Waver gave him a look. "Are you an idiot? You can't use a Command Spell to purify the Grail. No matter how you spin it—"
"Not necessarily," Shiomi cut in. "There are still some who haven't accepted this resolution."
His words made both members of the Rider camp tense slightly—especially Iskandar.
Not only had they learned that Saber's true Master wasn't the one they had assumed, but it was also clear her relationship with that Master was strained beyond repair. The two could never function as a team.
And considering Kiritsugu Emiya's earlier demeanor, it wasn't hard to imagine he might ignore the consensus the other three factions had reached and try to continue the war on his own.
"Now that you mention it, Saber and her Master really are the kind who obsess over their own ideals," Iskandar said bluntly. "I was planning to knock some sense into her last night, but that didn't quite work out."
"There's no need for that, King of Conquerors," Morgan suddenly spoke. "If she's chosen to bear Britannia's fate, then she's already made her resolve. If someone like her could be swayed by a few words, then this whole situation wouldn't exist."
Iskandar gave it some thought. "Maybe so... but you're her sister, right? Doesn't that make you about the same?"
"Who knows?" Morgan said with calm certainty. "As a Servant, maybe I've already reached my end. I've made the choice I believe in. Everything happening here is just a continuation of that choice."
"You really are different," Iskandar laughed. "At least your face doesn't have that same clouded look Saber always wears."
"I've outgrown that stage."
Morgan responded flatly.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake