I, Kenneth, am going to get to the root of the problem today.

Page 16

"It's alright, everything went smoothly, let's go upstairs."

"You really went all out. You even dared to summon that British witch. I was prepared to collect your corpse."

"Isn't this because we have no other choice? These days, it's really difficult to find a few decent casters who can actually do magic."

With a wry smile, Kenneth scratched his head and turned to look at Karna, who was now standing behind him like a bodyguard.

"Thank you for your help earlier, Lancer. Everything's fine for now."

Nodding silently, Karna, who appeared serious but was actually taciturn, withdrew his divine spear and returned to Kenneth's side, leaving the center position to his Master. Karna then closed his eyes and sensed Morgan's presence.

Having witnessed Karna's actions, Aozaki Touko finally understood why Kenneth summoned him first. As a divine child, he had no airs whatsoever and could perfectly execute orders. Aozaki Touko wanted to have such a high-level combatant as him.

After discussing the next steps with Aozaki Touko, Morgan appeared in the hall as soon as Kenneth walked out of the workshop.

What are your plans?

Morgan, resembling a dark, languid figure, propped her cheeks up. Her form-fitting black dress creased with her carelessness, and her dark golden hair was pressed beneath her body. The crimson markings on her abdomen and heart trembled slightly with her breath. Her bright blue eyes took in Kenneth, who sat opposite her. Having already expressed interest in cooperation, Morgan began to further assess Kenneth's value.

"The plan isn't complicated. I've already prepared your base; it's a decent spiritual vein. On the first day, I'll show myself to lure out other groups, and you can observe them from the shadows..."

......

"What about my good-for-nothing sister?"

Trying to figure out Kenneth's plan, Morgan asked the question that concerned her most.

"Take a look at this. This is her Master's information."

After handing Kiritsugu Emiya's file to Morgan, Kenneth handed the black tea Roy had given him to Karna, who had been standing by his side the whole time, before turning his attention back to Morgan, who was deep in thought.

"As you can see, her Master is someone who is completely incompatible with her, so conflict is inevitable. Moreover, given that assassin's personality, if he discovers my base and my base is particularly easy to deal with, what do you think he will do?"

"Your analysis is good. Based on your current capabilities, I'll reluctantly accept you as a partner."

Morgan put down the documents in his hand and looked at Kenneth sitting opposite him with the eyes of someone looking at an interesting toy. Unaffected by Morgan's gaze, Kenneth handed another document to Morgan.

“Kōmine Risei, he possesses the remaining Command Seals from past Holy Grail Wars. We cannot give up on this. Even if those Command Seals may have lost their function of issuing commands, they are still quite useful as a source of magical energy.”

"Are you well prepared? Do you have any other ideas? Tell us about them."

Seeing that Morgan had finally taken an interest, Kenneth took a sip of tea and began to recount the intelligence he had gathered over the past year.

Chapter Forty: Morgan and Karna

Faced with a witch, and an extremely biased queen at that, Kenneth can only stand on equal footing with this twisted royal fan by demonstrating sufficient ability. The witch is extremely emotional. Although the two share the same goal, in order to avoid Morgan tripping him up, Kenneth must constantly improve his reputation in Morgan's eyes. Only in this way can Kenneth, who is trying to negotiate with a tiger, get his own piece of the pie.

"I see. The Lesser Grail, the Greater Grail, your plan is good. I approve. Do you have any information on the Grail?"

Kenneth handed Morgan a document about the Holy Grail, then rubbed his head and explained:

"Everything I could find is here. I didn't find complete information about the Einzbern family's Holy Grail system; that homunculus family has always lived in seclusion. But that's not a big problem. The Greater Grail is located beneath Mount Enzou; with your abilities, you can definitely go see it for yourself. As for the Lesser Grail..."

Kenneth stood up, his fingers, encased in leather gloves, pressing directly onto the documents in Morgan's hand.

“Irisviel, the Lesser Grail created by the contemporary Einzbern, Saber’s apparent Master. You can move when her husband attacks me. If all goes well, I think Saber’s Master should have already lost her status as a contestant by then.”

"At that time, I will hand over full command of her to you. After all, you are a magician too, aren't you?"

P.S.: Caster can summon and command Servants, similar to Medea and the gatekeeper from the Fifth Holy Grail War.

"Oh, so there's such a loophole? Interesting. Well then, it'll be a pleasure to work with you!"

Satisfied with Kenneth's plan, Morgan's lips curled up behind her black veil, her beautiful blue eyes filled with pleasure. Seeing Morgan finally responding formally, Kenneth extended his right hand in front of Morgan.

"Then let's follow the etiquette of this era and have a pleasant cooperation."

Morgan slightly raised her eyelids, her eyes flickering as she leaned lazily against the sofa. She straightened her slightly wrinkled black dress, and as she stood up, she grasped Kenneth's right hand.

"Pleasant to work with."

As his little finger traced Kenneth's palm through his glove, meeting those alluring eyes, Kenneth's consciousness suddenly blurred.

"Qiang——!!"

"Phew... Lancer, I'm fine, stop."

As Kenneth finished speaking, the floor tiles shattered, and Karna's spear came to a stop just short of Morgan's forehead.

"So, am I qualified?"

"As far as my performance is concerned, it's barely enough. Don't disappoint me, Master!"

A pair of pale fingers brushed across Kenneth's palm, lifting her skirt. Morgan picked up the documents on the table and sat back down on the sofa. She took a deep breath and gestured to Karna not to be nervous. Kenneth adjusted her chaotic magic and sat down opposite Morgan.

"I will send the other materials over later. Just give Roy anything you need. Although materials from the Age of Gods are somewhat scarce in this era, the El-Melloi family still has some in stock."

Having achieved his goal, Kenneth stood up and headed for the stairs. After watching Kenneth leave, Karna turned his bloodshot eyes toward Morgan, who was shrouded in the illusory light.

"Though you shackle yourself with the bondage of hatred, you also sow the seeds of regret in the soil. Have you noticed the contradiction in this?"

"What are you trying to say, Lancer?"

Karna's sudden outburst interrupted his train of thought. His eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint blue-green magical energy rose from Morgan's body. Ignoring Morgan's hostility, Karna glanced at the black tea Kenneth had offered him and said calmly:

"What did you want to reclaim from the fear the world had of you? In the end, did you really get what you wanted? Or did you only realize what you truly wanted at that moment?"

“What the hell are you trying to say?!”

With his voice suddenly rising, Morgan, whose pretense had been exposed, could no longer maintain his composure. The blood-red markings on his body began to flicker. Sensing Morgan's increasingly intense killing intent, Karna also revealed a troubled expression.

“I have no interest in the Holy Grail. Master entrusted his future to me. I accept this expectation, and I will protect him until the very end. So, witch who disguises herself with hatred, although I cannot understand your confusion, I will always be watching you with these eyes.”

Karna's voice echoed in the conference room. After a long while, Morgan finally withdrew her jade-like fingers from the armrest.

"What a blindly loyal man. Don't worry, since I acknowledge him as my Master, I won't do anything more until he disobeys me."

Having understood Karna's resolve, Morgan recalled the stubborn girl who had drawn the Sword of the King. The murderous aura surrounding him dissipated, and Morgan refocused his attention on the documents in his hands.

After gazing at Morgan for a long time, Karna transformed into a spirit particle. Morgan, who had been keeping his head down, threw the file in his hand onto the table and looked up at the lamplight hanging high above.

"Am I filled with hatred? Am I filled with regret? What is it that I truly want...?"

At this moment, even Morgan had to admit that she was bewildered by Karna's eyes, which could see through illusions.

-------------------------------------

"Karna, sit down. Since you can treat everyone equally, why do you keep standing next to me?"

"I am your servant, and you are my master. This fact will not change."

Upon hearing Karna's words, Kenneth inexplicably had the illusion that he was a heartless rancher. Sensing Kenneth's emotional change, Karna's face was once again filled with distress.

"I'm sorry, Master, I'm not good at communication."

"It's alright, Karna. I understand your situation. You're not bad at expressing yourself, you're just too quiet. If you can, don't worry about what others think, just express your feelings completely. Sit down, it's tiring for my neck to keep looking up to talk to you."

"I'm sorry, Master, I didn't think it through."

'Snapped! '

Kenneth slapped his forehead, looking at Karna, who was half-squatting in front of him, with a look of regret. He realized that Karna's seriousness far exceeded his expectations. Faced with such an obedient Servant, Kenneth didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Karna, on the battlefield I am your Master, but off the battlefield, I hope our relationship can be more relaxed."

Kenneth, who had a great fondness for this hero who had given him alms since his previous life, dragged Karna, who was squatting in front of him, up and pressed him down onto the sofa under Karna's puzzled gaze.

"Karna, you carry my future on your shoulders. My future is very heavy. When you are not fighting, take a break. Only after you have had enough rest can you better face your enemies."

"I understand, Master. If this is your command, I will remember it."

Holding his forehead, Kenneth looked at Karna's serious face and was completely exasperated.

Chapter 41 Morgan, feeling his future is bleak

Picking up his communication suit, Kenneth listened quietly to the report from the magician lurking in Fuyuki City.

"Lord, Waver Velvet has arrived in Fuyuki and has moved into the home of an ordinary couple using suggestive magic..."

"I see. I understand. The surveillance is suspended. Except for the necessary personnel, let the rest of the personnel return."

After arranging the follow-up work, Kenneth bumped into Aozaki Touko, who was already waiting in the corridor, as soon as he stepped out of the study.

"Are you all ready?"

"Ready? My flight is in an hour. I'm counting on you, El-Melloi. Let me tell you, I'm good at checking accounts, so don't let me catch you."

Seeing Kenneth's feigned ease, Aozaki Touko stubbed out her cigarette and gave Kenneth an OK sign.

"Aren't you going to check on those girls? You are their teacher, after all. Even though you're a hands-off manager, those girls are very worried about you."

"No need. When there's plenty of time, it's just a small ceremony in the countryside. If I, Kenneth, am going to die there, don't bother dancing on my grave. Just scatter my offerings! Hahaha!!"

Watching Kenneth walk down the stairs amidst laughter, Aozaki Touko lit another cigarette, took a deep drag, and held her breath.

"You better come back here, Kenneth! You haven't paid me my salary for next month yet."

In her own unique way, Aozaki Touko offered her blessings to Kenneth, who was about to face a turning point in his life.

The plane from the UK landed slowly with a long trail of noise, and Kenneth, with his blond hair slicked back, walked out of the airport, dragging his suitcase.

"Is this the Fuyuki you mentioned? Where is Ryudou-ji Temple that you spoke of?"

Through the connection between Servant and Master, Morgan's voice reached Kenneth's ears directly. Kenneth looked at a passerby not far away and replied:

"The guy handing out flyers will be handing over his shift in three minutes. Just follow him."

Through his senses, Kenneth could clearly perceive that Morgan had disappeared from his side. Without showing any unusual expression, Kenneth picked up his luggage and got into the Hyatt Hotel's car without any emotion.

"Lancer, is anything unusual around here?"

"Master, I cannot sense the presence of a Servant."

Nodding, Kenneth pretended to be admiring the scenery along the street, scanning the surrounding streets. He didn't notice anything unusual until the car stopped in front of the Hyatt Hotel.

“Mr. Archibald, we have arrived. Your suite is on the thirty-second floor. We will bring your luggage up to you shortly.”

Controlling his expression, Kenneth nodded and walked into the building that was destined to be targeted by Kiritsugu. After opening the door and confirming that the room had not been tampered with, Kenneth gently closed the door.

"Lancer, dispel the spirit form. This is our base until the prey comes knocking."

Golden light gradually gathered, and Karna, clad in golden armor, stood silently behind Kenneth. Sensing Kenneth's heavy mood, Karna walked to Kenneth's front.

"Master, my purpose in being is to protect you. I entrust all my power to you, and as long as I have a breath left, I will continue to fulfill our promise."

With the insight of the poor, Karna keenly perceived the worry hidden in Kenneth's eyes, and with her own gentleness, Karna softly comforted the man before her.

"Isn't that well said? Karna, you must never stop speaking just because you care about other people's feelings. Only when you leave things unsaid will it cause misunderstandings."

"Oh, I see. I understand now, Master."

……

While Kenneth and Karna were having their heart-to-heart talk, inside Ryudouji Temple, after a "friendly exchange," Morgan and Aozaki Aoko were staring at each other in the dilapidated temple.

Morgan, estranged from her sister, a twisted siscon, a pathological older sister who regrets her actions after completing her so-called revenge.

Aozaki Aoko, who is at odds with her older sister, is a half-baked mage who was raised without any support but inexplicably inherited her sister's rights. After a major confrontation with her older sister, their relationship has undergone a subtle change over the years. In short, she is a complicated younger sister who has a love-hate relationship with Aozaki Touko.

Even though both knew of each other's existence from Kenneth, the moment they met, their older/younger sister intuition led them to the same thought.

"I absolutely can't get along with this guy!!"

As a result, the two, who already had a bad impression of each other, became hostile after only a few words. As the argument escalated, Morgan and Aozaki Aoko, who were not exactly respectable people to begin with, immediately decided to settle things with their fists.

Fortunately, both of them knew their limits; otherwise, the magic that Kenneth had set up in advance at Ryudouji Temple would have been completely destroyed in their battle.

"I never expected that someone like you would still exist in this era of vanished mysteries. That aura, is it the law? As expected of a power originating from the source, I acknowledge your strength."

"Tch, who needs you to admit it? The previous spell was fairy magic, right? And that power, it must be divine power. Is this what a Servant is? Looks like I made the right choice coming to Fuyuki City this time."

Aozaki Aoko: My wrists are itching to fight.

Sensing that Aozaki Aoko was eager to rush out of Ryudouji Temple and fight those Servants, Morgan, a witch who was used to hiding behind the scenes, felt that she would be in trouble from now on.

With a sigh, knowing that his avatar was no match for the mage before him, Morgan rubbed his throbbing temples and looked expressionlessly at the eager Aozaki Aoko.

"In any case, this will be our base for a long time to come. I think you've seen the intelligence he sent. Before that, let's build up our position properly."

"Hmm, intelligence, what intelligence?"

With his hand on his forehead, Morgan suddenly had the illusion that he was facing Mordred, and a super-amplified one at that.

"It's nothing. You go and check on what he brought. Leave the magic array to me."