Chapter 75: Battle Between Magus and Magus Killer (12)

Chapter 75: Battle Between Magus and Magus Killer (12)

The bright moon hung high, casting a hazy moonlight that illuminated Kiritsugu's cold and stern face, as well as the thick, unyielding shadows in the corners.

A smooth hand, as if made of white jade, emerged from the shadows and firmly grasped Kiritsugu's M950, just before he could pull the trigger.

"That's enough," a deep and melodious female voice echoed in the corridor.

Kiritsugu couldn't help but furrow his brow; he recognized the owner of the hand.

"Assassin?"

"Release the Master of Lancer."

With a forceful twist of her wrist, Scáthach shattered the barrel of the M950 into pieces. The Queen of the Shadow Lands, who roamed within the shadows, calmly gazed at Saber's Master.

"As a reward, I'll give you some information. Kirei Kotomine has invaded the forest, and the two women accompanying you are trying to stop him."

Facing the Assassin alone, Kiritsugu, who still maintained an expressionless demeanor, finally changed his expression. Scáthach could sense a tremendous emotional upheaval on his face, including shock, worry, and fear.

Kiritsugu quickly released his grip on the M950 and said, "Thank you" to Scáthach. He then shattered the window on the third floor and jumped out from the corridor.

Assassin had plenty of opportunities to kill him, and her decision not to attack indicated she meant no harm. There was no need for him to be on guard. His immediate priority was to reach the side of Irisviel and Maiya.

"Please, let them be safe," Kiritsugu silently prayed as he used magecraft to counteract gravity while leaping through the air.

...

The contract between a Master and a Servant was an invisible yet undoubtedly existing bond that connected them. Although this bond was not tight enough to provide real-time awareness of each other's condition and actions, it could still convey certain information in critical moments—such as command spells and life-or-death crises.

As a result, the dire situation that Kenneth was facing quickly reached Lancer, who was still in the forest.

"What?!" Lancer turned around abruptly and looked towards the direction of Einzbern Castle, precisely at the moment when they had just defeated Caster's monstrous army and were preparing to confront Caster alongside Saber.

Until this moment, Lancer finally realized that his Master, whom he thought was observing the battle from the rear, had charged into the enemy ranks and was engaged in another battle.

Lancer's momentary hesitation created a precious opportunity for Caster, who was in dire straits.

However, Lancer did not feel the need to save Saber earlier. He didn't consider himself foolish, so now he couldn't think that Saber was foolish for clearing a path.

"King of Knights, I'm grateful."

"It's nothing. We both swore to duel as knights. Let us uphold this honor together--"

Before Saber finished speaking, she suddenly raised her sword towards the direction of the castle.

"Someone is approaching, this presence... is it Assassin?"

Just as she spoke, Scáthach, dressed in a black bodysuit, appeared in their field of vision. In her right hand, she was carrying someone like a sack, and Lancer immediately recognized that it was his Master, Kenneth, the one he had pledged his loyalty to.

"My Lord!"

"Take him away immediately, Lancer." Scáthach casually tossed the unconscious Kenneth to Lancer. "Your Master lost in a duel against Saber's Master. Although I've provided emergency treatment, he is severely wounded. Find a place for him to rest as soon as possible."

Lancer carefully caught his Master and bowed respectfully to Scáthach. "Thank you very much, Queen, of the Land of Shadows."

Although he didn't know the details, he could tell that without Scáthach's intervention, his Master might have already died.

"No need for excessive courtesy. As I said, I like top-notch warriors. I helped Saber last time, and now I'm helping you. It's only fair."

Scáthach waved her hand casually at Lancer and then turned to Saber.

"Your Master is also in a bad situation. Don't linger here."

"Understood."

"Thank you once again."

Saber and Lancer once again expressed their gratitude to Scáthach and disappeared into the night, each going in opposite directions.

Scáthach, who had been traveling throughout the night, ran her fingers through her hair and looked up at the dazzling starry sky, whispering.

"This should be enough, my little Master."

PS: According to Type-Moon's explanation, some people have a Lolita complex, which is likely innate and stems from primal impulses. No matter how many times you reincarnate, you'll still have a Lolita complex.