The establishment of the Time Travelers Alliance began in the first year of Conan

Chapter 402 Preparations Before the Date
"Uh huh huh..."

Irisviel stood in front of a stove, wearing an apron used for cooking, skillfully stirring the pot with a spoon handle.

It was a very large and tall broth pot, placed on a flame of orange-red. It would take about the length of your forearm and hand combined to barely touch the boiling water from the bottom of the pot.

The fierce firepower even turned the white metal into an orange-red color.

When the heat also turned the boiling water a reddish hue, Irisviel finally took out the spoon.

To be honest, she now feels like a witch in a story.

However, she is no longer in the old house in the middle of the forest.

Instead, it looks like a bright kitchen that blends Japanese and modern styles.

This is the Emiya residence.

With a series of sharp, slicing motions, the sharp blade chopped the food on the cutting board into pieces, and then the food seemed to come alive with a lively energy.

"Phew, it seems I haven't forgotten what was written in that book after all."

Irisviel was somewhat glad that she had read the cookbook Caster had left behind in the past.

Otherwise, I might have to go back to the consultation room to see if there are any leftover ingredients.

Considering that book and the "restraint" of disciple Zero towards himself.

To be honest, Irisviel hasn't figured out how to deal with her disciple yet.

She found it strange that a Master would fall inside the Black Grail.

However, considering that if it weren't for the appearance of Disciple Zero, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to enter this world.

That's the decision. After the wish is fulfilled, we'll revive that guy and then truly take him as our disciple.

There's also that book that recounts some experiences related to "editing matters".

Thinking about this made Black Alice somewhat annoyed.

Even setting aside the content written in the book, and the threats arising from it through the "editing matters."

In Black Alice's view, the ominous book title alone was enough to sentence the person she had sent to death.

However, whether it is the title of the book that is unknown, or the tentacles that have been summoned in front of us that are unknown, remains to be discussed.

The seafood in front of me looks like an octopus.

However, the suckers at the ends of those tentacles were strangely shaped like pentagrams, and their color was an eerie dark green.

It easily evokes the image of a species known as the sea monster.

With one hand picking up the cutting board, Irisviel declared the protest invalid amidst the protests of those waving tentacles.

She poured them all into the boiling soup, then watched quietly as the tentacles bloomed in the orange-red broth.

The seafood soup is finally ready.

The next step is to pack the takeout and deliver it to a restaurant on a cruise ship.

Although she felt somewhat sorry for the students and tourists still on the ground, Blackie said she was just following the "history".

After confirming that everything was sealed tightly and that not a single trace of orange-red would spill out before the lid was opened.

Irisviel lifted the heavy soup pot with one hand and handed it to an Assassin standing nearby.

"Give this to Asako; someone on the ship will meet you and her," she instructed.

……

This is perhaps both strange and not strange.

Perhaps it's because the Black Grail itself can easily lead people to the most extreme desires.

Or, some people feel betrayed after learning the "truth".

Whether it's Black Sakura or Black Alice, it's easy to find a group of people who are inclined to side with them.

In fact, these people don't even need to use black mud or effects for transformation.

Like Raymond in the beginning, or other magicians, they joined in with an almost religious fervor.

The detectives who joined Black Alice's camp included both armed detectives and more traditional detectives.

Black Alice easily convinced them—because she truly told them the truth.

Regarding the transformation of the world by Sherlock Holmes, the significance of being a detective, and so on...

It's hard to say whether the dragon slayer will eventually become the dragon himself.

But clearly, it's exactly the same as how the Alliance tried to persuade others to join them in this universe in the past.

This is nothing short of a hellish joke.

These righteous detectives readily accepted Irisviel's advice.

In their view, the Detective Academy was far too arrogant; it was practically a crime.

It actually attempted to use such a terrifying method to influence the entire world and manipulate everyone's minds.

Ordinary people might think that this kind of "playing house" peace is not so bad.

But for intelligent people, this behavior is an insult to their dignity.

Therefore, after Black Alice promised that she would reveal the whole "truth" in this incident, allowing the world to return to its original course.

Moreover, these people don't actually need to hurt anyone.

Just like now——

Who would believe that a pot of seafood soup could lead to some terrible accident?
They don't even need to know that the enemy on the other side of the bridge is actually their ally.

In their minds, all they were doing was connecting the devices hidden in the food to the cruise ship's communication system and then informing everyone in the world about the information inside.

……

Therefore, the current situation of the Emiya residence seems to have a peculiar sense of contrast.

That seemingly delicate and weak arm lifted the large pot steadily.

On the contrary, the powerful arm shrouded in a black robe appeared to tremble slightly when it reached out with both hands to catch it.

Even the Assassin, who kills without hesitation and even regards life as worthless, is terrified of such a bomb.

No matter how indifferent he is to life, it is still just grass.

Unlike the woman in front of him, who didn't even treat it as a string of data, it was more like something that could have never existed.

If it weren't for Irisviel being the Black Grail and having unlimited authority over herself, this Assassin might have already "abandoned darkness and embraced light."

After all, in Irisviel's words at the time—

Who knows, perhaps the truth will be even worse once it's revealed?

Like a detective who feels he has been deceived.

Blackie was thoroughly annoyed by the volume of voices shouting "We don't need their help."

Yes, everyone thinks that way.

Black Alice sometimes felt that these detectives were even more obsessed with things like the truth or the root of the matter than magicians.

If she had to choose, she would think the world is many times better than she knows it.

If Kiritsugu and Illya could stay with her forever, she might choose to stay here forever.

Of course, that must be someone who also doesn't know the truth—

For me right now, there's no point in building a sandcastle on the beach and hiding inside.

Even relying on someone else's protection is meaningless.

What she needs to do is to personally revive Illya, her own person, and Kiritsugu.

……

By the time the malicious gift was delivered to the Holmes, it was already slowly approaching noon.

This surprised Caster.

After staying on the bridge, Ryunosuke had already parted ways with him.

He originally thought he would receive instructions from some people.

Whether it's the orders from that "alliance" or the coercion and threats from other guys.

But in reality, it seems everyone has forgotten about him.

Who would try to discuss plans for the future of the entire universe with someone whose mind is filled with "Joan of Arc, Joan of Arc"?
As long as Caster and Ryunosuke are in the right place at the right time, no one will try to give them any extra tasks.

Compared to the increased stability of the plan after excluding the two individuals, the advantages that adding them would bring are far too insignificant.

Therefore, Marshal Gilles couldn't help but marvel at the extraordinary wisdom of his original Master.

"Ryunosuke, you are truly a wise man."

Even his fallacies and heresies seem to make sense now. What kind of evil are these wicked people?

Does true evil even require killing?

After Caster noticed the book connected to his waist by a chain and the distant cruise ship that resembled a small mountain, he roughly understood what the man wanted to do.

He or she wants to apply something.

Using the sea monster's ink, they smeared this relatively peaceful world into a complete mess.

The pervasive fog now completely shrouded the cruise ship.

When the sunlight fell on it just now, Caster even saw the shadow of the sea monster.

Nothing is more blasphemous to God and faith than this, making the past practice of sacrificing children to evil gods seem almost unsurprising.

In the past, Caster would probably have been excited to join in making this happen upon seeing it.

But now he just sighed.

"Sigh... Ryunosuke, Ryunosuke, are you really not doing this on purpose?"

Caster strongly suspected that Ryunosuke had deliberately revealed those truths to him not long ago.

If it weren't for that dejected attitude that infected me.

In Ryunosuke's words, upon seeing that cool monster, he probably couldn't wait to rush towards it.

At this point, Gilles de Rais found the actions of that "alliance" incredible.

What kind of good person could summon themselves?

But even such inherently wicked people can repent and turn over a new leaf.

Even though she said she didn't care about anything, her Master still stubbornly tried to stop her.

Gilles de Rais once again marveled at Ryunosuke's current wisdom.

If he tries to convince himself, he might just allow his anger towards God to continue.

But this guy just happened to use the smartest method.

On this Mihana Bridge, Caster's eyes filled with tears at Ryunosuke's actions.

"God's brilliance is so dazzling that it has actually turned Ryunosuke into a smart and good person."

At this moment, those eyes, which originally looked like fish eyes, seemed to be trending towards returning to normal.

“However, Ryunosuke,” Caster said firmly, “the radiance emanating from my saintess will be tens of thousands of times greater than yours!”

Okay, it still doesn't look quite right.

……

The question is, given that all parties are creating such a huge obstacle to the Alliance's actions—at least that's what it seems to be.

Where exactly is the Alliance's response?

While it's true that the final result in chess always sounds good, you can't just let your opponent gradually expand their advantage in local areas.

"Kiritsugu, considering that the main force of the alliance must remain in the latter two 'cases', this 'case' now depends on your group."

Have [Wave] play as Waver and go to the Mihana Bridge with Rider.

Place another Weber in the early morning of the "third day".

This plan to address the problem at its root is indeed the intention of the [Alliance].

So far, the second half of the plan, which is theoretically more difficult, has been completed smoothly.

But the first half... ran into problems.

Merlin is already trying to stop this momentum.

However, the Rider group, driven by historical inertia, does indeed have the potential to bring about the appearance of the Sea Demon.

—We must be on guard.

"Kiritsugu, you don't need to feel too much pressure about this."

Lin Sheng sent him the information about the disturbance that Hei Ai Li had caused inside the [Academy].

If it weren't for the fact that the [Moon Spirit Essence Liquid] has now taken over the entire [Academy's] security system, those defensive equipment and energy devices would have almost certainly malfunctioned.

Kiritsugu glanced at the locations where the actions had taken and replied over the communication line, "These actions all look like bait."

“That’s right, but now the Alliance can’t push them too hard.”

This is definitely something the League finds troublesome.

Black Sakura and Black Alice can completely disregard those "unimportant" things.

Of course, this undoubtedly shows that both Black Sakura and Black Alice are deeply in love with the people in their hearts.

Judging from Conan's reasoning and Sakura Komatou's own account, they are even able to be indifferent to themselves.

"If only one person chooses to drag the world down with them, according to calculations, it's still within my ability to handle."

"But with two Black Grails, the situation becomes much more complicated, considering the possibility of inheritance."

The voice on the other end of the phone sounded somewhat distant at that moment.

"After all, there's another Matou Sakura, and she exists in multiple forms. What if we find out in the end that something's not right..."

Lin Sheng did not continue speaking.

However, this is in light of what Irisviel had just sent to herself.

Kiritsugu Emiya already knows what the Alliance needs him to do.

It all boils down to using the methods you're best at and that are most efficient to solve problems.

For Kiritsugu Emiya, putting himself on the scales of sacrifice was by no means a difficult choice.

Kiritsugu lit a cigarette and took a deep drag, almost as if he wanted to finish it in one go.

Shouldn't I have been prepared for this all along?
He asked himself this question in his mind, and then made a cold decision.

What a messed up world!

He couldn't help but think that the Irisviel who saved him should try to replace her with the death of another Irisviel.

Although the message from the Alliance made me feel a little better, deception is deception.

At Kiritsugu's insistence, the Alliance did not conceal the truth about the Black Alice.

This made it difficult for the man to figure out how he should feel when facing her.

Because those bullets that were modified by the Alliance can still be used to achieve a "killing blow" effect.

Send her an invitation, go on a date, and then find an opportunity to kill her with the Origin Bullet—that's the whole plan.

But Kiritsugu Emiya couldn't understand it.

Although I don't want to say it like this.

Currently, they seem to have changed a lot of things—such as the lives of the residents of Fuyuki City, or the lives of the other five billion people in the world.

But in reality, the key things that were told to us, seem to have remained unchanged.

Alice herself does seem to be able to survive, but the solution is simply to have another die in her place.

Kiritsugu didn't even ask the further questions.

Because that questioning could even shake the very meaning of Kiritsugu Emiya's existence.

Even though he tried to ignore some things, there were still some things that were hard to hide from his own heart.

Judging from the details of the plan, the scheme surrounding Black Alice likely began preparations after the Alliance discovered this.

Kiritsugu couldn't convince himself with coincidence because there were simply too many coincidental elements involved.

He had to think about when all of this had started.

And in the end, they gave up thinking and simply let that thing called "persona" drive them instinctively forward.

Perhaps Kiritsugu was also on the edge of a precipice called "complete destruction."

But when he saw the inevitable fate of being smashed to pieces after jumping off the cliff, he had to take a step back as if fleeing.

Kiritsugu then spoke up: "I only have one question now."

"Go ahead," Lin Sheng replied.

Is this part of that so-called "historical inertia"?

On one rare occasion, Lin Sheng's answer was very vague.

"It may be, or it may not be," he said.

(End of this chapter)