Here was a room with the smell of stone.
The light inside being not artificial, but natural.
The swerving fire of the lamp shined over the back of a man, exposing the spread-out parchment before him.

"A report to the Association, is it? A busy man you are, Kotomine."

The voice, came from behind without warning.
Not showing surprise, the man on the chair, Kotomine Kirei, was at work with his second occupation.

"Ho, that usurper I see.
Let me see, victims have now reached 507, 5 of whom have died, eh. Is this a large number, from the point of view of a Church director, Kotomine?"
"It is too early to tell at this stage. This is the first time that such a massive scale of comatose incidents have occurred, but, hardly a problem if it settles down at this. Both organizations had accepted and were prepared for this degree of cleanup work.
But...."

"At this rate, hm. Hmph, whoever it may be, he has gone about it spectacularly.
Are you aware of it, Kotomine? If unopposed, this city will be empty if this continues."

Kotomine doesn't answer.
He of all people recognizes what the youth standing behind him had said.

The enigma that appeared in the city.
It is only absorbing life force now, but the amount being consumed is increasing day by day.
This abnormal means of harvesting, beginning two days earlier, will pass the specified amount in several days.
The sickness had at worst only caused difficulty in breathing, but eventually even a healthy adult male will be unable to make it through the night.

"But those are unwarranted concerns. The one behind it is not an amateur; he ought to be know full well of when to stop."

"I wonder how true that may be. The worm master may happen to have different thoughts. Would it not be better to crush the likes of them early lest they come back to haunt us? Not even I want the people of a city to be killed so brazenly."

To Kotomine, this was startling.
To think this man, one who had no love for anyone but himself, would have interest in the safety of the people of a city.

"I'm shocked. And what brought this change of heart, Gilgamesh?"

"You needn't be bewildered. I look down on the idea of anyone other than me killing a man. Should a man fell another man, oh, let us be grieved with foolish crimes and punishments. There is no amusement in that level of suffering, you understand."

"....So I see. You are really a Heroic Spirit in your own way.
To save them from the pain of living, you bring death. Then, as I thought. Your wish is death?"

"Without a doubt. In this era, there are too many meaningless and worthless humans. It would be an act of justice to remove them all at once."

A contemptuous voice was filled with absolute calm and royal aura.
While hearing this, the priest allowed no time to rest for his hands to complete his work.

"I see.
If that is your wish, then use the Holy Grail as you wish. As long as there is no one that can oppose you, the Grail is yours."

"Hm? Kotomine, have you no wish of your own?"

"I have no clear wish. The only thing I have is an ego that desires clear pleasure."

"Ha........hahahaha, is that so, only pleasure!"

The youth laughed at this simple answer.

As if proud of the entertaining answer of his own partner.

"Excellent! I kill because of disgust, you kill because of pleasure. Our reasons may differ, but we seek from the Grail the same thing! No wonder I had been so tied to you so well!"

"........."

The priest doesn't answer.
With no interest, he continues to perform his duties.

"Hmph....if you choose not to act, then I will accept it. But I will do as I please."

The aura of the youth vanished.

In the once again silent stone room, the priest glanced at the door.

"He seems to be on the brink of madness, but that core is sane. It appears that the mud couldn't corrupt him up to his soul."

Gilgamesh, King of Heroes.
The golden Servant, at this point, is the most powerful of the players.
This was a fact accepted without question by all else, and the game master himself did not doubt the truth behind it.

However-

"There are worthless creations, but there are no meaningless things.
....Be warned, King of Heroes. If there is anything that will lay defeat on to you, it will be originating from that one point."

No one hears his monologue.
Illuminated by red light, the priest had spoken like a prophet seeing the future.