Spy-Give me Baeber
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"This man... he really knows his stuff."
Kayneth had come seeking revenge, but after hearing about Illya, his fighting spirit had waned considerably.
However, the knightly duel that had already begun was not something he could stop.
Or rather, Guinevere had no intention of stopping it.
By agreeing to Kayneth's plan and allowing Lancer to challenge the King of Knights, Guinevere had another goal in mind: to grant Lancer a glorious exit.
In her eyes, Lancer was too weak to be a significant asset. An early retirement would be a mercy.
Lifting her gaze, she glanced at Irisviel, who was busy explaining the situation to Kiritsugu. Then, her eyes shifted back to Lancer, who now held his spear with both hands, having already re-engaged in battle.
In Lancer's hands, Gae Buidhe weaved and danced, repeatedly striking at the King of Knights' most vulnerable points.
But aside from that one moment when she stumbled in anger over Illya, the King of Knights had been completely dominating Lancer.
Compared to the original timeline, this King of Knights had lived for several more decades, with the stronger Guinevere constantly by her side.
As the saying goes, "those involved are often blind to the truth." Guinevere was so familiar with the King of Knights' swordsmanship that she subconsciously underestimated it by a full rank.
In terms of pure sword skill, the King of Knights couldn't match Lancelot's flawless perfection, but she wasn't far behind.
Within just one minute of combat, the ground was scarred with deep gouges, and nearby trees were felled by the sheer force of their wind pressure. In a blur of motion too fast for Irisviel to follow...
Lancer switched from offense to defense, his stance faltering. He couldn't even find an opening to draw his second spear.
However, because Lancer had held back earlier, the King of Knights also paused and sheathed her sword, giving him a chance to regroup.
"Saber," Lancer said, "your swordsmanship is even more incredible than Caster described."
"That's probably because I haven't won a sword duel against Guinevere in a very long time," the King of Knights replied casually. "In her eyes, I've long been a fool who barely avoids defeat by relying on my Instinct."
The King of Knights nonchalantly revealed this information about herself as she watched Lancer draw his shorter spear and assume a dual-wielding defensive stance.
From their brief exchange, both combatants knew clearly that even with Guinevere's "betrayal"—her subconscious underestimation of the King of Knights—Lancer was still far outmatched in martial skill.
In a direct confrontation, Lancer truly could not win.
"Kayneth, I ask this of you," Guinevere said, advising him. "Since you have no desperate wish to win, grant Lancer the deathmatch he so desires. Let him serve you with his life."
"By the power of my Command Spell, I order you, Lancer: fight with all your might!" Kayneth commanded.
Empowered by the Command Spell, all of Lancer's stats surged, and the fatigue from the recent battle vanished completely.
He glanced gratefully at Guinevere, only to be met with a soft click of her tongue and the rising fury of the waiting King of Knights.
"Lancer! You knew full well Guinevere is my Queen, yet you still used your Charm Magecraft on her! You insolent cur!"
A majestic yet frenzied aura of Mana erupted from her. No longer waiting for Lancer to attack, she charged forward, her strikes heavier and more relentless than before.
Switching from one spear to two, Lancer's technique became even more refined. From behind his now sturdier defense, he continuously struck out like a viper.
But his fighting style only reminded the King of Knights of Guinevere when they first met.
Back then, Guinevere had fought the same way.
As she thought this, a faint smile appeared on the King of Knights' face, her gaze drifting toward Guinevere. Because she was so familiar with this fighting style, she easily dodged Lancer's spear—which still sought victory without giving up—and slashed her sword toward his face, effortlessly sending him flying.
Then, the King of Knights took a deep breath and grew completely serious. She began to believe that Guinevere had sent Lancer out merely to serve as a weak vanguard.
"Lancer, if this is all you've got, you're about to die. Don't bother with any more tricks. I'll treat both your spears as Noble Phantasms and won't let you land a single hit."
Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, known as "Diarmuid of the Radiant Face," was born with a "Love Spot" that could charm any woman. When summoned into the Lancer Class, he couldn't control this ability.
As a result, after his summoning, he unintentionally earned the affection of Kayneth's fiancée, Sola.
It was because of Sola's affection that Kayneth had resented him from the start. After realizing Diarmuid was no match for Guinevere or Lancelot, he held even less hope for this "third-rate Servant."
Thus, after Guinevere gave Lancer a chance to prove his loyalty, Kayneth felt no regret at the prospect of losing him.
From the moment he met Guinevere, his purpose in this Holy Grail War had shifted to supporting her.
"Kayneth, Lancer is truly about to lose."
"I will leave the remaining two Command Spells to Your Grace."
Kayneth had initially entered the war seeking revenge, but ever since Guinevere had permitted Lancer to challenge only the King of Knights, he had mentally prepared for this outcome.
Of course, he wouldn't have minded if Lancer had managed to win.
As for Lancer, he was no fool. He could also discern Guinevere's intentions.
But he had come to terms with his own weakness, knowing he could never win the Holy Grail War.
So, when Kayneth asked only for his loyalty unto death—while still holding a sliver of hope for him—Lancer calmly accepted his fate, resolving to fight with all his might for even a slim chance of victory.
But a gap in power is a gap in power, and this one was a chasm. Even after the surrounding trees were nearly flattened and Lancer had displayed the full extent of his martial arts, he still couldn't land a single blow on the King of Knights.
With a bitter taste in his mouth, he was pierced through the chest by the King of Knights' sword. But since it was an honorable defeat in a fair fight, he held no resentment.
At this moment, all he felt was regret for his lack of skill and guilt for failing to meet Kayneth's faint hope.
"I'm sorry, Master."
As he spoke, he glanced at Guinevere, who was smiling as she saw him off. Then he heard the King of Knights suddenly speak:
"Guinevere can see the future. She forced you to your death and is pleased by it, which must mean your original fate was far more wretched."
"In that case, I suppose I should thank your Queen."
"Yes."
The King of Knights was utterly serious, her expression inspiring trust. Surprised, Lancer truly did say "Thank you" to Guinevere just before he faded away completely.
Though, he had no idea what his original fate would have been.
As Lancer vanished, Irisviel's expression suddenly turned troubled. She stopped arguing with Kiritsugu. As the "Lesser Grail," forged to contain the souls of Servants, she had indeed received Lancer's soul.
First, a portion of Assassin's soul, then Berserker's, and now Lancer's. Given the immense weight of a Servant's soul, Irisviel should have been far more affected.
But now, enduring the strange sensation in her body, Irisviel's expression turned cunning again. Her gaze locked onto Guinevere as she stood before her like a curious little girl.
Due to her unique [Innocent Monster] skill, Guinevere held an extra allure for married individuals, and Irisviel was no exception.
She felt an unconscious urge to be close to Guinevere, a natural desire for physical contact.
See? After standing before Guinevere for a moment, she took her arm with the air of a mother-in-law, her eyes sparkling.
"Caster, can you really see the future?"
At that moment, Guinevere still didn't understand why the King of Knights had deliberately revealed such information.
But as she pondered, eliminating one impossibility after another, Guinevere voiced the most likely conclusion she could reach.
"Lia, do you want me to be targeted and eliminated? Are you sure I won't give up trying to stop you?"
More than that, the King of Knights knew that while they might be evenly matched in bed, she could never defeat Guinevere in a fight.
Taking a deep breath, Guinevere ignored the silent King of Knights and Irisviel, who was still clinging to her arm. She gritted her teeth and looked up toward Kiritsugu Emiya's concealed position.
She shouted, "Kiritsugu Emiya, let's make a deal. Give me Saber!"