Emiya Kiritsugu noticed it too.
Recalling Kariya's demeanor in the video, he immediately ruled out Kotomine Kirei as the answer.
If Kariya had been talking to Kirei, there would have been no need for that frantic explanation.
He also dismissed Matou Sakura as an option. In this timeline, the name "Matou Sakura" referred to the child adopted by Zouken in the original history. There was no way Zouken would let her out in public so easily, especially where Tohsaka Tokiomi could potentially see her.
That left only Tohsaka Aoi and Tohsaka Rin.
After thinking it over, Emiya Kiritsugu chose B.
Rin had already encountered trouble once, when she was traumatized by her run-in with Bluebeard. It seemed unlikely she'd be thrown into such a horrific situation again so soon.
Still, to be cautious, he and Heroic Spirit Kiritsugu decided to split their answers.
Watching the video where Kotomine Kirei and Gilgamesh collaborated, and knowing the complex relationship between Matou Kariya and Tohsaka Aoi, Emiya Kiritsugu understood everything.
What a twisted scheme.
And considering they had captured Irisviel, he had no doubt he would be the next pawn in their sadistic game.
"No, no..."
Kariya had also guessed the answer by now, but he clung to the hope that he was wrong.
Torn between fear and denial, he chose D, the answer he desperately wished were true.
He wanted to believe the approaching figure would be Kotomine Kirei, not Aoi or Rin.
[The time for answering questions ends. Resuming the video.]
[Video continues.]
["Kariya… you…"]
[The scene shifted to the doorway, where Tohsaka Aoi stood, watching in shock.]
["No, I didn't do it!"]
[Seeing the woman he loved, Matou Kariya froze, panic spreading across his face.]
[Video paused.]
[The correct answer is B.]
[Congratulations to Waver, Chihiro, Hassan of the Hundred Faces, Emiya Kiritsugu, Zhang Jiao, and Sigurd for obtaining 3 Saint Quartz and advancing to the next round.]
[The King of Conquerors, Lancelot, Matou Kariya, El-Melloi II, the First Emperor, and Old Bug answered incorrectly and will have 1 Saint Quartz deducted.]
"No!!!"
Kariya's worst fears had come true.
He could already see where this was headed, and it filled him with dread.
At that moment, he felt a surge of hatred for Kotomine Kirei.
How could this all be a mere coincidence?
Just moments after he entered the church, Aoi appeared.
Shouldn't she have been safely at Zenjou Manor with Rin? Why had she returned to Fuyuki City?
And how, at that exact moment, had Tokiomi's body fallen in front of him?
As if orchestrated by fate, he'd been drawn forward to check, only for Aoi to witness it all.
How could all these coincidences align so perfectly in mere seconds?
There was no doubt in his mind—this had to be Kotomine Kirei's doing.
Tohsaka Rin: "Wow… even I can tell something's wrong here."
Tohsaka Rin: "Why did my mom suddenly come back to Fuyuki and show up at the church?"
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "Kirei! Gilgamesh! You traitorous fiends!"
Tohsaka Tokiomi was livid. The fact that they'd involved his family was an unforgivable offense.
Gilgamesh: "Calm yourself, Tokiomi. Are you saying I don't know how to wield a blade?"
Waver: "Shut up, Gilgamesh. You don't even have the decency to admit it."
Even Waver was appalled by the way Kirei and Gilgamesh had pulled innocent family members into their schemes.
Artoria: "Gilgamesh, you have no right to call yourself the Hero King with such behavior."
First Emperor: "Indeed, there's nothing noble about this conduct."
El-Melloi II: "Only a tyrant would resort to such tactics."
Iskandar: "Golden Sparkles, you're crossing a line here."
Gilgamesh: "Silence, fools. I've done nothing yet!"
Gilgamesh: "Besides, who's to say these events even involve me at all?"
Tohsaka Rin: "Oh, really? Everything points to Kotomine Kirei, and you still have the nerve to claim innocence?"
Tohsaka Rin: "It's a good thing I took you down first. Who knows what horrors you'd have inflicted otherwise?"
Gilgamesh: "You little—!"
Gilgamesh found himself momentarily speechless. The truth was painfully clear to everyone. Denying it now would only make him look foolish when the full extent of the plot was revealed.
Kotomine Kirei: "Teacher, I assure you, the events in the video are unrelated to me. Please don't misjudge."
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "Kirei, you…"
Kotomine Risei: "Please, Tokiomi, stay calm."
Kotomine Risei: "Kirei has done nothing yet, and I assure you, he would never act in such a way. Don't let this video damage the bond between our families."
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "Hmph!"
Kotomine Risei sighed, glancing at his expressionless son with a heavy heart.
He couldn't understand how Kirei had turned out this way.
What had led him to become so twisted?
But at least, for now, Kirei had not succumbed to the temptations of that golden tyrant. He was still the same as always.
And hopefully, this meant he wouldn't have to keep spending late nights in the kitchen, dealing with Kirei's strange requests for spicy food.
At this thought, Kotomine Risei subconsciously touched his lips, which still burned slightly from the last dish he'd made.
Waver: "Chihiro, you really managed to clear another question?"
Chihiro: "What can I say? I'm just lucky."
El-Melloi II: "This isn't just luck, you know."
Kayneth: "Agreed. It's almost as if you already knew the answer."
Chihiro: "Come on, there's no way. Even Gilgamesh didn't know the answer, so how could I?"
Chihiro: "It's just analysis and a bit of good fortune, that's all."
Gilgamesh: "Hmph."
[Video continues.]
["Are you happy now, Kariya?"]
[Tohsaka Aoi knelt beside Tohsaka Tokiomi's body, clutching him as silent tears streamed down her face.]
["Now that he's gone, the Holy Grail will go to the Matou family."]
["I…"]
[Kariya was desperate to explain himself, but the words caught in his throat.]
["Why? Was it not enough to take Sakura away from me? Did you have to kill him too, right in front of me?!"]
[Aoi looked up at Kariya, her eyes filled with tears, and asked, "Why, Kariya?"]
"No!!!"
Matou Kariya shouted in despair.
Things were unraveling exactly as he had feared.
Aoi's accusations in the video cut deep, piercing his heart like a knife.
He had always thought that Tokiomi and Aoi's marriage was merely a political arrangement, devoid of true love. But now he realized he'd been wrong all along.
["It's all his fault! Everything is because of him!"]
[Kariya's emotions burst forth as he pointed at Tokiomi's lifeless body. "If not for him, you and Sakura could have been happy…"]
["What nonsense are you spouting?!"]
[Aoi, who was unaware of the full truth, interrupted Kariya, her voice laced with anger and disbelief. "You don't understand love at all, do you? You've never truly cared for anyone, have you?"]
[Those words shattered Kariya completely.]
[The screen faded to black.]
["Once, I loved someone. She was gentle and kind. All I wanted was for her to be happy."]
["I would have done anything for her."]
["But that same love… has kept me in endless torment."]
["I refuse to let anyone deny that."]
["Do you know who I became this monster for?!"]
["If we're all going to die in the end, then why not just—"]
[Video paused.]
[Question: What did Matou Kariya do next?]
[A: His mind collapses, and he nearly kills Tohsaka Aoi.]
[B: He loses control and lashes out at Tohsaka Aoi.]
[C: Overwhelmed, he flees from the scene immediately.]
[D: In his frustration, he tells Tohsaka Aoi the truth about Matou Sakura's suffering in the Matou family.]
[Please answer within five minutes. Exceeding the time limit will be considered as giving up.]
Tohsaka Rin: "That can't be! Uncle Kariya would never hurt my mother, would he?"
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "Matou Kariya, you disgraceful fool!"
Matou Kariya: "…"
Matou Kariya: "No, I would never harm Aoi! Never!"
Old Bug: "Hahaha, what an entertaining display."
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "Silence, you wretched worm! You have no right to speak here."
Old Bug: "Tokiomi, one day, you'll regret crossing me."
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "Hmph!"
Waver: "This is a tough question. Honestly, any of these choices seem possible."
Kayneth: "Why not try option B? He could lose control and lash out."
Matou Kariya: "Impossible! It can't be B!"
Kayneth: "Can you really be sure of that?"
Kayneth: "You're clearly falling apart. Who knows what you're capable of in that state?"
Matou Kariya: "Enough! I would never harm Aoi!"
***
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