The Last Knight

The Grail's Invitation

Tokiomi: What of Rider's Noble Phantasm?

Caren: Equal to that of Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon. In other words, too powerful to be given a rank.

Tokiomi: Hmm. It all ended exactly as we planned. If we'd gone against Rider without this new knowledge and unprepared, we would not have been able to defend ourselves against him. This will begin the second stage. We will use the information Assassin gathered for us to have Archer defeat our enemies and in the process, discover the means to defeat Rider.

Caren: Yes.

Tokiomi: Thank you for your fine work as a Master.

(Caren enters the basement room to find Archer there)

Caren: You seem to be in rather fine spirits today, Archer.

Gilgamesh: I still see little value to this Grail. But even if it is trash, that's fine. It seems I found another form of pleasure.

Caren: Here in this world that you've constantly mocked for being vile and full of imposters.

Gilgamesh: That remains unchanged. However, I am now curious to see this Holy Grail War through to its end. I am fond of lives full of hubris. Those who harbor grand ambitions but are unequal to the task. The mere sight of such people gives me great enjoyment. There are two kinds of arrogance, one where you are unequal to the task and one where your dreams are too big. The former is just commonplace stupidity. But the latter is a rare species, difficult to find.

Caren: But they are identical in that both kinds are fools, are they not?

Gilgamesh: Isn't the foolishness of the few a more precious commodity than the wisdom of the masses? There are those that are born human, but harbor wishes that man was not meant for and have renounced their humanity in its pursuit. I simply never grow weary of watching their grief and despair. Caren, what of you today? For once, you seem almost strangely pleased.

Caren: I'm simply relieved. I've finally been freed from a most unpleasant burden.

Gilgamesh: What becomes of the Command Seals once they disappear?

Caren: According to theory, Command Seals ultimately return to the Grail. And the Holy Grail repossesses the unused Command Seals from any Master who has lost his Servant and has withdrawn from the war. Also, it for whatever reason a Servant loses its Master, the Grail will give those seals to a newly chosen Master, assuming one can be found before the war is over. The Command Seals stay a part of this world until their use. At the end, any remaining seals are given to the overseer for safe keeping.

Gilgamesh: So, depending on what happens now, a new Master may yet appear and enter the fight for the Grail.

Caren: Possibly. But the Holy Grail does not deem many on this Earth to be worthy of that role. Thus, when a replacement Master is sought, the Grail tends to select one of those whom it had previously considered and deemed suitable for participation.

(Caren stops, so she's silent)

Gilgamesh: What's the matter, continue with your talk. Go on.

Caren: There is an unspoken reason that the Holy Church gives asylum and protection to those Masters who have left the war. In the event a place should open among the remaining Masters, there's a high probability that any unpaired Masters will receive the Command Seals left behind. This is why the Grail War Masters try to kill rather than injure or temporarily incapacitate enemy Masters.