บท 32: Chapter 32: The Masters and Servants with Different Motives
"Rider, do you think this is true?"
"Oh? How rare, you're not focused on the reward, but rather questioning what the church representative said."
Inside their residence, Waver was discussing with Lelouch.
"I'm not as naive as I used to be, you know! Of course I know that you can't just trust things at face value!"
Flustered, Waver quickly retorted.
"Heh, but don't you already have the answer in your mind?"
Instead of directly answering, Lelouch just chuckled softly.
"Shut up! I just wanted to confirm it with you, that's all!"
Waver indeed had his suspicions, but due to some uncertainty, he sought confirmation from Lelouch. After all, Lelouch's insight and judgment were often sharper than his own.
"There's no need for that."
"You are a capable person. Overthinking things will just lead to hesitation. Sometimes, believing in yourself is the hallmark of a mature person."
Lelouch, lounging on the couch, responded without showing much concern for the situation at hand.
"I-Is that so?"
Breathing a sigh of relief, Waver realized his earlier judgment had been correct. It was only now that he truly understood the "tough love" Kenneth had shown him in the past.
Compared to Rider's "hands-off" approach, Waver had come to appreciate Kenneth's harsh but honest guidance. The former would only step in after a mistake was made, while the latter would harshly reprimand him before he even had the chance to act.
Still, he was fortunate that Rider was there to cover for him when necessary, so even when mistakes occurred, the consequences were not catastrophic.
"And besides, there's no need to doubt this matter too much."
"If the church says Lancer killed civilians and broke the rules, then she did it, whether or not she actually did."
"Focusing on what's right or wrong is pointless."
Lelouch, fully aware of the importance of controlling the narrative, calmly explained as he leaned back in his seat.
"But…"
Feeling uncomfortable, Waver, with his sense of justice, found it hard to accept such a "setup." Framing an innocent person, then rallying others with the promise of rewards to go after them? It seemed far too cruel.
His fists trembled with anger, and Waver couldn't help but feel uneasy about it all.
"You're too kind, a product of peacetime."
"I'm not from the ancient past! Of course, I can't accept a system where the king orders someone's death without reason, and they must comply!"
"Framing someone with false charges, then killing them while letting them die with such a stigma—"
"How could I possibly understand something like that?!"
For once, Waver found his voice, his hands slamming the table as he vehemently protested.
"Heh, well said."
"That's why the world needs people like you."
"If everyone was selfish and full of dark thoughts, this world would have been destroyed long ago."
Lelouch, hearing Waver's outburst, couldn't help but laugh heartily, clapping his hands as he walked up to Waver.
Despite Waver's naive idealism, Lelouch didn't dislike it.
It reminded him of his own anger toward the tyrannical Holy Britannian Empire, a rage that had once burned in his heart as well.
"Uh…"
Waver was caught off guard by Lelouch's praise.
"When things like this happen, don't be too hasty."
"Focusing only on the surface will cause you to miss the real objective."
Lelouch picked up a chess piece from a board on a nearby table, casually reminding Waver as he held it in his hand.
"The real objective?"
'Could it be that this gathering has another purpose beyond the mere hunt for Lancer?' Waver thought, furrowing his brow in confusion.
"Think about it. If we join the hunt for Lancer, who benefits?"
"Well, the reward is a Command Seal, so the Masters who participate, obviously."
Waver quickly identified the immediate beneficiaries.
"On the surface, it seems fair to everyone, but you also know that Lancer likely didn't commit the crime she's being accused of. So why would the church organize a hunt for her?"
"Lancer's Master is already dead, so it's just a matter of time before she disappears. Why would the church target her?"
"Their real goal was never Lancer. She, along with the reward of the Command Seal, is merely bait to lure out their true target."
"With us, Saber and Kiritsugu already exposed, along with Assassin, Archer, and now Lancer as the hunted party…"
"That only leaves Caster and Berserker as their real targets."
As Lelouch explained, Waver suddenly had a moment of clarity, admiration filling his mind.
"They're not particularly focused on Caster right now, which means…"
"They're aiming to flush out Berserker's Master?"
Having connected the dots, Waver finally understood the bigger picture.
The omnipotent Berserker was definitely an enemy to be wary of. Even now, Waver's side had no idea who Berserker's Master was.
Given that, it made perfect sense that Archer and Assassin's Masters would cooperate with the church's overseers to lay out this plan.
The Servant may be hard to deal with? Then just target the Master instead!
It was an extremely wise and effective tactic.
"And it's also an offer no one can refuse."
Lelouch gently knocked over the chess piece as he spoke again.
"Exactly. With the promise of a Command Seal as the reward, no Master would turn it down."
"And since they're only hunting Lancer, who has no Master, no one would care if she's truly guilty or not."
Waver clenched his teeth, frustrated by how perfect the plan was. It was a flawless "open scheme."
A Command Seal—something vital to a Master's survival. No one would reject the chance to obtain an extra one, and anyone who didn't participate would fall behind the others.
That was precisely what the church's overseer, Risei, was banking on. By offering such an enticing reward, he ensured that no one would refuse to act.
Even if they suspected foul play, they would keep quiet and go along with it, preferring to reap the benefits.
---
"Get ready, Saber."
"Kiritsugu? You're…?"
Saber was stunned, watching Kiritsugu check his firearms.
"Do I even need to explain?"
"Of course, I'm going to join the hunt for Lancer."
"This is a perfect opportunity with no downsides for us."
Lancer's position and innocence? That didn't matter to Kiritsugu. A Masterless Servant was of no consequence to him. Having already used one of his Command Seals, he now only had two left. There was no reason to pass up the chance to acquire another.
And besides, the church's true target wasn't him, so this was all gain with no risk.
Why wouldn't he take advantage?
No one would turn down a beneficial opportunity, especially one that came with no personal drawbacks.
Not to mention, Lancer also held a Dragon Ball. He couldn't allow it to fall into someone else's hands.
---
PS: It seems like Lelouch is the only one I haven't written about yet.
Rider (Lelouch):
- Mecha Summoning (A): Can summon the mechs he piloted in his lifetime for combat. These mechs retain all of their original abilities but require mana to operate.
- Geass (A++): Through his contract with the witch C.C., Lelouch gained the power of absolute command. By making eye contact with a target, he can compel them to follow any order, completely overriding their beliefs, thoughts, and morality. This ability can affect multiple people simultaneously and was once used to take control of the entire Holy Britannian Empire, making him the 99th Emperor.
Now that i think about it, Geass lowkey better than Kotoamatsukami? Tell me your thought.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง